What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for December 16, 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

Yurok tribe hopes California's cap-and-trade can save a way of
life.  This winter, Yurok tribe forestry crews will be
four-wheeling down muddy fire roads, hiking through steep,
slippery brush and trekking across more than 20,000 acres of
forest to count and measure trees. Instead of preparing to sell
lumber, as it has in the past, the state's largest Indian tribe
is taking stock of its firs, redwoods and tanoaks to make money
in California's cap-and-trade program. 

http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-carbon-forest-20141216-story.html#page=1



AIR POLLUTION


Fascinating New Ways of Depicting the Motions of the Air and the
Seas.	...that's what brings us the rains and snows (on ascent) or
what clears out the smog after the passage of a cold front (the
descent of clean air...	

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/12/fluid-flows-in-the-air-and-on-the-seas/383787/


Senate panel in waning days of session to tackle proposed ozone
standard.	...environmental panel will meet tomorrow to review
EPA's recent proposed national air standard for smog-causing
ozone.	

http://news.vocus.com/?a=19872369573&p=19f&v=1&x=_7vbyCDFRr1OgArC0i06mQ

Remembering the genius who got BPA out of your water bottles, and
so much more.	...Congressional Fellow and then as an analyst,
researching industrial emissions and ozone for the Clean Air Act.
When those projects ended,...	

http://grist.org/business-technology/remembering-the-genius-who-got-bpa-out-of-your-water-bottles-and-so-much-more/

Kathryn McKenzie, Living Green: Monterey company wants to trash
our paper towel habit	...up with paper towels and it's hard to
visualize an alternative, other than air dryers (and we all know
how well those work). But now, a local company...	

http://www.montereyherald.com/lifestyle/20141211/kathryn-mckenzie-living-green-monterey-company-wants-to-trash-our-paper-towel-habit

Alternatives to gasoline can be worse on air	 WASHINGTON — People
who own all-electric cars where coal generates the power may
think they are helping...	

http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Alternatives-to-gasoline-can-be-worse-on-air-5958540.php

Is fracking polluting the air? Toxic air pollution from fracking
causes a wide spectrum of health problems for Americans across
the country, an environmental group charged in a report released
Tuesday. "The health risks from fracking are not limited to
what's in our drinking water -— oil and gas operations are also
poisoning the air we breathe,"… 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/16/fracking-air-pollution-health-nrdc/20451639/


Wide state variations in methane leaks found from similar oil and
gas fields. Oil and gas fields in Wyoming are emitting much less
methane than fields in neighboring Utah and Colorado, according
to preliminary findings presented yesterday at the American
Geophysical Union meeting here. 

http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010595/print 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Using time to track rapid melting of the world’s most stunning
glaciers. On Dec. 3, the World Meteorological Organization said
that 2014 is on track to be one of the warmest years on record.
On Dec. 4, a new study by the journal Science reported that
warmer water pushing against glaciers in Antarctica was
accelerating the rate at which glaciers were melting from deep
beneath the water. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2014/12/15/using-time-to-track-rapid-melting-of-the-worlds-most-stunning-glaciers/


Greenland ice loss more 'local' than thought, climate study says.
When it comes to melting ice on Greenland, climate change experts
got everything right but the present.
That means Greenland’s contribution to sea level rise this
century remains roughly the same – three inches – but where it
comes from and how it gets to the ocean are now more clear,
according to a new study that crunched 20 years of NASA data.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-greenland-ice-20141215-story.html

A Plan to Limit Cars in Paris Collides With French Politics.  
When the mayor here detailed plans to ban diesel and other
vehicles from the center of Paris by 2020, she framed the
measures as a public health imperative in a country that has
grown increasingly worried about the quality of its air. But if
passed by the City Council after debate in February, the
proposals could also bring about what few other big cities have
been able to accomplish: keeping a large portion of vehicles out
of parts of the city center.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/world/europe/a-plan-to-limit-cars-in-paris-collides-with-french-politics-.html?_r=0


Summit on climate change held in Oakland.  California's political
leaders came to Oakland on Monday for a summit on climate change.
And with new rules taking effect Jan. 1, some say the biggest
battle right now is information versus misinformation. Governor
Jerry Brown began his address to hundreds of climate change
experts by talking about the weather.

http://abc7news.com/science/summit-on-climate-change-held-in-oakland/438104/


California leaders vow to continue climate change action. 
California's political leaders pledged Monday to advance the
state's landmark laws on climate change and fend off challenges
from opponents such as oil companies. "We're just at the
beginning," Gov. Jerry Brown said. "There's still lots of
skeptics and lots of deniers."
Brown and top lawmakers spoke at a conference hosted by Tom
Steyer, a major Democratic donor who has wielded his financial
clout to urge action on climate change, and the event was a mix
of wonky policy discussions and pep rally speeches.

http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-brown-climate-20141216-story.html


Australian emissions can climb 26%, still meet Kyoto pledge –
watchdog. Australia may be able to raise its greenhouse gas
emissions by up to 26 percent before 2020 and still meet goals
set under the Kyoto protocol, thanks to a series of advantageous
accounting deals regarding carbon levels and land use. The
country secured several agreements over how land use and
greenhouse gas emissions are measured under carbon accounting
rules, according to the Climate Action Tracker, or CAT,
organization. 

http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010525/feed 

Researchers find that as CO2 grows, trees don't. Trees are
definitely our allies when it comes to taking in greenhouse gases
and thus aiding in the fight against climate change. But new
research suggests that forests might not be quite as helpful as
we'd hoped. Computer models that predict how climate change will
play out assume that as greenhouse gas concentrations go up… 

http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010602/print 

Obama admin urges hospitals to prepare for climate change.
Climate change poses a "double threat" to the nation's health
systems as damaging impacts increasingly harm people and threaten
the hospitals that are supposed to treat them, according to a
government report released yesterday. The 80-page document
provides a list of suggestions to make hospitals and smaller
health care facilities safer from extreme weather as storms and
floods add stress to their operations. 

http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010618/print 

TECHNOLOGY: Is nuclear power poised for a revival?	...energy
resurgence may be on the horizon, spurred by the imminent threat
of a changing climate.	

http://news.vocus.com/?a=19864177295&p=19f&v=1&x=uNwzmneSD-hPWSwVo4P2tg

NUCLEAR: Third Way's Freed says government support essential to
commercializing advanced nuclear technology	What role could
advanced nuclear technology play as part of the solution to
climate change? During today's OnPoint, Joshua Freed, director
of...	

http://news.vocus.com/?a=19872370393&p=19f&v=1&x=IKgYqp-3kMcBrXBl47lWTw

COAL: Fuel use 'unsustainable' in current form -- IEA
chief	...growth "unsustainable" without the faster deployment of
technologies to lower greenhouse gas emissions.	

http://news.vocus.com/?a=19865727368&p=19f&v=1&x=RUwLHoy04O6AEc91Vr8MGQ

U.S. and India to Announce Joint Climate Change Action During
Obama Visit (Guardian)	U.S. and India to Announce Joint Climate
Change Action During Obama Visit    America and India will...	

http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141216/us-and-india-announce-joint-climate-change-action-during-obama-visit

White House to Healthcare Providers: Prepare for Climate Impacts
(The Hill)	...healthcare providers to get serious about bulking
up their defenses against climate change.	

http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141216/white-house-healthcare-providers-prepare-climate-impacts

Nebraska Landowners Sit at the Heart of Keystone XL Pipeline
Controversy	The Keystone XL pipeline has created a heated debate
over climate change and energy independence. We visit York
County, Neb.,...	

http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141216/nebraska-landowners-sit-heart-keystone-xl-pipeline-controversy

De Leon calls for climate divestment, seeks to pull coal
investments from CALPERS, CALSTRS	...group founded by billionaire
philanthropist Tom Steyer to raise the profile of climate change
among issues in the U.S. political debate.       ...	

http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2014/12/15/17685/de-leon-calls-for-climate-divestment-seeks-to-pull/	

Denmark claims North Pole via Greenland ridge link	...would be
dealt with bilaterally. Interest in the Arctic is intensifying as
global warming shrinks the polar ice, opening up possible
resource...	

http://www.modbee.com/news/nation-world/article4481348.html

Arcata Council to vote on support for future watershed
funding	...area, like the Klamath River basin, as well as for
combating the effects of sea level rise and extreme weather.   
As for the grant applications,...	

http://www.times-standard.com/general-news/20141215/arcata-council-to-vote-on-support-for-future-watershed-funding

California Senate leader calls for state funds to pull out of
coal	...the California Energy Commission. De León's proposal came
at a conference on climate change in Oakland and was met by a
sympathetic audience....	

http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article4502845.html

Heidi Zamzow: Solar energy potential gains traction
locally	...nonprofit whose mission is to “meet the challenge of
declining resources and climate change by helping communities
transition to sustainable practices.”...	

http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/20141212/heidi-zamzow-solar-energy-potential-gains-traction-locally

Over 190 Nations Sign Draft Climate Change Accord	Rich and poor
countries alike agreed to take steps to rein in greenhouse gas
emissions.    Christiana Figueres, executive secretary...	

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/12/15/over-190-nations-sign-draft-climate-change-accord

Global 2-Degree Temperature Limit Lives On, but Concerns Mount
That Goal Is Unrealis...	By Dean Scott Dec. 12—As two weeks of
talks toward a 2015 global climate change accord neared their end
Dec. 12, environmental groups...	

http://www.bna.com/global-2degree-temperature-n17179918944/

Unfinished Climate Business: What to Do About the Rich/Poor
Divide	...developed and developing alike, to rapidly reduce
emissions. They're alarmed global warming will boost sea levels
and swamp their atolls.    “The...	

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-14/rich-poor-climate-divide-threatens-prospects-for-new-deal

Greenland's Ice Sheet Shifts Could Speed Melt	...much more
rapidly than the lower latitudes of the globe and the effects of
climate change are generally much more pronounced throughout
the...	

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/greenland-ice-sheet-shifts-melt-18448

DROUGHT
	
Gardeners, nurseries struggle to adapt as drought dries up
business	...let their yards go altogether, costing him thousands
of dollars.    As one of California's worst droughts continues,
gardeners across the region have...	

http://news.vocus.com/?a=19872796245&p=19f&v=1&x=efonxkhPeJvp7K9rxmK_qQ

Earthquake could imperil L.A.'s water supply	...aqueducts,
cutting off the water supply for more than 22 million people in
Southern California.    L.A. officials are for the first time
taking concrete steps...	

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-quake-water-20141216-story.html

Storm-whipped winds make waves in South Lake Tahoe	...snow
accumulating at elevations above 7,000 feet.    The sheriff's
office in California's El Dorado County posted a notice that
South Tahoe and Mount...	

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20141211/storm-whipped-winds-make-waves-in-south-lake-tahoe

FUELS

Oil Sands Output Rises as Canadian Crude Falls Below $40.
Canadian heavy crude traded below $40 a barrel for the first time
in five years just as surge of new projects are scheduled to
start operation.  A total of 14 new oil sands projects are
scheduled to start next year with a combined capacity of 266,240
barrels a day, according to data published by Oilsands Review.
That’s 36 percent more than was started in 2014. 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-12-15/oil-sands-output-rises-as-canadian-crude-falls-below-40.html


In Navajo country, coal gives life — and takes it, some say. From
her bedroom window, Cynthia Dixon watches the cloud of soot rise
from the coal mine near her sheep spread. Down the road, a
hulking coal-fired electrical plant spews a yellow plume that
stains the horizon. Many days, she finds a layer of black dust
coating the inside of her trailer home. 

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-new-mexico-coal-20141215-story.html#page=1


Lower prices open door to US gasoline tax hikes. Plunging US
retail gasoline prices could ease the passage of politically
unpopular gasoline tax increases in states like Michigan and New
Jersey. State and federal legislators are loath to increase fuel
taxes for fear of reprisals from voters. But growing shortfalls
in state transportation funding are creating pressure to increase
fuel tax rates.
http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=963545&menu=yes


Lower prices open door to US gasoline tax hikes	Houston, 15
December (Argus) — Plunging US retail gasoline prices could ease
the passage of politically unpopular gasoline...	

http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=963545&menu=yes

Gasoline Prices Tumble: Why Is Demand Waning?	...takes a look at
the drop in oil prices and why U.S. citizens are using less
gasoline.	

http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-12-12/gasoline-prices-tumble-why-is-demand-waning

Why oil is down by half, what it means for you	...more
fuel-efficient cars and changing demographics mean demand for oil
and gasoline is not increasing. The Energy Department predicts a
slight decrease...	

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/15/4287023/why-oil-is-down-by-half-what-it.html

Are Diesels Cheaper To Own Than Gas Cars? Varies By Model, Study
Says	...translate into cash savings. Diesel vehicles typically
cost more than comparable gasoline models, and their fuel costs
more per gallon than gasoline...	

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095926_are-diesels-cheaper-to-own-than-gas-cars-varies-by-model-study-says

More Relief at the Pump	...relief at the pump is for diesel
consumers, it pales in comparison to the retail gasoline average,
which DOE said last week sat at $2.679.    Gasoline...	

http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=36832&t=More-Relief-at-the-Pump

Fed Seen Looking Past Low Inflation to Drop ‘Considerable
Time'	...will look past low inflation and drop a pledge to keep
interest rates near zero for a “considerable time” as it seeks an
exit from the loosest monetary...	

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-16/fed-seen-looking-past-low-inflation-to-drop-considerable-time

VEHICLES

Electric Cars a Mixed Bag For Health, Climate	...climate impacts
may be small compared to all the cars on the road running on
gasoline.    But driving an electric car could be worse for both
the climate...	

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/electric-cars-mixed-bag-for-climate-18447

Here's How Electric Cars Could Be Cheaper Than Gas Guzzlers
Within a Decade	...confounding the much-delayed electric car
revolution is that its antagonist—the gasoline engine—is a moving
target. Under dogged pressure from electric...	

http://insideclimatenews.org/content/heres-how-electric-cars-could-be-cheaper-gas-guzzlers-within-decade

GREEN ENERGY

Betting on the Need, Scientists Work on Lighter, Cleaner Nuclear
Energy. Filled with pits, seams and fissures, the images that
Darin J. Tallman examined in a secure laboratory here looked like
the surface of Mars. But they were extreme magnifications of
slivers of an odd new material — half metal, half ceramic — that
tolerates high heat with ease, and that several companies hope
might form the basis of a new reactor technology.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/business/energy-environment/betting-on-the-need-scientists-work-on-lighter-cleaner-nuclear-energy.html?_r=0


New members for Senate Energy, Environment panels announced. One
of the new GOP senators joining the energy committee is Cory
Gardner of Colorado. (AP Photo) 
Republicans and Democrats filled out assignments for the Senate
committees on Energy and Natural Resources and for Environment
and Public Works. New GOP senators joining the energy committee…


http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2557413 

Study: Green Buildings Deliver Climate Benefits.  The UC Berkeley
study evaluated 100 LEED-certified commercial buildings
throughout California. It found that on average the buildings cut
greenhouse gas emissions from water consumption in half and
reduced waste-related emissions by 48 percent. Courtney Smith is
with the California Air Resources Board which funded the study.

http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/12/16/study-green-buildings-deliver-climate-benefits/

http://eaglecountryonline.com/feed-article/study-shows-green-buildings-deliver-climate-benefits/
	
The Race Is On For Solar Companies To Woo Utilities	...solar
company is licensing Tendril's software for analyzing its
customers' solar energy production and overall home energy use.
The solar company...	

http://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2014/12/15/the-race-is-on-for-solar-companies-to-woo-utilities/

Watch these experts use design to push renewable energy
forward	...we're streaming an hour-long discussion about the
intersection of design and renewable energy. The event is part of
OpenIDEO 's collaboration...	

http://news.vocus.com/?a=19871079895&p=19f&v=1&x=JjY5JJ2Xz1A9d5FfHUyjgA

SEIA Board Facing Call to Resign Over Stance on U.S.-China Trade
Spat (PV Tech)	...to Resign Over Stance on U.S.-China Trade Spat 
  The CEO and board of the Solar Energy Industries Association
(SEIA) must resign over its position...	

http://insideclimatenews.org/content/seia-board-facing-call-resign-over-stance-us-china-trade-spat

Thailand's Wind Energy CEO Steps Down Amid Probe	Wind Energy
Holding, one of Thailand's largest renewable-energy...	

http://insideclimatenews.org/content/thailand%E2%80%99s-wind-energy-ceo-steps-down-amid-probe

Vermont Hopes to Promote Renewables and Spare Ratepayers (Vermont
Public Radio)	...administration wants to change the way Vermont
encourages and accounts for renewable energy projects, but it's
trying to do so in a way that...	

http://insideclimatenews.org/content/vermont-hopes-promote-renewables-and-spare-ratepayers

Roundup: Botched restoration, Nazca Lines damage, auction house
turmoil	...archaeological site after they entered the protected
grounds to install a massive pro-renewable-energy sign that could
be seen from the air.    — Over...	

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/miranda/la-et-cam-roundup-botched-restoration-nazca-lines-damage-auction-house-turmoil-20141215-column.html

OPINIONS

Rice farms could provide offsets in carbon market.  Sometimes it
takes a crisis like climate change to reveal a golden
opportunity. Our rice farmers in Northern California have long
been exemplary stewards of their land, both in terms of providing
habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife and for their ongoing
efforts to work with environmental and research organizations to
improve their farming practices. Now, in response to climate
change, they stand ready to take the next step.

http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article4453841.html#storylink=cpy


Can our brains accept the reality of climate change?  To the
editor: David Lazarus' column on the negative effects of low gas
prices ties in beautifully with Caryl Rivers' Op-Ed article in
the same paper about how our brains work when presented with
information that doesn't fit with what we believe we can expect.
("Low gas prices can be problem," Dec. 11)

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-1216-tuesday-climate-change-20141216-story.html


George Skelton: California government is being a drip on the
drought. One is that the downpours are routinely dismissed by
bureaucrats and water professionals as not very important. It
would have to rain buckets for 40 days and 40 nights to be
meaningful, we're invariably told. Comments like this: "It takes
a long time to get out of a drought this severe. ... It will take
at least months of above-normal rain."
http://www.insidebayarea.com/opinion/ci_27140353/george-skelton-california-government-is-being-drip-drought


BLOGS

Congress wants you to know that food has nothing (nothing!) to do
with the environment	...require — plus, beef cattle produce
massive amounts (up to 200 liters a day) of methane, a powerful
greenhouse gas. The advisory committee...	

http://grist.org/list/congress-wants-you-to-know-that-food-has-nothing-nothing-to-do-with-the-environment/

New PBS Special 'Extreme Realities' Explores Security Threat From
Climate Change	What kind of new realities will climate change
bring this century? The latest episode in the PBS...	

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/15/pbs-extreme-realities_n_6316526.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics

'Lima Call for Climate Action' Falls Short of What Science Urges
and People Demand	...of historical responsibility -- developed
economies have spewed most of the greenhouse gases into our
atmosphere -- versus the loss and damage...	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/keith-peterman/lima-call-for-climate-act_b_6323186.html?utm_hp_ref=green

It's Time to Deploy This Special Weapon on Climate Change	...that
we feel needs to be told: there is a special weapon in the fight
against climate change. Information and communications technology
(ICT) solutions...	

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christiana-figueres/its-time-to-deploy-this-s_b_6328984.html?utm_hp_ref=green

Good news from Lima: Climate Deal 2014	...news. Why the early
call? Negotiators had stayed up all night at the global climate
change conference in Lima, and just reached an agreement....	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-thornton/good-news-from-lima-clima_b_6323500.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change


Warmer Temperatures Are Bad For The Economy, Study Finds	...the
study's authors predict, if the world continues on its current
path of greenhouse gas emissions, even warmer temperatures later
this century...	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/15/warmer-temperatures-economy_n_6325906.html?utm_hp_ref=green

How One Jewish Environmental Activist Found Inspiration In The
Hanukkah Miracle	...last for eight days. As helpful as a
miraculous solution to the challenges of climate change would be,
we can create our own miracle by reducing...	

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/15/hanukkah-environmental-activism_n_6317830.html?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green

Nations Agree To Deal To Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions	KQED
Science | December 15, 2014    Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more,
visit http://www.npr.org/....	

http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/12/15/nations-agree-to-deal-to-cut-greenhouse-gas-emissions/

Fujitsu launches hydrogen station data management service to
support spread of fuel-cell vehicles	In conjunction with the
start of sales of Toyota's Mirai fuel cell vehicle in Japan
(earlier post), Fujitsu launched...	

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141216-fujitsu.html

Hybrids A Better, More Cost-Effective Way To Cut Carbon Today,
Study Says	The hydrogen fuel-cell cars being promoted as the
future of zero-emission...	

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095694_hybrids-a-better-more-cost-effective-way-to-cut-carbon-today-study-says

Frackers can now frack faster on some public lands. As Congress
moves to wrap up its year, a lot of important, must-pass
legislation is moving quickly through the chambers. That creates
the opportunity for politicians to sneak their pet projects into
massive bills that most members don’t want to hold up or oppose. 
http://grist.org/news/frackers-can-now-frack-faster-on-some-public-lands/


Study: conventional traffic pollution modeling may underestimate
emissions in congested areas by up to 60%. Traditional methods of
modeling traffic pollution could be under-estimating emissions by
as much as 60%, particularly in areas where congestion occurs for
a large part of the day, according to a study by a team at
Newcastle University (UK). Previously, traffic emissions models
have used standard factors taking into account details of vehicle
fleet composition…
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141215-newcastle.html 



California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.