Los Angeles To Be Off Coal by 2025

According to its mayor, Los Angeles will be off coal by 2025.

Reported by KPCC Southern California Public Radio, Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will be "signing papers" in the coming weeks that will wean the city from coal-fired power within the 12 years.

About 39 percent of L.A.'s power now comes from coal-fired plants. The mayor announced the news this week at an University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) event on green cities, sponsored by UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.

The audience greeted Villaraigosa's news with surprise. The city's coal habit has been the topic of a significant amount of environmental campaigning in recent months.

Of the coal fired power in the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's grid, two thirds comes from the 1,900 megawatt Intermountain Power Plant in Delta, Utah, while the remainder is generated by the 2,250-megawatt Navajo Generating Station in northern Arizona.

California Sets New Winter Solar Generation Record

California is becoming known for its solar power capacity, and this winter, the state set a new record in solar power generation during the winter months.

Winter days deliver about four fewer hours of daylight in California, as compared to high summer hours, but that’s not stopping the state from setting peak solar power generation records

In August, California passed the milestone of 1,029 megawatts (MW) of solar power production. Surprisingly, it nearly reached that peak August generation level during the week of the Winter Solstice, which is the least-sunny time of the year, setting a new winter solar power generation record. San Francisco to San Diego solar companies are excited with this new record.

On December 19, solar power generation ranged from 950 to 1000 MW. While that isn’t really a ton of energy, it’s an important milestone because of the time of year. During the Winter Solstice, The sun is lower in the sky than at any other time of year, which means that there is much less solar energy available for solar panels to utilize.

The underlying point is that California’s solar energy generating capacity has grown significantly since the August record was set. And compared to last year, the growth is very impressive. In December 2011, there was a maximum output of only 200 MW of solar power production.

Throughout the state, from San Francisco to San Diego solar projects are becoming more common, and the growth is expected to continue or even increase in 2013. This is not only good, but starting to become a necessity, as a rapid phaseout of fossil fuels will be needed to avoid the effects of future climate change according to the vast majority of climate scientists.

San Diego Walmart 100th store to use solar power

Walmart has an ambitious goal for their stores to run entirely on renewable energy. Recently, the chain supply store took one step closer to reaching its goal when they announced that its San Diego, California, store will be using rooftop solar panels to generate power. The San Diego solar project will be Walmart’s 100^th store to go solar.  

The company's vast size gives it an advantage in utilizing new energy technology. Walmart has been installing solar panels on their store's roofs since 1998, and uses more solar power than any other company in the United States – beating other chain stores like IKEA and Macy’s. In total, Walmart’s Solaire energy systems generate approximately 65,000 kilowatts. And not only will does Walmart’s project contribute to lessening its carbon footprint, but it also creates jobs. In total, the company's focus on solar power has created over 3,000 jobs in California.

California, also called the 'Sunshine State', is known for it's innovative policies and clean energy bills. In total, the state is projected to generate over 70 million kilowatts of solar energy per year – enough to supply approximately 6,000 homes. In addition, solar power would lessen the states annual carbon dioxide emissions by around 22,000 metric tons. 

California Lt. Gov. urges fed to probe eminent domain threats

California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom is asking the U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate what he calls "threats" against cities in the state that are considering the use of eminent domain laws to revive their struggling housing markets.

Several Golden State communities have been considering the government takeover of underwater mortgages as a solution to the lingering housing crises, a move many eminent domain attorney experts say could work, but a recent report by Reuters said Wall Street investment firms and federal agencies have been bullying California communities that were considering the plan.

The whole idea was proposed by Mortgage Resolution Partners, a San Francisco-based organization run by Steve Gluckstern. Under the plan, local governments would evoke eminent domain laws to seize performing underwater mortgages, restructure the loans and resell them to investors tied to Mortgage Resolution Partners, which would receive a fee for the transaction. 

Apparently, this alternative method of dealing with the housing crisis has upset some big players in the financial world. Newsom sent a letter on Monday to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asking federal prosecutors to investigate any attempts by Wall Street investors and government agencies to "boycott" California communities that are considering such moves.

"I am most disturbed by threats leveled by the mortgage industry and some in the federal government who have coercively urged local governments to reject consideration" of eminent domain," he wrote in a letter.

The epicenter of the debate, San Bernardino County, is located east of Los Angeles, has set up a joint authority that is looking into the idea of using eminent domain to forcibly purchase distressed mortgages. Rather than evict homeowners through foreclosure, the public-private entity would offer residents new mortgages with reduced debts.

Newsom said in the letter on Monday that while he is not endorsing the use of eminent domain at this time, he wants communities in California to be able to "explore every option" for solving their mortgage burdens "without fear of illegal reprisal by the mortgage industry or federal government agencies."

According to eminent domain lawyer professionals, Governments typically use eminent domain to seize properties to build highways and other public projects. The proposal to use it to help distressed homeowners has already rankled some on Wall Street who invest in mortgage-backed securities and the real estate market.

California officials file lawsuit against farm contractor over unpaid wages

California labor regulators filed a lawsuit against a farm labor contractor seeking $635,000 in unpaid wages, penalties and damages from a San Joaquin County farm-labor contractor. 

In a suit filed by California Labor Commissioner Julie Su, the commission claims Javier Diaz and his Visalia-based company Diaz Contracting violated the law by failing to pay minimum wage and overtime to its 129 employees. 

Legal experts say it is the first time the Labor Commissioner has sued a farm contractor over unpaid wages. The lawsuit is the result of an extensive investigation, according to Su's office, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement at the California Department of Industrial Relations.

"Low wage workers are particularly vulnerable and the mobile nature of the work in industries such as agriculture often poses challenges to enforcement," Su said in statement. "This lawsuit is an example of our commitment to conducting in-depth, meaningful inspections.

"It also sends a message that when workers come forward to tell us about illegal working conditions, we will take action to protect them."

In addition to the back wages, penalties and damages, the lawsuit asks a judge to grant an injunction to prevent Diaz and his company from engaging in future violations of state labor laws.

California labor officials are suing a farm labor contracting company over allegations the company failed to properly pay more than 100 farmworkers.

"Our intent is to level the playing field so that violators gaining a competitive advantage over law-abiding employers are held accountable," Labor Commissioner Julie Su said. "California's agriculture industry is a critical and valued part of the state's economy. The farmworkers on whom the industry relies must be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve."