What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for September 11, 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.

CAP AND TRADE

Carbon markets gaining momentum in the U.S.  An emerging model
for reducing global pollution and promoting renewable energy is
quietly gaining traction.  Two of the nation's major carbon
trading markets have recently held auctions that brought in
hundreds of millions of dollars, funding expected to go toward
future "clean energy" projects.  Posted. 
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/carbon-markets-gaining-momentum-in-the-u-s/


AIR POLLUTION

Pollution board seeks out calendar entries.  The San Joaquin
Valley Air Pollution Control District is seeking entries for the
2015 annual Healthy Air Living Kids’ Calendar.  The entries can
illustrate the way Valley resident can live healthy air lives.
The art pieces can include clean-air messages, organizers said. 
Posted. 
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2014/09/11/pollution-board-seeks-calendar-entries/15432467/


Smoke from Meadow fire clogs Valley air.  Firefighters are making
slow progress in their efforts to contain the Meadow fire burning
in the back country of Yosemite National Park. The number of
firefighters assigned to the fire grew to more than 400 since
Tuesday. So far, with the help of nine helicopters, crews have
managed to carve containment lines around 10 percent of the
blaze. Posted.
http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/10/3532035_smoke-from-meadow-fire-clogs-valley.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy


Robins Air Force Base helping clean air efforts.  Robins Air
Force Base helps keep Central Georgia humming, but being the
state's largest employer also means it's also a big source of
pollution.  Otis Hicks, the base's director of civil engineers,
says Robins has been working with Middle Georgia's clean air
coalition to make sure its a part of the solution and not the
problem. For Robins, that's," anything that could impact our
ability to grow, the ability to handle new work loads..."Posted. 
http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/local/robins-air-force-base/2014/09/10/base-helps-clean-air-efforts/15428413/


Air officials issue smoke health caution.  Smoke from the Meadow
Fire burning in Yosemite National Park is affecting air quality
in Stanislaus, Merced, Madera and Fresno counties and may impact
more valley counties as long as it burns, local air officials
said. Smoke impacts may periodically affect any part of the air
basin, including the additional counties of San Joaquin, Kings,
Tulare and Kern, on the Valley floor as well as in foothill and
mountain areas, until the fire is extinguished. Smoke includes
particulates and ozone precursors and is harmful to health.
Residents can check the District’s wildfire page at
www.valleyair.org/wildfires for information about any current
wildfires and whether they are impacting the valley.  Posted. 
http://www.sierrastar.com/2014/09/10/69606_air-officials-issue-smoke-health.html?sp=/99/103/&rh=1


Spare the Air alert called for Thursday in the Bay Area.  A Spare
the Air alert has been called for Thursday in the Bay Area
because of high smog levels caused by rising temperatures and
smoke drifting in from a Siskiyou County wildfire.  Air quality
regulators ask the public to voluntarily minimize driving to
reduce pollution, and advise people to avoid strenuous exercise
in the afternoon hours when smog levels peak.  Posted. 
http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26508789/Spare-the-Air-alert-called-for-Thursday-in-the-Bay-Area

http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26508789/Spare-the-Air-alert-called-for-Thursday-in-the-Bay-Area

http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_26507189/air-alert-issued-marin-bay-area-thursday


CLIMATE CHANGE

UN climate envoy says summit key to reinvigorate global pact.  As
climate-changing emissions surge globally, a summit of world
leaders this month should help revitalizes ambitions to tackle
climate change despite the absence of government heads from China
and India, U.N. climate envoy Mary Robinson said.  Posted. 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/11/us-foundation-climatechange-robinson-idUSKBN0H60R820140911


Scientists say the ozone layer is recovering.  Earth's protective
ozone layer is beginning to recover, largely because of the
phase-out since the 1980s of certain chemicals used in
refrigerants and aerosol cans, a U.N. scientific panel reported
Wednesday in a rare piece of good news about the health of the
planet.  Scientists said the development demonstrates that when
the world comes together, it can counteract a brewing ecological
crisis.  Posted. 
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_OZONE_REBOUNDS_1ST_LD_WRITETHRU?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Va. climate change focus of panel’s meeting.  Gov. Terry
McAuliffe launched his climate change commission on Wednesday,
urging the panel to develop concrete ideas to blunt the impact of
rising seas along Virginia’s threatened coast.  The Democrat made
it clear he’s no climate change skeptic.  Posted. 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-climate-change-focus-of-panels-meeting/2014/09/10/462cb5c2-38b0-11e4-a023-1d61f7f31a05_story.html


A Hurricane in 1964, and What Came After.  Although most
scientists believe global warming has played a role in the
increasing strength of hurricanes, they caution that the issues
around climate change are complex. Neither of the two Atlantic
hurricanes in 2013 nor any of the three so far this year exceeded
Category 2 in strength.Whether that’s a statistical blip or the
result of some other factor is unknown. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/upshot/a-hurricane-in-1964-and-what-came-after.html?src=twr&_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0

Global warming is so much worse than we thought. Here’s the chart
that proves it.  If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to
freak out about the environment, that time is probably now. The
amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record
high in 2013, the greatest increase since 1984, according to the
World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Posted.
http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140911/global-warming-is-so-much-worse-than-we-thought-heres-the-chart-that-proves-it


DIESEL EMISSIONS

Truck performance tuning firm fined $1 million by ARB for selling
illegal parts.  One of the leaders in the high performance diesel
and racing industry has run afoul of California's air pollution
laws. As a result, the California Air Resources Board (ARB)
announced today that it has fined H&S Performance LLC $1 million
for selling illegal aftermarket parts in California in violation
of the California Health and Safety Code.  Posted. 
http://www.examiner.com/article/truck-performance-tuning-firm-fined-1-million-by-arb-for-selling-illegal-parts


GREEN ENERGY

Cupertino to install solar power-generating systems at service
center.  The city of Cupertino is going solar in one part of
town. The Cupertino City Council on Sept. 2 unanimously and
quickly agreed to go in on a Regional Renewable Energy
Procurement Project. It will bring the installation of solar
power generation facilities to the Cupertino Service Center. The
council action gives City Manager David Brandt the go-ahead to
negotiate and execute an energy services contract with Cupertino
Electric Inc., for an amount not to exceed $426,207. Posted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/News/ci_26509161/Cupertino-to-install-solar-powergenerating-systems-at-service-center

VEHICLES

California Energy Commission to award $13M to further ZEVs and
advanced vehicle technology manufacturing in the state.  The
California Energy Commission has issued two solicitations for a
combined $13.3 million to further advanced ZEV and advanced
vehicle technologies in the state. The first, Zero Emission
Vehicle (ZEV) Readiness (PON-14-603), will award about $3.3
million to support planning efforts for plug-in and fuel cell
vehicles.  Posted. 
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/20140910-cec.html 

California Energy Commission awards $5M grant to AltAir Fuels to
expand renewable diesel production; $3M to GFP Ethanol for
sorghum feedstock.  The California Energy Commission approved $8
million in grants to two biofuel companies stemming from a
solicitation issued earlier this year (PON-13-609: Pilot-Scale
and Commercial-Scale Advanced Biofuels Production Facilities).  
AltAir Fuels LLC (earlier post) will receive $5 million to expand
production of renewable diesel fuels at its Paramount facility in
Los Angeles County from 30 million gallons per year to 40 million
gallons per year, and allow for processing of additional
feedstocks.  Posted. 
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/20140911-cec.html 

Neighborhood electric vehicles hugely popular in Lincoln.  At the
Sun City Lincoln Hills retirement community, the preferred mode
of transportation isn’t a pickup truck, luxury sedan or Harley
Davidson motorcycle. It’s an NEV, which stands for neighborhood
electric vehicle. NEVs are small and appear identical to golf
carts, but they carry some safety features of cars, including
seat belts, signal lights and rearview mirrors. In recent years,
NEVs have gained a following in Lincoln Hills, a sprawling
community of 11,000 people spread over 3,000 acres. Posted. 
http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/11/3526096/neighborhood-electric-vehicles.html#storylink=cpy

MISCELLANEOUS

Ships Offered Incentive To Slow For Whales.  An environmental
partnership is rolling out an incentive program to save whales
and air quality.  Sean Hastings, with NOAA Channel Islands Marine
Sanctuary, said air pollution control districts and other groups
are raising money to pay ships $2,500 per transit to slow down in
local shipping lanes.  Posted. 
http://www.keyt.com/news/ships-offered-incentive-to-slow-for-whales/27992640
 

La mesa will outfit downtown with new shade trees.  La Mesa has
had city workers cut down most of the shade trees along La Mesa
Boulevard as it gets deeper into its Downtown Village Streetscape
Improvement effort. Planned since March 2008, the $5.8 million
project’s intent is to improve crosswalks and pedestrian areas;
update sidewalks, curbs, gutters and pedestrian ramps; upgrade
landscaping, street trees and planters; add new lighting; new
benches, new trash receptacles and new recycling containers; and
update street signs, pedestrian and vehicular directional signs.
Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/11/tp-la-mesa-will-outfit-downtown-with-new-shade/


OPINION

AB 32: Resist attempts to undercut California's landmark clean
energy law.  For years, California's largest greenhouse gas
emitters have known what was coming under AB 32, our state's
pioneering climate and clean energy law. Many have planned
accordingly and have been doing things like implementing energy
efficiency programs that positively impact the bottom line.
However, some are making a last-ditch effort to change the rules.
 Posted. 
http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26501376/AB-32:-Resist-attempts-to-undercut-Californias-landmark-clean-energy-law


Extras on Excise: Will Part of California’s Cap-and-Trade Program
Become a Backdoor Gas Tax? Several years ago, the California
Legislature approved a cap-and-trade program aimed at cutting
greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. It already
applies to some industries, but in January, the program will
apply to transportation fuel suppliers for the first time. The
Golden State’s implementation of cap-and-trade could very well be
a test case for other states as well as the federal government.
Posted. http://www.bna.com/extras-excise-part-b17179894732/

Guest commentary: Still time to offer advice on pollution
mitigation.  California is poised to make major investments in
neighborhoods that face significant pollution. On Sept. 3, nearly
200 people turned out in Oakland to have their say in how that
money is spent. Their is still time to add your voice. Starting
in just a few weeks, a state law called the Climate and Community
Investment Act, or SB 535, will give Californians some
much-needed relief from carbon pollution, along with providing
these communities with a whole host of other neighborhood-level
benefits. Posted.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/opinion/ci_26506045/guest-commentary-still-time-offer-advice-pollution-mitigation


BLOGS

California Dominates US Plug-In Market.  A shock that may come to
no one among the B&B, California leads the way in sales of
plug-ins with just over 100,000 units sold in the past four
years.  Bloomberg reports the figures, accounting for 40 percent
of the plug-in market, were compiled by the California Plug-In
Electric Vehicle Collaborative from data gathered between
December 2010 and August 2014 by the California Air Resources
Board, Hybridcars.com and Baum & Associates. Baum also reported
overall U.S. sales checked-in at around 250,000 units over the
same period.  Posted. 
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/09/california-dominates-us-plug-market/


Extras on Excise: Will Part of California’s Cap-and-Trade Program
Become a Backdoor Gas Tax?  Several years ago, the California
Legislature approved a cap-and-trade program aimed at cutting
greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. It already
applies to some industries, but in January, the program will
apply to transportation fuel suppliers for the first time. The
Golden State’s implementation of cap-and-trade could very well be
a test case for other states as well as the federal government. 
Posted.  http://www.bna.com/extras-excise-part-b17179894732/ 

The drought is destroying California’s organic dairy farms. 
“Roll down your window for a second and tell me what you smell,”
Rosie Burroughs instructs me. It’s early March and I’m in the
passenger seat of her gigantic white Ford pickup truck, bouncing
down a narrow, potholed dirt road on her farm in the rolling
hills just east of Turlock, Calif. Her husband, Ward is sitting
in the driver’s seat.  Posted. 
http://grist.org/food/the-drought-is-destroying-californias-organic-dairy-farms/


This legendary accounting firm ran the numbers on climate change.
 With every year that passes, we’re getting further away from
averting a human-caused climate disaster. That’s the key message
in this year’s “Low Carbon Economy Index,” a report released by
the accounting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers.  Posted. 
http://grist.org/climate-energy/this-legendary-accounting-firm-ran-the-numbers-on-climate-change/


How Toyota's 100-year textile history influenced FCV hydrogen
fuel cell car. Turns out, Toyota had a surprising ace in the hole
when it came to building the new fuel tanks for the FCV hydrogen
fuel cell car, which is coming next year. Well before Toyota
became the Toyota Motor Company, it was the Toyota Industries
Corporation and it made textile looms. This is important because
the main structure of the hydrogen tank is wound carbon fiber.
Posted.
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/10/toyota-100-year-textile-history-fcv-hydrogen-fuel-cell-car/


10 birds your grandkids may never see, thanks to climate change. 
Long before modern times, human beings caused great extinctions
of charismatic animals, including many species of birds. From the
gigantic Moas of New Zealand (the Polynesians killed them off in
about 100 years after arriving), to the Dodo and Passenger
Pigeon, we made nature poorer, throwing away biological diversity
and unique products of evolution that can never be replaced. 
Posted. 
http://grist.org/climate-energy/10-birds-your-grandkids-may-never-see-thanks-to-climate-change/






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