What's New List Serve Post Display
Below is the List Serve Post you selected to display.
newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 20, 2016.
Posted: 20 Jan 2016 15:57:40
ARB Newsclips for January 20, 2016. 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 Rice growers on the front lines of U.S. carbon markets. Dan Hooks isn't one to take chances with his rice crop, but that hasn't stopped him from being a pioneer of sorts. The Arkansas native is one of a small group of rice farmers in the United States who are changing the way they grow their crops to cut back on methane emissions from their fields. In exchange, they will be eligible for the first-ever carbon credits for crops through California's cap-and-trade program. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/01/20/stories/1060030839 AIR POLLUTION Obama to Force Oil, Gas Companies to Pare Potent Methane Leaks. A massive natural gas leak in southern California that has forced thousands of residents from their homes is giving momentum to the Obama administration’s plan to clamp down on methane emissions from oil and natural gas wells. The proposal, set to be unveiled by the Interior Department within days, takes aim at wells on federal and tribal lands… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-20/obama-to-force-oil-gas-companies-to-pare-potent-methane-leaks The Wharton Grad Sensing a Fortune in the World's Most Toxic Air. Murky air means money for New Delhi businessman Jai Dhar Gupta. The 43-year-old Wharton graduate began selling pollution masks last year in India, home to some of the planet’s most toxic cities. Gupta reckons he’ll sell 70,000 from January to March -- as much as the whole of 2015 -- and may buy an equity stake in the U.S. company that owns the rights to the products. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-20/the-wharton-grad-sensing-a-fortune-in-the-world-s-most-toxic-air Erin Brockovich appeals to Porter Ranch residents as law firms push gas leak suits. Movie-famous activist Erin Brockovich stood in front of 400 Porter Ranch residents on a recent weeknight and told a disturbing personal story. "When I first came to Porter Ranch I couldn't believe it," she said of her visit to the community closest to Southern California Gas Co.'s leaking well. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-porter-ranch-lawyers-20160119-story.html Businesses in Porter Ranch struggling as customers relocate. Reem Naaman cried as she broke the news to the operators of a Porter Ranch preschool that has been a second home to her children. "We won't be able to keep our two little girls in your school any longer," she said. "We're relocating." For the owners of the school, Douglas and Barbara Packard, the loss of yet another customer has them wondering how much worse things can get. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-porter-ranch-economy-20160120-story.html Air Quality Regulators Conduct Hearing on Porter Reach Gas Leak. Although Southern California Gas Co. has abandoned plans to capture and incinerate gas leaking from a Porter Ranch well since October, Southland air-quality regulators will meet again Wednesday morning to discuss a wide-ranging enforcement order aimed at minimizing the leak. A South Coast Air Quality Management District hearing board will meet for a… http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/AQMD-Hold-Hearing-Order-Abatement-in-Porter-Ranch-Gas-Leak-365890251.html Massive leaks are an everyday occurrence in gas fields. California’s Aliso Canyon is a reminder that methane emissions are widespread, poorly regulated — and ongoing. After one of the many attempts to plug the methane-leaking well at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility in the Los Angeles suburbs, the thing erupted like a geyser, spewing not only natural gas, but also the muddy slurry that company technicians had pumped into the well. http://www.hcn.org/articles/massive-california-gas-leak-is-an-everyday-occurrence-in-the-gas-fields CLIMATE CHANGE California to investigate whether Exxon Mobil lied about climate-change risks. California Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris is investigating whether Exxon Mobil Corp. repeatedly lied to the public and its shareholders about the risk to its business from climate change — and whether such actions could amount to securities fraud and violations of environmental laws. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-exxon-global-warming-20160120-story.html 2015 was the hottest year on record, according to new data. 2015 was Earth's hottest year on record, according to new data released Wednesday by NOAA and NASA. For the last 12 months the average surface temperature across the globe was 58.47 Fahrenheit, a 0.23-degree increase from 2014's record-breaking average temperature of 58.24, the two agencies reported. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-2015-hottest-year-20160119-story.html DROUGHT Researchers test a possible drought solution by flooding an almond farm. The El Niño rainstorm had already turned Nick Blom's almond orchard into a quagmire. Still, he wheeled open the lid of a massive irrigation pipe. Fifteen minutes later, a gurgling belch heralded a gush of water that surged over the lip of the pipe and spread across five acres of almond trees. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-almonds-flooding-20160120-story.html Rain, snow making a dent in California’s historic drought. The rain and snow falling across Northern California in recent days is by no means extraordinary. In the Sacramento region, precipitation remains below normal for the season. But inch by inch, forecasters say, it’s doing the work necessary if California is to reverse years of epic drought. http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article55551045.html#storylink=cpy 9 Californians who play key roles in water policy. After four years of a crushing drought, Californians are hoping El Niño storms bring relief this winter. But whether they replenish the state's reservoirs and rebuild its crucial snowpack remains to be seen, with many experts cautioning that the state's water deficit is too severe to be resolved in one rainy year. So 2016 promises to be another critical year in California water policy centering on politically charged… http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060030797 FUELS U.S. refiners brace for possible glitches amid first winter test. Jan 20 U.S. refineries along the East Coast and the Midwest are facing their first major test of the winter season since last year's blistering cold set off a string of outages, sending gasoline and diesel prices soaring. Freezing temperatures have descended upon the U.S. Northeast and Midwest ahead of a potentially historic storm… http://www.reuters.com/article/refinery-operations-winter-idUSL2N1532FX?feedType=RSS&feedName=industrialsSector Northwest tribes unite against giant coal, oil projects. On this last bit of undeveloped coast between a smelter and two oil refineries, SSA Marine wants to build the biggest coal export terminal in North America, to load up some of the largest ships afloat arriving up to 487 times a year, mostly from Asian ports. The blockbuster $665 million proposal is one of many fossil fuel transport projects… http://www.latimes.com/nation/sns-tns-bc-tribes-coalprojects-20160120-story.html Navy launches carrier group powered partly by biofuels. The Navy is launching a carrier strike group to be powered partly by biofuels. Officials are calling it a milestone toward easing the military’s reliance on foreign oil. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack are inspecting the ships Wednesday before they set sail off San Diego. At the head of the pack is the nuclear-powered USS John C. Stennis supercarrier. http://www.freep.com/story/news/nation/2016/01/20/navy-green-fleet/79046602/ VEHICLES RPT-INSIGHT-Electric vehicle sales fall far short of Obama goal. Jan 20 Back in 2008, with gas prices averaging nearly $4 a gallon, President Barack Obama set a goal of getting one million plug-in electric vehicles on the roads by 2015. Since then, his administration has backed billions of dollars in EV subsidies for consumers and the industry. http://www.reuters.com/article/autos-electric-obama-idUSL2N154036?feedType=RSS&feedName=marketsNews Brown’s transportation budget celebrates the car. Weeks after returning from the Paris summit on climate change where he was hailed as a leader in the movement to limit greenhouse gases, Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed a new transportation budget that celebrates the car. In 2016-17, Brown wants to spend $16 billion on transportation, and most of that would go toward making it easier for people to drive. http://www.calhealthreport.org/2016/01/19/browns-transportation-budget-celebrates-the-car/ Ricardo and GTI partner on new lower-emissions medium- and heavy-duty natural gas engine technologies for California. Ricardo will partner with Gas Technology Institute (GTI) on two major contracts to enable natural gas engines to provide a viable, fuel-efficient, and less polluting alternative to diesel power for medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles on the highways of California. Despite California’s substantial progress in reducing emissions… http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/01/20160120-ricardo.html Regulators Pushing Electric Cars Today, But Consumers Will Pull: Nissan CEO. While there are already a number of enthusiastic owners, electric cars are still receiving a significant amount of market support from governments across the globe. They encourage people to buy electric cars through incentives like tax credits, rebate checks, and solo access to crowded carpool lanes. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1101963_regulators-pushing-electric-cars-today-but-consumers-will-pull-nissan-ceo VW RECALL N.M. sues Volkswagen over emissions scandal. New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas (D) late yesterday filed a lawsuit in state district court over the Volkswagen AG emissions cheating scandal that has affected millions of cars globally. The Democrat alleges in the lawsuit that Volkswagen and its subsidiaries violated New Mexico's air quality regulations… http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2016/01/20/stories/1060030880 GREEN ENERGY Renewable Stocks Drop After Oil's Plunge Spurs Global Selloff. Renewable energy company shares dropped following a plunge in crude oil to a 12-year low that rattled stock markets around the globe. Wind and solar power companies in the U.S. and Europe fell, including REC Silicon ASA, which makes the raw material for solar panels, and Nordex S.E., a wind turbine maker in Germany. U.S., clean energy companies Vivint Solar Inc. and Solarcity Corp… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-20/renewable-stocks-drop-after-oil-s-plunge-spurs-global-selloff Gulf Countries Savings Put at $87 Billion With Renewable Energy. Gulf countries stand to save as much as $87 billion from lower oil and natural gas consumption if they achieve goals for renewables use by 2030, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. Meeting Gulf Cooperation Council targets for solar and other renewable energy could also create an average of 140,000 jobs a year, with 207,000 people employed in 2030… http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O16YHE6S972O01-4B24LPIDV4Q8GF9LU85OSHITPB South Korea to File Charges Against Audi Volkswagen Head. Environment Ministry says recall plan submitted by car maker is ‘unacceptable’. South Korea’s Ministry of Environment is turning up the heat on Volkswagen AG over its emissions scandal, saying the car maker’s local unit and its chief will be brought up on criminal charges. http://www.wsj.com/articles/south-korea-to-sue-audi-volkswagen-head-1453175077 UN Climate Chief Says Low Oil Prices Can Boost Renewables. Low oil prices can be a boon to renewable energy, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change head Christiana Figueres said Jan. 18. Speaking during the first large multilateral climate talks since the UN's historic Paris climate agreement last month, Figueres called low oil prices “an amazing opportunity”… http://www.bna.com/un-climate-chief-n57982066379/ Danish wind power breaks world record in 2015. Wind turbines produced 42 percent of the electricity in Denmark last year, setting a world record. Danish wind energy generation in 2015 increased 3 percent from 2014, which previously held the record. "Hopefully, Denmark can serve as an example to other countries that it is possible to have both ambitious green policies with a high proportion of wind energy and other renewables in the energy supply… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/01/20/stories/1060030818 Storage may help utilities embrace distributed solar. Storing electricity may be the sweetener utilities need to swallow distributed renewable energy. Researchers and utility companies are looking at what would happen if they integrated energy storage with solar power as a unit in the hope of turning an energy liability into an asset. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/01/20/stories/1060030860 OPINIONS Global warming in 2015 made weather more extreme and it’s likely to get worse. For those still unconvinced about the reality of climate change, the year that just ended should erase any doubt. Climate data from the air, land and water all reveal an indisputable portrait of a warming world. On Wednesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA jointly announced that 2015… https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/weather-in-2015-was-warmer-and-more-extreme-than-ever-and-its-likely-getting-worse/2016/01/20/8d698620-be2b-11e5-9443-7074c3645405_story.html Op-Ed Bill McKibben: How to drive a stake through the heart of zombie fossil fuel. When I was a kid, I was creepily fascinated by the wrongheaded idea that your hair and your fingernails keep growing after you die. The lesson seemed to be that momentum was hard to kill. The same thing is at work right now with the fossil fuel industry. Even as global warming makes it clear that coal, natural gas and oil are yesterday's energy… http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0119-mckibben-how-to-kill-the-zombie-fossil-fuel-industry-20160119-story.html Op-Ed Smug about your solar roof? Not so fast. f you've installed solar panels on your roof and feel aglow with environmental virtue, you may be in for a rude awakening. There's a good chance someone else has purchased your halo and is wearing it right now. In most states (including California), rooftop solar panels earn Renewable Energy Certificates, which quantify how much clean electricity they produce. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0120-borenstein-solar-energy-credits-20160120-story.html Editorial: Brown should focus on water storage, not tunnels and trains. Gov. Jerry Brown has a grand stage and likely has some time to kill in his State of the State address Thursday. We’re here to help. We urge the governor to spend some time talking about a topic that polls show the voters are interested in — drought and how to deal with it. He can use current events as an illustration. http://www.chicoer.com/opinion/20160119/editorial-brown-should-focus-on-water-storage-not-tunnels-and-trains BLOGS How Climate Change Endangers Microbes--and Why That's Not a Good Thing. People worry about the threat to polar bears, not microorganisms, but that's shortsighted. With another year of record-breaking warmth just over, the passage of a new climate treaty is definitely timely. But even if these new diplomatic and legislative efforts are successful the planet is ensured some amount of long-term warming—enough that around 8% of species… http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/how-climate-change-endangers-microbes-and-why-that-s-not-a-good-thing/ Global Warming's Inconvenient Electoral Math. Four years ago, the author and climate activist Bill McKibben published a seminal article in Rolling Stone called "Global Warming's Terrifying New Math," laying out the stark cold numerical case for a carbon tax. To avoid a catastrophic 2 degrees' Celsius increase in global temperatures… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/justin-zorn/global-warmings-inconveni_b_9031060.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.