The bottom line for green groups is the that the budget deal crafted by Governor Schwarzenegger and top lawmakers allow drilling for oil in state waters for the first time in the past forty years and a scheme to close as many as 200 state parks; some estimates are lower.

The agreement contains no provisions for higher taxes; only budget cuts were included in the final measure, details of which will be disclosed by Thursday.

“Drilling is dirty and dangerous and will not solve our over-dependence on fossil fuels,” said Dan Jacobson legislative director for Environment California. “Our coast is our economy and our economy is our coast. The Governor has made the oil companies happy and now we face the threat of a major oil spill off our coast for the next 40 years.”

The California League of Conservation Voters notes that most of the cuts are to health and welfare programs.  Only about two percent of the state budget goes to environmental initiatives.

According to the website of CLCV:

Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposal to cut park funding and close all of the state’s parks was one of the proposals that environmental voters opposed most vocally, and as a result of this very public push-back, most of the 220 state parks appear to have been spared. However, approximately $70 million of the parks’ general fund allocation will be eliminated, with other funding sources backfilling $62 million. The $8 million gap remaining for the Department of Parks and Recreation could mean dozens of park closures.

The state Integrated Waste Management Board has been dissolved as one of the casualties of the cutbacks.

Lawmakers are yet to vote on the budget.

Building on nearly two decades of innovation in the sector, Water.org will work to champion innovative business models, local partner development, improved project selection and oversight, and post-development monitoring and evaluation.  Executives of the two organizations expect the merger to also improve efficiencies, leverage their respective grassroots awareness-building expertise, and increase the overall social return on donations.  To that end, the organization will launch a new Web site later this year that is designed to bring unprecedented transparency and connectedness between donors and those in need.

Matt Damon,  a long-time advocate for safe water issues,  explains the importance of launching Water.org,  “Every 15 seconds, a child in the developing world dies from water-related disease.  After visiting project sites in Africa and Asia with Gary, I’ve seen the problem and the impact of safe water.” Damon said, “As a clear leader in the sector at delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for those in need, WaterPartners was the natural choice with whom to work to truly affect lasting change.”

Gary White sees a bright future for Water.org and the people it serves. “For more than 20 years I’ve been working to realize the vision of global access to safe water, and with the help of our donors, staff, partner organizations, and the H2OAfrica team, I’m confident we can accelerate our impact,” said White, the Executive Director of the new organization. White, who recently received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, said Water.org will set the stage for even broader impact in the sector. “It will open the door to advocacy work, and bring the water issue to new heights in the public’s consciousness.”

Water.org is a non-profit organization whose founders have transformed hundreds of communities in Africa, South Asia and Latin America by providing access to safe water and sanitation.  To learn more, visit www.water.org.

Governor Schwarzenegger has proclaimed a fiscal emergency and has called a Proposition 58 legislative special session, following the legislature’s inability to pass a comprehensive solution to solve California’s entire $24.3 billion deficit.  The governor blames both houses of the legislature for the impasse.

Sacramento Statehouse Examiner Shawn E. Hamilton has detailed the on-going crisis.

Audio of the governor’s remarks (about 45 minutes).

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He gave money as well as performed at charitable events.  Ironically, he is most often praised for his work with children.  Here’s more detail from Katie McKoy, Atlanta Special Needs Kids Examiner.

Of course, the mega-star hit “We Are the World” from 1985 is front-and-center in the environment of social consciousness.  The song was co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and Wikipedia reports the combined revenues raised from the sales of “We Are the World” and Hands Across America (a related event) was almost $100 million.  The song benefited an organization called USA for Africa, which still exists over 20 years later feeding the starving of Africa.

“Earth Song” is to some a curious matter.  It is Jackson’s biggest selling single ever in the U.K. while it was never released as a single in the U.S.  It is the third single from the album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I.

The song has resurfaced as an anthem for World Environment Day.

“Earth Song” garnered praise from various environmental and animal protection groups:

Jackson visited the White House on several occasions.  Here is more.

News from the office of the non-partisan California legislative analyst:

In part because state revenue collections have been weaker than expected since passage of the February budget package, major cash flow difficulties loom for California in the summer and fall of 2009. Without significant budget-balancing and cash management actions by the Legislature or unprecedented borrowing from the short-term credit markets, the state will not be able to pay many of its bills on time for much of 2009-10. Returning the budget to balance will be important to resolving the state’s cash flow challenges.

We recommend that the Legislature act quickly to address these challenges—by late June or early July at the latest.  We also note that the state should be cautious about accepting additional federal assistance for the state’s cash flow problems, especially given the strings that may be attached to such aid.

Here is video:

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass said state leaders are now under tremendous pressure to get the budget completed by the start of the new fiscal year July 1 because of cash flow problems.  More>>>

British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown praised the army’s efforts after meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-maliki in London.

He described the occupation as a success story and said Britain could be proud of its legacy.

Britain’s remaining 3,700 troops have begun to pull out of their base on the outskirts of Basra.

However British pressure group, Stop the War Coalition said the mission had been a disaster.

Civilian deaths in Basra resulting from the conflict are numbered at between 3,302 and 3,766, according to figures from the Iraq Body Count.

From: PANOS

The new model can predict monthly ground water levels with 93 per cent accuracy, and provides satisfactory predictions even in cases where water levels are low.

The researchers believe there is huge potential to simulate changes in the climate and land use using the technique. Ground water is depleted in many areas of developing countries due to damaged soil and poor irrigation practices.  (Panos)

Author Kathleen Kaufmann has written an environmental thriller called “The Tree Museum”, which is set in Las Vegas.

Press material for the book reads:

“Kaufman chose Las Vegas as a key location in The Tree Museum and dramatically transforms it into a completely self-sustaining city by a seemingly all-powerful force called only ‘the signmakers.’ The book follows the journey of a torn couple as they make their way across a transforming western U.S., where they meet their climatic fate in the new environmentally utopian Las Vegas.”

BTW the museum still has its collection of vintage vehicles.

earth witness news

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