What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for October 8, 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.

AIR POLLUTION

Release of ‘winter-blend’ gas in Calif could reduce prices; air
quality not expected to worsen. State air pollution regulators
say they do not expect California’s air quality to worsen
appreciably after the governor ordered the release of a dirtier
blend of gasoline to help slash record-high pump prices. The
California Air Resources Board on Monday said the last time the
state made an early shift to so-called “winter-blend” gasoline
was in 2005, in response to supply disruptions caused by
Hurricane Katrina. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/release-of-winter-blend-gas-in-calif-could-reduce-prices-air-quality-not-expected-to-worsen/2012/10/08/8beedd1c-1178-11e2-9a39-1f5a7f6fe945_story.html

http://www.startribune.com/nation/173156021.html?refer=y 

Beijing completes air quality monitoring network after public
pressure and US Embassy tweets. Beijing authorities have
completed a network of monitors that will more accurately measure
air quality in the smog-ridden city after being pushed into it by
public pressure and pollution reports from the U.S. embassy. The
Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center said Saturday
that another 15 monitoring stations had begun releasing real-time
data on small particulates known as PM2.5. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/beijing-completes-air-quality-monitoring-network-after-public-pressure-and-us-embassy-tweets/2012/10/07/a102dd5c-104c-11e2-ba6c-07bd866eb71a_story.html


AIR QUALITY: Palms Springs area golf-cart paths could get $17.4
million. Despite taking some heat for the idea earlier this year,
Southern California air quality officials recommend spending
$17.4 million to build a nine-city network of paved pathways in
the Coachella Valley for golf carts, bicyclists and pedestrians.
Posted. 
http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20121005-air-quality-palms-springs-area-golf-cart-paths-could-get-17.4-million.ece


CLIMATE CHANGE

EU Power, Gas Market Coordination Can Help Cut CO2, Exxon Says.
Closer integration of the European Union’s natural gas and power
markets can encourage a shift to less-polluting fuels in the
bloc’s member states and help reduce carbon-dioxide emissions,
according to Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM). The 27-nation EU needs to
make sure that the importance of natural gas “is not lost” in the
debate about the bloc’s climate and energy policies, Linda
DuCharme, director of Europe, Russia and the Caspian at Exxon
Mobil International Ltd. said in an interview in Brussels on Oct.
5. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-08/eu-power-gas-market-coordination-can-help-cut-co2-exxon-says.html

UN Regulator May Need Expanded Global Carbon Role: Marcu. The
United Nations emissions regulator in Bonn will probably need
expanded authority to approve new national markets for UN
compliance, according the Carbon Market Forum in Brussels. With
few nations expected to agree on extending the 1997 Kyoto
Protocol when its targets for industrialized nations expire this
year, national governments will probably take the lead in
creating carbon markets over the next few years, Andrei Marcu,
head of the Centre for European Policy Studies’ Carbon Market
Forum in Brussels, said in an Oct. 5 paper. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-08/un-regulator-may-need-expanded-global-carbon-role-marcu.html


Palm Oil Seen Clearing Tropical Forest in Borneo in Yale Study.
Expanding palm-oil production is driving rain-forest destruction
in the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo, also known as
Kalimantan, according to a study by researchers at Stanford and
Yale universities. The area converted to palm oil increased
35-fold between 1990 and 2010, with 90 percent of the land
covered with forest prior to conversion, according to the study
published in the journal Nature Climate Change. Indonesia’s palm
oil and palm-kernel oil production generated about $11.1 billion
in 2010, the researchers wrote. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-08/palm-oil-seen-clearing-tropical-forest-in-borneo-in-yale-study.html


Greenhouse gases rise with GDP, slower to fall in recession.
Greenhouse gas emissions rise when economies expand but don't
fall as quickly when recession strikes, perhaps because people
stick with a higher-emitting lifestyle from the boom times, a
study showed. The report in Monday's edition of the journal
Nature Climate Change dents many governments' hopes that
recession can at least bring the consolation of a sharp
contraction in greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions of carbon
dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, rose by an average of 0.73
percent for every 1 percent growth in gross domestic product
(GDP) per capita…Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/07/us-climate-emissions-idUSBRE8960DK20121007


Climate linked to California ER visits. The risk of heading to
the emergency room for certain conditions, such as heart disease,
diabetes, stroke, kidney disease and low blood pressure rises
slightly as temperature and humidity increase, according to a new
study from California. Researchers also found that for a few
conditions, including aneurysm and high blood pressure, higher
temperatures were tied to a drop in ER visits.
"What we know about climate change is that heat waves in
California and throughout the world are going to become more
severe and more intense," said Rupa Basu, the study's lead author
and an epidemiologist at the California Office of Environmental
Health Hazard Assessment. Posted.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-rt-us-climate-linked-to-california-bre8941fi-20121005,0,1395566.story



CALIFORNIA GAS PRICES

More pain at pump as Calif. gas prices rise again. The statewide
average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in California rose
to an all-time high Monday, the third record-setting day in a row
that is prompting calls for a federal investigation into the
price spike. The average price in the state hit $4.668, according
to AAA. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., called on the Federal
Trade Commission to investigate, saying residents need to be
protected from "malicious trading schemes." Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_GASOLINE_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


California governor orders state begin move to winter-blend
gasoline. California Governor Jerry Brown ordered state pollution
regulators on Sunday begin taking steps to move up the sale of
winter-blend gasoline to reduce supply shortages and reduce high
retail prices, according to a statement issued by Brown's office.
California gasoline prices hit a record this week, selling as
high as $5 a gallon in some locations, because of refinery and
pipeline shutdowns with some retail stations running out of
supply. Retailers had asked the state to move up the start date
for sale of winter-blend gasoline from October 31 to boost
supply. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/07/us-california-gasoline-brown-idUSBRE8960L420121007
 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-08/california-facing-5-gasoline-stirs-brown-to-relax-rules.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/08/us/jerry-brown-moves-to-reduce-gas-prices-in-california.html

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-gov-brown-gas-prices-20121007,0,2291534.story

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/More-pain-at-pump-as-Calif-gas-prices-rise-again-3924470.php

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_21720239/california-gas-prices-hit-new-high-brown-orders

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_21720916/gas-prices-rise-gov-jerry-brown-orders-early?source=rss
http://www.ocregister.com/news/prices-373866-gallon-refinery.html
http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1184066736/Gas-prices-hit-new-high
 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY
http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20121007-gas-gov.-brown-orders-up-winter-blend-early.ece

http://www.pe.com/local-news/transportation-headlines/20121006-gas-inland-pumps-climb-to-record-average-price.ece
 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/oct/06/gas-price-pain-persists-in-ventura-county-as/?partner=popular#ixzz28jR2KK4r
 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/oct/07/gas-prices-hit-record-high-2nd-straight-day/?partner=popular

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/oct/08/calif-gov-takes-action-as-gas-prices-keep-rising/
 
http://www.nctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/state-gov-brown-takes-emergency-action-to-try-to-reduce/article_7a4a2d3f-b786-59a7-b8f9-0e585a7256e2.html
 
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121007/WIRE/121009590  
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121006/ARTICLES/121009653

http://247wallst.com/2012/10/07/california-governor-moves-to-cut-gas-prices/


Feinstein wants federal probe of record California gas prices.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is calling for a federal
investigation to determine whether “an illegal short squeeze” is
responsible for the soaring price of gasoline in California,
which hit another record high Monday. With a regular gallon now
costing $4.669, the third all-time high in a row, Feinstein is
urging the Federal Trade Commission to look into doubts that “the
price spike and supply disruption are related to supply and
demand,” she said. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-feinstein-ftc-gas-prices-investigation-20121008,0,3032803.story?track=rss

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/08/4891217/calif-gov-takes-action-as-gas.html


Analysts: California gas-price surge could end today. Analysts
said that the record-breaking climb of California gasoline prices
could end as early as today, if the state manages to avoid any
new refinery problems. Analysts said the price jump was already
slowing down even as Gov. Jerry Brown decided Sunday to ease the
state's gas-blend requirements to allow refiners to process the
less expensive winter blend of fuel three weeks early. Today, the
average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in California is up
just 1.3 cents overnight, to $4.668 a gallon, according to the
AAA Fuel Gauge Report. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-california-gas-price-surge-end-20121008,0,5109416.story?track=rss


Spike in gasoline prices slows. California pump prices showed new
signs of stability the day after Gov. Jerry Brown took emergency
measures to contain a gasoline price spike. The statewide average
price for regular crept up by a penny to $4.67 on Monday,
according to AAA’s daily fuel gauge report. That’s up 50 cents
from $4.17 a week ago. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/oct/08/spike-gasoline-prices-slows/


$5 gas sends California drivers to hybrids, bikes, Vegas. The
inexorable surge of gas prices is adding a brand new layer to
California road rage. Already irascible drivers are swearing off
their cars, dusting off their bicycles, forgoing meals and
extending trips to Las Vegas, where gasoline is far cheaper. On
social media, they’re cursing at the increases – which in parts
of Southern California have resulted in prices well over $5 a
gallon – as “ridiculous,” “insane,” “out of control” and a
variety of other colorful terms. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-high-gas-prices-drivers-20121008,0,6282346.htmlstory

FUELS

More US coal plants to retire due to green rules-study. More U.S.
coal-fired power plants could retire due to environmental
regulations and weaker-than-expected electric demand, costing the
industry up to $144 billion, economists at consultancy Brattle
Group said. In a new study, Brattle's economists forecast 59,000
to 77,000 megawatts (MW) of coal plant capacity would likely
retire over the next five years. That was about 25,000 MW more
than the firm had estimated in 2010, Brattle said in a release.
There is about 317,000 MW of coal-fired capacity now in the
United States. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/08/utilities-brattle-coal-idUSL1E8L851620121008
 

BP sells Texas City refinery to Marathon Petroleum. BP has
finally found a buyer for its Texas City refinery, one of the
largest and most complex in the U.S. The total value of the deal
could reach $2.5 billion. Marathon Petroleum Corp. will pay $598
million for the refinery and other nearby pipelines and fuel
terminals, plus $1.2 billion for the inventory of oil and
petroleum products owned by the plant. Marathon may have to pay
another $700 million over 6 years if certain unspecified
conditions are met, the company said Monday. Posted.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/oct/08/bp-sells-texas-city-refinery-to-02/


VEHICLES

Chevy Sonic-to-Fiat 500 Surge in Big Year for Small Cars. Small
cars are selling big for brands from Chevrolet and Fiat to
Toyota, Volkswagen and Honda, on pace to capture the largest
share of the U.S. auto market since 1993 and driving the best
sales month in four years. High gasoline prices coupled with the
best crop of compact and subcompact cars that the market has ever
seen drove a 50 percent increase in sales of small sedans, coupes
and wagons last month. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-08/chevy-sonic-to-fiat-500-surge-in-big-year-for-small-cars.html


Mercedes, BMW recall sports cars; Chrysler recalls trucks.
Mercedes-Benz is recalling one of its fanciest cars because the
air conditioning refrigerant could explode under certain crash
conditions. The German luxury automaker will recall 432 of its
2013 model year SL-Class cars to fix the problem, the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday. The sticker
price of the SL, a two-door sports car, starts at more than
$100,000 and ranges up to nearly $150,000 depending on options
and equipment. Mercedes isn't the only German automaker with a
problem in some high-end cars. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-auto-mercedes-bmw-chrysler-recall-20121008,0,1837128.story


Regulator argues California EV targets exceed rules. Regulators,
undaunted by sluggish sales of electric vehicles, will stick with
aggressive clean-car sales targets to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, California Air Resources Board chairwoman Mary Nichols
said. California regulators believe policies, including
incentives to encourage builders to include charging stations in
new construction and working with utilities, are going to expand
the market for electric and hydrogen fuel-cell cars, Nichols said
in an interview with Bloomberg in Washington, D.C., this week.
Posted.
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/cars/Regulator+argues+California+targets+exceed+rules/7347710/story.html


HIGH-SPEED RAIL

Delays may threaten Valley high-speed rail funds. Federal money
for California's high-speed rail program could be jeopardized if
the start of construction is significantly delayed in the San
Joaquin Valley. And there are signs that might happen. Court
records suggest the California High-Speed Rail Authority's
schedule continues to slip for building the project's first
stages in Madera and Fresno counties. In its legal battle arguing
that an injunction to block construction is unnecessary, the
authority said major work is unlikely to start before next fall.
Originally, construction was expected to start last month.
Posted.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/10/06/3020211/delays-could-compromise-valley.html#storylink=cpy


GREEN ENERGY

Jobs Blow Away as Congress Fails to Act on Wind Energy. Leeco
Steel LLC’s fortunes rose even during the Great Recession thanks
to a single customer: the burgeoning U.S. wind-energy industry.
Leeco had 50 employees when it started selling 7 ton steel plates
to wind-tower makers in 2004. It now has 125, and wind accounts
for about 40 percent of the Lisle, Illinois-based Company’s
business. “We’ve done extremely well,” John Purcell, Leeco’s vice
president for wind energy, said in an interview. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-08/jobs-blow-away-as-congress-fails-to-act-on-wind-energy.html


Battle brews at Pearl Harbor over Navy solar plan. Veterans and
historians worry that solar panels on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor
would mar a World War II historic site. There is perhaps no
greater American monument to the War in the Pacific than Ford
Island in Hawaii's Pearl Harbor. The naval base there with its
old hangars, runway and control tower — some still showing damage
from the Japanese attack that brought the United States into
World War II — is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ford-island-20121008,0,6915865.story


Rampant recycling fraud is draining California cash. Fraud rings
bring cans and bottles from other states and illicitly 'redeem'
deposits that were never paid. And some private recycling centers
might claim bigger reimbursements than they deserve. Just over
8.5 billion recyclable cans were sold in California last year.
The number redeemed for a nickel under California's recycling
law: 8.3 billion. That's a return rate of nearly 100%. That kind
of success isn't just impressive, it's unbelievable. But the
recycling rate for certain plastic containers was even higher:
104%. California's generous recycling redemption program has led
to rampant fraud. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-can-fraud-20121007,0,6241851.story


MISCELLANEOUS

Puma launches biodegradable shoes to aid nature, lift sales.
German sportswear company Puma announced a range of biodegradable
shoes and clothes on Monday, seeking to lead in protecting nature
as it tries to catch up with rivals Nike and Adidas in sales. The
company, praised by United Nations reports as a corporate leader
in trying to limit environmental damage, also said it would widen
its accounting for the costs of its air pollution, greenhouse
gases, waste, land and water use. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/08/us-puma-idUSBRE8970YI20121008


CicLAvia brings 'sea of bicycles' to L.A. streets. Cyclists,
pedestrians and skateboarders abound during the festival, which
encourages Angelenos to explore and enjoy the city without their
cars. Traffic was heavy in and around downtown Los Angeles on
Sunday, but not for the reasons one might expect in a city known
for freeways, angry drivers and bumper-to-bumper frustration.
Organizers estimate about 100,000 bicyclists, pedestrians and
skateboarders flooded much of Spring, Figueroa, West 7th and East
4th streets and beyond as part of the city's fifth CicLAvia
festival, which bills itself as the city's biggest block party.
Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1008-ciclavia-20121008,0,4967907.story


Romney’s Goals on Environmental Regulation Would Face Difficult
Path. Mitt Romney vowed in a campaign appearance earlier this
year to “take a weed whacker” to the thicket of federal
regulations adopted by the Obama administration and promised to
impose a rigid freeze and cost cap on all new government rules.
He has pledged to reverse a half-dozen major Environmental
Protection Agency pollution and public health rules, to swiftly
approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada…Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/us/politics/romney-weed-whacker-on-environmental-rules-may-falter.html?ref=earth
 

INLAND: Construction deadline bearing down on Inland
rail-crossing projects. The Inland area is about to get
overwhelmed with work on overpasses and underpasses, as local
transportation planners race to finish about a half-billion
dollars of projects before state deadline. As part of the Prop.
1B transportation program voters approved in 2006, all projects
funded through the Trade Corridors Improvement Fund must start
construction by the end of 2013. Posted.
http://www.pe.com/local-news/transportation-headlines/20121007-inland-construction-deadline-bearing-down-on-inland-rail-crossing-projects.ece


OPINIONS

The other side of the fracking fight. NEW YORK STATE has become
the country’s most intense battleground in the fight over
unconventional natural-gas drilling, known as fracking. Now
anti-fracking activists in the Empire State are claiming a
victory. They ought to think twice about what they are wishing
for. Those who would ban fracking or regulate it into oblivion
ignore the exceptional benefits that inexpensive natural gas can
provide in the biggest environmental fight of our time — against
climate change. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-other-side-of-the-fracking-fight/2012/10/05/016fdf14-0c15-11e2-a310-2363842b7057_story.html


A forecast for the American West: hot and hotter. Climate change
will mean more and larger fires in 11 Western states. Over the
summer and on into the fall, images of flames, smoke plumes,
firefighting teams and ruined homes have been on replay, and with
good reason: As of Aug. 31, this year tied the record for total
acreage burned by wildfires, according to the National
Interagency Fire Center. More than 8.4 million acres have burned
to date — an area larger than the state of Maryland up in flames.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-1004-kenward-fire-climate-change-20121004,0,3266044.story


Does $5 gas = buy a hybrid or electric car? A cost/benefit
analysis [Updated]. This post has been updated from its original
version. A new paragraph, marked by an asterisk, has been added.
Walking the dog the other morning, I heard an odd whistle and hum
behind me; it was one of my neighbors returning home (I happened
to be standing in front of his driveway at the time), driving his
new Nissan Leaf electric car. "How do you like your Leaf?" I
asked, while dragging the pooch out of his path. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-gas-prices-electric-cars-20121005,0,5048496.story


Another View: Bee should report business support for AB 32.
Hundreds of thousands of California businesspeople are
enthusiastic supporters of Assembly Bill 32; our state's
pioneering climate and clean energy law. They know the carbon
market and other elements of the AB 32 framework are good for the
economy and for the state as a whole. But you wouldn't know that
from reading The Bee lately, including news stories such as "Who
will get carbon money?" Oct. 2; "State's carbon auction
assailed," Sept. 21; and "Businesses urge changes in
cap-and-trade market," Sept. 20). Posted. 
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/07/4886168/bee-should-report-business-support.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy


A Checkup for Natural Gas. Just as New York State seemed ready to
allow drilling upstate to extract a rich supply of natural gas,
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a delay. Officials will now take
another look at the potential health risks of hydraulic
fracturing — a technique for extracting natural gas from deep
shale formations, like the Marcellus Shale that lies beneath the
states’s southern tier. Such caution makes sense, especially when
approval of full-scale drilling could mean tens of thousands of
gas rigs dotting the landscape over the next 30 years. Posted. 
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/06/opinion/a-checkup-for-natural-gas-in-new-york.html?ref=airpollution


Roadshow: California's special blend of gas is one reason for
highest prices in the nation. Q Just like every other leftist in
the media, you fail to report why our gas prices are higher than
any other state. While the refineries are indeed part of the
problem, the California Air Resources Board is the real problem
with their requirements of custom blends that other states don't
have to do in their fuel distribution. Remember MTBE? Thanks, Air
Resources Board and Mary Nichols. Now, do some reporting, unless
you are afraid you will be rejected at the cocktail parties. Good
luck, dummy. Jimmy Williams
Posted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mr-roadshow/ci_21707507/roadshow-californias-special-blend-gas-is-one-reason


BLOGS

 Why California’s gas prices are going haywire. Gasoline at the
pump in California is typically about 40 to 50 cents more
expensive than it is anywhere else in the country. The state’s
gas taxes are significantly higher than the national average and
many of its retailers have to sell a higher-quality blend of
gasoline in order to reduce smog and other pollutants. That all
raises prices. But over the past week, things have really gotten
out of whack. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/10/08/why-gasoline-prices-are-going-haywire-in-california/


Jerry Brown calls for switch to winter-blend fuel to ease gas
prices. Gov. Jerry Brown called on state regulators today to
allow the early sale of less expensive, winter-blend gasoline in
California, a measure he said could bring down spiking fuel
prices.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/10/jerry-brown-calls-for-switch-to-winter-blend-fuel-to-ease-gas-prices.html

http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2012/10/07/brown-feinstein-seek-action-on-gas-prices/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoliticalBlotter+%28Political+Blotter%29


GAS: Another day, another increase, another record price. Come
Monday, a lot more people might be hopping on the bus rather than
pay $4.60 or more for gas. Rising pump prices continue pushing
the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the
Riverside-San Bernardino are upward. The average price Sunday,
Oct. 7, climbed to a record $4.67, a nickel hike overnight,
according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. The jump
broke Saturday’s hold as the costliest gas day in Inland history.
The state average, a penny less than the local price, also set a
record. Posted.
http://blog.pe.com/transportation/2012/10/07/gas-another-day-another-increase-another-record-price/