What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for April 22, 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

Study Shows California Can Expect More Unhealthy Ozone Days.  A
new study shows that by 2050 California could experience a
significant increase in the number of days with unhealthy ozone
levels. Climate change is expected to cause more heat waves
nationwide. The study finds those heat waves could cause a 70 to
100 percent increase in ozone episodes, a period of time when
ozone concentrations exceed…
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2016/04/21/study-shows-california-can-expect-more-unhealthy-ozone-days/

ALISO CANYON

Latest Aliso Canyon oil and gas leak due to failed rubber seal. 
A failed rubber seal on a device is what caused some 80 gallons
of oil to spill from a well Saturday at the Aliso Canyon field
near Porter Ranch, state regulators said this week. Oil
production was halted at the well operated by Denver-based
Crimson Resource Management and removal of all contaminated soils
and plant material was completed the same day…
http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20160421/latest-aliso-canyon-oil-and-gas-leak-due-to-failed-rubber-seal
 

CLIMATE CHANGE

175 states sign landmark Paris deal on climate change.  Leaders
from 175 countries signed the Paris Agreement on climate change
Friday as the landmark deal took a key step forward, potentially
entering into force years ahead of schedule.
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_UNITED_NATIONS_CLIMATE_AGREEMENT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-04-22-16-53-14


The Key Players in Climate Change. Diplomats from at least 167
countries are gathering in New York to sign the climate accord
reached in December in Paris. Whether they make good on their
pledges to slow dangerous greenhouse gas emissions will depend in
large part on the actions in the years ahead by the world’s
largest polluters. A status report on the key players follows.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/04/21/science/paris-agreement-carbon-dioxide-global-warming.html?_r=0


Nations to Sign Paris Climate Agreement. Representatives of
roughly 170 countries are expected to formalize the U.N. accord
on global warming. It's signing day at the U.N. Representatives
of roughly 170 nations are expected to sign the Paris climate
agreement Friday, formally joining a global accord achieved in
December to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow global
warming.
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-04-22/nations-to-sign-paris-climate-agreement


Insurance Industry Could be Global Warming’s Toughest Foe. Earth
to the Earthly: Global temperatures are rising and threatening
both commerce and the ecology -- a message that climate
scientists want to convey on this Earth Day 2016. And they have
an uncommon but strong ally: the insurance industry, which
doesn’t want to get stuck with the bill. 
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/04/22/insurance-industry-could-be-global-warmings-toughest-foe/#ixzz46ZXJ4Max


US, China resist shipping emissions curbs at UN meet.
International Maritime Organization talks on a carbon target
ended in watery compromise on Thursday, after a standoff between
Europe and emerging economies. The US sided with emerging
economies on Thursday against proposals to set a greenhouse gas
emissions target for shipping.
http://www.climatechangenews.com/2016/04/21/us-china-resist-shipping-emissions-curbs-at-un-meet/?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=6027ee33cf-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-6027ee33cf-327747457


Climate pact likely to do more harm than good. A new treaty being
signed by over 150 countries at the United Nations seeks to limit
the increase in global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6
degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels. The so-called
“Paris Agreement” claims this is necessary to prevent “dangerous
anthropogenic interference with the climate system.”
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/climate-713078-related-technologies.html


Calif. buys $200M of World Bank green bonds. California's
treasurer announced yesterday the state would buy $200 million of
bonds issued by the World Bank to finance climate-friendly
investments. The move is part of a growing trend of large
investors buying securities that are pitched as a greener
alternative to conventional financial products.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/04/22/stories/1060036071 

Ban Ki-moon declares climate deal 'new covenant with the future'.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this morning declared the
signing today of the Paris Agreement on climate change "a new
covenant with the future." Addressing a crowded assembly at U.N.
headquarters, Ban said leaders from a record 171 nations have
gathered to officially sign onto the landmark deal.
http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060036089 

House, Senate Dems stand behind Paris Agreement. The Senate
Foreign Relations Committee's leading Democrat yesterday put his
party's weight behind the Paris Agreement on climate change as
Secretary of State John Kerry prepared to help sign the accord
into force. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said "U.S. leadership was
critically important" in negotiating the global accord in
December.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/04/22/stories/1060036069 

DROUGHT

State ups its water allocation for Southern California. In
another sign that the so-called “Miracle March” storms in
Northern California helped ease the state’s drought, farms and
cities reliant on the State Water Project learned Thursday that
they’ll likely get 60 percent of the water deliveries they
requested from the state, an increase from a month ago.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article73229782.html#storylink=cpy


California loosens water cutbacks in drought. California will
deliver more water this year than it has for each of the last
three, as spring storms have nearly filled the state's major
reservoirs, officials said Thursday. Water districts serving
nearly a million acres of farmland and 40 million residents will
receive 60 percent of the water they requested…
http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/04/22/59874/california-loosens-water-cutbacks-in-drought/

DIESEL ACTIVITIES

Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Extension Introduced. U.S. Senator
Tom Carper (D-Del.) has introduced a bill to extend the Diesel
Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) through 2021 to continue to
provide grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to
reduce emissions from older diesel-powered trucks and equipment.
The act, which was first passed in 2005, was first renewed in
2010.
http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2016/04/diesel-emissions-reduction-act-extention-introduced.aspx


FUELS

China May Raise Fuel Prices for First Time in Six Months on Oil.
China may increase local fuel prices for the first time in six
months following a rally in oil prices. The nation may raise
gasoline and diesel retail rates by 175 yuan ($27) a metric ton
on April 26, ICIS China, a Shanghai-based commodity researcher,
said in an e-mailed report.
http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O60NWV6S972F01-63GNS2B9M46POPKH39QQRD45BI
 

Cleaning industry hopes to wipe tax credit clean. A fight over
fat may break out the next time Congress rewrites tax credits for
biofuels. Makers of soap and detergent are looking to eliminate a
tax credit for biofuel made with animal fats, which they say
takes away one of their key ingredients and puts it in the hands
of energy companies. They've enlisted a handful of lawmakers in
Congress to their cause.
http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2016/04/22/stories/1060036073 

VEHICLES

Honda to add three green cars under Clarity name. Honda Motor Co
(7267.T) will roll out three environmentally friendly sedans
under the Clarity name in the United States by the end of 2017,
the Japanese automaker said on Thursday, as it aims to boost
green vehicle sales. So far the name has been used for Honda's
hydrogen fuel cell car, the FCX Clarity.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-honda-fuelcells-idUSKCN0XI0W9 

Shell sidesteps electric bandwagon with petrol-powered concept
car. Royal Dutch Shell PLC unveiled a high-efficiency
petrol-burning concept car in China on Friday, to show the
world's biggest electric vehicle (EV) market that there is a lot
of mileage left in conventional internal combustion engines.
Shell, one of the largest producers of automotive fuel, said it
could take decades before EVs…
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL3N17N3LK 

Mercedes-Benz maker probes diesel emissions. Daimler AG’s
diesel-engine emissions came under scrutiny after the carmaker
was asked by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the
certification process of its cars. The maker of Mercedes-Benz
vehicles said it’s cooperating fully with authorities and that a
U.S. class action lawsuit alleging some of its cars violated
emissions standards…
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2016/04/22/mercedes-benz-maker-probes-diesel-emissions/83386776/

http://www.businessinsider.com/r-daimler-opens-probe-into-us-emissions-certification-process--2016-4


Ford says 'no thanks' to 200-mile electric car race, for now.
Electric cars with 200 miles of range will be the next big step
in expanding the global market for plug-in vehicles. Leading the
charge will be GM, with the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV that will go
on sale in less than a year. That car will be followed at some
point by the next-generation 2018 Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Model
3…
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1103530_ford-says-no-thanks-to-200-mile-electric-car-race-for-now


ZEV technology splits new car buyers into aficionados and
skeptics. Roughly a third of recent new car buyers on the West
Coast and in the Northeast said their next purchase will be a
zero-emissions vehicle, but the vast majority are still
unfamiliar with the technology, according to a new survey. The
research seeks to explain how new car buyers view zero-emissions
vehicles (ZEVs), which remain unpopular.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/04/22/stories/1060036065 

VW RECALL

Volkswagen Posts Deep Loss After Taking $18.28 Billion Hit on
Emissions Scandal. Charge represents large increase on sum
initially set aside to cover recalls and repairs. Volkswagen AG
took a €16.2 billion ($18.28 billion) charge related to the
emissions-cheating scandal, forcing it to slash its 2015
dividends and post a deep loss.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-posts-deep-loss-after-taking-18-28-billion-hit-on-emissions-scandal-1461333307


Volkswagen Owners Ponder Next Move After Company’s Diesel
Emissions Deal.
Judge says company struck deals with U.S. officials that include
‘substantial’ compensation for owners. Volkswagen AG ’s
commitment to fix, buy back or allow early lease returns on
diesel cars owned by about 500,000 U.S. customers may be viewed
as a step in the right direction, but Peter Haralovich is hungry
for more information.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-owners-ponder-next-move-after-companys-diesel-emissions-deal-1461273983


VW’s not-so-clean diesels: Judge reveals partial buy-back plan.
Volkswagen has agreed to buy back or repair about 480,000 diesel
cars that were rigged to evade emissions tests, in a partial
settlement of more than 500 lawsuits by U.S. customers as well as
state and federal regulators, a federal judge in San Francisco
said Thursday. The tentative agreement announced by U.S. District
Judge Charles Breyer did not include any additional financial
compensation to owners…
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/VW-s-not-so-clean-diesels-Judge-reveals-7287516.php

 Emissions scandal blows big hole in VW's bottom line. Volkswagen
Group has suffered a significant financial loss in fiscal 2015,
largely because of revelations that it rigged cars to skirt
federal air emissions standards, the company said today. "The
emissions issue significantly impacted the Volkswagen Group's
business" in fiscal 2015, Volkswagen said in a released
consolidated financial statement.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2016/04/22/stories/1060036113 

German carmakers to recall 630,000 cars to fix emissions - govt
official. German car manufacturers will recall 630,000 Porsche,
Volkswagen Opel, Audi and Mercedes vehicles to fix diesel
emissions management software, a German government official said
on Friday, widening a clampdown on pollution in the wake of the
Volkswagen scandal.
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFB4N13Q01V 

GREEN ENERGY

New York to Spend $150 Million on Clean Energy Projects. New York
State will spend $150 million on large-scale clean energy
projects as part of its goal to generate 50 percent of its
electricity from renewables by 2030. The state will award
contracts for as long as 20 years to spur public-private
partnerships for solar, wind, fuel cell, biomass, biogas and
hydropower projects…
http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O5ZY5SSYF01Y01-61CV6SKAVCC6KQPAP1MM4FU220


As Oil Jobs Dry Up, Workers Turn to Solar Sector. Burgeoning
solar projects offer opportunities for out-of-work rig hands,
roustabouts and pipe fitters. A few years ago, Sean and Stormy
Fravel were riding the oil and gas boom like so many others in
West Texas. But when their jobs disappeared along with
$100-a-barrel oil prices, they turned to a new type of energy
occupation: solar power.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/as-oil-jobs-dry-up-workers-turn-to-solar-sector-1461280612


Study Suggests Australia’s Largest Battery Storage Array Could
Compliment 91 MW Wind Farm.  A ground-breaking study involving
leading utilities and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency has
suggested that Australia’s largest battery storage array could be
installed at a South Australian wind farm. The study – Energy
Storage for Commercial Renewable Integration in South Australia
(ESCRI-SA).
http://cleantechnica.com/2016/04/22/study-suggests-largest-battery-storage-array-compliment-91-mw-south-australia-wind-farm/


MISCELLANEOUS

It's time for the California Air Resources Board to focus on
low-income areas, lawmakers say. t has been called the most
important climate change agency in the world, with a budget that
might soon reach $1 billion, a four-fold increase in the last
decade. The California Air Resources Board's unremarkable name
belies its power to influence how much you pay at the gas pump
and the car you’ll be driving in 30 years. 
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-air-resources-board-concerns-20160422-story.html

OPINIONS

Views on Paris climate deal signing: "A step on a long journey".
More than 165 countries are set to sign the Paris agreement on
climate change in New York on Friday, signaling their commitment
to put the landmark deal to curb global temperature rise into
practice. Environment and development groups praised the
political will demonstrated by the high-level event, which they
said was an important step towards implementation of the
agreement.
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL5N17P2KG 
  
In a city with so much childhood asthma, why are officials
planning to house homeless kids next to a bus garage? Washington
is a city that wheezes. It has one of the highest rates of asthma
in the country. Those who suffer from the disease cluster in the
city’s poorest communities, where asthmatic children are 10 times
more likely to visit the emergency room than in wealthy
neighborhoods.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/dc-has-one-of-the-nations-highest-childhood-asthma-rates-so-why-is-the-city-planning-to-house-homeless-kids-next-to-a-bus-garage/2016/04/21/7fae0064-01c5-11e6-9d36-33d198ea26c5_story.html

Climate politics is like playing ping pong with a soap bubble.
What are the signals that will tell us when it’s time to start
taking climate change seriously? Sorry. It’s basically too late
already. There are already people who have died from climate
change’s effect on weather systems.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2016/04/22/climate-politics-is-like-playing-ping-pong-with-a-soap-bubble/


Global Warming Feels Quite Pleasant. CHRISTMAS in New York was
lovely this year — especially for those who prefer to spend the
day working on their tans. It was the city’s warmest ever, with
temperatures peaking at 66 degrees. Record-breaking temperatures
are occurring with alarming frequency in the United States, but
Americans are reacting with a collective shrug.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/24/opinion/sunday/global-warming-feels-quite-pleasant.html


Climate change is real, but Paris treaty won't fix it: Column.
World leaders will disembark from carbon-spewing jets in New York
on Earth Day this Friday to sign the Paris climate treaty; the
world’s costliest-ever accord. No doubt, American presidential
candidates will use the spectacle to make hay.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/04/21/climate-change-real-paris-treaty-costly-few-benefits-research-green-energy-column/83292440/


Is the Paris climate accord too little, too late? Representatives
from more than 160 nations will gather at the United Nations on
Friday to sign the accord they hammered out in Paris last
December to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow the effects
of climate change. But is it too little, too late? The accord was
an extraordinary achievement, but in the end, it was only a
nonbinding agreement, and everyone understood that the real…
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-0422-climate-change-accord-20160422-story.html


Climate change is making us sick. Climate change is hurting our
health--right here and right now. As practicing physicians, we
see that: Allergy season is more intense, and arrives earlier
than ever. The five-year drought has left thousands in the
Central Valley without clean water. Heat waves threaten the lives
of patients with diabetes, heart and respiratory disease.
http://www.redding.com/opinion/editorials/climate-change-is-making-us-sick-31039d46-9fa0-5367-e053-0100007facd7-376592181.html


Time to home in on helping Porter Ranch residents: Guest
commentary. On Oct. 23, 2015, life changed dramatically for
people in the north San Fernando Valley. As natural gas from the
Aliso Canyon storage field leaked into the air above Porter
Ranch, for weeks on end people had no idea what was happening,
whom to turn to for advice and what to do to ensure that children
and loved ones were safe.
http://www.dailynews.com/opinion/20160421/time-to-home-in-on-helping-porter-ranch-residents-guest-commentary


BLOGS

China Decreases Air Pollution In Large Cities, But Small Cities
Are Left Behind. Strategies to combat air pollution have not been
applied to all areas of the country. In 2013, China announced a
plan to curb air pollution in the notoriously smoggy
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, home to many old factories.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/chinese-air-pollution-levels_us_5718ff98e4b0479c59d75165


The Plot to Muzzle the Agency That Was Supposed to Clean up Our
Smoggy Skies. The Air Quality Management District is moving to a
more “business-friendly” model. In March Southern Californians
learned that the air they were breathing—the worst in the
country—was about to get worse. That was the month a
parliamentary coup took place within the agency responsible for
keeping our skies clean.
http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/plot-muzzle-agency-supposed-clean-smoggy-skies/#sthash.F8vfjJVj.dpuf
 

How a Carbon Price Can Ease the Climate Shock. More than 120
heads of government are expected to converge on New York City to
formally sign the Paris Agreement today, bringing it into effect
as soon as 55 of them put their names on the list. A core
component of that agreement is the ability to put a price on
carbon dioxide emissions - but why?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-zwick/how-a-carbon-price-can-cu_b_9755962.html




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