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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 24, 2013
Posted: 24 Jun 2013 13:35:44
ARB Newsclips for June 24, 2013. 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 RESOURCES BOARD Q&A: UCD prof looks at transportation's future. As an undergraduate, UC Davis professor Daniel Sperling believed the solution to the nation's energy problem was mass transit. "Mass transit accounts for only 2.5 percent of the miles that people travel in the U.S.," he says. "Planes account for 10 percent. Almost all the rest are cars. "There are many reasons to promote mass transit, but energy reduction and greenhouse gas emission reduction are not at the top of the list." Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2013/06/24/5518594/qa-ucd-prof-looks-at-transportations.html http://www.modbee.com/2013/06/24/2776733/qa-ucd-prof-looks-at-transportations.html#storylink=cpy CAP AND TRADE Cap-and-Trade Starts in China. This week takes us from the lows to the highs of Chinese environmental policy. Yesterday we reported on the introduction of the death penalty as a possible punishment for polluters. But on the positive side, China’s first carbon market opened this week in Shenzhen. It is one of seven pilot projects set to start this year or next, drawing in 635 local industrial companies and covering over 30 million tons of carbon dioxide, the New York Times reports. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/06/21/cap-and-trade-starts-in-china/ Australian Factories Meet Carbon Deadline Ahead of Cap-and-Trade. Australian factories and power stations handed in carbon permits and offsets covering 212 million metric tons of greenhouse gases emitted in the past year as the nation prepares for a cap-and-trade program in 2015. Companies were obliged to surrender permits covering 75 percent of their emissions in the year to June 30 by an interim deadline on June 17, data from the nation’s Clean Energy Regulator show. The balance of allowances must be surrendered by Feb. 3. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-06-24/australian-factories-meet-carbon-deadline-ahead-of-cap-and-trade AIR POLLUTION High court to review cross-border pollution rule. The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it would consider the Environmental Protection Agency's bid to save a clean-air regulation that limited power-plant emissions blowing across state lines. A federal appeals court in Washington invalidated the EPA's effort last year, handing a significant defeat to the Obama administration's regulatory approach. The regulation required cuts in emissions of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, both associated with higher rates of heart attacks and respiratory illnesses. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPREME_COURT_EPA_DOWNWIND_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES: http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130624-706184.html#printMode http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/24/us-usa-court-pollution-idUSBRE95N0OX20130624 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324183204578565321154823766.html?mod=googlenews_wsj http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_23526841/high-court-review-cross-border-pollution-rule?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jun/24/high-court-to-review-cross-border-pollution-rule/ Stakeholders brace for White House move on power plant emissions. Before President Barack Obama unveils a plan to lower carbon emissions from thousands of existing U.S. power plants, stakeholders on all sides of the issue have attempted to make their mark on the regulations. Electric utilities, environmental groups, large electricity consumers, and states have been working furiously behind the scenes for months to have a say in new rules that will be laid out by the Environmental Protection Agency. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/23/us-usa-climate-epa-lobbying-idUSBRE95M0C020130623 UPDATE 2-Obama to lay out climate change plan in speech on Tuesday. President Barack Obama said on Saturday that he will outline a climate change plan on Tuesday centered around reducing pollution from carbon emissions as he attempts to make good on a pledge for his second term. "This Tuesday, I'll lay out my vision for where I believe we need to go - a national plan to reduce carbon pollution, prepare our country for the impacts of climate change and lead global efforts to fight it," he said in a White House video. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/23/usa-climate-obama-idUSL2N0EZ06520130623 Obama’s EPA Gets Supreme Court Hearing on Coal Pollution. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider reviving an Environmental Protection Agency rule that would curb emissions from coal-fired power plants, in a clash over the Obama administration’s biggest air-quality effort. A federal appeals court threw out the cross-state air pollution rule last year, saying the EPA had gone beyond its powers under federal law. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-06-24/obama-s-epa-gets-supreme-court-hearing-on-coal-pollution.html Indonesia formally apologizes for smoky haze. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires in his country. "For what is happening, as the president, I apologize to our brothers in Singapore and Malaysia," Yudhoyono said. He asked for their understanding and said Indonesia is working hard to fight the fires, which are often set by farmers to clear fields. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jun/24/indonesia-formally-apologizes-for-smoky-haze/ Singapore air pollution 'worst' in history; fires in Indonesia blamed. Air pollution in Singapore soared to record heights for a third consecutive day, as Indonesia dispatched planes and helicopters Friday to battle raging fires blamed for hazardous levels of smoky haze in three countries. The blazes in peat swamp forests on Indonesia's Sumatra island have sent massive plumes of smog across the sea to neighboring Singapore and Malaysia, both of which have grown impatient with Indonesia's response to the perennial problem. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2013/06/21/37848/singapore-air-pollution-worst-in-history-fires-in/ 20th-century air pollution may have reduced Atlantic hurricanes – study. It's not often that the pollution generated by industrial activity can be cast in a positive light, but a recent study suggests a potential benefit of the asthma-causing, air-clouding aerosols released by burning fossil fuels. In the study, published yesterday in the journal Nature Geoscience, researchers suggest that aerosols released in the 20th century decreased the frequency of tropical storms in the North Atlantic Ocean. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059983342/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Kerry Urges India to Reduce Emissions of Greenhouse Gases. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on India today to join the U.S. in seeking to curb global warming, saying the world’s largest democracy and its oldest democracy are best suited to lead the effort. The top U.S. diplomat used a speech in New Delhi to appeal for an alliance to help curb climate change as he began a three-day visit to meet with Indian officials. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-06-23/kerry-urges-india-to-reduce-emissions-of-greenhouse-gases.html http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/world/asia/kerry-prods-india-to-cut-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html?pagewanted=print http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-06-23/kerry-urges-india-to-reduce-emissions-of-greenhouse-gases Obama to unveil climate plan in Tuesday speech. President Barack Obama is preparing to unveil his long-awaited national plan to combat climate change in a major speech, he announced on Saturday. "There's no single step that can reverse the effects of climate change," Obama said in an online video released by the White House. "But when it comes to the world we leave our children, we owe it to them to do what we can." Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_23518829/obama-unveil-climate-plan-tuesday-speech?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059983343/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Report: World facing "climate bomb" of super-greenhouse gases. A "climate bomb" of potent greenhouse gases is set to be released after leading carbon trading markets banned generators from raising credits by destroying the chemical. That is the stark warning from a new report by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which claims producers in China and India are threatening to vent vast amounts of hydroflourocarbon-23 (HFC-23) amidst accusations that a ban on trading the carbon credits…Posted. http://www.businessgreen.com/print_article/bg/news/2276886/report-world-facing-climate-bomb-of-supergreenhouse-gases Experts praise Bloomberg's climate plan but worry about his short remaining term. It didn't take long for critics to pounce on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's 250 ideas for adapting the Big Apple to more intense storms and floods. But a survey of experts produced a surprisingly unified view: For the most part, they approve. In a campaign-style event last week, the three-term independent with less than 200 days left in office trotted out a 438-page report. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059983314/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB Steps Up Border Area Enforcement. The California Air Resources Board says it has stepped up enforcement of its diesel truck regulations to ensure that only vehicles compliant with California's stringent anti-pollution laws travel across the U.S. border into the state. All trucks transporting cargo originating from, or going to a regulated port or rail yard in the state must be compliant drayage trucks. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/owner-operators/news/story/2013/06/carb-steps-up-border-area-enforcement.aspx?prestitial=1 CARB Issues Reefer Compliance Reminder. The California Air Resources Board has issued an advisory recommending transport refrigeration unit (reefer) owners take action to plan and order compliance options to ensure TRU model year 2006 engines, or units manufactured in 2006, comply with in-use performance standards by the end of this year. It says all model year 2005 and older TRU engines, or units manufactured in 2005 or earlier, should be in compliance now. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2013/06/carb-issues-reefer-compliance-reminder.aspx?prestitial=1 FUELS For Solazyme, a Side Trip on the Way to Clean Fuel. STARTING when they became friends in freshman year at Emory University in Atlanta, Jonathan S. Wolfson and Harrison F. Dillon would take off into the mountains of Wyoming and Colorado for weeks at time. They spent their days hiking in the wilderness and their nights drinking bourbon by the campfire, talking big about how one day they would build a company that would help preserve the environment they both loved. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/business/for-solazyme-a-side-trip-on-the-way-to-clean-fuel.html?pagewanted=al l Boost for cars or bust? Ethanol debate heats up. It's a dilemma for drivers: Do they choose a gasoline that's cheaper and cleaner even if, as opponents say, it could damage older cars and motorcycles? That's the peril and promise of a high-ethanol blend of gasoline known as E15. The fuel contains 15 percent ethanol, well above the current 10 percent norm sold at most U.S. gas stations. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2013/06/24/2776785/boost-for-cars-or-bust-ethanol.html#storylink=cpy Methane leaks of shale gas may undermine its climate benefits. If methane leak rates are more than 3 percent of output, fracking of shale gas formations may be boosting greenhouse gas emissions rather than lowering them. Debate about the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing or fracking usually centers around the potential risks to our water supply from contamination by toxic fracking fluids, which are pumped at high pressure over a mile under the ground to break up gas-bearing shale formations. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/layout/set/print/Environment/Energy-Voices/2013/0623/Methane-leaks-of-shale-gas-may-undermine-its-climate-benefits Supreme Court could consider suit to block sales of high-ethanol gas blend. It's a dilemma for drivers: Do they choose a gasoline that's cheaper and cleaner even if, as opponents say, it could damage older cars and motorcycles? That's the peril and promise of a high-ethanol blend of gasoline known as E15. The fuel contains 15 percent ethanol, well above the current 10 percent norm sold at most U.S. gas stations. The higher ethanol blend is currently sold in just fewer than two dozen stations in the Midwest… Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/24/supreme-court-could-consider-suit-to-block-sales-high-ethanol-gas-blend/print#ixzz2X9RJojYR US CO2 emissions to increase with gas prices. US carbon dioxide emissions have been falling because of inexpensive natural gas, and could increase again if the price of gas rises, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned. President Barack Obama will tomorrow set out his regulatory plans for reducing the country’s output of greenhouse gases, according to the Financial Times. New rules expected to limit emissions from existing power plants – which may force dirtier coal-fired power stations to shut down…Posted. http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/investor-news/renewable-energy-news/us-co2-emissions-to-increase-with-gas-prices.html Greenkraft Nets CARB, EPA Certs for Ford 6.8-Liter CNG Conversions. Greenkraft Inc., a manufacturer of alternative fuel commercial vehicles, says it has received certifications from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board for its compressed natural gas (CNG) conversions of the Ford 6.8-liter V-10 three-valve engine. The engine is generally used in medium-duty (greater than 14,000 lbs. GVW) fleet vehicle applications. Posted. http://www.ngtnews.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.8897#.UcTllpxtyQI Pizza, chips and natural gas -- Frito-Lay unveils first CNG fueling station. Natural gas-fueled vehicles are making inroads in a number of companies, from snack makers to pizza parlors. Frito-Lay, the snack-food subsidiary of PepsiCo, is aiming to expand its lineup of natural gas-fueled tractors to 208 vehicles -- roughly 20 percent of its fleet -- by the end of this year. Frito-Lay also completed its first compressed natural gas refueling station at its plant in Beloit, Wis., last week. The Plano, Texas-based maker of Doritos said it would open seven public CNG stations across the United States. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059983346/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Biofuel project in Kenya ignites land, environmental disputes. Foreign firms seeking land in Africa for biofuel crops run into opposition from communities and environmental activists despite promising jobs and development. With its leaf-thatched mud huts, bad roads, chronic unemployment, crushing poverty and vast tracts of "underutilized" land, the Tana River Delta in eastern Kenya seemed the perfect place for a foreign businessman looking to grow crops that could be turned into biofuel. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-kenya-biofuel-20130622,0,7673575.story Trash-to-energy plant celebrates 25 years. Luis Rullan's fingers worked the knobs on either side of his seat as he stared intently at two 50-foot mountains of garbage on either side of his glassed-in room on the Wheelabrator Bridgeport plant's fifth floor on a recent day. "The room holds 13,000 tons of trash," said Mike Prutting, the day shift supervisor. "There are about 10,500 or 11,000 tons now. Right?" "Just about," Rullan answered, his fingers maneuvering a large crane…Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/ci_23518250/trash-energy-plant-celebrates-25-years?IADID=Search-www.sbsun.com-www.sbsun.com#ixzz2X9VmFLo5 Recycled tires help the environment. It may be hard to believe, but rubber roads and tire swings are reducing waste and helping the environment. The Tire-Derived Product Grant Program grants California counties millions to improve roads, playgrounds, parks and other facilities. The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery brought together the state's recycling and waste management programs in hopes of creating a community that reuses the most amount of materials possible. Posted. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/watsonville/ci_23519502/recycled-tires-help-environment New inexpensive catalyst for conversion of CO2 to CO could help with storage of renewable energy. Researchers at the University of Delaware have developed an inexpensive bismuth−carbon monoxide evolving catalyst (Bi-CMEC) that can be used in conjunction with ionic liquids to convert CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO) using electricity. CO can then be reacted with H2O via the water−gas shift to generate H2, and this CO/H2 mixture (syngas) can be used to generate synthetic petroleum and liquid fuels using Fischer−Tropsch methods. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/06/rosenthal-20130623.html Solar companies see the Middle East and Africa as fast-growing markets. The solar energy industry, battered by falling subsidies in Europe and anti-dumping duties against Chinese companies, is looking to the scorching deserts of the Middle East and North Africa for salvation. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Algeria are rich in sunshine and in fossil fuels, and so far they've been exploiting only the latter. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059983315/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Another View: Bullet train cash is best spent on roads, bridges. On May 28, I conducted an oversight hearing on California's high-speed rail project in Madera where we confirmed the California High Speed Rail Authority is facing a $38 billion budget shortfall, with expectations this number will continue to rise. With the continued lack of a defined business plan, confident ridership numbers or anticipated revenue, the project is a long way from what voters approved in 2008. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2013/06/23/5515635/bullet-train-cash-is-best-spent.html Viewpoints Q&A: How climate change may affect Californians. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, the ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, asked the Sierra Nevada Research Institute at UC Merced a series of questions about the effects of climate change on California as background for policy development. The following are some of the responses from Sierra Nevada Research Institute director Roger Bales and senior researcher Norm Miller. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2013/06/23/5515648/how-climate-change-may-affect.html?storylink=lingospot_related_articles#storylink=cpy HITS & MISSES: Opening of our new freeway finally in sight. Researchers have made two discoveries on autism: s a link between the baffling disorder and chemicals in air pollution, and a disconnect in brain writing may be to blame for associated language difficulties. While the initial discovery about air pollution and autism was made back in 2006, newer studies have substantiated the findings. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/opinion/our-view/x1028020402/Opening-of-our-new-freeway-finally-in-sight GUEST OPINION: Power plan not so clean — on governance. The Sonoma Clean Power Authority promises us renewable, carbon-free electricity at competitive prices, with a choice of providers, local control, local generation and reduced greenhouse gases. The prospect of clean energy in Sonoma County is exciting, but first we must take the steps necessary to ensure a successful public utility is formed. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130622/OPINION/130629880/0/SEARCH President Obama's Global Warming Plan Telegraphs His Administration's Desperation. His poll numbers are plummeting, and his grand speech at the Brandenburg Gate last week had a 95% drop off in attendance. Russia and China are laughing at him over the NSA leaker. He’s under siege for abuse of power and McCarthy-style tactics to intimidate both the press and conservative groups. The majority of Americans now oppose the forthcoming implementation of his signature legislative proposal, Obamacare. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbasile/2013/06/24/president-obamas-global-warming-plan-telegraphs-his-administrations-desperation/ Climate Change: Russia Is Steamed About U.N.'s Kyoto Carbon Credit COP-Out. Representatives of Russia and other Eastern bloc countries at the recent climate talks in Bonn made it clear that they aren’t one bit happy about efforts within the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of Parties (COP) to cap their free Soviet-era carbon credit trading green stamps previously gifted to them under the Kyoto Protocol. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrybell/2013/06/23/climate-change-russia-is-steamed-about-u-ns-kyoto-carbon-credit-cop-out/ BLOGS Supreme Court agrees to review controversial EPA air rule. The Supreme Court announced Monday it would review the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to reverse one of the Obama administration’s signature air quality policies, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. The move cheered environmentalists, who view the rule as a key tool for forcing coal-fired power plants to install stricter pollution controls. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/06/24/supreme-court-agrees-to-review-controversial-epa-air-rule/ Why Phasing Down HFCs under the Montreal Protocol is Good for China and the Global Environment. At their recent summit in California, President Xi and President Obama agreed to work together and with other nations to address climate change by phasing down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a class of “super greenhouse gases” used widely in air conditioners and refrigeration, via multilateral mechanisms, including the use of the expertise and institution of the Montreal Protocol…Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/alin/why_phasing_down_hfcs_under_th.html India-U.S. Relations: The Search for a Transformative Moment. India and the world have changed dramatically in the past two decades. The relationship between India and the United States has strengthened spectacularly and brought substantive gain to both countries. It has also given birth to great expectations. The management and fulfillment of those expectations is crucial for the dialogue and partnership between the two countries. The India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue 2013 comes at a critical moment. Posted. http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/india-u-s-relations-the-search-for-a-transformative-moment/ DRIVING: Site compares costs of driving electric, gas vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy is plugging electric vehicles with a new web site – Energy.gov/eGallon – that allows drivers to compare the costs of driving on volts and gasoline. In California, an electric vehicle can travel as far on $1.51 worth of electricity as a similar vehicle would travel on a gallon of gasoline. As of Friday, June 21, a gallon of gas in Riverside cost at least $4.04…Posted. http://blog.pe.com/2013/06/24/driving-site-compares-costs-of-driving-electric-gas-vehicles/ BY SUBCRIPTION ONLY