public land use

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Northern California county warns of ‘thick, poisonous smoke,’ declares emergency

  1. Wu, J. (2025, July 15). Northern California county warns of ‘thick, poisonous smoke,’ declares emergency. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 29, 2025, from https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/norcal-county-warns-poisonous-smoke-declares-20769947.php

 

The article talks about how in july, Siskiyou county north of us declared a state of emergency due to illigal cannabis growers igniting sawdust like materials that had insecticides and herbicides inside. This act produced dense and poisonous smoke, which endangered public health, public waterwyas, the envirnment, and put first responders in danger. Gavin Newsom was then urgered to officially recognize the crisis. Illegal operations like this are huge risks to the envirnment due to their unlicsenced/unofficial use of materials, like pesticides.

 

This related to APES and issues withi environmental science, highlighting how significantly important it is to operate with pesticides lawfully, because otherwise there is significant risks to air, water, human health, and ecosystems. I am alarmed that such dangerous and illegal practices/opertations like the cannabis farm in this article are around, and efforts to stop them should be persued more.

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Abnormally Dry Canada Taps U.S. Energy, Reversing Usual Flow

Abstract:
This year was the first year where the United States sent more electricity to Canada than we received; Canada’s large hydroelectric dams have not been generating much electricity. Additionally, there has been more demand for electricity everywhere. Large hydroelectric plants that have historically been stable sources of electricity are now struggling with low reservoirs. For example, in California, around Hoover Dam and recently in Canada. Climate change may alter weather patterns and adversely affect the operation of hydroelectricity plants. Hydroelectricity is actually the lowest priority for water usage when there are droughts and wildfires, making water power less dependable or efficient. At the moment, California has a surplus of energy, but there aren’t enough transmission lines to carry the power elsewhere.

Discussion:
This article discusses the imbalance of energy exchange between the United States and Canada, and the difficulties of adapting dams and hydroelectricity to climate change. I think it is especially important to note how increasing climate disasters caused by climate change are taking up more and more of our resources. We are already being forced to choose short-term mitigation over long-term protection tackling the root-causes of climate change. This proves some of the many pitfalls of hydroelectric power, and the need for even more alternatives and clean energy development.

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An Indigeneous Future for Nuclear Power in California?

Bulletin of The Atomic Sciences (May 1, 2024) An Indigeneous Future for Nuclear Power in California?

https://thebulletin.org/2024/05/an-indigenous-future-for-nuclear-power-in-california/

 

The land surrounding the Diablo Canyon Nuclear power plant is on Yak Titʸu Titʸu Yak Tiłhini, native american tribe, (or YTT Northern Chumash tribe)traditional territory, home to former villages, burial grounds and other sacred sites. The tribe wants to reclaim the land and sees the Nuclear plant as an asset to protect their land. The plant was going to shut down in 2024 due to anti- nuclear movements in california, but has recently been overturned because of nuclear powers role in a carbon free future. The plan to decommission the plant was the tribes opportunity to ragain their land. 

 

Environmental science not only deals with environmental changes, but also social issues. The situation of closing the Diablo Canyon Plant brings unique perspectives. It made me consider how indigenous people and nuclear power can coexist without causing problems for one another. Under these circumstancs I find it interesting that the YTT Northern Chumash tribe actually values the plant, as it protects their land. This also challenges the typical view of nuclear power, showing how instead of destroying land, it can indirectly preserve land, at least to the native american tribe. 

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New Wind Turbine Projects

Flaccus, G. (2023, December 5). Sale jumpstarts floating, offshore wind power in US waters. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from AP News website: https://apnews.com/article/business-california-wind-power-climate-and-environment-82bb858c275f3dbb13852522fdf5b680

 

There are an exponentially increasing amount of wind turbine projects happening miles off of shore. There is projected to be 150 times the amount of wind turbines in the ocean in 2030 than there are now. And the turbines are huge with some of them being the size of the Eiffel Tower. They are planned to sit on large floating triangle platforms that are anchored to the bottom of the ocean. While England has several of these projects in the North Sea, the United States are just beginning to jump on these huge possibilities that could end up producing 19 gigawatts of energy.

 

I think projects like this one are extremely important to the future of renewable energy. Two of the main problems with renewable energy technology is that they are too expensive and there is not a lot of room for them. But these wind turbines are in the ocean far enough away from civilization to not affect it, and it is 60% cheaper to build them now than in 2021. This project is a great adaptation to the environment and a potential big solution to slowing climate change.

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Polis’ land use bill aimed to blunt climate change. Conservation groups say watering it down is a ‘huge disappointment’

Minor, N. (2023, April 29). Polis’ land use bill aimed to blunt climate change. Conservation groups say watering it down is a ‘huge disappointment.’ Colorado Public Radio. https://www.cpr.org/2023/04/28/polis-land-use-bill-aimed-to-blunt-climate-change-conservation-groups-say-watering-it-down-is-a-huge-disappointment/

 

A zoning bill allowing for higher-density housing in Colorado was deemed controversial. The SB23-213 has been revised for more support, resulting in what some say are key aspects of the bill being removed. Higher-density developments and housing have directly been linked to a lower carbon footprint. A portion allowing a higher population density and laxer parking laws in certain areas has been taken out. The result is a half-stripped bill that holds much smaller promises than were previously supported. 

 

There’s a call for a statewide approach, but I wonder what state-led zoning support would look like. Especially in relation to population growth and land development. There are arguments to be made that more land zoning laws would result in slower development and fall behind in sufficient housing for the population, further exacerbating the cost of living and limited housing crisis. All of these must be taken into consideration when deciding on this type of legislation. Human safety, health, and even economic developments are the priority and will be held to a higher degree of importance in decision-making before any decisions are made on climate change. 

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US biofuel policy must recognize land use tradeoffs

The Hill.  (2023, April 21). US biofuel policy must recognize land use tradeoffs. https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/3962812-us-biofuel-policy-must-recognize-land-use-tradeoffs/

 

Fifteen years ago, biofuels were set up to be the dominant renewable energy source of the future, but today, they are rarely utilized. Corn ethanol and other biofuels were hopeful but failed to become widespread. Instead, solar power and other electricity-driven power have dramatically dropped in cost and have become the preferred method for renewable energy by most sectors. The amount of land used in order to grow biofuel becomes very lacking in efficiency. 

 

The overall efficiency of biofuel is questionable, but given the lack of positive results could continue to drive down in popularity until a potential breakthrough occurs. If federal support for biofuel continues, it could be a viable option. EVs and solar power have been heavily encouraged federally and are the reason for their explosion in popularity. A similar support in research could yield positive results.  Water usage is also important to note, innovations would have to be implemented to avoid water waste due to agriculture’s already resource-intensive nature. 

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Land use policies can reduce carbon emissions

Castillo, A. (2023, May 4). Report: Land use policies can reduce carbon emissions – American City and County. American City and County. https://www.americancityandcounty.com/2023/04/17/report-land-use-policies-can-reduce-carbon-emissions/

 

Around 70-90% of residential property is single-family detached homes. The emergence of suburb-style infrastructure is very energy intensive and requires driving more average miles to complete daily activities and discourages walkable infrastructure. A reform must be made in order to accommodate denser zoning, of which increasing height limitations and decreasing the number of parking spaces is dedicated. This slowly transitions to a goal of creating the right infrastructure to support public transportation and trends in higher-density housing.

 

According to the EPA’s 2021 report, the transportation sector is responsible for more than a quarter of national greenhouse gas emissions annually. While a car-dependent culture can be to blame, it originated for a reason. Suburbs became fairly sparse and wide resulting in long distances having to be driven instead. A historical lack of support federally for multifamily housing and public transportation has now added some strain on the total emissions caused by everyday people. In general, I think most sectors can lower carbon emissions by implementing the most efficient (cost to return) strategies that happen to work well on a variety of subjects, but I know policy is tricky and easily influenced. There is a lot of money to be made in the energy sector – and all the others dependent on it. 

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USDA invests $7.4 million in 25 urban agriculture and innovation production efforts

USDA. (2023, July 18). USDA invests $7.4 million in 25 urban agriculture and innovative production efforts. https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/07/18/usda-invests-74-million-25-urban-agriculture-and-innovative

 

Competitive grants, now totaling more than 7 million dollars are being used to fund and encourage urban agricultural development. With an emphasis on funding only the most successful applicants, community gardens, producers, and other non-profits have been among a select few to receive support from the USDA. Some explicit goals are to assist in food equity, education, and the general support of urban agriculture and forestry. Long-term business ideas are being developed, showing a hopeful future of urban agriculture.

 

The US has been very accustomed to large agricultural plots, that still make up the vast majority of what most consume. I wonder what the total carbon footprint would look like of a larger-scale urban agricultural area, or if the goal is to have many smaller community-driven gardens. There are multiple benefits that are both cost-effective and serving to the community. I’m interested to see how this can grow in popularity and potentially reduce carbon emissions from heat islands as well.

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What Biden’s proposed conservation law would mean for America’s most vulnerable public lands

Rodriguez, C. (2023, June 22). What Biden’s proposed conservation rule would mean for America’s most vulnerable public lands. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/what-bidens-proposed-conservation-rule-would-mean-for-americas-most-vulnerable-public-lands/

 

A proposed Conservation Rule under the Biden administration would give the land under the Bureau of Land Management more protection for conservation, recreation, and restoration purposes. Currently, only about 14 percent of the land managed by the BLM has sufficient protection (about 200 million acres unprotected). Most of the land is available for extractive industries. The goal is for the BLM to encourage restoration, community benefit (including future tribal co-stewardship), and responsible development, including compensatory mitigation if needed as well as conservation leases, in which a third party requests the BLM to support restoration or mitigation. 

 

While it sounds beneficial for many reasons, I wonder if there will be any drawbacks to energy-driven sectors, or if a transition to more renewable energy is enough to account for our energy consumption. Most of the land is up for lease for mining and drilling. To my knowledge, the BLM won’t alter current law but will act as more of a facilitator, as most of the language describing explicit actions the Beareu is very vague. I’m interested in seeing the numerical data with the possible benefits it can have with oxygen production and population restoration since those are the main two effects of hostile extractive industries.

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Wetlands Restoration Approved after Hearing

Cherveny, T. (2021, August 3). Renville County approves small wetland restoration in County Ditch 66. West Central Tribune. https://www.wctrib.com/news/government-and-politics/7132379-Renville-County-approves-small-wetland-restoration-in-County-Ditch-66. 

After two hearings, the wetland restoration, spanning one acre, was approved by the Renville County Board of Commissions. In order to approve the restoration, the benefits of the restoration project needed to be shown. The restoration of the wetlands will provide positive environmental impacts, by reducing sedimentation and pollutants reaching the Minnesota River. Additionally, it will be an area where wildlife can prosper. Positive private impacts also needed to be proved. Proponents of the project stated that the additional wetlands will improve the drainage of the local area, an issue that has cost millions of dollars in recent years.

The article focused on the struggle that proponents of the restoration project had to face. In order for the project to be approved not only did the environmental benefits need to be shown, but also the benefits of private citizens of the area. This showed to me how often the environmental impacts are not the only things that are considered when a project like this is either approved or denied. Oftentimes it comes down to things like the benefits for citizens living in or near the area and financial issues.