[Source: Forbes] Electric vehicles (EV) are all the rage these days. They are, according to President Biden and much of the media, a crucial part of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving the environment. Federal and state subsidies have long encouraged their use. The president in his infrastructure proposals would increase that encouragement by building some Read More…
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Anti-plastic waste initiative approved for California ballot
[Source: Associated Press] A California initiative that would require state regulators to reduce plastic waste has qualified for the November 2022 ballot, officials said Monday. Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office said the initiative exceeded the required 623,212 valid petition signatures needed for the measure to go before voters next year. If passed, the law Read More…
California becomes more expensive for employers: meal and rest break premiums now track overtime
[Source: The National Law Review] Issuing the California Supreme Court’s decision in a much-anticipated case, Justice Liu on behalf of a unanimous court explained in Ferra v. Loews Hollywood Hotel, LLC. (S259172.PDF (ca.gov) that “[t]he calculation of premium pay for a non-compliant meal, rest, or recovery period, like the calculation of overtime pay, must account Read More…
California DTSC finalizes priority product listing of carpets and rugs containing PFAS triggering reporting requirements
[Source: The National Law Review] On July 1, 2021, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) adopted (Effective July 1, 2021: Carpets and Rugs with Perfluoroalkyl or Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) | Department of Toxic Substances Control) a new “Priority Product” under the state’s Safer Consumer Products (SCP) Program: carpets and rugs containing perfluoroalkyl or Read More…
Now is your chance to weigh in on how California will achieve carbon neutrality
[Source: Cal Chamber/Leah Silverthorn] Earlier this month, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) kicked off its every-five-years Scoping Plan process with a series of virtual workshops (Scoping Plan Meetings & Workshops | California Air Resources Board). CARB spent several days presenting these workshops on several topics, including separate workshops on natural and working lands, environmental Read More…
California truck rules facing a test — in New Jersey
[Source: POLITICO] The first big test of California’s plan to reshape the U.S. truck market is underway on the other side of the country, with New Jersey officials pushing tough new mandates to cut emissions by getting big rigs to ditch diesel engines. The state is trying to replicate new California rules that require automakers Read More…
The energy transition: ‘The days when people couldn’t pay attention to their electricity supply are over
[Source: San Diego Union Tribune] California is going through a dramatic energy transition. The state has set a goal to derive 100 percent of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045 and last week Gov. Gavin Newsom directed state agencies to look at moving the target up to 2035 (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/07/09/governor-newsom-holds-virtual-discussion-with-leading-climate-scientists-on-states-progress-toward-carbon-neutrality/). That means finding a way Read More…
EEO-1 reporting deadline extended
[Source: CalChamber] The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has extended the 2019 and 2020 EEO-1 reporting deadline to August 23, 2021. All employers with 100 or more employees (and federal government contractors with 50 or more employees) are obligated to report their EEO-1 Component data (How to Submit 2019, 2020 EEO-1 Component 1 Data Read More…
The future of EV batteries could be found under the sea
[Source: AXIOS] All the battery metals we need to power a billion electric vehicles could be lying on the floor of the Pacific Ocean — but collecting them and turning them into EV batteries is a major challenge. Why it matters: It’s going to take a lot of batteries to replace the world’s gasoline-powered cars with Read More…