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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 12, 2014
Posted: 12 Nov 2014 15:07:56
ARB Newsclips for November 12, 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 Carbon 'tax' will pump up California gas prices Jan. 1. When you head to the pump on Jan. 1, 2015, expect to pay more for gasoline in California. It's part of what some business groups call a hidden gas tax or carbon tax that was * not* approved with a public vote by Californians. In 2006, the Legislature and Gov. Schwarzenegger passed Assembly Bill 32 which is legislation that set an absolute statewide limit on greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.news10.net/story/news/local/sacramento/2014/11/11/carbon-tax-will-pump-up-california-gas-prices-january-1/16005672/ AIR POLLUTION What US, China agreed to do to limit emissions. The United States and China are pledging to move faster to reduce or limit emissions of heat-trapping gases blamed for global warming. China and the U.S. are the world's two largest polluters, and by taking action together, leaders from both countries hope to spur other nations to be equally aggressive as they work to finalize a worldwide climate treaty next year. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CLIMATE_CHANGE_GLANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/china-us-climatechange-idINKCN0IW21R20141112 http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-china-agree-to-curb-greenhouse-gas-emissions-1415763692 US pollution data on Beijing blocked on mobile app. All the sky-clearing measures plus cooperation from the weather kept Beijing relatively free of air pollution for most of a seven-day Asia-Pacific conference. Then, toward the end as top leaders met, the smog crept back. So, China went to Plan B: Censor the pollution monitors. Many Beijingers get up-to-the moment updates on pollution… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_APEC_BEIJING_POLLUTION?SITE=FLPLA&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT No-burn alert for Southern California continues. Southern California air quality regulators are banning wood burning for the third day in a row because of excessive air pollution. The South Coast Air Quality Management District is issuing a no-burn alert for Wednesday because a high concentration of fine particle air pollution is in the forecast. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/11/11/47993/no-burn-alert-for-southern-california-continues/ http://www.pe.com/articles/air-753923-fine-wood.html CLIMATE CHANGE US-China climate deal aims to prod others to act. A groundbreaking agreement struck Wednesday by the United States and China puts the world's two worst polluters on a faster track to curbing the heat-trapping gases blamed for global warming. With the clock ticking on a worldwide climate treaty, the two countries sought to move beyond their troubled history as environmental adversaries and spur other nations. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/china-usa-climatechange-idUSL3N0T21YK20141112 http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/11/12/148286/china_us_pledge_to_limit_greenhouse_gases?category=world&source=npr http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/11/4230229_us-china-unveil-new-climate-change.html?rh=1 http://www.capradio.org/news/npr/story?storyid=363467360 http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-12/china-s-move-with-u-dot-s-dot-on-pollution-spurs-work-on-climate-deal http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-obama-xi-climate-change-20141111-story.html#page=1 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/world/asia/climate-change-china-xi-jinping-obama-apec.html?_r=0 Nation's last big icebreaker endures despite age. The last U.S. icebreaker capable of crushing through the thickest ice of the Antarctic and Arctic resumed its mission after the latest repairs to postpone its already past-due retirement. Climate change makes the 38-year-old Polar Star Icebreaker's science and security missions ever more vital, according to scientists and other backers of rebuilding the country's dwindling ice fleet. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_LAST_POLAR_ICEBREAKER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT DIESEL EMISSIONS Port of Los Angeles touts 80 percent drop in diesel particulate matter. Emissions are down at the left coast’s largest port, but much of the improvement may not be due to port regulations. The Port of Los Angeles recently announced it had made major strides in addressing pollution from ships, trucks, trains and other sources. The port’s 2013 Inventory of Air Emissions said diesel particulate matter is down 80 percent, nitrogen oxides are down 57 percent… http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27959#.VGOsCRbSp5I DROUGHT Water conservation efforts pay off: U.S. usage lowest in decades. Americans recently passed a milestone when federal officials reported that water use across the nation had reached its lowest level in more than 45 years: good news for the environment, great news in times of drought and a major victory for conservation. What was surprising in the U.S. Geological Survey report released last week was how little of the 13% decline in national water usage was due to the public cutting back. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-water-20141112-story.html Drought-defying tomato harvest breaks California record. Defying the state’s devastating water shortage, California farmers produced a record tomato crop. The harvest came in at an estimated 14 million tons of processing tomatoes. Those are the type used to make sauce, salsa and other products, and represent about 96 percent of all the tomatoes grown in California. Water conservation efforts pay off: U.S. usage lowest in decades. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article3792494.html Orange growers assess drought impact on crop. This is one of those years that drives citrus farmers nuts, said Rod Radke, who grows navel oranges in Fresno County. Early harvest reports indicate good-quality oranges in terms of shape and sweetness, but the drought and lack of irrigation water are being blamed for slow and uneven fruit sizing. "It's hard to figure out how much crop is going to make it to market, because there are so many variables," Radke said. "It's not simple arithmetic." http://www.agalert.com/story/?id=7295 FUELS Missouri governor to help lead biofuels group. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is in line to serve as a leader of the Governors' Biofuels Coalition. Nixon's office said Monday that he will become vice chairman of the organization in 2015 and then could become chairman in 2016 when Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad's term ends. The coalition supports fuels such as ethanol made from corn. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MO_BIOFUELS_COALITION_NIXON_MOOL-?SITE=MOCAP&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Archer Daniels Sees Corn-Based Ethanol Business Staying Strong. ADM Profit Rises 60% as Low Corn Prices Boosted Margins. Archer Daniels Midland Co. expects its corn-based ethanol business to remain strong in the year ahead despite sliding energy prices that have cut into profit margins, executives said Tuesday. Strong demand over the summer for ethanol and low corn prices translated to the best profit margins in years for U.S. ethanol makers… http://online.wsj.com/articles/archer-daniels-midlands-profit-rises-60-1415104413 CARB fines Chevron $329,700 for selling 'over-oxygenated' fuel. The California Air Resources Board recently fined a major U.S. oil producer for selling fuel that didn’t meet California’s standards. In a news release, CARB announced it had reached a $329,700 settlement with Chevron Corp. after Chevron admitted to violating California’s reformulated gasoline regulations. Chevron admitted to supplying gasoline in violation of California state regulations at its terminals in Montebello and Richmond, Calif. … http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27958#.VGOsaBbSp5I Will natural gas stall out as heavy-duty alternative? Just two years ago, natural gas power was forecast to fuel up to 20% of new heavy-duty trucks by the end of the decade. But now, thanks to everything from declining diesel prices to fleet concerns about natural-gas payback and fueling infrastructure, it appears those earlier predictions of the future strength of natural gas were too rosy. http://fleetowner.com/running-green/will-natural-gas-stall-out-heavy-duty-alternative CA Prepares for Updated CNG, LNG Fuel Tax Rules in Up Front. The California State Board of Equalization is readying the implementation of revisions to A.B.1907, which includes new use fuel tax rates for compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) that is used as a fuel in motor vehicles. Effective Jan. 1, 2015, the tax rate for CNG will be adjusted to $0.0887/gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE)… http://www.ngtnews.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10207#.VGOothbSp5I Ethanol market chasing U.S. as Canada’s fueling options flatline. Despite having capable vehicles, hurdles lay ahead if Canadian consumers are going to see alternative fuel infrastructure. For advocates of Canada’s biofuel industry, availability of ethanol at the pump is a discouraging statistic. In the United States, there are more than 3,000 fueling stations that meet the E85 ethanol standard, but in Canada… http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/regulation/ethanol-market-chasing-us-canadas-fueling-options-flatline-142054/ Buster Biofuels to employ Viesel Fuel enzymatic biodiesel process. A 5 MMgy plant under construction in San Diego, Buster Biofuels, will be producing biodiesel using the latest process technology of enzymatic production. Buster Halterman, CEO of Buster Biofuels, told Biodiesel Magazine that his company is working with Stuart, Fla.-based Viesel Fuel LLC to install Viesel Fuel’s unique adaptation of enzymatic biodiesel process… http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/235824/buster-biofuels-to-employ-viesel-fuel-enzymatic-biodiesel-process VEHICLES UPDATE 1-Hyundai, Kia to triple range of green cars by 2020. Hyundai Motor Co and affiliate Kia Motors Corp plan to triple their number of fuel-efficient cars by 2020, addressing concerns about the pair's green track record and competitiveness in fuel economy. Investors have voiced concern about Hyundai's latest Genesis and Kia's Soul having lower fuel mileage than their predecessors... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/hyundai-motor-kia-motors-environment-idUSL3N0T21J320141112 RPT-As gas prices slide, U.S. car buyers go for size, shun hybrids. It is the automotive equivalent of Pavlov's bell: when gasoline is expensive, U.S. car owners try to downsize, but once pump prices ring down, they salivate over big pickup trucks and SUVs. With gas prices dipping below $3 a gallon last month for the first time since December 2010, size is back in vogue. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/usa-gasoline-guzzlers-idUSL2N0T129Y20141112 US safety regulators probe Honda, Nissan vehicles for steering issues. U.S. safety regulators have opened separate investigations into potential steering issues in an estimated 374,000 Honda Accord sedans and an estimated 17,000 Infiniti EX35 compact crossover vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a preliminary evaluation into the failure of electric power steering in certain 2013… http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/11/honda-nissan-usprobes-idUSL2N0T11FR20141111 Kia's 'Soulful' first electric car. Finally, there is an all-electric car for people who thought they would never want one. The 2015 Kia Soul EV is a normal-looking Soul with a useful travel range of nearly 100 miles on a single charge, stable ride and handling, generous and flexible cargo space, comfortable seating and fast-charge capability. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Kia-s-Soulful-first-electric-car-5888060.php GREEN ENERGY Australian renewable energy target talks break down. Australia's opposition party said on Wednesday it quit talks with the government aimed at agreeing a renewable energy target, ending hopes of long-term certainty for potential investors in the burgeoning sector. Australia is one of the world's biggest carbon emitters on a per capita basis, but rising electricity bills and cheaper rooftop solar have driven down electricity use since a centre-left government first set the target in 2009. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/australia-renewables-idUSL3N0T201Z20141112 Germany plans tax relief to raise energy efficiency and cut emissions. Germany plans 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in tax concessions to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and lift sales of electric cars, in an action plan to help Europe's biggest economy meet CO2 emissions targets, a policy document showed. Despite a shift to renewables, Germany's CO2 emissions are rising partly due to a move away from nuclear power… http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/germany-energy-idUSL6N0T23OJ20141112 MISCELLANEOUS Fire retardant chemicals found in small group of Californians. A new study -- the first of its kind -- released Wednesday shows that a small group of people carry in their bodies traces of chemicals in flame retardants that for decades have been used in the manufacturing of furniture and children's products. The study, while small, offers the first glimpse of how these chemicals, which have been shown to cause cancer… http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_26917986/fire-retardant-chemicals-found-small-group-californians OPINIONS Column- Lester Snow is the answer man on the water bond. Californians, you just voted yourselves a $7-billion-plus water bond measure. What happens now? Lester Snow can draw you the map of water needs and detail the money being spent. He's navigated state waters for years in a multitude of jobs, among them head of the state's Department of Water Resources and other agencies. He's spent more time on water than Duke Kahanamoku. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-morrison-lester-snow-california-water-20141112-column.html#page=1 BLOGS Can Biofuels Make A Comeback? Len Rand, CEO of xF Technologies, says his company has come up with a material that can dramatically reduce particulate matter in diesel tailpipe emissions. It also fights corrosion. And it can be used as a food additive. “It can smell like almonds…anise,” he said. The Albuquerque-based company has developed an efficient two-step process that converts corn stover or other relatively low cost biomass into furoate ester… http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkanellos/2014/11/11/can-biofuels-make-a-comeback/ The Drive For All-Renewable Power Confronts Economic Reality. In Europe, economic reality is catching up with the renewable energy movement. Justin Gillis wrote recently in the New York Times about Denmark’s aggressive push to eliminate the burning of fossil fuels by 2050. The country is already well on its way to achieving that goal. Denmark generates more than 40 percent of its power from renewable sources… http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorensteffy/2014/11/12/the-drive-for-all-renewable-power-confronts-economic-reality/ Some Utilities Are Making it Cheaper to Drive Electric Cars. Some utility companies are starting to encourage consumers to make the switch to plug-in electric vehicles (EVs). JEA, a utility company in northeastern Florida, recently began offering to its nearly half a million household and business electricity customers a rebate of up to $1,000 for the purchase or lease of a plug-in electric vehicle. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-coplonnewfield/some-utilities-are-making_b_6142606.html Small solar bike path now open in Holland. There's just something appealing about the idea of a solar-powered road. Letting that ugly ribbon through the countryside generate power, interact smartly with cars, bikes and pedestrians and even charging up your electric car. It all just seems magical, doesn't it? Well, yes, which is why there are so many critics of a small (230 feet), $3.7 million solar bike path test space that was just installed in Holland. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/11/small-solar-bike-path-now-open-in-holland/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.