Drought

English and Spanish transcripts of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's weekly radio address are below.

06/07/2008 -- California Governor Schwarzenegger:

Hi, this is Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger with another California Report.

Dry cornfield, California: Photo by Jimmy McDonald (CC)

Now, this week we took some major action to address California's growing water crisis.

Over the last 2 years, our state has suffered from low rainfall, low snowpack and court-ordered restrictions on pumping from the Delta.    » read more »

4-06-2008 -- Geneva (ICRC) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is significantly stepping up its humanitarian relief work in Somalia to respond to the deepening crisis there.

Hundreds of thousands of Somalis face life-threatening food and water shortages due to the escalating armed conflict and the effects of the recent severe drought in central Somalia.

Somalia, April 2008: Photo by Feinstein International Center (CC)

High inflation and the worldwide rise in commodity prices, especially for key imports such as food and fuel, are aggravating the situation.    » read more »

Reminds Citizens That Worsening Drought Conditions Mean Conservation Still Important

5/29/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today said worsening drought conditions in western North Carolina should be a warning to citizens that the state has not fully recovered from the drought. He also advised citizens to continue using water wisely since a hot, dry summer is likely.

Falls Lake, North Carolina: Photo by Kevin Greene (CC)    » read more »

May 13, 2008 -- GAINESVILLE, Ga—Today on the banks of a depleted Lake Lanier, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed the Water Conservation and Drought Relief Act of 2008, SB 342. The legislation will expedite the construction of new reservoirs throughout the state.

Lake Lanier, Georgia drought: March 4th 2007 (left), February 11th 2008 (right). Montage by Brian Hursey (CC)    » read more »

May 12, 2008 -- MACON, Ga – Today Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed an executive order suspending the collection of the state gas tax on diesel sold for off-road uses. Governor Perdue also signed several agricultural-related pieces of legislation during his visit to Farm Bureau headquarters in Macon: Senate Bill 515, House Bill 649, and House Bill 1178 and House Bill 1088.

Georgia tractor at work in cornfield: Photo by Judy Baxter (CC)    » read more »

May 9, 2008 -- A warm, windy summer could mean more wildfires for Colorado, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter announced at his annual wildfire briefing today

Conditions on the Eastern Plains and in northwest Colorado may contribute to higher-than-average wildfire activity. Fire experts also are concerned about the foothills and lower elevations east of the Continental Divide due to the abundance of dead, dry grass produced by the wet winter of 2006/2007.

Forest firefighting via helicopter, Colorado, 2007: Photo by Brad (CC)

The recent dry weather in western Colorado also has them on alert.    » read more »

Commends Actions of Firefighters in Combating Brush Fires

April 25, 2008 -- As dry weather conditions persist and the state’s forest fire danger continues to be elevated, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today reminded residents of the current restrictions on burning brush on their property.

Forest fire: Photo by waterboi_atx

The Governor said that even if a property owner has received a permit from a local Open Burning Official to burn brush, the property owner can not do so within 100 feet of a grassland or woodland when the state’s forest fire danger is high.    » read more »

21 April 2008 -- Africa’s climate, more than that of any other continent, is generally uniform. That’s the result of the position of the continent in the tropical zone, the impact of cool ocean currents, and the absence of mountain chains serving as climatic barriers.

But across Africa, the landscape is changing. The snowy caps of Mount Kilimanjaro are melting and the shorelines of lakes Chad, Tanganyika and Victoria are receding.

Mount Kilimanjaro: Photo by mailliw (CC)    » read more »

Six Western North Carolina Communities Will Benefit from Federal ARC Funds

3/17/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today announced that six western North Carolina communities are eligible for total of $1.58 million in grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission to help expand their public water supplies. The six towns; Lenoir, Valdese, Tryon, Marshall, Mars Hill and Blowing Rock, were chosen because they are among those in the state that are facing the most severe water shortages.    » read more »

Conservation Still Needed Following Recent Rainfall

3/13/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today asked citizens throughout North Carolina to continue their water conservation efforts since the latest federal drought map shows that 97 of the state’s 100 counties are still in some form of drought.    » read more »

04 March 2008 -- The onset of a water crisis in Kenya at the time of political instability and ethnic unrest has threatened pastoralists in the far northern and southeastern reaches of the country. The anti-poverty agency Action Aid Kenya has sounded an alert about the shortages and their potential consequences, not only for the survival of grazing herds, but also for the livelihood of the herdsmen. Action Aid international communications coordinator for Africa Eric Mgendi says the drought warning signs are cropping up far beyond Kenya’s borders.    » read more »

Also Orders Burning Ban Reinstated Due To Drought And Approach Of Spring Fire Season

2/13/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley has signed an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency that enables North Carolina to seek federal assistance to help pay costs incurred while fighting major fires. He also reinstated the statewide burning ban, effective noon Thursday (Feb. 14) in advance of the spring fire season.    » read more »

Preparations Underway For Local Access To Alternative Water Sources As Drought Continues

2/8/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley announced today that the state has identified alternative water supplies for the 11 North Carolina communities facing the most severe water shortages due to the drought. Most of the projects would involve connecting systems that are at the greatest risk to another water system with water to share. Other systems could drill new wells or tap into nearby lakes, rivers or quarries.    » read more »

Feb. 8, 2008 -- Kansas officials today requested a quick resolution to the ongoing battle with Nebraska over its undisputed overuse of waters from the Republican River.

At the same time, Attorney General Steve Six communicated with Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning that Kansas is seeking “real solutions” and that “we expect concrete tangible actions by Nebraska to cure its overuse of Republican River water.”    » read more »

State will Provide Exemptions to Level Four Drought Response; Exemptions Balanced with Renewed Conservation Efforts

February 6, 2008 -- ATLANTA—Today at the Georgia Agribusiness Council’s legislative breakfast Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced the state will ease outdoor watering limitations through exemptions to the Level Four Drought Response implemented in September 2007. Taking this action strikes a balance between sound management of our water resources and support of Georgia’s industries that depend on water use.    » read more »