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newsclips -- Newsclips for June 28, 2011.
Posted: 28 Jun 2011 12:49:36
California Air Resources Board News Clips for June 28, 2011. 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. AIR POLLUTION EPA Edges Closer To National Coal Plant Cleanup. Washington — After years of delays and false starts under both Democratic and Republican administrations, the Environmental Protection Agency is close to finishing two measures to reduce pollution from coal-fired power plants. Health experts say the pollution reductions will save thousands of lives every year by sparing people asthma attacks, heart attacks and other health problems. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/28/3733393/epa-edges-closer-to-national-coal.html UC Merced Study Shows Urban Rail Reduces Carbon Monoxide Air Pollution. From reports. The opening of a major urban rail system in Taiwan caused a meaningful reduction in air pollution, according to a study by two UC Merced professors. "Despite the importance of the transportation sector for air pollution, little work has examined the air pollution effects of transportation infrastructure directly," Professor Alexander Whalley and Professor Yihsu Chen wrote in the paper. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2011/06/27/v-print/1948063/uc-merced-study-shows-urban-rail.html Clean Air Funding Available. Applications are now being accepted by the Tehama County Air Pollution Control District for Year 13 Carl Moyer Grant Funding. Projects that will be considered for funding are remotely located diesel to diesel engine conversions, diesel to electric conversions and replacement of agricultural off-road equipment (i.e. tractors, forklifts, etc.). Other projects may be considered on a case by case basis. The application deadline is July 19. Posted. http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/ci_18369359 CLIMATE CHANGE American Climate Skeptic Soon Funded By Oil, Coal Firms. (Reuters) - Willie Soon, a U.S. climate change skeptic who has also discounted the health risks of mercury emissions from coal, has received more than $1 million in funding in recent years from large energy companies and an oil industry group, according to Greenpeace. Soon, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has also gotten funding from scientific sources including NASA and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/28/us-usa-climate-skeptic-idUSTRE75R2HD20110628 Court: California Can Proceed With Cap-And-Trade Plan. San Francisco -- A state appeals court has ruled that California can move ahead with its plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, refineries and other sources. California's 1st District Court of Appeal on Friday overruled a San Francisco judge who in May ordered the California Air Resources Board to stop work on its cap-and-trade program. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_18368569 Global Gas Flaring Reductions Slash Carbon Emissions. Orange gas flares jutting from pipes and smokestacks are signs of working oil fields across Russia, the Middle East and North Africa. The same gas flares also spew hundreds of millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere each year. In a rapidly industrializing world that is using more oil, this has become one of the biggest environmental issues to crack. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2011/06/28/5 Reducing Black Carbon Would Ease Short-Term Warming Impacts. Curbing soot emissions could go a long way toward reducing the near-term effects of man-made climate change, according to a report to Congress being prepared by U.S. EPA. Congress directed the agency to complete the report on soot -- or black carbon -- by April 2012, as part of a fiscal 2010 spending law. Posted. http://eenews.net/eenewspm/print/2011/06/27/1 By Subscription Only VEHICLES Obama Considers Big Boost To Fuel Economy: 56.2 Mpg By 2025. WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is telling American automakers that it would like cars and light trucks to average 56.2 miles per gallon by 2025 -- a boost to fuel economy that would save consumers money at the pump and help with global warming but drive up the cost of automobiles. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_18362542 http://www.nctimes.com/news/national/article_a7921214-6eb6-53c2-8ae3-a644f5e7985f.html 'Powering the electric vehicle' - ultracapacitors: a burst of energy to electric vehicles. Ultracapacitors have been used for years in electrical appliances. Electric Vehicles integrate ultracapacitors also but with different functionalities: from backup energy sources to load stabilisers, ultracapacitors’ contribute is small but essential to electric vehicle operation. In an ultracapacitor, the energy accumulates in the electrode, not on the electrolyte as in batteries. Posted. http://www.cars21.com/content/articles/61120110628.php California Green Vehicle Rebates In Jeopardy. California's rebate program for electric and hybrid cars has run out of money for this fiscal year. The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project has been offering California residents who purchase an electric or hybrid vehicle a rebate of $1,500 to $5,000, depending on the type of vehicle purchased. The state budget had allocated $5 million for the program for the 2010-2011 fiscal year with an additional $2 million coming from the state's Energy Commission. Posted. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20075003-54/california-green-vehicle-rebates-in-jeopardy/ GREEN ENERGY Riverside County May Add Fee To Solar Installations. The proposed levy would require solar developers to pay 2% of their annual revenue to offset the toll the plants could take on local facilities and services. But solar developers say the fee could make their installations unaffordable. Riverside County, home to some of the largest solar energy plants in the state, is considering imposing a development fee on such installations, a move that critics say could chill prospects for the renewable energy business in the region. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solar-tax-20110628,0,5478662,print.story A Google Search Projects Big Future Economic Gains From Clean Energy Investment. A new study by Google.org projects that breakthroughs in clean energy technologies stemming from aggressive federal and private-sector investment would add $150 billion in additional economic output and 1.1 million new jobs by 2030, with the gains continuing to grow in future years. The study, "The New Prize: Clean Energy Innovation," is based on McKinsey & Co.'s Low Carbon Economics computer modeling. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2011/06/28/3 MISCELLANEOUS Landlords Protect Tenants From Secondhand Smoke. Several Tehama County landlords have been teaming up with Public Health staff to protect their tenants from the dangers of secondhand smoke. They, as well as their residents, are reaping the benefits from this collaboration. More than 84 percent of California adults do not smoke, according to a release issued by Tehama County Public Health. Most Californians are aware of the health hazards of secondhand smoke and wish to be protected from it. Posted. http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/ci_18362200?source=most_viewed OPINIONS 'Ode to My Hybrid's Expiring Carpool Lane Stickers'. O little yellow strips of plastic --How you made my drive fantastic. [At least you minimized the pain: With you, I used the carpool lane.] The best eight bucks I ever spent Was for these babies. They were meant To nudge us into hybrid wheels; And thousands flocked to take those deals. It worked too well, and now they must 'As chimney-sweepers, come to dust,' Expiring with the fiscal year --That’s why my R.I.P. is here. Posted. http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2011/06/ode-to-my-hybrids-expiring-carpool-lane-stickers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OpinionLa+%28L.A.+Times+-+Opinion+Blog%29 Now Is Time For California To Lead The Way On Reducing Emissions. As deadlines approach for setting new clean car standards for California and the nation, the Brown administration can play a pivotal role. California has the power to reduce pollution, slow the growth of climate changing greenhouse gases and shrink America's deadly dependence on foreign oil. But convincing action is needed now. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/27/1751689/now-is-time-for-california-to.html EDITORIAL: More Nanny State For You. California's busy-as-a-bee regulators have taken another step to add to our reputation as a "nanny state." The latest is the requirement that every single-family dwelling in the state must have installed a carbon monoxide detector by Friday. Apartment owners have until July 2013 to get their devices installed. The measure, which was enacted in May 2010, says that failure to install such a device (after an inspector has sent a 30-day warning notice) could result in a $200 fine. Posted. http://www.nctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_e47d924a-ef0c-5c19-ac5f-9a4ab53f436b.html Tank Standards Unchanged Since 2008. In her June 1 column, "Government does a fine job not cleaning the air," Lois Henry referred to California's above-ground gasoline storage tank rules and the need for the California Air Resources Board to assist businesses to meet requirements for certification. We couldn't agree more. Posted. http://www.bakersfield.com/opinion/letters/x622197749/Tank-standards-unchanged-since-2008 Monkey See, Monkey Do ...It saddens me regularly to attend Solano County Board of Supervisor meetings, as the behavior indicated in Jon Riley's letter ("Criticism is fine", June 26) is too often displayed. It saddens me even more that Mr. Riley resorts to name calling, failure to validate, and innuendo in his letter. Mr. Riley should have stuck to the topic: Poor behavior. Posted. http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_18368483 FORUM: A Better Solution For The Climate. Recent headlines show that our state's efforts to mitigate climate change come not a moment too soon: Thousands fled for higher ground along the Mississippi River as floodwaters from torrential rains reached record levels. Over a million acres have burned in drought-stricken Texas. Posted. http://www.nctimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/article_ebb8bfbc-72f4-541e-b441-eec17618f852.html The New "30 Years War" A 30-year war for energy preeminence? You wouldn’t wish it even on a desperate planet. But that’s where we’re headed and there’s no turning back. From 1618 to 1648, Europe was engulfed in a series of intensely brutal conflicts known collectively as the Thirty Years’ War. It was, in part, a struggle between an imperial system of governance and the emerging nation-state. Posted. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/06/28/opinion/main20074960.shtml BLOGS The Driverless Car: Innovation On Autopilot. As one of the great innovators of Silicon Valley, Google is known for regularly testing the waters with unorthodox ideas that appear to have little to do with the company's core business. In just the past two weeks, the company has announced a $280 million solar power initiative and is in the process of conducting a new Google Ideas conference for political extremists to discuss the role that technology can play in de-radicalization efforts around the globe. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/the-driverless-car-innovation-on-autopilot/2011/06/28/AGkRoApH_blog.html Chevrolet Beat E.V. Hints at G.M.’s Electric Ambitions for India. Absent the populist bombast that accompanied the introduction of the Tata Nano, General Motors India recently unveiled an electric vehicle prototype here based on the Chevrolet Beat, a microcar related to the Sonic subcompact coming to market in the United States and marketed elsewhere as the Spark. The Beat would be the likely platform if G.M. were to produce a purely electric car for India. Posted. http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/chevrolet-beat-e-v-hints-at-g-m-s-electric-ambitions-for-india/?scp=4&sq=vehicles&st=cse Google’s Green Energy Wish List. For a moment, re-imagine Aladdin as an engineer. He finds his magic lamp in an industrial park in Silicon Valley or Boston or the Research Triangle in Raleigh-Durham, and the genie who emerges offers him three technological wishes. What should Aladdin wish for? Could any of his wishes go wrong? Posted. http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/googles-green-energy-wish-list/?scp=2&sq=green%20energy&st=cse Can Biofuels Save Sub-Saharan Africa? When soaring food prices, climate change, growing energy demands, poverty, international politics and social justice are in the mix, you have a tried and true recipe for heated debate with just about anyone. I’m referring, as you may have guessed, to the hot-button topic of biofuels. Posted. http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/can-biofuels-save-sub-saharan-africa/?ref=earth GE Ad Calls Natural Gas Hot Stuff. A full-page ad in The Washington Post states in big letters, “Natural gas is hot stuff.” A bit of irony if I’ve ever seen one. The smaller print of the ad extols the virtues of natural gas, including its abundance in the U.S. and the energy independence its use will bring. “Natural gas consists mainly of methane,” according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Posted. http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/06/ge-ad-calls-natural-gas-hot-stuff/ Electric Cars Set New Records at Pikes Peak. There were two electric cars on the entrant list for this year's Pikes Peak Hill Climb, and both set new records as they crossed the finish line at 14,110 feet. First up was a 2011 Nissan Leaf, the first production electric car to compete in the event, and – by default – setting the initial record. Veteran Nissan off-road truck racing champion Chad Hord was behind the wheel, and completed the 12.42-mile course in a respectable 14 minutes 33 seconds. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/28/electric-cars-set-new-records-at-pikes-peak/ Nissan LEAF Becomes First Electric Class Pike’s Peak Champion. Remember the stock Nissan LEAF that was planning to take on the grueling Pike’s Peak Hill Climb? Well, it may not have had much competition this year to become the Electric Production Class’s first champion (read: any competition), but it did beat several highly modified combustion-engined competitors to the summit. Posted. http://inhabitat.com/nissan-leaf-becomes-first-electric-class-pikes-peak-champion/ Ford Spent $1.65 Million in First Quarter 2011 Lobbying for Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks. It’s old news that automobile companies spend a lot of time and money in Washington DC trying to get what they want, but these days they’ve got their eyes on a new prize - electric vehicle (EV) tax breaks. It was just reported that Ford Motor Company spent $1.65 million in the first quarter of 2011 lobbying for EV tax breaks – an increase of 20% over the last quarter. Posted. http://inhabitat.com/ford-spent-1-65-million-in-first-quarter-2011-lobbying-for-electric-vehicle-tax-breaks/ California Hybrids Will Lose Their HOV Status This Friday. If you live in California, it’s time to trade in your Prius for a Tesla Model S. This Friday, July 1st, the state will strip hybrids of their HOV carpool lane access — six months after originally planned. But plug-in hybrids, fully electric cars such as the Tesla Roadster, fuel cells, natural gas vehicles, and electric cars with range-extending engines such as the Chevy Volt will still have access to these lanes even with one person in the car until 2015. Posted. http://inhabitat.com/california-hybrids-will-lose-their-hov-status-this-friday/ Why Automakers Are Likely to Lose the Fuel-Economy Showdown. We’re heading into a major confrontation on federal fuel economy standards. It’s a question of who blinks first. Given the outsized role that environmentally friendly California plays in these proceedings, it’s very likely to be the automakers — who hold a surprisingly weak hand as the negotiations proceed. Posted. http://www.bnet.com/blog/electric-cars/why-automakers-are-likely-to-lose-the-fuel-economy-showdown/4567 Berkeley Lab Study Finds That Residential Photovoltaic Systems Boost the Sales Price of California Homes. New research by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) finds strong evidence that homes with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems sell for a premium over homes without solar systems. "We find compelling evidence that solar PV systems in California have boosted home sales prices," says lead author Ben Hoen, a researcher in Berkeley Lab's Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETDPosted. http://eetd.lbl.gov/newsletter/nl35/eetd-nl35-3-solar.html Obama Mandates a Market for His Green Cars. The Obama administrations reported proposal of a 56 mpg fuel-economy mandate by 2025 sets up an inherent conflict of interest for a government that has given away hundreds of millions of federal dollars to companies manufacturing batteries for electric cars. Posted. http://www.nationalreview.com/planet-gore/270613/obama-mandates-market-his-green-cars-henry-payne U.S. Politicians’ Campaign Of Terror Against Climate Scientists. U.S. politicians aren't just denying that climate change is happening, they're actively using their position and power to try to intimidate climate scientists into keeping silent on the subject, says Raymond S. Bradley, director of the Climate System Research Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In his new book, Global Warming and Political Intimidation: Posted. http://www.grist.org/list/2011-06-28-u.s.-politicians-campaign-of-terro-intimidate-cliamte-scientists Westport To Work With GM To Develop Advanced Natural Gas Engine Technology For Light-Duty Vehicles. Westport Innovations Inc. has entered into an agreement with General Motors to help develop advanced natural gas engine technology for light-duty vehicles. Both General Motors and Westport will bring their expertise to developing natural gas engine controls, emissions and performance strategies. To support OEM programs, Westport plans to add research and development facilities, such as a new Technical Center in Michigan. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/06/westport-20110628.html