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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 4, 2016.
Posted: 04 Feb 2016 14:43:33
ARB Newsclips for February 4, 2016. 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 Officials seek action to correct emissions breaches at Port of Los Angeles. Elected officials are demanding swift action and increased oversight at the Port of Los Angeles following disclosure that a second major shipping company has been allowed to skirt requirements to reduce harmful diesel emissions. Port officials failed to require two large terminal operators… http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0204-port-20160204-story.html Chinese students get a refreshing course in clean air during visit to Newport Beach. As the students from Beijing's Experimental High School stepped into the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach, they wandered toward one of the big open doors and felt a warm breeze blow into the room. It gave them a chance to enjoy what they believe is the biggest difference between Newport Beach and Beijing, the Chinese capital that is notorious for its smog. http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-0204-chinese-delegation-20160203-story.html 8 companies that won't have to meet Ontario's new pollution limits. Strict new emission rules coming in July, and more companies seeking exemptions. he provincial government will be bringing in strict new pollution standards this summer, but some of Ontario's biggest polluters won't be required to meet them. CBC News has obtained the list of all companies that currently have multi-year exemptions… http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-pollution-emissions-exemptions-1.3432090 Lawmakers seek rule leniency to protect key sectors. A House subcommittee appeared split along party lines yesterday over bills to relax air quality regulations on brick makers and a small niche of the electric power business. "Hopefully, we can provide some relief to these industries as they protect jobs… http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2016/02/04/stories/1060031788 ALISO CANYON Aliso Canyon gas leak prompts new proposed state regulations. The natural gas leak in Aliso Canyon continues to reverberate in Sacramento, where air pollution officials are proposing new rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas facilities. The state Air Resources Board is considering rules establishing new monitoring requirements for natural gas storage sites, quarterly inspections for leaks and needed repairs and a prohibition on venting and flaring. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-new-oil-gas-regulations-20160203-story.html Sempra-owned utility charged in gas leak. Sempra Energy's Southern California Gas Co. on Tuesday was charged with failing to immediately notify state authorities about a massive natural gas leak in the Los Angeles area. Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey filed four misdemeanor criminal charges against the gas company, accusing it of releasing air contaminants… http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/feb/03/porter-ranch-charges/?Watchdog CLIMATE CHANGE Is global warming behind D.C.’s new era of great snowstorms? Evidence is piling up that D.C. and other major northeastern cities have entered a new era of great snowstorms and that climate change may well play an important role. In our planet’s most rapid period of global warming (in modern records), from the late 1970s to present… https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/02/03/is-global-warming-behind-d-c-s-new-era-of-great-snowstorms/ These Fish Species Are Most Vulnerable to Climate Change. Scallop and salmon are among the most vulnerable to the warming. Scallop and salmon are among the species of fish most vulnerable to the warming of ocean waters due to climate change, according to new research. The study, conducted by researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)… http://time.com/4207045/climate-change-fish-species/?xid=homepage Engaging local peoples helps climate-shielding forests, study says. Direct engagement, not displacement, with local communities is found to be more successful at preserving land. Just after the recent Paris climate talks pinpointed tropical forests as a key weapon against global warming, a new study has found that direct engagement with local peoples in these territories and recognition of their land rights is more successful at preserving land than attempting to buy them off. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2016/2/3/engaging-locals-more-beneficial-to-forests.html Republicans readying response to climate deal. Republicans are unlikely to spend their precious floor time between now and May on votes to compel the State Department to seek Senate consent for last year's Paris climate change deal, an aide on a key committee said yesterday. But Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) plans to keep the deal in the spotlight this spring… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/02/04/stories/1060031802 DROUGHT Yes, you still have to conserve water. But the state's rules might ease soon. While new regulations approved by state water officials Tuesday extended restrictions on urban water use through October, they also instituted measures that could help local water districts that have struggled to meet reduction mandates. The revised regulations take into account pleas from some districts… http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-0204-water-conservation-20160203-story.html Fresno, Clovis get relief on water-saving requirements as state lowers targets. The state Water Resources Control Board has extended a set of mandatory water-conservation standards that were set to expire this month. But in addition to continuing the regulations through October, the board also approved adjustments that will lower the savings threshold for most communities throughout the state… http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article58207783.html#storylink=cpy Official: El Nino could signal easing of California drought. In the strongest indication yet that the California drought could be easing, officials said strict water conservation orders could be dramatically scaled back or even ended if El Nino storms keep pummeling the state into the spring. The assessment came amid encouraging results from Tuesday’s measurement of the Sierra Nevada snowpack… http://www.ocregister.com/articles/water-702679-conservation-drought.html Drought Remains 'Very Serious' In California. The U.S. Drought Monitor says exceptional drought was reduced in one area of the northern Sierra this week, "despite heavy precipitation and rebounding stream flows in the short term the past few weeks." "It was decided to hold off on making substantial changes to the depiction in the far West until next week," according to the weekly report. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2016/02/04/drought-remains-very-serious-in-california/ Agency 'handcuffed' on improving drought response. The Department of Agriculture needs more money to help Western farmers deal with drought, an agency official said yesterday. Ann Mills, the agency's deputy undersecretary for natural resources and environment, said yesterday at an event that focused on improving drought response… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/02/04/stories/1060031796 FUELS Corn Ethanol: the Rise and Fall of a Political Force. Ted Cruz opposes subsidies for biofuels and still managed an Iowa win. Is corn ethanol losing its political clout? The 2016 primary race is defying conventional wisdom, with erstwhile fringe candidates competitive in the polls despite their unorthodox policy positions. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-02-03/corn-ethanol-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-political-force Neste says global biofuels regulation both a help and hindrance. Regulatory developments in the US and EU have supported biofuels producers over the past year but have the potential to create risk for the sector in the future, Finnish refiner Neste said in a report Tuesday. The 7% cap on first generation biofuels in the EU within the wider 10% target for renewable energy in transport… http://www.platts.com/latest-news/agriculture/london/neste-says-global-biofuels-regulation-both-a-26359412 In dispute over climate guidance, it's EPA vs. FERC. As federal regulators update their guidance to petitioners seeking to export liquefied natural gas or build interstate natural gas pipelines, U.S. EPA is calling for the consideration of climate change and the full life-cycle emissions associated with using gas. In a filing that highlights an ongoing interagency feud… http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2016/02/04/stories/1060031773 Fossil fuels reign for another 100 years – study. Nations will not wean themselves off fossil fuels in the next century unless there are aggressive government policies to prod them, according to a new study. The world would not by itself run out of fossil fuels, and alternative energy sources would not become cheap enough to replace fossil fuels in electricity generation and transportation, the study finds. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/02/04/stories/1060031798 VEHICLES Renault, Nissan Report Record Sales of Battery-Powered Vehicles. Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co Ltd. said sales of battery-powered vehicles rose to a record 84,754 last year even though there was a slowdown in demand for the best- selling electric vehicle. Global EV sales for the Renault-Nissan Alliance rose 2.5 percent in 2015. The Nissan Leaf, the first mainstream mass- marketed electric car, suffered a decline… http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O20Q1D6K50YA01-3L1QIS03EESH0LROO0VPQMSF7R 2017 Hyundai Ioniq: Dark-Horse Competitor For Prius AND Bolt EV? The new 2016 Toyota Prius is now arriving at dealers all over the country, and while gas prices--and hence hybrid sales--are down, it's expected to boost sales of the quintessential hybrid, now ranked at 52 or 56 mpg combined. Meanwhile, anticipation is building over the first deliveries of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the 200-mile electric car… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1102205_2017-hyundai-ioniq-dark-horse-competitor-for-prius-and-bolt-ev Quirky rule ensures top spot for Calif. in clean-car race. Californians drive almost as many electric vehicles as the rest of the nation combined, but the same regulations that made the Golden State a plug-in hotbed are keeping other states from following suit. California's aggressive zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) regulation is the only regulation globally that mandates sales quotas for ZEVs… http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060031717 VW RECALL VW replaces top U.S. lawyer as seeks to win approval on emissions fix. Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) has replaced the head of its U.S. legal department with an outside lawyer as it seeks approval to fix nearly 600,000 vehicles that had software allowing them to cheat on emission levels, the company said Thursday. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-emissions-idUSKCN0VD269 Volkswagen outlines new emissions plan to California officials. It has been awhile since we have had any recent Volkswagen dieselgate news. By “awhile” in dieselgate terms, we really mean about three weeks. Normally it has been bad news, bad breaks, and nothing positive coming out of the VW camp. But today, we may potentially finally have some good news by dieselgate standards as VW has submitted their new emissions plan. http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/news/vw-new-plan-emissions-fix-article-1.2518888 Volkswagen Submits California Plan to Fix Recalled 3.0 Liter Diesels. Regulators still need to accept plan for VW to sell diesels again. The California Air Resources Board and Environmental Protection Agency said late on Tuesday that Volkswagen AG submitted a plan to fix 80,000 recalled 3.0 liter diesel SUVs and cars that emit up to nine times legally allowable pollution. After more than four months of lengthy talks and making little apparent progress winning… http://fortune.com/2016/02/03/vw-california-diesel/ VW Submits V-6 Diesel-Update Plan For Audi, Porsche, VW Models. Cutting its deadline extremely close, Volkswagen submitted a proposed fix for 3.0-liter V-6 TDI diesel models with "defeat device" software to U.S. regulators earlier this week. With progress on addressing the 482,000 cars equipped with 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines still pending… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1102199_vw-submits-v-6-diesel-update-plan-for-audi-porsche-vw-models GREEN ENERGY A Renewables Revolution Is Toppling the Dominance of Fossil Fuels in U.S. Power. Renewable energy was the biggest source of new power added to U.S. electricity grids last year as falling prices and government incentives made wind and solar increasingly viable alternatives to fossil fuels. Developers installed 16 gigawatts of clean energy in 2015, or 68 percent of all new capacity… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-04/renewables-top-fossil-fuels-as-biggest-source-of-new-u-s-power China’s $230 Billion Green Bond Thirst to Supercharge Market. China’seffort to build a green bond market may reap 1.5 trillion yuan ($230 billion) for renewable energy and environment projects within the next five years, potentially supercharging growth in a market that barely existed a few years ago. http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O1NRNJ6K50XX01-1NFOBO5840UH2F0HLV4BVU5NDG Morocco unveils massive solar plant. Morocco’s King Mohammed VI unveiled one of the world’s biggest solar plants Thursday, taking advantage of the Sahara sunshine and a growing global push for renewable energy. The $3.9-billion project in the southern town of Ouarzazate, also known as Noor I, is the first phase of a project expected to provide 1.2 million Moroccans with power. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/morocco-unveils-massive-solar-plant/2016/02/04/e2924002-cb3b-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_story.html Solar power's rebel capitalist. There are two sides to Danny Kennedy. One is the Greenpeace operative, who has been arrested at least a dozen times on four continents, mostly for trying to stick it to the coal and oil companies. And then there's Danny Kennedy the tech multimillionaire, who zooms around San Francisco in a little orange Fiat. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2016/02/04/stories/1060031761 OPINIONS Solar users on the electric grid should pay to help maintain it. To the editor: It's difficult to understand the letter writers' complaints about fees requested by electric utilities from customers producing their own solar power. ("Solar energy and utilities' outdated way of doing business," Readers React, Jan. 31). Most of them continue to rely on utilities for at least some of their power needs, because the sun doesn't shine at night or their needs exceed their ability to produce. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0204-thursday-solar-fees-20160204-story.html We'll all pay to charge others' electric cars. The California Public Utilities Commission approved Jan. 14 a proposal for Southern California Edison to build 1,500 electric vehicle charging stations. The $22 million cost will be added to the rate base for utility bills for all SCE customers, regardless of whether they own any electric vehicles. That is just the beginning of rate hikes in California to pay for other people’s electric cars. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/california-702698-state-electric.html Mercury News editorial: Exxon Mobil's climate change research can inform elections. California is investigating whether Exxon Mobil misled investors about the causes and effects of climate change and the likely effect on the oil company's business. This is welcome news, even if it turns out the company did nothing illegal. http://www.dailydemocrat.com/article/zz/20160204/NEWS/160207784 Don’t let oil glut slow work on future energy needs. The market is awash in oil. Oil was recently below $30 per barrel for the first time in more than 12 years before rising slightly in recent days. Gasoline is now down to $1.65 per gallon in Michigan, and as low as $1.35 at some stations. After years of $100-per-barrel oil and pain at the pump, consumers are reaping the rewards of the oil crash. The average American household saved $700 last year at the pump. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2016/02/03/cheap-oil-future-policy/79793084/ Car fumes are killing us. So why isn’t anyone telling us not to drive? One in three cars in Britain runs on diesel, and 95% of diesel cars emit more nitrogen oxides than is legally allowed, according to tests done by consumer group Which? (Fifteen 15 times more in the case of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, 47 of which I found for sale secondhand within 15 miles of my home when I searched.) http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/04/car-fumes-air-pollution-ban-motorists Letter: How to improve our air. We can all work together to solve our air problems in Utah. I am a 5th grader at The Madeleine Choir School, and I am tired of not breathing freely — it is a medical emergency. We really need to improve our air. One big air pollution problem is wood fires. We can improve our air quality by buying more efficient gas fire places and stop burning wood. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865646874/Letter-How-to-improve-our-air.html?pg=all BLOGS L.A.'s Slow-Moving Oil and Gas Disaster. In affluent Porter Ranch, the worst gas leak in U.S. history continues to pose health concerns. But in lower-income neighborhoods across Los Angeles, drilling has been making people sick for years. Prior to October 2015, many homeowners in the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles were unaware that they lived next door to one of the largest natural gas storage… http://www.citylab.com/politics/2016/02/california-porter-ranch-gas-leak-oil-environmental-justice/425052/ How Hairdressers Could Be A Secret Weapon Against Climate Change. Our stylists know things we don't. Are we looking in the wrong place when it comes to finding champions who can turn us away from our environmentally destructive ways? Researchers at a university in the United Kingdom believe that hairdressers, rather than politicians, scientists or celebrities… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hair-care-hairdressers-climate-change-carbon-footprint_us_56b268fee4b08069c7a5e47d Hydrogen fuel cell makes easyJet flights greener. The company is committed to cutting the carbon footprint of its flights by 7% by 2020, which itself follows a reduction of 28% over the last 15 years. This, combined with the high occupancy rate of most easyJet flights make it one of the greener airlines. The company claim that the carbon footprint of their flights are around 22% lower than traditional airlines. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adi-gaskell/hydrogen-fuel-cell-makes-_b_9132048.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.