What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for February 6, 2014. 

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

Chinese Factories Are Ordered to Release Data on Real-Time
Emissions Levels. In a surprising sign of progress for both the
environment and information transparency in China, the central
government in January ordered 15,000 large and small factories to
make real-time data about air and water pollution public. While
the data on urban air pollution levels–such as that provided by
the U.S. Embassy’s @BeijingAir Twitter (TWTR) feed–is helpful for
city residents to decide whether to wear face masks or keep
children indoors…Posted.
http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/182359-chinese-factories-are-ordered-to-release-data-on-real-time-emissions-levels


CLIMATE CHANGE

Banks Feel Heat on Climate-Change Issue. Socially minded
investors are taking on a new target in their fight against
climate change: big banks. Some banks, including Bank of America
Corp. BAC +1.49% and J.P. Morgan Chase JPM +1.87% & Co., are
being pressed to disclose more about lending to firms that
contribute to greenhouse-gas emissions. These investors have
filed nonbinding shareholder resolutions urging at least four
banks to shed more light on loans they make to oil, gas, coal and
other companies whose practices create carbon emissions. Posted.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304851104579363201070023722
 BY SUBSCRIPTION

Ballona Wetlands prepares for climate change with help from Obama
administration mandates. Preparing for climate change is an
important priority for the Obama administration and, to
demonstrate the point, a federal environmental official on
Wednesday toured the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve to
learn, first-hand, how it will be protected from rising seas.
Nancy Stoner, the EPA’s assistant administrator for water…Posted.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/environment-and-nature/20140205/ballona-wetlands-prepares-for-climate-change-with-help-from-obama-administration-mandates


In drought years, Amazon emits more carbon than it stores --
study Long considered one of the most important carbon sinks in
the world, the Amazon rainforest can become a net source of
carbon -- emitting more than it absorbs -- in dry years,
according to a study published yesterday in Nature. With the aid
of small taxi planes, the researchers took measurements of three
gases -- carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur hexafluoride
-- between 2010 and 2012. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994136/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY
DROUGHT

Water shortage in California town stokes fears.  In this small
logging town in Northern California's redwood country, small blue
signs urging water conservation are almost everywhere you look.
Just south of Willits, in one of the state's most verdant
corners, crows and other birds peck at dry ground that should be
covered in water at the city's Centennial Reservoir, which is
less than a third full. The creek that feeds it has slowed to a
trickle. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT_COMMUNITIES_IN_CRISIS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/05/6132752/calif-towns-water-shortage-stokes.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News#storylink=cpy


Feds announce another $14M for California drought. Federal
officials on Wednesday pledged more money to help California cope
with its severe drought as state fishing regulators shut down
recreational angling on portions of two water-starved rivers
because of concerns about the survival of salmon and steelhead
trout. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Natural Resources
Conservation Service announced another $14 million for water
management improvements in the state…Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CA_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


California drought: House Republicans take aim at water rules.
The Republican-controlled House passed legislation Wednesday
billed as a response to the California drought, but the measure
is unlikely to go further in the face of a White House veto
threat and opposition from the state’s Democratic senators.
Still, the action highlights the growing interest on Capitol Hill
in trying to do something about the water shortage, a potentially
hot issue in this year’s elections. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-california-drought-house-gop-20140205,0,3778106.story#ixzz2sZ4goFKY


Drought: House passes divisive bill; SD mayor takes steps.
California’s historic drought continued to draw responses on
several fronts Wednesday, including in the House of
Representatives where the Republican majority pushed through
contentious legislation that would weaken environmental
protections so that more water can flow to thirsty farms and
cities in the Central Valley. That measure, however, appears to
have little chance of becoming law. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/05/drought-house-passes-divisive-bill-sd-mayor-takes/

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bill-600562-california-delta.html

http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2014/02/05/house-passes-gop-waterdrought-bill/


Emergency fishing closure approved on American, Russian rivers.
The California Fish and Game Commission voted Wednesday to
prohibit fishing on stretches of the American and Russian rivers
due to the state’s worsening drought. Commission members approved
the closures unanimously at their meeting Wednesday morning in
Sacramento. The action also extends closures on hundreds of
smaller coastal streams. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/05/6130927/emergency-fishing-closure-approved.html#storylink=cpy


California drought: Big rain headed toward Bay Area could double
dismal rainfall totals. The driest winter on record will finally
get a downpour of relief this weekend with a series of storms
expected to deliver in four days double the amount of rainfall
the Bay Area has seen all season. In a state beset by drought,
poor air quality and winter wildfires, the welcome weather
forecast calls for 2 inches of rain on the valley floor and 4 to
5 inches in the mountains by Monday. Posted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25072649/california-drought-big-rain-headed-toward-bay-area
 

Los Angeles prepared for drought, DWP officials say.  Department
of Water and Power officials said Wednesday the utility is in
better shape than other water agencies in coping with the drought
thanks to several years of a second-level water conservation
effort. Interim General Manager Jim McDaniel said there are no
immediate plans to go beyond the current Phase 2 of the city’s
water conservation plan, which has resulted in a 17 percent drop
in water use since 2007. Posted.
http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140205/NEWS/140209667 

FUELS

Oil, natural gas extend gains on US winter storm. The prices of
oil extended gains to near $98 a barrel on Thursday as a winter
storm that slammed the U.S. raised expectations for higher energy
demand and amid signs of weak supply growth. By early afternoon
in Europe, benchmark U.S. crude for March delivery was up 44
cents to $97.82 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York
Mercantile Exchange. On Wednesday, the contract added 19 cents to
close at $97.38. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OIL_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


California drought sets up fracking face-off. More than half of
the oil and gas wells fracked across America since 2011 lie in
places suffering through drought - including California. That's
one of the more eye-catching results of a hydraulic fracturing
study released Wednesday by Ceres, a nonprofit group that works
with investors and businesses to encourage sustainability. 
Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/California-drought-sets-up-fracking-face-off-5208483.php


How to use less fossil fuel at home. Putting solar panels on your
roof will only take you so far. The trick is finding ways to use
more of the electricity in your home and send less of it to the
grid where you will likely be charged per kilowatt-hour for your
share of upkeep. It makes little sense to be anti-solar energy in
this day and age, although it does make sense to do it right.
Even solar can be done wrong. Posted.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0206/How-to-use-less-fossil-fuel-at-home


VEHICLES

CORRECTED-Kia debuts its first electric vehicle for US market.
Kia Motors Corp rolled out an electric version of its Soul
compact car on Thursday that the Korean automaker plans to begin
selling in some U.S. markets later this year. The 2015 Soul EV,
unveiled at the media kick-off for the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, is
Kia's first all-electric, zero-emissions car in the United States
and its second "green" car for the U.S. market, joining a hybrid
version of the company's best-selling Optima sedan that has been
available here since 2011. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/06/usa-kia-electric-vehicle-idUSL2N0LA1BS20140206


Tesla hopes for expansion of Georgia electric vehicles loophole.
Tesla is backing a bill that could boost sales of its
all-electric Model S vehicle in Georgia. A proposed law in
Georgia could allow Tesla Motors Inc. to boost sales of its
electric vehicles in the state by 10 fold. The Palo Alto-based
electric car company has sold its cars, including the nearly
$70,000 Model S sedans, in Georgia for the last year under a
zero-emissions vehicles exemption that allows it to bypass
franchised dealer networks and sell 150 cars per year directly to
customers…Posted.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2014/02/06/tesla-backing-georgia-bill-that-could.html


A Future History Of Hydrogen Vehicle Development. In 2012,
California passed a mandate requiring the development and sale of
hydrogen vehicles, ordering that zero emission vehicles be
available to customers by 2020. However, progress to date has
been slow. Here is a timeline of what the state may do next to
achieve its goals: In May 2014, recognizing that the impetus for
technological progress that the mandate provided was insufficient
to develop a vehicle that would be sold in any quantity…Posted.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellynch/2014/02/06/a-future-history-of-hydrogen-vehicle-development/


GREEN ENERGY

Oregon offshore wind energy farm project announced. A Seattle
company is being given the green light to develop plans to build
the West Coast's first offshore wind energy farm - five floating
turbines off Oregon's Coos Bay, federal and state officials said
Wednesday. The 30-megawatt pilot project was announced at a press
conference by Gov. John Kitzhaber, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Tommy
Beaudreau. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FLOATING_WIND_FARM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


LEDs Change Thinking About the Light Bulb.  Lights are no longer
just for lighting. With the development of LED lamp technology,
the lowly light bulb is doing more than turning on and off. A
lamp can be the centerpiece of an environment meant to improve
health, moods and even food. LEDs can create light in multiple
colors, generate less heat and use a fraction of the energy of
older types of bulbs. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/technology/personaltech/leds-change-thinking-about-the-light-bulb.html


Winds of change: Floating power turbines envisioned off Oregon
coast. A Seattle energy company received initial regulatory
approval Wednesday to build five massive wind turbines floating
16 miles off the Oregon coast. The pilot project off Coos Bay
would be the first offshore wind facility on the West Coast. It
also would be the biggest demonstration of technology that places
floating turbines on platforms in deep water, according to
federal officials and executives at Principle Power, the
developer. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-wind-farm-oregon-20140205,0,4409492,print.story


MISCELLANEOUS

Proposed Marina del Rey copper cleanup provokes boater revolt.
Marina del Rey boat owners oppose plan to strip polluting paint
from hulls and fear they'll have to pay for removing copper from
water. Plans for the first extensive pollution cleanup in Marina
del Rey history have sparked a revolt by boat owners at the tony
harbor that could echo along the length of the California coast.
Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-marina-copper-20140206,0,5130051.story#ixzz2sZ02tBqj


Alkali Flat’s La Valentina building wins national EPA award. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Sacramento’s La
Valentina building, a $25 million mixed-use housing complex in
Alkali Flat, a 2013 Smart Growth Achievement award, the EPA
announced Tuesday. One of seven projects selected for a national
EPA award, the La Valentina building opened in 2012 at the corner
of 12th and E streets. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/04/6128900/alkali-flats-la-valentina-building.html#storylink=cpy


Capitman appointed to air pollution board. Governor Jerry Brown
has appointed Dr. John Capitman, executive director for the
Central Valley Health Policy Institute at Fresno State, to the
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Governing
Board.
The position will have Capitman joining 14 other members on the
board making decisions that work to reduce air pollution in the
eight-county San Joaquin Valley region. Posted.
http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/energy-and-environment/10660-capitman-appointed-to-air-pollution-board

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/02/05/3479278/fresno-state-professor-named-to.html
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/02/05/3752417/fresno-state-professor-named-to.html
   

CARB to hold several free classes including webinars.  The
California Air Resources Board will present several classes to
help truck owners and others in the industry navigate the state’s
multiple truck emission regulations. Two of the courses will be
broadcast online.  Course 520 – “How to Comply with CARB Diesel
Regulations” – will review the inspection process and
consequences of non-compliance. The course also explains how to
comply with CARB diesel regulations.  Posted. 
http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=26539#.UvO_1hByx4x


OPINIONS

There's No End In Sight For California's Extreme Water Drought.
Water is in increasingly short supply in many parts of the United
States.  Here in California, where most of the state is
experiencing “extreme” drought, 2013 was the driest year on
record, and we have had no relief during what should be the
height of the rainy season.  Moreover, there’s no end in sight:
The Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service
forecasts that the drought will “persist or intensify” at least
through April. Posted.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/henrymiller/2014/02/05/a-thirst-for-a-technology-to-mitigate-californias-drought/
 

BLOGS

Drought: Mendocino targets water-stealing pot farmers. As
California residents and businesses face the new reality of
dwindling reservoirs and water restrictions, police in one
California county are getting serious about water thieves —
especially those who need the sweet stuff to feed illegal
marijuana growing operations. Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman
told KPIX-5 that water thieves could be making off with up to 5
million gallons of water a day to irrigate thirsty pot plants. 
Posted.
http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2014/02/05/drought-mendocino-targets-water-stealing-pot-farmers/


Climate change is a global security threat. Severe drought.
Record heat waves. Extreme storms. Food and water shortages. Mass
migrations. These are but a few of the dangerous effects of
climate change, and they have very real implications for those
whose primary mission it is to protect our national security.  As
a former Navy gunnery officer who served in the Persian Gulf
during the Iraq War, I was trained to act in the face of a
threat. Posted.
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/197547-climate-change-is-a-global-security-threat#ixzz2sZAROLjk


A Great New Tool That Makes Global Climate Change Local. Global
leaders seriously worried about climate change are having trouble
getting more people to share that concern. One big reason is that
climate change just doesn't have the psychological
characteristics that make risks particularly scary. It's off in
the future, and we worry more about risks that are 'today' than
those that only threaten us tomorrow. Posted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-ropeik/a-great-new-tool-that-mak_b_4726034.html?utm_hp_ref=green


With Climate Change, What's Better For The Farm Is Better For The
Planet. Climate change is no longer a doomsday theory about our
distant future – it’s here.  Farmers around the world are already
dealing with more variable climates and dramatic weather events,
like the drought in California and gigantic typhoons in Asia. So
what can be done?  In light of the fact that today so few of the
planet’s residents seem willing or able to reform old habits,
farmers…Posted.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/2014/02/06/with-climate-change-whats-better-for-the-farm-is-better-for-the-planet/


Will Obama do the right thing on ozone and smog this time around?
Barack Obama has been just as bad as George W. Bush when it comes
to curbing ground-level ozone pollution. But soon he’ll have
another chance to get ozone regulations right. Ozone rocks when
it’s up in the stratosphere, protecting us from UV rays and skin
cancer. But when it’s at ground level, where it’s the main
component of smog, it can cause respiratory infections, asthma,
and other ailments. Posted.
http://grist.org/news/will-obama-do-the-right-thing-on-ozone-and-smog-this-time-around/


Obama's call for greener trucks could save every household $250
annually.  In his State Of The Union speech last week, President
Obama made mention of higher fuel economy standards for big
trucks. We all know (or should, at least), that picking up the
low-mpg stragglers in our vehicle fleet is where we can make big
efficiency gains, but what would greener trucks mean for the
average American - besides some cleaner air, hopefully? Posted.
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/05/obamas-greener-trucks-could-save-every-household-250-dollars/




California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.