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TheAssociatedPress SAN FRANCISCO Federal scientists say there is a 75 percent chance of average or above-average precipita- tion between January and the end of March for Cali- fornia. The San Jose Mercury News reports that the Na- tional Oceanic and Atmo- spheric Administration is- sued a report on Thursday predicting a wetter than usual outlook during the first three months of the year. It's the first time in five years that such a pre- diction has been made. Officials say 98 percent of California is in a severe drought with many parts of the state receiving only about half the rainfall as the historic average. With three weeks of heavy rains, reservoirs continued to slowly rise across Northern Califor- nia. On Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor, a weekly map issued by the U.S. Department of Agri- culture and other agen- cies, showed that 32 per- cent of California is still in "exceptional drought," down from 55 percent last week, the Mercury News reported. Officials say that even with all the rain, Shasta Lake in the Northern Cal- ifornia town of Redding is just 33 percent full now, up from being 23 percent full three weeks ago. "There have been some healthy rises, but it still has a long, long way to go to re- cover back to levels that we saw three years ago," Kevin Werner, NOAA's western re- gional climate services di- rector in Seattle, told the Mercury News. Still, it's unlikely the historic drought will end this year, according to the National Weather Service. It will take about 11 trillion gallons of water to recover from Califor- nia's continuing drought, according to an analysis of NASA satellite data re- leased this week. A little more relief is coming over the next few days. The weather service says more rain is expected in most Bay Area cities this weekend, then it's ex- pected to be dry through Christmas Day. And with the rains, the Sierra Nevada snowpack was at 50 percent of the historic average on Thurs- day, up from 24 percent three weeks ago. DROUGHT Wetterthanusualstart to new year predicted VERNFISHE—MONTEREYHERALD Property manager Valorie Lambert monitors flooding at a client's home on Monday in Pebble Beach. By Dina Cappiello The Associated Press WASHINGTON The Obama administration on Friday set the first national stan- dards for waste generated from coal burned for elec- tricity, treating it more like household garbage rather than a hazardous material. Environmentalists had pushed for the hazard- ous classification, citing the hundreds of cases na- tionwide in which coal ash waste had tainted water- ways or underground aqui- fers, in many cases legally. A hazardous classification would have put the fed- eral government in charge of enforcement, which has been uneven across states that have varying degrees of regulation. The coal industry wanted the less stringent classification, arguing that coal ash wasn't dangerous, and that a hazardous label would hinder recycling. About 40 percent of coal ash is reused. But classifying coal ash as solid waste leaves it up to citizens and states to ensure standards are met. "The regulatory uncer- tainty that has impeded the beneficial use of coal ash for half a decade has finally come to an end," said Thomas H. Adams, the executive director of the American Coal Ash Association. "EPA's fi- nal decision to regulate coal ash as a 'non-haz- ardous' material puts sci- ence ahead of politics and clears the way for bene- ficial use of ash to begin growing again — thereby keeping ash out of land- fills and disposal ponds in the first place." The Environmental Protection Agency said in a call with reporters Friday that the record did not support a haz- ardous classification. The agency said the steps they were taking would pro- tect communities from the risks associated with coal ash waste sites and hold the companies oper- ating them accountable. "It does what we hoped to accomplish ... in a very aggressive but reasonable and pragmatic way," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. The Obama administra- tion was under court order to unveil the rule Friday, ending a six-year effort that began after a massive spill at a Tennessee power plant in 2008. Since then, the EPA has documented 132 cases in which coal- fired power plant waste damaged rivers, streams and lakes, and 123 where it has tainted underground water sources, in many cases legally. Coal ash had been pil- ing up in ponds and land- fill sites at power plants for years, an unintended consequence of the EPA's push to scrub air pollut- ants from smokestacks. In volume, it ranks only behind household trash in quantity, and it is expected to grow as the EPA controls pollutants like heat-trapping car- bon dioxide and mercury and other toxic air pol- lutants from the nation's coal fleet. On the upside, a switch from coal to natu- ral gas-fired power plants in recent years has gener- ated less ash. The rules unveiled Fri- day will boost monitoring for leaks and control blow- ing dust, and require com- panies to make testing re- sults public. They also set standards for closing waste sites, and require those that are structurally deficient or tainting water- ways to close. The new rules would also apply to closed coal ash ponds at sites where utilities still have ac- tive operations, such as the Duke Energy plant in Eden, North Carolina, where the sudden col- lapse of a drainage pipe triggered a massive spill in February that coated 70 miles of the Dan River in gray sludge. Duke was operating a new natural gas plant on the property at the time of the spill, and no longer creating coal waste. But prior to the spill, tests showed it was among 32 unlined pits be- ing operated by the com- pany in the state and taint- ing groundwater in viola- tion of state standards. The new rule requires new waste pits to be lined. But the regulations do not cover sites at shuttered power plants. And in some cases, they would allow ex- isting landfills that do not meet the new standards to continue to operate. Environmentalists said the rule had "glaring flaws" and vowed to work to make the rules stronger Friday. "Today's rule doesn't prevent more tragic spills like the ones we are still trying to clean up in North Carolina and Ten- nessee. And it won't stop the slower moving disas- ter that is unfolding for communities around the country, as leaky coal ash ponds and dumps poison water," said Lisa Evans, an attorney with Earthjus- tice, which sued the EPA in 2012 to issue the rule, rep- resenting 10 environmen- tal groups. While pleased, even in- dustry groups said they would work with Congress to fix what they saw as flaws in the rule, namely that the EPA could change the classification down the road with more evidence, a power Congress gave the agency when it exempted coal ash and other energy wastes from being treated as hazardous wastes in late 1970s. ENVIRONMENT EPA sets first national standard for coal waste WADE PAYN — GREEENPEACE Coal ash slurry is le behind in a containment pond near the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant in Harriman, Tenn., a er the dyke at le broke. By Tom Krisher The Associated Press DETROIT Driving is get- ting safer. The number of traf- fic deaths nationwide dropped about 3 percent last year, and the rate of deaths per 100 million miles traveled tied a re- cord low, according to government statistics. But the number of peo- ple killed on the roads rose in two categories: Crashes involving big trucks and bicycles. A total of 32,719 peo- ple died in U.S. crashes in 2013, down from 33,782 in 2012, according to figures compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That's about 90 deaths per day, compared with 92 in 2012. People died at a rate of 1.1 per 100 million miles driven, tying a record low set in 2011. Deaths caused by drunken and dis- tracted drivers also fell. NHTSA Deputy Ad- ministrator David Fried- man said the drop came because of safer vehicles, stronger laws and en- forcement, and consumer education campaigns. Over the past decade, traf- fic deaths have dropped nearly 25 percent. Electronic safety de- vices also played a role, said Transportation Sec- retary Anthony Foxx, who oversees NHTSA. For ex- ample, deaths in rollover crashes dropped last year at a higher rate than the overall decline largely due to stability control, which electronically controls the brakes and throttle to stop vehicles from overturning, Friedman said. Advertising campaigns against distracted driving, such as one against driv- ing while texting, helped bring that category down, the government said. The number killed in crashes with distracted drivers fell nearly 7 percent to 3,154. But the number of deaths in wrecks involv- ing large trucks rose slightly to 3,964, and fa- talities in bicycle crashes rose 1.2 percent to 743, the highest since 2006, the agency said. ON THE ROAD US says traffic deaths fell 3 percent in 2013 AUNORAEIB Our beloved Aunora went home to Jesus on December 5, 2014 at the age of 93. Devoted mom of Susan Eib- Voth and the late John Eib. Cherished grandma of Ashley Eib-Ginsberg (Jeremy), Anna Voth and John Voth (Tori Ellis). Great-grandma of Sophia and Andrew Ginsberg, Ellie and Braxton Ellis-Voth. Daughter of the late Andrew and Marie Markusen, natives of Norway. Sister of Anna Scott and the late Jennie, Marie and John Markusen. A celebration of Aunora's life will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at 11AM at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Santa Rosa. PHYLLIS ANN WARD April 27, 1939 ~ December 14, 2014 Phyllis Ann Ward, 75, joined her Lord early Sunday morning on Dec. 14, 2014, at Riverside Point in Chico, CA. A 'Celebration of Life' service will held for Phyllis at the Butte Bible Fellowship Church, 2255 Pillsbury Rd., Chico, CA on Saturday, Jan. 3rd at 1:00 p.m. Phyllis was born April 27, 1939 in Richmond, CA to Wil- liam Earl and Annie Amelia Wells. She attended El Cerrito High School and graduated in the class of 1956. Phyllis moved to Red Bluff in 1963 where eventually she met her loving husband, Robert Ward, of Red Bluff. They were married on June 29, 1974 in an epic horseback cere- mony. Phyllis worked many years for Metherd's Saddlery West- ern Store, along with State Farm Insurance Company in Red Bluff, CA. Robert and Phyllis moved from Proberta to Chester in 1995. In Chester, Phyllis was employed by the U.S. Forest Service as an Informational Specialist until she retired in 2003. Phyllis spent some of her free time volunteering for the Chester Library, as she had a lifetime love and passion for books. She was also an active member at the Wesleyan Church in Chester and the First Baptist Church in Corn- ing, CA. Her hobbies included gardening, traveling to the coast, and to numerous state and national parks within the western United States, going for long walks with her husband and dog (Nella), and spending time with her family. Phyllis is survived by her husband Robert Ward of Ches- ter, CA; brother Kenneth (Sherry) Wells, sister Barbara Privett both of Red Bluff, CA; sister Virginia (Joe) Carvalho of Utah; 2 daughters, Sherri (Mark) Grossman of Princeton, N.J. and DeAnne King of Chico, CA; a son, Larry King of Redding, CA; 2 Step-children, Jon and Terri Ward of Red Bluff; 7 Grandchildren, Brandon, Marissa, and Zack from Chico, CA.; Chelsea, Hannah, and Justin from Princeton, NJ.; Doug King from Brookfield, MO. She is also survived by 3 great grandchildren: Miah, Rex, and Taylor all of Chico and many loving nieces and nephews. Phyllis would want to thank Stephanie Weber, along with the many nurses, doctors, aides, and caregivers that provided her with love and support during the last part of her life journey. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to The Ameri- can Cancer Society and/or High Sierra Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 548, Portola, CA 96122. Obituaries R ed Bluff Simple Cremations & Burial Service NowOffering Eco-Friendly urns at economy friendly prices. 722 Oak Street, Red Bluff, FD Lic. 1931 527-1732 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |NEWS | 7 A