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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 30, 2014
Posted: 30 Oct 2014 15:13:23
ARB Newsclips for October 30, 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 Report: China's ports fail to regulate pollution. China's busy ports fail to regulate heavy emissions of sulfur oxide and other pollutants mostly from cargo ships although they're the biggest source of air pollution in port cities such as Hong Kong, according to a new report. The U.S.-based National Resources Defense Council found that maritime activity makes up half of all sulfur oxide emitted in Hong Kong and about a third of all nitrogen... http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article3434716.html Winter ritual: Get ready to Check Before You Burn. The Check Before You Burn winter air-pollution control program is back, starting this weekend. The program, which aims to reduce airborne particulate pollution from fireplace usage, runs each year from November to the end of February. The program is entering its 12th season. http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Winter-ritual-Get-ready-to-Check-Before-You-Burn-280864382.html 'Dangerously high' levels of airborne carcinogens found at US fracking sites. Dangerously high levels of cancer-causing chemicals have been discovered in the air around “fracking” sites in the United States - highlighting the need for tougher regulations to control oil and gas extraction in Britain, scientists said. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/dangerously-high-levels-of-airborne-carcinogens-found-at-us-fracking-sites-9826586.html CAP AND TRADE Experts: Reducing Carbon Emissions And Increasing Grid Reliability Are Doable. With the Clean Power Plan out for comment, a lot utilities are scurrying to figure out their game plan — or just how they would work with their state utility regulators to reduce their carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030, from a 2005 baseline. The general feeling is that the goal is doable but it may take a little more time. Understandably, the utilities and the state regulators want to find better and cheaper ways of doing... http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2014/10/29/experts-reducing-carbon-emissions-and-increasing-grid-reliability-are-doable/ UK energy minister sees rapid reform of EU carbon market. * Davey says EU should speed through 2030 legislation * EU deal last week was "highest common denominator" * EU 2030 deal aims to spur on global agreement BRUSSELS, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Plans to accelerate reform of Europe's carbon market could be finalised as soon as April, building on the momentum from last week's EU deal on green energy policy, Britain's energy and climate minister said on Tuesday. The EU has been debating proposals to strengthen its... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/28/climatechange-britain-davey-idUSL5N0SN2TW20141028 Climate-Savvy Investing: Insurance Sector Is Ignoring Risks & Rewards. Two years after Superstorm Sandy devastated large swaths of the East Coast and cost our economy an estimated $65 billion, the insurance industry – which is on the frontlines of climate change – is still not doing enough to address the risks associated with extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts or more intense coastal storms. It's no secret that property insurance companies often pick up the tab for losses... http://www.forbes.com/sites/mindylubber/2014/10/29/climate-savvy-investing-insurance-sector-is-ignoring-risks-rewards/ Emissions Trading Scheme 'inevitable'. A carbon industry leader says it's inevitable that Australia will eventually be forced to adopt an emissions trading scheme. A deal struck with Senate crossbenchers yesterday will see the Government's Direct Action policy passed by the Senate, and an inquiry held into the merits of a trading scheme. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bushtelegraph/direct-action/5854196 CLIMATE CHANGE EU: UN Climate Summit Will Fail Unless U.S. Sets Big Goal (AFP). The UN climate summit in 2015 will fail unless the United States sets "a concrete and ambitious" goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard warned. In an interview with AFP, Hedegaard said the European Union set the example for both Washington and Beijing when it pledged last Friday to cut EU emissions by at least... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141029/eu-un-climate-summit-will-fail-unless-us-sets-big-goal With New Campaign Finance Rules, You Can't Really Follow The Money. ...hedge fund guy. You'll see a pattern here. There's a lot of hedge fund donors, people who are current or retired hedge fund people. Tom Steyer ran one of the biggest hedge funds in the country out of San Francisco. And a couple of years ago, he decided that climate change was by far the most important and pressing political issue of our time and that not enough was being done by politicians to combat climate change, that policies that could help avert climate change were being... http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/10/29/146574 /with_new_campaign_finance_rules_you_cant_really_follow_the_money?category=politics&source=npr `Inland economy: a climate for change. Job gains have helped Inland Southern California catch up to the rest of the state economically, experts said Wednesday at the CMC-UCLA Inland Empire Forecast Conference. Lewis Horne is president of the Greater Los Angeles Orange County Region, CBRE Inc. Climate change of... http://www.pe.com/articles/inland-753021-percent-jobs.html GREEN ENERGY Walden Green Energy Partners Delivers Returns To Investors And The Environment. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Walden Green Energy Partners co-founders George Manahilov, Sarah Valdovinos and Henry D. Weitzner. They shared their experience investing in renewable energy and I was very impressed with the dedication and multiplier effect they have been... http://www.forbes.com/sites/miguelforbes/2014/10/29/walden-green-energy-partners-delivers-returns-to-investors-and-the-environment/ Hydropower May Be Huge Source of Methane Emissions. Imagine nearly 6,000 dairy cows doing what cows do, belching and being flatulent for a full year. That's how much methane was emitted from one Ohio reservoir in 2012. Reservoirs and hydropower are often thought of as climate friendly because they don't burn fossil fuels to produce electricity. But what if reservoirs that store water and produce electricity... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/hydropower-as-major-methane-emitter-18246 Two Years On: Sandy Inspires Storm of Climate Research. ...aren't trying. Damage on Staten Island in the immediate aftermath of Sandy. Credit: Somayya Ali/NASA GISS In fact, Sandy has spurred an unprecedented amount of research, attempting to tackle the questions about what role climate change might have played in producing or worsening the storm, how global warming might influence similar storms in the future, and why the storm caused so much damage — $19 billion in the New York City area alone. “It'll... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/two-years-later-sandy-inspires-storm-of-climate-research-18248 Mayor: Boston preparing for climate change. Associated PressOctober 29, 2014 Updated 18 minutes ago BOSTON — The city has made significant strides in preparing for major natural disasters, rising sea levels and other impacts to the ever-changing climate, Mayor Martin Walsh said on the two-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. Speaking at the Architecture Boston Expo at the Boston Convention Center on Wednesday,... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/10/29/3320729/boston-area-leaders-to-hold-climate.html Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability and Green Building Awards: Concord-based group, business among nominees. Competition was spirited as the Sixth Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability and Green Building Awards recognized outstanding sustainability practices in Contra Costa County. The annual event has blossomed, along with the local community's ever-expanding drive to protect the East Bay environment and natural... http://www.insidebayarea.com/science/ci_26821770/contra-costa-leadership-sustainability-and-green-building-awards FUELS Study: Biodiesel in Buses Cuts Pollution. A new study shows that biodiesel used in buses cuts down on the amount of air pollution compared to buses using more conventional diesel. This news release from the Mineta National Transit Research Consortium (MNTRC), a coalition of nine university transportation centers led by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University, showed that using biodiesel could effectively reduce the mass of particulate matter released in both hot and cold idle modes. http://domesticfuel.com/2014/10/30/study-biodiesel-in-buses-cuts-pollution/ Report predicts state drivers would see little cost from tighter fuel standards. A new state study tentatively concludes that gasoline prices would increase by 2 cents per gallon by 2020 and by 12 cents per gallon by 2026 if low-carbon fuel standards are installed in Washington. http://crosscut.com/2014/10/30/climate/122573/report-predicts-state-drivers-would-see-little-cos/ Green Fleet Conference Panel Debunks Alt-Fuel Misconceptions. ...with host Richard Battersby, manager of Equipment Services for the City of Oakland, Calif., and coordinator of the East Bay Clean Cities Coalition. Battersby pointed out that there is a "dizzying choice" available today in fuels: CNG, LNG, RNG, DME, E85, hydrogen, battery electric, plug-in electric, biodiesel, renewable diesel, algae diesel, clean diesel – "And of course we've got dilithium crystals and the flux capacitor drive." He asked several questions of the ambassadors, and turned to "man... http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fuel-smarts/news/story/2014/10/green-fleet-super-session-delves-into-alt-fuel-misconceptions.aspx?ref=rel-recommended Decline of U.S. Diesel Demand After 2015. ...2016, according to a report released Oct. 29. Those changes will “more than offset a substantial increase in the number of diesel-powered light-duty vehicles in the market,” said the report by the PIRA Energy Group. The study, “An Assessment of the Diesel Fuel Market: Demand, Supply, Trade and Key Drivers,” was commissioned by the Fuels Institute with funding from the Natso Foundation, the research and public outreach subsidiary of Natso Inc., a trade group that represents truck stops. ... http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=36455&t=Report-Projects-Decline-of-US-Diesel-Demand-After-2015 Gasoline Price Study to Fuel Debate on U.S. Oil Exports. The push to end a four-decade limit on exporting U.S. oil may get a boost from a government study set for release as soon as today that will explain the relationship between crude oil and domestic gasoline prices. Supporters of lifting the ban anticipate the Energy Information Administration analysis will affirm what they suspect: that overseas sales won't raise the price Americans pay at the pump because the price of gasoline is tied... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-29/gasoline-price-study-to-fuel-debate-on-u-dot-s-dot-oil-exports Natural Gas' Early Adopters See Few Hiccups During Startup. ...to differentiate yourself from the competition," he noted. "We saw an opportunity to save money, but the distinction was the most important factor." When asked what would spur any of the panelists' fleets into 100% adoption of CNG, the answer was $4.50 diesel fuel. "When we began, diesel prices were higher than today and very unstable," said Fasnacht. "That's changed slightly today, with diesel trending downward and stabilizing. Natural gas has increased, but remained fairly stable relative... http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fuel-smarts/news/story/2014/10/natural-gas-early-adopters-see-few-hiccups-during-start-up.aspx?ref=rel-recommended Appalachian Biofuels to establish facility in Va. RICHMOND, Va. (AP). — Appalachian Biofuels LLC is planning to establish its headquarters and biodiesel production facility in Russell County, creating 40 jobs. Gov. Terry McAuliffe says the company will invest $3.5 million for the project. Virginia successfully competed against... http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Appalachian-Biofuels-to-establish-facility-in-Va-5856109.php Modesto-area gas prices dip below $3 per gallon. Heather Johnson spends a lot of time and money at gasoline stations. Johnson, a student, was thrilled to pay $2.99 a gallon at an Arco station in Turlock on Tuesday morning. “It's great,” she said of the dropping gas prices. On a budget that counts every dollar, Johnson said it was a happy surprise... http://www.modbee.com/news/local/article3422764.html VEHICLES Indianapolis eyes savings with electric vehicles ...jump-start. Ballard on Tuesday unveiled the beginnings of what he calls the "Freedom Fleet" — 425 plug-in sedans that are expected to save the city 2.2 million gallons of gas over the next decade. The move, on top of the mayor's prior support for an electric vehicle rental program, increases the city's green footprint. "This is a landmark step in revitalizing our aging fleet and replacing expensive internal combustion engine vehicles with cutting-edge EV technology, all while reducing... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/29/4204359/indianapolis-eyes-savings-with.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f170%2f Solar Electric Cars: When Your Gas Station Is the Sun. Owners of electric vehicles have already gone gas-free. Now, a growing number are powering their cars with sunlight. Solar panels installed on the roof of a home or garage can easily generate enough electricity to power an electric or plug-in gas-electric... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/solar-electric-cars-when-your-gas-station-sun OPINION How to export California's policy on carbon emissions. A recent article on California's carbon market draws much-needed attention to new loopholes that undermine the state's flagship climate policy. This otherwise excellent piece falls short, however, in suggesting that the market's problems were inevitable. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-1030-thursday-global-warming-20141030-story.html BLOG Reforming Fashion By Making It More Eco-Conscious. Are you one of those super environmental types who shops at Whole Foods and your local farmer's market, avoids GMOs and does your housekeeping only with eco-friendly soaps and detergents? I know a lot of people who fall into this category. But then when it comes to fashion, suddenly all their rules about purchasing products that are good for the... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meimei-fox/reforming-fashion-by-maki_b_6069372.html?ir=Style&utm_hp_ref=style Fox News' Parent Company Is Really Worried About Global Warming. The day after Superstorm Sandy devastated much of the East Coast, Al Gore issued a statement linking the storm to climate change. That's when Fox News went on the attack. "These global warming claims have been debunked time and time again," declared Eric Bolling, a former crude oil trader who is now one of the network's most inflammatory... http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/10/superstorm-sandy-fox-news-rupert-murdoch China's latest fashion craze: Smog masks. TREND ALERT: Air pollution may make the air in Beijing gray, odorous, and sickening — but that doesn't mean their fashion has to be! This week Beijing hosts China Fashion Week, and fashion designer Yin Peng's pollution-inspired face masks are almost... http://grist.org/list/chinas-latest-fashion-craze-smog-masks/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed Study shows biodiesel blends in buses reduce PM, other harmful exhaust elements, EC and CO. A new study on the combustion properties of biodiesel for use in urban transit buses found that using biodiesel can effectively reduce the mass of particulate matter released in both hot and cold idle modes. The study, published by the Mineta National Transit Research Consortium (MNTRC),... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/study-shows-biodiesel-blends-in-buses-reduce-pm-other-harmful-exhaust-elements-ec-and-co.html Official: 2016 Chevy Volt will not need premium gas. ...or other performance factors." As Larry Nitz, GM's executive director of vehicle electrification, told AutoblogGreen yesterday, the new engine is more powerful and quieter than the outgoing 1.4-liter engine that's used in the current Volt. Fuel economy and EV range specs for the next-gen Volt are not expected until the full car is revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Related GalleryNext-Gen Chevy Volt Powertrain News Source: GM Category: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, AutoblogGreen Exclusive... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/29/2016-chevy-volt-will-not-need-premium-gas/ Nissan Leaf-To-Home Electric-Car Power Tests: More Practical For U.S. With Longer-Range Cars? Nissan and other makers are beginning to view electric cars not as just as transportation, but as mobile energy-storage units that can provide emergency power and take stress off electrical grids. This month the carmaker will begin testing its Leaf-To-Home energy station in Japan, testing the... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095193_nissan-leaf-to-home-electric-car-power-tests-more-practical-for-u-s-with-longer-range-cars Nissan breaks its own US EV sales record. With more than two months remaining in the year, Nissan LEAF has surpassed its own record of the most US electric vehicle sales in a single calendar year, the mark of 22,610 units that it set in 2013, the company says. LEAF sales in 2014 through September are up more than 36% compared to the same period last year. (Nissan will announce October US sales... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141030-leaf.html Report: VW planning 20 new plug-in models for China. ...year and the Golf GTE plug-in hybrid in 2015. VW said in August that it would start selling the e-Golf in the US for about $35,500 in November. That's a $6,500 price hike from the base Nissan Leaf. Related Gallery2015 VW e-Golf News Source: Reuters Category: EV/Plug-in, Volkswagen, China Tags: china, e-golf, e-up, electric vehicle, jochem heizmann, plug-in hybrid, Volkswagen http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/30/vw-planning-20-new-plug-in-models-for-china/ Sea Level Rise New York. It's been two years since Superstorm Sandy, and much of New York City is still vulnerable to flooding from storm surges. And as global sea levels co... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/sea-level-rise-new-york/ What you need to know about the next big climate report. The rumblings are starting: There's a big climate report on the way. But wait -- you've heard this one before, right? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- its report already came out recently, didn't it? More than once, come to think of it? Well, yes, but there is still one more IPCC report coming out this Sunday, Nov. 2. It's related to the others, but also sort of different. For... http://grist.org/climate-energy/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-next-big-climate-report Artist Melts 100 Tons Of Ice As Physical Reminder Of Climate Change. When 100 tons of Arctic sheet ice is sitting in the middle of your town square, it's difficult to avoid talking about climate change. Just ask the folks in Copenhagen, who have come face-to-ice with 12 large blocks of frozen fjord water, all in the name of environmental art. The Danes have artist Olafur Eliasson to thank for the strange configuration of Greenland-bred... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/artist-melts-100-tons-of-_n_6063550.html Saving the Canadian Polar Bear. ...the only country still allowing polar bears to be hunted for their skins and body parts. Once again, Canada has come under fire from the international community because polar bears are killed for profit at a time when their very existence is threatened by global warming. At a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), both the UK and Norway demanded Canada's trade in polar bear parts come under review as it is contributing to the demise of the species. The... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cathy-kangas/saving-the-canadian-polar_b_5946762.html?utm_hp_ref=green Chuck Hagel: We Should Worry About Climate Change Like We Worry About ISIS. WASHINGTON -- The Islamic State may be the most immediate challenge facing the Defense Department, but Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday that one of the biggest long-term security threats to the U.S. isn't a terrorist group. It's climate change. "From my perspective, within the portfolio that I have responsibility for -- security of this country -- climate change presents security issues for us," Hagel said during remarks at the Washington Ideas Forum. "This... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/chuck-hagel-climate-change_n_6068922.html?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green Why climate rap actually improves the dreaded school assembly. ...Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) and its upbeat school presentations back in 2009, just after the program got rolling in a handful of San Francisco Bay Area high schools. The "ACE Assembly" revamps the deadly school assembly -- and a deadly topic like climate change -- with animation, music, and freestyle rapping to inspire students to get up and do something. Since then, the program has spread all over the country and reached almost 2 million students. And it just got major accolades: A study published... http://grist.org/article/why-climate-rap-actually-improves-the-dreaded-school-assembly Zombies in the Mirror: The Scary Truth About Where We're Headed ...creatures to survive. Except it's not just us - it's us and our livestock. Meat production is responsible for more environmental destruction than any other single industry. It's responsible for enormous amounts of habitat loss, pollution, water use and greenhouse gas emissions. Add that to our sheer numbers and it's no wonder wildlife are going extinct at a pace that's at least 1,000 times the natural background rate. Like most horror movies, this story has a ray of hope. But we're going to... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephanie-feldstein/zombies-in-the-mirror-the_b_6065254.html Weather Channel Says Global Warming Is Real Following Co-Founder's Climate Denial. Days after Weather Channel co-founder John Coleman told Fox News that global warming is a myth, the cable network has clarified its stance on the matter. In an official “position statement” on global warming issued Wednesday, the Weather Channel said that man-made climate change is real.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/weather-channel-global-warming_n_6072054.html Cli-Fi is Real. ...struggling with a blockbuster, as it wrestles with a titanic human species trying to survive its hyperconsumption and narcissism, on a fucking lucky rock spinning through space. It's also why continuing reports from the too-conservative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are treated like fiction by sellouts, and always exponentially worse. The latest (finally) explains that global warming is abrupt and irreversible, and that our children will inherit an Anthropocene riven by swallowing... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-thill/cli-fi-is-real_b_6072518.html First look at all-new Voltec propulsion system for 2G Volt; “the only thing in common is a shipping cap” ...system that maintains electric range over the Volt's life. Based on a GM study of more than 300 model year 2011 and 2012 Volts in service in California for more than 30 months, many owners are exceeding the EPA-rated label of 35 miles (56 km) of EV range per full charge, with about 15% surpassing 40 miles (64 km) of range. Current generation Volt owners have accumulated more than 600 million EV miles. EV range estimates will be revealed in January at the North American International... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141029-voltec.html DOE seeking feedback on findings of hydrogen production and delivery workshops. The US Department of Energy s Fuel Cell Technologies Office has issued two requests for information (RFIs) seeking feedback from the research community and relevant stakeholders about electrolytic hydrogen production (DE-FOA-0001188) and hydrogen delivery research,... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141029-doeh2.html Mercedes-AMG HPP awarded Dewar Trophy for PU106A Hybrid F1 Power Unit. ...successful design, research and teamwork resulted in the Mercedes-Benz PU106A Hybrid Power Unit, which has not only been the dominant powertrain in this first season under the new Formula One rules, but is also arguably among the most thermally efficient gasoline powertrains ever produced, with a claimed thermal efficiency of greater than 40%. PU106A Hybrid Formula One Power Unit. Click to enlarge. Previous Formula One regulations have concentrated on a simple mechanical limitation... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141030-dewar.html Indianapolis plans to add 425 PHEVs and BEVs to municipal fleet by 2016. ...“Freedom Fleet”. The City will replace 100 vehicles by the end of this year and 425 vehicles by the beginning of 2016. This is a landmark step in revitalizing our aging fleet and replacing expensive internal combustion engine vehicles with cutting-edge EV technology, all while reducing our dependence on oil and saving Indianapolis taxpayers thousands in fuel costs each year. America's dependence on oil ties our national and economic security to a highly-unpredictable, cartel-influenced global oil market.... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/indianapolis-plans-to-add-425-phevs-and-bevs-to-municipal-fleet-by-2016.html DOE launches $1M H2 Refuel H-Prize for small-scale hydrogen refueling. The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) and the Hydrogen Education Foundation (HEF) launched the $1-million H2 Refuel H-Prize. The two-year competition challenges America's engineers and entrepreneurs to develop affordable systems for small-scale... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141029-h2.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.