Caltrans Assesses Climate Change Impacts on Transportation Infrastructure

Caltrans has released their District 4 Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, 2018. This is the first of a series of reports to cover all districts in the state transportation system.  The report analyzes future transportation vulnerabilities in the Bay Area due to climate change -- temperature, precipitation, wildfire, sea level rise, storm surge, and combined effects.

This is the first step towards planning for a State Highway System that is more resilient to major storm events in the short term and to climate change in the long term.

Coastside Medfly Quarantine

Recent detection of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) in Half Moon Bay has resulted in quarantine of fruits and vegetables in a 56-square-mile portion of San Mateo County from Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir to the Coast, bordered by San Vicente Creek in Moss Beach on the north, and Lobitos Creek Rd on the south. 

Sterile male Medflies will be released in the area as part of the eradication effort (press release).

Medfly can infest more than 250 types of fruits and vegetables, causing severe impacts on California agricultural exports and backyard gardens alike. The most common pathway for these invasive species to enter our state is by “hitchhiking” in fruits and vegetables brought back illegally by travelers as they return from infested regions of the world.  To help protect California’s agriculture and natural resources, follow the Don’t Pack a Pest program guidelines.

Charles Lester: Climate Change & the Coast, Dec 6

Climate Change & the Coast – a talk with Charles Lester
Dec 6, 6-9pm, HMB Yacht Club, 214 Princeton Ave, Princeton
RSVP here - space limited [Event is now full.]

With sea level rise and a growing population, California’s coast faces many challenges over the coming decades. Join Committee for Green Foothills to discover some hope, and welcome Dr. Charles Lester as he talks about sea level rise, coastal erosion, and challenges for Half Moon Bay and the Midcoast. Formerly California Coastal Commission executive director, Dr. Lester has been working in the field of ocean and coastal management for more than 25 years. He is currently at the Institute of Marine Sciences at UC Santa Cruz, researching and writing about sea level rise, coastal resilience, and other aspects of California coastal law and policy.

Dr. Lester is also consulting for the City of HMB on their LCP update. View his presentation (video @3min) on Land Use Policy & Growth Management  to HMB Planning Commission on 10/24/17. (news article)