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ARB Newsclips for June 23, 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

California's cap-and-trade program funds affordable housing. 
Cap-and-trade money will fund 82 apartment units at MacArthur
Park Apartments which will have access to the Metro station
serving the Red and Purple lines. Los Angeles Housing
Partnership. The state's cap-and-trade program this year will
provide $122 million in funding for affordable housing…
http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/06/23/52596/california-cap-trade-program-affordable-housing/


Americans support cap and trade more when money is used for
efficiency – poll. A new poll from the University of Michigan
highlights some political benefits -- and pitfalls -- of
state-level cap-and-trade systems aimed at reducing carbon
dioxide emissions. The data may contain some clues for states
considering auctioning off emission permits as a way to comply
with U.S. EPA's impending Clean Power Plan.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060020692/search?keyword=california


AIR POLLUTION

No Clear Signal From U.S. Supreme Court About Upcoming Decision
on Mercury Rules. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to soon
issue its decision on the legality of the Environmental
Protection Agency's mercury and air toxics standards for power
plants, but court observers said they are still unsure of how the
court will rule. http://www.bna.com/no-clear-signal-n17179928055/


CLIMATE CHANGE

World power sector emissions seen peaking in 2029 –research. 
Global greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector are
expected to peak in 2029 and then start falling, but will still
be some way above levels needed to limit temperature rise,
research showed on Tuesday. Electricity generation worldwide is
forecast to rise by 56 percent by 2040 as economies develop and
populations grow…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/23/solar-investment-idUSL8N0Z82V720150623


Climate change health risk is a 'medical emergency', experts
warn. The threat to human health from climate change is so great
that it could undermine the last 50 years of gains in development
and global health, experts warned on Tuesday. Extreme weather
events such as floods and heat waves bring rising risks of
infectious diseases, poor nutrition and stress, the specialists
said, while polluted cities where people work long hours…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/23/us-health-climatechange-idUSKBN0P22FG20150623?virtualBrandChannel=14230


How the European Oil Industry Decided to Save the Climate. It
came together in Oslo.
The chiefs of some of Europe’s biggest energy companies decided
to pull an historic about-face. It was time to heed the
protesters marching in the February snow outside their industry
conference demanding action to counter global warming. By the
time the convention chat turned into action, Royal Dutch Shell
Plc, BP Plc, Total SA, Eni SpA, Statoil ASA and BG Group Plc
published an unprecedented open letter on climate change.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-22/how-the-european-oil-industry-decided-to-save-the-climate


EPA Bolsters Argument for Global Action on Climate Change in
Report on Costs, Benefits.  The Environmental Protection Agency
bolstered its case for global action to address climate change in
a June 22 report that details the benefits of reducing greenhouse
gas emissions. The report, “Climate Change in the United States:
Benefits of Global Action,” looks at the benefits of global
greenhouse gas mitigation across water resources, electricity,
infrastructure…
http://www.bna.com/epa-bolsters-argument-n17179928036/ 

EPA report cites benefits of limiting emissions, climate change.
Reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change
could prevent tens of thousands of deaths and hundreds of
billions in economic losses in the United States, according to a
new study by the Environmental Protection Agency.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-sej-climate-action-report-20150623-story.html


California climate plan has inland condemning coastal elitism. 
The way inland California lawmakers see it, the only benefit to
their constituents from Gov. Jerry Brown's expansion of carbon
pollution laws will be cleaner air to breathe as they wait at the
unemployment office. Brown and other Democrats are pushing
legislation to reduce greenhouse gases caused by burning fossil
fuels to a fraction of what they were a quarter-century ago.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article25221169.html#storylink=cpy


Most Extreme Weather Has Climate Change Link, Study Says. Global
warming has created a 'new normal,' scientists say, and the old
hesitance to attribute extreme weather to climate change is
outdated. In the wake of major hurricanes, floods and heat waves,
scientists are quick to say that no single weather event can be
attributed to climate change until careful analysis draws that
conclusion.
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/23062015/most-extreme-weather-has-climate-change-link-study-says-global-warming-trenberth-ncar-sea-levels


Why Researchers Are Sounding The Alarm About Climate Change’s
Health Impacts. Climate change and air pollution make a dangerous
pair. That’s one of the findings of a report published Monday
from the Lancet Commission on Health and Climate Change, a group
that represents a collaboration between European and Chinese
climate scientists and geographers, social and environmental
scientists…
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/06/23/3672836/lancet-report-health-air-pollution/


EPA report puts a price on carbon pollution — and it is really
damn high. According to a report released June 22 by the Obama
administration, doing nothing to rein in greenhouse gas emissions
would cost the United States billions of dollars and thousands
lives. The findings come as part of an attempt by the
Environmental Protection Agency to quantify the human and
economic benefits of cutting emissions in an effort to reduce
global warming.
http://grist.org/science/epa-report-puts-a-price-on-carbon-pollution-and-it-is-really-damn-high/


Large Amount of Marine Nitrous Oxide Emissions Produced in the
Southeast Pacific. Originally it became famous as an anesthetic
gas used by dentists. However, laughing gas, or chemically
correct nitrous oxide, is also found in large quantities in
nature and has serious effects on climate: In the lower
atmosphere it is a strong greenhouse gas, and in higher layers of
the atmosphere it contributes indirectly to the destruction of
ozone. http://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=22067 

White House puts big price tag on failures to prepare for climate
damage. The Obama administration is portraying starkly different
futures for the nation in a world that begins cutting greenhouse
gases now, versus one that doesn't act at all. It says tens of
thousands of American lives and billions in future damage costs
could be saved. Under the no-action scenario, 57,000 more
Americans could die from declining air quality…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/06/23/stories/1060020682 

Calif. wildflower diversity in decline because of climate change
– study. Warmer, drier winters are driving a loss of wildflower
diversity in California's grasslands, according to a new study
published yesterday in the journal Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences. By examining 15 years of data from 80
sampling plots at the McLaughlin Natural Reserve…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/06/23/stories/1060020671 

DROUGHT

Drought May Prompt Californians to Let Personal Hygiene Slide.
Forget the brown lawns. California’s historic drought may make
the state’s residents less keen on washing their bodies and their
homes. The water woes in the Western U.S. may cut sales of
traditional cleaning products sold by the likes of Procter &
Gamble Co…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-22/drought-may-prompt-californians-to-let-personal-hygiene-slide


Master-planned community will get water under new agreement. The
taps in the homes of a San Joaquin County master-planned
community will continue to get water after local officials
reached an agreement that will keep supplies flowing to about
15,000 residents.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-mountain-house-20150622-story.html


DIESEL ACTIVITIES

DTF: Truck Efficiencies Already Save 880 Million Gallons of
Diesel. New research released Friday by the Diesel Technology
Forum that shows declining emissions and increased fuel
efficiency are well underway for the nation’s commercial trucking
fleets, coincide with the government’s announcement of a proposed
rule establishing a second phase of reductions in CO2 emissions
and improvements in fuel efficiency.
http://www.truckingnewsonline.com/news/dtf-truck-efficiencies-already-save-880-million-gallons-of-diesel/


FUELS

Quebec premier sees little value in proposed oil pipeline. 
Quebec's premier says he doesn't see much economic value for his
province in a proposed pipeline that would carry crude oil from
western Canada to refineries on the Atlantic coast. Philippe
Couillard said in an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press
that if Quebec is simply a "transit place" for TransCanada's
proposed $12 billion Energy East project, he doesn't see much
benefit.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_QUEBEC_PREMIER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Crude up 2 percent as U.S. oil products jump; eyes on Iran. Crude
futures rallied around 2 percent on Tuesday, latching onto a
rebound in oil products ahead of U.S. inventory data expected to
show strong demand for gasoline. Also supporting prices were
signs of trouble with an impending Iranian nuclear deal that
could delay Tehran's hopes of lifting Western sanctions on its
oil exports.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/23/us-markets-oil-idUSKBN0P204720150623?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews


How Fracking Is Fueling A Power Shift From Coal To Gas. When you
flip on a light switch, odds are, you're burning coal. But as the
fracking boom continues to unleash huge quantities of natural
gas, the nation's electric grid is changing. Power plants are
increasingly turning to this low-cost, cleaner-burning fossil
fuel. http://www.capradio.org/news/npr/story?storyid=414926833 

Low carbon fuel infrastructure will need £10 billion investment,
says LowCVP. Delivering a public refuelling infrastructure that
is necessary for the UK to meet its carbon emission reduction
targets for transport will require investment of more than £10
billion by 2050, a report commissioned by the LowCVP says.
http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2015/06/23/lowcvp-calls-for-collaboration-to-deliver-low-carbon-fuels-of-the-future


IH2 technology licensed for demonstration plant to convert woody
biomass into drop-in hydrocarbon transportation fuels. SynSel
Energi AS has entered into an IH2 (Integrated Hydropyrolysis and
Hydroconversion) process demonstration license agreement with
CRI/Criterion Catalyst Company Ltd, a member of the CRI Catalyst
group (CRI), a global group of catalyst technology companies.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/06/20150623-ih2.html 

VEHICLES

Why Tesla wants stricter emissions rules. Zero-emission vehicle
rules in California will become stricter soon, and some carmakers
are already requesting changes. Tesla Motors, meanwhile, is
openly opposing its competitors on the issue, arguing that the
California mandate should be even more stringent.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2015/0620/Why-Tesla-wants-stricter-emissions-rules


Tesla Model 3: Revealed Next Year, Production Starts 2017,
Company Confirms. Tesla Motors hasn't been able to meet any
initial production deadlines so far, which raises continuing
questions about the timeliness of its planned 200-mile Model 3
electric car. But in disputing what turned out to be an erroneous
report of a delay, Tesla yesterday confirmed that the car is on
track for its planned 2017 launch.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098830_tesla-model-3-revealed-next-year-production-starts-2017-company-confirms


Renewing batteries to foster renewables. Batteries from electric
cars can live again and help provide a crucial boost to renewable
power.  Electric cars may help reduce transport pollution, but
they could also spur the wider use of batteries to store
renewable electricity for when demand peaks and, as a
consequence, further squeeze the need for fossil fuel-fired
power.
http://www.politico.eu/article/from-cars-to-renewables-batteries-may-drive-out-fossil-fuels-electric-cars-nissan-leaf-tesla/


Nissan Cuts CO2 Emissions 22.6%. Nissan says it achieved a 22.6
percent cut in CO2 last year when compared to fiscal year 2005,
thus achieving its goal to reduce CO2 emissions from corporate
activities by 20 percent during that period. Looking ahead, the
automaker says one of its CO2 emission goals is to increase the
usage rate of renewable energy in its global business activities
to 9 percent by fiscal year 2016.
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2015/06/23/nissan-cuts-co2-emissions-22-6/#ixzz3duIfixKn


U.S. Cross-Country Drive On Single Tank Of Renewable Diesel Fuel.
You never know what you'll encounter on the highway. Green Car
Reports contributor and electric-motorcycle roadtripper Ben Rich
encountered an unusual vehicle on U.S. Route 12 Sunday, while
bypassing New Orleans on a cross-country ride. He wrote us to ask
about the identity of the low-slung car he captured on video.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098820_u-s-cross-country-drive-on-single-tank-of-renewable-diesel-fuel


GREEN ENERGY

Renewable energy may double, mostly without subsidies, but fail
to restrict emissions growth – study. In 25 years, more than half
of the world's energy-generating capacity will come from
zero-emission sources and renewables will generate twice as much
power, but atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide will
likely still push the world past the ubiquitous 2-degree-Celsius
goal… http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060020693 

OPINIONS

Opinion: The GOP needs its own plan for climate change. The Obama
administration’s ongoing campaign to regulate climate-change
causing pollutants under the Clean Air Act deserves all of the
withering criticism it has gotten from the political right. That
said, the GOP’s current efforts to undo the administration’s
bureaucratic power grab without offering a substantive
alternative…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/06/23/opinion-the-gop-needs-its-own-plan-for-climate-change/


David Brooks: Fracking and the Franciscans. You would never know
from the encyclical that we are living through the greatest
reduction in poverty in human history
Pope Francis is one of the world’s most inspiring figures. There
are passages in his new encyclical on the environment that
beautifully place human beings within the seamless garment of
life. And yet overall the encyclical is surprisingly
disappointing.
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article25310134.html#storylink=cpy


Air quality can be a matter of life and death. I did not become
active in energy politics until I saw the devastating effects of
energy pollution firsthand, when I lost my 14-year-old
granddaughter, Ariana. Now I only wish I had known sooner. In
2013, my beautiful granddaughter suffered a severe asthma attack.
One of her lungs collapsed, and she went into cardiac arrest.
http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2015/06/23/michigan-air-quailty/29128971/
 

BLOGS

China’s Air Is Much Worse Than India’s, World Bank Report Shows.
India’s capital may have the worst air quality in the world on
some days, but a new report shows that nationally, the air in the
world’s second-most-populous country is far less polluted than in
China. In fact, China’s air is more than twice as dirty as
India’s, according to recently released estimates by the World
Bank.
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2015/06/23/chinas-air-is-much-worse-than-indias-world-bank-report-shows/


US corn belt senators accuse government of setting biofuels
mandate too low: Regulation and Environment. The US Renewable
Fuel Standard’s inevitable day in court got a preview airing the
week ending June 19th, as Corn Belt senators—echoing complaints
from their biofuel industry constituents—accused the Obama
administration of illegally setting the 2014, 2015 and 2016
volumes below statutory levels.
http://blogs.platts.com/2015/06/22/us-corn-belt-biofuels-mandate-low/


Cleaning up Big Trucks to Deliver a Cleaner Future. Tractor
trailers and other medium and heavy trucks are the hard working
giants of the American highway. They are also a
disproportionately large part of our nation's carbon footprint.
Buses, delivery vans and 18-wheelers contribute a massive 20
percent of all transportation-related greenhouse gases while
comprising only 5 percent of vehicles.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/margo-t-oge/cleaning-up-big-trucks-to-deliver-a-cleaner-future_b_7632974.html





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