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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 27, 2015.

Posted: 27 Jan 2015 11:04:11
ARB Newsclips for January 27, 2015. 

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

California gas prices low, 'hidden tax' making changes. Gas
prices dropped another $0.13 over the past two weeks, but
industry analysts say they are likely to go back up soon. In
addition to rising wholesale prices is what many are calling a
"hidden gas tax." It's an effect of California's Cap and Trade
Program, also known as AB-32.
http://www.ksby.com/news/california-gas-prices-low-hidden-tax-making-changes/
   

Cap and trade's political impact on gas prices will be felt when
fuel prices turn around -- ARB leader. The effect of California's
cap-and-trade program on how much motorists pay for their
gasoline likely will be more visible when fuel prices rebound,
the head of the state's Air Resources Board said yesterday. Mary
Nichols, chairwoman of ARB, said in an interview during the
VerdeXchange 2015 conference here that when cap and trade
expanded…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060012340/print 

AIR POLLUTION

Air pollution looms as pressing issue for families and lawmakers.
Poor air quality and its adverse impacts to health have risen as
a key concern for both policymakers and the public, threatening
family health and quality of life, Utah's economy and the
vibrancy of its outdoor recreation.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865620436/Air-pollution-looms-as-pressing-issue-for-families-and-lawmakers.html


Utah residents rank air pollution as No. 1 threat to quality of
life. It's not crime, not crowded highways or even crowded
classrooms that concern Utah residents the most and pose the
greatest threat to their quality of life. If you look out the
window, it is the air and the pollution that hangs on during
winter temperature inversions or summer bouts of haze. 
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865620440/Utah-residents-rank-air-pollution-as-No-1-threat-to-quality-of-life.html


Study Raises Concerns About Toxic Oil and Gas Emissions in
California Air. An infrared camera, air sampling and surveys
reveal that methane and toluene are among the contaminants
showing up in Kern and Ventura counties. he infrared video showed
an eerie scene: waves of volatile chemicals floating from the
vent pipes of an oil-and-gas processing plant in the Lost Hills
region of Kern County, Calif.
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20150126/study-raises-concerns-about-toxic-oil-and-gas-emissions-california-air



Wood burning is not a major threat to the climate – study.
Emissions from wood burning by people in developing countries
have a smaller climate impact than previously thought, according
to a new study. "[This] is good news because woody biomass is a
fundamental source of accessible and affordable energy for the
majority of tropical populations," said Rudi Drigo, a co-author
of the study.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060012325/print 

CLIMATE CHANGE

On climate change, 'not a scientist' not enough for some U.S.
Republicans. Rick Perry's farewell speech to the Texas
legislature listed the accomplishments expected from an outgoing
Republican governor of the country's largest oil-producing state.
But his Jan. 15 speech also did something less predictable:
touting his environmental record, from lowering Texas' carbon
emissions to turning the state into a global leader in wind
energy production.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-usa-politics-climatechange-insight-idUSKBN0L00D620150127

Australia temperatures rising faster than rest of the world:
official report. Australia faced a rise in temperature of
potentially more than 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) by
the end of the century, an increase that would outpace global
warming worldwide, the country's national science agency said on
Tuesday. In its most comprehensive analysis yet of the impacts of
climate change…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-australia-climatechange-idUSKBN0KZ2KI20150127


Rhetoric on EPA, Climate Show Divisions Among Republican
Presidential Hopefuls. One likely Republican presidential
candidate called the Environmental Protection Agency “locusts”
while another compared climate change to a “sunburn,” exposing a
contrast with several other likely contenders within the party
who recently acknowledged the role of human activity in climate
change. http://www.bna.com/rhetoric-epa-climate-n17179922496/ 

Global warming could make blizzards worse. We’re on the verge of
another historic blizzard, with as much as two or three feet of
snow expected in parts of the Northeast. Already, the press is
throwing around terms like “Snowmageddon” to describe what’s
coming. Next comes politics: Whenever the East Coast sees an
extreme snow event, the weather is perfect for snow trolling –
e.g., trying to use one cold event to refute a warming climate
trend.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/01/26/global-warming-could-make-blizzards-worse/


Oil-rich Saudis find new help in struggle to delay action on
climate change: Cheap gas. As the ruler of a country that sits
atop 300 billion barrels of oil, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah was
no fan of proposals to limit the burning of fossil fuels. During
most of his reign, the king’s chief envoy to climate talks was a
­global-warming skeptic who boasted of his success at scuttling
climate treaties.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/oil-rich-saudis-find-a-new-ally-in-struggle-to-delay-action-on-climate-change-cheap-gas/2015/01/26/4d277170-9cc7-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html


Yep, Climate Change Is Still Causing Insane Storms. Forecasters
are projecting "crippling snowfall amounts and life-threatening
blizzard conditions" throughout the Northeast. They may as well
toss in a 100 percent likelihood of jokes from American
conservative media about how snow invalidates the idea of global
warming.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2015-01-27/northeastern-blizzard-elicits-time-tested-conservative-responses-on-climate-change


Climate Change: The Need for a More Consistent Baseline and
Immediate Action. The UN climate conference in Lima set the stage
for Paris in 2015. Next year’s accord is to provide a working,
albeit not a final, answer to the question: Is it possible to
keep global warming at or below the 2 degree Celsius limit? This
limit is considered the boundary beyond which the negative
climatic, economic and social consequences of climate change…
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2015/01/climate-change-the-need-for-a-more-consistent-baseline-and-immediate-action


Why Bigger Snowstorms Come With Global Warming. Amount of rain
and snow falling in the heaviest precipitation events in the
Northeast has jumped 71% in last half-century, consistent with
climate change. Winter storm Juno is expected to dump as much as
3 feet of snow across parts of New England early this week. Media
outlets have already dubbed the storm "a massive blizzard of epic
proportions."
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20150127/why-bigger-snowstorms-come-global-warming


Warming Ups Odds of Extreme La Niñas, Wild Weather. La Niña
events can drive weather patterns wild around the globe from
helping exacerbate drought in West Africa and increase rainfall
in areas as diverse as South Asia and the Pacific Northwest. The
more extreme the La Niña, which is characterized by a cooling of
waters in the tropical Pacific, generally the more pronounced the
impacts can be.
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/warming-doubles-likelihood-extreme-la-ninas-18592


Asia-Pacific region faces stiff problems in addressing climate
change, experts say. With 61 percent of the world's population
and nearly half of the world's carbon emissions, the Asia-Pacific
region is instrumental in the fight against catastrophic climate
change. But structural problems in some countries are hampering
progress.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060012335/print 

DROUGHT

Record-setting rainless January sparks fears, fire. It was an
astonishing scene in the heart of winter — dozens of Pacifica
residents rushing to grab whatever household valuables they could
as flames raced down a coastal bluff toward their homes.
Firefighters halted the blaze early Monday before it could do
serious damage, but the evacuations punctuated a January that is
poised to go down as the driest in California history, giving
rise to summerlike conditions…
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Destructive-extremes-California-s-dry-January-6041530.php


DIESEL ACTIVITIES

Diesel pollution cut at Port of Oakland. The mean emission rate
of black carbon from diesel trucks at the Port of Oakland dropped
76% from 2009 to 2013, a California study finds. The improvements
in air quality are linked to a port program to modernize trucks.
http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/Diesel-pollution-cut-at-Port-of-Oakland-289853131.html


Exhaust from newer diesel engines not cancer-causing: Study.  A
new study has concluded there’s no evidence that exposure to
new-technology diesel engine exhaust is linked to lung cancer.
It’s the first study to evaluate lifetime exposure to new
technology diesel exhaust. The study also found new-technology
diesel engines produce 90% less emissions than older diesel
engines.
http://www.trucknews.com/health-safety/exhaust-newer-diesel-engines-not-cancer-causing-study/1003063423/

http://www.hybridcars.com/study-clears-newer-diesels-of-lung-cancer-and-other-risks/


FUELS

Oil Trades Near 6-Year Low as OPEC Fails to Turn Focus From Glut.
Oil traded near its lowest close in almost six years as OPEC’s
warning that prices may surge without new investment in
production failed to shift the market’s focus from more immediate
signs of a supply glut. U.S. crude inventories probably rose to
401.9 million barrels last week, the highest in records dating
back to August 1982…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-27/oil-trades-near-six-year-low-as-u-s-supplies-seen-widening-glut.html


Key issues and updates on the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The
Senate is closing in on a vote to authorize the Keystone XL oil
pipeline, although Democrats temporarily stalled progress Monday.
But the fate of the $8 billion project depends not only on what
happens in Congress, but also in the courts, at the White House
and with TransCanada, the pipeline's developer.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article8203536.html#storylink=cpy


Gas prices continuing to drop. Prices at the pump have dropped
substantially across the nation in the past year and according to
newly released fuel gauge reports, gas is expected to get even
cheaper. The average cost of fuel in the South Valley was $2.42
per gallon on Monday, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report –
the lowest gasoline price estimated since 2009.
http://hanfordsentinel.com/news/gas-prices-continuing-to-drop/article_5f6bcf82-d04b-5834-b8b4-3cee4f7737b2.html
 

Cities may be leaking more heat-trapping methane than previously
thought.  A new approach to measuring methane leaks revealed that
the Boston area alone lost enough natural gas during one year to
fuel 200,000 homes. Some of the nation's metropolitan areas may
be losing tens of millions of dollars a year in natural gas
leaks, which add a potent greenhouse gas to the atmosphere.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Global-Warming/2015/0124/Cities-may-be-leaking-more-heat-trapping-methane-than-previously-thought


We can solve climate change, but it won’t be cheap or easy.
Pretty much everyone who acknowledges the problem of climate
change is hungry for good news about it, which makes sense, as
most of the news is overwhelming and awful. There is high demand
for optimism — I hear it every time someone asks me to write or
speak on climate — so inevitably there is supply.
http://grist.org/climate-energy/we-can-solve-climate-change-but-it-wont-be-cheap-or-easy/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed

 
Natural gas's role in state's low-carbon future comes with
caveats. The head of the California agency keeping the state on
track to meet its ambitious climate goals didn't rule out the
long-term use of natural gas yesterday but said she also sees
caveats on the horizon. California Air Resources Board Chairwoman
Mary Nichols, speaking at the VerdeXchange 2015 conference here,
rejected the premise of the panel she was on, dubbed "Natural Gas
-- Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?"…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060012339/print 

In patent dispute, Supreme Court sides with startup. The Supreme
Court today sided with startup company Gevo Inc. in a lingering
dispute over patents for technology related to the commercial
development of an advanced biofuel, isobutanol. The justices
vacated a federal appeals court ruling that last year upheld two
patents belonging to Butamax, a BP PLC-DuPont Co. joint venture,
in a lawsuit alleging that Gevo infringed on the patents.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060012286/print 

GREEN ENERGY

Worry for Solar Projects After End of Tax Credits. For more than
a year now, an enormous solar thermal power plant has been
humming along in the Arizona desert, sending out power as needed,
even well after sunset. The plant, called Solana, was developed
by the Spanish energy and technology company Abengoa and has
succeeded in meeting an elusive solar goal…
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/26/business/worry-for-solar-projects-after-end-of-tax-credits.html?_r=3&utm_content=buffere908e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer


Biden: U.S. has Caribbean’s back as it seeks to revamp energy
sector. Vice President Joe Biden met with leaders of Caribbean
nations Monday, saying the U.S. would do what it could to help
those countries revamp their energy sectors, a vital concern
given the region’s dependence on oil shipments from ailing
Venezuela. Speaking at the Caribbean Energy Security Summit in
Washington…
http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/01/26/4349568_biden-us-has-caribbeans-back-as.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy


Lee decides to back S.F. clean power program, but with
conditions. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, in a major pivot on the
issue of competing with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to provide
cleaner power to city customers, directed officials Monday to
develop a city-run renewable energy program by the end of the
year. Lee and his allies had opposed a clean energy program that
was approved by a veto-proof majority…
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Lee-decides-to-back-S-F-clean-power-program-but-6041780.php


Solar energy supporters, utilities spar over legislation. Solar
energy supporters are pushing back against a bill backed by
Indiana's utilities that would change how much credit owners of
small-scale solar installations get for the power they generate.
The bill authored by state Rep. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, would amend
Indiana code for so-called "net metering," under which electric
customers…
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/01/26/3460710_solar-energy-supporters-utilities.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy


Regulator clears 3GW power line in southwest US. The Bureau of
Land Management has approved the $2bn SunZia Southwest
Transmission project that should be able to carry 3,000MW between
New Mexico and Arizona starting in 2020. The federal
authorization is a key permit required for building the 515-mile
(829km) line. The developer still is working to secure state and
local permits in Arizona and New Mexico.
http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=982621&menu=yes


MISCELLANEOUS

California again tops ranking of the most animal-friendly states.
California has been very, very good to animals. So says the
Humane Society of the United States, which bills itself as "the
nation's largest and most effective animal protection
organization." For the sixth straight year, the society has
ranked the Golden State No. 1 on its list of 50 states for laws
and policies relating to wildlife, farm livestock, pets and
animal fighting.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-capitol-business-beat-20150126-story.html


OPINIONS

Virginia’s move to cut emissions the smart way. WHETHER
REPUBLICAN state leaders like it or not, the Environmental
Protection Agency is going to require them to cut their states’
greenhouse-gas emissions. They can choose to do it the easy way
or the hard way. One Virginia Republican is proposing they choose
the easy way — and the smart way.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/virginias-move-to-cut-emissions-the-smart-way/2015/01/25/91ba59a6-9c45-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html


Editorial: Why we need to address population growth's effects on
global warming. Earlier this month, Pope Francis made news when
he said that not only was climate change real, but it was mostly
man-made. Then, last week, he said that couples do not need to
breed “like rabbits” but rather should plan their families
responsibly — albeit without the use of modern contraception.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-population-and-climate-change-20150125-story.html


Is Obama pro- or anti-drilling? It depends. President Barack
Obama is attempting to create a legacy as both driller-in-chief
and environmental champion, as he proposes to protect the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness while also touting a
drilling boom across the United States that he didn’t create.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article8206065.html#storylink=cpy


Letter: Whatever happened to that hidden gas tax? Whatever
happened to that hidden gas tax? Here’s a little memory check. Do
you remember the deluge of scare ads over the last several months
about a “hidden gas tax” that was going to drive up gas prices by
86 cents a gallon? Do you remember the various oil industry front
groups with wholesome-sounding names pushing that story?
http://www.chicoer.com/opinion/20150124/letter-whatever-happened-to-that-hidden-gas-tax
 

Looking for answers. I read with interest John Lindsey’s column
Sunday about ocean acidification and the companion piece about
the acidic effect on shellfish production in Maine and the
Northwest. Unlike the very complex climate change debate, the
chemistry here is so simple that even a senator would have
trouble denying that mankind is materially impacting our ocean’s
environment.
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/01/26/3460371/looking-for-answers.html#storylink=cpy


BLOGS

U.S. Gas Prices End Their Record-Breaking Streak of Daily
Declines. For the first time in four months, gasoline is a little
more expensive today than it was yesterday. The national average
price for a gallon of regular gas was $2.038 on Tuesday, up from
$2.033 on Monday, according to auto club AAA.
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2015/01/27/u-s-gas-prices-end-their-record-breaking-streak-of-daily-declines/


Verdict Is In—There’s Broad Support for Plan to Cut Methane
Pollution. When the White House announced ambitious plans to cut
methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 45 percent, EDF
President Fred Krupp called it a landmark move. And according, to
a recent poll, 66 percent of Americans agree that strong federal
standards are needed to safeguard our air from methane pollution…
http://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/2015/01/27/verdict-is-in-theres-broad-support-to-cut-methane-pollution/


Tech Lowers NOx Emissions in California Oil & Gas Sector. US NOx
emissions map Achieving further reductions in nitrous oxide (NOx)
emissions is a focal point for U.S. oil, gas and industrial
businesses, as well as automakers, as state air quality
authorities work to follow through on proposed new federal NOx
emissions limits. Public air quality authorities in Los Angeles
and the San Joaquin Valley…
http://www.triplepundit.com/2015/01/new-combustion-tech-lowers-nox-emissions-california-oil-gas-sector/


Do the automakers really need help with the U.S. efficiency
standards? If you paid attention to the press coming out of the
Detroit Auto Show last week, you’d have the strong impression
that low gasoline prices are making it difficult for automakers
to comply with fuel economy standards.
http://www.theicct.org/blogs/staff/do-automakers-really-need-help-us-efficiency-standards


Air pollution hits crops more than climate change.  Atmospheric
pollutants may impact India’s major crops like wheat and rice
more than temperature rise, says a new study based on a
‘regression model’ that predicts future events with information
on past or present events. 
http://www.scidev.net/south-asia/agriculture/news/air-pollution-hits-crops-more-than-climate-change.html#sthash.07qj2aRJ.dpuf
 

GM launches Green Dealer Recognition program. GM has launched a
“Green Dealer Recognition” program for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and
Cadillac dealerships across the US. Participating dealers have
proven track records in areas such as energy reduction, renewable
energy use, water conservation efforts, recycling, on-site nature
habitats and community outreach. The program aligns with General
Motors’ companywide efforts to reduce its environmental
footprint…
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/01/20150126-gm.html 

An increasingly rare type of solar farm goes online in
California. When the huge solar farm just outside of Las Vegas
called Ivanpah opened up in early 2014, many lamented that this
type of solar plant, called solar thermal, could soon become a
dinosaur. Late last week another of these large solar thermal
farms was officially turned on, and it truly could be one of the
last of this size built in the U.S.,
https://gigaom.com/2015/01/26/an-increasingly-rare-type-of-solar-farm-goes-online-in-california/


BMW i3 Electric Car Super Bowl TV Ad: Now It's Out [UPDATED].
Advertising is crucial for automakers trying to explain the
benefits of electric cars to an often-skeptical public. So what
better forum than the advertising mecca that is the Super Bowl?
While teams battle for the National Football League championship
during Super Bowl XLIX, BMW will try to catch customers'
attention with an ad for its i3 electric car on Sunday, February
1.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096360_bmw-i3-electric-car-to-appear-in-super-bowl-tv-ad


Do Low Gas Prices Hurt Renewable Energy Adoption? Unlikely, Says
Analyst. Gas prices have fallen dramatically in the U.S.--40
percent in six months--and it's assumed by some that this will
hurt the renewable-energy industry. With the financial advantage
of solar or wind energy curtailed by cheap oil, the logic goes,
consumers will be less interested in switching from fossil fuels.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096488_do-low-gas-prices-hurt-renewable-energy-adoption-unlikely-says-analyst


Can Electric-Car Fast Charging Be Profitable? Answer: Unclear. DC
fast charging helps alleviate one of the major roadblocks to
electric-car adoption--limited range--by giving drivers more
ability to travel longer distances. That's why carmakers and
other entities back the installation of more and more DC
fast-charging sites.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096477_can-electric-car-fast-charging-be-profitable-answer-unclear




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

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