[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Loni Hancock
Member of the California State Assembly

by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

A Poseidon Adventure We Don't Need

By Gary A. Patton
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

Kermit the Frog famously lamented, "it's not easy being green." Poseidon Resources, a company proposing to build an environmentally-destructive ocean water desalination facility on the California coast, would love to have his problem.

Next week in San Diego, Poseidon Resources will try to explain to the California Coastal Commission why they should be granted a permit to build and operate a desalination facility in Carlsbad after the Commission's own staff report recommends denying their request.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Gary A. Patton
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

This past Tuesday, the California State Lands Commission delayed final judgment on Poseidon Resources' proposed ocean water desalination facility in Carlsbad, California.

The project, which would be the first large-scale reverse osmosis facility in California and the largest in the United States, would suck in and kill countless ocean organisms each year and consume massive amounts of energy.

Poseidon, a multinational corporation based in Connecticut, made waves prior to the hearing by proposing to use carbon offsets, energy efficiency, and other methods to eliminate the global warming impact from the plant operations.

However, their carbon-neutral claims came under fire when Poseidon Resources representatives flubbed basic questions about how they would eliminate the substantial energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions of the project.

The North County Times reported that California Lieutenant Governor and State Lands Commission Chair, John Garamendi, scolded Poseidon representatives, stating, "If you haven't figured [it] out, I suggest you get on it quickly."

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Brian Leubitz
Founder and Publisher
Calitics

It would be odd, as that's you know, against the law. However, we have multiple reports of the San Diego sheriff handing over "suspected illegal aliens" to border patrol agents. So, as it currently stands, several neighborhoods have checkpoints to enter, purportedly to prevent looting. However, if undocumented immigrants enter, the Sheriff intends to hand them over to Border Patrol agents.

Not only is this unwise and a poor use of resources, but it is also likely illegal. Below, I've posted a press release from the ACLU with more details (hat tip to NarcoSphere). Concerned community leaders are urged to communicate with Sheriff Kolender and Undersheriff Bill Gore at (858) 974-2250 or bill.Gore@sdsheriff.org.

According to the San Diego ACLU:

• As evacuation orders are lifted on San Diego County communities, Sheriff Kolender plans to check i.d. of returning residents at checkpoints and continue his practice of detaining and handing over people suspected of being undocumented to U.S. Border Patrol.

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

Eight years is enough. You can help Democracy for America take our country back. Pitch in today and pledge a small monthly contribution to DFA.

Just $10 each month, from now until November 2008, gives DFA the resources to execute our plan for victory.

https://contribute.democracyforamerica.com/trust

What does victory look like? Yesterday's announcement of Gonzales' resignation is a great start, but we have more work to do. We are building a farm team of progressive candidates for state and local offices -- a new generation of leaders to take back each and every community. And progressive majorities in both houses of Congress with a Democrat in the White House.

At DFA, we don't take corporate cash. We are a people-powered organization. Your support is