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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 22, 2015.
Posted: 22 Jul 2015 15:12:00
ARB Newsclips for July 22, 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. AIR POLLUTION China's air less polluted in first half of 2015: Greenpeace. China saw levels of two common air pollutants improve modestly in the first half of 2015, environmental group Greenpeace East Asia said on Wednesday. Average levels of PM2.5 - particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers that can penetrate deep into the lungs - fell 16 percent in the first six months from a year ago, the group said, adding that sulfur dioxide levels also fell 18 percent. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/22/us-china-pollution-greenpeace-idUSKCN0PW0MS20150722 China’s Anti-Pollution Drive Starts to Bite on Sales of Coal. China’s push to ease its reliance on coal and the fossil-fuel pollution choking Beijing’s skies has started to hit sales of coal from the nation’s biggest supplier. China Shenhua Energy Company Ltd.’s shipments dropped 24 percent in the first half of the year compared with a year ago, according to a statement released Monday. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-22/china-s-anti-pollution-drive-starts-to-bite-on-sales-of-coal EPA Rule Change Could Result in Noncompliance, Loss of Federal Funding, Chamber of Commerce Says. A small change in the cap for ground-level ozone emissions could lead to wide-scale noncompliance of environmental rules, and a major business group says that could be flipped into the federal government yanking funding commitments for highway and transit projects. http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=38936 CLIMATE CHANGE State board grants provisional charter for NY Climate Museum. The plan for a museum in the city that would focus on climate and climate change, with exhibits that could relate to health, social justice and rain-delayed baseball games, moved a step forward Monday, officials said. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/88c303536c05479d94ad0a39dda0af98/state-board-grants-provisional-charter-ny-climate-museum UN climate deal draft must be shorter, clearer – minister. Ministers working towards a new U.N. deal to tackle climate change, due in December, need a negotiating text that is shorter and more manageable than the current draft, the Marshall Islands' foreign minister said after informal talks in Paris. http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL5N10225A20150722 Corralling Carbon Before It Belches From Stack. So much soot belched from the old power plant here that Mike Zeleny would personally warn the neighbors. “If the wind was blowing in a certain direction,” Mr. Zeleny said, “we’d call Mrs. Robinson down the street and tell her not to put out her laundry.” That coal plant is long gone, replaced by a much larger and cleaner one along the vast Saskatchewan prairie. Sooty shirts and socks are a thing of the past. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/science/corralling-carbon-before-it-belches-from-stack.html?_r=0 GMO rice could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, study says. Over half the people on the planet eat rice as a staple food. Growing rice emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas — to the tune of 25 million to 100 million metric tons of methane every year, a notable contribution to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-gmo-rice-methane-emissions-20150722-story.html Mayor Bill de Blasio pledges to cut New York carbon emissions by 40% by 2030. Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York City, has pledged to reduce his city’s carbon footprint by 40% by 2030 in a speech in which he praised Pope Francis – who he called the “highest moral authority” – for calling on the world to take bold action on climate change. http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/21/mayor-bill-de-blasio-pledges-cut-new-york-carbon-emissions-2030 Fossil fuel emissions are making carbon dating more difficult. Nearly three decades ago scientists were granted access to one of the world’s most mystifying and sacred objects: the Shroud of Turin. The ancient rectangle of linen, with its strange stains in the shape of a tortured body, had long been venerated as the burial garment of Christ. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/07/22/fossil-fuel-emissions-are-making-carbon-dating-more-difficult/ Fossil Fuel Emissions Are About To Throw Carbon Dating All Out Of Whack. Those concerned with climate change spend a lot of time arguing that it’s not just an environmental problem, but also an economic, human rights, national security, and even mental health issue. Now a new study has found that greenhouse gas emissions could impact a range of unlikely fields due to their effect on radiocarbon dating… http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/22/3683293/now-carbon-dating-could-suffer-from-fossil-fuel-emissions/ Industry-sponsored study claims emissions-reduction benefits from almonds. California almonds have hidden greenhouse gas benefits and could have more if state policies were changed to encourage use of their byproducts, according to a pair of industry-sponsored papers released this week in the Journal of Industrial Ecology. California produces 80 percent of the world's almond supply… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/07/22/stories/1060022207 White House conspicuously absent at cost of carbon hearing. After years of clamoring for additional information about the closed-door process that led to the Obama administration's social cost of carbon estimates in 2010 and 2012, a House committee held a hearing today to consider the controversial estimate without including any administration witnesses. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/07/22/stories/1060022230 Ontario premier slams prime minister's climate policies ahead of national elections. The leader of Canada's biggest province launched barbs at the country's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, over his climate policy and called for Canadians to turn the next election into a referendum on global warming. Kathleen Wynne, the Liberal premier of Ontario, in an interview said Harper was more of an obstruction than a help when it came to addressing climate change. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/07/22/stories/1060022184 DROUGHT Twice-a-week watering limit could be next for L.A. During four years of drought, Los Angeles residents have conserved water so diligently that even the most skeptical experts have been taken by surprise. The savings have been significant enough to head off the draconian restrictions — water rationing, mandatory pool covers, big fines for wasters — that other cities have resorted to. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-dwp-conserve-20150721-story.html Santa Barbara to spend $55 million on desalination plant as drought 'last resort'. Santa Barbara City Council members on Tuesday unanimously approved spending $55 million to reactivate a mothballed desalination plant that could provide the city with nearly a third of its drinking water. The Charles E. Meyer Desa0lination Facility was built during a drought in the 1990s but closed in 1992 when desperation for water subsided. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-santa-barbara-reactivating-desalination-plant-20150721-story.html http://labusinessjournal.com/news/2015/jul/22/santa-barbara-plans-drought-relief/ http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/07/22/stories/1060022214 Fires followed by floods: California faces dramatic climate year with El Nino, drought. Aswath of eastern California offered a dramatic view in recent days of the powerful climate forces buffeting the state. On Friday, an out-of-control brush fire — fueled by four years of drought — destroyed 20 vehicles on Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-el-nino-preview-20150721-story.html#page=1 Workers affected by California drought to get temporary employment. Californians who can show they’ve lost their jobs because of the drought might be eligible for temporary jobs funded by the Department of Labor. The National Dislocated Worker Grant funding will be $3 million initially, with a cap of $18 million. The money will mean employment for up to 1,000 workers for up to six months with public and nonprofit… http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=28725 How El Nino will make California’s weather more like the East Coast. Heat and humidity. The infamous East Coast duo has been exported to the West, and climatologists predict Southern California can expect more of the sticky combination through October, followed by heavier precipitation powered by a strengthening El Niño cooking the waters of the Pacific Ocean. http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/environment-and-nature/20150721/how-el-nino-will-make-californias-weather-more-like-the-east-coast DIESEL ACTIVITIES Navistar fined $250,000 for violating California air emissions regulations. Navistar Inc. paid $250,000 in penalties to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) for failing to follow proper testing procedures for one of its diesel exhaust filters, as required by state law. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/07/20150722-navistar.html Mayor Lee Announces San Francisco to Use Renewable Diesel. Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced that San Francisco will leapfrog its efforts to protect the climate from harmful effects of diesel emissions by phasing out the use of petroleum diesel in the municipal fleet and replacing it with renewable diesel by the end of this year. http://california.realestaterama.com/2015/07/22/mayor-lee-announces-san-francisco-to-use-renewable-diesel-in-city-fleet-ID03825.html#sthash.SZ1a9G51.dpuf http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/07/20150722-sanfran.html FUELS UPDATE 1-UAE to free up gasoline, diesel prices in major reform. The United Arab Emirates said it would let domestic fuel prices move more freely in a politically sensitive reform that could save the government billions of dollars and begin reducing the wealthy country's love of gas-guzzling cars with big engines. Gasoline and diesel will be deregulated from Aug. 1 and a new pricing policy… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/22/emirates-gasoline-subsidies-idUSL5N1020DH20150722?feedType=RSS&feedName=rbssEnergyNews California oil refineries' gross profits nearly double in 2015. As Los Angeles drivers shelled out more than $4 a gallon at the pump in recent weeks, the state's oil refineries pocketed record amounts of money — as much as $1.17 a gallon in gross profits. From Jan. 1 to July 6, oil refineries almost doubled the typical amount they collect on a gallon of gasoline, state data show. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-profits-20150722-story.html Why airlines keep pushing biofuels: They have no choice. The number of global fliers is expected to more than double in the next two decades. In order to carry all those extra passengers, airlines are turning to a technology very few can make work on a large scale: converting trash into fuel. http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2015/07/22/why-airlines-keep-pushing-biofuels-they-have-no-choice/30503929/ After gas went up 75.7 cents in Los Angeles County, how much has it dropped? The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County dropped 1.7 cents today to $4.245, the sixth consecutive decrease following a seven-day stretch of increases totaling 75.7 cents. http://www.dailynews.com/business/20150722/after-gas-went-up-757-cents-in-los-angeles-county-how-much-has-it-dropped Study: water quality suffers during California's ongoing drought. California's drought is not only affecting the quantity of drinking water available, but also the quality. The U.S. Geological Survey says groundwater supplies in California are becoming increasingly contaminated with trace elements including arsenic and uranium. An estimated two-thirds of our drinking water came… http://kcbx.org/post/study-water-quality-suffers-during-californias-ongoing-drought 'Super-emitters' responsible for up to 40% of methane leaks – study. More than $240 million worth of natural gas leaks from the country's interstate pipeline network each year, according to new research led by Colorado State University. Published yesterday in Environmental Science & Technology, the paper is part of an ongoing effort by the Environmental Defense Fund to study how much methane… http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2015/07/22/stories/1060022177 VEHICLES Toyota: Negative On Batteries Because It Has More Experience Than Any Other Maker. When it comes to zero-emission vehicles, Toyota has placed its flag firmly on the side of hydrogen fuel cells. The company is now reviewing requests from potential buyers and lessees of its 2016 Mirai fuel cell car, which is expected to hit California roads before the end of the year. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1099228_toyota-negative-on-batteries-because-it-has-more-experience-than-any-other-maker GREEN ENERGY Manila Electric Considers Renewable Energy to Expand Generation. Manila Electric Co. will consider renewable energy investments to help build its power-plant portfolio as the Philippines’ largest electricity retailer makes a renewed push into generation after an absence of four decades. The undertaking “is intended to be done by a separate business unit that will evaluate renewable projects… http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NRVCUT6K50XX01-22VIT43OBVBR4CB5BG7692ARV7 Study: Pepco is the country’s worst utility at connecting solar power. Pepco, the power provider for parts of Maryland and the District, takes more than a month longer to connect customers who want to use solar power to the electric utility grid than many of its counterparts around the country, according to a study published Tuesday. The industry standard for interconnection, the process that allows customers to operate their solar systems… http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/07/21/study-pepco-is-the-countrys-worst-utility-at-connecting-solar-power/ Energy bill sails through subcommittee, but tough talks loom. A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee unanimously approved a comprehensive energy bill today, making clear the stripped-down measure will serve as a vehicle for policy riders down the road. In a voice vote, the Energy and Power Subcommittee advanced the legislation that its sponsors say would modernize energy infrastructure, boost energy jobs… http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/07/22/stories/1060022228 MISCELLANEOUS How emissions threaten humpback whales. A new study finds ocean acidification can dramatically change the structure of marine ecosystems by affecting the ocean's smallest organisms. Carbon dioxide emissions do more than just trap heat in the atmosphere; CO2 also lowers the pH of the seawater, making it more acidic. Now, research suggests that this acidification could drastically transform the entire ocean food chain. http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/0722/How-emissions-threaten-humpback-whales OPINIONS What Happens After the Coal Plant Closes? Roger Titchenell, mayor of Albright, West Virginia, a coal-plant town that lost its coal plant, isn't angry at the Environmental Protection Agency. He's not mad at FirstEnergy Corp. for closing the town's 63-year-old plant, blaming new EPA regulations. Titchenell's frustration is more mundane: He just wishes the company had paid for the new park fence he says it promised when it left town. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-07-22/what-happens-after-the-coal-plant-closes- Road fees for electric cars make sense. Even though we need better ways in the long run to ensure that all drivers help maintain California’s potholed roads and highways, a temporary $100 annual fee on electric vehicles is a good idea. It’s part of a broader bill by state Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, that overall needs more study, but the Legislature should move ahead with the road fee for sure… http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20150721/editorial-july-22-2015-bay-area-news-group-road-fees-for-electric-cars-make-sense Pollution Bath. Here's a well-kept secret: Palo Alto residents bathe their neighborhoods in air pollution. And they pay money to have it done. The dirty deed is done weekly by their gardener. In just 30 minutes, the gasoline-powered leaf blower produces as much greenhouse gas as does driving a Ford Raptor truck to Alaska. http://www.paloaltoonline.com/square/2015/07/22/pollution-bath BLOGS Republicans Are Upset That Martin O'Malley Cited Actual Science On Climate Change And Conflict. The candidate links climate change to Syrian conflict. Republicans deem it "absurd." Republicans are outraged that Democratic presidential contender Martin O'Malley cited actual scientific research in comments about how climate change has contributed to internal conflicts in Syria. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/omalley-climate-change-syria_55ae7ed0e4b07af29d56793c?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green§ion=green This GOP Presidential Candidate Actually Believes in Climate Change. But He Doesn't Want to Fix It. Ohio Gov. John Kasich doesn't "want to overreact" to global warming. John Kasich, the Republican governor of Ohio, is announcing his bid for the presidency Tuesday. Unlike most of his GOP opponents, Kasich actually believes that climate change is real. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/07/john-kasich-climate-change People Are Asking Google If Climate Change Is Real. They also want to know how it can be stopped. This year is shaping up to be the hottest on record. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Monday released temperature data for June, ranking it as the warmest June in history. As temperatures remain high, people are turning to Google to ask about climate change -- what it is, if it's real and how to stop it, among other queries. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/google-climate-change_55ae4b61e4b0a9b948527250 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.