What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for September 15 and September 16,  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

California Oil Marketers Want Cap-and-Trade Investigated. 
California Attorney General Kamala Harris was asked by an oil
marketers group to investigate the legality of transportation
fuel suppliers being regulated as part of the state’s
cap-and-trade program, the biggest market-based effort to cut
emissions in the U.S.  Posted. 
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-12/california-oil-marketers-want-cap-and-trade-investigated.html
 

Big firms brace for global carbon price rollout –report.  An
increasing number of big corporations expect governments
worldwide to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions to help
tackle climate change and some are already factoring in the cost
to guide future investment decisions, a report found on Monday. 
Posted. 
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/09/15/carbontrading-global-idINL3N0RG0YV20140915


Governor Signs Cap-and-Trade Spending Plan with Transportation
Funding. Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a fiscal year 2015 budget
and a budget trailer bill that together create a short-term and
long-term spending plan for cap-and-trade auction sales. This
includes $872 million in cap-and-trade revenue for the next
fiscal year, to be divided among a few spending categories that
will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Posted.
http://www.noodls.com/view/1E355E5C5485D9B0CD3FDC70B840726AC275F222?4945xxx1410825136#sthash.cXPTaO5u.dpuf


AIR POLLUTION

State fines two engine-parts retailers $1.6M for violating
clean-air law.  The California Air Resources Board has fined two
aftermarket auto-parts manufacturers a total of $1.6 million for
violating California clean air regulations. On Wednesday, the
board said it negotiated a $1 million settlement with H&S
Performance LLC of St. George, Utah. On Thursday, the board
announced a settlement of $599,000 with Autosales Inc. The agency
did not say where the company is based. Posted.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/09/12/statefines-two-engine-parts-retailers-1-6m-for.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_sacramento+%28Sacramento+Business+Journal%29
 

More “no burn” days coming to air district vote.  Thursday could
be a red-letter day for people who either suffer from breathing
problems or enjoy burning logs in a fireplace.  They can comment
at a public hearing before air district leaders, who are expected
to take a landmark vote that could double the number of “no burn”
days for many. In Stanislaus County, burning in fireplaces and
older stoves would be outlawed on most winter days.  Posted. 
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/09/15/3850318_more-no-burn-days-coming-to-air.html?sp=/99/215/167/&rh=1


SHIP SPEED REDUCTION INITIATIVE 

Ventura County joins efforts to cut air pollution and protect
whales. The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District board
Tuesday approved $30,000 to support a pilot program to reduce air
emissions from ships. Shipping companies can receive a small
financial incentive for reducing speeds to 12 knots or less as
they move through the Santa Barbara Channel. Doing so can
significantly cut emissions of several air pollutants that blow
onshore into Ventura and Santa Barbara counties…Posted.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/outdoors/ventura-county-joins-efforts-to-cut-air-pollution-and-protect-whales_84303290

http://lompocrecord.com/santamaria/news/local/community-forum-dives-into-benefits-of-slowing-cargo-ships/article_b51abfc0-2121-5a47-b9cf-81d1534f9dab.html
 
http://www.noozhawk.com/article/karen_telleen_lawton_slowing_down_ships_for_whales_and_cleaner_air
   
http://www.ksby.com/news/organizations-hosting-forum-on-whale-protection-and-pollution-prevention/
 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Big firms brace for global carbon price rollout: report. An
increasing number of big corporations expect governments
worldwide to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions to help
tackle climate change and some are already factoring in the cost
to guide future investment decisions, a report found on Monday.
Some 150 large listed companies - including 29 in the United
States such as Dow Chemical Company, banking group Goldman Sachs
and oil firm ExxonMobil…Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/15/us-carbontrading-global-idUSKBN0HA09W20140915?feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=11563


Germany Faces Extreme Weather as Climate Change Brings Rains. 
Germany, which faced heavy rains and intermittent periods of hot
and cold this summer, should brace for extreme weather in future
probably because of climate change. Low-pressure areas over
central Europe brought monsoon-like rainfall and storms to parts
of Germany, Paul Becker, vice president of state-run Deutscher
Wetterdienst said today. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-15/germany-faces-extreme-weather-as-climate-change-brings-rains.html
 

Wary of U.N. Action, Australia Unveils Plan to Aid Great Barrier
Reef.  In a bid to keep the Great Barrier Reef from being
reclassified by the United Nations as “in danger,” the Australian
government on Monday unveiled a 35-year plan to manage risks to
the reef, one of the natural wonders of the world. But
conservationists warned that the plan does not go far enough.
Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/world/asia/wary-of-un-action-australia-unveils-plan-to-aid-great-barrier-reef.html?ref=earth
 

Fixing Climate Change May Add No Costs, Report Says. In decades
of public debate about global warming, one assumption has been
accepted by virtually all factions: that tackling it would
necessarily be costly. But a new report casts doubt on that idea,
declaring that the necessary fixes could wind up being
effectively free. A global commission will announce its finding
on Tuesday that an ambitious series of measures to limit
emissions would cost $4 trillion or so over the next 15
years…Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/science/earth/fixing-climate-change-may-add-no-costs-report-says.html?_r=1


Climate change threatens New Mexico birds. The few flocks of rosy
finches that birders come to see at the top of the Sandia Crest
overlooking Albuquerque could cease to appear, according to a
study by the National Audubon Society. About 50 bird species in
New Mexico are being threatened by climate change, according to
the study released last week. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Climate-change-threatens-New-Mexico-birds-5754956.php


At least 150 major companies prep for carbon prices. At least 150
major companies worldwide - including ExxonMobil, Google,
Microsoft and 26 others in the United States - are already making
business plans that assume they will be taxed on their carbon
pollution, a report today says. The U.S. has yet to impose a
price on heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions, but other
nations are starting to do so as a way to address global warming
so U.S.-based companies…Posted.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/15/us-companies-plan-for-climate-change-with-carbon-price/15526831/


Unusual species in Alaska waters indicate parts of Pacific
warming dramatically. A giant hotspot in the North Pacific Ocean
may help explain why a massive ocean sunfish was spotted in
Prince William Sound this month and a skipjack tuna was caught in
a gillnet weeks earlier near the mouth of the Copper River,
scientists say. Both species are unusual visitors to Alaska.
Posted.
http://www.adn.com/article/20140914/unusual-species-alaska-waters-indicate-parts-pacific-warming-dramatically


Obama unveils major new effort to tackle climate change. The
Obama administration is taking new steps to phase out the
production of a well-known chemical coolant used in refrigerators
and air conditioners that has been tied to global warming. The
White House confirmed to The Hill that it plans to meet with some
of the largest chemical firms and food retailers in the country
on Tuesday. They will announce voluntary commitments to target
the coolant R-134a, a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC). Posted.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/217811-obama-targets-popular-coolant-in-effort-to-fight-climate-change


Cities seek new ways to cope with sea level rise – and look to
the Dutch for advice. Scientists predict a “tenfold increase” in
the frequency of hurricanes and other storms, as well as
sea-level rise of eleven to twenty-four inches within a little
more than three decades – and planners and managers in U.S.
coastal cities are looking at new ways to prepare their cities’
infrastructure for these challenges. Posted.
http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20140916-cities-seek-new-ways-to-cope-with-sea-level-rise-and-look-to-the-dutch-for-advice


Report argues that climate change-induced wildfires should factor
into carbon's social cost. The rising price of wildfires due to
climate change should be included in the U.S. government's future
estimates of the social cost of carbon emissions. This is the
argument in a report released today by New York University's
Institute for Policy Integrity, the Natural Resources Defense
Council and the Environmental Defense Fund. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005871/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

DROUGHT

Water agencies are learning pools aren't a big factor during
drought. The Sieferts are the kind of environmentally conscious
family who attend local sustainability workshops and have solar
panels atop their Mar Vista home. They use timers on their kids'
showers and have planted drought-tolerant landscaping. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-pool-haters-20140913-story.html
 

AM Alert: Jerry Brown signs historic groundwater management
legislation. As this year’s legislative session drew to a close,
groundwater regulation – and whether California would become the
last state in the West to implement oversight for drilling and
pumping wells – emerged as one of the major policy issues. Driven
by concerns over an increasing reliance on groundwater sources
during the state’s severe drought…Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/16/6709605/am-alert-jerry-brown-signs-historic.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/09/16/4125678_am-alert-jerry-brown-signs-historic.html?sp=/99/406/552/&rh=1


Even during drought, beautiful gardens are possible. Drought is a
word that’s all too familiar with Californians. Residents of the
Golden State have dealt with dry conditions before and have
pulled together to conserve water; however, this time is
different. California has found itself in the grip of what is
being called the worst drought in its history since the federal
government began issuing regular drought reports. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/sponsored/2014/sep/15/beautiful-drought-garden-design/


Cutting water use 20 percent proves difficult.  Some Inland
communities are having a tough time making headway toward the
state’s order to use 20 percent less water. In Redlands, for
example, the city delivered 13 percent more water to its
customers in July 2014 than it did the previous July. The city
was at a loss to explain why consumption went up despite calls
for conservation. Posted.
http://www.pe.com/articles/water-750030-percent-use.html 

EPA administrator pushes for water rules. Environmental
Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said Monday she's
not backing down on her agency's efforts to implement a new rule
that would assert regulatory authority over many of the nation's
streams and wetlands despite criticisms that it amounts to a
federal water grab. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/15/epa-administrator-pushes-for-water-rules/


California drought threatens sushi, too. Sushi eaters could face
sticker shock the next time they order a California roll or check
the box for another round of yellowtail nigiri. Thanks to the
historic drought in California, prices may spike for the
specialty rice used in the popular Japanese dish. Production of
the rice, which is grown primarily in the Golden State, is
expected to drop by 25 percent this year. Posted.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/09/california-drought-sushi-110983.html#ixzz3DVNAvzbE


FUELS

Study assesses the environmental costs and benefits of fracking.
Stanford, California - A strange thing happened on the way to
dealing with climate change: Advances in hydraulic fracturing put
trillions of dollars' worth of previously unreachable oil and
natural gas within humanity's grasp. The environmental costs -
and benefits - from "fracking," which requires blasting huge
amounts of water, sand and chemicals deep into underground rock
formations…Posted.
http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/11038-study-assesses-the-environmental-costs-and-benefits-of-fracking.html


Obama admin committed to growing industry to full RFS level –
Vilsack. The Obama administration wants to see the corn ethanol
industry grow to the full extent that Congress envisioned when it
passed the renewable fuel standard in 2007, Agriculture Secretary
Tom Vilsack said today. Addressing concerns about a recent
proposal by U.S. EPA to scale back this year's mandate for
ethanol, Vilsack said the administration is "committed" to
working with ethanol producers to meet that 15-billion-gallon
target. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060005902/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

VEHICLES

Honda, Chevrolet give natural gas a push. Natural gas is the
neglected stepchild of the alternative fuel vehicles industry.
Used in some commercial truck fleets, municipal bus services and
the occasional taxicab, the plentiful low-emissions fuel has
never caught on in passenger cars - even though it sells for
about half the equivalent of a gallon of gasoline in California.
Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/12/6701274/honda-chevrolet-give-natural-gas.html#storylink=cpy


China and UC Davis partner to put Zero Emission Vehicles on a
faster track. Tianjin, China - In a landmark international
collaboration on clean vehicle adoption, the University of
California, Davis, and the China Automotive Technology and
Research Center will work together to help speed the
commercialization of plug-in and fuel cell electric cars in China
and the U.S. under an agreement signed in Tianjin, China. The
five-year memorandum of understanding establishes the China–U.S.
ZEV Policy Lab…Posted.
http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/11039-china-and-uc-davis-partner-to-put-zero-emission-vehicles-on-a-faster-track.html


Study finds rapid charging and draining doesn’t damage
lithium-ion electrode as much as thought.  A new study has found
that rapid-charging a lithium-ion battery and using it to do
high-power, rapidly draining work may not be as damaging as
researchers had thought, and that the benefits of slow draining
and charging may have been overestimated.  Posted. 
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/study-finds-rapid-charging-and-draining-doesnt-damage-lithium-ion-electrode-as-much-as-thought-.html


Autonomous and connected car technologies may progressively curb
emissions. Excitement around connected and autonomous vehicles
has been building for years with consumers interested in the
convenience of never having to touch the steering wheel and
governments anticipating significant improvements in road safety.
It's presumed that these technologies will also have energy
efficiency and emissions reductions benefits, but only recently
have experts been able to quantify them. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005795/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Nissan denies allegations that it plans to close U.S. battery
plant. Nissan Motor Co. denied claims made in a report yesterday
that the Japanese automaker plans to phase out battery
manufacturing at its facilities in the United States and the
United Kingdom. "The Renault-Nissan Alliance remains 100 percent
committed to its industry-leading [electric vehicle] program,"
Nissan spokeswoman Rachel Konrad wrote in an email. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005874/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

GREEN ENERGY

New Hydroelectric Plant to Be Built for New York. It seems as
natural as, well, water: Harness the energy potential of a
95-billion-gallon reservoir to run four turbines and generate
electrical power cleanly and at a profit. Having overcome
potential hurdles ranging from drought-stricken rafters on the
Delaware River to the endangered dwarf wedgemussel and northern
wild monkshood, New York City is tapping the vast resources of
its upstate reservoir system to commission a new hydroelectric
plant. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/nyregion/new-hydroelectric-plant-to-be-built-for-new-york.html
 

Why the Safest Form of Power Is Also the Most Feared. What do you
think is the safest form of power generation? What do you think
is the deadliest? According to a a 2010 study by the World Health
Organization, Centers for Disease Control, and National Academy
of Science, coal is the deadliest by far, killing 170,000 people
per trillion kilowatt hours...Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Why-the-Safest-Form-of-Power-Is-Also-the-Most-5754734.php


Dominion to buy 2 solar projects in Calif.  Dominion Resources is
planning to buy two solar projects in California. The Richmond
-based energy company announced the agreement with EDF Renewable
Energy on Monday. The deal is expected to close next year. The
projects in Kings, Kern and Marin counties in California would
add 42 megawatts of solar power to its portfolio. Both projects
are expected to enter service in the first half of 2015. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/15/dominion-to-buy-2-solar-projects-in-calif/


MISCELLANEOUS

Recalls this week: smoke alarms, generators. More than 1 million
smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are being recalled because a
power outage could render them useless. Inflatable rubber tubes
that can irritate skin and boys jackets posing an entanglement
hazard are also among this week's recalled consumer products.
Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/12/6702195/recalls-this-week-smoke-alarms.html#storylink=cpy


OPINIONS

China's Environmental Awakening. In June of 1969, the Cuyahoga
River, a feeder to Lake Erie and Cleveland, Ohio’s main waterway,
burst into flames. The August 1969 issue of Time magazine
featured an article on the fire, and it wasn’t kind: “Some river!
Chocolate-brown, oily, bubbling with subsurface gases, it oozes
rather than flows.” Cleveland, my hometown, a great American city
with world class museums, music and major league sports, would
soon be known as “the mistake on the lake.” Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/opinion/chinas-environmental-awakening.html?_r=0


Viewpoints: Campaign against gas tax is foolhardy. A lobbying and
PR effort is underway to prevent the state of California from
implementing a gas tax as part of its effort to reduce dependence
on fossil fuels. With funding by fossil fuel companies, the
campaign taps into the anxieties of families who are already
feeling the pinch at the pump. While I agree that any increase in
gas prices hurts, the reality is that our gas consumption is
hurting even more, and a tax on carbon is the smartest way to
address the problem. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/15/6702773/viewpoints-campaign-against-gas.html#storylink=cpy


Emission benefits for high-speed rail. Re "An environmentalist
makes the case for high-speed rail" (Forum, Aug. 31): I agree
with the ideas in the article, except the estimate for annual
carbon dioxide or CO2 emission benefits when the train is up and
running between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Our governor has
said that this train is more about connecting people, and I
agree. I want us to be clear about the possible CO2 emission
benefits from the train. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/14/6696181/emission-benefits-for-high-speed.html#storylink=cpy


Viewpoints: Governor should veto groundwater policy. Californians
– especially those in Northern California – are doing their part
during this drought, from shortening their showers to reducing
lawn watering and eliminating car washes. The majority of the
water that Californians use traditionally comes from surface
water sources like rivers and reservoirs. Farmers, however, have
been cut off. Earlier this year, the State Water Resources
Control Board restricted rights to surface water. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/13/6702579/viewpoints-governor-should-veto.html#storylink=cpy


Patrick Mulvaney: Climate change affects restaurant menus today.
When I read about climate change, I learn about rising sea levels
and shrinking polar ice caps – problems for 100 years in the
future. But when I talk to my friends and customers about climate
change, the focus is on what is happening today. It seems little
things are already adding up. As a chef, I have always believed
that the completed dish will only be as good as the ingredients
used. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/14/6700156/patrick-mulvaney-climate-change.html#storylink=cpy


Climate change. Re "Carbon tax could curb warming" (Sept. 11):
Contrary to Al Gore and his believers in the world, there has
been no increase in the world's temperature for the past 18
years. If we believe those so-called scientists that rely on
computer models that have been shown to be fraudulent, we should
all be 15 feet underwater. Instead of water, I see California
returning to its historic desert climate. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/11/6699008/climate-change.html#storylink=cpy


A Whale of a Good Idea. Incentives Lower Ship Strikes and Air
Pollution. When the Santa Barbara Foundation made its first round
of innovative grants earlier this year, one of them fostered a
“two-fer” that will not only help protect whales, but also
improve the air we breathe. The “Safe Passage” project called for
a pilot study to see if large container ships would accept
incentives to reduce their speed going through the Santa Barbara
Channel. Posted.
http://www.independent.com/news/2014/sep/09/whale-good-idea/ 

Brian Nestande: Why We Really Lost Tesla.  When I read
Congressman Ruiz's article primarily blaming me for Tesla Motors
choosing Nevada over California for the location of their battery
plant, I wasn't sure if he was joking or if he is completely
naive.  First, California was never seriously being considered
for the plant. Why?  Posted. 
http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/contributors/2014/09/13/brian-nestande-valley-voice/15604415/


Protect your lungs; treat wood smoke like cigarette smoke.
OPINION: Once the health hazards of secondhand cigarette smoke
were firmly established, sweeping ordinances throughout the
country were passed to protect people. Protection from wood smoke
is even more medically justified. Civilization requires balancing
the curtailment of one person’s freedoms with the protection of
others and the greater good. Posted.
http://www.adn.com/article/20140912/protect-your-lungs-treat-wood-smoke-cigarette-smoke


BLOGS

In a Season of Deadly Rains in India, Does the New Prime Minister
Believe in Climate Change?  More than 450 deaths were reported as
monsoon floods ravaged parts of northern Pakistan and the Indian
state of Jammu and Kashmir last week. The area is weathering the
heaviest rainy season in more than half a century. A photo essay
compiled for The Atlantic illustrates the awful scale of the
devastation. Posted.
http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/its-a-season-of-deadly-rains-in-india-does-the-new-prime-minister-believe-in-climate-change/
 

Climate change report: prevent damage by overhauling global
economy. Reducing emissions can generate better growth than old
high-carbon model, says co-author of report, Lord Stern. The
world can still act in time to stave off the worst effects of
climate change, and enjoy the fruits of continued economic growth
as long as the global economy can be transformed within the next
15 years, a group of the world's leading economists and political
leaders will argue on Tuesday. Posted.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/16/climate-change-report-damage-overhaul-global-economy
 

Cities can lead on climate change to build a resilient future.
Vancouver mayor, Gregor Robertson, explains how a price on carbon
is helping his city become the greenest in the world. Around the
world, cities are taking the lead on addressing the challenge of
climate change. While senior governments stall, urban leaders are
responding to the urgent need to make our cities more resilient
as climate change impacts intensify. In Vancouver…Posted.
http://www.theguardian.com/connect4climate-partner-zone/2014/sep/15/cities-can-lead-on-climate-change-to-build-a-resilient-future/print
  





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