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ARB Newsclips for July 15, 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

EU Bets on Cap and Trade in Plan for Deeper Emission Cuts. The
European Union sought to boost prices in the world’s biggest
greenhouse-gas market with draft legislation to underpin the
bloc’s 2030 emissions-reduction goal. The measures would
accelerate cuts in carbon dioxide from electricity, steel, paper
and other industries in the EU emissions-trading system.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-15/eu-bets-on-cap-and-trade-in-plan-for-deeper-emission-cuts


The Northeast’s Electricity Bills Have Dropped $460 Million Since
They Started Paying For Carbon. A regional cap-and-trade program
has added $1.3 billion in economic activity to nine New England
and Mid-Atlantic states since 2011, while decreasing their carbon
emissions by 15 percent, according to independent analysis
released Tuesday. In addition to stimulating the economy and
reducing carbon, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
has also reduced the cost of electricity for consumers…
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/14/3680269/rggi-boosts-economy-lowers-carbon/


Cap & Trade Shows Its Economic Muscle in the Northeast, $1.3B in
3 Years. Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative offers blueprint to
all states as they begin to think about how they will comply with
Clean Power Plan, study suggests. States looking to comply with
the Clean Power Plan should follow the Northeast's example, a new
analysis says.
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/14072015/cap-trade-shows-economic-muscle-northeast-13-billion-RGGI-clean-power-plan


AIR POLLUTION

Air quality: Environment MEPs call for tougher new national caps
on pollutants - Committee on the Environment, Public Health and
Food Safety.  As air pollution is responsible for around 400,000
premature deaths in the EU yearly, Environment MEPs on Wednesday
tightened up Commission plans and called for more ambitious
national caps on emissions of six main pollutants, such as
sulphur dioxide, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides in order
to cut emissions by 70%...
http://www.bloomberg.com/research/markets/news/article.asp?docKey=600-201507151254M2______EUPR_____ea20000006725621_3600-1


Iowa company to close country’s 200th coal plant. An Iowa utility
will phase out coal at a handful of power plants in the state,
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of
Justice announced Wednesday, marking the 200th coal plant to
close nationwide in the last five years.  Interstate Power and
Light Co., a subsidiary of Alliant Energy, has agreed to either
close five of its Iowa power plants or switch from coal to
natural gas…
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/248018-iowa-company-to-close-countrys-200th-coal-plant


CLIMATE CHANGE

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee blames GOP for climate failures.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has gained national attention for
rolling out some of the most ambitious climate initiatives in the
country, signing pacts with other Western states and speaking at
an international summit. But during the legislative session that
ended recently, Inslee failed in his own state to pass bold
carbon-reduction proposals…
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WASHINGTON_GOVERNOR_CLIMATE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Vatican keeps up eco-pressure, invites mayors to see pope. The
Vatican is keeping up the pressure on world governments to listen
to Pope Francis' dual mantras of fighting climate change and
human trafficking by inviting mayors to a Vatican meeting next
week on his two pet projects: the exploitation of the Earth and
its people.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_REL_VATICAN_CLIMATE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Wildfire risks are rising due to climate change — which may be
worsening climate change. Even as wildfire season rages –
particularly in Alaska and Canada, where over 11 million combined
acres have burned so far this year – a new scientific study says
that fire risks across the Earth are rising, in tandem with a
changing climate. What’s more, the research also finds that these
increasing wildfire risks may be linked to a…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/07/15/wildfire-risks-are-rising-due-to-climate-change-which-may-be-worsening-climate-change/


One graphic shows exactly who is responsible for climate change.
Nations around the world are trying to come up with plans to
reduce their greenhouse-gas emissions before the UN Climate
Change Conference in Paris this December, with a goal of trying
to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees
centigrade above pre-industrial levels.
http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/One-graphic-shows-exactly-who-is-responsible-for-6386329.php


California Lawmakers Stretch Limits of Greenhouse Gas Proceeds.
California lawmakers are finding it may not be so easy to spend
more than $2.9 billion in proceeds from auctioning greenhouse gas
credits in the state’s landmark cap-and-trade market.
Buoyed by higher revenue estimates from selling pollution permits
to companies, Democratic leaders of the Senate and Assembly are
looking to pump money into communities most affected by toxins…
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/california-lawmakers-stretch-limits-greenhouse-090000941.html


Hillary Clinton Wants to Run on Climate.  Hillary Clinton isn't
afraid to talk about global warming—and she wants her fellow
Democrats to join her. And She Thinks Democrats Should Too. The
2016 Democratic front-runner did not shy away from the hot-button
topic when she met with congressional Democrats. Hillary Clinton
isn't afraid to talk about global warming—and she wants her
fellow Democrats to join her.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/hillary-clinton-climate-change-democrats-20150714


China will keep its emissions reduction pledges even if U.S.
doesn't, experts claim. China won't abandon its greenhouse gas
emissions targets even if the United Sates someday does, energy
experts and a State Department official said yesterday. Speaking
at a briefing on Capitol Hill, analysts said Chinese leaders are
indeed paying close attention to threats from Republicans that
they will dismantle President Obama's climate change regulations…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/07/15/stories/1060021801 

DROUGHT

El Nino Doesn’t Guarantee California Gets Drought-Relieving Rain.
El Nino can mean devastation for some parts of the world. For
California, this year, it means hope. The hope is the state will
get drenched and a four-year drought will release its grip. After
all, Texas and Oklahoma got soaked in May and June and their
multiyear droughts just faded away. For that to happen in
California would probably be a long shot.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-15/el-nino-doesn-t-guarantee-california-gets-drought-relieving-rain


Forecasts are not guarantees, experts warn Californians desperate
for rainfall from El Niño. El Niño forecasts can provide no
definitive guarantees to parched Californians that strong
rainstorms will come despite strides in technology and a growing
consensus among models, experts said. "At this point, it's not
signed, sealed and delivered," said Bill Patzert, a climatologist
at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/07/15/stories/1060021777 

How more lawn restrictions could remake the California landscape.
 First it was existing lawns, with Gov. Jerry Brown leading the
way in urging Californians to rip out swaths of green to save
vast amounts of water. Now state regulators have their sights set
on grass that hasn't even been planted. The California Water
Commission is scheduled to consider new rules Wednesday that
would significantly slash…
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lawn-limits-20150715-story.html


Sacramento-area residents cut water use 35 percent in June.
Sacramento-area residents reduced their water use by 35 percent
in June, the first month of mandatory statewide conservation,
according to an analysis released Wednesday by the Regional Water
Authority. As the drought continues in its fourth year, the
conservation figures suggest area residents are working to
comply…
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article27301948.html#storylink=cpy


To save water, Calif. looks to shrink grass lawns. California
wants to significantly cut the size of grass lawns outside homes
and businesses, the latest move to overhaul water use during a
destructive drought. The state's Water Commission today will
consider a proposed rule that would limit allowable lawn space to
25 percent of a home's total outdoor landscaping.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/07/15/stories/1060021847 

FUELS

Refiners Race to Make Cheap Oil Into Gasoline. Record driving and
plenty of oil are making this the best summer to make fuel in at
least a decade. Drill, baby, drill? More like refine, baby,
refine. As the shale oil boom faces its first slowdown, America’s
refiners are running harder than ever to keep up with drivers.
Refineries in the U.S. used 16.8 million barrels of oil a day
last week…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-15/refiners-race-to-make-cheap-oil-into-gasoline


Sanders challenges Clinton on Keystone. Democratic presidential
candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders challenged his rival Hillary
Clinton Tuesday to take a stand against the Keystone XL oil
pipeline. Speaking with reporters in the Capitol, Sanders he took
a leadership role in Democrats’ fight against the proposed
Canada-to-Texas pipeline, while Clinton has been silent on the
project.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/247883-sanders-challenges-clinton-on-keystone


VEHICLES

Will Calif.'s ambitious policies to promote electric vehicles
sell in other states? From the muscle cars of the 1950s to
Volkswagen buses with sandy surfboards strapped to the roof, cars
have long been part of the culture of California. Highways and
freeways crisscross the state, and drive-ins and drive-thrus grew
up there. The state's latest ambition is to slash its greenhouse
gas emissions by switching its car culture from gas guzzlers to
electrics.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/07/15/stories/1060021800 

GREEN ENERGY

Audi e-gas plant stabilizes electrical grid. In the German
electrical energy mix, the share of renewable energies is growing
rapidly - this share already reached 33 percent in the first half
of 2015. However, regional expansion of wind and photovoltaic
generation plants leads to increasingly larger load fluctuations
- it is therefore important to have flexibly available consumers
such as the Audi e-gas plant to buffer…
http://www.bloomberg.com/research/markets/news/article.asp?docKey=600-201507150743M2______EUPR_____abaf000001056f04_3600-1

China Dodging Trade Barriers With Overseas Solar Plants. China’s
solar manufacturers are seeking to dodge U.S. and European Union
trade barriers by locating about a 10th of their production
capacity abroad. By the end of this year, the Chinese producers
will establish outside the country solar panel factories with a
capacity of at least 5.3 gigawatts and cell plants that can make
4.7 gigawatts…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-15/china-dodging-trade-barriers-with-overseas-solar-plants


L.A. County supervisors to ban large wind turbines in
unincorporated areas. After hearing pleas from more than a dozen
Antelope Valley residents, the Los Angeles County Board of
Supervisors took preliminary steps Tuesday to ban utility-scale
wind turbines in unincorporated areas of the county.
http://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20150714/la-county-supervisors-to-ban-large-wind-turbines-in-unincorporated-areas

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/15/los-angeles-supervisors-to-ban-commercial-wind-tur/#ixzz3fynt9ACO
 

Clean Power Plan efficiency efforts interest some industries but
repel others. At a national gathering of state utility regulators
yesterday, one association of high-volume electricity users urged
states to keep them in mind when crafting plans to comply with
U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan. Several hours later, another trade
group delivered the opposite message, asking regulators to write
them out of energy efficiency requirements.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/07/15/stories/1060021817 

Solar facing stiffer competition from cheap crude. Cheaper crude
prices could stall solar power plants and projects in poorer
nations, as companies turn to the cheaper fuel to power grids and
electricity. Take Canadian gold-mining company Iamgold Corp.
During the period of rising crude prices before 2014's price
plunge, the company built a $12 million solar plant…
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2015/07/15/stories/1060021781 

OPINIONS

Opinion House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy: Water bill is no
'big-government boondoggle'. On July 10, the Times' editorial
board wrote in opposition to the House's latest response to the
drought. I strongly disagree with the editorial. The House’s bill
responding to the drought accomplishes much more than the
editorial board gives credit for, and the alternative solutions
the board proposed would do little to solve our water problems.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-mccarthy-blowback-20150714-post.html


OPEC, Get Ready For The Second U.S. Oil Boom. What OPEC countries
fear most is a follow-up technological revolution that will lead
to a second oil boom in the U.S., and that fear is now being
realized. A technological revolution spurred the U.S. oil boom
that resulted in the greatest increase in domestic oil production
in a century, and while that has stuttered in the face of a major
oil price slump…
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/OPEC-Get-Ready-For-The-Second-US-Oil-Boom.html


Editorial Too many CEQA exemptions. Another legislative session
in Sacramento, another CEQA exemption. This time, lawmakers
passed a trailer bill with the state budget that exempts water
recycling, stormwater capture and other drought-related water
projects from the California Environmental Quality Act. In
theory, the exemptions will allow valuable water-saving projects
to be built with fewer procedural hurdles and less risk of being
held up by lawsuits…
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-ceqa-exemptions-20150714-story.html


A Solution for California's Water Woes. During the drought, the
state has failed to safeguard water supplies and the environment,
and now there's a growing call to finally fix California's
archaic "water rights" system. In a decision bursting with
symbolism, the California State Water Resources Control Board
recently announced its intention to draw down the main water
supply reservoir for a half-million people to only 12 percent of
capacity by September 30.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/a-solution-for-californias-water-woes/Content?oid=4412629


BLOGS

You Might be Surprised How Soon You'll be Driving an Electric
Car. Some things in this world happen slowly: water boiling,
finding the bathroom at a concert, Mondays. But one thing that
doesn't is innovation in the electric car industry; this happens
fast. Much like the acceleration of the Tesla Model S P85D, which
can go from 0 to 60 in a little over three seconds, it sometimes
seems as if the pace of new electric vehicles (EVs) coming on the
market...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-coplonnewfield/you-might-be-surprised-ho_b_7798298.html


Opening The Door To Solar Power For All. For a long time,
everybody thought of solar panels as something only rich people
could afford. But when you think about it, the fuel -- sunlight
-- is free. So if you can make the equipment affordable and
accessible, in theory, solar should be a great option for all
kinds of Americans. Now that theory is turning into reality.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-ruffalo/opening-the-door-to-solar-power-for-all_b_7802082.html


Global risk of wildfires on the rise as the climate warms, study
says.  An average of 3.5m square kilometres of land go up in
smoke each year as a result of wildfires. Annual carbon dioxide
released in these infernos can exceed half the emissions from
humans burning fossil fuels. A new study finds that the number of
days wildfires are likely to burn each year is increasing as
global temperatures rise.
http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2015/07/global-risk-of-wildfires-on-the-rise-as-the-climate-warms-study-says/


Hispanics and Global Warming. Hispanics say they are being
impacted by climate change and support climate policies.  Many
Hispanics are very concerned about climate change.  SANCHEZ: “The
Hispanic population is more likely to live in areas that have a
lot of air quality issues. So I think part of it is a direct
self-interest that they realize, ‘Hey these issues out there that
are environmental, they not only impact everybody’s livelihood…
http://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2015/07/hispanics-and-global-warming/


True Colors. The U.S. House of Representatives Republican
majority recently introduced an appropriations bill that shreds a
sizable portion of the nation's environmental protection
infrastructure. The good news is that this Interior Department
appropriations bill, which is sure to pass in the House, is
unlikely to emerge from the Senate.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/edward-flattau/true-colors_b_7802608.html



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