James Barba

Focused on climate solutions, natural resources, transportation w/ CA Senate Leader @ilike_mike. Previously @SenToniAtkins @nextgen_usa @climaterisk @amprog.

[Jesse D. Jenkins @JesseJenkins]

This is devastating. We do NOT have 360 substations worth of transformers and other electrical equipment sitting in stockpiles waiting to be deployed. It could take a very long time to restore power to everyone. Are we facing a Hurricane Maria-type impact on grid infrastructure?

[Andrew Kaczynski @KFILE]

NEW: JD Vance repeatedly indicated in 2016 that he believed Trump committed repeated sexual assault, questioned Trump’s credibility over his accusers and even tweeted, “What percentage of the American population has @realDonaldTrump sexually assaulted?”

https://t.co/UHuvisShh6

[James Barba @James_Barba]

That’s right

[Sammy Roth @Sammy_Roth]

There will, in fact, be a $10 billion climate bond on the California ballot in November: https://t.co/sb0vT1iR8Q via @MelodyPetersen

[James Barba @James_Barba]

Congrats @katenrg!

[California Forward @MoveCAFWD]

Thrilled to announce CA FWD’s new CEO, Kate Gordon! Kate brings a wealth of experience in the economic development & energy spaces, incl. @Cal_OPR & @ENERGY. We will be sharing more about Kate’s vision for the org; in the meantime, join us in welcoming Kate to CA FWD! @katenrg

[CAL FIRE @CAL_FIRE]

In the 1980s prescribed or controlled fire was used for agriculture, brush management, and timber understory maintenance. It was a tool to reduce fuel buildup by maintaining productive forests and reducing brushlands in California.

There was a decline in the use of prescribed fire that increased the fuel build up which resulted in more available combustible material and larger fires during drought and dryer winters. Ranchers, State agencies, and large forest landowners decreased the use of burning on the landscape scale with an increase in burn suspension laws, air quality regulations and infrastructure development. These changes evolved to create the use of a more technical plan and technical burn practitioners to accomplish fuel reduction using prescribed fire.

Today, we use prescribed fire, managed fire, and cultural burning, together known as “beneficial fire” to manage grass, brush, and timber understory for fuel reduction. One of the cornerstones of forest and land management across California is the increased pace and scale of beneficial fire. As we witness more climate change and the increase in large fires developing into what we know today as “Mega” fires causing catastrophic damage to communities and forestland it is even more important to get beneficial fire back on the landscape. The advancements in fire ecology, research and development of technology, and the use of traditional burning provide expertise in the use of beneficial fire. These fuel reduction activities help to decrease the catastrophic fire potential for communities with the increase of strategic fuel breaks, roadway clearance, chipping, mastication, forest thinning, and pile burning. These efforts create fuel breaks that change fire behavior, reduce negative ecosystem impacts, and enable firefighters to better protect communities.

To track the progress of our fuels reduction work, visit: https://t.co/Qu4jGxX5MH

#CALFIREClassic #PrescribedFire #GoodFire #ReadyForWildfire

[Jesse D. Jenkins @JesseJenkins]

This is the chart that must be terrifying legacy automakers like Toyota, VW & the Big Three. Pure-play EV companies (i.e., Tesla, BYD etc) are rapidly eating into global market share. The legacy automakers NEED an EV strategy or they are going to lose global share year after year

[Governor Gavin Newsom @CAgovernor]

Our federal partners announced that work will start shortly to fix the Tijuana River sewage crisis.

California leaders have worked tirelessly to get the resources to address this environmental & public health issue.
https://t.co/QxEd9z6vLm

[David Wallace-Wells @dwallacewells]

“In a study published in Science, Marshall Burke, Solomon Hsiang and Edward Miguel show that an uptick in temperature of just one standard deviation above the long-term mean drives an increase in the frequency of unrest of almost 15%. …” (1/3) https://t.co/FPcgjc2t9f

[Eytan Wallace @EytanWallace]

NOW: Acting Gov. @toniatkins (D-San Diego) makes California history as the first-ever Senate President Pro Tempore and LGTBQ+ lawmaker to sign a bill into law.

“It is historic,” she said. “I am just really honored.”

[David Ferris @DavidFerris]

Wow. Cox finds that average EV prices are $10K less than a year ago.

[Senator Scott Wiener @Scott_Wiener]

BIG TRANSIT FUNDING NEWS: Today, Senate Democrats issued our state budget framework. Our caucus’s plan reverses the Governor’s proposed transit capital cuts & commits to finding funding solutions to avoid the upcoming transit fiscal cliff — an existential threat to transit.

[The San Diego Union-Tribune @sdut]

San Diego condo owners hit by high wildfire insurance to get some relief from state https://t.co/b3AFbS4v2m

[Jesse D. Jenkins @JesseJenkins]

Fun fact: There were 1,280 gigawatts of clean power projects stuck waiting in queues to connect to the grid as of the end of 2022.
If 50% of those were built, that would be all the new capacity needed to cut US GHGs to 50% of peak levels by 2030 & be on path to net-zero by 2050.

[Jesse D. Jenkins @JesseJenkins]

The @USTreasury Dept. is currently writing rules for a major new subsidy intended for clean hydrogen production (background https://t.co/QovRhwAPyr).
Those rules MUST require that NEW DEMAND for electricity from hydrogen producers is supplied by NEW CLEAN SUPPLY.
Here's why...

[San Francisco Chronicle @sfchronicle]

A levee failure on the Pajaro River in Monterey County prompted overnight evacuations of more than 1,000 people, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

Here's a look at the flooded Pajaro city center on Saturday.

Read more → https://t.co/NiR2avCo24

📸: @LiPoChing

[Ray Mueller @Ray_Mueller_]

Viewed the crime scenes today in Half Moon Bay. Deplorable, heartbreaking living conditions. As I said on the campaign trail, we must raise the quality of life of farm workers, NOW.

[Rebecca Saltzman @RebeccaForEC]

BART is not eliminating weekend service.

BART does not plan to eliminate weekend service.

BART has been improving weekend service and plans further improvements.

Read this thread for an explanation of the headlines you might have seen last week.

[Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni Atkins @SenToniAtkins]

We remember Deanna Spehn today, and the gifts she left San Diego, on what would have been her 75th birthday. Rest in peace, Deanna. https://t.co/EcmUG6Uowb

[Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni Atkins @SenToniAtkins]

Our hearts are heavy & broken today with the loss of our beloved Team Toni colleague – Deanna Spehn. Deanna was an incredible civic leader in her own right for decades in SD. She was unique in her stewardship for our region & CA. Words can't express our profound loss at present.

[Colin McCarthy @US_Stormwatch]

California is staring down what could be one of the more significant November storms in recent years.

High-resolution models are forecasting up to 7 feet of snow in the next 48 hours across the Sierra, with over 6" of rain across the SoCal mountains.

A fire season-ending storm.