The Energy 202: EPA blocks a dozen products containing pesticides thought harmful to bees [Washington Post]
The Environmental Protection Agency is pulling from the market a dozen products containing pesticides known to be toxic to a linchpin of the U.S. food system — the honeybee. The agency announced Monday it has canceled the registrations of 12 pest-killing products with compounds belonging to a class of chemicals known as neonicotinoids, as part of a legal settlement….The EPA has pulled other neonics from market before, agency spokesman John Konkus said in an email. But close observers of the agency say such actions are rare.
You’ll need a lot more money to buy that jar of honey [Wall Street Journal]
Global honey prices are at their highest levels in years, due to a new wave of consumer demand for natural sweeteners and declining bee populations that are hampering mass production. Honey has been used as a sweetener for centuries. But in recent years, it has become popular with people looking for healthier alternatives to cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup….Retail honey prices world-wide recently averaged $4.69 a pound, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. Prices have climbed about 25% since 2013, while the cost of sugar has fallen around 30% over the same time frame.
Humboldt County eyes role in Potter Valley project [Eureka Times-Standard]
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to investigate becoming a stakeholder in the Potter Valley project, a massive water development in the Eel and Russian river basins. The county will inquire about joining a recently formed coalition of agencies championing a “two-basin solution” to the embattled water transfer system. The idea is to protect the Russian River’s water supply for Potter Valley residents while mitigating the effects of the Scott Dam on Eel River fish populations.
https://www.times-standard.com/2019/05/21/humboldt-county-eyes-role-in-potter-valley-project/
Farmworkers voted to de-unionize. The union says it was a sham election. [KALW Radio, San Francisco]
Farmworkers employed by one of the biggest fruit growers in the country have officially ousted the United Farm Workers, the union founded by Cesar Chavez. Why would so many workers vote against unionizing, especially in a place where the farmworker movement has such a strong legacy? Was the election fair?
https://www.kalw.org/post/farmworkers-voted-de-unionize-union-says-it-was-sham-election
Opinion: Infrastructure funding should include irrigation modernization, a proven collaborative approach [The Hill]
As the focus on infrastructure retakes center stage in Washington, we hope lawmakers don’t overlook a prime opportunity to invest in Western water and irrigation systems. Here in the West, our dams, irrigation systems, canals and other infrastructure — much of it more than a century old — are past due for modernization. This is low-hanging fruit for infrastructure repair — and it’s a bipartisan political winner, too.
Opinion: Trump doing California a bullet train favor [CALmatters]
At last count, California’s Democratic political leadership had filed four dozen lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s administration, reflecting differences on policies large and small. For the most part, California’s legal allegations have been on target. However, Trump is on solid legal and logical ground in the latest conflict over the state’s disastrous foray into high-speed rail transportation….The bullet train utterly lacks a rational purpose, has been ill-managed from the onset and is a black financial hole. If the Trumpies strangle it, they would be doing California a big favor.
https://calmatters.org/articles/commentary/trump-doing-california-a-bullet-train-favor/
