What's New List Serve Post Display

CARB Newsclips for April 14, 2017. 

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.

CARB BUSINESS

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) staff invites you to
participate in an ongoing series of public working meetings to
discuss:  (1) changes to the pathway carbon intensity application
and evaluation process, (2) improvements to reporting and credit
generation processes, and (3) the integration of third-party
verification requirements under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard
(LCFS). The next meeting will be held at the California
Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters Building as
follows:

Monday, April 17, 2017, 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
•    Fossil and Renewable Natural Gas, Including Biomethane From
Dairy and Livestock Operations


Today’s notice is intended to confirm the dates, provide the
times and location, and supply instructions on how to participate
(in-person, over the phone, or webcast).  This information along
with discussion papers and other materials for review will be
posted at
http://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/lcfs/lcfs_meetings/lcfs_meetings.htm 


The Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) will conduct a public
meeting at the time and place noted below to consider Truck Field
Enforcement Activities and New Screening Technology for High
Emitting Vehicles.

DATE:  	April 27, 2017
TIME:  	9:00 a.m.
LOCATION: 	California Environmental Protection Agency
          	Air Resources Board
         	Byron Sher Auditorium, 2nd Floor
          	1001 I Street
          	Sacramento, California 95814

WEBCAST: http://www.cal-span.org/           

Air Resources Board staff have posted a white paper on the health
benefits of physical activity and air pollution exposure while
walking and bicycling for transportation.  
Download the White Paper:
https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/vprp/physical_activity_and_health_final_161216.pdf
         

For more information, including the White Paper and other
resources, visit our Built Environment webpage:
https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/vprp/vprp.htm          

A fact sheet summarizing this document can be found here:
https://www.arb.ca.gov/html/fact_sheets/physical_activity_fact_sheet.pdf
   

On Monday, April 24th, the California Air Resources Board will
host a research seminar focusing on household transportation
choices and commitments of statewide greenhouse gas reductions
required by SB 375. Announcement available here:
https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/seminars/mokhtarian/mokhtarian.htm
   

The California Energy Commission and the California Air Resources
Board (ARB) will jointly conduct a workshop to discuss potential
methodologies to establish greenhouse gas (GHG) emission
reduction targets for 2030 to be used by California’s local
publicly owned electric utilities (POUs) when preparing their
individual integrated resource plans (IRP), as mandated by Senate
Bill 350, the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015
(de León, Chapter 547, Statutes of 2015). SB 350 calls for the
ARB to establish 2030 GHG reduction targets in coordination with
the Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC).

The workshop will be held Monday, April 17, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. 

The location of the workshop will be:

CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
1516 Ninth Street
First Floor, Art Rosenfeld Hearing Room
Sacramento, California

The Draft SB 350 Clean Transportation Access Guidance Document is
an initial step in identifying the main barriers and providing
initial recommendations as a framework to address them moving
forward.  Recommendations include steps that the Legislature,
communities, State and local planning, transportation, and air
quality agencies can take to overcome specific barriers and begin
to formulate innovative, meaningful solutions.  Many of the
recommendations build upon current actions State and local
agencies are implementing to increase access to transportation
electrification for all Californians.  

The guidance documents are now available for public review and
comment at:  https://www.arb.ca.gov/transoptions  

CARB is seeking public input on the Draft SB 350 Clean
Transportation Access Guidance Document.  To submit written
feedback, please contact Ms. Ashley Dunn, Air Pollution
Specialist, at (626) 459-4385 or by email at
ashley.dunn@arb.ca.gov    

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) staff has posted two
discussion papers and draft CI calculators for the Low Carbon
Fuel Standard Working Meeting on April 17, 2017, that will focus
on Fossil and Renewable Natural Gas, including Biomethane from
Dairy and Livestock Operations. The materials can be found at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/lcfs/lcfs_meetings/lcfs_meetings.htm
.

CAP AND TRADE

California’s carbon market in the clear? Not so fast. Opponents
of California’s “cap and trade” carbon market said Friday they
will take their fight to the state Supreme Court. The Pacific
Legal Foundation, a conservative nonprofit law firm based in
Sacramento, announced it will appeal the case to the Supreme
Court. The announcement came a week after the Third District
Court of Appeal dismissed the group’s lawsuit by a 2-1 vote.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article144634284.html#storylink=cpy


California’s Cap-and-Trade Program Survives Legal Challenge. Last
week, California’s Cap-and-Trade Program to reduce carbon
emissions was handed a victory when a state appeals court ruled
that program’s auction of emissions permits does not constitute
an illegal tax because the program is voluntary and the emissions
permits have value. In a 2–1 vote, the Court of Appeal for the
Third Appellate District upheld the…
http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2017/04/13/californias-cap-and-trade-program-survives-legal-challenge/


Court backs California fees for polluters who exceed limits. In a
win for environmentalists, a California appeals court on Thursday
upheld a key component of the state's landmark climate change
effort that requires companies to buy credits if they exceed
pollution limits. The cap-and-trade law limits carbon emissions
and auctions off permits that allow companies to release excess
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
http://www.wtoc.com/story/35092237/court-backs-california-fees-for-polluters-who-exceed-limits


Chevron CEO voices opposition to carbon tax. Chevron Corp. CEO
John Watson this week signaled his opposition to taxing
greenhouse gas emissions, making him an outlier among oil
executives. Watson said in an interview for a podcast that the
oil and gas industry shouldn't be subject to a carbon tax because
the sector is already helping the United States lower its carbon
emissions.
https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/04/14/stories/1060053098


CLIMATE CHANGE

U.S. weather forecaster sees chance of El Niño later this year. A
U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday projected the
possibility of closely-watched El Niño phenomenon developing in
the Northern Hemisphere late summer or fall. The Climate
Prediction Center (CPC), an agency of the National Weather
Service, in its monthly forecast said neutral conditions are
favored to continue through at least the spring…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-weather-elnino-idUSKBN17F1MA

Environmentalists Sue EPA for Data to Back Pruitt Climate
Remarks. Environmentalists sued the EPA on April 13 to provide
documents that back Administrator Scott Pruitt’s assertion that
human activity isn’t the largest factor driving global climate
change, a statement that contradicts a scientific consensus and
the agency’s own website. The Environmental Protection Agency
violated the Freedom of Information Act…
https://www.bna.com/environmentalists-sue-epa-n57982086677/ 

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s claim that China and India have
‘no obligations’ until 2030 under the Paris Accord. During an
appearance on “Fox & Friends,” the EPA administrator denounced
the Paris Accord, the global agreement on curbing climate change,
as a “bad deal for America” that “we need to exit in my opinion.”
Asked his biggest objection to the accord, he claimed that China
and India had no obligations until 2030, even though “they are
polluting far more than we are.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2017/04/14/epa-administrator-scott-pruitts-claim-that-china-and-india-have-no-obligations-until-2030-under-the-paris-accord/?utm_term=.94bf9526cf45


3 ways climate change could ruin Easter. There's a lot to love
about Easter. Kids running around the front yard searching for
brightly colored plastic eggs full of candy. The decadent ham
dinner. And of course the squeal-inducing imagery of baby
bunnies, chicks and lambs. Yet while the beloved springtime
celebration packs a delightful punch, climate change doesn't take
off for holidays.
https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/04/14/stories/1060053092


DROUGHT

Why celebrate the latest rainstorm? Because Northern California
has set a new record. While you sidestep the puddles and wrestle
with your umbrella, be comforted by this: Northern California is
going through the wettest rainy season on record. The region
broke the 34-year-old record for precipitation in one year, the
Department of Water Resources reported early Thursday.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/weather/article144379334.html#storylink=cpy


The Drought Is Over, Right? Not in These 4 Counties. Gov. Jerry
Brown recently lifted his emergency drought declaration for all
of California except four counties: Fresno, Kings, Tulare and
Tuolumne. These counties tend to rely on groundwater, which takes
longer to recharge after a drought than surface water. But that’s
not really what keeping the emergency declaration in place is
about.
https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/04/13/the-drought-is-over-right-not-in-these-4-counties/


DIESEL ACTIVITIES

Elon Musk says Tesla semi truck to debut in September, kicking
clean-truck race into high gear. Tesla Inc. plans to unveil an
electric cargo truck in September, Chief Executive Elon Musk said
Thursday, heating up the race to get a zero-emissions semi truck
on the road. “Tesla Semi truck unveil set for September,” Musk
said on Twitter. “Team has done an amazing job. Seriously next
level.”
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tesla-semi-truck-20170413-story.html


FUELS

California Court Rules Against Air Resources Board over LCFS but
Preserves 2017 Status Quo. In two recent posts, we discussed how
California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) had been thrown into
a state of potential upheaval by two interrelated legal
challenges commonly known as POET I and POET II, including a
recent oral argument before the California Court of Appeal for
the Fifth Appellate District (Court of Appeal) in POET I.
http://www.cleanenergylawreport.com/environmental-and-approvals/california-court-chastises-air-resources-board-over-lcfs/


VW RECALL

Calif. is pushed to help poorer areas with cash settlement.
Automakers, lawmakers and environmental groups are pushing
California regulators to revise their portion of Volkswagen's
spending on electric vehicle charging stations in the wake of the
company's emissions cheating scandal. Volkswagen's settlement
with environmental regulators and drivers requires it to spend $2
billion…
https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/04/14/stories/1060053089


OPINIONS

These policy changes will help California prepare for the next
drought. Gov. Jerry Brown has declared the drought over. What did
we learn from more than five years of drought that could help us
better manage the next one? California’s urban economy remained
strong, even as residents and businesses across the state
responded to calls to save water. The agricultural economy also
kept moving forward despite 50 percent…
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/california-forum/article144493739.html#storylink=cpy


A chance for Ryan Zinke to do right by California. Ryan Zinke
should forgive Californians for their skepticism as he confers
with Gov. Jerry Brown on his first visit to California as Donald
Trump’s Interior secretary. The former state senator and
congressman from Montana arrives in Sacramento representing a
president who denies climate change, advocates a revival of coal
and urges that more federal lands be opened to greater resource
extraction. All of that is anathema to the views of most
Californians.
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article144245924.html#storylink=cpy


Poisons Are Us. When you bite into a piece of fruit, it should be
a mindless pleasure. Sure, that steroidal-looking strawberry with
a toothpaste-white interior doesn’t seem right to begin with. But
you shouldn’t have to think about childhood brain development
when layering it over your cereal. The Trump administration, in
putting chemical industry toadies between our food and public
safety…
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/14/opinion/poisons-are-us.html?_r=1


House Republicans held an insane hearing just to attack climate
science. The Trump administration has been nothing if not a
master class in gaslighting—the art of manipulating people, often
through lies, into questioning their own sanity—and its pupils on
Capitol Hill have clearly been taking notes. On Wednesday, the
Republicans on the House Science Committee held a three-hour
hearing on the merits of climate change science…
https://newrepublic.com/minutes/141716/house-republicans-held-insane-hearing-just-attack-climate-science