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newsclips -- CARB Newsclips for April 5, 2017.
Posted: 05 Apr 2017 16:59:38
CARB Newsclips for April 5, 2017. This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office of Communications. You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. CARB BUSINESS The Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) will conduct a public meeting at the time and place noted below to consider Truck Field Enforcement Activities and New Screening Technology for High Emitting Vehicles. DATE: April 27, 2017 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board Byron Sher Auditorium, 2nd Floor 1001 I Street Sacramento, California 95814 WEBCAST: http://www.cal-span.org/ Air Resources Board staff have posted a white paper on the health benefits of physical activity and air pollution exposure while walking and bicycling for transportation. Download the White Paper: https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/vprp/physical_activity_and_health_final_161216.pdf For more information, including the White Paper and other resources, visit our Built Environment webpage: https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/vprp/vprp.htm A fact sheet summarizing this document can be found here: https://www.arb.ca.gov/html/fact_sheets/physical_activity_fact_sheet.pdf On Monday, April 24th, the California Air Resources Board will host a research seminar focusing on household transportation choices and commitments of statewide greenhouse gas reductions required by SB 375. Announcement available here: https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/seminars/mokhtarian/mokhtarian.htm AIR POLLUTION London plans vehicle emissions fee to fight air pollution. The mayor of London says drivers of the most polluting cars will have to pay a 12.50 pound ($15.55) charge to drive in the city in a bid to improve air quality. Mayor Sadiq Khan says the charge will start in April 2019 and apply to diesel cars more than four years old and petrol cars more than 13 years old. It will initially cover central London, with plans to widen the zone by 2021. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_AIR_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s claim that ‘clean coal’ helped reduce carbon emissions. “We’ve demonstrated through the steps we’ve taken already, the pre-1994 levels, because of that technology — we can burn coal in clean fashion.” “I think that we’ve done it better than anybody in the world at burning coal clean, in a clean fashion. The innovative and technological advances that we’ve seen, along with natural gas production and generating electricity… https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2017/04/05/epa-administrator-scott-pruitts-claim-that-clean-coal-helped-reduce-carbon-emissions/?utm_term=.fb5e8ee37034 Vehicles Responsible For Much Higher Proportion Of Ammonia Air Pollution Than Previously Thought. While agriculture has generally been assumed to be the primary source of ammonia air pollution in cities, it seems that quite a lot of it is actually originating with vehicles in the cities themselves, according to new research. To state that again: more of the ammonia air pollution… https://cleantechnica.com/2017/04/05/vehicles-responsible-much-higher-proportion-ammonia-air-pollution-previously-thought/ Auto exhaust absorbed in snow presents health hazard — study. Snow is quick to absorb a class of toxic chemicals from vehicle exhaust, which may then find their way into the broader environment after a thaw, a study has found. The study, recently published online in the journal Environmental Pollution, used a laboratory setting to see what happens when snow is exposed to engine exhaust. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/04/05/stories/1060052665 CLIMATE CHANGE Unusually large swarm of icebergs drifts into shipping lanes. More than 400 icebergs have drifted into the North Atlantic shipping lanes over the past week in an unusually large swarm for this early in the season, forcing vessels to slow to a crawl or take detours of hundreds of miles. Experts are attributing it to uncommonly strong counter-clockwise winds that are drawing the icebergs south, and perhaps also global warming… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SHIPPING_LANES_ICEBERGS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Mayors will lead on climate change for political gain, says ex-NYC mayor. Mayors globally are increasingly adopting measures to slash greenhouse gas emissions because it makes them popular with voters, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Monday. Days after U.S. President Donald Trump dismantled countrywide climate-change policies, Bloomberg said mayors are going beyond… http://uk.reuters.com/article/usa-climate-mayors-idUKL2N1HB0V9 Former Obama DOT head questions Trump decision on emissions. Trump's order in March reversed a decision made under the Obama administration in January to affirm standards that were adopted in 2012 that will usher in tougher standards from 2021 – 2025. The decision to restart the review process of automotive emissions standards by the Trump administration is a possible "setback" for efforts to curtail climate change… http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2017/04/05/anthony-foxx-emissions-auto-regulations/100065816/ California's conservative farmers tackle climate change, in their own way. As California transitions from devastating drought into one of the wettest periods in decades, farmers are seeking new ways to protect their fields from whipsaw weather extremes. Like all California farmers, Don Cameron is used to long dry spells interrupted by wet years. Drought and flood, he says, have always been a way of life in the Golden State. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Inhabit/2017/0404/California-s-conservative-farmers-tackle-climate-change-in-their-own-way Shipping Industry & EU at Odds on Carbon Emissions. The shipping industry may not ultimately be able to regulate itself in terms of cutting carbon emissions, according to some within the European Union; the International Maritime Organization (IMO) disagrees, according to Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide. The IMO’s Marine Environmental Protection Committee has worked within the shipping industry to create a reduction strategy… https://www.environmentalleader.com/2017/04/shipping-industry-eu-odds-carbon-emissions/ Human Evolution Through Climate Change: Most Species On Earth Are Changing. The temperature of the Earth has risen 1 degree Celsius since the pre-industrial era, scientists believe. That may seem like a tiny change, but because of that 1 degree, salamanders from the Appalachian Mountains have shrunk and the skulls of chipmunks in Yellowstone National Park have actually changed shape. http://www.ibtimes.com/human-evolution-through-climate-change-most-species-earth-are-changing-2521265 EPA Watchdog Could Spark Internal Clash Over Pruitt’s Climate Denial. The agency’s scientific integrity officer, a former environmental advocate, is tasked with evaluating EPA chief’s statements denying CO2 drives global warming. Did Scott Pruitt's recent climate denial cross a red line and violate the scientific integrity rules of the Environmental Protection Agency? That's a question now being reviewed… https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05042017/environmental-protection-agency-scott-pruitt-climate-change-denialist-fossil-fuels Global Warming By 2250 Could Make Earth Warmest In Over 400 Million Years. President Donald Trump wants to reinvigorate the domestic fossil fuel industry, which he says will create jobs, and to defend the move, which is categorically catastrophic for the planet, he has either denied human-induced climate change outright or at best, been non-committal in acknowledging. http://www.ibtimes.com/global-warming-2250-could-make-earth-warmest-over-400-million-years-2520993 Yes, 50 million years ago the earth was hotter. Here's why climate change is still a major problem. We've got 99 problems and CO2 is number one. If we do nothing to reduce our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, by the end of this century the Earth will be as hot as it was 50 million years ago in the early Eocene, according to a new study out today in the journal Nature Communications. http://www.popsci.com/carbon-emissions-warming DROUGHT Drought may be nearly over, but Californians are still saving water. Californians are still conserving substantial amounts of water even as Gov. Jerry Brown appears ready to rescind or relax his drought declaration. The State Water Resources Board announced Tuesday that urban Californians reduced water usage by 25.1 percent in February, compared with the state’s baseline year of 2013. The February conservation results were substantially better than a year ago… http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article142626989.html#storylink=cpy http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/water-and-drought/article142641494.html#storylink=cpy DIESEL ACTIVITIES How Hydraulic Hybrids Save Tons of Fuel and Emissions Where It’s Needed Most. It’s a weekly cacophony of sounds that many are familiar with — the loud hiss of air brakes followed by a mechanical mayhem, and then the roar of a big, thirsty diesel engine. Beginning in the early morning hours across America, five days a week, an army of big-dog refuse trucks set out to pick up our trash. http://www.hybridcars.com/how-hydraulic-hybrids-save-tons-of-fuel-and-emissions-where-its-needed-most/ FUELS California appellate court hears oral arguments in Poet LCFS case. The 5th District Court of Appeals heard oral arguments March 23 in the case of Poet vs. California Air Resources Board. The attorneys for Poet argued that ARB acted in bad faith by not completely addressing the California Environmental Quality Act violations as directed by the court and are seeking a suspension of the low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) to 2013 levels… http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/2512684/ VEHICLES Trump Cutting EPA Emissions Test Lab And Wants Automakers To Pay For It. The White House is proposing a budget cut that would take away the Environmental Protection Agency’s emissions testing lab. A Trump administration budget document was discovered and posted online by The Washington Post showing the president wants to eliminate $48 million that goes to EPA vehicle and fuel testing and certification. http://www.hybridcars.com/trump-cutting-epa-emissions-test-lab-and-wants-automakers-to-pay-for-it/ http://www.autonews.com/article/20170404/OEM/170409924/white-house-seeks-to-slash-epa-funds-for-vehicle-emissions-testing http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/04/05/stories/1060052632 Mulroe bill seeks to ease impact of closing of emissions test stations. After an emissions testing station in his district closed in November, state Sen. John Mulroe said he heard from constituents about the burden of traveling a greater distance and then having to wait for their vehicle to pass. "The goal of the emissions testing is to reduce air pollution from vehicles," Mulroe said. http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/norridge/news/ct-nhh-emissions-testing-bill-tl-0406-20170405-story.html Plug-in electric car sales for Mar: Leaf beats Bolt EV, plug-in hybrids beat electrics (updated). The Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid again took the crown among plug-in electric cars whose makers report monthly sales. A total of 2,132 Volts were sold in March, bringing its three-month sales to 5,563 units, higher than any other car with a plug over the same period. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1109695_plug-in-electric-car-sales-for-mar-leaf-beats-bolt-ev-plug-in-hybrids-beat-electrics Here’s the gorgeous electric car Porsche is making to take on Tesla. Porsche is doubling down on its electric car efforts and plans to roll out its first fully electric vehicle, dubbed the Mission E, by 2020. The German automaker also plans to sell different variants of the electric vehicles with varying power outputs, according to an Autocar report published in March. http://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-mission-e-all-electric-concept-car-2017-3 GREEN ENERGY U.K. Seeks to Abandon Green Goal That May Sour Brexit. Officials in the Treasury and the business department are looking for a way to abandon the national goal of getting 15 percent renewable energy by 2020, which is almost double the current level, according to a person with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-05/u-k-said-to-seek-end-for-clean-energy-goal-that-may-sour-brexit Rural landowners could be in for windfall as Alberta shifts to green energy. Alberta farmers who historically have profited from having oil and gas wells on their land have a new opportunity blowing in the wind, though experts advise landowners seek legal counsel before signing contracts. The province’s planned move toward 30 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 has made Alberta the most attractive… http://calgaryherald.com/business/local-business/rural-landowners-could-be-in-for-windfall-as-alberta-shifts-to-green-energy Exelon sells $400M stake in wind, solar generation portfolio. Exelon Corp., the nation's largest utility owner, has agreed to sell nearly half an interest in a 1,300-megawatt renewable generation portfolio to John Hancock Life Insurance Co. for $400 million. The sale, announced late Monday in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, will give John Hancock a 49 percent stake in ExGen Renewables… http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2017/04/05/stories/1060052598 MISCELLANEOUS Some GOP lawmakers push back against EPA cuts. As President Donald Trump introduces a series of budget cuts and regulatory rollbacks that would cripple the Environmental Protection Agency, he faces one unpredictable obstacle: resistance from fellow Republicans. A small but vocal number of GOP lawmakers have rallied in support of popular programs in their districts… http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article142802164.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS To Curb Global Warming, Science Fiction May Become Fact. Remember “Snowpiercer”? In the delirious sci-fi thriller by the Korean director Bong Joon-ho, an attempt to engineer the climate and stop global warming goes horribly wrong. The planet freezes. Only the passengers on a train endlessly circumnavigating the globe survive. Those in first class eat sushi and quaff wine. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/business/economy/geoengineering-climate-change.html California gas-tax hike for roads? Oh, heck no. We’ve grown accustomed to hearing Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic lawmakers brag about California’s booming economy and their cutting-edge leadership. So, if both of those claims are true, an obvious question arises: Why must Californians, especially the estimated 15.6 million living below or just slightly above the poverty line, dig deeper into their pockets to fix the state’s notoriously deteriorating roads? http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/editorials/article142640384.html#storylink=cpy California stormwater ‘fee’ bill should be flushed down the drain Senate Bill 231, set for a legislative hearing today, is the second attempt by Sen. Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, to pass a bill that redefines “sewer” to include stormwater. It’s more than a matter of definition. It’s an attempt to evade the requirements of Proposition 218, which prevents local governments from calling taxes “fees” to get… http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bill-748486-nuys-attempt.html Platt: Cap-and-trade off to a good start, but the trouble still lies ahead. So far, so good. Ontario’s first cap-and-trade auction is in the books, and it went essentially as planned. Businesses snapped up the emissions allowances on offer, the price was low but not too low, and the government now has $472 million to spend on various climate change mitigation programs. http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/platt-cap-and-trade-off-to-a-good-start-but-the-trouble-still-lies-ahead BLOGS California Air Resources Board Ratchets Up Emissions Regulations. Continuing a years-long push, the California Air Resources Board cracked down further on emissions, sharpening the debate over the scope of its plans. “The new rules, green-lighted [March 23] … seek to curb methane emissions at oil and gas production plants by up to 45 percent over the next nine years,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported. http://www.publicceo.com/2017/04/california-air-resources-board-ratchets-up-emissions-regulations/ First Ontario cap and trade auction will lower emissions, save money. Ontario's first cap and trade auction is a crucial step on the road to climate protection and cleaner air, the David Suzuki Foundation said. "We've long supported the principle of polluter pays," said Foundation climate change policy analyst Gideon Forman. "Cap and trade embodies that principle so we're very gratified to see its implementation." http://www.davidsuzuki.org/media/news/2017/04/first-ontario-cap-and-trade-auction-will-lower-emissions-save-money/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.