One of the big news stories neglected by the media is the capture of California politics and the regulatory apparatus by Big Oil and other corporate interests in recent years – and the massive expansion of offshore drilling that has occurred … Continued
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi’s Assembly Bill 1775 and Senator Hannah Beth Jackson’s Senate Bill 834, bills to protect the California coast from new federal offshore drilling leases, passed out of their respective Appropriations Committees today after being referred to the suspense file in April. The Assembly and … Continued
The Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture held the 45thAnnual Zeke Grader Fisheries Forum at the State Capitol in Sacramento on March 8. Below is a revised version of my testimony before the Committee exposing the huge expansion in offshore oil drilling in Southern California … Continued
The California Fish and Game Commission on February 7 ordered a five-year suspension of the license of Pacific Star Sportfishing, Inc., a recreational sportfishing vessel operator, for fishing in the “marine protected area” network created under the privately-funded Marine Life … Continued
The Beach Closures due to the sewage spill have been lifted, according to an update from the Monterey County Health Department yesterday evening: “However, all Monterey County Beaches have been posted with a rain advisory due to the current weather. … Continued
How are those highly touted “Yosemites of the Sea” on the North Coast, created under California’s privately-funded Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative, working out? Not very well, if you look at the recent vote by state regulators to close … Continued
Showing the enormous power of the oil industry in California despite the state’s “green” image, every bill except one opposed by the powerful oil industry has failed to make it out of the state legislature this year and during the 2015-2016 session. The … Continued
The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), the most powerful corporate lobbying group in Sacramento, announced the hiring of former Assemblyman Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno) as Senior Vice President, Policy and Strategic Affairs, on March 27. In Perea’s new role, he will advise … Continued
Western States Petroleum Association Finishes Second in 7th Quarter CA Lobbyist Expenses The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) usually captures the top spot in the quarterly lobbying expenses listed on the California Secretary of State’s website, but Tom Steyer’s Next Generation … Continued
The California Fish and Game Commission on Wednesday, August 24, adopted the controversial Master Plan for Marine Protected Areas in California that delays regional scientific reviews of MPAs, as originally promised, from every five years to every ten years. After … Continued