This desalination plant in Carlsbad, California - the largest in the Western Hemisphere - produces 50 million gallons of drinking water daily… enough for 400 thousand homes in San Diego County.
And now, as Western states face an epic drought, Poseidon Water - which operates the plant - could soon get approval to build another desalination plant… this time, near a power plant in Huntington Beach.
And environmentalists aren’t happy about it.
"It's great to be water independent, and we should be striving for that.
But we should be doing it in a responsible way.
And desalinated water is not the way to go.” Andrea Leon-Grossmann is with the ocean conservation group Azul.
“This is the most expensive way to source water, it's the most energy intensive way to do it.
And the way it decimates the ocean, both by the intake and by how we're dumping brine back into the ocean, is really, it should be the last resort, not the first way for sourcing water.” Desalination - at its most basic - removes salt water from ocean water, making it fresh and drinkable.
But the intake method is problematic, according to environmentalists, who say that tiny organisms such as larvae and plankton get killed in the process.
Poseidon is now required to add finer intake screens to protect more fish.
Poseidon - which has been trying to build the Huntington plant for 22 years and some $100 million has been spent navigating state regulations - insists the new project will actually help the environment.
VP of Poseidon Water, Scott Maloni: “In the case of Huntington Beach, the total quantity of impact would be no more than 0.02 percent of the plankton at risk of being entrained.
There's no threatened or endangered species that are at risk, and the mitigation that's in place will ensure that the project will be a net environmental benefit, by producing more habitat that will be impacted by the operation of the facility.” A regional water board has approved a permit for the project on condition that the company increase its commitment to rehabilitate a nearby wetlands reserve and build an artificial reef.
There is one last major regulatory hurdle; the California Coastal Commission, which is expected to vote before the end of the year.
California authorities are investigating a potential oil spill off Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, following the discovery of a 2.5-mile-long oily sheen near oil platforms. The Coast Guard, along with local agencies, is probing the incident's cause and mitigating environmental impact. Despite efforts, no definitive source has been identified, and no oiled wildlife has been reported.
#California#Huntington #LosAngeles #CoastGuard #Californianews #OilSpill #USnews #Internationalnews #Worldnews #Oneindia #Oneindianews
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Google Fires More Staffers , Following Protests Over , $1.2 Billion Israel Deal.
Google Fires More Staffers , Following Protests Over , $1.2 Billion Israel Deal.
'The Independent' reports that Google has fired at least
20 more workers following protests over the company
supplying Israel with technology amid the Gaza war.
'The Independent' reports that Google has fired at least
20 more workers following protests over the company
supplying Israel with technology amid the Gaza war.
A group representing the fired
workers said the total number of staff
terminated for protesting is now over 50. .
Internal turmoil at the tech giant revolves around
'Project Nimbus,' a 2021 contract for both Google and
Amazon to provide the Israeli government with technology. .
Internal turmoil at the tech giant revolves around
'Project Nimbus,' a 2021 contract for both Google and
Amazon to provide the Israeli government with technology. .
The $1.2 billion contract includes
cloud computing and artificial
intelligence services. .
The $1.2 billion contract includes
cloud computing and artificial
intelligence services. .
Last week, workers held sit-in
protests at Google's offices in both
New York and Sunnyvale, California.
The protests were organized by the group
No Tech For Apartheid, who said that 30 workers
were fired following the initial sit-in. .
According to Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for
No Tech For Apartheid, Google has now fired
"over 20" more workers, “including non-participating
bystanders during last week’s protests.”.
Google’s aims are clear:
the corporation is attempting
to quash dissent, silence
its workers, and reassert
its power over them, Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for No Tech For Apartheid, via 'The Independent'.
In its attempts to do so,
Google has decided to
unceremoniously, and
without due process,
upend the livelihoods of
over 50 of its own workers, Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for No Tech For Apartheid, via 'The Independent'.
In its attempts to do so,
Google has decided to
unceremoniously, and
without due process,
upend the livelihoods of
over 50 of its own workers, Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for No Tech For Apartheid, via 'The Independent'.
Google has disputed the group's claims,
stressing that the company carefully found that, “every single one of those whose employment
was terminated was personally and definitively
involved in disruptive activity inside our buildings.”
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
California was definitely hit with a few good April showers this year ... but as the warmer weather washes over the West Coast, we are bubbling up some of.. TMZ.com
How Did '4/20' Become
a Holiday for Weed?.
One common theory is that it stems
from a California criminal code for
those who distribute the drug.
According to CNN, California's 420 code is actually for obstructing entry on public land.
The state's medical marijuana
program was created from a bill
with the number 420.
Oaksterdam Cannabis Museum's Chris Conrad
says "4/20" started as a code in
Marin County, California, at San Rafael High School.
In the 1970s, a group called
"The Waldos" would get together at
4:20 PM to smoke pot.
The time of the day was convenient as it
was right after school ended with
no parental supervision just yet.
"4/20" became a code word that allowed
them to notify each other in front of
unsuspecting parents.
From there, the phrase likely
spread across the country
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:02Published
The world's first known combat between a human pilot and a fighter jet controlled by AI has been carried out in California, the US military has said. Sky News
Prince Harry Officially Considers America , to Be His Home Instead of Britain.
After stepping away from
royal duties in 2020, Prince Harry
and Meghan Markle moved to California.
At the time, Harry suggested
that the move was temporary. .
The U.K. is my home and a place
that I love, that will never change. , Prince Harry, via previous statement.
We both do everything we can to
fly the flag and carry out our roles
for this country with pride, Prince Harry, via previous statement.
But a Travalyst Ltd filing on April 17 shows that the U.S. is now the prince's primary residence, NBC News reports. .
The company is based in London
and is 75% owned by Harry.
The new listing shows Harry's full name,
Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke Of Sussex.
and then reads, "New country/State
Usually Resident: United States.".
While the residency change was filed this week, it was actually made on June 29, 2023, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left Frogmore Cottage. .
While the residency change was filed this week, it was actually made on June 29, 2023, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left Frogmore Cottage. .
In February of this year, Harry told a journalist that he was thinking about becoming an American citizen, NBC News reports.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published