What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for May 21, 2012. 

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.

AIR POLLUTION

Prenatal Pollution Exposure Dangerous for Children With Asthma. 
The link between prenatal exposure to air pollution and childhood
lung growth and respiratory ailments has been established by
several studies in recent years, and now a new study suggests
that these prenatal exposures can be especially serious for
children with asthma.  The study will be presented at the ATS
2012 International Conference in San Francisco. "In this study,
we found that prenatal exposures to airborne particles and the
pollutant nitrogen dioxide …Posted. 
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133616.htm

Older power plants produce lion's share of U.S. emissions – GAO.
Older power plants account for a disproportionate amount of U.S.
air pollution, a government watchdog said today. The Government
Accountability Office found that power plants built before 1979
provided 45 percent of electricity from fossil fuels in 2010. But
those units produced three-quarters of the sulfur dioxide (SO2)
emissions, more than 60 percent of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions
and more than half of the carbon emissions from all fossil fuel
units. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/print/2012/05/18/9
BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

CLIMATE CHANGE

G-8 to Eliminate Fossil Fuel Subsidies, Curb Climate Pollutants.
Leaders of the world's most developed economies, the Group of
Eight, have agreed to phase out government subsidies for coal,
oil and gas and pursue sustainable energy and low carbon policies
"in order to tackle the global challenge of climate change."
Hosted by President Barack Obama at the presidential retreat Camp
David in the Maryland woods near Washington, DC, the leaders of
Canada, France, Germany…Posted.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2012/2012-05-21-01.html

Climate action reserve becomes first registry to begin accepting
compliance offset projects for California’s cap-and-trade
program.  The Climate Action Reserve, the nation’s premier carbon
offset registry, has become the first registry to accept
submissions for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction projects
under California’s cap-and-trade protocols while it undergoes the
application process to become a California Air Resources Board
(ARB) accredited offset project registry. Posted. 
http://www.environmental-expert.com/news/climate-action-reserve-becomes-first-registry-to-begin-accepting-compliance-offset-projects-for-californias-cap-and-trade-program-295419

Palm Beach County creating job to tackle climate change. Palm
Beach County is in the market for a climate change czar. While
the actual job title and day-to-day duties for this new county
post remain in flux, the far-reaching goal is to get a county
with more than one million people ready for climate change. That
includes promoting "environmental sustainability" efforts such as
recycling and energy efficiency. Posted.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-05-20/news/fl-climate-change-czar-20120520_1_climate-change-climate-action-plan-dioxide-and-other-greenhouse

DIESEL EMISSIONS

‘Gravy days' over for truck drivers, owners.  Over the past five
decades, the significant tax advantages that Nevada had over more
onerous tax rules in California spawned a thriving warehouse and
distribution industry, creating supply chain centers throughout
Northern Nevada.  It also led to an explosion in the number of
trucking companies because of the ability to move manufactured
and distributed goods to as many as seven western states
overnight. This also produced a thriving construction industry
for not only commercial and industrial structures, but
residential subdivisions, as well.  Posted. 
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20120520/NEWS/120529995/1070&ParentProfile=1058

FUELS

Corrected: Analysis: New facilities spotlight next-generation
biofuels.  After a decade of promise, advanced biofuels makers
are entering a crucial make-or-break period with the first of a
new generation of production facilities about to come on line.
The new facilities are designed to take biofuels beyond
corn-based ethanol and begin to shift the industry to "advanced"
fuels made with a lower carbon footprint derived from products
that will not compete with demand for food. Many of the companies
are turning to cellulosic plant materials, animal waste and plant
oils to churn out millions of gallons of ethanol, diesel, jet
fuel or components for gasoline. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/21/us-biofuels-plants-idUSBRE84H18W20120521

VEHICLES

A Million Carb-Light Miles Makes Frito-Lay Crave More. That bag
of salty snacks in the pantry that blows your daily carb budget
is helping Frito-Lay stick to a low-carbon diet. The company's
fleet of electric delivery trucks surpassed one million miles
this month, part of a drive to cut greenhouse gas emissions and
fuel consumption 50 percent by 2020. The 176 Smith electric
trucks have saved the largest snack food maker 200,000 gallons of
diesel fuel over the past two years, and Frito-Lay on May 10
ordered 100 more to replace their noisier, polluting cousins.
Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2012-05-21/a-million-carb-light-miles-makes-frito-lay-crave-more.html

Electric car network gets first test in Israel. Israeli
entrepreneur Shai Agassi has begun rolling out the world's first
nationwide electric car network. Now, will the drivers come?
After more than $400 million in outlays and months behind
schedule, dozens of electric cars have hit the road in Israel,
the test site Agassi chose for his Better Place venture. Four
stations where the cars can get a new dose of juice when their
batteries run out are operating, and the plan is to ramp that
number up within months. Posted. 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/19/electric-car-network-gets-first-test-in-israel/#ixzz1vWD8SCP4

GREEN ENERGY

Pa. health care company seeks gas drilling facts.  Some people
are absolutely sure gas drilling threatens public health, while
others are absolutely sure it doesn't.  Geisinger Health Systems
is looking for more facts on the debate.  "Our concern is getting
reliable data so we know what to do for our patients," said David
Carey, director of Geisinger's Weis Center for Research in
Danville, Pa.  Geisinger serves many patients who live in areas
that have seen a recent boom in Marcellus Shale gas drilling.
Posted. 
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5grKmOQ0jjLZWv2gtnuaqA03Y1PAw?docId=bab46263f974470490dd99fb4f5da934

AP Newsbreak:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/industries/pa-health-care-co-has-trove-of-data-on-residents-health-to-help-assess-gas-drilling-effects/2012/05/20/gIQAGzkadU_story.html
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_20667858/pa-health-care-company-seeks-gas-drilling-facts?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_20667858/pa-health-care-company-seeks-gas-drilling-facts?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com
http://www.nctimes.com/news/national/pa-health-care-company-seeks-gas-drilling-facts/article_d49ea4ac-9e9e-5fe6-9cec-e8f1e75fdde3.html
http://www.modbee.com/2012/05/20/2207923/pa-health-care-company-seeks-gas.html

Q+A-Where next for EU renewable energy policy?  An energy policy
vacuum is looming in the European Union after a firm set of
policy goals for renewable energy, carbon cutting and energy
saving expires in 2020.  To open up the debate on policy
direction for renewable energy, the Commission has put together a
communication, expected to be published officially next month.  A
draft seen by Reuters early this month showed a concern with the
economics and with the need to achieve free access to emerging
renewable energy markets, if the EU is to retain its
technological lead in green energy.  Posted. 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/21/energy-renewables-idUSL5E8GK0UD20120521

Eye on the Environment: County transportation department works to
improve environment. This week, May 20-26, is National Public
Works Week, with a theme of "Creating a Lasting Impression." The
theme not only refers to the longevity of our roads, bridges and
other infrastructure, but also to the long-term compatibility
with our environment (also called "sustainability"). In the past,
construction and maintenance of public works structures was
sometimes at odds with maintaining the environment, but no
longer. Posted. 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/19/county-transportation-department-works-to/

China looks to avoid solar tariffs. Chinese solar panel
manufacturers are preparing to source components from Taiwan and
South Korea in order to avoid anti-dumping tariffs imposed last
week by the Commerce Department. The United States slapped the
duties on Chinese polysilicon solar cells Thursday, following a
trade complaint from SolarWorld AG and six other U.S. solar
manufacturing companies (Greenwire, May 17). The Chinese Ministry
of Commerce has attacked the duties as "unfair." Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2012/05/21/17  BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Senate panel to scrutinize government's role in advancing clean
power. With many clean energy tax breaks headed toward a day of
reckoning and Congress more divided than ever on the best way to
meet America's future energy needs, members of the Senate Energy
and Natural Resources Committee will gather this week to get some
advice from the business world on the government's proper role in
bringing new technologies to market. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/EEDaily/print/2012/05/21/2
BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

OPINIONS

Dan Walters: Shouldn't hydro count against the carbon reduction
mandate? A major component of California's crusade against global
warming, one started by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and
embraced by successor Jerry Brown, is the legal mandate to have
33 percent of electric power sales from "renewable sources" by
2020. The latest version of the mandate, signed by Brown last
year, defines biomass, thermal, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal,
fuel cells with renewable fuels, small hydroelectric
projects…Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/21/4504286/dan-walters-shouldnt-hydro-count.html#mi_rss=Top%20Stories
http://www.modbee.com/2012/05/20/2208129/rigid-ideology-keeps-hydro-out.html
 SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

California missing out on 'green' manufacturing jobs. When solar
technology company SMA America was looking for a place to put its
headquarters, Rocklin was a logical choice. California, after
all, represents more than 40 percent of the national market for
solar installations. When it came to choosing a place to
manufacture its solar and wind inverters, however, the firm went
to Denver. "Denver offered a good mix of affordable buildings,
access to skilled labor, a convenient distribution infrastructure
and an overall attractive and supportive business climate," said
Jurgen Krehnke, president and general manager of SMA America.
Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/20/4500710/california-missing-out-on-green.html

Prop. 29 will reduce smoking, spare non-smokers. Re "Big tobacco"
(Editorial cartoon, May 18): Seeing that Big Tobacco is spending
$39 million in attempts to defeat Proposition 29's cigarette tax,
it makes us who oppose smoking really demand to get a "yes" from
everyone who is eligible to vote. Frankly I am also among the
non-smokers who are utterly disgusted at being assaulted with
toxic second-hand cigarette smoke every time I step outside a
public building to get some "fresh air." Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/18/4500025/vote-yes-on-prop-29.html

ON THE 'NET METERING' PROPOSAL. Keep solar power shining. After
setting the national standard on solar energy, California is at a
new frontier. How far should it push the rules credited with
spreading the power-producing panels across roofs on homes,
offices and schools? A 15-year old program has proved
astonishingly successful. In Pacific Gas & Electric's Northern
California turf, some 65,000 customers have put up solar panels,
a third of the nation's rooftop installations, the utility says.
But one of the prime selling points - the ability to sell back
unused power - is in dispute. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/21/ED451OJ6F6.DTL&type=printable

The Many Moving Pieces of California’s Cap and Trade Program. 
The calendar says May 2012, so what does that mean for
California’s attempts to implement a first-in-the-nation,
economy-wide Cap and Trade Program? Actually quite a bit. There
are many moving parts in this complex regulatory puzzle being
assembled by the California Air Resources Board (Board or CARB).
CARB has control over many of these moving parts, but there are a
few that they do not. Posted. 
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/05/21/the-many-moving-pieces-of-californias-cap-and-trade-program/
 
Will Cap and Trade cure California’s deficit?  California voters
may soon ask themselves: “Why vote for an $8.5 billion sales and
income tax increase in November 2012 if Cap and Trade is going to
raise $50 billion to $100 billion for state discretionary
spending? That’s $6.25 billion to $12.5 billion per year from
2012 to 2020.  But will Cap and Trade generate enough revenues,
and can those revenues be used to bailout the state general fund
deficit? That is the proverbial $16 billion deficit question. 
Posted. 
http://www.calwatchdog.com/2012/05/18/will-cap-and-trade-cure-californias-deficit/

BLOGS

Popping the Cap on Arctic Methane. Methane held underground by
caps of Arctic ice is bubbling out as a warming climate causes
those caps to melt, researchers report in the journal Nature
Geoscience. The paper offers some of the strongest field evidence
yet that a melt-back of land ice can release methane. Removing an
ice cap seems to work a bit like popping the cap on a bottle of
soda, allowing pent-up gas to escape. Posted. 
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/popping-the-cap-on-arctic-methane/

GM says the Volt has saved a supertanker of gas. That's one small
step for man, and one less really big barge full of fuel for
mankind. That's basically what General Motors' Chevrolet division
is saying in its latest effort to pitch the Volt extended-range
plug-in as a way for prospective drivers to save both money and
the earth. Chevrolet estimates that Volt drivers have saved more
than 2.1 million gallons of gas – or one supertanker – by driving
their vehicles in electric mode. Posted. 
http://green.autoblog.com/2012/05/19/gm-says-the-volt-has-saved-a-supertanker-of-gas/

The Week Ahead: EPA to Hold Hearings on Carbon Dioxide Limits for
Power Plants.  The Environmental Protection Agency will hold two
public hearings May 24 in Washington, D.C., and Chicago on Clean
Air Act new source performance standards that would limit carbon
dioxide emissions from new power plants.  As detailed in a World
Climate Change Report article, the proposed NSPS, issued April
12, would limit emissions from new fossil fuel-fired power plants
with a generating capacity greater than 25 megawatts to 1,000
pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour.  Posted. 
http://www.bna.com/blogs_post.aspx?id=12884909489&blogid=12884902256
 
Breakthrough Institute gets it wrong on climate economics —
again.  Why do those at the Breakthrough Institute insist that
everyone else besides them who cares about the environment is
wrong, wrong, wrong? Their latest, called “The Creative
Destruction of Climate Economics,” is a swipe at those misguided
souls who think putting a price on carbon emissions would help
combat climate change.  Breakthrough, according to its website,
aims “to modernize liberal-progressive-green politics” and to
accelerate the transition to an “ecologically vibrant” future.
Posted.
http://grist.org/climate-policy/breakthrough-institute-gets-it-wrong-on-climate-economics-again/