Today on AirTalk, we discuss new federal regulations for California's water management. Also on the show, we have the latest on California's fires; Mark Zuckerberg's Congressional testimony; and more.
Updates On Old Water Fire In San Bernardino And The Monstrous Kincade Fire
The Southern California Edison utility has cut power to more than 15,000 Southern California customers as gusty Santa Ana winds sweep parts of the region and raise the risk of wildfires.
The utility is also considering additional power cuts Thursday to more than 286,000 customers to prevent wildfires ignited by downed lines or branches blown into them.
The moves came as a fire rages in the wine country of Northern California’s Sonoma County that has destroyed at least three homes and prompted the evacuation of the small community of Geyserville.
At least two fires have erupted in Southern California but they have remained small.
We get the latest on the fires, as well as SoCal Edison shut offs.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
Martin Espinoza, staff reporter at The Press Democrat, a daily newspaper published in Santa Rosa, California
Will Powers, PIO for the incident with CalFire Sonoma-Lake-Napa-Unit
J.D. Morris, covers PG&E for the San Francisco Chronicle; he tweets
Jimmy Schiller, PIO for the San Bernardino County Fire Department
Robert Laffoon-Villegas, spokesperson for Southern California Edison
It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane... It’s A Drone Delivering A Package? A Look At The Legal Questions Emerging Around Service Drones
Picture this: you look out your window to see drones frequenting your neighborhood and maybe dropping packages next door. We’re not quite there yet and could have a ways to go because experts say there are still a lot of technology and regulatory issues to sort out.
Still, companies are making headway on the use of drones in the service industry. Wing, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., became the first company to use a commercial drone delivery service in the U.S., according to a recent L.A. Times piece. And UPS recently got the OK to use drones for deliveries at universities, corporations and hospitals. The L.A. Times article also notes, there are some “thorny legal questions” companies who are preparing for drone delivery services, like Google and Amazon, will have to answer.
There are questions around data collection, liability, safety, trespassing, noise and more. The list could probably go on and on. Some experts say we’re likely to see legal challenges as drones are used on a wide scale because the issue is largely uncharted and there’s little precedent that currently exists. Are you worried about drone services occurring in your neighborhood? Or are you ready for the new tech? Larry sits down with research and policy experts to discuss the challenges.
Guests:
Steven Miller, practicing attorney and partner in the Public Agency practice at Hanson Bridgett in California, where he advises local government, manufacturers and users on drone policy. He also writes the blog hoverlaw.com
Arthur Holland Michel, co-director of the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College in upstate New York, he’s the author of the new book “Eyes in the Sky: The Secret Rise of Gorgon Stare and How it Will Watch Us All” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019); he tweets
How Feds New Water Plan Could Affect Customers In SoCal
The Trump administration on Tuesday unveiled new rules to govern California's scarce water, committing to send more to farmers in the Central Valley despite warnings from environmental groups that it would imperil endangered species in the fragile San Joaquin Delta.
The rules govern management of the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, two complex labyrinths of dams and canals that corral rain and snowmelt to provide water to more than 25 million Californians and millions of acres of farmland. An initial review by the National Marine Fisheries Services in July concluded the plan would threaten the existence of some endangered species, including winter-run chinook salmon, according to the Los Angeles Times. But the Trump administration never released that plan.
The report the government did release on Tuesday, known as a "biological opinion," said the plan "will not jeopardize threatened or endangered species," clearing the way for it to be implemented early next year. But it's likely environmental groups will sue to block it. The plan would give water agencies more flexibility on how much water they can pump out of the state's rivers. When it's raining a lot, agencies can pump more. When it’s dry, they would pump less.Also, the government said it would monitor the location of endangered fish species, including the delta smelt. If the fish are close to the pumps, the agencies would pump less to avoid sucking the fish in and killing them.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll explain what’s in the plan, what it means for farmers and wildlife in the San Joaquin Delta and find out how Metropolitan Water District customers here in SoCal could be affected.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Lauren Sommer, reporter covering the environment, energy and water for KQED News in San Francisco; she tweets
Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager and chief executive officer for The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; he tweets
Facebook’s Cryptocurrency -- And Stance On Political Speech -- Come Under Scrutiny
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced bipartisan, hostile questions in a congressional hearing Wednesday focused on the social media company’s plans to launch its own cryptocurrency known as Libra.
Zuckerberg acknowledged concerns about the Libra project, saying he would not allow Facebook to move forward unless he got explicit approval from all U.S. financial regulators. But members of the House Financial Services committee were not convinced.
Rep. Maxine Waters, the California Democrat who chairs the House Financial Services Committee, said that Facebook’s cryptocurrency project Libra “create many concerns” and argued that maybe Facebook should be broken up.
On the Republican side, Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri asked Zuckerberg why several high-profile corporations have recently departed the Libra project. Zuckerberg, momentarily at a loss for words, noted that “it’s a risky enterprise.”
While the hearing is focused on the digital currency, the full range of Facebook’s policies, conduct and market dominance is attracting congressional attention. It’s the Facebook chief’s first testimony to Congress since April 2018.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guest:
Sarah Frier, tech reporter for Bloomberg in San Francisco; she tweets
Peter Schroeder, financial correspondent for Reuters in Washington DC; he tweets