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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/
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