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ARB Newsclips for June 28, 2013. 

This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office
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individual websites to view some of the following news articles.

AIR RESOURCES BOARD

ARB competition crowns Davis 'coolest' California city. Davis
today was honored by the state Air Resources Board as the
"Coolest California City" in an ARB-sponsored competition
recognizing efforts by households to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. The yearlong CoolCalifornia Challenge involved eight
cities statewide, with a goal of attaining the largest citywide
carbon footprint reduction. Posted.
http://www.modbee.com/2013/06/27/2782768/arb-competition-crowns-davis-coolest.html#storylink=cpy


City named the 'coolest' in air board competition.  Davis is the
"Coolest California City."  So say UC Berkeley researchers who
awarded Davis the top prize in the Cool California Challenge for
efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions.  Chula Vista and Tracy
were runners-up and also were named "Cool California Cities." The
three cities were recognized Thursday by the Air Resources Board,
which sponsored the competition.  Posted. 
http://www.modbee.com/2013/06/28/2783644/city-named-the-coolest-in-air.html


CAP AND TRADE

Germany blocks EU carbon cap to protect automakers.  Germany has
blocked a European Union agreement on capping car carbon
emissions because the deal could have cost jobs and harmed its
domestic auto industry, officials said Friday.  The blunt
admission that Europe's biggest economy put business interests
before environmental standards is at odds with Germany's image as
a champion of green issues.  Posted. 
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GERMANY_EU_AUTO_EMISSIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
 

Other related articles:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/germany-blocks-eu-deal-on-carbon-emissions-to-protect-domestic-auto-industry/2013/06/28/b2e56d00-dfea-11e2-8cf3-35c1113cfcc5_story.html
 
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_23559148/germany-blocks-eu-carbon-cap-protect-automakers?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com
 
http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/06/28/3364862/germany-blocks-eu-carbon-cap-to.html
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jun/28/germany-blocks-eu-carbon-cap-to-protect-automakers/
  

AIR POLLUTION

Beijing Residents Told to Stay In as Smog Exceeds Exposure Limit.
Beijing told its 20 million residents to avoid outdoor activities
as a U.S. Embassy pollution monitor showed levels of smog
surpassing hazardous levels in the Chinese capital.
Concentrations of PM2.5, fine air particulates that pose the
greatest health risk, rose to 520 micrograms per cubic meter at 3
p.m. near Tiananmen Square from an average of 260 in the past 24
hours…Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-28/beijing-residents-told-to-stay-in-as-smog-exceeds-exposure-limit.html


Bill extends various fees to fund air programs. The Assembly on
Thursday advanced a bill extending a series of fees to pay for
programs aimed at improving air quality. Democratic Assemblyman
Henry Perea of Fresno said his legislation is needed to continue
reducing air pollution. He says more than 90 percent of
Californians live in counties with unhealthy air during some
parts of the year. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jun/27/bill-extends-various-fees-to-fund-air-programs/
 
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/140/article/78030/ 

'Small minority' of coal-fired plants request MATS extension –
survey. Just over 10 percent of coal-fired power plants have
asked for extra time in meeting U.S. EPA mercury and air toxics
limits, and most of those requests are granted, according to a
survey of state and local regulators. The National Association of
Clean Air Agencies (NACAA), which conducted the survey, said the
results show the controversial rules are working. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059983686/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

CLIMATE CHANGE

Energy Secretary Optimistic on Obama’s Plan to Reduce Emissions.
The short-term plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that
President Obama outlined this week is achievable with some new
programs and better management of existing ones, the new energy
secretary, Ernest J. Moniz, said in an interview on Thursday. But
he said reaching a longer-term goal would require bigger
reductions as well as action from Congress. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/28/us/politics/energy-secretary-optimistic-on-obamas-plan-to-reduce-emissions.html?_r=0


Obama outlines ambitious plan to combat global warming. President
Barack Obama laid out an ambitious campaign to address climate
change Tuesday, mapping a course that would bypass Congress to
cut emissions from hundreds of coal-fired electric power plants
and setting the stage for a possible rejection of the
controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline. The effort could shape
Obama's presidential legacy and fulfill a key promise of his 2008
campaign. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/06/27/5527775/obama-outlines-ambitious-plan.html#storylink=cpy


New ice age data may alter climate change models. Far more of
Earth's water was locked up as ice at the height of the last ice
age than previously thought, and current climate change models
may need to be adjusted to account for it, according to a new
study. The research is the latest salvo from geophysicists who
are re-examining assumptions made about Earth's crust by
climatologists calculating ancient sea levels. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/New-ice-age-data-may-alter-climate-change-models-4630025.php


Climate change grabs the attention of shareholders – study.
Concerns over climate change seem to be slowly creeping into
people's minds -- even shareholders'. According to a recent study
by Ernst & Young, environmental and social concerns such as
climate change are becoming the biggest priority for
shareholders, amounting to 40 percent of all shareholder
proposals for the first half of 2013. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059983618/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

2 insiders take the reins on Obama's climate effort. After
President Obama laid out his sweeping climate change plan
Tuesday, he turned over the keys to two women who will oversee
its implementation. Obama climate and energy adviser Heather
Zichal, who works out of the White House Domestic Policy Council,
appears to be taking the lead on the higher-profile component of
the plan, involving efforts to lower carbon emissions. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059983688/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

DIESEL EMISSIONS

CARB sets diesel course schedule for July, August.  It may not
lead to any diploma you’ll hang above a desk, but the most
powerful state environmental body is offering to help truck
owners learn how it enforces diesel regulations.  The California
Air Resources Board is making courses available for diesel truck
owners to learn about exhaust after-treatment devices and how to
comply with the Golden State’s web of truck emissions
regulations.  Posted. 
http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=25399 

FUELS

Canada Optimistic on Keystone Approval After Obama Climate Plan.
Canadian business leaders say there’s growing optimism that
President Barack Obama will approve TransCanada Corp. (TRP)’s
Keystone XL pipeline because thwarting it would cost U.S.
consumers and won’t halt development of Alberta’s oil sands. 
“From my perspective it’s 100 percent that he’s going to approve
it,” Scott Saxberg, chief executive officer of Calgary-based oil
producer Crescent Point Energy Corp. (CPG), said in a phone
interview yesterday. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-06-27/canada-optimistic-on-keystone-approval-after-obama-climate-plan.html


Everything You Need to Know About Keystone XL: The Fundamentals.
By now, you have probably heard about Transcanada's Keystone XL
pipeline. For even the most casual observer of the energy
industry, this project has been the spark that has ignited
political debates ranging from environmental hazards, emission of
greenhouse gasses, and North American energy independence.
Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Everything-You-Need-to-Know-About-Keystone-XL-4628584.php


Federal grant funds project to burn wood for energy in Plumas
County. The Sierra Institute for Community and Environment won a
$250,000 grant from the U.S. Forest Service to develop a
wood-to-energy project to help reduce the risk of wildfire and
provide economic opportunities in rural Plumas County. The funds
will be used to engineer and design a centralized small-scale
facility to process woody biomass removed from local
forests…Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/06/27/5527633/federal-grant-funds-project-to.html#storylink=cpy


Fracking critics unhappy with Obama climate speech. President
Barack Obama's speech this week on climate change forcefully
rejected some key arguments made by opponents of natural gas
fracking, upsetting some environmental groups that otherwise back
his climate goals. Obama, in his address Tuesday calling for
urgent action to address climate change, praised what he called
"cleaner-burning natural gas" and its role in providing
safe…Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jun/27/fracking-critics-unhappy-with-obama-climate-speech/
 
Obama speech praises natural gas fracking boom. This week,
President Barack Obama praised renewable energy, conservation -
and fracking for natural gas. His support for fracking is
upsetting some environmental groups that otherwise support his
climate plan. Deb Nardone, the head of the Sierra Club's Beyond
Natural Gas program, says Obama "is taking the wrong path" on
natural gas. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jun/27/obama-speech-praises-natural-gas-fracking-boom/


Alberta crude the more 'ethical' U.S. choice, says Canadian
official. Alberta's oil sands crude offers a more "ethical"
choice for U.S. refiners, according to Canada's international
trade minister, Ed Fast, who wrapped up a visit to Washington on
Wednesday. Fast's trip caps off a series of high-profile visits
from Canadian officials hoping to curry favor for the
controversial Keystone XL pipeline project, which would ferry oil
sands crude from Alberta to U.S. refineries along the Gulf Coast.
Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059983609/print
BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Researchers see wide variations in methane among shale basins.
Reports from earlier this year that oil and gas fields in Utah's
Uinta Basin were emitting high amounts of methane come with
significant caveats, and the basin could well be an anomaly,
preliminary research suggests. Recent measurements in the
Denver-Julesburg Basin of Colorado suggest lower concentrations,
according to initial results from National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration…Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059983659/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

VEHICLES

San Jose gets closer to Green Vision goal with 38 electric cars.
San Jose and three other Bay Area cities received 50
battery-powered cars in a deal announced Thursday that was hailed
as the largest single all-electric municipal fleet vehicle
deployment in the country. San Jose received 38 of the Mitsubishi
i-MiEV hatchbacks, putting it closer to the city's lofty "Green
Vision" goal of powering its entire fleet with alternative fuels.
Posted.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_23554588/san-jose-gains-38-electric-cars?source=rss
http://www.insidebayarea.com/bay-area-news/ci_23554587/san-jose-gains-38-electric-cars?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com
 
http://www.contracostatimes.com/bay-area-news/ci_23554587/san-jose-gains-38-electric-cars?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com


Los Angeles' Metro Transportation Authority announced Thursday
that it has inked a deal to purchase the first 5 buses of a
potential 25 electric bus fleet. In their announcement, Metro
said that the first order of zero-emission buses will be put to
the test to determine whether the vehicles can live up to "L.A.'s
rigorous transit needs." Posted.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2013/06/27/37958/la-metro-to-purchase-first-fleet-of-all-electric-b/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+893KpccSouthernCaliforniaNews+%28KPCC%3A+News%29

http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/06/27/4983038/la-metro-to-purchase-its-first.html


GREEN ENERGY

Solar project south of Silicon Valley wins a major victory in
appeals court. A proposal to build one of the world's largest
solar farms south of Silicon Valley took a major step forward
this week when a state appeals court rejected a lawsuit by
environmental groups who have tried to stop it on the grounds it
could harm endangered species. The project, a $1.8 billion,
399-megawatt solar farm, is proposed for Panoche Valley…Posted.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_23554919/court-hands-solar-project-south-silicon-valley-major?source=rss
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_23554917/court-hands-solar-project-south-silicon-valley-major


As Southern California heats up, Edison calls for energy
conservation. Temperatures are expected to blow past the century
mark in some Southland communities over the weekend, and Southern
California Edison is asking customers to conserve energy.
Prolonged summer heat can strain the power grid and possibly lead
to power outages, company officials said, but when customers take
small conservation actions...Posted.
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_23555728/southern-california-heats-up-edison-calls-energy-conservation?source=rss


MISCELLANEOUS

Villaraigosa leaves office with his key goals for L.A.
accomplished. On his first day as mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa
told Los Angeles that it was time to "start thinking big again."
New public transit spending could make Los Angeles' bus and rail
network worthy of a great metropolis. A bigger police force could
make neighborhoods safer. Renewable energy projects could turn
Los Angeles into America's "greenest big city." Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-villaraigosa-legacy-20130629-dto,0,5518929.htmlstory


OPINIONS

US climate plan may boost cap and trade: Wynn.  President Barack
Obama's climate plan, unveiled this week, may boost regional
schemes to cut greenhouse gas emissions, known as cap and trade,
four years after the United States failed to pass legislation for
a nationwide programme.  Unlike Europe, the United States has no
national cap and trade scheme to combat carbon emissions. Posted.
 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/26/column-wynn-us-carbon-idUSL5N0F20VD20130626


U.S. takes key climate change steps, but the world must do more.
The world is starting to get serious about climate change. This
is happening for one major reason: leadership. President Obama’s
announcement this week of a broad set of actions to reduce the
greenhouse gas emissions that are changing our climate was very
welcome. His plan, largely based on executive orders, will cut
carbon pollution in the United States…Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/world-bank-president-world-must-do-more-on-climate-change/2013/06/27/e395e758-df5a-11e2-b2d4-ea6d8f477a01_story.html


Letters: A climate-change turning point. Re "Obama takes on
climate change," June 26. President Obama's speech on climate
change marked a turning point for our nation. Sure, it was just a
speech, and it didn't even make the front page of The Times. But
it declared, at long last, an unequivocal commitment by
Washington to combat climate change. Global warming is no longer
just an issue for environmentalists. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/letters/la-le-0628-friday-obama-climate-change-20130628,0,7453527.story


High-speed rail will give a boost to California.  By the end of
this summer, the High-Speed Rail Authority will turn the first
shovel to start California and the United States on a road of
recovery — a recovery that will revive and maintain our position
as a premium player in the world economy.  Posted. 
http://www.modbee.com/2013/06/27/2783093/richards-high-speed-rail-will.html
 

California high-speed rail plan is flawed.  On May 28th, I
conducted a Congressional Oversight hearing on California's
high-speed rail project in the city of Madera. Since I was
elected to Congress, it has been a priority of mine to provide
aggressive oversight of the project to ensure voters are getting
what they were promised.  Posted. 
http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/06/27/3364283/high-speed-rail-plan-is-flawed.html


Recent Federal and International Developments Good for California
Cap and Trade. Plans announced by the White House today (June 25)
show a credible pathway to meet targets pledged by the President
pursuant to the Copenhagen Accord (reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020). Relatedly, last month
the Obama administration increased the assumed social cost of
greenhouse gas emissions used for cost-benefit analysis of
proposed regulatory decisions to 35 cents per ton…Posted.
http://www.natlawreview.com/article/recent-federal-and-international-developments-good-california-cap-and-trade


BLOGS

The Myriad Benefits of a Carbon Tax. Few goals in Washington have
more bipartisan support, at least in theory, than cleaning up the
tax code. Republicans and Democrats say they want a system that
is simpler, fairer and more efficient. Put simply, they want a
system with fewer special tax breaks and lower rates. Posted.
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/28/the-myriad-benefits-of-a-carbon-tax/


Rep. Valadao erects another hurdle to high-speed rail. Using his
seat on the House Appropriations Committee, Valadao on Thursday
won approval by voice vote of an amendment that says the federal
Surface Transportation Board cannot take action on initial
construction phases until the board has given final approval to
the entire project. The practical effect would be to stop initial
construction for at least the foreseeable future…Posted.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/06/rep-valadao-erects-another-hurdle-to-high-speed-rail.html#storylink=cpy