blog post Growing Damages from Wildfires Burn the Insurance Industry By Lori Pottinger Jun 29, 2020 Devastating fires in recent years have roiled the insurance industry. We talked to Rex Frazier of the Personal Insurance Federation of California about how the industry is addressing growing wildfire risk.
Report California’s Political Geography 2020 By Eric McGhee Feb 24, 2020 California still leans Democratic overall, but independents are leaning Republican in many areas of the state. A closer look suggests that registering all eligible residents to vote could moderate more partisan places. Views on specific issues also follow their own geographic patterns.
blog post A New Reality for Federal Flood Insurance By Lori Pottinger Apr 16, 2019 Flood damages have been rising, pushing the federal flood insurance program into unsustainable debt. We talked to expert Carolyn Kousky about changes coming to the program.
Report California’s Water: Paying for Water By Ellen Hanak, Dean Misczynski, Jay Lund, Brian Gray ... Nov 12, 2018 Sustainable solutions by state and local leaders are needed to close serious funding gaps in a number of critical areas of water management—including floods, water quality, and aquatic ecosystems. This brief describes the state’s major water funding gaps and proposes ways to fill them.
blog post What Motivates People to Use Less Water? By Lori Pottinger Sep 24, 2018 During droughts, households can be inundated by messages to use less water. We talked to Katrina Jessoe about what motivates people to conserve.
blog post What Does the Repeal of Net Neutrality Mean for California Schools? By Justin Goss, Niu Gao Jul 11, 2018 California’s K–12 schools increasingly rely on internet service for instruction and test administration—what does repealing net neutrality mean for them?
Report Building Drought Resilience in California’s Cities and Suburbs By David Mitchell, Ellen Hanak, Ken Baerenklau, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Jun 12, 2017 California’s urban water suppliers have become increasingly adept at drought management thanks to investments in diverse supplies, cooperative efforts with neighbors, and programs to manage water demand. But in the face of extreme hot and dry conditions, questions arose over preparedness for ongoing drought, and the state took the unprecedented step of ordering mandatory water conservation in 2015. This report looks at evolving state and local roles in managing urban water supply during drought, and lessons to help us better prepare for droughts of the future. This research was supported with funding from California Water Service, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
blog post Brian Gray Joins PPIC Water Team By Ellen Hanak Jul 1, 2016 Brian Gray joined the PPIC Water Policy Center today as a senior fellow. He brings extensive experience in water and environmental law.
blog post Flood Insurance: Why Don’t People Buy It? By Carolyn Kousky Apr 6, 2016 Flood insurance sales have been falling in the US in recent years, but California bucked the trend this year.
blog post Testimony: Planning for Future Droughts By Ellen Hanak Nov 23, 2015 In a week that began with Governor Brown extending the statewide water conservation mandate into next year, a panel of experts testified at an state assembly water committee about improving drought management.
