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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 5, 2015
Posted: 05 Feb 2015 13:21:25
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. FUELS UNDER CAP AND TRADE State carbon charge has drivers fuming It’s called a “hidden gas tax,” but it’s neither hidden nor a tax, nor is it a “carbon” tax-terms used casually by the oil industry lobby, politicians and media headlines. “It’s an additional cost of doing business that took effect Jan. 1,” said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service in Maryland. http://www.folsomtelegraph.com/article/2/04/15/state-carbon-charge-has-drivers-fuming AIR POLLUTION Only Eight of China's 74 Major Cities Passed Government Air Quality Tests The shroud of smoke and soot that has made Beijing an environmental basket case isn't limited to China's capital. Of the 74 cities where Chinese authorities regularly monitor air quality, only eight met the country's standards in 2014, according to figures released by the country's Ministry of Environmental Protection. https://news.vice.com/article/only-eight-of-chinas-74-major-cities-passed-government-air-quality-tests Scientists say ozone from Asia contributes to the West's pollution High above the Big Sur coast, Ian Faloona is finding pollution on the edge of the continent, a place that should have some of the country's cleanest air. From an astronomical observatory on Chews Ridge in the Santa Lucia Mountains, the University of California, Davis atmospheric scientist has for the last three years measured ozone, the lung-damaging gas in smog, as it arrives to California. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article9342212.html The cost of clean air A DESOLATE scene surrounds Little Zhang’s Tyre Repair in the dusty rock-mining township of Shijing, in the northern province of Hebei. Zhang Minsheng, the owner, still gets some business from passing traffic. But the recent closure of nearby rock quarries, because of air-pollution restrictions, has taken its toll. http://www.economist.com/news/china/21642214-measures-combat-air-pollution-are-biting-hard-industrial-areas-already-hit-economic EPA compromises on new wood stove rules Wood stoves and other wood burners will be getting cleaner. And probably more expensive. The US Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday completed its first new wood heater regulations since the 1980s, promising to reduce soot and other types of air pollution from them by up to 70 percent. http://www.courier-journal.com/story/watchdog-earth/2015/02/04/epa-finishes-its-new-wood-heater-regulations/22869797/ California Residents Voice Concern Over Dangerous Pollution Rates California sits right on the Pacific Coastline of North America. The southern part of the state is near the equator and, overall, the conditions of the state should encourage some of the best air quality in the entire country. But it doesn’t. http://www.piercepioneer.com/california-residents-voice-concern-dangerous-pollution-rates/37572 Carmel will give fire rings a try Fire rings will be coming to Carmel Beach this spring in a pilot program that will ban fires directly on the sand. The Carmel City Council on Tuesday night unanimously agreed to proceed with the program as recommended by the city planning and forest and beach commissions. http://www.montereyherald.com/government-and-politics/20150204/carmel-will-give-fire-rings-a-try ENVIRONMENT: Wood burning ban extended Unhealthful levels of soot and other fine particle pollution have prompted a fireplace wood-burning to be extended through the end of Thursday, Feb. 5. The ban, like several imposed last month, prohibits all home wood burning, as well as the use of manufactured fire logs, such as those made from wax or paper. Fires fueled by natural gas or propane are still allowed, according to South Coast Air Quality Management District officials. http://www.pe.com/articles/air-759607-pollution-particle.html CLIMATE CHANGE E.U. close to reaching carbon market reform agreement, energy chief says The European Union is close to achieving an agreement to reform its struggling carbon market, according to E.U. energy chief Maros Sefcovic. To cope with low carbon prices and bolster an energy transition toward more green energy, the European Commission proposed a plan that will remove hundreds of millions of carbon permits from the E.U. Emissions Trading System starting in 2021. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/02/05/stories/1060012901 With climate change on the California Legislature’s agenda, utilities ‘making the rounds’ Soon after Gov. Jerry Brown proposed expanding greenhouse gas reduction policies in his State of the State address, California’s influential utilities praised Brown’s agenda but moved quietly to craft a version that could be easier for them to meet. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/gov-jerry-brown/article9321191.html 2015 California Policy and Regulatory Preview The California Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) workload skyrocketed in the fall of 2006 with the passage of AB 32. By any definition, that was a BIG year in the world of climate change and carbon markets. Year after year since that pivotal moment when Governor Schwarzenegger signed a relatively short, all-encompassing, economy-shifting, and authority-granting piece of legislation, ARB has been running at full speed. http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/2015-california-policy-and-regulatory-pr-60951/ Norway to cut climate pollution 40 percent by 2030 Norway will cut its emissions of global warming gases by at least 40 percent by 2030, aligning itself with the target set by the European Union, the government said Wednesday. The 40 percent reduction, compared with 1990 levels, will be Norway’s pledge to the U.N. climate agreement that’s supposed to be adopted in December in Paris, government officials said. http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Norway-to-cut-climate-pollution-40-percent-by-2030-6062538.php CEOs call for zero emissions goal in Paris climate deal A group of high-profile CEOs on Thursday called on world leaders to agree to bring the balance of greenhouse gas emissions to zero by mid-century in a global climate change deal to be finalized in Paris in December. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/05/us-climatechange-business-un-idUSKBN0L90CL20150205 DIESEL ACTIVITIES Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Arrives for Medium-Duty Trucks As automakers begin to launch hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, Hydrogenics' new Celerity system promises medium- and heavy-duty truck fleets the opportunity to join the fuel-cell fray. Built on the low-pressure, non-humidified stack technology Hydrogenics has been developing for the past 15 years and used in its other systems, Celerity is an all-inclusive hydrogen fuel-cell system designed for the medium- and heavy-duty truck and bus markets. http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fuel-smarts/article/story/2015/02/hydrogen-fuel-cell-power-made-simple.aspx Orange EV offering on-road electric terminal truck In this retrofit solution, Orange EV converts existing diesel terminal trucks to pure electric. Starting with the customer’s own diesel truck, Orange EV replaces the power train and control systems while refurbishing the rest of the truck to like-new condition. This conversion approach recycles and reuses the chassis and other durable components, eliminating waste and extending the life of the truck. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/02/20150205-orange.html DROUGHT Can scientists engineer drought-tolerant plants? As the California drought enters its fourth year, scientists are trying to genetically engineer plants that survive on less water. After adding a new piece of genetic code to their DNA, tomatoes and other plants were able to hold on to more water and survive for as many as 12 days without irrigation. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-drought-tolerant-plant-20150203-story.html FUELS Washingtonians get first look at proposed clean fuels standard The government of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) offered an early glimpse of a proposed rule to curb carbon in state transportation fuels yesterday, readying the way for public debate on what has already become a divisive issue. The discussion document published by the state's Department of Ecology is not a draft rule but offers the first concrete details of what a low-carbon fuel standard might look like in the state. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/02/05/stories/1060012919 VEHICLES Europe's green transport set for protection from oil price fall Europe's green transport sector, still in its fledgling stages, is set to receive more regulatory support as the slump in oil prices tempts drivers back to gas guzzlers. Renewable power, such as wind and solar, is an increasingly established technology, competitive with conventional fuel and no longer affected by movements in the oil market, analysts say. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/04/us-oil-price-renewables-idUSKBN0L81UC20150204 White House Budget Asks For $10K Electric-Car Credit, Natural-Gas Cars Added It appears the recently-unveiled White House budget includes a few measures to boost the adoption of green cars. President Barack Obama is once again attempting to spur sales of electric cars and alternative-fuel vehicles through increased incentives. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096601_white-house-budget-asks-for-10k-electric-car-credit-natural-gas-cars-added Calif. Energy Commission to award nearly $1.3M to support efforts for plug-ins and fuel cell vehicles The California Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP) announced the availability of up to $1,297,816 in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Readiness funding to support new and existing planning efforts for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). (PON-14-607) Grant funds will be awarded on a “first-come, first-served basis.” http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/02/20150304-cec.html Washington lawmakers pushing electric car ownership Even with gas prices hovering around $2 per gallon, Washington state lawmakers are considering a raft of bills to encourage more drivers to turn to electric cars in the name of reducing pollution. Plug-in-and-charge automobiles are gaining popularity in the state. Washington records show there were nearly 12,000 registered electric cars by the end of last year. http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/02/04/4364040_washington-lawmakers-pushing-electric.html?rh=1 GREEN ENERGY Report: Wind and solar energy have tripled since 2008 We worry a lot about the problem of climate change. And we try to fix it — again, again and again — by changing how the country uses energy. What we don’t stop and ponder enough, though, is that the country is changing how it uses energy. It’s certainly not enough to silence all environmental concerns. But nonetheless, the progress, when you sample it, is really impressive. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/02/04/report-wind-and-solar-energy-have-tripled-since-2008/ Shining some light on the science of solar power Twenty teachers eager to bring hands-on energy experiments into their classrooms spent a day trying them out and jotting down lecture notes for when they fly solo. The daylong training came about with nonprofit groups’ expertise, county office coordination and community cash. http://www.modbee.com/news/local/education/article9320582.html BLOGS Lawmakers push bill to reform renewable fuel mandate A bipartisan group of lawmakers pushed legislation to scale back parts of the renewable fuel mandate on Wednesday. Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Steve Womack (R-Ariz.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.) re-introduced a bill aimed at eliminating the corn-based ethanol requirement in the Renewable Fuel Standard, which is proposed every year by the Environmental Protection Agency. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/231761-lawmakers-push-bill-to-reform-renewable-fuel-mandate 250,000 Could Die Early From Breathing in China’s Cities, Study Finds Improved data has made it possible to better calculate how many people could die early deaths in China as a result of air pollution, researchers say. The results are grim. According to a fresh analysis conducted by Peking University and the activist group Greenpeace, more than 250,000 people living in the country’s major cities could die prematurely as the result of the Middle Kingdom’s smog-ridden skies. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2015/02/04/250000-could-die-early-from-breathing-in-chinas-cities-study-finds/?KEYWORDS=air+pollution The Green Car Guide of 2015 The mission of GreenCars.org, a website sponsored by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), is to help consumers learn whether the car they’re thinking of buying is environmentally friendly. One way they do that is through their annual “greenest” and “meanest” ratings, which was released today for the model year 2015. http://ecowatch.com/2015/02/05/green-car-guide-2015/ 7 Genius Kids Who Are Creating Change In Their Own Backyards Too often we hear the phrase wunderkind applied to just-out-of-college startup CEOs in Silicon Valley. Here’s a vote for using the term in the intended way: to convey that there’s a certain degree of novelty, and yes, wonder, in the ideas that spring from the minds of our youngest generation. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/04/genius-kids-creating-change_n_6526486.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.