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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 21-22, 2015
Posted: 22 Sep 2015 16:56:20
ARB Newsclips for September 21-22, 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 Carbon pricing schemes double since 2012 in climate fight: World Bank. The number of carbon pricing schemes worldwide has almost doubled since 2012 but most taxes or markets have prices too low to prevent damaging global warming, the World Bank said on Sunday. Carbon pricing, including emissions trading schemes from California to China… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/20/us-climatechange-carbon-idUSKCN0RK12V20150920?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews RGGI CARBON PRICES CONTINUE UPWARD TREND. Carbon allowances sold by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) have set a new high, continuing an upward trend that began a year ago. The key takeaways from the latest auction are that the Clean Power Plan is helping to drive prices up and that demand for the allowances continues to be strong. http://www.bna.com/rggi-carbon-prices-b57982058492/ State and trends of carbon pricing 2015 (English). With the countdown on to the Paris climate change conference, there is clear evidence of growing momentum to put a price on carbon. The growth of carbon pricing around the world has been substantial. Since January 2012, the number of carbon pricing instruments already implemented or scheduled for implementation has almost doubled, jumping from 20 to 38. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2015/09/25053834/state-trends-carbon-pricing-2015 AIR POLLUTION How strict California rules on emissions led to lower cancer risk. California has made tremendous progress cleaning its once-notorious air pollution over the last generation, with Los Angeles smog easing in response to the state's ever-stricter emissions standards. On Monday, there was more good news. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0922-pollution-risk-20150922-story.html The rise of diesel in Europe: the impact on health and pollution. In a bid to reduce CO2 emissions in the 90s, Europe backed a major switch from petrol to diesel cars but the result was a rise in deadly air pollution. Volkswagen’s rigging of emissions tests for diesel cars comes after nearly 20 years of the technology being incentivized in Europe in the knowledge that its adoption would reduce global warming emissions… http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/sep/22/the-rise-diesel-in-europe-impact-on-health-pollution CLIMATE CHANGE Washington State Announces Plan to Cap Carbon Emissions. Washington businesses annually emitting more than 100,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent—foundries like Alcoa Inc. and refineries like BP Plc, Shell, Phillips 66 Co. and Tesoro Corp.—will face a new regulation capping their carbon emissions, the state's ecology director said Sept. 21. http://www.bna.com/washington-state-announces-n57982058550/ Pope Heads to Climate Talks as Rare Word -- Optimism – Surfaces. Optimism’s not a mood usually associated with global warming. Yet when President Barack Obama, Pope Francis and other world leaders start gathering in New York next week, they’ll be in sight of a goal that seemed unattainable just a few years ago: an agreement that may actually slow the pace of rising temperatures. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-18/pope-heads-to-climate-talks-as-rare-word-optimism-surfaces EU Ministers Call for Global Greenhouse Gas Peak by 2020. Delegates from around the world meeting at the United Nations climate summit in Paris late this year should agree that global greenhouse gas emissions will peak no later than 2020 and will then decline to half their 1990 level by 2050, environment ministers from the European Union's 28 member states said Sept. 18. http://www.bna.com/eu-ministers-call-n57982058487/ The top five things Pope Francis gets totally right about climate change. Pope Francis’s six-day trip to the U.S., which begins on Tuesday, is highly anticipated — and not just among American Catholics. The pope’s progressive stances have earned him nearly unprecedented favor with liberal-leaning Americans, and his aggressive position on climate change has been one of his most applauded moves. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/09/22/the-top-five-things-pope-francis-gets-totally-right-about-climate-change/ Scientists calculate the dramatic economic cost of a warming Arctic. The Arctic is one of the most vulnerable parts of the world when it comes to climate change, and has the potential to contribute some costly climate-related effects, such as sea-level rise from melting glaciers. But one of the biggest emerging talking points in conversations about climate change in the Arctic involves something else — permafrost. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/09/21/scientists-calculate-the-dramatic-economic-cost-of-a-warming-arctic/ Senate Democrats to Unveil Climate Change Bill. Senate Democratic leaders on Tuesday plan to unveil a measure intended to signal their support of President Obama’s aggressive climate change agenda to 2016 voters and to the rest of the world. The Democrats hope that the bill, sponsored by Senator Maria Cantwell, of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Energy Committee… http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/us/politics/senate-democrats-to-unveil-aggressive-climate-change-bill.html Jerry Brown, governors, Chinese officials talk climate. After seeing a core piece of climate change legislation gutted, Gov. Jerry Brown doubled down on his determination to curb carbon emissions, perhaps through his executive authority and with a maximally enhanced zeal. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article36063648.html#storylink=cpy Despite setbacks, state’s climate push accelerates. The Legislature may have scuttled the centerpiece of Gov. Jerry Brown’s climate change plans, but it still approved ambitious new environmental policies that will impact the economy and life of Californians. In coming years, the new legislation means California’s homes and buildings are expected to use dramatically less electricity… http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article35959722.html#storylink=cpy Warming Arctic is trouble for Caribou in unexpected way. Global warming in the Arctic means earlier and more plentiful mosquitoes in Greenland, and that's bad news for the country's already shrinking caribou population, Alaska Dispatch Newsreports. A new study found that for every degree Celsius the temperature rises in Greenland, mosquitoes take 10% less time to reach full, biting adulthood. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/09/20/arctic-warming-caribou/72515298/ U.N.: Paris Climate Summit Pledges Won’t Avoid Warming. The greenhouse gas emission cuts being pledged by the world’s nations will fall short of restricting global warming to 2°C, the U.N.’s climate chief and UK government sources have warned. A rise beyond 2°C, the internationally agreed safety limit, may push the climate beyond tipping points and into dangerous instability. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/paris-pledges-wont-avoid-warming-19470?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+climatecentral%2FdjOO+Climate+Central+-+Full+Feed Arctic Mosquitoes Will Increase With Climate Change. Mosquitoes will appear in much greater numbers in the Arctic as it warms because of climate change, with negative consequences for caribou and the indigenous people who live off them, researchers warn. The survival rates for Arctic mosquitoes will increase by more than 50 percent with a 2°C temperature rise in the region… http://www.climatecentral.org/news/arctic-mosquitoes-increase-climate-change-19468?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+climatecentral%2FdjOO+Climate+Central+-+Full+Feed Ranks of companies setting an internal price on CO2 emissions almost triple in a year. The number of large companies placing an internal price on carbon emissions nearly tripled over the last year, from 150 to 437 firms globally, according to new data released this morning by CDP, the U.K.-based nonprofit that tracks corporate-sector greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060025003 Exxon Confirmed Global Warming Consensus in 1982 with In-House Climate Models. The company chairman would later mock climate models as unreliable while he campaigned to stop global action to reduce fossil fuel emissions. Steve Knisely was an intern at Exxon Research and Engineering in the summer of 1979 when a senior vice president asked him to analyze how global warming might affect fuel use. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/18092015/exxon-confirmed-global-warming-consensus-in-1982-with-in-house-climate-models UN: Paris climate pledges won't stop dangerous warming. But what will? In December 190 nations are set to convene in Paris to discuss reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, but the UN warns plans are already coming up short. If climate policy were Sesame Street, it would be sponsored by the number 2. A broad scientific consensus sets 2 degrees Celsius – about 3.6 Fahrenheit… http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/0920/UN-Paris-climate-pledges-won-t-stop-dangerous-warming.-But-what-will BP tops the list of firms obstructing climate action in Europe. Company emerges as Europe’s worst climate policy wrecker, according to a new table ranking firms by their records on lobbying and opposition. BP is Europe’s fiercest corporate opponent of action on climate change, according to a ranking of companies by their efforts to obstruct carbon-cutting initiatives. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/sep/21/bp-tops-the-list-of-firms-obstructing-climate-action-in-europe The key to a politically appropriate climate policy is not cost. MIT study finds it's lobbying. An economic analysis of how much counties would gain or lose financially under different climate policies helps explain why the renewable fuel standard was ultimately favored in Congress, even though economists say it is a less cost-effective way of reducing carbon emissions. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/09/22/stories/1060025050 Farming to improve crops and store more CO2 gains traction in Calif. Fourth-generation rancher Loren Poncia calls himself a soil geek, and California wants to pay him for it. "If the soil is healthier, everything is better: the grass, the cows and the pocketbook," said the rancher, gesturing toward the yellow perennial grasses streaked with green that cover Stemple Creek Ranch in the hills of Petaluma in Northern California. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/09/22/stories/1060025053 Researchers, climate models collide over how to measure melting permafrost. $43 trillion: That may be the price tag of a warming Arctic. Scientists have found that permafrost thaw would increase the cost of global warming to $369 trillion by 2200. Without permafrost thaw, the world would lose $326 trillion. The additional costs would result from agricultural losses, the increased use of air conditioning… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/09/22/stories/1060025056 DROUGHT Drought exposes cracks in Australia's acclaimed water market. A pioneering Australian scheme to improve the management of water in the world's driest inhabited continent is facing its first real test as an intensifying El Nino threatens crops and builds tensions between farmers and environmentalists. http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL3N10T2CZ20150920 Some growers can divert water again amid drought, regulators say. State regulators have lifted water-use restrictions that they had previously imposed on a handful of California’s most senior rights holders during the drought. The move Friday marks the first time the state Water Resources Control Board has eased up on those growers since ordering them to stop diverting water in June. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-water-rights-20150918-story.html MWD: Residents may have to pay taxes on their turf rebate money. Thousands of Southern Californians who received checks to tear out their lawns and replace them with more drought-friendly landscapes may have to pay taxes on the rebate money they received. To prepare for that possibility, officials from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California -- which funded a $340-million incentive program… http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-turf-rebate-tax-20150921-story.html Drought Test California's Water Rights System. California’s water rights system was established in 1913. Those with the longest rights get top priority; they’re called senior rights holders. But they were not immune to the ongoing drought. In June the state took the unusual step of ordering even senior rights holders to stop drawing water. It recently announced about 240 of those holders can begin taking water again. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/09/22/drought-test-californias-water-rights-system/ Drought supply spurs water taste complaints from some Bay Area customers. Some East Bay Municipal Utility District customers are complaining their water has tasted and smelled worse recently. They're not imagining it. The district relies on high quality Sierra water from the Mokelumne River for its regular supplies… http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_28853861/drought-supply-spurs-water-taste-complaints-from-some How much rain will it take to end state’s drought. Despite the high heat of recent days, the California rainy season is rapidly approaching. But to nudge California out of drought territory, it will take almost double the amount of rain that falls in a normal year during the upcoming rainy season that starts in less than two weeks, according to a recent analysis prepared by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorologists. http://www.dailydemocrat.com/20150921/how-much-rain-will-it-take-to-end-states-drought VMWD receives $115,000 for proactive drought planning. To further foster water supply planning efforts and engage community stakeholders in preparation for drought emergencies in the future, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District received $115,000 to expand its drought contingency plan. The funding, which was made available through the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation… http://myvalleynews.com/homeandgarden/evmwd-receives-115000-for-proactive-drought-planning/ DIESEL ACTIVITIES Truckers case against CARB continues after ‘exemption’ surfaces. A Glenn County Superior Court judge has given a California trucking and business group another month in its case against the California Air Resources Board and diesel particulate filters. Judge Peter Twede on Friday gave the Alliance for California Business 30 days to file a brief in regards to an exemption CARB says truckers have in regards to the filter. http://www.chicoer.com/general-news/20150918/truckers-case-against-carb-continues-after-exemption-surfaces FUELS Exclusive: In clash with pope's climate call, U.S. Church leases drilling rights. Casting the fight against climate change as an urgent moral duty, Pope Francis in June urged the world to phase out highly-polluting fossil fuels. Yet in the heart of U.S. oil country several dioceses and other Catholic institutions are leasing out drilling rights to oil and gas companies to bolster their finances… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/22/us-pope-usa-drilling-idUSKCN0RM0AY20150922?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews The 800 Ways Taxpayer Money Supports Fossil Fuel Industries. The measures were worth $167 billion last year for the oil, natural gas and coal industries, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a Paris-based institution that advises 34 industrial nations. While that number has fallen from almost $200 billion in 2012, it easily exceeds the value of subsidies for renewables such as wind and solar. http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NUVROFSYF01Y01-7UI871A6RJIOJT01B4URQ3VNL2 VEHICLES Fiat Chrysler US says its cars do not use any defeat devices. The U.S. unit of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Tuesday its vehicles do not use any defeat devices like those at the centre of an emissions scandal plaguing rival Volkswagen. Shares in Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, plunged on Monday and Tuesday after it admitted using software that deceived U.S. regulators measuring toxic emissions in some of its diesel cars. http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL5N11S36U20150922 Mazda Tests Hybrid Vs Electric To See Which Japanese Drivers Prefer. In large part, Mazda hasn't strayed far from the internal-combustion path while looking for ways to improve the efficiency of its vehicles. The Japanese carmaker has delivered notable fuel-economy gains using its SkyActiv line of efficiency-focused powertrains and new vehicles developed around them. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100133_mazda-tests-hybrid-vs-electric-to-see-which-japanese-drivers-prefer Electric Cars Aren't Selling Because Makers Can't, Don't Market Them: Report. Electric-car sales have grown more or less steadily over the past years, but the segment still represents a tiny fraction of total new-car sales. Factors like range, charging infrastructure, and low production volumes all contribute to caution on the part of the car-buying public. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100135_electric-cars-arent-selling-because-makers-cant-dont-market-them-report Volkswagen of America debuts 2016 Passat; 38 mpg highway from the 1.8 TSI. Although the timing arguably could have been better, Volkswagen of America proceeded with the planned debut of the restyled 2016 Volkswagen Passat in New York on Monday. The midsize sedan, built in Volkswagen’s LEED Platinum-certified factory in Chattanooga, will offer three engine options—1.8-liter TSI gasoline; 2.0-liter diesel TDI… http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/09/20150922-passat.html AAA: Mich. gas prices rise 7 cents in past week. AAA Michigan says gas prices Tesla Model X: The Electric SUV Women Say They Want. First deliveries of the Tesla Model X electric crossover are expected to take place just over a week from now. With production set to ramp up gradually after that, speculation will likely shift to whether the Model X will be as much of a success as the Model S. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100118_tesla-model-x-the-electric-suv-women-say-they-want EPRI-NRDC report finds widespread vehicle electrification and a cleaner grid could lead to substantial cuts in GHG by 2050. Widespread adoption of electric transportation, including electrification in the off-road sector, could lead to substantial reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and could modestly improve air quality, according to a new analysis released by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/09/20150921-eprinrdc.html Episode Of 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood' Features Electric Cars. Fred Rogers covered many topics on his eponymous children's television show, and it turns out one of them was electric cars. "Mister Rogers" test drove an electric car during an episode that originally aired in 1981. That was a long time before the rise of modern electric cars and substantial public charging networks… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100104_episode-of-mister-rogers-neighborhood-features-electric-cars VW RECALL VW CEO says he's 'endlessly sorry' for tarnishing brand. Volkswagen AG's smog-test scandal escalated Tuesday as the company issued a profit warning, set aside billions to cover the fallout and lost billions more in market value. VW's CEO said he is "endlessly sorry" that the world's top-selling carmaker has squandered worldwide trust in its brand. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GERMANY_VOLKSWAGEN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.modbee.com/news/nation-world/article36083301.html#storylink=cpy UPDATE 2-EU Commission in contact with VW on emissions tests. EU regulators said on Tuesday they are in contact with Volkswagen AG and U.S. authorities following the car-makers' admission it had rigged emissions tests, and called on member states to rigorously enforce the relevant law. In calling on national governments to be "particularly vigilant ... on national manufacturers"… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/22/usa-volkswagen-eu-commission-idUSL5N11S24Q20150922?feedType=RSS&feedName=governmentFilingsNews UPDATE 1-VW cuts guidance, sets aside 6.5 bln eur for emission costs. Volkswagen will cut its earnings guidance as it sets aside about 6.5 billion euros ($7.27 billion) in the third quarter to cover costs related to the diesel emissions scandal in the United States and other markets. The amount of provisions it needs could still change as the investigation continues, it said on Tuesday. http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL5N11S1TE20150922 Volkswagen to halt U.S. sales of some 2015 diesel cars. Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) told U.S. dealers to halt sales of some 2015 diesel cars after regulators found software it designed for the affected vehicles gave false emissions data, the company said Sunday, announcing it had launched an investigation. In a statement published by the carmaker on Sunday… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/20/us-usa-volkswagen-ceo-idUSKCN0RK0IK20150920 EPA, California to test other diesel vehicles after VW. The Environmental Protection Agency and California officials will test other diesel vehicles for use of software that deceives regulators measuring toxic emissions following news Friday that Volkswagen could face $18 billion in penalties for using that technology, an agency official said Monday. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/21/usa-volkswagen-idUSL1N11R0XQ20150921 VW's Emissions Cheating Found by Curious Clean-Air Group. It didn’t add up. The Volkswagens were spewing harmful exhaust when testers drove them on the road. In the lab, they were fine. Discrepancies in the European tests on the diesel models of the VW Passat, the VW Jetta and the BMW X5 last year gave Peter Mock an idea. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-19/volkswagen-emissions-cheating-found-by-curious-clean-air-group Volkswagen Shares Tumble Following Emissions Allegations. Crisis facing German auto maker over alleged cheating on U.S. emissions tests deepens. Volkswagen AG’s share price tumbled Monday as a crisis over alleged cheating on U.S. emissions tests deepened, with the German auto maker halting American sales of popular diesel-powered cars… http://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-shares-driven-lower-1442826436 Volkswagen Stock Plummets As CEO Apologizes For Emissions Cheat. "I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public," says Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn, days after the EPA said the German carmaker had purposefully rigged its diesel cars to pass emissions tests. http://www.capradio.org/news/npr/story?storyid=442174444 VW to U.S. dealers: Halt sales of some '15 diesel cars. Volkswagen of America told its dealers Saturday to halt sales of remaining 2015 diesel cars with 2.0 liter engines after federal officials said the automaker had intentionally evaded emissions requirements. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2015/09/19/vw-us-dealers-halt-sales-diesel-cars/72488232/ Volkswagen CEO Vows to Get to Bottom of Scandal as Probe Widens. Volkswagen AG Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn vowed to get to the bottom of the scandal shaking the German carmaker and promised to do everything possible to prevent such an incident from happening again as the probe into VW’s diesel manipulations expanded around the globe. http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NV2OQ46TTDSA01-47QQQB99USO1210N8A9MTJABH1 VW’s U.S. Chief Apologizes for Diesel Dupe: ‘We Screwed Up’ “Our company was dishonest with the EPA, and the California Air Resources Board and with all of you,” Michael Horn, the head of the VW brand in the U.S., said Monday night in Brooklyn, New York, where he was revealing a redesigned version of the slow-selling Passat sedan at an event featuring rock star Lenny Kravitz. http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NV1NHTSYF01X01-0GKHVG9OSQTQPBO7O2IHN95AVJ Lower Saxony Premier Warns Consequences May Follow From VW Probe. The prime minister of Lower Saxony said Volkswagen AG must swiftly clarify U.S. charges that it cheated on air pollution tests for years and warned that “possible consequences” may follow. Stephan Weil, whose state government holds a blocking 20 percent stake in Europe’s largest carmaker… http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NV0ZFH6K50YO01-7F5LL0HEJFACTU1AS9EAGNHF3S Volkswagen Says 11 Million Cars Worldwide Are Affected in Diesel Deception. A scandal that has undermined Volkswagen in the United States spread to its core market of Europe on Tuesday, after the company said that 11 million of its diesel cars worldwide were equipped with software that was used to cheat on emissions tests. Volkswagen did not provide information on where the affected cars are… http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/business/international/volkswagen-diesel-car-scandal.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=0 How Volkswagen Got Away With Diesel Deception. Volkswagen said on Monday that 11 million of its diesel cars worldwide were equipped with software that was used to cheat on emissions tests. How Did the System Work? The software sensed when the car was being tested and then activated equipment that reduced emissions, United States officials said. But the software turned the equipment off during regular driving… http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/09/22/business/international/vw-volkswagen-emissions-explainer.html?_r=0 The Wrath of Volkswagen’s Drivers. Volkswagen’s stunning admission that it sold diesel-powered cars that intentionally faked emissions testing results has left many of their owners — who thought they were buying fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles — angry and feeling betrayed. The deception could prove a major threat to Volkswagen’s reputation in the United States… http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/business/the-wrath-of-volkswagens-drivers.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news U.S. taxpayers duped into shelling out $51 million in green subsidies for 'clean' VW vehicles. The federal government paid out as much as $51 million in green car subsidies for Volkswagen diesel vehicles based on falsified pollution test results, according to a Times analysis of the federal incentives. On Friday, federal and state regulators said the German automaker used software in 482,000 of its diesel vehicles… http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-vw-subsidies-20150922-story.html VW focus of criminal probe on emissions. The U.S. Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation of Volkswagen's admission to systemically cheating on federal air pollution tests, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the inquiry. Volkswagen said last week it's cooperating with regulators probing gaps between emissions on the road and lab tests on some diesel models… http://www.ocregister.com/articles/diesel-340632-ocprint-monday-volkswagen.html Questions about Volkswagen's emissions crisis. German automaker Volkswagen AG admits that it rigged U.S. emissions tests so it would appear that its diesel-powered cars were emitting fewer nitrogen oxides, which can contribute to ozone buildup and respiratory illness. Here are some questions and answers about the ongoing crisis. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/business/20150922/questions-about-volkswagens-emissions-crisis VW CEO's days appear numbered as emissions crisis deepens. Martin Winterkorn's days as head of Volkswagen AG appeared numbered on Tuesday after the German carmaker said a scandal over falsified vehicle emission tests in the United States could affect 11 million of its cars worldwide. http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/vw-to-dismiss-ceo-over-emissions-cheating-scandal/ar-AAeBzOE?li=AAa0dzB?ocid=ansmsnmoney11 Volkswagen says 11 million of its cars have emissions test-beating software. Volkswagen says that an internal investigation has revealed that 11 million of its vehicles sold worldwide are fitted with the same software designed to trick emissions-testing equipment as the 500,000 vehicles involved in an emerging scandal in the United States. http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/09/22/volkswagen-says-11-million-its-cars-are-equipped-with-emissions-test-beating/ http://www.capradio.org/news/npr/story?storyid=442457697 http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100146_vw-11-million-diesels-had-cheating-software-7-3-billion-set-aside-criminal-probe-reported Clean Diesel No More: Volkswagen Scandal Grows. The automaker now says 11 million diesel vehicles were equipped with the software that helped them cheat emissions tests worldwide. Volkswagen says some 11 million diesel vehicles were equipped with the software that helped them cheat emissions tests worldwide… http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/volkswagen-scandal-grows/406639/?single_page=true&print= Volkswagen's appalling clean diesel scandal, explained. It sounds like the sinister plot of some straight-to-DVD movie. Since 2009, Volkswagen had been installing elaborate software in 482,000 "clean diesel" vehicles sold in the US, so that the cars' pollution controls only worked when being tested for emissions. The rest of the time, the vehicles could freely spew hazardous, smog-forming compounds. http://www.vox.com/2015/9/21/9365667/volkswagen-clean-diesel-recall-passenger-cars GREEN ENERGY Clean tech a priority issue as Chinese president lands in US. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington state Tuesday for a visit to the U.S. that will include talks on how U.S. and Chinese experts and businesses can collaborate on nuclear energy, smarter electricity use and other clean technologies. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CHINESE_PRESIDENT_US_VISIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Rooftop solar companies sound alarm. Rooftop solar providers in San Diego are shifting into crisis mode as subscriptions fill up for a generous solar tariff that may expire early next year if a new system is not agreed upon sooner. Solar customers at California's major investor-owned utilities, including San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison… http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/sep/21/socal-solar-companies-sound-alarm/ A Lone Star leader in solar. Doyle Beneby is a leader among U.S. utility executives when it comes to promoting solar energy, and he has the bruises to show for it. As the chief executive of CPS Energy in San Antonio since 2010, Beneby has made solar a priority for generating electricity and new jobs in Texas' second largest city. http://www.desertsun.com/story/money/columnist/2015/09/20/bill-loveless-solar-energy-san-antonio-doyle-beneby/72408486/ OPINIONS A Wet Winter Won’t Save California. As wildfires rage, crops are abandoned, wells run dry and cities work to meet mandatory water cuts, drought-weary Californians are counting on a savior in the tropical ocean: El Niño. This warming of the tropical Pacific occurs about every five years, affecting climate around the globe and bringing heavy winter precipitation to parts of California. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/19/opinion/a-wet-winter-wont-save-california.html?hpw&rref=opinion&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region®ion=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=2&mtrref=undefined&assetType=opinion The Pope's Tricky Argument on Climate. This week, Pope Francis is expected to implore both the U.S. Congress and the UN General Assembly to take aggressive steps to curb greenhouse-gas emissions. His thinking on this issue is not simple alarm over climate change. It involves an extraordinary combination of passionate environmentalism… http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-09-21/the-pope-s-tricky-argument-on-climate Did Volkswagen cheat? If the accusations against Volkswagen hold up, Americans should be outraged at the company's cynical and deliberate efforts to violate one of this country's most important environmental laws. On Friday, the federal Environmental Protection Agency accused the German automaker of outfitting nearly half a million VW and Audi diesel vehicles with illegal "defeat devices"… http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-vw-20150919-story.html David Little: SoCal will share with us in drought. They are going to be Northern California’s salvation. We’re going to fill it with Southern California water so we don’t dry away next summer. We are going to show those San Joaquin Valley farmers and those Angelenos what it’s like to be dependent. Perhaps the folks south of the delta missed the news a little more than a week ago. We certainly didn’t. http://www.chicoer.com/opinion/20150919/david-little-socal-will-share-with-us-in-drought Editorial: Yes, it rained; no, the drought is not over. Early Wednesday morning, while Los Angeles County was getting a record amount of rain, Lake Oroville and Shasta Lake were continuing to dip lower and lower. When the rain finally got to the north state, people were absolutely giddy about it ... and Lake Oroville and Shasta Lake continued to dip lower and lower. http://www.chicoer.com/opinion/20150920/editorial-yes-it-rained-no-the-drought-is-not-over Water pricing called unfair. Battled over recycled water rates pitting south communities vs. north. Among the many consequences of California’s severe drought is an escalating dispute involving San Diego County’s northern and southern communities over the price of recycled water, which is treated sewage used primarily for irrigation. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/sep/18/drought-water-rate-otay-recycling-irrigation/ Hundreds of Millions in Drought Relief Failing to Reach Many Californians. The next time you bring home a case of those little 16-ounce bottles of water, imagine living out of them: pouring a little out every time you wash a dish and dumping them into buckets to shower or flush the toilet. That’s what Maria Medina’s family has done since their well went dry 18 months ago. http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/09/19/hundreds-of-millions-in-drought-relief-failing-to-reach-many-californians BLOGS The Number Of Companies Weaning Off Carbon Is Surging. Internal carbon pricing has tripled since last year. Corporations are finally starting to quit carbon. The number of companies putting a price on their own carbon emissions has tripled since last year, according to a report released Sunday by the environmental data nonprofit CDP. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/carbon-pricing-report_55fc8026e4b08820d918b6f9?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green§ion=green Shifting Gears on Climate Change. As world leaders gather this week in New York, the pressure is mounting to produce a new climate change agreement in Paris in December. The outcome of that meeting will set the stage for the global response to rising temperatures and ongoing environmental disruption. Rather than relying solely on national level leadership to foster change… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-c-esty/shifting-gears-on-climate-change_b_8167428.html VW orders external probe into diesel emission scandal. There are well over 480,000 Volkswagen-made, diesel-powered vehicles currently traveling roads in the United States that do not meet the Environmental Protection Agency's emissions requirements. This, as you can probably imagine, is a very big deal, and has led… http://www.autoblog.com/2015/09/20/vw-external-probe-diesel-emission-scandal/ Particulate Matters. New research suggests even small amounts of air pollution can make you sick. Airborne particulate matter—from car exhaust, wildfires, coal-burning power plants, and many other sources—is terrible for your health. Studies have proven beyond doubt that inhaling these tiny particles increases the risk of heart attacks… http://www.psmag.com/nature-and-technology/new-research-suggests-even-small-amounts-of-air-pollution-can-make-you-sick How to Defeat Big Agriculture. For small farmers -- and those who pay attention to things like climate change, food systems and water -- the answers to ecological sustainability are right under our feet: Dirt. Soil. Ground. Land. Community control of these precious resources (terrestrial ecosystems, forests and biodiversity) is critical to achieving "Life on Land," as Goal 15 is known. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chungwha-hong/how-to-defeat-big-agriculture_b_8171622.html Pope’s visit reveals flaws in U.S. climate policy. This week Pope Francis will arrive in the U.S. with climate change and global poverty high on his agenda. The Catholic Church is not known for taking many progressive social or political positions, so Pope Francis’ commitment to speak the truth to global powers on behalf of people and the planet comes as a surprise to many. http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/254406-popes-visit-reveals-flaws-in-us-climate-policy Why Bill Gates is wrong about clean energy. Bill Gates recently announced a $1 billion increase in his investments to address climate change. He intends to focus on long-shot solutions—i.e., safer nuclear reactors and carbon-capture technologies—he believes can dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In doing so, Gates joins a number of billionaires investing in new technologies to save the planet. http://fortune.com/2015/09/22/bill-gates-microsoft-clean-energy/ Pope Francis and climate change you can believe in. There has never been a week quite like this when it comes to global warming. The historic U.S. visit of Pope Francis, which begins Tuesday afternoon, could accomplish what some climate activists have long sought to do: transform global warming from a scientific and environmental issue to a moral and ethical imperative. http://mashable.com/2015/09/22/pope-francis-global-warming-opinion/#2Ig8uapKQGk8 Senate Democrats Stage Major Climate Change Push. "Compared to what Republicans are doing, it's pretty damn good." Leading Senate Democrats unveiled climate change legislation on Tuesday that is expected to go nowhere. The point: Present a united party front on the energy and climate debate. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-climate-change-bill_56017397e4b00310edf895c8 BLM moves forward with plan to crack down on venting and flaring. An Obama administration plan to clamp down on oil companies burning or venting natural gas at wells on public land has advanced in the nation’s capital. The measure, developed by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management, was submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review on Friday. http://fuelfix.com/blog/2015/09/21/blm-moves-forward-with-plan-to-crack-down-on-venting-and-flaring/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.