Local
Los Angeles County just passed an ordinance that sets a maximum indoor temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit for all habitable rooms in rental units, including living rooms, bedrooms, and other living spaces. The requirement takes effect on January 1, 2027 for most rental properties. However, landlords with 10 or fewer units will need to meet this requirement in one room by 2027 and then every habitable room in a space by 2032.
Previously, landlords were not required to provide air conditioning and could charge extra for cooling. With heat waves becoming more frequent across the county, this new rule ensures that renters can live in safer, more comfortable conditions without facing additional costs. While worker protections against extreme heat have existed for some time, extending these standards to residential housing marks a major step toward improving quality of life for tenants throughout Los Angeles County.
State
California Governor Gavin Newsom supports a proposed 45-mile water tunnel designed to modernize the state’s water system and address the increasing risk of droughts linked to climate change. The tunnel would run beneath the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta.
A major point of contention is cost. The state estimates the project at around $20 billion, while independent analyses place it between $60 and $100 billion. Conservation groups oppose the tunnel, warning of harm to ecosystems, wildlife habitats, local communities, and farms.
While no final decision has been made, the proposal highlights the tension between California’s efforts to upgrade critical water infrastructure and concerns from environmental advocates about its broader impacts.
National
Nine conservation groups, including the Sierra Club, are seeking to intervene in a lawsuit to defend the designation of Chuckwalla National Monument. The lawsuit, filed in May in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, was brought by the Idaho-based BlueRibbon Coalition and a Michigan miner, represented by the Texas Public Policy Foundation and the Mountain States Legal Foundation. The plaintiffs aim to overturn the monument designation, which was established in January 2025.
The monument holds deep cultural and ecological importance, protecting lands significant to Tribal Nations, providing recreational opportunities for surrounding communities, and preserving areas tied to U.S. military history. Its designation was widely celebrated by Tribes, local and state governments, more than 300 business groups, scientists, and residents.
The organizations filing to intervene are the CactusToCloud Institute, California Native Plant Society, CalWild, Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Lands Foundation, National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, Vet Voice Foundation, and The Wilderness Society, represented by Earthjustice and the Law Offices of Joseph Lavigne.
SOURCES
Local
Ordinance for Maximum Air Temp
https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/0234f496-d2b7-00b6-17a4-b43e949b70a2/c345d0eb-bdcb-40c1-a418-b297e36c0b0f/081225_Agenda.htm
State
Water Tunnel
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-08-20/newsom-delta-tunnel-costs-benefits
National
Protecting Chuckwalla Monument
https://earthjustice.org/press/2025/organizations-seek-to-intervene-in-lawsuit-to-protect-chuckwalla-national-monument
This summary was compiled by Sierra Club Angeles Communications Volunteer Lenah Lankhaar