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newsclips -- CARB Newsclips for May 26, 2017.
Posted: 26 May 2017 14:06:08
CARB Newsclips for May 26, 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 Sound Wall-Vegetation Combination Barriers as Near-Roadway Pollutant Mitigation Strategies. Suzanne Paulson, Ph.D., Yifang Zhu, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles and Akula Venkatram, Ph.D. University of California, Riverside Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 2:00 p.m., PDT (WEBCAST) Sierra Hearing Room, 2nd Floor, CalEPA Building 1001 I Street, Sacramento, California For more go to the announcement at: https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/seminars/paulson6/paulson6.htm ___________________________ The California Air Resources Board (ARB) staff invites you to participate in the third meeting in an ongoing series of public working meetings to discuss Co-processing of biogenic feedstocks at conventional petroleum refineries. Topics include (1) pathway application and evaluation of the carbon intensity of renewable fractions, (2) quantifying and reporting the renewable fuel volumes, and (3) monitoring and verification under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). The next meeting will be held at the following time and location: DATE: Friday, June 2, 2017 TIME: 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. LOCATION: Sierra Hearing Room, 2nd Floor ADDRESS: California Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters Building 1001 “I” Street Sacramento, California 95814 Today’s notice is intended to confirm the date, time and location, and supply instructions on how to participate (in-person, over the phone, or webcast). This information along with a discussion paper and other materials for review will be posted at http://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/lcfs/lcfs_meetings/lcfs_meetings.htm ______________________________________ Staff from the California Department of Transportation, the California Air Resources Board, the California Energy Commission, and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development invite you to participate in workshops to discuss implementation of the California Sustainable Freight Action Plan (Action Plan). The workshops will be held at the locations and on the dates noted below. The agencies will follow the same format and show the same presentation at each of the workshop locations. LOS ANGELES: May 30, 2017 SAN DIEGO: May 31, 2017 For more information on the California Sustainable Freight Action Plan including upcoming workshops, please visit the webpage at http://www.casustainablefreight.org/ _________________________ The California Air Resources Board in collaboration with the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, is holding a free professional wet cleaning demonstration workshop. The free workshop will be held on Sunday, June 11, 2017 from 2:00PM - 4:00PM in Los Angeles. Doors open at 1:45 PM. Venue: London Cleaners, 1073 Gayley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Space is limited. Register early at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-professional-wet-cleaning-demonstration-workshop-for-dry-cleaners-tickets-33498967313 or by searching for "wet cleaning workshop" on Eventbrite at: http://www.eventbrite.com For more details about the workshop, please visit ARB's Non-Toxic Dry Cleaning Incentive Program (AB998) website at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/dryclean/ab998.htm _________________________ AIR POLLUTION Volkswagen emissions fraud sleuth chosen to head Sacramento air agency. Alberto Ayala, a state air pollution executive who helped uncover Volkswagen’s massive diesel cheating scandal, has been named head of the Sacramento region’s air quality efforts. The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District board voted on Thursday morning to name Ayala its executive director, replacing retiring executive Larry Greene. Ayala, a deputy executive officer at the California Air Resources Board, launched the state’s initial review of diesel engines in 2012… http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article152649749.html 2017 smog season packing a punch, with worst ozone levels since 2008. If our air seems terrible, well, it is. Smog season 2017 has arrived with a vengeance. So far this year, Southern California has endured 27 days with unhealthful levels of ozone, the hallmark pollutant of smog, making this spring the worst start of a smog season since 2008, according to state data. http://www.presstelegram.com/environment-and-nature/20170525/2017-smog-season-packing-a-punch-with-worst-ozone-levels-since-2008 Carson sues air quality agency over mega-refinery approval. Carson is suing air quality regulators to challenge a plan that would combine two adjacent oil refineries in Carson and Wilmington into a single mega-refinery. The city on Wednesday filed a notice in Los Angeles Superior Court that it intended to take legal action against the South Coast Air Quality Management District to halt… http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/05/25/72207/carson-sues-air-quality-agency-over-mega-refinery/ Senate bill aims to align NHTSA, EPA emissions programs. A half dozen senators on Thursday sponsored legislation to address technical discrepancies between separate federal programs that automakers say make it difficult to comply with carbon and fuel efficiency mandates. The bill, authored by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., would bring consistency to the practice of transferring fleetwide credits earned… http://www.autonews.com/article/20170526/OEM11/170529863/senate-proposal-aims-to-align-nhtsa-epa-emissions-programs Air pollution is significantly weakening our hearts, major new study finds. Cardiologist advises cyclists to avoid busy roads and pedestrians to walk as far away from the kerb as possible. The hearts of people who live in polluted areas are weaker than those who regularly breathe cleaner air, according to a new study which adds to the growing volume… http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/air-pollution-heart-disease-weak-pm-25-particulates-diesel-cars-fossil-fuels-a7756101.html CLIMATE CHANGE Don’t call it ‘climate change’: How the government is rebranding in the age of Trump. “Climate change” is out. “Resilience” is in. “Victims of domestic violence” are now “victims of crime.” Foreign aid for refugee rights has become aid to protect “national security.” “Clean energy investment” has been transformed into just plain “energy” investment. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/05/26/just-dont-call-it-climate-change-rebranding-government-in-the-age-of-trump/?utm_term=.87869d3449e8 Looking for Trump’s Climate Policy? Try the Energy Department. The Trump administration’s deepest impact on domestic climate policy might have little to do with its efforts to dismantle the Clean Power Plan or its decision on the Paris accord. Instead, the coming battle over the future of the Energy Department could prove far more significant for the United States’ long-term… https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/25/climate/energy-department-climate-trump-budget.html?_r=1 Brown: Trump will come around on climate change. California Gov. Jerry Brown, one of the Democratic Party’s most outspoken critics of Republican climate change policy, said Wednesday he now believes that President Donald Trump is a political “realist” who will likely listen to what Pope Francis, China and other world leaders are saying on the key issue… http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/24/jerry-brown-donald-trump-climate-change-238794 http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article152470734.html Meet Jane, a climate scientist who fled Trump’s government. Worries about science censorship drove her from her post at the Energy Department. The day after President Donald Trump’s unexpected victory, Jane Zelikova was “crying her eyes out” in her office at the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. As a scientist researching how big fossil-fuel industries can reduce greenhouse gas emissions… http://www.hcn.org/issues/49.9/meet-jane-a-climate-scientist-who-fled-trumps-government Barack Obama on food and climate change: ‘We can still act and it won’t be too late’ The former president addresses the greatest challenges facing the world, and what we can do about them. During the course of my presidency, I made climate change a top priority, because I believe that, for all the challenges that we face, this is the one that will define the contours of this century more dramatically perhaps than the others. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/may/26/barack-obama-food-climate-change A 2012 glacier melt actually warped Earth's crust. When a Greenland glacier melted in the unusually hot summer of 2012, it pushed so much water through that it warped the Earth's crust and caused a massive wave of ice and water to push its way seaward. That wave is a newly identified phenomenon for climate researchers and represents a troubling new trend in the understanding of how current sea-level rise estimates may be underestimated… https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/05/26/stories/1060055187 A 2012 glacier melt actually warped Earth's crust. When a Greenland glacier melted in the unusually hot summer of 2012, it pushed so much water through that it warped the Earth's crust and caused a massive wave of ice and water to push its way seaward. That wave is a newly identified phenomenon for climate researchers and represents a troubling new trend in the understanding of how current sea-level rise… https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/05/26/stories/1060055187 DROUGHT Farmers look back at range of impacts from drought. Lessons learned during the multi-year California drought will help farmers and ranchers cope with the next one—and those lessons extended beyond the farm to the realms of policy and public perception, according to farmers who spoke at a water conference in Monterey. Four farmers from different parts of the Central Valley talked about impacts of the drought… http://www.keyt.com/news/agriculture/farmers-look-back-at-range-of-impacts-from-drought/517397571 DIESEL ACTIVITIES California ARB opens solicitations for On-Road Advanced Technology Demonstrations Projects: Class 7, 8 trucks. The California Air Resources Board is seeking solicitations for up to $17 million in grants for its On-Road Advanced Technology Demonstrations Projects. Eligible projects will demonstrate pre-commercial Intelligent Transportation Systems and Connected Trucks; Advanced Engines and Powertrains; and Zero-Emission… https://chargedevs.com/newswire/california-arb-opens-solicitations-for-on-road-advanced-technology-demonstrations-projects-class-7-8-trucks/ FUELS Here Is The Fossil Fuel Power Plant That Doesn’t Produce Carbon Emissions. For the longest time, the world has lived with a simple truth; power plants using fossil fuels contribute to carbon emissions, period. However, a trio of trailblazers decided that this didn’t have to be the case and that fossil fuel can be used to provide energy without polluting the air. http://www.econotimes.com/Here-Is-The-Fossil-Fuel-Power-Plant-That-Doesnt-Produce-Carbon-Emissions-726951 Groups warn EPA against pausing oil and gas standards. A coalition of environmental groups is urging the Trump administration to maintain upcoming deadlines for oil and gas operators to cut emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. More than 60 conservation, health, labor and faith groups yesterday sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt urging him to keep in place Obama-era standards… https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2017/05/26/stories/1060055205 New rules aim to cut methane emissions in Canada’s oil, gas sector. New rules to reduce methane emissions from Canada’s energy sector will cost the industry an estimated $3.3-billion over the next two decades, and will hit conventional oil and natural-gas producers the most dramatically. But federal officials also say that the value of conserved gas from 2018 to 2035… https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/new-methane-rules-aim-to-cut-emissions-from-canadas-oil-and-gas-sector/article35112124/ VEHICLES Stuttgart prosecutor puts Bosch under suspicion in Daimler emissions probe. German prosecutors investigating whether carmaker Daimler manipulated emission tests on its diesel cars are looking at whether auto components supplier Bosch was involved in the alleged fraud, it was confirmed on Friday. "There is an investigation into aiding and abetting fraud," a spokesman for the Stuttgart… https://www.reuters.com/article/daimler-emissions-bosch-idUSL8N1IS1NW Fresno County Welcomes 13 New Solar-Powered EV Chargers. CALSTART, which is dedicated to growing clean transportation technology, in partnership with the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency (FCRTA) and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD), has unveiled a model program providing solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in 13 rural incorporated cities in Fresno County, Calif. https://ngtnews.com/calstart-announces-new-ev-charging-options-fresno-county Cheapest Electric Car In USA = $23,800 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive. When it comes to buying a car, price is a notable issue of consideration to … almost everyone. So, a lot of people want to know what the cheapest electric car is. I’d asked you what car you think that is … but we just put it in the title. Daimler’s 2017 smart fortwo electric drive coupe will have a starting price of $23,800 in the US, according to recent reports. https://cleantechnica.com/2017/05/26/cheapest-electric-car-usa/ Ottawa crafting plan to boost use of zero-emission vehicles. The federal government is developing a strategy to get more zero-emission vehicles on Canada’s roads, a process that has sparked a battle between the environmental lobby and the auto industry as each seeks to shape policy. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/ottawa-crafting-plan-to-boost-use-of-zero-emission-vehicles/article35121541/ State New Vehicle Market Predicted to Remain Strong in 2017. As depicted on the graph to the right, the rapid growth in the California new vehicle market has likely come to an end. After seven years of increasing sales, the market has fully recovered from the low point in 2009, and as a result, pent up demand is easing. http://www.cncda.org/CMS/Pubs/CA%20Auto%20Outlook%201Q%202017.pdf VW RECALL Back to the shop: Why California is telling Volkswagen to retool spending plan. Volkswagen’s plan to promote electric cars in California, part of its penalty for a massive air-pollution scandal, is being sent back for repairs because state officials say it doesn’t do enough to help low-income communities with bad air quality. The California Air Resources Board directed Volkswagen this week to retool its… http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article152715174.html http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article152746829.html http://kdal610.com/news/articles/2017/may/26/california-says-vw-clean-car-spending-plan-has-shortcomings/ GENERAL MOTORS (GM) GM is accused in lawsuit of cheating on diesel truck emissions. General Motors Co (GM.N) was accused in a lawsuit on Thursday of rigging hundreds of thousands of diesel trucks with devices similar to those used by Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE), to ensure they pass emissions tests. The proposed class-action lawsuit covers people who own or lease more than 705,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups fitted with "Duramax" engines from the 2011 to 2016 model years. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gm-lawsuit-idUSKBN18L25Y https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-25/gm-accused-of-using-vw-like-defeat-devices-in-some-of-its-trucks https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/25/business/energy-environment/general-motors-diesel-emissions-lawsuit.html?_r=0 GM denies allegations that it cheats on diesel emissions. General Motors on Thursday denied allegations made in a lawsuit that the company's full-size diesel pickup trucks cheat on emissions tests. The lawsuit filed by lawyers for two truck owners in U.S. District Court in Detroit alleges that trucks with Duramax diesel engines have three devices on them that are rigged to allow more pollution… http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hy-gm-emissions-20170526-story.html Diesel can’t catch a break: Lawsuits over emissions hit GM, Fiat Chrysler. Nitrogen oxide emissions are coming back for round two. wo auto manufacturers are in legal crosshairs this week because of emissions from their diesel vehicles. The US Department of Justice sued Fiat Chrysler of America (FCA)… https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/05/diesel-cant-catch-a-break-lawsuits-over-emissions-hit-gm-fiat-chrysler/ GREEN ENERGY Rooftop arrays hold hidden dangers for firefighters. It's common knowledge that solar panels can help the environment while letting homeowners save money on their electric bills. But many people don't realize that during a disaster such as a fire or explosion, solar panels can be a headache for firefighters and emergency responders. When firefighters arrive at a house with solar panels… https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2017/05/26/stories/1060055092 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Volkswagen's clean car plan falls short in low-income neighborhoods, California regulators say. State regulators have asked Volkswagen to revise its plan to invest in zero emission technology in California, a victory for critics who said the automaker wasn't doing enough in disadvantaged communities. The investment plan, which will total $800 million over 10 years, is part of Volkswagen's obligation under a multi-billion settlement for evading pollution rules. http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-volkswagen-zero-emission-1495742862-htmlstory.html OPINIONS Microsoft Wants Clean South African Energy. Sometimes it's hard to know whether the power a utility provides really comes from renewables. The two new data centers that Microsoft Corp. plans to build in South Africa will one day provide cloud computing services to the entire African continent. The power they use, however, will be generated and consumed entirely within South Africa’s grid. https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-05-26/microsoft-wants-clean-south-african-energy Lights out! Eclipse to cut solar power in California. Think of it as a new kind of brownout. California now relies so much on solar power that on Thursday, state officials urged residents to turn off unneeded lights and unplug appliances during the Aug. 21 solar eclipse. Even though the sun will be only partially obscured in California, the eclipse at its midmorning peak will slash the output of the state’s solar power plants by more than 60 percent. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Lights-out-Eclipse-to-cut-solar-power-in-11174543.php BLOGS Keeping California in the lead on climate policy in the Trump era. UCLA Law's Emmett Institute hosts symposium on steps to take as feds retreat from environmental goals. Representatives from state government, UCLA faculty and environmental activists from around the country identified ways in which California can continue to lead on climate policy at a time when… http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/keeping-california-in-the-lead-on-climate-policy-in-the-trump-era Climate Progress Continues Despite Changes in the Federal Administration. “We are in one of those moments where people are feeling, if not despair, at least a lot of discouragement about the climate movement and how things are going, particularly in the United Sates,” said Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board. But she remains optimistic. http://www.triplepundit.com/2017/05/climate-progress-continues-despite-changes-federal-administration/ A New Power Plant Burns Fossil Fuels Without Any Carbon Emissions. Startup NET Power wants to revolutionize carbon capture and storage systems to get fossil fuel plants to produce zero carbon emissions. Instead of attaching such systems into existing power plants, they built one from scratch. “FRIENDLIER” FOSSIL FUELS Fossil fuel plants, particularly coal-fired and natural gas plants… https://futurism.com/a-new-power-plant-burns-fossil-fuels-without-any-carbon-emissions/ Canada proposes new regulations on methane gas emissions. On Thursday, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, announced proposed regulations to reduce methane emissions and air pollution from Canada's oil and gas industry. The public has until July 27, 2017, to comment on the rules. http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/politics/canada-proposes-new-regulations-on-methane-gas-emissions/article/493604#ixzz4iDGulpJj McNamara Realty to pay $30,000 to settle asbestos case. San Luis Obispo real estate and property management company McNamara Realty has agreed to pay $30,000 in order to settle a civil case over illegal removal and disposal of asbestos-containing material. Following an investigation conducted by the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District and district attorney’s office… https://calcoastnews.com/2017/05/mcnamara-realty-pay-30000-settle-asbestos-case/ Electric vehicles sales in Canada are up 68%, thanks to Nissan and Tesla going strong. Electric vehicle sales keep increasing at an impressive pace in Canada to a point that they are now representing a meaningful percentage of overall car sales. During the first quarter 2017, electric vehicle deliveries reached a record high of 1,474 units (BEVs and PHEVs) – up 68% over the same period last year. https://electrek.co/2017/05/26/electric-vehicles-sales-canadatesla-nissan-q1-2017/ Report: Electric Vehicles Won’t See Price Parity Until 2025 Or Later. According to a recent Bloomberg report, electric vehicles will remain at an economic disadvantage until around 2025, because battery prices are too high. “High battery costs, limits to driving ranges and charging times mean that electric cars won’t have an economic advantage over combustion engines until 2025.” http://insideevs.com/electric-cars-wont-see-price-parity-until-2025-or-later/ Volkswagen’s car-charging plans curbed. Scandal-hit carmaker Volkswagen’s spending plan for clean-vehicle infrastructure — charging stations for electric cars — in the US has shortcomings, regulators have claimed. The German company has agreed to spend $800 million (£621 million) in California, part of $2 billion in the US over the next decade, as it looks to atone for diesel-emissions cheating. http://www.standard.co.uk/business/volkswagen-s-carcharging-plans-curbed-a3549671.html New Jersey Utility Moves to Encourage Green Energy. Although New Jersey had set aggressive goals for renewable energy, it has taken “only baby steps” to encourage energy efficiency, which is frequently the least expensive way to reduce consumption. The head of New Jersey’s largest utility called Wednesday for the state to move away from a century-old system that encourages utilities to sell as much energy as possible… http://www.govtech.com/fs/New-Jersey-Utility-Moves-to-Encourage-Green-Energy.html 5 ways to win private investors for energy-efficient buildings. The 2017 Sustainable Energy for All Forum kicked off with a stark warning: The world is not on track to reach its 2030 energy goals, including those on efficiency. To speed action, leaders in government and finance must better coordinate policy and investment to move more money toward clean energy. https://www.greenbiz.com/article/5-ways-private-investors-energy-efficient-buildings Under Trump, energy security is running on empty. The Trump administration has put forward a budget proposal for fiscal 2018 that would, if enacted, erode U.S. energy security, diminish our competitiveness in the growing global clean energy economy and slow progress in modernizing our domestic energy economy on the path to a low-carbon energy future. http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/energy-environment/335146-under-trump-energy-security-is-running-on-empty