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EPA CARBON RULE

For States That Don’t File Carbon-Cutting Plans, E.P.A. Will
Impose ‘Model Rule’ 
The Environmental Protection Agency will force states to comply
with a federal “model rule” to cut their carbon emissions if the
states do not submit customized plans under the Obama
administration’s new climate change regulations, a senior
official said Wednesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/us/politics/for-states-that-dont-file-carbon-cutting-plans-epa-will-impose-model-rule-.html?_r=0


EPA delays rule to cut carbon from new coal power plants
The Obama administration on Wednesday said it would delay for
months a final rule to control carbon dioxide emissions at new
coal-fired power plants, thwarting for now one way the
Republican-controlled Congress could have blocked the
administration's plans on global warming. A final rule was due by
law on Jan. 8, a year after it was first proposed.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EPA_COAL_RULES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Related articles:
http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article5554506.html 

Power-Grid Officials Criticize Plan for Cutting Emissions
A proposed federal rule to cut greenhouse-gas emissions from U.S.
power plants will weaken the nation’s power grid and could even
cause blackouts, say some of the officials who run the country’s
electricity network.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/power-grid-officials-criticize-plan-for-cutting-emissions-1420661953

Experts warn governments to plan for climate change migrants
Governments need to plan better for rising migration driven by
climate change, experts said on Thursday, citing evidence that
extreme weather and natural disasters force far more people from
their homes than wars. Projections by leading climate scientists
of rising sea levels, heatwaves, floods and droughts linked to
global warming are likely to oblige millions of people…
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/01/08/climatechange-migrants-idINL6N0UN1SZ20150108


EPA delays landmark climate rule
The Environmental Protection Agency is delaying its landmark
climate regulations for power plants in what it said is an effort
to better consider input on them and better align the major
pieces of the regulations. The EPA now plans to finalize its
rules for newly built power plants, existing plants and modified
plants at the same time — in mid-summer, the agency said
Wednesday.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/228783-epa-delays-climate-rule


EPA's Clean Power Plan backstop: carrot or stick? 
For months, U.S. EPA has been encouraging states disinclined to
cooperate with new power plant regulations to develop their own
plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions or else deal with a
federal version that might not be as tailored to their
preferences. Yesterday, acting air chief Janet McCabe said that
alternative will become public by midsummer.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/01/08/stories/1060011322



AIR POLLUTION

For Obama, Republic Day parade may be a bit too breathtaking
It may not rain on President Barack Obama's parade when he comes
to New Delhi this month for the Republic Day celebrations at the
invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But, judging by the
smog cloaking the capital on Thursday as motorcycle stunt men
rehearsed for the Jan. 26 event, the city's notorious air
pollution could be a problem.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/01/08/india-usa-parade-idINKBN0KH0XE20150108

Hong Kong Air Quality Slightly Improved in 2014, Clean Air Says 
Air quality in Hong Kong improved slightly last year, pushing the
death toll from polluted air below 3,000 for the first time in
more than a decade, an environment monitoring group said. 
Nitrogen dioxide at all monitoring stations fell in Hong Kong as
some vehicles installed catalytic converters, Clean Air Network
Ltd. said, citing data from the government.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-08/hong-kong-air-quality-slightly-improved-in-2014-clean-air-says.html
 

Smog and China's Olympic bid -- a hurdle or an opportunity?
On July 31, 2015, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President
Thomas Bach will announce which city will host the 2022 Winter
Olympic Games. If that decision was taken today, few would be
surprised if Beijing triumphed over Almaty in Kazakhstan, China’s
sole rival in what has turned into one of the least-contested
Olympic races in history.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ckgsb/2015/01/08/smog-and-chinas-olympic-bid-a-hurdle-or-an-opportunity/


Shanghai: Ships, cargo trucks 'next' to curb air pollution
Reducing pollution caused by heavy trucks and ships will be a
priority for Shanghai this year, an environment official said
yesterday. Although the city has far fewer vehicles than Beijing,
the amount of pollution they create is much higher, said Luo
Hailin, an official with the Shanghai Environmental Protection
Bureau.
http://www.eco-business.com/news/shanghai-ships-cargo-trucks-next-curb-air-pollution/


GRAPHIC: Top Bay Area Counties With The Most Illegal Wood Burning
Complaints
Officials at the Bay Area Air Quality Management District have
announced that Thursday will be the seventh straight Winter Spare
the Air day. Air pollution exceeded federal health standards
Tuesday as a high-pressure system is currently preventing wind
and rain from mitigating any air pollution lingering in the
area.
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/01/08/which-bay-area-counties-have-the-most-winter-spare-the-air-complaints-infographic-environment-pollution-wood-burning/


Instead of age, fitness should be ground to identify polluting
The Centre has told the Supreme Court that instead fixing
15-year-old limit to identify polluting vehicles, fitness testing
of such a vehicle will prove whether it has "reached the end of
its life or not." Giving a ray of hope to persons, owning private
vehicles which are more than 15 years old, the Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways, in its recent affidavit, said, "at
present, the ministry does not propose to mandate the age limit
of private vehicles because this is a short-cut approach.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/instead-of-age-fitness-should-be-ground-to-identify-polluting-115010700782_1.html




CLIMATE CHANGE

Californians on way to state’s new energy goals
Clean-energy programs initiated by Gov. Jerry Brown and governors
before him have California already well on its way to meeting his
new goals for reducing the use of climate-changing fossil fuels,
industry experts and state officials said Tuesday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/energy-environment/californians-on-way-to-states-new-energy-goals/2015/01/06/bf88e56a-9604-11e4-8385-866293322c2f_story.html


2014 was hottest year in Sacramento's history	
...according to a Bee analysis of data from the National Climatic
Data Center. California also experienced its hottest year in 2014
as an historic drought...	
http://www.sacbee.com/site-services/databases/article5555742.html
	



DROUGHT

California drought: State residents increase conservation but
still fall far short of governor's goal
After two months in a row of declining conservation, Californians
are doing better at saving water, but they remain far short of a
goal set by Gov. Jerry Brown last January. Statewide, residents
cut water use by 9.8 percent in November, compared with November
2013, according to new state figures released Tuesday. That's an
improvement from October, when the reduction was only 6.8
percent. And it compares with the 11.5 percent savings in August,
and 10.2 percent in September .
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_27269399/california-drought-state-residents-increase-conservation-but-still



HIGH-SPEED RAIL

Clean-diesel technologies to construct California high-speed rail
system
As the California High-Speed Rail Authority breaks ground today
on the nation’s first high-speed rail system, additional
attention is being focused on the fact that some of the world’s
most advanced and cleanest diesel equipment will be used to
construct the historic project.   
http://www.ogfj.com/articles/2015/01/latest-clean-diesel-technologies-to-construct-california-high-speed-rail-system.html




FUELS

Senate panel takes up pipeline bill despite veto threat
A Senate committee has taken up a bill approving the Keystone XL
pipeline with plans to move it toward the full Senate, despite a
veto threat from the White House. Energy and Natural Resources
Chairman Lisa Murkowski says lawmakers shouldn't be deterred by
President Barack Obama's threat. She notes the bill has
Democratic supporters and came within one vote of passing last
year.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_KEYSTONE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Exclusive: White House not under pressure to expand U.S. crude
exports – adviser
The White House does not feel pressure to loosen restrictions on
U.S. oil exports further and views debate over the issue as
resolved for now, John Podesta, a top aide to President Barack
Obama, told Reuters in an interview. The drop in oil prices and
the Commerce Department's move to allow companies to ship as much
as a million barrels per day…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/07/us-usa-crude-exports-exclusive-idUSKBN0KG1ST20150107


Oil Plunge Seen Eroding Emissions Ambition: Carbon & Climate
While the falling price of crude oil is giving consumers cheaper
energy, it’s threatening long-term global pollution-control
efforts. Reduced national income from energy taxes and “a
low-growth economic environment” might spur countries to curtail
their emissions-curbing pledges for after 2020, leading to more
emissions of carbon for a longer time, said Zoe Knight, head of
the HSBC Holdings Inc.’s climate change center in London.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2015-01-08/oil-plunge-seen-eroding-emissions-ambition-carbon-climate.html


In Keystone Fight and Beyond, Infrastructure Is Energy Policy
As almost 200 countries try to work out an agreement in 2015 to
slash carbon emissions, the U.S. and others are about to make the
climate task tougher by adding new fossil fuel pipelines, power
plants and other infrastructure that could increase pollution for
decades.
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20150108/keystone-fight-and-beyond-infrastructure-energy-policy?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=58a424f103-InsideClimate_News12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-58a424f103-327749509

Most fossil fuels should stay in the ground to avoid dangerous
temperature rise – study
The world needs to burn a lot less of its fossil fuels by
midcentury than currently planned to avoid catastrophic climate
impacts, a new study warns. The findings, published yesterday in
Nature, find that approximately a third of global oil reserves,
half of gas reserves and more than 80 percent of coal reserves
need to remain unburned and in the ground by 2050…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060011320/print 

Report: Advanced biofuel production likely to double in 3 years
North American advanced biofuel capacity topped 800 million
gallons in 2014, up from the previous year and almost double the
capacity in 2011, according to the E2 Advance Biofuel Market
Report 2014 released by Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a
national nonpartisan business group.
http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/272813/report-advanced-biofuel-production-likely-to-double-in-3-years




VEHICLES

New Toyota/Hino fuel cell bus uses fuel cell system from Mirai	
Toyota Motor Corporation and Hino Motors, Ltd. have built a new
version of their fuel cell bus. The new bus was developed jointly
by Toyota and Hino based on a Hino hybrid non-step route bus and
is equipped with the Toyota Fuel Cell System developed for the
Mirai fuel cell vehicle.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/01/20150108-tmcbus.html 

Kia Soul goes hi-tech with all-electric motor
...progressed into engineering and scientific types to promote
the new, 2015 Kia Soul EV — a totally electric vehicle, with a
range of up to 100...	
http://www.sfgate.com/cars/article/Kia-Soul-goes-hi-tech-with-all-electric-motor-6000261.php



GREEN ENERGY

Which power sources kept the lights on during the 2014 polar
vortex? 
Sustained wind can sharpen frigid winter temperatures like those
being experienced this week across much of the United States. But
it also spins turbines that deliver low-cost power to the
electricity grid as tens of millions of homeowners push
thermostats to warmer settings, according to a new analysis by
the U.S. wind power industry.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060011303/print
Cheap Solar Power Emerges From Mineral Named for Russian Count
Materials that may be cheaper and more efficient than silicon at
converting the sun’s rays into electricity could be key to the
next generation of solar power, scientists say.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-07/cheap-solar-power-emerging-from-mineral-named-for-russian-count.html

MISCELLANEOUS

Photographers Chronicle How Climate Change Is Altering
Communities
A coalition of some the world's top photographers launched a
project this month that provides visual documentation of how
climate change is altering communities, wildlife and landscapes
across the globe—and measures to help prepare for and adapt to
the changes.
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20150108/photographers-chronicle-how-climate-change-altering-communities?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=58a424f103-InsideClimate_News12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-58a424f103-327749509


Companies opt to go 'green'
Going "green" is increasingly becoming a goal for corporations
across the nation when they search for office locations, but in
southwestern Connecticut the demand for sustainable space often
depends on the size of the company. A survey of 23 major
U.S.-based corporations, conducted by Cushman & Wakefield, showed
a "green" or "sustainable" office philosophy plays a key role in
discussions about social responsibility and where to locate an
operation.
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Companies-opt-to-go-green-6000855.php


Will Shoes One Day Generate Renewable Energy?
The average American takes nearly 2 million steps each year. What
if there was a way to turn this plodding into renewable energy?
That's the idea behind "Step," a shoe conceived by 22-year-old
Vancouver design student Taylor Ward. Inspired by his city's goal
to become the greenest urban area on the planet by 2020, Ward has
drafted an ambitious blueprint for kicks that could help support
the grid. 
http://www.citylab.com/tech/2015/01/will-shoes-one-day-generate-renewable-energy/384272/




OPINION

Climate change’s instructive past
We know, because they often say so, that those who think
catastrophic global warming is probable and perhaps imminent are
exemplary empiricists. They say those who disagree with them are
“climate change deniers” disrespectful of science. Actually,
however, something about which everyone can agree is that of
course the climate is changing — it always is.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/george-will-climate-changes-instructive-past/2015/01/07/2ae70ee6-95d2-11e4-aabd-d0b93ff613d5_story.html


The forecast: Blowing hot? Cold? Only Gov. Brown knows
Jerry Brown, who has blown hot and cold over the years, seems to
have settled down. But you never know .... Throughout Gov. Jerry
Brown's record-length political career, we've never known quite
what to expect. What's real and what's not? He has blown hot and
cold.
http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-cap-jerry-brown-20150108-column.html

Has Jerry Brown gone too far on green energy?
While the new Congress settles in this week, threatening to blow
up the Obama administration’s still limited efforts to combat
climate change via presidential executive orders, Gov. Jerry
Brown is pushing this state in the opposite direction, radically
increasing commitments to renewable energy and shrinking
fossil-fuel use for transportation.
http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/Has-Jerry-Brown-gone-too-far-on-green-energy-6000272.php


Our Voice: Gov. Brown has capital to spend on goals
...breathes new life into a plan by former Assemblyman V. Manuel
Pérez to encourage geothermal energy production in the Salton Sea
zone, a side benefit...
http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/01/07/voice-governor-brown-goals/21415825/



BLOGS

Updated Smog Standards Are Needed to Protect Little Lungs
In November, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
proposed updating our national standard for ground level ozone,
also known as smog. This updated standard would better protect
little lungs, and moms and nurses applaud the effort. Ground
level ozone is formed when industrial emissions from power
plants, factories, cars and other sources react with heat and
sunlight in the atmosphere.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/molly-rauch/updated-smog-standards-ar_b_6316804.html

Survey Finds Doctors Concerned About Impacts Of Climate Change On
Patient Health
American medical professionals specializing in respiratory
conditions and critical care are concerned about what climate
change may mean for patient health, a new survey finds.  A survey
of members of the American Thoracic Society, which represents
15,000 physicians and other medical professionals who work in the
fields of respiratory disease, critical care and sleep disorder,
finds that the majority of respondents said they were already
seeing health effects in their patients that they believe are
linked to climate change. 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/07/doctors-climate-change-he_n_6432914.html


2014: California’s Warmest Year on Record
Federal climate scientists confirmed today that 2014 stands as
California’s warmest year on record. The state’s average
temperature for the year clocked in at 61.5 degrees Fahrenheit,
4.1 degrees higher than the 20th century average. Last year’s
average bested the previous record, set in 1934, by nearly two
degrees.
http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2015/01/08/2014-californias-warmest-year-on-record/


Hot, Unfriendly Skies Could Alter Flights
You know those tube socks your grandmother air mails you on your
birthday every year? Well, they could become another casualty of
global warming. Or at least arrive a few days late. Hot weather
is likely to increase the number of days with weight restrictions
on cargo planes and even airliners, delaying gifts, air travel
and slicing into airlines’ bottom lines according to research
presented at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting.
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/hot-unfriendly-skies-alter-flights-18458


California brings back HOV lanes for plug-in hybrids
Happy New Year from the Golden State. California legislators on
Jan. 1 reopened their proverbial coffers for green-car owners by
adding to its inventory of stickers that give solo plug-in hybrid
drivers access to the state's coveted High Occupancy Vehicle
(HOV) lanes. In fact, the California Air Resources Board (CARB)
has put 15,000 green stickers back into circulation, according to
Cars Direct.
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/01/07/california-hov-stickers-phev-renewed/


Toyota shows off the ‘Mirai’ and its hydrogen-fueled vision of
the future
Toyota raced into the future Monday, unveiling its first
hydrogen-powered car and championing the technology at
International CES. Physicist and futurist Michio Kaku was on hand
to introduce the company's new fuel cell, which he said has a
range of 300 miles and can refuel in three to five minutes. "We
are entering the age of hydrogen," Kaku said. "We are present at
the creation of a hydrogen society."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/01/05/toyota-shows-off-the-mirai-and-its-hydrogen-fueled-vision-of-the-future/





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