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California Air Resources Board News Clips for July 30, 2010.  

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.

AB 32

AB 32 A Breath of Fresh Air That Saves Money and Adds Jobs. Some
in California worry that by regulating carbon emissions we'll be
putting our economy on the back burner. But nothing in our recent
history has indicated that California must choose between
economic stability and environmental responsibility. Innovative
energy policies established in the 1970s have saved California
consumers $56 billion and created 1.5 million full-time jobs with
a payroll of $45 billion. From 1995 to 2008, clean, safe energy
generation jobs in the Inland Empire grew by 85 percent with the
highest concentration in solar and wind.  Posted.
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20100730/COLUMNS26/7290387/AB-32-a-breath-of-fresh-air-that-saves-money-and-adds-jobs

Jerry Brown Calls State's Global Warming Law The Key Difference
Between Him, Meg Whitman. Calling the issue the defining
difference between himself and Republican Meg Whitman in the
governor's race, Democrat Jerry Brown gave an impassioned defense
Thursday of California's landmark global warming law. Posted.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_15633473

CLIMATE CHANGE/GHG’S

EPA Rejects Petitions To Reconsider Danger Of Greenhouse Gases.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday re-affirmed
its ruling that greenhouse gases are a danger to public health,
rejecting petitions from two states, industry groups and
conservatives who said it was based on shaky science. Posted.
http://views.washingtonpost.com/climate-change/post-carbon/2010/07/epa_rejects_petitions_to_reconsider_that_greenhouse_gases_are_a_danger.html

Climate-Change Bill: A Piece Of Change Is Put On Hold. Senate
Democrats have formally given up on attempts to enact
comprehensive energy and climate-change legislation this summer.
Backers have hinted at trying again in the fall, perhaps even in
a post-election lame-duck session, but that seems unlikely. Even
if President Barack Obama doesn't lose his House and Senate
majorities, he will almost surely be working with narrower
margins. If, as Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid observed, the
votes just weren't there for the bill this year, there will be
even fewer next. Posted.
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_15639405

City Oks $881K Climate Action Plan. The city will spend more
than $881,000, most of it grant funded, to complete an elaborate
climate action plan aimed at curbing Stockton's greenhouse gas
emissions, under a contract approved earlier this week. In a
separate action Tuesday, the City Council also approved a new set
of environmentally focused building rules - minus a provision
that would require some homes to undergo energy-efficiency
audits. That rule was put on hold pending further review. Posted.
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100730/A_NEWS/7300317/-1/A_NEWS14

U.S. DOE Puts $106M Into Carbon Capture. Is there any positive
role that greenhouse gases can play? Secretary Steven Chu of  the
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says ‘yes,’ with an announcement
that the DOE will be providing $106 million in partial matching
funds for six projects that aim to find ways to convert captured
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial sources into
useful products such as fuel, plastics, cement, and fertilizers.
Posted.
http://www.earthtechling.com/2010/07/u-s-doe-puts-106m-into-carbon-capture/

Controlling Soot Might Quickly Reverse a Century of Global
Warming. A massive simulation of soot’s climate effects finds
that basic pollution controls could put a brake on global
warming, erasing in a decade most of the last century’s
temperature change. Compared to the larger, longer term task of
getting greenhouse-gas pollution under control, limiting soot
wouldn’t be hard. Unlike new energy technology and profound 
changes in lifestyle, the tools - exhaust filters, clean-burning
stoves - already exist..
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/07/soot-control/

EPA Chief Rejects Challenges To Greenhouse Gas 'Endangerment'
Finding. U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson rebuffed recent
efforts to prevent her agency from regulating greenhouse gas
emissions yesterday; stating that the evidence proving climate
change is a problem remains "robust, voluminous and compelling."
Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2010/07/30/3
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/07/epa-rejects-challenge-to-credible-compelling-climate-science.html

ENERGY

Community Leaders Push For Energy Efficiency Funds. City and
county leaders launched a lobbying campaign yesterday pushing for
a steady flow of money for energy efficiency projects. Two dozen
mayors, county commissioners and county council members from
across the country visited Capitol Hill, the Energy Department
and Office of Management and Budget to press for continued
funding for the Department of Energy's energy efficiency and
conservation block grants, or EECBG. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2010/07/30/6

Homeowners Save Money With Eco-Savvy New Homes in Carlsbad.
CARLSBAD, CA, Quality new-home construction practices and the
commitment by one local builder to take a more sustainable
approach to building have resulted in an eco-savvy new home
neighborhood that saves homeowners money. At Rockrose at The
Foothills in Carlsbad, builder Brookfield Homes
(http://www.BrookfieldSD.com) has incorporated numerous tactics
for energy-efficiency and water conservation, saving homeowners
money on their utilities. Posted.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/homeowners-save-money-with-eco-savvy-new-homes-in-carlsbad-2010-07-29?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Money Awarded For Projects. The California Energy Commission has
awarded more than $2.2 million to help spur research on projects
including using waste vegetable oil processed from fast food
restaurants as a power source. Funds for the seven research
grants come from the Commission's Public Interest Energy Research
program. Posted. http://www.sgvtribune.com/business/ci_15635817

Energy Commission Cancels $30M In PACE Funding. The California
Energy Commission on Thursday canceled $30 million in awards that
would have supported Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
programs in 23 counties and 184 cities, including an award of
about $1.3 million that would have gone to Sacramento and Yolo
counties. Posted.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2010/07/26/daily65.html
http://www.topix.com/county/sonoma-ca/2010/07/energy-commission-cancels-30m-in-pace-funding

U.S. Crackdown Forces Calif. To Yank Home Solar, Energy-Retrofit
Loans. California pulled funding for its home solar and
energy-retrofit loans yesterday in response to federal mortgage
overseers' negative ruling on the program. The California Energy
Commission's (CEC) decision removes $30 million in federal
stimulus funds awarded by the state last February to five
counties for county and municipal home energy loans. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/07/29/29greenwire-us-crackdown-forces-calif-to-yank-homae-solar-42451.html

Appliance Rebate Program. Note from Editor: First round of
checks were mailed the week of June 14th. Current stats on
Appliance Rebate Program: Apps received: 78,840; cash remaining:
$19,854,000 (as of 07/30): More Appliances Eligible For Cash
Rebates. California is expanding a rebate program for shoppers
purchasing energy efficient appliances. The state's "cash for
appliances" program is adding dishwashers ($100), freezers ($50),
water heaters ($300-$750), and heating, ventilating and air
conditioning systems ($500-$1,000), to the list of appliances
eligible for rebates beginning July 29. Posted.
http://www.fox5sandiego.com/news/kswb-more-appliances-eligible-for-cash-rebate,0,6385036.story

Cash For Appliances List Grows. California is expanding a rebate
program for shoppers purchasing energy efficient appliances. The
state's "cash for appliances" program is adding dishwashers,
freezers, water heaters and heating, ventilating and air
conditioning systems to the list of appliances eligible for
rebates. Posted. 
http://www.ksbw.com/money/24431002/detail.html

California Cash for Appliances Expands To Energy-Efficient
Dishwashers, Water Heaters And HVAC Systems. When rebates for
refrigerators and money for washing machines won’t do the trick,
try adding dollars for dishwashers to the mix. That’s what state
energy officials are offering Californians, starting Thursday, in
an attempt to boost lagging interest in a 3-month-old rebate
program for energy-efficient appliances. Posted.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2010/07/california-cash-for-appliances-expands.html

US Defense Department Vows To March To A Greener Drum.
Memorandum signed with Energy Department to use more renewables.
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has inked an agreement with
the Department of Energy (DoE) to accelerate the deployment of
clean energy technology intended to provide better protection for
troops and secure the country’s energy supply. Posted.
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2267402/defense-department-vows-march

Home Efficiency Pros Cross Fingers Home Star Will Pass. Home
Star--the program nick-named Cash for Caulkers designed to kick
start the home energy-efficiency services market--stands a chance
of passage as part of an offshore drilling-focused energy bill.
But more than just driving demand for efficient hot water heaters
and insulation, the bill demands that contractors provide data on
home efficiency performance in order for consumers to qualify for
the biggest rebates. Posted.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20012189-54.html

State Panel Redirects Green Loan Money. In what appears to be a
blow to innovative programs that allow home energy retrofits to
be funded through property taxes, the California Energy
Commission announced Thursday that it would divert $30 million in
public money allocated to help the initiatives get off the
ground. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/29/BU231ELSBN.DTL

National Campaign to Save PACE Solar Financing Is Energized. A
nationwide campaign to muster political support for stalled
financing programs that help homeowners and businesses save money
with solar electric systems is gaining traction, proponents say.
"We're not there yet, but we've made a good bit of progress,"
said Jeffrey Tannenbaum, founder of an advocacy group called
PACENow.org, in a conference call Thursday to supporters around
the country....
http://sunpluggers.com/news/campaign-to-save-pace-solar-financing-picks-up-steam-0751

Mayor Puts Up Fight For Clean Energy Programs. Mayor Gavin
Newsom on Tuesday introduced a resolution urging San Francisco's
congressional representatives to work with the Federal Housing
Finance Agency to allow for the continuation of clean energy
programs, including San Francisco's Green Finance loan program.
Green Finance SF, a low-cost loan program that allows residents
and business owners to "green" their properties, was suspended
several weeks ago. Posted.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/under-the-dome/Mayor-puts-up-fight-for-clean-energy-programs-99442109.html

County Sues FHFA Over PACE Program. The Sonoma County Board of
Supervisors initiated a law suit in federal district court in San
Francisco on Monday challenging a ruling by the Federal Housing
Finance Agency that has blocked continuation of the
energy-efficiency retrofit program known as PACE.
http://www.sonomanews.com/news/article_c52e7ee0-9b76-11df-b884-001cc4c03286.html

Energy Bill Could Save PACE Clean-Energy Program—If A
Republican
Will Help. PACE programs may soon run up against the same
barrier that's blocked so much progress of late: a Senate that
can't manage to get much done. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
(D-Nev.) said he is willing to add PACE-restoring legislation to
a scaled-back energy bill, but only if a Republican cosponsor
signs on to the plan, according to Brad Penney of the Alliance to
Save Energy. Posted.
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-07-27-senate-energy-bill-could-save-pace-clean-energy-program-if-a-rep/

Outlook Dims For Popular Energy-Efficiency Loans. A White
House-backed program that allows property owners to pay for
energy improvements like solar panels or efficient furnaces
through an additional assessment to their property taxes may soon
be shut down. The federal agency that oversees mortgage giants
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has slammed the door on the program —
known as PACE, or Property Assessed Clean Energy — saying it
poses a risk to mortgage lenders. Posted.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128700648

Federal Home Finance Agency (FHFA) vs Clean Energy. Until local
programs like Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) allowed
homeowners to repay their energy loans gradually through their
property taxes, there were few opportunities for Americans to pay
for sustainable energy systems like solar panels.  Posted.
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-41355-San-Francisco-Green-Culture-Examiner~y2010m7d29-Federal-Home-Finance-Agency-FHFA-vs-Clean-Energy

Kern County Considers Developing Big Solar, Wind Energy
Projects. There’s growing interest in California in developing
large solar and wind energy projects. Utilities have to meet a
state mandate to increase their use of renewable sources over the
next several years. Some counties see alternative energy as a
potential economic boon. One of them is Kern County. If you drive
about half an hour north of Palmdale, you’ll find yourself in the
foothills of Kern County ’s Tehachapi Mountains.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/07/30/kern-county-developing-big-solar-wind-en/

Chevron Energy Commences 1.8MW Solar And Energy Efficiency
Project. Chevron Energy Solutions, a unit of Chevron, and the
City of Brea have announced the beginning of the construction of
an energy efficiency and solar project which is reportedly
expected to save the city $13 million in net energy savings over
the life of the project. Brea will become the municipal producer
of solar energy in Orange County once the 1.8MW of solar panels
are installed at the community center, civic and cultural
center and reservoir city pump yard. Posted.
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/news/stock-alert/eslu_chevron-energy-commences-1-8mw-solar-and-energy-efficiency-project-1077665.html

Solar Makes a Splash at Business Competition for Entrepreneurs.
Solar energy figured prominently in San Jose, Calif., at the
first national conference of Cleantech Open, a nonprofit
organization supporting clean-technology entrepreneurs. Visitors
toured almost 100 exhibits of new technology from this year’s
semifinalists in the organization’s national business
competition, and those of competitors from previous years.
Posted.
http://sunpluggers.com/news/nonprofit-group-sees-its-task-as-helping-to-create-green-jobs-0752

Editorial: Federal Commission Has Potential To Help Close
Achievement Gap. A tiny federal commission announced this week
stands to have a big impact on one of the most difficult problems
facing California and the nation: closing the achievement gap.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Wednesday heralded the
formation of the Equity and Excellence Commission, which will
gather public input about disparities in school
financing and how they exacerbate the achievement gap between
white and minority students — a gap that exists regardless of
income levels.  Posted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_15634369

GULF OIL SPILL

Oil Spill Waste Raises Concerns In The Gulf. BP has hauled more
than 35,000 tons of solid waste to regional landfills. But one
Mississippi county, worried about safety, has stopped it. Even
though BP's busted well has stopped spewing oil, the disaster is
still generating tons of soiled boom and other oily waste that
federal and state laws allow to be buried at specially designated
dumps, some near residential neighborhoods. Posted. 
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oil-spill-waste-20100730,0,4258802.story

Gulf of Mexico Has Long Been Dumping Site. Houma, La. — Loulan
Pitre Sr. was born on the Gulf Coast in 1921, the son of an
oysterman. Nearly all his life, he worked on the water, abiding
by the widely shared faith that the resources of the Gulf of
Mexico were limitless. As a young Marine staff sergeant, back
home after fighting in the South Pacific, he stood on barges in
the gulf and watched as surplus mines, bombs and ammunition were
pushed over the side. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/us/30gulf.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

FUELS

LS9 May Have Just Solved Biofuels’ Scaling Problem. The biofuel
market is turning into a diverse romp of venture-backed companies
auditioning different microbes, catalysts and feedstocks, all
with the same goal: to quickly, efficiently and cheaply transform
renewable, non-food products (ranging from sugar cane to switch
grass to carbon dioxide) into viable forms of fuel that can work
in today’s gas tanks. Posted.
http://green.venturebeat.com/2010/07/29/ls9-may-have-just-solved-biofuels%E2%80%99-scaling-problem/

House Lawmakers Raise Concerns On Higher Ethanol-Fuel Content.
Leading members of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee
raised concerns about increasing the ethanol content in gasoline
without adequate testing proving it won't harm vehicle, marine
and equipment engines. Posted.
http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201007292141dowjonesdjonline000866&title=house-lawmakers-raise-concerns-on-higher-ethanol-fuel-content

VEHICLES

Calif. Gov. Schwarzenegger Applauds PUC Decision to Help Spur
Electric Vehicle Charging Market. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
today applauded the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
decision to not regulate companies that sell electric vehicle
charging services to the public as “public utilities,” pursuant
to the Public Utilities Code: “I applaud the CPUC for making this
important decision that takes another step towards making
California one of the most attractive places in the world for
green technology. Posted.
http://californianewswire.com/2010/07/29/CNW7694_232404.php

EPRI Survey Assesses EV Adoption. If you work for a utility
that’s trying to anticipate how consumers will respond to the
launch of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) coming this
fall—and possible impacts on your operations and business—you may
want to check out pioneering work by the Electric Power Research
Institute (EPRI). Or say you’re a legislator or regulator at the
state or federal level, determining public policy options for
(presumably) encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles. You
too may find the data or tools you need in the link above.
Posted. http://www.donatdawn.com/content/?p=20683

DIESELS

Letters: California Air Resources Board responds. The July 17th
Union-Tribune editorial (“Air board still scandalous”) repeats
discredited claims that the health science related to fine
particles emitted from diesel-fueled engines and other sources is
too uncertain to support the California Air Resources Board’s
tough emissions limits. Posted.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jul/24/letters-california-air-resources-board-responds/

Agencies To Consider SCR ‘Loopholes’ The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board have
presented preliminary proposals aimed at the alleged compliance
loopholes found in current 2010 liquid-based selective catalytic
reduction systems on diesel engines. SCR technology doses hot
diesel fuel with a urea-based diesel exhaust fluid. The resulting
chemical reaction reduces emissions of nitrous oxide (NOx)
pollutants to levels mandated by EPA’s 2010 diesel emissions
regulations. Posted.
http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=85620

EPA Awards $5.6M To Spur New Clean Diesel Technologies. The more
than $5 million in grants recently awarded by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) won’t be funding the use of
commonplace components to reduce emissions. Instead, the clean
diesel grants will support emerging technologies not yet verified
or certified by the EPA or the California Air Resources Board
(CARB). The $5.6 million in awards will fund port, locomotive and
bus projects for recipients including CARB, the University of
Houston and the City of Los Angeles. Posted.
http://www.myettnews.com/2010/07/epa-awards-5-6m-to-spur-new-clean-diesel-technologies/#more-2232

Bringing Fresh Eyes To California Air Regulation.  A year ago
June, PLF filed a lawsuit on behalf of a coalition of California
construction and transportation businesses challenging the
outdated appointments of members of the Scientific Review Panel
on Toxic Air Contaminants (SRP).  The SRP is a group of
scientists who advise the California Air Resources Board (CARB),
the state's chief air quality agency, on whether certain air
pollutants qualify as a danger to human health and should be
regulated.  Posted.
http://plf.typepad.com/plf/2010/07/bringing-fresh-eyes-to-california-air-regulation.html#more

1991 Ford L9000
It therefore could be subject to retrofit or accelerated
turnover equipments to reduce emissions of air pollutants. For
more information, please visit the California Air Resources Board
website at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/diesel. ... Posted.
Http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucindx/ 

HIGH SPEED RAIL

SMART Whiffs On Funding Endorsement, Will Go It Alone. SMART has
swung and missed for the second time in making a pitch to a key
funding agency as it seeks millions of dollars to bail out its
beleaguered rail plan. The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit agency
is $155 million short in funding its 70-mile rail line and
pedestrian pathway from Larkspur to Cloverdale and is seeking
funds to close the gap. Posted.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_15633992

AIR POLLUTION

Fires Mean Poor Air Quality for Yolo-Solano Air Quality
Management District. With the worst part of the fire season still
ahead, air quality is in jeopardy according to the Yolo-Solano
Air Quality Management District. In preparation for wildfire
smoke impacting people's health, the District is reminding
residents what they should do if they are in an area affected by
smoke from a wildfire. According to Air Pollution Control Officer
Mat Ehrhardt, "Many variables will determine how much smoke is in
the air and where the smoke is located. Posted.
http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_15639431

Dunes Dust Reduction Deal OK’d. The San Luis Obispo County Air
Pollution Control District approved a cooperative deal Wednesday
with State Parks to find ways to reduce dust pollution generated
at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The
agreement was unanimously approved by the air pollution control
board and has also been signed by State Parks officials. The
memorandum of agreement is also expected to be approved Tuesday
by the Board of Supervisors. Posted.
http://www.timespressrecorder.com/articles/2010/07/29/news/news03.txt

Keep Clearing the Air. The general consensus about air pollution
among San Joaquin Valley residents is hardly, well, a breath of
fresh air. Fifty-four percent of Valley residents polled see air
pollution as a significant health risk, according to a poll
released this week by the Public Policy Institute of California.
That means 46 percent - the largest number in the annual survey
since 2003 - think air pollution is either not very serious or
not serious at all when it comes to health risks. Posted.
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100730/A_OPINION01/7300307/-1/A_OPINION

Air District Report Examined By Florez at Hearing. Officials on
both sides of the debate over open-field burning in the San
Joaquin Valley said they were encouraged by a hearing in
Sacramento earlier this week. The meeting was called by State
Sen. Dean Florez to challenge the San Joaquin Valley Air
Pollution Control District on its recent report, which claims
that disposal of agricultural waste in more environmentally
friendly ways is not economically feasible for certain area
farmers. Posted.
http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x534570021/Air-district-report-examined-by-Florez-at-hearing

SMOG CHECK

Vital Components to Smog Checks. Assemblyman Eng's Bill, AB
2289, proposes relying more on the model year 2000 and newer
vehicles' OBD-II systems for the test and not subjecting them to
an emissions or visual inspection. Here are just a few reasons
that approach is inadequate and ill-conceived. Many vehicles pass
the OBD-II test but fail for emissions or fail the visual
inspection. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/pointofview/ci_15635559

VEHICLES

Riverside Buys Electric Trucks from ZAP Dealer. Riverside took
another bite out of air pollution Thursday with the expected
delivery of six electric trucks purchased from a local
dealership. The trucks, which cost $92,401 total, are from the
new ZAP dealership opened by Ramon Alvarez, who also owns Jaguar
and Lincoln-Mercury dealerships in Riverside. Alvarez was
recently named president of ZAP USA, which distributes the
vehicles in the U.S. and Mexico. Posted.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_welectric30.32bc050.html

Calif. Gov. Schwarzenegger Applauds PUC Decision to Help Spur
Electric Vehicle Charging Market. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
today applauded the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
decision to not regulate companies that sell electric vehicle
charging services to the public as “public utilities,” pursuant
to the Public Utilities Code: “I applaud the CPUC for making this
important decision that takes another step towards making
California one of the most attractive places in the world for
green technology. Posted.
http://californianewswire.com/2010/07/29/CNW7694_232404.php

MISCELLANEOUS

Do Cleaning Products Cause Breast Cancer? Women who report
greater use of cleaning products may be at higher breast cancer
risk than those who say they use them sparingly. Researchers
writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental
Health asked more than 1500 women about their cleaning product
usage and found that women who reported using more air fresheners
and products for mold and mildew control had a higher incidence
of breast cancer. Posted.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100719205630.htm

Environmentalists Say Pollution Makes Baptism At Sacred Spot In
Jordan River Unsafe. Qasr Al-Yahud, West Bank --
Environmentalists claim that the hallowed spot along the Jordan
River where Christians believe John the Baptist baptized Jesus
Christ has become too filthy for human use. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2010/07/29/ST2010072905952.html?sid=ST2010072905952

BLOGS

Solid Support for Tougher Diesel Truck Standards. Polls on
Californians’ attitudes on the environment released today show
strong support across all regions, races and political
affiliations for tougher air pollution standards on diesel
trucks.  The Public Policy Institute of California poll showed
that 75% of adults expressed willingness to see more stringent
diesel standards right now, despite the economic downturn.
Posted.
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/dbailey/solid_support_for_tougher_dies.html

Lessons from Two Important Climate Forecasts. This is a tale of
two climate forecasts — one successful, the other not. The
successful forecast is described in a nice post on
Realclimate.org  commemorating the approaching 35th anniversary
of “Climatic Change: Are We on the Bring of a Pronounced Global
warming?” This pivotal paper was written by  Wallace Broecker,
one of the deans of modern climate science. (To get a feel for
Broecker’s work and approach, please read this  fine 1998 profile
by my onetime colleague William K. Stevens.) Posted.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/lessons-from-two-important-climate-forecasts/