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California Air Resources Board News Clips for October 8-11, 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.

CLIMATE CHANGE/GHG’S

State's Anti-Global Warming Effort At Crossroads. Sacramento -
California's voters will decide whether to dramatically temper
the state’s aggressive campaign to curb global warming, a
decision carrying economic and environmental implications
nationwide. Proposition 23 on the Nov. 2 ballot would block most
of the state’s regulations aiming to curb greenhouse gas
emissions linked to global warming until unemployment drops
substantially for a sustained period of time — a distant target
given most forecasts do not predict a strong rebound for some
time. Posted.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/09/state-anti-global-warming-effort-at-crossroads/

Big Oil Seeks To Reverse Global Warming Restrictions. Sacramento
— If supporters of Proposition 23 prevail in the Nov. 2 election,
California's landmark global warming law would be suspended
indefinitely. But out-of-state oil companies funding the
initiative appear to have their sights set higher. Success in
halting California's climate-change law by showing the public
doesn't support it would give momentum to the opponents of
similar legislation that has stalled in Congress. Posted.
http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_16303185?source=most_viewed

Carbon Curbs by EPA Land in Court Again. The Obama
administration's move to curb greenhouse gases using the
Environmental Protection Agency has drawn legal challenges from
more than 90 companies and trade associations, giving the courts
another opening to shape U.S. climate policy in the absence of
legislative action.
The most recent lawsuit attacking the EPA's climate policy was
filed Thursday by the California-based Pacific Legal Foundation.
Posted.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657304575540360309731070.html?mod=googlenews_wsj


CAP AND TRADE 

Cap And Trade – The Greatest Scam. Do you remember the “cap and
trade” bill passed by the House? This is the bill that President
Obama said, if passed, would cause energy costs to “skyrocket.”
Well, the rest of that story is that costs of all consumer goods
and services would rise, since energy is required in the
production and distribution of products and services. Posted.
http://www.thepostsearchlight.com/2010/10/08/cap-and-trade-%E2%80%93-the-greatest-scam/

The Cap-and-Trade Crackup. A Virginia Democrat with a 'safe' seat
angers constituents with his anti-coal vote. Even as Speaker
Nancy Pelosi twisted arms for the final votes to pass her climate
bill in June 2009, Democrats feared they might be "BTU'd." Many
of them recalled how Al Gore had forced the House to vote in 1993
for an energy tax, a vote Democrats later blamed for helping
their 1994 defeat. The politics isn't the same this time around.
This time, it's much, much worse.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704696304575537934276834038.html?mod=googlenews_wsj#printMode

ENERGY/GREEN JOBS

Japan Creating 'Smart City' Of The Future. Chiba, Japan -- There
were gadgets and robots galore at Japan's premier electronics
show last week. But one of the biggest attractions wasn't
anything you could touch - an energy-efficient city of the
future. For the first time, the Combined Exhibition of Advanced
Technologies, better known as CEATAC, devoted one area of the
show floor to selling a vision of urban life in 2020 and beyond.
'Smart city' The Japanese version of the "smart city" exists in a
post-fossil fuel world. Alternative sources like the sun, wind
and nuclear power are harnessed in mass quantities. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/11/BUFK1FPLCU.DTL&type=green

U.S. Energy Policy: It's Complicated. We should be able to come
up with a coherent energy strategy -- if only Congress weren't
too paralyzed by partisan bickering to enact one. For as clear a
sign as you could want of the nation's haphazard approach to
energy policy, look no further than the roof of the White House.
In 1979, solar panels blossomed there, installed by President
Carter to symbolize his commitment to weaning the country off
oil. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-solar-20101010,0,4462384,print.story

Carlsbad Looks To Extend Ban On Power Plant. Carlsbad officials
appear poised to extend a symbolic moratorium on power plant
development on its stretch of coastline at its next council
meeting. The Carlsbad Council voted Tuesday to adopt several
findings in a city staff report that serve as a prelude to the
vote on the moratorium next week.  NRG Energy owns and operates
the Encina Power Station, with its 400-foot smokestack, on the
city’s coast. Posted.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/08/carlsbad-looks-extend-ban-power-plant/

California Invests $12.6 Million In Alternative Vehicles. The
California Energy Commission (CEC) has announced an investment of
$12.6 million in nine projects aimed at driving forward
alternative vehicle technologies... Posted. 
http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/3469/ 
http://sunpluggers.com/news/california-board-allots-funding-for-vehicle-electrification-fuel-projects-01010


Lake County To Receive Funding For Energy Efficiency Projects On
Public Facilities.  The contract between the California Energy
Commission (CEC) and the county of Lake, which will provide
nearly $259000 in funds from the Energy Efficiency ... Posted.
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/16076/919/ 

APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM

Current Stats On Appliance Rebate Program: Total Funds Paid:
$9,114,714; Apps received: 158,037; cash remaining: $7,974,450
(as of 10/1). Posted.
http://www.cash4appliances.org/stats/index.html 

Californians Spending Down Cash For Appliances Money. California
processed nearly $7 million in rebates for its Cash for
Appliances program in September. The California Energy
Commission, which is administering the program, said about $7.9
million remains of the original $31.7 million in rebate funds for
qualifying energy-efficient appliances. Since April 22, the state
has been accepting rebate applications of $200 for qualifying
refrigerators, $100 for clothes washers and up to $50 for room
air conditioners. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/07/3087400/californians-spending-down-cash.html

Green Jobs Rise In State, Study Finds. Despite the decline in
manufacturing employment in California, one key industrial sector
is seeing robust job growth: the green economy. In a study
released Wednesday, Palo Alto-based nonprofit Next 10 and
Collaborative Economics Inc. of Mountain View found that
manufacturing jobs in the state's green sector grew by 19 percent
between 1995 and 2008. Posted. 
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/07/3085807/green-jobs-rise-in-state-study.html


The Sun Rises on Green Schools. Green schools are more than just
efficient buildings; they are incubators for tomorrow's green
leaders, which have been readily demonstrated at model green
schools such as the Willow School in New Jersey (pictured above)
and Washington DC's Sidwell Friends school. Posted. 
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS123593061320101008 

Job Front: Workshops Have Career Aid For Green Jobs.
Sacramento-area business and civic leaders continue to look to
green and clean technology firms to grow the regional economy and
get the region's work force back on the job. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/11/3094474/job-front-workshops-have-career.html

 
San Diego's New Green Chamber of Commerce. This year, San Diego
established its own Green Chamber of Commerce-The Green Chamber
of San Diego County. The organization got it start in Solana
Beach, when a few members of the board of Solana Beach’s Chamber
decided it would be wise for the county to create a separate
Chamber focused on green business. Posted.
‘http://www.sandiego.com/business/san-diego-s-new-green-chamber-of-commerce%20

CURRENT EVENTS

Brightsource Energy's Ivanpah Solar Power Plant Gains Final
Clearance - Construction On The Plant In The California Desert
Near The Nevada Border Is Expected To Begin In The Next Few
Weeks. Brightsource Energy Inc. on Thursday cleared its final
permitting hurdle for its proposed solar power plant. It expects
to begin construction in the California desert in the next few
weeks. Posted. 
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solar-ivanpah-20101008,0,7794150.story

http://eponline.com/articles/2010/10/08/first-largescale-solar-energy-plants-ever-to-be-built-on-public-lands.aspx
http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=18803
http://www.sbsun.com/ci_16282923?source=email

Faulty Science Behind State's Landmark Diesel Law. California
grossly miscalculated pollution levels in a scientific analysis
used to toughen the state's clean air standards and scientists
have spent the past several months revising data and planning a
significant weakening of the landmark regulation, The Chronicle
has found. The pollution estimate in question was too high - by
340 percent, according to the California Air Resources Board, the
state agency charged with researching and adopting air quality
standards.
Posted.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/07/BAOF1FDMRV.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
http://www.examiner.com/ecopolitics-in-los-angeles/calif-climategate-part-ii-air-board-s-340-pollution-error

DIESELS

Bill Would Help With Idle-Reduction Purchases. One of the many
bills introduced right before Congress left for its election
recess is one that would offer tax incentives for clean energy,
including one that would help with the purchase of idle-reduction
technologies for heavy-duty vehicles. Posted.
http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-print.asp?news_id=71861

Air Regulators Agree To Stall Off-Road Diesel Rule. CARB Moves
Effective Date For Compliance To January 2014. California –
Construction companies with significant investments in off-road
equipment could have four more years to get cleaner-burning
engines in those vehicles under an agreement reached last week
between air regulators and a large construction trade group.
Posted.
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/25723/air-regulators-agree-to-stall-off-road-diesel-rule/print/

TRANSPORTATION

Highly Charged Motoring. Electric Cars, Though A Welcome
Development, Are Neither As Useful Nor As Green As Their
Proponents Claim. DESIGNED especially for city and suburban
motoring, this handsome automobile is smooth, quiet and easy to
drive, and being powered by electricity it can be charged up at
home. Tempting? The sales pitch is not for one of the new
electric cars from General Motors, Nissan or Renault, but for a
1905 Victoria Phaeton from Studebaker of South Bend, Indiana.
Electric cars have come and gone over the years. Posted.
http://www.economist.com/node/17199894/print

Gasoline Engine Has Big Bang For The Fuel-Economy Buck. A
government report says improving the gasoline engine will yield
huge gains for the consumer and the environment as automakers
consider ways to improve fuel economy over the next 14 years. The
Obama administration's technical assessment looked at four
technology scenarios by which automakers might attain suggested
CAFE goals of 47 to 62 mpg for cars and light trucks by 2025.
Posted. 
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20101011/CARNEWS/101019989#ixzz124ZjZxub

Honda Launches Fit Hybrid In Japan. With a price tag of just
$19,000, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. unveiled the world's cheapest
gas-electric hybrid -- a modified version of its Fit subcompact
car. The Fit Hybrid will retail in Japan as easily the country's
cheapest. By contrast, the Toyota Prius, which is Japan's
best-selling vehicle, sells for a minimum of $24,899. Honda's
Insight hybrid also retails for less than the Prius, making it
the second-cheapest in the country. The Fit Hybrid has a fuel
economy of about 70.5 miles per gallon. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2010/10/11/6

First Buyers of Nissan Leaf Get a Trunkful of Perks. Tax credits,
rebate checks, personalized home visits, government giveaways -
even customer service calls from top corporate executives. The
first all-electric car from a major auto company, the Nissan
Leaf, arrives at dealerships in December, but thousands of
Americans are already learning that going electric can come with
perks like no other car purchase. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/business/08electric.html?th&emc=th

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Perspectives: Prop. 23 Is A Bad Deal For Consumers. Oil companies
would like you to believe that what's bad for big oil is bad for
consumers. Don't buy it. For years, the oil industry has peddled
false choices: Low gas prices or cleaner air? Jobs or public
health? But on Nov. 2, Californians will get a chance to send the
oil companies a message that protecting our health and our
environment is good for consumers and the economy. Posted.
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/opinions/ci_16301331

Editorial: AB 32 Is Too Heavy For State To Pull Alone. For
decades California has led the nation in protecting the
environment, a philosophy that has brought both tremendous public
benefits and real burdens. Our state retains remarkable swaths of
protected wilderness and pristine beaches even as its population
has swelled near 40 million. Government makes decisions not just
with short-term expedience in mind but also must consider the
long-term public health. Posted.
http://www.redding.com/news/2010/oct/10/ab-32-is-too-heavy-for-state-to-pull-alone/?print=1

Get The Anti-Science Bent Out Of Politics. As a scientist, I
shouldn't have a stake in the upcoming midterm elections, but
unfortunately, it seems that I -- and indeed all my fellow
climate scientists -- do. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has
threatened that, if he becomes chairman of the House Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform, he will launch what would be a
hostile investigation of climate science. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/07/AR2010100705484_pf.html

No on Proposition 23. Regular readers know that, other than
commending its good intentions to serve as a national model and
to help clean California skies, this page has had little good to
say about AB 32, the state’s landmark 2006 legislation to combat
global warming. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s oft-stated belief
that AB 32 would be quickly copied by the federal government and
other states, and maybe even other nations, has not proved true.
Posted.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/11/no-proposition-23/

OPINION: A Small Green Business Take on Prop 23. California is
and has historically been a pioneer and leader in progressive
environmental standards and policies both nationally and abroad.
We have taken it upon ourselves to lead by example with statewide
environmental initiatives, responding to the growing demand and
need to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our
dependence on foreign oil.  In a few weeks, this reputation will
be put to the test when the Prop. 23 measure is up for a vote.
Posted.
http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/10/a-small-green-business-take-on-prop-23/

OPINION: An X-Ray of Dysfunction. The fact that it’s two years on
and no energy bill has been passed is a reflection of a broader
power failure in Washington. Posted. 
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/opinion/10friedman.html?th&emc=th


LOIS HENRY: Air Board Must Be Held Accountable. Here's a topic
for the next governor's debate: If elected, would you investigate
the California Air Resources Board for fraud? Oh, did I say the
"f" word? Absolutely. This agency is out of control and, I
believe, has perpetrated an outright fraud on the people of this
state. And, no, I'm not just talking about how the agency was
recently forced to admit it was wrong about the amount of diesel
emissions that heavy construction contributes to air pollution.
Posted.
http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x618251275/Air-board-must-be-held-accountable
BLOGS

Foes Outspend Backers of Proposition 23. At the start of the
campaign for California’s Proposition 23, the ballot measure that
would suspend the state’s global warming law, opponents darkly
warned that the Texas oil companies backing the initiative would
spend as much as $50 million to win the election. But with three
weeks until Election Day, it is the No on 23 coalition of
environmentalists, investors and Silicon Valley technology
companies that is raking in the cash, taking in nearly twice as
much money as the Yes on 23 campaign. Posted.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/11/foes-outspend-backers-of-proposition-23/?pagemode=print

Investigation: Calif. Misses Mark On Emissions Regulation.
California grossly miscalculated pollution levels in a scientific
analysis used to toughen the state's clean-air standards, and
scientists have spent the past several months revising data and
planning a significant weakening of the landmark regulation, the
San Francisco Chronicle has found. The pollution estimate in
question was too high -- by 340 percent, according to the
California Air Resources Board, the state agency charged with
researching and adopting air-quality standards. Posted.
http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/57066

Scientist Who Spotted Faulty Air Pollution Figures Still Supports
AB 32, Opposes Prop. 23.  It’s not as bad as you think. The San
Francisco Chronicle has a big story today about how the
California Air Resources Board overestimated the amount of
pollution caused by diesel-burning trucks and other vehicles as
it crafted regulations to improve air quality. Posted.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2010/10/air_board_diesel_ab_32.php?print=true

Prop 23 Money Trail. True, most of the money backing Proposition
23 on California's November ballot has come from two big oil
refiners, both headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. But the
opposition has some high rollers in the game, as well.
High-profile venture capitalists and tech investors have lined up
against the measure with open wallets. Climate Watch producer
Gretchen Weber mapped the money trail for both sides. Posted.
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2010/10/10/prop-23-money-trail/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FClimateWatchBlog+%28KQED%27s+Climate+Watch+Blog%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Big Oil Money Pouring Back Into California To Boost Prop 23.
After a recent lull, the flow of out-of-state oil money into
California to block the state's cutting edge greenhouse-gas law
is ramping back up. The latest to contribute is Marathon Oil,
based in Houston, which has kicked in $500,000. So many Texas oil
companies showing so much interest in California's air -- isn't
that special? Posted.
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-10-11-big-oil-money-keeps-pouring-into-california-to-boost-prop-23/PALL/print

California: The Make-Believe State. “If I am elected, the bald
will grow thick hair.” Alas, I am not a candidate for anything,
and so the bald will have to continue their suffering in silence.
 And, frankly, were I campaigning for a position of public trust,
I would lose badly, for reasons entirely separate from my utter
lack of schmoozing skills.  Posted.
http://dailycaller.com/2010/10/11/california-the-make-believe-state/print/#ixzz124aQ8Z00