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newsclips -- California Air Resources Board News Clips for September 17, 2009
Posted: 17 Sep 2009 11:47:29
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. Obama Administration Pushes Climate Talks Into 2010. Top U.S. energy and climate leaders yesterday began to openly plan for international global warming talks to trickle into 2010. Experts have predicted for months that a major U.N. summit in Copenhagen this December -- billed as the place 192 nations would complete a new emissions pact -- would not deliver by deadline. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/09/17/17climatewire-obama-administration-pushes-climate-talks-in-22433.html?pagewanted=print White House to Revise Bush-Era Smog Rule. The Obama administration signaled Wednesday that it would scrap a controversial Bush-era rule that set stricter limits for smog but fell short of scientific recommendations. In a notice filed Wednesday in a federal appeals court, the Justice Department says there are concerns that the revision made by the Bush administration does not adhere to federal air pollution law. The Environmental Protection Agency will propose revised smog standards to protect public health and the environment in late December. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/16/AR2009091603451_pf.html Interest In Algae's Oil Prospects Is Growing. Firms and scientists are racing to figure out how best to separate the oil produced in the organisms for biofuel. The San Diego area has become a hotbed for these efforts that are drawing investors. To many, algae is little more than pond scum, a nuisance to swimmers and a frustration to boaters. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-algae17-2009sep17,0,5816697,print.story Will World Make December Climate Deadline? The clock has begun ticking on the countdown to the United Nations Climate Summit this December in Copenhagen where leaders from 192 countries will gather to forge an effective response to climate change. We all know what is at stake: the signals from our warming planet are becoming all too clear. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/17/EDGO19O324.DTL&type=printable Limiting Global Warming To 2 Degrees C Unlikely – Report. The international goal of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is unlikely to be met, even if China takes further steps to curbs its emissions, according to a prominent Chinese research center. The report, released by China's Energy Research Institute, also says a goal of halving developing nations' greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, resisted by China and other developing nations, could cramp economic growth. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2009/09/17/8 White House Clears GHG Reporting. U.S. EPA is poised to establish a national registry for heat-trapping emissions after the White House yesterday completed its review of the agency's final greenhouse gas reporting rule. The rule, which would set up an economy wide program to monitor greenhouse gas emissions, is widely viewed as a major step toward informing future policy decisions on carbon dioxide regulations. The White House Office of Management and Budget finalized its review of the final rule yesterday, according to the office's Web site. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2009/09/17/2 Climate Bill Drifts Into A Potomac Fog. A day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) hinted that climate legislation might be postponed until 2010, some analysts wondered whether that actually could mean 2011. Or perhaps that it wouldn't be considered in the Senate at all. With congressional midterm elections looming next year, they say the timetable is limited for politicians to act on a major bill before partisan rancor dominates Capitol Hill. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2009/09/17/1 Pollution Cops Set Carpool Example. Air pollution cops have for years tried persuading the public to carpool. They've had no problem persuading themselves. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's Modesto office, which employs about 40 people, including some from Stockton, has saved 371,480 miles through its carpool program since 1992, officials said recently. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090906/A_NEWS/909060321/-1/NEWSMAP#STS=fzpqe3wz.21ty Schools Tackle Energy Bills. Manteca - Victoria Brunn and Kimberly Wright have spent the past couple of weeks scaling the roofs of Manteca Unified School District high schools to inspect air conditioning units, detail thermostats in classrooms and post small electronic devices on school walls that will collect temperature and air-quality data. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090904/A_NEWS/909040322/-1/NEWSMAP#STS=fzpqibo2.bap Summer, August Post World's Warmest Ocean Temperatures On Record. Washington (AP) — The world's in hot water. Sea-surface temperatures worldwide have been the hottest on record over the last three months, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday. Ocean temperatures averaged 62.5 degrees Fahrenheit in the June-August period, 1.04 degree higher than normal for the period. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-sci-hot-water,0,4675371,print.story http://www.contracostatimes.com/nation-world/ci_13349597 Environmental Group Grades Cruise Ships. Anchorage, Alaska—An environmental group released its report card Wednesday on how well cruise ship companies operating in American waters are doing to reduce pollution, and not one received an overall grade of "A." Friends of the Earth graded 10 major cruise ship lines, including some of the biggest names in the business, such as Carnival Cruise Lines. Carnival received a "D-minus." Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/travel/ci_13357061 EPA Limits Pollution From Medical Incinerators. Washington—About 50 medical waste incinerators nationwide will have to reduce their air pollution under new regulations announced Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA said that the new rules, which require better monitoring and tighten emissions limits, will reduce toxic pollution from the burning of medical waste by 390,000 pounds annually and likely result in no new incinerators being built. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/nation-world/ci_13350902 EPA Tells Court It Will Redo Bush-Era Smog Rule. Washington—The Obama administration signaled Wednesday that it would scrap a controversial Bush-era rule that set stricter limits for smog but fell short of scientific recommendations. In a notice filed Wednesday in a federal appeals court, the Justice Department says there are concerns that the revision made by the Bush administration does not adhere to federal air pollution law. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/nation-world/ci_13348931 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/16/AR2009091603451.html Cap-and-Trade Memos Fire Up the Skeptics. Climate-change legislation might be on the Senate's back burner, but the heat's still on climate politics. The latest flare-up occurred this week when the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which questions whether human and industrial activity is linked to global warming, released a one-page internal Treasury Department memo from March estimating potential government revenue from a cap-and-trade climate bill at $100 billion to $200 billion a year. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/16/AR2009091603524.html College Students Protest Coal Use On Campuses. Columbia, Mo.—College students from Missouri to Oregon are urging their schools to stop using coal-based electricity in favor of cleaner energy sources ranging from wood chips to geothermal power. On Wednesday, students at the University of Missouri and other schools nationwide mounted a Sierra Club-led campaign targeting coal-based power at colleges, whether generated at on-campus plants or purchased from private utilities. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_13350794 Senators Steinberg and Simitian Respond To Governor’s Renewable Portfolio Standard Executive Order. We are writing to request that you join us immediately and adopt an enforceable law to ensure California’s global leadership in implementing a 33% renewable portfolio standard (RPS) by signing SB 14 (Simitian) and AB 64 (Krekorian) into law. The criticism of this legislation by your press office, mere hours after the bills’ passage, surprised and disappointed us. Posted. http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2009/09/senators_steinb.html New Web Site Offers Toxic Chemicals Tally On Numerous Consumer Products. A new Web site that rates consumer products on their toxic chemical content launched Wednesday, providing information on goods ranging from automobiles and pet products to school supplies and women's accessories. The HealthyStuff.org site lists more than 900 products, with data on lead content in women's purses, wallets and handbags collected by the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_13354827?source=rss Krekorian Defends Energy Bill. Northridge — Democratic Assemblyman Paul Krekorian fired back Wednesday at Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and other critics of his legislation that would force utilities to produce a third of their energy from in-state renewable sources by 2020. Krekorian argued that the details of his bill, along with a package of other related bills, have been clouded with misinformation and would address the concerns of the governor and apprehensive power companies. Posted. http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2009/09/16/politics/gnp-energy091709.prt Enzyme Producer Says Ethanol Industry Is On The Rebound. Copenhagen -- The world's largest supplier of ethanol enzymes has forecast that the ethanol industry will meet or exceed the U.S. renewable fuel standard for this year of 10.5 billion gallons despite plant shutdowns and production cuts earlier this year. "Discretionary blending of ethanol has restarted again as gasoline prices have risen," said Peder Holk Nielsen, chief of Novozymes' enzymes business. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2009/09/17/4 Secondhand Smokescreen. Are outdoor smoking bans scientifically justified? Do studies of secondhand smoke justify bans on outdoor smoking? In response to Tuesday's article about the crackdown in New York, many of you made good arguments for and against the proposed restrictions. The best post came from James Repace, a biophysicist and former EPA staff scientist who does actual research on secondhand smoke. He's offering what we need much more of on the Internet: facts. Posted. http://www.slate.com/id/2228681/ Attempts To Shape Climate Bill In Full Swing. New York—Industry, economic and environmental groups are making a final push to influence a climate bill that may go before the Senate within weeks. Investors managing more than $13 trillion in assets called for new global emissions laws Wednesday, illustrating how the issue has divided even groups that traditionally have opposed new curbs. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/business/ci_13349887 Calif Gubernatorial Hopefuls Support Nuclear Power. Santa Clara, Calif.—Two of the three leading Republican candidates for California governor next year said Wednesday they support using nuclear power to help the state meet its energy demands. Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said during a public policy forum at Santa Clara University that he would make the expansion of nuclear power a campaign theme. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_13348023 Coming Soon To A Showroom Near You: Electric Cars. Frankfurt — The electric car is at the starting line, and the gun is about to sound. Now automakers must prove that the technology, and the market, are ready. After years of talk and prototypes, some automobile makers believe the electric vehicle is about to become more than just a science experiment. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/technology/ci_13351781 Car Firms Disagree About Electric Future. Frankfurt's city streets may not be the best for testing cars, yet accelerating between the traffic lights in a Tesla offers a powerful insight into the electric future that most players in the motor industry are raving about. Tesla says its new electric roadster accelerates from 0-100 kilometres (0-60 miles) per hour in four seconds and can go on cruising for almost 400 kilometres. Posted. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8260722.stm Benicia Poised To Embark On 'Greener' Future. Benicia -- The City Council has unanimously adopted a plan to reduce the city's carbon footprint, but several hurdles remain before it may take effect. Major components of the plan include boosting wind and solar power production and making homes 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_13356265 Editorial: Impasse Between Chevron And Environmentalists Must End. THE IMPASSE between Chevron and environmentalists regarding extensive renovations at the Richmond refinery is one that never should have occurred. It is primarily the result of inadequate communications by Chevron and environmentalists' focus on what goes into the refinery rather than what is emitted. Backroom political dealing between Chevron and the city of Richmond didn't help the situation either. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/opinion/ci_13350111 Opinion: Hog Days Of Summer. Forget 'Born to Be Wild.' All those overaged 'Easy Rider' types need to put the mufflers back on their bikes. Summer is ending, and not a moment too soon. In my seaside Long Beach neighborhood, the warm months used to be a time when residents threw open windows to let in the sound of surf and the fragrance of suntan lotion from the roller-bladers on the bike path. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-johnson17-2009sep17,0,5054586,print.story OPINION: Rules Strangling Economy. California, on the brink of bankruptcy, has amassed debt in excess of $200 billion. No other state faces a problem of this magnitude. California’s Legislature began racking up tens of billions of dollars in debt before the current national recession began, with the tacit support of voters who approved tens of billions in bond measures. Gray Davis was recalled, principally because of debt burden, but nothing was gained in the process. Posted. http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2009/09/17/opinion/091709c.prt Friedman: Solar Tech: We Build It, Others Use It. Applied Materials is one of the most important U.S. companies you've probably never heard of. It makes the machines that make microchips for your computer. The chip business, though, is volatile, so in 2004 Mike Splinter, Applied Materials' CEO, decided to take advantage of the company's nanotechnology capabilities — making the machines that make solar panels. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/opinion/national/story/857477.html BLOGS Debating Protectionism on Renewable Energy. Getty Images Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California has blasted renewable energy “protectionism.” One of the most notable elements of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s executive order on Tuesday increasing California’s renewable energy requirements was his blunt stand against protectionism. Clean energy imported from other states was welcome, the governor said, to keep down electricity prices. “I am totally against protectionist policies because it never works,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said, later adding: Posted. http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/debating-protectionism-on-renewable-energy/?pagemode=print