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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 12, 2014.
Posted: 12 Dec 2014 15:36:35
ARB Newsclips for December 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. AIR POLLUTION Poll: Half of Republicans back limits on carbon. When Republicans take control of Congress next month, top on their agenda will be undoing environmental regulations they claim will harm the economy, chief among them President Barack Obama's plans to limit heat-trapping carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AP_POLL_ENVIRONMENT_DISCONNECT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-12-12-04-01-00 http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Poll-Half-of-Republicans-back-limits-on-carbon-5952251.php Pollution Plan Pits U.S. Against China at Divided Talks. Envoys at the United Nations climate talks enter their final day in Lima divided on how to put teeth into a deal that the biggest polluters have turned into a package of mostly voluntary measures. Developing countries led by China and India want to pin down industrial nations on how they’ll meet a pledge for $100 billion a year in climate-related aid by 2020. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-12/pollution-plan-pits-u-s-against-china-at-divided-talks.html Port of Oakland truck pollution drops 76 percent in black carbon. Lung-damaging diesel air pollution at the Port of Oakland is down dramatically since a state law forced truckers to use cleaner burning engines starting in 2010, according to new data from a team of UC Berkeley researchers. And the gains in clean air likely are even greater because the law's emission limits became more stringent at the beginning of the year… http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_27120295/port-oakland-truck-pollution-drops-76-percent-black California Air Pollution Regulations Lead to Reduction in Air Pollution. Ever wonder what’s in the black cloud that emits from some semi-trucks that you pass on the freeway? Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) scientist Thomas Kirchstetter knows very precisely what’s in there, having conducted detailed measurements of thousands of heavy-duty trucks over months at a time at two San Francisco Bay Area locations. http://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=21162 CLIMATE CHANGE Kerry feels heat on Keystone oil pipeline at U.N. climate talks. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday urged countries at U.N. climate talks in Lima to move away from using fossil fuels while demonstrators gathered outside the meeting urged him to reject the Keystone oil pipeline. "Coal and oil may be cheap ways to power an economy today... but I urge nations around the world: Look further down the road," he said. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/12/us-climatechange-lima-keystone-idUSKBN0JQ02520141212 U.S. says no China-style climate deal in works for India. The United States on Wednesday played down prospects for a wide-ranging deal with India to curb greenhouse gas emissions next year along the lines of a plan agreed to with China last month. President Barack Obama will visit India in January at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/11/us-climatechange-lima-india-idUSKBN0JO2IK20141211?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Cutting carbon a good business opportunity, private sector told. Whatever the global climate agreement reached next year in Paris looks like, the private sector will need to dramatically step up efforts to cut global carbon emissions, negotiators and analysts said at U.N. climate talks in Lima Thursday. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/12/us-climatechange-talks-idUSKBN0JQ00B20141212 Kerry prods diplomats as climate talks appear to falter. Secretary of State John F. Kerry gave a rhetorical shove to diplomats struggling to negotiate an international climate treaty Thursday, saying far greater urgency is needed in tackling a problem that could soon affect everyone on the planet. Kerry added his personal diplomacy to the talks in Lima…http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/kerry-prods-diplomats-as-climate-talks-appear-to-falter/2014/12/11/75d66f50-8182-11e4-81fd-8c4814dfa9d7_story.html Strange Climate Event: Warmth Toward U.S. When it comes to global warming, the United States has long been viewed as one of the world’s worst actors. American officials have been booed and hissed during international climate talks, bestowed with mock “Fossil of the Day” awards for resisting treaties, and widely condemned for demanding that other nations cut their fossil fuel emissions while refusing… http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/12/world/strange-climate-event-warmth-toward-the-us.html?_r=0 In global climate talks, some major polluters drag their feet. Recent commitments by the world's major polluters to cut emissions have added fresh momentum to international climate talks, but foot-dragging persists among the next tier of polluters, including India, Brazil, Canada and Australia. http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-climate-spoilers-20141212-story.html#page=1 http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article4437556.html Would-Be Coders Are Studying India’s Glaciers to Learn About Climate Change. The Himalayas include the world’s tallest mountains, constitute its third-largest storehouse of ice, and are the source of rivers that sustain about 800 million people from China to Pakistan. The range is also among the least observed icy watersheds on earth, which means no one knows how a warming climate will change river flows… http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-12-11/students-study-india-s-glaciers-to-learn-about-climate-change Climate Sticking Point: Who Cuts And By How Much? U.N. talks on global warming are wrapping up in Peru, but a divide between rich and poor countries and how to divvy up targets to reduce greenhouse gases is a key sticking point that has remained unresolved. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has acknowledged that the issue is "hard fought and ... complex,"… http://www.capradio.org/news/npr/story?storyid=370315032 Lawyers gird for fight against EPA's Clean Power Plan based on states' rights. One thing is certain: There will be no shortage of legal arguments from states and businesses against U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. If the regulation eventually reaches the Supreme Court, opponents will have to coalesce around a few choice arguments, limited by word restrictions for legal briefs. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010446/print Warming waters 'reshuffling' species along the West Coast. Fights over salmon have raged for decades in the Pacific Northwest. Overfishing in the late 19th century, the proliferation of dams in Oregon and Washington in the 20th, and more recent ecological shifts have set tribes, conservationists and the fishing industry head to head over the diminishing resource. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010462/print DROUGHT California Would Need Five More Super Storms to Quell Drought. A slow-moving storm causing flooding and power outages in northern California would need to be replicated at least five more times for meteorologists to declare an end to the state’s historic drought. The wind and rain, dubbed #hellastorm on Twitter, produced widespread flash flooding, closed schools and canceled flights in the San Francisco Bay Area… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-11/california-would-need-five-more-deluges-to-ease-record-drought.html Climate change won't dry up Southern California, study finds. Overall rainfall amounts in the Los Angeles region will remain the same in coming decades, according to a new study that examined the effects of a warming climate on Southern California precipitation. The third in a series of UCLA studies on the impact of climate change on Los Angeles, the report is good news for the city’s efforts to develop more local water supplies. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-change-precipitation-southern-california-20141211-story.html Gardeners, nurseries struggle to adapt as drought cuts their business. Wet weather kept Alberto Ortega from working most of last week — and he couldn't have been more pleased. "This rain is a blessing I was beginning to think I'd never see," the gardener said. In four decades of tending people's yards, this year has been Ortega's roughest: http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-gardeners-drought-20141211-story.html California drought: Winter storms finally starting to boost storage levels in key reservoirs. After three years of relentlessly bad news about California's historic drought, the drenching storm that barreled in Thursday from Hawaii finally delivered the state some desperately needed good news. One storm does not end a drought as severe as this one, meteorologists and water managers emphasized again Thursday. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_27120528/california-drought-winter-storms-finally-starting-boost-storage California lawmakers look to 2015 for drought legislation. California lawmakers’ failure to pass water legislation this Congress raises questions about strategy, tactics and the ability to learn from falling short. It also sets the stage for next year when – wait for it – the whole anti-drought drama returns for an encore. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/12/11/249794_california-lawmakers-look-to-2015.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy California drought: Despite rain, dryness remains. Despite last week's rains, California remains mired in a drought that one recent study described as the most severe in 1,200 years. Last week's storm brought heavy precipitation – up to six inches in some spots – to large swaths of Northern California. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/12/11/california-us-drought-monitor-map-update/20259185/ Greenhouse gas solutions available to steer Canada toward 2020 emissions target. Canada pledged to reduce greenhouse gases 17% below 2005 levels under Copenhagen Accord. Canada's carbon pollution target for 2020 could have been nearly met if the country had widely implemented some successful regional policies starting six years ago, a report by the David Suzuki Foundation suggests, adding that "serious headway" is still possible. http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/greenhouse-gas-solutions-available-to-steer-canada-toward-2020-emissions-target-1.2866022 Storms could make dent in state drought as climate debate continues. Major rainstorms this week along the California coast could help ease the state's historic drought, but much more precipitation is needed to declare an end to dry conditions, experts say. A storm system that hit the coast Wednesday night has dumped as much as 15 inches of rain in the northern part of the state… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010464/print FUELS The Relentless Production of Shale Oil Is Breaking OPEC’s Neck. The world’s biggest oil companies faced ruin in the summer of 1931. Crude prices had plummeted. Wildcatters were selling oil from the bonanza East Texas field for a nickel a barrel, cheaper than a bowl of chili. On Aug. 17, Governor Ross Sterling declared a state of insurrection in four counties and sent 1,100 National Guard troops to shut down the fields and bring order to the market. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-12-11/shale-oils-relentless-production-is-breaking-opecs-neck Major Nebraska ruling on Keystone coming tomorrow? The Nebraska Supreme Court could rule as soon as Friday on a legal challenge to Keystone XL’s proposed route through the state, potentially putting the issue back in the hands of President Barack Obama. There are no guarantees that the top Nebraska court will rule Friday on whether the state’s process to approve the route was handled properly, and the decision could still slip well into 2015. http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/nebraska-court-keystone-ruling-113500.html#ixzz3LhXOn7Kf Despite RFS delay, industry has 'amazing potential' – Vilsack. Biofuel exports, high ethanol blends at U.S. gas pumps and military procurement are boosting the country's biofuel economy, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today. Speaking at the Farm Journal Forum in Washington, D.C., Vilsack defended biofuels, calling for their promotion in global trade and framing the recent downturn in gasoline prices as a potential boon for plant-based fuels. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060010435/print VEHICLES New fueling station on Calif.'s 'hydrogen highway' aims to serve more fuel-cell cars. California officials yesterday opened the newest stop in their network of hydrogen fueling stations and another chapter in the state's long-running pursuit of hydrogen-fueled vehicles. The hydrogen station in West Sacramento, just across the Sacramento River from the state Capitol, is aimed at enabling the public to buy hydrogen-fueled cars…http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010376/print GREEN ENERGY DOE updates resource maps to reflect advances in turbine technology. The Department of Energy has drawn new maps of the country's wind power capacity to keep up with advances in turbine technology. Updated maps released today show how taller wind turbines with higher nacelles and longer blades can harness significant amounts of wind power in areas where shorter turbines would be still. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010404/print States with most robust solar power programs are ones that did their homework – study. States that have deployed net metering and other policies that allow for the clear integration of home-based solar systems to the electricity grid tend to have much higher success in developing solar-based renewable energy portfolios than those that don't, according to Energy Department research released yesterday. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010447/print . OPINIONS Op-Ed A Pacific Coast model for addressing climate change. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Lima, Peru, is wrapping up Friday after 12 days of negotiations on global carbon emissions. Yet, even as we work through the complexities of an international agreement, it would be a mistake to miss the extensive change that's already taking place here on North America's Pacific Coast. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-1212-brown-west-coast-climate-change-plan-20141212-story.html Opinion: Once again, water plan stalemated. As the most severe winter storm in at least a half-decade bore down on California on Tuesday, 3,000 miles away in Washington, the House voted, largely along party lines, for a California drought relief bill. It was immediately declared dead on arrival in the Senate, and President Barack Obama threatened to veto it. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/dan-walters/article4435284.html#storylink=cpy California must push ahead with electric vehicles despite low gas prices: Guest commentary. You can almost hear the sighs of relief across California and around the nation as gasoline prices descend from their lofty levels. The national average for a gallon of regular is down to $2.68. Here in California, it’s at $2.98, down from $4.25 last spring. But what if we could regularly be paying just a fraction of that while keeping ourselves and the environment healthy? http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/opinion/20141211/california-must-push-ahead-with-electric-vehicles-despite-low-gas-prices-guest-commentary EDITORIAL: A solar bailout for Ivanpah? When it was first announced, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in the Mojave Desert sounded like a noble investment. So noble, the market couldn’t take the risk of building the solar energy plant without taxpayer assistance. In 2010, President Barack Obama touted the “revolutionary” solar plant as a means to ensure America’s “claim to continued leadership in the new global economy.” http://www.pe.com/articles/energy-756044-government-plant.html Editorial: Drought: Rain, rain don’t go away — yet Is it over? We’re not talking about the storm that hit Northern California and the Central Coast Thursday, inspiring apocalyptic media coverage and leading to store shelves being stripped of flashlight batteries and tarps. (Note to frightened residents: Storms of Thursday’s intensity — and it didn’t exactly live up to the hype in the Monterey Bay region — were once a regular companion to living here.) http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/20141211/LOCAL1/141219918 BLOGS Delegates in Lima Work on Defining ‘Differentiation' in 2015 Climate Pact. At the Lima climate talks Dec. 9, delegates at the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) negotiating track grappled with determining how countries in various stages of economic development will be divided and how their responsibilities will differ in the global agreement set to be finalized next year in Paris. http://www.bna.com/delegates-lima-work-b17179918773/ Electric Cars: A Review Of 2014. Every year, approximately 88 million trucks, buses and passenger cars are produced worldwide. While the vast majority of these vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine, the power source of choice for autos for the past 100 years, there has been much speculation about the role that electric vehicles might play over the next 100. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jackperkowski/2014/12/12/electric-cars-a-review-of-2014/ Recharge Wrap-up: First EV to attempt Dakar Rally, Mazda makes bioplastic parts. Toyota Uses Landfill Gas To Make Cars; Zap And Jonway At Peru Auto Show; California Still Leads In EVs. Zap and Jonway Auto brought their Urbee EV and their new Falcon A-380 SUV to the Peru Motor Show in Lima. Jonway sells its SUV and minivan in Lima through Dai-Ichi Motors, which displayed the cars at the show. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/12/11/first-ev-attempt-dakar-rally-mazda-makes-bioplastic/ California makes first investments in $100M energy research & development program; also biogas and H2. The California Energy Commission approved its first $10 million to fund Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) research and development (R&D) projects during its monthly business meeting today. The Commission also approved grants for the operation of a hydrogen fueling station, biofuel production, geothermal exploration and rooftop solar for schools. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141211-cec.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.