What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for March 3, 2014. 

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

China May Build Biggest Smog Lab to Control Pollution, News Says.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed spending 500 million
yuan ($81 million) to build the world’s biggest smog-research
facility in Beijing to address air pollution, the Beijing News
said. The center will allow researchers to simulate smoggy
conditions and study what causes pollution to stay over the city,
the Beijing News reported yesterday, citing He Hong, the
researcher in charge of the project. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-03/china-may-build-biggest-smog-lab-to-control-pollution-news-says.html


E.P.A. Set to Reveal Tough New Sulfur Emissions Rule. The
Environmental Protection Agency plans to unveil a major new
regulation on Monday that forces oil refiners to strip out
sulfur, a smog-forming pollutant linked to respiratory disease,
from American gasoline blends, according to people familiar with
the agency’s plans. When burned in gasoline, sulfur blocks
pollution-control equipment in vehicle engines, which increases
tailpipe emissions linked to lung disease, asthma,
emphysema…Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/us/epa-set-to-reveal-tough-new-sulfur-emissions-rule.html?_r=0

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/03/03/feds-tighten-fuel-and-car-emissions-standards?s_cid=rss:feds-tighten-fuel-and-car-emissions-standards

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/03/epa-will-reportedly-announce-new-sulfur-emissions-rule/

http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059995437/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Looking ahead after sooty season for Valley air.  A nasty, smoky
fireplace season ended last week with double the number of
wood-burning prohibitions compared to the previous winter.  The
nearly 400 bans in the San Joaquin Valley's eight counties might
be the face of future winters.  Posted. 
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/03/3801161/looking-ahead-after-a-sooty-valley.html
 

Dry winter brought about more wood-burning curtailments for
county residents.  The number of burn prohibitions in Stanislaus
County almost doubled this past season as the abnormally dry
winter kept air pollution levels high.  The San Joaquin Valley
Air Pollution Control District reported a dramatic increase in
wood-burning curtailments this season as part of the annual Check
Before You Burn program, which closed its eleventh year Friday. 
Posted.  http://www.turlockjournal.com/section/12/article/24468/ 


DROUGHT

California farmers hire dowsers to find water. With California in
the grips of drought, farmers throughout the state are using a
mysterious and some say foolhardy tool for locating underground
water: dowsers, or water witches. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/california-farmers-hire-dowsers-to-find-water/2014/03/02/950347f4-a262-11e3-84d4-e59b1709222c_story.html

Use less water than your neighbors? You get a smiley face.
Drought or no drought, utilities across California are
campaigning to get homeowners to reduce outdoor water use, which
often constitutes at least half of a household’s water
consumption. One of the largest urban retail water agencies in
the state is pursuing a new strategy in that effort: “Behavioral
water efficiency.” Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-behavioral-water-efficiency-20140303,0,2306355.story
  

El Niño may return late this year, experts say. Scientists say
their observations and computer models show signs of El Niño's
return, which could mean more rain for California. Or not.
Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-adv-el-nino-20140303,0,5817547.story


Farms threatened, basic water principles violated.
Drought-stressed farmers on the west side of California’s Central
Valley have received a lot of congressional and presidential
attention lately. Because we farm and ranch on the west side of
the Valley, this attention means a lot to us, but not in the way
one might think. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/02/6195613/farms-threatened-basic-water-principles.html


Drought threatens wildlife, ecosystems. California’s persistent
drought threatens to take a heavy toll on the environment as well
as the economy. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/02/drought-threatens-wildlife-ecosystems/


Precious water starts heading down canals. Today, irrigation
canals will start flowing toward Oakdale, Escalon and Ripon. In
the weeks to come, the Modesto, Turlock and Merced areas will
follow. In most years, the canals are strong with water that gets
the crops through the heat of summer, much like blood carrying
oxygen to a marathon runner’s muscles. This year, in many parts
of the Northern San Joaquin Valley, they will struggle to the
finish line. Posted.
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/03/02/3525591/precious-water-starts-heading.html


California’s wet February encourages farmers. February brought
much-needed rain to California's farms and ranches, and March may
bring more. But officials caution the water content in snowpack
is still far below what will be needed this summer. Posted.
http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140228/ARTICLE/140229883 

Drought-stricken state gets drenched, but not enough to ease
historic shortfall. California got some much-needed precipitation
over the weekend, but not nearly enough to ameliorate the state's
persistent drought, weather and water experts said. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/03/03/stories/1059995406
BY SUBSCRIPITON ONLY

DIESEL EMISSIONS

Will EPA Maritime Fuel Regulation Increase Onshore Air Pollution?
 The Maritime Industrial Transportation Alliance believes that a
new maritime fuel regulation from the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is poised to crowd roads and increase onshore air
pollution. The rule requires the use of ultra-low sulfur fuels in
ships operating within the 200 nautical mile (nm) boundary of the
North American Emission Control Area (ECA).  Posted. 
http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/Will-EPA-Maritime-Fuel-Regulation-Increase-Onshore-Air-Pollution-2014-03-03/


FUELS

Budget priorities will adjust to technology -- DOE official.
Expect the Department of Energy's budget priorities for coal and
fossil energy research to change based on new technologies, said
DOE clean coal chief Julio Friedmann last week in advance of
tomorrow's fiscal White House 2015 budget release. Friedmann, who
did not go into specifics, said Obama administration budget
proposals for the coming years would reflect a focus on changing
priorities…Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059995435/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Los Angeles moves toward ban on fracking, other oil and gas
drilling. The Los Angeles City Council today took a major step
toward blocking hydraulic fracturing and other well stimulation
activities within the city. The council voted 10-0 to direct
staff to develop an ordinance that would "prohibit activity
associated with well stimulation and hydraulic fracturing in the
City of Los Angeles until safety and reliability of Los Angeles
water supplies are assured." Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1059995363/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

VEHICLES

Ferrari returns to turbo as supercar makers face up to emissions
rules. Italy's Ferrari has mounted a turbocharged engine on its
latest supercar for the first time in more than two decades, as
even luxury automakers are forced to seek ways to cut emissions
without sacrificing performance. The California T, which will
debut at the Geneva auto show this week, will be equipped with an
eight-cylinder engine that Ferrari says will consume 15 percent
less fuel than its naturally-aspirated predecessor, reducing
carbon dioxide emissions to 250 grams per kilometer (g/km) from
299. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/03/us-autoshow-geneva-ferrari-californiat-idUSBREA220K220140303


GREEN ENERGY

Nanotechnology could help solar, wind compete with fossil fuels.
Renewable energy could have a small future -- even smaller than
the thickness of a sheet of paper. Recent advancements in
nanotechnology could hold the key to making the renewable energy
sector commercially competitive with fossil fuels by doubling the
efficiency of solar and wind power and making batteries powerful
enough to store electricity around the clock, scientists say.
Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059995431/print
BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

OPINIONS

Water conservation's other benefit: It's a power saver. The
energy needed to move agricultural water exceeds the electricity
used by everyone in San Diego. California's drought has everyone
talking about ways to save water. Gov. Jerry Brown has implored
residents to reduce their consumption by 20%. One writer
suggested Angelenos share showers. Posted. 
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-wolfram-conserving-water-energy-20140303,0,343758.story#ixzz2uvcpdTXR


Valley Voice: Our air quality is not improving.  The Desert Sun
Feb. 9 Opinion page amounted to a full-page whitewash of South
Coast Air Quality Management District’s handling of the CPV
Sentinel gas peaker plant. Even the title “Despite L.A. smog, our
air quality’s improving” is misleading.  Posted. 
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20140227/OPINION04/302270010/Valley-Voice-Our-air-quality-is-not-improving


Would Keystone pipeline unload "carbon bomb" or job boom?
Environmental opponents don't mince words on the Keystone XL
pipeline. Some call it the "fuse to the biggest carbon bomb on
the planet" because of the carbon emissions from the oil it will
carry. If the pipeline is approved and the fuse lit, climate
scientist James Hansen says it's: "Game over for climate."
Hyperbole? Backers say the Canada-to-U.S. pipeline could lower
U.S. dependence on unstable foreign sources of oil and create
thousands of jobs. Posted.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/01/keystonexls-myths-debunked/5651099/


BLOGS

Brown signs drought relief package. With drought conditions still
challenging California, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a $687 million
relief package Saturday, including money for infrastructure
improvements, emergency water shortages and aid to farmworkers.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/jerry-brown-signs-drought-relief-package-in-dry-california.html


VIDEO: Jerry Brown expanding plan for high-speed rail.  Gov.
Jerry Brown on Friday defended his plan to use carbon-reduction
funds for years ahead to prop up California's high-speed rail
project, saying uncertainty about the project's long-term
financing is "one of the greatest questions of the critics" and
that fees paid by carbon producers are an appropriate source of
funds.  Posted. 
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/02/video-jerry-brown-defends-long-term-plan-to-use-carbon-fees-for-high-speed.html
 

Are Carbon Credits an Excuse for Companies to Pollute? This
natural gas plant produces carbon dioxide and releases it into
the atmosphere. Carbon credits are an attempt to offset the
emissions of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, by
inducing companies or individuals who produce emissions to give
money to projects that act as carbon sinks, which reduce the
amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Posted.
http://science.opposingviews.com/carbon-credits-excuse-companies-pollute-23378.html


Obama admin drives ahead with new cleaner gas rule. The Obama
administration is driving ahead with a dramatic reduction in
sulfur in gasoline and tailpipe emissions, declaring that cleaner
air will save thousands of lives per year at little cost to
consumers. Public health groups and automakers cheered the new
rules, finalized Monday by the Environmental Protection Agency,
with some insisting they could prove to be President Barack
Obama's signature environmental accomplishment in his second
term. Posted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20140303/us--epa-cleaner-gasoline/


Most big countries have climate laws.  It’s easy to get depressed
about the lack of global progress in fighting climate change. But
most large nations are at least taking some action.  Posted. 
http://grist.org/news/most-countries-have-climate-change-laws/ 

Survey: More workplace options for charging electric cars. Driver
satisfaction with public facilities to charge electric cars is
improving according to a recent survey from California's Center
for Sustainable Energy. Within two or three months, there will be
more than 200,000 plug-in electric cars on U.S. roads--and we're
learning more about who buys them, and why. Posted.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2014/0228/Survey-More-workplace-options-for-charging-electric-cars




California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.