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ARB Newsclips for July 14, 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

Beijing to enforce use of clean coal in anti-pollution drive. 
China's capital city, Beijing, will enforce the use of cleaner
low-sulphur coal from Aug. 1 in a bid to tackle the soaring
levels of air pollution that frequently clog the country's major
cities, the official Xinhua media agency said on Saturday. 
Beijing will implement strict controls and targets for airborne
sulphur from coal, Xinhua said, citing the Beijing Municipal
Administration of Quality and Technology Supervision.  Posted.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/07/12/us-china-pollution-idINKBN0FH0BJ20140712


LA Smog: the battle against air pollution. When we see photos of
Beijing shrouded in a veil of thick smog, we’re horrified. How
can the Chinese live with such terrible air pollution? One answer
is: Americans did. Back in the 1950s and '60s, people in Los
Angeles breathed some of the dirtiest air in the world. Los
Angeles still has smog, of course, but it’s not nearly as bad as
it used to be. How did the city get its act together? Posted.
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/we-used-be-china/la-smog-battle-against-air-pollution


Women led air pollution protests from the start. Ask Jeff Slade
if his mother was a “typical housewife” and he’ll say, “There was
nothing typical about my mother.” Karenlin Madoff will tell you
the same about her mom. She wasn’t a housewife, she was “a force
of nature.” Both Madoff’s and Slade’s mothers were clean air
activists in the 1960s, when “clean air activist” wasn’t really a
thing. But those 1960s “housewives” had plenty of sisterly
company in the cause. Posted.
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/we-used-be-china/women-led-air-pollution-protests-start


CLIMATE CHANGE

Texas, Leader in Greenhouse Gases, Stands Vulnerable to Their
Effects.  As Republicans promote the state’s economic “miracle,”
many climate scientists from Texas say prosperity has come at a
steep price. With its dependence on an energy industry that
relies on extracting fossil fuels, scientists say Texas has
become a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions as well as
more vulnerable to its consequences. Texas emits more greenhouse
gases than any other state, according to federal data. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/13/us/texas-leader-in-greenhouse-gases-stands-vulnerable-to-their-effects.html
 

Australian Winemakers Respond to Climate Shift. The young
Australian vintner Nick Glaetzer’s winemaking-steeped family
thought he was crazy when he abandoned the Barossa Valley — the
hot, dry region that is home to the country’s world-famous big,
brassy shiraz. Trampling over the family’s century-old
grape-growing roots on the Australian mainland, Mr. Glaetzer
headed south to the tiny island state of Tasmania to strike out
on his own and prove to the naysayers there was a successful
future in cooler-climate wines. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/15/business/energy-environment/australian-winemakers-adjusting-to-climate-shift.html?ref=earth


Democratic bill would slow California's effort to curb climate
change.  Political-economic fights at the Capitol never really
end. They just morph into new incarnations.  Take, for example,
the eight-year battle among industry, environmentalists and the
administrations of Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and successor
Jerry Brown over how to deal with threats of global warming. 
Posted. 
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-capitol-business-beat-20140714-story.html


Experts discuss climate change at Nimbus fish hatchery. The
California Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a third
presentation on the effects of climate change on salmon and
steelhead trout in the American River. Kevin Shaffer, fisheries
branch program manager, will discuss the potential effects of
climate change on salmon and steelhead runs in the American
River. Whitney Albright, a climate associate…Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/12/6551985/experts-discuss-climate-change.html#storylink=cpy


Genes Help Plants Handle Rising CO2 Levels.  Biologists in the
U.S. have identified the genetic machinery that tells a plant how
to respond to more carbon dioxide caused by the burning of fossil
fuels. Four genes from three different gene families together
control the density of stomata, or breathing pores, on the
foliage of the healthy plant. As carbon dioxide levels in the
atmosphere rise, plants respond and make fewer stomata. Posted.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/genes-help-plants-handle-rising-co2-levels_12633617


How researchers unearthed the saga of a tiny fern that may have
saved the planet. This may come as a shock, but only 55 million
years ago, our planet had no polar ice caps; in fact, it nearly
became a steamy, runaway greenhouse world, with CO2 levels
exceeding 2,500 ppm. Then, all of a sudden, something intervened,
causing a shift. Atmospheric carbon dioxide began to drop,
steadily generating today's world, with ice caps at both poles.
Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002785/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Former Reagan official predicts Republican skeptics will be
'mummed' by climate change.  Senior GOP statesman George Shultz
urged Republicans on Friday to be proactive on climate change,
calling it an "obvious risk" to the economy and national
security. The former secretary of State for President Reagan says
that rising temperatures could be addressed through an
inexpensive "insurance policy," similar to Reagan's support for
restrictions on gases that degraded the ozone layer in the 1970s
and '80s. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002783/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

To a business-centered climate group, economics can drive
environmental change. Wearing a blue-and-white pinstriped
button-down shirt, staring through crisp silver glasses and
sitting at the head of a dark conference room table on K Street,
Jeff Erikson played the role of teacher rather than CEO as he
explained his audaciously lofty goal -- cut carbon emissions by
billion-ton chunks as rapidly as possible. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002791/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

High-resolution climate model finds man's impact on drop in
Australian rainfall. Climate change is starkly visible in some
parts of the world. The Alaskan permafrost, for example, is
melting rapidly due to rising temperatures. But temperature is
only part of the story; rainfall patterns are also expected to
change and these shifts are harder to pinpoint. Except in
Australia, that is, which is the driest continent on Earth.
Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002769/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

DIESEL EMISSIONS

Has the U.S. SmartWay Program Helped Retreading?  Fleets with 21
or more trailers operating in California found themselves in a
bit of a bad spot back in 2010. That’s when the California Air
Resources Board’s Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas regulation
became effective. The regulation required, among other things,
that trailers be fitted with low-rolling-resistance tires. 
Posted. 
http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/equipment/article/story/2014/07/has-the-u-s-smartway-program-helped-retreading.aspx
  

CARB offers free compliance classes in July, August.  Truck
owners and others in the freight industry have an opportunity to
learn California emissions enforcement techniques, maintenance on
emissions devices and other information during a series of
upcoming courses run by the state’s Air Resources Board.  A
course dealing with CARB’s Truck and Bus Rule will be accessible
remotely to anyone with Internet capabilities.  Posted. 
http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27320#.U8QHXYUvAk8


FUELS

Is Ethanol Causing Food Disruption and Contributing to Climate
Change? If you are a socially responsible investor, you may want
to rethink any commitment you have to ethanol and its use as a
fuel supplement, oxygenate, and climate change solution. The U.S.
Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that U.S
production of ethanol (the predominate biofuel in use) is the
highest it has been since Jan. 2012. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Is-Ethanol-Causing-Food-Disruption-and-5617311.php


Divestment in fossil fuels: symbolism and hypocrisy. A group
called Fossil Free UC wants regents to divest UC's endowment fund
of all fossil-fuel holdings. "As one of the leading public
institutions in the world, we have the privilege and the
responsibility to take action where we can influence change,"
Fossil Free explains on its website. This is the global-warming
movement at its most honest - its goal is not change, which
requires sacrifice in a plugged-in age. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Divestment-in-fossil-fuels-symbolism-and-5616036.php


VEHICLES

Chinese officials will buy more electric cars. At least 30
percent of newly purchased government cars will be electric and
other types of "new energy vehicles," China's official news
agency reported Sunday, as the country attempts to tackle air
pollution and encourage the electric car market. A joint plan
from five government ministries and departments calls for about a
third of cars bought for state use from 2014 to 2016 to rely on
clean energy…Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_ELECTRIC_VEHICLES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Smart electric cars to measure air pollution.  British scientists
are using smart electric vehicles fitted with specialised air
monitoring sensors to measure the city pollution levels.  The
University of Leicester researchers have designed and installed
special sensors into electric vehicles (EVs) that can measure
pollutant concentrations around the city.  Posted. 
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/smart-electric-cars-to-measure-air-pollution-114071300466_1.html


GREEN ENERGY

Geothermal: The Other Alternative Energy. With a growing movement
to adopt more sustainable energy solutions, investors may be
interested in knowing that geothermal fields produce just
one-sixth of the carbon dioxide that a clean natural-gas-fueled
power plant produces, and this energy production is seen by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the most efficient,
clean, and cost effective for temperature control. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Geothermal-The-Other-Alternative-Energy-5617077.php

Big-name companies urge utilities to produce more renewable
energy. To meet their sustainability goals, 12 large American
companies signed onto a set of buyers' principles last week
calling on utilities to expand and streamline opportunities for
renewable energy procurement. The companies, including Bloomberg,
General Motors Co., Sprint, Wal-Mart and Mars, are looking to
engage with energy suppliers…Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002786/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

MISCELLANEOUS

Orcem plans ‘green’ cement plant on Mare Island.  Orcem signed a
65-year lease for that part of the 34.3-acre terminal, the former
home of a General Mills flour processing facility. This project
has an investment budget of $50 million and will involve 140,000
hours of union labor, according to Orcem President Stephen Bryan.
Once California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) certification is
obtained, construction is set to run 18 months, positioning the
plant for commissioning in the second quarter of 2016. Posted.
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/94091/orcem-plans-green-cement-plant-on-mare-island/


Industry cooperation key as EPA targets carcinogen in dry
cleaning. U.S. EPA scientists believe at least 330,000 Americans
may be exposed to the toxic chemical trichloroethylene at
degreasing facilities and dry cleaning businesses but must work
with industry first because forcing companies to stop using the
chemical could be costly and take years, according to one of the
agency's top officials. Trichloroethylene, or TCE, has been
classified as a human carcinogen …Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002816/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

OPINIONS

Fighting Climate Change With Trade.  The United States, the
European Union, China and 11 other governments began trade
negotiations this week to eliminate tariffs on solar panels, wind
turbines, water-treatment equipment and other environmental
goods. If they are able to reach an agreement, it could reduce
the cost of equipment needed to address climate change and help
increase American exports. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/13/opinion/sunday/negotiations-to-end-tariffs-on-environmental-goods.html?_r=0


Editorial: Hefty overwatering fines would make clear California
is in a drought. We’ve all seen an overwatered lawn: water
flowing over the sidewalk and into the gutter. We shake our heads
and ask: Don’t they know we’re in the middle of a severe drought?
Some cities have strict rules for people who waste water. Others
have imposed mandatory cutbacks. But violators don’t face serious
consequences. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/14/6550879/editorial-hefty-overwatering-fines.html#storylink=cpy


Global warming: worsening California's fires and droughts? Re
"Extreme fire season burns cash" (Page A1, July 13): By July 6,
Cal Fire had already spent $13.9 million battling wildfires, with
one of the longest and most difficult fire seasons anticipated to
come. About 80 percent of California is already under extreme
drought conditions. It's natural to wonder whether these
worsening fire and drought conditions are connected to climate
change, and what we can expect in the future. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/14/6553218/is-global-warming-worsening-californias.html#storylink=cpy

Another View: Busting water conservation myths. As a solution for
California’s complex water challenges, conserving water to get
more from every drop stands out for its great potential and the
misconceptions around it. A recent op-ed column, “Putting two
myths about the state’s drought to rest”, repeated three
misstatements about conservation that are often used to delay
implementing strategies for more efficient water use. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/13/6548166/another-view-busting-water-conservation.html


John M. Crisp: A local climate-change laboratory with global
implications.  If you were looking for a place to contemplate
global climate change in a microcosm - climate change writ small
- you could do worse than to consider my humble corner of the
world.  In some respects, this area is a laboratory for the
competing climate and energy tensions that are developing
worldwide, pointing toward catastrophes that appear to be more or
less inevitable.  Posted. 
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/14/4024066/john-m-crisp-a-local-climate-change.html


BLOGS

Thanks to the fracking boom, we’re wasting more money than ever
on fossil fuel subsidies.  You probably know that the U.S.
government subsidizes fossil fuel production. But here’s
something you probably don’t know: Those subsidies have recently
increased dramatically. According to a report released last week
by Oil Change International, “Federal fossil fuel production and
exploration subsidies in the United States have risen by 45
percent since President Obama took office in 2009…Posted. 
http://grist.org/climate-energy/thanks-to-the-fracking-boom-were-wasting-more-money-than-ever-on-fossil-fuel-subsidies/


The Plants In This Garden Tell You When The Air Is Dirty.  What
if you could look at the plants in your garden in order to learn
if the air around you is clean or dirty?  At the National Center
for Atmospheric Research, scientists have planted a garden that
does just that.  Posted. 
http://www.kunc.org/post/plants-garden-tell-you-when-air-dirty  

Cadillac ELR getting massive discounts, some up to $14,000. Well,
that didn't go as planned. General Motors had marketed the
Cadillac ELR extended-range plug-in as a premium version of the
Chevrolet Volt with some Caddy refinements. Now, it looks like
that premium, at least from a price standpoint, is shrinking.
Shoppers in a number of states are reporting that GM and its
dealers are discounting the ELR in order to move more off dealer
lots. Posted.
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/14/cadillac-elr-is-getting-massive-discounts/
 

City Of Santa Clarita Planning To Implement More Electric Car
Charging Stations.  "The city is expecting one fast-fill electric
vehicle charging station located within easy access to Interstate
5 within the next 6 months. This station is made possible through
a grant with the State California Energy Commission," said Evan
Thomason, spokesman for the City of Santa Clarita officials are
expected to establish the community's first city-funded electric
vehicle charging station by January 2015. Posted. 
http://hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/environment/city-santa-clarita-planning-implement-more-electric-car-charging

 





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