What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for February 20, 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.


CAP AND TRADE

Trading System Tackles Waste.  Kevin Hollinger planted radishes
and oats last fall in his corn and soybean fields, but he isn't
planning to harvest them. Instead, he is letting the crops die
over the winter to improve the soil and keep fertilizer and other
nutrients from running into nearby waterways.  "I could hardly go
to town without someone asking: 'What's that in your field?' "
said Mr. Hollinger, a fourth-generation farmer.  Posted. 
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304899704579391142078606468?KEYWORDS=air+pollution


CLIMATE CHANGE

California senators float post-2020 climate change bill.  Two
California state senators released a bill on Wednesday that would
give regulators the authority to design a plan to meet the
state's long-term greenhouse gas reduction goals and improve air
quality in the state's poorest communities.  The bill is an
effort by Democratic senators Fran Pavley and Ricardo Lara to get
the legislature's blessing for an extension of the state's
pioneering climate change efforts beyond the end of the decade. 
Posted. 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/20/us-california-climate-bill-idUSBREA1J04R20140220


As Obama Vows to Act on Climate Change, Justices Weigh His
Approach.  President Obama in recent days has been announcing
muscular executive actions to address climate change, making good
on his promise to act on pressing problems “with or without
Congress.” On Monday, the Supreme Court will consider the limits
of that approach, in a case on greenhouse gas emissions. The
justices are poised to decide whether the Obama administration
went too far in trying to regulate emissions from stationary
sources like power plants. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/us/politics/in-emissions-case-supreme-court-to-consider-the-limits-of-obamas-authority.html?_r=0

High court could put brake on greenhouse gas rules.  The Supreme
Court weighs in Monday on one of the most intractable issues of
our time: global warming.  To hear environmentalists tell it, the
health and welfare of Americans will be jeopardized unless the
government can continue to combat climate change by regulating
greenhouse gas emissions from all sources.  Posted. 
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/19/supreme-court-greenhouse-gas/5578749/


Scientists urge California to boost target for cutting emissions.
 A group of California scientists Wednesday urged state lawmakers
to adopt a steeper target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions
after 2020.  "California's leadership is needed now more than
ever to address the risks of a dangerously warming climate," the
Union of Concerned Scientists said in a letter signed by more
than 100 scientists, researchers and economists and sent to Gov.
Jerry Brown and state legislators.  Posted. 
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-greenhouse-gases-20140220,0,19556.story#axzz2tsgLa2sB


DIESEL EMISSIONS

CARB Working with Feds on New Truck Standards.  The California
Air Resources Board is applauding the announcement by NHTSA and
EPA that they will start a rulemaking for Phase 2 fuel economy
standards for heavy-duty trucks.  "We look forward to teaming
with the federal agencies and strongly support this effort. 
Posted. 
http://eponline.com/articles/2014/02/20/carb-working-with-feds-on-new-truck-standards.aspx


DROUGHT

Governor plans $687 million for California drought.  Gov. Jerry
Brown and the top Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday announced a
$687 million plan to provide immediate help to drought-stricken
communities throughout California, including $15 million for
those with dangerously low drinking water supplies.  Posted. 
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Other related articles:
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/02/19/3780495/california-leaders-propose-687.html

http://www.pe.com/local-news/politics/politics-headlines-index/20140220-drought-aid-on-fast-track-gov.-jerry-brown-says.ece


GREEN ENERGY

MOJAVE DESERT: Government approves two more big solar projects. 
The area around Primm, Nevada, is about to become even more of a
hotspot for solar energy.  The Obama administration has endorsed
two big projects near the existing Ivanpah solar plant that went
online in January. One of the new developments would be in San
Bernardino County; the other would be east of Interstate 15 in
Nevada, near a smaller plant in operation since 2012. Posted.
http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140219-mojave-desert-government-approves-two-more-big-solar-projects.ece


Another solar plant wins approval in San Bernardino County.  The
U.S. Department of Interior has approved two more utility scale
solar powerplant projects near here; one of those in San
Bernardino County. Both facilities are within a few miles of the
392 megawatt Ivanpah Solar Thermal Powerplant, the largest
operating solar plant in California, which drew U.S. Department
of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to speak at the remote northern
San Bernardino County site during dedication last week. Posted.
http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140219/another-solar-plant-wins-approval-in-san-bernardino-county

Offshore Wind Industry Slowed by Birds, Bombs, Sharks. Birds,
sharks and unexploded bombs from World War II are being blamed
for holding up offshore wind farms, raising doubts about the
costs of the technology. Three utilities yesterday scrapped an
expansion of the world’s biggest offshore wind farm in the Thames
estuary, east of London. That capped three months when each of
the six largest U.K. utilities retreated from marine energy
projects. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-20/offshore-wind-industry-thwarted-by-birds-bombs-sharks.html

MISCELLANEOUS

Air district workers must reapply.  Dozens of employees at the
Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District must reapply for
their jobs after audits criticized the agency.  “We are trying to
get the right people in the right jobs,” executive director Keith
H. Talley Sr. said Wednesday.  Posted. 
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20140219/NEWS01/302190094/Air-district-workers-must-reapply-for-their-jobs?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1
 

BLOGS

U.S. tries to have it both ways with solar trade policy. 
Remember how the U.S. trade representative announced last week
that he would haul India before the World Trade Organization to
try to force the country to accept more solar-panel imports? It’s
a reaction to India’s efforts to protect its own solar industry
as it massively boosts its renewable energy capacity.  Posted. 
http://grist.org/news/u-s-tries-to-have-it-both-ways-with-solar-trade-policy/
 





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