Mary Nichols, chair for the California Air Resources Board, has been rumored to be a top contender to head up the Environmental Protection Agency for the Obama administration. In an interview with the Sacramento Bee, she said "I'm not talking about that. I've been asked not to talk about it." That made one Bee blogger to be suspicious: "asked not to talk about it? Hmm. Does that sounds like a 'yes' to you?" more ›

Confirming past reports that say pollution kills thousands of people, a Cal State Fullerton study released yesterday concludes that annually, the state economy loses $28 billion due to 3,000 premature deaths in the South Coast (Los Angeles region) and San Joaquin basins. more ›

Today at the California Air Resources Board meeting, a historic plan is being presented that may radically cut greenhouse gas emissions in the state by about 30% by 2020. "The state is proposing a slate of changes including a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases, requiring renewable sources to power a third of the state's grid and taxing gas guzzling cars. Their approach will become a model for the nation if climate change legislation of some sort passes through Congress and is signed by the next President in 2009 as is widely expected." Wired is at the meeting updating what's happening. (emphasis added) more ›

A state report (.pdf) to be presented today says that "as many as 24,000 deaths annually in California are linked to chronic exposure to fine particulate pollution," according to the LA Times. That's more than triple the figures announced by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) when they asked Governor Schwarzenegger and President Bush to declare a state of emergency regarding the 5400 environmental/pollution related deaths a year. more ›