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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 26, 2014
Posted: 26 Nov 2014 12:53:21
ARB Newsclips for November 26, 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 Rescheduled California-Quebec carbon auction called “a success.” California’s latest auction of carbon emissions allowances proceeded smoothly Tuesday, about a week later than originally scheduled. The rescheduled auction went off as planned, said David Clegern, spokesman for the California Air Resources Board. The auction was supposed to take place last Wednesday but was postponed because of technical problems in the electronic auction platform. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4146989.html#storylink=cpy The country with the most cap-and-trade programs? China. Remember cap-and-trade? Above is a map of what parts of the world have these programs, also known as emissions trading schemes. In short, these programs limit the maximum amount of emissions that a company can produce, and then allow companies to buy, sell and trade extra emissions credits. The goal is to put a price on polluting, thereby disincentivizing it. http://knowmore.washingtonpost.com/2014/11/25/the-country-with-the-most-cap-and-trade-programs-china/ AIR POLLUTION EPA expected to propose stricter ozone limits. After years of inaction, the Obama administration is expected to propose tougher limits on smog Wednesday, according to people with knowledge of the rule-making effort. The new rule would be a major victory for public health groups, but it is sure to further stoke the partisan clashes between the president and Republicans poised to take control of Congress. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-epa-ozone-rule-20141126-story.html#page=1 EPA Proposes Stricter Ozone Air Pollution Standard. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday proposed lower limits for ground-level ozone, or smog, in the atmosphere, setting in motion the latest in a series of far reaching federal pollution restrictions. The EPA proposed limiting ozone between 65 and 70 parts per billion in the air and sought comment on a standard as strict as 60 parts per billion, all which is in line with what an independent scientific advisory panel had recommended earlier this year. The current level, established in 2008 by the George W. Bush administration, is set at 75 parts per billion. http://online.wsj.com/articles/epa-proposes-stricter-ozone-standard-1417012097?KEYWORDS=air+pollution Obama to Introduce Sweeping New Controls on Ozone Emissions. The Obama administration is expected to release on Wednesday a contentious and long-delayed environmental regulation to curb emissions of ozone, a smog-causing pollutant linked to asthma, heart disease and premature death. The sweeping regulation, which would aim at smog from power plants and factories across the country, particularly in the Midwest, would be the latest in a series of Environmental Protection Agency controls on air pollution that wafts from smokestacks and tailpipes. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/us/politics/obama-to-introduce-sweeping-new-controls-on-ozone-emissions.html?_r=0 E.P.A. Ozone Limits Divide Industry and Environmentalists. he Obama administration on Wednesday announced a long-delayed environmental regulation to curb emissions of ozone, a smog-causing pollutant linked to asthma, heart disease and premature death. The sweeping regulation, which would aim at smog caused by power plants and factories across the country, particularly in the Midwest, is the latest in a series of Environmental Protection Agency controls on air pollution that wafts from smokestacks and tailpipes. Such regulations, released under the authority of the Clean Air Act, have become a hallmark of President Obama’s administration. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/27/us/epa-ozone-limits-divide-industry-and-environmentalists.html AIR POLLUTION: Poll finds bipartisan support for tighter ozone standards. The majority of Americans want stricter standards for smog-forming pollutants, according to a new poll released today by public health groups. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19666198595&p=19f&v=1&x=lD14np7Q9EGy7O7S8mhPaQ EPA wants tougher anti-smog rules. • Says it will improve air quality • But what of the San Joaquin Valley, which cannot meet current requirements? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27229 Ozone standards. Priya Krishnakumar 185 counties in the United States do not meet the current EPA standard for ozone. 185 counties in the United States do not meet the current EPA standard for ozone. (Priya Krishnakumar) 185 counties in the United... http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-ozone-standards-image-20141125-photo.html?track=rss Rickshaw research reveals extreme Delhi pollution. The three-wheeled rickshaw lurched through New Delhi's commuter-clogged streets with an American scientist and several air pollution monitors in the back seat. Car horns blared. A scrappy scooter buzzed by belching black smoke from its tailpipe. One of the monitors spiked. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Rickshaw-research-reveals-extreme-Delhi-pollution-5918596.php China Moves to Bolster Air-Pollution-Control Law. China’s government took a step forward in strengthening its air-pollution-control law, adding new amendments aimed at increasing penalties for heavy polluters and giving local governments greater responsibilities to clean the skies. The State Council, China’s cabinet, approved the amendments Wednesday. http://online.wsj.com/articles/china-moves-to-bolster-air-pollution-control-law-1417011241?KEYWORDS=air+pollution China Promises Permanent APEC Blue In 2030. Blue Skies are ephemeral in China. Bouts of intense smog returned to Beijing as Chinese regulators relaxed the strict pollution-control measures they implemented before the Asia-Pacific Economic... http://www.forbes.com/sites/ywang/2014/11/25/china-promises-permanent-apec-blue-in-2030/ EPA Rejects a Texas Clean-Air Plan, Orders Pollution Upgrades on Some Big Coal. Plants The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday rejected parts of a key Texas clean-air plan, setting up a conflict with deep implications both for the state's electricity mix and air quality across much of... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141125/epa-rejects-texas-clean-air-plan-orders-pollution-upgrades-some-big-coal-plants Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Rules on Mercury From Power Plants. The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear a major challenge to the limits set by the Obama administration on emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants. It is the latest effort by industry groups to roll back regulations that would reduce emissions like mercury, soot, sulfur, smog and carbon dioxide. The case also threatens to undermine one of the administration’s most significant victories and chip away at President Obama’s legacy. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/us/politics/supreme-court-to-hear-case-on-costs-of-clean-air-act.html Bay Area air a little smoggier in 2014; heat blamed. The Bay Area had slightly smoggier air this year, and warmer temperatures were at least partly to blame, air pollution officials report. Bay Area concentrations of ozone,... http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_27010477/bay-area-air-little-smoggier-2014-heat-blamed Flames, smoke from Chevron Richmond came from unplanned flare, officials say. ...de-pressuring of equipment," Chevron spokesman Braden Reddall said. "There was no impact to the community, and fence line air monitors indicate no impact on air quality from the flaring." But a spokesman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which monitors the refinery's emissions,... http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_27014386/flames-smoke-from-chevron-richmond-came-from-unplanned CLIMATE CHANGE In Climate Talks, Spotlight Turns to India. "On a full moon night, if street lights are put off for two, three hours, will it not be service to the environment? Won't you enjoy the full moon night?" Narendra Modi said in September, adding: "We have forgotten to live with nature." He urged kids to switch off fans, lights, or appliances when not in use and turn off tap water when brushing teeth. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/11/141125-climate-talks-india-coal-carbon-emissions/ Efficiency And Tough Policies Figure in IEA Plan To Decarbonise Energy Sector. With the energy sector generating two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has laid out five actions taking the world to a low-carbon energy sector. These include immediate action to be taken by 2020, electricity decarbonisation, redirecting investments into clean energy, mobilising non-climate goals for energy decarbonisation and strengthening energy security. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/efficiency-tough-policies-figure-iea-plan-decarbonise-energy-sector-1476691 U.S. Treaty Envoy: Climate Deal Must Leave 'a Lot' of Fossil Fuels in the Ground. The world's fossil fuels will "obviously" have to stay in the ground in order to solve global warming, Barack Obama's climate change envoy said on Monday. In the clearest sign to date the administration sees no long-range... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141125/us-treaty-envoy-climate-deal-must-leave-lot-fossil-fuels-ground Talks to Phase Out a Potent Greenhouse Gas Include China, India, Other Developing Countries. International talks to deal with a particularly potent greenhouse gas took a cautious step forward on Wednesday, as India and a host of other countries agreed to "informal discussions." http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141124/talks-phase-out-potent-greenhouse-gas-include-china-india-other-developing-countries OIL AND GAS: Texas starts greenhouse gas permitting, taking over from EPA. After three years of refusing to do so, Texas' Commission on Environmental Quality took over greenhouse gas permitting from federal authorities this month. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19666198529&p=19f&v=1&x=2wxdl1u_pZukKNxsefoCmw Legislators want to outlaw pedestrian tolls on Golden Gate Bridge. ...citing the Golden Gate Bridge's world renown, said charging a sidewalk toll would send the wrong message about the Bay Area's commitment to combatting climate change. “It would be antithetical to everything California stands for,” he said. Priya Clemens, spokeswoman for the six-county... http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Legislators-want-to-outlaw-pedestrian-tolls-on-5917712.php Court rejects San Diego transportation plan. ...court on Monday rejected a San Diego agency's plan for more highways and public transportation, saying it wasn't properly evaluated for its impact on climate change. The 4th District Court of Appeal's 2-1 decision upheld a ruling against the 40-year plan adopted in 2011, which calls for 130... http://www.insidebayarea.com/california/ci_27007564/court-rejects-san-diego-transportation-plan Long list of species still awaiting federal rulings. ...that remains 257,000 square miles across 11 Western states is enormous. Those states and the industries thriving there, including oil, gas, solar and wind energy firms, are worried about having to steer their plans around protecting the grouse. The debate over what to do about the grouse... http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/sns-tns-bc-engangered-species-20141123-story.html U.S.-China Pledges Boost Optimism for 2015; Climate Deal Can be Reached, Stern Says. By Dean Scott Nov. 24 — Recent pledges by the U.S. and China to ramp up their actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions have sparked new optimism that a global climate accord can be reached in Paris in late 2015, the top U.S. climate negotiator... http://www.bna.com/uschina-pledges-boost-n17179912567/ Conservation plan could hurt windmill plan developments. Windmills dominate the landscape near the I-10 Interstate near Palm Springs, October 20, 2014.(Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun) For renewable energy advocates and environmental groups, few questions are more divisive than the impact of wind turbines on desert wildlife. Trade... http://www.desertsun.com/story/money/2014/11/24/drecp-hurt-windmill-developments/70059056/ FUELS Cellulosic Ethanol Exceeds Projections by EPA; Industry Fears Rule Changes. ...million gallons of the fuel as of Nov. 10, according to EPA data. That exceeds the 17 million gallons the EPA has proposed be blended into the nation's gasoline supply. But cellulosic ethanol producers fear an EPA proposal to reduce the overall renewable fuel blending requirements in 2014 could... http://www.bna.com/cellulosic-ethanol-exceeds-b17179912682/ State agencies that rarely work together do to prepare for EPA's power plant rule. Twenty years ago, the work of state air and utility regulators aligned about as often as Earth and Comet Hale-Bopp. But the historical separation between state agencies has eroded in recent years as U.S. EPA has sought to regulate power-sector emissions under the auspices of the Clean Air Act (CAA). http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060009605 Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Rules on Mercury From Power Plants. The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear a major challenge to the limits set by the Obama administration on emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants. It is the latest effort by industry groups to roll back regulations that would reduce emissions like mercury, soot, sulfur, smog and carbon dioxide. The case also threatens to undermine one of the administration’s most significant victories and chip away at President Obama’s legacy. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/us/politics/supreme-court-to-hear-case-on-costs-of-clean-air-act.html White House veto threat shelves possible tax plan. ...including breaks for race horse owners, manufacturers of electric motorcycles and improvements at NASCAR tracks. Other extenders include tax credits for biodiesel, for coal produced in Indian country, and breaks for energy-efficient homes and commercial buildings. Many of the breaks have been criticized... http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/White-House-veto-threat-shelves-possible-tax-plan-5918657.php VEHICLES Greener cars are insurance against risky oil dependence. As fuel prices fall below $3 per gallon in much of the country, it is tempting to think gasoline is so plentiful that we no longer need regulations to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles. We believe such thinking is unwise. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19674354682&p=19f&v=1&x=w2xPSKQORT4lkk1rJOrqDA Full Steam Ahead for Hyundai's Hydrogen-Fuelled Vehicles. ...revive the dream of a fleet of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles driving on Canadian highways as it becomes the first auto manufacturer to launch in Canada a fuel cell version of an existing car model. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/full-steam-ahead-hyundais-hydrogen-fuelled-vehicles GREEN ENERGY Santander to Sell Part of Nevada Solar-Project Stake to Canadian Pension Funds. Banco Santander S.A. is seeking regulatory approval to indirectly sell part of its stake in a large solar-energy project in Nevada to two big Canadian pension funds, according to a filing with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/santander-sell-part-nevada-solar-project-stake-canadian-pension-funds Clues Show How Green Electricity May Be in 2050. ...of the U.S. electric power grid, which is entering an era of rapid change as more renewables and rooftop solar installations come online. Credit: Tau Zero/flickr But even if the nation doesn't adapt to that degree, it is clear that the way Americans get their electricity and how it's generated will... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/clues-show-how-green-electricity-may-be-in-2050-18376 Can China Get 40% of Its Electricity From Renewables by 2040? (Greentech Media) Can China Get 40% of Its Electricity From Renewables by 2040? China could quadruple its share of modern renewable energy by 2030 with the right policies in place, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/can-china-get-40-its-electricity-renewables-2040 Conservative Group Targets GOP Members in Ads Against Wind Energy Credit. The conservative Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is publishing advertisements pushing individual Republicans to oppose tax credits for wind energy. The ads launched Monday in the hometown newspapers of 15 GOP representatives in eight states who have not given clear positions... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/conservative-group-targets-gop-members-ads-against-wind-energy-credit Renewable Energy Farms Spread Through California Deserts. Start near the Los Angeles International Airport and head due east on the Santa Monica Freeway, one of the busiest stretches of road on the globe, bumper... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/renewable-energy-farms-spread-through-california-deserts The Koch Brothers' Next Frontier: State, Local Renewable Energy Standards. It was spring 2014 in Kansas, and conservatives were running riot. Republicans had one of their own in the governor's office and supermajorities in both... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141125/koch-brothers-next-frontier-state-local-renewable-energy-standards RENEWABLE ENERGY: China needs $145B annual investment to meet 2030 targets. -- report China must invest $145 billion per year in technologies to increase its use of renewable energy to meet the goals laid out in the recent U.S.-China climate deal, according to a new report from the International Renewable... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19666198578&p=19f&v=1&x=KJkdQdUjSs_ytHbtMTXhXg Utility tries community solar projects. Solar energy intrigued Landy Comstock, but he wasn't ready to fork out $30,000 to install solar panels on the roof of his home in Valleyford.... http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article4140239.html OPINIONS Opinion Journal: Is Questioning Climate Change Illegal? ... by environmentalists and climate change skeptics but it sounds like ... I'm actually a battle of free speech the first Amendment rights ... it is of Hussman about lives have been called to the innocent of any well informed Jace ... and discussing with the lowland of Apple pulling to tweet you switch from treating me crawl sees ... it or actual temperature records ... and the andthe the size of fortnight that is required for when you disclose that ... much already fascinates me but it's essentially an argument ... I bough public policy ... and on time and is known to a pack climate scientists and matches the climate science ... activist who wants to influence ... public policy in the United States he's been seen in campaign commercials ... at the Terry McAuliffe governor's race in Virginia for example ... ISI essentially this is a way all ... of of of putting public policy ... http://www.wsj.com/video/opinion-journal-is-questioning-climate-change-illegal/C336402F-F428-4990-B1C0-8C0214DF21DD.html BLOGS Obama Threatens To Veto Corporate Tax Cut Deal For Locking Out Middle Class. ...overseas until they bring the money back into the country. The only corporate tax credit that would be allowed to expire under the reported deal is for wind energy, a program broadly supported by environmental groups. In exchange for the business perks, Senate Democrats secured a provision... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/25/corporate-tax-cuts_n_6220668.html Volkswagen Passat HyMotion Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle Prototype: Brief Drive. The 2016 Toyota Mirai may have been the biggest news in hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles at last week's Los Angeles Auto Show, but it wasn't alone. VW Group brought two fuel-cell prototypes... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095647_volkswagen-passat-hymotion-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-prototype-brief-drive Sustainable Communities Bureaucratic Hoops Make D.C. Affordable Housing Units Hard To Sell In Washington, D.C., a city with one of the highest costs of living in the nation, low-income residents are having trouble buying affordable housing — not because of a lack of it, but because of all the red tape. Nearly one in five D.C. residents lives at or below the... http://blogs.kqed.org/feeds/2014/11/25/bureaucratic-hoops-make-d-c-affordable-housing-units-hard-to-sell/ Cuomo's Regulatory Chief Sets Precedent for Protecting Environment and Ratepayers. ...conducted his own, independent study this past summer. He relied on NYISO data and additional factors that could affect future energy demand, including climate change, demographic trends in energy use and different scenarios for continued operation of the Indian Point nuclear facility in Westchester... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ned-sullivan/cuomos-regulatory-chief-s_b_6199498.html Better Than Disinvestment: A More Effective Move Against Climate Change. Students and alumni who want action against climate change are pressing universities to rid their endowment funds of the stocks of companies that produce fossil fuels. They look back to... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-r-bergmann/better-than-disinvestment_b_6220982.html?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green New Yorkers, Times Have Changed: Charge Your Car or Fill It Up? Electric vehicles are getting a lot more efficient and popular to drive in New York City. Did you know there are more than 150 commercial electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Manhattan, as listed in the online database PlugShare, compared with only 39 gas stations,... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maya-albanese/new-yorkers-times-have-changed-charge-your-car-or-fill-it-up_b_6220690.html?ir=Technology&utm_hp_ref=technology Report: EPA: 2014 renewable fuel standards 'significantly delayed.' Filed under: Biodiesel, Ethanol, Legislation and Policy, United States The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not going to decide just yet how much... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/26/epa-2014-renewable-fuel-standards-significantly-delayed/ Another Major Climate Breakthrough: China Will Cap Its Coal Consumption by 2020. Hard on the heels of last week's historic US-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change, in which China pledged for the first time to cap its CO2 emission by 2030, China's State Council has just announced a... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-a-finamore/another-major-climate-bre_b_6212518.html?utm_hp_ref=green China's Air Pollution Solution. China and the US announced a substantial policy down payment on tackling greenhouse gas emissions in Beijing. Related air pollution problems in China are literally breathtaking: my eyes watered and I was... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/terry-tamminen/chinas-air-pollution-solu_b_6152436.html?utm_hp_ref=green Global Warming As a Solvable Problem. ...planet to resist change - the Gaia hypothesis. For example, mushrooms and other fungi modulate their growth rate in response to temperature so as to resist global warming. Even if the pace of our response to the climate change challenge is far too slow, there are many reasons for... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nigel-barber/global-warming-as-a-solva_b_6213054.html?utm_hp_ref=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.