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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 2, 2015
Posted: 02 Mar 2015 15:34:51
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 Court Upholds CARB Regulations Implementing Cap and Trade Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. On February 23, 2015, the California Court of Appeal affirmed a trial court decision upholding regulations adopted by the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) under the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (“the Act”) implementing CARB’s “Cap-and-Trade” program for reducing greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions. The Court rejected challenges to the regulations brought by the environmental organization Our Children’s Earth Foundation (“OCEF”), which argued that the regulations improperly allowed GHG emission offset credits for emission reductions that would otherwise occur, and deferred to CARB’s exercise of its statutory authority. http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/court-upholds-carb-regulations-implement-30874/ State, tribe reach multimillion-dollar deal on carbon offset credits. A nearly 5,600-acre swath of tribal forest land in remote, northeastern Mendocino County will be contributing to California’s effort to reduce greenhouse gases while generating revenue for the Round Valley Indian Tribes under a new agreement with state officials. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/home/3579122-181/state-tribe-reach-multimillion-dollar-deal AIR POLLUTION Pollution documentary attracts huge interest in China. A slick new documentary on China's environmental woes has racked up more than 175 million online views in two days, underscoring growing concern in the country over the impact of air, water and soil pollution. Hosted by former state television reporter Chai Jing, "Under the Dome" offers a well-produced look at the cost to the environment of 30 years of breakneck economic development. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_POLLUTION_DOCUMENTARY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Related stories: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/03/02/world/asia/ap-as-china-pollution-documentary.html?_r=0 http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/02/us-china-environment-idUSKBN0LY11P20150302 http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-china-environment-movie-20150302-story.html#page=1 http://www.sfgate.com/business/technology/article/Pollution-documentary-attracts-huge-interest-in-6109633.php ENVIRONMENT: SoCal's smog smolders on. It’s become a regular occurrence, but is it working? Poor air quality has compelled our regional smog-fighting agency to routinely issue fireplace wood-burning bans to prevent fine particle pollution from violating federal health standards. Since Nov. 1, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has declared 25 no-burn days -- up from 16 days the same period a year ago. http://www.pe.com/articles/air-761314-pollution-days.html Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia introduces bills on New River, air pollution. Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia is continuing the work of his predecessor with the introduction of the Border Air and Water Act, which is an attempt to help mitigate public health issues because of pollution. “I’m here to introduce a series of bills that will enhance the overall quality of life for this border city of Calexico and create greater opportunities for funding and address a series of issues affecting not only the economic vitality opportunities in this region, but more importantly the public health and well being of the people who live here,” Garcia said during a press conference Friday. http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/local/assemblymember-eduardo-garcia-introduces-bills-on-new-river-air-pollution/article_3a5d9bb2-47b3-5920-866d-58fd5153de65.html Killer Smog Tests Top Iran Woman as Pollution Sparks Action. The snowy peaks of the Alborz Mountains visible through Iranian Vice-President Masoumeh Ebtekar’s Tehran office window may be evidence that the city is finally serious about tackling its chronic air pollution. The capital’s factories and five million vehicles, prevented from burning imported cleaner fuels by global sanctions, turn the air in colder months into a suffocating smog that shuts schools and offices. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-02/killer-smog-tests-iran-s-top-woman-as-pollution-sparks-action New wood-burning rules: Less smoke, possibly more confusion. The San Joaquin Valley’s air was cleaner this winter — maybe because it was a little stormier, foggier and breezier. Or maybe some people avoided their fireplaces because they were confused by the new wood-burning rules. http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/02/28/4400875_new-wood-burning-rules-less-smoke.html?rh=1 CLIMATE CHANGE Exposing the Doubt-Mongers Trying to Convince You Climate Change Isn’t Real. In Merchants of Doubt, their 2010 book that vivisects bad science and industrial cynicism, science historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway decried the uneven battle for the popular imagination fought, on one side, by scientists ill-equipped for high-volume cable-TV tussles and, on the other, by the “well-financed contrarians” bent on dismantling whatever lab results, peer-reviewed theories and settled science might lead to even the most benign corporate regulations. http://www.newsweek.com/exposing-doubt-mongers-trying-convince-you-climate-change-isnt-real-310372 What Is Apple Really Doing About Climate Change? Apple likes to say it's on the cutting edge of the fight against climate change. Over the past two weeks, the company has boasted about the $848 million solar farm it's building to power its new headquarters in Silicon Valley and two new European data centers that will be its "lowest impact" yet. But projects like this barely scratch the surface of Apple's impact on the environment. Only 2 percent of the company's greenhouse gas emissions have anything to do with facilities like its headquarters and data centers, according to the company's 2014 report on its climate change efforts. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-03-01/what-is-apple-really-doing-about-climate-change- DIESEL ACTIVITIES School bus filtration system cuts pollution by 88%. Los Angeles freeways are a benefit to Angelenos, but they are also often congested and smoggy. Children riding school buses on LA roads and freeways are exposed to high levels of pollution, resulting in respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis. A new study by researchers at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health found that an on-board air filtration system developed specifically for school buses can reduce exposure to vehicular pollutants by up to 88%. The findings were published online on March 2 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. http://www.examiner.com/article/school-bus-filtration-system-cuts-pollution-by-88 DROUGHT California drought likely a fixture of the future, says Stanford study. Human-caused climate change is increasing drought risk in California -- boosting the odds that our current crisis will become a fixture of the future, according to a major report Stanford scientists released Monday morning. The new study looked at data -- both backward and forwards, in time -- to understand the influence of greenhouse gases on California's past, present and future. http://www.insidebayarea.com/breaking-news/ci_27625259/california-drought-likely-fixture-says-stanford-study VEHICLES Resale Prices Tumble on Electric Cars. Nissan Motor Co. ’s Leaf electric car has been a big seller for Atlanta car dealer Pat Hoban over the past three years, thanks to its low monthly lease price. But as those car leases are beginning to expire amid cheap gasoline, the vehicle is becoming a bit of a headache. Mr. Hoban expects between 100 and 150 of the leased vehicles to be returned to his Capitol City Nissan dealership on a monthly basis over the next two years as their leases expire. The problem: used Leafs aren’t attracting much demand. http://www.wsj.com/articles/resale-prices-tumble-on-electric-cars-1424977378?tesla=y California bill would reduce sales tax on green cars. The California Legislature is considering a bill that would cut the state sales tax on green cars by more than half in an effort to spur sales of clean vehicles. The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), would reduce the sales tax on new clean vehicles to 3.06%, down from the current 7.5%. The reduction would apply to electric cars, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, plug-in hybrids and compressed natural gas vehicles. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-green-car-sales-tax-20150228-story.html Lawmaker calls to expand rebates for electric cars, renewable diesel stations. California Assemblyman Henry Perea has introduced legislation to expand rebates for clean vehicles and increase pump stations for renewable diesel. The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, funded by the California Air Resources Board, offers rebates of up to $5,000 for new electric and hybrid vehicles such as the Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf. Under Assembly Bill 904, Perea would expand the program to used vehicles that are more accessible to lower income Californians. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2015/03/02/lawmaker-calls-to-expand-rebates-for-electric-cars.html OPINIONS Is the Environment a Moral Cause? According to a recent poll, a large majority of Americans, and roughly half of Republicans, say they support governmental action to address global warming. The poll, conducted by The New York Times, Stanford and the research organization Resources for the Future, stands in stark contrast to the vast partisan gulf in political efforts to address climate change. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/opinion/sunday/is-the-environment-a-moral-cause.html Doctors should take lead in push to curb climate change. Doctors should take the lead in supporting political efforts to cut the pace of climate change and encouraging more people to see the problem as a crucial issue for public health, experts say. With the 68th World Health Assembly coming up in May in Geneva, countries are poised to adopt the world's first resolution on air pollution and health, in an effort to reduce premature deaths linked to air pollution. Studies have found that air pollution can worsen a variety of health problems, from heart disease to strokes, said Carlos Dora, coordinator of public health and the environment at the World Health Organization (WHO). http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/28/climate-health-doctors-idUSL5N0W204Q20150228 China, California collaborate on electric vehicle market. China’s market for electric vehicles took off last year. Sales of electric vehicles, including pure battery electric and plug-in electric vehicles, or PEVs, grew fourfold, from 19,713 in 2013 to 84,900 in 2014. China may leapfrog the U.S. this year to become the world’s largest PEV market – largely due to a mix of new and strengthened policies. The motivation is clean air, as well as energy security and enhancing the domestic auto industry. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article11089439.html Cap and trade financing will aid trains. Last week’s column on more trains rolling into Salinas got some strong responses. Dear Goya: Where (on earth) will we get the money? (this is paraphrased from a longer and more hostile message about trains) — anonymous Dear Anon: Part of the answer is Cap and Trade-generated money — also known as “the only new money in Sacramento.” http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2015/03/01/cap-trade-financing-will-aid-trains/24241135/ Forget About Climate Change, America's Refineries Make Keystone XL A Bad Idea. When I filled up my hybrid’s gasoline tank last week, the pump price had jumped 30 cents from my last fill-up. I said to myself, “Hmmm…something’s going on.” Gasoline prices don’t just move up and down on a whim. So when I found out about the refinery woes going on across the country, I wasn’t surprised. A devastating explosion destroyed much of Exxon Mobil XOM -0.88%’s Torrance refinery in California two weeks ago and severely cut into America’s ability to make gasoline. Residents for miles around had to cope with ash, gaseous fumes and really unhealthy air quality. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2015/03/02/forget-about-climate-change-americas-refineries-make-keystone-xl-a-bad-idea/ Watch 'Meet the Press' treat climate change as a big joke. As you may have heard, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), who astonishingly enough is chairman of the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, brought a snowball to the floor of the U.S. Senate last week to debunk "all this hysteria about global warming." http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-watch-meet-the-press-because-20150301-column.html BLOGS CNN’s Bill Weir Explores the World’s Threatened Wonders. Something interesting, and encouraging, is happening on television these days. As I wrote recently, PBS is running “Earth a New Wild,” a engaging series in which the conservation biologist M. Sanjayan reveals opportunities for sustaining biological diversity and dynamics even as human population and consumption pressures rise. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/cnns-bill-weir-explores-the-worlds-threatened-wonders/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Geography&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body Here's How NYC Says It's Saving 800 Lives A Year By Cleaning Up The Air. It’s been a cold winter in New York City, which means a lot of building owners are turning up the heat -- and pumping more pollutants into the city’s air. But the amount of black smoke billowing above the five boroughs is dramatically less than it was just four years ago. Since 2011, according to city figures, soot pollution in the city's air has plummeted by 50 percent, which amounts to 375 tons of airborne soot that isn’t lodging itself inside the lungs of New Yorkers, or helping to hasten the effects of climate change. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/27/nyc-clean-heat_n_6769462.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.