What's New List Serve Post Display
Below is the List Serve Post you selected to display.
newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 24, 2013.
Posted: 24 Sep 2013 14:55:09
ARB Newsclips for September 24, 2013. 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. CAP AND TRADE Cap-and-trade on back burner. Manitoba takes wait-and-see approach. Six years ago, then-Manitoba premier Gary Doer escorted Arizona governor Janet Napolitano and British Columbia premier Gordon Campbell to Churchill to witness the effects of climate change first-hand, and the three pledged to work on a regional cap-and-trade system to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Only B.C., which created a carbon tax a year later, has come close to fulfilling that promise. Posted. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/cap-and-trade-on-back-burner-224979592.html AIR POLLUTION Border's Mexicali tops Mexico City in pollution. Move over, Mexico City, a think tank study says the country's most damaging air pollution is in the border city of Mexicali. The nation's capital has long had a reputation for smog, but in small particle pollution it registered in about the middle of large Mexican cities studied. But Mexicali, across from Calexico, California, has excessive dust that gave it the highest per-capita rate of pollution-related premature deaths, hospital and doctor visits. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Border-s-Mexicali-tops-Mexico-City-in-pollution-4839465.php EPA begins to gather comments on reducing CO2 emissions from existing power plants. With the first major hurdle of regulation under Obama's Climate Action Plan done, EPA is now reaching out to states in preparation of the next step -- a proposal to cut carbon from the nation's existing power plants. EPA plans to host public sessions around the country this fall to gather community comments, according to the agency's website. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059987733/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Global study makes economic case on climate change. A new global initiative is seeking to present a more persuasive argument for action on climate change by focusing on the economic benefits of doing so. The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate is launching a year-long study to analyze the economic benefits and costs of acting against climate change. The results of the study, which will be undertaken by research institutes on five continents, will be released in September 2014…Posted. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/global-study-makes-economic-case-climate-change http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/24/5764154/global-study-makes-economic-case.html What 95% certainty of warming means to scientists. Top scientists from a variety of fields say they are about as certain that global warming is a real, man-made threat as they are that cigarettes kill. They are as sure about climate change as they are about the age of the universe. They say they are more certain about climate change than they are that vitamins make you healthy or that dioxin in Superfund sites is dangerous. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_WARMING_CERTAINTY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/24/5763939/what-95-certainty-of-warming-means.html http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/24/3515918/what-95-certainty-of-warming-means.html http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_24163728/what-95-certainty-warming-means-scientists http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/how-sure-is-sure-scientists-liken-certainty-of-global-warming-to-deadliness-of-smoking/2013/09/24/bd5a4758-252f-11e3-9372-92606241ae9c_story.html Opponents ramp up fight against Obama climate plan. Republican lawmakers and industry groups are vowing to fight President Barack Obama's climate change plan and its first-ever emission limits on new power plants. But they're finding their options are limited - at least in the short term. Although the emission rules are just one component of Obama's plan, critics are looking for an early win to show they have the fortitude to fend off other sweeping actions Obama plans to take, like pollution standards for existing plants. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/24/5762864/opponents-ramp-up-fight-against.html http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Opponents-ramp-up-fight-against-Obama-climate-plan-4838132.php http://www.modbee.com/2013/09/24/2938098/opponents-ramp-up-fight-against.html#storylink=cpy http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_24162136/opponents-ramp-up-fight-against-obama-climate-plan?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_24162136/opponents-ramp-up-fight-against-obama-climate-plan Climate Report Puts Doubts to Rest, World Bank President Says. A draft working group report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change due Sept. 27 will reinforce the case for urgent action to address global warming, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said Sept. 23. Kim was among several speakers at the opening session of the annual Climate Week NYC event in New York City suggesting that the IPCC draft should put to rest the scientific questions about the role of human activity and present a challenge to action. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-24/climate-report-puts-doubts-to-rest-world-bank-president-says.html Climate-Friendly Companies Have More in Common Than Carbon Cuts. If your facilities need water, and projections call for drought, here’s some advice: Use less water. If some companies are following this advice, and others aren't, the former might deserve more investor consideration. These statements are possible takeaways from two studies released yesterday, an analysis of S&P 500 companies' climate strategies by CDP and a study of corporate climate leaders' financial performance, by CDP and Sustainable Insight Capital Management. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-24/climate-friendly-companies-have-more-in-common-than-carbon-cuts.html A Climate Change Showdown as Global Officials Meet. Transportation ministers from governments around the world will gather on Tuesday to tackle the growing problem of greenhouse gases emitted by airliners. As they assemble, many will be bracing for the political tumult that has wrecked previous international efforts to address climate change. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/business/international/a-climate-change-showdown-as-global-officials-meet.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 E.P.A. Rules on Emissions at Existing Coal Plants Might Give States Leeway. Four years ago, Congress rejected the idea of a cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by putting a price on them. But the plan announced by the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday to regulate emissions from existing coal-fired power plants could foster creation of such a system, at least on a regional basis, and a push for renewable energy and energy efficiency in states that so far have embraced neither. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/business/energy-environment/epa-rules-on-emissions-at-existing-coal-plants-might-give-states-leeway.html Study Sees a Higher Risk of Storms on the Horizon. The eastern and central United States likely will see a greater risk of severe weather by the middle of this century as rising temperatures trigger atmospheric changes that favor storms, a new study by climate scientists from Stanford and Purdue universities concludes. The results were consistent across 10 different models that scientists worldwide use to estimate the impact of climate change, Dr. Diffenbaugh said in an interview. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/us/study-sees-a-higher-risk-of-storms-on-the-horizon.html?ref=earth UN climate experts stress solidity of new report. U.N. climate experts say their latest report is an unbiased and reliable assessment of global warming as they present it to officials from 110 governments for a final review. By the end of the week, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is scheduled to adopt a final version of its landmark report on the state of Earth's climate system. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/sep/23/un-climate-experts-stress-solidity-of-new-report/#ixzz2fpHfMq2b Emissions, fuel-cost cuts outweigh 'wear and tear' to backup plants – study. High levels of wind and solar power in the West would reduce fossil fuel costs by $7 billion and up to 34 percent of carbon emissions from power plants, while raising operation and maintenance costs by up to $157 million, according to a study released today by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Wind and solar are intermittent sources of power and need a backup source of energy to cover times when the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059987762/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Scientists deploy underwater observatory to track warming, acidic buildup. Equipped with scuba-diving gear off the coast of Motobu Peninsula in Okinawa, Japan, scientists from the United States and Japan carried parts of a machine that is one of the first to serve as an underwater observatory that monitors temperature, salinity, and other chemical, physical and biological data in the Pacific Ocean. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059987715/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Riverdale farmer taps propane for cost savings. Farmer and dairyman Steve Maddox Jr. has found a way to relieve his wallet from some of the pitfalls of the petroleum market while making the air a little cleaner on his Riverdale spread. Maddox has invested $25,000 each for two systems that allow him to run a mix of propane and diesel on his irrigation pumps. Developed by California Clean Air Technologies of Menifee, in Riverside County, over the last few years…Posted. http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/energy-and-environment/8847-riverdale-farmer-taps-propane-for-cost-savings Bus rapid transit gives U.S. cities an economic boost, lowers their emissions. As many American cities continue to recover from the 2008 financial collapse, a new report by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) finds bus rapid transit to be an economical way to revitalize a city while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "A lot of city leaders are looking to revitalize their cities, especially the cities that are in decline, and attract new residents, bring in new employers, etc…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059987732/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Oil Firms Seek to Unlock Big California Field. California's Monterey Shale formation is estimated to hold as much as two-thirds of the recoverable onshore shale-oil reserves in the U.S.'s lower 48 states, but there's a catch: It is proving very hard to get. Formed by upheaval of the earth, the Monterey holds an estimated 15.4 billion barrels of recoverable shale oil, or as much as five times the amount in North Dakota's booming Bakken Field, according to 2011 estimates by the Department of Energy. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323932604579052933974060844.html#printMode Sen. Stabenow calls for ethanol credit market probe. The Senate's top Democrat on agricultural issues is calling on federal regulators to investigate claims that speculators are manipulating the market for Renewable Identification Numbers, or the credits associated with gallons of ethanol. In a letter today to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said she was "concerned" that a lack of transparency has opened the door for manipulation in the market. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059987757/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Greens say Canadian emissions cuts can't justify pipeline approval. A coalition of environmental groups today wrote to President Obama urging him to not be swayed by a reported pledge from Canada's government to impose greenhouse gas emission cuts in exchange for approving the Keystone XL pipeline. In their letter, more than two dozen organizations say increased regulation of Canada's oil and natural gas producers is long overdue…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059987749/print SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Palo Alto looks to require electric vehicle chargers in new homes. Hoping to play a bigger role in the electric vehicle revolution, the Palo Alto City Council embraced a proposal Monday night that would require new homes to come pre-wired for chargers. Council members were unanimous in their support for the building code change, which was floated in a colleagues' memo by Mayor Greg Scharff, Vice Mayor Nancy Shepherd and Council Member Gail Price. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_24162107/palo-alto-looks-require-electric-vehicle-chargers-new?source=rss http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_24162107/palo-alto-looks-require-electric-vehicle-chargers-new?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com Future of natural gas vehicles on display at fair. While you shouldn't hook up your own natural gas tank to your car, BMW, Chrysler, Honda and Hyundai have collaborated to create an array of six dual-fuel natural gas vehicles that can take both gasoline and natural gas. NGVs are fueled with compressed natural gas, which is stored in cylinders aboard a vehicle. They get about the same fuel economy as conventional gasoline vehicles. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x558590386/Future-of-natural-gas-vehicles-on-display-at-fair Car charger financing could imitate solar model. The same idea that sparked growth in the solar industry may do the same for electric car charging stations, ChargePoint indicated yesterday as it revealed a new financing option. The Silicon Valley company plans to use the financing model to let electric vehicle drivers get a new charging station without paying upfront costs for equipment or installation, said Richard Lowenthal, founder and chief technology officer at ChargePoint. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059987741/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Report: Environmental chemicals a pregnancy risk. From mercury to pesticides, Americans are exposed daily to environmental chemicals that could harm reproductive health, the nation's largest groups of obstetricians and fertility specialists said Monday. The report urges doctors to push for stricter environmental policies to better identify and reduce exposure to chemicals that prove truly risky. But it's likely to scare pregnant women in the meantime. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_PREGNANCY_CHEMICALS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Speedy Trains Transform China. The cavernous rail station here for China’s new high-speed trains was nearly deserted when it opened less than four years ago. Not anymore. Practically every train is sold out, although they leave for cities all over the country every several minutes. Long lines snake back from ticket windows under the 50-foot ceiling of white, gently undulating steel that floats cloudlike over the departure hall. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/business/global/high-speed-train-system-is-huge-success-for-china.html?pagewanted=all Smashing and Recycling Old Tractors Helps Assure Air Quality Benefits for the San Joaquin Valley. Farmers are well known for their ability to tinker and innovate to keep farm equipment running for years and years. But sometimes you've got to let the old equipment go. Jason Weller, Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), with help from machinery operators at Bruno's Iron and Metal in Fresno, today demonstrated the process that the local agricultural and regulatory leaders have agreed upon for destroying old, higher-polluting agricultural equipment. Posted. http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1486385#ixzz2fq92wcNo OPINIONS Climate Uncertainty Is a Sign of Good Science. Scientists can’t say for sure that humans are the cause of global climate change. They’re still a little uncertain, and that’s a good thing. It means the science is working the way it should. A well-educated friend of mine, a climate-change skeptic, once told me that he didn’t believe anything coming out of the big computer models that scientists use to reason about the complex nonlinear feedbacks driving the Earth’s climate system. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-24/climate-uncertainty-is-a-sign-of-good-science.html Reform of CEQA is incremental, but thoughtful. In the 40-plus years since its enactment, the California Environmental Quality Act (better known as "CEQA") has provided an almost endless source of litigation, controversy and confusion. Along with the Byzantine and voluminous regulations and case law it has spawned, CEQA has understandably frustrated courts, practitioners and developers throughout the state. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/opinion/ci_24133682/reform-ceqa-is-incremental-but-thoughtful BLOGS Incentives can Ensure Electric Cars are Affordable for All. By signing AB8 (Perea) and SB359 (Corbett), Governor Brown has a critical opportunity to make electric cars affordable for all, cut air pollution, and boost the economy. These bills will extend California’s existing, highly successful rebate program for clean cars and trucks. Accelerating the transition from oil to electricity benefits all Californians through cleaner air, lower fuel bills and more jobs. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/rhwang/incentives_can_ensure_electric.html Message from the EPA: It’s about protecting people, not polar bears. Last Friday, new EPA chief Gina McCarthy faced the nation to announce new carbon emission limits for power plants. Her first stop that morning was the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to explain the proposed limits to the mainstream press. Her second stop might surprise you: It was less than a mile away at the Washington Convention Center, where the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation was holding its 43rd annual legislative conference. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/message-from-the-epa-its-about-protecting-people-not-polar-bears/