What's New List Serve Post Display

CARB Newsclips for July 20, 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 (CARB) invites you to
participate in a public workshop July 19 & 20, 2017 to discuss
concepts for a regulatory revision intended to clarify
California’s racing vehicle definition.  Pursuant to California
law, racing vehicles, defined as competition vehicles not used on
public highways, are exempt from emissions control requirements.

Agenda:
https://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/racingvehicles/racingvehicles.htm     
 

_______________________________

The Air Resources Board (ARB) announces the launch of its new
California Dairy and Livestock GHG Reduction Working Group (Dairy
Working Group) and Subgroup list serves that will provide
interested stakeholders with up-to-date information about current
activities and processes.  Sign-up for the main Dairy Working
Group process List Serve:
https://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv_ind.php?listname=dairy  
    

CAP AND TRADE

Gov. Brown's climate change deal was a lesson in compromise that
should be studied in the White House. One particular message to
the agriculture industry was simple: You want Gov. Jerry Brown to
be a friend or an enemy the rest of his term? Friends will
support his climate change legislation, it was made clear. To
business leaders: This legislation provides tax and regulatory
breaks that you’ve long sought. Grab them now or forget it.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-skelton-cap-and-trade-climate-change-california-bipartisan-vote-20170720-story.html


Statewide fire fee suspended as part of California climate change
deal. As part of a climate change deal designed to help reduce
California’s greenhouse gas emissions, the controversial state
fire fee, which charges rural residents $117 a year for fire
prevention programs, has been suspended. The Sacramento Bee
reported earlier this week that a promise has been made to put
the fee on hold as part of an extensive cap-and-trade deal.
http://www.sierrastar.com/news/local/article162664698.html 

AIR POLLUTION

California farm region plagued by dirty air looks to Trump.
California's vast San Joaquin Valley, the country's most
productive farming region, is engulfed by some of the nation's
dirtiest skies, forcing the state's largest air district to spend
more than $40 billion in the past quarter-century to enforce
hundreds of stringent pollution rules. The investment has
steadily driven down the number of days with unhealthy air… 
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_DIRTY_AIR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/California-farm-region-plagued-by-dirty-air-looks-11301609.php
 

UPDATE 1-U.S. Justice Department drops $3 million Harley-Davidson
emissions penalty. The Justice Department said on Thursday it had
dropped a requirement that Harley-Davidson Inc should spend $3
million to reduce air pollution as part of a settlement that the
Obama administration had announced in August. Last year, the
Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker agreed to pay a $12 million…
http://www.reuters.com/article/usa-harleydavidson-emissions-idUSL1N1KB153

https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/07/20/stories/1060057685 

Plan calls for L.A., Long Beach ports to go to zero-emissions
technology; cost could hit $14 billion. The nation’s largest port
complex will seek to slash air pollution and health risks to
Southern Californians by replacing diesel trucks and cargo
equipment with zero-emissions technology over the next two
decades, according to a plan released Wednesday.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ports-clean-air-20170719-story.html

http://www.govtech.com/fs/LA-Long-Beach-Ports-Clean-Air-Action-Plan-Call-for-Deploying-Zero-Emissions-Technology.html


Lawsuit aims to force EPA to crack down on air polluters in
Texas. Environmental groups accuse agency of turning blind eye as
Texas ‘renders useless’ pollution controls by issuing lax permits
for oil and gas facilities. Campaign groups are suing the
Environmental Protection Agency in a bid to force it to clamp
down on industrial air pollution in Texas.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/20/epa-lawsuit-texas-industrial-air-pollution


CLIMATE CHANGE

A Canadian Province Pushes California on Climate Change.
California Governor Jerry Brown just won a big victory in his
efforts to fight climate change, but Canada’s Ontario province
has been pushing him to go further. As the two sides hammer out
details of a long-planned merger of their carbon markets, Ontario
minister for environment Glen Murray says there are holes in the
Golden State’s system… 
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-19/a-canadian-province-has-a-surprising-message-for-california


This Zen priest continued her cross-country trek against climate
change even after it resulted in a rare disease. Melissa McCarthy
was frustrated. She was disgruntled about the state of the
country’s politics and irked by what she saw as people’s
disregard for the environment. So she decided to walk it out —
across the entirety of the United States over the course of more
than two years.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2017/07/20/this-zen-priest-continued-her-cross-country-trek-against-climate-change-even-after-it-resulted-in-a-rare-disease/?utm_term=.d442d97b6565


This could be the next big strategy for suing over climate
change. Two California coastal counties and one beach-side city
touched off a possible new legal front in the climate change
battle this week, suing dozens of major oil, coal, and other
fossil fuel companies for the damages they say they will incur
due to rising seas. The three cases, which target firms such as
Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP and Royal Dutch Shell…
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/07/20/this-could-be-the-next-big-strategy-for-suing-over-climate-change/?utm_term=.2e4a01f7019c


A Cheap Fix for Climate Change? Pay People Not to Chop Down
Trees. The tropical forests in western Uganda, home to a
dwindling population of endangered chimpanzees, are disappearing
at some of the fastest rates on Earth as local people chop down
trees for charcoal and to clear space for subsistence farming.
Now, a team of researchers has shown that there is a surprisingly
cheap…
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/20/climate/a-cheap-fix-for-climate-change-pay-people-not-to-chop-down-trees-uganda.html
 

Climate Scientist Says He Was Demoted For Speaking Out On Climate
Change. A former head policy adviser at the Interior Department
is accusing the Trump Administration of reassigning him to a
lesser position for speaking out about the dangers of climate
change. Joel Clement, a scientist who was director of the
Interior Department's Office of Policy Analysis…
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/19/538216232/climate-scientist-says-he-was-demoted-for-speaking-out-on-climate-change
 

The little enzyme that could help fight global warming.
Scientists at USC and Cal Tech have discovered a a way to greatly
speed up the process of transforming carbon dioxide into alkaline
water, effectively neutralizing the gas, a development that could
be a boon in the fight against excessive greenhouse gas
emissions. To understand how the process works, think about soda
water.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/07/20/73961/the-little-enzyme-that-could-help-fight-global-war/


Scientists Say Family Planning Is Our Best Bet To Reduce Climate
Change. New research suggests the most powerful way to reduce our
carbon footprints is by making key choices about food, travel,
and family planning. A Swedish study published this month found
that having fewer children is the most effective thing we can do
to lower our carbon impact and reduce climate change.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetwburns/2017/07/20/scientists-say-family-planning-is-our-best-bet-to-reduce-climate-change/#3574dbf140f5


'Astounding': Shifting storms under climate change to worsen
coastal perils. Shifting storm directions under climate change
are likely to worsen threats to coastlines already at risk from
rising sea levels and more intense tempests, according to
researchers at the University of NSW. Scientists took advantage
of the predicted huge east coast low in June last year to
document the before and after…
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/astounding-shifting-storms-under-climate-change-to-worsen-coastal-perils-20170720-gxf8ic.html


Surprising scientists, 2017 could be among warmest ever. This
year is on track to be the second-hottest on record, surprising
climate scientists who thought natural weather patterns could
break a multiyear trend of record-breaking temperature increases.
Global temperatures this year have been 1.64 degrees Fahrenheit
above the 20th-century average of 56.3 F, according to NOAA.
https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/07/20/stories/1060057634


Ex-GOP Cabinet official pushes carbon tax on Capitol Hill. At a
private meeting on Capitol Hill last week, former Treasury
Secretary Hank Paulson pressed members of Congress to swiftly
address climate change — potentially through a carbon tax, E&E
News has learned. Paulson and Gregory Page, the former CEO of
agriculture giant Cargill Inc., made their case for addressing
climate change…
https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/07/20/stories/1060057659


France is successfully wooing climate researchers. France's $69
million program to lure climate scientists to its shores is
attracting hundreds, including many from the United States. Now
Germany wants to establish a similar program. French President
Emmanuel Macron unveiled the initiative six weeks ago amid the
fallout of President Trump's saying the United States would quit
the Paris climate agreement.
https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/07/20/stories/1060057630


FUELS

Calif. facility where record methane leak occurred to reopen. The
California site where a record-setting methane leak occurred last
year will reopen to natural gas injections, a decision regulators
deemed safe while others called it reckless. The Aliso Canyon
facility in north Los Angeles County cleared all inspections and
tests, making it safe to allow new storage of natural gas "at a
greatly reduced capacity,"…
https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2017/07/20/stories/1060057658  


U.S. gas supplies up 10 percent in 2 years — assessment. A steady
clip of shale gas discoveries is behind a new estimate that the
country has 3,141 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of future natural gas
supplies, 10 percent more than analysts knew of just two years
ago. "New exploration, more well drilling and continuous
improvements in completion and stimulation technologies lead…
https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2017/07/20/stories/1060057628 


ALISO CANYON

As state clears gas field to reopen, governor calls for it to
close. Two state agencies cleared the Aliso Canyon gas storage
field to resume operations on Wednesday, while the same afternoon
Governor Jerry Brown called for it to eventually close. It's an
odd juxtaposition of different state entities acting
simultaneously on the controversial gas storage field, where a
well ruptured in late 2015 and drove thousands of people from
their homes. 

VEHICLES

Porsche ponders diesel exit, pushes electric cars: CEO. Porsche's
latest generation of diesel engines could be its last, Chief
Executive Oliver Blume told Reuters, as Volkswagen's cheating on
diesel emissions tests starts to cast a shadow over its Porsche
sports-car division. Porsche is spending a billion euros ($1.16
billion) to overhaul its main Stuttgart plant…
http://www.businessinsider.com/r-porsche-ponders-diesel-exit-pushes-electric-cars-ceo-2017-7


VW RECALL

VW's settlement in emissions scandal reaches $1.3 billion.
California says Volkswagen will pay the state another $154
million in penalties and costs over the automaker's emissions
scandal. California's Air Resources Board says the increase in a
consent decree filed Thursday brings VW's total settlement in
California to $1.3 billion. Volkswagen Group of America
acknowledges rigging 11 million of its vehicles with software
used to cheat on vehicle emissions tests.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/APFN_US_VOLKSWAGEN_EMISSIONS_SCANDAL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT#a41b884d-5982-4273-9316-c1558cefd6b9


OTHER RELATED STORIES
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/energy-environment/vws-settlement-in-emissions-scandal-reaches-13-billion/2017/07/20/6ed910ea-6d7a-11e7-abbc-a53480672286_story.html?utm_term=.79df794d4df8


Volkswagen to pay millions more in California for diesel scandal.
Volkswagen agreed Thursday to pay California an additional $153.8
million in the carmaker’s diesel air-pollution scandal. The new
payment comes on top of more than $15 billion Volkswagen already
has agreed to pay government agencies and consumers after
admitting it rigged hundreds of thousands of cars to cheat on
air-pollution regulations.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/article162685248.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.scpr.org/news/2017/07/20/73973/volkswagen-s-settlement-in-emissions-scandal-reach/
 
http://www.nydailynews.com/newswires/news/business/vw-settlement-emissions-scandal-reaches-1-3-billion-article-1.3342466

http://www.4-traders.com/VOLKSWAGEN-436737/news/Volkswagen-VW-s-settlement-in-emissions-scandal-reaches-1-3-billion-24791523/

http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=32984 
https://www.ft.com/content/efee492b-f475-36e1-bfcc-8426f581c9e1 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-4715792/Volkswagen-fined-154-mn-US-dieselgate.html

https://www.thestreet.com/story/14237454/1/volkswagen-agrees-to-pay-another-154-million-in-emissions-scandal-settlement.html

http://www.breitbart.com/news/volkswagen-fined-154-mn-more-in-us-for-dieselgate/
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/business-news/volkswagen-settlement-in-emissions-scandal-reaches-1-3-billion/


GREEN ENERGY

UC system honored for environmental, economic leadership. The
University of California has been honored with the 2017 Edmund G.
“Pat” Brown Award in recognition of the UC system’s legacy of
environmental and economic leadership.
The award is presented annually by the California Council for
Environmental and Economic Balance, a nonpartisan coalition of
business, labor and public leaders.
http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/uc-system-honored-for-environmental-economic-leadership/

MISCELLANEOUS

Countries awarded for combating crisis of desertification. Six
countries that are tackling the "silent, invisible crisis" of
land erosion were chosen by the United Nations on Thursday to
compete for an award aimed at combating the world's top threats.
Australia was shortlisted for making indigenous people guardians
of more than 40 percent of its national reserves and Jordan for
backing…
http://www.reuters.com/article/environment-food-climatechange-idUSL5N1KB4IY


OPINIONS

The great global warming hustle. For environment ideologues, The
Donald has ensured destruction of the world by removing the U.S.
from the 2015 Paris climate accord. The key for global warming
proponents is the increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) content in air
from 200 parts per million during the ice age to 400 parts per
million in 2013. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/  


California is handling climate change all wrong. Gov. Jerry Brown
has won praise for promising that California will live up to the
Paris accord despite President Trump’s withdrawal from the
treaty. He also signed a climate deal with China last month, and
has unveiled plans for a global climate summit in San Francisco
next year. Earlier this week, California lawmakers voted to
extend the state’s cap-and-trade program for another 10 years.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-lomborg-california-climate-change-paris-accord-cap-and-trade-20170720-story.html


Meet Chad Mayes, California’s newest tax-and-spend Republican. 
If there was ever any question as to who is the most skilled,
adept and persuasive politician in the state of California, the
legislative debate over the recently passed cap-and-trade tax
increase gives us the answer: unequivocally, Gov. Jerry Brown.
Legislative Republicans, with their Assembly Leader Chad Mayes,
R-Yucca Valley, at the helm…
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/07/20/meet-chad-mayes-californias-newest-tax-and-spend-republican/


Bill Nye on the terrifying ascendancy of American 'dingbatitude'.
From the Emmy-winning “science guy on” the PBS children’s
television program to the lab-coat crusader who “saves the world”
on Netflix, Bill Nye is a longtime science-is-entertaining
educator, a onetime mechanical engineer and a perpetual science
lover. He writes books at the publishing equivalent of the speed
of light…
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-ol-patt-morrison-bill-nye-science-20170719-htmlstory.html

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/bill-nye-older-people-need-to-die-out-before-climate-science-can-advance/article/2629163


BLOGS

Environmental groups sue EPA over lax Texas air pollution
permits. Environmental groups are taking the EPA to court,
alleging the federal agency isn't properly policing Texas air
pollution permits they argues are too lax and complicated. A
Washington, D.C.-based environmental advocacy group sued the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, arguing the federal
government isn't properly policing air pollution permits…
https://www.texastribune.org/2017/07/20/environmental-groups-sue-epa-over-lax-texas-air-pollution-permits/


Investors Squeezing Oil & Gas Developers To Cut Methane. Oil and
gas developers may soon be feeling the effects of a one-two punch
— an adverse court ruling dealing with their methane emissions
and now an investor-led initiative pushing them to be more
transparent. Natural gas, of course, has become the fuel of
choice — a fuel that markets itself as far less pollutive than
coal.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2017/07/20/investors-squeezing-oil-gas-developers-to-cut-methane/#789848b04be1