Climate & Environment

LA repeals oil phaseout law as residents near wells seek health protections

Communities living near oil drilling want the city to move quickly to reinstate its oil phaseout rule, as well as curtail practices like acid maintenance.

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A black oil pumpjack in the center of the image with green tree canopy in the foreground and a neighbhorhood in the background.

California’s pelicans are once again starving. This year, it’s the babies

Last year the state recorded roughly 1,000 pelicans captured for rehabilitation. This year, only 250 ailing pelicans have been tallied so far, but there are fresh challenges.

Two brown pelicans are pictured facing each other. A pool of water is pictured in the background.

SoCal Edison to pay $82.5 million to settle Bobcat Fire lawsuit

The U.S. government filed the lawsuit in 2023 to recover firefighting costs and to address other damages from the wildfire in fall 2020.

Cloudy skies and cooler weather in store this Memorial Day weekend

SoCal is in for a cooling trend in time for Memorial Day after a mini heatwave.

Among a wide expanse of meadow, verdant mountains tower a old white church at Paramount Ranch. Trees are scattered around the meadow, as puffy white clouds obscure the towering mountains, allowing a peak of light blue sky to sneak through.

Eaton Canyon trails will remain closed through 2025 due to damage from January fire

Officials want to give local flora and fauna a chance to bounce back after the Eaton Fire. They also want to protect hikers from danger.

Four people stand in front of a fence, waiting to speak at a press conference. Behind them, there is a grass-covered mountainside and a bright blue sky. In the middle of the image, a woman with light skin tone and medium-length dark hair stands behind a podium and speaks in the direction of a microphone. Next to her, a tripod holds up a poster that reads "Why is Eaton Canyon Closed?"

Just in time for summer, here are the cleanest and dirtiest beaches in SoCal

Heal the Bay’s annual beach report card just came out, and the water at the Santa Monica Pier is once again some of the dirtiest along the West Coast.

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Paco the Spanish Water Dog jumps off the surf board in the second head of large dogs during the World Dog Surfing Championships Saturday, Aug. 3, in Pacifica, Calif.

Senate votes to undo California's ban on new gas-only car sales

The Senate parliamentarian advised lawmakers that they couldn't use the Congressional Review Act to revoke California's right to set vehicle standards. But they did it anyway. Expect a legal fight.

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How to get free soil lead tests if you live downwind from the Eaton Fire

L.A. County is offering free tests after recent analysis showed high levels of lead downwind of the January fire that devastated Altadena.

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A partially burned down building with beige walls. The mountains can be seen in the background and a person wearing a green sweatshirt and jeans walks by.

Rancho Palos Verdes planning buyouts for 23 landslide-damaged homes

A total of 85 homeowners sought to get the federal funds for a buyout, but there's not enough money for everyone and cash could take years to arrive.

The back patio and pool are of a single story house with black walls and white trim that has a broken foundation causing to be tilted.

Researchers call for more comprehensive soil testing after LA fires. But who should do it?

The federal government and state agencies haven't taken charge of comprehensive soil testing, as they did with past fires in California. Here's what people can do now.

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An aerial photo of rows and rows of empty properties, some with clear patches of dirt and others with rubble remaining. A mountain range can be seen in the background.

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