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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 17, 2015.
Posted: 17 Nov 2015 12:27:58
ARB Newsclips for November 17, 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. AIR POLLUTION EPA intends tougher downwind air-pollution rule in 23 states. The Environmental Protection Agency wants to set tougher new limits on smokestack emissions from nearly two dozen states that burden downwind areas with air pollution from power plants they can't control. At the same time, the EPA moved Tuesday to remove two states —South Carolina and Florida — from the "good neighbor" rules… http://www.sacbee.com/news/article45228804.html#storylink=cpy Government accused of being 'in breach' of Supreme Court air pollution ruling. Government failure to act 'immediately' to Supreme Court's April ruling puts it in breach of legal decision, argues ClientEarth. Environmental lawyers ClientEarth have accused the government of being in breach of a Supreme Court order by failing to take swift action to improve the UK's air quality. http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2434935/government-accused-of-being-in-breach-of-supreme-court-air-pollution-ruling EPA proposes updates to its cross-state rule. U.S. EPA today released proposed updates to its Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, intended to cut nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from power plants in 23 Eastern states that contribute to downwind ozone air quality problems. By reducing ozone pollution, "this update will help protect the health and lives of millions of Americans," EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said in a news release. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/11/17/stories/1060028146 CLIMATE CHANGE Climate activists want to march in Paris despite attacks. Environmental activists said Monday that they want to go ahead with plans to march in Paris before the U.N. climate summit later this month, despite the attacks in the French capital. A coalition of activist groups including Avaaz, Greenpeace and 350.org said that they intend to "hold all the mobilizations currently planned… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_PARIS_ATTACKS_CLIMATE_MARCH?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Obama looks for late momentum on climate deal. With a high-stakes deadline two weeks away, President Barack Obama hopes to build momentum on Wednesday for a broad and potentially legacy-burnishing global climate change agreement. At a meeting of chief executives in this Southeast Asian capital, Obama was expected to urge business leaders to reduce emissions in their operations… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_OBAMA_CLIMATE_ASOL-?SITE=VANOV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Report details impact of climate change in Puget Sound, sees more flooding, rising sea levels. The Puget Sound region is projected to face more intense flooding, rising sea levels, heavier downpours and thinner winter snowpack as temperatures continue to warm in coming decades, according to a report released Tuesday by the University of Washington. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WA_PUGET_SOUND_CLIMATE_CHANGE_WAOL-?SITE=ILROR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT#ixzz3rmDRnnfj The hidden factor that could undermine U.S. plans to cut carbon emissions. We tend to have a greatly oversimplified view of the planet’s carbon problem — and therefore, of what we have to do to solve it. The general notion is that it’s all about fossil fuels, and so if we stop driving so much and using so much coal, we solve climate change. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/11/16/the-hidden-factor-that-could-complicate-u-s-plans-to-cut-carbon-emissions/ Despite attacks, Brown will attend U.N. climate summit in Paris next month. Gov. Jerry Brown is still planning to travel to Paris next month for the highly anticipated United Nations summit on climate change, which French leaders said will go on despite Friday's terrorist attacks. "As long as events move forward, the governor intends to participate," Evan Westrup, a spokesman for Brown, said Monday. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-brown-climate-20151117-story.html Paris climate deal meeting still on as Republican leaders register opposition. Despite Friday’s horrific attacks, Obama and other world leaders will attend talks in France, as Republicans in Congress continue to fight Obama’s climate plan. The point person behind Barack Obama’s environmental agenda has declared Americans are fed up with climate change denial… http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/16/paris-climate-deal-meeting-still-on-despite-attacks-as-republican-leaders-register-opposition Germany unites with Calif. in climate action pact. Germany and regions within the country have signed onto the California-led pact committing to actions aimed at keeping global warming's temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius. The European nation has joined the alliance known as "Under 2 MOU." http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/11/17/stories/1060028106 Utility steps in to protect U.S. historic site, at a price. The first English settlement in the United States could mostly drown or wash away from sea-level rise, and while a power company wants to help mitigate this, it would come at a price of installing power lines. "The issue with Jamestown Island is the visual aesthetics… http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2015/11/17/stories/1060028068 DROUGHT El Niño could be the most powerful on record, scientists say. A key location of the Pacific Ocean is now hotter than recorded in at least 25 years, surpassing the temperatures during the record 1997 El Niño. Some scientists say their measurements show that this year’s El Niño could be among the most powerful on record -- and even toppling the 1997 event from its pedestal. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-el-nino-temperatures-new-record-20151117-story.html As huge El Niño brews, California fights to keep drought mentality. As experts continue to predict a wet winter because of El Niño, California officials continue to take a cautious approach when it comes to easing water conservation measures amid the state's four-year drought. Officials have long feared heavy rains would reduce conservation by residents, even though a major El Niño would not end the drought by a long shot. http://www.latimes.com/local/weather/la-me-ln-as-huge-el-nino-brews-california-fights-to-keep-drought-mentality-20151116-story.html El Niño prompts state of emergency. San Diego council makes declaration to speed up flood preparation. Concerned that El Niño rains might cause significant flooding this winter, the San Diego City Council unanimously declared a local state of emergency on Monday that could help accelerate clearing of clogged drainage channels. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/nov/16/el-nino-winter-rains-preparation-drainage/ AUDIO: California’s vast water systems may not mesh with future needs. For more than a century, California has relied on its reservoirs, rivers and dams fed by snowmelt to provide the majority of its water. The massive State Water Project and its federal twin, the Central Valley Project exemplify that approach. And as effective as all that concrete in dams and canals was in the 20th Century, it might be the wrong idea… http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=29451 FUELS Coal not going away anytime soon despite renewables push. Coal: Can't live with it and can't live without it - at least not yet. It is the biggest source of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that negotiators around the world hope to limit in an agreement to be thrashed out in Paris next month. Demand for coal is leveling off, but it will remain a key energy source for decades… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CLIMATE_COUNTDOWN_COALS_FUTURE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Manure from millions of hogs fuels natural gas project. One recipe for renewable natural gas goes: Place manure from about 2 million hogs in lagoons, cover them with an impermeable material and let it bake until gas from the manure rises. Then, use special equipment to clean the gas of its impurities and ship the finished product out. That's the vision of one of the largest biogas projects of its kind in the U.S. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HOG_MANURE_BIOGAS_PROJECT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT No Keystone, No Problem: TransCanada Turns to Mexico Expansion. Days after the U.S. spurned TransCanada Corp.’s proposal to expand its Keystone pipeline network across North America, Mexico opened its arms. TransCanada won the rights last week for its sixth pipeline in Mexico, one of the company’s key targets for growth. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-17/no-keystone-no-problem-transcanada-turns-to-mexico-expansion Diesel prices down 2 cents. The average U.S. retail pump price for diesel was down 2 cents in the Nov. 16 report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), to $2.482 per gallon. The price is about $1.18 per gallon cheaper than this time last year. Prices were down in every region of the country, paced by California where the cost fell 3.4 cents to $2.769. http://fleetowner.com/fuel/diesel-prices-down-2-cents Enormous Northwest refineries would feed China exclusively. China is seeking to tap the flood of cheap natural gas coming from the interior of North America by converting it to methanol at three huge refineries in Washington and Oregon. The processing plants, collectively called Northwest Innovation Works, have received little attention despite their head-snapping impact: http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2015/11/17/stories/1060028071 Biodiesel makers lobbying Hill to reinstate tax credit. Biodiesel makers are pushing members of Congress this week to reinstate an expired tax credit to produce the renewable fuel, a financial support whose absence has hurt the domestic industry, according to the National Biodiesel Board. Nearly 100 industry representatives are meeting with lawmakers today to reinstate the biodiesel tax… http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/11/17/stories/1060028134 LA AUTO SHOW 2017 Ford Escape debuts ahead of the L.A. Auto Show. Ford isn't one to wait, apparently. Two days before the 2015 L.A. Auto Show media preview, the Dearborn-based automaker opted to unveil the newest version of its popular Escape crossover. Wearing a new familial face to bring it into line with larger sport-utes, like the Explorer and Edge, the new Escape places a premium on fuel economy and safety features. http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/news/la-auto-show-2017-ford-escape-breaks-cover-article-1.2437467 http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2015/1117/Ford-unveils-2017-Escape-crossover-at-Los-Angeles-Auto-Show L.A. Auto Show: New VW plug-in hybrid could make diesel drivers happy, if it gets to market. VW’s Golf onslaught continues. Already, the German automaker’s hatchback is available in gas, all-electric and, as VW would rather us forget, diesel versions. At this week’s L.A. Auto Show, it will show a sporty plug-in hybrid with such impressive performance figures and truly low emissions that it might be a worthy substitute for VW’s diesel devotees. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/gte-692350-electric-sport.html VW RECALL VW sales dip in Europe, but no more than competitors. European car buyers appear reluctant to punish Volkswagen for its emissions scandal, penalizing the German automaker's sales last month no more than some of its mass-market competitors. The European car market expanded 2.9 percent in October, topping 1.1 million units as growth slowed in all major markets… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_EUROPE_CAR_SALES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Washington Takes Legal Action Over Volkswagen's Diesel Pollution. Washington is taking legal action against Volkswagen in the wake of a diesel vehicle scandal. Back in September, Volkswagen admitted to installing special software in some of its diesel vehicles, causing them to give false readings during pre-sale air quality tests. http://www.opb.org/news/article/washington-announces-action-against-volkswagen-over-diesel-emissions/ Volkswagen Emissions Scandal: VW, Audi Executives To Meet US Regulators Ahead Of Deadline As Crisis Deepens. Volkswagen and Audi executives are expected to meet U.S. environmental regulators this week ahead of a deadline to submit a plan to fix nearly 500,000 diesel cars that are equipped with the rigged emissions software, sources told Reuters Monday. http://www.ibtimes.com/volkswagen-emissions-scandal-vw-audi-executives-meet-us-regulators-ahead-deadline-2187446 VW Diesel Ad Pledges It's 'Working To Make Things Right. While U.S. recalls of diesel cars fitted with "defeat device" software still haven't been announced, Volkswagen has begun the process of trying to market its way out of the current emissions scandal. It placed a series of full-page ads in U.S. newspapers Sunday declaring its good intentions, and plugging a customer goodwill program. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100985_vw-diesel-ad-pledges-its-working-to-make-things-right GREEN ENERGY Dominion Energy acquires solar project in Accomack County. An 80-megawatt solar energy project in Accomack County has been acquired by Dominion Energy. Dominion Energy says the Amazon Solar Farm U.S. East will provide power to Amazon Web Services. The project also has secured interconnection agreements with Delmarva Power. http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/article45163716.html#storylink=cpy Mexico moves to elevate its global energy status. Mexico is seeking to join the ranks of the world's largest energy importers. It's a slightly unusual development as Mexico is still a net energy exporter, primarily of crude oil. But Mexico's overall energy consumption is rising and its energy imports are growing. Its energy trade with the United States is diversifying, as well, as Mexico… http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2015/11/17/stories/1060028083 Solar lamps and clean cookstoves for refugees could ease cost and emissions. Away from the media glare focused on the European migrant crisis, most of the nearly 60 million forcibly displaced refugees in the world today live in the shadows, without proper access to the basic necessities of life, including energy. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/11/17/stories/1060028105 EPA climate rule could boost solar, wind in Ariz. – study. A new study says Arizona could meet carbon-cutting goals in U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan simply by developing the state's abundant and already available solar and wind power resources over the next 15 years. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/11/17/stories/1060028135 MISCELLANEOUS Lumber Liquidators tightens vinyl flooring standards. Retailer Lumber Liquidators Inc. will stop selling vinyl flooring made with reprocessed plastic and will limit its lead content, the company and advocacy groups said today. The company, which worked with Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and its Mind the Store campaign, said it would be the first major retailer to phase out the use of reprocessed plastic in vinyl flooring. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/11/17/stories/1060028141 OPINIONS Gambling the World Economy on Climate. The emission-cut pledges will cost $1 trillion a year and avert warming of less than one degree by 2100. The United Nations climate conference in Paris starting Nov. 30 will get under way when most minds in the French capital will still understandably be on the recent terror attacks. http://www.wsj.com/articles/gambling-the-world-economy-on-climate-1447719037?alg=y Seyed Sadredin: Wood smoke can make Valley air dangerous to breathe. The Valley Air District’s mission is to improve the health and quality of life for all Valley residents through efficient, effective and entrepreneurial air quality management strategies. We do this through regulations designed to protect public health, through public education to empower Valley residents… http://www.modbee.com/opinion/article45227706.html#storylink=cpy When Will We Start To See 'Tailpipes' On Cars As Morally Wrong? The economists call them "externalities." They're the costs of people's actions on other people or communities--but the people taking those actions don't have to pay for those costs, even though they harm others. And the emissions from combusting fossil fuels are clearly a prime example. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1101015_when-will-we-start-to-see-tailpipes-on-cars-as-morally-wrong BLOGS The Environmental Failure of ‘Green’ Schools. TODD MYERS: In the name of energy efficiency, school districts across the country are building new schools to “green” building standards that promoters promise will deliver huge energy savings. The most prominent system, known as LEED for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, promises energy savings and environmental benefit. The record, however, is different. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2015/11/17/the-environmental-failure-of-green-schools/ This Coal Mine Could Create More CO2 Emissions Than Entire Countries. Australia’s Carmichael coal mine project has been under major scrutiny by large conservation groups and prominent Australians for months. Now, progressive think tank the Australia Institute has found just how damaging the emissions from burning coal at the mine could really be. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/11/16/3722647/single-coal-mine-create-co2-emissions-entire-countries/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20climateprogress/lCrX%20%28Climate%20Progress%29 California hoping for a snowier ski season this year. Forecasters are hoping that a strong El Nino winter will bring above-average precipitation to California this season. Some ski resorts already opened after fresh powder blanketed parts of the Sierra following a winter-like storm in early November. The wet weather did not end the state's four-year drought… http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/California-hoping-for-a-snowier-ski-season-this-year-351081541.html CIA Director Delivers Some Blunt Talk About....Climate Change I don't happen to think that a concern over a massive program of warrantless domestic surveillance is "handwringing," but OK. That's Brennan's opinion. However, for all the people pointing to Brennan as a voice of authority for his blunt talk about surveillance, how about if we also pay attention to his blunt talk about climate change? http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/11/cia-director-delivers-some-blunt-talk-aboutclimate-change California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.