AGP Executive Report

Wildfire Risk: Southern California’s first Santa Ana winds of the season are expected to bring gusts up to 70 mph, hot, dry weather and heightened fire danger in Los Angeles and Ventura counties Thursday and Friday. Coastal Damage: Powerful waves and flooding have battered California’s coast; in Long Beach, eight buildings were red-tagged after storm damage. Oil Pipeline: Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff joined colleagues in urging a federal appeals court to block the Trump administration’s effort to restart the Sable Offshore pipeline. Project Reviews: Proposition 45 would set deadlines for environmental reviews and lawsuits challenging certain projects. Supporters say it could speed housing, water and clean-energy projects; opponents warn it would limit public and court review. Cleaner Tires: California approved efficiency standards for replacement tires, aiming to cut fuel use and emissions. Industry groups say the rules could raise tire prices.

Coastal Damage: Tropical Storm Rachel’s powerful surf battered Long Beach, leaving homes at risk and eight buildings red-tagged; erosion is also renewing calls to reroute Highway 101 in Carlsbad. El Niño Watch: Forecasters warn a strengthening El Niño could bring California a winter with 150% to 200% of normal rainfall, raising flood concerns. Warm Pacific waters are also bringing unusual fish, including bullet tuna, to Southern California. Wildlife and Habitats: California redwoods show signs of heat stress, while severe weather could delay the Wallis Annenberg wildlife crossing’s planned December opening. Policy and Resilience: A new state law has given opponents of Oakland’s coal terminal fresh hope in their decade-long fight. California and France also renewed cooperation on wildfire protection and clean energy, and state officials announced $171 million for safe, affordable drinking water.

Coastal Damage: Tropical Storm Rachel’s powerful surf battered Long Beach, leaving eight buildings red-tagged and parts of the historic boardwalk damaged. Researchers say the Pacific hurricane season has set a record for storm energy, while officials warn coastal risks could worsen this winter. El Niño Preparations: California is urging residents to prepare for heavy rain, flooding and high surf as El Niño strengthens; emergency officials recommend making evacuation plans and stocking essential supplies. Climate Partnership: California and France agreed to work together on clean energy, wildfire prevention, biodiversity and access to clean water. River Restoration: Chinook salmon quickly returned to historic Klamath River habitat after four dams were removed: more than 13,000 passed the former dam sites in 2025, reaching 88% of known historical habitat. Waste and Agriculture: An expanded San Joaquin County compost facility will process more food scraps and yard waste, diverting organic material from landfills and producing compost for local farms.

Coastal Flooding: Tropical Storm Rachel damaged Long Beach homes and triggered flooding and debris flows inland. Forecasters say the worst has passed, but high tides, beach erosion, large surf and rip currents remain threats along parts of the Southern California coast. School Heat Safety: Nearly 2.6 million California public-school students attend campuses where trees cover 5% or less of play and rest areas, a new analysis found. With temperatures rising, advocates say shade and greener schoolyards can protect students and support outdoor learning. Energy and Air Quality: California’s AI data-center boom is raising concerns about electricity demand and pollution. A proposed Silicon Valley data center has drawn scrutiny, while a national report warns that surging demand is driving construction of smog-producing gas plants.

Coastal Flooding: Tropical Storm Rachel brought flooding to Long Beach, damaged coastal homes and prompted evacuations; Newport Beach also closed piers and beaches as dangerous surf threatened the coast. El Niño Watch: Forecasts point to a potentially record-strength event, with California bracing for heavy winter rain and increased flood risk. The state has reopened its emergency operations center and added satellite-based disaster monitoring. Data Center Pressure: A proposed 250-megawatt Silicon Valley data center has raised concerns over water use, electricity demand and who will pay for grid upgrades. Separately, an analysis warns the AI boom could drive a sharp nationwide rise in gas-fired power capacity, adding pollution and climate emissions. Fracking Rules: An appeals court struck down California’s fracking ban and ordered permit reviews, a setback for the state’s effort to restrict fossil-fuel extraction. Clean Air: Santa Barbara County distributed 270 air purifiers in the Cuyama Valley to help residents and public buildings prepare for wildfire smoke.

Coastal Flooding: Storm Rachel brought dangerous waves and flooding to Southern California. Newport Beach closed piers and some beaches, while San Diego crews cleared storm drains ahead of heavy rain. Redwoods Under Heat Stress: A UC Davis study found coast redwood leaves dial back photosynthesis during extreme heat, raising concern for forests already facing a warming climate. El Niño Readiness: California declared a state of emergency as forecasters warned of heightened flood and sea-level-rise risks; officials are urging residents to prepare for severe impacts. Water and Energy Policy: A judge struck down California’s fracking ban and ordered permit reviews, while new state rules tie data-center approvals to water-use disclosures and drought planning. Local Pollution: Central Valley cities ranked high in an asthma report, underscoring the region’s persistent air-quality burden.

Coastal Flooding: Tropical Storm Rachel brought powerful waves and flooding to Southern California. Long Beach residents faced evacuations, while Newport Beach closed its beaches and piers as crews worked to limit damage. Data Center Rules: San Jose’s draft standards would require large facilities to use clean power, restrict drinking water for cooling and notify nearby residents. Oil and Gas: A judge struck down California’s fracking ban and ordered regulators to review permits, a setback for the state’s effort to restrict drilling. Wildfire Preparedness: Smoke from an 87-acre prescribed burn in Sonoma County spread farther than expected, prompting officials to review how they plan future burns meant to reduce fire risk and restore habitat. El Niño Readiness: California has declared a state of emergency as El Niño strengthens, with officials urging residents to prepare for possible flooding and other severe impacts. Cleanup: PG&E has finished removing contaminated soil at a former gas plant site in Vallejo; groundwater monitoring and state review remain before closure.

Coastal Storm: Powerful surf has damaged homes and boardwalk sections in Long Beach as Tropical Storm Rachel approaches. Forecasters warn of more coastal flooding and heavy rain, with unusually warm ocean waters helping the storm hold strength. Oil and Gas: A judge struck down California’s fracking ban and ordered state officials to review permits, reopening a major fight over drilling and public health. Tijuana River Pollution: San Diego County is seeking researchers to investigate whether years of sewage and industrial contamination are linked to higher illness rates in nearby communities, including Imperial Beach, Nestor and San Ysidro. Drinking Water: Ripon is advancing a treatment plan to bring Well 3 back online. TCE and related contaminants remain below legal limits but have been rising, prompting plans for carbon filtration.

Storms & El Niño: Tropical Storm Rachel brought coastal flooding to Orange County as San Diego faced a storm watch; forecasts point to a potentially very wet California winter, raising flood-preparedness concerns. Clean Energy: The CPUC will review nearly $1 billion in proposed clean-energy investments for 2026–30, including grid resilience, building electrification and EV charging. Wildfire Resilience: Yreka is starting an 18-acre fuels-reduction project near Greenhorn, clearing dead trees and vegetation to reduce fire risk. Water & Development: California’s new data-center rules tie permitting to water-use disclosures and drought planning; environmental advocates have also sued the state over a major water system, warning of ecological harm. Wildlife: The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over Highway 101 remains on track to open Dec. 2, though heavy El Niño rains could affect the schedule.

El Niño Readiness: New forecasts put California’s winter rainfall at 150%–200% of normal. The state has reopened its emergency operations center and added disaster-monitoring technology as officials prepare for floods, fires and extreme storms. Wildlife Crossings: New funding could expand California’s crossing network, while researchers near Joshua Tree use detection dogs to study how highways isolate wildlife. Climate Lawsuits: The Supreme Court is weighing whether oil companies can be shielded from climate-damage suits, a decision that could affect California’s legal fight. Data Centers: California’s new rules require stronger environmental review for major data center projects and aim to prevent their power and water costs from falling on other customers. Waterways: California is seeking $60 million to stop an invasive species threatening the state’s waterways.

Bay Wildlife: Hundreds of sick, starving murres have washed up on Bay Area beaches as unusually warm ocean water disrupts their food supply; rescuers fear conditions could worsen this winter. River Cleanup: Seal Beach’s San Gabriel River trash-interceptor project awaits EPA approval, aiming to keep trash from reaching beaches that collect more than 400 tons a year. Data Centers: San Francisco has approved a temporary pause on new data centers, while California links data-center permits to water-use disclosures and drought planning. Coastal Resilience: Monterey Bay communities are investing in climate adaptation, and officials are weighing how to move Southern California’s vulnerable coastal rail line as seas rise. Oil & Cars: The BLM is advancing oil leases near Carrizo Plain, while California is suing to block the federal rollback of fuel-economy rules that could weaken its pollution standards.

Clean-Car Fight: The Trump administration’s rollback of fuel-economy standards renews its clash with California’s anti-pollution rules, as the state challenges the move in court. Worker Health: California may become the first state to ban quartz countertops containing more than 1% crystalline silica; nearly 600 countertop workers developed silicosis from exposure between 2019 and 2026. El Niño Preparations: Malibu declared an emergency and California reopened its State Operations Center as forecasters warn of potentially severe storms and flooding. Water and Power: San Francisco and Oakland approved temporary data-center moratoriums, while San Joaquin County halted new approvals amid concerns about water and electricity demand. Wildlife: A new crossing over U.S. Route 97 aims to help animals move safely through Siskiyou County, and the Hoopa Valley Tribe and state wildlife officials have joined forces to monitor fish and reduce handling of protected salmon.

El Niño Readiness: Malibu has declared a local emergency ahead of a potentially historic El Niño, citing risks of flooding, mudslides, debris flows and coastal erosion. Officials are urging residents to prepare for the winter storms. Data Center Impacts: San Francisco approved a 45-day pause on new data center construction as Bay Area cities weigh the facilities’ energy, water and neighborhood impacts. Santa Clara, home to 56 data centers, is reviewing its rules. Wildlife Crossings: A new overcrossing on Highway 97 in Siskiyou County aims to reduce collisions and reconnect habitat after years of deer and elk deaths. Near Los Angeles, the Wallis Annenberg crossing over the 101 is nearing its planned December opening. Waterways: California awarded $2.7 million for boating access projects and a response to invasive golden mussels; Tehama County received $536,000 to plan repairs for an eroding Sacramento River boat ramp. Climate Lawsuits: The Supreme Court heard arguments in Boulder’s case seeking climate damages from oil companies, a decision that could shape similar lawsuits nationwide.

Flood Risk Tech: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District released a new 3D visualization of major Capital Region Civil Works projects aimed at reducing flood risk, including American River Common Features, Sacramento Weir widening, and Natomas Basin. El Niño Watch: A guide explains how El Niño works and why a “Super El Niño” could mean more extreme weather for California and beyond. Wildlife & Toxins: A local study finds Northern spotted owls still show rodenticide exposure in remote food webs, even after some rat poison bans. Public Health: Los Angeles County confirmed its first rabid raccoon since 1973, raising awareness that rabies variants may shift beyond bats. Water Costs: A new survey says Californians face some of the highest water bills in the U.S., with multiple Bay Area and Southern California utilities ranking among the most expensive. Pollinator Protection: UC Riverside researchers used machine learning to identify chemical compounds that may repel honey bees safely from pesticide-treated crops. Mosquitoes & West Nile: LA County reports the highest West Nile virus activity in nearly a decade, with mosquito pools and dead birds testing positive. Energy & Climate: California is moving toward balcony solar availability, while geothermal “enhanced geothermal systems” are highlighted as a growing grid option.

Groundwater Watch: Chico-Durham residents could see domestic wells go dry under a draft Vina Groundwater Sustainability Agency plan, with critics saying the “minimum thresholds” are too low and would normalize historic drought conditions. Wildlife & Public Health: Los Angeles County reported what may be its first rabid raccoon case in over 50 years, triggering rabies post-exposure steps for people and a quarantined, vaccinated dog. Wildfire Resilience Funding: Cal Fire announced $10 million in grants for 17 projects aimed at restoring forests, building the forest-sector workforce, and reducing wildfire risk. Climate Credit Relief: Gov. Newsom said California’s Climate Credit is sending $886 million in automatic utility bill relief to households, averaging about $75 per month during peak summer use. Coal Fight in Oakland: A $1 billion coal terminal lawsuit against Oakland was dismissed, and a new state bill requires full environmental review for new coal facilities. AI + Local Land Use: Los Angeles County supervisors will consider a zoning amendment to restrict large-scale AI data centers in unincorporated areas over energy, water, and health concerns. Hazardous Waste Probe: Investigators from the Department of Toxic Substances Control are looking into a Boyle Heights cold storage warehouse fire at Lineage Logistics. Conservation Deal Next Steps: Golden Gate Fields in the East Bay is set to become a waterfront park, but the hard work now is tearing down buildings and planning the future.

Climate Courts: The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Boulder’s climate case seeking damages from fossil-fuel producers, with justices split over whether states can pursue claims tied to global warming. Wildfire Smoke & Wildlife: Scientists are studying how wildfire smoke travels and affects animals in ways that don’t always match what happens on the ground. Air Pollution & Health: A California-led study found gas-stove restaurant kitchens often exceed nitrogen dioxide and heat levels, while all-electric kitchens didn’t show the same spikes. Water Costs: A new study says U.S. households now pay 62% more for drinking water than a decade ago, outpacing inflation. EV Charging Access: Ionna says it’s training dealership staff to tackle charging as the real barrier to EV adoption. Local Land Use: Imperial County supervisors will consider new data-center moratorium steps and a possible ballot measure. Biodiversity Recovery: Los Angeles Zoo teams released 653 southern mountain yellow-legged frogs to restore scattered wild populations. Shark Safety: A Malibu kayaker was bitten twice after hooking a shark while fishing.