California regulators approve huge Ocean Beach seawall – San Francisco Chronicle
On Thursday, California’s main coastal protection agency approved a $175 million climate-related project that will transform the southern portion of San Francisco’s Ocean Beach despite fierce opposition from some members of the public. A sticking point is a massive seawall that some surfers fear could make the beach disappear…
Prolonged S.F. shipyard cleanup moves into final phase focused on offshore ‘toxic hot spot’ – the San Francisco Chronicle
An environmental cleanup that, for more than two decades, has sought to cleanse San Francisco’s former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard of its alarming history of radioactive and industrial pollution is on the verge of entering its final phase — underwater….
Many plastics in Bay Area blue bins end up in landfills. Here’s what is actually recycled – the San Francisco Chronicle
This week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued ExxonMobil for perpetuating what he called a decades-long fantasy: that the world’s plastics problem would just disappear with better recycling…
Amazing wildlife on display on a rare trip to the Farallon Islands off S.F. coast – San Francisco Chronicle
One small island in the Indian Ocean shows how quickly seabird populations can recover after people eradicate invasive predators…
Emerging La Niña could play major role in this year’s hurricane season – the San Francisco Chronicle
On Thursday, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration released its 2024 hurricane season outlook. The agency predicts an active season in the Atlantic hurricane region, with its most aggressive May forecast on record. The Atlantic hurricane region includes the north Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico….
The Bay Area faces an imminent threat from sea level rise — but it’s different from what you think – San Francisco Chronicle
Dangerous chemicals hiding in the ground around the Bay Area are due to be released by groundwater as it’s pushed closer to the surface with sea level rise, a new study has found. In many cases, it can happen without warning as cancer-causing volatile compounds escape into schools and homes, experts say…
“Groundwater rise and sea level rise are gradual processes that are accelerating,” said Kristina Hill, associate professor at UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design, lead author of the study. “It’s a problem tomorrow, and it’s a problem today…”
Atmospheric rivers hitting California will become even more intense. Here’s how they work – the San Francisco Chronicle
The same weather that replenishes California water supplies could bring the next megaflood.
A procession of storms is drenching Northern California this week, with rainfall already topping 2 inches in San Francisco and surpassing 8 inches in the Santa Cruz Mountains. More precipitation is on tap through the weekend, prompting concerns of widespread urban flooding and potential landslides…