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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 17, 2014
Posted: 17 Nov 2014 15:33:08
ARB Newsclips for November 17, 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 Air Pollution May Be Linked to Higher Rates of Kidney Disease. - US News By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay Reporter SATURDAY, Nov. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Air pollution may be linked to higher rates of chronic kidney disease, new research suggests. A study from the University of Michigan found the prevalence of kidney disease was greater in areas of the United States that have worse air quality. "If air pollution is a risk factor for [kidney disease], the impact is likely to be even greater in countries where pollution levels are much higher than in the United States," study author Jennifer Bragg-Gresham, from the University of Michigan, said in an American Society of Nephrology news release. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/11/15/air-pollution-may-be-linked-to-higher-rates-of-kidney-disease Cal Fire lifts burn ban for Santa Cruz County. ...donation toward getting new lights, stop at the Aptos chamber office, 7605- A Old Dominion Court, Aptos. Lewis Tree Service will string the new lights on the tree for the Aptos Village Tree Lighting slated for Nov. 21. For information call 831-688-1467. Watsonville Christmas train rolls in The Train to Christmas Town will operate Nov. 28-Dec. 28 from the depot at 765 Ohlone Parkway. The one-hour excursion, presented by the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Railway, includes a visit from Santa Cruz, costumed characters, music and hot chocolate and cookies. For information, visit www.traintochristmastown.com or call 888-978-5562. Santa Cruz City looking to fill advisory bodies The Santa Cruz City Council looks to fill positions on a number of advisory bodies. http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_26950260/coast-lines-nov-17-2014 Lawsuit over fungus from whiskey vapors revived. ...a lawsuit claiming vapors from Jefferson County bourbon warehouses are causing a black fungus to form on nearby houses, businesses and vehicles. The Courier-Journal reports (http://cjky.it/1zr9XXG) a lower court dismissed the suit, finding the federal Clean Air Act does not allow the plaintiffs to sue in state court over air quality nuisance issues. On Friday, a three-judge appeals court panel unanimously overturned that decision, sending it back to the lower court for a resolution.... http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article3952401.html Richmond calls on air district to revoke permit, halt Bakken crude rail transfers. RICHMOND -- City Manager Bill Lindsay sent a letter to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District last week urging the agency to revoke a permit allowing Kinder Morgan to offload Bakken crude and Canadian tar sands oil at its Richmond rail yard. The letter, which the City Council directed Lindsay to send, comes in response to news reports that first revealed that Bakken crude oil was being transported by rail and truck within the city. Bakken crude, which is lighter and more volatile than conventional crudes, has been implicated in several derailments and explosions throughout North America in recent years as domestic oil production and rail transport has ramped up. http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_26940485/richmond-calls-air-district-revoke-permit-halt-bakken Tesoro refinery fined $260,000 for air quality violations. MARTINEZ -- Tesoro has been ordered to pay $260,000 in fines for air quality violations at its Martinez refinery, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced today. The oil company reached an agreement with the air district over 23 air quality violations at the refinery in 2011, district officials said. The violations included excessive nitrogen oxide emissions, sulfur dioxide emissions, tank leak violations, reporting and monitoring violations and an "overwhelming flare system" in May 2011 that caused odors and prompted numerous complaints from surrounding residents, according to air district officials. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_26945893/tesoro-refinery-fined-260-000-air-quality-violations Young Michigan scientists pursue medical research. ...method to detect music frequencies. Two other factors influenced Ilena's choice of project. "We've had a lot of smokers in our family. We had a death in the family due to lung disease. And I was also very interested in environmental issues, particularly air pollution," she said. Ilena hit upon her project idea when she came across an electronic stethoscope at Reddy's home. "He lent it to me to find out more about it," she said. Ilena connected the stethoscope to a computer that was installed... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/16/3347518/young-michigan-scientists-pursue.html Palm Oil Production Poses Problems for the Climate. ...All of the fires were almost certainly related to deforestation for timber operations and agriculture — predominantly oil palm cultivation. Palm oil is the largest driver of Indonesian deforestation, which destroys habitat and contributes to climate change. Credit: Ahmad Fuad Morad/flickr Palm oil — which appears in a dizzying amount of food and cosmetic products and is a feedstock for biofuel — poses many environmental problems. It's the largest driver of Indonesian... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/palm-oil-production-climate-18338 'Step by step by step' on climate change. ...and president, Preventive Medicine Research Institute Blend Images/John Lund/Stephanie Roeser via Getty Images When we realize that something as primal as the food that we choose to eat each day makes such an important difference in addressing both global warming and personal health, it empowers us and imbues these choices with meaning. We hope that citizens will use this tool to hold their elected officials accountable for managing fisheries sustainably and for enforcing fishing rules.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/green/ Success Record is Mixed For Global Climate Deals. ... SCOTT SIMON, HOST: This week, the United States and China agreed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Advocates for action on climate change hailed the agreement as a huge step, but the deal is voluntary and the cost of meeting the goals will be high, which leads us to wonder how sturdy these commitments may... http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/11/15/149052/success_record_is_mixed_for_global_climate_deals?category=world&source=npr Hillary, Please Lead on Climate Change. ...to wait on anyone else. Delay has a direct impact on the future my children will have - and that's not acceptable to me." -- Letha Tawney This week, by reaching an agreement on emissions with China, President Obama opened a door to seriously addressing climate change. The agreement was seen by pundits as Obama's act of defiance in the face of the new GOP Congress, rather than the sensible and long overdue agreement that it was. But as political energy and coverage shifts to the Presidential... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/morra-aaronsmele/hillary-please-lead-on-cl_b_6163772.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics 40% of Wisconsin 'frac sand' producers violated environmental rules, study says. ...apples" disregarding the law, said Bobby King, an organizer who contributed to the report by the Land Stewardship Project, an advocacy group. "It's an industry that's willing to routinely violate rules that are designed to protect communities, protect air quality, protect water quality," he said. Wisconsin is the nation's top producer of silica sand, a key ingredient used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The state is home to 135 active mines, processing and transport facilities. That's... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19573861998&p=19f&v=1&x=B5BrP4K45OCdu5Iecxo7Iw Barnidge: There's nothing easy about declaring a 'No Burn' day. Thirty times last winter the Bay Area Air Quality Management District declared a no-burn or Spare the Air day, making it illegal for residents to use their wood-burning fireplaces. But none was so unfavorably received as the one on Christmas Day. "I got accused... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19569899486&p=19f&v=1&x=X9lLEU4o7_8gK-j1iTnVsw China Hunger for Clean Energy to Leave No Rooftop Behind. ...nuclear reactors. Most of that came from massive solar farms in remote locations and policy makers are now promoting smaller systems closer to where they're needed. The push to promote wider use of rooftop solar comes amid growing health concerns tied to smog within its own population and from foreign companies. It also adds to the nation's push to be a leader within the global climate community. A Global Push to Save the Planet The figures show the changes. Coal made up 64 percent of China's electricity... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-12/china-hunger-for-clean-energy-to-leave-no-rooftop-behind CLIMATE CHANGE Amid doubts, Obama seeks to reinvigorate Asia ties. Closing out his Asia-Pacific tour, President Barack Obama called on Asian nations Saturday to join the United States in confronting the globe's biggest challenges, from climate change and poverty to violent extremism. Obama insisted that skeptics who discount his efforts to strengthen U.S. engagement in the region are overlooking his successes and underestimating the opportunities that remain during his final two years in office. http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article3949778.html Canada Breaks With Australia to Contribute to Green Climate Fund. ...Fund – now appears to have changed its mind, with Tony Abbott's close friend prime minister Stephen Harper saying he is preparing to make a contribution. Abbott has defied global pressure to commit to the fund, designed to help poor countries adapt to climate change, because Australia is already spending $2.5bn on its domestic Direct Action fund and providing $10bn in capital to a so-called "green bank" – which he is trying to abolish. World leaders forced Australia to include stronger language... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141117/canada-breaks-australia-contribute-green-climate-fund DOT Urges Transport Network Improvements to Counter Growing Effects of Climate Change. Making transportation infrastructure and systems more resilient to the symptoms of climate change is an increasingly significant aspect of planning at the U.S. Department of Transportation, according to a new report.... Only Transport Topics subscribers have exclusive access to this content. © 2014, Transport Topics Publishing Group. All rights reserved. http://www.ttnews.com/gateclient/premiumstorylogin.aspx?storyid=36607&t=DOT-Urges-Transport-Network-Improvements-to-Counter-Growing-Effects-of-Climate-Change G20 pledges lift Green Climate Fund towards $10 billion U.N. goal OSLO. (Reuters) - A promise by Japan on Sunday to give up to $1.5 billion to a U.N. fund to help poor nations cope with global warming puts the fund within sight of a $10 billion goal and brightens prospects for a U.N. climate pact next year. Japan's pledge, at the G20 meeting of world leaders in Australia, raises the total promised to the Green Climate Fund (GCF)... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/16/us-g20-summit-climatefund-japan-idUSKCN0J00UL20141116?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Georgia developer still trying to build coal plant. Deep in rural Georgia, a developer is betting he can build one of the last new coal-fired power plants in the United States as the rest of the country moves away from the fuel. The project, which is being developed by Allied Energy Services, is an outlier. If constructed, Plant Washington would be one of just two planned coal plants in the United States to dodge pending rules from President Barack Obama's administration severely restricting carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide is the chief greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. Still, analysts question whether the estimated $2 billion project, which will be built near Sandersville, Georgia, makes financial sense right now. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/15/3350659/georgia-developer-still-trying.html?sp=/99/102// Japan Confirms $1.5B Commitment for U.N. Climate Fund (AFP). Japan Confirms $1.5B Commitment for U.N. Climate Fund Japan on Sunday confirmed plans to contribute up to $1.5 billion to the U.N.-backed Green Climate Fund, joining a U.S. pledge of $3 billion to mitigate the impact of global warming on developing nations. The move was flagged by Japanese media ahead of a Group of 20 summit in Brisbane over the weekend, and was rubber-stamped in a statement by the White House after U.S. President Barack Obama met with Prime... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141117/japan-confirms-15b-commitment-un-climate-fund Obama gets glimpse of life as lame duck abroad. By JULIE PACE, AP White House Correspondent BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — President Barack Obama is getting his first glimpse of life as a lame-duck president traveling overseas. And so far, he has reason to like what he sees. Obama arrived in the Asia-Pacific region weakened by a cascade of crises that have put him on the defensive for much of this year, and politically damaged by Democrats' thrashing in last week's midterm elections. But during stops in China and Myanmar, there were few overt signs that Obama's troubles at home had followed him abroad. http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2014/11/14/obama-gets-glimpse-of-life-as-lame-duck-abroad Obama, in latest climate move, pledges $3 billion for global fund. BRISBANE Australia/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday pledged a $3 billion U.S. contribution to an international fund to help poor countries cope with the effects of climate change, putting the issue front and center of the G20 Leaders Summit in Australia. The large size of the contribution took climate policy watchers by surprise and doubles what other countries had previously pledged ahead of a Nov. 20... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/15/us-usa-climatechange-obama-idUSKCN0IY1LD20141115?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Obama: Past week was strong for US leadership. ...Associated PressNovember 15, 2014 Updated 42 minutes ago BRISBANE, Australia — President Barack Obama says the past week he spent in the Asia-Pacific region proved to be a "strong week for American leadership." Obama cites progress in the areas of trade, climate change and the fight against the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. He says that headway that was made will mean more jobs for Americans, steps toward a cleaner and healthier planet and progress toward saving lives not just in West Africa,... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/15/4237879/obama-past-week-was-strong-for.html U.S., EU override Australia to put climate change on G20 agenda. Photo / 9 Participants pose for the G20 Leaders' Summit family photo in Brisbane in this November 15, 2014 handout photo by G20 Australia. REUTERS/G20 Australia/Handout via Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/slideshow/idUSKCN0IZ03C20141116 White House Turns Climate Change Spotlight to U.S. Cities, Towns (Reuters) White House Turns Climate Change Spotlight to U.S. Cities, Towns After announcing a major deal with China to curb emissions and a $3 billion pledge into a fund to help poor countries fight climate change last week, the Obama administration will turn... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141117/white-house-turns-climate-change-spotlight-us-cities-towns After U.S.-China Pact, Will the World Pick a Peak Carbon Date? Last week, the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, accounting for 40% of global emissions, signed an accord on improving their polluting ways. The U.S. said it would reduce emissions by as much as 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, while China said its emissions would... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-17/after-u-dot-s-dot-china-climate-pact-will-world-pick-a-peak-carbon-date This Chart Shows Just How Much Humans Are Driving Global Warming. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that humans are responsible for climate change, debate still exists in the general public. In the United States alone, at least 15 states are currently governed by known climate deniers, and several states have taken measures to keep the best climate science out of public policy.... http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/This-Chart-Shows-Just-How-Much-Humans-Are-Driving-5880558.php DROUGHT Drought brings hard times to coastal California. HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — California's chronic drought is causing hardships for residents and farmers on the coast south of San Francisco. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday (http://bit.ly/1xLcHQz ) that many of the creeks and wells that provide water to small... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19575984565&p=19f&v=1&x=gVObcHxyYyaarFLdnfALZg Sacramento's salmon run in full swing, but drought still a worry ...Orangevale resident Kally Kedinger-Cecil. “I didn't realize these fish are so big, and they're right there in these urban creeks.” In the ocean, these fish are the basis of a wild-caught salmon market that supplies grocery stores and restaurants throughout California. And on the rivers, recreational fishermen have crowded the banks for decades in hopes of hooking a prize salmon. More recently, volunteers have begun to walk the smaller waterways each fall for another purpose: to restore salmon habitat... http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article3972980.html FUELS House votes in favor of Keystone oil pipeline. ...been touting their energy credentials in the oil and gas-producing state. Should the Senate send the bill to Obama for his signature, he would face a decision that pits some of his environmental concerns about the pipeline, mainly its consequences for global warming, against potentially helping a fellow Democrat making a longshot bid to retain her Senate seat. The House bill was supported by 221 Republicans, with not a single GOP lawmaker voting against it. Thirty-one Democrats backed the... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/15/3350536/house-votes-in-favor-of-keystone.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f102%2f American University: Rising for Fossil Fuel Divestment. ...sent each Board member a handwritten letter from a different student sharing their personal reason for urging them to vote yes to divest. I sent my own letter last week. The place I call my home, Miami, Florida, is set to be one of the major casualties of climate change in the coming years. The infrastructure of Miami and South Florida at large was not built to handle the rise in sea levels that have occurred in the last 50 years, and certainly not was is to come if we do not halt climate destruction.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julian-gomez/why-im-rising-with-americ_b_6162842.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Fossil fuels fight. ...that her cost of attending university will increase because there will not be as much investment income generated. Without fossil fuels there would be substantially less power generation so she will either be reading by candle light (oops, can?t do that global warming) be without her computer, I Pad, cell phone hair dryer or any other thing that utilizes electricity. Then she will be walking as the gas she puts in her car uses... She can forget about eating as the food she eats all use some type... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/15/4237171/fossil-fuels-fight.html Obama Would Probably Veto Keystone Bill, Senators Say. ...procedural move,” Durbin said. “I don't know how successful they've been.” The Senate is set to vote Nov. 18 on the pipeline, which would link Canada's oil sands with refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Environmental groups say the pipeline would increase greenhouse gas emissions; supporters say it would create thousands of jobs. The pipeline needs a permit from the U.S. State Department because it would cross an international border. The department has been reviewing the project for six years.... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-16/obama-would-probably-veto-keystone-bill-senators-say Cheap oil environmental aid? ...Not long ago a drop of that magnitude would have hit the environmental community like a gut-punch. The lower the price of fossil fuels, the argument went, the less incentive there would be to develop and use cleaner alternatives like batteries or advanced biofuels. But at around $75 a barrel, the price is high enough to keep investments flowing into alternatives, while giving energy companies less reason to pursue expensive and risky oil fields that also pose the greatest threat to the environment.... http://www.insidebayarea.com/science/ci_26940848/cheap-oil-environmental-aid VEHICLES Chevrolet supports grassland preservation program. ...atmosphere by Chevrolet's purchase of carbon credits equals the amount that would be reduced by taking 5,000 cars off the road," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. Grasslands store huge volumes of carbon dioxide, one of the gases most responsible for climate change. Tilling the soil for agriculture releases the gases into the atmosphere. Preserving grasslands keeps carbon bottled up and preserves habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. "The opportunity here is to create an incentive for... http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article3976616.html Are electric cars greener? Depends on where you live. Long thought a thing of the future, electric cars are becoming mainstream. Sales in the United States of plug-in, electric vehicles nearly doubled last year. Credible forecasts see the number rising within a decade to half a million vehicles per year, which would easily exceed sales... http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-1117-graff-electric-cars-policy-20141114-story.html Automakers launching more hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Concerned about slow sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids, automakers are increasingly betting the future of green cars on hydrogen fuel cell technology. Even Toyota Motor Corp., maker of the popular Prius gas-electric hybrid, will use hydrogen... http://www.latimes.com/chi-automakers-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicles-20141113-story.html Electric vehicles touted as way to cut Inland pollution. Residents get to learn about and test drive electric vehicles at an event that organizers hope will entice more people to make the switch. Brian Ballard, co-owner of Pedego Greater Long Beach, talks to an attendee about electric bikes at the Riverside Electric Vehicle Day event Sunday, Nov. 16. MELANIE C. JOHNSON, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Riverside resident Diana Howlett climbed into a Nissan Leaf and awaited the noise from the engine. She heard nothing like the usual roar that comes... http://www.pe.com/articles/electric-754388-vehicles-riverside.html More car-charging stations at Lake Tahoe. …eyed the agency charged with protecting Lake Tahoe's environment wants to expand the network of charging stations for electric cars around the lake. Click to Continue » http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/15/4237387/more-car-charging-stations-at.html#storylink=rss Honda's FCV Concept. Honda Motors Honda's FCV Concept made its world debut in Tokyo and is expected to be launched into the Japanese market by March 2016. The vehicle is designed to be driven by an electric motor powered by hydrogen. Honda's FCV Concept made its world debut... http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-honda-hydrogen-concept-car-20141114-001-photo.html?track=rss Toyota says Mirai is the future of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Toyota says its new 2015 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle will be called the Mirai -- which means the future in the language of its creators. Company president Akio Toyoda revealed the name of the vehicle, which will be sold in Japan later this year and arrive... http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-toyota-mirai-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-20141116-story.html Will the Mirai Be The Next Prius? Toyota Calls Its New Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle the 'Future' ...alternative fuels and the future. Take, for example, the closing remarks of President and CEO Akio Toyoda's speech during a press event in Newport Beach, Calif., leading up to the Los Angeles Auto Show, in which he announced the name of the company's new hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the Mirai. “We believe that behind the wheel of the Mirai, we can go places we have never been, to a world that is better, in a car that is better,” Toyoda said. “For us, this isn't just another car. This... http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewdepaula/2014/11/16/will-the-mirai-be-the-next-prius-toyota-calls-its-new-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-the-future/ GREEN ENERGY Wind Tax Credit Attacked as U.S. Debates Lapsed Breaks. The new era in Congress may mean trouble for some old tax breaks. The wind energy tax credit, championed by environmentalists, Democrats, a few Republicans and companies including General Electric Co. (GE:US) and Siemens AG, may be imperiled as its most important backers in Congress lose clout. The industry's tax... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-17/wind-tax-credit-attacked-as-u-dot-s-dot-debates-lapsed-breaks S.F. clean energy program could generate 8,100 jobs, report says. A renewable energy program in San Francisco could create more that 8,100 construction jobs by building $2.4 billion worth of proposed solar, wind and geothermal projects, a new report says. That refutes many criticisms made by Mayor Ed Lee when the... http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/S-F-clean-energy-program-could-generate-8-100-5897392.php Altamont Pass poised to usher in next 30 years of wind power. In what Alameda County officials are calling a historic milestone, the framework for the next 30 years of wind energy on the Altamont Pass has taken a step forward, with hopes it will help reduce deaths of birds, bats and other animals. A county planning board on Wednesday certified the final program environmental impact report for Alameda County's portion of the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area as well as conditional use permits for two of the largest repowering projects in the area's history. http://www.insidebayarea.com/crime-courts/ci_26940235/altamont-pass-poised-usher-next-30-years-wind?source=rss Construction to begin on massive solar panel field. A small town in New Hampshire is undertaking a big solar panel project. The Hillsborough County town of Peterborough will break ground Monday on what will be the largest solar power system in the state. The 944-kilowatt installation will be built on nearly five acres of former waste water lagoons at the site of the town's wastewater treatment plant. The town received a $1.2 million grant from the New Hampshire... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Construction-to-begin-on-massive-solar-panel-field-5896688.php In Minnesota, Community Solar Market Starting to Take Off. At a recent solar conference in suburban Minneapolis, a jam-packed ballroom of more than 100 people gathered for standing room-only presentations on community solar gardens. Perhaps no other renewable energy opportunity has gathered so much excitement so quickly, in part because no other state has so far taken the route Minnesota has. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/minnesota-community-solar-market-starting-take Peru to Unveil Plans for Renewable Power Auction During UN Talks (Bloomberg). Peru to Unveil Plans for Renewable Power Auction During UN Talks Peru's government is set to announce plans for a renewable-energy auction during a global climate conference to be held next month in Lima. The auction will be held in the first half of next year and will allow bids for solar, wind, biomass and geothermal energy projects,... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/peru-unveil-plans-renewable-power-auction-during-un-talks So Cal Edison electricity rates could help businesses. Thousands of solar panels have been installed in the parking lots at College of the Desert. A new electricity rate structure soon to be offered by Southern California Edison could make it easier for businesses and nonprofits to go solar. (Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun ) A new electricity rate structure soon to be offered by Southern California Edison could make it easier for businesses and nonprofits to go solar. http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2014/11/16/southern-california-edison-rates/19149831/ World Bank Commissions First Station of Renewable Energy Resource Network (PV Tech). World Bank Commissions First Station of Renewable Energy Resource Network The Wold Bank has commissioned the first of many data stations measuring renewable energy potential around the globe in an effort to open up new markets. The $22.5 million Renewable Energy... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/world-bank-commissions-first-station-renewable-energy-resource-network MISCELLANEOUS Millions poured into effort to bag the plastic-bag ban. ...will collect fees charged for bags. “We expect to qualify the referendum and are confident that California voters will repeal this bad law when they have the chance to vote on it in November 2016,” said Daniels, who is also Hilex Poly's vice president of sustainability and environmental policy. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Millions-poured-into-effort-to-bag-the-5895777.php OPINIONS Editorial: China-U.S. climate change agreement at least will change debate. Click photo to enlarge When it was announced at an Asian summit last week that the U.S. and China had reached agreement on the heretofore sticky wicket of reducing carbon emissions, the reactions were as predictable as the sunrise. Those who ascribe world-stage preeminence to the issue of global warming hailed it as "one of the most significant climate deals ever struck." Meanwhile, those skeptical of carbon-limiting efforts or the Chinese or both argued that it was all flourish with little substance. As with most things political — and this is most decidedly political — the truth lies somewhere in between. The devil will be in the details. And, believe us, there are plenty of details. Both the breathlessly exuberant and the cynically skeptical offer much to consider. But before doing so we must provide critical context. http://www.montereyherald.com/editorials/ci_26945790/editorial-china-u-s-climate-change-agreement-at We're going off a cliff. ...Bee commentary by Sarah Rose and Kathay Feng (Nov. 13) headlines the approaching Armageddon we have entered as a consequence of the disastrous Citizens United ruling that flooded elections with unlimited amounts of money from unanimous donors bankrolling climate-change deniers who will continue to ignore science and destroy the planet. As a young man living in Sanger, I remember riding my bike and looking to the east at the Sierra Nevada mountains and, while driving down from the mountains,... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19572152562&p=19f&v=1&x=m8gOXwcXGd6zcaqIScnn4A Paul Krugman: Week was good for planet, bad for climate change deniers. It's easy to be cynical about summit meetings. Often they're just photo ops, and the photos from the latest Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, which had world leaders looking remarkably like the cast of "Star Trek," were especially cringe-worthy. At best — almost always — they're just occasions to formally announce agreements already worked out by lower-level officials. Once in a while, however, something really important emerges. And this is one of those times: The agreement between China and the United States on carbon emissions is, in fact, a big deal. http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_26945768/paul-krugman-week-was-good-planet-bad-climate Renewable energy in Mojave. Renewable energy project would pollute the desert Re “Will renewable energy ruin an ‘irreplaceable' Mojave oasis?” (Capitol & California, Nov. 10): Installing wind turbines and solar panels in the Silurian Valley in the Mojave Desert is not just green energy run amok, it's insanity. We have traveled Highway 127 through this valley many times, and there is no place like it. Would the people stand for these galvanized towers in Yosemite? Well, we don't see the difference. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article3929799.html BLOGS State Dept. Keystone XL North Contractor ERM Approved Project Now Melting Glaciers. ...penchant for rubber-stamping projects that have had tragic environmental and public health legacies. For example, ERM formerly worked on behalf of the tobacco industry to pitch the safety of its deadly product. A January 2014 study about Keystone XL's climate change impacts published in the journal Nature Climate Change paints a drastically different picture than ERM Group's Keystone XL tar sands study. The Kumtor Gold Mine, owned by Centerra Gold/Cameco Corporation, was provided... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-horn/state-dept-keystone-xl-no_b_6168864.html This Republican Admits Rising Seas Are Swallowing His District. But Can He Say That in Washington? ...politicians-turned-lobbyists, Graves has a base of political support that would be the envy of many in his class. But that's not what makes him unique. Rather, what sets him apart is that he's one of the only incoming Republican congressmen to seriously grapple with the effects of climate change. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/garret-graves-louisiana-pragmatic-climate-denier 2016 Toyota Mirai Name For Fuel-Cell Sedan; Hydrogen Station Funds Coming For Northeast. The hydrogen fuel-cell sedan that goes on sale in North America roughly a year from now will be known as the 2016 Toyota Mirai, the company announced today. The model name--confirming a rumor that had circulated for several months--was announced by Toyota CEO... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095492_2016-toyota-mirai-name-for-fuel-cell-sedan-hydrogen-station-funds-coming-for-northeast Renewable Energy America's solar boom, in charts. - Last week, an energy analyst at Deutsche Bank came to a startling conclusion: By 2016, solar power will be as cheap or cheaper than electricity from the conventional grid in every state except thre... http://grist.org/climate-energy/americas-solar-boom-in-charts/ DoE Offers $1 Million Prize For Advances In Small-Scale Hydrogen Fueling For Homes. As automakers get more serious about hydrogen fuel-cell cars, the biggest impediment to adoption will a chicken-and-egg situation: low numbers of cars offered in limited areas due to a lack of public fueling infrastructure. Unlike home charging stations for battery-electric cars,... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095483_doe-offers-1-million-prize-for-advances-in-small-scale-hydrogen-fueling-for-homes Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell coming to US Northeast in 2016. Looks like someone was able to read the future back in July. That's when rumors first circulated that Toyota's upcoming fuel cell vehicle will be called the Mirai. Today, Toyota president Akio Toyoda confirmed the name alongside plans to build out a hydrogen refueling infrastructure in the US Northeast. In Japanese, mirai (ć?ŞćťĄ) means "future," which... http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/16/toyota-mirai-hydrogen-fuel-cell-name-official/?icid=autoblog%7ccheck-these-out California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.