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newsclips -- Newsclips for July 5, 2011
Posted: 05 Jul 2011 12:54:22
California Air Resources Board News Clips for July 5, 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 Bad Valley Air Could Travel From Overseas. Air-quality scientists long have suspected some of the San Joaquin Valley's notorious brown haze comes all the way from places such as China, taking an amazing wind-blown trip. Now it's time to find out. Years ago, researchers confirmed that plumes of east Asian forest fires, airborne dust, industrial pollution and vehicle exhaust float high in the atmosphere to California and the rest of the West. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2011/07/04/1761629/bad-valley-air-could-travel-from.html CLIMATE CHANGE US airlines take EU to court over emissions cap. BRUSSELS—U.S. airlines took the European Union to court on Tuesday arguing that its imposition of emissions caps on non-European carriers breaches international law. The suit at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg was filed by Air Transport Association of America, which represents the U.S. airlines, together with United/Continental and American Airlines. Air travel is responsible for about 3 percent of greenhouse gases, but their share of global emissions is rising rapidly. Although thousands of airlines will fall under the scheme, 50 major carriers are responsible for about 70 percent of the emissions. Posted. AP Newsbreak Story: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_CLIMATE_AVIATION?SITE=KTVK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/07/05/financial/f034640D97.DTL http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/07/05/2452997/us-airlines-take-eu-to-court-over.html#storylink=misearch http://www.modbee.com/2011/07/05/1761908/us-airlines-take-eu-to-court-over.html http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_18409931 http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_18409931 B.C. finds success with controversial carbon tax. At Richmond Plywood Corp., on an arm of the Fraser River just south of Vancouver, a new energy system that burns the company’s own waste has slashed natural gas costs – almost completely insulating the firm from British Columbia’s carbon tax. The carbon tax wasn’t the sole reason Richmond Plywood made the move – high natural gas prices were also a factor – but it was the tax’s introduction that sparked the change. And it’s exactly the type of action that then-premier Gordon Campbell hoped industry and individuals would undertake when he introduced one of the world’s first carbon taxes three years ago. Posted. http://www.ctv.ca/generic/generated/static/business/article2084989.html Crucial Australian Independents Back Gillard's Climate Plan. Australian independent lawmakers whose support Prime Minister Julia Gillard needs to pass a carbon emissions plan, gave conditional backing ahead of a July 10 announcement on how it will be structured. Tony Windsor, who is from New South Wales, said for the first time he would back the trading system as long as it reflects recommendations from the Multiparty Climate Change Commission on which he sits. Tasmanian lawmaker Andrew Wilkie said he would vote for the laws as long as household and corporate assistance is provided. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/07/05/bloomberg1376-LNU6P50D9L3501-72OOFHNJE04HS8F01TPNVT346U.DTL New vehicle rules to curb greenhouse gas emissions spark debate. Heather Zichal, deputy assistant to the president for energy and climate-change policy, makes a forceful case for the need to slash greenhouse-gas emissions and boost the efficiency of cars and small trucks: The moves will cut America’s oil consumption, foster the nation’s energy independence, save consumers money at the pump and help revive domestic auto manufacturers. What she doesn’t volunteer is that they will curb climate change. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/new-vehicle-rules-to-curb-greenhouse-gas-emissions-spark-debate/2011/06/28/AG32hbwH_story.html Study says sulfur from China’s coal-burning caused slight pause in global warming. WASHINGTON -- Scientists have come up with a possible explanation for why the rise in Earth's temperature paused for a bit during the 2000s, one of the hottest decades on record. The answer seems counterintuitive. It's all that sulfur pollution in the air from China's massive coal-burning, according to a new study. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sulfur-pollution-cites-as-cause-of-climate-change-pause-warming-now-seems-to-be-resuming/2011/07/04/gHQAFkAWxH_story.html http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/07/04/2452452/global-warming-plateau-linked.html#storylink=misearch http://www.modbee.com/2011/07/04/1761130/global-warming-plateau-linked.html PM Excludes Gasoline From Aussie Carbon Tax Plan. Prime Minister Julia Gillard softened the impact of her unpopular carbon tax plans on Sunday by promising it will not increase Australian gasoline prices. She said the tax would never be applied to gasoline despite transport being Australia's third-largest and fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2011/07/02/1759286/pm-excludes-gasoline-from-aussie.html U.S.-E.U. showdown over airline emissions begins today. If European lawmakers have their way, by next year any American flying from Boston to Paris will have to pay for the plane's carbon emissions over Massachusetts, Nova Scotia, the Atlantic Ocean and France. A case before the highest court in the European Union to decide the matter starts today. At stake is this question: Can Europe's climate policy reach the tailpipes of planes flying to and from the continent, even when that plane is over other parts of the world? Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2011/07/05/2/ EPA grants biomass a final reprieve from CO2 rules. As proposed earlier this year, biomass-burning facilities will be spared from new federal curbs on gases that help cause climate change. The final plan released Friday by U.S. EPA will give biomass a three-year pass while the agency studies the effect of plant emissions on climate change. During that time, industrial plants that burn woody biomass and landfills that release the greenhouse gases from decomposing biomass won't need permits before starting construction and won't need Title V operating permits. Posted. BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY. http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/2011/07/05/2/ FUELS Air France to power planes with cooking oil. In a giant nod to the growing recycled fuel industry, Air France-KLM has announced that it will start flying planes in September using a blend of kerosene and used cooking oil. More than 200 flights between Paris and Amsterdam will be the first to embrace the alternative fuel. "In November 2009 we demonstrated that it was technically possible to fly on biokerosene," said KLM's managing director Camiel Eurlings. "Now, a year and a half after our first demonstration flight on Camelina, a new phase has been entered around the world, that of certification. Authorisation will soon be granted to operate commercial flights on biofuel." Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/04/3746301/air-france-to-power-planes-with.html#storylink=misearch GREEN ENERGY UN calls for greener food production to feed world in 2050. GENEVA — World food production will have to increase by up to 100 percent by 2050 and focus on greener methods to sustain an expected 9 billion population, the U.N. said Tuesday in its annual survey of economic and social trends. The U.N.’s annual World Economic and Social Survey called for governments to invest nearly $2 trillion (about 1.3 trillion euros) a year to help small-scale farming and to reduce environmental harm. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/un-calls-for-greener-food-production-to-feed-world-in-2050/2011/07/05/gHQAVnlqyH_story.html India's Rural Poor Give Up On Power Grid, Go Solar. Boommi Gowda used to fear the night. Her vision fogged by glaucoma, she could not see by just the dim glow of a kerosene lamp, so she avoided going outside where king cobras slithered freely and tigers carried off neighborhood dogs. Posted. http://www.nctimes.com/news/science/article_0f005099-104a-55ae-a5e1-7a2706e40675.html Frances Arnold: Career path of a Caltech scientist. Chemical engineer and biochemist at Caltech in Pasadena. Frances Arnold, 54, specializes in the creation of new proteins, with a focus on renewable energy. She is co-founder of Gevo Inc., a company that develops liquid fuel from plants that can be used as a substitute for gasoline and jet fuel. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-arnold-20110703,0,6168321.story Antelope Valley residents not fired up over green energy projects. Judy Watson watched as the California Poppy Reserve was established in the 1970s just five miles from her home. She was looking forward to cherishing its vistas forever. But today Watson is among area residents and nature lovers who fear that the state park's annual blaze of orange blossoms will be overshadowed by "green" — energy, that is, in the form of sprawling solar panels and gigantic industrial-size wind turbines. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-wind-turbines-20110704,0,7448120.story VEHICLES Electric cars are right for America. Former Michigan governor and clean/renewable energy missionary Jennifer Granholm stopped by the Sun-Times the other day to tell the Editorial Board that the cost of electric cars could be on par with the price of gas-powered autos as soon as 2017. If that’s actually within the realm of possibility, we are on the cusp of an energy revolution that could advance the cause of energy security and deal a significant blow to the political and economic clout of foreign oil. Posted. http://www.suntimes.com/news/huntley/6283734-417/electric-cars-are-right-for-america.html Dealers See Shift. Automakers saw strong demand for fuel-efficient vehicles in the first part of this year, but with gas prices leveling off, some dealers are seeing a shift back to trucks and other bigger vehicles. Ford saw its biggest month of small-car sales in May since 2008, despite a 0.1 percent drop in overall sales. But foot traffic for F-150s and other large vehicles has increased in June, a San Bernardino dealer said. Posted. http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_18401541?IADID=Search-www.dailybulletin.com-www.dailybulletin.com First car2go electric vehicle rental scheme launched in Germany. The southern city of Ulm, Germany is the first to host a rental electric vehicle fleet Daimler affiliate car2go partnered with SWU Stadtwerke, their technology partners Mennekes and the group of companies FG.de to deploy in its fleet five electrically powered smart fortwos. Vehicles rented in the mobility scheme drive for about 135km between charges, covering the distance between two car2go rentals. In case the battery is discharged below a specific threshold, the vehicle is parked at one of the charging stations and the drive is over. Posted. http://www.cars21.com/content/articles/61720110705.php MISCELLANEOUS Air quality expected to reach unhealthy range today. The first Spare the Air Day of the season is forecast for today for the Sacramento region. The region's air quality index is expected to reach 151, which is just into the unhealthy range. People with respiratory disease such as asthma should avoid long periods of exertion outdoors. Everyone else should reduce outdoor prolonged outdoor exertion. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/05/3748204/air-quality-expected-to-reach.html#storylink=misearch OPINION Viewpoints: State can still lead on climate without cap-and-trade farce. A decision by a California Superior Court may provide the state with a second chance to become a real leader in national and global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Last month, a Superior Court judge directed the California Air Resources Board to conduct an analysis of feasible alternatives to the cap-and-trade program the air board adopted last year. The plan is the blueprint for achieving the ambitious goals of the Global Warming Solutions Act, also known as AB 32 – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Since California is the world's ninth-largest emitter of these emissions, AB 32 is rightly viewed as a pioneering effort to help the world address the problem of global climate change. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/02/3742737/state-can-still-lead-on-climate.html#storylink=misearch EDITORIAL: Wasteful Energy. Self-proclaimed environmentalists dream of a future powered by wind and solar energy. The free market, of course, knows this isn’t going to happen. Every windmill and solar farm on the planet would go bankrupt if the daily truckloads of taxpayer cash ever missed a delivery. Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/4/wasteful-energy/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS BLOGS Global Warming And Political Intimidation : How Politicians Cracked Down On Scientists As The Earth Heated Up. Climatologist Raymond Bradley has come out fighting in his new short book Global Warming and Political Intimidation: How Politicians Cracked Down on Scientists as the Earth Heated Up. It’s a lively albeit sobering narrative which recounts his and others’ experience of harassment, character assassination and unfounded accusation from the politicians who serve fossil fuel interests in the US Congress. Posted. http://www.celsias.com/article/global-warming-political-intimidation-crackdown/ Air Pollution Linked To Impaired Cognition. Long term exposure to fine airborne particulate matter, such as engine exhaust, may alter neuronal morphology, mood, and impair cognition, according to research in mice published online this week in Molecular Psychiatry. These results may shed light into how air pollution exposure in major cities around the globe can alter or impair mental functions. Posted. http://www.celsias.com/article/air-pollution-linked-impaired-cognition/ Ryder sees increasing demand for heavy-duty natural gas trucks; expanding California program to other states. Ryder System, Inc., a leader in commercial transportation and supply chain management solutions, has already secured lease agreements for 87 heavy-duty natural gas trucks from customers looking to take advantage of the fuel cost savings and environmental benefits of alternative fuel powered vehicles. Sixty-five of those vehicles are part of Ryder’s natural gas fleet in Southern California, made available through the Ryder/San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) Natural Gas Vehicle project. (Earlier post.) Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/07/ryder-20110704.html