California

"A California farmer decides it makes better business sense to sell his water than to grow rice. An almond farmer considers uprooting his trees to put up solar panels. Drought is transforming the state, with broad consequences for the food supply."

"It’s been a year and a half since California Gov. Gavin Newsom directed oil regulators to consider new health and safety measures to protect people living near oil and gas drilling sites. But those regulators missed another deadline Monday for releasing the rules, frustrating environmental advocates who say communities can’t wait any longer for change."

"After a historically dry winter, some growers are farming less land, switching crops, and trucking in water, or taking the season off entirely."

"A proposal to bring down four hydroelectric dams near the California-Oregon border cleared a major regulatory hurdle Thursday, setting the stage for the largest dam demolition project in U.S. history to save imperiled migratory salmon."

"When a female adult sea lion came ashore in San Luis Obispo County in central California recently, responders immediately knew something wasn't right."

"At the start of wildfire season, California’s insurance regulator has backed sweeping changes to discourage home building in fire-prone areas, including looking at cutting off new construction in those regions from what is often their only source of insurance — the state’s high-risk pool."

"Citrus greening disease hasn’t officially hit the state yet, but farmers may be required to cut back on the use of neonicotinoids, the main tool used to control the pest that carries it, because of its impact on pollinators."

"As the extreme drought causes various agencies to squabble over dwindling water supplies, conservationists say the state is still not doing enough to prevent an endangered run of salmon from dying in the Sacramento River."