SACRAMENTO – A group of 16 farms and agricultural businesses sent a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission on Friday declaring their support for the continuation of solar net metering.
The filing is a response to actions by the state's investor-owned utilities proposing to make California the first major solar state to abandon net metering, a cornerstone policy of every successful solar market in the country.
The utility proposals would put future customers' ability to go solar at risk. The CPUC is expected to determine the fate of net metering in California by Dec. 31, 2015.
"I am a walnut grower who is impacted by the extremely high rates of mid-day peak pricing to the point that it is not economically feasible for me to use my pumps during the day," wrote Greg Swett of Swett Orchards. "Through net-metering and larger installations of solar panels, it is possible that these peak prices will be reduced, which will benefit me directly by allowing use of these pumps."
"Net metering works for California farms and agriculture," said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of CALSEIA. "It provides these businesses with the type of choice and flexibility that allows them to control costs while managing their impact on the environment."
The letter was signed by 16 different farms, throughout California from Lakeside to Redding. The Fresno County Farm Bureau, Good Nuts, and Swett Orchards also sent letters of support for net energy metering to the CPUC.
The letter reads, "California is a nationwide leader in agriculture, producing much of the nation's produce, dairy products, and wine. We also lead the nation in rooftop solar and set the standard for forward-thinking energy policy. We encourage the California Public Utilities Commission to continue full net energy metering, including aggregate net energy metering and annual true-ups, for California's farmers, and for all solar customers throughout the state."
Net energy metering is a program that compensates solar consumers for any excess electricity they export to the grid. The program has helped fuel the explosive growth of solar across the state.
Before the end of this year, the CPUC will decide on the future of net energy metering, including among options proposed by the three investor owned utilities, PG&E, SCE and SDG&E, all of which include fees and rates designed to make solar uneconomical in order to protect the utility's monopoly.
Agriculture
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has selected 100 projects totaling $9.38 million from the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) to implement on-farm water irrigation systems that reduce energy use resulting in greenhouse gas (GHGs) emission reductions and water savings.
SWEEP arises from emergency drought Legislation (SB 103) signed in early 2014 by Gov. Jerry Brown.
The SWEEP funding was reauthorized in 2015 under AB 91, which authorizes CDFA to distribute up to $10 million directly to agriculture operations for eligible projects.
SWEEP is funded through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and is administered in cooperation with Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board.
“It is critical to support our farmers and the diverse food supply we have in California, especially during this historic drought” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “I am pleased to see this program continue and be in high demand, as is evident from being oversubscribed by 300 percent.”
The 100 selected projects will leverage an additional $4.6 million in private cost-share dollars.
The funding will support GHG emission reductions through projects that include water-efficiency modifications like drip and microsprinkler systems, energy-efficient water pumps, soil moisture sensors, and irrigation scheduling programs that apply water based on crop needs.
The SWEEP grants announced in 2014 allocated $8.4 million, with another $5.8 million in matching funds, for 133 different projects that reduced greenhouse gases and saved water.
The program is implemented under the CDFA Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation, which obtains its authority for such incentive programs through the Environmental Farming Act of 1995.
The act mandates the department to establish and oversee an Environmental Farming Program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of ecosystem and air quality.
More information on the SWEEP program can be found by visiting www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/sweep .
- Elizabeth Larson
Harvest supermoon eclipse puts on a show
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County's clear night sky was the perfect backdrop on Sunday night for the eclipse of the supermoon, which also was this year's harvest moon.
The eclipse lasted an estimated 72 minutes.
According to NASA, a supermoon is a full or new moon that falls closest to the fall equinox, and is at its closest approach to the Earth.
Due to that close approach, the moon's diameter looks 14-percent larger.
This also was the harvest moon – which arrives at the beginning of the autumn season – as well as a “blood moon” because it passed behind the Earth and into its shadow, which caused it to appear red.
NASA said the Sunday night celestial event was the last of a “tetrad” – a series of four consecutive total lunar eclipses visible from North America.
Supermoon eclipses are rare, and Sunday night's was the first of the 21st century. There were only five in the 20th century, with the last one reportedly occurred in 1982, according to NASA.
There won't be another supermoon eclipse until 2033, NASA said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Question: I was reading one of your responses to a trout fisherman's question regarding continuing to fish and practice catch and release after he had five trout on his stringer.
The short answer was no, because "… catch-and-release fishing is not legal unless you’re still under your maximum bag limit."
I'm a bass fisherman and if that's the case, it would seem to conflict with me culling fish once a limit is reached in a tournament. Are we violating the law? (Jim V.)
Answer: You are correct that is most cases once an angler reaches their bag limit they cannot continue fishing.
However, a special provision has been made for California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)-permitted and approved bass fishing tournaments to allow black bass anglers only during the tournament to keep fishing once five fish are in possession (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 230).
They must cull one of these fish immediately upon catching a sixth in order to never be in possession of more than five bass at one time.
Harvesting barnacles attached to floating driftwood?
Question: I read your answer recently about how barnacles cannot be harvested in the intertidal zone. Is there a way of legally obtaining Gooseneck barnacles to eat?
When I’m way out in the ocean on a boat, I often see floating logs, driftwood and other debris. If it has been floating for a long time, more often than not I will find there are a large number of Gooseneck barnacles attached to the submerged side.
Since they are not being taken from the intertidal zone (1,000 feet of shore), would they be legal to take? (Joe K.)
Answer: Yes, if the barnacles are attached to floating logs or driftwood, it would be legal and the limit would be 35 (CCR Title 15, section 29.05(a)).
The only problem now is that for much of the debris off our coast that has been in the water long enough to have large numbers of Gooseneck barnacles, there could be health concerns if the wood originated in Fukashima, Japan, due to the possibility of contact with radioactive materials.
You’d want to carefully consider how badly you want to harvest those barnacles!
Hunting with a depredation permit
Question: I have several related questions regarding hunting. If I have a pig depredation permit, can I legally carry a firearm and a bow while hunting deer during the archery season? Does the person who helps me with my pig problem need a hunting license? Lastly, is there an expiration date on a depredation permit? (Bill)
Answer: When deer hunting during an archery season, you may not possess a firearm of any kind.
Regarding the pig depredation permit, if you are listed as one of three allowed designated shooters on the permit, you may remove property-damaging wild pigs under conditions listed on the permit. All depredation permits have an expiration date listed on them.
Someone “assisting you” with the depredation permit should also be listed as a designated shooter. No hunting license is required for a person authorized under a depredation permit. The person assisting you has to be at least 21 years old and may not have a conviction of wildlife law in the past 12 months.
Bringing a stuffed polar bear mount into California?
Question: A relative of mine owns a stuffed polar bear which is currently located in Idaho at my uncle’s house. I have another elder relative who would like to take it but is not able to drive that far to pick it up so he asked me to do it.
However, I am concerned because I'm not sure about the laws and regulations for this kind of thing for simply picking it up in Idaho and bringing it to California.
What are the laws and am I able to do this? (Andrew M.)
Answer: So long as you comply with the declaration requirement in Fish and Game Code, section 2353 and have no intent to import or possess the polar bear for commercial purposes, you are not prohibited from transporting it into California.
Importations for commercial purposes, possession with intent to sell, and the sale within California of any part of a polar bear is prohibited (Penal Code, section 653o).
In addition, the sale, purchase or possession for sale of any bear or bear part in California is prohibited (Fish and Game Code, section 4758).
Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Space News: Total eclipse of the harvest moon
In the days before light bulbs, farmers relied on moonlight to help them harvest their crops.
Many crops ripen all at once in late summer and early autumn so farmers found themselves extremely busy at this time of year. They had to work after sundown. Moonlight became an essential part of farming, and thus, the harvest moon was born.
According to folklore, the harvest moon is the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox, the hectic beginning of northern autumn.
In 2015, the moon is full on Sept. 28, less than a week after the equinox of Sept. 23. The coincidence sets the stage for a nice display of harvest moonlight.
But wait. This year’s harvest moon is not like the others. It’s going to be eclipsed.
On Sep. 27 and 28, the super harvest moon will pass through the shadow of Earth, producing a lovely amber total lunar eclipse.
On the night of Sept. 27 and into the early hours of Sept. 28, the full moon will glide through the shadow of Earth, turning the harvest moon a golden-red color akin to autumn leaves.
The action begins at 9:07 p.m. Eastern Time on the evening of Sept 27 when the edge of the Moon first enters the amber core of Earth’s shadow. For the next three hours and 18 minutes, Earth's shadow will move across the lunar disk.
Totality begins at 10:11 p.m. Eastern Time. That’s when the moon is completely enveloped by the shadow of our planet.
Totality lasts for an hour and 12 minutes so there is plenty of time to soak up the suddenly-red moonlight.
The reason the moon turns red may be found on the surface of the Moon itself. Using your imagination, fly to the moon and stand inside a dusty lunar crater.
Look up. Overhead hangs Earth, nightside facing you, completely hiding the sun behind it. The eclipse is underway.
You might suppose that the Earth overhead would be completely dark. After all, you’re looking at the nightside of our planet. Instead, something amazing happens.
When the sun is located directly behind Earth, the rim of the planet seems to catch fire! The darkened terrestrial disk is ringed by every sunrise and every sunset in the world, all at once. This light filters into the heart of Earth's shadow, suffusing it with a coppery glow.
Back on Earth, the shadowed moon becomes a great red orb.
One more thing: The full moon of Sept. 28 occurs near the perigee of the moon’s orbit – that is, the point closest to Earth. This makes the harvest moon a “supermoon.”
The super harvest moon eclipse will be visible from the Americas, Europe and Africa. The West Coast will miss out on the beginning of the eclipse, and the moon will rise as the eclipse is in progress.
The eclipse brings an end to a remarkable series of four consecutive total lunar eclipses visible from North America – a so-called “tetrad.” Perhaps the heavens have saved the best for last.
If you live in the eclipse zone, mark your calendar for Sept. 27 to 28 and enjoy the show.
For more beautiful sights in the night sky, stay tuned to http://science.nasa.gov .
- Lake County News reports
Organizers say 23rd annual Kelseyville Pear Festival set to go Sept. 26
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Kelseyville Pear Festival is a celebration of family, community and agricultural heritage and will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Kelseyville.
The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. with marchers, floats, horses, antique cars, tractors, prince and princess essay contest winners, and more.
To join the parade, go to www.pearfestival.com for application and information.
The Valley fire has created so much heartache and painful loss for so many in the community. Everyone remains mindful of how fragile many of their neighbors have become.
“While the mood this year may not be the same as in years past, it will still be a time for our community to come together to share our times, for better or worse,” said Marilyn Holdenried, the festival founder.
Local artists, quilters and craftsmen will line Main Street and the Pear Pavilion will host all things pears as well as historical displays.
This year a cooking demonstration and wine tasting will be held under the Big Tent.
Musicians and dancers perform throughout the day on three different stages.
Bring the family and share in the small town magic.
For more information visit www.kelseyvillepearfestival.com .
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