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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 28, 2016.

Posted: 28 Jan 2016 13:28:41
ARB Newsclips for January 28, 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

Agency will help affordable-housing developers get cap-and-trade
dollars. Sacramento Area Council of Governments staff will help
affordable housing developers work to get their share of
cap-and-trade dollars. That help, approved by SACOG’s board last
week, will come over the next couple months. The first
applications for affordable projects under cap-and-trade are due
to the state by mid-March.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2016/01/26/agency-will-help-affordable-housing-developers.html


ALISO CANYON

Commission probing permanent closure of Aliso Canyon gas field
amid massive leak. The California Public Utilities Commission
wants to know if Southern California Gas Co. can find alternative
storage sites and delivery systems should the Aliso Canyon
natural gas field near Porter Ranch be taken offline in the
future.The California Public Utilities Commission is studying the
effects of…
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-puc-probing-permanent-closure-of-aliso-canyon-gas-field-amid-massive-leak-20160127-story.html


CLIMATE CHANGE

Global Carbon Market Faces Diplomatic Minefield in Oil Slump. 
After 195 nations agreed to develop the first truly global
greenhouse-gas market last month, climate diplomats from China to
Brazil must now haggle over how the program will work against a
backdrop of the cheapest oil in more than a decade. Negotiators
have given themselves less than a year to agree on rules for a
universal market-based emissions-reduction system…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-28/global-carbon-market-faces-diplomatic-minefield-as-crude-slumps


France plans renewed climate diplomacy blitz to protect Paris
deal. “Everything is done but nothing is done,” warns France’s
chief climate diplomat. It is little over a month since Laurence
Tubiana helped engineer agreement on a greenhouse gas slashing
pact between 195 countries in Paris, and she is keen to build on
that success. The top priority is maintaining what she terms
“political momentum”.
http://www.climatechangenews.com/2016/01/27/france-plans-renewed-climate-diplomacy-blitz-protect-paris-deal/


Florida Mayors Tell Marco Rubio to Take Climate Change Seriously.
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio speaks to
guests and supporters during a campaign rally on Jan. 27, 2016 in
West Des Moines, Iowa. 'Ignoring climate science and doubling
down on fossil fuels will only make the climate crisis more rapid
and expensive' 
http://time.com/4197875/marco-rubio-climate-change-florida/ 

New database reveals which companies disclose carbon risks. Last
month's international agreement at COP21 in Paris has lifted the
hopes of sustainable investors that a meaningful transition to a
low-carbon economy may, after many years of disappointment, get
underway. The sheer numbers may be no less staggering — according
to Ceres, more than $1 trillion per year for the next 36 years.
http://www.greenbiz.com/article/new-database-reveals-which-companies-disclose-carbon-risks


Canada delays major pipeline projects to review climate impacts.
Canadian officials yesterday announced a new process for
reviewing the greenhouse gas impacts of major energy projects to
"restore trust in environmental assessment," pushing back the
timeline for decisions on TransCanada Corp.'s Energy East
pipeline and Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain Expansion Project.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2016/01/28/stories/1060031301  

DROUGHT

California's snowpack is deepest in five years after recent
storms. California’s current snowpack is the deepest it has been
in five years -- a modest, yet encouraging milestone in a period
of prolonged drought.  Readings of the Sierra Nevada snowpack on
Tuesday showed water content statewide was 18.7 inches, or 115%
of the historical average for that date, according to the
California Department of Water Resources.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-snowpack-increases-20160127-story.html

‘Modest Dents’ In Long-Term California Drought. The U.S. Drought
Monitor released January 28 partly credits El Niño moisture for
"some modest dents in the armor of the multi-year drought in
California." "Slow and steady recovery continues for parts of the
West this week after another beneficial round of precipitation
brought with it liquid equivalent totals running from 5 to 8
inches or more in some spots in the northern Sierra Nevada and
Cascade Ranges," according to the weekly update.
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2016/01/28/modest-dents-in-long-term-california-drought/


Waterwise: United Way starts campaign for drought relief. The
United Way of Tulare County and the California Resources
Corporation are teaming up to provide mobile laundry services for
East Porterville residents, whose domestic wells have dried up.
The two agencies want to bring some relief to Tulare County
residents affected by the on-going drought.
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/tulare/2016/01/27/waterwise-united-way-starts-campaign-drought-relief/79409392/


All the leaves are brown. Even torrential rain brought by El Niño
may not end California’s drought. STILLNESS pervades the South
Los Angeles Wetland Park. A turtle floats by, undisturbed by
lunch hour at the high school opposite. Tall bulrushes bend
around the pool at the centre of the nine-acre (3.6 hectare)
site. The water comes from the city’s storm drains, cleaned of
oil and rubbish.
http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21689612-even-torrential-rain-brought-el-ni-o-may-not-end-californias-drought-all-leaves-are


FUELS

Don't Count on Coal Bankruptcies to Reduce America's Supply Glut.
Not even bankruptcy is stemming the U.S. coal glut. Production at
coal miners that declared bankruptcy in the past four years rose
3 percent on average, through the third quarter, an analysis of
four companies by Bloomberg Intelligence shows. Mines formerly
owned by James River Coal Co. posted a gain of 31 percent.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-28/don-t-count-on-coal-bankruptcies-to-reduce-america-s-supply-glut


SSE Joins EON to Cut U.K. Natural Gas Bills as Fuel Costs Slump.
SSE Plc became the second of the U.K.’s six biggest utilities to
cut household natural gas prices this year after wholesale costs
plunged to their lowest since 2010. The Perth, Scotland-based
company’s 5.3 percent price reduction, effective from March 29,
will reduce annual energy bills by an average of 32 pounds ($46),
SSE said Wednesday in a statement.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-28/sse-joins-eon-to-cut-u-k-natural-gas-bills-as-fuel-costs-slump


VEHICLES

In coal-powered China, electric car surge fuels fear of worsening
smog. Automakers' latest projections for rapid growth of China's
green car market have added to concerns of worsening smog as the
uptake of electric vehicles powered by coal-fired grids races
ahead of a switch to cleaner energy. Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE)
plans 15 new-energy models over 3-5 years, its China chief told a
green car conference in Beijing on Saturday, predicting - like
the government…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution-autos-idUSKCN0V51BH


How To Best Promote Electric Cars. Following up on the best
things about electric cars, in our 6th article pulled from
Electric Cars: What Early Adopters & First Followers Want — a new
report from CleanTechnica, EV Obsession, and GAS2 — I’m jumping
into what EV drivers and enthusiasts consider to be the best ways
to promote EVs and spread the EV revolution.
https://cleantechnica.com/2016/01/28/how-to-best-promote-electric-cars/


Electric-Car Battery Energy: Why Waste It On Cabin Heating?
(Video). Among the drawbacks of cars that run on battery power is
the energy required to heat their cabins.
As electric-car drivers in less temperate climes know, heating
the cabin to room temperature has an enormous impact on battery
range--conceivably as high as 40 percent.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1102028_electric-car-battery-energy-why-waste-it-on-cabin-heating-video


More Charging Stations Give Electric Cars More Range. Neil
Belmore and his son Matt are on a road trip from Toronto to Palo
Alto, California - 4300 kilometers - driving without stopping for
gas. They're powering up their all-electric Tesla Model S at
charging stations along the way. Not too long ago, electric car
owners couldn't plan a road trip like that. The lack of charging
stations outside of major cities kept them fairly close to home.
http://www.voanews.com/content/electric-cars-range/3165549.html 

All Those Plug-In Hybrid Models? They're For China, More Than The
U.S. Between now and 2020, the three German luxury brands--Audi,
BMW, and Mercedes-Benz-- will collectively add more than a dozen
plug-in hybrid models to their lineups. The goal is to offer a
plug-in hybrid version for almost all of their most popular
vehicles, most with U.S. range ratings of 15 to 25 miles.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1102088_all-those-plug-in-hybrid-models-theyre-for-china-more-than-the-u-s


Electric cars made cleaner by climate rules. Electric vehicles
dominated a new ranking of green cars for the first time
yesterday in part because the Clean Power Plan means the cars
will be plugging into a cleaner grid over the course of their
lifetimes. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
(ACEEE) ranks new models every year based on their life-cycle
emissions.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/01/28/stories/1060031306 

VW RECALL

Volkswagen Begins Recall of Diesel Cars in Europe. Regulators are
forcing VW to fix the vehicles to make them compliant with
existing regulations. Volkswagen AG  began recalling millions of
tainted diesel-powered vehicles in Europe this week, but seems no
closer to a deal with U.S. environmental officials over how to
fix affected cars owned by American consumers.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-begins-recall-of-diesel-cars-in-europe-1453996552


VW Scandal Prompts EU Drive for Greater Enforcement Powers.
European Union regulators sought greater authority over the
approval of car models in response to Volkswagen AG’s
emissions-test deception, risking a clash with EU governments.
The European Commission, the EU’s regulatory arm, asked for the
power to fine automakers up to 30,000 euros ($32,676) per faulty
car…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-27/vw-scandal-prompts-eu-drive-for-greater-enforcement-powers


HIGH SPEED RAIL

Bullet train may take longer to build but cost less than
originally estimated, official says. California's bullet train
could take longer to build than previously estimated and its
ultimate cost is difficult to predict, the head of the high-speed
rail authority told state legislators Wednesday. "It may take us
a little longer than we said to do this," rail authority Chairman
Dan Richard said in testimony to an Assembly transportation
committee. He did not elaborate.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0128-bullet-hearing-20160128-story.html


GREEN ENERGY

Green Energy Boom Helps Chile Contain Surging Power Prices.
Chile’s solar industry is proving a win win. Not only has it cut
emissions of the global warming gas carbon dioxide, but it has
also helped slash some of the highest electricity costs in Latin
America. Those benefits have come at no expense to the
government, which refused to offer any of the subsidies that
drained resources in countries such as Spain and Japan.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-28/green-energy-boom-helps-chile-contain-surging-power-prices


Who Owns the Sun? Warren Buffett controls Nevada’s legacy
utility. Elon Musk is behind the solar company that’s upending
the market. Let the fun begin. Outside the Public Utilities
Commission office, which is on the second floor of a modern,
three-story building about 7 miles from the Strip in Las Vegas, a
chorus of women are shouting to the tune of a Beastie Boys
classic: “We’re gonna fight ... for our right ... to go
soooolar!”
http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-solar-power-buffett-vs-musk/


Senate Begins Debate on Comprehensive Bipartisan Energy Bill. The
Senate on Wednesday started debating its first comprehensive
energy legislation since the George W. Bush administration, a
bipartisan measure meant to update the nation’s power grid and
oil and gas transportation systems to address major changes in
the ways that power is now produced in the United States.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/us/politics/senate-bipartisan-energy-legislation.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0


Vote on new costs for solar owners is 'politically a historic
moment'  California regulators are scheduled to vote Thursday on
new rules for compensating owners of rooftop solar systems, a
decision that will play a key role in shaping the state's future
energy policy. The California Public Utilities Commission is
proposing increased fees on rooftop solar owners but stopping
short of the onerous charges …
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-rooftop-solar-power-20160128-story.html


California Rooftop Solar: State To Make Major Choice On Support
For Green Energy Rules. California, which boasts more than half
of the households with solar panels in the United States, will
decide on Thursday whether to stick with a policy that has
allowed rooftop systems producing electricity to flourish or to
implement reforms that would make it more expensive to go solar.
http://www.ibtimes.com/california-rooftop-solar-state-make-major-choice-support-green-energy-rules-2283971


Rooftop advocates take to the ballot in Nev. Sparring over
net-metering payments for rooftop solar systems is continuing in
the West, with solar companies forming a political action
committee this week aimed at overturning a recent Nevada
decision. The No Solar Tax PAC filed papers Monday with the
Nevada Secretary of State, along with a ballot initiative that
would overturn a December decision by the state Public Utilities…
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2016/01/28/stories/1060031299 

Clean energy investors minding the ($5T) gap. The Paris climate
agreement has pushed more investors toward clean energy, but
they're still on track to come up $5 trillion short, new research
says. To hold global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius, as
nearly 200 nations vowed to do in the U.N. agreement struck last
year in the French capital, the world needs to invest $12.1
trillion in the power sector…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/01/28/stories/1060031309 

U.S. wind industry touts major 2015 gains, says more to come. The
U.S. wind energy sector notched its second-largest quarterly
growth in history during the last three months of 2015, according
to figures released yesterday by the American Wind Energy
Association. The industry saw 5,001 megawatts of new capacity
come online during the fourth quarter.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/01/28/stories/1060031305 

Renewable tax credits a 'game changer' for climate rule
compliance. Congress' decision to extend tax credits for
renewable energy could fundamentally shift America's energy mix
away from natural gas and toward wind and solar at the advent of
the Clean Power Plan, a new report predicts. Congress in December
agreed to extend the production tax credit (PTC) for wind and the
investment tax credit (ITC)…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/01/28/stories/1060031308

MISCELLANEOUS

UN panel proposes ban on air shipments of batteries. A U.N. panel
recommended Wednesday that cargo shipments of rechargeable
lithium batteries be banned from passenger airliners because the
batteries can create fires capable of destroying planes, said
aviation officials familiar with the decision. The International
Civilian Aviation Organization’s air navigation commission, the
agency’s highest technical body, also proposed…
http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/world/article56981503.html#storylink=cpy


OPINIONS

Going down wrong road on gas taxes. State and local officials are
putting the pedal to the metal in their quest for more road
funding. As every driver feels in his or her jolted bones,
potholes certainly are getting bigger and more numerous and the
shock-absorber replacement bills are getting higher. In his Jan.
21 State of the State address, Gov. Jerry Brown said the state
needed $77 billion in infrastructure maintenance paid for with
“new fees and taxes.”
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/state-361836-ocprint-road-gas.html


Letter: PG&E wants to charge us to charge electric vehicles. PG&E
wants to charge us to charge electric vehicles. On Feb. 9, 2015,
PG&E submitted “an application for approval” to the California
Public Utilities Commission for a rate increase that will end up
costing PG&E users $654 million “to provide convenient access to
electric vehicle charging stations.”
http://www.chicoer.com/opinion/20160127/letter-pge-wants-to-charge-us-to-charge-electric-vehicles


One View: Clean Air Act will also address inequality, health
justice.  As Nevadans debate how best to meet the new goals for
reducing pollution from power plants under the Clean Air Act,
they will also, unbeknownst to them, be discussing economic
inequality, health justice and an opportunity to make great
strides in both areas.
http://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/voices/2016/01/27/one-view-clean-air-act-also-address-inequality-health-justice/79422300/


City official: Don’t worsen Detroit air quality. Tonight
(Thursday), the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will
hold a public hearing on two ‘Permit to Install’ requests by the
Marathon Petroleum Refinery operating in southwest Detroit.
Marathon is asking to increase its emissions of harmful
pollutants that cause asthma, lung cancer and heart disease in a
city wracked by some of the highest rates of all three in the
country.
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2016/01/27/marathon-oil-permits-ed/79432160/


BLOGS

With Global Warming the World Will Be a Much Poorer Place. A
recent article in the Londonist caught my attention: "In
pictures, is this what the future of London looks like?"
It's London but not as we know it. These artist's impressions of
future Londons are the winners of a competition launched by
estate agent Cluttons and Estate Gazette. Will the metropolis of
tomorrow be a land of aquacities, sky gardens and huge
alien-looking domes?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-farago/with-global-warming-the-w_b_9098120.html


Funding Wind and Solar Energy Is Inefficient. We constantly hear
how solar and wind energy is already cheaper than fossil fuels. A
few months ago, Bloomberg Business declared that "wind power is
now the cheapest electricity to produce in both Germany and the
U.K., even without government subsidies." If renewable energy is
cheaper than dirty fossil fuels…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bjorn-lomborg/are-wind-and-solar-energy_b_9087586.html?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green


A Vermont Writer On Black Soot, Wood Stoves And Climate Change.
When we hear about climate change in the media, the message tends
to be of the gloom and doom variety. But there’s a message of
hope to be found in a recent book about, of all things, soot. In
Fire & Ice: Soot, Solidarity and Survival on the Roof of the
World, part-time Lincoln resident Jonathan Mingle writes that
there are things we can all do to help ameliorate the effects of
climate change.
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-writer-black-soot-wood-stoves-and-climate-change




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

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