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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 9, 2013
Posted: 09 Sep 2013 14:22:30
ARB Newsclips for September 9, 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. CAP AND TRADE Australia's new gov't vows to scrap carbon tax. Australia's new government prepared to take control of the nation Sunday, with Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott vowing to immediately scrap a hated tax on carbon polluters and implement a controversial plan to stop asylum seekers from reaching the nation's shores. Abbott met with bureaucrats to go over his border security plans and said his first priority would be to repeal the deeply unpopular carbon tax on Australia's biggest industrial polluters. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AUSTRALIA_ELECTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Northeast Carbon Auction Raises $102.5m. Nine Northeastern and mid-Atlantic US states raised $102.5 million selling carbon dioxide allowances in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative’s (RGGI) auction last week. RGGI, the nonprofit that administers the regional carbon auction, says all of the available greenhouse gas emissions permits sold out at the Sept. 4 event — it sold 38.4 million allowances for $2.67. Each permit gives a company the right to emit 1 ton of CO2. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/09/09/northeast-carbon-auction-raises-102-5m/ AGRION to Take a Deeper Look at California’s Cap-And-Trade Program This Week in San Francisco with BP America, CA’s Legislative Analyst Office, Morrison Foerster & More. California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) is becoming increasingly optimistic for the future of its cap-and-trade program after the results of its August 16th auction of carbon pollution permits. The cap-and-trade program is an aggressive statewide plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to their 1990 levels…Posted. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/9/prweb11102094.htm AIR POLLUTION Critics say fines show Shell not ready for Arctic. Critics of offshore Arctic drilling say $1.1 million in fines levied against Royal Dutch Shell for air pollution violations show that the petroleum giant is not ready to safely drill off Alaska's northern coast. A Shell spokesman says the fines are part of learning how to operate complex equipment in a harsh environment. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SHELL_ARCTIC_AIR_VIOLATIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/06/5713282/critics-say-fines-show-shell-not.html Canada to Work With U.S. to Cut Carbon Emissions, Minister Says. Canada wants to work with the U.S. to cut greenhouse-gas emissions from the oilsands in Alberta, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver said today. Oliver, who met with U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz in Washington, said his nation has already agreed to curb emissions, in line with the pledges made by the U.S., and he outlined the actions the country has taken to reduce reliance on coal. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-09/canada-to-work-with-u-s-to-cut-carbon-emissions-minister-says.html Carbon Fix Returns to EU Agenda as Presidency to Seek Mandate. European Union governments will discuss an emergency measure to help boost carbon prices this week as Lithuania seeks to advance talks on the draft plan, according to two EU officials with knowledge of the matter. Lithuania, which holds the EU rotating presidency, plans to push for a mandate to start talks on the proposal…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-09/carbon-fix-returns-to-eu-agenda-as-presidency-to-seek-mandate.html Researchers: Clean Air Act is helping forests. A team of university scientists has found that federal clean-air laws have helped forests recover from pollution. Kansas State University associate biology professor Jesse Nippert collaborated on the project with West Virginia University researchers. Kansas State says in a news release the researchers spent four years studying more than 100 years' worth of rings in Eastern red cedar trees in the central Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Researchers-Clean-Air-Act-is-helping-forests-4797819.php Air alert: Smoke, ozone on the rise in San Joaquin Valley. Facing the double whammy of ozone and smoke, local air quality leaders have declared a second alert, running Monday through Wednesday, for the eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley. The region is sweltering with temperatures forecast above 100 degrees with only light breezes -- conditions that lead to ozone formation. The sprawling Rim fire in Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park is sending smoke and ozone-making gases into the Valley. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/09/3487743/air-alert-smoke-ozone-on-the-rise.html#storylink=cpy http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x740582144/Local-officials-call-second-Air-Alert AIR POLLUTION: Winning the battle involves government, technology, lifestyle. Much has been done to improve air quality in recent decades, but more work is needed to reduce levels of the Inland’s worst pollutants — nitrogen oxides, ozone and particulate matter — that threaten residents’ health, regulators said. Federal, state and regional air quality officials have imposed rules to reduce emissions from cars…Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20130906-air-pollution-winning-the-battle-involves-government-technology-lifestyle.ece AIR QUALITY: Warehouse plan closely watched. Moreno Valley, a city embroiled in scandals that last month saw one City Council member resign after his arrest on fraud charges, also is a testing ground in the struggle to balance the need for jobs and the imperative for clean air. City staff members are processing plans by a local developer to build a warehousing hub covering the equivalent of 700 football fields. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20130907-air-pollution-moreno-valley-warehouse-decision-closely-watched.ece Road side air pollution ups risk of death in bronchiectasis patients. A new study has revealed that living close to a busy road is associated with a higher risk of death in people with bronchiectasis. The research has added to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the damaging effects of road-side pollution. The study investigated the association between the residential distance to a main road…Posted. http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/road-side-air-pollution-ups-risk-of-death-in-bronchiectasis-patients-113090800113_1.html ‘Unhealthy’ air quality alert issued for Calexico. The Imperial Valley Air Pollution Control District issued an “unhealthy” air quality alert for Calexico on Saturday. People with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children are considered most at risk, particularly when active, and should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. The general population may also experience increased respiratory effects and should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. Posted. http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/unhealthy-air-quality-alert-issued-for-calexico/article_9c9aea72-185f-11e3-a1b9-0019bb30f31a.html Calgon Carbon awarded $25M-$30M Canadian contract. Calgon Carbon Corp. and distributor Brenntag Canada Inc. have won a contract valued between $25 million and $30 million to supply activated carbon to a large Canadian electricity generator. Calgon Carbon (NYSE: CCC) will supply its second-generation Fluepac powdered activated carbon to remove mercury from the flue gas of two coal-fired electric generating plants. The contract, which will be in place through December 2015, is an extension of an existing agreement for the company's first-generation product. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2013/09/09/calgon-carbon-awarded-25-30m.html Researchers find link between ozone, heart disease. UC Berkeley researchers have discovered a link between the regional prevalence of the common air pollutant ozone and an increased risk of premature death from heart disease, the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. The team used a state-of-the-art statistical model to aggregate mortality rates from different regions in California from 1982 to 2000 and levels of ozone and particulate matter gathered from government monitors situated across California. Posted. http://www.dailycal.org/2013/09/08/researchers-find-link-between-ozone-heart-disease/ Airline ozone emissions most significant over Pacific – study. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that flights to and from Australia and New Zealand during the month of October create the highest amount of tropospheric ozone, a powerful global warming pollutant. The new findings come at a time when the aviation industry, which has the fastest-growing greenhouse gas emissions within the transportation sector…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059986878/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE G20 countries agree to phase down potent greenhouse gas. Leaders attending the Group of 20 summit of the world's biggest economies in St. Petersburg, Russia, agreed on Friday to phase down the use of certain potent greenhouse gases known to damage the climate. The White House cited the agreement to cooperate on phasing down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), gases used in refrigerators, air conditioners and some industrial equipment, as one of the "most significant agreements" of the summit. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/06/us-g20-climate-idUSBRE9850WU20130906 Harper Offers Obama Climate Action for Keystone Approval. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has offered to participate in joint efforts with the U.S. to cut greenhouse-gas emissions to win approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, according to a person familiar with the matter. Harper sent a letter to President Barack Obama last month as part of an effort to mollify U.S. concerns about the pipeline, said the person, who asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to discuss it publicly. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-06/harper-offers-obama-climate-action-for-keystone-cbc-says.html The power of future storms hard to predict. Big storms are fed by energy from warm seas, and experts say that with warmer oceans there's a lot more of that energy today at their disposal then there used to be. The jury is still out on whether this will mean a future of more frequent and more powerful storms, but experts can agree that we're in for changes to what was once considered the norm. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-power-of-future-storms-hard-to-predict-4793352.php Here's How Much Your State Cares About Climate Change [MAP] How much does your state care about climate change? The map below, courtesy of AllianceBernstein, will give you an idea as it shows renewable energy portfolio targets across the country. States invest in renewables to decrease their carbon output and their dependence on oil, coal, and natural gas. In the map, 29 states plus Washington D.C. and two U.S. territories have renewable portfolio standards. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Here-s-How-Much-Your-State-Cares-About-Climate-4793274.php Nebraska lecture to look at climate change, health. A lecture this month on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus will look at the effect of global warming on human health. On Wednesday, public health expert Wendy Ring will give an overview of the impact climate change is having on individual and community health. Her discussion will connect climate change to everything from infectious diseases to mental health. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Nebraska-lecture-to-look-at-climate-change-health-4794711.php Gov. Patrick heading to Canada for energy confab. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is heading to Canada to discuss alternative energy sources, including hydropower. Patrick leaves Sunday to attend the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers' Annual Conference in Quebec. Patrick said the conference is an opportunity to strengthen regional partnerships to build on Massachusetts' leadership in creating renewable energy…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/07/5715288/gov-patrick-heading-to-canada.html#storylink=cpy Scientists suggest ways to turn CO2 emissions into a fuel. Aiming for two birds with one stone, scientists are developing ways to convert carbon dioxide waste into fuel, effectively reversing the combustion process. Turning greenhouse gases into raw materials for carbon-based fuels would close the carbon loop and mitigate humanity's impacts on the climate, all while generating economic value. The United States alone releases 40 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually and consumed 6.8 billion barrels of oil products in 2012…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059986885/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Ocean warming changes chemical cycles in plankton – study. When scientists who study phytoplankton, the tiny organisms that live in the surface of the ocean and other water bodies, try to explain their importance, they often say something like this: "Every second breath you take comes from phytoplankton." That's because there are enough of these minuscule plants floating around, sucking in carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen, to significantly affect major chemical cycles on Earth. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059986874/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS JURUPA VALLEY: Council OKs anti-idling program. The Jurupa Valley City Council on Thursday, Sept. 5 unanimously approved a program to enforce a state ban on trucks idling their engines for longer than five minutes. The program will involve the city accepting a $30,000 grant that will be used to train either a code enforcement officer or deputy on how to enforce the regulation passed by the California Air Resources Board. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/riverside/riverside-headlines-index/20130906-jurupa-valley-council-okays-anti-idling-program.ece Automated systems simplify regulatory compliance. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), to name a few, have introduced new regulations to regulate air pollution. Steep fines and delays face maritime operators that do not comply with engine emissions monitoring and reporting. This is a challenge for shipping companies on several levels. Posted. http://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/industry-news/automated-systems-simplify-regulatory-compliance FUELS Seismologist: Fracking doesn't cause earthquakes. Human activity associated with oil and gas production can sometimes cause earthquakes, but the problem is not hydraulic fracturing, a seismologist from the University of Texas told researchers gathered for a two-day conference on Marcellus shale-gas drilling. When the rare quakes do occur, they're typically linked to the disposal of drilling fluids in underground injection wells, Cliff Frohlich said Monday at West Virginia University. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Seismologist-Fracking-doesn-t-cause-earthquakes-4798554.php What happened to biofuels? Energy technology: Making large amounts of fuel from organic matter has proved to be more difficult and costly than expected. SCIENTISTS have long known how to convert various kinds of organic material into liquid fuel. Trees, shrubs, grasses, seeds, fungi, seaweed, algae and animal fats have all been turned into biofuels to power cars, ships and even planes. As well as being available to countries without tar sands, shale fields or gushers…Posted. http://www.economist.com/news/technology-quarterly/21584452-energy-technology-making-large-amounts-fuel-organic-matter-has-proved-be Oil lobbyists seek CEQA exemption ahead of Calif. frack bill vote. Oil industry lobbyists sought to gain an exemption from the leading California environmental law as they pushed back against legislation mandating oversight of hydraulic fracturing, multiple people familiar with the activities said. The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) last week offered language that would have given oil companies conducting fracking on wells a release from requirements…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059986892/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Hybrids, small SUVs, sense of relief at Frankfurt. The world's automakers are showing off their shiniest, most advanced vehicles at the Frankfurt Auto Show, which opens this week. Among the 70 world premieres are a notable number of new cars powered either by batteries or hybrid gas-electric systems. There are also outlandish concept cars that flaunt technology and design but aren't intended for sale. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_FRANKFURT_AUTO_SHOW?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Hybrids-small-SUVs-sense-of-relief-at-Frankfurt-4797749.php GREEN ENERGY Sonoma County takes closer look at green energy projects. With renewable energy development now a central issue in Sonoma County, disputed rules that would govern the size and location of green energy projects are returning to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday for approval. The zoning changes, which focus largely on solar systems, would open up more land in unincorporated areas to commercial-scale projects, including agricultural, industrial and business parcels. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130907/articles/130909617 Going green a growing home trend. It isn’t always easy being green, but green is exactly what an increasing number of homebuyers want in their dream homes. From strong preferences for energy efficiency to an industry employing more green construction practices, the focus on green homes is on the upswing. With energy costs on the rise, more homeowners than ever before are looking for homes built with energy efficiency in mind. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/sep/07/going-green-a-growing-home-trend/ Greening Calif. Schools a ‘Win-Win’ for Students, Districts. The Met is a high school with a unique style and design: It has recycled glass counters in front of the administration office, ceilings made of recovered wood from old gym bleachers, and landscaping that was designed to use less water. A model of energy efficiency, The Met is where most schools in the state would like to be, and thanks to a new funding stream many could get that chance. Posted. http://newamericamedia.org/2013/09/greening-calif-schools-a-win-win-for-students-districts.php MISCELLANEOUS San Joaquin Valley contest seeking art for air calendar. The San Joaquin Valley Air District is seeking student artwork for the 2014 Healthy Air Living Kids' Calendar contest. Valley students from kindergarten through high school can submit pieces illustrating the ways valley residents can live healthy-air lives, with an accompanying clean-air message. Guidelines for creating a winning Healthy Air Living calendar entry. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2013/09/07/2908750/san-joaquin-valley-contest-seeking.html Skolnick's Scoop / 5 easy steps to a green up your act at home. "Eco-friendly." "Carbon footprint." "Global warming." "Energy-efficient." These phrases have become part of our lexicon as we've become more aware of our impact on the environment and our role in protecting it. As a homeowner, there are some simple, inexpensive steps you can take to make your home energy-efficient. Get started on the road to being "green" with these five tips: Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Skolnick-s-Scoop-5-easy-steps-to-a-green-up-4792895.php OPINIONS Editorial: Legislature should approve fracking regulation. Californians own nearly 32 million vehicles. Yet more than half the petroleum consumed in California comes from foreign lands, primarily the Middle East. That must change, but in an environmentally sound manner. Legislation by Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, and Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, would allow the oil extraction technique known as fracking to continue, but with strict regulations. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/08/5713660/editorial-legislature-should-approve.html#storylink=cpy Yosemite fire lesson: Cut risk with biomass energy. The Rim Fire is a sad reminder that wildfires are a growing threat to public health, safety and the water and power supplies for large parts of California. California can significantly reduce those risks by investing in small, sustainable forest biomass facilities that would use green waste to create renewable energy. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/Yosemite-fire-lesson-Cut-risk-with-biomass-energy-4790807.php Teaching Climate Change To Skeptics. A few years ago, Joseph B. Lassiter traveled to San Francisco, Houston, and New York to hold discussions with Harvard alumni on the topic of business and the environment. Each time, he surveyed the audience about the touchy subject of climate change and how society should react to it. And while his presentations had been essentially identical and the audiences at first blush quite similar, the attitudes he encountered were disparate. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2013/09/09/teaching-climate-change-to-skeptics/ BLOGS As It Increases Production, Tesla Worries About Battery Supply. Tesla Motors’ recent growth has been striking, but at the Teslive event in northern California last July, Elon Musk, the company’s chief executive, made it plain that further expansion might be hindered by problems in the supply chain. “Our issues right now are actually not so much demand generation as they are production related,” he said. “In order for production to grow, we have to have the whole supply chain move in cadence.” Posted. http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/06/as-it-increases-production-tesla-worries-about-battery-supply/?src=recg&_r=0