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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 8, 2015.
Posted: 08 Jun 2015 14:23:01
ARB Newsclips for June 8, 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 Governor, lawmakers postpone negotiations over cap-and-trade funds. Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders, currently in talks over next year’s budget, postponed negotiations over how to spend more than $1 billion raised by fees on polluters. At issue is roughly 40% of the $2.2 billion in revenue expected to be raised by California’s cap-and-trade program, in which permits to pollute are traded and fees levied. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ln-governor-lawmakers-postpone-capandtrade-funds-20150605-story.html Jerry Brown, lawmakers pull cap-and-trade out of budget talks. Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders have agreed to set aside a dispute over cap-and-trade revenue until after adopting the state’s annual spending plan, eliminating a point of contention in budget talks 10 days before the deadline for its approval. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article23239488.html#storylink=cpy Carbon Pricing and Climate Science in the Media. The past few weeks, highlighted by the Business & Climate Summit in Paris and Carbon Expo in Barcelona, has seen many CEOs, senior political figures and institutional leaders call for increased use of carbon pricing. This is certainly the right thing to be saying, but it begs the question, “What next?” Many countries are already considering or in the process of implementing a carbon pricing system, but still the call rings out. http://theenergycollective.com/davidhone/2236631/carbon-pricing-and-climate-science-media Price on carbon may be sweet spot for Midwest grid operator. Setting a price on carbon emissions could be the most effective way for operators of power plants in the Midwest to comply with U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan, according to a senior executive with the region's grid operator. Allowing "for the formation of some sort of price for generating an emissions amount of carbon" would mirror what happens now in the… http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060019768 VW buys carbon offsets to cover e-Golf emissions. As an all-electric car, the Volkswagen e-Golf is already ahead of the curve when it comes to carbon emissions, but VW hopes some special measures will help lower its overall carbon footprint even more. The company is investing in carbon-reduction projects in the U.S. that it claims will offset emissions related to e-Golf production, distribution… http://ecomento.com/2015/06/08/vw-buys-carbon-offsets-to-cover-e-golf-emissions/ AIR POLLUTION G-7 set far-off goal to move away from fossil fuels. The world should move away from using fossil fuels by the end of this century, G-7 leaders announced Monday, setting an ambitious but distant goal ahead of a global summit on climate change this year. The leaders of seven wealthy democracies also warned Russia that sanctions imposed for its actions against Ukraine would remain until a cease-fire is fully observed in eastern Ukraine - and those sanctions could be made tougher if the situation requires. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GERMANY_G7?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-08/g-7-calls-for-zero-fossil-fuel-emissions-by-end-of-21st-century Beijing struggles to cut smog with wide-ranging restrictions. When Dong Yingli first opened her east Beijing meat skewers restaurant six years ago, her chefs cooked the lamb, chicken hearts and assorted treats over an uncovered grill, with giant fans blowing the clouds of pungent smoke from the sidewalk into the middle of the street. Elsewhere in this sprawling capital city, four coal-fired power plants belched exhaust into the smoggy skies… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_BEIJING_SMOG?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Air quality rules tightened after cancer risk found to be 3 times higher. Dozens of Southern California facilities, including oil refineries, aerospace plants and metal factories, will face new requirements to reduce toxic emissions or notify their neighbors of the health risks from their operations under rules approved Friday by air quality officials. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0606-air-toxics-20150607-story.html Opponents Of Obama’s Carbon Pollution Rule Are Trying Nearly Everything To Take It Down. When the Obama administration unveiled its plan to make the most significant move ever to tackle the carbon pollution that causes climate change, it expected opponents to throw everything they had, even the kitchen sink, against it. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/06/08/3667019/carbon-rule-obstacles/ Better data, modeling needed for tighter ozone limit – NOAA. Enforcement of a more stringent U.S. EPA standard for ozone would require better data and improved modeling, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and affiliated scientists say in a commentary published today. In the paper published in the journal Science, NOAA researchers said better information on ozone is needed… http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/06/05/stories/1060019735 CLIMATE CHANGE Forget April showers, this May was wettest in US records. Feeling soggy? Last month was the wettest on record for the contiguous United States, according to federal meteorologists. On average 4.36 inches of rain and snow - mostly rain - fell over the Lower 48 in May, sloshing past October 2009 which had been the wettest month in U.S. records with 4.29 inches. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration records go back to 1895. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_WETTEST_MAY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT At G-7, Japan's energy plan is not all that green. Japan may find itself the odd man out when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presents his government's blueprint for combating climate change at this weekend's summit of the world's leading industrialized democracies. The Group of Seven host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has indicated she supports a pledge of eventual zero carbon emissions. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_JAPAN_G_7_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Merkel urges G7 to throw weight behind climate fund. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is calling for the Group of Seven industrial powers to throw their weight behind a long-standing pledge to seek $100 billion to help poor countries tackle climate change. Merkel, who hosts the G-7 summit starting Sunday, cautioned against comparing the meeting with full-fledged climate negotiations… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GERMANY_G7_MERKEL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT G-7 Adds Thrust to UN Climate Talks With Ambitious Target. World leaders also reiterate their intention to extend sanctions against Russia over Ukraine. he Group of Seven large industrialized democracies said the world should reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 70%, an agreement that helps lay the groundwork for United Nations climate talks in Paris later this year. http://www.wsj.com/articles/g-7-adds-thrust-to-un-climate-talks-with-ambitious-target-1433780975?KEYWORDS=climate+change Faith groups seek climate deal boost from Pope, pilgrimage. A "People's Pilgrimage" to highlight the effects of climate change and an upcoming papal encyclical on the environment aim this month to invigorate political will for an ambitious new deal to curb global warming. On Monday, former Philippines' climate change commissioner Naderev "Yeb" Saño kicked off a six-month journey around the world to places hit hard by climate change… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/08/us-climate-change-religion-idUSKBN0OO0RV20150608 California keeps talking climate change, but who’s listening? The outcome was never in doubt when California’s Democratic-controlled Senate last week took up – and passed – the latest package of environmental bills to come out of California. Still, lawmakers argued a familiar litany of points for their cause. Legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the state’s reliance on renewable energy… http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article23403423.html#storylink=cpy Climate Plan Will Transform How You Get Your Electricity. More efficient cars, trucks and airplanes. Less-polluting electric power plants. So many solar and wind farms that no transcontinental road trip in an electric car could take place beyond the sight of one. Those may be the most obvious changes everyone sees if and when America’s proposed climate policies fully bloom in the next decade or so. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-policy-will-change-electricity-use-19080 World Leaders At G-7 Summit Back 2 Degree Target To Fight Climate Change. The pledge builds momentum on the road to Paris climate talks later this year. World leaders at the G-7 summit pledged on Monday to keep global warming below a rise in average global temperatures of 2 degrees Celsius, a benchmark that scientists say is critical to stave off the most devastating impacts of climate change. http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/world-leaders-at-g7-summit-back-2-degree-target-to-fight-climate-change-20150608 Can local officials who ignore new weather extremes be sued? A work in progress. The record downpour began soaking the Chicago area before dawn, and foul liquid was soon gushing into a retired doorman's basement. It climbed the walls as if filling a giant fish tank, and the result was a rare legal test about climate change. The court case blames local officials for failing to prepare for worsening flooding as temperatures rise, this time causing damage to about 300 homes. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/06/08/stories/1060019772 DROUGHT Drought speeds decline of beloved California desert species. In the California desert, Joshua tree seedlings are shriveling up and dying before they get the chance to put down strong roots, and ecologist Cameron Barrows wants the details. The University of California, Riverside scientist knows that hot weather and lack of rainwater hurt the iconic species… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_JOSHUA_TREE_DROUGHT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Drought hastens decline of the Joshua tree, California's desert symbol. Under canopies of dead angular branches and drooping fronds, UC Riverside ecologist Cameron Barrows made his way across a forest of skeletal Joshua trees that have not reproduced in decades. As Barrows explained, it's a tough time to be a Joshua tree. Climate change is taking an enormous toll, and the current drought has hastened the… http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-joshua-20150607-story.html California's drought spurring water recycling at home. Showering during California's drought is a guilt-free experience for homeowners Catarina Negrin and Noah Friedman. The Berkeley couple — she runs a pre-school, he's an architect — are early adopters of a home plumbing do-over that's becoming more popular during California's record four-year dry stretch. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20150605/us--california_drought-showers_to_flowers-6f1ec3b174.html Drought spurs sports to look at water use on fairways and fields. That spot down the fairway, just past the dogleg, might be perfect for a new bunker. Jack Nicklaus imagines a hazard that would force golfers to choose. Lay up short or try to hit over?" Heaven forbid somebody would have to think," Nicklaus says with a smile. "Especially a golfer." http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-sp-sports-drought-20150608-story.html#page=1 California water losses 'huge,' new thinking required on drought, panel says. A panel of water experts on Sunday mapped out the challenges California faces in meeting future demands for water at a time when water sources are under stress and future supplies appear uncertain. The panel, speaking at the Los Angeles Times book club, agreed the problems are serious and multifaceted: groundwater reserves underneath California’s Central Valley… http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-big-ideas-new-thinking-required-as-drought-ravages-california-panel-says-20150607-story.html California drought: Gov. Brown praises Bay Area for water savings. Gov. Jerry Brown told a group of Bay Area mayors and water managers Friday that they’re off to a good start toward meeting the state’s conservation goals. Pushing his water-savings agenda at a meeting with about a dozen mayors and city officials from the South Bay to San Francisco… http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Gov-Brown-to-Bay-Area-water-managers-You-re-6309849.php Drought barrier wreaking havoc on Delta currents, ferry service. Bruce Kitchens gunned the engine on the Victory II ferry and backed off this tiny Delta island's landing, but the fierce Fisherman's Cut current quickly pulled the old vessel into a shallow tule bank. After two more tries Thursday afternoon, the ferry finally pulled out and away from the fast-moving water. http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_28274548/drought-barrier-wreaking-havoc-delta-currents-ferry-service California drought could make wines more flavorful, but also more expensive. Grape growers face a trade-off: if they want the best flavor they use as little water as possible, but cutting down on water means they can’t grow as many grapes. That means they have to sell fewer bottles. http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/06/08/52243/california-drought-could-make-wines-more-flavorful/ California’s Vanishing Clouds Could Intensify Drought. Fog season is with us once again. And whether it’s the ground-level “pea soup” of legend or the looming overcast known as the marine layer, there’s a reason it’s called California’s natural air-conditioning: fog and clouds are vital cogs in keeping the coastal thermostat turned down. But that advantage could be disappearing. http://ww2.kqed.org/science/2015/06/08/californias-vanishing-clouds-could-intensify-drought/ Arizona stuck in prolonged drought but sees no California-style restrictions. Gripped by a prolonged drought, Arizona faces possible cuts to its main water supply in the next 18 months. Residents, however, face none of the restrictions that neighboring California has imposed this year. The desert state has been able to withstand a 15-year arid spell through long-term planning, conservation and a massive underground reserve that holds enough water … http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/06/07/arizona-stuck-in-prolonged-drought-but-sees-no-california-style-restrictions/ California Drought: Landlords pass along water bills to coax apartment dwellers to conserve. For years, renters at the boxy apartment complex here were like many tenants across California: They never paid a water bill. But as California’s devastating drought enters its fourth summer and water rates and penalties are surging, landlords are increasingly passing along those costs — on top of the monthly rent. http://www.dailydemocrat.com/general-news/20150607/california-drought-landlords-pass-along-water-bills-to-coax-apartment-dwellers-to-conserve/2 Reno-Area Dog Park Closes For Summer Amid 4-Year Drought. Thousands of pet owners near Reno are going to need a new place to take their dogs to run them off-leash as parks officials close a popular 25-acre pasture for the summer amid drought concerns. The Reno Gazette Journal reports officials expect the Rancho San Rafael Regional Park's irrigation water source to be cut off any day by decreasing water levels in the Truckee River. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/06/08/reno-area-dog-park-closes-for-summer-amid-4-year-drought/ SALTON SEA: Deep drought, troubled waters. Decline and despair permeate the air at the shrinking saltwater lake. Once-bustling marinas on Salton City’s shallow water in California’s largest lake a few years ago are bone-dry. Carcasses of oxygen-starved tilapia lie on desolate shores. Flocks of eared grebes and shoreline birds bob up and down to feast on marine life. An air of decline and strange beauty permeates the Salton Sea: The lake is shrinking… http://www.pe.com/articles/water-769372-lake-salton.html Feds should help Calif. with crisis, Feinstein says. The federal government should help California deal with its drought by assisting with water storage and with technologies like water recycling and desalination, Sen. Dianne Feinstein said this week. In an opinion piece published Saturday in the Los Angeles Times, the Democratic senator from the Golden State hinted at where she is going with the California drought legislation that… http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/06/08/stories/1060019844 DIESEL EMISSIONS Truckers ask court to rehear challenge to heavy-duty engine rules. California trucking companies yesterday asked federal judges to reconsider their dismissal of a case challenging the Obama administration's landmark fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emission standards for cars and trucks. In April, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected a bid to undermine the landmark 2011… http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/06/05/stories/1060019740 PORTS L.A., Long Beach ports losing to rivals amid struggle with giant ships. J. Nord spends her days tracking shipments of metal parts from China, Taiwan and Italy, which her Huntington Beach company assembles into high-end bathroom fixtures for customers demanding quick delivery. The congestion at Southern California ports, sometimes delaying her shipments for weeks, has sparked a radical new strategy. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-big-ships-ports-20150602-story.html#page=1 Trucking figures see problems with ‘roadability’ inspections policy at crowded ports. Trucking industry advocates say they are concerned new inspection procedures for vital equipment has added unnecessary delays to drivers’ shifts. The issue — described somewhat differently depending upon the source — revolves around chassis, the trailers on which cargo containers full of goods sit when they’re shipped by truck. http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/20150607/trucking-figures-see-problems-with-roadability-inspections-policy-at-crowded-ports FUELS Fracking Study Undercuts Environmentalists’ Calls for Regulation. It was always a longshot that the Obama administration or Congress would crack down on the golden goose of hydraulic fracturing. The chances shrunk further Thursday with the release of a landmark U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study that found the drilling method had no widespread impact on drinking water. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-05/fracking-study-undercuts-environmentalists-calls-for-regulation Norway parliament votes to cut coal investments. Norway's parliament voted on Friday to reduce coal investments by its $880 billion sovereign wealth fund, the world's biggest, in a decision hailed by environmentalists as a model to help slow climate change. Under the unanimous deal, the fund will sell all shares in companies that get more than 30 percent of their turnover or activity from coal. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/05/idUSL5N0YR2WP20150605 Exxon to Face Regulators’ Questions Over Quakes. Texas is scrutinizing U.S. energy producers on injection wells to dispose of wastewater from hydraulic-fracturing operations. Texas regulators are scrutinizing some of the biggest U.S. energy producers in the wake of several earthquakes that have rocked the Dallas-Fort Worth area. An Exxon Mobil Corp. subsidiary and EOG Resources Inc., one of the biggest shale-oil and gas pumpers… http://www.wsj.com/articles/exxon-to-face-regulators-questions-over-quakes-1433593802 St1 Etanolix food-waste-to-ethanol plant integrated into oil refinery in Gothenburg. The first Etanolix plant delivered to the international market by Finland-based St1 Biofuels Oy was inaugurated in Gothenburg, Sweden last week. The plant, built for North European Bio Tech Oy (NEB), recycles feedstocks such as food industry biowaste and process residue from local bakeries and bread from shops that is past its sell-by date into ethanol for transport fuel. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/06/20150608-sst1.html SANTA BARBARA OIL SPILL How do you move thousands of gallons of crude a day with a key oil pipeline out of commission indefinitely? Exxon Mobil officials are seeking permission to truck the oil through Santa Barbara County after a ruptured pipeline sent oil spilling into the Pacific Ocean and brought the company's oil transportation operations to a halt. The company told Santa Barbara County officials Thursday that it wants to send a fleet of 5,000-gallon tanker trucks… http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0605-me-oil-trucks-20150605-story.html Owner of ruptured oil pipeline has history of big spills, fines. Nearly two decades ago, Plains All American Pipeline embarked on a buying spree across the United States and Canada, acquiring thousands of miles of aging pipeline. The purchases turned Plains into one of North America's biggest energy pipeline companies. But it also left the firm with a patchwork of pipes, some in need of crucial maintenance. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-oil-spill-plains-20150605-story.html#page=1 VEHICLES Not all car dealers hate Tesla Motors' direct sales. Here's why. Tesla Motors' practice of selling directly to customers has drawn the ire of many car dealers, who view Tesla's direct sales as a threat to their franchise sales model. Then why do some car dealers support it? Tesla Motors' business model of selling cars directly to customers without franchised dealers has earned it the ire of many a car-sales mogul. http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2015/0608/Not-all-car-dealers-hate-Tesla-Motors-direct-sales.-Here-s-why GREEN ENERGY California setting new solar records at rapid pace. California generated a record amount of solar power last week — but don't expect the high mark to last long. The state has already set 14 solar records this year, including the latest high of 6,078 megawatts of simultaneous solar generation. And experts expect a steady clip of new records over the next few months, as sunny summer weather kicks into full gear. http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2015/06/05/california-setting-new-solar-records-rapid-pace/28573421/ Fuel Cells: Opening New Markets for Today's Energy Resources. America’s clean energy future is now. Fuel cells are no longer an “if” technology, but a “when”, and that “when” is today. The technology began to gain traction over a decade ago when fuel cells showed that they fit well in a range of early applications, competing head to head with incumbent technologies. http://theenergycollective.com/mmarkowitz/2236691/fuel-cells-opening-new-markets-today-s-energy-resources The energy revolution will not be televised. Energy transitions take a lot of time, Cobb writes, far too much time to be shrunk down into a television special, a few talking points, or the next big energy idea. Three recent news items remind us that energy transitions take time, a lot of time--far too much time to be shrunk down into a television special, a few talking points, or the next big energy idea. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2015/0608/The-energy-revolution-will-not-be-televised Clean Energy Seen as Opening for Developing Countries. Developing countries have the opportunity to leapfrog the west in economic development if they go straight to clean technology while rich countries struggle to wean themselves off fossil fuels, president Francois Hollande of France said on Wednesday. “They are going to be skipping the stage where industrialized countries were stopped for a long time, for many decades,” he said. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/developing-countries-could-leapfrog-west-19078 Bill aims for 30% tax credit for power from waste heat. Systems that capture the heat thrown off by electric generation and industrial production to create additional energy would receive a 30 percent tax credit -- equal to current incentives for other forms of renewable energy -- under bipartisan bills introduced yesterday in the Senate and House. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/06/05/stories/1060019749 MISCELLANEOUS OPINIONS Hillary Clinton's Stale Energy Policy Positions. The challenge in writing an objective review of Hillary Clinton’s positions on energy policy is finding information available for analysis. Clinton’s web page on energy issues from her 2008 campaign has been removed and now defaults to an error page. Invitations to volunteer or donate money are plentiful on her website, while her positions on substantive issues… http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/06/hillary_clintons_stale_energy_policy_positions.html#ixzz3cUNOPgPO The EPA’s ‘Clean Power’ Mess. The plan will ensure that energy plants operate like cars in stop-and-go traffic, cutting efficiency. ‘Flexibility” is the advertised hallmark of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan, which by 2030 would reduce carbon-dioxide emissions from U.S. power plants by 30% from 2005 levels. The central feature of the plan is a forced shift away from inexpensive coal-fired power. http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-epas-clean-power-mess-1433715694 The Case for a Carbon Tax. In a welcome development, businesses are asking world leaders to do more to address climate change. This week, the top executives of six large European oil and gas companies called for a tax on carbon emissions. These companies — the BG Group, BP, Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil and Total — are not taking a bold environmental stand. They are being pragmatic. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/07/opinion/the-case-for-a-carbon-tax.html?_r=0 Spend cap-and-trade cash on water, not train. California should take the money going to Gov. Jerry Brown’s train and use it to build more water storage. The Legislature could do this in the current budget negotiations. Democrats are in the majority in both houses. They should be supportive of this switch, since union jobs could be more numerous, and more widely shared geographically… http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cap-664658-trade-train.html Agreement on climate change. President Obama’s words at the Coast Guard Academy commencement echo the words of both the CIA and the Pentagon. Syndicated columnist Rich Lowery’s denial of the climate change threat (“Obama declares war on climate change,” June 3) makes him the odd man out. His attack on Obama is motivated by his desire to maintain the status quo when it comes to our reliance on fossil fuels. http://www.bakersfield.com/News/Opinion/2015/06/07/Agreement-on-climate-change.html Restore balance to state water picture by backing Brown plan. Gov. Jerry Brown and state leaders recently announced an improved plan to upgrade the aging statewide water distribution system that carries water from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Central Valley and other parts of California, called the California Water Fix. http://www.bakersfield.com/News/Opinion/2015/06/08/Restore-balance-to-state-water-picture-by-backing-Brown-plan.html Climate change and civil war. Syndicated columnist Rich Lowry would be well advised to get his scientific information directly from scientists, rather than depending on Barack Obama’s speeches (Obama declares war on climate change,” June 3). Scientists who study and publish peer reviewed papers on the subject have told us repeatedly that global climate change is now happening and will worsen if people do not address the problem. http://www.bakersfield.com/News/Opinion/2015/06/08/Climate-change-and-civil-war.html Lifting bans on fracking, exports will add many jobs, save consumers billions. If Texas were a nation, it would be the No. 3 dry natural gas producer in the world — ahead of Iran, China and Saudi Arabia. Eight individual states now each produce over 3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, which would rank them among the world's top 30 producing countries. http://www.bakersfield.com/News/Opinion/2015/06/07/Lifting-bans-on-fracking-exports-will-add-many-jobs-save-consumers-billions.html New federal rules are low-cost and promising, but may not be tough enough. The Obama administration recently announced the first major federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, to take effect in June. Fracking has been praised for contributing to a massive increase in production of oil and natural gas, reducing the nation's reliance on imported oil… http://www.bakersfield.com/News/Opinion/2015/06/07/New-federal-rules-are-low-cost-and-promising-but-may-not-be-tough-enough.html Burning questions to carbon proposal. It’s not shaping up for huge popular support, but carbon pricing is likely to be a reality for Nova Scotians sooner or later. The pitch puts people on edge; they view it as yet another tax on products that already carry multiple layers of taxes. The federal government won’t touch this issue, knowing the potential for backlash. http://www.ngnews.ca/Opinion/Editorials/2015-06-08/article-4174305/Burning-questions-to-carbon-proposal/1 BLOGS Breathing While Expat: Coping With Allergies & Air Pollution While Overseas. Apart from the odd sneeze when the local rugby pitch was mowed, I grew up in England with no apparent allergies. Nothing prepared me for the onslaught I have experienced during my 25 years in the U.S. According to my allergist I am now allergic to almost everything airborne except cockroach particles. Barely a season goes by when I’m not sneezing… http://blogs.wsj.com/expat/2015/06/07/breathing-while-expat-coping-with-allergies-air-pollution-while-overseas/?KEYWORDS=AIR+POLLUTION Carbon tax or cap-and-trade: Which would work better? Which is a better policy for reducing greenhouse gases: a tax on carbon or a cap-and-trade approach? Given today’s gridlocked politics, I realize that’s a little bit like asking: Do you like your unicorns to be striped or polka-dotted? But as the Times pointed out: This week, the top executives of six large European oil and gas companies called for a tax on carbon emissions. http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/06/08/carbon-tax-or-cap-and-trade-which-would-work-better/ Zanzibar's 'Solar Mamas' flip the switch on rural homes, gender roles. Take a step back from Zanzibar’s white sand beaches and big hotels and you’re in a very different world. One where the island’s dusty, inland villages largely go dark once the sun sets. This is when the differences between people who have electricity and those who don’t are most pronounced. http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-06-05/zanzibars-solar-mamas-flip-switch-rural-homes-gender-roles A Carbon Tax is Not Feasible or Practical. In a prominent editorial this past Sunday, the New York Times once again advocated the adoption of a carbon tax. While the theory of a carbon tax makes perfect sense, its lack of practicality makes it the unicorn of energy politics. It is an imaginary creature of elegance and beauty that has little chance of walking the earth. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/a-carbon-tax-is-not-feasi_b_7534098.html America and UK Lead the World in Climate Scepticism. The United States and United Kingdom are leading the way in climate change scepticism, according to a recent survey which has found that one in three Americans and one in four Brits don’t believe climate change is a serious problem. By comparison, just four percent of Chinese and two percent of Malaysians agree. http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/06/08/america-and-uk-lead-the-world-in-climate-scepticism/ The Surprising Facts About the Clean Power Plan: Most States Are Already On Track to Meet 2020 Benchmarks for Reducing Carbon Emissions. A new analysis released today by UCS shows that most states are already making progress toward cutting carbon emissions from power plants by shifting from coal-fired power to cleaner generation sources like renewable energy, energy efficiency, and natural gas. As a result of recent decisions and state laws that predate the proposed Clean Power Plan… http://blog.ucsusa.org/facts-about-the-clean-power-2020-benchmarks-for-reducing-carbon-emissions-751?utm_source=EnergyGuardian_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=13311 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.