California Water Wars blog on Wanger’s new job: Aftermath
Posted by: Maven on November 30, 2011 at 7:27 amFrom the California Water Wars blog:
“Former U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger, who spent two decades as a jurist deep in the Central Valley, is shaping up as something of a courtroom nemesis for environmentalists. And he's not even on the bench.
Wanger, who has ruled on numerous water cases, retired at the end of September : but not before he blasted the government's environmental assessments of flows and fresh water in a case involving Delta smelt protections. Wanger's sharp language, in which he denounced experts from the Bureau of Reclamation and the Fish and Wildlife Service, drew national attention.
The Westlands Water District, the nation's premier farm irrigation district and a major political player in the Central Valley, sought more flows south from the Delta; the government's position would have limited them. In the end, Wanger's decision was favorable to Westlands. … “
Continue reading from the California Water Wars blog by clicking here.
Dan Walters: New documentary nostalgic for days of Gov. Pat Brown
Posted by: Maven on November 21, 2011 at 7:24 amFrom Dan Walters at the Modesto Bee:
“As California’s economy continues to languish and as its political dysfunction becomes more obvious and more intolerable one reaction has been nostalgia.
If only another Ronald Reagan would appear, those on the right sigh, California would once again be golden.
No, those on the left insist, what we really need is another Pat Brown, the last governor to make government work.
The latter lament has now taken cinematic form, a documentary titled “California State of Mind: The Legacy of Pat Brown,” which is making the rounds of film festivals and special showings. … “
Continue reading from Dan Walters at the Modesto Bee by clicking here.
Family Water Alliance guarding farmers’ rights for 20 years
Posted by: Maven on November 19, 2011 at 6:40 amFrom the Colusa Sun-Herald:
“Sue Sutton can remember the very day the Family Water Alliance was born.
“It seems like yesterday,” said Sutton, who for more than 15 years was the face of one of the most successful grassroots organizations in the North State and beyong.
The organization celebrates its 20th anniversary tonight at its annual dinner in Maxwell. … “
Continue reading from the Colusa Sun-Herald by clicking here.
Congresswoman Napolitano recognized with Southern California Water Committee award
Posted by: Maven on November 18, 2011 at 7:52 amFrom the office of Congresswoman Grace Napolitano:
“Today, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano was honored with the 2011 Harriett Wieder Water Leadership Award by the Southern California Water Committee.
“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,\” Napolitano said. “Many challenges to our water supply remain for us to overcome, including climate change, a growing population, and the rising price of water. With continued cooperation at the local, state, and federal level, we can develop the reliable and inexpensive water supply we need to grow our economy. I thank the Southern California Water Committee and look forward to working together on these issues.
Napolitano was selected for her leadership on the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011, which reauthorizes the Hoover Dam to continue providing power to communities across California, Nevada, and Arizona through 2067. The bill also sets aside 5% of the dam's power to allow Native American tribes and other groups to access it for the first time. The House and Senate passed the bill last month after a multi-year effort
Napolitano is the top Democrat on the House Water and Power Subcommittee.”
Educator championed for solar water-pumping innovation
Posted by: Maven on November 3, 2011 at 8:11 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“When Bruce Rasmussen sought to improve a local water system in his role as a homeowners association president, he never dreamed that it would lead him to Washington, D.C.
Today, he will be honored at the White House as a Champion of Change and participate in activities designed to help the nation’s leaders create high-quality jobs in the United States.
The White House Champions of Change Initiative spotlights Americans from all walks of life who are doing extraordinary things in their communities to “out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world,” according to a news release. … “
Find out more about why this Vacaville resident is being honored by clicking here.
Congresswoman Napolitano honored with Water Leadership Award
Posted by: Maven on November 2, 2011 at 7:55 am
Received via email from the office of Congresswoman Grace Napolitano:
“Today, the Southern California Water Committee (SCWC) announced that it will be honoring Rep. Grace F. Napolitano with the 2011 Harriett Wieder Water Leadership Award at their November 17 annual dinner in the City of Industry.
“I am honored to accept this award, and to recognize the many communities and agencies who work together to protect and improve our water supply,\” Napolitano said. “We must continue to meet our water challenges and provide the reliable and inexpensive water we need for strong economic growth.
Napolitano was selected for her leadership on the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011, which reauthorizes the Hoover Dam to continue providing power to communities across California, Nevada, and Arizona through 2067. The bill also sets aside 5% of the dam's power to allow Native American tribes and other groups to access it for the first time. The House and Senate passed the bill last month after a multi-year effort.
Napolitano is the top Democrat on the House Water and Power Subcommittee.”
Alex Breitler’s blog: Scrutinized scientist gets award
Posted by: Maven on October 25, 2011 at 7:50 amFrom Alex Breitler’s blog:
“One of the Delta smelt scientists so sharply criticized by former federal judge Oliver Wanger has received an in-house award for her work on the contested biological opinion.
Jennifer Norris last month was given the Star Award from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Regional Manager Ren Lohoefener, along with fish biologist Matt Nobriga. … “
Continue reading from Alex Breitler’s blog by clicking here.
Q&A with retiring Helix water manager Mark Weston
Posted by: Maven on October 19, 2011 at 7:57 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“LA MESA Mark Weston, general manager at the Helix Water District for the past 10 years, will retire at the end of the year after a 38-year career in water, wastewater and municipal infrastructure engineering that took him from his Northern California roots to Helena, Mont., to Poway, and finally to La Mesa.
Weston, a licensed civil engineer for 35 years in California, will spend retirement traveling with his wife of 38 years, Anne. The couple has two sons. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
California Water Wars blog on Judge Wanger: Speaking out
Posted by: Maven on October 8, 2011 at 7:42 amFrom the California Water Wars blog:
“Newly retired U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger, who ruled on numerous water and environmental cases during 20 years on the bench in the Central Valley, is going on the speaking circuit: He'll be making a major public appearance next month before at south state water group's fundraising dinner.
He'll also be appearing at an Oct. 11 fund-raiser for a candidate to the Fresno County board of supervisors : his first presentation since leaving the bench, according to the candidate.
There is nothing improper about retired jurists or doctors, journalists or school superintendents, for that matter saying anything they want to whomever they want. … “
Continue reading from the California Water Wars blog by clicking here.
The man with his hand on California’s spigot: U.S. District Court Judge Oliver W. Wanger’s decisions determined how much water gets pumped south to fields and cities and how much stays behind to sustain fish species
Posted by: Maven on October 7, 2011 at 8:35 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“For more than a decade, the state’s de facto water baron has been a man most Californians never heard of.
Oliver W. Wanger is not the archetypal power broker embodied by William Mulholland but a workaholic U.S. District Court judge whose Fresno courtroom was the forum for many of the state’s fiercest water conflicts.
Last week was his last on the bench. At the age of 70, Wanger returned to private practice, leaving a record of long, complex rulings and a parting diatribe at federal scientists that has echoed across the country. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Powerful figure in water wars steps down
Posted by: Maven on September 30, 2011 at 8:52 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“One of the most powerful forces in California’s water wars is stepping down after two decades on the federal bench.
More than anyone else in recent years, U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger has decided how much of the state’s most precious resource goes to farms and cities and how much to the environment. He’s done so reluctantly, he said, grabbing the water policy reins because elected leaders failed to do so.
He’s rejected the work of government scientists when they failed to do enough to protect Delta smelt and Chinook salmon from extinction, earning environmentalists’ cheers and farmers’ boos.
However, he’s also preserved water for farmers, making water agencies ecstatic and environmentalists glum.
“At this point, I have no friends in California. That’s the fact,” Wanger said. … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Judge Wanger’s interview on the California Report
Posted by: Maven on September 27, 2011 at 9:51 amFrom the California Report:
“U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger’s courtroom has been home to fierce battles between fishermen, farmers and environmentalists. Now, after ruling on more cases governing California water than any other living judge, Wanger is retiring. Reporter: Sasha Khokha”
California Water Wars blog: Judicial temperament
Posted by: Maven on September 26, 2011 at 8:04 amFrom the California Water Wars blog:
“The last thing you want in a federal courtroom : any courtroom : is a testy judge. But that is precisely what federal scientists confronted in the latest legal fight over the tiny Delta smelt, which needs fresh water to thrive in its increasingly saline marshy habitat.
“Testy' may be too kind a description. Fresno U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger, who steps down this month after more than two decades on the bench, excoriated the scientists : one from the Bureau of Reclamation, the other from the Fish and Wildlife Service : for what he characterized as deliberately deceiving the court with inconsistent testimony. The FWS scientist, he said was a “zealot;\” the other was “\”untrustworthy as a witness. … “
Continue reading from the California Water Wars blog by clicking here.
Sunday’s top of the scroll: Federal judge who ruled in water cases steps down
Posted by: Maven on September 25, 2011 at 10:00 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“A federal judge whose rulings in high-profile California water cases have had far-reaching impact on protections of threatened fish species and on how much water flows from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to farms and cities is stepping down after two decades on the bench.
The decisions of judge Oliver W. Wanger who leaves the courthouse on Sept. 30 have at times angered farmers, environmentalists and federal government officials. Despite this, Wanger, 70, is recognized by all sides for his historic role and his strict adherence to the law.
“Over the course of the last two decades, no one has had a greater influence on California water than Judge Wanger,” said Tom Birmingham, general manager of the Westlands Water District, the largest agricultural water district in the nation, which has participated in numerous cases before the judge. “There isn’t a judge for whom I have greater respect.” … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Santa Clara Valley Water District’s Beau Goldie answers reader questions
Posted by: Maven on September 22, 2011 at 7:49 amFrom the San Jose Insider:
“This is the newest installment of a San Jose Inside feature that allows readers to pose questions to public officials. This week, Santa Clara Valley Water District CEO Beau Goldie has answered 10 questions selected by SJI staff out of dozens submitted by San Jose Inside commenters. The topics range from SCVWD employee pay to dam safety. …
I'd like to ask how much the Water District spends each year on advertising and outreach Water District ads encouraging people to conserve are on all of the time. (By now, I think we've got it!)
Timothy WrightThe budget for marketing campaigns has varied depending on the seasonal need. For example, the “Save 20 gallons\” water conservation campaign was released in 2009, following a 15 percent mandatory conservation call by our board of directors. The call came as the state entered the third year of drought and the need to save water became more urgent and immediate. … “
Continue reading from the San Jose Insider by clicking here.
Congresswoman Napolitano at Scripps Institution of Oceanography: Cooperation needed on water supply
Posted by: Maven on September 21, 2011 at 7:24 am
From the website of Congresswoman Grace Napolitano:
“Yesterday, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano addressed the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, as the keynote speaker for their 2011 Water Symposium “Water, Climate & Finance: The New Intersection.
“Local communities, the federal government, and public and private water providers will all have to work together to improve our water supply for the 21st century,\” Napolitano said. “Even with climate change and a growing population, there is enough water to meet future demands if we become more efficient, protect our streams and aquifers from pollution, and use the latest water technologies to increase supply. This more reliable and efficient water supply will provide a solid foundation for economic growth and expansion for years to come.
Napolitano is the top Democrat on the Water and Power Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The two-day conference included policy makers, scientists, and businessmen who discussed potential public-private partnerships and how to best address the diminishing global supply of potable water.
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego is one of the oldest and largest centers for ocean and earth science research in the world.
Secretary Salazar to visit Bay Area on Sept. 19 to highlight Federal efforts on water
Posted by: Maven on September 17, 2011 at 7:14 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will visit Northern California on Monday, Sept. 19, to highlight the Department's recent efforts to increase water reliability in the state and dedicate a fish screen project by Contra Costa Water District. … “
More details on Secretary Salazar’s visit from ACWA’s Water News by clicking here.
A conversation with California’s Resources Secretary
Posted by: Maven on September 15, 2011 at 8:25 amJohn Laird, who announced yesterday that he won’t be running for the state Senate, sat down with Capitol Weekly for this interview:
“John Laird is sitting in an armchair in his austere 13th floor office in the state Resources Building on O and 9th Streets. The former chair of the Assembly Budget committee is in shirt sleeves buttoned at the wrist. He gestures broadly while talking.
There are posters of parks on the walls, a hard hat from the state firefighters on a credenza, a row of baseball caps in the otherwise empty bookcase. His desk is ordered but full.
Named secretary on Jan. 5 : one of Gov. Jerry Brown's first appointments – the 61-year-old Santa Rosa native touched many of the issues he now is responsible for overseeing during his six-year tenure in the Assembly: state parks, the Sierra Conservancy, renewable energy, the future of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The former aide to East Bay Rep. Jerry Waldie, Santa Cruz City Council member, director of the Santa Cruz AIDS Project and Cabrillo College Board trustee talks with Capitol Weekly about his current job and some of its unique challenges. … “
Continue reading at Capitol Weekly by clicking here.
Wanger’s retirement will leave a huge hole, says editorial: The Eastern District has been well-served by his time on bench
Posted by: Maven on September 2, 2011 at 7:16 amFrom the Fresno Bee, this editorial:
“We can’t recall a federal judge from our region who has had a bigger impact on the judiciary than Oliver W. Wanger. It’s not just that Wanger takes on the highest profile and most controversial federal cases — and he does — but he’s also been much more public than most judges in explaining the role of the courts in our system of government.
Wanger never bought into the idea that federal judges should only be heard from when ruling from the bench. He never compromised his cases by speaking about them, but would often explain the intricacies of the law. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
Judge Oliver Wanger to retire after 2 decades on federal bench; Wanger’s exit leaves hole in district
Posted by: Maven on September 1, 2011 at 8:52 amFrom the Fresno Bee:
“Oliver W. Wanger, the often larger-than-life federal judge who has presided over some of this region’s most high-profile cases, is stepping down after two decades.
Wanger, 70, is taking the rare step of leaving the bench and returning to private practice. His last day at Fresno’s federal courthouse is Sept. 30, a Friday. The following Monday, he’ll hang out his shingle as a partner at the newly created firm of Wanger Jones Helsley.
“I am going to be a lawyer,” Wanger said. “I’m going back to the other side of the bench.” … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
Also from the Fresno Bee:
“The retirement of U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger in Fresno will leave a gaping hole in one of the federal judiciary’s busiest regions.
Wanger revealed Wednesday he is departing in one month. But because the 70-year-old judge already is on senior status, his position won’t be filled. One result will be an even heavier workload for his soon-to-be former colleagues in the Eastern District of California.
“The already-strained workload of our court has now become impossible in light of Judge Wanger’s announcement to leave our bench,” U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill said via email. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
Service set in September for former Westlands chief Jerry Butchert
Posted by: Maven on August 30, 2011 at 8:10 amFrom the Fresno Bee News Blog:
“Jerald R. “Jerry” Butchert led the Westlands Water District through epic struggles, such as the 1977 drought, closure of the San Luis Drain and the landmark irrigation reform of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act. He died last week at 79.
He was the second well-known west-side water leader to die this year. In May, west-side farming icon and former Westlands board president Jack Stone died.
Mr. Butchert’s memorial service is scheduled at 1 p.m. Sept. 16 in the St. Paul Newman Center, 1572 E. Barstow Ave. In lieu of flowers, donations should go to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, P.O. Box 3438, Pinedale, CA 93625. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee News Blog by clicking here.
Dan Bacher: Brown appoints Chuck Bonham as new DFG Director
Posted by: Maven on August 27, 2011 at 7:39 amFrom Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org:
“Governor Jerry Brown as appointed Charlton “Chuck\” Bonham, 43, of Albany, as director of the California Department of Fish and Game
Bonham has served in multiple positions at Trout Unlimited, a national trout advocacy organization, since 2000, including California director and senior attorney, according to a August 26 news release from Governor Jerry Brown’s Office.
He was an instructor and trip leader for the Nantahala Outdoor Center from 1994 to 1997 and was a small business development agent for the United States Peace Corp in Senegal, West Africa from 1991 to 1993.
Bonham was not available for comment at press time, but representatives of recreational and commercial fishing groups praised his appointment by Brown. … “
Continue reading from Dan Bacher at IndyBay.org by clicking here.
Former Congressman Charlie Gubser passes away; Gubser led charge for pipe that brought needed water to Santa Clara Valley
Posted by: Maven on August 26, 2011 at 8:09 amFrom the Contra Costa Times:
“It was called, not always fondly, “Gubser’s pipe,” an appendage that dead-ended 250 feet under the San Luis Reservoir dam below Pacheco Pass east of Gilroy.
Charlie Gubser, a Republican congressman, wangled the 1.8-mile intake to be built along with the dam in the early 1960s just in case. Congress and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation had not yet approved the San Felipe Project as a water-importation plan for the valley, so “Gubser’s pipe” could have been a boondoggle.
But San Felipe was authorized in 1967 and 20 years later pumps began sucking water from the bottom of the reservoir into the pipes of the San Felipe Project, bringing water to Santa Clara and San Benito counties. Gubser’s gamble ended up slaking the thirst of valley residents with 152,500 acre-feet of water annually, half the water the county uses. … “
Continue reading from the Contra Costa Times by clicking here.
Former Westlands manager “Jerry” Butchert passes away
Posted by: Maven on August 25, 2011 at 8:09 amFrom the Westlands Water District:
“We learned with sadness of the passing of Jerald R. “Jerry\” Butchert, a former general manager of Westlands Water District. All of us at the district join in expressing our sympathy to his family and our deep appreciation for his leadership for more than 17 years.
Jerry worked in the water industry for more than 36 years. He started as an engineer in 1959 with the Fresno Irrigation District, became an executive officer of the Eel River Water Council, and eventually joined the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California before taking the helm at Westlands from 1977 to 1995. He had a trademark style of management. Even under the most difficult circumstances; he was always approachable, low-key, and level-headed. It was that leadership style that helped lead Westlands through many of the most challenging negotiations on California water issues that are still evolving today.
Westlands current general manager, Tom Birmingham, commented on Jerry's many years of
exemplary service: “Jerry Butchert led Westlands Water District through difficult times, the 1977 drought, battles over reform of federal reclamation laws, closure of the San Luis Drain, and enactment of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act. Jerry was an exemplary leader and was a person of great foresight. He was among the water leaders who in 1994 crafted the Bay-Delta Accord, a historic agreement that provided water certainty for farmers and resources for ecosystem restoration in the Delta. The people who farm in Westlands today are indebted to Jerry; his influence is still felt.”
An interview with California’s Secretary of Natural Resources : John Laird
Posted by: Maven on August 23, 2011 at 8:19 amFrom Bilingual Weekly:
“John Laird has a pivotal and powerful position. As the new California Secretary of Natural Resources, he is at the center of controversial issues such as Delta water management and park and wildlife protection. He must find solutions for more than two dozen state agencies and twenty-six conservancies and commissions, from the Department of Fish and Game to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. And it is a tough balancing act with the state's tightening budget.
But Laird has the skills to do it. As a three-term assemblyman and a two-term Santa Cruz mayor, he has more than 35 years of experience. While an assemblyman, he wrote and authored 82 bills that were signed into law, including five nondiscrimination bills, one that required agricultural water districts to meter water for the first time, and the landmark Sierra Nevada Conservancy Bill, which promotes healthy forests and watersheds, while sustaining economic activity. … “
Continue reading from the Bilingual Weekly by clicking here.
Saturday’s top of the scroll: Jerry Brown targets two GOP appointees on key water panel
Posted by: Maven on August 20, 2011 at 9:06 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“Gov. Jerry Brown targeted two Republican appointees on a key water panel this week and called for a water bond smaller than an $11.1 billion version his predecessor placed on the ballot.
The Democratic governor wants to reshape the 2009 water agreement that lawmakers and former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger once called “historic,” fearing that a faltering economy and new political considerations have rendered that deal infeasible.
“We have to figure out a way to make it more politically acceptable,” Brown said.
In its current form, he said, “It won’t pass.” … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
MORE: Former supervisor Kelley removed from state water panel, from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Q&A: A conversation with Santa Fe Irrigation District General Manager Michael Bardin
Posted by: Maven on August 11, 2011 at 6:34 amFrom the Del Mar Times:
“The Santa Fe Irrigation District lifted mandatory water use restrictions for its customers in May after Gov. Jerry Brown declared an end to California's drought, but major challenges remain, mostly relating to money.
The district, which provides water to some 20,000 residents of Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach and Fairbanks Ranch, is trying to cope with rising water costs while keeping rates under control and maintaining its aging network of pipelines. … “
Continue reading from the Del Mar Times by clicking here.
Lode water district names new director
Posted by: Susan Lauer on July 28, 2011 at 7:16 amFrom the Stockton Record
The Calaveras County Water District Board of Directors on Wednesday appointed Scott Ratterman of San Andreas to the board seat vacated last month by the resignation of Director Phil McCartney.
Ratterman, 52, works in insurance claims and serves on the board of directors of the Calaveras Community Foundation.
He will represent the water district’s 1st Division, which includes San Andreas, Mokelumne Hill, Burson, Wallace and downtown Valley Springs.
Continue reading from the Record by clicking here
Water giant Tom Clark leaves legacy of leadership
Posted by: Maven on July 27, 2011 at 7:43 amFrom ACWA’s Water News:
“Tom Clark, California water leader and former general manager of Kern County Water Agency, passed away on July 23, 2011, of stomach cancer. He was 65 years old.
Over his 35-year career in California water, Clark closed major water deals around the state, positioned Kern County Water Agency as an influential player in California water policy, and developed a statewide reputation for creative water management and powerful deal-making skills. … “
Continue reading from ACWA’s Water News by clicking here.
Column: Kern’s water rainmaker, Tom Clark, was a force
Posted by: Maven on July 26, 2011 at 8:31 amFrom the Bakersfield Californian, this column by Lois Henry:
“You’d never know it by looking at him — with his half tucked shirt, faded jeans and trademark Converse tennis shoes — but Oildale native Tom Clark was arguably one of the most powerful forces in California water over the last 30 years.
Clark died Saturday after a seven-month battle with stomach cancer. He was 65.
His legacy lives on however, through a number of groundbreaking water deals he helped broker. … “
Continue reading from Lois Henry at the Bakersfield Californian by clicking here.
Catherine Mulholland dies at 88; historian wrote key biography of famed grandfather
Posted by: Maven on July 7, 2011 at 8:02 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“Catherine Mulholland, a historian whose biography of her grandfather William Mulholland sought to provide a more nuanced portrait of the engineer who brought water to Los Angeles, died Wednesday. She was 88.
Mulholland died of natural causes at her home in Camarillo after several years of declining health, said her niece, Christine Mulholland of San Luis Obispo. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
From the Los Angeles Times:
” … In high school, a teacher suggested that Mulholland read what historian Carey McWilliams and other writers had said about her grandfather. She was “sobered and perplexed” by their accounts, which cast him as one of the “exploitative overlords” of Southern California.
Probing forgotten records and family memories of a past that she said haunted her for years, she wrote “William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles” (2000) to provide what she believed was a fairer, more nuanced view of the family patriarch, a ditch tender who rose to chief of what is now the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
DWP head Ron Nichols said in a press release:
“We are very saddened to learn of Catherine Mulholland's passing,\” said Ronald O. Nichols, LADWP General Manager. “Ms. Mulholland was well known to the LADWP family through her gracious participation in events that celebrated her legendary grandfather, William Mulholland, a revered figure here at the Department. We are all going to miss her and the link she provided to our historic past.
Full text of the press release by clicking here.
Personnel Profile: Bruce Reznik
Posted by: Maven on June 23, 2011 at 8:23 amFrom Capitol Weekly, this profile of Bruce Reznik:
“Bruce Reznik is the new executive director of the Planning and Conservation League. [Question] You have so much dedication to the environment cause that you moved from San Diego to Sacramento.
[Answer] A lot of people ask why. I'm really excited about the move. I'm a native of California, from L.A. originally. I went to school in Berkeley, then law school in San Diego. I spent a year in D.C. doing a master's in environmental law. I did not finish that, all but the thesis. I did five years of air quality work in L.A., the last dozen doing coastal work in San Diego for San Diego Coastkeeper.
What appealed to me about coming up here and to the Planning and Conservation League specifically was a couple of things. One, I've been an environmental advocate my entire life, but also a political junkie. In San Diego, I was very involved in politics. I'm a big-picture guy. I wanted to work where I could have the greatest impact, and I think that's working on state-level issues. Nationals seem a little intimidating. Certainly Sacramento isn't the easiest place to get things done, but I feel like I can have a real impact. … “
Continue reading from Capitol Weekly by clicking here.
Interview with American Water CEO Jeff Sterba
Posted by: Maven on June 14, 2011 at 8:35 amFrom Reuters News:
“Founded in 1886, American Water Works, Inc. is the largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility in the U.S. Through 19 state subsidiaries and other market-based businesses, the company serves approximately 15 million people in more than 1,600 communities across more than 30 states, Manitoba and Ontario.
With headquarters in Voorhees, New Jersey, American Water has about 7,000 employees and annual revenues of $2.7 billion. In 2009, the company instituted a sustainability plan that addresses energy and water use both in its own operations and among communities and institutional customers. Heather King talks to CEO Jeff Sterba about the tie between energy and water, finding value in wastewater, and the irony of our $21 billion per year bottled water habit.
[Question] In May 2011, the H2O Global Water Summit called attention to the looming water supply and quality crises. How is the mounting concern about sustainable water changing your business model … “
Continue reading from Reuters News by clicking here.
Desert Sun interview with IID’s new General Manager Kevin E. Kelley
Posted by: Maven on June 6, 2011 at 8:17 amThe Desert Sun interviews Kevin E. Kelley, who was recently named as general manager of the Imperial Irrigation District:
” … QUESTION: You took over as interim general manager in February after the departure of Brian Brady and became the permanent CEO earlier this month. What changes have you seen during your tenure with IID
ANSWER: As general manager, my role is fairly straightforward: to carry out the policies of the elected board by translating those policies into actionable initiatives.
I think it’s fair to say that IID is at a crossroads in terms of its historical mission. This district is the nation’s largest irrigation district and the third largest public power provider in California. Providing these essential water and energy functions make up our core business, but we also have a responsibility, I think, to serve as a catalyst for positive change in the communities we serve. … “
Continue reading from the Desert Sun by clicking here.
Modesto mom finds opportunity in dirty job, leaves day care job for waste water; Public works still a steady field
Posted by: Maven on May 30, 2011 at 7:02 amFrom the Modesto Bee:
“Laura Anhalt didn’t seem like a person who would choose a career in the waste-water treatment field.
For six years, she was a full-time mom and ran a day-care facility, teaching her little charges to make paper-bag puppets and Mother’s Day gifts.
She was introduced to waste-water treatment after her husband’s friend went through a training program and suggested that she could do the job as well. She volunteered at a Bay Area plant and before long was working with a shovel and wrench at the San Leandro sewer facility. … “
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