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ARB Newsclips for June 1, 2012

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

Cap-and-trade getting to nuts and bolts, but Sacramento still
seeing climate skeptics, AB 32 opponents. A discussion about how
state lawmakers should dole out cap-and-trade auction proceeds
under AB 32, the state's landmark greenhouse gas reduction law,
is proceeding in Sacramento. What's interesting is that it's
doing so with considerable and continuing opposition to the
premise of capping or, for that matter, trading greenhouse gas
emissions in the first place. The bill is AB 1532. By its
language at the moment, it provides that proceeds of an auction
"shall be used to facilitate the achievement of feasible and
cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in this
state" Posted.
http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2012/05/30/6378/cap-and-trade-getting-nuts-and-bolts-sacramento-st/


UN report predicts increase in world's displaced. The number of
people fleeing their homes and becoming refugees or displaced in
their own countries will increase in the next 10 years as a
result of a host of intertwined causes ranging from conflict and
climate change to population growth and food shortages, according
to a report Thursday by the U.N. refugee agency. "The State of
the World's Refugees," covering the period 2006-2011, said a key
change and dominant challenge is the increasing number of
internally displaced people - some 26 million globally compared
to around 15-16 million refugees who have crossed borders to
another country and a further one million asylum seekers. Posted.
 http://www.modbee.com/2012/05/31/2223259/un-report-predicts-increase-in.html
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/05/31/2857142/un-report-predicts-increase-in.html#storylink=misearch

China stresses economic needs ahead of UN summit. Chinese
officials promised Friday to play a positive role in this month's
U.N. environment summit but stressed the needs of their country's
poor, apparently trying to dampen hopes for major concessions.
The comments added to signs that the June 20-22 meeting in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, might face political obstacles to any
significant agreements. President Barack Obama, in the midst of a
re-election campaign, and European leaders have withdrawn from
the meeting. "China still is a developing country," said Du Ying,
a deputy chairman of China's planning agency, the National
Development and Reform Commission. Posted. 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/31/china-stresses-economic-needs-ahead-of-un-summit/#ixzz1wZLYFMNO

Let's turn carbon emissions into something useful. The average
coal-fired power plant spews out more than a million tons of CO2
into the atmosphere every year.  Wouldn't it be great if that
greenhouse gas could be put to good use? On this month's edition
of The Digital Future, Strategic News Service Publisher Mark
Anderson tells KPLU's Dave Meyer that all that carbon could be
used to make fuel, chemicals and other products. Last week, Mark
held his Future in Review (FiRe) technology conference in Laguna
Beach, California. The annual event is a brainstorming session
for some of the brightest minds on the planet. Posted. 
http://kplu.org/post/lets-turn-carbon-emissions-something-useful

DIESEL EMISSIONS

Cummins Thrives on New Air Regulations. Cummins Inc. is a rarity
among top U.S. manufacturers: the maker of engines for trucks,
buses and off-road machinery is thriving in good measure because
of tough, new government regulations around the world. In the
last few years, the $18 billion-a-year-in-sales company has
become the go-to partner for overseas vehicle manufacturers in
Asia and Latin America looking to avoid years of costly
engineering work to bring their own engines into compliance with
the new standards. Posted. 
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303624004577337973701572022.html?KEYWORDS=diesel+emissions

FUELS

Groups square off over plans to reopen coal plant. Four
environmental groups that are contesting a permit to restart the
Healy Clean Coal Plant are getting heat from supporters who say
the project means jobs and more affordable energy. More than 100
people showed up Wednesday at the headquarters of the Northern
Alaska Environmental Center in Fairbanks to show their support
for restarting the plant has been idled since 2000. They carried
signs reading "Support Working People" and "No to Environment
Wackos," according to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
(http://is.gd/MDYFUV ). Posted. 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/31/groups-square-off-over-plans-to-reopen-coal/#ixzz1wZLIEzNU


VEHICLES

GM CEO Dan Akerson: 'We're dancing as fast as we can.' Dan
Akerson's first job in the auto industry is his current one, CEO
of General Motors (GM). A telecom executive who had run Nextel,
XO Communications, and General Instrument, he had joined Carlyle
Group, the giant private equity firm based in Washington, D.C.
His career took an unexpected turn when the federal government
bailed out GM in 2009 and asked him to join the board -- then
swerved again in 2010 when CEO Ed Whitacre decided on short
notice to step down. Akerson, now 63, got the job. He talked
recently with Fortune's Geoff Colvin about how he's driven 3,000
miles on one gallon of gas in his Chevy Volt, making GM more
customer-centric, career lessons, and much else. Posted. 
http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/05/31/leadership-gm-akerson/

Consumer Reports: Special 'eco' car models don't pay. The special
“eco” versions of small cars such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford
Focus and Honda Civic don’t improve fuel economy enough to be
worth the extra money, according to an analysis by Consumer
Reports. The magazine said it could take as long as 38 years for
the extra cost to be worthwhile, depending on the vehicle.  The
cars, which come equipped with special low rolling resistance
tires and aerodynamic features, generally cost $500 to $800 more
than fuel-efficient siblings that don’t carry the “eco” label.
Posted. 
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-green-cars-20120531,0,5326867.story

Japanese automakers' U.S. sales jump as they recover from
tsunami. Monthly U.S. sales from Toyota shot up 87%
year-over-year as the company rebounded from the earthquake and
tsunami that hammered Japanese factories and slowed production
last year. U.S. sales by Toyota in May totaled 202,973 units in
May. This was in part because of last year's slowdown in
production because of the disasters that hit Japan. “Last year,
the earthquakes hit in March, and May is when everything started
to tank,” said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst at Edmunds, an
automotive information company in Santa Monica. Toyota sold
21,477 Prius hybrids last month, compared to 6,924 in May 2011.
Its Camry sales increased 94% to 39,571. Posted. 
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-toyota-nissan-auto-sales-20120530,0,5674056.story

U.S. Auto Makers Post Solid May Sales Gains. Auto makers on
Friday reported healthy gains in new car and truck sales for May
and shrugged off worries about the U.S. economy, despite further
signs suggesting the recovery is slowing. General Motors Co. GM
-1.64% and Ford Motor Co. F -4.36% each reported sales rose by
more than 10%, while Chrysler Group LLC saw a 30% jump. Toyota
Motor Corp., TM -2.63% whose sales plunged a year ago after the
earthquake that devastated Japan, reported an 87% increase in its
sales of new cars and light trucks. Posted. 
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303552104577440072804683342.html?KEYWORDS=vehicles
http://www.nctimes.com/business/auto-sales-remain-bright-spot-in-darkening-economy/article_4bdddeaa-f587-580a-a455-b5c642bfe4f2.html


Nissan Poised to Sell Green-Vehicle Credits Tesla Started. A new
front is opening in the emerging market for electric vehicles --
not for selling cars, but for credits required to meet clean-air
rules. Starting this year, California is requiring the biggest
automakers to sell increasing numbers of “zero-emission
vehicles,” or ZEVs, such as pure-electric, plug-in hybrid and
hydrogen-powered autos. Companies that fail to meet their quotas
have the option of buying ZEV credits from rivals that exceed
their targets. Nissan Motor Co. (7201) says it may sell credits
earned in the past two years from its battery-powered Leaf, the
best-selling all-electric car in the U.S. Posted. 
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-05-29/nissan-poised-to-sell-green-vehicle-credits-tesla-started

Zipcar names Gilligan as a board member. Zipcar Inc. has named
American Express Vice Chairman Ed Gilligan as a board member, the
car sharing company said Friday. Gilligan replaced Jill Preotle,
who decided not to stand for re-election at Zipcar's annual
shareholders meeting on Thursday. Preotle had served on the
Cambridge, Mass., company's board since December 2002. "Ed's
expertise in global expansion, member-based product and service
offerings and digital commerce will benefit us greatly as we look
to continue to expand our international footprint and further
innovate Zipcar service offerings for our members," Zipcar
Chairman and CEO Scott Griffith said in a statement. Posted. 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/jun/01/zipcar-names-gilligan-as-a-board-member/#ixzz1wZMTha7R


Hydrogen-Powered Mercedes-Benz F-CELL Goes Hollywood. With strict
vehicle-emissions standards and the nation's first cap-and-trade
program to reduce pollution, California has been at the forefront
of the United States' renewable-energy push during the past
decade. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that
Mercedes-Benz would select The Golden State for an early rollout
of its new hydrogen-powered B-Class F-CELL model. More than three
dozen Mercedes-Benz F-CELL electric vehicles are currently being
leased to early adopters in Southern California, and availability
will open up in Northern California this month. Among the first
to take home the new eco-friendly Mercedes-Benz was actress Diane
Kruger of the films "Inglourious Basterds" and "National
Treasure." Posted. 
http://readme.readmedia.com/Hydrogen-Powered-Mercedes-Benz-F-CELL-Goes-Hollywood/4103556

GREEN ENERGY

California passes tougher energy code for new construction. The
California Energy Commission on Thursday approved what it called
nation-leading efficiency standards for new homes and commercial
buildings. Approved by a 4-0 vote, the upgraded standards include
improved windows, insulation, lighting, air-conditioning systems
and other features to reduce energy consumption in California
homes and businesses by a projected 25 percent or more, compared
with previous standards approved in 2008. Posted. 
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/01/4529992/california-passes-tougher-energy.html
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-california-energy-efficiency-20120601,0,3168852.story

Romney Makes Surprise Visit to Solyndra. Mitt Romney denounced
Solyndra as a symbol of “gross waste” and a “serious conflict of
interest,” in a secretively planned news conference across the
street from the failed solar panel-maker. “Free enterprise to the
president means taking money from the taxpayers and giving it
freely to his friends,” Mr. Romney said Thursday. “It’s heads and
his cronies win, and tails and the taxpayers lose.” As the Obama
campaign put the focus on Mr. Romney’s economic record as
governor of Massachusetts, the presumptive GOP nominee turned the
tables on the president with a visit Solyndra. Posted. 
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/05/31/romney-makes-surprise-visit-to-solyndra/?KEYWORDS=green+energy

A day of energy savings will dawn soon at Pacifica High. Pacifica
High School's electric bill is about to shrink. The school's
solar panel project, located on the roof of the gym and in the
parking lot, is expected to go on line in the middle of the
month. Pacifica is the third school in the Oxnard Union High
School District to introduce solar panels on campus. Oxnard and
Rio Mesa high schools came on board late last year. Channel
Islands, Hueneme and Camarillo high schools will get the green
technology by the end of the year. Posted. 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/31/a-day-of-energy-savings-will-dawn-soon-at-high/#ixzz1wZN2W7QC


OPINION

Tariff on Chinese panels would hurt solar industry. A tariff is
always a double-edged weapon in international trade. Countries
apply them to protect domestic producers but risk retaliation and
penalize their own consumers, who must pay higher prices. That's
how things are shaping up with the 31 percent tariff the Commerce
Department wants to slap on Chinese solar panels later this year.
That would undercut one goal of President Barack Obama's
administration - the promotion of green energy.  This dispute
began with a complaint from the U.S. unit of a German company,
Solar World AG, which was joined by other firms. Commerce
officials later concluded the Chinese were "dumping"
government-subsidized products, or selling below cost. Posted. 
http://www.modbee.com/2012/06/01/2223698/tariff-on-chinese-panels-would.html
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/06/01/2857463/tariff-on-chinese-panels-would.html#storylink=misearch

Debate begins on fracking regulations.  The email caught Zoe
Shenker's attention. Have your voice heard, it said. Protect your
water supply. Shenker wanted to do both, so Wednesday night she
went to the Ventura County Government Center for a workshop on
hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," as it's commonly called.
What the Thousand Oaks resident heard left her speechless. Not
only did she learn that fracturing rocks to extract oil and
natural gas has been practiced for decades, but she also found
out that regulators and the public don't know exactly what is
being pumped into the ground to bring the raw materials to the
surface. Posted. 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/31/debate-begins-on-what-fracking-regulations-look/#ixzz1wZLzy9Fn

BLOGS

Roger Revelle’s 1980 Discussion of CO2 and Climate Risks. Roger
Revelle, one of the pioneering researchers in the study of the
human influence on the atmosphere, carbon cycle and climate, gave
a prescient lecture on carbon dioxide, climate and the oceans in
1980 that was recorded by the Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory and now surfaces via the Web site Climate Science TV.
Revelle is best known for the comment he added late in the
drafting of a seminal 1957 climate paper co-authored with Hans
Suess: “Human beings are now carrying out a large scale
geophysical experiment of a kind that could not have happened in
the past nor be reproduced in the future.” Posted. 
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/roger-revelles-1980-discussion-of-co2-and-climate-risks/

When Cleaning Up Power Plants, Time is Money. New rules on
pollution from coal plants will cost the American economy $175
billion to $275 billion between now and 2035, according to a new
analysis from the Electric Power Research Institute, a nonprofit
utility consortium. But the price can be be closer to the lower
figure if the government shows flexibility in how the rules are
phased in, the researchers said. Power sector expenditures will
range from $140 billion to $220 billion, according to the
institute, which used computer modeling to predict effects across
the economy. Those are big numbers. But the electricity industry
is vast, so the estimated impact on the retail price of
electricity is expected to be just 4.5 to 8 percent in 2015, the
group said. Posted. 
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/when-cleaning-up-power-plants-time-is-money/

Turn Waste Into Energy, Group Urges New York. New York City
should embrace waste-to-energy plants to reduce the $300 million
it spends annually disposing of its garbage, a government
watchdog group suggested in a report released on Thursday.The
group, the Citizens Budget Commission, noted that the city’s
trash is transported to out-of-state landfills by tractor-trailer
trucks that travel hundreds of miles while emitting greenhouse
gases. If one-third of the garbage going to landfills were to be
turned into energy instead, the city would save $119 million a
year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent, said the
group, which monitors state and city spending. Posted. 
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/turn-waste-into-energy-group-urges-new-york/

A libertarian approach to global warming. Jonathan Adler, a law
professor at Case Western University, has been writing a very
interesting series of posts at The Atlantic on conservative
approaches to various environmental problems. Here he lays out
the libertarian case for tackling climate change:It is a well
established principle in the Anglo-American legal tradition that
one does not have the right to use one's own property in a manner
that causes harm to one's neighbor. There are common law cases
gong back 400 years establishing this principle and international
law has long embraced a similar norm. Posted. 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/a-libertarian-approach-to-global-warming/2012/06/01/gJQAYDCL7U_blog.html

Europe solves its “green” quota, declares gas to be green enough.
This is our favorite news item this week, hands down. The
Europeans, so enamored by things green that they have implemented
subsidies, mandates and regulations that have nearly strangled
their economy, have found a way out of their dilemma. “Energy
from gas power stations has been rebranded as a green, low-carbon
source of power by a €80bn European Union programme, in a triumph
of the deep-pocketed fossil fuel industry lobby over renewable
forms of power,” reports the Guardian in Great Britain. There you
have it. To make the green quota, simply reclassify a fossil fuel
as green enough. Voila! It harkens back to the solution suggested
for the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Declare victory and go home.
Posted. 
http://orangepunch.ocregister.com/2012/06/01/europe-solves-its-green-quota-declares-gas-to-be-green-enough/70162/