Business
California cracks down on water theft but spares data centers from disclosing how much they use
Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation that would have required data centers to report how much water they use.
New data centers have been rapidly proliferating in California and other western states as the rise of artificial intelligence and growing investments in cloud computing drive a construction boom. The centers, full of equipment, generate lots of heat and can use large quantities of water to cool their servers and interiors. Many companies don’t reveal how much they use.
Assembly Bill 93, introduced by Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo), would have required new data centers to disclose their expected water use when they apply for a business license and would have required all to report their water consumption annually.
In a message explaining his decision Saturday, Newsom said the widespread adoption of AI “is driving an unprecedented demand for data center capacity throughout the nation.”
“As the global epicenter of the technology sector, California is well positioned to support the development of this critically important digital infrastructure in the state,” Newsom wrote. “I am reluctant to impose rigid reporting requirements about operational details on this sector without understanding the full impact on businesses and the consumers of their technology.”
The bill was opposed by business groups including the Data Center Coalition.
Much of the data center construction boom is taking place in arid states, including California, Arizona and Texas, where strains on water have been mounting amid dry conditions and rising temperatures.
Papan said the bill was “a reasonable, transparent approach to understanding and managing the massive water demand driven by AI,” and that she will keep trying to “strike the right balance between technological innovation and sustainable resource management.”
In other water news, Newsom signed:
- Senate Bill 72, which requires the Department of Water Resources to set long-term water targets including, within 15 years, having “additional water, water conservation, or water storage capacity” totaling 9 million acre-feet — nearly three times the water used annually across six counties in Southern California. Newsom said in his signing message that going forward, the state agency will have to “analyze current and future water needs trends” when updating California’s water plan.
- Senate Bill 31, a bill intended to help the state deal with worsening droughts and the effects of climate change by increasing the use of recycled water. Introduced by Sen. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton), it loosens rules to allow parks to use more reclaimed water and ensure homeowners’ associations don’t have to lay new pipes if they want to use it.
- Assembly Bill 1466 permits courts, in disputes over groundwater, to enter judgments separately for well owners that pump small quantities of water. Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara), the bill’s sponsor, said it will enhance California’s groundwater sustainability efforts and protect “small family farmers that face expensive litigation.”
- Senate Bill 394 is intended to combat theft of water by enabling local agencies to crack down on those who steal from fire hydrants with increased fines and new enforcement powers. The bill was introduced by Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) and supported by Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and the Assn. of California Water Agencies. Las Virgenes, which supplies about 70,000 customers in Agoura Hills, Calabasas and other communities, said it has lost an estimated 45 million gallons of water in recent years because of theft from hydrants. Supporters of the bill said the theft has reached a point where thieves steal for commercial use, including construction, landscaping or farming. Now they could face an initial fine of $2,500, and up to $10,000 for a repeat offense.
Business
Sony, CBS settle ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ ‘Jeopardy!’ dispute
Sony Pictures Television and CBS have struck a compromise in their hard-fought legal battle over distribution rights to the popular “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” syndicated game shows.
“We have reached an amicable resolution,” Sony and CBS said Friday in a joint statement. “We look forward to working together to continue bringing these beloved shows to audiences and stations around the world.”
Financial terms were not disclosed.
As part of the deal, CBS will continue to distribute the shows in the U.S. for an additional 2 ½ years — through the 2027-2028 television season. After that, Sony will control the domestic distribution rights.
Sony owns both shows and produces them on its Culver City lot.
The shows have retained their popularity and solid ratings even in the streaming age, as traditional TV has declined. They remain among the most-watched programs on television.
The dispute began more than a year ago, when Sony terminated its distribution deal with CBS and later filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit that claimed CBS had entered into unauthorized licensing deals for the shows and then paid itself a commission. Sony also maintained that budget cuts within CBS, which is owned by Paramount, had hobbled the network’s efforts to support the two shows.
Earlier this year, Sony attempted to cut CBS out of the picture, escalating the dispute.
CBS has long maintained that it had the legal rights to distribute the shows to television stations around the country. The broadcaster previously alleged that Sony’s claims were “rooted in the fact they simply don’t like the deal the parties agreed to decades ago.”
For years, CBS has raked in up to 40% of the fees that TV stations pay to carry the shows. The network took over the distribution of the programs when it acquired syndication company King World Productions in 1999.
King World struck deals with the show’s original producer, Merv Griffin Enterprises, in the early 1980s to distribute “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune.” Sony later acquired Griffin’s company, but those early agreements remained in effect.
As part of this week’s resolution, CBS will manage all advertising sales through the 2029-2030 television season.
However, Sony will take over all marketing, promotions and affiliate relations for the shows after the current television season, which ends in mid-2026. Sony will also handle the lucrative brand integration campaigns.
In another element that was important to Sony, the studio will claim international distribution rights beginning this December.
Business
Video: How the Government Shutdown Is Affecting Air Travel
new video loaded: How the Government Shutdown Is Affecting Air Travel
By Niraj Chokshi, Karen Hanley, Leila Medina and James Surdam
November 8, 2025
Business
Presents to arrive in time for the holidays, but may be more expensive
Consumers don’t have to worry about products arriving in time for the holidays, though they may be facing higher prices, say officials at one of America’s largest ports.
Imports at the Port of Long Beach are flowing smoothly through its facilities despite the government shutdown and tariff uncertainties, port executives said. Still, they acknowledge that the volume and prices of products in the millions of containers coming through the port suggest that imports are becoming more costly and consumers are more cautious.
Until now, retailers, manufacturers and other intermediaries have absorbed much of the cost of tariffs, but that is changing as it becomes more apparent which tariffs are here to stay, Mario Cordero, chief executive of the Port of Long Beach, said Friday during a virtual news conference.
“Consumers will likely see price escalation in the coming months as shippers continue to pass along the cost of tariffs on goods, and a higher percentage of these costs will be passed on to the consumer,” he said.
Cordero, who drinks Starbucks coffee, said he’s seen the price of a cup of coffee increase by 15% and that more consumers are going to discount stores to find deals. However, potential price hikes could be offset if the United States and China strike further trade agreements.
The Port of Long Beach, a gateway for trade between the United States and Asia-Pacific, released new data that offers a glimpse into how President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs are affecting goods imported from key trade partners, such as China.
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court also started to hear arguments as the justices examine the legality of Trump’s tariffs.
Over the past year, the port saw a drop in the movement of containers filled with certain goods such as winter apparel, kitchen appliances and toys that people typically buy as gifts, a sign that consumers are likely wary about spending.
Still, the impact of tariffs on cargo volume hasn’t been as bad as some experts predicted. Cordero said some experts had projected that the port could see as much as a 35% drop in cargo volume.
“Clearly today, it’s fair to say that the worst scenarios some predicted did not occur,” Cordero said. “The challenges were many, and there’s no doubt that many companies and their workers suffered, but cargo volume is turning out to be just as high this year as it was last year.”
In fiscal year 2025, which runs from October 2024 to September 2025, the port surpassed 10 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for the first time, up 11% from the same period last year. TEU is a measurement used to describe cargo capacity for container ships and terminals.
While the port saw a decline in the amount of TEUs moved in October compared with the same period in 2024, Cordero said he thinks the port will end 2025 in “positive territory.”
In October, there were 839,671 TEUs moved. That’s because retailers and shippers started shipping goods earlier than normal to avoid fees and to stock up their warehouses because of tariffs.
The Port of Long Beach is an economic engine for California. Officials say it helps create 691,000 jobs in Southern California. More than 2.7 million U.S jobs are connected to the Port of Long Beach, they say.
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