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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 30, 2015.
Posted: 30 Apr 2015 12:18:42
ARB Newsclips for April 30, 2015. 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 price uncertainty is a big worry for energy leaders heading into Paris, survey finds. Energy price volatility and the future of a carbon price are the issues that "keep energy leaders awake at night," according to a forthcoming survey of 1,000 energy leaders. In an interview yesterday previewing the World Energy Council's 2015 Trilemma report, Secretary-General Christoph Frei said the uncertainty around a meaningful carbon price has serious implications… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/04/30/stories/1060017722 AIR POLLUTION (THIS IS WATER POLLUTION—MOVE TO MISCELLANEOUs”) Record pollution fine for McDonald's supplier in China. A french fry supplier to the McDonald's restaurant chain in China has been issued Beijing's biggest-ever pollution fine for releasing dirty wastewater, state media reported. The official Xinhua News Agency said late Wednesday that Beijing environmental officials levied a record fine of 3.8 million yuan, or more than $650,000, against Beijing Simplot Food Processing Co. Ltd. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_MCDONALDS_SUPPLIER_FINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-04-30-07-03-45 The 10 most polluted cities in the U.S. California has had a rough go this year. The state’s historic drought is impacting the lives of Californians and now the drought is exacerbating California’s air pollution, according a new report by American Lung Association. But Californians are not alone. More than four in 10 Americans live in counties where the air is unhealthy to breathe due to ozone or particle pollution. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/04/30/the-10-most-polluted-cities-in-the-u-s/ Air pollution makes it ‘dangerous to breathe’ in many U.S. cities: report. Despite attempts to cut pollution, the nation's air has remained "too often dangerous to breathe" for nearly half the country, according to a report by the American Lung Association. While there's been "encouraging progress," in most cities, there is "evidence of troubling challenges" as pollution impacts nearly 138.5 million people… http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/pollution-dangerous-breathe-report-article-1.2204916 Report: California drought could worsen air pollution. Drought conditions may be exacerbating air pollution throughout California, according to a report released by the American Lung Association on Wednesday. ALA experts said many Western cities, as well as Riverside County as a whole, have been recording record numbers of days with high levels of short-term particle pollution. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/29/report-california-drought-could-worsen-air-pollution/26615205/ California air is getting cleaner, new report says. Good news for people who appreciate breathing: It’s getting easier to do in California, according to the American Lung Association’s latest “State of the Air” report, released Wednesday. The air is cleaner, but make no mistake. It’s still not good, according to the report. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-air-is-getting-cleaner-new-report-says-6232235.php Solano air quality good and bad. The air quality in Solano County continues to improve in some ways, but needs work in others according to a recent report released by the American Lung Association. The State of the Air 2015 is an annual report released by the American Lung Association on air quality. It lists both the cleanest and most polluted areas in the country. http://www.thereporter.com/general-news/20150429/solano-air-quality-good-and-bad Large industrial fire in Fresno affects air quality. Smoke from a large industrial fire in Fresno may periodically affect air quality in Fresno, Kings, Tulare and the valley portion of Kern counties until the fire is extinguished, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Smoke from fires produces fine-particulate matter that can cause serious health problems including lung disease… http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=28249 States, ag groups warn of harm to farmers from lower ozone standard. State and farm group officials yesterday told a House panel that a tightening of the national ozone standard would disproportionately affect rural America and farmers. Among the many potential impacts on rural areas raised by the witnesses: bans on prescribed burns and expensive upgrades to tractor equipment. http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1060017706/feed CLIMATE CHANGE Japan’s Plan for 26% Greenhouse Gas Cut Jeered as Too Timid. Japan’s promise to cut greenhouse gases by 26 percent by 2030 as part of a global deal to fight climate change has drawn quick criticism from environmental groups that say the effort is both statistically unsound and too timid. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government said the reductions would be made from a 2013 baseline. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-30/japan-government-proposes-26-cut-in-greenhouse-gases-by-2030 http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/04/30/japan-carbon-idUKL4N0XR5ZV20150430?feedType=RSS&feedName=rbssEnergyNews http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/04/30/world/asia/ap-as-japan-climate-change.html http://www.trust.org/item/20150430081755-f9347/?source=fiBlogs http://www.canadianbusiness.com/business-news/japanese-government-proposes-cutting-greenhouse-gas-emissions-up-to-a-quarter-before-2030/ To sustain climate adaptation, integrate it with local economies: experts. To make development efforts more sustainable, businesses need incentives to invest in community-level climate change adaptation programs – but resistance to creating those incentives is still strong, climate change specialists said this week in Nairobi. Some adaptation efforts steer clear of working with businesses, concerned that their aims… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/30/us-climatechange-adaptation-idUSKBN0NL18H20150430 McConnell suggests Obama plan to cut power emissions won't stick. The U.S. Senate majority leader on Wednesday urged countries to go slowly on committing to cut carbon emissions in any global agreement later this year, in his latest effort to cripple President Barack Obama's clean power plan. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/29/us-usa-carbon-mcconnell-idUSKBN0NK2LP20150429 Poll: Millennials are no more convinced about global warming than their parents. On Wednesday, the Harvard Institute of Politics released its latest poll on the political views of millennials. It surveyed more than 3,000 young Americans aged 18 to 29 — and the inquiry produced a striking data point when it comes to climate change. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/04/30/poll-millennials-are-no-more-convinced-about-global-warming-than-their-parents/ California Governor Orders New Target for Emissions Cuts. Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order Wednesday sharply speeding up this state’s already ambitious program aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, saying it was critical to address “an ever-growing threat” posed by global warming to the state’s economy and well-being. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/30/us/california-governor-orders-new-target-for-emissions-cuts.html?_r=0 http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/california-jerry-brown-cut-carbon-emissions-new-targets http://www.rtcc.org/2015/04/30/california-targets-40-emissions-cut-in-boost-to-us-climate-ambition/ http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/04/30/stories/1060017724 http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/california-raises-us-climate-bar-with-unprecedented-emissions-goal-59150 http://cleantechnica.com/2015/04/29/california-climate-goal/ https://civsourceonline.com/2015/04/30/california-governor-pushes-aggressive-emissions-cuts/ http://audio.californiareport.org/archive/R201504300850/a http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/04/30/stories/1060017724 US, Japan miss UN climate change fund deadline. A key U.N. climate fund hit a snag Thursday as major donors including the United States and Japan failed to meet a deadline for converting their pledges of climate aid into signed agreements. Green Climate Fund — intended to become the main international channel of climate finance for developing countries — said it had inked deals for 42 percent… http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/apr/30/us-japan-miss-un-climate-change-fund-deadline/ California’s Forests Have Become Climate Polluters. California introduced a world-leading carbon dioxide cap-and-trade program to drive down pollution rates after lawmakers approved an ambitious climate protection law in 2006. It also changed rules affecting utilities, spurring investments in some of the biggest solar power plants the world has yet seen. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/california-forests-climate-polluters-18941 The Massive New Online Course That Every Climate Science Denier Should Be Very Afraid Of. What’s the best way to show a climate change denier the error of their ways? A new online course answers this question for the masses. Hint: it’s not lobbing an endless stream of scientific evidence that proves human-driven climate change. While this approach may be cathartic, telling those who refuse to accept climate science for political, cultural… http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/04/30/3652549/climate-denial-debunking-101/ City approves 20-year plan to cut energy, greenhouse gases. City councillors unanimously endorsed an energy plan Wednesday designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions and save residents $2.5 billion. The energy transition strategy aims over the next 20 years to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases produced in Edmonton by 35 per cent from 2005 levels. http://www.edmontonjournal.com/City+approves+year+plan+energy+greenhouse+gases/11014542/story.html States, greens defend EPA against latest push to block carbon regs. Eleven states and environmental groups yesterday pushed back on assertions from challengers to U.S. EPA's proposed greenhouse gas power plant standards that recent comments by Administrator Gina McCarthy warrant blocking the rule from finalization. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/04/30/stories/1060017748 (MOVE UP TO ALL THE JERRY BROWN ARTICLESS)Things to know about California's plan to cut emissions. Here are some things to know about California Gov. Jerry Brown's new target for reducing carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN? Brown set a goal for the state to reduce emissions to 40 percent below what they were in 1990. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article19914099.html#storylink=cpy Climate change accelerates the spread of asthma. The first time Devine Simpson had an asthma attack, she said she couldn't stop coughing. It was so bad; it woke her up in the middle of the night. "I felt like I was going to throw up," she said. Devine was diagnosed at age 3, and for many years, her asthma seemed out of control, said her mother, Tracie Simpson. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/04/30/stories/1060017690 DROUGHT $10,000 fines a potent PR tool against water waste. Nobody knows how many water wasters there are in California. And it's far from clear that converting them to zealous conservationists would make a major dent in the drought. But the threat of fining wasters $10,000 a day —- as Gov. Jerry Brown proposed this week — could be a potent political and psychological weapon. As the governor pushes to cut urban water use across California by 25% over the next year, experts say he must create a sense of urgency about the drought and the need to save water. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-drought-psyche-20150430-story.html Yosemite's Half Dome opens three weeks early because of California's drought. Yosemite National Park will allow hikers up its iconic Half Dome trail this weekend -- three-weeks ahead of the trail’s traditional opening -- because of California’s drought. Though the trail up to the rock can be clear of snow by early May, in years past the granite top would still be covered because it faces north… http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-half-dome-yosemite-opens-this-weekend-due-to-drought-20150430-story.html DIESEL ACTIVITIES FUELS VEHICLES Five questions for Elon Musk about Tesla's battery business plan. Tesla Motors Chief Executive Elon Musk plans to launch the electric car market into a new product line -- batteries for home and business energy storage. That would allow users, for instance, to charge batteries at night -- when energy rates are cheap -- and use the power during peak hours in the daytime. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-tesla-battery-preview-20150429-story.html Electric Cars: Defining Battery-Electrics, Plug-In Hybrids, Range-Extended & More. With an ever-growing landscape of plug-in electric vehicles, there is now more potential than ever for confusion among potential buyers. To the casual observer, the umbrella term “electric car” can mean anything from an all-electric vehicle to even a hybrid. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098066_electric-cars-defining-battery-electrics-plug-in-hybrids-range-extended-more Volvo Cars announces improved fuel consumption/GHG numbers for XC90 T8 Twin Engine PHEV. Volvo Cars reports that its XC90 T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid is now rated with fuel consumption of 2.1 l/100 km (112 mpg US) and 49 g CO2/km, with 43 km (27 miles) all-electric range on the NEDC cycle for hybrids. In December 2014, the figures were 2.5 l/100 km and 59 g/km. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/04/20150430-volvo.html GREEN ENERGY First US Hotel With Energy Storage + EV Charging Is In Santa Monica. Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, California, is a luxury establishment with an energy storage system and fast DC electric vehicle (EV) charging — reportedly, the first one in the US to have this setup. It is expected that the lithium-ion energy storage system will help it reduce electricity demand charges by 50%. Over time, that savings will most likely offer a good return on investment (ROI). http://cleantechnica.com/2015/04/30/first-us-hotel-energy-storage-ev-charging-santa-monica/ MISCELLANEOUS OPINIONS RPT-COLUMN-Big data helps shipping lines cut fuel bills and emissions- Kemp. By focusing on operational improvements, shipping companies are reducing fuel consumption, saving money and cutting greenhouse emissions, while continuing to increase the amount of freight transported. Maersk Line, the world's largest container carrier, cut fuel consumption by more than 13 percent between 2012 and 2014… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/30/shipping-containers-fueloil-kemp-idUSL5N0XQ5RJ20150430 Beyond the Pope’s Message on Climate Change. To the Editor: “The Pope Joins the Climate Wars” (editorial, April 29) says “Catholic conservatives have argued that the pope has no special authority to delve into matters of scientific fact.” Francis is not doing that; he is supporting a much broader concept, that science and religion can coexist. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/30/opinion/beyond-the-popes-message-on-climate-change.html?_r=0 Gov. Brown's tough climate goals: Nation should follow California's lead. California has already adopted some of the world's most aggressive policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Now Gov. Jerry Brown has raised the bar even higher — setting a new, more ambitious target to reduce the pollutants that are responsible for climate change. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-brown-climate-change-20150430-story.html Victor Davis Hanson: An ironic drought in California. The present four-year California drought is not novel, even if President Barack Obama and Gov. Jerry Brown have blamed it on man-made climate change. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, California droughts are both age-old and common. Predictable California dry spells – like those of 1929-34, 1976-77 and 1987-92… http://www.modbee.com/opinion/state-issues/article19884174.html#storylink=cpy The present four-year California drought is not novel, even if President Barack Obama and Gov. Jerry Brown have blamed it on man-made climate change. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, California droughts are both age-old and common. Predictable California dry spells – like those of 1929-34, BLOGS LETTER: Washington Post wrote about dire global-warming threat -- in 1922. The Arctic Ocean is warming, icebergs are growing scarcer and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot. Reports from fishermen and seal hunters all point to a change in climate conditions (global warming) and unheard of temperatures in the Arctic zone. Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stone… http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/04/letter_107.html Pope's Coming Statement On Global Warming Will Be Significant. It is fitting that Pope Francis I, who chose his name from St. Francis of Assissi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, is preparing to publish an encyclical this summer on the effects of climate change on the poor, and the need to protect Earth and its environment. This is not to be taken lightly. http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2015/04/29/403033029/popes-coming-statement-on-global-warming-will-be-significant California's Fire Season Is Shaping Up to Be a "Disaster" It's already looking bad, and it's going to get worse. On Monday, 200 firefighters evacuated an upscale residential neighborhood in Los Angeles as they responded to a wildfire that had just broken out in the nearby hills. Ninety minutes later, the fire was out, with no damage done. But if that battle was a relatively easy win, it belied a much more difficult war ahead for a state devastated by drought. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/04/californias-wildfire-season-going-be-really-bad California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.