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California Air Resources Board News Clips for April 22, 2010.

This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office
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individual websites to view some of the following news articles.
 
5 Ways to Help Our Corner of the Earth. The name itself –
International Earth Day – can intimidate with its sweep, the huge
issues it raises. Landfills and recycling. Wind power and
zero-emission cars. Climate change. The death of species. But at
heart, this 40th anniversary of the global celebration of nature
and the environment is simply Mother Earth's big day – and
therefore a reminder to help her look her best for years to come.
Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/04/22/2695633/5-easy-ways-to-invest-in-the-future.html#ixzz0lqkQhXHA

How Earth Day Has Evolved Over 40 Years. Forty years ago today,
Earth Day exploded into our American lexicon with a new brand of
do-it-yourself environmentalism. Billed as "the largest protest
in American history," the first Earth Day centered on college
campuses as part sit-in, part act up. This commemoration of
conservation consciousness has grown into a worldwide effort,
with "saving the planet" becoming an everyday part of life.
Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/04/22/2696781/how-earth-day-has-evolved-over.html#ixzz0lql6qcFO

Early Backers Analyze Impact Of Efforts Of 40 Years Of Earth
Day. George Thompson barely remembers seeing the 40-year-old
grainy, black and white newspaper photograph of him presenting a
mock air pollution award to a Buena High School student wearing a
gas mask. Back in 1970, there were so many causes that students
got involved in that Thompson has trouble separating that
first-ever Earth Day event from the many other rallies and
protests. Posted.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/apr/21/40-years-later-earth-day-early-backers-analyze/


Bay Area Has Seen Results Since First Earth Day. Today, 40 years
after the first Earth Day, the Bay Area by most measures is a
much less polluted, environmentally healthier place than it was
in 1970. The air is cleaner. The water is cleaner. There are more
acres of protected parkland and fewer toxic emissions from
industry. Yet during the next 40 years, the region will face a
host of daunting and expensive problems, many of them coming at a
time when the spirit of bipartisanship that marked the
environmental movement of the early 1970s has given way to
gridlock and massive budget woes. Posted.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_14931077

S.F. Earth Day Celebrations. From organic wine tasting to a
fair-trade Carnaval costume show, Bay Area residents will put
their own twist on Earth Day celebrations today to mark the
occasion's 40th anniversary. At San Francisco State, cowgirls
will promote composting. At the Academy of Sciences, they'll be
dancing to a hip-hop DJ. And in the Mission, they'll be belly
dancing and eating organic empanadas. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/21/BAHT1D2AQI.DTL#ixzz0lqnkUE6q

An Earth Day Evolution: From Anti-Establishment to Politically
Correct. There was no "Green Movement" yet and little talk of
global warming. Instead, the original Earth Day 40 years ago
emphasized "ecology" and goals like cleaning up pollution and
litter — along with a more anti-establishment vibe than today.
"Welcome, sulfur dioxide, hello, carbon monoxide," a woman sang
from the 1968 countercultural Broadway hit, "Hair," at a rally in
Philadelphia that day. Across the country, activists donned gas
masks or spread out in grassy parks to hear speeches about
overpopulation, smog and dirty rivers. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-us-earth-day-evolution,0,6912773.story


Untold Stories of Early Environmentalists Come Alive In Oral
Histories. Riverside activist Penny Newman was asked to leave her
church because a campaign she was waging against a toxic waste
dump in town made other church members uncomfortable. Those
members included the family that owned the dump. Early on,
TreePeople founder Andy Lipkis wondered why he was having trouble
retaining volunteers for reforestation efforts. The U.S. Forest
Service, it turned out, was treating the do-gooders like the
labor force they were used to working with – prison inmates.
Posted.
http://www.today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/untold-stories-of-early-environmentalists-157186.aspx


On Earth Day, the Environmental Movement Needs Repairs. Forty
years in, we're losing. This weekend, when speakers at Earth Day
gatherings across the country hearken back to the first
celebration in 1970, they'll recall great victories: above all,
cleaner air and cleaner water for Americans. But for 20 years
now, global warming has been the most important environmental
issue -- arguably the most important issue the planet has ever
faced. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/22/AR2010042203178.html?hpid=opinionsbox1


Earth Day: No More Burning Rivers, But New Threats. Pollution
before the first Earth Day was not only visible, it was in your
face: Cleveland's Cuyahoga River caught fire. An oil spill fouled
30 miles of Southern California beaches. And thick smog choked
many cities' skies. Not anymore. On Thursday, 40 years after that
first Earth Day in 1970, smog levels nationwide have dropped by
about a quarter, and lead levels in the air are down more than 90
percent. Formerly fetid lakes and burning rivers are now open to
swimmers. . Posted.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/science/ci_14934788

Rebates Spark Appliance-Shopping Frenzy. Earth Day across
California this year may have the same allure for buyers of
cut-priced, energy-saving appliances as the day after
Thanksgiving has for bargain-hunting Christmas shoppers. At least
that is what some retailers and manufacturers are hoping for as
they pile extra price cuts and perks on top of a state rebate of
up to $200 that goes into effect today for purchases of the most
energy-efficient refrigerators, washers and room air
conditioners. Posted.
http://www.pe.com/business/local/stories/PE_Biz_W_appliances_22.3981824.html


Rebates Reward Recycling Appliances. Coachella Valley residents
will be able save money with two green discount programs
launching this week. Through them, residents can get rebates on
electric-powered lawn mowers and appliances. On Wednesday, the
South Coast Air Quality Management District will kick off its
annual Mow Down Air Pollution campaign to encourage Southern
Californians to replace pollutant-spewing gas lawn mowers with
zero-emission electric machines. Posted.
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20100422/NEWS01/4210369/1006/news01/Rebates+reward+recycling+appliances

FORUM: How to Make $1,500 and Get Clean Air. As we celebrate the
40th anniversary of Earth Day, there is greater urgency to lower
our dependence on foreign oil, create jobs and lower the amount
of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Our current economy appears
to pit jobs against science, but nothing is further from the
truth. Look closer and a truly innovative American solution
surfaces. And there's $1,500 in it for each of us. Posted.
http://www.nctimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/article_bddfb3c2-743a-50dc-b892-d71339d43bc9.html


Growers Worry about Looming Ban On Burning Agricultural Waste.
Growers who occasionally need to burn prunings or entire orchards
or vineyards are worried about a state program to phase out
burning that's meant to clear the valley's polluted air. SB 705,
sponsored by state Sen. Dean Florez, outlawed the practice of
burning agricultural waste in open fields seven years ago, but it
is being implemented gradually for different crops. Posted.
http://www.bakersfield.com/news/business/economy/x735123435/Growers-worry-about-looming-ban-on-burning-agricultural-waste

Truck Rule Based On Flawed Data, ARB Staff Admits. A computer
model that the Air Resources Board used to justify historic
restrictions on diesel emissions from off-road construction
equipment may have attributed twice as much pollution to those
heavy trucks as they actually produce, according to interviews
with ARB staff. That error, coupled with the effects of the
recession on the construction industry, means that the
excavators, backhoes and graders that operate in California are
producing only a fraction of the pollutants that the board
believed was the case when it adopted the regulations in 2007.
Posted.
http://www.healthycal.org/arb-admits-rule-based-on-flawed-data.html


Rail Emissions Declining. In the April 19 article "Push for
clean air revs up," Penny Newman says the railroads "haven't
taken any steps to institutionally reduce the emission levels,"
but disingenuously fails to note many years of staff reports,
submittals, and technical evaluations by the California Air
Resources Board (CARB) showing rail emissions have decreased
considerably since 2005. Posted.
http://www.sbsun.com/letters/ci_14931812 

Regional Leaders Meet for Oakland Emissions Summit. Hundreds of
regional leaders from the Bay Area will meet Thursday in Oakland
to launch the planning process for the region's new Sustainable
Communities Strategy. The meeting is in response to a 2008 state
senate bill, SB 375, that mandates regions form integrated
transportation, land use and housing plans to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions. Posted.
http://cbs5.com/business/oakland.emissions.summit.2.1649898.html


Workshop Explores Impact of AB 32 on Businesses. How will
Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, affect you?
About 70 people gathered at the University of San Diego for an AB
32 workshop yesterday morning to find out. The event was hosted
by SDG&E in collaboration with the San Diego Regional Chamber of
Commerce, the Industrial and Environmental Association and the
South County Economic Development Council with the goal of
helping business owners answer their biggest question: “What do I
really need to do?” Posted.
http://sandiegonewsroom.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=42167:emily-holding&catid=37:air&Itemid=56


Conflict of Interest Uncovered in AB32 Study as Climate Law
Battle Continues. As the battle over whether to suspend
California’s landmark climate law, known as AB32, continues, new
accusations of conflict of interest and underhanded financial
reporting have emerged. In the latest turn, the lead economist on
a report finding that the bill would do little harm to job
creation has been linked to a political campaign trying to keep
the bill from being suspended, Climatewire reported Wednesday.
Posted. http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/04/larry-goulder-ab32/ 
 
EDITORIAL: Obama's Climate of Fear. The purported science behind
the global-warming fad is in full retreat these days, but word
has yet to reach the White House. President Obama is determined
to promote the alleged climate crisis as a lever for pushing
through his big-government agenda. The O Force doesn't believe in
wasting a crisis, even if it's a mirage. In mid-March, the White
House Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force did its
bit for climate terror. Posted.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/22/obamas-climate-of-fear/


States Fear Devil in Details of Climate Bill. Democrat Kerry,
independent Senator Joseph Lieberman and Republican Senator
Lindsey Graham are expected to unveil a bill next week to cut
greenhouse gas emissions that navigates among competing interests
groups, after a previous effort failed. "There is a gray area
there where there could be mischief or litigation," California's
top climate change regulator, Air Resources Board Chair Mary
Nichols, told reporters on a conference call, outlining concerns.
Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63K5HT20100422
http://www.kgmi.com/pages/6868092.php?contentType=4&contentId=5971177


Sen. Voinovich Floats Proposal for Curbing Greenhouse Gas
Regulations. Ohio Republican George Voinovich is circulating a
proposal among his Senate colleagues that would impose broad
limits on federal and state authority to limit greenhouse gas
emissions, a Senate Republican aide said today. The amendment
(pdf) would broadly pre-empt states and federal agencies from
regulating greenhouse gases outside the authority of a climate
bill. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/04/21/21greenwire-sen-voinovich-floats-proposal-for-curbing-gree-61103.html
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/04/21/21greenwire-sen-voinovich-floats-proposal-for-curbing-gree-61103.html

Study Warns of Climate Health Threats. Climate change poses a
growing threat to health, from heart disease to heatstroke and
from illness carried by water to bug-borne sickness. A group of
federal agencies issued a report on the threat Wednesday, looking
at what areas need to be studied. Posted.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/science/ci_14929974

Sanders: ‘I Do Not Want To See A Global Warming Bill Become A
Bonanza For The Coal Industry’. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has
expressed “deep disappointment” with the direction Sen. John
Kerry (D-MA) is heading with climate legislation being crafted
with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT).
Posted. http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/29/sanders-on-kgl-bill/

Warm, and Getting Warmer. It is about time to panic. According
to the NASA data, we have just experienced the hottest 12-month
period in more than 100 years, which means that the past 12
months have been the hottest in at least the past 1,000 years.
What does this mean? Well, if global temperatures continue to
rise at the rate that they have risen for the past generation,
then the world of 2100 will see a world 4.1 degrees Fahrenheit
hotter than the world of the 1970s. New York will get the climate
of Washington. Los Angeles will get the climate of Tijuana.
Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-delong-20100422,0,5468093.story


Capitol Fight Erupts Over Renewable Energy. Call it a clash of
the bureaucratic titans. Last year, the Legislature and Gov.
Schwarzenegger wrestled over renewable energy until the closing
hours of the legislative session. Schwarzenegger eventually
vetoed the Democrats’ bill and tried to do the job himself by
ordering the Air Resources Board to act via executive order. But
that order, in part, touched off a bureaucratic war between the
administration and ARB on one side and the Public Utilities
Commission on the other. Posted.
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=ysdjc3vbfmdzrx&xid=ysd88p9g8itjhp&done=.ysdjc3vbfn1zrx

John Kerry's Climate-Change Battle. As the Senate looks more
closely at dealing with climate change this Earth Day, Democrats
have split on how much Congress can actually do this year. On one
side is Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and others behind the effort to
pass a comprehensive bill -- a bill that would invest in cleaner
energy but also put a price carbon. Posted.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/04/john_kerrys_climate-change_bat.html


State Officials Warn Senate Not To Block Their Efforts to Lower
Greenhouse Gases. Senate climate legislation should tread lightly
on state efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, state
officials reiterated Wednesday. “We need to put down a marker
here and remind senators they will not have an effective climate
program without the states,” said Mary Nichols, the chairwoman of
the California Air Resources Board. Posted.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/93555-state-officials-warn-senate-not-to-block-their-efforts-to-lower-greenhouse-gases

States Fight For Their Rights On Climate Regs. With the release
of a Senate energy and climate bill just days away, states want
to make sure they still have a place in environmental regulation.
In a media teleconference today, state officials and others hoped
the forthcoming Senate bill would not summarily override the
states on emissions standards or wipe out programs that work on a
local level but might not succeed for the nation as a whole.
Posted.
http://energytopic.nationaljournal.com/2010/04/states-fight-for-their-rights.php