News stories that East Bay progressives and environmentalists shouldn’t miss:
1. A bill that would strengthen regulations for fracking in California passed a legislative committee yesterday, despite opposition from the oil and gas industry, the SacBee$ reports. The legislation would require more disclosure of the toxic chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a controversial process used to extract oil and natural gas buried deep in the earth. The bill is being backed by numerous environmental groups, although some environmentalists contend that it’s not tough enough.