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ARB Newsclips for October 29, 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

U.S. EPA seeks more input on sweeping power plant rule.  U.S.
regulators said on Tuesday they wanted more input on elements of
a sweeping plan to reduce pollution from power plants and about
the role natural gas can play to achieve emissions cuts.    The
Environmental Protection Agency identified areas of concern
raised by ""multiple stakeholders"" since it unveiled its
proposals in June, and hopes to get...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/28/us-usa-climatechange-epa-idUSKBN0IH23W20141028?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230


CLIMATE CHANGE

CORRECTED-UPDATE 1- Australia govt wins backing for emissions
scheme. (Corrects year in paragraph four to 2000 from 2005). 
Australia's government has reached a compromise with independent
senators and a key opposition party to secure support for a A$2.5
billion ($2.2 billion) fund to cut greenhouse gas emissions,
Environment Minister Greg Hunt said Wednesday. 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/29/australia-climatechange-idUSL4N0SO2VA20141029?feedName=rbssEnergyNews&feedType=RSS


Emissions drop puts EU just shy of 2020 goal. The European
Union's environment agency says the bloc's greenhouse gas
emissions dropped by nearly 2 percent last year, putting the EU
very close to reaching its emissions target for 2020.  That goal
is to reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases by 20
percent compared to 1990...",
http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Emissions-drop-puts-EU-just-shy-of-2020-goal-5852352.php
 

Merced County agency sued over transportation plan.  Two
environmental organizations are suing the Merced County
Association of Governments for adopting a regional transportation
plan they claim fails to meet targets for reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, lacks a full review of environmental impacts and
doesn't encourage public transportation.  The Regional
Transportation Plan is MCAG's long-range planning document.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/28/4203959/merced-county-agency-sued-over.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f


US military refuses to be 'too late' on climate change.
...comprehending the deadly purpose of a potential enemy. Too
late in realizing the mortal danger. Too late in preparedness.
Too late in uniting all possible forces for resistance."  Today,
as we pass another global heat record, we run the risk of being
too late on climate change, endlessly debating causes at the
expense of sensible actions.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article3413993.html


Pending U.N. report states that lack of prompt action on climate
change will lead to 'severe' and 'irreversible impacts' on
planet. Continuing to pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
will trigger "severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for
people, species and 27 ecosystems," concludes a landmark draft
U.N. science report expected to be approved this week.  Adapting
to climate change, according to a final draft obtained by
ClimateWire, can reduce some risks.
http://news.vocus.com/?a=19387931111&p=19f&v=1&x=c5C9HPWAB1d0LHunTSFLOQ


DROUGHT

California drought nourishes fake grass sales.  Businesses that
sell artificial grass are making some serious green in
drought-stricken Southern California.  The Torrance Daily Breeze
(http://bit.ly/1rPqeAD) says the synthetic turf industry is
booming as folks look for ways to reduce water consumption. 
Chris Hayman of Earth Design Landscape in Redondo Beach...",
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/28/4202100/california-drought-nourishes-fake.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f


Farmers sue state over drought water decisions.  East San Joaquin
Valley growers are suing state water authorities over drought
decisions, claiming east-side communities and farms got no
federal water after the state illegally denied deliveries to a
separate group of landowners with senior water rights. The case
was filed Friday in Fresno County Superior Court against..."
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/28/4203314/farmers-sue-state-over-drought.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f


California drought takes bite out of rice harvest," ...the
Sacramento Valley farmers who planted 25 percent less rice than
normal because of water cutbacks, which is impacting migratory
birds, and other wildlife that depend on flooded rice fields for
habitat. California's deepening drought is shrinking its rice
harvest, and that's bad news for farmers, migratory birds and
sushi lovers.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/28/4204067/california-drought-takes-bite.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f


Prop. 1 aims to relieve drought — but not this one.  California's
stubborn drought helped push a $7.5-billion water bond through
the Legislature and onto the November ballot. But even if voters
approve Proposition 1, it won't provide relief any time soon.
"It's going to be a long time before we...",
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-water-bond-20141029-story.html



Drought could bring diseases to bird refuges. ...these birds face
every year as they fly south from frigid Canada and Alaska.   
But this year, predators may be the least of the worries for
these birds. Starvation, avian cholera and botulism may be bigger
killers than usual. It's another dark twist from California's
destructive drought. When the birds make their annual arrival
this fall and winter after flying thousands of miles from the
north, they will find drought-depleted wetlands on the west side
of the San Joaquin Valley. Authorities...
http://www.modbee.com/news/local/article3397773.html 

DIESEL EMISSIONS

FUELS

EPA announces Frontier Refining to pay penalties. ...The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency says Frontier Refining has agreed
to pay $153,000 in penalties to address violations at its oil
refinery in Cheyenne.  The federal agency says Frontier
Refining's agreement addresses alleged violations of the Clean
Air Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act. 
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/EPA-announces-Frontier-Refining-to-pay-penalties-5852335.php


Why gas is suddenly $3 a gallon – and could go lower,"...who
studied world supplies on a field by field basis – says that the
current 95 million barrel a day rate of production could easily
rise to 100 million barrels a day. That level is “already locked
in,” he wrote in a separate email to the Post. Including biofuels
and natural gas liquids, global production capacity is already
more than 100 million barrels a day.  Maugeri isn't the only
person to have forecast a decline in oil prices. It's a common
saying in the cyclical oil business that “the best cure...
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/29/4204328/why-gas-is-suddenly-3-a-gallon.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f557%2f


Modesto-area gas prices dip below $3 per gallon. Heather Johnson
spends a lot of time and money at gasoline stations. Johnson, a
student, was thrilled to pay $2.99 a gallon at an Arco station in
Turlock on Tuesday morning.  “It's great,” she said of the
dropping gas prices. On a budget that counts every dollar,
Johnson said it was a happy surprise...",
http://www.modbee.com/news/local/article3422764.html 

Study shows biodiesel blends in buses reduce PM, other harmful
exhaust elements, EC and CO.  A new study on the combustion
properties of biodiesel for use in urban transit buses found that
using biodiesel can effectively reduce the mass of particulate
matter released in both hot and cold idle modes. The study,
published by the Mineta National Transit Research Consortium
(MNTRC)... 
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/study-shows-biodiesel-blends-in-buses-reduce-pm-other-harmful-exhaust-elements-ec-and-co.html


DOE launches $1M H2 Refuel H-Prize for small-scale hydrogen
refueling.  The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Fuel Cell
Technologies Office (FCTO) and the Hydrogen Education Foundation
(HEF) launched the $1-million H2 Refuel H-Prize. The two-year
competition challenges America's engineers and entrepreneurs to
develop affordable systems for small-scale...,
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141029-h2.html 

California Energy Commission to award up to $3M for advanced
biofuel projects.  The California Energy Commission's Alternative
and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP)
announced (PON-14-602) the availability of up to $3 million in
grant funds for biofuels projects that are in the
early/pre-commercial technology development stage. This
solicitation is emphasizing transformative technology solutions
to significant biofuels industry problems that increase yields,
productivity, or cost effectiveness...
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141028-cec.html 

Hydropower May Be Huge Source of Methane Emissions," Imagine
nearly 6,000 dairy cows doing what cows do, belching and being
flatulent for a full year. That's how much methane was emitted
from one Ohio reservoir in 2012.  Reservoirs and hydropower are
often thought of as climate friendly because they don't burn
fossil fuels to produce electricity. But what if reservoirs that
store water and produce electricity..."
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/hydropower-as-major-methane-emitter-18246
  

VEHICLES

Volkswagen to launch over 20 green vehicle models in China by
2018. Volkswagen AG, Europe's biggest carmaker, plans to launch
more than 20 models of battery-driven cars in China by the end of
2018, as it capitalizes on Beijing's support for low-emission
vehicles in the country's campaign against pollution. By 2020
there could be "some hundred thousand" pure electric and plug-in
hybrid vehicles in China…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/29/us-volkswagen-ecars-idUSKBN0II08420141029
 

Automakers look to hydrogen fuel cell technology. Hyundai started
leasing a hydrogen fuel cell version of its Tucson SUV, above,
this year. To the right is a fuel cell stack on display at the
2013 L.A. Auto Show.  Hyundai started leasing a hydrogen fuel
cell version of its Tucson SUV, above, this year....",
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-1602129-fi-adv-auto-show-42-cmh-jpg-20141024-photo.html?track=rss
  

General Motors to Build Volt Electric Drive in
Michigan...government-backed bankruptcy in 2009, GM has announced
investments of more than $11 billion in the U.S., with almost
half committed in Michigan.  The Volt, which started sales in
2010 and is assembled in a Hamtramck, Michigan, factory with a
sibling Cadillac ELR, is a plug-in electric vehicle. After
charging at a home outlet, it can run on electric-only mode and
then switch to power from a small gasoline engine after the
battery is drained. 
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-28/general-motors-to-build-volt-electric-drive-in-michigan


Electric-car drivers trading gas for solar power. ...say the
investment pays off over time and is worth it for the thrill of
fossil fuel-free driving.  "We think it was one of the best
things in the world to do,"" says Kevin Tofel, who bought a
Chevrolet Volt in 2012 to soak up the excess power from his home
solar-energy system. "We will never go back to an all-gas car."
No one knows exactly how many electric cars are being powered by
solar energy, but the number of electric and plug-in hybrid cars
in the U.S. is growing....
http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Electric-car-drivers-trading-gas-for-solar-power-5852730.php
  

"2016 Chevy Volt promises more battery range, power". The 2016
Chevrolet Volt will have an all-new drivetrain that will deliver
a longer driving range on battery power, quicker acceleration and
quieter operation when the car's gasoline engine is running, the
extended-range electric car's development team said Tuesday. The
Volt was hailed as a technical triumph when it went on sale. It
won every automotive award in sight, but never hit the ambitious
sales goals GM set for...
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/business/ci_26817191/2016-chevy-volt-promises-more-battery-range-power
  

Chrysler recalls over 566,000 trucks, SUVs  ...chassis cabs from
2010 through 2014.  In trucks with 6.7-Liter Cummins diesel
engines, corrosion on a fuel heater terminal could cause
overheating, fuel leaks and fires. Chrysler is not aware of any
fires or injuries. Owners could be warned by an odor of diesel
fuel.  Customers will be notified by letters starting in
December.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/29/4204303/chrysler-recalls-over-566000-trucks.html?sp=%2f99%2f170%2f


The States Where Electric Car Sales Are Skyrocketing
[Infographic]...has become the fastest growing market for
electric carsin the United States. Last March, the state of
Georgia had a grand total of 1,469 registered electric vehicles.
12 months later that number grew to 10,482, a whopping 614
percent increase. So why are electric cars becoming so popular in
Georgia? Several factors are contributing to the boom, with the
state's $5,000 tax credit the most obvious.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2014/10/28/the-states-where-electric-car-sales-are-skyrocketing-infographic/


GREEN ENERGY

EU on track so far with green energy goals, 2030 a challenge.  EU
nations have work to do to meet new green energy goals agreed
last week, as increased fossil fuel burning last year drove up
pollution in some countries, although the bloc is on track to
meet its earlier targets, official data showed on Tuesday.  The
figures from the European Environment..."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/28/us-eu-climatechange-idUSKBN0IH0YX20141028?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230


UC Merced sets goal of 100 percent renewable energy by late
2016,"...Solar Field in 2009. The campus plans to expand its
solar farm and install panels on rooftops, which could help the
campus get 100 percent of its energy from renewable resources by
2016.    UC Merced leaders say the campus could be completely
powered through renewable energy by the end of 2016, sooner than
originally planned.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/27/4201964/uc-merced-sets-goal-of-100-percent.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f


OPINIONS

Don't buy the fuel-cell hype -- electric cars hold the most
promise.  To the editor: I have been driving electric cars for 24
years, and contrary to what a Toyota Motor Corp. official said, I
am knocking on the company's door for another one. ("Carmakers
prepare to shift to hydrogen fuel cells," Oct. 26)  Here is why I
am not knocking on anyone's..."
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-1029-wednesday-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-20141029-story.html
 

Dirty Energy Dollars. ...The point was a highly political one: to
pressure Congress, President Barack Obama and world leaders to
take action. The United Nations, while trying to lead on climate,
remains hamstrung by member states unwilling to do what's
necessary to prevent further global warming.  What's blocking
many U.N. member states and their parliamentary or legislative
bodies from committing to substantial reductions in greenhouse
gasses is the pervasive influence of moneyed interests. Our
Congress is equally culpable…
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/economic-intelligence/2014/10/28/congress-should-refuse-donations-from-dirty-fossil-fuel-energy-companies


John Haarsma: Gray's positions correct and clear. Just what are
California State Assembly candidate Jack Mobley's positions on
the issues? His opponent, Assemblymember Adam Gray, has
diligently worked for oil and gas energy independence, and for
more water storage. At the same time, Gray is taking a vigorous
stand...
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article3428919.html


California has work to do to prepare for climate change: Guest
commentary. ...first anniversary of Typhoon Haiyan's similar
devastation throughout the Philippines as one of the most
powerful storms in recorded history.    Will Los Angeles be
prepared — or surprised — if it should happen here?    As the
impacts of a warming world and climate change begin to arrive —
and indeed, are already here…
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/opinion/20141028/california-has-work-to-do-to-prepare-for-climate-change-guest-commentary


The defining effect of AB 32: Higher gas prices. County
Supervisor Ron Roberts — for 20 years a member of the governing
board of the California Air Resources Board — is offering his
most pointed criticism yet related to implementation of AB 32,
the state’s landmark 2006 law targeting greenhouse-gas emissions
that contribute to global warming. Roberts is a strong supporter
of the law.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/oct/28/defining-effect-of-ab-32-higher-gas-prices/


BLOGS

Reducing Carbon Emissions And Increasing Grid Reliability Are
Doable. With the Clean Power Plan out for comment, a lot
utilities are scurrying to figure out their game plan — or just
how they would work with their state utility regulators to reduce
their carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030, from a 2005
baseline. The general feeling is that the goal is doable but it
may take a little more time. 
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2014/10/29/experts-reducing-carbon-emissions-and-increasing-grid-reliability-are-doable/


Inslee climate plans: Heavy winds ahead. The governor readies a
measure to limit carbon emissions. His critics roll out arguments
against it. Get ready for the 2015 legislative session.  There's
going to be a big climate change brawl in Washington's 2015
legislative session. And both sides spent Tuesday gearing up for
it.
http://crosscut.com/2014/10/29/under-the-dome/122548/inslee-climate-plans-heavy-winds-ahead/
 

Drilling Deeper: New Report Casts Doubt on Fracking Production
Numbers ... multiple related resources calling into question the
production statistics touted by promoters of hydraulic fracturing
("fracking").  By calculating the production numbers on a
well-by-well basis for shale gas and tight oil fields throughout
the U.S., Post Carbon concludes that the future of fracking is
not nearly as bright as industry cheerleaders suggest.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-horn/drilling-deeper-new-repor_b_6056534.html?utm_hp_ref=green


Electric-Car Drivers Trading Gasoline For Solar Power,"...say the
investment pays off over time and is worth it for the thrill of
fossil fuel-free driving. "We think it was one of the best things
in the world to do,"" says Kevin Tofel, who bought a Chevrolet
Volt in 2012 to soak up the excess power from his home
solar-energy system. "We will never go back to an all-gas car."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/28/electric-car-drivers-solar-panels_n_6061086.html?utm_hp_ref=green


Climate depression is for real. Just ask a scientist.  Two years
ago, Camille Parmesan, a professor at Plymouth University and the
University of Texas at Austin, became so “professionally
depressed” that she questioned abandoning her research in climate
change entirely. Parmesan has a pretty serious stake in the
field. In 2007…
http://grist.org/climate-energy/climate-depression-is-for-real-just-ask-a-scientist/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed
  

"Next-gen Chevy Volt will get 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine".  
As General Motors gets ready to unveil the new Chevy Volt at the
Detroit Auto Show in January, it's starting to reveal a few more
details about the updated plug-in hybrid. Today should be
fruitful on that front, thanks to an event GM is hosting today
that focuses on the new Volt, and we've just had the first bit of
new: a bigger engine is coming. 
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/28/next-gen-chevy-volt-will-get-1-5-liter-four-cylinder-engine
/   

Toyota says no one wants a Toyota electric car.  It's no secret
that Toyota doesn't really have a heart in pushing pure electric
vehicles. The very limited Scion iQ EV project was killed before
it went very far and the RAV4 EV project with Tesla was always
only meant to produce just 2,600 units, but it didn't even get
that far. In short, by all public appearances, Toyota just
doesn't see the value of a pure..."
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/28/toyota-says-no-one-wants-a-toyota-electric-car/


Best Car To Buy 2015 Poll, 2016 Chevy Volt Range Extender, Tesla
Model S Taxi: Today's Car News.  We revealed the full list of
2015 Best Car To Buy nominees yesterday, and today you can vote
for your favorite in our poll. Also, get the first details on the
2016 Chevrolet Volt's four-cylinder range-extending gasoline
engine, and see which city can now boast Tesla Model S taxis.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095160_best-car-to-buy-2015-poll-2016-chevy-volt-range-extender-tesla-model-s-taxi-todays-car-news




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