What's New List Serve Post Display
Below is the List Serve Post you selected to display.
newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 8, 2014.
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 14:48:35
ARB Newsclips for October 8, 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 EU Seeks Faster Energy Market Integration Amid Crisis. The European Union is seeking to speed up the creation of a common energy market to help its shift to a low-carbon economy and boost security of energy supplies amid a natural-gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine. Energy and environment ministers from the EU's 28 member states are meeting in Milan today to help build... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-06/eu-seeks-faster-energy-market-integration-amid-crisis Low Carbon Fuels Coalition: Connector of industries and interests. The first budget decision on cap-and-trade revenue was one, because a significant amount of the funds were allocated to programs other than low carbon fuels. Success was not had in obtaining any long-term funding for low carbon fuels either, even though they are providing a majority of greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in the transportation sector here in California, Noyes said. “We saw that as a policy shortfall, and also an opportunity.” http://www.ethanolproducer.com/articles/11515/low-carbon-fuels-coalition-connector-of-industries-and-interests AIR POLLUTION Air turns corrosive in October heat wave. Record heat and stagnant conditions have turned the San Joaquin Valley into a bowl of dirty air. Valley air authorities are urging residents to drive less, avoid letting vehicles idle at drive-up windows and put off yard work that involves gasoline-powered equipment. In other words, pretend it’s late August instead of early October. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/07/4165671_air-turns-corrosive-in-october.html?rh=1 Under Pressure, Texas to Install Air Monitor in Heavily Fracked County.Investigation by ICN and the Center for Public Integrity helped spur Karnes County commissioners to think seriously about fracking's toxic air emissions. Backed by results of a recent air-quality study, mounting pressure from local officials, news reports and the simmering discontent of residents, Texas regulators have decided to install an air monitor in the heart of... http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141007/under-pressure-texas-install-air-monitor-heavily-fracked-county MIT competition uses crowdsourcing to find climate change solutions. Last week, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Collective Intelligence announced the winners of the 2014 Climate CoLab, a project that uses crowdsourcing to develop effective proposals to mitigate the effects of climate change. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006987/climate_digest Study: Renewables As Green As You'd Expect. A lot of metals go into making solar cells and wind turbines, raw materials such as copper, iron, rare earth metals such as indium and others and that involve a lot of greenhouse gases and other pollution when they're mined and processed to make parts for renewable power generators. So just how green are these sources of low-carbon renewable electricity? Pretty green, it turns out. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/study-renewables-green-you%E2%80%99d-expect CLIMATE CHANGE These 10 countries have pledged $2.3 billion to fight climate change. The U.S. isn't one of them. Poorer countries typically get the rough end of global warming: Not only are they more likely to feel the brunt of its impacts — like rising sea levels or increased extreme weather — they also don't have enough money to face the problem. This split between the rich and poor... http://grist.org/climate-energy/these-10-countries-have-pledged-2-3-billion-to-fight-climate-change-the-u-s-isnt-one-of-them/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed Youths seek federal liability for GHG emissions. A group of teenagers has asked the US Supreme Court to require the federal government to curb rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The five teenagers represented by lawyers from nonprofit organizations Our Children's Trust, Kids vs Global Warming and WildEarth Guardians, are appealing a June DC Circuit Court of Appeals rejection... http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=933484&menu=yes Air tanker crashes battling Yosemite wildfire. ...National Park on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014. Photo: Williams, Kale, Cal Fire An air tanker battling a fire burning on the west side of Yosemite National Park crashed Tuesday afternoon, authorities said, underscoring the danger of wildfires fueled by the historic drought that have broken out across the state in recent months. The plane, a Grumman S2 Tracker that is operated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and is designed to drop flame retardant from its belly, crashed about... http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Air-tanker-crashes-battling-Yosemite-wildfire-5807882.php Student interns push legislators to pass Clean Power Plan. Anderson, an international relations and global studies junior, is part of a new batch of Sierra Club student interns who are trying to increase support from local politicians to pass the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan in Texas. The Clean Power Plan, which orders each state in the nation to cut down its carbon emissions, is currently not backed by Texas. The Sierra Club is trying to change that. http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2014/10/07/student-interns-push-legislators-to-pass-clean-power-plan DROUGHT California drought: Why less water equals less power. California has just entered its fourth year of drought -- a slow-rolling crisis that is showing no signs of abating. All of California is now affected, with more than half of the state considered to be in “exceptional” drought, the worst designation handed out by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Reduced rainfall means that California reservoirs are continuing to shrink, with water levels at just 52 percent of their historic average. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/1007/California-drought-Why-less-water-equals-less-power California water use drops 11.5 percent in August. State officials on Tuesday reported the largest monthly decline in water use this year as the severity of California's drought hits home, with community wells running dry, farm fields turning to dust and key reservoirs at a fraction of their capacity. In this photo taken Oct. 6, 2014, a coyote crosses part of dry lake bed normally covered in water... http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/07/6767946/california-water-use-drops-115.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News Can California Make It Rain With Drones? Billowy and filled with life-sustaining water vapor, the cloud passes overhead without emitting a drop of rain. In times of severe drought, that cloud is a frustrating, lumbering tease. That cloud is tantalizing. Delicious even. What that cloud needs is a kick start, a catalyst to squeeze the water out of it. It's not science fiction; it's called cloud-seeding. And in beyond-parched... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141008/can-california-make-it-rain-drones DROUGHT: Calif. would survive a 7-decade drought, computer simulation projects. Though the nation's most populous state is crackling under the worst drought conditions recorded since the federal government began publishing reports on the topic, California wouldn't crumble economically or agriculturally under a seven-decade "mega drought," according to one scientific projection. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006981/feed DROUGHT: Water use declines thanks to rebates, mandatory restrictions....across most of the Inland area in August compared to the same period last year; “the trend here is good, so it's very encouraging,” water official says Some homeowners in the Redhawk neighborhood of Temecula have stopped watering their grass because of the drought. Such efforts helped drive down water use statewide in August, compared to the same period last year, according to newly released figures. Check out the water reports at waterboards.ca.gov Water use was down across most of the Inland area... http://www.pe.com/articles/percent-751500-water-august.html California drought: Big water cuts by many Northern Californians. Visitors adapt to the lower water levels at the lake which is at at sixty percent of capacity at Bass Lake on Friday July 18, 2014, near Oakhurst, Calif. Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle As California braces for a rainy season that may again be a bust, residents are becoming increasingly mindful about water conservation, particularly in the northern half of the state. State water data released Tuesday show that Californians cut their... http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Drought-Some-Bay-Area-water-users-save-big-5807594.php?cmpid=hp-hc-bayarea Dunne on Wine: Water used to make wine becomes issue during drought. If you have one of those “Save Water Drink Wine” bumper stickers on your car, you might want to rip it off. And not only because the wit is so lame. The advice is erroneous. In this time of drought, a bumper sticker urging fellow motorists to “Save Water Drink Water” makes more sense. After all, 29 gallons of water were used to produce that glass of cabernet sauvignon you look forward to drinking with tonight's dinner. That, at least,... http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/07/6767869/dunne-on-wine-water-used-to-make.html VEHICLES Roadshow: The rules on charging electric vehicles in city lots. Q Is it legal for an EV or plug-in hybrid to stay parked in an electric vehicle parking space after they are done charging? There is much written about EV etiquette that indicates one should move their vehicle when done charging to free up space for others,... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/drive/ci_26657762/roadshow-rules-charging-electric-vehicles-city-lots GREEN ENERGY Feds Award $91M in Loan Guarantees to Cool Planet Biorefinery in Louisiana.Cool Planet Energy Systems, a Colorado energy startup with plans to turn woodchips and other organic waste into gasoline and a crop-boosting soil additive, has secured $91 million in federal loan guarantees to help build its first Louisiana plant. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/feds-award-91m-loan-guarantees-cool-planet-biorefinery-louisiana Warren Buffett’s Big Bet on Renewables in Nevada. At the edge of Interstate 15, a crackling river of electrons provides power not just to Nevada’s homes, mines and casinos, but to parts of California as well. For years, many of those electrons were generated by coal, a fuel now largely abandoned here thanks to both economics and legislative decree. Now an increasing percentage of them are coming from renewable sources — geothermal, solar and wind. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/business/energy-environment/warren-buffetts-big-bet-on-renewables-in-nevada.html?_r=0 How Grid Efficiency Went South. Almost every rooftop solar panel in the United States faces south, the direction that will catch the maximum energy when the sun rises in the southeast and sets in the southwest. This was probably a mistake. The panels are pointed that way because under the rules that govern the electric grid, panel owners are paid by the amount of energy they make. But they are not making the most energy at the hours when it is most needed. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/business/energy-environment/how-grid-efficiency-went-south-.html RENEWABLE ENERGY: Ocean energy set to become commercial by 2030 in Europe, experts say. While offshore wind farms have long staked their claim on the competitive market of renewables, technology for harnessing the wave and tidal power of the ocean is still in its infancy. But industry experts attending the annual Ocean Energy Europe meeting here last week are optimistic that by 2030, marine energy will have proved to be a commercial success. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/10/07/stories/1060006985 Australia Commissions 'Oceania's Largest' Solar Farm. The largest solar power plant in Oceania, the 20MW Royalla Solar Farm has been commissioned, according to Spanish inverter manufacturer, Ingeteam. An opening ceremony was attended by the Australian Capital Territory energy minister, Simon Corbell, and Spanish... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/australia-commissions-oceanias-largest-solar-farm Startup creates gasoline substitute from wood chips plus salable byproduct. Cool Planet Energy Systems, a company offering a unique carbon-neutral biofuel, had a big week last week. Not only did the company receive a loan guarantee of $91 million from the Department of Agriculture to finish construction on its first commercial-scale refinery in the Port of Alexandria, La., but it also opened the first major production facility for the byproduct of its biofuel, CoolTerra, a soil enhancer, in Camarillo, Calif. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/10/07/stories/1060006986 New solar energy technologies to be discussed at seminar. The solar energy industry is emerging as a key player in the multipronged approach California will take in leading the nation in renewable energy, experts say. And the University of California's research is leading the way. UC Merced,.. http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/07/3579742/new-solar-energy-technologies.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f2307%2f Push for Solar Power Comes to Chicago's Southeast Side. Not long ago in a small storefront on Baltimore Avenue near the Indiana border a handful of folks got schooled on solar energy. It was part education, part sales pitch put on by Seth Johnson, policy advocate with the Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/push-solar-power-comes-chicagos-southeast-side SolarCity Offers Its First Home Solar Loan. ...quickly, some solar companies, such SunPower and Mosaic Mosaic, see opportunities in offering loans that allow homeowners to own the solar panels and take advantage of the federal tax credit, which lets taxpayers deduct from their income tax 30% of the cost of a solar energy system. Over long term, owning the should cost homeowners less than paying for leases or power purchase agreements. Loans could enable solar companies to enter states that don't allow third-party solar financing or see solar companies... http://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2014/10/08/solarcity-offers-its-first-home-solar-loan/?ss=business Why Solar Power Is Taking Off at Airports Across the Country. The biggest solar power project in the entire state of Minnesota is going to be at an airport. On Thursday, Gov. Mark Dayton joined officials from the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport to announce the construction of a $25 million solar project... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/why-solar-power-taking-airports-across-country Solar water heater a lesson in energy savings. Mann showed students a monitor mounted outside the maintenance facility that allows anyone to see just how much energy is being produced by the solar panels. With heavy cloud cover on Monday, the count of British thermal units produced was zero, but that, too, was a lesson to pass on to students, the Daily Journal reported (http://bit.ly/1yJOZ9O ). "When the sun is shining it doesn't matter what the temperature is, it will create energy. But if the sun is not shining, no energy," Mann... http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Solar-water-heater-a-lesson-in-energy-savings-5806281.php OPINION Another View: Here’s the real high-speed rail plan. In his recent commentary (“Here’s a better high-speed rail plan that California can afford,” Viewpoints, Sept. 29), Michael D. Setty asserts the need for a more robust rail network in the state. We agree, and under the leadership of Gov. Jerry Brown, we have worked with the Legislature over the last five years to advance a statewide rail network with high-speed rail as the backbone. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/08/6768482/another-view-heres-the-real-high.html#storylink=cpy BLOG Report: Tesla autopilot could offer 90 percent autonomous driving next year. ...vehicle, though that one's of the hands-free, no-steering wheel, no-pedals variety. Related Gallery2012 Tesla Model S: First Drive News Source: The Verge, CNN Money, Bloomberg News Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL Category: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors Tags: autonomous driving, autopilot, electric vehicle, elon musk, ev, self driving, tesla, tesla model s http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/07/tesla-autopilot-could-offer-90-percent-autonomous-driving-next-y Toyota has now sold over 7 million hybrids. ...versions of the Camry, Avalon and Highlander in the US. Of course, such big sales aren't always easy to match, and Toyota's been lagging behind 2013's numbers all year. Including its Lexus division, Toyota's green-car sales including the low-volume RAV4 electric vehicle fell 10 percent from a year earlier in September to just over 21,000 vehicles. Through the first three quarters of the year, Toyota's green-car sales were down 9.1 percent to almost 247,000 vehicles. That still dwarfs any other... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/07/toyota-has-now-sold-over-7-million-hybrids/ Neste Oil de-emphasizing microbial oil R&D for renewable diesel; seeking other uses for cellulosic biomass. ...using a proprietary process to hydrogenate vegetable oil or animal fat feedstocks. The result is a tailored drop-in fuel; with several major NExBTL refineries worldwide, Neste is currently the leading producer of renewable diesel. However, unlike a biomass-to-liquids technology pathway (e.g., gasification of the biomass and conversion of the resulting syngas to fuel), the NExBTL process out-of-the-box had no option to utilize cellulosic biomass as a feedstock. Since the sustainability... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141007-neste.html Electric Vehicles Reach Highest Percentage of US Auto Sales to Date. ...month, plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) made up the highest percentage ever tallied of total vehicles sold in the United States. This is news for optimism. For an environmental group like the Sierra Club, it is this percentage that we care about more than total EV sales (which were strong, but not outstanding last month). As a way to slash oil use and emissions, we need people to switch from driving to transit, biking and walking -- meaning fewer auto sales and less driving overall. But for the millions who... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-coplonnewfield/electric-vehicles-reach-h_b_5949530.html 21 Numbers That Explain Why The Time To Address Climate Change Is Right Now, Or Maybe Yesterday. ...Arctic ice evidently forced the poor creatures to huddle together on a narrow piece of land out of desperation -- normally, they're observed lying more spread out. (The same thing happened last year as well.) The plight of the walruses is striking, but climate change is also having all kinds of other, less readily visible effects. It's been shown to produce heat waves around the world, contribute to global wildlife extinction and maybe even reduce gravity. Below, we give you 21 numbers to help... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/07/climate-change-statistics_n_5923908.html 5 Reasons Why Climate Change Is a Social Issue, Not Just an Environmental One. As illustrated by the 400,000 attendees at the People's Climate March in New York City and the solidarity events that took place around the word, the realities of climate change are no longer only being stressed by environmentalists. The effects of climate change will be economic, social, and environmental and will alter people's lives in a myriad of ways that we are just beginning to understand.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosaly-byrd/climate-change-is-a-socia_b_5939186.html The repeated claim that Obama ‘vowed’ to bankrupt coal plants. Two new ads by GOP-leaning Crossroads GPS slam Kentucky Democratic Senate nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes with a similar theme — that Obama “vowed” to bankrupt the coal industry. (The second ad, a 15-second hit, says: “She says she supports coal but she backed Obama after he vowed to bankrupt coal.”) This made us wonder: When did the president make such a statement? http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/10/08/the-repeated-claim-that-obama-vowed-to-bankrupt-coal-plants/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.