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California Air Resources Board News Clips for August 11, 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

Cleantech Industry Coming Out Against Prop. 23. If voters roll
back California's landmark climate change bill in November, the
state's burgeoning Cleantech economy and the jobs it has created
will face serious jeopardy. That was the consensus of Cleantech
leaders who gathered Tuesday morning at Google's Mountain View
campus to talk about the state's leadership in clean energy and
to rally opposition to Proposition 23. Posted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15733576?nclick_check=1

Google & Khosla: If AB32 Dies, So Goes CA’s Greentech Market. If
California’s climate change bill AB32 — which was passed back in
2006 and creates a plan to reduce the state’s carbon emissions —
is repealed, California’s greentech markets will be seriously
jeopardized, said venture capitalist Vinod Khosla and Google’s
Green Energy Czar Bill Weihl at an event at Google HQ on Tuesday
morning. Posted.
http://earth2tech.com/2010/08/10/google-khosla-if-ab32-dies-so-goes-cas-greentech-market/

Yuba Supervisors Split On Prop. 23. On the one hand, former Yuba
County Supervisor Dan Logue could take heart in the fact some of
his current counterparts seemed inclined Tuesday to support the
Nov. 2 ballot measure, Proposition 23, he's written since
becoming a state assemblyman. But on the other hand, the board
ultimately decided to take no direct action on that or any of the
other seven statewide measures, instead agreeing to each make
their individual feelings on the initiatives known publicly.
Posted.
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/common/printer/view.php?db=marysville&id=97959

Oil Companies Behind The Ballot Drive To Suspend Calif Climate
Law Are Major Polluters. Sacramento, Calif. The Texas-based oil
companies that are the primary backers of a November ballot
effort to suspend California's global warming law are among the
state's biggest polluters, according to a report issued Tuesday
by two groups advocating for inner-city residents. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/business/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-ca-california-climate-law,0,7385283,print.story

Report: Prop. 23 Supporters Are Major Polluters. The Texas-based
oil companies that are the primary backers of a November ballot
effort to suspend California's global warming law are among the
state's biggest polluters, according to a report issued Tuesday
by two groups advocating for inner-city residents. Posted.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i88n1n-XB9x5ghSrCIniF31YyAnwD9HGS6800
                             
http://www.modbee.com/2010/08/10/1288401/report-prop-23-supporters-are.html


Races Put Climate Pacts in Jeopardy. States have set the pace
over the past decade as the nation’s leaders in implementing
climate change policy, but much of their work could be on the
line this fall. Nineteen gubernatorial races involve states that
participate in the regional climate initiatives that have emerged
as important alternatives to federal policy, given Congress’s
failure to pass a cap-and-trade system to regulate greenhouse gas
emissions. Posted.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40919.html#ixzz0wJhzAo8t

CLIMATE CHANGE/GHS’S

California Targets Housing Plans To Tackle GHG. Sacramento,
California – The California Air Resources Board (ARB) plans to
tackle the issue of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by focusing on
the growth of cities and transportation planning. The ARB
released a draft report marking the first major milestone in
implementation of a law designed to improve the way cities and
counties plan for growth and development. Posted.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/08/11/california-targets-housing-plans-to-tackle-ghg.htm
http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2010/08/11/california-sets-out-greenhouse-gas-reduction-targets/

When The Smoke Clears In Russia, Will Climate Policy Change? As
temperatures in Russia climb to historic highs, parching crops
and igniting large tracts of forest and peatland, analysts are
watching to see if these conditions heat up the country's climate
change policies. "I don't know what it would take to produce an
active stance on climate change in Russia, but I hope this is
enough," said Samuel Charap, a senior fellow for the Center for
American Progress who studies Russian climate and energy policy.
Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2010/08/11/2
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/08/11/11climatewire-when-the-smoke-clears-in-russia-will-climate-18501.html

Climate Regulation's Newest Foe: Enviros? The Environmental
Protection Agency's plan to roll out regulations on
planet-warming gases may hit a snag in the coming
months—opposition from environmentalists. While industry groups
are mounting major legal challenges to the agency's ability to
regulate greenhouse gases, the EPA's decision to scale back the
number of pollution sources subject to these new rules has raised
the ire of greens who worry the agency isn't being aggressive
enough. Posted.
http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2010/08/epa-faces-climate-backlash-enviros

UCD Professor: Climate Change Past 'Tipping Point'. The
unseasonably cool summer weather across much of Northern
California has served as a stark counterpoint to much of wild
weather sweeping the rest of the globe, and a UC Davis professor
warns the extreme conditions may be a symptom of worsening
climate change that may already be past the "tipping point."
Posted. http://cbs13.com/local/climate.change.uc.2.1853869.html

S.B. County Approves Study Of Greenhouse Gas Plan. San Bernardino
County took another step Tuesday toward completing a plan to
track and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The Board of
Supervisors approved a contract with Pacific Municipal
Consultants of Torrance for $107,735 to complete an environmental
study of its greenhouse gas reduction plan. Posted.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_ngreen11.326d6ac.html

A Call For Alternative International Climate Forums. A leading
U.S climate change policy analyst is calling for countries to go
beyond the United Nations to rein in harmful emissions. In a new
Council on Foreign Relations report, author Joshua Busby said
last year's clamorous summit in Copenhagen, Denmark -- at which
the United States and a handful of other countries hammered out a
political agreement only to have it blocked by an even smaller
handful enraged at being left out of the discussions --
underscored the weakness of global conferences in solving global
problem. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2010/08/11/4

Think This Summer Is Hot? Get Used To It. Staudt, the summer of
2010 might actually be considered mild compared with the typical
summers in the future. "We all think this summer is miserable,
but it's nothing compared to what's in store for us," she says.
Death: Summer heat brings danger for seniors National Extremes:
August 2010 temperatures. The East just sweltered through one of
its hottest Julys on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration reported Monday. Posted.
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/extremes/2010-08-11-heatwaveonline_ST_N.htm?csp=34news

EMISSIONS

Western Governors Push Exception For Biomass Burning. Western
governors yesterday urged the Obama administration to move
quickly to resolve lingering questions about the "carbon
neutrality" of smokestack emissions from biomass plants. In a
letter to Carol Browner, the president's adviser on energy and
climate change, the Western Governors' Association asked the
White House to make the decision about how to regulate the
emissions of biomass plants a "top priority. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2010/08/11/5

OMB Reviewing Regulations on Underground CO2 Storage. The White
House Office of Management and Budget is reviewing a proposed
rule from U.S. EPA that would require carbon storage facilities
to report their emissions, ensuring they are keeping the carbon
dioxide they inject out of the atmosphere. The rule, which was
proposed in March and taken up for review Friday, supplements the
greenhouse gas reporting rule finalized last year. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/08/10/10greenwire-omb-reviewing-regulations-on-underground-co2-s-97799.html

ENERGY

Mayor Introduces Ecofriendly Bill. San Francisco already has some
of the nation's toughest green building standards for new
construction. On Tuesday, Mayor Gavin Newsom introduced
legislation aimed at making existing commercial buildings as
ecofriendly as possible. The legislation submitted to the Board
of Supervisors would require the owners of large commercial
buildings to conduct an energy-efficiency audit every five years
and to supply annual updates - all of which would be available in
a public database. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/11/BA5I1ES12J.DTL&type=printable

New CSUS Dorm Wins 'Gold' Energy-Efficiency Ranking. The newest
dormitory on the California State University, Sacramento, campus
has received high honors for its energy-efficient design. The
U.S. Green Building Council has given CSUS' American River
Courtyard residence hall a "LEED gold" certification, which is
the middle level in the three-tier ranking for Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design. Posted.
http://www.modbee.com/2010/08/11/1289027/new-csus-dorm-wins-gold-energy.html#ixzz0wJZZ2m7j

NorCal College to Save $150M by Going 'Grid Positive'. Butte
College in Northern California will begin generating more
renewable energy next year than it uses, saving the school an
estimated $150 million over the next 30 years. The Butte College
Board of Trustees gave the campus the go-ahead to finish a major
solar energy project next year that will push the school's
generating capacity to 4.55 megawatts (DC). Posted.
https://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/08/10/norcal-community-college-save-30m-going-grid-positive#ixzz0wJeDzcWm

1MW Solar Plan for California High Schools. Two schools in
Petaluma, California, are to start generating their own solar
power in a program from San Jose firm Cupertino Electric. The
firm’s Energy Alternatives division has started work designing
and engineering 1MW of generating capacity for the Petaluma Joint
Union High School District. The project will see a 675-kilowatt
array installed on parking lot canopies at the Casa Grande High
School campus, along with a 385kW system on canopies at the
Petaluma High School campus. Posted.
http://www.brighterenergy.org/15089/news/solar/1mw-solar-plan-for-california-high-schools/

AIR QUALITY

Letter: Weather Helped With Chico Pollutants. In Sunday's
editorial you wrote: "The California Air Resources Board said
last Friday that Butte County met an important clean air standard
in 2009 for the first time in five years. Butte County knew it
had a problem with particulate matter in the cold winter months.
Air-quality officials threatened a ban on fireplace smoke on
bad-air days, and the Chico City Council seemed willing to pass
the ban. This bit of good news — the second straight year of
better particulate levels — should make them back off for a
while." There's a bigger factor you failed to mention. Posted.
http://www.orovillemr.com/opinion/ci_15738329

Report Highlights Split Among Utilities On 'Transport' Rule. U.S.
EPA's plan to limit interstate air pollution from power plants
would not hurt the reliability of the electric grid despite
complaints from coal states, according to a new utility-funded
report that highlights the battle lines that have formed within
the industry. Utilities will be able to adapt to the agency's
proposed "transport" rule, which would seek stiff reductions in
sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the eastern
United States, according to a report released Monday by
consulting firm M.J. Bradley & Associates LLC. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2010/08/11/2

By Messing With Texas Air Pollution Permits, EPA Unleashes Power
Struggle. After simmering behind closed doors for more than 15
years, a disagreement between U.S. EPA and Texas environmental
officials over air pollution permits has boiled over in a big
way. Al Armendariz, the administrator of EPA's Region 6 office,
has threatened to take over state programs, revoking three major
permits and ordering the state's second-largest refinery to apply
directly to EPA officials. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/08/10/10greenwire-by-messing-with-texas-air-pollution-permits-ep-43859.html

VEHICLES

Electric Car Scheme Stalls In Spain. Spain's ambitious goal of
getting a million electric vehicles on the country's roadways by
2014 is off to a bumpy start. Despite government subsidies
covering 20 percent of the cost, 16 electric cars have been
purchased this year. Getting even 2,000 electric or hybrid cars
on the road by the end of the year seems an unlikely target, some
say. However, the government-sponsored wind power and electric
vehicles group is still optimistic. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2010/08/11/8

Coming Soon: Cars That Run On Fumes, Literally. Scientists at the
University of California, Irvine have isolated an enzyme that can
convert the carbon monoxide in car exhaust into propane fuel. The
development could lead to cars that run twice on the same fuel or
travel along converting the air pollution around them into
natural gas, which is environmentally gentler than gasoline.
Researchers say the enzyme might also eventually be able to
produce gasoline, a development that could double-down on our
addiction to the stuff. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/green/detail?&entry_id=69703#ixzz0wJrjprRg

4 Teams To Trace Route Of Solar Taxi For Zero Emissions Race
Around The World. Geneva — A Swiss inventor who last year
circumnavigated the globe in a solar taxi says four teams will
follow in his tire tracks next week. Louis Palmer says the teams
from Australia, Germany, South Korea and Switzerland will fire up
their electric vehicles Aug. 16 in Geneva in an effort to race
around the world in 80 days without producing any carbon
emissions. They will finish there again after 18,642 miles
(30,000 kilometers) on the road in Jan. 2011. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-eu-switzerland-zero-emissions-race,0,1689285,print.story

PORTS

Crowley Awarded San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan Air
Quality Award. Award Recognizes Company that Demonstrates a
Significant Commitment to Reduce Air Pollutant Emissions. (Long
Beach, Calif) Crowley Maritime Corporation’s efforts to
significantly reduce carbon emissions at the Port of Los Angeles
and Port of Long Beach were recognized Thursday, July 29 during
the third annual San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan Air
Quality luncheon at the Maya Hotel in Long Beach. The Clean Air
Award recognizes companies who make great strides to reduce
pollutant emissions at both ports. Posted.
http://www.advertisertalk.com/crowley-awarded-san-pedro-bay-ports-clean-air-action-plan-air-quality-award-14002.zhtml/print/

BLOGS

Bay Area to Install Over 5,000 EV Charging Stations. The San
Francisco Bay Area is set to receive $5 million to install
charging stations for electric vehicles throughout the area, the
Department of Energy announced Wednesday. The $5 million will
cover the installation of 50 fast-charging EV stations along
highways, 2,000 public stations for public parking lots and
participating company-owned parking lots, and 3,000 residential
charging stations. Posted.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20013283-54.html

The Fight For the Future Starts in California. When California
passed AB32, the landmark greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
reduction bill in 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger said; "Using
market-based incentives, we will reduce carbon emissions to 1990
levels by the year 2020. That's a 25 percent reduction. And by
2050, we will reduce emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels.
Posted.
http://www.care2.com/causes/global-warming/blog/the-fight-for-the-future-starts-in-california/