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Greg Pierce

@gregspierce.bsky.social
1.4K followers 414 following 802 posts

UCLA: Human Right to Water Solutions Lab, Luskin Center, Department of Urban Planning, Water Resources Group

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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Don’t have a cute name for this water – climate -child safety nexus www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...
bbc.co.uk
Children are dying falling into abandoned Afghan wells - this is how one five-year-old was rescued - BBC News
How an 11-year-old risked his own life to save one of the victims of Afghanistan's dependency on water from deep underground.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
My hot take on this is that it certainly contains some interesting details, but: 1. Didn’t actually move the needle vs exhaustive, blow by blow reporting by @latimes.com et al 2. The recommendations are a laundry list with no prioritization 3. would have been much more useful 6 to 12 months ago.
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Danielle Zoe Rivera @danielle-rivera.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
On September 29, Governor Newsom signed SB1093 - "Mobilehome Parks: Disaster Assistance." This bill is the result of hard work from MH leaders in Los Angeles, Ben Allen's office, nphs, and (most especially) Ryan Sears! Many congratulations! Read more here: www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/29/g...
gov.ca.gov
Governor Newsom signs legislation to accelerate wildfire prevention projects, strengthen fire response, and harden communities against future disasters | Governor of California
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NE Ohio Regional Sewer District @neorsd.org · 01/10/2026
not helping, @theonion.com
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Josh Lappen @jlappen1.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
This is a big deal for building decarbonization! AB 2313 has the potential to both speed up appliance replacement and help shift the incentives that keep gas utilities from coming to the table to confront long-term decline. Congratulations to all the advocates!
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Russia launches largest attack on Ukraine energy infrastructure since spring
In total 11 regions of the country were attacked overnight, with residential buildings and railways also targeted, the Ukrainian PM says.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Zoom link here: owp.csus.edu/water-semina...
owp.csus.edu
Water Seminars | Office of Water Programs
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Obviously you haven't heard enough from our @luskininnovation.bsky.social- @ucanrwater.bsky.social water systems-wildfire working group, so here's a chance to get an update and discuss: "Fact and fiction: What changed for water systems following the 2025 LA fires"
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Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · 28/09/2026
If you're in LA or at UCLA, a reminder that this event is tonight! Would love to see you there. I'm also meeting informally with Scripps colleagues tomorrow morning + packing in another big talk and two more meetings.
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
My former colleagues, Mark Cane and Stephen Zebiak, were the first to successfully predict El Niño more than a year in advance in the late 1980s. Now we’re really good at it, and know the consequences. It’d be irresponsible for governments not to take action. Read this from my buddy Jeff Shaman.
nytimes.com
Opinion | The Super El Niño Comes Bearing One Gift: Time to Prepare (Gift Article)
There’s still time to prepare.
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Faith Kearns, Ph.D. @fkearns.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The Water Talk podcast is back for a seventh season with an opening episode on PFAS, aka "forever chemicals," and how best to communicate with publics about them based on new research from the University of Wisconsin - Madison www.watertalkpodcast.com/episodes/epi...
watertalkpodcast.com
PFAS: Science, Risk, and Communication — Water Talk
A conversation with Gavin Dehnert (Emerging Contaminants Scientist, University of Wisconsin–Madison) and Lyn van Swol (Professor of Communication Arts, University of Wisconsin–Madison) about Perfluoro...
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Check out @fkearns.bsky.social longer write-up on Sapeta and teams work in Lake County here ucanr.edu/blog/conflue...
ucanr.edu
Rethinking Water Systems in a Fire-Prone West: A Fire Chief’s Approach | The Confluence
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Climate change pushes on the internal external and existential margins of the obligation to serve of public utilities. This is one, and an exceedingly rare, progressive example. Stay for some grumpy quotes from me on statewide standards and support efforts. calmatters.org/environment/...
calmatters.org
He knows his community is going to burn again. Now he's making sure they’re ready
As climate-fueled wildfires test water systems in new and devastating ways, a rural California county has a plan to adapt
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Ian James @ianjames.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
"A red flag for the future." New research based on satellite data reveals California needs years of heavy snow to recoup groundwater. Scientists say it suggests recharging depleted aquifers will become more difficult as global warming brings more rain and less snow. www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
For the first time, scientists link heavy snow to groundwater in California
Scientists are finding that snowfall is more connected to water underground than we knew. Using satellite data, they found groundwater levels actually rise during big snow years, in contrast to most y...
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The new parking- local public finance- deportation contractor nexus.
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Dr. Samantha Montano @samlmontano.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I never made it past the first chapter but @andrewrumbach.bsky.social did. Hopefully we never need to talk about this man ever again. andrewrumbach.substack.com/p/i-read-dav...
andrewrumbach.substack.com
I Read David Richardson’s Book So You Don’t Have To
There is a character in the 4th season of The Wire, Lieutenant Marimow, who was sent into the major crimes unit to undermine their investigation of the drug trade and its connections to local politics...
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
There's a broader discussion around the differentiation between water systems' fire protection investments which provide a true public good v. a private benefit, and how we charge for that.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Happy to see this ruling which rejects plaintiff claims (against SFPUC) that explicit fire hydrant charges are in violation of Prop 218. h/t @mavensnotebook.com kmtg.com/news/legal-a...
kmtg.com
Appellate Court Reinforces Need to Follow Validation Procedure in Litigating Retail Water Service Rates Under Proposition 218
The First District Court of Appeal has, for the second time this year, affirmed the dismissal of a Proposition 218 challenge to water rates subject to Government Code section 53759. In Toy v. City and...
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Going forward, the US National Science Foundation research budget for all atmospheric, ocean, and Earth sciences is $110 million per year. Trump's illegal war with Iran cost the Department of Defense (i.e., the American taxpayers) $38 billion in the first 5 months, or $220 million per day.
cbo.gov
Estimating the Cost of Combat Operations Against Iran
CBO assesses the Department of Defense's costs for the current armed conflict against Iran, as well as the conflict's economic and budgetary effects.
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Gareth Funning @gfun.earth · 15/09/2026
NSF GEO webinar summary: we have reduced programs from 15 down to 3, we have no deadlines, we have no guidelines on project size, duration or budget, we have no money
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 14/09/2026
Breaking News: The E.P.A. is said to be planning to announce that the U.S. will no longer limit climate pollution from power plants.
nyti.ms
E.P.A. Will Erase Limits on Climate Pollution From Power Plants
Generation of electricity is the second largest source of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming gases in the United States.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
The role of alternative information sources and channels on wildfire and disaster perceptions and preparedness in a wildfire context: A comparison of the Great Plains and Mountainous Western states in the U.S.
Greater wildfire frequency and severity have increased the need for disaster preparedness and related education, yet household disaster preparedness a…
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Tim Dawson @timblor.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Currently practicing for the post-earthquake water outages because the water main on our street broke and we are without water. Imagine this scaled up by multiple orders of magnitude due to an earthquake. Hmmm, when was the last time I changed out our emergency water? Oh no…
A bunch of city workers standing around a hole in the street filled with water that is pouring down the street.
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Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · 11/09/2026
A hefty industry-oriented consortium is quietly organizing to burn California's landmark plastic and recycling legislation to the ground. What you need to know www.latimes.com/science/stor...
latimes.com
Leaked emails reveal industry plan to kill California's plastic and recycling laws
Leaked internal memos reveal how a packaging alliance drove a widespread lobbying and marketing campaign to dismantle California’s landmark plastic and recycling laws.
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Chris Goodman @cbgoodman.co · 10/09/2026
I'm not certain that the City of Chicago realizes how serious the DWC is about cutting them out. And certain ratepayers in Chicago (that pay lower water rates because of wholesale subsidization) realize their rates will go up.
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Sustainable LA @ UCLA @uclasustainablela.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Proud to support this important work. Read more about restoring public confidence in drinking water after wildfires.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Because the topic is also more better researched than the focus of previous workshops, it is longer than others, including previews of work from our core team and close collaborators. Check out the figures!
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Our workshop and report thus focused less on the technical aspects, although emerging concerns there were part of the discussion, and instead focused on how communities receive, interpret, and respond to information about their drinking water quality during and after a major fire.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Since direct impacts of water system infrastructure emerged in California ~ 1 decade ago in California, there have been notable lessons learned and progress in mitigating and restoring tap water quality following major wildfire events.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
A collab with usual suspects @luskininnovation.bsky.social (incl @edithdeguzman.bsky.social @rachelconnolly.bsky.social), @fkearns.bsky.social , @ucanrwater.bsky.social (@uclasustainablela.bsky.social as well as Stanford, UNC-Charlotte @uclalppi.bsky.social
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Did you want >20k words on "Restoring public confidence in drinking water after wildfires" You are in luck🔽 innovation.luskin.ucla.edu/2026/09/10/r...
innovation.luskin.ucla.edu
Restoring public confidence in drinking water after wildfires | UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
UCLA-led workshop with more than 50 experts identifies communications, research…
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Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
There's basically a regional construction moratorium from June to September 2028, and starting in March around some venues. Are the unions working on the convention center and LAX also upset about losing work? Where's the messaging about these things that LA's leaders have known for a decade?
politico.com
Trouble on the Olympics highway
Unions are not happy with California’s plan for managing highways in 2028.
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Inside Climate News @insideclimatenews.org · 10/09/2026
Billions in federal funding to build EV charging stations is on the ropes. But just what are Americans getting for that money? We hit the road in an electric Chevy to find out.
insideclimatenews.org
Pennsylvania Is Building More EV Chargers. Will Drivers Come? - Inside Climate News
An electric road trip across Pennsylvania—a state that’s spending big on its charging network—shows early promise.
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Dan Ross @1danross.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
“The kids are sitting there sucking those fumes" - my @lapublicpress.bsky.social investigation into cancer-causing soil vapor gases threatening kids at Jordan High in Watts, and the decades long story of regulatory failure and judicial indifference leading here. @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social
lapublicpress.org
Explosions, cancer-causing gases: How regulators failed Jordan High students for decades
Three separate Atlas explosions and cancer risks the LA County DA’s office calls 48-times above health standards threaten the Watts school.
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Costa Samaras @costasamaras.com · 10/09/2026
This directly will raise your future electricity bill. Like directly raises it.
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Anthony Edwards @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Huge waves from Hurricane Marie slammed the Southern California coast this week, eroding popular beaches and damaging oceanfront homes. The destruction may be a winter preview, as a potentially record-strength El Niño could steer more powerful storms with large waves toward California.
sfchronicle.com
‘Never seen something like this’: Huge waves from hurricane blast Southern California beaches
Powerful waves from Hurricane Marie slammed the Southern California coast this week, eroding popular beaches and causing significant damage to oceanfront homes.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
“When it rains, I don’t sleep and I watch the river”
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Growing connection between climate-accelerated disasters and water supply problems, part 415 www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
Wildfires and extreme rain are filling U.S. reservoirs with dirt
Nearly half of U.S. reservoirs are more than one-quarter full of sediment. By 2041, wildfires will double sediment accumulation in more than one-third of U.S. watersheds.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
OK, I guess I’d love to hear more but maybe there’s not someone to tell me?
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
I’m confused how much this process will affect Core Dwp investment decision-making. Do you have an explainer on that?
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
SB 1153 appears to be a mashup of pathways 4 and 5 we discuss here w/ @fkearns.bsky.social , @edithdeguzman.bsky.social & @ucanrwater.bsky.social folks innovation.luskin.ucla.edu/publication/...
innovation.luskin.ucla.edu
Pathways for California State Oversight of Water Systems for Wildfires | UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
A discussion paper on California state oversight options for community water systems and wildfire fighting, weighing pros, cons, and evidence-based tradeoffs.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Thanks to @ianjames.bsky.social for covering the latest on legislative attempts to right-size the potential legal liability of water supply systems wrt wildfire events with their actual responsibilities, capabilities and levels of financial support. www.latimes.com/environment/...
latimes.com
California water agencies may get a new defense in lawsuits over hydrants running dry in wildfires
A bill that would help California water agencies avoid being sued when hydrants run dry in wildfires is awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Very cool stuff “He also said there was no constitutional right to “truthful information from officials during a public health crisis.”” www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
usatoday.com
No constitutional right to clean water, federal court finds
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed a lawsuit from Mississippi residents related to lead-contaminated water.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
www.economist.com/united-state...
economist.com
A reservoir of last resort is running dry in Wyoming
Competing water uses in the American West are getting harder to manage
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
washingtonpost.com
Water crisis in Israel raises fears over impact of Gaza sewage
Five of Israel’s six desalinization plants are offline. Untreated wastewater from Gaza’s destroyed sewage system could be part of the problem, experts warn.
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Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
US budget deficit this year: ~6% of GDP. Outside of wars or recessions, that's the highest in the postwar era.⁣ ⁣ We're borrowing at emergency-level scale with no emergency and no political will to change course. Bond markets have noticed. Voters haven't yet. youtu.be/HprbhEwxuT0
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
"Many ‌houses on ⁠the main roads and those that are easily accessible get drinking water trucked in every 3 to 5 days, while some in remote areas wait for as many as 23 days." www.reuters.com/business/env...
reuters.com
In El Nino-hit Sri Lanka, wells run dry and farmer incomes shrink as drought deepens
Sri Lankan farmers have fallen victim to one of the nation's worst El Nino-driven droughts.
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Greg Pierce @gregspierce.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
All the sound and fury on the energy side (with good reason), but we quietly may have a partial fix to inverse condemnation issues on the water side www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/wi...
jdsupra.com
Wildfire Liability: California Legislature Clarifies the Role of Public Water Systems | JD Supra
California water providers are one step closer to receiving important statutory protection against inverse condemnation claims arising from...
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Kelly Hereid @kellyhereid.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Oh dang - USGS just produced a great new inventory of post-fire debris flows and their associated damage, covering 1879-2025 www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Distribution of types of damage, fatalities, and monetary loss from post-fire debris flows
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Chris Goodman @cbgoodman.co · 02/09/2026
To understand why using AI to scrape special district boundary data *might* be useful, we need to understand the underlying problem.
cgoodman.com
The Special District Boundary Problem | Christopher B. Goodman
A nationally representative dataset of special district shapes does not exist. But what if it did? And how can we get there?
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