Environment

Environment

Flood risk grows as San Jose expects more rain

San Jose has gone from parched earth to soggy ground after this past weekend’s soaking, and more is on the way. San Jose got nearly 1.5 inches of rainfall last weekend, with some flooding around the South Bay and more serious flooding in the San Francisco area. Some areas around San Jose’s creeks experienced flooding, primarily impacting...

Storm puts San Jose on flood watch

As the South Bay braces for a storm being fueled by an atmospheric river this weekend, San Jose residents are on alert for potential flooding. San Jose should expect up to half of an inch of rain overnight Friday and up to one inch Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service has issued a...

Silicon Valley cement plant could shut down for good

An embattled cement plant near Cupertino might lose its permit to operate next year. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this month to start a process to consider revoking or amending Lehigh Southwest Cement Company’s use permit. The decision comes roughly a month after the company announced it would permanently shut down its cement...

San Jose landowners stir up Coyote Valley concerns

About one year after the San Jose City Council took action to shield more than 300 acres of Coyote Valley land from development of massive distribution warehouses, several landowners are now proposing a major energy facility. Former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed represents a group of three property owners pushing early plans to accommodate an electricity transmission...

San Jose pushes electric vehicle use in low-income areas

San Jose wants to boost electric car adoption in low-income and disadvantaged neighborhoods by eliminating “charging deserts” and adding incentives to make juicing up more attractive for residents. As part of a pilot program unanimously approved by the San Jose City Council Tuesday, the city will work with vendors to install banks of electric vehicle (EV)...

Santa Clara County cement facility shuttering for good

A massive cement plant near Cupertino that has run afoul of regulators thousands of times will be shuttered permanently. Lehigh Southwest Cement Company said it will not restart its cement kiln at its 3,510-acre Permanente Quarry and Cement Plant. The company’s property is located largely in the hills of unincorporated Santa Clara County, with portions...

San Jose invests in solar power to reach climate goals

San Jose plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars over the next two decades to meet its carbon neutral goals, including utilizing solar power. On Tuesday, the city council approved four contracts worth an estimated $530 million to build out the city’s battery storage to access and store more solar energy through its San Jose Clean Energy...

Why San Jose air is worse than other cities

Air quality in the South Bay is worse than neighboring parts of the San Francisco Bay Area—and it hits underserved communities hardest. According to data compiled by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, ozone levels are consistently higher in the San Jose area because of traffic congestion, weather and topography. Local studies show air...

Silicon Valley lawmakers want to ban leaded plane fuel

Two Silicon Valley congressmembers are vowing to take the fight to ban leaded aviation fuel to the White House. Congressmembers Ro Khanna and Zoe Lofgren renewed calls for the Federal Aviation Administration and Environmental Protection Agency to take immediate action to stop the use of leaded airplane fuel on Thursday at Reid-Hillview Airport in East San Jose. Santa Clara...

Santa Clara County to study lead levels near airport—again

Santa Clara County is planning another study of airborne lead levels around Reid-Hillview Airport after banning the sale of leaded plane fuel at the facility a year ago. Deputy County Executive David Campos told a group of East San Jose residents about the new study at a community meeting this week. This is the third study on lead levels around the the...