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ARB Newsclips for August 8, 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

London’s Khan Announces Clean Bus Routes to Cut Air Pollution.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the greenest buses will be deployed
along some of the U.K. capital’s most polluted roads as part of a
drive to improve air quality. Only hybrid buses or diesel
vehicles with “top-of-the-range anti-pollutant systems” will be
allowed along Putney High Street…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-08/london-s-khan-announces-clean-bus-routes-to-cut-air-pollution


ALISO CANYON

Porter Ranch gas leak mitigation could occur outside LA Basin.
Southern California Gas Company has promised to offset the
environmental damage from its big Porter Ranch natural gas leak.
But local environmentalists and politicians are not happy with
recent indications the company wants to do that mitigation work
far from Los Angeles.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/08/05/63310/porter-ranch-gas-leak-mitigation-could-occur-outsi/


CLIMATE CHANGE

Global climate deal likely to enter into force in 2016: study.  A
global agreement on climate change looks likely to enter into
force this year, a study showed on Friday, making it harder for
Republican Donald Trump to pull out if he wins the U.S.
presidency. Countries accounting for 54 percent of greenhouse gas
emissions have signaled intent to ratify this year…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-agreement-idUSKCN10G1AW?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=efcae45554-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-efcae45554-327747457


Thaw could release Cold War-era U.S. toxic waste buried under
Greenland's ice. Global warming could release radioactive waste
stored in an abandoned Cold War-era U.S. military camp deep under
Greenland's ice caps if a thaw continues to spread in coming
decades, scientists said on Friday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-greenland-usa-idUSKCN10G1ON


Olympic Athletes Challenged by New Opponent: Global Warming (2).
Climate change warnings poignantly made during the Olympic Games
opening ceremony on Friday are likely to resonate with athletes
as they struggle to train and compete in Brazil’s tropical heat.
Marathon runners, swimmers, volleyball players and even soccer
referees will succumb to extreme temperatures…
http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-OBFZMJ6S973V01-50QPT80VAV15ABQ8MMJQLRFTPH


In Olympics opening ceremony, Brazil goes big on climate change.
Amid the pomp and circumstance of the opening ceremony of the
Olympic Games on Friday, in between the fireworks and musical
acts, the costumed performers and the camera shots of Gisele
Bundchen dancing giddily alongside her fellow Brazilians in the
crowd, came a more somber message.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/08/05/in-olympics-opening-ceremony-brazil-goes-big-on-climate-change/?utm_campaign=efcae45554-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Inside
Climate News&utm_term=.acf1eb9aba31   

California legislature may ditch plan to radically reduce
emissions. Gov. Jerry Brown has taken the national stage to tout
California’s fight against global warming, telling cheering
throngs at the Democratic National Convention that the state has
“the toughest climate laws in the country.” Yet inside the state
Capitol, the fate of the policy’s centerpiece — legislation to
drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions — is in peril.
http://www.dailynews.com/environment-and-nature/20160807/california-legislature-may-ditch-plan-to-radically-reduce-emissions


Climate change warning signs getting stronger. Great Lakes ills
reflect trend. Climate change is becoming more pronounced across
our planet, with effects in the Great Lakes region including
anything from more toxic algae to faster evaporation of Great
Lakes water. Other documented Great Lakes impacts include higher
shipping costs, more pollen…
http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2016/08/08/Climate-change-warning-signs-getting-stronger.html


How to get a skeptic to believe in climate change? Scientists are
studying that. Renee Lertzman has specific ideas about talking to
conservatives about climate change. The behavioral psychologist
and consultant begins the conversation with an open mind and
intent on listening, she said, adding she tries to hear and
acknowledge people's anxieties without an agenda.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/08/08/stories/1060041292 

DROUGHT

Colombia's coffee growers, reeling from drought, brace for La
Niña rains. Jairo Ciro is just getting back on his feet after
more than a third of his coffee crop withered earlier this year
because of Colombia's devastating El Niño drought. But now
something even worse is on its way - torrential rains and royal
leaf rust, a fungus that attacks coffee trees and prevents them
from producing beans.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-coffee-colombia-outlook-idUSKCN10G1ZA


Long Island Begins to Feel the Effects of Drought. Groundwater
levels are low, and certain rivers and lakes are beginning to dry
up. At a boat launch point on Long Island’s Peconic River, Jim
Dreeben took off his shoes and stepped into the shallows. The
water barely reached his ankles. Mr. Dreeben, 75 years old, owns
the boat shop Peconic Paddler and has rented canoes on the river
since 1979.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/long-island-begins-to-feel-the-effects-of-drought-1470609762


DIESEL ACTIVITIES

BYD Gets $9 Million California Grant For 27 Electric Trucks. BYD,
the world’s largest electric bus manufacturer and the leading
electric carmaker in China, will build 27 battery-electric trucks
under a $9 million California grant. The electric trucks will
replace diesel service trucks and yard tractors in the
communities of Commerce, Fontana and San Bernardino.
http://www.hybridcars.com/byd-gets-9-million-california-grant-for-27-electric-trucks/


More costs and delays for Green Line trolleys. Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority officials say a $104 million project to
refurbish 86 Green Line trolley cars will take at least a year
longer than planned and will cost $11.5 million more because of
the time-consuming process of removing asbestos and fixing other
mechanical complications.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/08/05/asbestos-mechanical-problems-delay-shiny-refurbished-green-line-trolleys/2qoao2c8E6QvBmi2TIIBYP/story.html?s_campaign=email_BG_TodaysHeadline&s_campaign=

FUELS

Ending $4 Billion U.S. Oil Subsidy Seen Having Minimal Impact.
Eliminating $4 billion of petroleum subsidies in the U.S. would
have only a minor affect on oil production and demand and boost
the country’s influence in advocating global climate change
action, according to a report for the Council on Foreign
Relations. Withdrawing oil-drilling subsidies could cut domestic
production by 5 percent by 2030…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-08/ending-4-billion-u-s-oil-subsidy-seen-having-minimal-impact?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=efcae45554-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-efcae45554-327747457


Britons will decide how to spend $1.3 bln shale gas fund. Britons
living near "fracking" developments will be able to decide how a
1 billion pound ($1.3 billion) shale gas wealth fund should be
spent, either by accepting direct personal payments or supporting
projects such as railways or flood defences, the government said
on Monday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/britain-shale-fund-idUSL8N1AP1TO 

VEHICLES

Conservatives to Obama: Don't use VW settlement to push EVs.
Conservative groups are urging the Obama administration to scrap
a $2 billion pot of money for electric vehicles in the $14.7
billion proposed Volkswagen AG air pollution settlement. The
Competitive Enterprise Institute, along with the Heartland
Institute and others that do not accept the science of climate
change…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/08/08/stories/1060041300 


VW RECALL

German court to speed up VW investor lawsuits. A German court
will adopt a rarely used class-action style procedure to more
efficiently process claims by investors seeking damages from
Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) over a diesel emissions cheating scandal,
according to a ruling. The regional court in Braunschweig near
Volkswagen's (VW) Wolfsburg headquarters said on Monday…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-emissions-litigation-idUSKCN10J1PU


U.S. finds unapproved emissions software in VW Audi engines: Bild
am Sonntag. U.S. authorities have found three unapproved software
programs in 3.0 liter diesel engines made by Volkswagen's
(VOWG_p.DE) Audi (NSUG.DE) unit, German weekly Bild am Sonntag
reported, without saying where it had obtained the information.
The software allowed the turbocharged direct injection (TDI)
engines used in…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-emissions-audi-idUSKCN10I0PB


Italy anti-trust fines Volkswagen $5.5 million over emissions.
Italy's anti-trust agency said on Monday it had fined German
carmaker Volkswagen 5 million euros ($5.54 million) for
misinforming car buyers about diesel emissions results. The
Italian watchdog said it would impose the highest fine in its
power on Volkswagen, which it said had marketed diesel-powered
cars…
http://www.businessinsider.com/r-italy-anti-trust-fines-volkswagen-55-million-over-emissions-2016-8


GREEN ENERGY

Affordable solar schemes light way to energy for all in Zimbabwe.
Innovative ways to pay for solar power systems could make clean
energy affordable for many of Zimbabwe's 1.5 million households
that lack electricity, campaigners say. Zimbabwe produces only
around 60 percent of the electricity it needs when demand is
highest, and relies on costly imports to make up some of the
shortage, particularly when drought hits hydropower facilities,
as happened this year.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-energy-solar-financing-idUSKCN10J0L3


Green energy growth fuels an urge to merge. The planned marriage
of Tesla Motors and SolarCity is causing a stir in energy
markets, with two of the most innovative companies in electric
cars and solar energy aiming to take a commanding lead in green
energy in the U.S. But the combination is just one of many big
deals that signal a banner year for mergers and acquisitions in
the North American electric…
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/2016/08/07/green-energy-growth-fuels-urge-merge/87444894/

Apple gets green light to sell solar energy. Apple has been
granted permission to sell energy from its $850 million (£645m)
solar farm. Last Thursday, energy officials in Washington DC said
the company could sell power from the site in California at
market prices. The technology firm bought the 2,900 acre, 130MW
facility last year.
http://www.energylivenews.com/2016/08/08/apple-gets-green-light-to-sell-solar-energy/


This SoCal beach town could be driving a renewables revolution.
On summer weekends, traffic is jammed coming into and out of this
tiny beach town. People flock to the ocean, to the downtown
village with Tudor-themed architecture, to the fairgrounds that
host San Diego County's summer fair, and the horse races held at
the same site.
That vehicle-related greenhouse gas pollution is just one of the
challenges Del Mar faces as it aims to go very green.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/08/08/stories/1060041291 

OPINIONS

Greenland ice sheet ‘summit’ plunged to record low July
temperature. So what? Greenland and its ice sheet have warmed
briskly in recent years, and this summer — like most in recent
years — has been warmer than normal. But in July’s final moments,
at the apex of Greenland’s ice sheet, the mercury plunged to 23
degrees below zero (-30.7 Celsius).
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/08/08/greenland-ice-sheet-summit-plunged-to-record-low-july-temperature-so-what/

Corrupting an ‘independent’ science panel. The EPA illegally
stacks a key science advisory board. The Environmental Protection
Agency has illegally stacked a key science advisory board with
highly paid cronies — but nothing can be done about it. I have a
comatose lawsuit to prove it. We sued the EPA in May because a
panel of the agency’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee
(CASAC) was selected…
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/7/epa-corrupting-an-independent-science-panel/


Many Countries Will Need Help Adapting to Climate Change. The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported last
week that global temperatures last year were the highest on
record — and that this year is likely to be hotter still. That is
a powerful reason for rich countries to begin making good on
their promises to help low-lying island nations, some of the
poorest countries in the world…
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/08/opinion/many-countries-will-need-help-adapting-to-climate-change.html?_r=0


California lawmakers: Don't punt on climate change. Four weeks
from the end of the legislative session it appears that lawmakers
will punt, rather than vote, on one of the most important
environmental decisions facing California. At stake is the
state’s leadership role in fighting climate change. SB 32 was
envisioned as the next logical, albeit ambitious, step in
California’s push to combat climate change.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-california-climate-change-20160808-snap-story.html


Letter: Doubt on climate change. Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL)
activist David Folland is wrong to assert that phasing out fossil
fuels will begin to “stabilize a rapidly warming planet.” While
all competent climate scientists agree that humans contribute to
climate change through land-use change (e.g., urbanization) and
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, that is not the issue.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865659650/Letter-Doubt-on-climate-change.html?pg=all

Editorial: Climate change burrows into the core. One troublesome
issue with Bend’s climate action ordinance has been how it will
affect city spending on core functions — police and fire
protection, roads or even water and sewer. Two solutions proposed
at Wednesday’s council meeting to protect that core spending are
doomed to founder.
http://www.bendbulletin.com/opinion/4554331-151/editorial-climate-change-burrows-into-the-core?referrer=fpblob


BLOGS

What Happens When US Government Starts Keeping Track of its Own
Greenhouse Gas Emissions? Every federal agency of the US
government must soon begin quantifying the impact of its
activities - both direct and indirect - on the climate under new
guidance that the administration of President Barack Obama
finalized this week after six years of consultations. 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/forest-trends/what-happens-when-us-gove_b_11390532.html




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