Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2014 12:06:11 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 2, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 2, 2014. 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 Value of global CO2 markets drops 38 pct in 2013. Jan 2 (Reuters) - The value of global carbon markets dropped 38 percent to 38.4 billion euros ($52.9 billion) in 2013, as prices slid in the main EU and U.N. schemes and trade limited in new programmes, analysts at Thomson Reuters Point Carbon said on Thursday. The value of carbon permits and credits traded was down from 62 billion euros in 2012 and 96 billion euros in 2011, a two-year period in which benchmark EU carbon permit prices fell to 5 euros per tonne from 18 euros, the analysts said in a report. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/02/co2-market-global-idUSL6N0KC1UY20140102 The world watches as California focuses on cap and trade. It was an important year for California’s ambitious efforts to limit greenhouse gases, one in which the buying and trading of pollution credits brought in big money but left lingering questions about how the money should be spent. This marked the first full year of the state’s cap and trade program, the combination of a gradually lowering carbon emissions cap combined with a clean-up-or-pay-up option for the industries affected. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/article/20140101/NEWS10/301010029/The-world-watches-California-focuses-cap-trade AIR POLLUTION Utah's sickening smog worsens. Northern Utah remains under a week-long health alert from air pollution trapped inside mountain valleys. Authorities say no relief is in sight after pollution levels spiked Monday. New Year's Day opened with as many as 73 micrograms of fine soot per cubic meter in Weber County. That's nearly three times the federal standard, according to air monitors maintained by the Utah Division of Air Quality. Pockets of air pollution can be found across western states. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says) Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Las Vegas and central California are suffering from the country's worst air. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Utah-s-sickening-smog-worsens-5106667.php Residential No-Burn Area Includes Pass Residents Below 3,000 Feet. Residents living below 3,000 feet in the San Gorgonio Pass are not permitted to burn wood in their fireplaces today, New Year's Eve, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The residential no-burn alert was issued because of elevated fine particulate levels predicted by district forecasters. Posted. http://banning-beaumont.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/residential-noburn-area-does-not-include-the-coachella-valley Regional burn ban extends to Thursday. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has extended its winter Spare the Air alert for a 25th day to Thursday, asking that most of the region’s 1.4 million wood-burning fireplaces and stoves remain unlit. The alert bans the burning of wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel both indoors and outdoors for 24 hours in Napa and eight other counties, with the exception of homes where a wood-burning stove is the only permanent heating source. High pressure over the region has continued to allow air pollution to build up to unhealthy levels on New Year’s Day, the district said in a news release. Posted. http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/regional-burn-ban-extends-to-thursday/article_2f33e4ba-7332-11e3-9143-0019bb2963f4.html CLIMATE CHANGE Stationary Sources of Greenhouse Gases. This spring, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether the Clean Air Act is flexible enough to allow the U.S. EPA to regulate greenhouse gases from stationary sources, such as industrial facilities. But it has refused to hear an appeal of the D.C. Circuit's ruling that greenhouse gases, by contributing to climate change, present a danger to the environment. Will the Court now allow the EPA to control greenhouse gases that come from stationary sources? On October 15, the Court agreed to hear Texas v. EPA, No. 12-1269, one of six consolidated appeals from the D.C. Circuit's decision in Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA. That decision upheld EPA's endangerment finding for greenhouse gases and its rules for emissions from mobile sources (cars and trucks) and stationary sources (industrial facilities). Posted. http://eponline.com/articles/2014/01/01/stationary-sources-of-greenhouse-gases.aspx Behind the Scenes, Kerry Makes a Pact on Climate a Priority. As a young naval officer in Vietnam, John Kerry commanded a Swift boat up the dangerous rivers of the Mekong Delta. But when he returned there last month as secretary of state for the first time since 1969, he spoke not of past firefights but of climate change. “Decades ago, on these very waters, I was one of many who witnessed the difficult period in our shared history,” Mr. Kerry told students gathered on the banks of the Cai Nuoc River. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/03/world/asia/kerry-shifts-state-department-focus-to-environment.html?hpw&rref=us HIGH SPEED RAIL Calif. bullet train in limbo after legal setbacks. Officials overseeing California's $68 billion high-speed rail project have taken pains in recent weeks to assure the public that construction plans are moving ahead, characterizing a series of recent setbacks as "a bump in the road." That optimism comes despite recent court rulings against the project, creating confusion about the bullet train's prospects. A Sacramento County judge invalidated the rail authority's business plan, forced it to show how it will pay for the first 300 miles of construction and rejected a request from the authority that would allow the state treasurer to sell $8.6 billion in bonds. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/02/calif-bullet-train-in-limbo-after-legal-setbacks/ http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/02/3115310/calif-bullet-train-in-limbo-after.html Related Links: http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/02/3694275/calif-bullet-train-in-limbo-after.html http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_24832660/calif-bullet-train-limbo-after-legal-setbacks?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com www.insidebayarea.com/ci_24832660/calif-bullet-train-limbo-after-legal-setbacks?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com DIESEL EMISSIONS Truck pollution deadline extended. Truckers will have more time to comply with major new pollution rules, but they must prove by the end of this month that they're making a good-faith effort to do so. Wednesday was originally the deadline for many truckers - including thousands in the San Joaquin Valley - to begin upgrading their rigs to emit less harmful diesel pollution. Officials have expressed concern, however, for the smallest fleets, including businesses comprising just one, two or three trucks. Owners typically lack the financial backing of a large company to pay for new filters that could cost anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140102/A_NEWS/401020317 ARB: Deadline to register refrigeration systems is March 1. Owners and operators of facilities with non-residential refrigeration systems must register their systems with the California Air Resources Board by March 1. The deadline applies to refrigeration systems using high global-warming-potential refrigerants that have a full charge of at least 200 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds. These are designated as “medium-sized” systems under a California state regulation to minimize leaks of environmentally harmful refrigerants. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/31/6038658/arb-deadline-to-register-refrigeration.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES Ford to unveil solar hybrid concept car at CES. Ford plans to unveil at this month's International CES gadget show a solar-powered concept car that offers the same performance as a plug-in hybrid but without the need for a plug. The C-MAX Solar Energi Concept car uses a gasoline engine combined with a gizmo that acts like a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun's rays on the vehicle's roof-mounted solar panels. The automaker says the vehicle's estimated combined city-highway mileage is 100 mpg. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/01/ford-to-unveil-solar-hybrid-concept-car-at-ces/ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-02/ford-adds-solar-cells-to-recharge-electric-concept-car.html Electric cars may hold solution for power storage. The thick blue cables and white boxes alongside an industrial garage here look like those in any electric-car charging station. But they work in a way that could upend the relationship Americans have with energy. The retrofitted Mini Coopers and other vehicles plugged into sockets where a Chrysler plant once stood do more than suck energy out of the multi-state electricity grid. They also send power back into it. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-electric-cars-20131229,0,5640652.story#axzz2pEPyz2jO GREEN ENERGY Greek Wind-Powered Electricity Capacity Grew 6.6 Percent in 2013. Installed wind-powered electricity capacity in Greece rose to 1,864.6 megawatts at the end of 2013 from 1,749.4 MW a year earlier, the Hellenic Wind Energy Association said. Installed capacity rose by 71.15 MW in the second half of 2013 compared with an increase of 44.05 MW in the first half and 10.35 MW in the second half of 2012, showing investment recovery amid adverse economic conditions, the Athens-based association said today in an e-mailed statement. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-02/greek-wind-powered-electricity-capacity-grew-6-6-percent-in-2013.html Bay Area Bike Share shifts into expansion mode. Three months after it pedaled to a long-awaited start, the regional Bay Area Bike Share program is on a roll and planners are already working to make it bigger. People took more than 80,000 rides in the system's first three months, traveling more than 178,000 miles on the bike sharing system's 700 sturdy bicycles, which are scattered among five cities: San Francisco, Redwood City, Palo Alto, Mountain View and San Jose. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Area-Bike-Share-shifts-into-expansion-mode-5107275.php MISCELLANEOUS Karen Bright remains Grover Beach's air board representative. Grover Beach Councilwoman Karen Bright remains the city’s representative on San Luis Obispo County’s air board, despite efforts by a group of off-road vehicle enthusiasts to reseat the city’s mayor in the position. The Grover Beach City Council didn’t give direction to change committee assignments during a special meeting Monday, leaving Bright on the Air Pollution Control District board and Mayor Debbie Peterson as the alternate. Posted. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/12/31/2857305/grover-beach-city-council-air.html Cleaning the Mobile Germ Warehouse. Take a look at your mobile device. Do you see oily fingerprints and lint on the touch screen? Dust and crumbs forming particulate frost in the corners? Is that a hair stuck at the screen’s edge? Because our electronics are constantly within our grubby grasp, they can get pretty gross. They are taken into public restrooms, handed to runny-nosed toddlers, passed around to share photos and pressed against sweaty skin in gyms. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/02/technology/personaltech/cleaning-the-mobile-germ-warehouse.html?ref=science&_r=0 BLOGS Automakers rushing to new HVAC refrigerant for EPA fuel economy credits. We don't have any new supercars to show you today. No new Teslas or SUVs. No new engines or technologies. No mergers, acquisitions or big hires. What we have to tell you about is the coolant automakers are putting into their vehicles. Which may not sound so exciting, but it could mean a big difference for automakers – and for the environment. That coolant is called 1234yf. It has a higher cost than the R134a commonly used in most vehicles, yet government regulators and automakers are scrambling to adopt it. Why? Because it is more environmentally friendly, and the EPA is offering automakers valuable credits which can help them shore up against tightening efficiency standards. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/02/1234yf-coolant-refrigerant-epa-credit-report/ Plug In America predicts good EV sales in 2014 and beyond. No one here is surprised that Plug In America is confident in the future of plug-in vehicles. This is a group that has fought for years to increase their numbers in the US and was able to celebrate, finally, the sale of the 100,000th EV (a Mitsubishi i-MiEV) here earlier this year. In other words, PIA has reason to see the upside. In a fundraising email, Richard Kelly, president of Plug In America, took stock of what the group accomplished in 2013, including the third National Plug In Day (NPID, pictured), and he said the year was a "pivotal" one for plug-in vehicles. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2013/12/31/plug-in-america-predicts-good-ev-sales-in-2014-and-beyond/ 5 Things to Watch: China’s Energy and Environmental Policy. An overhaul of China’s energy and environmental policies will be in focus next year as the country struggles to balance economic growth with protecting the environment. In November, China’s central government said in its landmark reform plan that it would allow markets to take a more “decisive role” in the economy, a signal that the era of cheap, tightly controlled energy prices might be over. Here are some major energy and environmental-policy reforms to look out for in 2014. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/five-things/2013/12/31/5-things-to-watch-chinas-energy-and-environmental-policy/ Some New Year's relief from California's anti-pollution Big Brother. Some Happy New Year sentiments from the California Air Resources Board. For once, the bureaucrats and desk occupiers are actually listening to the industry. The shorepower at-berth regulations are allowing some leeway (“good faith” in CARB terms) for vessels and operators unable to comply with the rules, which come into force from January 1, through no fault of their own. "The overall goal of this action is to recognize good faith compliance efforts while ensuring that emissions reductions required by the Regulation are achieved in a timely manner to provide critical public health benefits for communities near ports." Posted. http://www.maritimeprofessional.com/Blogs/Martin-Rushmere/December-2013/Some-New-Year-s-relief-from--California-s-anti-pol.aspx California Releases Vehicle-Grid Roadmap. Building better batteries isn’t the only way that the cost of a plug-in-electric vehicle can be lowered. Finding more uses for the batteries that are already in the vehicles is another way to lower costs. California just released a plan that explores one way to do that. The “Vehicle-Grid Integration Roadmap” is a blueprint for allowing electric vehicles to store energy for the grid and sell it back when that electricity is needed. Of course, the main driver behind the Roadmap is to allow California’s electricity network to handle the plug-in electric portion of the 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles that will be on the road in California by 2025 if the state’s target is realized. Its purpose is to “lead to EV charging behavior that is beneficial or at least not adverse to grid reliability,” says the Roadmap. Posted. http://www.plugincars.com/california-releases-vehicle-grid-roadmap-129173.html California’s Pioneering Spirit Endures under Cap and Trade. California’s state motto is “Eureka,” (Greek for “I found it”) referring to the discovery of California gold in 1848. Shortly thereafter, the Golden State quickly became the land of opportunity, spurring new technologies and catapulting California to the forefront of global innovation. While California may no longer be flush with gold, it remains a leader in emerging industries, innovation, and technology. In 2013, it stayed true to its pioneering spirit with the successful launch of the state’s ambitious cap-and-trade program, which is now attracting international interest. Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/californiadream/2014/01/02/californias-pioneering-spirit-endures-under-cap-and-trade/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2014 11:36:05 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for January 3, 2013 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 3, 2014. 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 Quebec-California partnership blazes trail for carbon trading. The province of Quebec formally linked its cap-and-trade system with California’s market on Thursday, as the two jurisdictions plow ahead with ambitious plans to put an escalating price on carbon in order to reduce emissions. Quebec and California are the only members moving forward with cap-and-trade programs in what was once a promising alliance of 11 states and provinces comprising the Western Climate Initiative that envisaged a North American market for carbon trading. Posted. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/quebec-and-california-press-ahead-with-carbon-trading-plan/article16176708/ AIR POLLUTION Lingering Dry Weather Prompts Another Spare The Air Day Friday. The Bay Area is experiencing a winter with some of the worst air quality in years as a fourth consecutive “Winter Spare the Air” day was announced for Friday. Friday will be the 26th day this season that an alert has been issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which is banning wood burning in the region because of poor air quality. A dry, stagnant weather pattern with little wind continues to linger in the Bay Area and does not appear to be leaving any time soon, air district officials said. Posted. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/01/03/lingering-dry-weather-prompts-another-spare-the-air-day-friday/ Bay Area Experiencing Worst Air Quality Since 2006. The Bay Area is experiencing a winter with some of the worst air quality in years as a fourth consecutive “Winter Spare the Air” day was announced for Friday. Friday will be the 26th day this season that an alert has been issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which is banning wood burning in the region because of poor air quality. A dry, stagnant weather pattern with little wind continues to linger in the Bay Area and does not appear to be leaving any time soon, air district officials said. Posted. http://sfappeal.com/2014/01/bay-area-experiencing-worst-air-quality-since-2006/ EPA moves to regulate new wood stoves. The Environmental Protection Agency moved Friday to curb emissions of particles and other pollutants from residential wood stoves and other wood-fired appliances built after 2015 in an effort to curb a form of pollution that can present a significant health problem in parts of the country. The proposed new rules would require manufacturers of wood stoves, wood pellet stoves, forced-air wood furnaces, hydronic heaters and masonry heaters to build a generation of appliances that burn 80 percent more cleanly than current models. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/epa-moves-to-regulate-new-wood-stoves/2014/01/03/b08cb232-7484-11e3-8b3f-b1666705ca3b_story.html Air district offering money for clean fireplaces. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is accepting applications for its Burn Clean Program in an effort to encourage more clean burning fireplaces. As part of the program, Valley residents can get incentive money when they replace their old wood or pellet burning device with new, cleaner hearth options such as a natural gas insert or an EPA Phase II certified wood insert. Incentives are limited to $500 for the purchase of a freestanding natural gas stove or insert, $250 for a certified pellet stove or insert and $100 for a certified wood stove or insert. Posted. http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/energy-and-environment/10208-air-district-offering-money-for-clean-fireplaces Wood smoke is a health concern. With the arrival of cooler temperatures, the American Lung Association in California is urging the public to avoid using wood-burning heating devices in favor of cleaner burning alternatives such as electric, natural gas, propane and pellet stoves. Burning wood emits harmful toxins and fine particles into the air that can worsen asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. “Breathing particle pollution or soot can shorten life and send those most at risk to the emergency room,” said Dr. Kari Nadeau, a researcher and volunteer physician for the ALA in California. Posted. http://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/news/2014-01-03/Health_%28and%29_Wellness/Wood_smoke_is_a_health_concern.html FUELS Firms investing to fuel demand for natural gas vehicles. Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens thinks his long bet on natural gas is finally paying off. The legendary oilman has long declared it his mission to wean America off its addiction to foreign oil. He co-founded an Orange County company that builds natural gas stations around the country and sank billions into wind turbines. Pickens' gambles have not always paid off. He lost an estimated $150 million of his personal fortune in wind farming, and admits that he was a couple of decades early into natural gas. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-natural-gas-stations-20140103,0,5424680.story#axzz2pMUK2kaa BLOGS With a bit of luck, the U.S. could actually hit its 2020 climate change goals. This week, the U.S. State Department released its 2014 Climate Action Report, explaining how the Obama administration plans to meet its official goal of cutting U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. That's considered a first step toward building a new international treaty to address global warming. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/03/with-a-bit-of-luck-the-u-s-could-actually-hit-its-2020-climate-change-goals/ As Battery Cost Falls, Fast-Charging Becomes Key Electric-Car Issue. It's a given that the costs of batteries for electric cars will fall in the coming years. The industry hotly debates how much and how fast--after interviewing numerous auto and battery engineers, our figure is around 7 percent a year--but by 2020 or so, costs may be as low as half what they were in 2011 when the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt launched. The large-volume makers--BMW, GM, Nissan, and Tesla today--will benefit most from these economies of scale, but even lower-volume and compliance-car makers will find their costs falling. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1089401_as-battery-cost-falls-fast-charging-becomes-key-electric-car-issue Cloud shortage will push temperatures higher as climate warms. Climate scientists have looked to the heavens for help with their latest decades-long weather forecast. Their conclusion? “Oh, my god.” Science has long struggled to forecast how global temperatures will be affected by a doubling of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere compared with pre-industrial times, which looks likely to occur this century. Recent consensus suggests that temperatures will rise by between 1.5 and 5 degrees Celsius (2.7 to 5.4 F). With a rise in CO2 levels to 400 parts per million, up from 280 in the 19th Century, the world has warmed by nearly 1 C so far. Posted. http://grist.org/news/cloud-shortage-will-push-temperatures-higher-as-climate-warms/ Honda Accord Hybrid: A Long, Strange Trip It Can Be. VISUALIZE 50 MILES, any 50 overland miles: Los Angeles to Irvine, Rochester to Seneca Falls, from somewhere in the Carolina lowlands to nowhere in particular, all stud pines and little houses. Fifty miles. You wouldn't want to walk it. Now turn, with gratitude, to a gallon of gasoline. Go ahead, pick it up. It weighs just 6 pounds, fills a container about the size of a shoebox, yet it represents about 114,000 BTUs of potential heat energy, depending on the seasonal blend at the pump. Anybody who has spent time around cars has marveled at the disproportion of it. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303870704579296424164040790?KEYWORDS=green+energy ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2014 14:02:45 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 6, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 6, 2014. 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 Jerry Brown wants to use pollution funds for bullet train. Gov. Jerry Brown will ask state lawmakers to use funds raised from the sale of pollution credits to help pay for the state's beleaguered high-speed rail program, according to sources familiar with the proposal who were not authorized to speak publicly about the plan. Under its "cap-and-trade" credit system, the state has generated millions from polluters who pay for the right to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-jerry-brown-budget-highspeed-rail-cap-and-trade-20140105,0,6294114.story#ixzz2pe4DV4nu Capitol Alert: Jerry Brown eyes cap-and-trade money for high-speed rail. Jerry Brown plans to propose spending millions of dollars in fees paid by carbon producers to aid the state's controversial high-speed rail project, sources said. The proposal - and the prospect of additional funding from the state's cap-and-trade program in future years - could provide a significant lift to a $68 billion rail project beleaguered by uncertainty about long-term financing. Brown plans to propose allocating several hundred million dollars this year. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/05/6048394/capitol-alert-jerry-brown-eyes.html#storylink=cpy Quebec, Calif. team up on cap and trade. The Canadian province of Quebec on Thursday officially linked its cap-and-trade system with California's marketplace, in an effort to place a rising price on carbon to curb emissions. Quebec-based companies can now buy credits from California to meet Quebec's targets for emission cuts. California companies can use Quebec's carbon market as well. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/01/06/stories/1059992398 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION New wood stoves may soon have to meet tougher EPA standards. Starting later this decade, new wood stoves sold in Wisconsin may have to meet tougher air pollution requirements. The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing that new residential wood stoves and heaters emit about 80 percent less air pollution. The new rule would cover devices built in 2015 and later, but some manufacturers would have five years to adapt emission controls to particular models. Posted. http://www.haywardwi.com/news/regional/article_ceecff70-76e1-11e3-aaa5-001a4bcf887a.html Unhealthy air quality affects some Valley sporting events. Unhealthy air is taking a toll on many Central Valley residents and putting some sporting events on hold. Clovis West was hosting a club swim meet Saturday when it t was cut short by bad air quality. Friday the air quality cancelled a high school soccer game. And according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Sunday is expected to be another unhealthy air quality day. Clovis West Athletic Director Matt Loggins said the morning started off with more than 300 swimmers at the pool. Posted. http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=9382016 CLIMATE CHANGE California's dry year is a chance to rethink water use. It's a fact of life in California that we have dry spells and wet years, and living in this Mediterranean climate means figuring out how to adapt when we don't get wet weather. Typically, our state makes progress on evolving water management only in dry years, and thus 2014 promises to be a banner year for innovation. Snowpack, nature's water storage system that we rely on, so far this year is 20 percent of average, according to Friday's statewide survey. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-s-dry-year-is-a-chance-to-rethink-5115990.php FUELS U.S. EPA unlikely to step up fracking enforcement efforts for now –analysts. Federal regulators are unlikely to step up enforcement of potential water contamination cases linked to natural gas drilling - despite new concerns about water safety - given a lack of political will and limited resources to pursue such cases, analysts said. A report quietly made public on Christmas Eve by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's internal watchdog brought back into the spotlight concerns about the effects on water quality from the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/01/05/usa-energy-fracking-idINL2N0KC0T320140105 VEHICLES Electric race car makes debut on Las Vegas Strip. A new electric race car is set to get the star treatment on the Las Vegas Strip. Organizers of the FIA Formula E Championship, the first series exclusively for electric cars, are giving racing aficionados their first chance to see a fully-electric car in action. Brazilian driver Lucas di Grassi is expected to show off the capabilities of the Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E car during a test drive at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino Monday. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Electric-race-car-makes-debut-on-Las-Vegas-Strip-5118092.php San Diego leads US in electric vehicles per capita. San Diego is one of the biggest markets in the nation for electric cars, and the latest models were on display Friday at the San Diego International Auto Show. One area of the auto show is the Eco Center, where visitors can learn more about ways to save money while helping to save the environment. Electric vehicles come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Posted. http://www.10news.com/news/san-diego-leads-us-in-electric-vehicles-per-capita-010314 Researchers call for major change in US policies supporting plug-ins; failure of “mainstream consumer bias”. Although sales of plug-in vehicles (plug-in hybrid-electric and battery-electric vehicles, collectively PEVs) in the US climbed more than 80% in 2013 to more than 96,000 units (Tesla has not yet released its final figures) from 52,835 units in 2012 EDTA), the 2013 results still reflect a meagre new light-duty vehicle market share of ~0.6% for PEVs. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/20140106-green.html Ford introduces solar-powered concept car. This week, Ford Motor Co. will officially unveil the Ford C-MAX Solar Energi, a first-of-its-kind concept car that could turn sunlight into a viable transportation fuel without ever drawing from the grid. Like the conventional C-MAX Energi it's modeled on, the Solar Energi has a plug-in hybrid gasoline platform with a total range of 620 miles, 21 of which are purely electric. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992419/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Spain’s Solar Pullback Threatens Pocketbooks. Six years ago, Justo Cruz Rodríguez, who runs a small business here designing signs, was looking for a way to generate a steady, if modest, pension for himself and his father. So when the government passed a law offering attractive rates for solar energy — and guaranteed them for the next 25 years — he mortgaged his house, his father’s house and even his workshop to install half a dozen rows of solar panels in his father’s garden, with the idea of selling his excess electricity. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/06/world/europe/spains-solar-pullback-threatens-pocketbooks.html?ref=earth&_r=0 OPINION Editorial: It's a cloudy forecast for our climate change. Just how much will the Earth heat up over the next 100 or 200 years? Climate scientists are not able to predict with high certainty. They have estimated that average global temperatures will increase by 1.5 to 4.5 degrees Celsius — 2.7 to 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit — given a doubling of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_24852967/editorial-its-cloudy-forecast-our-climate-change http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_24852967/editorial-its-cloudy-forecast-our-climate-change?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_24852967/editorial-its-cloudy-forecast-our-climate-change?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com Opinion: Just who is monitoring those who monitor the air quality? Of course it's great that we no longer have the smog of the 1970s and we never will return to those days, but how clean is "good enough"? With beautiful blue skies (not trapped by fog or bitter-cold misty days), the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has again issued its Spare the Air alerts, complete with criminal threats if any citizens even dare to have an old-fashioned Christmas…Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/endorsements/ci_24835899/just-who-is-monitoring-those-who-monitor-air Air-pollution solution could be as easy as funding woodsheds. Winter’s not messing around this year, and with the heating season off to a frigid start, here’s a multiple-choice question about wood heat and air pollution. What’s the best way to cut the smoke and lung-damaging particles coming from dirty-burning wood stoves? A. Force stove makers to produce super-clean machines, even if it adds hundreds of dollars to the price. Posted. http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/Air-pollution_solution_could_be_as_easy_as_funding_woodsheds_.html Moving California's green economy into the fast lane. Did you know that the state's 25 million passenger vehicles produce nearly 40 percent of the state's greenhouse gas emissions? These figures convinced me that if we are going to meet the state's clean air and emissions reduction goals by the 2050 deadline, we need to take a hard look at how we can convert these vehicles to zero- or near zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/vehicles-595873-zevs-california.html BLOGS In One Image: Cold Snaps In Global Context. There is likely to be a decline in the frequency of cold air outbreaks (i.e., periods of extreme cold lasting from several days to over a week) in pNorthern Hemisphere] winter in most areas. Exceptions could occur in areas with the smallest reductions of extreme cold in western North America, the North Atlantic and southern Europe and Asia due to atmospheric circulation changes. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/06/in-one-image-cold-snaps-in-global-context/?ref=earth Evatran, Bosch will sell wireless home charger for as low as $1,998*. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas today, the big news for plug in vehicles is that they can now start to ditch the plug. As expected, the system costs around $3,000 and is available for both the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt. For the first 250 customers, though, Evatran is offering $1,000 off the standard price, a 30 percent discount. Deliveries start next month and Evatran says it expects the discounted units to all be snatched up in the first half of the year. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/06/evatran-bosch-sell-wireless-home-charger-2000/ URB-e foldable trike is 'world's most compact electric vehicle'. How small can you go? We haven't measured all of the electric vehicles on the planet, but we suspect the claim by Urban Mobility that its Urb-e foldable electric ... um, seat? ... is the "world's most compact e-vehicle" is at least close to accurate. We haven't seen many other EVs that look like we could fit them into a big backpack. The idea behind the Urb-e is to make it ridiculously easy to use batteries and wheels to help you get to work (and your gorilla/human lunch date, according to the video below). Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/04/urb-e-foldable-trike-is-worlds-most-compact-electric-vehicle/ How global warming works, in 35 words, or 52 seconds. Earth transforms sunlight's visible light energy into infrared light energy, which leaves Earth slowly because it is absorbed by greenhouse gases. When people produce greenhouse gases, energy leaves Earth even more slowly – raising Earth's temperature. And that, in an ultra-brief nutshell, is how global warming works. This 35-word description can be a powerful tool in helping people understand the science behind global warming and climate change…Posted. http://phys.org/news/2014-01-global-words-seconds.html Carbon trading is booming in North America, no thanks to U.S. or Canadian governments. In most of the carbon-trading world, it has been getting cheaper in recent years to buy the rights to pollute the atmosphere with climate-changing carbon dioxide. That’s largely because recession-afflicted Europe is awash with too many carbon allowances for its trading scheme to have any real bite, and because demand for U.N.-issued allowances has crashed along with hopes of a meaningful international climate agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol Posted. http://grist.org/news/carbon-trading-is-booming-in-north-america-no-thanks-to-u-s-or-canadian-governments/ How global warming can make cold snaps even worse. The cold air pushing toward America’s heartland is of a duration and magnitude rarely seen since record-keeping began in the 1870s. In Minneapolis, forecasters warned that all-time wind chill records could be broken, with a stunning -65ºF predicted for Monday morning. As the record-setting cold spreads across the US, brace yourself for this conversation: Your friend: “Sure is cold outside, amirite? Minneapolis is as cold as Mars right now. Posted. http://qz.com/163636/how-global-warming-can-make-cold-snaps-even-worse/#163636/how-global-warming-can-make-cold-snaps-even-worse/ The quiet failure of climate denial in 2013. The latest IPCC report proves that scientists are unwavering in their view that human carbon emissions are causing dangerous climate change. In the scientific world, climate denial has no traction. It isn’t gaining traction in the judicial or congressional worlds either. First, the judiciary. A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit, headed by a conservative judge, brushed aside objections to EPA’s finding that carbon emissions endanger human health and welfare. Posted. http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2014/01/06/the-quiet-failure-of-climate-denial-in-2013/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2014 14:35:45 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 7, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 7, 2014. 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 Heavy China Smog Prompts Warnings Against Outdoor Activity. China’s government warned people in north and central parts of the country to stay indoors today as heavy smog blanketed the region. The level of PM2.5, fine air particulates that pose the greatest health risk, was as much as 287 micrograms per cubic meter at 4 p.m. in Shijiazhuang in the northern province of Hebei…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-07/heavy-north-china-smog-prompts-warnings-against-outdoor-activity.html The Future of Coal: New Pollution Rules Choke Old Power Plants. The world was riveted in October by eerie photos of Harbin, an industrial city in northeastern China that was smothered by thick smog from burning coal. The U.S. had its own encounters with choking pollution several decades ago. Though nearly forgotten today, the incidents sparked the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and federal regulations that have reshaped the electricity industry—then and now the country's largest industrial source of air pollution. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303330204579248771284421960 BY SUBSCRIPTION Flu season made worse by air pollution. Doctors say flu season is here and it's quickly spreading west to California. There are now three more confirmed deaths in the state, linked to the flu. Those deaths were just reported in Stanislaus County. There's no word on any major incidents closer to the central San Joaquin Valley. Flu season alone can be bad news and the valley's stagnant pollution-filled air appears to be making it worse. Posted. http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/health/health_watch&id=9378713 CLIMATE CHANGE Warring Dogmas Block Climate-Change Progress. National debates over environmental issues are sometimes derailed by two kinds of extremists: eco-doomsayers and techno-optimists. The two positions are best captured in the most dramatic bet in social science. It is useful to recall the tale, recently cataloged by Yale University historian Paul Sabin, because the legacy of the bet is with us today, above all in the domain of climate change. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-07/warring-dogmas-block-climate-change-progress.html Still Stuck in a Climate Argument. When a ship carrying scientists and adventure tourists became stuck in ice in the Antarctic late last month, climate change skeptics had a field day. On Twitter and other social media sites, they pointed out that a group whose journey was meant to highlight the effects of global warming was trapped by a substance that was supposed to be melting. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/science/earth/still-stuck-in-a-climate-argument.html Funding for bullet train draws controversy. There are still a few days to go until Gov. Jerry Brown unveils his new budget proposal, but one of his ideas is already stirring controversy. The governor wants to use cap-and-trade revenue to bolster the state's high-speed rail project, which has run into legal and financial trouble. The money could help keep construction going while bond funding is held up by a lawsuit. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-jerry-brown-new-budget-20140106,0,5134884.story#axzz2pjMXNHpW Jerry Brown seeking $250 million to boost bullet train. Gov. Jerry Brown wants to use $250 million in cap-and-trade revenue to help fund California’s troubled bullet train, according to Capitol officials. The money is a small fraction of the project’s total $68.4-billion cost, but it could bolster the effort to begin construction at a time when other sources of state and federal money are facing legal challenges. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-jerry-brown-eyes-250-million-to-boost-bullet-train-20140106,0,197912.story?track=rss#axzz2pjMXNHpW Climate change research getting stuck in the ice. A funny thing happened during Australian climate change Professor Chris Turney's venture to retrace a 1912 research expedition in Antarctica and gauge how climate change has affected the continent: Two weeks into a five-week excursion, Turney's good ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy got trapped in ice. It turns out, global warming notwithstanding…Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140107/A_OPINION0619/401070318&cid=sitesearch How frigid 'polar vortex' could be result of global warming (+video). A bitter Arctic blast spanning the central and eastern US has propelled the phrase "polar vortex" from the pages of dense scientific papers to headline status as frigid temperatures and strong winds close schools and businesses and prompt forecasters to warn of "historic and life-threatening" conditions. In essence, a buildup of Arctic air…Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2014/0106/How-frigid-polar-vortex-could-be-result-of-global-warming-video 150 Years Of Carbon Emissions Can Be Traced To 90 Companies: Report. Industrialization has given the world some of its greatest inventions and unequivocally improved our lives, but it's also played a part in one of today's most pressing issues: man-made climate change. The Union of Concerned Scientists cites a paper by Richard Heede, Tracing anthropogenic carbon dioxide and methane emissions to fossil fuel and cement producers, 1854–2010. According to the data, nearly two thirds of the carbon emissions said to cause anthropogenic global warming can be attributed to just ninety entities, both companies and countries, over the last 150 years. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1089513_150-years-of-carbon-emissions-can-be-traced-to-90-companies-report Study finds that suburban sprawl cancels carbon-footprint savings of dense urban cores in US. Although population-dense cities contribute less greenhouse-gas emissions per person than other areas of the country, these cities’ extensive suburbs essentially wipe out the climate benefits, according to a new study by Christopher Jones and Daniel Kammen at UC Berkeley. The average carbon footprint of households living in the center of large, population-dense urban cities is about 50% below average…Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/20140107-kammen.html University of Washington to launch cutting-edge Arctic studies program. In an attempt to expand research in polar regions and prepare students for a world in which melting Arctic ice is creating both opportunities and risks, the University of Washington is launching the Future of Ice program, which will hire eight scientists and faculty members and offer the United States' first Arctic studies minor outside of Alaska. Students who opt for the new minor in Arctic studies will learn about the science of climate change…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992468/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Commuters get clean air at last as bus fleets embrace green. Bus riders are breathing easier these days as transit agencies adopt clean technologies that are clearing the air of sooty diesel exhaust. More than 40 percent of 67,000 or so public buses (school buses are not included) are now powered by alternative fuels, a threefold jump since 2004, according to the American Public Transportation Association, or APTA. In comparison, federal statistics show, only 4 percent of the 250 million cars run on alt fuels. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059992506/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Toyota bumps its hydrogen-powered car in the U.S. up to 2015. Toyota said today that a hydrogen-powered vehicle that emits only water vapor as exhaust will go on sale in the U.S. in 2015, a year earlier than it promised just two months ago. The Japanese automaker made the announcement in Las Vegas at the International CES, the technology industry’s annual gadget show. The shift came months after rival automakers Hyundai and Honda both said they’d start selling cars with that technology in the U.S. in 2015. Posted. http://www.freep.com/article/20140106/BUSINESS0104/301060097/Toyota-hydrogen-car EV sales nearly double in 2013. The figures are in, and 2013 proved to be a good year for the electric car with plug-in hybrid and full-electric vehicle sales nearly doubling to more than 90,000 units last year. Continued growth comes in the same year that the American electric vehicle (EV) startups Coda Automotive and Fisker Automotive, a Department of Energy loan recipient, filed for bankruptcy. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992478/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL High-Speed Train in California Is Caught in a Political Storm. Gov. Jerry Brown of California is riding into an election year on a wave of popularity and an upturn in the state’s fortunes. But a project that has become a personal crusade for him over the past two years — a 520-mile high-speed train line from Los Angeles to San Francisco — is in trouble, reeling from a court ruling that undermined its financing, and from slipping public support and opponents’ rising calls to shut it down. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/us/high-speed-train-in-california-is-caught-in-a-political-storm.html?_r=0 Cap-and-trade funds to boost high-speed rail. Gov. Jerry Brown will propose spending nearly a third of $850 million in cap-and-trade revenue California expects to collect in the next fiscal year on the embattled high-speed-rail project, according to officials with knowledge of the governor's budget proposal, which is to be publicly released Friday. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Cap-and-trade-funds-to-boost-high-speed-rail-5119293.php GREEN ENERGY Group of ministers urges EU to set 2030 goal for renewable energy. Ministers from Germany, France and six other countries have called for the European Union to set a 2030 goal for renewable energy use, in opposition to their British counterpart who advocates a sole greenhouse gas emissions target. A 2030 renewables goal, which would be part of a package of EU measures on energy and climate change, would cut dependency on fossil fuel imports and boost jobs and economic growth…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/06/eu-renewables-climate-idUSL6N0KG1Z720140106 UC Merced rooftops to get solar panels. In a move to double its energy output, UC Merced will be adding solar panels this year to as many as a dozen buildings on and off campus. The university’s facilities management team expects to pick a company later this month to install the photovoltaic systems on eight to 12 structures, which could produce an additional megawatt of energy. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/06/3122021/uc-merced-rooftops-to-get-solar.html#storylink=cpy BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Curbing a Potent Greenhouse Gas. On Dec. 17, the European Union drafted important legislation to cut hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, by 79 percent by 2030. This is the most concrete move yet to rein in HFCs, which are potent greenhouse gases used in refrigerators and air-conditioners. In June, the United States and China reached an agreement to reduce these gases, and in September leaders of the Group of 20 nations pledged to do their share. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/08/opinion/curbing-a-potent-greenhouse-gas.html?hp&rref=opinion/international Dan Walters: Jerry Brown may be getting desperate on bullet train. Jerry Brown may be getting desperate about keeping the state’s increasingly unpopular – not to mention financially and legally challenged – bullet train project alive. Faced with a judge’s insistence that the project follow the law about having its financial ducks lined up, Gov. Brown is now poised to shift money from the state’s “cap-and-trade” fees on greenhouse-gas emissions into the bullet train. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/07/6051313/dan-walters-jerry-brown-may-be.html http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/07/3121633/dan-walters-jerry-brown-may-be.html#storylink=cpy BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Don’t shift ‘cap-and-trade’ dollars to rail. A dubious funding grab is not a fix for California’s fiscally risky “high-speed” rail project. The governor should discard any idea of propping up the “bullet” train’s shaky finances with money from the state’s greenhouse gas program. The rail project’s lack of funding should be a sign to legislators to end this looming boondoggle…Posted. http://www.pe.com/opinion/editorials-headlines/20140106-editorial-dont-shift-cap-and-trade-dollars-to-rail.ece BLOGS The polar vortex in no way disproves climate change. Almost half of the Lower 48 will shiver under sub-zero wind chills Tuesday morning. Countless records will be set. Yet none of that means a thing about the existence of climate change, its severity or its consequences. The breaking off of a large chunk of the polar vortex and its visit to the northern U.S. is a random event resulting from a serendipitous arrangement of weather systems. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/01/06/the-polar-vortex-in-no-way-disproves-climate-change/ Jerry Brown's cap-and-trade proposal for high-speed rail said to be $250 million. Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to use fees paid by carbon producers to help finance the state's high-speed rail project is expected to amount to $250 million next budget year, a sum that could provide a significant lift to the project but frustrate environmentalists already upset about the diversion of fees. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/01/jerry-browns-cap-and-trade-proposal-for-high-speed-rail-said-to-be-250-mill.html Increasing density may not work in cutting greenhouse gases January 6, 2014. Increasing the population density of California's urban areas is a key component of the state's plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 - but it may not be the most effective strategy, new research at the University of California, Berkeley, indicates. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/01/increasing-density-may-not-work-in-cutting-greenhouse-gases.html Here's What These Record Low Temperatures Say About Global Warming. As the frigid polar vortex makes itself at home over a giant swath of the country, it's also serving as fodder for all those equally unwelcome climate change deniers. Despite the fact that 97 percent of scientists agree that man-made climate change is happening, the likes of Donald Trump say many of these record lows are the perfect proof to show that, no, the planet is not warming. Scientific right? Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/06/cold-global-warming_n_4550715.html?view=print&comm_ref=false Global warming devastates America. See that white stuff floating down past the orange trees and landing on your alligators and manatees, Florida? That's global warming, that is. See that frozen white thing by the harbor that used to look a green woman with a spiky headdress, New York? That's global warming, that is. Posted. http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100253377/global-warming-devastates-america/ Plug-In Electric Car Sales For 2013 Near Double Previous Year's. In their third full year of sales, more plug-in electric cars were sold in the U.S. than ever before. The 2013 total of roughly 96,000 90,000 electric vehicles didn't quite double the 2012 total of about 53,000, but with 16 different plug-in cars offered for sale as of this month, the numbers seem likely to grow again this year. And last year's total was more than five times the total first-year sales of 17,500 in 2011. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1089443_plug-in-electric-car-sales-for-2013-almost-double-last-years Toyota hydrogen vehicle visits CES, on sale in US in 2015. Toyota is incredibly bullish on the future of hydrogen as a part of the automotive landscape, and is now gearing up for the 2015 launch of its hydrogen sedan. The concept version of the car was shown for the first time at the Tokyo Motor Show last fall and is making its North American debut at CES today, alongside the still-under-camo engineering prototype. The reasons for Toyota's hydrogen confidence?...Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/06/toyota-hydrogen-vehicle-visits-ces-on-sale-in-us-in-2015/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2014 15:47:32 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 8, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 8, 2014. This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office of Communications. You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. CAP AND TRADE EU makes carbon pollution more expensive. It will become more expensive for businesses in the European Union to burn fossil fuels this year after the 28-country bloc decided Wednesday to beef up its carbon trading system. The agreement ended a year of bickering over how to amend what is Europe's prime tool in the fight against climate change and the world's biggest emission trading system. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/08/eu-makes-carbon-pollution-more-expensive/ California cap and trade updates. Learn how the market is doing. California officially launched its world class cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas pollution on January 1, 2013. California Carbon Allowances (CCAs) are auctioned by the State’s Air Resources Board on a quarterly basis through 2020. Posted. http://www.edf.org/california-cap-and-trade-updates AIR POLLUTION Pollution Costs to Rise as EU Governments Back Market Fix. Carbon prices are poised to rebound from a three-year slump as European Union member states backed a stopgap plan to reduce a record glut of pollution permits. The cost of emitting carbon dioxide will jump to 7.75 euros ($10.54) a metric ton by the end of the year, from today’s close of 4.65 euros, according to the median of nine analyst and trader estimates compiled by Bloomberg News. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-08/pollution-seen-costlier-after-eu-intervention-carbon-climate.html China sets targets for curbing air pollution. China has set new targets for its provinces to reduce air pollution by 5 to 25 percent, state media said late on Tuesday, underscoring the government's concern about a source of public anger. China regularly issues directives to try to tackle air pollution in major cities, but these have had limited effect. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/08/us-china-pollution-idUSBREA0705720140108 L.A. sues to block oil field near USC from reopening. The Los Angeles city attorney filed a lawsuit Tuesday to stop Allenco Energy Inc. from reopening in South Los Angeles, accusing the company of ignoring years of evidence that fumes from its oil fields were sickening residents of the surrounding neighborhood. City Atty. Mike Feuer's investigation found that Allenco willfully disregarded violation notices issued by oversight agencies and that regulators did not move forcefully to enforce their numerous and repeated citations. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-fumes-charges-20140108,0,2901824.story#ixzz2pq6RnwkN CLIMATE CHANGE L.A. storms to grow more destructive as sea level rises, study says. Major storms will be more destructive to coastal areas of Los Angeles as sea level rise accelerates over the century, according to a new study the city of Los Angeles commissioned to help it adjust to climate change. The study by USC took inventory of the city's coastal neighborhoods, roads, its port, energy and water infrastructure to evaluate the damage they would face from a storm under sea level rise scenarios anticipated for mid-century and 2100. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-sea-level-20140108,0,3069596.story#ixzz2ppphEuga Climate change still real despite cold snap. It happens every winter. Sometime between Santa's squeeze down the chimney and the Groundhog's peek out of his hole, a cold snap or big snowstorm gives climate-change skeptics another chance to suggest that global warming isn't happening. Some examples this week: Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh said the "polar vortex" the cold was blamed on is a new term invented by the media to link the cold wave to man-made climate change. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/01/07/climate-change-cold-snap/4359363/ Polar freeze: It’s weather, not climate. Tuesday’s polar vortex has set off a new round in one of the world’s most predictable disputes: Does Extreme Weather Event X prove or disprove climate change? In short: No. The crazy weather that plunged almost all of the U.S. into a deep freeze represents a millisecond in long-term planetary climate trends — a rounding error in the calculation of mean global temperature. Posted. http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/chill-cant-kill-same-old-climate-debate-101862.html#ixzz2pq0TaMNs FUELS Lawmakers call on Gov. Jerry Brown to halt fracking in California. This post has been updated. See the note below for details. Calling a recent bill to regulate hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," in California insufficient, a group of lawmakers are urging Gov. Jerry Brown to halt the oil and gas extraction method. The issue of fracking, in which sand, water and chemicals are injected into the ground to release oil and gas, was one of the most contentious battles in the Legislature last year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-fracking-letter-levine-20140107,0,230027,print.story Judge endorses Otay Mesa power plant. In an abrupt reversal, state utility regulators are embracing plans for a new natural gas power plant at Otay Mesa that environmentalists condemn as costly and unnecessary. Approval of the Pio Pico Energy Center would accentuate the state's increasing reliance on natural gas to replace electricity once generated by the San Onofre nuclear plant, retired in June because of flawed replacement steam generators. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/07/otay-mesa-power-backed/ U.S. exports surge as producers eye new and emerging markets. U.S. producers shipped more ethanol to foreign countries in November than in any other month in the last year and a half, according to federal data kept by the Agriculture Department. Ethanol producers in the United States exported 82.4 million gallons in November, a 54 percent increase over October and the highest level since March 2012. While Canada and Brazil remained top importers of U.S. ethanol, much of the product went to new and emerging markets. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059992567/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Researchers find easier, lower-cost way to break down plants. Researchers at North Carolina State University say they've discovered a new way to break down plant materials, a development that could lower production costs for advanced biofuels. Their method uses liquid salts to extract lignin -- the tough parts of a plant that protect cell walls -- from farm residues and grasses. Unlike in prevailing methods for breaking down plants, liquid salts can be used at lower temperatures and be almost fully recovered after the process. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059992569/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Plug Gains on U.S. Funding to Boost Range of Electric Trucks. Plug Power Inc. (PLUG), a maker of fuel-cells for warehouse forklifts, rose to a 32-month high after winning U.S. Energy Department funding to adapt its systems to extend the range of electric trucks. Plug rose 39 percent to $3.85 at the close in New York, the highest since May 2011. The Energy Department will provide $3 million for Plug to develop hydrogen fuel cells for 20 FedEx Corp. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-07/plug-power-rises-on-u-s-funding-to-double-electric-truck-range.html GREEN ENERGY Slowly, Asia’s Factories Begin to Turn Green. When Intel went about setting up its chip factory in Vietnam, it found an oddity: Local laws did not govern every aspect of the building. The government had no comprehensive standards, for instance, on refrigerant chemicals, which in the United States are typically regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. In fact, officials asked Intel whether the company had any ideas on the subject that might be useful to other manufacturers operating in the country. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/08/business/international/asian-factories-see-sense-and-savings-in-environmental-certification.html Survey: Green power should replace nuclear. A majority of utility customers in San Diego and Orange counties say climate change considerations should weigh in replacing power from the recently retired San Onofre nuclear plant, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Sierra Club. The survey conducted by Raleigh, N.C.-based Public Policy Polling found 51 percent of utility customers believe the "potential impact on climate disruption" should be a major consideration in replacing San Onofre. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/08/survey-hightlights-green-energy/ MISCELLANEOUS State Senate panel to hold hearing on toxic substances regulator. The Jan. 15 hearing by the Environmental Quality Committee will focus on the Department of Toxic Substances Control's oversight of hazardous waste operations. The state Senate's Environmental Quality Committee has scheduled a hearing on the Department of Toxic Substances Control's oversight of hazardous waste operations in California, officials announced Tuesday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-toxics-20140108,0,7244496,print.story OPINIONS The Cold This Time. By now, we all know that a polar vortex is a cyclone of frigid air centered on the Arctic. A rogue sweep of that air moved south and pushed the temperature in Central Park in New York City to a 118-year low of 5 degrees on Tuesday morning; records were similarly broken in scores of other American and Canadian cities; and flights were canceled across North America. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/08/opinion/the-cold-this-time.html Editorial: Dump the ethanol mandate. Let's get the government out of your gas tank. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed reducing the amount of ethanol and other biofuels that must be mixed into the nation's fuel supply. Fuel blenders would be required to use 15.21 billion gallons of biofuel in 2014, down from 16.55 billion gallons last year. Posted. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-01-06/opinion/ct-ethanol-mandate-edit-0106-20140106_1_fuel-blenders-ethanol-mandate-more-ethanol BLOGS A Closer Look at Cold Snaps and Global Warming. I spent a couple of hours this morning discussing the Northern Hemisphere cold snap in the context of global warming on CBC radio shows across Canada. Between 1 and 2 p.m. Eastern Time this afternoon I’ll be discussing extreme weather and climate change on the The Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU with Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at Rutgers University focused on the impact of Arctic conditions…Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/08/a-radio-chat-on-cold-snaps-and-global-warming/ Balancing The Energy Mix In A Green World -- What Execs Need To Know. For today’s business executives, choosing the right energy mix to power and support operations has become an increasingly important element of strategic planning. Where energy decisions were once based primarily on cost, companies now must factor in considerations that include price volatility, sustained reliability, regulatory trends, brand image and consumer preferences and expectations. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ey/2014/01/08/balancing-the-energy-mix-in-a-green-world-what-execs-need-to-know/ Ford C-Max Solar Energi takes a recharging station wherever it goes. Companies ranging in size from small startups to major automakers have been experimenting with solar-powered charging stations for EVs and plug-in hybrids. And, of course, people have been powering vehicles with onboard solar panels for quite some time, too. Still, Ford's new C-Max Solar Energi Concept shows the promise of a truly practical implementation of solar on a production vehicle, and it may not be as far off in the future as we had thought. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/08/ford-c-max-solar-energi-concept-ces-2014/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2014 14:18:48 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 9, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 9, 2014. 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 California Players Predict. Offset Market Growth in 2014. Things were quieter than expected in the California offset market last year, but that’s likely to change in the New Year, a report by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) predicts. California’s cap-and-trade program officially launched in January 2013, and the launch brought expectations of strong trading activity in the offset market because compliance entities are allowed to use offsets from uncapped sectors to meet up to 8% of their compliance obligations. Posted. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10139§ion=news_articles&eod=1 Budget Proposal Would Spend Cap and Trade Money. As expected, Governor Brown wants to invest a large portion of money raised from carbon auctions on High Speed Rail. The proposal includes $300 million for construction and integration of the rail system that he’s pitched as an environmentally-friendly alternative to cars. He also proposes investing in low carbon transportation, sustainable communities and clean energy. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/01/08/budget-proposal-would-spend-cap-and-trade-money/ Finite Carbon and Potlatch register forest carbon project with California Air Resources Board compliance offset market. Finite Carbon and Potlatch Corporation announced the successful completion and registration of the Finite Carbon – Moro Big Pine CE Improved Forest Management Early Action Offset Project with the California Air Resources Board. Located on 15,809 acres in south-central Arkansas, Moro Big Pine is the nation’s first and only improved forest management (IFM) compliance offset project…Posted. http://www.lesprom.com/news/Finite_Carbon_and_Potlatch_register_forest_carbon_project_with_California_Air_Resources_Board_compliance_offset_market_59844/?lng=eng Gov. Brown diverts Calif. cap-and-trade money again, to cheers rather than jeers. Last year, California environmental groups howled when Gov. Jerry Brown (D) diverted half a billion dollars from the auction of carbon dioxide permits to bolster the state's financial reserves. The news this week that Brown wants to keep the lion's share of the money for at least another year was met with muted criticism, however, as environmentalists were lured by another piece of news: $600 million of cap-and-trade money would go for renewable energy… Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992624/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Hong Kong Warns Against Outdoor Activity as Pollution Rises. Hong Kong said it will probably experience elevated levels of air pollution “for a while” as light winds fail to disperse pollutants, prompting the government to warn residents to reduce outdoor activity. The Air Quality Health Index should be in the “moderate” to “very high” range in the afternoon, rising from “low to high” in the morning, according to forecasts by the city’s Environmental Protection Department. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-08/heavy-hong-kong-smog-prompts-warning-to-reduce-outdoor-activity.html China Vehicle Sales Seen Slowing on Pollution Controls. China’s main car association forecast that the world’s biggest automobile market will see slower growth this year as anti-pollution and austerity campaigns spread. China, which in 2013 became the first country to see domestic sales surpass 20 million units a year, will see deliveries rise as much as 10 percent in 2014 after last year’s 14 percent growth, the state-backed China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said yesterday. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-09/china-vehicle-sales-climb-past-20-million-as-smog-chokes-cities.html EPA moves to cut woodstove pollution. The smell of wood smoke wafting on a cold winter's night may be a hallmark of life in many states, but the federal government says it also may be a health hazard. The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday moved to reduce pollution from new woodstoves, wood boilers and pellet stoves used for heating purposes starting in 2015. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/09/3125629/epa-moves-to-cut-woodstove-pollution.html#storylink=cpy Wildfire smoke exposure may do lifelong harm. Smoky summer days in Davis have led researchers to find for the first time evidence that being exposed in infancy to high levels of fine-particle pollution harms the development of the immune system’s ability to fight disease. The study also found that exposure negatively impacts the development of normal lung function, according to immunologist Lisa Miller, the head of the respiratory diseases group and associate director of research at the California National Primate Center. Posted. http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/ucd/wildfire-smoke-exposure-may-do-lifelong-harm/#cat_features Tesoro refinery to pay $472,000 in air pollution penalties. The Tesoro oil refinery has agreed to pay $472,000 in civil penalties for 35 alleged air pollution violations -- some related to a 2010 emission release that triggered shelter in place warnings to neighbors. The Bay Area Air Quality District reported Wednesday that it reached the settlement with the Tesoro's Golden Eagle refinery east of Martinez to resolve a series of district violation notices between 2009 and 2011. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_24872129/tesoro-refinery-pay-472-000-air-pollution-penalties http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_24872129/tesoro-refinery-pay-472-000-air-pollution-penalties?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com Yolo-Solano breathing easy. Residents in Northern Solano County can breathe a bit easier, air officials said this week, but that doesn't mean air quality should be taken for granted. For 360 days in 2013 the air quality in the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District was healthy, according to the annual report published by the district this week. The report includes data on air quality through 2013 and information on the district's programs, achievements and goals and can be viewed in its entirety online at ysaqmd.org/reports…Posted. http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_24875637/yolo-solano-breathing-easy FUELS EPA to require S. Calif. offshore fracking reports. Oil and gas companies that are fracking off the Southern California coast must report chemicals discharged into the ocean under a new rule released Thursday by federal environmental regulators. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published the requirement in the federal register, and will become effective March 1. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/epa-to-require-calif-offshore-fracking-reports/2014/01/09/8b6ffec4-7947-11e3-a647-a19deaf575b3_story.html As Winter Takes Hold, Plunging Temperatures Test Utilities. The short-term price of natural gas in the Northeast eased on Wednesday after surging during the cold snap this week, but many consumers face the prospect of higher bills as utilities seek to pass along the added costs. Already, several utilities, including Connecticut Light and Power as well as National Grid and NStar, which serve Massachusetts, have recently announced increases in their retail electricity rate as they struggle to meet peak periods of demand. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/business/energy-environment/as-winter-takes-hold-plunging-temperatures-test-utilities.html GREEN ENERGY POLL: Green power should replace nuclear poll: green power over nuclear. A majority of utility customers in San Diego and Orange counties say climate change considerations should weigh in replacing power from the recently retired San Onofre nuclear plant, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Sierra Club. The survey conducted by Raleigh, N.C.-based Public Policy Polling found 51 percent of utility customers believe the “potential impact on climate disruption” should be a major consideration in replacing San Onofre. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/09/tp-poll-green-power-should-replace-nuclear-poll/ Solar energy to power iconic Vegas welcome sign. Officials in Las Vegas are harnessing the power of the sun to light the city's iconic welcome sign. Elected officials and project leaders flipped a switch Wednesday linking solar panels on 25-foot towers to the glittering neon "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. The project was headed by the Green Chips and Clean Energy Project nonprofit organizations…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/09/solar-energy-to-power-iconic-vegas-welcome-sign/ Marines are molding energy savings along with young troops. Richard Hatcher is devoted to saving energy, but there are some things he refuses to do to save kilowatts -- like changing the strict training regimen to teach young Marines how to survive in the toughest of circumstances. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992623/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY BLOGS Four reasons California cap and trade had an extraordinary first year. In California, we’ve just marked the one year birthday of the state’s landmark cap-and-trade program, a market-based approach to reducing the Golden State’s carbon pollution to 1990 levels by 2020. EDF thinks it’s a pretty big deal, and we’re not alone: the program weighed in at number one on Time’s top 10 green stories of 2013. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/edfenergyexchange/2014/01/08/four-reasons-california-cap-and-trade-had-an-extraordinary-first-year/?ss=business%3Aenergy Green Groups Rip Jerry Brown for Tapping Cap and Trade to Fund Train. California Governor Jerry Brown's plan to spend millions from the state's cap-and-trade program on his high-speed rail project set off a firestorm from powerful environmental groups. Last year, the controversial bullet train system, which aims to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco, had $9 billion in state funding blocked due to unsuccessful litigation surrounding the project. Posted. http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/01/08/Green-Groups-Assail-Gov-Brown-for-Tapping-Cap-and-Trade-to-Fund-Bullet-Train New Study Links PM 2.5 Pollution, Immune System Damage. Researchers at the California National Primate Research Center & UC Davis examined the health effects of exposure to PM2.5 on primates, in a study funded by the California Air Resources Board. A new study suggests that exposure to wildfire smoke can result in reduced immune system function. The study, funded by the California Air Resources board, looked at primates which were exposed to unusually high levels of fine particulate matter or PM2.5 for 10 days in 2008, during a number of wildfires. Posted. http://kvpr.org/post/new-study-links-pm-25-pollution-immune-system-damage Ignore Climate Change at Your Peril. "Extremely dangerous," "Do not travel" -- these are the phrases that have welcomed in the new year along the East Coast of the United States. Extreme weather caused thousands of flights to be delayed, placed the elderly and other vulnerable people at risk due to the extreme cold and impacted negatively on supply chains. The increasing risk of extreme weather events due to climate change has been acknowledged by President Obama. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-robinson/ignore-climate-change-at-_b_4561649.html Auto Dealer Emissions Certification Bill Clears House, Heads To Senate. The U.S. House of Representatives has taken a step toward enabling automobile dealers to bypass a law requiring them to provide emissions certification on cars and light trucks, a rule that auto dealers say adds burdensome red tape to the buying process. Lawmakers on Wednesday voted unanimously in favor of the bill, which would repeal a 1977 mandate aimed at ensuring that vehicles sold in the United States conform with the Clean Air Act aimed at reducing air pollution. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/08/auto-dealers-emissions-bill_n_4564182.html Bentley's SUV will be first of many plug-in hybrids. Bentley is not exactly a company known for its environmental credentials. Sure, it recently cut its water usage down by over a third, and given the relatively small number of vehicles it produces, the British firm's overall impact on the environment may be negligible compared to mass-market rivals. And of course, its affluent customers are hardly likely to feel the pinch of rising fuel costs, so Bentley's idea of engine downsizing has been going from twelve cylinders to eight. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/08/bentley-suv-phev-plug-in-hybrid/ Making driving less energy-intensive than flying. Currently, the energy intensity (BTU per person mile) of driving is 57% greater than that of flying, according to a new analysis by Dr. Michael Sivak, Director, Sustainable Worldwide Transportation at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). To make driving less energy intensive than flying, the fuel economy of the entire US fleet of light-duty vehicles would have to improve from the current 21.5 mpg (10.9 l/100 km)…Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/making-driving-less-energy-intensive-than-flying20140109-sivak.html ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2014 13:08:01 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for January 10, 2013 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 10, 2014. 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 Inslee hints he may impose cap-and-trade by executive order. Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday ignored pleas from leaders of both parties and both houses of the Washington State Legislature to deny rumors he intends to impose by executive fiat a cap-and-trade plan that could raise gasoline prices by an estimated $1 to $1.20 a gallon. “I find that very surprising,” he said when told of the lawmakers’ concerns. Posted. http://theolympiareport.com/inslee-hints-he-may-impose-cap-and-trade-by-executive-order/ AIR POLLUTION Central Hong Kong Sees Record Roadside Pollution Levels in 2013. Roadside pollution worsened in Hong Kong’s Central district last year as vehicular emissions helped send nitrogen dioxide concentrations to record levels. Citywide levels of the pollutant, which is linked to damaged lung function, were the second highest on record, according to Clean Air Network Ltd. an environmental advocacy group. Particulate matter levels at all monitoring stations exceeded…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-10/central-hong-kong-sees-record-roadside-pollution-levels-in-2013.html Exide recycling plant exceeds lead limits again, officials say. A Vernon battery recycler has once again exceeded South Coast Air Quality Management District lead limits, officials said Thursday. Officials at Exide Technologies, one of the world's leading makers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries, told air district officials Wednesday evening that an air monitor had picked up elevated lead readings late last week. The plant cut production starting Thursday morning. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-exide-20140110,0,6309451.story#axzz2q0vvpZrI Bad air quality not going away. For the past two weeks, the air quality in the Valley has been unfavorable — either for sensitive groups or for everyone. “From January 1 to January 7, this has been an unhealthy area,” said Anton Simanov, outreach community representative for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, talking about the Porterville area. It is all due to a ridge of high pressure that has refused to leave, resulting in stagnated air conditions, he said. Posted. http://www.recorderonline.com/news/bad-air-quality-not-going-away/article_7e3363c2-78cf-11e3-a791-001a4bcf6878.html Natural gas plants emit 56% less CO2 than coal plants – study. Combined-cycle natural gas plants produce less than half the emissions of coal plants, says a new study. Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, sifted through publicly available data from U.S. EPA's Air Markets Program to measure how much carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides has been released from the nation's fleet of power plants. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992706/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Scientists: Americans are becoming weather wimps. We've become weather wimps. As the world warms, the United States is getting fewer bitter cold spells like the one that gripped much of the nation this week. So when a deep freeze strikes, scientists say, it seems more unprecedented than it really is. An Associated Press analysis of the daily national winter temperature shows that cold extremes have happened about once every four years since 1900. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_DEEP_FREEZE_WEATHER_WIMPS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/09/3705561/scientists-americans-are-becoming.html No deep freeze: Australia swelters in heat wave. Bats are dropping from trees, kangaroos are collapsing in the Outback and gardens are turning brown. While North America freezes under record polar temperatures, the southern hemisphere is experiencing the opposite extreme as heat records are being set in Australia after the hottest year ever. Weather forecasters in Australia said some parts of the sparsely populated Pilbara region along the rugged northwest coast…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AUSTRALIA_HEAT_WAVE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Reid Unveils New Task Force to Defend Obama's Climate Agenda. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is setting aside time at his party's weekly caucus lunch in the Capitol to focus solely on climate change, a senior Senate aide said Jan. 9, in hopes of one day reviving a bill to cut carbon dioxide emissions and better defend President Barack Obama's climate efforts from Republican attacks. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-10/reid-unveils-new-task-force-to-defend-obama-s-climate-agenda.html Group aims to slap global warming labels on Calif. gas pumps. If a group of Bay Area environmentalists gets its way, California drivers pumping gas may soon be warned about the harmful effects of climate change. The group is trying to get global warming warning labels placed on gasoline pumps to remind consumers of the link between climate change and driving. "Human beings are not really wired for seeing the cause and effect of climate change," said Jamie Brooks, with the Bay Area chapter of 350.org. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992684/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY USC Releases Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Report. The City of Los Angeles has initiated research to support planning for the impacts of climate change. The Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Report for the City of Los Angeles was released on January 7th; it is a summary of initial research on the potential impacts of sea level rise and associated flooding from storms for coastal communities in the City of L.A. Posted. http://www.venicenc.org/usc-releases-sea-level-rise-vulnerability-report-for-the-city-of-los-angeles/ DIESEL EMISSIONS Study: Big Savings from Emissions Monitoring. Advanced emissions monitoring of large ships calling at EU ports could help save owners and operators of large ships up to €9 million/year, according to a new study published by sustainable transport group T&E. These savings would come from lower operational costs of using automated systems such as fuel flow meters or continuous emissions monitoring, which are already used by many of the world’s largest shipping companies. Posted. http://www.marinelink.com/news/monitoring-emissions362729.aspx FUELS As Calif. develops regulations, opponents re-strategize how to win fracking moratorium. Emergency rules policing unconventional drilling for oil and natural gas took effect Jan. 1 in California, and the state is crafting permanent restrictions that become law next year. The developments arrived after a multiyear battle over the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in which companies blast chemical-laced water some 8,000 feet underground at high pressure to break apart rock formations and release petroleum. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2014/01/10/stories/1059992670 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Alternative energy powered cars on a roll at CES. While autonomous driving is a major theme at the International CES gadget show, cars that use futuristic sources of energy are potentially much closer on the horizon. Ford Motor Co. showed off a prototype solar hybrid car called the C-MAX Solar Energi, which has a gas engine along with rooftop solar panels that also power the engine. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TEC_GADGET_SHOW_SMART_CARS_ENERGY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT HIGH-SPEED RAIL High-speed rail funding to be key budget issue, Senate leader says. A proposal to use money from the state’s cap-and-trade system of pollution credits to help fund the proposed high-speed rail system “is going to be one of the central issues in the budget,” Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) predicted Thursday. “I’m open to the issue,” Steinberg said, but he added that Gov. Jerry Brown will have to provide a “credible plan to fund the next extension” of the rail system…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-california-budget-high-speed-rail-20140109,0,318236.story#ixzz2q0u5yd2F Brown's Budget Proposal Spends Cap and Trade Money. California Governor Jerry Brown’s budget proposal includes some major investments in the environment. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, it lays out how he wants to spend $850 million in revenue from the state’s greenhouse gas reduction program known as cap-and-trade. As expected, Governor Brown wants to invest a large portion of money raised from carbon auctions on High Speed Rail. Posted. http://kvpr.org/post/browns-budget-proposal-spends-cap-and-trade-money GREEN ENERGY Obama orders quadrennial study of energy strategy. President Barack Obama is setting up a panel to study the United States' energy strategy and then report to the president every four years. In a presidential memorandum, Obama says the U.S. needs a comprehensive, coordinated strategy to improve economic productivity and quality of life, and to protect the environment and the nation's security. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_ENERGY_REVIEW?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/09/3705396/obama-orders-quadrennial-study.html California seeks wave-energy facility. California will likely be in contention to host a national wave energy test facility, thanks to a federal grant awarded to Cal Poly's upstart Institute for Advanced Technology and Public Research. The institute has been awarded up to $750,000 by the Department of Energy to explore the feasibility of tethering a rig miles off the California coast for research into generating electricity from the rise and fall of ocean waves. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/09/wave-energy-research-facility/ MISCELLANEOUS Poll: O.C., San Diego area residents don't want gas-fired power plants. A majority of electricity consumers in Orange and San Diego counties would prefer that energy needed to replace the output of the shuttered San Onofre nuclear power plant come from renewable, non-polluting sources, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, N.C., for the Sierra Club, concludes that 56% of ratepayers in the two counties want new power to come from wind, solar…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-poll-says-residents-dont-want-gas-powered-plants-20140108,0,4973129.story#ixzz2q0w3F5Qv APCD study to be reviewed at meeting. Over the last year, implementation has been under way of the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District’s Rule 1001 that requires the Off-Highway Vehicle Division of State the California Department of Parks and Recreation to mitigate the silica dust coming from its park on the Dunes. Recently, APCD director Larry Allen told the board of directors the State Parks Department has not been complying with Rule 1001. Posted. http://www.theadobepress.com/articles/2014/01/09/columns/versaw/versaw.txt BLOGS Brown says cap-and-trade money for high-speed rail 'very appropriate' Calling his high-speed rail project consistent with California's history as "a generator of dreams and great initiatives," Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday defended his decision to shore up the project's shaky finances with money from the state's cap-and-trade fund. "The alternative would be not to spend the money, and you do need that money, and we're going to spend it," Brown said. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/01/cap-and-trade-money-for-high-speed-rail-jerry-brown-says.html#storylink=cpy Green is good, as Governor Brown's budget proposal boosts money for environment issues. Surging revenue returned a wave of funding to environmental issues in California, as Governor Jerry Brown released his budget Thursday. It’s a good news kind of year. Maintenance for state parks deferred in lean budget years gets a $40 billion boost this time around. And Brown’s budget anticipates a lean water year, upping investments in water storage, like groundwater aquifers and reservoirs, and regional water self-sufficiency. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2014/01/09/15571/green-is-good-as-governor-brown-s-budget-proposal/ The Climate Post: Carbon Markets Show Glimmers of Recovery in 2014. A year after the launch of its cap-and-trade program, California formally linked its emissions trading scheme with Quebec's -- enabling carbon allowances and offset credits to be exchanged between participants in the two jurisdictions. The linkage, which marks the first agreement in North America that allows for the trading of greenhouse gas emissions across borders, is designed to escalate the price on the amount of carbon businesses can emit. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-profeta/the-climate-post-carbon-m_b_4574933.html Chinese Vehicle Sales Soar Past 20 Million, Smog Worse Than Ever. The number of vehicles on China's roads continues to grow--and so does the severity of the country's air pollution. China became the first nation to surpass 20 million new-car sales last year, Bloomberg reports. That represents a 14 percent increase over 2012, and continues its reign as the world's largest car market. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1089595_chinese-vehicle-sales-soar-past-20-million-smog-worse-than-ever Time to seriously rethink mass market EV incentives. Even though plug-in electric vehicle (EV) sales were much higher in 2013 than the previous year, arguments are being made that government policies are failing. An opinion piece in Energy Policy, for example, opposes federal policies incentivizing EVs and calls them inefficient and ineffective. The main thrust of the argument is that the incentives are too focused on the mainstream and could be better targeted at niche markets and early adopters. In other words, the $7,500 federal tax credit is the wrong way to promote EVs. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/10/time-to-seriously-rethink-mass-market-ev-incentives/ Battery Development May Extend Range of Electric Cars. It's known that electric vehicles could travel longer distances before needing to charge and more renewable energy could be saved for a rainy day if lithium-sulfur batteries can just overcome a few technical hurdles. Now, a novel design for a critical part of the battery has been shown to significantly extend the technology's lifespan, bringing it closer to commercial use. Posted. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140109175504.htm 2014 BMW i3 with range-extender won’t get California HOV lane “White Sticker”. For green-car drivers, the California High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane sticker is like a badge of honor. The sticker – green for plug-in hybrids, white for electric cars – allows solo drivers access to the carpool lanes. However, the 2014 BMW i3 with range extender doesn’t qualify for an electric-car white sticker, according to The Street (via InsideEVs). Cue dramatic music. Posted. http://ecomento.com/2014/01/10/2014-bmw-i3-range-extender-wont-get-california-hov-lane-white-sticker/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2014 12:39:10 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 13, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 13, 2014. 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 Top voluntary carbon market program to ban HFC-23 projects. Verified Carbon Standards (VCS), the world's leading voluntary program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, said its rules for carbon offset projects will no longer allow projects that destroy potent greenhouse gas HFC-23 to earn carbon credits, betting that international efforts to regulate the gases will be successful. The refrigerant industry introduced HFCs, or hydrofluorocarbons, to replace CFCs, or chlorofluorocarbons…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/10/carbon-hfcs-idUSL2N0KK1VV20140110 California's Carbon Market a Success in its First Year, Report Finds. Despite earlier gloomy prognostications that California's greenhouse gas cap and trade system would violate the law and tank the state's economy, the program's first year has been a remarkable success. That's according to a report on the program released this week by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). According to the report, entitled California Carbon Market Watch: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Golden State's Cap-and-Trade Program, Year One…Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/climate-change/californias-carbon-market-a-success-in-its-first-year.html AIR POLLUTION US carbon pollution up 2 percent in 2013. A new government report says energy-related carbon dioxide pollution increased slightly last year after declining for several years in a row. The 2 percent increase was largely due to a small increase in coal consumption in the electric power sector. Coal, long the dominant source for U.S. electricity, has regained some market share in recent months as natural gas prices have increased following historic lows in 2012. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CARBON_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Chinese Drivers Pollute Without Guilt. During Beijing’s gridlocked rush hours, do the city’s car-owning multitudes ponder who is responsible for the gray skies choking their city and lungs? With 5.4 million cars on the capital's roads today, and another 1 million expected by 2016, it would seem like a natural question to ask. Yet despite traffic that appears to worsen by the week, and pollution that certifiably worsens by the year, Chinese drivers don’t seem to be taking much interest in what their role might be in causing -- and abating -- air pollution. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-13/chinese-drivers-pollute-without-guilt.html Europe Seen Facing More Droughts This Century on Climate Change. Europe is poised to suffer more droughts as the 21st century progresses because of climate change, according to a study by the European Union’s Joint Research Centre and Germany’s University of Kassel. Many river basins, particularly in southern Europe, will probably become more prone to periods of reduced water supply as average global temperatures rise…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-13/europe-seen-facing-more-droughts-this-century-on-climate-change.html China mulls national pollution permit trading system. China will look into establishing a nation-wide trading system for pollution permits as part of efforts to use market mechanisms to help clean up its environment, the country's top environment official said. In remarks published on the website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection (www.mep.gov.cn) on Friday, Minister Zhou Shengxian said China was working on new regulations for pollution permits…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/10/us-china-environment-pollution-idUSBREA0906P20140110 Air quality officials OK strict new rules for battery plant emissions. The rules for arsenic and other chemicals apply to two battery recyclers, Exide Technologies in Vernon and Quemetco in the city of Industry. After an emotional hearing that had residents of southeast Los Angeles County talking about family members who have died of cancer, air quality officials voted unanimously Friday to adopt strict new rules on emissions of arsenic, benzene and other toxic chemicals from lead-acid battery facilities. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-aqmd-emissions-20140111,0,1888943.story#ixzz2qImXbG9b Ailments diminish, air improvements are notable after oil field closes. Residents close to the Allenco oil field ordered shut down in November say they are breathing easier, and hoping it stays closed. By Louis Sahagun and Francine Orr. Maria de la Cruz is doing something these days she says she hasn't done in years. She lets her grandchildren play in the living room — and even opens the windows to let air circulate. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-fumes-neighbors-20140112,0,412688.story#axzz2qJ6XG0pI Smoke from wildfires adversely affects immune system, UC Davis study says. A novel UC Davis study with possible implications for human health has found that exposure to wildfire smoke makes young rhesus monkeys more vulnerable to disease. The research, conducted by UC Davis and the California Air Resources Board, found that rhesus macaque monkeys born at the university’s Primate Research Center in the summer of 2008 – an unusually intense fire season – had depressed immune systems compared with those born a year later. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/10/6062938/smoke-from-wildfires-adversly.html http://www.futurity.org/wildfire-smoke-chokes-monkey-immune-systems/ http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_24883753/uc-davis-research-wildfire-smoke-exposure-linked-reduced http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-01-wildfire-exposure-linked-immune-lung.html Central Hong Kong Sees Near-Record Pollution Levels in 2013. Roadside pollution worsened in Hong Kong’s Central district last year as vehicular emissions helped send nitrogen dioxide concentrations to near-record levels, an environmental advocacy group said. Citywide levels of the pollutant, linked to damaged lung function, were the second-highest on record, according to Clean Air Network Ltd. …Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-10/central-hong-kong-sees-record-roadside-pollution-levels-in-2013.html Air quality officials declare Saturday a no-burn day for Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange and Riverside Counties. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has declared a no-burn day for Saturday, starting at midnight. Residents of the four counties within the L.A. air basin — Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside — are prohibited from burning wood in their fireplaces during the no-burn period. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140110/air-quality-officials-declare-saturday-a-no-burn-day-for-los-angeles-san-bernardino-orange-and-riverside-counties Rain Shortage Brings Sooty Air and Health Problems. Some parts of the state saw a little rain over the weekend, but it's been a bone-dry winter in California, and the story's not expected to change much as the season wears on. That has consequences for air quality, because rain helps clear the air of pollution. San Joaquin Valley doctors in particular have seen a growing number of people in recent weeks come in complaining of wheezing and shortness of breath. Posted. http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R201401130850/a Blame it on coal: Carbon emissions up again in U.S. Coal made a slight comeback last year, and carbon emissions went up in the U.S. as a result. After two years of decreases, energy-related carbon emissions ticked up 2 percent in 2013 thanks to an increase in coal consumption by electric utilities. That's the preliminary estimate from the Energy Industry Administration, which projects another slight increase in carbon emissions this year. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/washingtonbureau/2014/01/13/blame-it-on-coal-carbon-emissions-up.html CLIMATE CHANGE Rift over new EU energy, climate policy deepens. European Commissioners clashed on Friday over what the European Union's climate and energy policy goals for 2030 should be, with time for agreement running short ahead of their planned publication this month, EU sources said. The European Union has sought to lead the global fight against climate change, but the economic crisis has sapped the appetite of business and some member states for decisive action because of concerns over competitiveness and cost. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/10/eu-idUSL6N0KK14B20140110 Carbon programs to refuse controversial GHG destruction projects. The world's largest greenhouse gas program for the voluntary market said Thursday that it will no longer certify hydrofluorocarbon-23 (HFC-23) destruction projects, a move that drew cheers from organizations that have sought to remove incentives for such systems. The move by the Verified Carbon Standard responded to a greater global demand for the regulation of HFCs through the Montreal Protocol…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992778/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Immediate weather appears to drive beliefs about climate change – study. Previous studies have documented that weather and warm days can influence people's beliefs about climate change, even if researchers had only a thin grasp as to why. Is it that people are not educated enough about the difference between weather and climate? Or that pollsters are using phrasing that can bias responses? Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992779/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Global Warming 'Pause' Isn't What Climate Change Skeptics Say It Is. Scientists who study climate change and skeptics of human-caused global warming can agree on at least this: Global temperatures haven't risen nearly as much this century as model projections say they should have. At least, that's the way it looks today. But according to a recently published study in the scientific journal Earth's Future, the greenhouse gas-fueled heating of the planet hasn't stopped at all during the global warming …Posted. http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/no-hiatus-pause-global-warming-climate-change-heres-why-20140109 FUELS U.S. Gasoline Rises to 12-Week High, Lundberg Survey Shows. The average price for regular gasoline at U.S. pumps climbed 8.41 cents in the past three weeks to $3.3459 a gallon, the highest level since October 17, according to Lundberg Survey Inc. The survey covers the period ended Jan. 10 and is based on information obtained from about 2,500 filling stations by the Camarillo, California-based company. The Jan. 10 retail price is 2.12 cents higher than a year ago, Lundberg said. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-12/u-s-gasoline-rises-to-12-week-high-lundberg-survey-shows.html Gasoline Slips as Rising Supplies Reduce Value Versus Diesel. Gasoline futures declined as rising supplies and lower demand reduced their value versus ultra-low sulfur diesel. U.S. gasoline inventories jumped to a 10-month high and demand slid 7 percent in the week ended Jan. 3, according to Energy Information Administration data. The motor fuel’s discount to diesel, based on February contracts, widened 1.21 cents to 28.37 cents a gallon. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-13/gasoline-slips-as-rising-supplies-reduce-value-versus-diesel.html California expects more crude oil by rail, seeks to beef up spill response. Wary of a series of fiery train derailments elsewhere in North America, California officials are bracing for a huge increase in the amount of crude oil transported by rail into the state and the dangers it brings with it. The state budget plan Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled this week bolsters the state Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Response, increasing its budget by $6.7 million and adding 38 staff members, "to address the increased risk of inland oil spills." Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/10/6062524/california-expects-more-crude.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES Sexy performance meets 'green' ethic at Detroit auto show. To look over the roster of racy new and future vehicles at the 2014 North American International Auto Show here, the initial impression is that U.S., European and Asian automakers want to turn back the clock to a time when performance and speed trumped concerns about energy and the environment. So-called green cars — electric vehicles, hybrids and hydrogen fuel cells — are being heavily overshadowed at the Detroit show by sports cars…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/13/us-autoshow-detroit-idUSBREA0B0I620140113 HIGH-SPEED RAIL Brown needs pollution bucks for bullet train. The governor proposes a controversial plan to use $250 million in cap-and-trade funds to pay for his high-speed rail project. Gov. Jerry Brown finally is showing us the money he hopes to parlay into paying for his bullet train. Basically, it's the cash from selling licenses to pollute. It's not called pollution licensing, of course. Officially, it's a cap-and-trade program, a polite government name for allowing industries to pollute for a fee. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-cap-budget-20140113,0,5255503,print.column Critics unite against Brown's bullet train funding. Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to redirect $250 million from California's landmark effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spend it instead on his beleaguered bullet train has renewed debate about the future of the contentious project. In defending that part of the budget proposal he released this week, Brown pitched the $68 billion rail line as the perfect way to unite a fractured state and help California "pull together to form a greater community." Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Critics-unite-against-Brown-s-bullet-train-funding-5132260.php GREEN ENERGY Aluminum industry makes deep cuts in energy use, greenhouse gases. The production of primary aluminum in the United States and Canada has seen a marked decline in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in recent years, according to a peer-reviewed report released last week by the Aluminum Association. The life-cycle analysis found that the energy needed to produce 1 metric ton of primary or new aluminum, from extraction to shape fabrication, has fallen 11 percent since 2005 and 26 percent since 1995. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992761/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS West Coast radiation from Fukushima disaster poses no risk, experts say. Scientists trying to quell an outburst of concern say radiation from the 2011 tsunami that hit the Japanese nuclear power plant has dropped. Radiation detected off the U.S. West Coast from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan has declined since the 2011 tsunami disaster and never approached levels that could pose a risk to human health, seafood or wildlife, scientists say. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-west-coast-radiation-20140113,0,4048380.story#ixzz2qIa1uzO7 Benefits of going gas. Bob and Mary Lou Schaeneman grew weary of lugging firewood into the house. So they upgraded from an open-hearth fireplace to a pellet stove - only to discover that air quality restrictions would often forbid them from using it. So the Schaenemans went one step further: Earlier this month, they took advantage of a rebate program to help pay for a new gas insert where their fireplace used to be. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140111/A_NEWS/401110321 California biodiesel show echoes 'strong' theme of nat'l event. The third annual California Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Conference will be held Jan. 20 at the San Diego Convention Center. Co-presented by the California Biodiesel Alliance and the National Biodiesel Board, it echoes the “strong” theme of the co-located National Biodiesel Conference & Expo. California's biodiesel industry has grown in size, strength and stature…Posted. http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/9507/california-biodiesel-show-echoes-strong-theme-of-natl-event LB City Council close to finalizing billboard ordinance, but “cap and trade” proposal gets more scrutiny. The Long Beach City Council is close to fully adopting an ordinance that would regulate static billboards and allow construction of electronic advertising signs on a limited basis. Although the Council voted to approve the initial ordinance at their Jan. 7 meeting in a first-reading vote, representatives of a billboard company strongly opposed details in the ordinance language that specifically deal with a “cap and trade” program intended to limit the number of billboards in the city. Posted. http://www.signaltribunenewspaper.com/?p=22284 OPINIONS COLUMN-Is nuclear power the answer on climate change? James Hansen's latest press conference was positively scary. NASA's former chief climate scientist (he recently left government to pursue a more activist role) met with environmental journalists last month at Columbia University to release a new study with the ominous title, "Assessing Dangerous Climate Change: Required Reduction of Carbon Emissions to Protect Young People, Future Generations and Nature." Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/10/schiffman-nuclear-idUSL2N0KK2HX20140110 Shortchanging the science of changes in our climate. Debra J. Saunders appears to be unclear on the meaning of the word "science" ("Global warming's Antarctic icebreaker," Dec. 31). Scientific data reveal that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have risen and fallen gradually over the last 400,000 years. The data also show that the CO{-2} concentration has shot up in the past 200 years to twice the highest level ever seen before. A lot of CO{-2} in the atmosphere suggests global warming; insanely rapid changes in the CO{-2} cause chaotic climate change. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Letters-to-Insight-Jan-12-5132240.php Editorial: Use cap and trade auction proceeds wisely. In budgetary flimflam last year, Gov. Jerry Brown raided the first $500 million of cap-and-trade auction proceeds. That money was supposed to go to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 – and by 2050, to 80 percent of 1990 levels. Now, with his 2014-15 budget proposal, he is trying to make amends. Good. He proposes to repay $100 million this year, and the rest within the next few years. He should commit to no more raids. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/11/6062639/editorial-use-cap-and-trade-auction.html#storylink=cpy Thumbs up, thumbs down. Thumbs down to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's governing board for not taking more aggressive action to rid our region of sooty air that is causing premature deaths and other health concerns. Soot levels this winter have been very unhealthy — even for people with no lung problems. Governing board members appear in radio and TV commercials imploring residents to do "one thing" to help clean the air. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/10/3707654/thumbs-up-thumbs-down.html Stop polluting the air with wood fires. Recently, my wife and I returned to Napa Valley after a day visiting with our daughter, son-in-law and grandsons in Green Valley. As we turned north on Highway 29 from Highway 12, I was struck by the pungent odor of burning wood. Inasmuch as this was a Spare the Air day and responsible residents of Napa Valley would therefore not be stoking their fireplaces with toxic and pollution-causing fires, I glanced around to see if I could detect the location of the raging forest fire that must be producing such an odor. Posted. http://napavalleyregister.com/news/opinion/mailbag/stop-polluting-the-air-with-wood-fires/article_dae60ac4-7b2d-11e3-9946-001a4bcf887a.html PD Editorial: A cold-fueled climate debate. Brrrrr. It's cold, unusually cold, even for January. Frozen citrus in Florida. Trains stuck in snowdrifts in Illinois. Ice choking the Mississippi River. If they aren't tossing boiling water into icy air, TV weathercasters are explaining the “polar vortex” — that ridge of Arctic air responsible for plunging temperatures and frosty winds from the Rockies to the Atlantic. And, right on cue, the cold snap has produced a windy chorus of climate-change skeptics. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140111/opinion/140119960 BLOGS After years of decline, U.S. carbon emissions rose 2 percent in 2013. The United States has been one of the few bright spots for climate-change policy in recent years. Thanks to the recession, improved efficiency measures and the shale-gas boom, the nation's carbon-dioxide emissions from energy fell 12 percent between 2005 and 2012. But the party's now officially ending, at least for those worried about global warming. In an early estimate…Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/13/after-years-of-decline-u-s-carbon-emissions-rose-2-percent-in-2013/ TRANSPORTATION: DMV rolls out self-driving-car rules. “Look, Mom, no hands!” Perhaps many of us remember saying something like that during our childhoods, as we were about to launch a no-hands demonstration of riding a bicycle or performing a stunt on the playground. Now, imagine driving down the freeway and glancing at the car in the next lane over — and noticing no hands on the steering wheel. It could happen sooner than you might think. Or maybe not. Posted. http://blog.pe.com/business/2014/01/10/transportation-dmv-rolls-out-self-driving-car-rules/ Meet Urban Tabby, the DIY EV you can build in 60 minutes or less. Earlier this month, EZ EV founder Gary Krysztopik told Plug In Cars that his DIY electric vehicle kit could be built in a week. Who knew that we'd be able to think of this as a near eternity so soon? That's because we've got another company that says its do-it-yourself EV can be built in an hour. Times are changing, rapidly. OSVehicle (the OS stands for Open Source)…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/13/urban-tabby-diy-hour-to-build-it-ev/ Energy disruption: Will fracking end Big Oil? The US shale gas and oil revolution has shown that hydrocarbons are almost everywhere, Grealy writes, and we no longer need to go to the ends of the earth or spend or spend a ton of capital to find them. The new energy paradigm is a world where the most attractive projects are those closest to markets. Internationally, 2013 was the year when any doubts about shale energy potential evaporated in the face of production of both natural gas and oil in the US achieved levels that were simply prodigious. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0111/Energy-disruption-Will-fracking-end-Big-Oil Low-Income People to Get Vouchers for Green Cars. Transportation is one of the most significant expenses for many people, and has a huge impact on their household budgets. The average household spends at least $9,000 – $10,000 a year on transportation, but these costs may vary greatly depending on where you live and whether you own a car and drive to work each day, or use the public transportation system, instead. Posted. http://www.greenerideal.com/vehicles/0113-low-income-people-to-get-vouchers-for-green-cars/ Carbon Pollution Funds Poised to Deliver on Advancing Clean Energy in California. Governor Brown’s administration made public yesterday details of the first expenditure plan for revenues generated from the sale of carbon pollution allowances under California’s cap-and-trade program. The plan, set to be released as part of the Governor’s budget on Friday, proposes to spend $850 million in carbon pollution funds next fiscal year …Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/324991/carbon-pollution-funds-poised-deliver-advancing-clean-energy-california Will the BMW i3 get the Green or White Sticker in California? As trivial as this question might sound, it might have serious consequences for future buyers of the i3. Wait, what I am talking about? As you might have heard already, the range-extended version of the BMW i3, which is slated to arrive in the US sometime in April, is apparently at risk of not qualifying for all the incentives in California, which is the largest market for plug-in vehicles as of this writing. Posted. http://www.bmwblog.com/2014/01/11/will-bmw-i3-get-green-white-sticker-california/ California More Than Doubles Solar Energy In 2013. California installed more megawatts of solar energy in 2013 than it did in the last 30 years combined, the California Solar Energy Industries Association reported. "It took California over 30 years to build 1,000 MW of rooftop solar, hitting that landmark in early 2013. Today, California is closing out the year with more than 2,000 MW of rooftop solar systems installed statewide," CALSEIA executive director Bernadette Del Chiaro said. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/california-solar-energy-doubled_n_4570432.html?view=print&comm_ref=false Here’s another reason why renewables are at an unfair disadvantage. Recently, a new pipeline started pumping fracked natural gas from the Marcellus Shale to Manhattan. It’s a critical reminder of the importance of infrastructure in determining our energy future — and of how lopsided our infrastructure policy is. Burdensome regulations governing infrastructure are hampering renewable energy expansion, while natural gas is facing no such obstacles. If renewable energy is going to make up any significant portion of our nation’s electricity needs…Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/heres-another-reason-why-renewables-are-at-an-unfair-disadvantage/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2014 13:48:12 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 14, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 14, 2014. 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 Brown’s budget proposes boosts of UC, ag research. State agencies that work with farmers and ranchers would get a boost under Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget. The California Department of Food and Agriculture would receive an extra $20 million in cap-and-trade revenue for nitrogen and dairy digester research and development of renewable fuels, Secretary Karen Ross explained on the agency’s website. Posted. http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140113/ARTICLE/140119949 Calif. legislative analyst calls use of cap-and-trade money for bullet train 'legally risky' California's legislative watchdog yesterday blasted Gov. Jerry Brown’s (D) proposal to spend revenues from the state's carbon cap-and-trade program on high-speed rail, saying it was "unlikely to maximize greenhouse gas reductions" and could be "legally risky." The Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) cautioned state lawmakers to look carefully at Brown's draft budget request to put toward the bullet train $250 million…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992849/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION No Quick Fix for China's Air Quality. To control the pollution that's choking Beijing, demolition squads recently swooped down on this industrial city located two hours away by car and crippled a batch of coal-burning steel works. TV cameras caught the officially sanctioned saboteurs dismantling massive pieces of equipment in outdated steel facilities that had long resisted government orders to close. Some reports say they used explosives to blow up boilers in what was dubbed "Operation Sunday." Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579319952865306072#printMode BY SUBSCRIPTION Gov's Budget Invests In Clean Air for Low-Income Communities. Governor Jerry Brown's budget proposal is getting high marks from those who want to see proceeds from cap-and-trade auctions go toward cleaning up pollution in low-income communities. The state borrowed against the carbon-pollution funds last year, but this time the governor wants to spend $600 million on sustainable communities and clean transportation. Posted. http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2014-01-14/climate-change-air-quality/govs-budget-invests-in-clean-air-for-low-income-communities/a36787-1 Red alert: The color purple declared as poor air impacts schools. If you thought a "red alert" was bad, try purple. Each day, scores of schools in Kern County hoist a color-coded flag to let parents, students and staff know what kind of air quality to expect that day. A green flag predicts good air quality, yellow signals moderate, orange indicates the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups and a red flag -- well, that's bad news for pretty much anyone who breathes. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1210656809/Red-alert-The-color-purple-declared CLIMATE CHANGE Top Global Emitter China Best on Climate Change, Figueres Says. China, the top emitter of greenhouse gases, is also the country that’s “doing it right” when it comes to addressing global warming, the United Nations’ chief climate official said. The nation has some of the toughest energy-efficiency standards for buildings and transportation and its support for photovoltaic technology helped reduce solar-panel costs by 80 percent since 2008, Christiana Figueres…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-13/top-global-emitter-china-best-on-climate-change-figueres-says.html The Flood Next Time. The little white shack at the water’s edge in Lower Manhattan is unobtrusive — so much so that the tourists strolling the promenade at Battery Park the other day did not give it a second glance. Up close, though, the roof of the shed behind a Coast Guard building bristled with antennas and other gear. Though not much bigger than a closet, this facility is helping scientists confront one of the great environmental mysteries of the age. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/14/science/earth/grappling-with-sea-level-rise-sooner-not-later.html?_r=0 DIESEL EMISSIONS California Issues Reminder over Compliance with Reefer Rules. The California Air Resources Board is reminding brokers, forwarders, shippers and receivers that hire motor carriers to transport perishable goods on California highways to re-establish due diligence in their hiring practices with the start of 2014. That’s because Dec. 31 was the deadline for model year 2006 transport refrigeration unit and TRU generator set engines to meet state in-use performance standards. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2014/01/california-issues-reminder-over-compliance-with-reefer-rules.aspx FUELS Lab study cuts fracking waste's radioactivity. Researchers believe they have found an unlikely way to decrease the radioactivity of some hydraulic fracturing wastewater: Mix it with the hazardous drainage from mining operations. The wastewater is created when some of the chemical-laced water used to fracture thick underground rocks flows back out of the wellbore. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jan/13/lab-study-cuts-fracking-wastes-radioactivity/#ixzz2qOWkMvqp New trend in gasoline prices: Stability. Wind back the calendar a week, a month or a year and the average price for gasoline in San Diego is nearly the same as today: $3.66 a gallon. The West Coast, like much of the United States, experienced a narrower range of price swings in 2013, the Energy Information Administration has announced. Plentiful gasoline reserves provide some assurance that the trend will continue, though world oil markets and smooth refinery operations are key to low consumer prices. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/13/gasoline-prices-flatline/ California Drivers Use Fuel Made From Trash. An innovative new fuel is now available here in Southern California. It’s clean, cheap, and made from an unlikely source -- trash. Trash that is thrown away generates pollution as it decomposes, releasing tons of methane gas into the atmosphere. Cars also spew out soot and smog that pollute the air. Now, a Southern California company has figured out a way of capturing methane that escapes from landfills and farms, and turning it into clean fuel. Posted. http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/California-Drivers-Using-Fuel-Made-From-Trash-240012971.html Petroleum-coke-to-gas plant gets financial boost from DOE. The Department of Energy will provide $261.4 million to a proposed project in Louisiana that would capture the majority of carbon dioxide emissions from a proposed gasification plant, according to new documents published in the Federal Register. The decision provides a financial boost to the $435.6 million Lake Charles Carbon Capture and Sequestration project, which envisions capturing 89 percent of the CO2 from a plant that converts petroleum coke into hydrogen gas, methanol and other projects. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992832/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Hybrid offers $55M for bankrupt Fisker in bid war. Hybrid Technology, led by Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li, has bid $55 million for Fisker Automotive's assets, just days after a bankruptcy judge in Delaware rejected Hybrid's plan to take over the failed electric-vehicle maker in a private sale. Hybrid said in court papers Monday that it's offering $30 million in cash and would cancel $25 million in debt that Fisker owes Hybrid as its senior secured lender. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jan/13/fisker-bankruptcy-bidding-heats-up-quickly/ Automakers embrace renewable energy. It used to be the main intersection between automakers and clean energy was the development and deployment of fuel-sipping hybrid and electric-powered vehicles. Increasingly, though, automakers wanting to raise the bar for environmental performance are buying or even producing their own renewable electricity to run assembly lines and back-office operations. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992821/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY England’s Clouds Part for Solar as Panels Carpet Fields. Cloudy Britain is emerging as Europe’s hottest market to build solar parks. Cheaper equipment costs and steady subsidies are attracting developers of large-scale, ground-mounted projects from nations like Germany and Spain that pioneered solar on the continent. Britain may build more big plants -- 2 megawatts or larger -- than any European country, adding as much as 2,000 megawatts of capacity this year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-14/england-s-clouds-part-for-solar-as-panels-carpet-fields.html Julian planners say 'no' to solar farm. If left to the people of Julian, an application to build a solar farm in Wynola would be relegated to the Dumpster. By a unanimous vote of 10-0, the Julian Community Planning Group recommended Monday night that the county planning department reject a proposal to place 4,660 solar panels on property just north of state Route 78 off Calico Ranch Road. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/13/julian-wynola-solar-farm/ OPINIONS High-speed rail in California runs into a low-speed process. Who is more powerful, the president of the United States or Michael P. Kenny of Sacramento? Before you answer, consider this sequence of events: In April 2009, President Obama announced his “Vision for High Speed Rail” in America, backed by $8 billion in stimulus funds. The president pitched the plan in subsequent State of the Union addresses, signaling his commitment and that of his administration. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-lane-high-speed-rail-in-california-runs-into-a-low-speed-process/2014/01/13/4aebd266-7c75-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html?wpisrc=nl_opinions Editorial: 'Coordination' push leaves city with a red face. Is the Redding City Council actually serious about “coordination”? Or is it just pandering to conservatives hoping a harmless token gesture will get the crowds to leave them alone? Because after an embarrassing snub by the California Air Resources Board, the councilors really ought to make up their mind. And if they’re not serious, they should quit wasting their time and precious credibility. Posted. http://www.redding.com/news/2014/jan/11/editorial-coordination-push-leaves-city-with-a/ BY SUBSCRIPTION. Exide plant a grim tale of harmful pollution: John Pérez. Sometimes when it comes to cleaning the air, stories come along that can muddy the waters. That’s what happened in two instances here in California: the fight against fire rings in Orange County and the complaints about health issues and noxious odors coming from the Sriracha plant in Irwindale. Those stories have received statewide and even national attention because they include components of broad media appeal…Posted. http://www.dailybulletin.com/opinion/20140113/exide-plant-a-grim-tale-of-harmful-pollution-john-pxe9rez BLOGS Climate Change Clouds Philippines’ Dream of Rice Self-Sufficiency. Climate change will complicate the Philippines’ efforts to become self-sufficient in rice, the country’s economic planning secretary said Monday. Arsenio Balisacan said preliminary data showed that 74% of the estimated damage from natural disasters in the country last year came in the farm sector, primarily affecting rice. The natural disasters include extreme weather caused by global warming, he said. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2014/01/13/climate-change-clouds-philippines-dream-of-rice-self-sufficiency/ Global warming? Public attitudes often at mercy of the weather, study finds. Human-triggered climate change is real, scientists agree, but only about half of the public concurs. Part of the reason, a study says, is how people process information when confronted with complex issues. When much of North America was caught in the grip of unusually cold weather in early January, images of ice-encased lighthouses on Lake Michigan and hunche…Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2014/0113/Global-warming-Public-attitudes-often-at-mercy-of-the-weather-study-finds Toyota FT-1 hints at Supra, more aggressive hybrids. Toyota showed off the new FT-1 performance concept at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show today, and the obvious story angle is that this is the new Supra. That's enough weight for most concept cars to carry, but then we thought about it a bit more - FT-1 stands for "Future Toyota 1," after all - and re-read the hints Toyota is dropping about how the FT-1 fits into the company's future. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/13/toyota-ft-1-hints-supra-more-aggressive-hybrids/ Superchargers power Tesla Model S EVs for over 8M miles. Ahead of the company's press conference at the Detroit Auto Show tomorrow, Tesla is talking up its Supercharger network with some impressive numbers. Tesla's Alexis Georgeson told AutoblogGreen that Tesla Model S EVs have driven more than eight million miles on Supercharger fill-ups. That's the equivalent of 33-and-a-half trips to the moon and back. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/13/superchargers-power-tesla-model-s-evs-for-over-8m-miles/ Tesla recalling 29,000 Model S wall chargers to prevent overheating. Tesla's big wall charger adapter replacement program is about to get a lot bigger. For one thing, the replacement has become an official recall. Secondly, the number of affected adapters is higher than expected: 29,222 units. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officially announced the recall today. Tesla says that the problem lies in "certain NEMA 14-50 (240 volt) Universal Mobile Connector (UMC) adapters" and that the problem is that the adapter, cord, or wall outlet can overheat during charging. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/14/tesla-model-s-wall-charger-recall/ Climate Change Worsens Mercury Pollution. Summary of recent research shows climate change will increase our exposure to mercury, a toxic heavy metal that threatens fetal growth and development and targets the brains of children. Pregnant women hear a lot about mercury from their obstetricians, who emphasize the need to limit tuna consumption during pregnancy. New moms hear a lot about mercury from their pediatricians, who warn against feeding too much tuna to their toddlers. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/molly-rauch/climate-change-worsens-me_b_4576641.html?view=print&comm_ref=false ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2014 12:15:37 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 15, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 15, 2014. 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 Black carbon a powerful climate pollutant: international study. Black carbon, the soot produced by burning fossil fuels and biomass, is a more potent atmospheric pollutant than previously thought, according to a four-year international study released on Tuesday. Emitted by diesel engines, brick kilns and wood-fired cookstoves, black carbon is second only to carbon dioxide as the most powerful climate pollutant, according to the study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/15/us-climate-black-carbon-idUSBRE90E0XD20130115 http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/black-carbon-ranks-as-second-biggest-human-cause-of-global-warming/2013/01/15/6d4e542a-5f2d-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_story.html China to Boost Renewable Energy to Curb Air Pollution, CCTV Says. China, the world’s biggest carbon emitter, will quicken the development of solar and wind energy this year to help curb air pollution, state television said. The nation plans to install 14 gigawatts of solar capacity and 18 gigawatts of wind power as well as approve 20 gigawatts of hydroelectric plants, China Central Television reported, citing the National Energy Administration. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-15/china-to-boost-renewable-energy-to-curb-air-pollution-cctv-says.html Bay Area's winter hazard: pollution. In the long run, the Bay Area's unusually parched winter may portend a drought that could devastate the crops and water on which residents depend. But for now, the dry weather is creating a more immediate health hazard: hazy, grimy air pollution. More than halfway through what air regulators consider the Bay Area's winter season, the region has already seen an unprecedented number of Spare the Air days. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Bay-Area-s-winter-hazard-pollution-5143666.php Tanker cleaning company fined $1.2M in Texas. A tanker cleaning company and a manager have paid $1.2 million in fines to settle hazardous waste complaints at a facility in the Houston area. Prosecutors in Travis County on Monday announced the fines against Enterprise Logistic Services LLC, doing business as Enterprise Transportation Company, and facility manager John Schultz. The company has a tanker cleaning unit in Freeport. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Tanker-cleaning-company-fined-1-2M-in-Texas-5141184.php Suburban living linked to bigger carbon footprint. A city with a minimal carbon footprint looks a lot like San Francisco, where residents tend to commute by bus or train, live in apartments and walk to nearby shops and restaurants. Nationwide, those kinds of cities are keeping greenhouse gas emissions low - but their outlying suburbs essentially negate those climate benefits. In fact, suburbs account for 50 percent of the nation's household carbon footprint, even though they are home to less than half of the U.S. population, according to a new UC Berkeley study. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Suburban-living-linked-to-bigger-carbon-footprint-5143575.php Study shows air pollution may lead to more wildfires. Preliminary results from a study in the Santa Monica Mountains show air pollution may increase the risk of wildfires, the National Park Service reported. Researchers found that higher levels of nitrogen led to a decline in native shrub seedlings and an increase in nonnative grasses. Other studies have demonstrated a link between nonnative grasses and larger and more frequent wildfires, Park Service officials said. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jan/14/study-shows-air-pollution-may-lead-to-more/#ixzz2qUXCao2H CLIMATE CHANGE REFILE-World may have to suck gases from air to meet climate goals-UN. Governments may have to extract vast amounts of greenhouse gases from the air by 2100 to achieve a target for limiting global warming, backed by trillion-dollar shifts towards clean energy, a draft U.N. report showed on Wednesday. A 29-page summary for policymakers, seen by Reuters, says most scenarios show that rising world emissions will have to plunge by 40 to 70 percent between 2010 and 2050 to give a good chance of restricting warming to U.N. targets. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/15/climate-solutions-idUSL5N0KP1OI20140115 Wanted: major investors to spend 'clean trillion' on climate. Major institutional investors will need to ratchet up their investment in clean energy to achieve the massive funding goals necessary to avert catastrophic climate change, according to a report released on Wednesday by investment group Ceres. Ceres, a non-profit organization which advocates for the adoption of "sustainable business practices," made seven recommendations for the private sector and three for governments on how to bridge the gap between today's clean energy investment levels...Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/15/usa-climate-investing-idUSL2N0KP0QN20140115 Danish pension funds invest in climate fund. Danish pension funds and the government will invest in a state fund to finance projects to fight climate change in developing countries, one of the investors said in a statement. PensionDanmark said it had committed 200 million Danish crowns ($37 million) to the fund, while a further 1 billion crowns will come from pension funds PKA and PBU, private investment fund Dansk Vækstkapital, the Investment Fund for Developing Countries and the Danish government. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/15/us-denmark-climate-fund-idUSBREA0E07Z20140115 Climate Agenda Intact With Limited Riders in Appropriations Bill, White House Says. Democrats beat back efforts from Republicans to include provisions in a fiscal year 2014 appropriations package that would have limited President Barack Obama's ability to implement his climate action plan, according to the White House. Matt Lehrich, an assistant press secretary at the White House, told Bloomberg BNA in a statement that all of the “many” riders to the $1.1 trillion appropriations package that would have “gutted” Obama's climate action plan were eliminated from the final bill. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-15/climate-agenda-intact-with-limited-riders-in-appropriations-bill-white-house-says.html Under Investor Pressure, Utility to Study Emissions. FirstEnergy, one of the country’s largest electric companies, has agreed to work toward reducing its carbon emissions in response to pressure from shareholders including New York State and Connecticut pension funds, New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said on Tuesday. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/business/energy-environment/power-company-to-study-emissions-after-pressure.html?_r=0 Carbon footprint maps reveal urban-suburban divide. Where you live in a metropolis — the city or the suburbs — can make a huge difference in how much you are contributing to climate change, according to a new study. People in the densely populated cores of big cities are responsible for less greenhouse gas emissions, but the more carbon-intensive lifestyle of their far-flung suburbs cancels out any of the benefits, researchers at UC Berkeley found. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-carbon-footprint-suburban-urban-20140114,0,687352.story#ixzz2qUQeYprE Persistent high pressure blamed for California drought. As California struggles through a run of historically dry weather, most residents are looking at falling reservoir levels, dusty air and thirsty lawns. But meteorologists have fixed their attention on the scientific phenomenon they say is to blame for the emerging drought: a vast zone of high pressure in the atmosphere off the West Coast, nearly four miles high and 2,000 miles long, so stubborn that one researcher has named it the "Ridiculously Resilient Ridge." Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/14/3714277/persistent-high-pressure-blamed.html#storylink=cpy Climate task force puts heat on deniers. Shrugging off potential political damage to vulnerable Southern and mountain-state Democrats, 18 Democratic senators led by Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., went on an election-year assault Tuesday against climate-change denial, accusing oil and coal interests of holding members of Congress captive on the issue. These ostensible captives are not just Republicans, but Democrats representing conservative-leaning states that are home to large fossil-fuel industries. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Climate-task-force-puts-heat-on-deniers-5143420.php Senators form new group to support climate action as administration stresses better preparedness. Eighteen senators opened a campaign yesterday to highlight the science of climate change and defend the president's actions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They also tried to help Republicans understand the movement of lobsters. The unveiling of the Senate Climate Action Task Force adds to the growing number of voices within Congress expressing concern about the absence of legislation to stem greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059992944/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Winona frack sand monitors 1 of first in state. Winona will become the first city in Minnesota to monitor frack and and diesel emissions along a truck route. Two monitors have been installed on the roof of the local YMCA and are calibrating. The equipment should be tracking data sometime this week. The data will be collected for a year and will be used as a baseline of how much frack sand and diesel emissions are in the air along one of the busiest truck routes in the city. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Winona-frack-sand-monitors-1-of-first-in-state-5145183.php FUELS Ethanol Advances After Report Shows Record Production Decline. Ethanol gained for the first time in three days following a government report showing a record production decline last week. Futures jumped as much as 2.2 percent after the U.S. Energy Information Administration said output tumbled 5.6 percent to 868,000 barrels a day, the lowest level since Oct. 4 and the steepest drop in records going back to June 2010. An arctic blast last week delayed trains and cut terminal operations. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-15/ethanol-advances-after-report-shows-record-production-decline.html Boeing seeks regulatory approval for 'green diesel' as jet fuel. Aircraft-maker Boeing said Tuesday it was seeking regulatory approval to use renewable "green diesel" as jet fuel, which it says is a competitively priced way to curb emissions. The company said it would work with engine makers, airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration and other interested parties to present research to standard-setting groups and the government to boost the case for a blend of up to 50% renewable diesel and traditional jet fuel. Posted. http://www.platts.com/latest-news/oil/washington/boeing-seeks-regulatory-approval-for-green-diesel-21078453 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/202379/boeing-goes-green-with-new-aviation-fuel/ 50 groups press governor to ban fracking. A coalition of 50 environmental, public health and social justice groups yesterday urged California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) to ban unconventional drilling for oil and natural gas, including the technique known as fracking. The groups sent a letter to Brown arguing that he needs to issue an executive order blocking the activity. The organizations both addressed what they see as the risks of fracking to water and land and appealed to the governor's commitment to limiting climate change. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059992949/print BY SUBCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL California bullet train project may soon face funding shortfall. California is required to match $180 million in federal grants, but officials say project's funding plans may violate law. California's bullet train project is facing a potential funding shortfall in April when funding agreements require the state to come up with $180 million to match federal grants, said Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), the chairman of the House of Representatives' rail subcommittee. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0115-bullet-train-hearing-20140115,0,7544699.story#ixzz2qURcYSli High-speed rail agency rejects idea of bypassing downtown Bakersfield. A proposed high-speed rail route bypassing central Bakersfield to the west instead of crossing through downtown was quietly rejected late last year by project officials. The CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, Jeff Morales, said in an interview Tuesday that the bypass alignment now is "not under active considerationPosted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1210656900/High-speed-rail-agency-rejects-idea-of-bypassing-downtown-Bakersfield?utm_source=widget_160&utm_medium=latest_entry_images_widget&utm_campaign=synapse GREEN ENERGY SolarCity's New $29,392,600,000,000 Enemy. Rooftop solar companies like SolarCity Corporation did well in 2013 -- too well. Massive utilities have the spooks, and they're pushing regulators to put the brakes on backyard power generation. Here's what you need to know. While solar currently supplies less than 1% of U.S. electricity generation, rooftop solar systems are soaring in popularity: 90,000 businesses and homeowners installed rooftop solar panel kits in 2012, 46% more than the previous year. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/SolarCity-s-New-29-392-600-000-000-Enemy-5145182.php Google invests $75M more in Texas wind farms. Google Inc. will invest $75 million more in Texas wind farms as the tech giant expands its renewable energy efforts. California-based Google on Tuesday announced an agreement has been finalized for the Panhandle 2 wind turbine site in Carson County, near Amarillo. A Google statement says the facility, developed by Pattern Energy Group LP, should have the capacity to generate enough renewable energy to power 56,000 U.S. homes. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Google-invests-75M-more-in-Texas-wind-farms-5144930.php Clean Energy Fuels shares rise on new stations. Shares of Clean Energy Fuels jumped in premarket trading Wednesday after the compressed natural gas provider announced the opening of liquefied natural gas fueling stations in Florida, Illinois and California. The opening of the station in Jacksonville, Fla., marks the company's first in that state. The other stations are located in Pontoon Beach, Ill., and Fontana, Calif. The stations will be used to fuel heavy duty natural gas trucks. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/15/clean-energy-fuels-shares-rise-on-new-stations/ Clean energy investment down, but not out. Global investment in clean energy and energy efficiency technologies dropped 12 percent in 2013, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. It marks the second consecutive year of declines in clean energy investment, but there are reasons to be optimistic about wind and solar energy. To fund a global transition to a low-carbon economy, the clean-energy industry will need to attract hundreds of billions of dollars in new investment. For two straight years now, the opposite has happened. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0115/Clean-energy-investment-down-but-not-out MISCELLANEOUS Asthma, allergy rates higher in extreme runners. LONG-DISTANCE RUNNERS Asthma, allergy and injury rates higher. Extreme runners - specifically, those who compete in races longer than the 26.2-mile marathon - are, to no one's surprise, healthier than the average American. But they have higher rates of allergies and asthma, and most of them have suffered exercise-related injuries, according to a new study out of UCSF and UC Davis. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Asthma-allergy-rates-higher-in-extreme-runners-5143576.php OPINIONS Why Shale Gas Won't Conquer Britain. With the announcement in December of its decision to award new shale drilling licenses in 2014, the British government has made plain its enthusiasm for shale gas. This zeal stems from the belief that an increased domestic gas supply will drive down national prices, at once enhancing export competitiveness while addressing growing public concern over rising domestic energy bills. But this strategy is misguided: Unlike in the United States, a shale gas revolution will not bring down prices in Britain. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/opinion/why-shale-gas-wont-conquer-britain.html?hpw&rref=opinion Letters: Air quality fight is ongoing. Re "L.A. sues to keep oil field near USC closed," Jan. 8. The South Coast Air Quality Management District is not at odds with the city of Los Angeles or any other agency over the Allenco Energy Inc. oil facility. Rather, we are on the same path, working to ensure that Allenco does not reopen until it meets all applicable environmental regulations and no longer poses any potential hazard or nuisance to nearby residents. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0112-sunday-allenco-20140112,0,2726005.story#ixzz2qUQEovb4 California drought? We're not there yet. Too soon to use the 'D' word. For days now, Californians have looked skyward each morning, searching for the merest hint of rain. So far, they've mostly been unrewarded (although San Francisco did record 0.02 inches last week). Now the drumbeat to use the 'D' word is getting louder. It is much too early for the governor to declare a state drought emergency, despite what San Joaquin Valley growers and Democrats Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno have called for. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/editorials/article/California-drought-We-re-not-there-yet-Too-soon-5136945.php Benson cartoon ignores reality. After seeing Lisa Benson's political cartoon (Jan. 8) regarding climate change (not so-called "global warming"), I can't decide if The Bee is printing her stuff as a sop to know-nothing right-wingers or merely to demonstrate how deeply such people have their heads in the sand. Referencing the recent travails of a few ships off Antarctica, she portrays an ice-bound boat running up against a signpost marked "Reality." Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/13/3712561/benson-cartoon-ignores-reality.html#storylink=cpy Stop the polarization of climate change. Was it global warming that last week threatened to freeze-dry America? While most Americans were struggling just to stay warm, the political atmosphere turned superheated about whether human activity caused the global warming that caused the polar vortex that caused last week's bitter, record cold. The assertion that warmth causes cold struck many Americans as a bit ironic, if not amusing. Frigid fingers filled the social media ether with the seemingly reasonable question: "What happened to global warming?" Posted. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-01-14/opinion/ct-polar-vortex-global-warming-dennis-byrne-oped-0-20140114_1_climate-scientists-climate-change-warming BLOGS Black Carbon Second Only To CO2 In Heating The Planet. No discussion of climate change can get very far without focusing on greenhouse gases — pollutants including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides and more, which are trapping heat and driving the planet’s temperature upward. But according to a report published Tuesday in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, the second most important heat-trapping pollutant isn’t a gas at all: it’s black carbon, more commonly known as plain old soot…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/black-carbon-co2_n_2482157.html?view=print&comm_ref=false Abrupt climate change in 1816. Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death. This fall and early winter has certainly brought plenty of crazy weather. Of course this ignites the ongoing debate about climate change or “global warming” as it was originally named. As confounding as recent weather has seemed, can you imagine how heated the debate would become if winter continued right on through summer? Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/gardening/abrupt-climate-change-in-1816/6042/ Toyota sold a million hybrids in last nine months, 6M since 1997. Toyota's first hybrid model – the Prius – went on sale in 1997 in Japan. It took 14 years for the company to see a cumulative total of three million hybrids (a mark reached in March 2011). Today, Toyota announced that its global sales figures of all of its gas-electric models (and there are a lot of them now, including ones we've barely heard of here in the US, like the Crown Majesta or the Harrier Hybrid) have reached six million. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/15/toyota-sold-million-hybrids-in-last-nine-months-6m-since-1997/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 13:01:06 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 16, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 16, 2014. This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office of Communications. You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. CAP AND TRADE EU Can Deepen Carbon Cuts With Current Technology: Study. The European Union can achieve more ambitious emission reductions without investing in expensive new technologies, according to researchers in Germany. The EU has potential to cut emissions 40 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels by spending less than an additional 0.7 percent of economic output, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research said today after publishing a study. That compares with a current target to lower greenhouse gases 20 percent by 2020. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-16/eu-can-deepen-carbon-cuts-with-current-technology-study.html AIR POLLUTION Beijing air pollution at dangerously high levels. Beijing's skyscrapers receded into a dense gray smog Thursday as the capital saw the season's first wave of extremely dangerous pollution, with the concentration of toxic small particles registering more than two dozen times the level considered safe. The air took on an acrid odor, and many of the city's commuters wore industrial strength face masks as they hurried to work. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_AIR_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-16/north-china-warned-to-stay-indoors-as-pollution-engulfs-cities.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/us-china-pollution-idUSBREA0E0RD20140116 http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/us-china-environment-idUSBREA0F0K720140116 http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Beijing-air-pollution-at-dangerously-high-levels-5147002.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/15/6075977/beijing-air-pollution-at-dangerously.html http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_24921208/beijing-air-pollution-at-dangerously-high-levels?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com&IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/15/3715731/beijing-air-pollution-at-dangerously.html EPA denies politics delayed pollution rules. The head of the Environmental Protection Agency is denying Republican claims that the agency delayed formal publication of rules intended to limit carbon pollution from new power plants for political reasons. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said the agency submitted the rules for publication last fall and "tried very hard" to get them published in the Federal Register. The rules were finally published last week. Republican senators called the delay political. They said at a hearing Thursday that the delay means the rules likely will not be finalized until after the 2014 elections. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/16/6078037/epa-denies-politics-delayed-pollution.html#storylink=cpy Activists take aim at black carbon from kerosene lamps. The dirty and faint shafts of light from crude kerosene lamps are the sole source of illumination in much of the developing world. With 1.3 billion people lacking electricity and many more with only irregular access, these old-fashioned lamps light up the night. But they also pollute the sky, adding a significant and overlooked source of greenhouse gas emissions, according to environmental activists. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993035/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY McConnell gambit aims to stop just-proposed EPA rule in its tracks. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell -- joined by nearly all his Republican colleagues -- today introduced legislation aimed at blocking U.S. EPA's proposal to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The Kentucky Republican argues that Congress should be able to stop the rule using the Congressional Review Act despite the fact that disapproval resolutions under that act are typically applied only to rules that have been finalized and submitted to the Government Accountability Office -- neither of which has happened here. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993072/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE U.S. West Coast Oysters Face Threat of Invasive Predator Snails. The U.S. West Coast’s native Olympia oysters face a greater threat from invasive predatory snails as climate change raises the acidity of oceans, research by the University of California, Davis found. Predatory snails ate 20 percent more young bivalves when both species were raised in ocean conditions forecast for the end of the century; according to a university report published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Oysters raised by the researchers under the high carbon dioxide conditions…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-16/u-s-west-coast-oysters-face-threat-of-invasive-predator-snails.html UPDATE 1-Hotter longer, Australian heat wave pressuring commodities. Australia can expect even longer and hotter heat waves than the one now scorching wide swathes of the country, a climate research group said on Thursday, raising questions about its long-term position as an agricultural powerhouse. A blistering heat wave has settled over Australia's south and southeast for nearly a week, with soaring temperatures causing worry after players and fans alike collapsed at the Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/australia-heatwave-idUSL3N0KQ2JO20140116 Wet, wetter; dry, drier: U.S. oceanographer has hit with climate-change haiku. An American oceanographer who helped write an international report on climate change has condensed several of its key findings - such as how choices made today may shape the future world - into a collection of succinct poems in the Haiku style. The poems came to Gregory Johnson, a 20-year veteran of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as he pored over an executive summary of "Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis," …Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/usa-climate-haiku-idUSL2N0KQ00420140116 EU to ditch transport emissions goals beyond 2020. The European Union's climate and energy strategy for 2030 will not include a specific target on curbing emissions from transport, the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases in the bloc and the most expensive to cut. Many in industry and some member states have pushed hard for a simplified EU climate framework after 2020, when current policies expire, that ditches existing sub-targets for sectors such as transport and energy. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/eu-climate-transport-idUSL5N0KQ26K20140116 U.N. Says Lag in Confronting Climate Woes Will Be Costly. Nations have so dragged their feet in battling climate change that the situation has grown critical and the risk of severe economic disruption is rising, according to a draft United Nations report. Another 15 years of failure to limit carbon emissions could make the problem virtually impossible to solve with current technologies, the experts found. Delay would likely force future generations to develop the capability to suck greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/science/earth/un-says-lag-in-confronting-climate-woes-will-be-costly.html?hp&_r=0 Arctic sea ice gaps drive toxic mercury conveyor belt. Gaps forming in seasonal Arctic sea ice may be creating a toxic conveyor belt, drawing mercury from higher altitudes to rain down on the ice, snow and tundra, according to a new study. The gaps, which come as the region shifts from perennial ice to thinner seasonal ice due to climate change, drive convection currents in the lower atmosphere that cycle mercury and ozone from higher levels toward Earth’s surface, where oxidation converts the mercury into a more toxic form…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-arctic-ice-mercury-20140115,0,2159311,print.story Last year's U.S. weather showed extremes in precipitation. Last year was marked by extremes in precipitation around the country, with unusually wet weather east of the Rockies and drought worsening in the West, particularly California, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In its annual State of the Climate report, NOAA said California had its driest year on record in 2013, after receiving only 32.8% of its average annual precipitation. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-2013-weather-extreme-precipitation-20140115,0,3246657.story#ixzz2qaInSk1Y Far West Got Drier Last Year, Data Shows. Drought conditions in California and elsewhere in the Far West intensified last year, government scientists said Wednesday, adding to concerns about water supplies in the region. Although on the whole 2013 was a wetter than average year for the contiguous 48 states, the scientists said, that statistic masked sharp regional differences. Many states east of the Rockies had much higher than average precipitation, helping to alleviate drought in the central United States and the Southeast. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/16/science/earth/far-west-got-drier-last-year-data-shows.html?hpw&rref=science GOP: Inslee shouldn't go alone on climate policy. Three months after Gov. Jay Inslee pledged to adopt a low carbon fuel standard in a climate pact West Coast leaders, some Republican lawmakers want to make sure he doesn't take unilateral action. One Republican lawmaker is sponsoring a measure to prevent the governor from issuing an executive order to require producers to offer transportation fuels that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/GOP-Inslee-shouldn-t-go-alone-on-climate-policy-5145596.php Climate change will cut Calif.'s ability to make electricity just as more is needed – report. Climate change will decrease California's ability to make electricity while creating heavier demands for it, and the state needs to ramp up planning now, energy leaders warned yesterday. As temperatures increase, there's likely to be growing demand for electricity to run air conditioners. At the same time, changes in rainfall could affect the ability to use hydropower. And the risk of wildfires is expected to increase, which could threaten transmission lines. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993032/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Canada Envoy at Odds With Climate Allies on Keystone XL. With his country’s foreign minister in tow, Canadian Ambassador Gary Doer walked the marble corridors of the U.S. Capitol yesterday pitching the prize his nation is seeking: the Keystone XL pipeline. “It always makes more sense in our view to get energy from middle North American than the Middle East,” Doer said after a session with Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, a Keystone supporter. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-16/canada-envoy-at-odds-with-climate-allies-on-keystone-xl.html Canada tells United States bluntly: decide on Keystone XL now. Canada on Thursday bluntly told the United States to decide the fate of TransCanada Corp's proposed Keystone XL pipeline, saying the drawn-out process on whether to approve the northern leg of the project was taking too long. The U.S. decision on whether to give the green light has been delayed several times and is now not expected until later this year. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/us-usa-pipeline-idUSBREA0F1DT20140116 Alaska, energy firms ink deal in step to free stranded gas. Alaska has signed an agreement with major oil and gas firms to bring stranded gas reserves to market by building a pipeline to connect with a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal. The deal was signed with TransCanada Corp and the three major producers of Alaskan North Slope oil - Exxon Mobil Corp, BP PLC, ConocoPhillips, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell said in a statement Wednesday. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/energy-alaska-naturalgas-idUSL2N0KQ0MF20140116 REFINERIES Safety board rejects overhaul of refineries. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board rejected a proposed overhaul of California's refinery safety practices - recently touted by its chairman after the 2012 Chevron refinery fire in Richmond - saying the overly ambitious plan would do little to immediately improve safety and needs further study. Two of the three safety board members opposed the recommendations at a packed Richmond City Council chamber on Wednesday night. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Safety-board-rejects-overhaul-of-refineries-5147655.php http://www.contracostatimes.com/contra-costa-times/ci_24922079/richmond-federal-board-at-odds-over-recommendations-stemming VEHICLES Acura refines its largest SUV, the MDX. Acura's luxury MDX sport utility vehicle is redesigned for 2014 with quieter interior, more cargo space, a new, more powerful engine, better fuel economy and improved handling. The starting retail price is down to $43,185, including destination charge, because for the first time, the MDX is available in front-wheel drive. All previous MDX SUVs came standard with all-wheel drive. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Acura-refines-its-largest-SUV-the-MDX-5104428.php HIGH-SPEED RAIL California to owe feds $180M for high-speed rail. California officials sought Wednesday to reassure congressional Republicans that the state will be able to match billions of dollars in federal funding for the state's high-speed rail project, including a $180 million payment due in April. Funding for the $68 billion bullet train system is in legal limbo after two court rulings last year, one of which prevented the state from selling $8.6 billion in bonds that it had intended to use to pay its share of the project. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_24921147/state-assures-it-will-match-rail-funds?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/15/3715098/calif-will-owe-180m-for-high-speed.html http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_24921147/state-assures-it-will-match-rail-funds?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com&IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com Battle of words over high-speed rail erupts on Capitol Hill. House lawmakers grilled state and federal officials, and some of their own colleagues, about California's high-speed rail program in a three-hour hearing Wednesday looking at the future of the embattled project. Six lawmakers from California testified before their own colleagues at the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, with Republicans…Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/15/3715551/despite-legal-setbacks-officials.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY BP: world energy demand to jump 41 percent by 2035. Oil giant BP forecasts world demand for energy to grow by 41 percent by 2035, driven by growing consumption in the booming economies of China and India. That represents a drop from 55 percent growth in the previous period, and BP says the growing use of renewable energy will help energy suppliers meet the world's needs. BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley says competition is "unlocking technology and innovation to meet the world's energy needs." Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_ENERGY_OUTLOOK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Renewable Energy at $254 Billion? Let’s Make It a Clean Trillion. Billionaire bankers gathered at the United Nations yesterday to call for more investment in renewable energy -- $1 trillion a year, to be exact. It won’t be easy. Global investment in renewable energy fell 12 percent in 2013 to $254 billion, according to data released by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), casting a shadow over the notion of a “clean trillion.” Last year was the second decline in renewable investments since 2011’s record-high $318 billion. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-16/renewable-energy-at-254-billion-let-s-make-it-a-clean-trillion.html SolarCity offers new way to invest in solar power. Solar panel installer SolarCity is turning to retail investors for cash. The company said Wednesday that it plans to sell securities directly to individuals and others interested in investing in its rooftop solar systems. The move is a novel way for the San Mateo company to finance the enormous cost of installing panels on thousands of roofs -- a typical residential system costs $25,000…Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/business/ci_24917368/solarcity-offers-new-way-invest-solar-power Global investment in clean power sources drops, despite need for more. The U.N. climate change chief called yesterday for $1 trillion in clean energy investment, even as new data show falling support for green power for the second year in a row. Speaking to an investor summit at the United Nations, Christiana Figueres said global climate policy is on the "fast track" with a new worldwide climate agreement expected in December 2015. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993033/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Administration Is Seen as Retreating on Environment in Talks on Pacific Trade. The Obama administration is retreating from previous demands of strong international environmental protections in order to reach agreement on a sweeping Pacific trade deal that is a pillar of President Obama’s strategic shift to Asia, according to documents obtained by WikiLeaks, environmentalists and people close to the contentious trade talks. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/us/politics/administration-is-seen-as-retreating-on-environment-in-talks-on-pacific-trade.html?hpw&rref=science Study to test California's kelp forests for radioactive contamination. The canopies of kelp undulating in the surges off the coast of California camouflage a complex ecosystem of sharks, rock fish, crabs, urchins and anemones that blossom like colorful flowers on the forest floor. Now, Steven L. Manley, a biology professor at Cal State Long Beach, and Kai Vetter, head of applied nuclear physics at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, have launched a campaign to monitor those groves for radioactive contaminants due…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-fukushima-kelp-watch-20140116,0,809435.story#axzz2qUPkVRpH OPINIONS Three unconventional ways Gov. Brown can scare up billions for the bullet train. Gov. Jerry Brown has a dream, a dream that would serve as his greatest legacy: a high-speed train that would slash the six-hour drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco to a relaxing ride a smidge over two hours. It may seem like a pipe dream now, but similar links have transformed other countries. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-rall-jerry-brown-high-speed-rail-bullet-train-68-billion-20140115,0,3538729.story#ixzz2qaJQI5jf Global warming no `phony crisis'. Steve Rowe's letter to the editor calling global warming a "phony crisis" is short on context. Yes, the continental U.S. had unusually low temperatures last week. But local conditions on a given day or week mean little. We must look at long-term trends. The ratio of record-breaking lows to record-breaking highs over the last century clearly shows significant warming. Yes, the North Pole's ice grew this year -- compared to last year, when it was at the lowest extent ever recorded. It has not come anywhere near recovering. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Global-warming-no-phony-crisis-5146075.php Berkeley Voice letters to the editor: More opinions on Spare the Air days; government health care is here to stay; folly at the Albany Bulb. Wood-burning pollution views. Wow! Your Jan. 10 selection of letters was a barrage of opinions, all adopting the basic seriousness of wood-burning pollution. Nonsense. Mandating "no burn" days is like mandating "no pennies," i.e., today a penny in the gutter is especially contaminated, so picking it up is subject to a hefty fine. As humankind defines success and happiness as growth of economies and life spans -- with ever greater water wasting, methane producing…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_24918708/berkeley-voice-letters-editor-more-opinions-spare-air?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 11:49:19 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 17, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 17, 2014. 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 North China Smog Prompts Second-Day Warnings to Stay Indoors. Smog hit hazardous levels in China’s steel-producing Hebei region for the second day as state-controlled media announced plans to fine local governments that don’t meet pollution-control targets. A concentration of PM2.5, the pollutants that pose the greatest risk to human health, reached 443 micrograms per cubic meter in Shijiazhuang and 758 in Xingtai as of 12 p.m., data from the China National Environment Monitoring Center showed. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-17/north-china-smog-prompts-second-day-warnings-to-stay-indoors.html Climate Aids in Study Face Big Obstacles. Some of the technologies cited in the latest draft report by United Nations climate experts face significant obstacles before they can be widely put in effect to limit the impact of climate change. The technologies, including a method of energy production that permanently removes carbon dioxide from the air, are still in their infancy, with few projects operating around the world. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/science/earth/climate-aids-in-study-face-big-obstacles.html?hpw&rref=world Sluggish Economy Prompts Europe to Reconsider Its Intentions on Climate Change. The European Union, which for years has sought to lead the world in addressing climate change, is tempering its ambitions and considering turning mandatory targets for renewable energy into just goals. The union’s policy-making body is also unlikely to restrict exploration for shale gas using the disputed technique known as hydraulic fracturing. A deep and lasting economic slowdown, persistently high prices for renewable energy sources…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/business/energy-environment/sluggish-economy-prompts-europe-to-reconsider-climate-goals.html?hpw&rref=business&_r=0 Air quality district sues battery recycler Exide for $40 million. Air district officials filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking up to $40 million from a Vernon battery recycler accused of posing a health risk for emitting too much lead and arsenic. The South Coast Air Quality Management District sued Exide Technologies in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing the company — one of the world's largest manufacturers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-exide-battery-recycler-sued-20140116,0,289807,print.story Colby fire: Plume of smoke, ash prompts air quality advisories. A rapidly growing fire in the foothills of Glendora showered a wide area of Los Angeles County with smoke and ash Thursday, prompting air quality alerts across the region. As hundreds of firefighters raced to the Angeles National Forest to battle the Colby fire, the South Coast Air Quality Management District warned that air quality was forecast to quickly plummet to unhealthy levels across the region. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-air-quality-colby-wildfire-los-angeles-20140116,0,7217942.story#ixzz2qg98ba3x Democrats, Republicans debate EPA plan. Senate Republicans attacked the Environmental Protection Agency's plan to slash carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants Thursday, saying it would damage the economy, as newly energized Democrats retorted that climate change is costing jobs in industries such as Northwest oyster beds and Utah ski resorts. Agency chief Gina McCarthy defended the EPA's proposed rules at a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, chaired by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. She said power plants are the largest single U.S. source of carbon pollution…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Democrats-Republicans-debate-EPA-plan-5150918.php Dry, stagnant winter unraveling Valley air-quality efforts. A stagnant, dry winter has created near-historic soot levels in the San Joaquin Valley and around California, perhaps unraveling years of work on federal air standards, Valley air authorities said Thursday. The Valley was supposed to achieve a federal standard for such tiny particles, known as PM-2.5, by 2015. But the soot siege during the record-breaking drought probably ends any chance the Valley might have had, air officials said. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/01/16/3444634/dry-stagnant-winter-unraveling.html Study: Exposure to wildfire smoke damaging to infants and children. Exposure to wildfire smoke may be particularly damaging to infants and young children, according to a study of monkeys conducted at U.C. Davis. The study found that baby monkeys born during a spate of dense pollution from wildfire smoke in 2008 suffered lasting immune system impairment compared to adult monkeys or other babies born during times of cleaner air. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140116/A_NEWS/140119882 Study of vehicle emissions at U.S.-Mexico border to determine impact on Imperial Valley air quality. While it is well-known that emissions from idling vehicles waiting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border affect air quality in the Imperial Valley, the real impact has not yet been documented. The Imperial County Air Pollution Control District is getting ready to study those impacts after receiving a $98,800 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. Over a period of a year, the district will estimate particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions from northbound vehicles waiting to cross the border a the Calexico west and east ports of entry. Posted. http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/local/study-of-vehicle-emissions-at-u-s--mexico-border/article_5fe02d7a-7f40-11e3-9cdf-0019bb30f31a.html CLIMATE CHANGE UN warns against delayed action on global warming. Delaying action on global warming will only increase the costs and reduce the options for dealing with the worst effects of climate change, according to a draft report by U.N. experts. The final draft of the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, says that global warming will continue to increase unless countries shift quickly to clean energy and cut emissions. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_UN_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Showtime climate change series travels globe. Producers of a Showtime series on global warming due this spring said Thursday it was crucial to get celebrities and Republicans involved to spread the stories beyond people who already believe it's an important issue. The series, "Years of Living Dangerously," begins April 13. Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican who was in Pasadena to promote the series, is among the celebrities who travel to different sites to illustrate the impact of climate change. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TV_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-tca-arnold-schwarzenegger-in-climate-control-doc-for-showtime-20140115,0,4662780.story#ixzz2qg9f44bb http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_24928104/schwarzeneggers-latest-foe-global-warming Environmentalists Citing Keystone Fault Obama on Energy. A coalition of environmental groups is calling on President Barack Obama to put greater emphasis on combating climate change in his energy policy, pressing the administration as it weighs approving the Keystone XL pipeline. The administration’s pursuit of increased domestic oil and gas production jeopardizes progress made toward lowering carbon pollution linked to climate change…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-17/environmentalists-citing-keystone-fault-obama-on-energy.html Climate Protection May Cut World GDP 4% by 2030, UN Says. The cost of holding rising temperatures to safe levels may reach 4 percent of economic output by 2030, according to a draft United Nations report designed to influence efforts to draft a global-warming treaty. Most scenarios that meet the 2-degree Celsius (3.6-degree Fahrenheit) cap on global warming endorsed by world leaders require a 40 percent to 70 percent…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-16/climate-protection-may-cost-4-of-world-gdp-by-2030.html BP forecasts rise in GHG levels over next 20 years. A new BP PLC report found global greenhouse gas emissions are expected to increase by almost a third in the next two decades, making ambitions to stave off perilous climate change unlikely to be realized. Despite international attempts to reduce carbon and major growth in shale gas use, the extreme rise in emissions will be inevitable, according to BP. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993091/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CALIFORNIA DROUGHT California governor proclaims state in a drought. Gov. Jerry Brown formally proclaimed California in a drought Friday, saying the state is in the midst of perhaps its worst dry spell in a century and the conditions are putting residents and their property in "extreme peril." Brown made the announcement in San Francisco amid increasing pressure from lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and as firefighters chased flare-ups in a Southern California wildfire that has kept thousands of people from their homes. Posted. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/california-governor-proclaims-drought-emergency OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-drought-Jerry-Brown-declares-5152625.php http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/01/17/california-drought-emergency/4581761/ http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/16/6079657/gov-brown-to-declare-california.html#storylink=cpy As California drought looms, political division could slow solutions to a trickle. A California drought will soon test lawmakers’ ability to legislate. It’s a test they haven’t always passed. But as an official California drought declaration draws closer, members of the state’s often fractious congressional delegation are maneuvering once more. A freshman House Republican from the San Joaquin Valley has been quietly trying to write water legislation. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/16/6078663/as-california-drought-looms-political.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News#storylink=cpy California drought: Three more months of dry weather likely, National Weather Service announces. In a new dose of bad news for a state growing increasingly concerned about lack of rain, California's historically dry weather is expected to last for at least another three months, federal scientists said Thursday. The dire forecast for the rest of the state's winter rain season came as federal officials classified much of California as being in "extreme drought." Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_24929977/california-drought-three-more-months-dry-weather-likely?source=rss FUELS California Energy Commission to award up to $24M for new biofuel projects. The California Energy Commission announced the availability of up to $24 million in grant funds for the development of new, or the modification of existing, California-based biofuel production facilities that can sustainably produce low-carbon transportation fuels. (PON-13-609) Eligible biofuels are diesel substitutes, gasoline substitutes, and biomethane as defined in the solicitation. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/20140117-cec.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL California guv scrambles to save bullet train, floats cap-and-trade scheme. California Gov. Jerry Brown is scrambling to keep a pricey high-speed train project from being derailed by raiding millions of dollars from the state's cap-and-trade program -- in what critics are calling a "desperate" ploy to save the beleaguered plan. The state's cap-and-trade program puts a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, but lets companies buy "allowances" to pollute more. Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/17/california-guv-scrambles-to-save-bullet-train-floats-cap-and-trade-scheme/ Effort to halt bullet train and allow 'Hyperloop'-like options aims for Calif. Ballot. Two drives are underway to stop California's high-speed rail line through a November ballot initiative, including one that wants to speed development of a futuristic transport system like the "Hyperloop" described by Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk. Nicholas Garzilli wants voters to approve a measure that would bar the sale of more bonds to fund the Golden State's planned bullet train, which is estimated to cost $68 billion to link Los Angeles to San Francisco. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993099/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Green-energy funds for schools. State schools Superintendent Tom Torlakson has announced that school districts can apply for part of $65 million that is available to those that wish to plan energy-efficiency projects under the California Clean Energy Jobs Act. The $65 million in available marks the second round of funding under the 2012 voter-approved initiative to create clean jobs and reduce school operating costs. The first round of funding totaled $105 million. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140116/A_NEWS/140119893/-1/A_NEWS04 Navy taps private financing for clean energy. Strapped for cash, the Department of Defense is harnessing private-sector financing tools to accelerate clean energy projects at military installations, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Charitable Trust. Pew estimates that 80 percent of future Defense Department renewable energy projects will use power purchase agreements that rely on private developers to finance, build and maintain clean energy projects while saving the military money over the life of the contract. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/16/military-solar-strategy/ MISCELLANEOUS Internal disarray can lead to surprisingly good performance in lithium-ion batteries – study. Inside a lithium-ion battery, you might not want to keep everything neat and tidy; a little bit of disorder may improve its performance, according to new research. Engineers meticulously arrange materials in rigid patterns in typical lithium-ion cathodes and anodes, the idea being that a more structured arrangement yields a more efficient battery. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993114/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY BLOGS Explosion in extreme drought in California. In just a week’s time, the percent of California in extreme drought skyrocketed from 28 to 63 percent, as the state deals with one of its driest stretches in recorded history. The U.S. Drought Monitor reports a dismal state of affairs for much of the state: Water-year precipitation in most of the [extreme drought] area was now less than 20 percent of normal, with locales from the southern San Joaquin Valley to the Pacific Coast reporting less than 10 percent of normal. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/01/16/explosion-in-extreme-drought-in-california/ Brown to declare California drought emergency as Western water woes intensify. California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) will use a morning news conference in San Francisco on Friday to declare a drought emergency amid one of the driest winters on record. The declaration comes a month after Brown appointed a panel to assess the situation and make recommendations. Several members of Congress, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D), had pushed Brown to declare the emergency. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/01/17/brown-to-declare-california-drought-emergency-as-western-water-woes-intensify/ Real-Time Data Show Just How Bad China’s Industrial Pollution Is. The source of China’s air pollution has always been partly blamed on emissions from industrial facilities such as power plants and steel mills. Now there’s proof. A group of nongovernmental organizations and research institutes, led by the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, published a report showing that major power plants in Beijing…Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/01/17/real-time-data-show-just-how-bad-industrial-pollution-is/ Experts Skeptical of In-Car Air-Quality Claims. With China’s pollution in the news, a few auto makers are trying to appeal to consumers by touting the clean air inside their cars. Some experts are skeptical, saying the air-filtering system in most cars is different from those used in buildings and homes. The auto makers defend their air-quality findings, though they say drivers will have to replace the air filters in their cars frequently to enjoy pollution-removing benefits. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/01/17/experts-skeptical-of-in-car-air-quality-claims/ ‘Airpocalypse’ Smog Hits Beijing at Dangerous Levels. On Thursday, some residents of Beijing woke up with splitting headaches. A curtain of haze had fallen across the city of more than 20 million. It was the first “airpocalypse” of the year in the Chinese capital and nearby provinces, and it had come appropriately enough one year after a similar event had led to widespread anxiety. “How does the smog differ from the apocalypse?” Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/16/airpocalypse-smog-hits-beijing-at-dangerous-levels/ BMW i3 qualifies for both green and white HOV stickers in California. BMW buyers tend to have enough cash on hand to be buffered from the concept of "sticker shock," but the term may take on a different meaning when it comes to the German automaker's i3 plug-in vehicle and its classification by California clean-air regulators. The first i3 EVs are set to be sold in May, and some are questioning if the new car will be eligible for the state's white stickers or green High-Occupancy Vehicle lane stickers, both of which allow for solo-occupancy in HOV lanes. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/16/bmw-i3-green-white-hov-sticker-california/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 15:00:49 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 21, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 21, 2014. 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 California's Cap-and-Trade Awakening. Democrats in California needed to pass cap and trade to find out what's in it. At least that's the take-away from state Senate president Darrell Steinberg's epiphany in the Los Angeles Times this week. Cap and trade is "asking the trading market to enter directly into the energy segment again and that brings back bad memories," Mr. Steinberg said, harking back to the state electricity crisis in 2001. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304549504579320970298575870 Obama's draft budget projects cap-and-trade revenue. President Obama's proposed budget laid out his assumptions that a new cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions would begin to generate billions of dollars in revenue as companies are forced to comply with a market-based program. Obama's budget includes several principles on what the administration wants to see out of a cap-and-trade program, including emission targets that cut U.S. greenhouse gas levels 14 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. Posted. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cap-and-trade-obama-budget/ AIR POLLUTION China pollution wafting across Pacific to blanket U.S. – study. Pollution from China travels in large quantities across the Pacific Ocean to the United States, a new study has found, making environmental and health problems unexpected side effects of U.S. demand for cheap China-manufactured goods. On some days, acid rain-inducing sulphate from burning of fossil fuels in China can account for as much as a quarter of sulphate pollution in the western United States…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/21/china-usa-pollution-idUSL3N0KV2KU20140121 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/world/asia/china-also-exports-pollution-to-western-us-study-finds.html?_r=0 http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-china-exports-air-pollution-united-states-20140120,0,1142263.story#ixzz2r3ccYRcG Exceptional dryness brings the hazy days of winter. California's exceptionally dry winter is having a visible consequence: bad air. A high-pressure zone off the West Coast that has been warding off rain for months has worsened air pollution across California and the Southwest. The stagnant conditions have trapped fine particles close to the ground, leaving a buildup of sooty haze that poses a threat to people's health. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-winter-air-20140120,0,6110749.story#ixzz2r3dL7XMY Wildfire smoke may pose lasting risk to young, study finds. Exposure to wildfire smoke may be particularly damaging to infants and young children, according to a study conducted at the University of California, Davis. But authorities say it is unclear whether that means that infants should be evacuated from areas that suffer prolonged periods of dense smoke, as happened in a broad swath of the Sierra and Mother Lode during this past summer's Rim Fire. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140119/A_NEWS/401190325 Utahns back tougher air pollution standards. According to a statewide poll, Utahns favor stricter air pollution standards on industry by a 3-to-1 margin. The survey, commissioned by The Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/1jgrPPS), found 67 percent of those surveyed supported the stricter standards and 23 percent opposed them. Ten percent were unsure. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/19/3143341/poll-utahns-back-tougher-air-pollution.html#storylink=cpy Study: Pollution from Chinese factories is harming air quality on U.S. West Coast. Bad air from China is blowing across the Pacific Ocean and contributing to smog in the United States, according to new scientific research. And much of that air pollution is being caused by the manufacturing of goods inside China for export to the United States and Europe. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/study-pollution-from-chinese-factories-is-harming-air-quality-on-us-west-coast/2014/01/21/225e9b1e-8281-11e3-bbe5-6a2a3141e3a9_story.html Study suggests air pollution in SM Mountains harming plants, increasing fire risk. Initial results from experiments conducted in the Santa Monica Mountains indicate that high levels of nitrogen may adversely impact native plants and, by extension, increase the risk of wildfire, federal officials said this week. “No one will be surprised to learn that our data shows increased air pollution on the eastern end of the mountains, closer to Los Angeles,” said Dr. Irina Irvine…Posted. http://smdp.com/study-suggests-air-pollution-in-sm-mountains-harming-plants-increasing-fire-risk/131290 Bad Air Quality Increases Risk Of Allergies & Asthma. No rain for the Valley means more bad air. "Well it's some of the worst air quality we have seen in at least 10 years, and without any wind or rain, it just continues to pile upon us, and gets worse and worse," according to Physicians Assistant, Michael Ginsberg. According to Doctors at the "Baz Allergy, Asthma, and Sinus Center," the worse the air gets, the harder it is for people to breathe. Posted. http://www.kmph.com/story/24503082/bad-air-quality-increases-risks-of-allergies-asthma Scientists find U.S. footprint in China's climate-related emissions. Whenever smog that formed in China has affected its neighbors and countries far away, it has prompted international criticism. But a new study points out that China should not be the only one blamed. Chinese air pollution blowing across the Pacific Ocean is often caused by the manufacturing of goods for export to the United States and elsewhere…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993201/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Changes for Obama climate goals do not need congressional OK –report. A group of business leaders, energy experts and former government leaders believes that the Obama administration could tackle climate change by taking measures that do not require congressional approval, according to a report released on Tuesday. The 207-page report contained about 200 recommendations on how President Barack Obama can use executive authority to advance the climate change action plan he announced in June. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/21/usa-climate-obama-idUSL2N0KV13Q20140121 Extreme El Niños to become more frequent with climate change – study. "El Niño hits California hard," read the CBS News headline. "Mudslides and floods block roads, cut rail lines and power across valley and Ventura County," the Los Angeles Times reported. The year was 1998, the last time the world experienced what scientists call an extreme El Niño. From late 1997 into early 1998, in addition to massive flooding in California and parts of South America, Southeast Asia recorded severe drought…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993185/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Rich countries 'outsourcing' CO2 emissions to rising economies. According to a draft U.N. report, the world's richest countries are increasingly outsourcing their carbon pollution to China and other rising economies. Cheap clothes, electronic devices and other goods manufactured in China and other rising economies but consumed in the United States and Europe are the source of the emissions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993203/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California drought brings risk of 'explosive' wildfires. Record dry conditions across California could create explosive wildfires at a time when the state should be rehydrating itself, experts warn. Across California, vegetation that typically rehydrates with rain between December and April continues to get dryer and more dangerous, worrying officials who fear that wildfires will get worse as the fuel gets even dryer. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-wildfires-drought-20140120,0,6209864.story#ixzz2r3b7x8mc California drought: Tips for conserving water. Like big earthquakes and budget deficits, droughts are a part of life in California that seem to come back around every decade or so. Remember not flushing the toilet? Putting a bucket in the shower? It's time to dust off those tips, as California finds itself in a brutally dry spell. On Friday, following the lowest rainfall year in the state's 153-year history…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_24952670/california-drought-tips-conserving-water?source=email Drought: The behemoths combine. The heavy hitters are stepping up to the plate. California’s two behemoth water deliverers — the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project, perhaps the best known water purveyors in the world – are poised to join together to move water quickly around the state in the face of an unprecedented drought. Gov. Brown’s decision to ask Californians to voluntarily reduce their water consumption by 20 percent received support, especially among those with long memories…Posted. http://capitolweekly.net/water-drought-california-cvp-swp-consolidate/ DIESEL EMISSIONS ExxonMobil starts producing ultra-low sulphur diesel in Singapore. Exxon Mobil Corp said on Tuesday its new hydrotreater has started operations and is producing ultra-low sulphur diesel at its 592,000 barrels per day (bpd) Singapore refinery. The new unit will increase the facility's daily low-sulphur diesel capacity to 25 million litres or about 157,000 barrels. Of that, about 36 percent or 57,000 bpd will meet ultra-low sulphur diesel specifications, the company said in a statement. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/21/singapore-exxon-idUSL3N0KV2DL20140121 Owner-operators show business optimism for 2014. As January got rolling in earnest, owner-operators back from holiday breaks or just continuing on their way through record-low temps and reports of yearend rate increases in the spot freight market reflected a majority view that their businesses would fare better in 2014 than the prior year. “Outlook is profitable,” wrote reader Richard Young on Overdrive’s Facebook page. Owner-operator Tilden Curl concurred. Posted. http://www.etrucker.com/ovd/owner-operators-show-business-optimism-for-2014 FUELS New attempt on fracking standards launches. A hotly debated partnership between major oil and gas companies and some environmental groups moved forward Tuesday, almost a year after it was first announced. The Pittsburgh-based Center for Sustainable Shale said in a release that it is now accepting applications for a program that aims to enforce tough but voluntary new standards for fracking and other related activities in the Northeast. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/21/3145423/new-attempt-on-fracking-standards.html#storylink=cpy DOE, biotech firm join effort to capture and use fugitive methane from drilling. A partnership between Energy Department scientists and a private bioengineering firm could lead to the commercialization of a technology capable of converting fugitive methane from oil and gas fields into liquid biofuels at a scale that could be broadly applied to U.S. oil and gas operations. The process being developed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Calysta Energy of Menlo Park, Calif. …Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993200/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Silicon Valley sees shortage of EV charge stations. An increasing number of electric-vehicle driving employees at Silicon Valley companies are finding it hard to access car-charging stations at work, creating incidents of “charge rage” among drivers. Installation of electric vehicle charging ports at some companies has not kept pace with soaring demand, creating thorny etiquette issues in the workplace, the San Jose Mercury News reported (http://bit.ly/1joxwJ6). Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/silicon-valley-sees-shortage-of-ev-charge-stations/2014/01/20/a61eec2e-81ff-11e3-a273-6ffd9cf9f4ba_story.html A faster and efficient electronic car on way. Your small electric car may soon become faster and more efficient thanks to 'super capacitors' that are capable of storing far greater charge in a much smaller package. The energy storing devices can be made from a material called calcium-copper-titanate (CCTO) which, the researchers - including Indian-origin lead author Raghvendra Pandey - have identified as a practical energy-storage material. Posted. http://www.smetimes.in/smetimes/news/industry/2014/Jan/20/a-faster-and-efficient-electronic-car-on-way703575.html GREEN ENERGY Solar energy and the 'poisoned chalice'. After resigning for health reasons, a member of the California Public Utilities Commission has warned of intense pressure by utilities to protect against the incursion of rooftop solar energy. Commissioner Mark Ferron announced Wednesday that he could no longer perform his duties as commissioner after two years of treatment for prostate cancer. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/18/utilities-poisoned-chalice/ Senate spending bill withholds funds for bulb enforcement. Besides funding major programs, the federal spending bill that the Senate passed Thursday contains a provision that has gained little notice yet affects consumers nationwide. The legislation, which now heads to President Barack Obama, withholds federal funding for enforcement of rules that effectively prohibit the manufacturing, import and distribution of 40- to 100-watt incandescent light bulbs in the United States. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/17/senate-spending-bill-lightbulb/ Soaring financing costs slow use of clean energy in developing countries – report. The costs of debts are crippling developing countries' efforts to develop clean energy, a new study from the Climate Policy Initiative finds. Despite advantages like cheaper labor and land costs, the price of financing renewable energy projects is significantly higher in developing countries than in wealthy ones, according to the report. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993183/print BY SUBCRIPTION ONLY Germany plans to speed up cutting subsidies for wind and solar energy farms. The new German government is pushing forward with plans to cut aid for new onshore wind and solar projects amid protests from green energy groups and politicians and cheers from traditional utilities. Economy and Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel wants to limit subsidies for onshore wind to 9 euro cents per kilowatt-hour in 2015, or by 10 percent to 20 percent versus 2013 levels, and cap new wind installations at about 2,500 megawatts per year. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/01/21/stories/1059993179 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS New redemption law puts squeeze on bottle and can recyclers. Francisco Morataya drives a vanload of empty bottles and cans to Victar Recycling Center in Echo Park every week or so to supplement his wages as an office janitor. The 61-year-old Eagle Rock resident had been making $200 per load, enough to pay his daughter's cellphone bill. But that was before a new state law tightened the redemption rules, making it harder for people at the economic fringes to scrape by. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-homeless-recycle-20140119,0,3584896.story#ixzz2r3f0MLnV http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/New-Calif-law-squeezes-recyclable-collectors-5157768.php OPINIONS COLUMN-Nuclear power is set to disappoint, again: Kemp. Nuclear power is the energy dream that refuses to die, despite serious accidents at Windscale (1957), Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011). Many of the arguments that were employed in favour of nuclear in the 1950s and 1960s as a solution to oil supplies running out are now being resurrected in favour of nuclear as a solution to climate change. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/21/nuclear-power-climate-change-idUSL5N0KV1V620140121 Costs of Climate Change. Re “The Flood Next Time” (By Degrees, Jan. 14): Justin Gillis’s excellent article makes clear the threat climate change poses to personal, business and civic property. Sea level rise is only one of many impacts expected to worsen greatly in the next several decades. It is time we accept that we already pay a “carbon tax” in the actual costs of greenhouse gas pollution. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/science/costs-of-climate-change.html?_r=0 Backsliding on the Climate. Pay now to reduce carbon emissions and make the transition to clean energy or pay much more dearly later. That’s the message from a draft United Nations report on climate change issued last month. It’s a message the European Commission, which is debating whether to temper its clean energy goals, would do well to heed. The commission is considering making renewable-energy targets nonbinding on individual nations, opting for less-onerous Europe-wide targets. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/22/opinion/backsliding-on-the-climate.html Stop the foot-dragging on climate change. A U.N. panel says the world has perhaps just 15 years to make serious inroads on the problem. Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress disagree. The world has very little time — perhaps 15 years — to make serious inroads on climate change, according to a leaked report from a United Nations panel. Current efforts, even among the most committed nations, fall short, and at the current rate of carbon emissions, the problem might grow too large to overcome with existing technology. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-climate-change-20140121,0,6383495.story#ixzz2r3gRqURp Put high-speed rail money to better use. The Monday editorial, "Shifting funds won't save train," is right on. The high-speed rail line proposed for travel between Northern and Southern California is expected to have an installation cost of $68 billion. Unlike urban public transit, which is needed by people going to work, school and shopping, much of long distance travel is optional. Posted. http://www.chicoer.com/letters/ci_24944053/letter-put-high-speed-rail-money-better-use No cap-and-trade money for high-speed rail. Gov. Jerry Brown has warned lawmakers that an upturn in state revenues should not serve as an excuse for a new state spending spree. He's right. Unfortunately, he undermines his credibility by proposing that California use funds from the state's greenhouse gas reduction program for his high-speed rail boondoggle. Posted. http://santamariatimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/no-cap-and-trade-money-for-high-speed-rail/article_25a6ad42-819c-11e3-8d74-001a4bcf887a.html BLOGS Fresh Views on Climate Scientists as Advocates. “If You See Something, Say Something,” is the headline on a Sunday Op-Ed article by Michael E. Mann, the Penn State climate scientist who, after years of attacks from groups fighting restrictions on greenhouse gases, has become a prominent climate and political campaigner, as well. The piece appropriately defends the right of scientists to be citizens, fighting disinformation and pressing for action… Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/fresh-views-on-climate-scientists-as-advocates/ Moving Forward: A Modern Freight System for California that can cut pollution and lower impacts in freight-side communities. What if parents of asthmatic kids in freight impacted communities like West Oakland, Wilmington and Riverside could breathe a little easier knowing that they no longer have to endure hundreds of dirty diesel trucks in their communities? Measures detailing how we could accomplish that were released in a new report today, Moving California Forward: Zero and Low-Emission Freight Pathways. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/dbailey/moving_forward_a_modern_freigh.html Solar wins: How sunshine will save the planet (really!). We’ve had some bad news this year, like wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, floods, exploding oil trains, imploding governments, and an international consensus of climate scientists affirming that the end is probably nigh: Any enviro can see these are dark times for the climate. But if you squint hard enough through the gloom, a literal and figurative ray of sunshine emerges! Because you know what, guys, solar energy may just save us all. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/solar-ftw-how-sunshine-will-save-the-planet-really-we-have-hope/ Nissan sells 100,000 Leaf EVs worldwide. Nissan sold 22,610 Leaf electric vehicles in the US last year, but the bigger story (literally) is how the company is selling the EV around the world. After selling the 99,999th Leaf to a woman in Virginia, Nissan sold the 100,000th Leaf to a man named Brett Garner in the UK. For the record, it took Nissan just about three years and one month to reach that mark, since the first Leafs were sold in December 2010. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/21/nissan-sells-100000-leaf-evs-worldwide/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 14:25:55 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 22, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 22, 2014. This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office of Communications. You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. CAP AND TRADE EU Ban on UN Carbon May Flag End of Offset Market, Nomisma Says. A proposed European Union ban on the use of United Nations carbon credits in its emissions market may signal the end of the international offset market, according to energy consultant Nomisma Energia srl. The European Commission today set out emissions targets for 2030 that only allow the import of carbon credits if an ambitious global climate deal is agreed in Paris next year, the EU’s executive arm said on its website.. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-22/eu-ban-on-un-carbon-may-flag-end-of-offset-market-nomisma-says.html Kenya first to earn carbon credits from sustainable farming. A project bringing together thousands of small farmers in western Kenya has become the first to earn carbon credits using a new sustainable farming accounting system, the World Bank said on Tuesday. According to the bank - whose BioCarbon Fund is financing the initiative - the Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project issued 24,788 credits under the Verified Carbon Standard last week. Posted. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/01/21/carbon-farming-kenya-idUKL2N0KV1QZ20140121?feedType=RSS&feedName=rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews AIR POLLUTION Poor air quality in Western U.S. linked to China. The lack of rain is causing air pollution concerns across the state. It’s no surprise, the worst air quality is reportedly right here in the San Joaquin Valley. A new study attributes bad air in the western United States, to Chinese export. The National Academy of Science reports 12% to 24% of daily sulfate concentration in the western U.S., is directly related to produces manufactured in china and exported here. Posted. http://www.kerngoldenempire.com/news/local/story/poor-air-quality-in-western-us-linked-to-china/d/news/local/story/D2ZgqHFg8EqmxJBA252Aeg EPA advisory board to recommend ongoing review of carbon capture and sequestration. A scientific advisory board agreed yesterday not to review the science supporting U.S. EPA's proposed rule to cap carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. Instead, the board will draft a letter for EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, advising the agency's head to provide ongoing review of the implementation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993257/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Judge is asked to impose deadline for EPA ozone rule. Environmental groups are asking a federal judge to set a deadline for U.S. EPA to issue its long-delayed rule limiting ozone emissions, saying the agency is in violation of the Clean Air Act for stalling on the proposal. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993284/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE NOAA: World in 2013 was 4th hottest on record. The sweltering year of 1988 first put global warming in the headlines and ended up as the hottest year on record. But on Tuesday, it was pushed out of the top 20 warmest by 2013. Last year tied for the fourth hottest and 1988 fell to 21st. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_GLOBAL_WEATHER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/22/science/earth/2013-listed-as-one-of-the-warmest-years-on-record.html?ref=earth http://www.latimes.com/nation/shareitnow/la-sh-nasa-global-warming-2013-20140121,0,7544506.story#ixzz2r9egNrQe http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/NOAA-World-in-2013-was-4th-hottest-on-record-5162377.php http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993253/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Can public procurement fight climate change? Public procurement is rarely thought of as a tool to combat climate change. But in 2010, the public sector -- the largest buyer in the economy -- accounted for 19 percent of the European Union's gross domestic product, making it a potential driving force for more innovative, energy-efficient products. On Jan. 15, the European Parliament approved an alteration to the public procurement directive -- rules that dictate the way public authorities buy goods and services. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993245/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California drought: Scientists to probe cause. California's drought will be one of the extreme weather events that the American Meteorological Society will examine later this year to determine whether the cause is natural variability or human-caused climate change, a federal official said Tuesday. The American Meteorological Society's study will be similar to one the group undertook of extreme weather events of 2012. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-drought-Scientists-to-probe-cause-5163948.php FUELS UPDATE 1-U.S. appeals court won't revisit California fuel standard ruling. A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday refused to revisit a ruling which upheld California's low carbon fuel standard aimed at reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to a court filing. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld California's regulations last year. In a decision released on Wednesday, the 9th Circuit refused to rehear the case before a larger panel of judges. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/22/california-carbon-lawsuit-idUSL2N0KW1BR20140122 Ethanol Falls to Lowest Price in Five Weeks on Corn Crop Outlook. Ethanol futures dropped to the lowest level in five weeks on speculation that an abundant corn crop will encourage distillers to increase output. Futures fell as much as 3 percent following rain in Brazil and Argentina this week that may boost yields of the grain, U.S. ethanol’s primary feedstock. “Corn is not an issue,” said Mike Blackford, a consultant at INTL FCStone in Des Moines, Iowa Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-22/ethanol-falls-to-lowest-price-in-five-weeks-on-corn-crop-outlook.html Canadian company starts Keystone pipeline in Texas. A Canadian company on Wednesday started delivering oil through the Texas portion of a proposed cross-border pipeline that has stirred controversy and tension between the United States and its northern neighbor. TransCanada began delivering oil from a hub in Cushing, Okla., to customers in Nederland, Texas, early Wednesday, Alex Pourbaix, president of energy and oil pipelines, said at a news conference. Posted. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/canadian-company-starts-keystone-pipeline-texas Australia Divided on Fracking. Debate over hydraulic fracturing is growing in Australia, where environmentalists are concerned about new efforts to tap the country’s substantial reserves of oil and natural gas. So far, experts say, hydraulic fracturing has made few inroads in Australia. But the practice, also known as fracking, is expected to grow as Australia seeks more natural gas for export. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/business/energy-environment/australia-divided-on-fracking.html 2 Reasons Companies Are Switching to CNG. What innovation could possibly satisfy environmentalists and economists? Natural gas vehicles, powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines, may be able to do just that. Waste Management is part of the solution. With over 2,200 vehicles of its fleet powered by natural gas (mostly CNG), Waste Management is leading the switch from oil to natural gas. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/2-Reasons-Companies-Are-Switching-to-CNG-5164868.php VEHICLES Even major increase in EVs would not significantly reduce emissions – study. Even if electric vehicles make up almost half of the U.S. passenger vehicle fleet by 2050, there would be little reduction to key air pollutants like carbon, nitrogen and sulfur dioxides, according to a new study from North Carolina State University. The team ran 108 different scenarios under an intricate energy systems model to determine the impact of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles' use on emissions between now and 2050…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993293/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY EU relaxes renewables target, reaps criticism. The European Union on Wednesday shied away from more ambitious renewable energy goals as the bloc's sluggish economy appeared to dent its zeal in the global fight against climate change. To the dismay of Germany, environmentalists and others, the European Commission stepped back from proposing tougher binding renewable energy targets for each of the 28 member nations. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_EUROPE_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-22/eu-said-to-propose-40-greenhouse-gas-reduction-target-by-2030.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/22/us-eu-climate-idUSBREA0L1CI20140122 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/business/international/european-union-lowers-ambitions-on-renewable-energy.html?hpw&rref=business http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EU-relaxes-renewables-target-reaps-criticism-5164744.php http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/22/report-european-union-carbon-emissions-cut-40-2030-using-low-cost-measures/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/01/22/eu-to-cut-carbon-emissions-40-by-2030/ At Davos, push for clean energy as climate weapon. Leaders gathered in the Swiss ski resort of Davos are pushing for nations worldwide to shift to cleaner energy sources as the best way to contain global warming and re-energize the global economy. U.N. climate Chief Christiana Figueres, reflecting the top billing that climate change has in Davos this year…. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_DAVOS_FORUM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/At-Davos-push-for-clean-energy-as-climate-weapon-5164824.php http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/22/3147068/at-davos-push-for-climate-relief.html BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EU Must Contain Energy Costs or Risk ‘Deindustrialization’: EU. Europe must get a grip on energy prices to protect growth and stop its industry from fleeing abroad, according to two top policy makers. The region needs to reduce the cost gap with the U.S., where a shale-gas revolution has slashed prices, European Union Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told a conference in Berlin via a video link from Brussels. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-21/eu-must-get-grip-on-energy-costs-or-risk-deindustrialization-.html MISCELLANEOUS How to cope with allergic reactions brought on by dry spell. Seasonal variations may be pleasant to some but a nuisance to allergy sufferers. During a dry and windy season, those with allergies would probably rather stay indoors in the comfort of an air-conditioned room. In the last few weeks, I have had several patients who have showed up complaining of allergy and upper respiratory symptoms. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/How-to-cope-with-allergic-reactions-brought-on-by-5164062.php Awareness of climate costs, risks builds among major companies – survey. Despite rising awareness about the relationships between business success and environmental performance, many companies are still failing to adequately address the stresses caused to land, air and water by economic growth and the production of goods and services. Such are the findings of the 2014 "State of Green Business" report from the Oakland, Calif.-based GreenBiz Group, which monitors global businesses on a variety of environmental performance indexes. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993249/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Letters: Recycling or robbery? Re "An income hit for recyclers," Jan. 19 The Times sympathetically portrays the plight of individuals who "earned an average of 7% of their income from returning bottles and cans." For many cases, the word "returning" should be replaced with "stealing." I have been at many meetings in Los Angeles where residents complained about people fishing through their recycling bins and taking what should be going to the city. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0122-wednesday-recycling-20140122,0,6224750.story#ixzz2r9iI3ygX Stop the foot-dragging on climate change. The following editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, Jan. 21: The world has very little time - perhaps 15 years - to make serious inroads on climate change, according to a leaked report from a U.N. panel. Current efforts, even among the most committed nations, fall short, and at the current rate of carbon emissions, the problem might grow too large to overcome with existing technology. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/22/6091613/stop-the-foot-dragging-on-climate.html#storylink=cpy Dan Walters: Jerry Brown assumes political ownership of drought. America’s political executives – presidents, governors and big city mayors – are often judged by how they respond to unanticipated crises. Thus, then-President George W. Bush’s popularity soared after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the nation, then plummeted four years later after an erratic response to deadly Hurricane Katrina. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/22/6090585/dan-walters-jerry-brown-assumes.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS U.S. Delegation to Press Issues Like Climate Change and Syria. When the American delegation arrives in Davos, Switzerland, this week, it will be with a more triumphalist message than in years past. The United States economy appears to have turned a corner. The fever seems to have broken in Congress, with a bipartisan budget bill passing for the first time in half a decade. Posted. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/davos-to-turn-its-attention-to-noneconomic-issues/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 5 new ways Obama could jumpstart clean energy. President Obama can push clean energy forward without the need for congressional action, Cunningham writes. A new report lists over 200 recommendations for executive action on clean energy and energy efficiency. A group of energy experts released a thick report that details a laundry list of ways that the President can take executive action to push clean energy forward without the need for congressional action. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0122/5-new-ways-Obama-could-jumpstart-clean-energy Smooth Sailing: Wind Energy Is Breaking World and National Records. A gale of good news is hitting both the wind industry and the future of the planet. The new year started out with two world records. Spain became the first country ever to get more energy from wind than any other source during a complete year in 2013, with a 21.1-percent share at 55 gigawatts (GW). Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/javier-sierra/smooth-sailing-wind-energy_b_4639323.html?view=print&comm_ref=false DOE Secretary Moniz announces $50 million for cleaner vehicles, sees upside in Fisker loan failure. The Washington Auto Show started today with an announcement by US Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz about a new, $50-million boost for the DOE's work on supporting more fuel-efficient vehicles. The $50 million, Moniz said, will support advanced vehicle technologies. $30 million will go towards making plug-in vehicles better and charging more convenient…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/22/doe-secretary-moniz-announces-50-million-cleaner-vehicles/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2014 15:01:57 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 23, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 23, 2014. 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 Group urges E.U. not to count land-use emissions as offsets. With the recent announcement of Europe's carbon emissions reduction targets up to 2030, a forest group is urging the European Commission to restrict countries from counting forests and agricultural lands to help reach their goals. Since the European Union began keeping track, emissions from energy and those from land use – farming…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993332/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Beijing Warns Reduced Outdoor Activities on Heavy Pollution. Beijing warned its 20 million people to reduce outdoor activities as smog enshrouded the north and southwest of China. The concentration of PM2.5, fine particulates that pose the greatest risk to human health, was 230 micrograms per cubic meter at 4 p.m. near Tiananmen Square in Beijing, compared with an average of 229 over the past 24 hours…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-23/beijing-warns-reduced-outdoor-activities-on-heavy-pollution.html Utah lawmakers unveil air quality proposals. A bipartisan group of Utah lawmakers has unveiled more than dozen proposals to tackle the state's pollution problems this year. About 20 legislators held a news conference Wednesday afternoon while standing in the frigid smog outside Utah's Capitol. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/22/3148114/utah-lawmakers-unveil-air-quality.html#storylink=cpy Calif. Air Quality Affected By Lack Of Rain. California's drought is having a big impact on air quality. Winter storms usually clean out pollution, but without any rain the air is staying stagnant and could present a health risk. Posted. http://www.npr.org/2014/01/22/264742844/calif-air-quality-affected-by-lack-of-rain Wood smoke causing unhealthy air quality in SLO interior. Air quality is unhealthy for sensitive persons in the interior valleys of San Luis Obispo County: Air quality monitors are currently reporting particulate concentrations that are Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Stagnant weather conditions are allowing pollutants to be trapped in the interior valleys of San Luis Obispo County. Posted. http://www.ksby.com/news/wood-smoke-causing-unhealthy-air-quality-in-slo-interior/ CLIMATE CHANGE Europe, Facing Economic Pain, May Ease Climate Rules. For years, Europe has tried to set the global standard for climate-change regulation, creating tough rules on emissions, mandating more use of renewable energy sources and arguably sacrificing some economic growth in the name of saving the planet. But now even Europe seems to be hitting its environmentalist limits. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/business/international/european-union-lowers-ambitions-on-renewable-energy.html?hp&_r=0 Antarctica's peculiar climate appears connected to temperatures in Atlantic Ocean – study. One of the recent puzzles in polar science has been the question: Why is Antarctic sea ice growing and moving? In the Arctic, the story is clear. Sea ice, melted by a warming trend in the northern pole, is steadily diminishing. But in Antarctica, sea ice has been growing and moving to new places -- particularly in the wintertime. In the meantime, the Antarctic Peninsula has experienced the fastest warming on the planet. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993334/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.S. Navy prepares for broader operations in a rapidly melting Arctic. The U.S. Navy needs improved mapping and better wide-band communications to prepare for increased operations in the melting Arctic, the director of the Navy's Task Force Climate Change said yesterday. With many climate models predicting that the Arctic could experience an ice-free summer before midcentury…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993333/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Natural gas locomotives may prove cheaper, cleaner. The diesel-burning locomotive, the workhorse of American railroads since World War II, will soon begin burning natural gas — a potentially historic shift that could cut fuel costs, reduce pollution and strengthen the advantage railroads hold over trucks in long-haul shipping. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NATURAL_GAS_LOCOMOTIVES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES: http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/22/3727854/natural-gas-locomotives-may-prove.html www.washingtonpost.com/business/natural-gas-locomotives-may-prove-cheaper-cleaner/2014/01/23/51af1f6e-83f4-11e3-a273-6ffd9cf9f4ba_story.html FUELS Australia Divided on Fracking. Debate over hydraulic fracturing is growing in Australia, where environmentalists are concerned about new efforts to tap the country’s substantial reserves of oil and natural gas. So far, experts say, hydraulic fracturing has made few inroads in Australia. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/business/energy-environment/australia-divided-on-fracking.html?ref=earth Arctic Ocean oil drilling opponents win appeal. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals says the government failed in evaluating the potential effects of offshore oil drilling in Alaska's Chukchi Sea when it sold leases to develop millions of acres there. The U.S. government violated the law when it opened millions of acres of the Arctic Ocean to offshore oil drilling, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-arctic-drilling-20140123,0,2981481,print.story Proposed fracking in national forest meets broad opposition. The U.S. Forest Service considers allowing hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in George Washington National Forest in Virginia, stirring concern about risks to drinking water in the Washington, D.C., area. he headwaters of the Potomac River rise amid the hills and hollows of George Washington National Forest in Virginia. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-national-forest-fracking-20140123,0,987706.story#ixzz2rFAPYQ4O Sustainable Fracking? For Real? Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has hardly been the darling of the environmental movement. Plagued with such ominous-sounding concerns as fugitive emissions, induced seismicity, and groundwater contamination, fracking has emerged as something of a dirty word in many quarters. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Sustainable-Fracking-For-Real-5166397.php VEHICLES Automakers say 2014 is 'the moment' for emergence of fuel-cell vehicles. For almost two decades, fuel-cell electric vehicles have been another five years away. That is, until now, according to major automakers. Hyundai Motor Co. announced in November that it will begin offering a fuel-cell version of the Tucson crossover this spring, making it the first mass-market, federally certified hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle in the United States. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993336/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL Loan for bullet train part of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal. California would lend $29 million to the High-Speed Rail Authority. Financing proposals for the project have raised concerns from lawmakers, including a key bullet train supporter. Under a little-noticed item in Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget, the state would lend California's bullet train agency $29 million to keep the project moving ahead amid increased uncertainty about the availability of future funding for the massive project. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0123-bullet-loan-20140123,0,405875,print.story GREEN ENERGY EU Renewable Energy Loses Out on Bloc’s ‘Lame-Duck’ Plan. Wind and solar power producers said they’re at risk of losing investment after the European Union’s executive arm scrapped proposals for a mandatory target on renewable energy use in 2030. The European Commission yesterday said the 28-nation bloc should get 27 percent of its energy from renewables by 2030, up from 20 percent at the end of this decade. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-23/eu-renewable-energy-loses-out-on-bloc-s-lame-duck-plan.html U.S. mayors plan to make cities more energy-efficient and save money – study. According to a survey released yesterday, 288 U.S. mayors, representing all 50 states, plan to increase their investment in new technologies over the next five years to make their cities more energy-efficient. The survey "Energy Efficiency and Technologies in America's Cities"…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993331/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS 'Windfall' explores the business of climate change. “Apparently, if you look at climate change the right way, it looks like money instead of disaster — if you're looking at it from a corporate boardroom, for example, and not, say, coastal Bangladesh. Journalist McKenzie Funk spent six years traveling the world to report "Windfall," his account of how governments and corporations — many of whom heavily contribute to the problem of global warming but balk at mandates to cut greenhouse gas emissions…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BOOK_REVIEW_WINDFALL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Windfall-explores-the-business-of-climate-change-5165723.php A united call for action on climate change. When Nelson Mandela formed the Elders in 2007 to promote peace and human rights across the world, he challenged us to be bold and to give a voice to those who have none. No issue demands these qualities more than our collective failure to tackle climate change. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kofi-annan-a-united-call-for-action-on-climate-change/2014/01/22/3694fa0c-82c1-11e3-9dd4-e7278db80d86_story.html In California's drought emergency, Gov. Brown declares the obvious. Now that 2013 has gone down as the driest calendar year in 119 years of California rainfall records, Gov. Jerry Brown has officially declared a drought emergency, asking Californians to reduce their water usage by 20%. Times columnist George Skelton predicts: "Next comes serious flooding." Skelton says it's a familiar pattern…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-rall-drought-california-jerry-brown-20140122,0,3799723.story#ixzz2rFB8e7uT We've come a long way in slaking SoCal's thirst. Yes, we're in a drought. But Southern Californians should also know that the situation here isn't yet dire, and it doesn't need to be if we are careful. Given the record dry weather in recent months, it is quite possible that Southern California will receive very little water from Northern California this year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-kightlinger-drought-southern-california-20140123,0,276812.story#ixzz2rFfixLqF Encourage delivery trucks to go electric to clean the air. I live in West Oakland. From my apartment window in a two-story affordable-housing complex, the sounds of passing BART trains add to the other impacts of living on 7th Street, especially the trucks from the U.S. Postal Office Distribution Center and Port of Oakland, less than a mile away, that pass 24 hours a day. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/Encourage-delivery-trucks-to-go-electric-to-clean-5166742.php State panel releases dueling climate reports. A bipartisan state climate panel has released dueling reports how to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions. The panel posted separate reports online Wednesday, splitting along party lines. It had missed a December deadline to come up with recommendations on tackling carbon pollution. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/State-panel-releases-dueling-climate-reports-5165689.php BLOGS No one tries harder than Europe to fight climate change. The recession is testing that. This week, the European Union outlined a plan for the 28-member bloc to cut carbon-dioxide emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Seeing as how the E.U. tends to be the most aggressive region in the world on climate-change policy, it's worth taking a close look. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/23/no-one-tries-harder-than-europe-to-fight-climate-change-the-recession-is-testing-that//?print=1 Divesting from Big Oil — and making money. The fossil fuel divestment movement spreading across the country focuses most on ethics and the environment, not on cash. Its supporters push schools and cities to drop financial investments in oil, gas and coal companies, and they typically frame the argument in moral terms. Fossil fuel use is warming the world — therefore, holding stock in fossil fuel companies is wrong. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/energy/2014/01/22/divesting-from-big-oil-and-making-money/ Inaction on Climate Change. Climate change has the potential to wipe out 20 years of economic and social development. Action is being taken and we're moving in the right direction, but not fast enough, so what more can be done? Inaction on climate change is fifth in this year's top-10 list. That's not due to climate skepticism, which is now less pervasive than it used to be. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christiana-figueres/inaction-on-climate-change_b_4648991.html?view=print&comm_ref=false Tesla announces aggressive Model S pricing for Chinese market. Most cars exported to China end up with a hugely inflated price tag – often hovering around twice as much as what we'd expect to pay in the United States. Part of that can be chalked up to duties and taxes – which can be quite prohibitive in the People's Republic – but a big part of it comes down to profitability. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/23/tesla-model-s-aggressive-pricing-china/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2014 13:26:41 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for January 24, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 24, 2014. 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 China to Cut Dependence on Coal for Energy as Smog Chokes Cities. China plans to cut its dependence on coal as the world’s biggest carbon emitter seeks to clear smog in cities from Beijing to Shanghai. The nation is aiming to get less than 65 percent of its energy from coal this year, according to a government plan released today. Energy use per unit of gross domestic product will decline 3.9 percent from last year, compared with 2013’s target for a 3.7 percent decrease. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-01-24/china-to-cut-dependence-on-coal-for-energy-as-smog-chokes-cities One-third in state still live where air does not meet U.S. standards. Overall, California has seen a big improvement in air quality in the last decade, according to a state evaluation of smog and soot levels. Air pollution in California has dropped significantly over the last decade, yet about one-third of the population lives in communities where the air does not meet federal health standards, state officials reported Thursday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0124-california-air-20140124,0,2523617.story#axzz2rIAG4oTK Power company Tri-State pitches $10M CO2 X Prize. A power company is raising money for a $10 million X Prize to spur technology to capture and use carbon dioxide emitted from coal-fired power plants. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead proposed Thursday that his state get involved in the competition by helping build a facility where teams could test out their technology. The prize winner would have to be able to show they could economically capture carbon emissions at a working power plant. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/23/6097083/power-company-tri-state-pitches.html#storylink=cpy Warm, dry weather triggers pollution. So much for a winter reprieve from air pollution. The unusually dry and warm weather that has made us the envy of the frigid East has a toxic downside. Southern California is in the midst of an unusual smog event — an elevation of soot and other harmful tiny particles at a time of year when our air should be at its cleanest. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140123-air-quality-warm-dry-weather-triggers-pollution.ece http://www.ocregister.com/articles/air-598755-particles-pollution.html BY SUBSCRIPTION Air Quality Watch for Santa Barbara County. Air Quality Watch Issued for Santa Barbara County In Effect through the Weekend; Elevated Particle Levels in Several Areas. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District today issued an Air Quality Watch for Santa Barbara County to be in effect through the weekend. Posted. http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=128049 Gusty winds prompt air officials to issue dust caution. Gusty winds have prompted local air-pollution officials to issue a health cautionary statement through Friday for the western and southern portions of the San Joaquin Valley due to kicked-up dust. “Winds may add to the burden of particulate matter already in the air basin and produce areas of localized blowing dust, which can result in unhealthy concentrations of particulate matter 10 microns and smaller (PM10),” Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/24/3151245/gusty-winds-prompt-air-officials.html Pittsburg: Opponents of proposed oil transfer facility cite poor air quality samples. Opponents of the proposed WesPac oil storage and transfer facility say four out of five air samples collected within a couple miles of the project site show that the area already exceeds standards for particulate pollution set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/contra-costa-times/ci_24979392/pittsburg-opponents-proposed-oil-transfer-facility-cite-poor . CLIMATE CHANGE Industry Awakens to Threat of Climate Change. Coca-Cola has always been more focused on its economic bottom line than on global warming, but when the company lost a lucrative operating license in India because of a serious water shortage there in 2004, things began to change. Today, after a decade of increasing damage to Coke’s balance sheet as global droughts dried up the water needed to produce its soda, the company has embraced the idea of climate change as an economically disruptive force. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/24/science/earth/threat-to-bottom-line-spurs-action-on-climate.html?_r=0 More work needed to understand aerosols' effects on clouds and climate, scientists say. In the world of climate change research, one particular issue has been challenging scientists for years: clouds. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding how clouds will respond to climate change and how big of an effect their response will have on the climate as the globe warms. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993395/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Browner defends Obama's record on global warming. President Obama's first climate change "czar" defended his 2013 climate record today, telling reporters that the administration is "doing the work" on policies to address emissions. Speaking on a call hosted by the League of Conservation Voters -- one of 18 environmental groups that last week blasted Obama in a letter for his message of an "all of the above" energy policy…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993433/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Sacramento breaks 130-year-old record for low rainfall. In the annals of weather records, this is one nobody wanted to break. On Thursday, downtown Sacramento recorded its 47th continuous winter day without measurable rainfall, breaking a record that has stood since 1884, according to the National Weather Service. It appears likely the city will go on to shatter the record, as there is no sign of rain for at least another week. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/23/6097443/sacramento-breaks-130-year-old.html#storylink=cpy FUELS Vitol to Trafigura Chasing U.S. NGLs as Traders Cash In: Energy. Add another profession to the beneficiaries of the U.S. oil boom: traders of long-neglected drilling byproducts such as propane and butane. Traders typically earning less than $400,000 a year will start making as much or more than the average $750,000 earned by traders in larger, more established oil markets, according to Webber Chase Ltd. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-24/vitol-to-trafigura-chasing-u-s-ngls-as-traders-cash-in-energy.html Natural gas soars as cold grips homes, drillers. The frigid winter of 2014 is setting the price of natural gas on fire. Record amounts of natural gas are being burned for heat and electricity — and it's so cold that drillers are struggling to produce enough to keep up with the high demand. Friday, the price rose within a whisper of $5 per 1,000 cubic feet, the highest level since June 2010. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/24/3151332/natural-gas-soars-as-cold-grips.html Midwestern lawmakers want meeting with Obama on ethanol mandate. Democratic House members from the Midwest today called for a meeting with President Obama on a recent U.S. EPA proposal that would lower this year's ethanol and advanced biofuel mandates. The members, all of whom are strong supporters of the ethanol industry, said they want the opportunity to express concerns with the proposal…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993424/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY When will consumers realize the 60-cent light bulb wasn't a bargain? The deadline is approaching slowly, stealthily. You may not even realize it until the shelves of your local hardware store are void of 40-, 60-, 75- and 100-watt standard incandescent light bulbs. Congress ordered them phased out in 2007, and manufacturers stopped making them as of Dec. 31, so when they run out depends on your store's inventory and the continuing allure of Thomas Edison's 135-year-old invention. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993391/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Good intentions are not enough to effectively employ renewable energy. From the solar arrays in North Africa to the geothermal fissures of Iceland, renewable energy is coming online around the globe. To date, there is more than 480 gigawatts of installed renewable power capacity with projects in 138 countries as of the end of 2012. But for all the success and growth renewable resources have seen, there have also been many failures and setbacks. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993401/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Why Jerry Brown skirted high-speed rail and water plan in California State of the State address. Gov. Jerry Brown has pursued two multibillion-dollar water and high-speed rail projects so aggressively in recent months that it loomed conspicuously how carefully he stepped to avoid the projects in his biggest speech of the year. Brown mentioned the $68 billion rail program only once in his State of the State address this week, saying “we’re building the nation’s only high-speed rail.” Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/24/6097229/why-jerry-brown-skirted-high-speed.html#storylink=cpy Proposed permit law on Vernon battery recycler passes state Senate. A proposed law requiring a Vernon battery recycler to get a final permit to operate by 2015 or shut down was approved Thursday morning by the California Senate. The bill by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Long Beach) targets Exide Technologies, one of the world's largest makers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-exide-20140123,0,7941195.story#ixzz2rL19GXvp http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/23/6096125/bill-targets-permit-process-for.html#storylink=cpy Lawmakers unveil new plan to ban plastic grocery bags in California. Disposable plastic bags would be banned from grocery checkout stands in California and consumers would pay at least a dime for a paper or a sturdier, reusable plastic bag a under a compromise proposal negotiated by key legislators. An attempt to pass a bill banning the bags failed last year amid opposition from plastic bag manufacturers and concerns that the move would eliminate jobs. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/24/6097566/lawmakers-unveil-new-plan-to-ban.html#storylink=cpy http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-agreement-reached-on-banning-plastic-carryout-grocery-bags-20140123,0,3607652.story#axzz2rIAG4oTK http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/23/environment-california-plastic-bag-ban/ First year's wood stove swap-out money was gone in two days. More than 100 Butte County residents received vouchers this month to help them replace their wood stoves, and a few dozen more might also be getting aid soon. However the Butte County Air Quality Management District is no longer taking applications for the first year of the program, as more people are already signed up than can be accommodated. Posted. http://www.orovillemr.com/breakingnews/ci_24979503/first-years-wood-stove-swap-out-money-was OPINIONS Back-seat Driver: The drought, and your car. Gov. Jerry Brown this week in his State of the State speech made a pointed connection between the drought and the cars we drive. It’s pretty clear human action is affecting the climate, and that means more droughts, he said. California needs to continue leading the way in limiting climate change by using renewable technology, including more electric vehicles instead of gas-powered cars. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/23/6097202/the-drought-and-your-car.html#storylink=cpy Charles Krauthammer: Canada deserves an answer on the Keystone XL pipeline. Fixated as we Americans are on Canada’s three most attention-getting exports – polar vortexes, Alberta clippers and the antics of Toronto’s addled mayor – we’ve somewhat overlooked a major feature of Canada’s current relations with the United States: extreme annoyance. Last week, speaking to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/24/6096740/charles-krauthammer-canada-deserves.html#storylink=cpy Action to curb economic inequality and climate change must top the list. The U.S. economy is still weak, with 7 percent unemployment, many millions more underemployed and fewer people employed in November than there were six years ago. At the same time — and not unrelated — we are still devolving along a path toward increasingly ugly inequality…Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/viewart/20140123/OPINION01/301230048/Action-curb-economic-inequality-climate-change-must-top-list BLOGS Tesla: China could be biggest market for electric car. Luxury electric car maker Tesla sees China as potentially the company's biggest market for its vehicles, despite a hefty $121,000 sticker price. But that six-figure cost might make the vehicles more attractive to Chinese buyers, according to Tesla's CEO. $121,000 sounds like a lot of money for the Tesla Model S, considering you can pick up the 85 kWh car in the U.S. from $80,000 or so, before incentives. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2014/0124/Tesla-China-could-be-biggest-market-for-electric-car California Gov. Brown remains ready for one million electric vehicles. California Governor Jerry Brown is drafting behind President Barack Obama's drive for one million electric vehicles in the US. In his "State of the State" speech on January 22 in Sacramento, Brown made mention that, "We're on our way to a million electric vehicles." Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/24/california-gov-brown-remains-ready-one-million-ev/ Key enviro law suspended in California under drought emergency. When California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) declared a drought emergency last week, his administration slipped a bit of legalese into the declaration that has some environmentalists worried. It states that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will not apply to efforts by state agencies to “make water immediately available.” Posted. http://grist.org/news/key-enviro-law-suspended-in-california-under-drought-emergency/ Can clean energy replace a shuttered nuke plant in California? Last year’s decision to close the San Onofre nuclear power plant in Southern California has created a challenge for utilities and utility regulators: How best to replace the facility’s 2,200 megawatts of generating capacity? Posted. http://grist.org/news/can-clean-energy-replace-a-shuttered-nuke-plant-in-california/ ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 13:02:15 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 27, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 27, 2014. 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 Beijing's mayor urges "all-out effort" to curb air pollution. Beijing's mayor pledged on Thursday to cut coal use by 2.6 million tonnes and set aside 15 billion yuan ($2.4 billion) to improve air quality this year as part of the city's "all-out effort" to tackle air pollution, state news agency Xinhua said. The announcement by Wang Anshun came as the capital was blanketed in its worst smog in months. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/27/us-china-pollution-idUSBREA0Q0DF20140127 Smog-hit China's switch to high-grade raw materials to boost big miners. Chinese steelmakers and power plants are being forced to shop around for higher-quality raw materials to meet tougher air pollution standards, a move that will be a boon for global mining giants that produce premium-grade iron ore and coal. Beijing, under heavy public pressure to cut pollution after a series of hazardous smog crises in many major cities last year…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/26/china-steel-pollution-idUSL3N0KJ2C920140126 Beijing’s Bad Air Would Be Step Up for Smoggy Delhi. In mid-January, air pollution in Beijing was so bad that the government issued urgent health warnings and closed four major highways, prompting the panicked buying of air filters and donning of face masks. But in New Delhi, where pea-soup smog created what was by some measurements even more dangerous air…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/world/asia/beijings-air-would-be-step-up-for-smoggy-delhi.html A menacing air in the Central Valley. From Stockton to Bakersfield, the sky is thick with chemical-laced particles. Residents know there's a risk just being outside. On bad-air days here in the Central Valley, school officials hoist red flags to warn parents and pupils that being outside is officially deemed “unhealthful for all groups.” This winter, though, the most polluted on record, schools have not only raised red flags. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-central-valley-air-20140125,0,7934435.story#ixzz2rcEB5Exq http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/25/6100938/dry-winter-brings-bad-air-to-central.html http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Dry-winter-brings-bad-air-to-Central-Valley-5174759.php http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/01/25/41800/dry-winter-brings-bad-air-to-california-s-central/ Over 4,000 rally for clean air in Salt Lake City. More than 4,000 protesters gathered in Salt Lake City on Saturday to press the government to step up the fight against air pollution in Utah. Some demonstrators wore surgical and gas masks and others waved placards during the rally on the steps of the Capitol. The Salt Lake Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1bpwF5n) Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker reaffirmed his commitment to implementing air-friendly policies…Posted. here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/25/6101373/over-4000-rally-for-clean-air.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Over-4-000-rally-for-clean-air-in-Salt-Lake-City-5175314.php California air pollution drops over past decade. While overall air quality in California has improved significantly over the past decade, about a third of the population lives where pollution is in excess of federal health standards, according to state officials. The California Air Resources Board presented an assessment of smog and soot levels on Thursday in Sacramento, the Los Angeles Times reported (http://lat.ms/1mR1yI9). Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/24/6098767/california-air-pollution-drops.html#storylink=cpy http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/California-air-pollution-drops-over-past-decade-241871621.html Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown plans official Mexico trip. Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to travel to Mexico this year so California can partner with that nation on ways to reduce air pollution. The Democratic governor made a passing reference to such a trip in his State of the State address this week. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Calif-Gov-Jerry-Brown-plans-official-Mexico-trip-5172807.php Hold Your Breath When Visiting These Heavily Polluted Cities. Car exhaust makes you cough, but pollution in these five cities can kill you. With the world's worst air quality around, here are the five cities that will literally take your breath away. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Hold-Your-Breath-When-Visiting-These-Heavily-5176599.php Gusty winds prompt air officials to issue dust caution. Gusty winds have prompted local air-pollution officials to issue a health cautionary statement through Friday for the western and southern portions of the San Joaquin Valley due to kicked-up dust. “Winds may add to the burden of particulate matter already in the air basin and produce areas of localized blowing dust, which can result in unhealthy concentrations of particulate matter 10 microns and smaller (PM10),” …Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/24/3151245/gusty-winds-prompt-air-officials.html#storylink=cpy 30th Bay Area Spare The Air Day This Season Issued For Saturday. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District on Friday issued a wood-burning ban for Saturday, the 30th such ban in the region during the air district’s winter season. The district’s Winter Spare the Air alert bans the burning of wood indoors or outdoors because of a high-pressure weather system that has caused the buildup of air pollution to unhealthy levels. Posted. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/01/24/30th-bay-area-spare-the-air-day-this-season-issued-for-saturday/ Bill to Preserve California’s Beach Bonfires Advances to Assembly. The debate surrounding the popular Southern California pastime of beach bonfires has been reignited. A bill to protect beach bonfires on California beaches passed out of an Assembly committee with unanimous bipartisan support -- 16-0 -- on Thursday. Posted. http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/California-Southern-California-SoCal-beach-beaches-bonfire-health-air-quality-241865211.html CLIMATE CHANGE Most Latinos want government action on climate change, poll finds. Latinos overwhelmingly favor government action to fight climate change, voicing a level of support exceeded only in their views on immigration reform, according to a new poll commissioned by an environmental group. Nine in 10 Latino voters surveyed said it was important for the U.S. government to address global warming and climate change…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-latinos-climate-change-poll-20140124,0,5872856.story#ixzz2rcGwAvHM http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/25/6101022/most-latinos-want-government-action.html Ancient forests stabilized Earth's CO2 – study. An image of a meandering path dug into an otherwise flat surface looks as if it could be a model of an oceanic trench, while another picture appears to be a deep crater connected to a strange canal. In fact, these features are much smaller, nanoscale in size, but their implications are putting a new twist on the climate history of Earth. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993454/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Scientists identify 'corridors' to help climate-threatened species move. Scientists at the Woods Hole Research Center have published maps that overlap biodiversity with tropical forest habitat and identify "corridors" to help species move and adapt in the face of a changing climate. Corridors are passages between protected forests that allow plants and animals to migrate and disperse. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993456/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY UC Berkeley researchers devise challenge for lowering carbon footprint. After releasing research that examined household carbon footprints nationwide, two UC Berkeley researchers are encouraging city and suburban residents to measure and make efforts to lower individual carbon emissions. Led by Daniel Kammen, a director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory on campus, the research…Posted. http://www.dailycal.org/2014/01/26/uc-berkeley-researchers-devise-challenge-lowering-carbon-footprint/ DROUGHT Pollution makes a comeback with warm, dry winter. So much for a winter reprieve from air pollution. The unusually dry and warm weather that has made us the envy of the frigid East has a toxic downside. Southern California is in the midst of an unusual smog event – an elevation of soot and other harmful tiny particles at a time of year when our air should be at its cleanest. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/air-598755-particles-pollution.html Drought Impacts Air Quality Across California. Warm and dry weather is being blamed for worsening air pollution in some areas of California, but overall air quality in San Diego County remains in the good to moderate range, according to the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (APCD). Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/jan/27/drought-impacts-air-quality-across-california/ FUELS Getting carbon out of your portfolio is tricky. If you are like millions of Americans and own a broad stock index fund, you own parts of Exxon Mobil, Peabody Energy and other companies that earn money selling oil, coal and other fossil fuels. For some, that's great. Fossil fuels give us light, keep us warm, help grow our food, deliver our products and jet us around the planet. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ON_THE_MONEY_DIVESTING_FROM_FOSSIL_FUELS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Analysis: Politics, legacy loom over Obama decision on Keystone XL pipeline. President Barack Obama will lay out an agenda on jobs, the economy and the environment during his State of the Union speech on Tuesday. But he is unlikely to mention the Keystone XL oil pipeline, a politically charged project that could shape his legacy in each area. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/27/us-usa-obama-keystone-analysis-idUSBREA0Q08F20140127 China's Guangdong to cut oil, coal use, slow carbon emissions growth. China's southern Guangdong province plans large investments in natural gas and clean energy to cut coal and oil use in a bid to slow rampant growth in greenhouse gas emissions, according to a provincial climate change plan released Monday. Guangdong, whose GDP is estimated to have surpassed $1 trillion in 2013, plans to cut coal's and oil's share of its energy mix to 60.6 percent in 2015, from 73 percent in 2010…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/27/china-guangdong-climate-idUSL3N0L12L320140127 Inside the Complicated Relationship Between Natural Gas and Climate Change. The abundant fossil fuel is helping reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, but not enough to prevent a climate crisis. The abundant fossil fuel is helping reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, but not enough to prevent a climate crisis. Conventional wisdom tells us natural gas is helping us combat global warming. Like most bits of conventional wisdom, it's not that simple. Posted. http://www.nationaljournal.com/power-play/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-natural-gas-20140126 EPA sends Tier 3 rule for curbing sulfur in gasoline to White House. U.S. EPA has sent a proposal for limiting sulfur in gasoline to the White House Office of Management and Budget for interagency review, setting the stage for finalization for the much-delayed Tier 3 rule. Tier 3 would cut the amount of sulfur in gasoline from 30 parts per billion to 10 ppb, while slashing emissions of smog-forming pollutants and soot from vehicles. That would also align with the fuel standards in California. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993501/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.S. biodiesel companies post record production. U.S. biodiesel companies produced a record amount of fuel in 2013 on the back of the renewable fuel standard and the reinstatement of a key tax credit at the beginning of the year. The industry was responsible for about 1.78 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel, compared with the previous record of about 1.1 billion gallons in 2012, according to numbers released Saturday by U.S. EPA. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993502/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Tesla Completes L.A.-to-New York Electric Model S Drive Chargers. Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA)’s Elon Musk said the electric-car maker has expanded its U.S. network of rapid chargers to let owners of battery-powered Model S sedans drive their cars from coast to coast for the first time. Musk, Tesla’s chief executive officer and co-founder, said last year the company would set up “Superchargers” in most major U.S. and Canadian cities to permit long-distance trips solely on electricity provided at no charge. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-26/tesla-completes-l-a-to-new-york-electric-model-s-drive-chargers.html Hydrogen cars arrive in Washington — but are we ready for them? It sounds like science fiction — a car that runs on hydrogen gas, spits nothing but water vapor out the tailpipe, and can take you from Washington to New York City on a single tank. But after a long and bumpy road from futuristic concept car to real-world production vehicle, the first mass-produced hydrogen-powered cars will hit dealerships this spring in the United States…Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/hydrogen-cars-met-with-mix-of-excitement-and-skepticism-in-washington/2014/01/26/5b4b3e28-842a-11e3-9dd4-e7278db80d86_story.html Clean Energy hopes natural-gas-powered autos fuel its first profit. The builder and operator of natural-gas filling stations is betting that fleet sales of clean-energy vehicles will increase enough to produce the firm's first annual profit since its 1997 founding. Clean Energy Fuels Corp., the Seal Beach company that builds and operates natural-gas filling stations for some of the nation's biggest bus and truck fleets, is banking on corporate customers to buy more clean-energy vehicles this year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-stock-spotlight-clean-fuels-20140127,0,7041215.story#ixzz2rcI7iQmR US probes Camry hybrids for power brake problem. U.S. safety regulators are investigating complaints that power-assisted brakes can fail at times in Camry gas-electric hybrids. The probe covers about 30,000 of the midsize cars from the 2007 and 2008 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has 59 complaints about intermittent loss of power-brake assist. The agency says the problem happens without warning. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/27/6104493/us-probes-camry-hybrids-for-power.html#storylink=cpy Tesla's Musk sees Model S' China sales rivaling U.S. levels. Tesla Motors' Elon Musk said sales of electric Model S cars in China should match U.S. levels as early as next year, with demand from the world's largest auto market eventually requiring a local plant. The electric-car maker said last week the Model S will be priced at $121,280 in China when deliveries begin. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Tesla-s-Musk-sees-Model-S-China-sales-rivaling-5175447.php US Electric Vehicles sales report for December 2013 + annual statistics. The monthly EV sales report is provided by InsideEVs and is updated with latest information available. Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in the US increased in December 2013, compared to the limited numbers reported in November. 2013 statistics show that an impressive number of 95,859 EVs were sold in the US last year – a big increase compared to 2012. Posted. http://cars21.com/news/view/5720 Silicon Valley Short on Electric Vehicle Charge Stations. Installation of electric vehicle charging ports at some Silicon Valley companies has not kept pace with soaring demand, creating thorny etiquette issues in the workplace, along with incidents of "charge rage." Cars are getting unplugged while they are actively charging, and employees are insisting that charged vehicles more out of the way. Posted. http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=12300CTY4H0U An electric-friendly desert? The last time Rick Walsh and Pat Dowd stopped at a gas station was in October. The Palm Springs couple charge their plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt off the solar panels on the roof of their super energy-efficient home, but they’d like to see more electric car chargers in public places. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014301250008 HIGH-SPEED RAIL Jerry Brown asks California Supreme Court to intervene on high-speed rail. The Brown administration, which previously downplayed the significance of court rulings against California’s $68 billion high-speed rail project, asked the California Supreme Court to intervene Friday, saying the rulings “imperil” the project. The request comes after a Sacramento Superior Court judge in November ordered the state to rescind its original funding plan for the project. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/24/6099861/jerry-brown-asks-california-supreme.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY China says U.S. should stop new dumping probe on solar products. China's commerce ministry called on the United States on Sunday to stop anti-dumping investigations into imports of solar power products from China, expressing "serious concern" and vowing to defend its producers. U.S. trade officials on Thursday opened investigations into imports of certain solar power products from China and Taiwan, a move that could have a major impact on the nation's fast-growing solar market. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/26/us-china-us-solar-idUSBREA0P03U20140126 Green bond issuance to more than double this year: HSBC. Global "green bond" issuance should more than double this year to a record $25 billion as increased information on how the money will be used attracts more investors to the fledgling market, investment bank HSBC said. Proceeds from green bonds are typically used on projects to cut greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, increase energy efficiency or expand the use of renewable energy. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/27/us-bonds-hsbc-idUSBREA0Q12O20140127 Renewable power around the world. Iceland leads a list of selected countries in renewable energy as a percentage of total energy supply. The United States is 26th with only six percent. Read related story. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/renewable-power-around-the-world/2014/01/25/070b5518-8584-11e3-8099-9181471f7aaf_graphic.html Fissures in G.O.P. as Some Conservatives Embrace Renewable Energy. In conservative politics, solar power is often dismissed as an affectation, part of a liberal agenda to funnel money to “solar cronies” of the Obama administration and further the “global warming hoax.” So one would not expect to see Barry Goldwater Jr., the very picture of modern conservatism and son of the 1964 Republican nominee for president, arguing passionately on behalf of solar energy customers. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/us/politics/fissures-in-gop-as-some-conservatives-embrace-renewable-energy.html Germany's solar power tax plan a 1st in Europe. Germany is set to become the first nation in Europe to charge owners of renewable energy plants for their own use of electricity, part of Chancellor Angela Merkel's effort to contain rising power bills. Merkel's Cabinet backed proposals to charge operators of new clean-energy plants 70 percent of the so-called EEG-Umlage, a fee paid by power consumers that they're currently exempt from, according to an economy ministry document. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Germany-s-solar-power-tax-plan-a-1st-in-Europe-5173667.php Renewable energy advocates push for change. Moving to a cleaner economy will require greater investment in education, broader rollout of energy efficiency, green building programs and a level playing field that allows renewable power to compete with the fossil fuel sector, local policy makers, business leaders and others said Friday. The wide-ranging discussion, featuring more than two dozen representatives from industry, government and schools…Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140124/articles/140129724 MISCELLANEOUS Lawmakers propose nation’s first statewide ban on plastic bags. California would become the first state in the nation to ban single-use plastic bags if a bill proposed by a trio of state senators on Friday is adopted. S.B. 270 would end the use of plastic carry-out bags at grocery stores and pharmacies on July 1, 2015 and at convenience and liquor stores one year later. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140124/lawmakers-propose-nations-first-statewide-ban-on-plastic-bags Inn on First wins “cool” business award. The Air Resources Board announced the winners of the fourth CoolCalifornia Small Business Awards, “recognizing small businesses that make notable, voluntary achievements toward reducing their carbon footprint.” Napa’s the Inn on First, along with nine other California businesses, were acknowledged as “Climate Leaders.” Posted. http://napavalleyregister.com/business/inn-on-first-wins-cool-business-award/article_b0870e48-84a8-11e3-abf9-001a4bcf887a.html OPINIONS 200 Ways to Accomplish Not Too Much on Climate Change. A report this week argues that even without Congress, the federal government can still do a lot of good in fighting climate change. But it's hard to read the report without sensing that the opposite is true. The report, by the Center for New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, makes 200 individual recommendations to the White House and federal agencies, ranging from faster rulemaking on clean energy and increasing technical assistance for states…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-24/200-ways-to-accomplish-not-too-much-on-climate-change.html The Mother of All Collective Action Problems. I am in the unpleasant position of believing that climate change is a real problem, and also believing that we are very unlikely actually to do anything about it. The collective action problem is just too hard. As recession-plagued Europe pulls back on its carbon-reduction efforts, Michael O’Hare seems to be in the same camp. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-24/the-mother-of-all-collective-action-problems.html Global Warming Battle Is Over Market Share, Not Science. Last week, the New York Times reported that venerable Dow Jones Industrial Average component Coca-Cola Co. was awakening to the impact of climate change on its business. The increase in unpredictable weather, droughts, floods and other climate-related events was disrupting the company’s product supply. Some of their “essential ingredients” are now under threat. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-27/global-warming-battle-is-over-market-share-not-science.html A Scientist Warning About Climate Change. Because the urgency of climate change has finally begun to move from the realm of science to the agendas of policy makers, the president should invite Ralph Cicerone, president of the National Academy of Sciences. In the past year, we saw the clearest statements ever from the world’s scientific societies about the threats from human-caused climate changes. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/01/26/who-should-be-invited-to-the-state-of-the-union/president-obama-should-invite-a-scientist-warning-about-climate-change Letters: Combating ignorance on climate change. Re "Climate change foot-dragging," Editorial, Jan. 21 Yes, the politics around climate change — denying the overwhelming scientific evidence, misinforming about weather's relationship to climate and resisting executive branch action — create a short-term battleground for localized interests and a long-term offense against every living thing. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0125-saturday-climate-change-20140125,0,5283238,print.story California's drought, times three. The state is facing three distinct water crises, each requiring its own emergency and long-term responses. Southern Californians are facing not one drought but three, interconnected yet distinct, each bringing its own hazards and each requiring its own emergency and long-term responses. The first drought is regional, caused by the lack of rain in our own mountains and our own backyards. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-new-drought-20140126,0,7229717.story#ixzz2rcHGqUOs Dan Morain: An insider questions so-called science behind toxic flame retardants. Grant Gillham is a special kind of consultant, the sort chemical company executives would hire to kill legislation that seeks to ban the profitable but toxic substances they produce. A former Air Force AWACS pilot, Gillham worked for Republicans in the Capitol in the 1990s, left in 1998 to campaign against a tobacco tax initiative, and later represented Lorillard Tobacco in California and other Western states. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/26/6099722/dan-morain-an-insider-questions.html#storylink=cpy California drought lessons - what works, what doesn't. Past droughts show us that this crisis is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity for making California's water system better able to support its cities, farms and environment. The challenge is to avoid making hasty decisions that provide some short-term relief at a much higher long-term cost. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/California-drought-lessons-what-works-what-5177161.php PD Editorial: No drought in California's water wars January 27, 2014. One thing isn't wilting in California's drought: water politics. If anything, the stakes are higher than ever in this third straight dry year. And, on Wednesday, we witnessed contrasting approaches from two practiced political brawlers, Gov. Jerry Brown and House Speaker John Boehner. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140127/opinion/140129750 California’s Agricultural Backbone Imperiled by Drought and Climate Controversy. As the “Golden State” of California suffers from the worst drought and “winter heat” in its history, its agriculture, key to the state’s well-being, will suffer severely as this climatic overhang persists. While most observers focus on California as the genesis of advanced technology emanating from Silicon Valley or entertainment spectacles from Hollywood, as well as all aspects of lifestyle enhancement…Posted. http://voices.mydesert.com/2014/01/25/californias-agricultural-backbone-imperiled-by-drought-and-climate-controversy/ BLOGS On Bad Air Days in India, Staying Inside Doesn’t Help. Air pollution in this massive city is about twice as bad as it is in Beijing, infamous the world over for its bad air. But Indians’ poor lung function results from more than just outdoor air pollution. Indians are exposed to high levels of toxic bacteria because more than half of the country’s vast population defecates outside. The ensuing infections stunt growth, reducing lung sizes. Posted. http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/on-bad-air-days-in-india-staying-inside-doesnt-help/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 India and China, Besieged by Air Pollution. The United States space agency published a map in September that showed how rates of premature deaths from air pollution vary around the world. It indicated that northern China has one of the worst rates, attributed to the density of a deadly fine particulate matter, known as PM 2.5, that often results from coal burning. Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/india-and-china-besieged-by-air-pollution/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/on-bad-air-days-in-india-staying-inside-doesnt-help/ Top 5 Climate and Energy Stories for 2014. The U.S. energy picture has shifted dramatically in recent years. The country is currently enjoying booming domestic energy production from multiple sources. And yet, signs of uncertainty abound, especially with mounting climate risks and some energy sectors thriving more than others. We will be watching President Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday to hear the approach that the administration will take on energy and climate. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/manishbapna/2014/01/27/top-5-climate-and-energy-stories-for-2014/ Why Climate Change Is Ignored. Two realities threaten the well-being of future generations. The first is global warming. In the words of the most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, "each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the earth's surface than any preceding decade since 1850." Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jay-mandle/why-climate-change-is-ignored_b_4669250.html?view=print&comm_ref=false BMW NA chief: US won't get enough i3 EVs to satisfy demand. Nothing boosts the mystique of a new product like a "sold out" sign, and it appears likely that BMW will go that route with its first plug-in sold in the US. The German automaker won't likely import enough of its new i3 plug-in vehicles to meet US demand, Bloomberg News says, citing BMW North America chief Ludwig Willisch. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/27/bmw-na-chief-us-wont-get-enough-i3-evs-to-satisfy-demand/ Honda ramps up U.S. wind power capability. Honda's plant in the United States has become the first major car manufacturing site in the country to source a significant volume of electricity from on-site wind turbines. Around 10 percent of the overall electricity consumption of the Russell's Point plant in Ohio will be met by the turbines, which are expected to produce 10,000 megawatt hours of electricity each year. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/01/27/honda-ramps-us-wind-power-capability ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 12:44:09 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 28, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 28, 2014. 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 Chevron, Southwest Gas Fined $1M for Not Reporting GHG Emissions. Chevron and Southwest Gas have been fined about $1 million for violating California’s mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reporting rule in 2011. This is the second time the California Air Resources Board (ARB) has issued fines for late or inaccurate reporting under the regulation, which mandates utilities and industrial facilities emitting more than 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually report their GHG emissions. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/01/28/chevron-southwest-gas-fined-1m-for-not-reporting-ghg-emissions/ http://www.examiner.com/article/more-environmental-trouble-for-chevron-as-arb-fines-it-for-ghg-violations http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993552/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Republicans, Democrats unite in bid to save California beach bonfires. It may be January, but Southern California beach-goers could be forgiven for breaking out the marshmallows early, as lawmakers moved to protect a classic rite of summer - the seaside bonfire. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/28/us-usa-california-bonfires-idUSBREA0R06N20140128 http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-assembly-bills-advance-20140127,0,7817264.story#axzz2rirA5dsA http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/27/assembly-oks-bill-to-allow-calif-beach-bonfires/ http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_25003580/assembly-oks-bill-allow-calif-beach-bonfires http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jan/27/beach-bonfires-in-southern-california-are-still/ Imperial County Board of Supervisors to hear presentation on air pollutions issues, State Implementation Plan. General air pollution updates as well as future plans for a particulate matter 2.5 State Implementation Plan will be presented to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors at its regular meeting today. Air Pollution Control Officer Brad Poiriez will speak on behalf of the district as he explains what the State Implementation Plan is and why the Federal Environmental Protection Agency requires it. Posted. http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/local/imperial-county-board-of-supervisors-to-hear-presentation-on-air/article_ad0bcc02-87e3-11e3-8be7-001a4bcf6878.html Study Suggests Air Pollution in the Santa Monica Mountains Is Harming Native Plants, Increasing Fire Risk. Initial results from experiments conducted in the Santa Monica Mountains by a botanist at the University of California, Riverside and her colleagues indicate that high levels of nitrogen may adversely impact native plants and, by extension, increase the risk of wildfire. Posted. http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/20098 Pro-EPA group argues carbon should be regulated like all other pollutants. The Institute for Policy Integrity, based at New York University, filed a friend-of-the-court, or amicus, brief this morning, saying EPA's treatment of carbon dioxide as a pollutant does not violate the Clean Air Act. The group asserted that U.S. EPA was right to give carbon dioxide equal weight to other pollutants in the agency's first greenhouse gas regulations…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993555/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EPA advisory panel schedules discussion of ozone standard. U.S. EPA is set to move forward with its oft-delayed plans to revise its limits on ozone pollution, scheduling a meeting of a scientific review board this spring to discuss the standards. In a notice set to be published in the Federal Register, EPA said that its Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee will meet from March 27-29 in Raleigh, N.C., to review revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993573/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Obama Urged to Act Alone on Climate If Congress Unwilling to Pass Legislation. As President Barack Obama prepares to give his Jan. 28 State of the Union address, advocates of greenhouse gas reductions are urging the president to turn up pressure on Congress to pass climate legislation while demonstrating his willingness to act alone in the face of congressional inaction. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-28/obama-urged-to-act-alone-on-climate-if-congress-unwilling-to-pass-legislation.html FEMA: Caught Between Climate Change and Congress. Thanks to climate change, extreme weather disasters have hammered the United States with increasing frequency in recent years—from drought and wildfires to coastal storms and flooding. It is perhaps surprising, then, that the U.S. agency in charge of preparing for and responding to these disasters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-01-27/fema-caught-between-climate-change-and-congress-.html UofL's greenhouse gas emissions down 27 percent. The University of Louisville says its greenhouse gas emissions have dropped by more than 27 percent in seven years. The school says its annual carbon emissions dropped by 68,000 metric tons during the period. It says that amount is equal to taking 14,167 cars off the road. The numbers are in a report UofL submitted to a national organization working on climate change issues. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/UofL-s-greenhouse-gas-emissions-down-27-percent-5181030.php Who Has Dirtier Air: China or India? On an average day, the view out the window of a New Delhi apartment is even smoggier than out the window of a Beijing high-rise, as the New York Times recently reported. (The 7.5 million cars on New Delhi’s roads, up from 800,000 in the early 1970s, certainly hasn’t helped air quality.) But on a country-to-country basis, China still ranks dead last globally in terms of average exposure to PM 2.5—fine particulate air pollution that poses a severe threat to human health…Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-28/smog-in-new-delhi-is-worse-than-in-beijing Polar bears can expand diet to survive climate change. New research has found that, despite popular belief, Arctic polar bears may actually adapt well to climate change by altering their diet. Evidence suggests polar bears have turned to other food sources due to a lack of seals, their preferred prey. Scientists tracked the bears' eating habits while they hunted and published their findings last year in various ecology journals. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993522/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CALIFORNIA DROUGHT Cachuma Lake, a crystalline mountain resource, is disappearing. The Central Coast lake, one of the area's most popular outdoor playgrounds, has become an emblem of California's crushing drought. When Jeff Bozarth retired after 20 years as a police officer and signed up as a park ranger here last spring, he knew what to expect and relished every bit of it. Hidden in the folds of the Central Coast mountains…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-cachuma-drought-20140128,0,2738862,print.story California’s drought means some ranchers can’t afford to feed their cattle. In January, business at the 101 Livestock Market’s cattle auction on California’s Central Coast is usually slow. The busy season is normally in June or July, when ranchers have had time to fatten their animals for weeks on spring grasses. This year, however, business is bustling, with packed pens of moaning cattle and cowboys standing on tip-toe to get a glance at their potential prizes. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140127/NEWS/140129535 As California drought continues, feds could seize water. Farmers from California’s San Joaquin Valley set aside precious water last year, like money in a bank. But now someone else might claim the investment. With the state extremely dry, the farmers fear federal officials could effectively seize for other purposes the water set aside primarily in San Luis Reservoir on the valley’s west side. Posted. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/01/27/215912/as-california-drought-continues.html#storylink=cpy FUELS U.S. Ethanol Exporters Search for a Port. U.S. ethanol makers are banking on export markets as they grapple with Obama administration plans to cut U.S. consumption requirements, but the industry is hampered by a distribution structure built almost exclusively around the domestic market. Archer Daniels Midland Co. , Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. and other ethanol producers are trying to boost sales to Brazil, Mexico…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304856504579336871048197710#printMode BY SUBSCRIPTION Calif. environmental efforts headline 'Eye on Biodiesel' awards. Few states have as significant of an impact on environmental regulations as the state of California. As the industry honors champions and those who have made significant impacts on the biodiesel industry during the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in San Diego it is fitting that multiple award winners reside within the Golden State. Posted. http://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/9521/calif-environmental-efforts-headline-eye-on-biodiesel-awards VEHICLES Strong U.S. and China business fuels big gain in Ford profit. Continued strong business in North America and growth in sales in China powered Ford Motor Co. to a big gain in fourth-quarter profit. Ford said Tuesday that its profit for the three months ended Dec. 31 jumped 90% to $3 billion from the $1.6 billion of the same period a year earlier. That represented its 18th consecutive quarterly profit. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-ford-fourth-quarter-profit-20140128,0,6397311,print.story California Energy Commission to award up to $10.8M in incentives for new natural gas vehicles. The California Energy Commission is soliciting (PON-13-610) applications for a total of $10.8 million in funding for natural gas vehicle incentives to reduce the purchase price of new on-road natural gas vehicles. The incentives are available on a first-come, first-served basis and at varying levels depending on the gross vehicle weight. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/20140128-cec.html Tesla owner completes first coast-to-coast trip in electric vehicle via supercharging network. Traveling across the country by electric vehicle is now possible for owners of the Tesla Model S performance sedan. Even better, it costs nothing. Using the all-electric vehicle maker’s exclusive supercharging network, John Gleeney made the trip with his adult daughter, Jill Glenney, from New York to Los Angeles in less than a week, utilizing 28 supercharging stations, according to Silicon Beat. Posted. http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/chi-tesla-first-coast-to-coast-electric-vehicle,0,6037507.story Smart ForTwo EV tops list of greenest vehicles. With more and more hybrid and electric vehicles coming to market, earning the title of most eco-friendly car is becoming more competitive than ever. This year, the Smart For Two Electric Drive tops the list of greenest vehicles ranked by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The zippy two-seater not only has a combined U.S. EPA fuel economy rating of 107 mpg…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993536/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Solar industry employment up 20% in 2013. The number of jobs tied to the U.S. solar energy sector increased by nearly 20 percent in 2013, according to an annual survey by the Solar Foundation released Monday. The foundation, a nonprofit educational and statistical arm of the industry, found an estimated 142,628 solar workers in the U.S. economy -- defined as those who spend 50 percent or more of their time supporting solar-related activities -- as of November 2013. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/27/solar-jobs-accelerate/ MISCELLANEOUS Hazardous waste hauler fined $243,000 for abandoning drums of toxics. A man accused of illegally storing more than 200 drums of hazardous waste at a San Joaquin County truck stop has been fined $243,000 and barred for life from transporting such toxic materials, state regulators said Monday. In a civil complaint filed last year, the Department of Toxic Substances Control accused Jose G. Sosa of abandoning 228 drums filled with spent aerosol cans…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-hauler-fined-toxic-20140127,0,2143315,print.story Much of old Irvine air base is removed from list of hazardous sites. More than 1,900 acres of the retired Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Irvine have been cleaned up, the EPA announces. More than 1,900 acres of the retired Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Irvine have been cleaned up and removed from the list of the nation's most hazardous sites after more than two decades…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0128-el-toro-20140128,0,1767123,print.story OPINIONS Dire signs from a warming world. Another insane cold wave — not the infamous “polar vortex” but its evil twin — is bringing sub-zero and single-digit temperatures to much of the nation. And global warming may be even more extreme, and potentially more catastrophic, than climate scientists had feared. This is, of course, no contradiction. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-global-warmings-impact-cant-be-ignored/2014/01/27/b5917594-8792-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html A climate change of heart by the European Union? If the EU shies away from its commitment to fighting global warming, similar efforts around the world are likely to suffer. Confronted by rising energy costs and international competition, the European Union's executive body has recommended relaxing rules on renewable energy with a plan that doesn't hold specific nations responsible for specific targets. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-climate-change-eu-european-union-20140128,0,5391003,print.story Dan Walters: Gov. Brown increasingly desperate to save bullet train. Desperate times, it’s been said, call for desperate measures. The oft-quoted phrase originated with ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who declared, “For extreme diseases, extreme methods of cure, as to restriction, are most suitable…” Gov. Jerry Brown, without uttering the words…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/28/6106244/dan-walters-gov-brown-increasingly.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy Guest Viewpoint: Global warming is serious threat to U.S. A soon-to-be-published report (March 2014) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that the food supply is at serious risk as global warming continues. In 2009, Robert Engelman of Worldwatch Institute, an environmental research group stated “In order to prevent collapse, human civilization would have to stop increasing emissions within a decade, regardless of the economy or population.” Posted. http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20140128/VIEWPOINTS02/301280054/Guest-Viewpoint-Global-warming-serious-threat-U-S- Letter: Climate change deniers grasp at straws. In his Jan. 13 Guest Viewpoint, Mike Morrongiello writes: “Rejoice — humanity is safe from global warming!” He asserts a research paper by climate scientists Judith Curry and Marcia Watt signals an end to the global warming “hoax.” In reality, their conclusion includes the line: “This research does not support or refute global warming but seeks to explain the natural component of climate variability.” Posted. http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20140128/VIEWPOINTS03/301280059/Letter-Climate-change-deniers-grasp-straws BLOGS Coca-Cola Climate Change Cavalry... May Be Too Late. "We've gotten the 'easy' part of the warming over with--the part where we have been poking sleeping giants, just not yet hard enough or long enough to awaken them." California is parched, Antarctic glaciers are now in 'irreversible decline', tennis players are having Snoopy hallucinations and fainting in the new normal of the "it's always been hot, but not this freakin' hot" Australian Open. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/davidgoldstein/cocacola-climate-change-c_b_4666482.html?view=print&comm_ref=false How EV savings rise as temperature falls. The Polar Vortex has created a bit of a mathematical optical illusion when comparing the effect of cold weather on gas-powered cars and electric vehicles. Cold weather reduces EV range by a greater percentage than it reduces gasoline fuel economy, but because EVs cost so much less to "fuel," the savings for EV drivers actually increase as the temperature drops. Got all that? Here's the math. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/27/ev-savings-rise-as-temperature-falls/ California’s LCFS: credit prices, court cases and controversy in the “other” Washington. The California Air Resources Board last week released its third quarter 2013 summary, and there were several key developments in there. First off, the ratio of credits to deficits generated was strongly in favor of credits, one of the biggest gaps ever. In the quarter, just over 1 million metric tons of credits were generated, while the deficits totaled 642,000 mt. Posted. http://blogs.platts.com/2014/01/28/lcfs-jan14/ Real Solutions for Meeting California's Water Needs. If Speaker Boehner were in search of real solutions to California’s ever-worsening drought, he may have noticed something startlingly green during his visit to the state last week. He spent part of that trip, as the Sacramento Bee put it, “doing a little rainmaking for the National Republican Congressional Committee amidst the lush, irrigated golf courses of Palm Springs.” Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kpoole/real_solutions_for_meeting_cal.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 12:21:03 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 29, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 29, 2014. 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 China looks to halt New Year's fireworks to curb air pollution. Fireworks are as integral to Chinese New Year as pine trees are to Christmas. But with smog blanketing many Chinese cities these days, environmental activists, meteorologists and government officials are urging people to start the new year off without a bang. Tradition holds that noisy pops and colorful flares ward off evil spirits and bring good luck for the new year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-china-fireworks-20140129,0,2905534.story#ixzz2roI5khPJ Los Angeles City Council committee asks LAX to study ultrafine air pollution. Los Angeles officials moved Tuesday to consider steps to reduce tiny pollutants produced by jets and vehicles at LAX even though the particulates — called ultrafine particles — are not yet regulated by the state or federal governments. Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents Los Angeles International Airport, led the charge at a meeting of the council’s Trade…Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/environment-and-nature/20140128/los-angeles-city-council-committee-asks-lax-to-study-ultrafine-air-pollution http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140129/los-angeles-city-council-committee-asks-lax-to-study-ultrafine-air-pollution Silicon Valley companies agree to clean pollutants. Federal environmental regulators say a settlement has been reached in a long-running pollution cleanup case at an old circuit board manufacturing facility in Silicon Valley that has been designated one of the nation's most polluted places. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday said it reached a $2 million settlement with CTS Printex, Inc. and ADN Corp. that will require the companies to finish cleaning…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_25018087/silicon-valley-companies-agree-clean-pollutants http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/28/silicon-valley-companies-agree-to-clean-pollutants/ Is The Central Valley's Air Pollution Affecting Our Cells And Genes? Here in the Central Valley – in one of the most polluted air basins in the country – we know that poor air is bad for our health. We feel it in our eyes and throat, and when we struggle to breathe. But what if air pollution is affecting us at a deeper, cellular level? That's exactly what Dr. Kari Nadeau discovered a few years ago. She’s a Stanford School of Medicine professor with an expertise in asthma and allergies. Posted. http://kvpr.org/post/central-valleys-air-pollution-affecting-our-cells-and-genes Black carbon found among emissions that can increase heart attacks – study. Tiny specks of pollution floating in the air have heart-stopping consequences over the long term, even in amounts below emissions limits in some countries, according to a recent study. Researchers looking at 100,166 people in 11 European cities across five countries for more than a decade found a strong link between exposure to particulate matter and cardiac complications like heart attacks. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993616/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Rise in wildfires may significantly degrade air quality, health in the future. As the American West, parched by prolonged drought, braces for a season of potentially record-breaking wildfires, new research suggests these events not only pose an immediate threat to people’s safety and their homes, but also could take a toll on human health, agriculture and ecosystems. Posted. http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/60806 CLIMATE CHANGE Obama touts 'responsible' energy development measures, climate goals. President Barack Obama told lawmakers on Tuesday his energy strategy had boosted the economy and reduced carbon emissions, but he did not address the question of whether he will approve the politically charged Keystone XL oil pipeline. In his annual State of the Union address, Obama touted the role natural gas had played in cutting U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and creating jobs. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/29/us-usa-obama-energy-idUSBREA0S06N20140129 DROUGHT California Farms Going Thirsty as Drought Burns $5 Billion Hole. Near the confluence of the Merced and San Joaquin rivers, the heart of the California farm belt, Bob Kelley watches the driest year ever erode water supplies and prospects for the dairy business his family began in 1910. The amount of water available for the 2,800 acres (1,133 hectares) of corn and alfalfa Kelley grows to feed more than 6,500 cows may drop as much as two thirds... Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-29/california-farms-going-thirsty-as-drought-burns-5-billion-hole.html PUC water goal: Cut use by 10%. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission this week will ask its customers to reduce their water use voluntarily by 10 percent, the latest sign of the drought affecting the state. SFPUC residential customers already boast the lowest per capita water use in the state - an average of 49 gallons per day - but because of this year's "exceptionally dry winter," spokesman Tyrone Jue said, the utility wants its customers to cut back. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/PUC-water-goal-Cut-use-by-10-5181495.php Valley GOP leaders regroup after drought-relief maneuver fails. San Joaquin Valley congressional Republicans took aim this week and missed their stated goal of helping California cope with drought. Now, having unsuccessfully tried a long-shot, last-minute farm bill maneuver, the GOP lawmakers are regrouping. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/01/28/3737399/politics-leaks-into-efforts-to.html#storylink=cpy California drought: 17 communities could run out of water within 60 to 120 days, state says. As California's drought deepens, 17 communities across the state are in danger of running out of water within 60 to 120 days, state officials said Tuesday. In some communities, wells are running dry. In others, reservoirs are nearly empty. Some have long-running problems that predate the drought. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25013388/california-drought-17-communities-could-run-out-water?source=rss FUELS Obama calls for new incentives for cleaner fuel. President Barack Obama is proposing new incentives for trucks to run on natural gas and other alternative fuels. In his State of the Union address, Obama is also calling for a new tax credit to spur infrastructure for advanced vehicles that run on cleaner fuels, like hydrogen, natural gas or biofuels. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/28/obama-calls-for-new-incentives-for-cleaner-fuel/ VEHICLES 6 Vt downtowns get grants for EV charging stations. A half dozen Vermont communities are getting grants to install a total of 13 charging stations for electric vehicles. The grants range from more than $6,000 to $30,000. They'll go to Barre, Bennington, Burlington, Middlebury, Morristown, and St. Albans. Shumlin said Tuesday that the charging stations will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower the cost of transportation for families and businesses, and modernize our infrastructure. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/29/3159192/6-vt-downtowns-get-grants-for.html BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY State of the Union: What Obama didn't say about energy, environment. President Obama’s discussion of energy and environmental issues in his State of the Union address was notable not just for what he said, but for what he didn’t say. The president largely stuck to issues he had discussed before, such as how a good portion of the country’s economic recovery, including the limited revival of manufacturing jobs, stems from the domestic fossil fuel boom, especially in natural gas. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-state-of-the-union-energy-environment-20140128,0,4240812.story#ixzz2roFYwp8R BLOGS Obama’s Speech Softens Tone on Climate Change. Is the president going a little soft on climate change? It’s an interesting State of the Union address when oil and natural gas producers and their lobbyists sound happier with the president’s speech than environmental groups that have been Mr. Obama’s staunchest allies. After upbeat comments about America’s energy boom, President Barack Obama gave a big shout out to natural gas Tuesday…Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/01/29/obamas-speech-softens-tone-on-climate-change/ ACEEE's greenest car for 2014 is Smart Fortwo electric, Tesla Model S just average. Every year, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) looks into the soul of the American automobile market and figures out which vehicles are evil. This is how it comes up with a "meanest" vehicle rating. Wait, no, that's not right. In reality, ACEEE rates vehicles using Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board fuel economy data…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/28/aceees-greenest-car-2014-smart-fortwo-electric-meanest/ Despite coal's dominance, renewables making gains in US. For electric vehicle drivers concerned about "dirty coal" taking away the environmental benefits of electrified transportation, we've found some good news. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has just released its annual report on sources of new energy capacity for domestic electric power plants. Renewable energy accounted for 37.16 percent of new power plant capacity. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/29/despite-coals-dominance-renewables-making-gains-us/ Age related CO2 Emissions. This article provides a methodological contribution to the study of the effect of changes in population age structure on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. First, I propose a generalization of the IPAT equation to a multisector economy with an age-structured population and discuss the insights that can be obtained in the context of stable population theory. Posted. http://urbandemographics.blogspot.com/2014/01/age-related-co2-emissions.html New catalytic converter design cuts emissions and precious metal use. Scientists have developed a new type of catalytic converter that uses up to 80 per cent less precious metals while still delivering lower emissions than traditional designs. Developed by researchers at the Imperial College London, the new catalytic converter is smaller and much cheaper than conventional designs because of its reduce use of metals such as platinum…Posted. http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2014/01/29/new-catalytic-converter-design-cuts-emissions-and-precious-metal-use/ One-two punch of drought, global warming. California being in the clutches of drought—as it is today—is nothing new. From prehistoric droughts to so-called "megadroughts" that strangled the state some 1,000 years ago, to more recent extreme dry periods in the late '70s and early '90s, drought happens. This time around, however, California has more than 38 million residents with water needs and is grappling with a troubling trend that's in play around the world: global warming. Posted. http://phys.org/print310209074.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 14:26:48 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for January 30, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 30, 2014. 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. CLIMATE CHANGE 10 US cities vow to slash emissions from buildings. Mayors from 10 U.S. cities took aim at their skylines Wednesday, pledging to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from their buildings. Businesses and homes are a major source of carbon-dioxide pollution in cities, with most of it coming from the burning of fossil fuels for heating, cooling and lighting. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/article/APc9e0ba9c855041dfbb9867efbc60baf6.html?KEYWORDS=green+energy http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jan/29/10-us-cities-vow-to-cut-emissions-from-buildings/#ixzz2ru6ReasE EPA, Texas reach deal on clean air plan. Federal and state environmental officials said Wednesday that they have reached an agreement on portions of the Texas clean air plan that, for years, have been points of contention. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality confirmed Wednesday that the conditional agreement on state permits will allow some operating flexibility to major air pollution sources, such as refineries. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jan/29/epa-texas-reach-deal-on-clean-air-plan/#ixzz2ru4x15bv Industry groups plan "unified strategy" against EPA carbon pollution rules. Forty industry groups launched a new partnership on Thursday to form a "unified strategy" to respond to forthcoming federal regulations targeting carbon emissions from the country's fleet of power plants and other carbon-intensive facilities. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/30/usa-energy-carbon-idUSL2N0L410520140130 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-rt-usa-energycarbon-20140130,0,7579068.story Butte board delays action on carbon reduction plan. An "action plan" to reduce the release of greenhouse gases in Butte County was tabled this week because nobody is clear on what it will cost, or why ag interests are not getting credit for the environmental good they accomplish. The Climate Action Plan is part of Butte County General Plan 2013. Posted. http://www.chicoer.com/breakingnews/ci_25023022/butte-board-delays-action-carbon-reduction-plan India Proposes Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Monitoring System. India is pushing a global emissions monitoring system in Cancun talks that could become the centerpiece of a compromise with the United States if other developing countries sign on. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh is said to expect a "quid pro quo" from the United States to make the deal work, new documents show. Posted. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/india-proposes-global-greenhouse-gas/ EU Environment Panel Backs Fast-Track Approval of Carbon Fix (2). The European Parliament’s environment committee agreed to accelerate the adoption of a rescue plan for the bloc’s emissions market, which the European Commission wants to start as soon as possible. Carbon prices rose as much as 3.6 percent after the panel voted 43 to 13 to shorten the measure’s usual three-month scrutiny period in the Parliament. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-01-30/eu-environment-panel-backs-fast-track-approval-of-carbon-fix Councils' climate change planning warnings to be curbed. NSW Planning Minister Brad Hazzard will release a draft circular aimed at stopping local councils from imposing planning requirements based on climate change projections prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), according to The Australian newspaper. Some NSW councils place warnings of coastal erosion risks on their planning approval certificates for homes based on projections that sea levels will rise in the future. Posted. http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2014/1/30/science-environment/councils-climate-change-planning-warnings-be-curbed For Already Vulnerable Penguins, Study Finds Climate Change Is Another Danger. Life has never been easy for just-hatched Magellanic penguins, but climate change is making it worse, according to a decades-long study of the largest breeding colony of the birds. The chicks are already vulnerable to predation and starvation. Now, the study at Punta Tombo, Argentina, found that intense storms and warmer temperatures are increasingly taking a toll. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/science/earth/climate-change-taking-toll-on-penguins-study-finds.html?hpw&rref=science DROUGHT California bans fishing in several rivers in midst of drought. California wildlife officials have banned fishing in several rivers to protect salmon and steelhead trout during a severe drought that follows the state's driest year on record. Fish populations are in danger as low levels in many of the Golden State's waters could prevent them from migrating and spawning, according to a statement from the state's Department of Fish and Wildlife. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-california-drought-fishing-20140129,0,7096313.story#ixzz2ruI6sPtk DIESEL EMISSIONS Deadline to report for CARB compliance delays coming Friday. Fleets have until Jan. 31 to report any ”good faith” efforts toward compliance of the California Air Resources Board’s Truck and Bus Rule that would earn them a delay until July 1 to comply with the emissions regulations. Posted. http://www.ccjdigital.com/deadline-for-carb-compliance-delays-for-truck-owners-coming-friday/ FUELS Automotive trio test new renewable fuel to reduce carbon emissions. Clariant, Haltermann and Mercedes-Benz have partnered on an initiative to fleet test a second generation bio fuel that will provide optimal driving performance, while reducing CO2 emissions. The 'sunliquid20' is a 20% cellulosic ethanol solution, which comes from Clariant's sunliquid demonstration plant in Straubing, where 4,500t of agricultural residues are converted into cellulosic ethanol annually. Posted. http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/news/newsclariant-haltermann-mercedes-benz-test-new-renewable-fuel-to-reduce-carbon-emissions-4167945 GREEN ENERGY INSIDE WASHINGTON: Greens hit Obama on energy plan. President Barack Obama is sticking to a fossil-fuel dependent energy policy, delivering a blow to a monthslong, behind-the-scenes effort by nearly every major environmental group to convince the White House that the policy is at odds with his goals on global warming. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_VS_ENVIRONMENTALISTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/30/3161621/inside-washington-greens-hit-obama.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES China PM calls for national roll-out of electric vehicles. China’s premier said the government should use electric cars and buses in order to help improve pollution levels in the country’s major cities. The use of coal in power stations, homes and factories is often cited as the main culprit for China’s dire air quality, but the explosive growth in car use and urban transport has also contributed to pollution that has become a major concern in fast-expanding megacities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. Posted. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/01/29/china-pm-calls-for-national-roll-out-of-electric-vehicles/ World's first Porsche -- an 1898 all-electric car -- to go on display. What does a three-horsepower, all-electric car that’s more than a century old have in common with some of the modern world’s most capable and powerful sports cars? They’re both built by Porsche. On Monday, the German automaker announced it was putting on display in its Stuttgart, Germany, museum the Egger-Lohner electric vehicle, C.2 Phaeton. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-autos-worlds-first-porsche-electric-20140129,0,5710649.story#ixzz2ruJGMsli MISCELLANEOUS Waxman, leading liberal, to retire from U.S. Congress. Democratic U.S. Representative Henry Waxman of California, a leading liberal who helped craft President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare overhaul, said on Thursday he would retire from Congress at the end of this year. After 40 years in Congress, Waxman, 74, said he is ready to move on. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/30/usa-politics-waxman-idUSL2N0L419Q20140130 http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/01/30/henry_waxman_the_white_knight_of_cap_and_trade_retires.html OPINION Our Voice: Make electric vehicles a viable alternative in the valley. If electric vehicles are to contribute to cleaner air in the Coachella Valley, there must be reliable charging stations. If you have “range anxiety” about getting stranded in our 54-mile valley or when taking a trip to the coast, you won’t likely be an electric vehicle customer. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014301290014 BLOGS Global Warming May Open New Shipping Routes (VIDEO). A study released Monday shows new shipping routes might open around the North Pole by 2040 if global warming continues as predicted. Posted. http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/549274.htm Carbon Briefing: Who killed the EU’s transport fuel standards? Is the fuel that powers our cars set to get a lot dirtier? After 2020, the European Union is to drop the Fuel Quality Directive, a measure designed to help clean up transport fuels. Posted. http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2014/01/who-killed-the-fuel-quality-directive/ Retailers Pledge 25% Reduction in CO2 Emissions. Members of UK retail industry body the British Retail Consortium including McDonald’s, Asda and Sainsbury’s have pledged to reduce their absolute carbon emissions from retail operations 25 percent by 2020 based on 2005 levels as part of a raft of environmental targets covering waste, transport, resource efficiency in buildings, water and refrigeration. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/01/30/uk-retailers-pledge-25-reduction-in-co2-emissions/ Why the U.S. Embassy Releases Pollution Data in Beijing But Not in Delhi. The United States government measures air quality levels in both its Beijing and Delhi embassies, but it only publicizes the results from its Beijing monitor. Why? In 2008, the decision by the American Embassy in Beijing to publicize the readings from its pollution measure changed the debate about air quality in China. Posted. http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/why-the-u-s-embassy-releases-pollution-data-in-beijing-but-not-in-delhi/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 White roofs are better than green roofs, and everything’s better than black. We’re all on board with the idea that black roofs are so out. But scientists are still establishing what the best alternative is. The most popular alternatives to black are white and green, i.e. painting the roof white to reflect heat or growing plants on it. You’d think a green roof would be best — imagine growing vegetables in your very own sky garden! Posted. http://grist.org/list/white-roofs-are-better-than-green-roofs-and-everythings-better-than-black/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 13:07:38 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for January 31, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for January 31, 2014. 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 Burn suspension lifted. Due to the recent rainfall, CAL FIRE will lift the burn suspension for the State Responsibility Area within Eastern Madera County as of 12 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014. Hazard reduction burning in Eastern Madera County will be allowed with a valid San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District permit. Posted. http://www.sierrastar.com/2014/01/30/66214/burn-suspension-lifted.html CLIMATE CHANGE California challenges cities to compete to cut carbon emissions. The California Air Resources Board thinks a little friendly competition might inspire Californians to scale back their driving, cut electricity use and take other steps to reduce carbon emissions. The agency on Thursday announced a second round of the CoolCalifornia City Challenge, where cities compete to see how much they can cut their emissions of greenhouse gases that are causing climate change. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-california-climate-competition-carbon-emissions-20140130,0,2052535.story#axzz2rziax8rx Green groups: Obama not doing enough on climate. The White House has rebuffed repeated protests by some of President Barack Obama's top environmental allies that his climate strategy won't work. The heads of 18 environmental groups went public recently with a complaint they have privately pressed the White House on for months: Obama's support of expanded oil and gas production doesn't make sense for a president who wants to reduce global warming pollution. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_VS_ENVIRONMENTALISTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_25033471/green-groups-obama-not-doing-enough-climate?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_25033471/green-groups-obama-not-doing-enough-climate?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Green-groups-Obama-not-doing-enough-on-climate-5191986.php FUELS LCA study finds carbon intensity of corn ethanol decreasing, gasoline rising; ethanol estimated 43-60% lower than oil by 2022. The carbon intensity (CI) of corn ethanol—i.e., the greenhouse gas emissions produced via the production of a volume of the fuel—is declining, while the average CI of gasoline produced from petroleum sources is gradually increasing, according to a recent report prepared by Life Cycle Associates, LLC for the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/01/20140130-lca.html GREEN ENERGY Wind energy installation sets record amid uncertain future. Wind energy construction in the United States is at an all-time high, but the industry warned Thursday the start of new projects this year is uncertain as Congress considers whether to extend a two-decade-old tax credit that expired at the end of last year. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014301300007 MISCELLANEOUS Air district offers grant funds. The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District on Thursday opened the application period for its 2014 Clean Air Funds program. The District will award more than $500,000 to projects in Yolo and Solano counties that will reduce air pollution from mobile sources. Posted. http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_25033413/air-district-offers-grant-funds OPINION Taking California's bullet train to a greener future. California's high-speed rail is one of the largest public works projects anywhere in the world. Like the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Area Rapid Transit, Interstate 5 and the California Aqueduct before it, high-speed rail has engendered opposition, consternation and litigation. Every bold, transformative vision faces that litany. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-kelly-california-high-speed-rail-20140129,0,2395887.story#axzz2rvwqJzpu BLOGS Want to cut Arctic warming in half? Curb emissions now, study says. Global warming is changing the Arctic so quickly that experts say we should expect an ice-free Arctic Ocean in the summer within just a few decades. But a group of scientists says there is a way to spare the Arctic from more disastrous climate change. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-arctic-warming-sea-ice-carbon-emissions-20140130,0,6296635.story#axzz2s0ODgaom California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2014 15:00:32 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 3, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 3, 2014. 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 Beijing Air Pollution Improves After Cold Front, Xinhua Reports. The air quality in Beijing improved after a cold front from the north brought strong winds, dispersing heavy smog in the Chinese capital, the official Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday. The concentration of PM2.5 pollutants -- particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter that pose the biggest health risk - - was as low as 11 in the six districts…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-03/beijing-air-pollution-improves-after-cold-front-xinhua-reports.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in-chinas-war-on-bad-air-government-decision-to-release-data-gives-fresh-hope/2014/02/02/5e50c872-8745-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html OC judge won't block enforcement of fire ring ban. An Orange County judge has refused to block enforcement of a rule banning the use of beach fire pits within 700 feet of Southern California homes. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued the regulation, which takes effect in March and could eliminate 60 pits at Newport Beach. A pro-fire ring. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/31/6119249/oc-judge-wont-block-enforcement.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/OC-judge-won-t-block-enforcement-of-fire-ring-ban-5194459.php http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fire-599741-aqmd-judge.html Irwindale spicing up suit against Sriracha plant. A Los Angeles suburb is spicing up its lawsuit against a hot-sauce manufacturer it claims polluted the air with pungent smells. Stephen Onstot, an attorney representing Irwindale, tells City News Service that the small industrial city east of Los Angeles will add a breach-of-contract claim to its existing nuisance suit against the Sriracha plant. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/31/6119211/irwindale-spicing-up-suit-against.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Irwindale-spicing-up-suit-against-Sriracha-plant-5194478.php Wood heat more popular, but there are environmental concerns. Bill Traver has sold wood stoves to customers in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia from his small shop in Hedgesville, W. Va., for nearly three decades, but over the past few years, he's seen an increase in sales. "It's because people are finally getting away from gas and oil," Traver said. "Because they can't afford it." Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/31/6117522/wood-heat-more-popular-but-there.html#storylink=cpy http://www.recorder.com/home/10349003-95/epa-revising-wood-stove-regs Utah legislators weigh in on governor's air plans. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert's call for urgent measures to cut air pollution has left regulators scrambling as legislators question how much their efforts will accomplish. Herbert used his recent State of the State address to promise a rapid transition to cleaner-burning gasoline that lawmakers say it isn't widely available and works effectively only with a new generation of low-emission vehicles. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Utah-legislators-weigh-in-on-governor-s-air-plans-5198166.php EPA draft eyes tightening ozone standard to 60 ppb. In a draft document released today, U.S. EPA staff say that based on available scientific evidence, the agency should consider tightening its current ozone standard to a level as low as 60 parts per billion. A draft policy assessment meant to distill the available scientific and technical information says that the agency should lower its National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, currently set at 75 ppb. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993920/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Democrats urge EPA to quickly finalize gasoline sulfur standards. Saying the standards will improve public health and reduce emissions from cars and trucks, more than 40 House members are reiterating their support for U.S. EPA's regulations that would lower the sulfur content in gasoline ahead of their expected finalization this month. In a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on Friday, 42 legislators urged the agency to finalize the so-called Tier 3 standards quickly "so all Americans can breathe easier." Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993913/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE U.N. appoints former NYC Mayor Bloomberg cities, climate change envoy. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday appointed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as his special envoy for cities and climate change, in a bid to build momentum ahead of a planned U.N. summit meeting in September. Ban said Bloomberg will assist him in "consultations with mayors and related key stakeholders…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/31/us-climate-un-bloomberg-idUSBREA0U02Q20140131 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/31/6118002/diplomats-ex-ny-mayor-to-be-un.html#storylink=cpy Want to cut Arctic warming in half? Curb emissions now, study says. Global warming is changing the Arctic so quickly that experts say we should expect an ice-free Arctic Ocean in the summer within just a few decades. But a group of scientists says there is a way to spare the Arctic from more disastrous climate change. In a new paper, they say that reducing global carbon emissions now could cut Arctic warming nearly in half by century’s end. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-arctic-warming-sea-ice-carbon-emissions-20140130,0,6296635.story Flooded British villages ignite climate debate. As children climb into boats to get to school and scores of hoses pump floodwaters from fields day and night, one corner of southwest England is trying to reclaim its land. Other Britons watch and wonder: How much can you fight the sea? Here on the Somerset Levels…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/03/6123866/flooded-british-villages-ignite.html#storylink=cpy http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/03/flooded-british-villages-ignite-climate-debate/ Why baby Magellanic penguins are dying in the rain. Magellanic penguin chicks in Argentina have a new killer to fear - death by climate change. The downy chicks were already vulnerable to predation and starvation in the first few weeks of their lives, but now they are threatened by increasing rainstorms caused by changing weather patterns. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/01/6120469/why-baby-magellanic-penguins-are.html#storylink=cpy Nuclear Pact Between America and China; Could This Save the Planet from Climate Change? Climate change is perhaps the most challenging and daunting problem facing humanity. While the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a report stating that the world needs to limit warming to just 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to limit irreversible harm to the planet, recent analysis argues even that won't be enough. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Nuclear-Pact-Between-America-and-China-Could-5198273.php Firms Cut Costs, GHGs with EPA Climate Programs. US businesses prevented 365 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 by partnering with the EPA on climate protection programs, the agency says. According to the EPA’s annual Climate Protection Partnerships report, some 21,000 organizations across the US have cut their greenhouse gas emissions and saved money by participating in the agency’s programs. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/02/03/firms-cut-costs-ghgs-with-epa-climate-programs/ EPA touts voluntary greenhouse gas programs in report. U.S. EPA's voluntary climate programs helped avoid the release of 365 million metric tons of greenhouse gases and saved ratepayers $26 billion in energy-related costs in 2012, according to a report released this afternoon by the agency. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2014/01/31/stories/1059993857 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Parched, California Cuts Off Tap to Agencies. Responding to one of the worst droughts in California’s history, state officials announced on Friday that they would cut off the water to local agencies serving 25 million residents and about 750,000 acres of farmland. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/01/us/amid-drought-california-agency-will-withhold-water-deliveries.html Severe Drought Has U.S. West Fearing Worst. The punishing drought that has swept California is now threatening the state’s drinking water supply. With no sign of rain, 17 rural communities providing water to 40,000 people are in danger of running out within 60 to 120 days. State officials said that the number was likely to rise in the months ahead after the State Water Project, the main municipal water distribution system…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/us/severe-drought-has-us-west-fearing-worst.html California drought: S.F. leads state in water conservation. California declared a drought only two weeks ago, but in San Francisco water conservation efforts have been under way for decades - with significant results. That means the best way San Franciscans can heed this week's call by the city's water agency, the Public Utilities Commission, to cut water use voluntarily by 10 percent is to take advantage of existing programs and be just a little more mindful than usual. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-drought-S-F-leads-state-in-water-5194523.php Steinberg bill aims to ease California drought. California’s Senate leader is drafting legislation that would expedite help for communities facing what may become the worst drought in state history. The actions proposed by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, would set a July 1 deadline for state agencies to approve water recycling and stormwater reuse projects. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/03/6122737/steinberg-bill-aims-to-ease-california.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region#storylink=cpy California farmers brace for drought, unemployment. Amid California's driest year on record, the nation's leading agricultural region is locked in drought and bracing for unemployment to soar, sending farm workers to food lines in a place famous for its abundance. One-third of the Central Valley's jobs are related to farming. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/02/6122097/california-farmers-brace-for-drought.html As record drought intensifies, organic dairy farmers are the first to face financial crisis. As California's record-breaking drought continues, organic farmers are facing shortages that could jeopardize their production of beef, milk and cheese. The Golden State's third straight year of dry weather is forcing farmers to make tough choices. Dairy and cattle farmers are the first to feel the squeeze of water shortages, as their cows need to eat year-round, while plant growers typically have until mid-March to make planting decisions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/02/03/stories/1059993888 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY House tackles Calif. drought on multiple fronts. Congress is eyeing California's record-breaking drought this week by reviving political hot-button issues as well as long-term infrastructure proposals. A bill to make more water available to farmers in the Central Valley is headed to the Rules Committee tomorrow, bypassing the normal committee process after Republican backers tried and failed to insert the language into the farm bill that passed the House last week. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2014/02/03/stories/1059993884 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS 17 foundations pledge to divest from fossil fuels. A coalition of 17 foundations plan to divest their assets from fossil fuel companies and invest in renewable energy instead. The Divest-Invest Philanthropy coalition announced the plans Thursday. Its members include the Wallace Global Fund, the Ben & Jerry's Foundation, and the John Merck Fund, and they're urging other foundations to join them. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/31/6118480/17-foundations-pledge-to-divest.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/17-foundations-pledge-to-divest-from-fossil-fuels-5193649.php Calif. college district vows to sell fuel stocks. A community college district in Northern California has promised to sell its stock in fossil fuel companies, joining a small but growing divestment campaign organized by students around the country. The Peralta Community College District announced Friday that its board of trustees has resolved to stop investing in companies that produce oil, gas and coal within five years. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/01/6120287/calif-college-district-vows-to.html#storylink=cpy Keystone XL oil pipeline gets boost from State Department review. A long-awaited environmental review of the Keystone XL oil pipeline released Friday by the State Department found the project would probably have a negligible impact on climate change, bolstering the case for the controversial project as it heads to the White House for a decision on its construction. The amount of oil extracted from the huge tar sands deposits under the Canadian Great Plains…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/02/6121735/keystone-xl-oil-pipeline-gets.html#storylink=cpy What's in State's Keystone XL oil pipeline report. A report issued by the State Department on Friday raised no major environmental objections to the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada. The 1,179-mile pipeline would travel through Montana and South Dakota to a hub in Nebraska, where it would connect with existing pipelines to carry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day to refineries in Texas. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/01/6119870/whats-in-states-keystone-xl-oil.html#storylink=cpy Obama running out of reasons to reject Keystone XL. President Barack Obama is running out of reasons to say no to Keystone XL, the proposed oil pipeline that's long been looming over his environmental legacy. Five years after the pipeline's backers first asked the Obama administration for approval, the project remains in limbo, stuck in a complex regulatory process that has enabled Obama to put off what will inevitably be a politically explosive decision. Posted. here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/01/6119865/obama-running-out-of-reasons-to.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Obama-running-out-of-reasons-to-reject-Keystone-XL-5195631.php VEHICLES Repairing hybrid cars is all he does. Planning a new business around a growing consumer trend - and possessing the skill set to make it work - are two key components of successful entrepreneurship. Stockton native Jorge Santiago hopes he has what it takes to make a go of his new business, Toyo of Stockton, which opened Oct. 7 at 4113A West Lane. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140202/A_BIZ/402010314&cid=sitesearch UK aims to become a world leader in EVs. The UK government has announced plans to spend £9,3m (€11,3m) on electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in the hopes of encouraging more people to make the switch to green cars. The plan foresees a rollout of a charging network, including rapid charging stations, across the country. In addition, the British government has launched a Go Ultra Low campaign, which aims to promote the benefits of electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Posted. http://cars21.com/news/view/5734 Hybrid and electric vehicles not the solution to U.S. air quality, report says. Researchers at North Carolina State University analysed the potential impact of widespread use of electrically-driven vehicles, based on 108 different battery vs oil cost scenarios in the run-up to 2050. The report showed even if electrically-driven models accounted for 42% of all passenger vehicles in the United States…Posted. http://evfleetworld.co.uk/news/2014/Feb/Hybrid-and-electric-vehicles-not-the-solution-to-U-S-air-quality-report-says/0438012668 GREEN ENERGY Fremont company profits in China’s solar market. When a wave of cheap Chinese-made solar panels flooded the market a few years ago, it nearly laid waste to America’s solar manufacturing industry. But recently, one California firm, Solaria Corp., has gone in the opposite direction, rolling out its technology across China. In China’s arid northwest, in the remote provinces of Qinghai and Inner Mongolia, acres of Solaria-made panels crank out up to 3.5 megawatts of power…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/02/6117196/fremont-company-profits-in-chinas.html#storylink=cpy Renewable energy gaining on fossil fuels. Energy in the 21st century is already turning out to be very different from energy in the 20th century. Coal plants that used to provide most of the country's electricity are being shut down by the hundreds and renewable energy is becoming more cost efficient and prevalent by the day. The trends are heavily in favor of renewable energy, and solar energy in particular is taking the U.S. and the world by storm. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/markets/2014/01/31/renewable-energy-winning/5082181/ MISCELLANEOUS Concern grows over possibility of a massive power surge. Whether caused by solar flares or terrorists, a major electromagnetic pulse could fry the electric grid and cause massive disruption, an increasing number of observers say. Roscoe Bartlett was rattling off the prices of giant bags of rice, wheat and corn, sold cheaply at Sam's Club. The former congressman from rural, western Maryland expressed bewilderment that every American doesn't stockpile such things, considering what he is sure is coming. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-power-surge-20140202,0,2740850.story Grants available for Yolo, Solano clean air projects. The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District Thursday opened the application period for its 2014 Clean Air Funds program. The District will award more than $500,000 to projects in Yolo and Solano counties that will reduce air pollution from mobile sources. The deadline for applications is March 21. The application packet is available at ysaqmd.org/caf. Posted. http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_25045930/grants-available-yolo-solano-clean-air-projects BEAUMONT: Climate action planning workshop set. Beaumont will seek input on being environmentally healthy during a Climate Action Planning Workshop on Friday, Feb. 7. Discussion topics include future sustainability projects to be undertaken by the city and community programs to promote resource conservation for homeowners and businesses. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/the-pass/the-pass-headlines-index/20140131-beaumont-climate-action-planning-workshop-set.ece San Lorenzo Valley High School science project helps local air district. A high school science experiment has proved a weather phenomenon traps unhealthy air in the San Lorenzo Valley. Using weather balloons launched from San Lorenzo Valley High School, juniors Connor Lydon and Natalie Gallagher tracked temperature and elevation data the past two winters. Posted. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santacruz/ci_25042528/san-lorenzo-valley-high-school-science-project-helps Have we become emotionally obsessed with the weather? Lois Rutherford is a hardy 74-year-old who has seen some rough weather in her day: "Charlie, David, Hugo," she said while standing on a frigid Pittsburgh viewing deck recently, ticking off the names of hurricanes that have raked her hometown of Charleston, S.C. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/02/6121872/have-we-become-emotionally-obsessed.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS Playing politics with California's drought. As California's drought continues, and more than a dozen rural communities ponder what to do when their drinking water runs out sometime in March, it would be nice if the state's Republican politicians brought some straightforward plans for relief to the table. But what many of them are bringing instead is a tired political tactic barely, and laughably, disguised as a remedy for the lack of rainfall. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-drought-california-20140203,0,7714989.story A drier California than ever? Pretty much. The climate clock is ticking, and it is time for policymakers in the West to prepare for what lies ahead. The last 12 months have been the driest on record in California, and this, on the heels of two below-normal years, prompted Gov. Jerry Brown to declare that the state is in a drought emergency. Ours is a state that relies heavily on the winter storms that bring us the vast majority of our water supply…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ingram-california-drought-20140203,0,5178537.story Choking from diesel emissions. I'd rather breath second-hand cigarette smoke than diesel exhaust. Diesel emissions must be mitigated for the benefit of our health. And start building desalination plants in the south state; plants powered by solar energy. Clean air and clean water - eventually we will get there. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/02/6122164/diesel-emissions.html#storylink=cpy Corporations take the lead in tackling global warming, while Congress lags. The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Friday, Jan. 31: If soft-drink giant Coca-Cola is worried about climate change, shouldn't the White House and Capitol Hill be, too? In a Jan. 24 front-page article, The New York Times cited Coca-Cola's and some other large corporations' recognition of global warming as being "an economically disruptive force." Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/03/6123601/corporations-take-the-lead-in.html#storylink=cpy http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/03/3167672/corporations-take-the-lead-in.html#storylink=cpy Stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Re Keystone XL pipeline: President Barack Obama only needs one big reason to reject Keystone XL pipeline--climate change. The environmental impact report concedes that the tar sands oil that would go through the pipeline produces higher carbon emissions than other oil. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/02/6122138/keystone-xl-pipeline-climate-change.html#storylink=cpy Another View: Schwarzenegger active as leader on several policy initiatives. William Endicott’s commentary on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appearance in the recent Budweiser commercial failed to acknowledge that the actor and former governor has always used his personality as a way to engage the public (“Movie star to governor to … beer ads? Schwarzenegger goes beyond shame”; Viewpoints, Jan. 29). Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/02/6116388/another-view-schwarzenegger-active.html#storylink=cpy Drought: Let's build desalination plants. Re Drought: Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to divert our precious water supply down south has reached an estimated cost of over $20 billion, which would naturally balloon to over $40 billion by the time it ever gets built. Wouldn't a better application of this $20-$40 billion be to build desalination plants down south where they need them the most? Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/31/6119714/a-proactive-use-of-20-billion.html#storylink=cpy Editorial: Proposed statewide plastic bag ban needs some repairs. Sometimes, what’s made necessary by politics doesn’t make for good policy. While there’s a worthy goal behind a bill to ban disposable plastic bags at California grocery stores, some dicey deals have been made to boost its chances of becoming law. Before approving what would be the nation’s first statewide ban on plastic bags…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/02/6119242/editorial-proposed-statewide-plastic.html#storylink=cpy EDITORIAL: State deal with EPA on air quality methods is welcome. Sometimes an imperfect deal is better than none at all, and that appears to be the case with last week's agreement between the state of Texas and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA basically agreed to accept the state's permitting system for limiting industrial air pollution, ending a four-year legal fight. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EDITORIAL-State-deal-with-EPA-on-air-quality-5194425.php BLOGS There's now a Tesla Model S registered in all 50 states. Yes, you too can impress friends at cocktail parties by knowing that the last state to go without a registered Tesla Model S battery-electric sedan was indeed Mississippi. And the second-to-last one was West Virginia. That's what Edmunds is saying, citing data from Polk. Mississippi was the final hold-out until one intrepid Jackson resident made the Model S plunge. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/01/tesla-model-s-all-50-states/ Tesla Touts Cross-Country Trip, Aims For Guinness World Records. Tesla Motors TSLA -0.75% is plotting its way into the Guinness World Records. The electric car maker dispatched two Model S sedans in a cross-country drive that ended this morning in New York City. The trip, started in Los Angeles, took 76.5 hours and, according to a Tesla blog post, “recorded the lowest charge time for an electric vehicle traveling across the country…Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2014/02/02/tesla-touts-cross-country-trip-aims-for-guinness-world-records/?ss=business:energy Will The Overselling Of Global Warming Lead To A New Scientific Dark Age? Will the overselling of climate change lead to a new scientific dark age? That’s the question being posed in the latest issue of an Australian literary journal, Quadrant, by Garth Paltridge, one of the world’s most respected atmospheric scientists. Paltridge was a Chief Research Scientist with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmichaels/2014/02/03/will-the-overselling-of-global-warming-lead-to-a-new-scientific-dark-age/ Punishing drought has California fearing the worst. The punishing drought that has swept California and much of the West is confronting authorities with the worst water shortage this region has faced in more than a century, with near-empty reservoirs, parched fields, starving livestock, clouds of smog and outbreaks of wildfires. Posted. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/punishing-drought-has-california-fearing-the-worst/article16650342/?cmpid=rss1 House looks to help Calif. drought victims by easing Obama's water restrictions. The House will pass legislation next week that would restore the flow of water to farms, homes and businesses in California's Central Valley, to help victims of what congressional Republicans say is a drought that is being made worse by the Obama administration. Posted. http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/energy-environment/197119-house-looks-to-end-california-drought-that-gop-blames Electric Cars Cut Greenhouse Gases Even More Than Expected, NASA Says. A trial program with electric cars at the Kennedy Space Center is going better than expected, cutting greenhouse gas emissions in company vehicles. In fact, the center's sustainability office suggests the results are 10 times better than those expected--electric cars are making a real impact on-site. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090085_electric-cars-cut-greenhouse-gases-even-more-than-expected-nasa-says UPDATE: Plug-In Electric Car Sales In January: Leaf, Volt Both Low. In the first month of 2014, sales of the two most popular plug-in electric cars were lower than they've been in many months. Sales levels likely fell victim both to the predictable winter slowdown in electric-car sales (which we saw in 2012 and 2013 too) and to particularly bad weather last month throughout much of the U.S. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090082_plug-in-electric-car-sales-in-january-leaf-volt-both-low California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2014 15:07:07 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 4, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 4, 2014. 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 Tunnels critic says project violates air pollution laws. Digging two massive 35-mile-long water tunnels to siphon Sacramento River water into the state and federal irrigation systems will violate air pollution standards, says tunnels critic Burt Wilson of Sacramento. And, says Mr. Wilson, the real reason for the water tunnels has nothing to do with saving farmers from the drought. Posted. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=25126 Oil sands pollution two to three times higher than thought. The amount of harmful pollutants released in the process of recovering oil from tar sands in western Canada is likely far higher than corporate interests say, university researchers said Monday. Actual levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emissions into the air may be two to three times higher than estimated…Posted. http://news.yahoo.com/oil-sands-pollution-two-three-times-higher-thought-210153802.html CLIMATE CHANGE A Hard Climate for Penguins and Butterflies. Adaptation can be tricky. Extreme weather is challenging the survival of certain penguins and butterflies, yet DNA from Neanderthals lives on in modern humans 30,000 years after they went extinct. It’s enough to turn a cave man’s eyes blue. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/science/a-hard-climate-for-penguins-and-butterflies.html?_r=0 How the U.S. Exports Global Warming. The greening of American energy is both real and profound. Since President Obama took office, the nation's solar capacity has increased more than tenfold. Wind power has more than doubled, to 60,000 megawatts – enough to power nearly 20 million homes. Thanks to aggressive new fuel-efficiency standards, the nation's drivers are burning nearly 5 billion fewer gallons of gasoline a year than in 2008. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/How-the-U-S-Exports-Global-Warming-5199969.php No point in stopping climate change because 'we are not God' Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe said climate change is mainly due to the Earth's natural cycles and so society should concentrate on adaptation instead of mitigation. While sitting in the Swiss mountain ski resort of Davos, after having listened to the Tanzanian president talk about global warming's devastating impact on his people…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993952/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California governor pans Republican water plan in face of drought. California Governor Jerry Brown, whose state is facing its worst drought in decades, harshly criticized on Monday an effort by Congressional Republicans to roll back environmental rules limiting how much water agencies can pump out of the fragile San Joaquin-Sacramento River delta in dry years. The emergency legislation would allow state and federal water managers to send water to farms and communities... Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/04/us-usa-california-drought-idUSBREA1302920140204 Jerry Brown wants Republicans to back off drought proposal. When it comes to California's drought, Gov. Jerry Brown has a message for Republicans in Washington, D.C. -- thanks but no thanks. The governor, in a letter sent Monday, said a proposal from House Republicans to alleviate the situation is “an unwelcome and divisive intrusion into California’s efforts to manage this severe crisis.” Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-california-drought-jerry-brown-20140203,0,1453259.story#ixzz2sNL7Za7H Drought cuts into state’s hydro power supplies. Never mind the restrictions on watering your lawn. The drought is drying up California’s supply of hydroelectricity, prompting SMUD and other utilities around the state to scramble. With summer’s peak electricity demand season looming, officials who oversee California’s power supply say they don’t expect blackouts but are getting nervous about the meager snowpack. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/04/6125877/drought-cuts-into-states-hydro.html#storylink=cpy San Joaquin River restoration flow stopped early to save water. Federal authorities are shutting down water releases for the San Joaquin River restoration, making the water available for 30,000 people in small communities who face the possibility of summer with dry taps. The restoration releases, which began in 2009, won't resume until at least March 2015, according to the federal Bureau of Reclamation, owner and operator of Friant Dam at Millerton Lake. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/02/03/3749022/san-joaquin-river-restoration.html#storylink=cpy FUELS UPDATE 1-Obama says Kerry to 'give me a recommendation' on Keystone project. President Barack Obama made clear he would make the ultimate call on whether to approve the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline from Canada, and played down the number of jobs the project could create in a Fox News interview to air on Monday. In recent days, officials from the White House and State Department have emphasized Secretary of State John Kerry's role in determining whether the $5.4 billion project…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/03/usa-obama-keystone-idUSL2N0L81L420140203 Natural gas plant poised for approval. Time may have run out for San Diego to find a clean alternative to constructing a new natural gas power plant at Otay Mesa. The California Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to authorize the 300 megawatt Pio Pico plant southeast of San Diego in unincorporated Otay Mesa. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/04/pio-pico-poised/ Study finds more coal plants threatened by gas and renewables. Persistent low natural gas prices, the tightening of government controls on power plant pollutants and sharply dropping costs for renewable energy have rendered more than 300 coal-fired generators uneconomical and ripe for retirement, according to a recent analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993943/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Green Automotive's e-Patriot Electric Shuttle Bus Benefits from Attractive Government Incentives. Green Automotive Company (OTCQB: GACR) announced last week the launch of its all American built 100% electric shuttle bus, the e-Patriot, at the upcoming February 16-18th International LCT Show at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas (www.lctshow.com), one of the largest shuttle and charter events. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140204-908514.html DOE to award up to $12M for technologies to produce renewable carbon fiber from biomass. The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award (DE-FOA-0000996) up to $12 million in funding to advance the development of a cost-competitive pathway to produce high-performance carbon fiber for vehicle lightweighting from renewable non-food biomass. Reducing a vehicle’s weight by just 10% can improve fuel economy by 6% to 8%. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/02/20140204-doecarbon.html HIGH SPEED RAIL City again seeks payback for high-speed rail work. The city of Bakersfield wants the state high speed rail authority to do for it what it did for Kern County and the city of Fresno -- repay it for work done on the controversial "bullet train" project. The question is when that will happen. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x54081502/City-again-seeks-payback-for-high-speed-rail-work GREEN ENERGY Branson hosts renewable energy summit in Caribbean. In an effort to spur small island nations to slash their dependence on fossil fuels, Caribbean politicians and renewable power experts are discussing clean energy on British billionaire Richard Branson's private isle. The CEO of the Virgin Group of companies is hosting a three-day meeting of political and business leaders at Necker Island, Branson's home in the British Virgin Islands. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/04/3169602/branson-hosts-renewable-energy.html BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Why Renewable Energy Won't Save Us from Climate Change. The growth rates of solar and wind energy may have taken to the sky, but renewables alone won't stop climate change. Source: NASA. Renewable energy installations have soared in recent years. Wind energy has grown at an average rate of 30% since 2007 and now supplies 3.4% of the nation's electricity. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Why-Renewable-Energy-Won-t-Save-Us-from-Climate-5198295.php MISCELLANEOUS Los Gatos joins 23 other cities in Santa Clara, San Mateo counties to ban single-use plastic bags. A ban on single-use plastic bags at retail stores in Los Gatos went into effect Monday and patrons will have to either bring a reusable bag or pay 10 cents for a recyclable paper bag, a city official said. The Los Gatos Town Council adopted the ordinance on Sept. 3 to encourage a shift to reusable bags to reduce litter and the impact that plastic bags have on waterways and marine life…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_25058600/los-gatos-joins-23-other-cities-santa-clara OPINIONS Drought: Let's make tequila Re "Drought is not an emergency" (Letters, Feb. 2): Letter writer Bill Kopper stated that the drought caused by global warming should demand a change in crop growth here to conserve water. I would suggest that the new crop would be Agave Cacti for making Tequila so we won't have to import it from Mexico. The new normal dry climate would be ideal for this cash crop. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/02/6122267/feb-22014-letter-from-davis-reader.html#storylink=cpy Dan Walters: Drought complicates already dicey water politics. A crisis, it’s been said, is a terrible thing to waste. Economist Paul Romer originated the aphorism a decade ago, but it’s since entered the political lexicon. California is facing a water crisis, the third – and by far the worst – year of drought, with the all-important Sierra snowpack just 12 percent of normal and man-made reservoirs drawn down to historically low levels. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/04/6125710/dan-walters-drought-complicates.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy Is Obama's "All of the Above" Energy Policy Flawed? If we are looking at the "all of the above" energy stance the U.S. has more publicly taken in recent years, a debate can be made that the move has created thousands of jobs despite displacing many in the coal sector. Another view could also fuel a strong argument that the move has contributed to climate change, which has magnified domestic droughts, cold spells…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Is-Obama-s-All-of-the-Above-Energy-Policy-5198376.php Keystone XL, a sorry symbol of a continued reliance on fossil fuels. The State Department is probably right to conclude, as it did Friday, that the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline project would have a negligible effect on climate change. Even though the extraction of the oil would certainly cause significant pollution, Keystone XL would be only one of many dirty oil operations around the world. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/04/3169308/keystone-xl-a-sorry-symbol-of.html BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY BLOGS NASA: 2013 was 7th-hottest year in modern times. NASA scientists say 2013 tied with 2009 and 2006 for the seventh-warmest year since 1880, continuing a long-term trend of rising global temperatures. With the exception of 1998, the 10 warmest years in the 134-year record all have occurred since 2000, with 2010 and 2005 ranking as the warmest years on record. Posted. http://blog.ctnews.com/connecticutpostings/2014/02/04/nasa-2013-was-7th-hottest-year-ever/ U.S. Push to Export Dirty Fossil Fuels Parallels Past Action on Tobacco. I encourage you to read “How the U.S. Exports Global Warming,” a fine feature by Tim Dickinson in Rolling Stone showing how the United States, flush with coal, oil and the dirty tar sands byproduct petroleum coke, is working hard, from the White House down, to become a big exporter of carbon. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/u-s-push-to-export-dirty-fossil-fuels-parallels-past-action-on-tobacco/ Hollywood stars drink hydrogen B-Class F-Cell emission water in Death Valley. A plug-in electric vehicle can be used to power a house during a winter storm, but if you're more worried about the heat of, say, Death Valley, then maybe you'll want a Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell along. That's the message of a new video from Daimler and starring Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds) and Joshua Jackson (Fringe) that promotes the company's hydrogen-powered car. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/04/hollywood-stars-drink-hydrogen-b-class-f-cell-emission-water/ Future near perfect: How humans can still save the day by 2050. Though scientists and environmentalists often feel obligated to hawk the apocalyptic view of the world-to-come, there is a neglected version of the future well worth considering: the one where we win. British environmentalist Jonathon Porritt is in the optimism business. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/future-near-perfect-how-humans-can-still-save-the-day-by-2050/ Grid Capacity For Electric Vehicles Is Actually Not A Problem, Studies Find. Somehow, Americans have trouble grasping the idea that our current utilities can support a high number of electric cars without building hundreds of new power plants. However, a new study from the global clean technology consultants at Navigant Research emphatically puts the notion of utility and grid insufficiency to rest. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/02/03/grid-capacity-electric-vehicles-actually-problem-studies-find/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2014 14:45:18 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 5, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 5, 2014. 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 E.P.A. Staff Struggling to Create Pollution Rule. In marathon meetings and tense all-day drafting sessions, dozens of lawyers, economists and engineers at the Environmental Protection Agency are struggling to create what is certain to be a divisive but potentially historic centerpiece of President Obama’s climate change legacy. If the authors succeed in writing a lawsuit-proof regulation that is effective in cutting carbon emissions from America’s 1,500 power plants…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/us/epa-staff-struggling-to-create-rule-limiting-carbon-emissions.html?hpw&rref=science&_r=0 Wide gap between New Delhi, Beijing smog policies. Think twice before taking a deep breath in New Delhi, where worsening air pollution has drawn comparisons with Beijing, the world's pollution poster child. On bad days in India's congested capital, the air is so murky it slows traffic to a crawl. Conversations are punctuated with rasping coughs. Weak bands of sunlight filter through a grainy sky. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/05/wide-gap-between-new-delhi-beijing-smog-policies/ CLIMATE CHANGE UK greenhouse gas emissions rose 3.2 percent in 2012: government data. Britain's greenhouse gas emissions rose 3.2 percent in 2012 from a year earlier due to a move from natural gas to coal for power generation and increased use of heating during a cold winter, final government data showed on Tuesday. Britain, the world's ninth largest emitter in 2012, saw greenhouse gas emissions reach 581.2 million tons compared to 563.2 million tons in 2011. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/04/us-britain-emissions-idUSBREA130LJ20140204 Next Phase of Obama’s Executive Push: Climate Hubs. On the heels of the Senate’s passage of a long-awaited farm bill, the Obama administration is to announce on Wednesday the creation of seven regional “climate hubs” to help farmers and rural communities respond to the risks of climate change, including drought, invasive pests, fires and floods. White House officials described the move as one of several executive actions that President Obama will take on climate change without action from Congress. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/us/next-phase-of-obamas-executive-push-climate-hubs.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/04/7-new-climate-hubs-to-help-rural-areas-adapt/#ixzz2sT5lXwoL Texas: State Gets Power to Grant Emissions Permits. The Environmental Protection Agency gave the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality authority over greenhouse gas permitting on Tuesday, ending a long battle between the federal agency and the state. There will be a 30-day public comment period. Texas, the country’s leading producer of greenhouse gases…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/us/texas-state-gets-power-to-grant-emissions-permits.html Cities Almost Double Climate Actions Over 2 Years, C40 Says. The world’s 63 biggest cities have almost doubled the activities they undertake to reduce climate change since 2011, according to a report from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. “Mayors have real power to cut emissions and improve climate resilience, and they are taking action,” C40 chairman, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes, said at the release of the report at the group’s Mayors Summit in Johannesburg today. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-05/cities-almost-double-climate-actions-over-two-years-c40-says.html Bloomberg lauds major cities group for 2-year climb in climate actions. Cities participating in the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group have undertaken climate-related actions at an unprecedented clip over the past two years, according to an internal analysis conducted by the organization. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994018/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Farm bill has some conservation provisions, but climate impacts unclear. The 2014 farm bill offers some conservation provisions that could encourage climate mitigation practices, experts said yesterday, but it's hard to tell whether these amendments will lead to clear greenhouse gas reductions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994047/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate change will increase U.K.'s heat-related deaths 257% by 2050 – study. Deaths caused by hot weather in the United Kingdom are predicted to rise considerably over the next 40 years due to climate change, according to a new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The number of annual heat-related deaths is expected to increase 257 percent by 2050, with people older than 75 the most at risk, the researchers said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994016/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Lakes' decline reflects climate change. The shallow lakes on Alaska's Arctic coastal plain have been hit by climate change and now melt sooner in the season. Many also don't freeze to the bottom in winter anymore. "The decline after 2006 is quite sharp," said Cristina Surdu of the University of Waterloo in Ontario. "This is another piece in the puzzle of climate change in the region. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994020/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California lawmakers preparing $644 million drought relief bill. California's senate leader is preparing a $644 million emergency drought relief bill designed to quickly fund shovel-ready projects to combat the state's severe water shortage, according to a draft of the bill. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/05/us-california-drought-bill-idUSBREA1405320140205 USDA launches fund to help drought-stricken California farmers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will make $20 million available to California farmers to boost water conservation efforts amid one of the worst droughts in state history. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-usda-drought-20140204,0,5365940.story As California drought persists, federal aid begins to flow. The Agriculture Department on Tuesday offered new aid to water-starved California farmers, while lawmakers tussled over competing anti-drought proposals. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/04/6128405/as-california-drought-persists.html California drought: House water bill exposes deep partisan divide. The House of Representatives is expected to pass a water bill Wednesday that Republicans call a necessity for drought-stricken California, but which Democrats label a "water grab" and political power play that undermines years of delicate negotiations. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25063251/california-drought-house-water-bill-exposes-deep-partisan Agencies ask consumers to cut water usage by 20%. Inland Empire water officials are urging people to be water wise to help combat the recent statewide drought emergency that has been declared by Gov. Jerry Brown. In 2009, the state set an interim goal of saving 10 percent of residential water consumption by 2015, along with a mandate of saving 20 percent by 2020, said Douglas Headrick, general manager of San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140204/agencies-ask-consumers-to-cut-water-usage-by-20 California's Thirsty Almonds. How the water-intensive crop is helping drive the governor's $25 billion plan to ship water to the desert. Dan Errotabere's family has been farming the dry soils of the western San Joaquin Valley for nearly a century. His grandfather primarily grew wheat and other grains. His father grew vegetables and other annual crops almost exclusively. But in 1999, Errotabere decided to plant his first almond tree. Posted. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/californias-thirsty-almonds/Content?oid=3830095 California Water Officials Made the Drought Worse. There is evidence that our current water shortage is worse than it should have been because of questionable decisions made by state water officials. And as a result, many communities may unnecessarily face severe shortages this year, while others, including much of Southern California, are flush with water. Posted. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/california-water-officials-made-the-drought-worse/Content?oid=3830041 As Water Supply Reaches Record Low, California Combats Drought With Black-Ops Weather Control Technology From Vietnam War. As the severity of the drought has escalated in recent months, the state has ramped up efforts to induce rainfall through a controversial weather modification technology known as cloud seeding. http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2014/02/04/as-water-supply-reaches-record-low-california-combats-drought-with-black-ops-weather-control-technology-from-vietnam-war/ Republican drought bill heads to House floor. The House Rules Committee yesterday approved a rule allowing consideration of eight amendments to H.R. 3964, which seeks to secure more water for farmers in California's parched Central Valley by reversing environmental protections for fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1059994040/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Obama threatens to veto House bill offering more water for Calif. Farms. The White House has threatened to veto a bill to give farmers more of California's scant water supplies. Obama said the bill "would not alleviate the effects of California's current drought and would disrupt decades of work that supports building consensus, solutions and settlements that equitably address some of California's most complex water challenges." Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/02/05/stories/1059994089 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FERC extends utility's low water flows in drought-stricken watershed. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is getting help from federal regulators as drought conditions have triggered aggressive water conservation efforts at California's dams and hydroelectric plants. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Monday told PG&E it could keep water flow rates at a minimum for its Potter Valley Project hydroelectric plant and water basin north of San Francisco. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2014/02/05/stories/1059994022 FUELS EPA files court brief defending 2013 renewable fuel target. U.S. EPA is defending its 2013 biofuel mandate in the face of a court challenge brought by a small refinery and oil industry trade groups. In a 113-page brief filed late yesterday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, EPA says it reasonably exercised its authority in increasing the renewable fuel volume targets. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059994073/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES App helps foster carpool connections. The publicly funded program that matches drivers with people looking for rides is designed to get cars off the road and reduce traffic and air pollution. Amin merged onto Highway 101 during the morning commute. Traffic already was starting to back up through downtown Santa Rosa, but Amin and Toister flew past in the carpool lane, chatting about the latest alternative fuel cars. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140204/articles/140209835 GREEN ENERGY As renewables come online, business models, regulatory structures lag – panel. Fifty years from now, the U.S. electrical grid will look less like a one-way exchange of supply and demand than a network of interchangeable power sources, batteries, appliances and devices. It will be smart enough to balance the intermittency of solar and wind power, while simultaneously optimizing the power demands of hundreds of millions of customers…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994030/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY BLOGS NASA employee study finds EVs are 10 times better than expected. Getting a thumbs up from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is priceless – just ask Toyota. It's right up there with the Tesla Model S gaining support from Consumer Reports in the wake of four fires. A pilot program at NASA's Kennedy Space Center has found that electric vehicles driven by employees are reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a much higher rate than expected. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/05/nasa-employee-study-evs-10-times-better-than-expected/ The Danger in Energy Now is Not Dependency, but Complacency. This is a pivotal year for the U.S. economy. After five years of contraction followed by a fragile recovery, we are now returning to stability and growth. During the period of slowdown, no part of the economy changed more than energy. When America went into the Great Recession, it was dependent on foreign oil to make the economy run. Posted. http://blog.aee.net/the-danger-in-energy-now-is-not-dependency-but-complacency?utm_campaign=21st+Century+Electricity+System&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=11846807&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_wVKTHwU4uFMAYzHPR35_WjdS5DcFMgf1TU5TWVIPB5-6p57Lc-KJptVfBeFfW8FVo7ESqAep-ZS_KVf-hpR6nHID9bg&_hsmi=11846807 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2014 13:32:32 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 6, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 6, 2014. 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 Chinese Factories Are Ordered to Release Data on Real-Time Emissions Levels. In a surprising sign of progress for both the environment and information transparency in China, the central government in January ordered 15,000 large and small factories to make real-time data about air and water pollution public. While the data on urban air pollution levels–such as that provided by the U.S. Embassy’s @BeijingAir Twitter (TWTR) feed–is helpful for city residents to decide whether to wear face masks or keep children indoors…Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/182359-chinese-factories-are-ordered-to-release-data-on-real-time-emissions-levels CLIMATE CHANGE Banks Feel Heat on Climate-Change Issue. Socially minded investors are taking on a new target in their fight against climate change: big banks. Some banks, including Bank of America Corp. BAC +1.49% and J.P. Morgan Chase JPM +1.87% & Co., are being pressed to disclose more about lending to firms that contribute to greenhouse-gas emissions. These investors have filed nonbinding shareholder resolutions urging at least four banks to shed more light on loans they make to oil, gas, coal and other companies whose practices create carbon emissions. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304851104579363201070023722 BY SUBSCRIPTION Ballona Wetlands prepares for climate change with help from Obama administration mandates. Preparing for climate change is an important priority for the Obama administration and, to demonstrate the point, a federal environmental official on Wednesday toured the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve to learn, first-hand, how it will be protected from rising seas. Nancy Stoner, the EPA’s assistant administrator for water…Posted. http://www.dailybreeze.com/environment-and-nature/20140205/ballona-wetlands-prepares-for-climate-change-with-help-from-obama-administration-mandates In drought years, Amazon emits more carbon than it stores -- study Long considered one of the most important carbon sinks in the world, the Amazon rainforest can become a net source of carbon -- emitting more than it absorbs -- in dry years, according to a study published yesterday in Nature. With the aid of small taxi planes, the researchers took measurements of three gases -- carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur hexafluoride -- between 2010 and 2012. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994136/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Water shortage in California town stokes fears. In this small logging town in Northern California's redwood country, small blue signs urging water conservation are almost everywhere you look. Just south of Willits, in one of the state's most verdant corners, crows and other birds peck at dry ground that should be covered in water at the city's Centennial Reservoir, which is less than a third full. The creek that feeds it has slowed to a trickle. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT_COMMUNITIES_IN_CRISIS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/05/6132752/calif-towns-water-shortage-stokes.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News#storylink=cpy Feds announce another $14M for California drought. Federal officials on Wednesday pledged more money to help California cope with its severe drought as state fishing regulators shut down recreational angling on portions of two water-starved rivers because of concerns about the survival of salmon and steelhead trout. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Natural Resources Conservation Service announced another $14 million for water management improvements in the state…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CA_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT California drought: House Republicans take aim at water rules. The Republican-controlled House passed legislation Wednesday billed as a response to the California drought, but the measure is unlikely to go further in the face of a White House veto threat and opposition from the state’s Democratic senators. Still, the action highlights the growing interest on Capitol Hill in trying to do something about the water shortage, a potentially hot issue in this year’s elections. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-california-drought-house-gop-20140205,0,3778106.story#ixzz2sZ4goFKY Drought: House passes divisive bill; SD mayor takes steps. California’s historic drought continued to draw responses on several fronts Wednesday, including in the House of Representatives where the Republican majority pushed through contentious legislation that would weaken environmental protections so that more water can flow to thirsty farms and cities in the Central Valley. That measure, however, appears to have little chance of becoming law. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/05/drought-house-passes-divisive-bill-sd-mayor-takes/ http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bill-600562-california-delta.html http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2014/02/05/house-passes-gop-waterdrought-bill/ Emergency fishing closure approved on American, Russian rivers. The California Fish and Game Commission voted Wednesday to prohibit fishing on stretches of the American and Russian rivers due to the state’s worsening drought. Commission members approved the closures unanimously at their meeting Wednesday morning in Sacramento. The action also extends closures on hundreds of smaller coastal streams. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/05/6130927/emergency-fishing-closure-approved.html#storylink=cpy California drought: Big rain headed toward Bay Area could double dismal rainfall totals. The driest winter on record will finally get a downpour of relief this weekend with a series of storms expected to deliver in four days double the amount of rainfall the Bay Area has seen all season. In a state beset by drought, poor air quality and winter wildfires, the welcome weather forecast calls for 2 inches of rain on the valley floor and 4 to 5 inches in the mountains by Monday. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25072649/california-drought-big-rain-headed-toward-bay-area Los Angeles prepared for drought, DWP officials say. Department of Water and Power officials said Wednesday the utility is in better shape than other water agencies in coping with the drought thanks to several years of a second-level water conservation effort. Interim General Manager Jim McDaniel said there are no immediate plans to go beyond the current Phase 2 of the city’s water conservation plan, which has resulted in a 17 percent drop in water use since 2007. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140205/NEWS/140209667 FUELS Oil, natural gas extend gains on US winter storm. The prices of oil extended gains to near $98 a barrel on Thursday as a winter storm that slammed the U.S. raised expectations for higher energy demand and amid signs of weak supply growth. By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark U.S. crude for March delivery was up 44 cents to $97.82 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Wednesday, the contract added 19 cents to close at $97.38. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OIL_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT California drought sets up fracking face-off. More than half of the oil and gas wells fracked across America since 2011 lie in places suffering through drought - including California. That's one of the more eye-catching results of a hydraulic fracturing study released Wednesday by Ceres, a nonprofit group that works with investors and businesses to encourage sustainability. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/California-drought-sets-up-fracking-face-off-5208483.php How to use less fossil fuel at home. Putting solar panels on your roof will only take you so far. The trick is finding ways to use more of the electricity in your home and send less of it to the grid where you will likely be charged per kilowatt-hour for your share of upkeep. It makes little sense to be anti-solar energy in this day and age, although it does make sense to do it right. Even solar can be done wrong. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0206/How-to-use-less-fossil-fuel-at-home VEHICLES CORRECTED-Kia debuts its first electric vehicle for US market. Kia Motors Corp rolled out an electric version of its Soul compact car on Thursday that the Korean automaker plans to begin selling in some U.S. markets later this year. The 2015 Soul EV, unveiled at the media kick-off for the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, is Kia's first all-electric, zero-emissions car in the United States and its second "green" car for the U.S. market, joining a hybrid version of the company's best-selling Optima sedan that has been available here since 2011. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/06/usa-kia-electric-vehicle-idUSL2N0LA1BS20140206 Tesla hopes for expansion of Georgia electric vehicles loophole. Tesla is backing a bill that could boost sales of its all-electric Model S vehicle in Georgia. A proposed law in Georgia could allow Tesla Motors Inc. to boost sales of its electric vehicles in the state by 10 fold. The Palo Alto-based electric car company has sold its cars, including the nearly $70,000 Model S sedans, in Georgia for the last year under a zero-emissions vehicles exemption that allows it to bypass franchised dealer networks and sell 150 cars per year directly to customers…Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2014/02/06/tesla-backing-georgia-bill-that-could.html A Future History Of Hydrogen Vehicle Development. In 2012, California passed a mandate requiring the development and sale of hydrogen vehicles, ordering that zero emission vehicles be available to customers by 2020. However, progress to date has been slow. Here is a timeline of what the state may do next to achieve its goals: In May 2014, recognizing that the impetus for technological progress that the mandate provided was insufficient to develop a vehicle that would be sold in any quantity…Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellynch/2014/02/06/a-future-history-of-hydrogen-vehicle-development/ GREEN ENERGY Oregon offshore wind energy farm project announced. A Seattle company is being given the green light to develop plans to build the West Coast's first offshore wind energy farm - five floating turbines off Oregon's Coos Bay, federal and state officials said Wednesday. The 30-megawatt pilot project was announced at a press conference by Gov. John Kitzhaber, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Tommy Beaudreau. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FLOATING_WIND_FARM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT LEDs Change Thinking About the Light Bulb. Lights are no longer just for lighting. With the development of LED lamp technology, the lowly light bulb is doing more than turning on and off. A lamp can be the centerpiece of an environment meant to improve health, moods and even food. LEDs can create light in multiple colors, generate less heat and use a fraction of the energy of older types of bulbs. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/technology/personaltech/leds-change-thinking-about-the-light-bulb.html Winds of change: Floating power turbines envisioned off Oregon coast. A Seattle energy company received initial regulatory approval Wednesday to build five massive wind turbines floating 16 miles off the Oregon coast. The pilot project off Coos Bay would be the first offshore wind facility on the West Coast. It also would be the biggest demonstration of technology that places floating turbines on platforms in deep water, according to federal officials and executives at Principle Power, the developer. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-wind-farm-oregon-20140205,0,4409492,print.story MISCELLANEOUS Proposed Marina del Rey copper cleanup provokes boater revolt. Marina del Rey boat owners oppose plan to strip polluting paint from hulls and fear they'll have to pay for removing copper from water. Plans for the first extensive pollution cleanup in Marina del Rey history have sparked a revolt by boat owners at the tony harbor that could echo along the length of the California coast. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-marina-copper-20140206,0,5130051.story#ixzz2sZ02tBqj Alkali Flat’s La Valentina building wins national EPA award. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Sacramento’s La Valentina building, a $25 million mixed-use housing complex in Alkali Flat, a 2013 Smart Growth Achievement award, the EPA announced Tuesday. One of seven projects selected for a national EPA award, the La Valentina building opened in 2012 at the corner of 12th and E streets. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/04/6128900/alkali-flats-la-valentina-building.html#storylink=cpy Capitman appointed to air pollution board. Governor Jerry Brown has appointed Dr. John Capitman, executive director for the Central Valley Health Policy Institute at Fresno State, to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Governing Board. The position will have Capitman joining 14 other members on the board making decisions that work to reduce air pollution in the eight-county San Joaquin Valley region. Posted. http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/energy-and-environment/10660-capitman-appointed-to-air-pollution-board http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/02/05/3479278/fresno-state-professor-named-to.html http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/02/05/3752417/fresno-state-professor-named-to.html CARB to hold several free classes including webinars. The California Air Resources Board will present several classes to help truck owners and others in the industry navigate the state’s multiple truck emission regulations. Two of the courses will be broadcast online. Course 520 – “How to Comply with CARB Diesel Regulations” – will review the inspection process and consequences of non-compliance. The course also explains how to comply with CARB diesel regulations. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=26539#.UvO_1hByx4x OPINIONS There's No End In Sight For California's Extreme Water Drought. Water is in increasingly short supply in many parts of the United States. Here in California, where most of the state is experiencing “extreme” drought, 2013 was the driest year on record, and we have had no relief during what should be the height of the rainy season. Moreover, there’s no end in sight: The Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service forecasts that the drought will “persist or intensify” at least through April. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/henrymiller/2014/02/05/a-thirst-for-a-technology-to-mitigate-californias-drought/ BLOGS Drought: Mendocino targets water-stealing pot farmers. As California residents and businesses face the new reality of dwindling reservoirs and water restrictions, police in one California county are getting serious about water thieves — especially those who need the sweet stuff to feed illegal marijuana growing operations. Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman told KPIX-5 that water thieves could be making off with up to 5 million gallons of water a day to irrigate thirsty pot plants. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2014/02/05/drought-mendocino-targets-water-stealing-pot-farmers/ Climate change is a global security threat. Severe drought. Record heat waves. Extreme storms. Food and water shortages. Mass migrations. These are but a few of the dangerous effects of climate change, and they have very real implications for those whose primary mission it is to protect our national security. As a former Navy gunnery officer who served in the Persian Gulf during the Iraq War, I was trained to act in the face of a threat. Posted. http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/197547-climate-change-is-a-global-security-threat#ixzz2sZAROLjk A Great New Tool That Makes Global Climate Change Local. Global leaders seriously worried about climate change are having trouble getting more people to share that concern. One big reason is that climate change just doesn't have the psychological characteristics that make risks particularly scary. It's off in the future, and we worry more about risks that are 'today' than those that only threaten us tomorrow. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-ropeik/a-great-new-tool-that-mak_b_4726034.html?utm_hp_ref=green With Climate Change, What's Better For The Farm Is Better For The Planet. Climate change is no longer a doomsday theory about our distant future – it’s here. Farmers around the world are already dealing with more variable climates and dramatic weather events, like the drought in California and gigantic typhoons in Asia. So what can be done? In light of the fact that today so few of the planet’s residents seem willing or able to reform old habits, farmers…Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/2014/02/06/with-climate-change-whats-better-for-the-farm-is-better-for-the-planet/ Will Obama do the right thing on ozone and smog this time around? Barack Obama has been just as bad as George W. Bush when it comes to curbing ground-level ozone pollution. But soon he’ll have another chance to get ozone regulations right. Ozone rocks when it’s up in the stratosphere, protecting us from UV rays and skin cancer. But when it’s at ground level, where it’s the main component of smog, it can cause respiratory infections, asthma, and other ailments. Posted. http://grist.org/news/will-obama-do-the-right-thing-on-ozone-and-smog-this-time-around/ Obama's call for greener trucks could save every household $250 annually. In his State Of The Union speech last week, President Obama made mention of higher fuel economy standards for big trucks. We all know (or should, at least), that picking up the low-mpg stragglers in our vehicle fleet is where we can make big efficiency gains, but what would greener trucks mean for the average American - besides some cleaner air, hopefully? Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/05/obamas-greener-trucks-could-save-every-household-250-dollars/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2014 12:45:19 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 7, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 7, 2014. 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 Redford: Alberta Won’t Play Emissions Chicken on Keystone. Alberta Premier Alison Redford, who has lobbied the U.S. to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, says her oil-rich Canadian province won’t toughen rules to cut carbon emissions from crude producers until the U.S. takes similar steps. Redford’s government has considered different scenarios, including one that would raise its carbon tax for large emitters to C$40 ($36) a metric ton from C$15 now, she said in an interview yesterday in her office in Calgary. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-02-07/redford-alberta-won-t-play-emissions-chicken-on-keystone.html Handshakes and Body English Vex Corporate Carbon-Cutting Goals. Global companies are trying to shrink their carbon footprints by targeting business travel, and the early results are frustrating, even among companies with celebrated green credentials. Consider Nike, which flew several managers to Davos last month, and was proclaimed by Newsweek to be the greenest U.S. consumer products company back in 2010. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-05/handshakes-and-body-english-vex-corporate-carbon-cutting-goals.html U.S. Northeast carbon market emissions drop in 2013. Greenhouse gas emissions fell 6 percent in 2013 in the nine northeast U.S. states that participate in a trading scheme to cut carbon dioxide from power plants, helped by mild temperatures and some use of cleaner energy sources. Carbon emissions in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative region were down for a third straight year, to 86 million short tons from 92 million tons. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/05/usa-energy-carbon-idUSL2N0LA1YB20140205 European Lawmakers Try to Spur Market for Carbon-Emission Credits. European Union lawmakers moved on Thursday to support the bloc’s system for trading carbon-emission permits, hoping to revive Europe’s flagging effort to take a market-incentives approach to reducing greenhouse gases. The officials voted 306 to 276 to quickly put into effect a plan to stimulate the trading system by reducing the number of carbon allowances either sold in auctions or given to big carbon polluters. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/business/international/european-lawmakers-try-to-spur-market-for-carbon-emission-credits.html?_r=0 Carbon Emissions Fall for Third Straight Year. Greenhouse gas emissions fell in the nine states that participate in a northeast carbon trading market by 6 percent in 2013. The states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) were helped by mild temperatures and the greater use of natural gas for power generation. Carbon emissions in the region were down for a third straight year, to 86 million short tons from 92 million tons. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/02/07/carbon-emissions-fall-for-third-straight-year/ Calif. to urge need for 2030 goal in meeting longer-term GHG emissions cuts. California's air board next week will emphasize the need to set a greenhouse gas reduction target for 2030, a potential guidepost as the state eyes an ambitious 2050 emissions goal, a top executive said here. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) intends to release a revised draft of its Climate Change Scoping Plan, said Richard Corey, executive officer at the agency. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994221/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Winter burn ban temporarily lifted. Cal Fire on Friday morning will temporarily lift the winter burn suspension it had ordered in Sonoma, Napa and Lake counties. The suspension was imposed because of hazardous fire conditions brought on by this winter's unusually dry weather. But this week's rain eased those dry conditions. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140206/articles/140209691 Air quality advocates lobby schools to raise colored flags. Air quality in central Bakersfield was "moderate" Thursday, and parents with children at schools with a yellow flag out front knew it. The flag signaled to educators and parents that it was OK for students to play outside, information that is particularly important for campuses in Kern County, where one in five children has asthma. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/grade/x54082407/Air-quality-advocates-lobby-schools-to-raise-colored-flags Experts worry that China's trajectory points to a high-carbon future. Even as the United States is making a dramatic shift from coal to natural gas, China -- despite its own vast shale potential -- is in danger of locking itself into a high-carbon future, experts warned yesterday. Speaking at the Brookings Institution, analysts praised China's renewable production boom, which is expected to add an additional 1,583 gigawatts to the country's power generation capacity by 2030. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994223/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Chance of El Nino conditions seen after Northern Hemisphere spring: U.S. forecaster. U.S. weather forecaster Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said on Thursday there was an increasing chance of the El Nino weather pattern after expecting neutral conditions through the Northern Hemisphere spring 2014. In its monthly report, the CPC maintained its outlook that El Nino was unlikely through the spring, but noted that a change in temperatures "portend warming in the coming months." Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/06/us-weather-usa-elnino-idUSBREA1517820140206 IMF chief calls for cutting fossil fuel subsidies, fighting climate change. Close cooperation among cities, countries and industry is needed to fight climate change because the world is "perilously close" to a tipping point, according to International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde. She told a London audience that cutting subsidies for fossil fuels and setting a price on carbon have to be top priorities for governments. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994196/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT State government wringing water from operations. This is California’s state government in drought mode: Drier grass around state grounds. Dirtier windows on state buildings. Grimier fire engines sent out to fight fires. Decorative fountains? Shut off. Landscaping projects? Largely canceled. Enter the restroom at the Capitol or any of the other 60 or so buildings the state owns and operates, and you’ll see this sign: “We’re in a drought. Help us out! Please conserve water.” Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/06/6135945/state-government-wringing-water.html#storylink=cpy FUELS U.S. cold snap prompts warning for Californians to conserve power. A shortage of natural gas triggered by the extreme cold weather across the nation prompted California’s power grid operator to issue a statewide flex alert Thursday, officials said. The cold snap in the rest of the country and Canada has affected fuel supplies to Southern California power plants and reduced electricity generation, according to a statement from Cal ISO. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-flex-alert-cold-20140206,0,6834200.story#ixzz2seriVL10 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/06/6135054/californians-urged-to-conserve.html http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/06/california-power-shortage-alert-weather/ http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059994227/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Can Shark Liver Oil Boost Biofuels? Amyris announced today a new partnership with Dowell C&I Co., Ltd. to distribute its Neossance Squalane product in the Republic of Korea. Demand for the renewable squalane in Asia has been strong, but is a specialty chemical commonly extracted from the livers of sharks enough to help Amyris turn a profit? Shark liver oil? Really? Squalane is currently sourced from shark liver oil or refined olive oil, but Amyris is able to refine the chemical from sugarcane feedstocks. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Can-Shark-Liver-Oil-Boost-Biofuels-5213841.php As Drought Hits, Fracking Poses Threat to Water Supply. A new report finds that hydraulic fracturing is posing a growing risk to water supplies in several regions around the country. Only, instead of groundwater contamination that so often makes the headlines, it is from the massive consumption of fresh water in water-parched areas like Texas, Colorado, and California. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/As-Drought-Hits-Fracking-Poses-Threat-to-Water-5214217.php Gasoline-Like Biofuels From Plant Waste — Promising New Process Developed. A new process for the creation of gasoline-like fuels from cellulosic plant waste materials has been developed by researchers from the University of California, Davis. The process — essentially the first of its kind — means that the commercial production of plant-based biofuels may soon extend beyond biodiesel, and also encompass other important types of fuel. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/02/07/gasoline-like-biofuels-plant-waste-promising-new-process-developed/#yLIEhtPEu6hPk2bb.99 VEHICLES ARPA-E awarding $30M to 12 hybrid solar projects; conversion and storage. The US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) is awarding $30 million in funding to 12 projects through its Full-Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS) program, which is aimed at developing new hybrid solar energy converters and hybrid energy storage systems that can deliver low-cost, high-efficiency solar energy on demand. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/02/20140207-focus.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL GOP lawmakers want bullet train derailed. California Republicans, long opposed to the $68 billion high-speed rail plan backed by Gov. Brown, say it’s time to dump the bullet train and spend money instead on critical transportation infrastructure. “I think people are tired of the train and tired of waiting for the train,” Assembly GOP Leader Connie Conway of Tulare told reporters. “They’re standing at the train stop and the train is not coming.” Posted. http://capitolweekly.net/gop-lawmakers-want-bullet-train-derailed/ http://www.capradio.org/17874 GOP, Brian Nestande push for new California rail vote. Brian Nestande joined his Republican colleagues in the state Assembly on Thursday in seeking to give California voters a second say on high-speed rail and free up billions of dollars for other transportation projects. The Palm Desert Republican said that with infrastructure projects around the state on hold because of a lack of funding, it was foolish to spend money on a Los Angeles-to-San Francisco bullet train with an uncertain future. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/article/20140206/NEWS03/302060049/GOP-Brian-Nestande-push-new-California-rail-vote GREEN ENERGY Race to Beat Polish Subsidy Cuts Drives Wind-Project Push. Poland, where 90 percent of power comes from coal, may be an unlikely clean-energy hub. Yet wind capacity that almost doubled in two years is set to grow further as developers rush to start projects before subsidies change. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-02-07/race-to-beat-wind-power-subsidy-cuts-drives-poland-project-push.html Caribbean Islands Agree to Swap Diesel Power for Renewable Sources. Several Caribbean nations committed on Thursday to start replacing diesel generators, the most common means of producing electricity on islands, with renewable sources like wind, solar or the earth’s heat. The countries, which have already taken steps toward developing the new energy projects and include St. Lucia, Turks and Caicos and the British Virgin Islands, signed the pact at a multiday meeting organized by the Carbon War Room…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/business/energy-environment/caribbean-islands-agree-to-swap-diesel-power-for-renewable-sources.html Energy Role Is Lifting Democrat in Louisiana. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, is set to become chairwoman next week of the Senate Energy Committee, a powerful position that gives her jurisdiction over the oil and gas industry that fuels her state’s economy — and which will be a major source of contributions to Ms. Landrieu’s tough re-election campaign this fall. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/us/politics/energy-role-is-lifting-democrat-in-louisiana.html MISCELLANEOUS Coal Ash Declared Safe for Recycling by EPA. Coal ash from power plants is safe for use in cement and wallboard, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today in a long-delayed decision that may boost recycling of a major source of industrial waste. The determination and an EPA court filing last month saying it doesn’t plan to regulate ash as a hazardous waste will boost utilities and companies such as Headwaters Inc. (HW) that use the product. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-07/coal-ash-declared-safe-for-recycling-by-epa.html Subway restaurants to remove foamed plastics ingredient from bread. The Subway sandwich restaurant chain said Thursday that it would remove an ingredient used in the production of foamed plastics such as yoga mats and rubber-soled shoes from its bread. "The complete conversion to have this product out the bread will be done soon," Subway said in its statement. The use of the ingredient -- azodicarbonamide -- was the subject of…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-subway-to-remove-foamed-plastics-ingredient-from-its-bread-20140206,0,4484922.story#ixzz2sf3UQaT6 Court rejects PUC's approval of Oakley PG&E plant. A state appeals court has overturned an approval by state regulators for a proposed Pacific Gas & Electric Co. natural gas plant in Oakley, saying the utility presented no reliable evidence that the plant is needed. The 586-megawatt plant in northeast Contra Costa County would provide electricity for PG&E's grid in Northern and Central California. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Court-rejects-PUC-s-approval-of-Oakley-PG-amp-E-5212289.php OPINIONS The End of Snow? Over the next two weeks, hundreds of millions of people will watch Americans like Ted Ligety and Mikaela Shiffrin ski for gold on the downhill alpine course. Television crews will pan across epic vistas of the rugged Caucasus Mountains, draped with brilliant white ski slopes. What viewers might not see is the 16 million cubic feet of snow that was stored under insulated blankets last year to make sure those slopes remained white…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/08/opinion/sunday/the-end-of-snow.html?hpw&rref=opinion Desalination could help California -- but only if it's done right. Making seawater or brackish groundwater drinkable could help stem the state's water crisis, but strict regulation is needed. Californians used to call it earthquake weather, the unseasonably warm, dry, blue-sky days that pushed deep into this year's rainy season. Now we just call it drought. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-helvarg-desalination-drought-california-20140207,0,1586369.story#ixzz2sf2Vsbiw Letters to the editor, Feb. 7. Drought remedies. As long as we are sharing water conservation tips, here is one for the ladies - dry shampoo. You will save not only gallons of water but also a ton of time. As an added bonus, you might like your hair better than if you had washed it. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/letterstoeditor/article/Letters-to-the-editor-Feb-7-5212426.php BLOGS Cross-Canada Pipeline Will Boost Emissions, Report Says. Much of U.S. environmentalists’ opposition to big pipeline projects has focused on Keystone XL. They say the pipeline would worsen climate change by leading to higher production in Alberta’s oil sands, which are exploited using an emissions-intensive process. But a new report says another planned pipeline — the Energy East project — would have an even more detrimental effect on climate change than Keystone XL. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/canadarealtime/2014/02/06/cross-canada-pipeline-will-boost-emissions-report-says/ A Conversation on Tobacco and Coal Exports and Moral Responsibility. I sent my recent post on exports of life-shortening tobacco and dirty fossil fuels to a variety of climate and energy scientists and analysts and the result was an interesting email conversation that is excerpted below. I clipped a question that was at the end of the post and brought it to the top: If we can’t get it right with tobacco, where there’s no benefit to weigh against the toll in lives and costs…Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/a-conversation-on-tobacco-and-coal-exports-and-moral-responsibility/ Desperate for Clean Air, Delhi Residents Experiment with Solutions. For some worried expatriates and Indians, the battle to keep pollution out of their homes and their lungs started well before renewed media coverage in the past weeks unofficially crowned New Delhi as the world’s most polluted city. One story by Gardiner Harris of The New York Times noted that for the first three weeks of this year, New Delhi’s average daily peak reading of fine particulate matter…Posted. http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/desperate-for-clean-air-delhi-residents-experiment-with-solutions/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 US electricity demand rose in 2013, boosting emissions. Total U.S. electricity demand increased 1.4 percent last year, the first gain since 2010 and reversing long-term trends in the energy industry, according to a new report. Coal produced 39 percent of U.S. electricity in 2013, up from 37 percent a year earlier, while power from natural gas slipped three points to 28 percent as prices climbed…Posted. http://fuelfix.com/blog/2014/02/06/us-electricity-demand-rose-in-2013-boosting-emissions/#14856-2 How much power do cities really have to combat climate change? C40 Cities, Michael Bloomberg’s coalition of global mayors trying to tackle climate change on their own, reported Wednesday that their progress is accelerating. Five-dozen of the world’s biggest cities (the group actually has more than 40 members) have nearly doubled the number of programs and initiatives they’re implementing to adapt to climate change or reduce emissions in the last two years. Posted. http://grist.org/cities/how-much-power-do-cities-really-have-to-combat-climate-change/ Toyota says freezing temps pose zero problems for fuel cell vehicles. Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles are not afraid of one thing – freezing cold weather. That's the latest from two companies that have been driving the cars in frostbite temperatures in the Northeast recently. Proton Onsite runs a fleet of 10 Toyota FCHV-adv fuel cell vehicles out of its Connecticut headquarters and discovered that the snow and three-degree temperature didn't restrict range. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/06/toyota-says-freezing-temps-pose-zero-problems-for-fuel-cell-vehi/ January 2014: Happy blue year? Green-car enthusiasts are probably hoping that Toyota's Super Bowl ad with the Muppets will pay for some brand equity with the Japanese automaker because soft demand for the company's batch of hybrids continue to sink US green-car sales. American purchases of advanced-powertrain vehicles last month plunged almost 14 percent from a year earlier to 36,737…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/07/january-2014-green-car-sales/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2014 13:17:45 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 10, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 10, 2014. 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 Senator says Dems erred in promoting cap and trade ahead of renewable standard. Congressional Democrats should have pushed renewable energy legislation instead of a cap-and-trade bill when they controlled Capitol Hill in President Obama's first term, a Democratic senator told a Washington, D.C., ballroom packed with labor and environmental advocates today. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059994330/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION EPA agrees to May deadline for review of refinery emissions. U.S. EPA has agreed to review its emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants from petroleum refineries by May after community groups said the agency had neglected its duties by failing to update the standards for 16 years. The agency will have to either propose revisions to its petroleum refinery National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) or determine that none are necessary by May 15, 2014. A final rule would be due by April 17, 2015. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1059994270/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Exxon Mobil division heads to court over refinery emissions. Exxon Mobil Chemical Co. goes on trial this morning to defend itself against accusations that it repeatedly violated the federal Clean Air Act at a complex southeast of here and got away with it. The suit against the company was brought by environmental groups and alleges that the massive refining complex in Baytown released excess air pollution into neighboring communities more than 4,000 times since 2005. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059994272/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE UC Davis part of nationwide USDA research hub on climate change. The Obama administration has tapped UC Davis as one of 10 sites around the country to be part of a research push on the potential effects of climate change on farms and forests. Seven “hubs” will represent major regions around the country. UC Davis will serve as a “subsidiary hub,” one of three nationwide, under the larger Southwest hub. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/09/3179837/uc-davis-part-of-nationwide-usda.html BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Scientists further link warming 'pause' to heat stored in the Pacific Ocean, spurred by stronger winds. About 15 years ago, the Earth's temperature was rising fast. Most climate models predicted that trend would continue, as humans continued to pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Instead, the Earth's surface temperature over the past 13 years has been mostly stable. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994303/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Steyer's secret weapon emerges as power in climate debate. High-profile billionaire and environmental activist Tom Steyer held center stage at an event here, speaking about energy and politics to an audience of business power players. There were few surprises -- until the end. In his final minutes, Steyer announced that he planned to launch an effort to quantify what inaction on climate change could cost the country. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059994329/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Arctic may warm 13 C by end of the century – study. The Arctic could warm as much as 13 degrees Celsius, or 23.4 degrees Fahrenheit, by the end of the century if efforts are not undertaken to cut greenhouse gases, according to new research from federal scientists. The findings published in Earth's Future and led by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers use the most recent climate models to try to pinpoint the future of the Arctic. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994287/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Drought blocking passages to sea for California coho salmon. The drought has obstructed the migratory journeys of many coho salmon on California's North and Central Coast, putting them in immediate danger. By now, water would typically be ripping down Scott Creek, and months ago it should have burst through a berm of sand to provide fish passage between freshwater and the ocean. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-salmon-drought-20140210,0,1605020.story#ixzz2swuyJwk7 California drought a 'train wreck' for Central Valley farms. California's great Central Valley aquifer and the rivers that feed it, already losing water in the changing climate, are now being drained because of the drought, leaving water levels at their lowest in nearly a decade. Water experts say many farmers who depend on the huge water source beneath the valley for irrigation will have to resort to pumping water from ever deeper levels at greater costs…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-a-train-wreck-for-Central-5217669.php Sacramento rainfall record for date set; Folsom Lake rises over 6 feet. Folsom Lake has risen 6 feet but state water officials say the storm hitting Northern California has done little to ease a severe drought. “It has gone up a bit, but it’s certainly not anything to dance in the rain about,” said Doug Carlson, spokesman for the California Department of Water Resources. “We still have a long ways to go before we’re anywhere close to normal.” As of one week ago Sunday, Folsom Lake had only 17 percent of its total capacity. The recent rains pushed it to just 19 percent of capacity – still barely one-third of what it should be for this time of year, Carlson said. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/10/6142061/sacramento-sees-record-rainfall.html#storylink=cpy California Drought: Database shows big difference between water guzzlers and sippers. The historic drought is making average residents think twice every time they turn on the tap, despite the weekend rain. But there is nothing average about the way Californians consume water: A little-known state database that measures water use in every community shows huge -- sometimes shocking -- differences between California's water sippers and guzzlers. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25090363/california-drought-water-use-varies-widely-around-state Drought crisis to bring Obama to Fresno. The White House announced Friday that President Obama will come to Fresno on Feb. 14 to discuss the drought and federal efforts to deal with it. A White House official said further details about the president's trip to the central San Joaquin Valley will be made public in coming days. The trip will mark Obama's first visit to the Fresno area. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/politics/local/x1089319645/Drought-crisis-to-bring-Obama-to-Fresno BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Calif. senator asks FERC to ease hydropower rules because of drought. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Friday asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to expedite any requests for low water flows at hydropower plants and dams given California's historic drought. "The State of California is facing a crisis that demands the Federal government's maximum flexibility and assistance," Feinstein said in a letter to acting FERC Chairwoman Cheryl LaFleur. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059994271/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS New pollution control device eyed for ships in the Port of Long Beach. Harbor officials on Monday could approve a $2-million contract for testing the latest technology for capturing pollution spewing from vessels in the Port of Long Beach. The contract with South Coast Air Quality Management District would demonstrate Advanced Cleanup Technologies Inc.’s Advanced Maritime Emissions Control System, which is a version of Advanced Cleanup’s previously demonstrated “sock on a stack” exhaust capturing system…Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/environment-and-nature/20140208/new-pollution-control-device-eyed-for-ships-in-the-port-of-long-beach FUELS UPDATE 1-Kuwait approves $12 bln bids for clean fuels project. Kuwait has approved bids worth a total of $12 billion for major upgrades at two oil refineries, the state-run oil company said on Monday, in a sign it is moving ahead with large infrastructure projects. The Clean Fuels Project is a specification upgrade and expansion of Kuwait's largest refineries as part of the Gulf state's economic development plan, which has faced delays partly due to political instability. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/kuwait-refineries-idUSL5N0LF2D620140210 Biofuels Still Face Challenges. Navigant Research forecasts that global biofuels consumption in the road transportation sector will grow from more than 32.4 billion gallons per year (BGPY) in 2013 to more than 51.1 BGPY in 2022. Navigant Research examines the challenges faced by this fuel source in a new report. In the last 10 years, an increase in ethanol production capacity in the United States and Brazil, and biodiesel in Europe…Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/02/10/biofuels-still-face-challenges/ The Oil Industry's Fight to Kill Renewable Fuels—and Why It May Win. For all its faults, the Renewable Fuels Standard is the only federal policy that is steadily eroding the oil industry's de facto monopoly on motor fuels. he American oil industry could be on the verge of winning its war on the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), as the Obama administration weighs changes that could severely undermine the nation's most successful—and most divisive—effort to cut crude oil consumption in the nation's cars. Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140210/oil-industrys-fight-kill-renewable-fuels%E2%80%94and-why-it-may-win VEHICLES China Extends Electric-Car Subsidies to Fight Air Pollution. China will give more subsidies for electric vehicles than previously announced as part of government plans to tackle pollution. Shares of BYD Co. (1211) rose. Subsidies for 2014 will be cut by 5 percent, instead of the previously announced 10 percent, and decreased by 10 percent in 2015, instead of 20 percent…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-02-10/china-extends-electric-car-subsidies-to-fight-air-pollution-2-.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL Bullet train revenue estimates down, ridership up in new business plan. New estimates for the California bullet train show lower revenue and construction costs, and higher ridership and operating costs. Construction costs and revenue estimates for the California bullet train are headed downward while operating costs and ridership for the proposed statewide system are expected to increase above earlier forecasts, according to the project's latest business plan unveiled Friday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-bullet-train-plan-20140208,0,4757640.story#ixzz2swXPAyu0 GREEN ENERGY Firm seeks to harness Wyoming's wind energy for California. Anschutz Corp., known for the Staples Center, looks to set up the largest wind generation facility in the nation — in a state that wouldn't use a kilowatt of it. A relentless wind howls day after day across this high desert, pouring through a low gap on the Continental Divide. "This is one of the windiest places in the nation," screams Bill Miller above the din of gusting air. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-wyoming-wind-20140209,0,3366359.story#ixzz2swYM6kRt States explore green banks to reduce risk of clean energy projects. After funding fiascos like Solyndra and facing constant political attacks on government clean energy investments, renewable energy advocates are now zeroing in on so-called green banks to finance clean energy projects and to get states to cut fossil fuel use. To that end, the Coalition for Green Capital has launched the Green Bank Academy to begin teaching interested states how to move toward a green bank model pioneered by Connecticut and more recently New York. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994277/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Sharp disagreement over effects of North Carolina coal ash spill. Duke Energy has downplayed any danger to the public or wildlife. But environmentalists say tests found levels of arsenic, lead, chromium and other heavy metals far exceeding safety standards. Pete Harrison dipped his kayak paddle into a gray stain on the bank of the murky Dan River. He pulled out a sticky gob 4 inches thick. "That's pure coal ash," he said. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-coal-ash-spill-20140209,0,3515834.story#ixzz2swZjUnXf BEAUMONT: Green grant money to spur infrastructure development. Beaumont is in a green mood. After receiving a $100,000 grant from Southern California Edison and the Southern California Gas Company, the city held a Climate Action Planning Workshop Friday, Feb. 7, to discuss how to best use the funds. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/the-pass/the-pass-headlines-index/20140208-beaumont-green-grant-money-to-spur-infrastructure-development.ece OPINIONS House Republicans muddy California’s water crisis. CALIFORNIA SAW a bit of relief from its extreme drought this past weekend, when big storms dumped rain on the parched state. But it appears that California won’t be spared from another threat — Washington politicians talking foolishly about the water crisis or, worse, meddling in the state’s efforts to cope. A week ago, Denis McDonough, President Obama’s chief of staff, sought to connect the drought to global warming. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/house-republicans-muddy-californias-water-crisis/2014/02/09/f1479380-8fb6-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html India's Particulate Problem. Two years ago, China seemed oblivious to the extraordinary levels of air pollution in many of its cities and the health consequences. But over the past six months, there has been an explosion of information on pollution concentrations, warnings from the media and new policies from the government. It took a long time, but change is happening. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/opinion/indias-particulate-problem.html?emc=edit_tnt_20140210&tntemail0=y&_r=0 The Dust Bowl Returns. EVERY Saturday in late December and January, as reports of brutal temperatures and historic snowfalls streamed in from family in Vermont, New York and even southern Louisiana, we made weekly pilgrimages to our local beer garden to enjoy craft brews and unseasonably warm afternoons. Normal winters here in Fresno, in the heart of California’s Central Valley, bring average highs in the 50s…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/opinion/the-dust-bowl-returns.html?_r=0 Letters: Climate change and Keystone XL. Re "Free the pipeline, Obama," Opinion, Feb. 4 Those who oppose Keystone XL aren't doing so primarily to make the pipeline a "litmus test issue for climate seriousness," as Jonah Goldberg writes. Rather, they're taking a principled stand. We must stop the juggernaut of business-as-usual that is leading inexorably to climate disruption. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0208-saturday-keystone-xl-20140208,0,6353688,print.story Despite L.A. smog, our air quality's improving. From the heights of San Jacinto Peak to the depths of its desert canyons, clean air is vital to maintaining the physical health of Coachella Valley residents as well as the economic health of its tourist-based economy. But the valley isn’t immune to air pollution and its health impacts. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/article/20140208/OPINION01/302080027/Despite-L-smog-our-air-quality-s-improving Power alert exposes green shortcomings. Mother Nature delivered a potent reminder last week to green-energy zealots of just how far California remains from nirvana. Soon the high cost of small progress will be more apparent, too. Thursday state officials issued a “flex alert” and called for conservation after some power plants — including an unidentified one in San Diego County — ran out of natural gas to fuel their generators. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/08/power-alert-exposes-green-shortcomings/ BLOGS Toyota unofficially teases TE-S800 plug-in hybrid roadster. We really want to party with the Toyota Engineering Society. With the mothership company showing a bunch of modifications at the Tokyo Auto Salon last month, that nutty engineering group used the event to unofficially show off its TE-S800 PHEV roadster, as you can see in the two-minute video below. The car is a plug-in hybrid that pairs the 115-horsepower gas engine that's standard issue on the Toyota Prius hybrid with a 102-horsepower electric motor. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/10/toyota-unofficially-teases-te-s800-plug-in-hybrid-roadster/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 14:55:13 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 11, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 11, 2014. 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 China's Hubei plans province's first carbon auction next month. China's Hubei province will auction up to 2 million carbon permits at a government-set minimum price next month to kick-start the nation's sixth pilot emissions trading scheme (ETS). Hubei's carbon market will be only the second to sell a share of the permits. In most of the other trial schemes, the permits have been handed out for free. China, the world's top emitter of greenhouse gases, is seeking to limit its impact on climate change…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/11/china-carbon-idUSL3N0LG27O20140211 EU Carbon Permits Drop as German Official Sees Market Fix in Q2. European Union carbon prices dropped the most in three weeks after a German official said he expected a rescue plan for the region’s emissions market to start in the second quarter at the earliest. The EU will probably not begin temporary curbs on supply of carbon permits this quarter…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-02-11/eu-carbon-permits-drop-as-german-official-sees-market-fix-in-q2.html AIR POLLUTION Sierra Club threatens lawsuit over EPA's handling of states' SO2 plans. The Sierra Club threatened to sue U.S. EPA yesterday over what the group called the agency's failure to enforce Clean Air Act sulfur pollution provisions. The group, in a notice of intent to sue, said EPA had failed to force states to submit sulfur dioxide management plans to meet a 2010 standard by the June 2013 deadline. Thirty states have yet to submit plans, the group said, and EPA has not issued any findings of a failure to submit. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059994394/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Droughts in Amazon rainforest lead to carbon dioxide release – study A drying Amazon rainforest is bad news for the climate: It helps increase carbon releases into the atmosphere, according to a new study. The Amazon plays a critical role in regulating the Earth's climate because of its extensive forests, which are half the Earth's tropical rainforests. The trees in the Amazon when healthy absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and keep it stored. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994348/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Con Edison to Calculate Benefits Of Preparing Utility for Climate Change. Electric utility Con Edison will conduct an economic analysis to quantify the benefits of preparing its infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, a company official said Feb. 10. Stuart Nachmias, Con Edison's vice president of energy policy and regulatory affairs, said the analysis will build on the company's $1 billion post-Hurricane Sandy plan to fortify its electric and gas infrastructure…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-11/con-edison-to-calculate-benefits-of-preparing-for-climate-change.html California vows to press ahead with climate change programs. California plans to extend its suite of ambitious and controversial carbon reduction programs beyond 2020, saying the results to date show the state can grow its economy while fighting climate change. The state's Air Resources Board (ARB) on Monday released an update of its plan to meet its goal of cutting emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by mid-century. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/02/11/us-california-climate-policy-idINBREA1A04S20140211 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-california-climate-policy-20140210,0,7725314.story Freezing Out the Bigger Picture. At the exact moment President Obama was declaring last month that “climate change is a fact,” thousands of drivers in Atlanta were trapped in a grueling winter ordeal, trying to get home on roads that had turned into ribbons of ice. As the president addressed Congress and the nation in his State of the Union speech, it was snowing intermittently outside the Capitol. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/11/science/freezing-out-the-bigger-picture.html?hpw&rref=science California should set interim goal for cutting emissions, report says. California is on track to reach its target for reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, but much tougher choices loom if the state is to meet its goal for the year 2050, state air quality officials say in a new report. The changes needed to slash emissions enough to reach the mid-century target will be so great that the state should set an interim goal for about 2030…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0211-climate-change-20140211,0,636855.story#ixzz2t2CWTeCt El Nino likely late this year. There's a 75 percent chance that an El Nino will develop late this year, improving the prospects that Southern California will pull out of a deep drought, scientists say in a paper published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The forecast was made by an international team of scientists who said they've developed a model that enables them to make such a prediction about one year in advance…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/10/elnino-california-weather-climate/ White and green roofs fight global warming, study finds. How much can white or green roofs do to fight climate change? That depends on the region, says a new study, finding that white roofs offer less benefit in Northern areas than Southern ones. Painting roofs white or covering them with plants could help fight global warming, but they don't offer the same bang for the buck everywhere, says a study Monday of six U.S. "megapolitan" regions. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/10/white-green-roofs-global-warming/5341261/ State urges further emissions cuts to preserve 'California lifestyle' California officials yesterday proposed expanding their suite of climate policies to reduce emissions from energy, transportation and other sectors through 2030 and beyond. A document put out yesterday by state regulators makes the case that combating climate change is essential to maintain California's economic dynamism while protecting its abundant and varied natural environment. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994369/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Clean Air Act justifies EPA actions to address warming, agency says in Supreme Court filing. U.S. EPA this week defended its program for tackling greenhouse gases from a Supreme Court challenge, arguing that the agency's actions to address global warming are rooted in its historical interpretation of the Clean Air Act. The Supreme Court later this month will hear arguments from industry and several states that EPA unlawfully applied greenhouse gas permitting…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059994395/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Northern California gets a big drink, but the state is still thirsty. The storm system that soaked much of Northern California over the weekend didn't end the state's punishing drought. But it just may have kept it out of the record books. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-drought-storm-20140211,0,3329633.story#ixzz2t2JJocVz Storm allows boost in Delta water diversions. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation was able to take advantage of increased runoff from the wet weekend storms to boost water diversions from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Reclamation tripled its diversions from the Delta on Sunday and expects to increase that pumping a little more on Tuesday. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/10/6145645/storm-allows-boost-in-delta-water.html#storylink=cpy California drought: Storm a reprieve, not a cure. Last month, the small Mendocino County city of Willits faced a real possibility of running out of water. The city's two reservoirs were approaching record low levels and the city manager estimated that just three months of drinking water remained. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-drought-Storm-a-reprieve-not-a-cure-5222416.php Addressing California’s Water Challenges Through Action and Collaboration. California is in the throes of the worst drought in the 160 years during which records have been kept. As a result, the state’s overextended water system is in crisis. All segments of California’s economy one of the largest in the world are experiencing the effects of this drought. Posted. http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/7125-addressing-california-s-water-challenges-through-action-and-collaboration.html Emergency water aid for Willits. As several California communities face severe water shortages due to the drought, CAL FIRE, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are assisting the city of Willits, in Mendocino County, with the installation of an emergency water pipe. Posted. http://www.times-standard.com/breakingnews/ci_25106547/emergency-water-aid-willits DIESEL EMISSIONS EPA appeals ruling that tossed 'certificates of conformity' for engine maker. U.S. EPA yesterday asked federal appellate judges to reconsider their ruling that threw out the agency's approval of heavy-duty truck engines that did not meet its air standards. In December, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sided with Daimler Trucks North America and others in a challenge to "certificates of conformity" that EPA issued to a competitor, Navistar International Corp. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059994404/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Greens fume at State's bet on oil sands as the new Bakken. The State Department softened some of its sunniest growth predictions for Canadian oil sands by rail in its final environmental review of Keystone XL -- but greens still warn that only analysts in rose-colored glasses could see trains as a viable substitute for the pipeline. Underpinning State's outlook for rail shipments of oil sands, the foundation of its prediction that KXL would not wreak climate havoc…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059994362/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES No need to spend more than a few seconds idling to warm up car. When the temperature drops below freezing, does it make sense to spend time and fuel letting your vehicle warm up by idling? When our staff put that question to highly-rated auto mechanics from such cold-experienced cities as Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee and Cincinnati, the general answer is that idling beyond 10 to 30 seconds isn't required. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/10/6143508/no-need-to-spend-more-than-a-few.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY CA solar jobs to exceed 50,000 in 2014. The number of jobs in California related to solar energy grew by about 8 percent to 47,223 workers last year, according to a survey released Tuesday by The Solar Foundation. The nonprofit research and education group identified roughly 3,500 new positions in the state during the 12 months ending in November 2013. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/11/solar-jobs-fifty-thousand/ NASCAR, Lockheed Martin link arms to promote green technology. NASCAR is aiming to make auto racing greener and spur interest in renewable energy among the next generation of engineers and scientists. The racing organization announced a partnership yesterday with Lockheed Martin Corp. to promote renewable energy at racing events, highlight the use of biofuels in NASCAR cars…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059994392/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Newell: Climate change impacts winter sports. It took four years of intense training, but I am now in Sochi as a proud member of the US Cross Country Skiing Olympic Team. It is an incredible honor to represent my country and my community at the Olympic Games. While our U.S. team walked out together during the Parade of Nations at the Opening Ceremonies, I was moved by the power of almost 100 nations uniting behind a spirit of global competition and collaboration. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/02/11/andrew-newell-olympics-global-warming/5370379/ BLOGS Environmentalists dread Obama’s California drought trip. Environmental groups said Monday that they are concerned that President Obama will get a one-sided view of California’s drought when he visits Fresno on Friday, as Republicans mount an increasingly potent political attack on river and fish restorations. http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/02/10/obamas-impending-fresno-visit-raises-alarms/ First Scoping Plan Update Lays Groundwork for a Low-Carbon Future. The Proposed First Update to the AB 32 Scoping Plan (Proposed Update), released today by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), is a more focused and ambitious version of the document first released last fall that is part of a larger California climate strategy. Importantly, the Proposed Update continues to build a framework for significant post-2020 carbon pollution reductions needed for the state. Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/californiadream/2014/02/10/first-scoping-plan-update-lays-groundwork-for-a-low-carbon-future/#sthash.n69YWhU9.dpuf Global Warming Speed Bump? The Answer May Be Blowing in the Wind! An interesting new paper by Matthew England and colleagues just published in the journal Nature Climate Change tosses another hat in the ring when it comes to explanations of the so-called "hiatus" or "pause" (I prefer "speed bump") in global warming. As I have discussed previously, the fact that global surface temperatures have not increased as much over the past decade as many climate models predict they should have…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-e-mann/global-warming-speed-bump_b_4756711.html Obama, Hollande climate-change push: a boost for clean energy. Climate change is among four key themes French President Francois Hollande is emphasizing in his state visit to the US this week. Mr. Hollande and President Obama say a 'renewed alliance' between the US and France will help expand a global clean-energy push. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0211/Obama-Hollande-climate-change-push-a-boost-for-clean-energy Cadillac confident attitude will attract the elite to ELR plug-in hybrid. Cadillac is not going to pull any punches when it comes to promoting its plug-in hybrid ELR. In the real world, the company is showing off the Wreath And Crest's coupe with Chevy Volt technology at exclusive events with "groups whose members are affluent, green-minded and have an appreciation for design and innovation," says Automotive News. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/10/cadillac-elr-neil-mcdonough-olympics-ad/ Renault planning Next Two self-driving EV for 2020. The French automaking giant is touting its Next Two prototype, which is based on the Renault Zoe platform and marks the company's entry into the autonomous-driving field. Renault says the electric-powered Next Two, which may be ready for the world as soon as 2020, will help city commuters by being programmed to self-drive in traffic to speeds up to 18 miles per hour. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/10/renault-planning-next-two-self-driving-ev-for-2020/ Yurok Tribe Tosses Cap in Trade Ring. The Yurok Tribe has entered the carbon trade market, joining with sustainable forestry investment group New Forests Inc. to sell carbon credits based on a 7,660-acre patch of Doug fir and mixed hardwood forest the tribe's promised to manage for increased carbon sequestration. The tribe will be issued 704,520 credits, according to a news release from New Forests. This will be "the first forest carbon offset project developed under the California Compliance Offset Protocol…Posted. http://www.northcoastjournal.com/Blogthing/archives/2014/02/11/yurok-tribe-tosses-cap-in-trade-ring California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2014 13:44:13 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 12, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 12, 2014. 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 CO2 Capture Could Raise Wholesale Energy Price 80 Percent. Requiring the use of carbon capture and sequestration technologies at coal-fired power plants could increase the wholesale price of electricity between 70 percent and 80 percent, an Energy Department official said. Julio Friedmann, deputy assistant secretary for clean coal at the Energy Department…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-02-12/co2-capture-could-raise-wholesale-energy-price-80-percent.html S.Korea risking sky high carbon prices, worry for exports – analysts. South Korea's refusal to revise estimates of future greenhouse gas emissions could earn it the world's highest carbon price, and have a potentially damaging impact on its export-oriented industry, according to a report released by Thomson Reuters Point Carbon. The country's environment ministry last month decided to stick to previous projections on how much carbon dioxide (CO2)…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/south-korea-carbon-idUSL3N0LG1AE20140212 Chevrolet buying carbon credits from U.S. colleges, universities. Chevrolet is launching a new greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction program that will see it buy carbon credits from colleges and universities in the United States. According to the Detroit automaker, Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., and Valencia College in Orlando, Fla., are the first post-secondary institutions to register for the program that will see Chevrolet buy carbon credits…Posted. http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/cleantech/financing/chevrolet-buying-carbon-credits-from-u-s-colleges-universities-132536 Calif. ARB releases GHG scoping plan update; more ZEVs, “LEV IV”, MD and HD regulations; ZEV for trucks; more LCFS. The California Air Resources Board released the draft proposed first update to the AB 32 Scoping Plan, which guides development and implementation of California’s greenhouse gas emission reduction programs. The Air Resources Board is required to update the Scoping Plan every five years. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/02/20140211-arb.html AIR POLLUTION China to Fight Air Pollution With $1.65 Billion Fund. China will set up a 10 billion yuan ($1.65 billion) fund to reduce air pollution in the country’s largest cities, according to a release from a State Council meeting at which Premier Li Keqiang presided. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-12/china-to-fight-air-pollution-with-1-65-billion-fund.html Big Island power plant pollution permit rejected. The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the state's Clean Air Branch to modify or reissue an air-pollution permit for a proposed Big Island power plant that would generate electricity from eucalyptus trees and other plant matter. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy ruled Friday the Clean Air Branch failed to take into consideration pollutants that would be generated by the startup…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Big-Island-power-plant-pollution-permit-rejected-5225185.php http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/11/big-island-power-plant-pollution-permit-rejected/ CLIMATE CHANGE White Roofs Could Offset Summer Warming by 2100. Painting building roofs white could cool some major cities baking in the intensifying heat of a changing climate. How much benefits white roofs could bring depend on the region of the country they’re installed in and the season, new research shows. Keeping cities cool in the summer is becoming increasingly important as more people move to urban areas, which currently house over 80 percent of the country’s population. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-12/white-roofs-could-offset-summer-warming-by-2100.html Shrinking Stockton's footprint. Patch up those leaks. Change those light bulbs. Sort those recyclables. Stockton's draft "climate action plan," published this month after more than five years of deliberation, reads almost like a multimillion-dollar honey-do list. In reality, it is a sweeping set of strategies to reduce the impact of Stockton's future growth - strategies that will require a "substantial effort" by the entire community during a time of economic distress. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140212/A_NEWS/402120325 Olympians speak out on climate change as Sochi warms up. Climate change has made its way to the Olympics. Athletes are banding together to urge action, saying rising temperatures are putting winter sports in jeopardy. More than 100 winter Olympians, led by Americans, have signed a petition urging world leaders to fight climate change as balmy weather creates slushy conditions at the Sochi Games. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/12/olympians-speak-out-climate-change/5395837/ These Maps Show Which Areas Of The Country Have The Biggest Carbon Footprints. It's no secret that the U.S. is one of the biggest carbon emitters around. Households in the U.S. alone are responsible for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions, even though they account for just over 4% of the global population. But which areas in the U.S. are contributing the most? These interactive maps from the University of California, Berkeley show where the U.S. has the biggest carbon footprint. Posted. http://www.businessinsider.com/carbon-footprint-maps-2014-1#ixzz2t8B7G4Qm California’s rate of CO2 cuts ‘need to be doubled’ after 2020. California may have to cut greenhouse gas emissions twice as fast as current levels after 2020, involving an expansion of the sectors covered by targets and tougher caps on energy and transportation, state regulators said on Monday. In an update of an existing proposal to cut emissions to 80% below 1990 levels 2050, California’s Air Resources Board (Carb) said that more sectors, such as buildings, waste management and agriculture, would be required to make emissions cuts. Posted. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/02/11/californias-rate-of-co2-cuts-needs-to-be-doubled-after-2020/#sthash.whMdtq4U.dpuf Technology exchange may be key to U.S.-India climate talks. Technical cooperation rather than political wrangling will move the needle on energy and climate change between the United States and India, a top Indian business leader said yesterday. The two countries have moved further apart in recent years on a range of energy issues in the political sphere, particularly the effort to reduce emissions of the powerful greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994461/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Government Money Is No Answer to California Drought. The drought in California is one of the state's worst weather-related disasters in decades, despite some recent rainstorms. The images are dramatic: Folsom Lake in the north is so dry that receding waters have revealed a Gold Rush ghost town. Farmland is bare and parched, which will lead to increases in food prices nationwide. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-12/government-money-is-no-answer-to-california-drought.html Battle Over California Drought Solution. California's drought is becoming a hot issue on Capitol Hill, where bills from Senate Democrats and House Republicans offer rival solutions on how to best aid water-starved farmers. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303874504579377241109393218 Drought blocking passages to sea for California coho salmon. By now, water would typically be ripping down Scott Creek, and months ago it should have burst through a berm of sand to provide fish passage between freshwater and the ocean. Instead, young coho salmon from this redwood and oak-shaded watershed near Santa Cruz last week were swirling around idly in a lagoon. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/12/6150275/drought-blocking-passages-to-sea.html#storylink=cpy Sens. Feinstein, Boxer propose emergency drought legislation. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer proposed emergency drought legislation Tuesday ahead of President Obama's planned visit to Fresno, as Democrats scrambled to counter GOP charges that trying to save rivers and fish during California's historic drought is destroying the nation's chief source of fruits and vegetables. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Sens-Feinstein-Boxer-propose-emergency-drought-5225957.php http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140212/A_NEWS/402120324&cid=sitesearch DROUGHT: Water wholesaler ups efficiency rebates to $40 million. The region’s main supplier of imported water doubled its conservation rebate program to $40 million on Tuesday, Feb. 11, to cover an expected surge in demand as consumers try to cut water use in the face of severe drought. The Metropolitan Water District board approved another $20 million through fiscal year 2014-2015 for incentives on such water-saving devices as rain barrels and soil moisture sensors…Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20140211-drought-water-wholesaler-ups-efficiency-rebates-to-40-million.ece Senate drought bill offers $300 million, no waiving of environmental laws. California's and Oregon's Democratic senators offered a drought relief bill Tuesday that stands in stark contrast to the Republican bill the House approved last week, setting up a tough battle when lawmakers eventually try to merge the two. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/portal/news/ci_25116907/senate-drought-bill-offers-300-million-no-waiving Despite storm, Calif. still faces drought worries. A major winter storm hit California and left several feet of new snow in the high Sierras and drenched lower elevations with rain during the weekend, which slightly mitigated the state's drought conditions, officials said Monday. The storm doubled how much moisture was in the snowpack of the Sierra Nevada range, an important measure of how much the state has in surface water…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994428/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY House Dems introduce companion bill to Senate effort. Democratic House members late yesterday introduced a companion bill to a Senate effort to deal with California's drought. Rep. Jim Costa's (D-Calif.) "California Emergency Drought Relief Act" mirrors a bill introduced yesterday by California and Oregon's senators aimed at providing emergency funding and improving the flexibility of water infrastructure in drought-stricken California. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2014/02/12/stories/1059994452 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Senators introduce bill to ease water crunch in parched Calif. Senators from California and Oregon introduced legislation today aimed at providing emergency funding and improving the flexibility of water infrastructure in drought-stricken California. The "California Emergency Drought Relief Act" would direct federal agencies to manage water flows in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to benefit the Central Valley Project, the water supplier for millions of Californians. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2014/02/11/stories/1059994420 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Investor group demands fossil fuel companies disclose carbon asset risk. A group of investors with combined assets of over $200 billion filed shareholder resolutions on Wednesday with ten energy companies, including Exxon Mobil and Southern Co, demanding they disclose their strategies for competing in a lower-carbon future. Led by the New York State Comptroller's office, which alone handles $160 billion in assets, the investors focused on the companies' "carbon asset risk," …Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/usa-climate-disclosure-idUSL2N0LH0PB20140212 Republicans seek Keystone approval; foes vow to risk arrest. Dozens of Republican senators on Tuesday called on the White House to approve the Keystone XL pipeline as foes vowed to risk arrest at protests against the controversial project. President Barack Obama will have the final say on whether to allow the pipeline that could deliver as much as 830,000 barrels per day of Canadian oil sands crude to U.S. Gulf Coast refiners, a decision not expected for many months. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/us-usa-keystone-idUSBREA1A23S20140212 Plan issued to replace nuclear power. State utility regulators recommended a major expansion to Southern California energy supplies on Tuesday to compensate for the recent retirement of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Investor-owned electrical utilities San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison would each be authorized to contract construction of new power plants and clean-energy resources…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/11/nuclear-replacement-plan-published/ EPA's diesel fracking rules are credibility test for companies and regulators. The recommendations U.S. EPA issued yesterday for hydraulic fracturing with diesel ingredients aren't likely to slow drilling or even increase paperwork. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2014/02/12/stories/1059994434 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Toyota Issues Recall for Hybrids, Over Software Glitch. Toyota Motor issued a recall Wednesday of all of the 1.9 million newest-generation Prius vehicles it has sold worldwide because of a programming glitch that could cause their gas-electric hybrid systems to shut down. Roughly half of the recalled Priuses are in Japan, while 713,000 are in North America and 130,000 are in Europe…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/13/business/international/toyota-issues-another-recall-for-hybrids-this-time-over-software-glitch.html Car Emissions Hurt You More Than Electricity Generating: Here's Why. As an electric car owner, you're probably used to the accusatory look people give you when they inquire as to where your electricity comes from. The answer they're looking for is power stations, of course--before launching into a tirade about plug-in vehicles being just as dirty as regular combustion vehicles. Only they aren't. Even ignoring the fact that EV efficiency means their carbon emission output is lower…Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090291_car-emissions-hurt-you-more-than-electricity-generating-heres-why Audi blazes a trail in biofuel production. Like many automakers, Audi is adopting a suite of technologies to make its products less damaging to the climate. The German car company is making more efficient turbocharged direct injection engines, designing its cars to be more aerodynamic and adding hybrid and electric vehicles to its lineup, among other things. But unlike most automakers, Audi is also expanding an initiative to develop biofuels. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994460/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Power line opponents surge against wind energy transmission project. Mike Ford shoved the rifle he carries for coyotes onto the dashboard, and his old Dodge diesel truck took out rumbling over frozen pasture to carry hay to cattle. It hadn't gone a hundred feet before Ford started in on the people trying to - his word - "steal" his land. Too strong? "To me it's not," he said, the window down and temperature at minus 3. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/12/6150265/power-line-opponents-surge-against.html#storylink=cpy Study challenges claims that wind power can change the weather. Several studies in recent years concluded that wind farms may alter weather patterns, sparking debate about the side effects of renewable energy. Now, scientists report in a new study that there is little cause for concern, at least on one continent. While results from other locations may differ, the findings conclude that an approximate doubling of wind power by the end of the decade will have "limited impacts" on temperature and precipitation in Europe. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994441/print BY SUBSCRIPTION Green energy group sees 'kinks in the armor' of natural gas power after Calif. Shortages. A grueling cold snap last week stretched natural gas supplies in California, prompting the state's grid operator to call on users to cut their electricity use. Environmentalists have seized on the California Independent System Operator's Feb. 6 "Flex Alert" as evidence that the state should switch to renewable power sources…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059994462/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS COLUMN-Blame Britain's floods on rainfall over Indonesia: Kemp North America's bitter cold and Britain's intense storms and flooding are due to heavy rain, caused by higher coastal temperatures, in Indonesia and tropical western Pacific via shifts in the jet stream, the UK Meteorological Office says. ("Recent storms and floods in the UK" Feb. 11). A "persistent pattern of enhanced rainfall" - 50 percent higher than normal in December and January…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/britain-flooding-climate-idUSL5N0LH2KW20140212 COLUMN-Better batteries are key to climate change: Kemp Finding a better way to store electrical energy is the single biggest breakthrough needed to tackle climate change. But the goal of developing batteries that are lighter, as well as more compact, powerful and affordable remains frustratingly elusive. Virtually all usable energy on Earth originates from the sun: wind, solar, wood, even fossil fuels. Oil, gas and coal are simply the fossilized remains of organisms…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/11/climate-change-batteries-idUSL5N0LG30R20140211 Cut Carbon Pollution. “E.P.A. Staff Struggling to Create Pollution Rule” (news article, Feb. 5) highlights coal-state concerns about a Natural Resources Defense Council plan for cutting carbon pollution from the nation’s existing power plants, the biggest source of the pollution driving dangerous climate change. Our approach takes into account the different mix of power generation sources in each state, allows each state broad flexibility…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/opinion/cut-carbon-pollution.html?_r=0 BLOGS IHS says global production of EVs, PHEVs will skyrocket 67% this year. Electric vehicles are known for their brisk acceleration. When it comes to projected EV production levels for 2014, there's going to be some speeding up. According to research firm IHS Automotive, global plug-in vehicle production will increase to about 403,000 this year, up from 242,000 in 2013. That 67 percent growth marks an acceleration rate even higher than the 44 percent production growth rate the segment saw last year. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/12/ihs-global-production-evs-phevs-skyrocket-67-percent/ Exide sues AQMD regulators, not to block rule, it says, but to ask for more time. Vernon-based Exide, the battery recycler whose emissions have stirred public concerns about health impacts, has filed a lawsuit in LA Superior Court to have a recently-passed air quality rule scrubbed. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2014/02/11/15815/exide-sues-aqmd-regulators-not-to-block-rule-it-sa/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2014 14:13:30 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 13, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 13, 2014. 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 REDD Still On California's Radar. Major doubts have been expressed recently about whether offsets from reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) will ever make it into California’s cap-and-trade program. But state regulators affirmed this week that REDD credits are still on their radar. Political opposition has been one of the major factors driving the growing reservations that REDD would ever be allowed into California’s program. Posted. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10195§ion=news_articles&eod=1 Automaker creates carbon market to drive down college campus emissions. Hundreds of universities and colleges across the United States have committed to reaching carbon neutrality, but many lack the financial tools they need to get clean energy and efficiency projects underway. To help overcome the funding speed bump, American automaker Chevrolet unveiled a new carbon-reduction formula yesterday that gives campuses the ability to sell verified carbon credits. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994548/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION China to Reward Localities for Improving Air Quality. Chinese officials announced on Thursday that they were offering a total of 10 billion renminbi, or $1.65 billion, this year to cities and regions that make “significant progress” in air pollution control, according to a report by Xinhua, the state-run news agency. The announcement came from the State Council, China’s cabinet, after it held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss, among other issues, the country’s immense air pollution problem. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/world/asia/china-to-reward-localities-for-improving-air-quality.html China announces $1.6 billion air pollution fund. China's Cabinet has announced that 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) has been set aside this year to reward cities and regions that make significant progress in controlling air pollution, highlighting how the issue has become a priority for the leadership. The fund will be set up to reward rather than offer subsidies for the prevention and control of air pollution in the key areas…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/12/china-announces-16-billion-air-pollution-fund/#ixzz2tDvojXlj http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/12/china-announces-16-billion-air-pollution-fund/ CLIMATE CHANGE AM Alert: Jerry Brown meets with Obama administration on climate change. Gov. Jerry Brown has made climate change a prominent issue in his return to the governor's office, calling it the greatest threat to young people's future and focusing on the reduction of greenhouse gases during his trip to China last year. He will discuss the matter further today with President Barack Obama's task force on climate preparedness, which meets for the second time at 11:30 a.m. in Los Angeles City Hall. Posted. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/02/13/2923718/am-alert-jerry-brown-meets-with.html Officials urge Californians to prepare for climate change. Like saving for retirement or hoarding food and water for The Big One, Californians should get ready for the effects of global climate change, state and federal policymakers said Wednesday. Among the potential changes discussed at The Autry Museum: severe weather, droughts, floods, rising sea levels, travel delays, hotter inland temperatures, even something as odd as the loss of the spring season. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140212/officials-urge-californians-to-prepare-for-climate-change Closed-door L.A. meeting of Obama climate-change task force includes Gov. Jerry Brown, Mayor Eric Garcetti. Gov. Jerry Brown, Mayor Eric Garcetti and other members of an Obama task force charged with taking on the effects of climate change will meet this morning at Los Angeles City Hall. The Task Force on Climate Change and Resilience, formed by President Barack Obama in November, is charged with overhauling federal grant programs and identifying funding sources to better address climate change-related disasters such as droughts, wildfires, floods and storms. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140213/closed-door-la-meeting-of-obama-climate-change-task-force-includes-gov-jerry-brown-mayor-eric-garcetti DROUGHT Gov. Brown says he can help solve state's water crisis. Though he offered no new details, he expressed confidence in his political skill to deal with the situation: “If anybody can get it done, I can get it done and I’m working night and day to achieve it.” http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-jerry-brown-barack-obama-tulare-water-20140212,0,2140531.story Mayor Eric Garcetti calls for conservation in face of drought. Emphasizing the need to save water during the worst drought in recent history, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the region’s major supplier of water called on residents Wednesday to take steps to conserve as much as possible and follow existing conservation guidelines. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140212/NEWS/140219786 DIESEL EMISSIONS California responds to OOIDA legal challenge of CARB's Truck and Bus Reg. California Attorney General Kamala Harris has responded to OOIDA’s lawsuit against CARB. On Jan. 27, Harris filed a partial motion to dismiss the complaint’s claims against the CARB defendants in their individual capacities, but did not seek dismissal of those claims against them in their official capacity. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=26568#.UvzvkhByx4w VEHICLES Conn. honoring top Conn. electric car dealers. Automobile dealers in Connecticut who sell or lease the most electric vehicles will get a special recognition from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The agency is offering its first "Connecticut Revolutionary Dealer Awards." Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/13/3186841/conn-honoring-top-conn-electric.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY Basking in a New Glow. If you haven’t noticed the virtual disappearance of old-school incandescent bulbs from retailers’ shelves, there’s good reason. With the federally mandated phaseout of traditional incandescent bulbs entering its final stage, manufacturers and retailers have done well to make the transition nearly invisible to consumers. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/13/garden/basking-in-a-new-glow.html?ref=earth Liquid-Cooled Supercomputers, to Trim the Power Bill. Dropping a home computer into a vat of liquid would wreck it. Yet some operators of supercomputers are submerging their machines in liquids, without causing any apparent damage, to keep them from overheating. Advocates say so-called immersion or submersion cooling could solve one of the biggest challenges of the digital economy: reducing the air-conditioning bills and environmental strains of the power-hungry servers…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/business/international/improving-energy-efficiency-in-supercomputers.html?ref=earth Huge thermal plant opens as solar industry grows. A windy stretch of the Mojave Desert once roamed by tortoises and coyotes has been transformed by hundreds of thousands of mirrors into the largest solar power plant of its type in the world, a milestone for a growing industry that is testing the balance between wilderness conservation and the pursuit of green energy across the West. The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, sprawling across roughly 5 square miles of federal land near the California-Nevada border…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/13/huge-thermal-plant-opens-solar-industry-grows/#ixzz2tDyxfQk2 U.S. defense contractor to build world's largest wave energy project in Australia. Lockheed Martin, the defense contractor with a penchant for ocean-based renewable energy projects, will work with an Australian firm to develop what is believed to be the largest wave energy project constructed to date. The planned 62.5-megawatt peak power energy project will be built in three stages off the southeast Australian coast near Portland, an area known to have some of the world's strongest wave regimes…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059994521/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS India’s Air Pollution Emergency. Last month, the Yale Environmental Performance Index ranked India 174th out of 178 countries on air pollution. According to India’s Central Pollution Control Board, in 2010, particulate matter in the air of 180 Indian cities was six times higher than World Health Organization standards. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/opinion/indias-air-pollution-emergency.html?_r=0 No quick fixes for drought. If California can't come up with a quick response to its epic drought, then Washington wants to try. Two rival and partisan plans have the potential to reshape agriculture, wildlife and the political landscape for years to come. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/editorials/article/No-quick-fixes-for-drought-5229719.php BLOGS Neel Kashkari blames Jerry Brown for drought. Republican Neel Kashkari blamed Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday for California's ongoing drought, saying a "lack of leadership in Sacramento" has left the state unprepared for dry years. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/02/neel-kashkari-blames-jerry-brown-on-drought.html Ecotricity offering 1,000 free EV miles to new customers. Ecotricity is offering electric vehicle drivers in the United Kingdom an lengthy incentive for using green energy: 1,000 miles of free fast charging per year. Called "Green Electricity + Car," the program will power customers' homes with renewable power allow them to charge their cars through Ecotricity's national network of fast chargers, which the company has named the Electric Highway. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/13/ecotricity-offering-1-000-free-ev-miles-to-new-customers/ U.S. wants poor and rich countries alike to cut emissions under next climate treaty. If the U.S. gets its way, developing countries will need to roll up their sleeves and do more to slow down global warming. The Obama administration is taking the position that poor and rich countries alike should be legally obligated to reduce the amount of climate-changing pollution that they produce after 2020, when a new climate treaty is expected to take effect. Posted. http://grist.org/news/u-s-wants-poor-and-rich-countries-alike-to-cut-emissions-under-next-climate-treaty/ Honda Film: Controlling Air Pollution A 'Never-Ending Race'. The fight to improve air quality may not sound like fodder for a typical Hollywood blockbuster, but Honda has done its best to make the topic exciting. The latest short film in the company's Environmental Short Film series--this one titled "Never Ending Race"--depicts Honda's efforts to respond to the far stricter Federal and state environmental legislation in the 1970s that resulted from efforts to improve the heavy air pollution in Los Angeles and elsewhere. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090317_honda-film-controlling-air-pollution-a-never-ending-race California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 12:13:53 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for February 14, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 14, 2014. 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 CARB seeking dismissal to portion of lawsuit challenging its emissions regulations. The California Air Resources Board has asked a federal court to dismiss portions of a lawsuit brought against its Truck and Bus Rule by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. The state’s attorney general, Kamala Harris, filed the motion to dismiss Jan. 27, asking that one of the three counts in OOIDA’s lawsuit be dismissed, due to immunity CARB employees have in their roles. Posted. http://www.ccjdigital.com/carb-seeking-dismissal-of-part-of-lawsuit-challenging-its-emissions-regulations/ CLIMATE CHANGE Obama appointees gather at Los Angeles City Hall for climate change discussion. California’s historic drought, extreme snowstorms in the Midwest and growing concern about climate change were the focus of an environmental summit on Thursday at Los Angeles City Hall. Members of President Barack Obama’s Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience attended an all-day, closed-door meeting on how cities and states can adopt to changing weather. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140213/NEWS/140219698 DIESEL EMISSIONS Study finds diesel derived by pyrolysis of plastic grocery bags suitable for blending with petroleum diesel. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) grocery bags can be successfully pyrolyzed to alternative diesel fuel, according to a new study by a team from the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service ARS. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/02/20140214-hdpe.html DROUGHT Obama turns attention to California drought. Opening a weekend trip to California, President Barack Obama on Friday will offer millions in federal aid for the drought-stricken state, then hold an unusual West Coast meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II, a key U.S. partner in the Middle East. After wrapping up his official business, Obama will spend the weekend at Southern California's sprawling Sunnylands estate, where there's little on the agenda besides a few rounds of golf. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related stories: http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20140214-drought-obama-to-announce-180-million-in-relief-funds.ece http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/02/14/drought-stricken-california-other-states-prepare-for-landmark-year-in-fires/ http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Obama-turns-attention-to-California-drought-5234337.php GREEN ENERGY A Huge Solar Plant Opens, Facing Doubts About Its Future. The Ivanpah solar power plant stretches over more than five square miles of the Mojave Desert. Almost 350,000 mirrors the size of garage doors tilt toward the sun with an ability to energize 140,000 homes. The plant, which took almost four years and thousands of workers assembling millions of parts to complete, officially opened on Thursday, the first electric generator of its kind. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/business/energy-environment/a-big-solar-plant-opens-facing-doubts-about-its-future.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=2 High-profile solar plant dedicated with fanfare. Amid the glow of 173,000 mirrors capturing the sun’s power, more than 100 government officials and energy executives Thursday celebrated the opening of the Ivanpah solar plant in northeast San Bernardino County and declared their intention to build more of them to combat global warming. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140213-mojave-desert-high-profile-solar-plant-dedicated-with-fanfare.ece VEHICLES Alternative Fuels, Cars Get Boost in San Diego. Alternative fuel vehicles and their devotees are getting a boost in San Diego, under a state grant awarded to the locally based California Center for Sustainable Energy. The California Energy Commission is funding the new program for developing resources for alternative fuel and advanced vehicles in Southern California. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/14/tp-alternative-fuels-cars-get-boost-in-san-diego/ OPINION Contra Costa Times editorial: Same old story, new HSR plan doesn't add up. Officials with California's high-speed rail boondoggle recently released a revised business plan. Anyone hoping that the new plan might offer some sort of flirtation with reality were sorely disappointed. In fact, the wildly unrealistic cost estimates to build and operate the system of so-called bullet trains from San Francisco to Los Angeles actually became just a touch more unrealistic. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/editorial/ci_25136974/contra-costa-times-editorial-same-olf-story-new BLOGS Obama to stress climate change in Fresno. White House science adviser John Holdren, a Stanford-trained physicist who taught at UC Berkeley and has studied the effects of environmental change for much of his career, says President Obama will address climate change in his visit to Fresno on Friday. “You can certainly expect that the president will talk about the connection between the increasing frequency and intensity of droughts and climate change,” Holdren said Thursday in a conference call with reporters. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/02/14/obama-to-stress-climate-change-in-fresno/ Solar is keeping California’s lights on as hydro dries up. We told you recently that wind turbines kept the heaters working in Texas during a cold snap that shut down several natural-gas power plants. And now we have similar superhero news from that other great renewable energy source — the sun. The San Jose Mercury News reports that solar energy is helping to meet California’s power needs amid a drought that has caused hydroelectric supplies to shrivel. Posted. http://grist.org/news/solar-is-keeping-californias-lights-on-as-hydro-dries-up/ America’s natural gas system is super-leaky, and that’s bad news for the climate. Like a free-riding bus passenger whose expired ticket gets overlooked by the driver, the natural gas industry has been getting a free pass from the EPA for its global warming impacts for well over a decade. A new mega-analysis of 20 years worth of research suggests that the EPA is underestimating the fossil fuel’s climate impacts by 25 to 75 percent. Posted. http://grist.org/news/americas-natural-gas-system-is-super-leaky-and-thats-bad-news-for-the-climate/ CO2-neutral* Audi A3 G-Tron goes on sale in Germany. The Audi A3 Sportback G-Tron has been on our natural gas-powered radar since it was unveiled at last year's Geneva Motor Show. Just before the big show starts up again this year, Audi put the new G-Tron vehicle on sale in Germany today, starting at 25,900 euros ($35,400 US). Anyone who opts for the Audi e-gas fuel card will be able to cruise the Autobahn knowing that their emissions will be CO2-neutral. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/13/co2-neutral-audi-a3-g-tron-goes-on-sale-in-germany/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2014 12:29:40 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for February 17 - 18, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 17 - 18, 2014. 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 Qingdao city next in line to set up emissions market in China. Qingdao has become the latest Chinese city to plan a market to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as a group of advisers backed by its mayor is hammering out rules for an emissions trading scheme that could start next year. Qingdao, a city of 3 million people in northeastern Shandong province with a GDP equal to that of Bangladesh, is a major energy consumer as the local economy relies on heavy industry and petrochemicals. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/18/china-carbon-idUSL3N0LN2GI20140218 Iran plans carbon emissions trading market, official says. Iran plans to set up a carbon trading market to reduce industrial emissions of climate-warming gas, an official from Iran's Fuel Conservation Organization (IFCO) told oil ministry news service Shana. Iran has some of the world's largest gas reserves and is major crude oil exporter. But rapidly rising domestic demand has created a gas supply and vehicle pollution crisis in some cities. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/16/iran-carbon-market-idUSL6N0LL0AP20140216 AIR POLLUTION Beijing Air Pollution Eases After Hazardous Smog Levels. Air pollution in Beijing eased after firework displays traditionally marking the end of the Lunar New Year festival added to hazardous levels of atmospheric contamination. Micrograms-per-cubic-meter concentration of PM2.5, fine particulates that pose the greatest risk to human health, fell to 74 near Tiananmen Square in central Beijing at 9 a.m., according to data on the website of the city’s air-monitoring center. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-16/beijing-air-pollution-eases-after-two-days-at-hazardous-levels.html Air pollution exposure may increase risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Air pollution exposure has long been suspected to increase the risk of both heart and lung diseases, but another important organ may also be at risk of injury from this contaminated air: the brain. Researchers at the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) annual meeting in Chicago recently detailed the impact that constant exposure to air pollution may have on the developing brain. Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/02/18/air-pollution-exposure-may-increase-risk-neurodevelopmental-disorders/ Toxins in S.J. decline over past decade. Toxic emissions reported to the Environmental Protection Agency remain near historic lows in San Joaquin County, according to data released this month. The level of emissions reported in 2012 - the most recent year data are available - was less than 100,000 pounds for the second year in a row, although emissions increased slightly from 2011. For perspective, 10 years earlier, 659,963 pounds were released into the environment. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140218/A_NEWS/402180318/0/SEARCH BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY 5 Things To Know about Colo.'s air pollution plan. New air quality rules for Colorado's booming oil and gas industry go under review Wednesday when health officials start taking public testimony on a set of upgrades meant to reduce air pollution from drilling. Parts of Colorado haven't meet federal ozone standards for four years. The state's Air Quality Control Commission last year proposed tougher air quality checks for energy producers including the nation's first statewide rule on methane emissions. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/15/5-things-to-know-about-colos-air-pollution-plan/#ixzz2thJErolW 24-hour fireplace use ban in Inland Empire due to smog. For the 13th time this season, fireplace use has been prohibited in the Inland Empire because of anticipated bad smog. The ban takes effect at midnight tonight, and will last 24 hours, said Sam Atwood at the South Coast AQMD. Tiny particles are expected to exceed health standards, he said. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140217/24-hour-fireplace-use-ban-in-inland-empire-due-to-smog Paramount residents not alone in pollution fight. Soon after starting work at Lincoln Elementary in Paramount nearly five years ago, second-grade teacher Lisa Lappin became alarmed by the number of teachers and students sick from cancer and other illnesses. Pungent, metallic odors sometimes blanketed the school, so Lappin started asking questions. She complained to county and environmental regulators, circulated petitions and sought help from environmental groups. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-paramount-forge-20140216,0,578319.story#ixzz2thUp3BI6 ‘No burn’ alert issued for Southern California areas. Starting at midnight tonight—Tuesday—and lasting 24 hours, the South Coast Air Quality Management District will prohibit residents of LA County, Orange County and the Inland Empire from burning wood or manufactured fire logs in a fireplace. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/02/17/42275/no-burn-alert-issued-for-southern-california-areas/ CLIMATE CHANGE US, China promise improved climate cooperation. The United States and China promised Saturday to cooperate more closely in combatting climate change following a visit to Beijing by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. In a joint statement, the two governments said they have agreed on steps to carry out commitments to curb output of greenhouse gases that trap solar heat in the atmosphere. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_KERRY_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Obama orders new fuel standards for trucks. President Barack Obama is ordering a new round of fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by March of 2016. He is highlighting improvements already undertaken by companies such as Safeway to cut back on gasoline costs for their fleet of trucks. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related stories: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-18/obama-sets-timetable-for-new-truck-fuel-efficiency-rules.html http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_25167864/what-can-unite-liberals-and-tea-partyers-nsa?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/19/us/politics/obama-to-request-new-rules-for-cutting-truck-pollution.html?_r=1 Financier Plans Big Ad Campaign on Climate Change. A billionaire retired investor is forging plans to spend as much as $100 million during the 2014 election, seeking to pressure federal and state officials to enact climate change measures through a hard-edge campaign of attack ads against governors and lawmakers. The donor, Tom Steyer, a Democrat who founded one of the world’s most successful hedge funds, burst onto the national political scene during last year’s elections, when he spent $11 million to help elect Terry McAuliffe governor of Virginia and millions more intervening in a Democratic congressional primary in Massachusetts. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/18/us/politics/financier-plans-big-ad-campaign-on-environment.html?_r=0 DROUGHT Obama announces millions in drought aid during Valley visit, but farmers argue money fails to get at depth of state's water problems. Farmers in California's drought-stricken Central Valley said the financial assistance President Barack Obama delivered on his visit Friday does not get to the heart of California's long-term water problems. Amid one of the driest years in the state's recorded history, Obama came to the Fresno area to announce $100 million in livestock-disaster aid, $60 million to support food banks and another $13 million toward things such as conservation and helping rural communities that could soon run out of drinking water. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140215/A_NEWS/402150316/-1/A_NEWS14 President Pledges $1b to ‘Climate Change Resilience Fund’. President Obama’s speech Friday in Fresno revealed a new $1 billion fund will be allocated to California to become more resilient to future droughts. This comes after the state experienced the worst drought season in almost 40 years. The “Climate change resilience fund” will go towards more research, find breakthrough technologies, and to better prepare for Califronia’s severe droughts. Posted. http://fox40.com/2014/02/14/president-pledges-1b-to-climate-change-resilience-fund/#ixzz2th03pGO7 FUELS Gas prices keep on climbing in Southern California. Southland gas prices posted double-digit gains over the past week as refineries worked to convert their stock to California’s more costly summer blend. And one industry analyst figures prices will keep climbing. Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/business/20140215/gas-prices-keep-on-climbing-in-southern-california HIGH-SPEED RAIL Court Agrees To Expedited Review Of High-Speed Rail Case. Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration won at least a partial victory Friday in the legal wrangling over California’s high-speed rail project when a state appellate court said it would hear an expedited review of two lower court rulings. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/14/high-speed-rail-foes-seek-hearing-on-travel-times/ http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_25144329/high-speed-rail-foes-seek-hearing-travel-times GREEN ENERGY Green-energy funds for schools. State schools Superintendent Tom Torlakson has announced that school districts can apply for part of $65 million that is available to those that wish to plan energy-efficiency projects under the California Clean Energy Jobs Act. The $65 million in available marks the second round of funding under the 2012 voter-approved initiative to create clean jobs and reduce school operating costs. The first round of funding totaled $105 million. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140116/A_NEWS/140119893/0/SEARCH BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Elk Grove explores LED future for street lamps. Elk Grove neighborhoods could soon glow under LED light if leaders move ahead with a plan to replace traditional street lamps with the energy-saving technology, joining other cities that are switching to save money and electricity. City public works officials are still penciling out costs, but if Elk Grove council members approve the project by the end of the fiscal year, it could go out to bid by early summer, said Richard Shepard, Elk Grove’s public works director. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/16/3194138/elk-grove-explores-led-future.html#storylink=cpy MISCELLANEOUS Enthusiasts see progress in goal to enhance the city's bike-riding infrastructure. On a bright morning last week, clad in the tan dress and black knee boots she was wearing to work that day, Kristine Williams climbed onto her 4-year-old light-blue Raleigh and pedaled from her central Stockton home to her job two miles away in the heart of downtown. In so doing, Williams was executing one of the rarest of acts for a person who lives and works in Stockton. She was riding to her job on her bicycle, a mode of transportation she chooses over her car despite the shortcomings of Stockton's bike-riding infrastructure. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140217/A_NEWS/402170310/0/SEARCH BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Eric O. Stork, former EPA official who oversaw auto emissions compliance, dies at 87. Eric O. Stork, an Environmental Protection Agency regulator who tangled with the auto industry over automobile air pollution standards, died Feb. 2 at his home in Arlington County. He was 87. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/eric-o-stork-former-epa-official-who-oversaw-auto-emissions-compliance-dies-at-87/2014/02/16/9f87ef92-94cd-11e3-84e1-27626c5ef5fb_story.html OPINION Global-Warming Activism Heats Up. Tom Steyer made a fortune as a hedge fund manager at Farallon Capital, in part from investments related to fossil fuels. But now that he's sitting atop a pile estimated at $1.5 billion, he's been aggressively seeking to prevent others from making a living from such energy sources. Mr. Steyer has funded a media campaign against approval of the Keystone XL pipeline and leads a political organization called NextGen Climate Action. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303491404579390523100612640?mod=wsj_streaming_latest-headlines Tackling climate change protects our SoCal way of life: Guest commentary. We take our ability to live in Southern California for granted. But the truth is, we depend on infrastructure — on nature-taming systems that make our modern, urban way of life possible. It’s a matter of striking an ongoing balance with our environment. And if we want to keep that balance, we need to accelerate our response to climate change. Take the current drought. The governor is asking everyone to cut down on water use. Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/opinion/20140214/tackling-climate-change-protects-our-socal-way-of-life-guest-commentary Seeking the Strategy Behind Kerry’s Climate Speech in Indonesia. I’m hoping that someone can identify some smart strategic angle behind Secretary of State John Kerry’s climate speech in Jakarta on Sunday pressing Indonesia, in essence, to forsake its ample reserves of fossil fuels in its push to develop its economy. I can’t. You might say the aim was to push the tropical country to curb deforestation, but that issue was barely mentioned. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/17/seeking-the-strategy-behind-kerrys-climate-speech-in-indonesia/ Why historic snow doesn't mean climate change is a myth. It’s been snowing in the Eastern United States like nobody’s business. Crazy, wild cold and snowstorms. Predicting the weather might be hard, but predicting that extreme cold weather will produce a lot of hot air from climate deniers is easy. In fact, the number of myths floating around about climate change is pretty extensive, and I thought it might be helpful to address them, one by one, over the course of the year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-snow-climate-change-20140217,0,3649401.story#ixzz2thVd3OvK BLOGS LaMalfa: California bullet train -- "The claims made in attempts to prop it up have reached the level of farce". After a state court ruled what anyone paying attention has known for years, that the California High-Speed Rail Authority's plan violated voter-approved law, it is time for Congress to put a stop to this plan, particularly now that California is prohibited from using state bonds to build the project. Posted. http://blogs.redding.com/mbeauchamp/archives/2014/02/lamalfa-califor.html Obama wants to spend $1 billion on climate adaptation. OK, we get it: The climate deniers in Congress don’t want the country to do anything to rein in greenhouse gas pollution from their favorite filthy industries. But are they willing, at the very least, to help Americans adapt as the weather turns deadly around them? We will soon know the answer to that question. Posted. http://grist.org/news/obama-wants-to-spend-1-billion-on-climate-adaptation/ Latest Honda promo film is a Never Ending Race against emissions. A new Honda promotional video shows clips of a hazy, smog-choked Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s, and then gives the company credit for its lead role in cutting vehicle-emissions by a factor of one thousand since 1970. Self-serving? Sure. Then again, this LA-native reporter born in 1970 can't help but be somewhat appreciative. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/16/honda-promo-film-shows-never-ending-race-against-emissions/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 13:44:03 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 19, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 19, 2014. 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 Microsoft Acquires Carbon Credits From Madagascan Rainforest. Global tech giant, Microsoft Inc. has acquired a block of carbon credits from the Madagascan government to help protect one of the country’s pristine rainforest ecosystems – the Makira National park. This investment makes Microsoft the first buyer of the Makira REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) conservation project which aims to curb deforestation on 320,000 hectares of land, preventing the release of 32.5 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere while teaching local communities about the benefits of sustainable farming. Posted. http://www.ventures-africa.com/2014/02/microsoft-acquires-carbon-credits-from-madagascan-rainforest/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20ventures-africa%2FkCzk%20%28Ventures%20Africa%29 Carbon Bulls at Three-Year High in Options Market on Surplus Fix. Options traders are the most bullish on European Union carbon permits in three years amid optimism the bloc’s nations will sign off on a plan to support prices by withholding the supply of some allowances. Calls that pay should emission prices rise 10 percent from current levels cost 5.8 percentage points more than puts betting on a 10 percent fall, according to three-month data compiled by Bloomberg. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-19/carbon-bulls-at-three-year-high-in-options-market-on-surplus-fix.html AIR POLLUTION Colorado opens 4 days of air pollution hearings. New air pollution rules for Colorado's oil and gas industry go up for public comment Wednesday. The state Air Quality Control Commission is opening at least four days of public testimony on a sweeping proposal to force new air-pollution limits on oil and gas producers. The changes include the nation's first statewide methane-emissions standard for energy producers, as well as new infrared monitors on drilling sites and storage tanks. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/19/3197936/colorado-opens-4-days-of-air-pollution.html BY SUBSCIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Billionaire climate change crusader Tom Steyer doubles down. California billionaire Tom Steyer, recently profiled in The Times as the emerging liberal counterweight to the Koch brothers, is doubling down.The financier is planning to spend at least $100 million on tough attack ads targeted at congressional and gubernatorial candidates in the 2014 election cycle who oppose efforts to curb global warming, according to a report in the New York Times. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-steyer-climate-change-fundraising-20140219,0,1588471.story#ixzz2tnXpBYu9 EPA Emission Rules Face Test at High Court. Seven years after a landmark Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for federal regulation of greenhouse gases, the justices will consider whether the Environmental Protection Agency has stretched its powers too far in applying new emissions rules. The stakes are high for both the EPA and the industries it is targeting to help curb pollution. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304899704579389302045805162?KEYWORDS=air+pollution DROUGHT California drought: Why is there no mandatory water rationing? Fourteen months into a historic drought, with reservoirs running low and the Sierra snowpack 27 percent of normal, a growing number of Californians are wondering: Why isn't everyone being forced to ration? So far, Gov. Jerry Brown and most major water providers, from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, are calling for voluntary cuts -- not mandatory rationing with fines for excessive use. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25153774/california-drought-why-is-there-no-mandatory-water FUELS German Village Resists Plans to Strip It Away for the Coal Underneath. A grove of apple saplings grows on the lee side of Ulrich Schulz’s barn. He did not plant them for the fruit, he said, but as an act of rebellion against a nearby mining company that wants to raze his farm, which his family has owned since 1560, to get at the coal beneath his land. “A nod to Martin Luther,” said Mr. Schulz, 53, gesturing at the two rows of spindly trees. “He said that if he knew the world was coming to an end, he would plant an apple tree.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/19/world/europe/german-village-resists-plans-to-strip-it-away-for-the-coal-underneath.html?ref=earth Upgrading fuel efficiency. President Barack Obama directed his administration to issue the next round of fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by March 2016. Obama said the action would benefit the economy through lower costs for consumers and development of new technology while also enhancing U.S. energy security. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/19/tp-upgrading-fuel-efficiency/ In Britain, fledgling fracking industry runs into opposition. Just a few yards from the messy camper van where he now spends his nights, Hytham Chlouk points through some winter-stricken trees at what he calls "the death star." It's a giant derrick that rises high in a clearing behind a perimeter of fences topped with razor wire. To the company that runs the deep-bore drill inside the structure, it offers a potential gateway to lower natural gas prices in energy-hungry Britain. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-britain-fracking-20140219,0,3767701.story#ixzz2tnXYUmqW GREEN ENERGY China Beats U.S. on Smart-Grid Spending for First Time. China spent more on smart grids than the U.S. for the first time in 2013, with the $4.3 billion it invested accounting for almost a third of the world’s total. Global spending rose almost 5 percent to $14.9 billion, according to data released yesterday by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. North American investment declined as much as 33 percent to $3.6 billion. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-18/china-spends-more-on-energy-efficiency-than-u-s-for-first-time.html Offshore Wind Expansion Scrapped by Concern About Birds. Three utilities scrapped plans to extend the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, saying they had doubts they could satisfy concerns about how the facility would affect the habitat of a bird in the estuary east of London. EON SE (EOAN) said it would take until 2017 to collect the necessary data for British environmental authorities that the project wouldn’t harm the red throated divers. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-19/bird-habitat-concern-forces-utilities-to-scrap-wind-farm.html OPINION Kerry delivers a timely lesson on carbon. Secretary of State John Kerry, during a visit Sunday to Jakarta, Indonesia, addressed the increasingly pressing issue of climate change. He was speaking to Indonesians, but he could have just as easily, given the relevance and importance of his remarks, been speaking to Americans. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/02/19/3778718/kerry-delivers-a-timely-lesson.html#storylink=cpy MISCELLANEOUS Spilled manure cleanup continues near dairy farm. State officials say cleanup work continues at a southwestern Michigan dairy farm where liquid manure leaked from an open-air lagoon and spread into a creek and a river. The Michigan Department of Environmental quality says workers at the Schaendorf farm are pumping manure-laden water from a country drainage ditch that flows into Bear Creek and returning it to the storage structure. Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/18/spilled-manure-cleanup-continues-near-dairy-farm/#ixzz2tnJDN6Pd BLOGS A Look at the ‘Shills,’ ‘Skeptics’ and ‘Hobbyists’ Lumped Together in Climate Denialism. In his contribution to the recent discussion of Secretary of State John Kerry’s speech on global warming, David Victor of the University of California, San Diego, included this line: The whole climate science and policy community is spending too much time thinking about the denialists and imagining that if we could just muzzle or convince these outliers that policy would be different. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/19/a-look-at-the-shills-skeptics-and-hobbyists-lumped-together-in-climate-denialism/ Almost half of US Cadillac dealers say no to ELR plug-in hybrid. If you've got $75,995 (or so) burning a hole in your pocket and a hankering for the new Cadillac ELR, you'd better call your local dealer before you burn up shoe leather and gasoline to head down there. According to a report on Edmunds, only about 56 percent of the brand's 940 dealers have signed up to carry the premium plug-in hybrid. As much as we'd like to see the more affluent among us driving on electricity, we can certainly understand the dealers' apparent lack of enthusiasm. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/18/almost-half-of-us-cadillac-dealers-say-no-to-elr-plug-in-hybrid/ U.S. tries to have it both ways with solar trade policy. Remember how the U.S. trade representative announced last week that he would haul India before the World Trade Organization to try to force the country to accept more solar-panel imports? It’s a reaction to India’s efforts to protect its own solar industry as it massively boosts its renewable energy capacity. Posted. http://grist.org/news/u-s-tries-to-have-it-both-ways-with-solar-trade-policy/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 14:51:09 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for February 20, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 20, 2014. 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 Trading System Tackles Waste. Kevin Hollinger planted radishes and oats last fall in his corn and soybean fields, but he isn't planning to harvest them. Instead, he is letting the crops die over the winter to improve the soil and keep fertilizer and other nutrients from running into nearby waterways. "I could hardly go to town without someone asking: 'What's that in your field?' " said Mr. Hollinger, a fourth-generation farmer. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304899704579391142078606468?KEYWORDS=air+pollution CLIMATE CHANGE California senators float post-2020 climate change bill. Two California state senators released a bill on Wednesday that would give regulators the authority to design a plan to meet the state's long-term greenhouse gas reduction goals and improve air quality in the state's poorest communities. The bill is an effort by Democratic senators Fran Pavley and Ricardo Lara to get the legislature's blessing for an extension of the state's pioneering climate change efforts beyond the end of the decade. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/20/us-california-climate-bill-idUSBREA1J04R20140220 As Obama Vows to Act on Climate Change, Justices Weigh His Approach. President Obama in recent days has been announcing muscular executive actions to address climate change, making good on his promise to act on pressing problems “with or without Congress.” On Monday, the Supreme Court will consider the limits of that approach, in a case on greenhouse gas emissions. The justices are poised to decide whether the Obama administration went too far in trying to regulate emissions from stationary sources like power plants. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/us/politics/in-emissions-case-supreme-court-to-consider-the-limits-of-obamas-authority.html?_r=0 High court could put brake on greenhouse gas rules. The Supreme Court weighs in Monday on one of the most intractable issues of our time: global warming. To hear environmentalists tell it, the health and welfare of Americans will be jeopardized unless the government can continue to combat climate change by regulating greenhouse gas emissions from all sources. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/19/supreme-court-greenhouse-gas/5578749/ Scientists urge California to boost target for cutting emissions. A group of California scientists Wednesday urged state lawmakers to adopt a steeper target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions after 2020. "California's leadership is needed now more than ever to address the risks of a dangerously warming climate," the Union of Concerned Scientists said in a letter signed by more than 100 scientists, researchers and economists and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown and state legislators. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-greenhouse-gases-20140220,0,19556.story#axzz2tsgLa2sB DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB Working with Feds on New Truck Standards. The California Air Resources Board is applauding the announcement by NHTSA and EPA that they will start a rulemaking for Phase 2 fuel economy standards for heavy-duty trucks. "We look forward to teaming with the federal agencies and strongly support this effort. Posted. http://eponline.com/articles/2014/02/20/carb-working-with-feds-on-new-truck-standards.aspx DROUGHT Governor plans $687 million for California drought. Gov. Jerry Brown and the top Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday announced a $687 million plan to provide immediate help to drought-stricken communities throughout California, including $15 million for those with dangerously low drinking water supplies. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/02/19/3780495/california-leaders-propose-687.html http://www.pe.com/local-news/politics/politics-headlines-index/20140220-drought-aid-on-fast-track-gov.-jerry-brown-says.ece GREEN ENERGY MOJAVE DESERT: Government approves two more big solar projects. The area around Primm, Nevada, is about to become even more of a hotspot for solar energy. The Obama administration has endorsed two big projects near the existing Ivanpah solar plant that went online in January. One of the new developments would be in San Bernardino County; the other would be east of Interstate 15 in Nevada, near a smaller plant in operation since 2012. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140219-mojave-desert-government-approves-two-more-big-solar-projects.ece Another solar plant wins approval in San Bernardino County. The U.S. Department of Interior has approved two more utility scale solar powerplant projects near here; one of those in San Bernardino County. Both facilities are within a few miles of the 392 megawatt Ivanpah Solar Thermal Powerplant, the largest operating solar plant in California, which drew U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to speak at the remote northern San Bernardino County site during dedication last week. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140219/another-solar-plant-wins-approval-in-san-bernardino-county Offshore Wind Industry Slowed by Birds, Bombs, Sharks. Birds, sharks and unexploded bombs from World War II are being blamed for holding up offshore wind farms, raising doubts about the costs of the technology. Three utilities yesterday scrapped an expansion of the world’s biggest offshore wind farm in the Thames estuary, east of London. That capped three months when each of the six largest U.K. utilities retreated from marine energy projects. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-20/offshore-wind-industry-thwarted-by-birds-bombs-sharks.html MISCELLANEOUS Air district workers must reapply. Dozens of employees at the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District must reapply for their jobs after audits criticized the agency. “We are trying to get the right people in the right jobs,” executive director Keith H. Talley Sr. said Wednesday. Posted. http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20140219/NEWS01/302190094/Air-district-workers-must-reapply-for-their-jobs?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1 BLOGS U.S. tries to have it both ways with solar trade policy. Remember how the U.S. trade representative announced last week that he would haul India before the World Trade Organization to try to force the country to accept more solar-panel imports? It’s a reaction to India’s efforts to protect its own solar industry as it massively boosts its renewable energy capacity. Posted. http://grist.org/news/u-s-tries-to-have-it-both-ways-with-solar-trade-policy/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 11:15:54 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for February 21, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 21, 2014. 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 California senate leader: Carbon tax would return revenue to poor, transit. A carbon tax proposal outlined on Thursday by California Senate leader Darrell Steinberg would raise an estimated $3.6 billion in its first year, revenue he said would go into the pocketbooks of the state's poorest residents as well as public transportation. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-california-carbon-tax-idUSBREA1K06220140221 Steinberg: Replace Cap-and-Trade With Carbon Tax for Vehicle Fuels. California’s cap-and-trade system currently affects only industrial plants – but next year, it’s set to expand to vehicle fuels too. Now, Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) says he wants to exempt those fuels from cap-and-trade – and implement a carbon tax instead. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/02/20/steinberg-replace-cap-and-trade-with-carbon-tax-for-vehicle-fuels/ State Senate leader proposes 'carbon tax' on motor vehicle fuels. Californians, who already pay some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation, could soon be asked to pay more. Pump prices are likely to climb more than 12 cents per gallon starting Jan. 1, both the oil industry and environmental experts agree. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-carbon-tax-proposal-20140221,0,4320889.story#axzz2tsgLa2sB Steinberg proposes fuel tax that chips away at cap-and-trade. Senate leader Darrell Steinberg proposed a carbon tax on gasoline and other fuel sources Thursday that would direct the proceeds to tax credits for lower income Californians and the rest to transit projects to get more cars off the road. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/02/21/steinberg-proposes-fuel-tax-that-chips.html?ana=e_sac_rdup&s=newsletter&ed=2014-02-21 Capitol Alert: California chamber appeals ruling on cap-and-trade fees. The California Chamber of Commerce is appealing a local judge's ruling that California's "cap-and-trade" fees on business to curb greenhouse gas emissions are legal. The business organization maintains that when the Air Resources Board adopted the fee program, which is expected to raise billions of dollars, it violated a constitutional provision, passed in 1978 as part of Proposition 13, that requires two-thirds legislative vote on new taxes. BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/02/20/3781582/capitol-alert-california-chamber.html AIR POLLUTION Beijing issues rare air pollution alert. When the air gets really bad, Beijing says it has an emergency plan to yank half the city’s cars off the road. The only problem is: It may be difficult to ever set that plan in motion. It wasn’t triggered in January, when the city recorded extremely poisonous air pollution. And not this week, when pollution was expected to continue for several days at hazardous levels. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_AIR_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/beijing-issues-rare-air-pollution-alert/2014/02/21/87e3a0f2-9ad1-11e3-9900-dd917233cf9c_story.html http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_25197530/beijing-issues-rare-air-pollution-alert?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/21/beijing-issues-rare-air-pollution-alert/ GREEN ENERGY Opposition Mounts to Solar Project On Mojave Preserve Boundary. If discussion at a recent gathering of activists is any indication, a nearly 4,200-acre solar project for a valley adjoining National Park land in California's Mojave desert will encounter near-unanimous opposition from green groups. The Soda Mountain Solar project, described earlier here at ReWire, would place 358 megawatts' worth of solar panels on 2,557 acres on either side of Interstate 15 between Baker and Barstow. Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/photovoltaic-pv/opposition-mounts-to-solar-project-on-mojave-preserve-boundary.html MISCELLANEOUS Ohana Pet Hospital Receives CoolCalifornia Small Business Climate Leader Award from the Air Resources Board. On Wednesday, February 12th at a ceremony in Sacramento, the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resources Board recognized Ohana Pet Hospital as one of ten CoolCalifornia Small Business Climate Leaders. Ohana staff was present to receive this prestigious award. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/21/ohana-pet-hospital-receives-coolcalifornia-small-b/ OPINION CalChamber Pursues Litigation of Illegal Cap and Trade Auction. California businesses and consumers are paying hundreds of millions in illegal taxes levied by the Air Resources Board that were never authorized by the Legislature. That is the case being made by the California Chamber of Commerce* in an appeal filed yesterday in litigation to overturn the cap-and-trade revenue-raising auction. Posted. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/02/calchamber-pursues-litigation-illegal-cap-trade-auction/ BLOGS A closer look at the safety of hydrogen in cars. It's an old question: how safe is hydrogen? With seemingly every singe fire connected to an electric vehicle making national headlines, it's no surprise that understanding the dangers of H2 in a transportation environment is an area of interest. A new report by ProPublica shows that there's more to hydrogen safety than one might initially suspect. 37 more, in fact. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/20/a-closer-look-at-the-safety-of-hydrogen-in-cars/ Doctors push for curbs on traffic pollution. A group of doctors is urging the Obama administration to push through rules that would reduce traffic pollution in an effort to prevent lung disease, asthma attacks and other cardiovascular problems. In a letter to the White House, the American Lung Association asked the Obama administration to adopt the stronger gasoline and vehicle emissions standards that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been considering for nearly a year. Posted. http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energy-environment/198837-doctors-push-for-curbs-on-traffic-pollution California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 14:48:01 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 24, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 24, 2014. 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 Supreme Court seems divided in climate case. The Supreme Court appeared divided on Monday over the sole Obama administration program already in place to limit power plant and factory emissions of gases blamed for global warming. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPREME_COURT_GREENHOUSE_GASES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Industry Challenges EPA's Greenhouse Gas Rules In High Court. The Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday about the Environmental Protection Agency's first-ever greenhouse gas regulations for the biggest polluting facilities. The case focuses on a 3-year-old that companies get permits anytime they construct new plants or modify existing ones that will emit a lot of greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.npr.org/2014/02/24/280944702/industry-challenges-epas-greenhouse-gas-rules-in-high-court EPA's greenhouse-gas rule heats up at Supreme Court. The Supreme Court's hottest environmental case of the year pits Texas against California on Monday, and that's just for starters. More than half of the nation's states have taken sides in a dispute over federal authority to regulate stationary greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/EPA-s-greenhouse-gas-rule-heats-up-at-Supreme-5259484.php Justices question Obama climate change regulations. The Supreme Court appeared closely divided on Monday over whether the administration of President Barack Obama exceeded its authority in trying to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Justice Anthony Kennedy would seem to hold the swing vote on the nine-member high court, with conservative justices skeptical of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's approach and liberal justices generally supportive. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/24/us-usa-court-climate-idUSBREA1N06Q20140224 High court climate case looks at EPA's power. Industry groups and Republican-led states are heading an attack at the Supreme Court against the Obama administration's sole means of trying to limit power-plant and factory emissions of gases blamed for global warming. As President Barack Obama pledges to act on environmental and other matters when Congress doesn't, or won't, opponents of regulating carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases cast the rule as a power grab of historic proportions. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/23/high-court-climate-case-looks-at-epas-power/ AIR POLLUTION China Strengthens Monitoring as Beijing’s Air Pollution Persists. Beijing’s air pollution reached eight times World Health Organization-recommended levels as smog in the city persisted for a fourth day, prompting China’s environmental protection regulator to send inspection teams to the capital and surrounding areas. The concentration of PM2.5, fine particulates that pose the greatest risk to human health, was 198 micrograms per cubic meter near the Tiananmen Square in China’s capital at 11 a.m, the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center said on its website. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-22/beijing-air-pollution-reaches-11-times-who-recommended-levels.html China dispatches pollution inspectors amid bad air. China's environment ministry said Sunday that it had sent inspectors to Beijing and other areas of the country to inspect polluting industries and check construction sites amid a spell of severe air pollution. Twelve teams will inspect factories, including those producing steel, coal, glass and cement, in Beijing, nearby Tianjin city and neighboring Hebei province, as well as their surrounding areas, the ministry said. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/23/china-dispatches-pollution-inspectors-amid-bad/#ixzz2uGE36HMB Truck rules spark debate. Jurupa Valley leaders on Thursday night, Feb. 20, got a taste of what lies ahead as they continue efforts to get a handle on the flood of trucks that rumble into the city every day. City Council members gave preliminary approval to an ordinance establishing truck routes in Jurupa Valley, but only after assuring residents that more study is needed before actual routes are finalized. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/riverside/riverside-headlines-index/20140221-jurupa-valley-truck-rules-spark-debate.ece Federal wood burning rule prompts rural backlash. A federal proposal to clean up the smoke wafting from wood-burning stoves has sparked a backlash from some rural residents, lawmakers and manufacturers who fear it could close the damper on one of the oldest ways of warming homes on cold winter days. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WOOD_STOVE_REGULATIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT CLIMATE CHANGE Obama to Propose Shift in Wildfire Funding. President Obama’s annual budget request to Congress will propose a significant change in how the government pays to fight wildfires, administration officials said, a move that they say reflects the ways in which climate change is increasing the risk for and cost of those fires. The wildfire funding shift is one in a series of recent White House actions related to climate change as Mr. Obama tries to highlight the issue and build political support for his administration’s more muscular policies, like curbing carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/us/obama-to-propose-shift-in-wildfire-funding.html?hpw&rref=us&_r=0 DROUGHT California Farmers Told Not to Expect U.S. Water. Without a lot more rain and snow, many farmers caught in California’s drought can expect to receive no irrigation water this year from a vast federally controlled system of rivers, canals and reservoirs interlacing the state, federal officials say. The federal Bureau of Reclamation released its first outlook of the year on Friday, saying the agency would continue to monitor rain and snowfall, but current levels confirmed that the state was in one of its driest periods in recorded history. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/us/california-farmers-told-not-to-expect-us-water.html?ref=earth Severe drought? California has been here before. The skinny rings of ancient giant sequoias and foxtail pines hold a lesson that Californians are learning once again this winter: It can get very dry, sometimes for a single parched year, sometimes for withering decades. Drought has settled over the state like a dusty blanket, leaving much of the landscape a dreary brown. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-drought-weakness-20140223,0,6503044.story#ixzz2uGgap1yJ DIESEL EMISSIONS Shore power station unveiled Monday. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for Monday for a four-million-dollar shore power station at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. The equipment will allow ships to plug in to get power so they won't have to run their air-polluting diesel engines while docked. Posted. http://www.10news.com/news/shore-power-station-unveiled-monday FUELS Climate policy veers toward the gas pump. California’s faith-based experiment in combating climate change is heading straight for the wallets of gasoline consumers in 2015. That’s when a “cap-and-trade” market system designed to limit greenhouse-gas emissions is scheduled to expand from big industrial companies into the state’s vast gasoline market. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/22/climate-policy-veers-toward-gas-pump/ GREEN ENERGY SOLAR POWER: Toll on birds needs scrutiny, state says. As three major solar plants in Southern California begin to provide homes with carbon-free electricity, state energy officials face escalating concerns about the toll on birds. "A wide variety of birds, from hummingbirds to pelicans, have been injured or killed at renewable energy projects in the desert. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140221-solar-power-toll-on-birds-needs-scrutiny-state-says.ece REGION: Water agencies turning to small hydropower. A Fontana utility that once had to tamp down water pressure in its pipeline system is now harnessing the force to produce electricity and run its treatment plant. Excess power is sold to Southern California Edison. The operation at Fontana Water Co.’s Sandhill plant in Rialto is a renewable technology with a smaller footprint and lower cost than solar and wind operations, officials said Friday, Feb. 21. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20140221-region-water-agencies-turning-to-small-hydropower.ece The Truth Behind the Solar Tariff Debate. The potential U.S.-China trade war over solar panels picked up steam again last week when Slate's article titled "The World's Dumbest Trade War" got play from outlets like Marketwatch and others across the Internet. It's easy to say that slapping additional tariffs on imported Chinese solar panels would be terrible for the U.S., making it more costly to install solar, raising costs for the likes of SolarCity , while helping manufacturers like SunPower and First Solar. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-Truth-Behind-the-Solar-Tariff-Debate-5262653.php Environmentalists say solar projects will endanger desert tortoises. Federal officials announced the approval of two solar energy plants on public lands in California and Nevada, angering environmentalists who say the facilities will endanger desert tortoises. The plants were expected to supply 550 megawatts of renewable energy, enough to power about 170,000 homes, Secretary of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said in a release Wednesday. More than 700 jobs will be created through construction and operations, she said. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/viewart/20140223/BUSINESS/302230014/Solar-projects-endanger-desert-tortoises VEHICLES CA Bill Aims to Accelerate Number Of Electric Vehicles. One million electric vehicles in 10 years is the goal of a new bill introduced in Sacramento. The "Charge Ahead California" bill is geared toward improving air quality, especially in low-income communities most impacted by pollution. Posted. http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2014-02-24/climate-change-air-quality/ca-bill-aims-to-accelerate-number-of-electric-vehicles/a37735-1 Update on Honda/GM fuel cell partnership; “It’s about cost reduction”. In July 2013, General Motors and Honda announced a long-term, definitive master agreement to co-develop next-generation fuel cell system and hydrogen storage technologies, aiming for the 2020 time frame. At the SAE 2014 Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Technologies Symposium, Mark Mathias, Director, Fuel Cell R&D for GM, provided an update on the collaboration, as well as a brief dive into the technical drivers behind the ongoing automotive efforts on fuel cell propulsion related to the scaling properties of batteries and fuel cells. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/02/20140221-mathias.html MISCELLANEOUS Volunteers plant 80 redwoods at Chabot Elementary to fight pollution. Armed with pickaxes, shovels and rakes, three dozen volunteers showed up early this past Saturday morning at Chabot Elementary School to plant 80 redwood trees along the school's perimeter, where it abuts Highway 24. The tree planting is part of the Lorax Project, which aims to protect schoolchildren from pollution from freeway traffic by planting a protective screen of trees. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_25184359 OPINION Let the E.P.A. Do Its Job. On Monday, for the third time in seven years, the Supreme Court will consider the scope of the federal government’s power to regulate the emission of greenhouse gases, which are a major contributor to global climate change. In two earlier cases, the court held that under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency could regulate such emissions, from both motor vehicles and stationary sources like power plants. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/24/opinion/let-the-epa-do-its-job.html?_r=0 Cap-and-trade or a carbon tax: Which pain at the pump do you prefer? State Sen. Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) is in his last year as a legislator, so it's now or never for the carbon tax bill he outlined Thursday. Yet the proposal may have arrived one year too early. Steinberg, the Senate president pro tem, wants to change the state's approach to reducing carbon emissions from fuel. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-steinberg-carbon-tax-cap-and-trade-20140221,0,7828382.story#ixzz2uGgxeQwM Can car-happy L.A. learn to share the road? September brought sweet victory to the growing community of California cycling advocates: Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that will prohibit the driver of any motor vehicle from passing a bike rider on the road unless there is 36 inches of space between them. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-roadshare-20140224,0,1719000.story#ixzz2uGhBSKg1 Why are we still debating climate change? There is no debate. Climate change is real. And, yes, we are, in part, to blame. There is a 97% consensus among scientific experts that humans are causing global warming. Ninety-seven percent! Yet some very vocal Americans continue to debate what is surely fact. Posted. http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/24/opinion/costello-debate-climate-change/ Joel Kotkin: Energy running out of California. The recent decision by Occidental Petroleum to move its headquarters to Houston from Los Angeles, where it was founded over a half-century ago, confirms the futility and delusion embodied in California's ultragreen energy policies. By embracing solar and wind as preferred sources of generating power, the state promotes an ever-widening gap between its declining middle- and working-class populations and a smaller, self-satisfied group of environmental campaigners and their corporate backers. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/california-602741-energy-state.html BLOGS Elio high-mpg trike hits 10,000 reservations. Our math says that there must be 71 people a day signing up for the Elio Motors super-fuel-efficient three-wheeled vehicle. Michigan-based Elio says it's surpassed the 10,000-reservation threshold for its car, which is slated to start production next year. About 6,300 had signed up as of the end of last year. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/22/elio-high-mpg-trike-hits-10-000-reservations/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2014 12:36:50 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for February 25, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 25, 2014. 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 $330M spent at California carbon-permit auction. State officials say California's latest carbon-permit auction has raised nearly $330 million. The Sacramento Bee reports industrial firms and others bought emissions allowances that can be used this year and in 2017. At the auction on Monday, the 2014 allowances sold for $11.34 per ton, while the 2017 permits went for $11.38. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/25/330m-spent-at-california-carbon-permit-auction/ LAO Examines Gov. Brown's Plan To Spend Cap-and-Trade Money. A new report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office looks at how California Governor Jerry Brown wants to spend money raised from the state’s greenhouse gas reduction program known as cap-and-trade. The report found “significant uncertainty” that Brown’s plan would reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the degree he claims. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/02/24/lao-examines-govbrowns-plan-to-spend-cap-and-trade-money/ Calif. watchdog says Gov. Brown's proposal for spending cap-and-trade dollars is flawed. Doubts exists about whether Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) proposal for spending $850 million in revenue from the state's carbon emissions trading program will shrink greenhouse gases in the most efficient way, California's legislative watchdog warned yesterday. The Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) in an analysis said that key questions remain unanswered as California decides for the first time how to spend money from its fledgling cap-and-trade program. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995054/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY 6th carbon auction nets $130M for state coffers. California's latest auction of greenhouse gas credits sold out again, evidencing strong demand for allowances to cover companies' CO2 emissions through at least 2017. The auction, held on Feb. 19, fetched $11.48 per ton for credits covering the current year's emissions, 14 cents above the pre-set floor price of $11.34 per ton. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995055/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Nearly half of RGGI carbon proceeds have gone into efficiency – report. Investments in energy efficiency programs account for the lion's share of what's become of carbon auction revenue from the Northeast's Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, according to an internal report on the regional cap-and-trade market released yesterday. RGGI staffers estimated that of the $984 million in CO2 allowance auction proceeds collected by nine states from 2009 to 2012…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995030/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Colorado governor to tout air pollution rules. Colorado's governor is taking a victory lap to celebrate adoption of new air-quality controls on the oil and gas industry. The rules mark a major compromise between environmentalists and large energy producers. Gov. John Hickenlooper plans to tout the compromise Tuesday afternoon. The rules include the nation's first statewide limits on methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/25/colorado-governor-to-tout-air-pollution-rules/#ixzz2uM1lRL7s CLIMATE CHANGE For the Supreme Court, a Case Poses a Puzzle on the E.P.A.’s Authority. In trying to decide whether the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority under two programs to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources like power plants, the Supreme Court on Monday faced what Justice Elena Kagan called “the conundrum here.” One part of the Clean Air Act, she said, seemed to require that such emissions be regulated. But another part set the emission thresholds so low that even schools and small businesses would be covered. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/us/justices-weigh-conundrum-on-epa-authority.html Swarm of volcanic eruptions may have slowed global warming. An unusual swarm of volcanic eruptions over the past 14 years may be partially responsible for the slowing of global warming, a new report suggests. The 17 eruptions from 1998-2012 pumped sulfur dioxide into Earth’s upper atmosphere, where it formed liquid particles that reflected more sunlight back to space, moderating the larger scale warming of the planet surface…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-volcanoes-climate-20140224,0,877383.story#ixzz2uMDtYVnM US Supreme Court Considers Environment, Presidential Power. An environmental case now before the U.S. Supreme Court could have constitutional implications for the powers of the presidency. The nine-member Supreme Court appeared divided Monday during oral arguments in a case related to the power of the federal government to limit greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming. Posted. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-supreme-court-considers-environment-presidential-power/1858384.html U.S. measures slight uptick in super greenhouse gas emissions. The replacement of ozone-depleting substances has led to a 6 percent rise in the carbon-equivalent rate of hydrofluorocarbons, gases with thousands of times the global warming capacity of carbon dioxide, according to U.S. EPA's draft inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and sinks from 1990 to 2012. Over the last three decades, the agency has made an effort to substitute out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995042/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Longer growing seasons may not expand trees' ability to store carbon. Chronic water stress could reduce the carbon capture and storage capacity of deciduous forests in the United States by as much as 17 percent over coming decades, according to Indiana University biologists who are studying the relationship between climate change and forest health. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995035/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY No sign of NEPA climate standards 4 years after CEQ guidance. Standards to guide federal agencies in using the National Environmental Policy Act to address greenhouse gas emissions and climate resiliency have been on the to-do list of President Obama's Council on Environmental Quality for several years. CEQ proposed a draft guidance four years ago, but after a public comment period the draft all but vanished, and the White House office isn't offering clues about where it went -- or whether it might re-emerge. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059995082/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Two storms bearing down on L.A.; up to 4 inches of rain possible -- The storms could produce the most significant rain that the region has seen in nearly two years. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-rain-storms-bearing-down-la-20140224,0,90794.story?track=rss#axzz2uJJJEBnR Bay Area water agency may start Sacramento River diversions -- For the first time ever, a Bay Area water agency plans to use its water rights on the Sacramento River this year to help its customers survive the ongoing drought. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/25/6185991/bay-area-water-agency-may-start.html Santa Clara Valley Water District considers seeking 20 percent reduction -- Declaring that California's historic drought is worsening, leaders of Silicon Valley's largest drinking water provider on Tuesday will consider asking the public for a 20 percent reduction in water use, double what the agency first requested last month. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25220057/california-drought-santa-clara-valley-water-district-asks?source=rss Mandatory 50% water cutbacks ordered by Russian River district -- Ukiah Valley residents, businesses and farmers will be required to cut their dependence on Lake Mendocino water by half beginning next month. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140224/articles/140229732 HIGH-SPEED RAIL Clovis firm wins $1.6 million high-speed rail subcontract. A Clovis firm has landed a $1.6 million contract to work on designs for relocating utilities on the first high-speed rail construction section in the Madera-Fresno area. Blair Church & Flynn Consulting Engineers will be a subcontractor to the prime contractor, Tutor Perini/Zachry/Parsons, on the 29-mile stretch of the proposed bullet-train line. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/02/24/3789269/clovis-firm-wins-16m-high-speed.html Biden gives a public nod to California's high-speed rail project. Vice President Joe Biden gave a hat tip to Gov. Jerry Brown's high-speed rail efforts on Monday night. Biden appeared as a guest on Seth Meyers' debut episode as the new host of "Late Night." When Meyers turned the conversation to trains, Biden, an admitted "train guy," said he thought people around the country, and not just on the Eastern Seaboard, were beginning to understand how efficient travel by rail could be. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/02/25/42444/biden-gives-a-public-nod-to-california-s-high-spee/ FUELS Japan Pushes to Revive Moribund Nuclear Energy Sector. The government of Shinzo Abe made its biggest push yet to revive its nuclear energy program on Tuesday, announcing details of a national plan that designates atomic power as an important long-term electricity source. The new Basic Energy Plan, which states Japan will push to restart reactors closed in the wake of the Fukushima disaster and suggests it might build new ones…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/world/asia/japan-pushes-to-revive-moribund-nuclear-energy-sector.html?_r=0 Los Angeles City Council to consider moratorium on fracking. A Los Angeles City Council committee today will consider imposing a moratorium on fracking and other methods used to force oil and natural gas out from deep underground. The Planning and Land Use Management Committee will take up a proposal to ban hydraulic fracturing, which entails injecting a water and chemical mixture into rock formations at high pressures, creating cracks to release natural gas or oil. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140225/los-angeles-city-council-to-consider-moratorium-on-fracking Cows' methane emissions trump gas operations in latest EPA greenhouse gas inventory. The cattle industry topped the natural gas sector as the primary methane-emitting sources in the U.S. in 2012, even as greenhouse gas emissions from the nation overall decreased by 3.3 percent. The reductions were in part due to power plants using natural gas, which is a cleaner fuel than coal, as their fuel source. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059995037/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES EU parliament backs tougher car emissions limits. Members of the European Parliament voted through the world's toughest carbon dioxide standards for new cars on Tuesday, prompting a cautious welcome from environmental campaigners. The new rules set a limit of 95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer (g/km) as an average across all new cars sold in the EU, compared with an existing limit of 130 g/km. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/25/us-eu-cars-idUSBREA1O0WC20140225 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Electric Cars Alone Won’t Drive a Drop in U.S. Emissions: Study. Electric cars can help limit reliance on imported oil and take a bite out of air pollution from urban traffic jams. But as sure-fire ammunition against climate change, a new study finds, they come up short. The study attempted to take a big-picture view, analyzing the ripple effects of electric vehicles on the U.S. energy system, including possible changes in emissions of key air pollutants like heat-trapping carbon dioxide. Posted. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/02/140225-electric-cars-alone-wont-cut-us-emissions-study-says Pricey Hydrogen Cars to Challenge Electric. Under pressure from regulators, several auto makers are preparing to roll out emissions-free cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells instead of gasoline engines. Three car makers have disclosed plans to lease a small number of new vehicles in California and in a few countries in Europe by the end of next year. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303743604579353251333111522 GREEN ENERGY Wind Project on Tribal Land Dies Quietly. It's official: a wind power project that would have generated up to 250 megawatts of power with as many as 85 turbines in the San Diego County backcountry is off the table. The Shu'luuk Wind Project, proposed by the firm Invenergy for up to 4,000 acres of the Campo Indian Reservation, suffered a mortal blow last June when the tribe's General Council voted 44-34 to oppose the project. Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/wind/wind-project-on-tribal-land-dies-quietly.html California Approaches 4 Gigawatts of Utility-Scale Solar Output. As the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System seems to slowly come online, California is setting new peaks for solar power generation. A record of just over 3,600 megawatts in peak solar power output reached on Friday seems to have already fallen. On Friday, the state's utility-scale solar facilities contributed 24,183 megawatt-hours of power to the state's grid…Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/california-approaches-4-gigawatts-of-utility-scale-solar-output.html New power lines will make Texas the world's 5th-largest wind power producer. The next big Texas energy boom does not involve tight gas formations in the Barnett Shale, or deepwater oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico. While fossil resources continue to draw high interest from energy developers and investors in the Lone Star State, Texas' hottest energy prospect is wind power in West Texas and the Panhandle. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995041/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Insecticides linger in homes, study finds. The insecticides found in roach sprays, flea bombs, ant traps and pet shampoos persist indoors for years after use and collect in the bodies of both adults and children, for whom they may pose health risks, a new UC Davis study has concluded. Levels of the insecticides – called pyrethroids – were found in a majority of the 173 children and adults tested from 2007-09 in Northern California. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/25/6186580/insecticides-linger-in-homes-study.html#storylink=cpy Pesticide regulators tighten cap on cancer-causing fumigant. California pesticide regulators have placed a new limit on a fumigant used by Santa Cruz County farmers to purge fields of pests and disease before planting. The use of 1,3-Dichloropropene, commonly known as 1,3-D or by the brand name Telone, has increased in berry production in recent years as the fumigant methyl bromide is phased out under an international treaty. Posted. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_25220133/pesticide-regulators-tighten-cap-cancer-causing-fumigant?source=rss An Environmental Film Festival and High-Tech Music. This annual festival dwells on risks and threats to humans and other animals. Erratic weather “goes very quickly from being a local economic problem” to “a global security problem,” we hear in “Extreme Realities,” narrated by Matt Damon, which looks at the consequences of climate change. Some films assess the risks of chemicals in batteries, furniture and household products. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/science/an-environmental-film-festival-and-high-tech-music.html?_r=0 OPINIONS Emissions: A Cool Assessment of a Hot-Button Issue. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry attracted some attention last week by describing climate change as “perhaps the world’s most fearsome weapon of mass destruction.” Another part of his remarks, though, was just as revealing. After saying we should not listen to those who deny that human activity is warming the globe, he said: “Nor should we allow any room for those who think that the costs associated with doing the right thing outweigh the benefits. Posted. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-02-24/emissions-a-cool-assessment-of-a-hot-button-issue Profit From Global Warming or Get Left Behind. Last month, I wrote about global warming in the context of investment opportunities. As part of that discussion, I mentioned McKenzie Funk’s new book, ``Windfall: The Booming Business of Global Warming.'' I thought framing the financial opportunities of this might bypass the usual agnotology and political foolishness. To quote: ``This debate is no longer about whether global warming is real (it is) or whether humans are the most likely cause (you are), but rather…Posted. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-02-24/profit-from-global-warming-or-get-left-behind At the Supreme Court, a royal mess for ‘King Barack’ It has the makings of a royal mess for “King Barack.” Monday morning’s Supreme Court argument about the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases went badly for the Obama administration — so much so that the real question before the justices seemed to be how severe the EPA’s loss would be. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-at-the-supreme-court-a-royal-mess-for-king-barack/2014/02/24/4de3ac46-9dae-11e3-9ba6-800d1192d08b_story.html Tougher efficiency standards for trucks makes sense. SOME OF President Obama’s unilateral actions may raise legitimate concerns, even for those who believe this Congress is noxiously unproductive. But his demand that cars and trucks use less fuel raises no such question. The president’s plan rests on a ­rock-solid legal foundation. It’s also the right thing to do while lawmakers dither on climate change. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/tougher-efficiency-standards-for-trucks-makes-sense/2014/02/24/e91adb50-99ba-11e3-b88d-f36c07223d88_story.html The EPA’s strong case for regulating greenhouse gas emissions. AFTER CONGRESS failed to pass a comprehensive climate change bill in 2010, the Obama administration shifted its approach to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Instead of waiting for a fresh environmental law tailored to slashing carbon dioxide, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would do as much as it could with the power the Clean Air Act gave it decades ago. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-epas-strong-case-for-regulating-greenhouse-gas-emissions/2014/02/23/0d7fa530-9b45-11e3-9080-5d1d87a6d793_story.html BLOGS Latest cap-and-trade auction brings in nearly $300M. The latest cap-and-trade auction of carbon credits in California brought in nearly $300 million, according to the Sacramento Bee. It was the sixth auction since the California Air Resources Board began overseeing auctions in late 2012, according to the Bee. About $1.54 billion has been spent on the credits used to offset greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/blog/morning-roundup/2014/02/carbon-credit-emissions-auction-calif.html Carbon Auction Results Show Stability Amidst Eventful Time for Cap and Trade. It’s early in 2014, but it’s already been a busy year for cap and trade in California. On the upside, several major developments have set off a series of conversations around the state’s landmark program, including Governor Brown’s plans for how to invest cap-and-trade auction proceeds to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. Similarly, the California Air Resources Board just released an update to the state’s AB 32 Scoping Plan…Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/californiadream/2014/02/24/carbon-auction-results-show-stability-amidst-eventful-time-for-cap-and-trade/#sthash.iz9dPkoa.dpuf Pollution Bad, but Hard to Tell How Bad, Experts Say. Leaders of the World Health Organization say they are concerned about the air quality and health effects on citizens amid a recent bout of heavy pollution in Beijing. Still, they said they were unsure of the specific toll air pollution takes on any one person’s body, casting doubts on local reports tying the region’s dirty air to particular cases of illness. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/02/25/pollution-bad-but-hard-to-tell-how-bad-experts-say/ Psychology can wipe out 20-25% of your EV's range. There are two primary takeaways from a recent study of electric-vehicle driving habits in Germany. One: an electric vehicle with 25 percent of its battery charge left creates the same reaction in drivers as the fuel needle on "E" in a gas-powered car. Two: familiarity breeds comfort. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/25/psychology-can-wipe-out-20-25-of-your-evs-range/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:49:58 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 26, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 26, 2014. 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 State Senator's Proposal Moves from Cap & Trade to Fee & Rebate. On February 20, 2014, California Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D - Sacramento) proposed removing transportation fuels from the state's Cap & Trade program under AB32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. Steinberg said the State should instead add a 15 cent per gallon gasoline tax that would increase over time, return two-thirds of the revenues to low and middle-income families through an Earned Income Tax Credit, and spend the rest on mass transit and similar projects. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-sandler/state-senators-proposal-m_b_4851163.html South Africa Delays Carbon Tax, Plans Levies on Acid Mine Water. South Africa’s government delayed the implementation of a planned carbon tax to 2016, while saying it may impose new levies on mining companies to help fund the treatment of acid water seeping from disused gold mines. The National Treasury two years ago said it planned to charge 120 rand ($11) on every metric ton of carbon emitted above a 60 percent threshold from 2014 and raise the rate by 10 percent a year for the following six years. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-26/south-africa-delays-carbon-tax-plans-levies-on-acid-mine-water.html AIR POLLUTION Majority of complaints about Sriracha factory came from 4 households. More than two-thirds of the complaints reported to the air quality control board about odors believed to be from the Sriracha hot sauce factory came from four households. Data provided to this newspaper by the South Coast Air Quality Management District shows that since October four addresses generated 41 of the 61 complaints about Huy Fong Foods on North Azusa Canyon Road. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/business/20140225/majority-of-complaints-about-sriracha-factory-came-from-4-households Hayward power plant pollution probed. A hotly debated power plant may be violating its pollution limits and needs to fix the problem as soon as possible, air quality regulators say. Russell City Energy Center's cooling tower is putting out almost 10 times the allowed amount of water droplets that could contain particulate matter, its operator's own tests show, according to a complaint filed by the staff of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_25225502/hayward-power-plant-shut-down-sought China vows 'harsh punishment' for toxic smog culprits. China's environment ministry has vowed to 'harshly punish' factories and power plants that contributed to a hazardous smog which enveloped much of Northern China, official state media reported on Wednesday. Investigations had found that some thermal power plants, cement and steel makers in the northern province of Hebei had failed to halt or curtail production during severely smoggy days despite government orders, state news agency Xinhua quoted the Ministry of Environmental Protection as saying. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/26/us-china-smog-idUSBREA1P1GL20140226 CLIMATE CHANGE Study Links Temperature to a Peruvian Glacier’s Growth and Retreat. Sitting on a flat volcanic plain 18,000 feet above sea level, the great Quelccaya ice cap of Peru is the largest piece of ice in the tropics. In recent decades, as scientists have watched it melt at an accelerating pace, it has also become a powerful symbol of global warming. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/science/study-links-melting-peruvian-ice-cap-to-higher-temperatures.html?ref=earth New index confirms it: This winter is miserable. A new winter misery index confirms what many Americans in the Midwest and East know in their all-too-chilled bones: This has been one of the harshest winters of our lifetimes. And nowhere has been hit harder, relatively, than Detroit. Sure Chicago, Indianapolis and Philadelphia and Moline, Ill., are in the midst of their third most extreme winters in more than 60 years. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/25/new-index-confirms-it-this-winter-is-miserable/#ixzz2uRmUggbz Climate conference explores water and power. The link between water and energy is a key facet of climate change, government and business experts said at the Climate Leadership Conference in San Diego Tuesday. The conference, held Monday through Wednesday, convened officials from business, government, universities and nonprofits to discuss energy and climate. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/25/environment-water-power-climate-conference/ Volcanoes May Be Slowing Down Climate Change. Small volcanic eruptions might be part of the reason why the pace of global warming hasn’t kept up with previous predictions, a new study published in Nature Nature Geoscience suggests. Eruptions of at least 17 volcanoes since 2000, including Kasatochi in Alaska and Merapi in Indonesia, seem to have had a cooling influence on the temperature of the Earth’s surface and lower atmosphere. Posted. http://science.time.com/2014/02/25/volcanoes-slow-climate-change/ Heat extremes increase despite global warming hiatus – scientists. Hot weather extremes have increased around the world in the past 15 years despite a slowdown in the overall pace of global warming, a study showed on Wednesday. Heat extremes are among the damaging impacts of climate change as they can raise death rates, especially among the elderly, damage food crops and strain everything from water to energy supplies. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/26/climate-heat-idUSL6N0LV2HK20140226 DROUGHT California: NASA Aids Drought War. NASA scientists have begun deploying satellites and other technology to help California water officials assess the state’s record drought and better manage it, officials said Tuesday. The space agency’s resources are being used to better measure the snowpack and groundwater levels and predict storms. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/us/california-nasa-aids-drought-war.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DU.S.%26region%3DTopBar%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2FCalifornia%3A+NASA+Aids+Drought+War California analyst suggests drought solutions. Saying Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal "includes little to address the effects of the current drought," a new report by the Legislature's nonpartisan fiscal analyst suggests anti-drought and conservation steps that lawmakers could take. Friday's review of the resources portion of Brown's January spending plan came two days after Brown and legislative unveiled a $687.4 million package of drought relief measures, some of which seem to mirror parts of what the LAO suggests. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/02/california-analyst-suggests-drought-solutions.html#storylink=cpy EBMUD pursues second emergency water source in drought year. The East Bay Municipal Utility District is lining up a second emergency water supply in the drought. The water board agreed Tuesday to exercise an option to buy up to 20,000 acre feet of water from the Placer County Water Agency. The East Bay district would spend up to $8 million if it takes the full amount: $1.5 million to buy the water and another $6.5 million in pumping costs to pipe in the water from near Sacramento. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25227635/ebmud-pursues-second-emergency-water-source-drought-year?source=rss FUELS Oil and natural gas fall on weather forecasts. Oil and natural gas fell Tuesday as weather forecasts backed off previous predictions of unusually cold temperatures in March and April. Benchmark U.S. crude for April delivery dropped 99 cents to close at $101.83 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas futures fell 35 cents, or 6.4 percent, to $5.10 per 1,000 cubic feet. Natural gas plunged 11 percent Monday. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/25/oil-and-natural-gas-fall-on-weather-forecasts/#ixzz2uRqKDYuv GREEN ENERGY Solar Industry Jump-Starts a Revival in California. Back in 2009, when Danny Kennedy was looking for office space for the fast-growing solar services company he had co-founded, his venture capital investors recommended setting up shop in one of the “Twitterville kinds of areas” south of Market Street in San Francisco. There, social media and peer-to-peer pioneers like Foursquare, Yelp, Airbnb and, indeed, Twitter had created a technology zone where innovative ideas could fly free and cross-pollinate among young workers meeting casually over food and drink. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/realestate/commercial/solar-services-company-jump-starts-revival-in-california.html?hpw&rref=business&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry641%23%2Fgreen%2Benergy%2F24hours%2F Some solar rebates ending in San Diego. Solar rebates are coming to an end in San Diego for solar home energy systems and some solar hot water heating systems for single-family residences, the administrator of the programs confirmed Tuesday. An array of other solar rebates remain available. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/26/solar-rebates-waning/ VEHICLES Tesla ranked as top pick. The Tesla Model S electric sedan is Consumer Reports’ top pick in this year’s automotive rankings, beating the Audi A6, Toyota Prius and BMW 328i and becoming the first U.S. car to receive a “best overall” pick. The independent product-testing magazine cited the Model S’s sporty performance and technological innovations, including its 225-mile range. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/26/tp-tesla-ranked-as-top-pick/ Tesla Model S wins 'best overall' car by Consumer Reports. The story of Tesla is a bit like that of "The Little Engine That Could." It's a smaller company, which makes a product different than the rest, that's been working to stay afloat in a world of giant car companies. Well, it appears Tesla has just made it over the mountain. The company's all-electric Model S sedan was selected by Consumer Reports as 2014's "best overall" car. Posted. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57619539-76/tesla-model-s-wins-best-overall-car-by-consumer-reports/ Va. governor signs repeal of hybrid vehicle tax. Gov. Terry McAuliffe has added his signature to legislation to repeal the state's $64 annual fee on hybrid vehicles. McAuliffe signed the legislation Wednesday during a one-hour appearance on WTOP radio in Washington. He said the repeal is effective July 1 and will affect the 75,000 hybrid vehicles in Virginia. The tax was part of a massive transportation funding bill passed last year. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/26/3210857/va-governor-signs-repeal-of-hybrid.html#storylink=cpy http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-governor-signs-repeal-of-hybrid-vehicle-tax/2014/02/26/8b831756-9f04-11e3-878c-65222df220eb_story.html Beijing Auto-License Lottery Sees Few Electric-Car Takers. Beijing’s aspiring car owners would rather brave the long odds of winning a license plate in the lottery than opt for an electric vehicle. While the city received more than 90 bids for each available permit for conventional gasoline autos in the latest draw held today, only 1,428 people applied for the 1,666 new-energy vehicle plates offered, according to a statement on the municipal government’s website. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-26/beijing-license-plate-lottery-sees-few-takers-for-electric-cars.html MISCELLANEOUS California Endangered Species: Plastic Bags. On a recent drizzly day, Esha Moya found herself standing outside a grocery store in South Los Angeles, her half-dozen paper bags falling apart in the rain, wishing she had a few small items that had been free and plentiful her entire life but are now banned in this city: plastic shopping bags. “I hate this,” said Ms. Moya, a telemarketer and a mother of two. She has begun stockpiling plastic bags at home because paper bags “are always breaking,” she said. “It’s stupid, and it makes it really hard for us.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/us/plastic-bags-come-under-siege-in-california.html?partner=rss&emc=rss OPINION Dana Milbank: Justices skeptical of carbon rules. It has the makings of a royal mess for “King Barack.” Monday morning’s Supreme Court argument about the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases went badly for the Obama administration – so much so that the real question before the justices seemed to be how severe the EPA’s loss would be. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/26/6189202/dana-milbank-justices-skeptical.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Look Before You Pump warnings popping up at ethanol stations. Some of the largest retailers in the US are trying to inject either a little good sense or paranoia into part of their customer base. Lowe's, Walmart and True Value are putting out written warnings about the dangers of filling up non-light-duty-vehicle engines with fuel that contains a higher ethanol blend. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/25/ethanol-warnings-popping-up-in-us/ Honda pulling plug on slow-selling Insight hybrid. It's been a rough ride for the Honda Insight, and now its journey appears to be at an end – word is that the five-door hybrid hatchback is going out of production. The Insight nameplate was first introduced as a two-seat, three-door gas-electric hatchback just before the turn of the millennium, beating the Toyota Prius to market as America's first hybrid by over half a year. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/02/26/honda-insight-hybrid-dead/ L.A. and California lawmakers move to impose fracking moratoriums. Leaders in Los Angeles seem to have been paying attention to Hollywood. A little more than a year after the release of Promised Land, a movie about the dangers of fracking starring Matt Damon, members of L.A. City Council are trying to ban hydraulic fracturing. Posted. http://grist.org/news/l-a-and-california-lawmakers-move-to-impose-fracking-moratoriums/ Carbon dioxide pollution just killed 10 million scallops. Scallops go well with loads of chili and an after-dinner dose of antacid. It’s just too bad we can’t share our post-gluttony medicine with the oceans that produce our mollusk feasts. A scallops producer on Vancouver Island in British Columbia just lost three years’ worth of product to high acidity levels. Posted. http://grist.org/news/carbon-dioxide-pollution-just-killed-10-million-scallops/ Beijing Pollution: How Bad Does It Have to Get for a Red Alert? Beijing authorities have maintained an orange alert—the second-highest warning—for six days amid a stretch of bad air pollution. That has a number of residents wondering: Just how bad does it have to get before the local government raises its warnings into the red? A red alert is issued only when authorities forecast an air-quality index of above 300 for at least three consecutive days. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/02/26/beijing-pollution-how-bad-does-it-have-to-get-for-a-red-alert/?KEYWORDS=air+pollution California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2014 11:51:54 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for February 27, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 27, 2014. 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 Los Angeles suburb holds off on Sriracha decision. The waft of a popular hot sauce will remain in a Southern California city for now as council members on Wednesday night delayed a decision on whether its spicy emissions are a public nuisance. The Irwindale City Council unanimously voted at a public meeting to wait until its April meeting before considering further action on the Sriracha plant. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_25239589 Tokyo Air Pollution Climbs, Approaches Government Alert Levels. Central Tokyo air pollution readings neared levels that could require government alerts after thick smog blanketed parts of China for much of this week. The pollution is originating from both mainland China and Japan, Kansuke Sasaki, an air pollution analyst at the Japan Weather Association said in a telephone interview today. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-27/tokyo-air-pollution-climbs-approaches-government-alert-levels.html Monitoring air pollution, one home at a time. A Wilmington environmental group has begun a neighborhood watch program that will act as an early-warning system to detect air pollution emitted from local oil refineries and freight corridors into the ports. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/environmental-603485-system-safe.html AQMD still working on Sentinel peaker plant monitor. Four months after pledging to install a new monitor to track polluting emissions from a natural gas power plant in North Palm Springs, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has yet to deliver — and agency officials said it could be a couple months before the station is online. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/article/20140226/BUSINESS0302/302260027/south-coast-air-quality-management-district-sentinel-peaker-plant-monitor CLIMATE CHANGE Green Lobby Urges EU to Make All Airlines Pay for Carbon. Foreign airlines that failed to comply with emission curbs in the European Union’s cap-and-trade program must be forced to pay for their pollution, according to the Transport & Environment lobby group. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-26/green-lobby-urges-eu-to-make-all-airlines-pay-for-carbon.html DROUGHT Storms bring relief, new worries to California. Southern California got an overnight soaking Thursday as residents prepared for a second, more powerful storm that could bring heavier rain and prompted fears of mudslides in communities along fire-scarred foothills. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_STORMS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT DROUGHT: Don’t expect carpets of wildflowers this year. The start of this year’s wildflower season can be summed up in one word: sparse. Jim Bremner, who has tracked wildflowers across California for 15 years as publisher of DesertUSA.com, said the lack of rain has turned this into a terrible year. He doesn’t remember a season this dismal. “There are flowers here and there. You can find them, but it’s like a treasure hunt,” he said. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20140226-drought-dont-expect-carpets-of-wildflowers-this-year.ece Committees approve $687 million in drought relief. A $687 million drought relief plan is headed for floor votes in the Legislature after winning quick approval Wednesday in legislative committees. Assembly and Senate budget committees passed the bills, a week after the package was announced by Gov. Jerry Brown and the Democratic legislative leaders. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/26/committees-approve-687-million-in-drought-relief/#ixzz2uXmvKIlU Drought-plagued Bay Area reaps much-needed rain with more coming Friday. The drought-plagued Bay Area received a desperately needed drenching Wednesday, with another storm on the way Friday, packing more powerful wind gusts and threatening power outages. "Nothing out of the ordinary," said National Weather Service forecaster Steve Anderson, for what's typical this time of year. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_25236325 FUELS Senators: Keystone pipeline needs review for health impacts. Saying the health impact of the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline hasn’t been properly explored, two Democratic senators on Wednesday called on the Obama administration and Secretary of State John Kerry to conduct a comprehensive study on the human health impacts of tar sands and the proposed pipeline. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/26/6191886/senators-keystone-pipeline-needs.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES Tesla Plans $5 Billion Battery Factory for Mass-Market Electric Car. Tesla Motors said on Wednesday that it planned to invest about $2 billion in a large-scale factory to produce cheaper batteries for a mass-market electric car within three years. The company, which makes all-electric luxury sedans, indicated that it would build the factory in the American Southwest, without specifying where. Nor would it name its partners, who it said would invest up to another $3 billion in the factory through 2020. Posted http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/automobiles/tesla-plans-5-billion-battery-factory-for-mass-market-electric-car.html California Legislators Introduce Host of 'Livable Streets' Bills. The deadline to introduce new bills to the California legislature was Friday, so a slew of new legislation is currently being assigned to committees for hearing. Some of them are so-called “spot” bills, as in “hold a spot in line for me, bub,” containing a bare minimum of information, with the plan being to shape them in legislative discussion. Posted. http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=32490 Fremont residents leading Alameda County's electric vehicle parade. The East Bay city most closely tied to Silicon Valley has the most electric vehicles in Alameda County, sending a positive charge through city leaders who say their commitment to high-tech businesses has followed residents onto the road. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25234573/fremont-residents-leading-alameda-countys-electric-vehicle-parade MISCELLANEOUS Weekly recognized as environmental leader by California Air Resources Board. The Monterey County Weekly has been recognized as an environmental leader by the California Air Resources Board, a distinction that comes a year after the newspaper company became the first tri-county business to obtain the U.S. Green Building Council’s top certification in green design. Posted. http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/archives/2014/0227/weekly-recognized-as-environmental-leader-by-california-air-resources-board/article_849f2824-9f33-11e3-a132-001a4bcf6878.html How city dwellers can stay healthy using public transportation. The late-night shops, the diverse population, the variety of restaurants, culture and clubs – what's not to love about living in a city? Well, how about the air pollution, germ-ridden public transport and stress? Posted. http://www.dailydemocrat.com/business/ci_25240519/how-city-dwellers-can-stay-healthy-using-public Global Green party kicks off Oscar week. Global Green USA kicked off Oscar week with a worthy celebration dedicated to rebuilding communities subject to environmental degradation. Actress Malin Akerman applauded the organization's "conscience" party for being the perfect way to jump-start the final days leading up to the Academy Awards. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OSCARS_GLOBAL_GREEN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/26/global-green-party-kicks-off-oscar-week/ OPINION Viewpoints: Carbon tax proposal shines light on climate change policies. State Sen. Darrell Steinberg’s proposed carbon tax will undoubtedly spark a spirited debate about how much Californians are willing to pay to address global warming. From our point of view, it’s the right conversation to have. SUBSCRIPTION ONLY. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/27/6192372/viewpoints-carbon-tax-proposal.html Obama’s Pipeline. When I was elected to Congress in 2002, George W. Bush was president and big business wrote environmental policy. We all remember Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy task force — a who’s who of mining and oil interests — and the administration’s constant questioning of climate science. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/opinion/obamas-pipeline.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DSectionFront%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3Dscience%26t%3Dqry197%23%2Fobamas+pipeline Congress must not scrap EPA's wise carbon-reducing mileage mandate. The idea that Congress should scrap the EPA's vehicle mileage standards to promote consumer choice in the marketplace is not just wrongheaded, it poses a false dichotomy. There is no incompatibility between having high mileage standards and giving buyers plenty of choice.Consumers today choose from a wide range of vehicles, from large trucks and SUVs to family sedans to smaller hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fully electric cars. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/27/3212459/congress-must-not-scrap-epas-wise.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Global Warming Basics from the U.S. and British Science Academies. The National Academy of Sciences and its British counterpart, the Royal Society, have published “Climate Change: Evidence and Causes,” a fresh primer on greenhouse-driven global warming that is a useful update on past reports from both organizations. You can find helpful summaries of the findings on the National Academy of Sciences website. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/global-warming-basics-from-the-u-s-and-british-science-academies/?_php=true&_type=blogs&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry235%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Honda, GM fuel-cell partnership wants to reduce hydrogen refueling costs. To paraphrase the old political adage, it's the cost, stupid. Dollar signs are what's prompting Honda and General Motors to partner up to accelerate development of a hydrogen fuel cell system. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/26/honda-gm-fuel-cell-partnership-reduce-hydrogen-refueling-costs/ CA Carpool-Lane Stickers For Plug-In Hybrids Run Out By May--Or Sooner. One of the major incentives for buying a plug-in electric car in California is the coveted sticker allowing single-occupant travel in the carpool lanes on the state's crowded freeways. Now, the supply of stickers for plug-in hybrids that can travel on battery power alone but also have an engine as backup is close to running out. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090580_ca-carpool-lane-stickers-for-plug-in-hybrids-run-out-by-may--or-sooner California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2014 11:19:21 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for February 28, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for February 28, 2014. 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 Activists urge L.A. City Council to ban fracking and acidizing. In the morning while walking to her car, Michelle Kennedy sometimes detects a smell like cat urine. The asthma her 6-year-old suffers seems to have worsened. Kennedy blames the oil and gas wells pumping in and near her South Los Angeles neighborhood. She was especially troubled to hear that acid was being injected in some shafts roughly a mile from her home. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-fracking-ban-20140228,0,7982528.story#axzz2uak7hzpn Report:Rural area older cars make most pollution. California may be cutting edge in improving air quality and putting more electric cars on the road, but one San Francisco group says that many state residents -- and their vehicles -- have been left out. The "No Californian Left Behind" report set forth by the Next Generation "think tank" concludes low-income residents in rural areas, including Solano County, still drive older, high-polluting cars and can't afford electric vehicles. Posted. http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_25246036/report-rural-area-older-cars-make-most-pollution Record number of winter no-burn days. Wood burning was banned a record 45 times in San Joaquin County this winter, another consequence of our dismally dry winter. On average, burning was illegal roughly one out of every three days this season. That's never happened before. BY SUBSCRIPTION. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140228/A_NEWS/402280320/0/SEARCH CLIMATE CHANGE EU summit to focus on industry rather than climate-draft. A European Union summit in March billed as a step in the bloc's efforts to combat climate change will focus on strengthening Europe's industrial base, a draft document seen by Reuters shows. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/28/eu-climate-industry-idUSL6N0LX3QS20140228 Isle Royale wolves at risk from climate change, isolation. On an icy island wilderness near the tip of Minnesota, a female gray wolf's demise has added to the debate about whether authorities should try to save the wolves of Isle Royale National Park. Once, wolves could regularly move on and off the island along ice bridges to find fresh mates. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-isle-royale-wolves-climate-change-20140228,0,3350160.story#axzz2udtXcxnt HIGH-SPEED RAIL Polluter fees could be annual source of bullet train money. California’s bullet train project would receive additional funding every year from the state greenhouse gas reduction program under proposed legislation from Gov. Jerry Brown. The measure would annually direct one-third of cap-and-trade revenue to the massive construction effort starting in 2015. The money is generated by polluters who pay for the right to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-jerry-brown-bullet-train-20140227,0,424270.story?track=rss#axzz2uZCXixRt Caltrain releases draft report on rail electrification project. A draft report Caltrain expects to release today acknowledges that its long-planned rail electrification project will require installation of 30-foot-high poles with overhead wires and possible removal of more than 2,000 trees. But the benefits of a modernized train system will outweigh any negatives, said Jayme Ackemann, a spokeswoman for the San Mateo County Transit District, which oversees and manages Caltrain. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_25244905/caltrain-releases-draft-report-rail-electrification-project GREEN ENERGY For Storing Electricity, Utilities Push New Technologies. From backyard tinkerers to big corporations, inventors have been struggling to find a way to store solar, wind and other renewable energy so it can furnish electricity when the sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow. Now California is offering businesses a big incentive for success—contracts that the utility industry estimates could total as much as $3 billion for successful, large-scale electricity-storage systems. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304851104579363140309318288?KEYWORDS=air+pollution&mg=reno64-wsj VEHICLES Researchers at Berkeley and Argonne labs discover highly active new class of nanocatalysts for fuel cells; more efficient, lower cost. A team led by researchers at Berkeley and Argonne National Labs have discovered a new class of bimetallic nanocatalysts for fuel cells and water-alkali electrolyzers that are an order of magnitude higher in activity than the target set by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for 2017. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/02/20140228-pt3ni.html BLOGS Global Warming Basics from the U.S. and British Science Academies. The National Academy of Sciences and its British counterpart, the Royal Society, have published “Climate Change: Evidence and Causes,” a fresh primer on greenhouse-driven global warming that is a useful update on past reports from both organizations. You can find helpful summaries of the findings on the National Academy of Sciences website. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/global-warming-basics-from-the-u-s-and-british-science-academies/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Climate%20Change&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&_r=0 Will Natural Gas Fuel America’s Big Trucks? Shell Treads Carefully. ShellRDSA.LN -0.18% is tapping the brakes on plans to push natural gas as a fuel for the trucking industry. The company confirmed it will not build a previously announced plant 20 miles west of Calgary that would turn natural gas into liquid form, known as LNG, for use in heavy duty trucks. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2014/02/27/will-natural-gas-fuel-americas-big-trucks-shell-treads-carefully/?KEYWORDS=fuels Charging millions of EVs at once? It's a math problem. Preparing for the brave new world where the number of plug-in vehicles looking for a charge grows high enough to match to the current electricity supply, one study from China's Sichuan University is suggesting a novel concept. It's called the honor system, and it might one day be needed to prevent the plug-in vehicle version of a brown-out. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/02/27/charging-millions-of-evs-at-once-its-a-math-problem/ America’s first carbon-trading program can boast some impressive numbers. How do you turn $1 billion into $2 billion, all the while helping to slow down global warming? By capping carbon dioxide pollution and charging for emissions permits, then plowing the revenues into clean energy and energy-efficiency programs. Posted. http://grist.org/news/americas-first-carbon-trading-program-can-boast-some-impressive-numbers/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2014 12:31:42 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 3, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 3, 2014. 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 China May Build Biggest Smog Lab to Control Pollution, News Says. The Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed spending 500 million yuan ($81 million) to build the world’s biggest smog-research facility in Beijing to address air pollution, the Beijing News said. The center will allow researchers to simulate smoggy conditions and study what causes pollution to stay over the city, the Beijing News reported yesterday, citing He Hong, the researcher in charge of the project. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-03/china-may-build-biggest-smog-lab-to-control-pollution-news-says.html E.P.A. Set to Reveal Tough New Sulfur Emissions Rule. The Environmental Protection Agency plans to unveil a major new regulation on Monday that forces oil refiners to strip out sulfur, a smog-forming pollutant linked to respiratory disease, from American gasoline blends, according to people familiar with the agency’s plans. When burned in gasoline, sulfur blocks pollution-control equipment in vehicle engines, which increases tailpipe emissions linked to lung disease, asthma, emphysema…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/us/epa-set-to-reveal-tough-new-sulfur-emissions-rule.html?_r=0 http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/03/03/feds-tighten-fuel-and-car-emissions-standards?s_cid=rss:feds-tighten-fuel-and-car-emissions-standards http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/03/epa-will-reportedly-announce-new-sulfur-emissions-rule/ http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059995437/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Looking ahead after sooty season for Valley air. A nasty, smoky fireplace season ended last week with double the number of wood-burning prohibitions compared to the previous winter. The nearly 400 bans in the San Joaquin Valley's eight counties might be the face of future winters. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/03/3801161/looking-ahead-after-a-sooty-valley.html Dry winter brought about more wood-burning curtailments for county residents. The number of burn prohibitions in Stanislaus County almost doubled this past season as the abnormally dry winter kept air pollution levels high. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District reported a dramatic increase in wood-burning curtailments this season as part of the annual Check Before You Burn program, which closed its eleventh year Friday. Posted. http://www.turlockjournal.com/section/12/article/24468/ DROUGHT California farmers hire dowsers to find water. With California in the grips of drought, farmers throughout the state are using a mysterious and some say foolhardy tool for locating underground water: dowsers, or water witches. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/california-farmers-hire-dowsers-to-find-water/2014/03/02/950347f4-a262-11e3-84d4-e59b1709222c_story.html Use less water than your neighbors? You get a smiley face. Drought or no drought, utilities across California are campaigning to get homeowners to reduce outdoor water use, which often constitutes at least half of a household’s water consumption. One of the largest urban retail water agencies in the state is pursuing a new strategy in that effort: “Behavioral water efficiency.” Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-behavioral-water-efficiency-20140303,0,2306355.story El Niño may return late this year, experts say. Scientists say their observations and computer models show signs of El Niño's return, which could mean more rain for California. Or not. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-adv-el-nino-20140303,0,5817547.story Farms threatened, basic water principles violated. Drought-stressed farmers on the west side of California’s Central Valley have received a lot of congressional and presidential attention lately. Because we farm and ranch on the west side of the Valley, this attention means a lot to us, but not in the way one might think. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/02/6195613/farms-threatened-basic-water-principles.html Drought threatens wildlife, ecosystems. California’s persistent drought threatens to take a heavy toll on the environment as well as the economy. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/02/drought-threatens-wildlife-ecosystems/ Precious water starts heading down canals. Today, irrigation canals will start flowing toward Oakdale, Escalon and Ripon. In the weeks to come, the Modesto, Turlock and Merced areas will follow. In most years, the canals are strong with water that gets the crops through the heat of summer, much like blood carrying oxygen to a marathon runner’s muscles. This year, in many parts of the Northern San Joaquin Valley, they will struggle to the finish line. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/03/02/3525591/precious-water-starts-heading.html California’s wet February encourages farmers. February brought much-needed rain to California's farms and ranches, and March may bring more. But officials caution the water content in snowpack is still far below what will be needed this summer. Posted. http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140228/ARTICLE/140229883 Drought-stricken state gets drenched, but not enough to ease historic shortfall. California got some much-needed precipitation over the weekend, but not nearly enough to ameliorate the state's persistent drought, weather and water experts said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/03/03/stories/1059995406 BY SUBSCRIPITON ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Will EPA Maritime Fuel Regulation Increase Onshore Air Pollution? The Maritime Industrial Transportation Alliance believes that a new maritime fuel regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is poised to crowd roads and increase onshore air pollution. The rule requires the use of ultra-low sulfur fuels in ships operating within the 200 nautical mile (nm) boundary of the North American Emission Control Area (ECA). Posted. http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/Will-EPA-Maritime-Fuel-Regulation-Increase-Onshore-Air-Pollution-2014-03-03/ FUELS Budget priorities will adjust to technology -- DOE official. Expect the Department of Energy's budget priorities for coal and fossil energy research to change based on new technologies, said DOE clean coal chief Julio Friedmann last week in advance of tomorrow's fiscal White House 2015 budget release. Friedmann, who did not go into specifics, said Obama administration budget proposals for the coming years would reflect a focus on changing priorities…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059995435/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Los Angeles moves toward ban on fracking, other oil and gas drilling. The Los Angeles City Council today took a major step toward blocking hydraulic fracturing and other well stimulation activities within the city. The council voted 10-0 to direct staff to develop an ordinance that would "prohibit activity associated with well stimulation and hydraulic fracturing in the City of Los Angeles until safety and reliability of Los Angeles water supplies are assured." Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1059995363/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Ferrari returns to turbo as supercar makers face up to emissions rules. Italy's Ferrari has mounted a turbocharged engine on its latest supercar for the first time in more than two decades, as even luxury automakers are forced to seek ways to cut emissions without sacrificing performance. The California T, which will debut at the Geneva auto show this week, will be equipped with an eight-cylinder engine that Ferrari says will consume 15 percent less fuel than its naturally-aspirated predecessor, reducing carbon dioxide emissions to 250 grams per kilometer (g/km) from 299. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/03/us-autoshow-geneva-ferrari-californiat-idUSBREA220K220140303 GREEN ENERGY Nanotechnology could help solar, wind compete with fossil fuels. Renewable energy could have a small future -- even smaller than the thickness of a sheet of paper. Recent advancements in nanotechnology could hold the key to making the renewable energy sector commercially competitive with fossil fuels by doubling the efficiency of solar and wind power and making batteries powerful enough to store electricity around the clock, scientists say. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059995431/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Water conservation's other benefit: It's a power saver. The energy needed to move agricultural water exceeds the electricity used by everyone in San Diego. California's drought has everyone talking about ways to save water. Gov. Jerry Brown has implored residents to reduce their consumption by 20%. One writer suggested Angelenos share showers. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-wolfram-conserving-water-energy-20140303,0,343758.story#ixzz2uvcpdTXR Valley Voice: Our air quality is not improving. The Desert Sun Feb. 9 Opinion page amounted to a full-page whitewash of South Coast Air Quality Management District’s handling of the CPV Sentinel gas peaker plant. Even the title “Despite L.A. smog, our air quality’s improving” is misleading. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/article/20140227/OPINION04/302270010/Valley-Voice-Our-air-quality-is-not-improving Would Keystone pipeline unload "carbon bomb" or job boom? Environmental opponents don't mince words on the Keystone XL pipeline. Some call it the "fuse to the biggest carbon bomb on the planet" because of the carbon emissions from the oil it will carry. If the pipeline is approved and the fuse lit, climate scientist James Hansen says it's: "Game over for climate." Hyperbole? Backers say the Canada-to-U.S. pipeline could lower U.S. dependence on unstable foreign sources of oil and create thousands of jobs. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/01/keystonexls-myths-debunked/5651099/ BLOGS Brown signs drought relief package. With drought conditions still challenging California, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a $687 million relief package Saturday, including money for infrastructure improvements, emergency water shortages and aid to farmworkers. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/jerry-brown-signs-drought-relief-package-in-dry-california.html VIDEO: Jerry Brown expanding plan for high-speed rail. Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday defended his plan to use carbon-reduction funds for years ahead to prop up California's high-speed rail project, saying uncertainty about the project's long-term financing is "one of the greatest questions of the critics" and that fees paid by carbon producers are an appropriate source of funds. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/02/video-jerry-brown-defends-long-term-plan-to-use-carbon-fees-for-high-speed.html Are Carbon Credits an Excuse for Companies to Pollute? This natural gas plant produces carbon dioxide and releases it into the atmosphere. Carbon credits are an attempt to offset the emissions of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, by inducing companies or individuals who produce emissions to give money to projects that act as carbon sinks, which reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Posted. http://science.opposingviews.com/carbon-credits-excuse-companies-pollute-23378.html Obama admin drives ahead with new cleaner gas rule. The Obama administration is driving ahead with a dramatic reduction in sulfur in gasoline and tailpipe emissions, declaring that cleaner air will save thousands of lives per year at little cost to consumers. Public health groups and automakers cheered the new rules, finalized Monday by the Environmental Protection Agency, with some insisting they could prove to be President Barack Obama's signature environmental accomplishment in his second term. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20140303/us--epa-cleaner-gasoline/ Most big countries have climate laws. It’s easy to get depressed about the lack of global progress in fighting climate change. But most large nations are at least taking some action. Posted. http://grist.org/news/most-countries-have-climate-change-laws/ Survey: More workplace options for charging electric cars. Driver satisfaction with public facilities to charge electric cars is improving according to a recent survey from California's Center for Sustainable Energy. Within two or three months, there will be more than 200,000 plug-in electric cars on U.S. roads--and we're learning more about who buys them, and why. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2014/0228/Survey-More-workplace-options-for-charging-electric-cars California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2014 13:33:23 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 4, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 4, 2014. 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 Begich doesn't support a carbon tax. U.S. Sen. Mark Begich says he does not support a tax on greenhouse gas emissions known as a carbon tax. The conservative group Americans for Prosperity last month announced an ad buy in Alaska in which it says Begich is on record supporting a carbon tax and urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to make it a priority. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Begich-doesn-t-support-a-carbon-tax-5287884.php AIR POLLUTION Cal Fire lifts burn ban in San Bernardino County for now. Cal Fire officials lifted a burn suspension throughout the county effective Monday morning. Cal Fire will still require burn permits and property inspection, but state fire officials say even though the ban has been lifted they’ll eventually be implemented again as fire conditions change. “The drought is not over, and the effects of the precipitation will likely be relatively short lived in the vegetation,” Cal Fire Unit Chief Rod Bywater said in a written statement. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140303/cal-fire-lifts-burn-ban-in-san-bernardino-county-for-now CLIMATE CHANGE Buffett: Climate change not causing more disasters. Warren Buffett says the rate of disasters that Berkshire Hathaway's insurance companies see hasn't changed because of extreme weather. Buffett said on CNBC Monday that he hasn't made any change in the way he calculates the likelihood of a catastrophe because of climate change. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. owns several insurance and reinsurance funds and often has to pay significant claims when natural disasters strike. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/03/buffett-climate-change-not-causing-more-disasters/ DROUGHT DROUGHT: Storms helped, but deficits remain. Last weekend’s storms coated local mountains with snow, boosted lake levels and allowed residents to turn off their sprinklers for awhile. But it wasn’t enough to end the drought. “The rain was certainly welcome, but we’re so far in the hole now that a single storm like that does not mean the drought is over,” said Jeanine Jones, deputy drought manager for the California Department of Water Resources. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20140303-drought-storms-helped-but-deficits-remain.ece Americans use twice as much water as they think they do, study says. President Obama on Thursday proposed a $7.9 billion fiscal 2015 budget for the Environmental Protection Agency, a spending plan that focuses on reducing carbon output from vehicles and power plants and preparing the country “for the unavoidable impacts of climate change.” The proposal is a $300 million reduction from the EPA’s 2014 budget of $8.2 billion, although the plan would increase the agency’s funding in coming years. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-americans-underestimate-personal-water-usage-study-says-20140227,0,3836890.story#ixzz2v1HlLN00 DIESEL EMISSIONS Tenneco's Selective Catalytic Reduction Technology Featured on Ram Heavy-Duty Trucks. Tenneco announced that it is supplying key emissions control technologies on the 2014 Ram Heavy Duty diesel truck series, which includes the 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty diesel pickups and the 3500, 4500 and 5500 chassis cab trucks. Tenneco supplies after treatment components, including the diesel oxidation catalyst, diesel particulate filter and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system on the full truck line. Tenneco has supplied the SCR after treatment system on the Ram chassis cab truck series since 2010 for both previous and current-generation designs. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140303-911907.html Diesel-powered vehicles leave New Delhi’s air worse than Beijing’s. George Easow’s move to India to start a clinical diagnostics business lasted just three weeks before he was persuaded to return to Britain. The persuading was done by his 7-month-old daughter, Fiona. Within days of moving to New Delhi, the child was wheezing and gasping for air because of smog. “She could hardly breathe,” her father said. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/diesel-powered-vehicles-leave-new-delhis-air-worse-than-beijings/2014/03/03/ba73e5d2-a089-11e3-9ba6-800d1192d08b_story.html GREEN ENERGY Western University in Pomona gets a boost from solar energy. With grid energy costs rising, institutions like Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona are installing solar energy systems on their properties for cheaper, reliable energy. The medical school and Washington Gas Energy Systems Inc. recently unveiled a new 672-kilowatt system, mounted on the university’s Health Sciences Center, Health Professions Center, and the Banfield Veterinary Clinical Center. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140302/western-university-in-pomona-gets-a-boost-from-solar-energy VEHICLES Emissions cut ordered. The Obama administration is driving ahead with a dramatic reduction in smog-producing sulfur in gasoline and tailpipe emissions, declaring that cleaner air will save thousands of lives per year at little cost to consumers. Public health groups and automakers cheered the new rules, finalized Monday by the Environmental Protection Agency, with some insisting they could prove to be President Barack Obama’s signature environmental accomplishment in his second term. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/04/tp-emissions-cut-ordered/ Clean-car subsidies zooming down the road. Hold the presses. Did you know that low-income Californians tend to drive older, less-efficient cars that pollute more than newer cars, and that these folks “struggle to cover the costs of their basic transportation needs”? Did you know that poorer people’s budgets (and the air) could improve if they were provided help to buy newer, efficient cars? Those are conclusions from a report, “No Californian Left Behind,” published last week by a think tank called Next Generation. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/04/tp-clean-car-subsidies-zooming-down-the-road/ Carmakers Find Working With EPA on Smog Better Than Fight. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drew up its rules limiting sulfur content in gasoline with automakers’ backing, reflecting a new way of doing business for an industry that’s often fought regulators. A General Motors Co. (GM) executive joined EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy in announcing the rule yesterday. Five car companies, five trade groups and the United Auto Workers union supplied statements of support distributed by the government. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-04/carmakers-find-working-with-epa-on-smog-better-than-fight.html MISCELLANEOUS Climbing Mt. Everest? Nepal Says Bring Back Garbage. Hoping to clean a trash-strewn pathway to the world’s highest peak, Nepal’s tourism authority declared Monday that those climbing Mount Everest must return from the trip with an extra 18 pounds of garbage. The rule is the government’s first concerted effort to eliminate an estimated 50 tons of trash that has been left on Mount Everest by climbers over the past six decades. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/world/asia/climbing-mt-everest-nepal-says-bring-back-garbage.html?ref=earth EPA would get $7.9 billion under 2015 budget. President Obama on Thursday proposed a $7.9 billion fiscal 2015 budget for the Environmental Protection Agency, a spending plan that focuses on reducing carbon output from vehicles and power plants and preparing the country “for the unavoidable impacts of climate change.” Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2014/03/04/epa-would-get-7-9-billion-under-2015-budget/ OPINION Bangladesh's Coal Delusion. Like most poor countries, Bangladesh needs a lot of energy to develop its economy, the cheaper the better. About 80 percent of its electricity now comes from natural gas. But with gas resources waning and an entrenched, inefficient subsidy system, the government has decided to promote coal instead. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/05/opinion/bangladeshs-coal-delusion.html?hp&rref=opinion&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry475%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Climate change deniers need to be heard too. It is a happy conceit in the climate change community that true believers are sophisticated, fact-based practitioners of science and that skeptics essentially are a bunch of superstitious nitwits who refuse to respect the - all bow - climate change consensus. If that were true, you would expect the science-loving know-it-alls to welcome opportunities to challenge the arguments of "deniers" of global warming. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140304/A_OPINION0619/403040307/-1/A_OPINION BLOGS EPA says new Tier 3 emissions levels will clean the air, save lives. Almost one year after first proposing the stricter vehicle emissions standards known as Tier 3, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized the new levels. These restraints on "harmful soot, smog and toxic emissions" should go a long way to cleaning up the air and reducing the negative health impacts of the cars and trucks we drive. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/03/epa-says-new-tier-3-emissions-levels-will-clean-air-save-lives/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2014 14:50:57 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 5, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 5, 2014. 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 Statkraft Awarded Tender to Sell UN Carbon Credits to Flanders. Statkraft AS won a tender to sell United Nations carbon credits to Belgium’s region of Flanders, according to a spokeswoman for Norway’s biggest utility. “We have been awarded three lots in the tender,” Ursula John, a communications adviser at Statkraft Markets GmbH, said by phone today from Dusseldorf, Germany without commenting on the amount or price of the deal. Bart Naessens, an official at the Flemish department of environment, declined to comment on the award. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-05/statkraft-awarded-tender-to-sell-un-carbon-credits-to-flanders.html AIR POLLUTION China Sets Targets to Curb Pollution. China on Wednesday provided more details on how it plans to reform some of its tightly regulated resource prices this year and gave hard targets for reducing pollution in 2014. "The problems of consumption of resources and environmental pollution are prominent," the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planning agency, said in an annual report. "In particular, smog frequently engulfs large areas of China and seriously affects people's lives and health." Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304585004579419911740859426 Li Says China Will Declare War on Pollution as Smog Spreads. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said pollution is a major problem and the government will “‘declare war’’ on smog by removing high-emission cars from the road and closing coal-fired furnaces. Pollution is ‘‘nature’s red-light warning against the model of inefficient and blind development,’’ Li said today in his work report at the start of this year’s National People’s Congress in Beijing. ‘‘Fostering a sound ecological environment is vital for people’s lives and the future of our nation.” Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-05/china-to-declare-war-on-pollution-as-smog-spreads-across-country.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/05/china-parliament-pollution-idUSL3N0M20IS20140305 Big Victory for Chevron Over Claims in Ecuador. Since losing a $19 billion judgment in an Ecuadorean court three years ago, Chevron has drawn the condemnation of human rights and environmental activists by refusing to pay anything in fines or accept blame for polluting the Ecuadorean rain forest. The award against Chevron was one of the largest judgments ever imposed by a court for environmental pollution, and it appeared to pit a mighty corporate Goliath against powerless peasants and the principal lawyer who represented them, Steven R. Donziger, as a brave David. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/05/business/federal-judge-rules-for-chevron-in-ecuadorean-pollution-case.html Drought linked to polluted winter air. Lack of rainfall, along with low winds and stagnant conditions that trapped pollution near the ground, contributed to increase in soot, officials say. California's parched winter brought a big surge in air pollution, pushing the number of bad air days one-third higher than the previous winter and posing a serious health threat, state air quality officials said Tuesday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0305-winter-air-20140305,0,1205897.story#ixzz2v79MWqIo China May Use Drones To Kill The Smog Problem. China has for some time now struggled with smog, and now Chinese premier Li Keqiang has "declared war" against pollution. Policymakers want to lower emissions of "PM10 and PM2.5, particulate matters in air smaller than 10 and 2.5 micrometers respectively, which are believed to be hazardous to health and major contributors to smog," according to Xinhua. Coal-fired furnaces will be shut down and high-emission vehicles will be taken off the road. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/China-May-Use-Drones-To-Kill-The-Smog-Problem-5290639.php CLIMATE CHANGE Climate engineering ideas no longer considered pie in the sky. Scientists backed by the government and Bill Gates are studying schemes such as sunlight-blocking particles and giant carbon vacuums to halt climate change. As international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions stall, schemes to slow global warming using fantastical technologies once dismissed as a sideshow are getting serious consideration in Washington. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-climate-engineering-20140305,0,3602250.story#ixzz2v78nHw3p Relax, Chipotle won't stop serving guacamole because of global warming A single sentence in a corporate filing by Chipotle had lovers of the burrito chain in a frenzy Wednesday morning over whether Chipotle would stop serving guacamole because of global warming. In a paragraph on pricing, the company said that because of changes in global weather patterns, prices of certain items on the menu, such as chicken, beef, cheese, avocados, beans, rice, tomatoes and pork could rise. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-guacamole-chipotle-global-warming-20140305,0,7093960.story#ixzz2v7E3icLn Begich says he doesn't support a carbon tax. U.S. Sen. Mark Begich's campaign is running radio ads taking aim at Charles Koch and David Koch, the billionaire backers of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity. The group, in an ad that began running last month, said Begich is on record supporting a carbon tax and urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to make it a priority. That claim stemmed from a 2010 letter Begich signed with 11 other senators. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Begich-says-he-doesn-t-support-a-carbon-tax-5287884.php Ex-Greenpeacer Patrick Moore questions climate change, challenges liberals. As a former Greenpeace insider, Patrick Moore wasn’t surprised by the heated reaction from the left on his explosive testimony about climate change last week before a Senate committee. Mr. Moore drew headlines for disputing the environmental movement’s doomsday scenario, depicting climate change over the past century as “minor warming” and arguing that “there is no scientific proof that human emissions of carbon dioxide are the dominant cause.” Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/4/former-greenpeace-insider-patrick-moore-who-questi/#ixzz2v7D3GY8y DROUGHT In California, Drought Plays Out Unexpectedly. Semiarid South Is Relatively Flush, While the North Faces Restrictions. As the Golden State suffers through a three-year drought, residents of semiarid Southern California are mostly being asked to voluntarily conserve water. In typically wetter Northern California, residents are faced with mandatory rationing. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303636404579397403690607412?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5&mg=reno64-wsj L.A. County reservoirs get 6-billion-gallon infusion from storms. Even so, L.A. County is still far short of normal rainfall for this time of year; water allotments may have to be reduced later. The storms that doused Los Angeles County over the weekend filled reservoirs in the San Gabriel Mountains with some 6 billion gallons of water, enough to supply more than 150,000 people for a year. The twin storms left more than 11 inches of rain in some higher elevations. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-water-tally-20140305,0,3776729.story#axzz2v1p1mktu Sacramento council votes to launch ‘cash for grass’ program to save water. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to launch a “cash for grass” program that will provide rebates to homeowners who replace their grass lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/04/6209303/sacramento-council-votes-to-launch.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region Reservoirs Rising But Still Well Below Normal. Several days of rain and snow have raised water levels in most major California reservoirs in the past month. Several days of rain and snow have raised water levels in most major California reservoirs in the past month. But, Doug Carlson with the California Department of Water Resources says the state is nowhere near even a normal year for rain and snow. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/19281 FUELS U.S. Seeks to Reduce Ukraine’s Reliance on Russia for Natural Gas. The crisis in Crimea is accelerating Obama administration efforts to reduce Ukraine’s dependence on Russia for natural gas, part of a diplomatic push that seeks to undercut President Vladimir V. Putin’s ability to use his nation’s gas supplies as a weapon. The effort has created an unusual group of allies in Washington, as Republican leaders on Capitol Hill have joined with the Obama administration and major oil companies in promoting the natural gas sales. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/world/europe/us-seeks-to-reduce-ukraines-reliance-on-russia-for-natural-gas.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry236%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2Fallresults%2F1%2Fallauthors%2Fnewest%2F VEHICLES President Obama Plans Support Natural Gas Trucks. According to United Parcel Service, "In 2012, liquefied natural gas vehicles finally became a viable option worthy of broad-scale deployment..." That's a good thing because the president is now calling for tighter fuel-efficiency standards for the nation's trucking fleet. That will most likely mean an increase in the number of natural-gas powered trucks riding the nation's streets and highways. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/President-Obama-Plans-Support-Natural-Gas-Trucks-5290295.php HIGH-SPEED RAIL Judge: Kings County high-speed rail lawsuit can move forward. A Sacramento judge ruled Tuesday that Kings County and two of its residents can forge ahead with a challenge to the California High-Speed Rail Authority over its statewide bullet-train plans. Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny denied a request by the rail agency to dismiss the second stage of a lawsuit that questions whether the state's proposed high-speed train system complies with state law. Posted. here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/04/3802992/judge-kings-county-high-speed.html#storylink=cpy MISCELLANEOUS CARB to hold diesel education training courses in March. The California Air Resources Board will hold several free courses to help educate the public about its diesel emission regulations this month. Course 511 – Controlling Diesel Emissions, devices and filters – will focus on diesel particulate matter and health effects, particulate matter and NOx control strategies as well as diesel particulate filters. The course will be offered from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 20 in Diamond Bar, CA. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=26645 OPINIONS Editorial: Green-energy focus means higher electricity prices. San Diego Gas & Electric is proposing to significantly alter its rate structure – and many people are not happy about it. The company, which serves 3.4 million energy customers in San Diego and southern Orange counties, wants to shift to a more dynamic “time-of-service” pricing model that would charge higher prices during peak-demand hours. Under the plan, peak hours would now include early evening hours and would run from 2-9 p.m. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/energy-604200-customers-proposal.html BLOGS Pacific Ocean Actually Absorbs Smog. Oh boy, Fox News is going to have a field day with this one. It turns out that at least some the pollution that causes global warming (allegedly!) is actually soaked up by the very ocean beloved by the only folks who can afford to live anywhere close to it anymore - liberal Hollywood celebrities who are always yapping about global warming. Posted. http://www.laweekly.com/informer/2014/03/04/pacific-ocean-actually-absorbs-smog Smart Growth Helps Combat Climate Change. We are past the point of arguing about the science of climate change. Study after study, expert after expert, has confirmed that it is real. We are also past the point of denying the effects of climate change. Droughts, hurricanes, wildfires, the polar vortex, and record highs and lows, make it clear that the damage of climate change is real. Those are the debates of the past. What we now need to focus on, and quickly, are solutions. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-doris-matsui/smart-growth-helps-combat_b_4899548.html?view=print&comm_ref=false Chipotle Warns It Might Stop Serving Guacamole If Climate Change Gets Worse. It’s your choice, America. Fix the climate, or the guac gets it. Chipotle Inc. is warning investors that extreme weather events “associated with global climate change” might eventually affect the availability of some of its ingredients. If availability is limited, prices will rise — and Chipotle isn’t sure it’s willing to pay. Posted. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/03/04/3360731/chipotle-guacamole-crisis/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2014 14:19:12 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 6, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 6, 2014. 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 Germany Calls for Carbon-Market Overhaul Start Five Years Early. Germany said an overhaul of the European Union’s carbon market to automatically tighten supply should begin at the latest in 2016, five years earlier than proposed by the bloc’s regulatory arm. The 28 EU nations began talks last month on the plan to introduce a stability reserve mechanism for the $72 billion emissions trading system. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/691987?type=bloomberg AIR POLLUTION House backs bill to block EPA power plant rule. The Republican-controlled House moved Thursday to block President Barack Obama's plan to limit carbon pollution from new power plants, an election-year strike at the White House aimed at portraying Obama as a job killer. Ten coal-state or Southern Democrats joined with Republicans to approve the bill, 229-183. Supporters said the measure was part of a strategy to fight back against what they call the Obama administration's "war on coal." Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_POWER_PLANTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/House-backs-bill-to-block-EPA-power-plant-rule-5292535.php http://www.modbee.com/2014/03/05/3224605/house-gop-moves-to-block-epa-rules.html#storylink=cpy China takes aim at pollution after years of growth. Huge chunks of concrete and broken machinery are all that is left of a cement plant that once spewed clouds of pollution over China's most polluted province, Hebei. Demolished in December, the factory was one of 35 closed or torn down in Pingshan County as part of the government's drive to clear up China's notoriously smoggy skies. Combatting pollution has shot up the agenda of the ruling Communist Party…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Gasping Australians Flee Beijing-Style Smog as Coal Mine Burns. A coal mine fire burning for almost a month is forcing residents of an Australian town from their homes after pollution more than 22 times above recommended safe levels triggered a health alert. Firefighters are pumping as much as 84,000 liters of water a minute, the equivalent of about two Olympic-size swimming pools an hour, onto the burning mine at GDF Suez’s Hazelwood power station in Victoria state, according to local authorities. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-06/gasping-australians-flee-beijing-style-smog-as-coal-mine-burns.html L.A. Supervisor Molina proposes 'toxic threat strike team' Decrying the slow response of state agencies to the public health threat posed by a Vernon battery recycler and other polluting facilities, Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina on Wednesday called for the creation of a county “toxic threat strike team” that could take action when the state fails to do so. The plan calls for county public health officials, prosecutors, fire department officials and others to identify the most dangerous facilities in the most pollution-burdened neighborhoods. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-toxic-threat-strike-team-20140305,0,4761219,print.story At night, the ocean cleanses smoggy air, study suggests. The ocean doesn’t just moderate temperatures and influence weather in some of the world’s biggest cities; it also has the power to cleanse the air, new research suggests. At night, the sea surface can absorb and remove up to 15% of smog-forming nitrogen oxides that build up in polluted air in coastal cities like Los Angeles, according to a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ocean-smog-nitrogen-oxides-sink-20140305,0,6000295,print.story U.S. Trade Deals From the 90's Set Up China as a Pollution Haven. Even while trade agreements brokered under Clinton helped China's economy to boom and brought Americans cheap goods, both nations have paid dearly. China's plans to build remote industrial coal complexes to power its economy are putting the country on a trajectory to wipe out global gains in tackling climate change, scientists fear. But other nations share responsibility for China's fossil fuel binge and the toxic air people breathe as a result—especially the United States. Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140306/us-trade-deals-90s-set-china-pollution-haven Environmental activists monitoring pollution from Phillips 66 refinery in Wilmington. Dwight Peleti lives a stone’s throw from the Phillips 66 Wilmington refinery, a sprawling complex of smokestacks, holding tanks and round-the-clock petroleum operations. Just before Peleti’s father died of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, he complained that his breathing became especially labored when refinery chemical odors worsened, as they do from time to time. Posted. http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/20140305/environmental-activists-monitoring-pollution-from-phillips-66-refinery-in-wilmington CLIMATE CHANGE Infrastructure threatened by climate change poses a 'national crisis' The nation's aging infrastructure makes up an interconnected web of systems that are alarmingly vulnerable to the shocks of climate change, according to a report released today that will inform the National Climate Assessment, to be made public next month. The difficulty of strengthening the systems that support the American economy…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995655/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Many central U.S. hardwood species vulnerable to climate impacts. The United States' central hardwood forests -- an area that stretches from southern Indiana and Illinois into the Missouri Ozarks -- face a number of stressors, from invasive species to urban development and overgrowth due to fire suppression. Roads, power lines and other infrastructure crisscross the region, fragmenting forests and limiting regrowth. Now add to that list the steady encroachment of climate change. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995652/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Global warming slows down Antarctica’s coldest currents, poses huge threat. The cold currents, called the Antarctic Bottom Water, are basically cold, briny, underwater rivers flowing from the underwater edge of the Antarctic continent north toward the equator, very close to the seafloor. They carry oxygen, carbon, and many nutrients to the depths of the ocean, and play a huge role in the survival of creatures which live close to the seafloor. Posted. http://www.zmescience.com/ecology/climate/global-warming-antarctica-current-06032014/#6OfJX0ao7QoPXr1c.99 DROUGHT Placer County pools spared for now from drought measures. The latest rains have spared a summer of swimming in Placer County – for now. A month ago, Placer County Water Agency officials were poised to order strict conservation measures, including a blanket ban on filling new or existing swimming pools. But after several days of storms, water officials are having second thoughts. “It’s still a bit early to outline a full-scale prescription of any reductions until we get greater context in this month,” said PCWA General Manager David Breninger. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/06/6212686/placer-county-pools-spared-for.html##storylink=cpy Pair of McNerney bills target water conservation. Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Stockton, responding to California's impending drought, introduced two bills this week aimed at water conservation. If passed, both would have nationwide impact. "Everyone can agree that using water more efficiently makes sense," McNerney said in a written statement announcing the legislation. The two bills: » The Water Efficiency Improvement Act: This legislation would provide up to a $2,000 tax credit for individuals and businesses that purchase the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense products. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140306/A_NEWS/403060317 DIESEL EMISSIONS UPS to buy 1,000 propane-powered delivery trucks. United Parcel Service Inc. said Wednesday it would invest $70 million to add 1,000 propane-powered delivery trucks to its fleet. The trucks, which can travel up to 200 miles on a tank of propane, will replace gasoline- and diesel-powered trucks used primarily in rural areas in Louisiana and Oklahoma, UPS said. Other states are pending. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-ups-1000-propane-trucks-20140305,0,5661369,print.story FUELS U.S. Hopes Boom in Natural Gas Can Curb Putin. The crisis in Crimea is heralding the rise of a new era of American energy diplomacy, as the Obama administration tries to deploy the vast new supply of natural gas in the United States as a weapon to undercut the influence of the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, over Ukraine and Europe. The crisis has escalated a State Department initiative to use a new boom in American natural gas supplies as a lever against Russia, which supplies 60 percent of…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/world/europe/us-seeks-to-reduce-ukraines-reliance-on-russia-for-natural-gas.html?hpw&rref=world&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry815%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F GREEN ENERGY REDLANDS: A lesson in going green. Redlands takes pride in its green initiatives, which include changing streetlights to energy-efficient LEDs, switching its fleet of trash trucks to alternative fuels and encouraging the installation of solar panels atop warehouses. But it still could take a lesson from Palm Springs, members of the Redlands Sustainability Network heard this week. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/san-bernardino-county/san-bernardino-county-headlines-index/20140305-redlands-a-lesson-in-going-green.ece New financing option for home solar energy. A new twist in solar financing is coming to California. Mosaic, an Oakland-based solar finance start-up, is partnering with established rooftop solar installer RGS Energy to provide zero-deposit loans to homeowners who want to buy a solar energy system. The loans will be backed by small-investor capital from Mosaic's online crowdsourcing platform, which already funnels money to moderate sized solar arrays on farms, grocery stores, military housing and schools from coast to coast. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/05/mosaic-solar-option/ Largest U.S. grid operator could switch to 30% renewables with no ill effects – study.With adequate investment in expanded transmission capacity, states in the PJM Interconnection could get up to 30 percent of their electricity from renewable resources -- primarily large-scale wind and solar -- in 2026 without a detrimental effect on grid reliability, a study led by GE Energy Consulting concluded. The good news for consumers is that under every scenario envisioned in the study commissioned by PJM, fuel costs in the regional transmission organization (RTO) would be lower…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059995625/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS When General Electric leaves Fort Edward, pollution remains. There is a bitter joke going around Fort Edward these days. After seven decades, General Electric is closing its capacitor factory this fall, taking 200 good-paying jobs from this economically struggling Washington County community to a town in Florida called Clearwater. A visitor had been in town for less that an hour when he first heard this from a resident: "Did you hear that GE is moving to Clearwater?...Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/When-General-Electric-leaves-Fort-Edward-5292275.php ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols to Give Keynote Address at ALI CLE's Climate Regulation Program Focusing on Clean Air Act & California's AB32. American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE) is pleased to announce its upcoming program, Navigating Climate Regulation on Dual Tracks: The Promises and Pitfalls of AB32 and the Clean Air Act that will take place on March 14 at UCLA's Robin and Albert Carnesale Commons in Los Angeles, California. Posted. http://www.power-eng.com/marketwired/2014/03/6/arb-chairman-mary-d-nichols-to-give-keynote-address-at-ali-cle-s-climate-regulation-program-focusin.html Climate Action Plan the subject of community meeting on Monday. The city's draft of a Climate Action Plan will be the subject of a community meeting and workshop from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday in the south hall of the Stockton Civic Memorial Auditorium. The goal of the proposed Climate Action Plan is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 10 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2020, as required by Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006…Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140305/A_NEWS/140309923/0/SEARCH OPINIONS Termites and better biofuels. Every time I fill my gas tank, I see the notice on the pump that explains part of the fuel I’m buying is ethanol. Ethanol is alcohol, a type of biofuel rather than fossil fuel. While biofuels can be good to promote national energy independence and possibly help with greenhouse gas emissions, the ethanol in our gasoline is made from corn. (The starch in the corn is broken down into sugars that are then fermented into alcohol.) With corn ethanol, we are essentially putting food into our gas tanks…Posted. http://www.turlockjournal.com/section/26/article/24512/ BLOGS A Climate Analyst Clarifies the Science Behind California’s Water Woes. There’s no question that residents of California and much of the West face a collision between high water demands driven by growth and outdated policies and a limited and highly variable water supply. But that reality hasn’t stopped heated arguments from springing up in recent days over the cause or causes of California’s continuing epic drought. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/a-climate-analyst-clarifies-the-science-behind-californias-extreme-drought/?_php=true&_type=blogs&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry815%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Will State Legislatures Join Congress And Cut Green Energy Incentives? What’s happening in Kansas could be happening in your state. It’s not completely clear that the efforts to rollback the statewide renewable energy requirements there — and in 16 other states — will succeed. But it is obvious that, nationally, the tax preference given to renewables is fading. Here’s the parallel: Most free market planners are opposed to mandatory statutes that require utilities to offer certain amounts of green energy. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2014/03/05/will-state-legislatures-join-congress-and-cut-green-energy-incentives/ A Fuel-Efficient Big Rig From Walmart That Looks Like a Smushed Corvette. Efficiency counts when you have one of the world’s largest commercial truck fleets. That’s why Walmart has developed a new big rig that uses a radical design to increase airflow and cut fuel use. It’s called the WAVE, which stands for Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience. It’s a concept truck and trailer that previews the future of long-haul freight, and it’s designed by Walmart in partnership with Peterbilt, Great Dane Trailers, and Capstone Turbine. Posted. http://www.wired.com/autopia/2014/03/walmart-big-rig/ China’s “war on pollution” may end up accelerating global warming. This week, the Chinese government vowed to launch a “war on pollution.” Public enemy number one will have to be coal-fired power plants, whose emissions kill more than a quarter-million people a year, according to Greenpeace. In fact, a coal industry forum this week declared that China’s coal consumption will peak by 2020 (link in Chinese), and then start falling by 0.4% annually thereafter. Posted. http://qz.com/184860/chinas-war-on-pollution-may-end-up-accelerating-global-warming/#184860/chinas-war-on-pollution-may-end-up-accelerating-global-warming/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2014 14:04:04 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for March 7, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 7, 2014. 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 At night, the ocean cleanses smoggy air, study suggests. The ocean doesn’t just moderate temperatures and influence weather in some of the world’s biggest cities; it also has the power to cleanse the air, new research suggests. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ocean-smog-nitrogen-oxides-sink-20140305,0,5746239.story#axzz2vIp6sRjI China Needs Industry to Enlist in 'War on Pollution'. China's newly declared "war on pollution" includes measures designed to curb smog and speed up industrial reform, particularly for the country's massive state enterprises. The question now is whether those influential companies will water down the measures, as they have previous attempts at environmental controls. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304732804579422542323031678?mod=WSJASIA_hps_MIDDLEThirdNews&mg=reno64-wsj Officials Say Dry Winter to Blame for Highest Number of 'Spare the Air' Days in Years. The 2013-2014 Winter Spare the Air Season, which ended Feb. 28, tied a record set in 2006-2007 for the most Spare the Air alerts issued, Bay Area Air Quality Management District officials said today. Posted. http://pleasanthill.patch.com/groups/around-town/p/officials-say-dry-winter-to-blame-for-highest-number-of-spare-the-air-days-in-7-years CLIMATE CHANGE House passes bill to block Obama climate plan. Aiming at the heart of President Barack Obama's strategy for fighting climate change, the Republican-controlled House voted Thursday to block the administration's plan to limit carbon pollution from new power plants. The bill targets Obama's proposal for the Environmental Protection Agency to set the first national limits on heat-trapping carbon pollution from future power plants. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_POWER_PLANTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_25287650/house-gop-moves-block-epa-rules-power-plants?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/House-passes-bill-to-block-Obama-climate-plan-5292535.php HIGH-SPEED RAIL LAO faults governor’s funding hopes for bullet train. Gov. Jerry Brown’s high-speed rail budget proposals are being criticized in a report from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. “We find using cap-and-trade auction revenues for high-speed rail may not maximize greenhouse gas reductions, there currently is not a funding plan to complete the project’s initial operating segment, it is unclear how much cap-and-trade revenue will actually be available for high-speed rail in the future, and bond funds approved in Proposition 1A for high-speed rail currently face legal risks,” says the report by Mac Taylor to the Legislature. Posted. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=25372 VEHICLES California positively gets a negative from Tesla on battery factory. California loves Tesla Motors. The Palo Alto electric car maker's Model S sedan is the state's new eco-luxury status symbol. Californians bought more than a third of Teslas sold globally last year. Residents of the state pack the order list for Tesla's next offering, a sport utility vehicle. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-tesla-battery-factory-20140307,0,3104476.story#axzz2vIwY8nsO DOE to issue funding opportunity for hydrogen and fuel cell Incubator projects. The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of its Fuel Cell Technologies Office, a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Innovations in Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Fuels Technologies” (DE-FOA-0001094) for the FCTO Incubator program. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/03/20140307-fcto.html Researchers developing DC micro smart grid for charging EV fleets; Li-ion, redox flow batteries and renewables. A team from Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO, together with Daimler AG and the Institute for Human Factors and Technology Management at the University of Stuttgart, is developing both the charging infrastructure and the energy management systems required to manage large fleets of EVs in a project called charge@work. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/03/20140307-fraunhofer.html First Trans Tech Bus All-Electric SST-e in Use at California School District. Kings Canyon Unified School District located in California’s San Joaquin Valley received its first SST-e model last month, and expects three more soon. School officials estimate that each all-electric school bus will save more than $10,000 a year in fuel and maintenance costs. Posted. http://www.stnonline.com/home/latest-news/5943-first-trans-tech-bus-all-electric-sst-e-in-use-at-california-school-district OPINION Use thorium to get power. Protecting our environment is a global problem. China's air pollution is reaching the United States and many other countries. China's coal-fired plants are spreading much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is causing air and water pollution. The airborne pollutants combine with water in oceans, lakes or rivers, causing acidification of the water. Posted. http://santamariatimes.com/news/opinion/mailbag/use-thorium-to-get-power/article_961ffebc-a5b8-11e3-aefc-001a4bcf887a.html BLOGS The green movement has a Millennial problem. America’s Millennials are less likely than older generations to identify with the environmental movement, according to a new Pew Research Center report out Friday. The word "environmentalist" typically conjures up images of earnest young idealists gathering petition signatures and chaining themselves to old-growth trees. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/03/07/the-green-movement-has-a-millennial-problem/ Honda installs 3-minute, fast-fuelling hydrogen fuel station in California. OK, but let's see how well Honda can control hydrogen refueling temperature in Houston or Buffalo. That's what some pessimists may be saying now that the Japanese automaker has installed a fast-fueling hydrogen station in the oh-so-temperate environs of Torrance, CA. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/06/honda-installs-3-minute-fast-fuelling-hydrogen-fuel-station/ Here’s what to do with all that extra CO2 you’ve got hanging around. What do fertilizer, superglue, and Plexiglas all have in common, aside from being things that you can hide in your roommate’s bed when she refuses to do the dishes? (Don’t even play like it’s never crossed your mind!) Apparently, they can all be manufactured using sequestered carbon dioxide. Posted. http://grist.org/news/heres-what-to-do-with-all-that-extra-co2-youve-got-hanging-around/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 15:16:36 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 10, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 10, 2014. 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 Swiss Seek Precision as Nations Shape Carbon Market. Nations setting up carbon markets must standardize their emission-reduction benchmarks to ensure international efforts to limit global warming stay on track, according to Switzerland’s climate envoy. At least 30 of 200 countries meeting at talks this week in Bonn are developing carbon trading systems to help meet emissions targets under a worldwide treaty to start in 2020. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-10/switzerland-seeks-precision-as-30-nations-shape-carbon-markets.html Auction change has early success in boosting European CO2 price. European carbon prices have more than doubled since April last year and are expected to double again after permit auctions are cut this month, analysts say. Carbon has risen to more than €7 ($9.70) per metric ton this month after trading as low as €2.60 last April. The price rebounded after the European Parliament approved in December a plan to temporarily withhold 900 million CO2 pollution allowances from auctions beginning this month…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995801/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Four New Ozone-Depleting Gases Found in Atmosphere. Gases Are of Type Banned or Being Phased Out. Traces of four previously undetected man-made gases have been discovered in the atmosphere, where they are endangering Earth's protective ozone layer, a team of scientists from six countries reported Sunday. Researchers led by atmospheric chemist Johannes Laube at the U.K.'s University of East Anglia identified small amounts of three industrial chlorofluorocarbons and one related hydrochlorofluorocarbon gas in the air. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304020104579429220381691800 Pollution burden higher for state's Latinos and blacks, report finds. Latinos and African Americans make up a disproportionately high percentage of the population of California ZIP Codes most burdened by pollution, according to a report released Friday by state environmental officials. Latinos account for nearly two-thirds of residents in the top 10% most polluted ZIP Codes despite making up only 38% of the state’s population, the analysis by the California Environmental Protection Agency shows. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-latinos-blacks-pollution-burden-california-20140307,0,5581423.story#ixzz2vaFnEY3G Wood smoke plan could make new stoves too costly. In the poorest state in New England, where residents already struggle to heat their homes, officials are worried a federal proposal to reduce wood smoke pollution will make new stoves too expensive and prevent Mainers from buying cleaner technology. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/03/09/3230302/wood-smoke-plan-could-make-new.html#storylink=cpy China to tighten rules against pollution. China will tighten environmental legislation and force polluters to pay compensation following renewed blasts of toxic air, the country's top legislator said Sunday. Zhang Dejiang said in a report to the ceremonial legislature's annual session that businesses were responsible for the environmental damage they caused and must be held to account. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/08/china-to-tighten-rules-against-pollution/#ixzz2vZlstzrR CLIMATE CHANGE Democrats plan all-night 'talkathon' on climate change. Just don't call it a filibuster. A majority of Senate Democrats on Monday will launch an overnight "talkathon" until approximately 9:00 a.m. Tuesday to draw attention to climate change. The overnight effort, organized by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, is part of the recently launched Senate Climate Action Task Force headed by Sens. Barbara Boxer of California and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. In a statement, Boxer said Democrats want to "wake up Congress" to the dangers of climate change. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/03/09/senate-democrats-talkathon-climate-change/6172647/ Workshop on Climate Action Plan scheduled. The city's draft of a Climate Action Plan will be the subject of a community meeting and workshop from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday in the south hall of the Stockton Civic Memorial Auditorium. The goal of the proposed Climate Action Plan is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 10 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, as required by Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, the California Air Resources Board Scoping Plan and a 2008 settlement agreement among Stockton…Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140308/A_NEWS/403080316 Advantages Of A Global Strategy For Carbon Emissions Reduction. Carbon emissions reduction is among the top objectives for corporate environmental management programs. Not only is the environmental impact of greenhouse gases familiar and visible to the public, it carries a high potential for future regulation. In addition, lowering carbon emissions often goes hand-in-hand with energy cost-cutting, which can provide a critical business advantage. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/03/10/advantages-global-strategy-carbon-emissions-reduction/#TpggUJgiiMVY6zwE.99 Conserving water, cutting greenhouse gases may conflict in drought-parched Southwest. Actions to limit climate change and calls for water conservation are on a potential collision course, some water researchers believe. Making low-carbon electricity from sources like concentrated solar, geothermal and coal with carbon capture and sequestration consumes more water than fossil fuel-generated power, experts said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995823/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate sensitivity to change underestimated in last IPCC report – study. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change may have lowballed its estimates of climate sensitivity, according to a new study in the journal Nature Climate Change. Climate sensitivity describes the relationship between the Earth's temperature and radiative forcing, or the accumulation of solar energy in its atmosphere, lands and oceans. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995827/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Kerry directs State Dept. to make climate change a top priority. Secretary of State John Kerry doubled down Friday on comments that climate change is "the world's most fearsome weapon of mass destruction" and instructed the agency's nearly 50,000 employees globally to make the issue a "top tier" diplomatic priority. In a policy directive -- Kerry's first since taking the helm of the State Department last year -- he told all bureaus to put climate change at the center of their daily work and set establishing a new global climate deal in 2015 as a top priority. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995826/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate change may cause spongy algae called 'rock snot' to proliferate – study. Thick, wooly carpets of "rock snot" algae proliferating across eastern Canada may be driven by climate change, according to a new study. Previously, many water managers in the region had believed that the algae blooms of the diatom Didymosphenia geminata -- which resemble blobs of wet toilet paper or shag rugs…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995824/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Water fight pits farmer against farmer. Forget farmers vs. fishermen — or south state vs. north state. California's current water war is being waged most intensely by farmers against fellow farmers. San Joaquin Valley growers' demand for water conflicts with the needs of delta agriculture. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-cap-drought-20140310,0,5765786.column Where local drought money goes. North County avocado farmers irrigating their groves with all recycled water. Residents of the southeast San Diego working-class neighborhood of Encanto enjoying a revitalized Chollas Creek, a respite in a sea of concrete. And dozens of homeowners cashing rebate checks in return for tearing out thirsty lawns. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/09/where-local-drought-money-goes/ HOAs get real about water shortage. When residents at Regency Villas in University City got a peek of the condo complex’s drought-resistant landscaping during a clubhouse reception last week, it was a watershed moment, said community association manager Pamela Walker. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/09/environment-homeowner-association-water-shortage/ California's drought-prone pattern forcing farmers to adapt. Shawn Coburn farms land that holds senior water rights to the giant Central Valley Project, rights that usually assure him water. Not this year. He already has decided to let his pomegranates die, abandon alfalfa and cut his tomato crop by half. He may not plant any row crops if the state water board follows through on its intention to slash deliveries to "protect human health and safety" from the effects of drought. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-s-drought-prone-pattern-forcing-5300681.php El Nino watch issued; could portend rain for dry California. The odds are increasing that El Niño, the powerful climate phenomenon that alters precipitation patterns across the globe, will develop in the Pacific Ocean this year, U.S. government forecasters say. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center activated its alert system on Thursday to issue an El Niño watch. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-el-nino-watch-alert-california-rain-20140306,0,2778584.story Conserving water, cutting greenhouse gases may conflict in drought-parched. Southwest. Actions to limit climate change and calls for water conservation are on a potential collision course, some water researchers believe. Making low-carbon electricity from sources like concentrated solar, geothermal and coal with carbon capture and sequestration consumes more water than fossil fuel-generated power, experts said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/03/10/stories/1059995823 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Nichols: After 'we listened,' CARB unveils Truck and Bus tweaks. Five months after taking heat from much of the industry and being sued by OOIDA and others, the California Air Resources Board unveiled multiple changes to enforcement and deadlines tied to its Truck and Bus Rule Thursday. “The trucking community spoke and we listened,” CARB Chairman Mary Nichols said according to a CARB news release. “The good news is that we will not have to sacrifice the state’s air quality goals to assist fleet owners. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=26660 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY New All-Electric School Bus Saves California District $10,000+ Per Year. We don’t have to wait any longer for all-electric school bus transport in the US. The Kings Canyon Unified School District in California’s San Joaquin Valley is paving the way for districts across the nation to provide students with zero-emissions transport. The district has four of these electric school buses on the way from Trans Tech Bus, featuring an innovative standard powertrain from Motiv Power Systems. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/03/05/new-electric-school-bus-saves-california-district-10000-per-year/#LG2IWlTZjTgkV3dE.99 http://www.kmph.com/category/170789/video-landing-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9916366#.Ux3e3LdenYc.gmail FUELS Gas prices may jump from California emissions law. California’s greenhouse gas reduction law already has shaken up the state’s industrial sector, costing it more than $1.5 billion in pollution permit fees. It’s now poised to hit the pocketbooks of everyday Californians. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_CARBON_TAX?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/gas-prices-may-jump-from-california-emissions-law/2014/03/09/6588fb38-a7a1-11e3-8a7b-c1c684e2671f_story.html http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/09/3812649/gas-prices-may-jump-from-california.html Diesel Futures Slide as Supplies to Increase With Winter’s End. Diesel futures fell on speculation supplies will increase as warmer weather reduces demand for heating fuel. Futures tumbled as much as 1.6 percent and the premium to gasoline narrowed to the smallest since July. Supplies of distillates, including diesel and heating oil, jumped to a five-week high in the seven days ended Feb. 28, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-10/diesel-futures-slide-as-supplies-to-increase-with-winter-s-end.html Developers for biofuel beets plant turn to growers. Backers of a proposed project in North Dakota that would turn a variety of sugar beets into ethanol have preached patience for the last five years. Now they're looking for a commitment from farmers to sweeten the deal. A North Dakota State University agriculture economics professor who's helping developers with the project is touring the state to talk with farmers about their interest in first growing the so-called energy or industrial beets and then in investing in a plant. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Developers-for-biofuel-beets-plant-turn-to-growers-5301544.php California ARB staff posts concept paper on re-adoption and modification of LCFS; possible more stringent post-2020 targets. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) staff has posted a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) Re-Adoption Concept Paper, which will be discussed during the LCFS workshop on 11 March 2014. The LCFS regulation mandates a 10% reduction in the carbon intensity (CI) of transportation fuels used in California by 2020. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/03/20140310-lcfs.html US ethanol exports soar in January to highest since December 2011. US ethanol exports in January totaled 326 million liters (86 million gallons), the highest monthly volume since December 2011, according to US Census Bureau data released late Friday. Exports are up 36% month on month and up 33% from January 2013. The volume is also a new record for January. The data includes all ethanol types except for beverage use. Posted. http://www.platts.com/latest-news/agriculture/montreal/us-ethanol-exports-soar-in-january-to-highest-21312326 VEHICLES State mission: connecting electric vehicles to the grid. The governor’s office is leading a summit on zero-emission vehicles today at the CalEPA headquarters in Sacramento, including brainstorming sessions on how to get 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on California roads by 2025. The invitation-only event includes participants with regulatory, energy and vehicle expertise working together to figure out how electric vehicles can work with the state’s existing electrical grid. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/03/07/state-mission-connecting-electric.html Richmond event to feature alternative fuel vehicles. A one-stop event to see, ride and drive alternative fuel vehicles is coming to the Craneway Pavilion, 1414 Harbor Way South, this week. The AltCar Expo is a regional version of shows that have been held in Southern California and Dallas showcasing vehicles -- including electric, hybrid electric, natural gas and hydrogen cars -- touted as less harmful to the environment than their traditional gasoline counterparts. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_25304061/richmond-event-feature-alternative-fuel-vehicles?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com GREEN ENERGY Google Reaps Tax Breaks in $1.4 Billion Clean Energy Bet. On a Northern California farm where silage for animal feed once grew, Google Inc. (GOOG) is generating power from more than 100,000 solar panels to heat nearby homes - - and double down on an area of energy many investors shun. The Galt solar farm, 20 miles south of Sacramento, is one of 15 alternative-energy projects that Google has funded since 2010 as part of a more than $1.4 billion investment in clean power production. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-10/google-reaps-tax-breaks-in-1-4-billion-clean-energy-bet.html India's view of climate change shifts toward adaptation, clean energy. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz arrives in India today for high-level meetings that many hope will help ease recent diplomatic tensions between the two countries, including a spat over renewable energy. The U.S.-India Energy Dialogue was originally scheduled for January but was upended by bitter feelings in India over the strip search and arrest of a diplomat in New York who was charged with visa fraud. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/03/10/stories/1059995803 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Burn scheduled for Hetch Hetchy area. Yosemite National Park is planning a “prescribed burn” in the Hetch Hetchy area, near the O’Shaughnessy Dam, according to a National Park Service news release. The burn will take place sometime in mid- to late March on 57 acres. The fire will last about one to two days, officials said, but the process will continue for a few more days after that. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/07/3810257/burn-scheduled-for-hetch-hetchy.html BPA-free plastics could be just as harmful – study. Some bisphenol A-free plastic cups may contain other chemicals that have similar properties to BPA. New research from the Oakland, Calif.-based Center for Environmental Health has found that the replacement chemicals also may disrupt the body's naturally produced hormones. That means exposure to them may have the same risk of cancer, diabetes, reproductive problems, early development and obesity that some studies have linked to BPA. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059995841/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Global Warming? Not Always. CALIFORNIA is now in the midst of the third year of one of its worst droughts on record. As our planet gradually warms from our rampant burning of fossil fuels, it’s only natural to wonder what role climate change has played in California’s troubles. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/09/opinion/sunday/global-warming-not-always.html?_r=0 Mercury News editorial: Steinberg's carbon tax proposal going nowhere, but raises important discussion. The reasoning behind Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg's proposal last month to make a major change to California's cap-and-trade system remains puzzling. Steinberg is no environmental squish. Why would he try to undermine the state's painstakingly constructed market for carbon emission permits? The reason probably doesn't matter because the idea is going nowhere. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_25296462/mercury-news-editorial-steinbergs-carbon-tax-proposal-going No amount of wishful thinking can stop global warming. RSS processes and analyses data from microwave sensors on orbiting satellites to track changes in the atmosphere from the surface to the edge of space. Their work complements other data sources, with a special strength in remote places not so well covered by surface weather stations. As RSS points out, the troposphere (the lower atmosphere…Posted. http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/no-amount-of-wishful-thinking-can-stop-global-warming/story-fnj4f64i-1226850766406 BLOGS Here’s Video of China’s New Pollution-Fighting Drone. The killer new weapon in China’s so-far ineffectual “war on smog“ is the same one the U.S. has relied on in its similarly problematic war on terror: the drone. Earlier this month, state media reported that China is testing a new domestically produced unmanned aerial vehicle with a glide parachute, also known as a parafoil drone, to help clear the country’s notoriously smoky skies. Now thanks to CNC, the television arm of China’s official Xinhua news agency, we have footage of the little pollution fighting machine: Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/03/10/heres-video-of-chinas-new-pollution-fighting-drone/ Pollution Is Causing Lung Cancer in China. Or Is it? Can air pollution cause lung cancer? That’s the question many in China are asking as they snap up face masks to avoid breathing hazardous particles in the country’s often pewter-colored, polluted skies. The answer—like the air—isn’t so clear. Health experts like Wang Ning, deputy director of the Beijing Office for Cancer Prevention and Control, say they’ve seen a rise in a certain kind of cancer known as adenocarcinoma—which is characterized by duct formations and the production of mucus that is tied to pollution…Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/03/10/does-air-pollution-cause-cancer/ The Red Faces of the Solar Skeptics. If the faces of renewable energy critics are not red yet, they soon will be. For years, these critics — of solar photovoltaics in particular — have called renewable energy a boutique fantasy. A recent Wall Street Journal blog post continues the trend, asserting that solar subsidies take money from the poor to benefit the rich. But solar-generated electricity is turning into a powerful environmental and economic success story. Posted. http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/the-red-faces-of-the-solar-skeptics/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Business%20Day&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry500%23%2Ffuels%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Rolls-Royce planning plug-in hybrid. Rolls-Royce is not the first marque you'd think of when it comes to environmentally friendly transportation. Its cars are big – often the size of SUVs – and pack ginormous twelve-cylinder engines displacing over six and a half liters. Those upright Parthenon grilles can't be very aerodynamic, either. But the way the wind is blowing these days, Goodwood will have to get with the program sooner or later. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/03/10/rolls-royce-plug-in-hybrid-report/ First all-electric school bus in US starts service in California. Over two years after its introduction, the first all-electric school bus in the US has gone into service. Produced by the partnership between Trans Tech and Motiv, the SST-e school bus can carry up to 25 students, has a range of 80 or 100 miles (depending on options) and can save a school district over $10,000 a year in running costs. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/09/first-all-electric-school-bus-in-us-starts-service-in-california/ Moral Pollution. When asked to define pollution, I usual reply "excess," advocating that not all things are polluting in or of themselves, but become so in excessive quantities - thus natural sugar is a body health requirement, but too much sugar contributes to unhealthy outcomes that accelerate disease and death. Too much chocolate, too much untreated waste, too much pesticide, too many emissions, too much acid in the air and sea, too much money…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-neill/moral-pollution_b_4935796.html Climate Change Poses Major Threat To Energy Infrastructure, Agency Warns. Oil refineries and drilling platforms in the U.S. are vulnerable to sea level rise and greater storm surge. Fuel pipelines, barges, railways and storage tanks are vulnerable to melting permafrost and severe weather. Warming seas and water shortages put nuclear and other electric power plants at risk. Power lines can be blown away by hurricanes and other extreme weather. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/10/climate-change-energy-infrastructure_n_4934759.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:09:53 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 11, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 11, 2014. 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 Quebec's Carbon Market. Rebounds After California Hook Up. Quebec’s first auction of carbon allowances last year was deemed a bit of a snooze-fest as buyers only snapped up about a third of available allowances, but demand soared in last week’s provincial auction following its linkage to California’s cap-and-trade system. Posted. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10242§ion=news_articles&eod=1 AIR POLLUTION High lead levels in soil near battery plant prompt health warnings. State regulators order Exide Technologies to perform more testing after elevated amounts of lead are found in the soil of homes and a preschool near the Vernon plant. Elevated levels of lead have been found in the soil of homes and a preschool near a battery recycling plant in Vernon, prompting officials to issue health warnings and order more testing in adjacent neighborhoods. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-exide-20140311,0,6768206.story#ixzz2vfhxrNJf http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/11/6226285/high-lead-levels-in-soil-near.html Phillips 66 fined $230K for SF Bay air violations. Phillips 66 Company has been fined $230,900 by San Francisco Bay Area air quality officials for numerous air pollution violations. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District says the settlement covers 19 violations from 2008 and 2009. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Phillips-66-fined-230K-for-SF-Bay-air-violations-5304689.php http://www.contracostatimes.com/contra-costa-times/ci_25315213/phillips-66-oil-refinery-rodeo-pay-230-900 Deteriorating air quality expected today. A warning that blowing dust will cause poor air quality on the Nipomo Mesa was issued today by the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District. APCD and San Luis Obispo County Health Department officials said deteriorating air quality is expected in the Oceano Dunes and Nipomo Mesa areas from noon to 7 p.m. today, with dust levels peaking between 1 and 6 p.m. Posted. http://santamariatimes.com/news/local/deteriorating-air-quality-expected-today/article_c88fc744-a8a9-11e3-9c44-0019bb2963f4.html Traffic Column. A smog inspection for such a newer vehicle is required when there’s a transfer of ownership, said ARB air pollution specialist John Swanton, who noted, “One reason for the inspection is exactly the situation here.” “ARB works closely with aftermarket manufacturers to get as many of their ‘pending’ parts granted executive order exemptions as possible. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/columns/on-the-road-headlines/20140310-traffic-column.ece Court rejects challenge to EPA power plant standards on procedural grounds. A federal court this morning rejected a challenge to U.S. EPA emission standards for power plants by the state of Texas and industry groups -- largely on procedural grounds. The opinion from a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit protects EPA's New Source Performance Standards for particulate matter…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059995934/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Democrats clock all-nighter with climate talk. Democratic senators clocked an all-nighter, working in shifts into Tuesday morning to warn of devastation from climate change and the danger of inaction. Addressing a nearly empty chamber and visitor gallery, more than two dozen speakers agreed with each other about the need to act on climate change. Naysayers - Republicans - largely stayed away, arguing hours earlier that regulation would cost Americans jobs in a sluggish economy. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SENATE_ALL_NIGHTER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/11/us/politics/26-democrats-plan-a-senate-all-nighter-on-climate-change.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry138%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/11/6226706/democratic-senators-to-wrap-up.html#storylink=cpy http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/10/senate-democrats-plan-all-night-session-on-climate/ http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_25318643/climate-change-talkathon-democratic-senators-pull-an-all Steel plant may be allowed to release more toxins. A Detroit-area steel plant would be allowed to release higher amounts of toxins under a revised permit proposed by the state Department of Environmental Quality that would bring its allowed emissions more in line with what the facility actually sends into the air. The changes to a 2006 emissions permit would approve releasing more than 725 times more lead into the air…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/11/6227219/steel-plant-may-be-allowed-to.html#storylink=cpy Climate change program hits record price. The cost for power plants in New York to emit climate-changing greenhouse gases hit an all-time high last week under the nine-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Spearheaded by former GOP Gov. George Pataki, RGGI began in 2009 as the nation's first state-level greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Climate-change-program-hits-record-price-5304697.php Climate change and sensitivity: not all Watts are equal. We hear a lot of talk these days about climate sensitivity. It is often considered the most important measure for predicting how much the Earth's temperature will increase as we emit heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2014/mar/11/climate-change-sensitivity-shindell DROUGHT In severe drought plan, California salmon may be moved by truck. Starting next month, millions of young California salmon could be migrating to the ocean in tanker trucks instead of swimming downstream in the Sacramento River. On Monday, state and federal wildlife officials announced a plan to move hatchery-raised salmon by truck in the event the state’s ongoing drought makes the Sacramento River and its tributaries inhospitable for the fish. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/10/6226163/in-severe-drought-plan-california.html#storylink=cpy DIESEL EMISSIONS Highest biodiesel awards honor industry champions. Few states have as significant an impact on environmental regulations as the state of California. As the industry honored those who have made significant impacts on the biodiesel industry during the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in San Diego recently, it is fitting that multiple award winners reside within the Golden State. Posted. http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/17980/highest-biodiesel-awards-honor-industry-champions Air district bus program closes March 14. San Joaquin Valley school districts have until March 14 to apply for funding to help replace their polluting buses with newer, cleaner models. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control launched its School Bus Incentive Program last April providing school districts with enough money to cover half the cost of each new school bus. Posted. http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/energy-and-environment/11092-air-district-bus-program-closes-march-14 Other related articles: http://www.news10.net/story/news/local/stockton/2014/03/10/air-pollution-school-bus/6271433/ FUELS Coal to the Rescue, but Maybe Not Next Winter. When the temperature here dropped into the teens this winter, ice formed on the inside of Ernestine J. Cundiff’s windows in the drafty 50-year-old apartment building where she lives. At 81, with diabetes, poor circulation in her legs and both shoulders damaged in separate falls last year, Ms. Cundiff said wearing leggings and fur-lined slippers was not enough to keep her warm, so she took to using an electric space heater in her bedroom. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/11/business/energy-environment/coal-to-the-rescue-this-time.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry138%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F FRACKING Fracking exposes rift between Jerry Brown, Democrats. Fracking has opened vast oil and natural gas deposits across the country, creating legions of fans and foes alike. Now the technology has exposed a rift between Gov. Jerry Brown and a very vocal part of his Democratic base. Brown has come under increasing fire from the state's powerful environmental lobby for his support of hydraulic fracturing, the drilling technique that has revolutionized America's oil and gas industry. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Fracking-exposes-rift-between-Jerry-Brown-5305168.php VEHICLES Hyundai Motor to launch first battery-powered electric car in 2016. Hyundai Motor Co plans to start selling its first battery-powered electric vehicle (EV) in 2016 as South Korea's champion of fuel-cell cars hedges its bets in next-generation green technology. Hyundai has leant toward engines which turn hydrogen into electricity in response to stricter emissions regulations in markets such as the United States. Research and development partner Kia Motors Corp has focused on rechargeable batteries. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/11/us-hyundai-motor-electric-idUSBREA2A07Q20140311 California mulls how to regulate 'driverless cars.' California's Department of Motor Vehicles is wading into the complex question of how to regulate the use of cars that rely on computers — not people — to drive them. Once the stuff of science fiction, "Driverless cars" could be commercially available by decade's end. On Tuesday, the DMV is hearing ideas on how to integrate the cars onto public roads. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/11/california-mulls-how-to-regulate-driverless-cars/ Toyota continues prepare the market for fuel cell vehicle in 2015. Toyota Motor continues to lay the foundation for the introduction of its production fuel cell hybrid vehicle in 2015; the company began work on fuel cell technology in 1992. Showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in January in Las Vegas (earlier post), the FCV Concept, which presages the introduction of the series-production vehicle, made its European debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/03/20140311-fcv.html GREEN ENERGY Durango turns to renewable power. Durango is going to buy 100 percent renewable energy from La Plata Electric Association this year. Customers pay a premium of 9 cents per 100 kilowatt hours for electricity produced from non-fossil fuels, such as solar, hydroelectric power or wind. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/11/6227456/durango-turns-to-renewable-power.html#storylink=cpy http://www.modbee.com/2014/03/11/3233730/durango-turns-to-renewable-power.html#storylink=cpy Owners love their green-certified homes, survey finds. A recent survey finds that a majority of home owners who bought a green-certified home love their homes and would even buy another green home in the future. Home owners were most satisfied with their low utility bills, energy efficiency, and better insulation, according to the survey. Posted. http://www.pe.com/real-estate/company-news/20140310-owners-love-their-green-certified-homes-survey-finds.ece Costs count most in clean-energy survey. Consumers may say they care about the environment. But when it comes to clean technology items like hybrid cars or energy-efficient home upgrades, people vote with their wallets. A national survey of homeowners released Monday found that upfront costs and sustained savings are the top concerns when adding rooftop solar energy, backup energy storage and other big-ticket green technology. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/10/homowners-crave-energy-choices/ Wind power has more than tripled in 6 years – report. The top 10 wind-energy-producing states are generating enough clean energy to power roughly 11.5 million U.S. homes, according to data released last week by the American Wind Energy Association. The findings, based on an analysis of Energy Department data, provide another snapshot of how and where wind power is growing in the United States. Nationally, wind power now accounts for 4.1 percent of all electricity generated nationwide. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995875/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS More choices, more rides bring transit renaissance. With more trains and buses to take, and the appeal of using travel time for pursuits other than dodging traffic, Americans are taking greater advantage of a renaissance in public transit, according to a new report. The number of rides taken on public buses, trains and subways has fully recovered from a dip during the Great Recession. And with services restored following economy-driven cutbacks, ridership appears set to resume what had been a steady increase. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/11/6226659/more-choices-more-rides-bring.html#storylink=cpy http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/more-choices-more-rides-bring-transit-renaissance/2014/03/11/401fcf34-a90e-11e3-8a7b-c1c684e2671f_story.html http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=25396 http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/mariposa-daily-news-2014/173-march/12369-california-household-travel-survey-shows-more-californians-are-walking-biking-and-riding-transit BLOGS Pollution: Causing Lung Cancer in China? Can air pollution cause lung cancer? That’s the question many in China are asking as they snap up face masks to avoid breathing hazardous particles in the country’s often pewter-colored, polluted skies. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/03/10/does-air-pollution-cause-cancer/ New research shows air pollution might make you bad at your job. In 2011 researchers at UC San Diego and Columbia University were the first to demonstrate a link between air pollution and reduced productivity among outdoor agricultural workers. Now those researchers are back with a new study, entitled “Particulate Pollution and the Productivity of Pear Packers.” The study shows, for the first time, a significant link between air pollution and the productivity of indoor workers. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/03/10/new-research-shows-air-pollution-might-make-you-bad-at-your-job/ Big Oil says California's cap-and-trade system will raise gas prices. You try to do a good thing, but someone always has to come around and say there's a down side. In this case, the good thing is AB 32, also known as California's greenhouse gas emission reduction law, and the potential down side is one that could generate a lot of bad publicity. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/10/big-oil-californias-cap-trade-system-raise-gas-prices/ Tesla investor says selling 500,000 EVs in 2020 is totally doable. Tesla Motors may make good on Chief Elon Musk's claim of selling a half-million vehicles a year by the end of the decade, Motley Fool says. Of course, the author of the Foolish report in question owns Tesla shares but, now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's check out the logic. Tesla moved almost 22,500 Model S vehicles last year and it was the best-selling plug-in vehicle in the US during the fourth quarter. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/11/tesla-investor-says-selling-500000-evs-in-2020-possible/ Four new ozone-destroying gases found sneaking around the stratosphere. There are things we know that we know, there are things that we know we don’t know, and there are four previously unknown ozone-eating gases that we now know are eating the ozone. (It goes something like that, right?) Posted. http://grist.org/news/four-new-ozone-destroying-gases-found-sneaking-around-the-stratosphere/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:37:15 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 12, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 12, 2014. 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 Russia Considers Domestic Carbon Market in Global Warming Fight. Russia is considering a domestic carbon market to cut greenhouse-gas emissions and may start providing poorer nations with cash to cope with global warming, according to the country’s climate negotiator. “We would like to elaborate our domestic market and eventually make it link into other markets,” Oleg Shamanov said in an interview today in Bonn, where United Nations-led climate talks are being held this week. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-03-12/russia-considers-domestic-carbon-market-in-global-warming-fight What is the Social Cost of Carbon Emissions? Pt. 1. UMass Amherst Economics Professor and Director at the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), James Boyce, gives a cost-benefit analysis of carbon emissions on human society. Posted. https://www.umass.edu/researchnext/what-social-cost-carbon-emissions-pt-1 China carbon tax in doubt as air pollution takes centre stage. China is reconsidering plans for a carbon tax as local air pollution trumps concerns over climate change and some rich nations back away from imposing a tax on greenhouse gas emissions, a top official said. Premier Li Keqiang last week declared war on pollution, which is expected to speed up the process of turning China's limited environmental levy into a full-blown tax targeting the nation's major polluters. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/12/china-parliament-carbon-idINL3N0M92LG20140312 AIR RESOURCES BOARD CARB Stresses ILUC Update is Preliminary. California Air Resources Board (CARB) staff spent four hours on Tuesday afternoon detailing reviews made of Indirect Land Use Change (iLUC) models and analysis for the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), strongly stressing that their results are preliminary. “This is a work in progress,” said Air Resources Engineer Anil Prabhu as he began his power point presentation detailing the history of the iLUC analysis used by the agency…Posted. http://domesticfuel.com/2014/03/12/carb-stresses-iluc-update-is-preliminary/ IG questions EPA stimulus spending on train refurbishing in California. Under a program established in 2005, EPA officials gave $8,888,888 in stimulus funds to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to refurbish eight switchyard locomotives. CARB had found that most of the pollution from railroads came from engines that worked exclusively in switch yards, and the grant was an attempt to create cleaner engines that would cut down on air pollution. In fact, officials hoped the overhauls would cut emissions of some toxic particulates by as much as 90 percent. Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/11/ig-questions-epa-stimulus-spending-on-train-refurb/#ixzz2vm01fVIV AIR POLLUTION Court rejects industry challenge on clean air. A federal appeals court has turned aside an industry effort to weaken compliance requirements for environmental standards that reduce soot pollution from power plants. The Utility Air Regulatory Group had challenged as too burdensome compliance regulations covering fossil-fuel-fired steam generating plants built between 1971 and 1978. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/11/court-rejects-industry-challenge-on-clean-air/#ixzz2vlSfu56W New super-warming and ozone-depleting gases discovered on the rise. Flying under the radar of scientific detection until now, four ozone-depleting gases are raising concern over enforcement of and legal loopholes within the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty designed to phase out emissions of such man-made substances. While two of the gases appear to be decreasing, the other two are increasing in abundance and showing an accelerating trend…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995955/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY House subcommittees wrestle with carbon capture, storage technologies. Two House Science, Space and Technology subcommittees grappled again today with the technology underpinning a controversial U.S. EPA power plant regulation aimed at curbing emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide. At issue: Is technology for capturing, transporting and storing CO2 emissions ready for commercial prime time? Republicans on the Energy and Environment subpanels and industry witnesses questioned the technology that EPA uses to justify requiring industry to meet its proposal for new power plants. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996024/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE NASA Study Projects Higher Temperatures Despite Recent Slowdown in Global Warming. Global temperatures will likely continue to rise in coming decades on track with higher estimates, despite a recent slowdown in the rate of global warming, according to a new study from a National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist. The study sought to reconcile different estimates for the Earth's climate sensitivity, or how temperatures change in response to changes in the atmosphere. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-12/nasa-study-projects-higher-temperatures-despite-recent-slowdown-in-global-warming.html Why don't climate change adaptation strategies include population growth? While developed nations are largely responsible for global warming, the burden of climate change is often placed on the shoulders of the world's poorest countries -- where, research shows, population growth can exacerbate vulnerability. Yet despite this clear link, population-related susceptibility is rarely included in climate change adaptation efforts, according to experts. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995985/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY 3rd major warning on possible El Niño weather event. Commodities traders and farmers have been alerted to the coming about of the El Niño weather phenomenon, which could influence food and energy markets that are already hurting from extreme weather in much of the world. El Niño is a warming of Pacific Ocean temperatures that happens naturally every few years but can lead to droughts in some countries while floods can occur in other regions. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said yesterday that the tropical Pacific subsurface had "warmed substantially" during the last couple of weeks…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995951/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California drought to drive up food prices in the long term. With 2013 the driest year on record and 2014 possibly worse, the devastation of California's drought is trickling down to crops, fields, farmers markets, grocery stores -- and the kitchen table. While it's too early to tell precisely how much the drought will push up household grocery bills, economists say consumers can expect to pay more for food later this year because fewer acres of land are being planted and crop yields are shrinking. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/business/ci_25322583/farm-fork-california-drought-drive-up-food-prices FUELS Spike in gas prices hits home for local drivers. Susan Bennett of Santa Rosa said she blew it by pumping $4 a gallon gas into her Toyota Prius on Tuesday at a Chevron station on Airport Boulevard. “I didn't look at it,” she said, referring to the price of $4.09 per gallon of regular. The hybrid Prius was telling her it would run out of fuel in a mile, she said. “I had to go to the nearest station.” Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140311/articles/140319906 Calif.'s pioneering low-carbon fuels rule could see multiple changes. California's landmark law requiring lower-carbon fuels is poised for a rewrite. Advisers to the state's Air Resources Board yesterday detailed proposed revisions to the low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS), a first-in-the-nation regulation. Potential changes include allowing oil companies to earn program credits for making refinery upgrades that shrink greenhouse gas pollution. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995992 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY China sticks with coal gasification to curb smog despite potentially big rise in CO2 emissions. While experts worldwide have opened fire on China's move to produce natural gas from coal, Chinese policymakers appear to be standing pat on their decision. During a recent press conference in Beijing, Wu Xiaoqing, vice minister of China's Ministry of Environmental Protection, told reporters that "central and western China are rich in coal and have a bigger environmental capacity…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995991/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Can Kemper become the first US power plant to use 'clean coal'? The massive block of steel towers and pipes rises out of the morning fog like a sci-fi fantasy. But this coal-fired power plant could help save the climate, or at least that's the hope of the Obama administration. The plant in east-central Mississippi was repeatedly invoked by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to justify sweeping new climate change rules. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/12/kemper-us-power-plant-coal-carbon GREEN ENERGY Solar on sale, almost anywhere. You can buy it from your financial planner, at home improvement stores, shopping-mall kiosks, while buying a house or a car, online or by phone. Rooftop solar is for sale seemingly everywhere, as no-money-down lease agreements allow more and more homeowner to undercut utility electricity prices. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/12/solarcity-best-buy-partner/ Agricultural economists see rural power systems based on biomass. Millions of tons of farm wastes could fuel a new kind of electricity generation and delivery system that would cater to rural areas where the prospect of building long transmission systems is economically difficult, new research by agricultural economists in Missouri and Illinois suggests. Such a power grid would rely on biomass-fueled generators that can be built at relatively low cost and be linked to end-users via regional distribution grids…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995962/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Vestas passes GE to regain title as biggest wind turbine maker. Denmark's Vestas Wind Systems A/S is once again the undisputed top turbine manufacturer in the world, according to a report by Make Consulting. The Danish company had 13.2 percent of the market share in 2013, down from 14.6 percent the year before, Make said. General Electric Co., which some studies had listed as having surpassed Vestas in 2012, fell to No. 6 with a market share of 4.9 percent from 13.7 percent a year earlier. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995943/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Farm-to-Table Living Takes Root. In many American suburbs, outward signs of life are limited to the blue glow of television screens flickering behind energy-efficient windows. But in a subdivision of this bedroom community outside Phoenix, amid precision-cut lawns and Craftsman-style homes, lambs caper in common green areas, chickens scratch in a citrus grove and residents roam rows of heirloom vegetables to see what might be good for dinner. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/12/dining/farm-to-table-living-takes-root.html?hpw&rref=dining&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry299%23%2Fgreen%2Benergy%2F24hours%2F Wish you could fertilize crops with pee? Urine luck. “When are you going to start bringing pee out to the farm?” Jay Bailey, a local farmer, asked Abe Noe-Hays when they ran into each other at the hardware store in Battleboro, Vt. “Um, how about now? Noe-Hays had just teamed up with Kim Nace to form the Rich Earth Institute, an organization that separates out pee to use as fertilizer for local farms — ”peecycling” to those in the know. Posted. http://grist.org/food/wish-you-could-fertilize-crops-with-pee-urine-luck/ OPINION Exploiting California’s Drought. The San Joaquin Valley in California can be stunningly beautiful: On a visit two weeks ago, I saw billions of pink almond blossoms peaking, with the Sierra Nevada towering over all. It can also be a hideous place, the air choked with microparticles of unpleasant origins (dried cow dung, sprayed chemicals, blowing over-fertilized soil), its cities like Fresno and Bakersfield sprawling incoherently and its small towns suffering from poverty, populated by immigrants from places as near as Baja, Mexico, and as far as Punjab, India. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/12/opinion/exploiting-californias-drought.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry299%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Editorial: Carbon tax not best way to offset cap-and-trade gas price volatility. The weather is warming up and so are gas prices. Drivers seem to be putting more miles on their vehicles, which is part of the reason prices are quickly jumping, up 28 cents a gallon statewide from a month ago. In Santa Cruz County, the average price of a gallon of gasoline this month is $3.78, up 22 cents from last month. The average for Northern California is higher, at $3.84. Posted. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/ci_25322907/editorial-carbon-tax-not-best-way-offset-cap BLOGS Freedom From Driving. Americans are catching on to the joys of not driving. The American Public Transportation Association announced on Monday that more people used buses, trains and subways in 2013 than in any year since 1956. More than 10.65 billion passenger trips were taken last year — enough to surpass even the ridership during the latest recession, when gas prices rose to $5 a gallon. Posted. http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/11/freedom-from-driving/?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry299%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F BYD gets order for 1,200 electric buses from Dalian, China. The good news is that the BYD electric buses slated for service in the China city of Dalian will easily be able to go from the factory to the streets on a single charge. Dalian has put an order in for a whopping 1,200 BYD electric buses, which are said to have a single-charge range of about 155 miles. BYD will deliver 600 buses this year and another 600 in 2015. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/12/byd-gets-order-for-1200-electric-buses-from-dalian-china/ Americans taking public transit at highest rate in 57 years. I don't like public transportation. It's a completely irrational dislike, I'll admit, and is largely due to the fact that I'm a control freak. It's the reason I like living in Detroit, rather than New York, Chicago, London, Paris or any other city with a sprawling transit system - I have to drive everywhere. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/03/11/americans-taking-public-transit-highest-rate-57-years/ BMW i8 customer demand exceeding planned production; improved fuel consumption. Series production of the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid (earlier post) begins in April, with delivery of the first customer cars to start in June 2014, beginning with the main European markets. Customers have already been able to place pre-orders for the BMW i8 in all major markets since autumn 2013; BMW says that demand for the BMW i8 is already exceeding the planned production volume during ramp-up. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/03/20140311-i8.html Four reasons why the fight against climate change is likely to fail. Democrats in the Senate stayed up all night talking about the perils of climate change. But while there's hope that technology, changing consumer and business practices or new policies could finally turn the tide and slow or reverse climate change, there are also good reasons to think those efforts will fail. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/03/11/four-reasons-why-the-fight-against-climate-change-is-likely-to-fail-2/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 11:36:57 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for March 13, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 13, 2014. 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 Costa Rica opposition group says to scrap 2021 carbon neutrality target. Costa Rica's leading opposition group, PAC, expected to win a four-year presidential term next month, will drop the country's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2021, an official said. The leftist group's candidate, Luis Guillermo Solis, should be elected president in an April 6 runoff vote after ruling party candidate Johnny Araya announced on Wednesday that he was abandoning the campaign. Posted. http://legalnews.findlaw.com/article/53234f1876407f7b290351cb86e63b9e?DCMP=NWL-cons_greenpage Clarification: California-Carbon Tax story. In a story March 9, The Associated Press reported that the Western States Petroleum Association's oil company members are proposing to use a carbon tax on fuels instead of the state's cap and trade system. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_CARBON_TAX?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB Proposes Fleet Friendly Changes. The California Air Resources Board has proposed a set of amendments to make it easier for fleets to comply with current regulations. Truck drivers and other stakeholders had voiced their concerns that they would not be able to meet the regulations as they are currently written. Posted. http://gobytrucknews.com/carb-proposes-fleet-friendly-changes/123 Valley Air district helps schools foot the bill for new buses. The buses you drive by on your way to work may soon get an upgrade that could help our entire atmosphere. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District wants to help local school districts foot half the bill for new buses while improving the air we breathe at the same time. Posted. http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/air-dirstrict-helps-schools-foot-the-bill-for-new-buses FUELS Calif.'s pioneering low-carbon fuels rule could see multiple changes. California's landmark law requiring lower-carbon fuels is poised for a rewrite. Advisers to the state's Air Resources Board yesterday detailed proposed revisions to the low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS), a first-in-the-nation regulation. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059995992 Chevron warns California carbon rules will make gasoline too costly. Pending California carbon regulations could make it too expensive to operate refineries in the most populous U.S. state, drastically increasing gasoline prices and costing thousands of jobs, a senior Chevron Corp executive said. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/12/chevron-california-idINL2N0M81FN20140312 VEHICLES Plug Power eyes first profit on rising fuel cell orders. Plug Power Inc (PLUG.O) said it expected to post its first ever profit in the fourth quarter this year as orders rise for its hydrogen fuel cells, helped by strong demand from customers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/13/us-plugpower-results-idUSBREA2C0SS20140313 GREEN ENERGY Desert Solar Power Plant a Risk to Air Safety, Say Pilots. Pilots flying both private and commercial aircraft near Las Vegas have filed complaints abut possible unsafe conditions caused by a large solar power plant in the Mojave Desert, according to documents filed with a state agency, and Las Vegas officials are urging the plant's designer to do something about the problem. Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/concentrating-solar/desert-solar-power-plant-a-risk-to-air-safety-say-pilots.html OPINION OP-ED: California’s looming cap-and-trade gas price increase. The weather is warming up and so are gas prices. Drivers seem to be putting more miles on their vehicles, which is part of the reason prices are quickly jumping, up 28 cents a gallon statewide from a month ago. In Santa Cruz County, the average price of a gallon of gasoline this month is $3.78, up 22 cents from last month. The average for Northern California is higher, at $3.84. Posted. http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/opinions/2014-03-13/op-ed-californias-looming-cap-and-trade-gas-price-increase/1776425119624.html BLOGS Can this coal plant save the climate? The massive block of steel towers and pipes rises out of the morning fog like a sci-fi fantasy. But this coal-fired power plant could help save the climate, or at least that’s the hope of the Obama administration. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/can-this-coal-plant-save-the-climate/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 16:22:44 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for March 14, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 14, 2014. 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 RGGI Completes First Cap-and-Trade Auction Since Reducing CO2 Cap by 45 Percent. Extreme, atypical weather continues to take an unusually heavy toll on the U.S. economy and society this winter, patterns consistent with forecasts made by the world’s leading climate scientists. Those same scientists have been urging world leaders to take action and proactively invest in climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives for at least two decades. Posted. http://www.triplepundit.com/2014/03/rggi-completes-first-cap-trade-auction-since-reducing-co2-cap-45-percent/ AIR POLLUTION Free ride: To combat pollution, France and Belgium make public transportation free. Air pollution that has turned Paris skies a murky yellow and shrouded much of Belgium in smog for days forced drivers to slow down and gave a free ride Friday to millions in both countries who use public transportation. The belt of pollution stretched from France's Atlantic coast hundreds of miles into Belgium and well into Germany. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_FRANCE_POLLUTION?SITE=WIJAN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/no-fare-pollution-french-public-transport-free/2014/03/14/db1d5e72-ab5a-11e3-b8ca-197ef3568958_story.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/world/europe/paris-suffers-a-spring-smog-attack.html?_r=0 CLIMATE CHANGE 'Cost of Carbon' Doesn't Include Some Climate Risks. The federal government's revised social cost of carbon figure is too low to adequately capture several social and economic harms posed by climate change, environmental groups said in a report released March 13. The $37 per metric ton figure that federal agencies use to calculate the impact of climate change in their regulations is either missing or improperly quantifying the threats posed by increased risk of high-ozone days…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-14/-cost-of-carbon-doesn-t-include-some-climate-risks.html Poll: Global warming no big threat to USA life. Though two-thirds of Americans believe global warming is happening or will happen during their lifetimes, only about one-third see it as a serious threat to their way of life, a new Gallup Poll reports. The wide perceptual gap has existed since Gallup first asked the question 17 years ago, but it has narrowed slightly. Today, 36% believe that global warming will seriously affect how they live, up from 25% in 1997. At the same time, the percentage of people who do not see global warming hampering their lives has doubled since Gallup's first survey — from 9% to 18% in the poll taken March 6 through Sunday. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/13/gallup-poll-global-warming/6388689/ Climate change poses a busy, difficult future for U.S. military. Climate change poses a top risk to U.S. national security because it may increase instability around the world, threaten coastal U.S. military installations and lead to more conflicts stemming from fights over natural resources, beginning with water. That's according to expert panelists and two members of Congress speaking at an event on Capitol Hill yesterday who warned that continuing to ignore climate change could also jeopardize America's standing and leadership in the world. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996137/print BU SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Future fuel efficiency efforts come into focus. More integration between tractor and trailer, more focused trainer on driver skills, and increased adoption of a wide variety of aerodynamic devices will most likely be the main areas of focus as new fuel efficiency rules begin to take hold of the trucking industry by 2017 and beyond. Posted. http://fleetowner.com/regulations/future-fuel-efficiency-efforts-come-focus FUELS $4-a-gallon gas lands in California. The steady, month-long climb in gasoline prices passed a milestone in California this week as Los Angeles became the first major metro area in the continental United States to see its average retail gasoline price hit $4 a gallon in 2014. “We’re not surprised that California is the first to break the $4 gasoline threshold,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for national gas price tracker GasBuddy.com. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/13/6234362/4-a-gallon-gas-lands-in-california.html#mi_rss=Business#storylink=cpy New power sources planned to replace nuclear plant. California regulators Thursday approved a plan for two utilities to develop replacement power to help fill the void left by the closure of the San Onofre nuclear power plant, but environmentalists warned it could open the way for more dirty energy. The nuclear plant between San Diego and Los Angeles, which stopped producing power in January 2012, once generated enough electricity for 1.4 million homes. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/New-power-sources-planned-to-replace-nuclear-plant-5313148.php Senate debates pros and cons of Keystone XL pipeline. The fight over Keystone XL pipeline moved to the Senate on Thursday, as fans and foes of the pipeline battled over its link to climate change, the economy and U.S. security. But little was resolved during a two-hour Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the issue that only served to underscore the sharp divisions over TransCanada Corp.'s $5.4 billion project. University of Alberta energy policy professor Andrew Leach described it as a "largely fact-free debate." "Both sides (are) peddling complete falsehoods," Leach observed, even as they are "calling for people to base their decisions on the facts." Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Senate-debates-pros-and-cons-of-Keystone-XL-5316072.php Scientists present cheaper way to turn natural gas into other fuels. America has more natural gas than it knows what to do with, so the industry is scrambling to find new ways to use the fuel as its prices scrape record lows. Though methane, the major component of natural gas, burns cleaner than coal and oil and produces less greenhouse gases, most cars, buses and generators are not set up to use it. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996158/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY 'Rebound' effect could dampen benefits of GHG standards – study. Requiring coal-fired power plants to invest in energy-efficient retrofits may not be the most cost-effective way for U.S. EPA to reduce carbon emissions, a study has found. When coal plant operators invest in technology to be more efficient, the marginal cost of generating electricity goes down. This encourages operators to generate and sell more electricity from coal, and ultimately, release more carbon emissions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996156/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Paper questions EPA's reading of methane emissions from oil wells. How much methane do oil wells emit during drilling and hydraulic fracturing? U.S. EPA's estimate of this number is at least 100 times lower than what it should be, according to a white paper released yesterday by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The white paper reviewed a series of recent studies that have tried to quantify methane emissions from wells that produce both natural gas and oil. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is known to leak from oil and gas operations during the production phase…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059996162/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Senate panel sees clash over climate science and public cost of Keystone XL. Lawmakers, environmentalists and business advocates sparred over the various costs associated with building the Keystone XL oil pipeline yesterday at a charged hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Veteran climatologist and former NASA scientist James Hansen testified that while the pipeline may appear to have economic benefits, facilitating the development of fossil fuels would ultimately stick Americans with a hefty bill. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996154/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Living Smart: Are used appliances 'greener'? What's the better deal for your pocketbook and the environment: a new major appliance or a refurbished one? Several consumers who recently replaced washers and dryers told our research team that they bought used because those models might last just as long as new ones and that reusing is a good "green" practice. One couple said that when their 20-year-old washing machine finally died, they were disappointed when the brand-new replacement lasted only five years. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/13/6233213/living-smart-are-used-appliances.html#storylink=cpy Biomass appeal: Stockton plant focused on clean way to turn wood waste into power. The first thing John Reis does, as he turns a corner and his new power plant comes into view, is clear up any misunderstanding about the great clouds of gas billowing from its 75-foot stack. It's steam. Indeed, as you gaze up toward the plume, tiny drops of water wet your face on this otherwise clear, 77-degree day. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140314/A_NEWS/403140332/0/SEARCH Bigger, more efficient wind turbines boost industry capacity. The deployment of larger and more technologically advanced equipment has helped the wind energy industry boost generation rates on a per-turbine basis since 2008, resulting in greater operational efficiencies and lower costs for consumers, according to the American Wind Energy Association. The data, culled from AWEA's 2013 annual report, show that while U.S. wind energy capacity grew 140 percent…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996138/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Californians grow less reliant on cars, survey finds. Caltrans study shows walking, biking and transit use are up as auto trips fall. More young people don't have driver's licenses. Californians aren't depending quite as heavily on cars for commutes and errands as they did a decade ago, according to a new survey by Caltrans. Although driving is still by far the most dominant mode of transportation across the state, accounting for about three-quarters of daily trips…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-caltrans-study-20140314,0,4819684.story#ixzz2vxYX0p29 Metal-plating firm Electro-Forming charged in hazardous waste case. Electro-Forming, a Richmond company with a long history of problems, faces felony and misdemeanor charges involving hazardous waste. Northern California metal-plating business and its owner were charged Thursday with felony violations of state hazardous waste laws, including storing cyanide near acid in a way that could have triggered a deadly accident. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/me-hazardous-waste-richmond-20140314,0,3232077.story#ixzz2vxTallxX Toxic material in infant mats on new state list targeting hazardous materials. Infant napping pads, varnish strippers and certain foam sealants made California’s first-ever list of hazardous products on Thursday, putting manufacturers on notice that they’ll eventually need to find cleaner ingredients to make those items or face government regulation. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/14/6235803/toxic-material-in-infant-mats.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS We need common ground on climate change economics. Re "Skeptical of climate 'religion' " (Letters, March 12): The writer calling climate change "the new religion of environmental fanatics" does not help us work together on a problem that involves all of us. Global warming from increased carbon dioxide is continuing with the ocean absorbing much of the heat. The writer states that carbon-based fuels have provided a "standard of living never seen before." Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/13/6232412/climate-change-economics.html#storylink=cpy Editorial: Baby nap mats and paint thinner make California’s most-unwanted toxic chemicals list. They are not necessarily the worst chemicals found in consumer products. The three chemicals targeted in the first crackdown of the state’s Safer Consumer Products program aren’t even the most ubiquitous. They made the most unwanted list because they are contained in commonly used consumer products – infant sleep mats and two home-improvement products – and pose a serious health threat to users. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/14/6235634/editorial-baby-nap-mats-and-paint.html#storylink=cpy Can One Judge Stop California From Being Railroaded? Does the Rule of Law matter or is it an antiquated concept in this day and age? After all, our President regularly violates the separation of powers by unilaterally rewriting laws. So it comes with some surprise when a judge stands up to California’s executive branch and puts the brakes on California’s High Speed Rail project by, of all things, requiring government to follow the Rule of Law. Posted. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/03/can-one-judge-stop-california-railroaded/ BLOGS What I'll Talk About When I Talk About Global Warming. I spend a lot of time thinking about what I'll tell my four-year-old daughter about global warming. I'm a betting person and my money says our children are going to view environmental destruction as our generation's defining failure. If that prediction bears out, she's going to want an accounting of what went wrong. Truth is, I bear some responsibility. I'm not Ed Begley Jr. I don't drive an electric car or compost and you won't find solar panels atop our roof. I have defenses: composting bins are smelly and electric cars are expensive. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evan-mandery/what-ill-talk-about-when-_b_4959967.html?view=print&comm_ref=false 5 key issues in the fight for better fuel. To address climate change, we need more creative collaboration on transportation fuel. This was underscored in a discussion hosted by BSR Senior Vice President Eric Olson at the recent Climate Leadership Conference in San Diego, where a panel of practitioners discussed an agenda for addressing climate change through modern mobility. The panelists raised five key ideas that need more attention from commercial fleet operators, their value chain partners and policymakers: Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/03/14/5-key-issues-fight-better-fuel California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 16:08:31 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 18, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 18, 2014. 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 Appetite grows for more varieties of offsets in cap and trade. California's carbon cap-and-trade program is preparing to expand to cover emissions reductions from coal mines, and momentum is building for other sectors, as well. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) is set to vote next month on allowing carbon offsets from the reduction of methane from coal mines. Mine owners throughout the country would be eligible to install equipment to capture methane from active and existing sites and sell the resulting credits. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996285/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Tokyo businesses reach their emission goals without using credits. Businesses in Tokyo have achieved their goals to cut their carbon dioxide emissions without having to rely on emissions credit trading to meet their targets under Asia's first required greenhouse emissions cut program. The system started in April 2010 and sets a cap on the energy-related emissions of about 1,400 offices, commercial buildings and factories that use more than 1,500 kiloliters of energy every year. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996279/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Smothered by smog, Paris bans some cars; measure lifted late in day. With the City of Light buried under a thick blanket of smog for a week now, authorities in the French capital took drastic steps Monday to cut the number of cars on the road and to encourage commuters to find more environmentally friendly ways of getting to work. Only cars with license plates ending in an odd number were allowed on to Paris streets during the day. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-paris-smog-cars-ban-20140317,0,5700535.story#ixzz2wKO6Xqi0 In Mississippi, a power plant is designed to shape the future of coal. If it works, the $5-billion Kemper project would remove up to 65% of its potential carbon dioxide emissions. But it's already behind schedule and over budget. Looming like a spaceship over pine and sweet-gum forest, the high-tech power plant under construction in rural Kemper County is a $5-billion wager on an energy future that includes coal. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-coal-future-20140317,0,3157053.story#ixzz2wKOpg0ta Parisians, you're free to drive again. Air pollution has dropped. The French government said it’s lifting a partial ban on vehicle traffic in Paris as pollution levels receded from last week’s peak, when air quality in the capital was worse than that in Beijing. The first partial driving ban in the French capital in 17 years, which halved the number of automobiles circulating in Paris, and the other anti-pollution measures will be lifted as of midnight, Energy and Environment Minister Philippe Martin said a press conference. Posted. http://www.troyrecord.com/general-news/20140318/parisians-youre-free-to-drive-again-air-pollution-has-dropped Smog insurance? One response to Beijing's pollution. Smog insurance: A state-owned Chinese insurance company will pay Beijing residents 1,500 yuan ($240) if they are hospitalized by smog. If the official smog index reaches 300 for five consecutive days, it will pay out $48. A state-owned Chinese insurer will offer residents of Beijing insurance cover against health risks caused by air pollution, promising to pay out 1,500 yuan ($240) to policy holders hospitalized by smog. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0318/Smog-insurance-One-response-to-Beijing-s-pollution CLIMATE CHANGE Scientists Sound Alarm on Climate. Early in his career, a scientist named Mario J. Molina was pulled into seemingly obscure research about strange chemicals being spewed into the atmosphere. Within a year, he had helped discover a global environmental emergency, work that would ultimately win a Nobel Prize. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/18/science/scientists-sound-alarm-on-climate.html?ref=earth Study: Rockies' wildflower season 35 days longer from climate change. The Rocky Mountain wildflower season has lengthened by over a month since the 1970s, according to a study published Monday that found climate change is altering the flowering patterns of more species than previously thought. Flowers used to bloom from mid-May to early September, but the season now lasts 35 days longer, from April to mid-September…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-wildflowers-climate-change-rocky-mountains-20140317,0,7192239.story http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Rocky-Mountain-Wildflower-Season-Lengthens-by-5325578.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/17/6244830/study-rockies-wildflower-season.html Japan plans to help Laos cut carbon emissions. In an effort to boost bilateral cooperation with Laos to lower its carbon emissions, Japan is looking into transferring low-carbon technologies to the nation. Experts recently met in the Laos capitol city Vientiane to discuss the potential collaboration with Lao private-sector companies, intending to swap experiences on the transfer of low-carbon technologies. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996274/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Ice on 'Africa's Alps' is melting, fast. Experts have warned that the ice on the Rwenzori mountain range is melting at a "disturbing" rate, and that Africa's equatorial summits will be diminished to nothing but rock within two decades, affecting both tourism and agriculture. "Every year, the ice grows smaller," said 54-year-old John Medenge, who has been climbing the range since he was a teenager. But the vanishing ice is affecting more than leisure sports. "The melting of this unique African glacier is a major threat to local communities…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996275/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Scientists debate whether man or climate killed off world's extinct giant mammals. The Earth's extinct megafauna certainly were among the weirdest creatures to roam around tens of thousands of years ago. Species included huge wombats, big sloths, four-tusked elephants and a giant armadillo. But scientists have long wondered whether climate change or man killed these creatures off. They disappeared in North and South America around 10,000 years ago, at the same time as there were big changes to the climate…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996283/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Food Prices Surge as Drought Exacts a High Toll on Crops. Surging prices for food staples from coffee to meat to vegetables are driving up the cost of groceries in the U.S., pinching consumers and companies that are still grappling with a sluggish economic recovery. Federal forecasters estimate retail food prices will rise as much as 3.5% this year, the biggest annual increase in three years, as drought in parts of the U.S. and other producing regions drives up prices for many agricultural goods. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303287804579445311778530606?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5&mg=reno64-wsj Water issues threaten opening of S.F.’s Camp. San Francisco's 90-year-old Camp Mather high in the Sierra may be forced to scale back the number of campers who visit this year because of water problems. City parks officials mailed out letters last week to those requesting stays at the camp, letting them know that the reservation process has been put on hold until adequate water supplies can be assured. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Water-issues-threaten-opening-of-S-F-s-Camp-5326340.php California drought: Solar desalination plant shows promise. Quietly whirring away in a dusty field in the Central Valley is a shiny solar energy machine that may someday solve many of California's water problems. It's called the WaterFX solar thermal desalination plant, and it has been turning salty, contaminated irrigation runoff into ultra-pure liquid for nearly a year for the Panoche Water and Drainage District. It's the only solar-driven desalination plant of its kind in the country.Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-Solar-desalination-plant-5326024.php State aims to ease water storage efforts; community input, drought conditions spur policy change. In an effort to promote water conservation during the state's ongoing drought, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife joined the State Water Resources Control Board in a decision Monday to speed the approval of domestic water storage tank installations. Posted. http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_25364826/state-aims-ease-water-storage-efforts-community-input?source=rss DIESEL EMISSIONS Electric school buses roll out in effort to reduce emissions. An all-electric school bus quietly began transporting students in the Escondido Union High School District on Thursday, part of a state-funded pilot program meant to introduce districts to the merits of bus fleets that are electric-powered, emissions-free and silentPosted. http://edsource.org/2014/electric-school-buses-roll-out-in-effort-to-reduce-emissions/59330#.Uyhsp6Pn-M8 HIGH-SPEED RAIL High-speed rail agency's fight against court setbacks 'arrogant,' Kings County says. An attorney for Kings County not only says a state appeals court should reject what he calls the California High-Speed Rail Authority's "arrogant request" to overturn lower court rulings against the rail agency -- he wants justices to go a step further by invalidating the Legislature's 2012 vote to spend nearly $6 billion on bullet-train construction in the San Joaquin Valley. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/17/3828143/kings-county-calls-high-speed.html High-speed rail seeks interest from contractors for next phase. The California High-Speed Rail Authority says it will host an industry forum and pre-bid conference on April 8 in Visalia for businesses interested in working on the next phase of the high-speed rail project – more than 60 miles of track through the Central Valley from East American Avenue in Fresno County to one mile north of the Kern-Tulare County line. Posted. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=25441 GREEN ENERGY First Solar Seeking Growth to Replace Giant Desert Plants. The biggest U.S. solar panel maker is preparing to set out its strategy for growth as sales lag for its large-scale power projects in the deserts of the southwest. First Solar Inc. gets about 65 percent of its revenue from selling giant solar farms to utilities, a market that’s slowing after its best customers bought all the clean energy they need. The manufacturer is missing out on the current boom in rooftop solar, which is surging since SolarCity Corp. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-18/first-solar-seeking-growth-to-replace-giant-desert-plants.html SolarCity accuses utilities of slowing home-battery project. For more than two years, SolarCity Corp. has been trying to launch an experiment that could change the way we power our homes. The San Mateo company has installed battery packs in more than 100 houses throughout California, each pack linked to rooftop solar panels. The lithium-ion batteries, made by Tesla Motors, store electricity from the panels during the day for use at night. Posted.http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/SolarCity-accuses-utilities-of-slowing-5325791.php National Park service Slams Solar Project Near Mojave Preserve. The National Park Service isn't happy about a proposal to build a large solar facility on almost 4,200 acres next door to the Mojave National Preserve. The agency is citing the project's threats to wildlife, rare plants, groundwater, air quality, and wilderness characteristics of the 1.6 million acre unit. The Soda Mountain Solar Project, which would be built by Bechtel on either side of Interstate 15 along the northwest edge of the Preserve, would pose serious threats to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, migratory birds…Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/photovoltaic-pv/park-service-slams-blm-over-solar-project-near-mojave-preserve.html Solar-powered toilet that turns human waste into biochar will be showcased in India. In the not-too-distant future, going "number two" may also relieve the atmosphere of carbon dioxide. But that's not even the main purpose behind a new solar-powered toilet set to be unveiled in India later this week. The waterless, sun-fueled toilet developed by the University of Colorado, Boulder, could potentially provide 2.5 billion people in developing countries with safe and sustainable sanitation. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996276/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS California motorists won't pay as much in gas taxes starting July 1. California motorists will get a slight break at the pump July 1 when the state excise tax on gasoline will be adjusted downward by 3.5 cents per gallon. The state Board of Equalization voted unanimously Tuesday to lower the tax for one year. The tax officials did so to comply with a state budget law passed in 2010, known as the "fuel tax swap." Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-gas-taxes-to-drop-next-summer-20140225,0,6635193.story#ixzz2wKNUxy00 Honda recalling 900,000 Odyssey minivans due to fire risk. A potential fire risk has led Honda to recall nearly 900,000 of its popular Odyssey minivans, the automaker has announced. The voluntary recall affects 886,815 minivans from the 2005-2010 model years, Honda said. In these vehicles, the cover of the fuel strainer at the top of the gas tank could crack over time and lead to a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-autos-honda-recall-odyssey-minivans-20140317,0,7338708.story#ixzz2wKU3TFR0 OPINIONS Reduce air pollution for region’s health, economy: Guest commentary. Clean ai­r is a right, not a privilege. A child’s health should not be determined by where they live or how much their parents make. But one-third of Californians still breathe levels of soot and smog that violate U.S. health standards, and cause asthma, cancer, heart attacks and strokes. These pollutants are also powerful short-term climate change forcers. This is a problem we cannot tolerate. Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/opinion/20140317/reduce-air-pollution-for-regions-health-economy-guest-commentary Editorial: Less-bad option for higher gas prices in California. Gas prices again have reached $4 a gallon – and are expected to go higher, as fuel producers are required to switch production to the more costly “summer-blend” gasoline – which is bad enough. Californians already pay 71 cents per gallon in state gas taxes – the highest in the nation. Add in 18.4 cents per gallon in federal gas taxes, and nearly one-quarter of the pump price is taxes. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/trade-605916-gallon-cap.html EarthTalk: Global warming and your health. Dear EarthTalk: How is it that global warming could cause an increase in health problems and disease epidemics? Do we have any evidence that it is already happening? -- Jim Merrill, Provo, Utah Global warming isn't just bad for the environment. There are several ways that it is expected to take a toll on human health. For starters, the extreme summer heat that is becoming more normal in a warming world can directly impact the health of billions of people. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EarthTalk-Global-warming-and-your-health-5323870.php Drought Q&A: Will the drought keep a North Carolina man from moving to Sacramento? I am considering moving from Cary, N.C., to Sacramento this summer. I don’t have to move now, but my question is this: Should I stay put and wait this drought out, or should I forget about it and come on out? – Robert Phillips, Cary, N.C. This drought is bad, no question. Residents across the Sacramento region are cutting back water use and will have to conserve further unless we get significantly more rain in the next month or two. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/16/6242286/drought-qa-will-the-drought-keep.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Congress Just Undid The 1 Good Thing It's Done On Climate Change. Congress approved changes to the federal flood insurance program in June 2012 that lawmakers said then would fix the program's problems and make it more financially stable. The bipartisan reforms phased out subsidies for high-risk coastal properties, which onlookers concerned about climate change said was key to discouraging unsustainable coastal development. It was perhaps the only good thing on climate that Congress had done in a really long time. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/17/congress-flood-insurance_n_4981226.html Jay Leno's Garage goes eco with Ricardo HyBoost. The Ricardo HyBoost is a 2009 Ford Focus that has had a 1.1-liter engine swapped in for the stock 2.0-liter four. That might not get you performance enthusiasts out there fired up, until, that is, you hear that the 1.1L is also fed by both a turbocharger and an electrically driven supercharger for an instant-on "torque-fill" effect. Sounds about right, considering that Ricardo engineering is part of the genius behind the McLaren P1. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/03/17/jay-lenos-garage-ricardo-hyboost-video/ Paris ends even-odd license plate driving ban after just 24 hours. There can come a time when strong measures are needed to ease the effects of too many cars on city street. Today, that time came to Paris. And then it passed. Government officials in Paris announced over the weekend that a new plan would go into effect early Monday morning: only about half of the city's cars would be allowed to drive on any given day. The reason, as you can probably guess, was to reduce the amount of smog in the air. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/17/paris-ends-even-odd-license-plate-driving-ban-after-just-24-hour/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 12:26:43 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 19, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 19, 2014. 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 Osborne Freezes U.K. Carbon Tax on Power to Cut Bills. U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne froze a tax on carbon emissions from electricity generation starting in April 2016 as part of a 7 billion-pound ($12 billion) plan to cut consumer energy bills. The package is aimed at boosting “British manufacturers, with benefits for families and other businesses too,” Osborne said in a speech in Parliament in London today as he delivered his annual budget. “We need to cut our energy costs.” Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-19/osborne-freezes-u-k-carbon-tax-on-power-to-cut-bills.html http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/19/uk-britain-budget-carbon-idUKLNEA2I02620140319 Steel Industry Urges Overhaul of EU Carbon-Trading System. The European Union should consider granting more free carbon allowances to most efficient energy-intensive companies and exclude such permits from trading, according to the EU steel industry lobby Eurofer. The 28-nation bloc must base the allocation of greenhouse-gas quotas to manufacturers on less stringent emissions benchmarks to keep its industry competitive amid widening energy price gaps with the U.S. and Japan…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-19/steel-industry-urges-overhaul-of-eu-carbon-trading-system.html Chongqing's draft carbon market plan calls for cuts from 2014. A draft plan for a carbon market in Chongqing proposed that around 250 of its biggest companies be required to cut their carbon dioxide emissions by more than 4 percent per year starting in 2014. China, the world's biggest carbon emitter, aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40-45 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. Posted. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/19/china-carbon-idUKL3N0MG2TY20140319 AIR POLLUTION Acid manufacturer will cut ozone-causing emissions. A large manufacturer of nitrogen-based fertilizers has reached a deal with federal regulators to reduce ozone-causing emissions from plants in four states. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says in a statement Wednesday the lawsuit settlement with Oklahoma City-based LSB Industries requires the company and four of its subsidiaries to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions by more than 800 tons annually. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/429361?type=ap Tonawanda Coke, manager face penalty for polluting. A western New York industrial plant and its environmental controls manager face sentencing Wednesday for illegally releasing the carcinogen benzene into the air and improperly handling hazardous sludge. Tonawanda Coke Corp., along the Niagara River, and manager Mark Kamholz are due in federal court in Buffalo, where they were convicted following a trial last year. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Tonawanda-Coke-manager-face-penalty-for-polluting-5329767.php Reducing methane emissions from gas can be cost-effective – report. The U.S. oil and gas industry could eliminate a significant amount of methane emissions and save money doing so, according to a report released today by the Clean Air Task Force. The report, which the group commissioned from the Norwegian consulting firm Carbon Limits, outlines how the use of infrared cameras results in a low-cost leak detection method in gas processing plants, compressor stations and well sites. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996354/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Obama unleashing power of data on climate change. The Obama administration hopes to fight global warming with the geeky power of numbers, maps and even gaming-type simulations. Officials figure the more you know about climate change the more likely you will do something. The White House on Wednesday announced an initiative to provide private companies and local governments better access to already public climate data. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WHITE_HOUSE_CLIMATE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-unleashing-power-of-data-on-climate-change/2014/03/19/ce9b8948-af1b-11e3-b8b3-44b1d1cd4c1f_story.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/20/us/politics/white-house-to-introduce-climate-data-website.html?_r=0 http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-white-house-climate-change-data-website-20140318,0,554305,print.story http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Obama-unleashing-power-of-data-on-climate-change-5329594.php http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/19/obama-climate-change-tool-google/6568951/ http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/18/obama-unleashing-power-of-data-on-climate-change/#ixzz2wQXq3tD7 http://www.examiner.com/article/white-house-launches-climate-change-information-website http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140319-white-house-climate-data-app-website-global-warming-science/ California Paving Way for U.S. on Reducing Carbon Emissions. State actions on climate change are reducing emissions and offering templates for effective federal standards, according to Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board (ARB). “State successes are helping to lay the foundation for strong federal standards and those then reinforce the next round of state successes,” Nichols said at a March 14 conference on “Navigating Climate Regulation on Dual Tracks: The Promises and Pitfalls of AB32 and the Clean Air Act.” Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-18/california-paving-way-for-u-s-on-reducing-carbon-emissions.html Scientists warn of global warming's abrupt changes. A report by American Assn. for the Advancement of Science lays out in plain language the potential for harmful consequences should governments delay action. A group of scientists warned Tuesday that world leaders must act more swiftly to slow greenhouse gas emissions or risk "abrupt, unpredictable and potentially irreversible changes" from climate change. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0319-climate-change-20140319,0,6465089,print.story US Senator from Rhode Island talks climate change. A Democratic U.S. senator from Rhode Island was in Iowa Tuesday — not to run for president or any other political office — but to push for federal climate change laws. While Iowa is already attracting presidential hopefuls in advance of the 2016 election, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said he turned his attention to Iowa to capitalize on the fact it draws those candidates and national attention because of its first-in-the-nation caucuses. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/US-Senator-from-Rhode-Island-talks-climate-change-5327796.php Key climate-change measurement imperiled. One of the planet's top dipsticks is in trouble. The "Keeling curve," the most famous measurement of the world's rising levels of carbon dioxide for the past six decades, is in jeopardy from funding shortfalls. The Keeling curve, run by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, is the longest continuous record of carbon dioxide measurements on the planet. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/03/18/keeling-curve-mauna-loa-carbon-dioxide-scripps/6576803/ Enviros say gas exports are Obama's 'blind spot' on climate change. Environmentalists are urging the president to require aggressive climate assessments for proposed natural gas export hubs as lawmakers increasingly support sending American gas overseas to punish Russia for its military actions in Ukraine. In a letter yesterday, 16 environmental groups told President Obama that the approval of several proposed terminals capable of liquefying and shipping natural gas to fuel-hungry…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996352/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California to ease water restrictions in move to help farmers. Drought-plagued California will ease some protection for fish in the fragile San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta, officials said Tuesday, a move expected to make more water available for farming and ease political tensions in an election year. The move marks a retreat from restrictions imposed earlier in the year which had widely been expected to be tightened further, rather than eased…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/19/us-usa-california-drought-idUSBREA2H03720140319 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/18/6248393/california-farms-to-get-some-drought.html http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140319/A_NEWS/403190317/-1/A_NEWS14 Warmest winter on record worsens California drought. California is coming off of its warmest winter on record, aggravating an enduring drought in the most populous U.S. state, federal weather scientists said Monday. The state had a average temperature of 48 Fahrenheit (9 Celsius) for December, January and February, an increase from 47.2 F in 1980-81, the last hottest winter, and more than 4 degrees hotter than the 20th-century average in California…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/18/us-usa-california-drought-idUSBREA2H03720140318 February rains ease drought restrictions slightly. Officials are relaxing tight restrictions on water deliveries, but Central Valley irrigation districts will be the main beneficiaries, with little effect in the rest of the state. Thanks to February storms, state officials are slightly easing drought restrictions on water deliveries, but the changes won't make a difference to most of the state. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-drought-delta-20140319,0,726563.story#ixzz2wQzVLAlk California drought: Solar desalination plant shows promise. Quietly whirring away in a dusty field in the Central Valley is a shiny solar energy machine that may someday solve many of California's water problems. It's called the WaterFX solar thermal desalination plant, and it has been turning salty, contaminated irrigation runoff into ultra-pure liquid for nearly a year for the Panoche Water and Drainage District. It's the only solar-driven desalination plant of its kind in the country. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-Solar-desalination-plant-5326024.php California drought could spark 'out of bounds' wildfires, officials warn. California is facing wildfires “outsize of any normal bounds” as a historic drought turns drying brush and trees into a perfect tinderbox, officials have warned. The state recorded 665 wildfires from 1 January, about triple the average of 225 for this time of year, according to figures compiled by Cal Fire, the state's department of forestry and fire protection. Posted. http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/nationalnews/ci_25375255/california-drought-could-spark-out-bounds-wildfires-officials California Drought Curbs Water Cannon Salutes at Airports. The water cannon salute—an airport tradition to honor military veterans, foreign dignitaries, and new airline service—is on hiatus at California’s two largest airports because of the state’s severe drought. The salutes typically involve two firefighting rigs spraying arcs of water over an arriving or departing flight. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-03-19/california-drought-curbs-airport-water-cannon-salutes Aussies warn Calif. that it can't 'magically replumb' its way out of drought. As California's drought continues, state officials might want look across the Pacific Ocean to Australia for water management ideas, experts said yesterday. Australia's Millennium drought, which lasted from the mid-1990s until 2012, resulted in effective water reforms and improved efficiency measures that California would do well to mimic…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996356/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Calif. Republicans urge fish-rule changes to get more water to people. A group of Republican House members from California yesterday urged President Obama and Gov. Jerry Brown (D) to ease environmental rules that they said forced the loss of needed water during the state's drought. Led by House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the 13 members said that 445,000 acre-feet of water from recent storms was flushed to the ocean "as a result of the regulatory inflexibility" …Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996383/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Valley Air District taking applications for cleaner-truck loans. The Valley Air District is accepting applications from owners of heavy-duty trucks that haul waste to finance up to $50,000 toward the cost of new waste-transfer vehicles operating within the San Joaquin Valley. People wanting help in replacing older trucks that pollute more have until May 19 to apply for the funds that will help them purchase new, cleaner and more efficient trucks. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140318/A_NEWS/140319855/-1/A_NEWS14 More flexibility may be added to ‘truck rule’. Some relief may be coming, after local government representatives, truckers and truck-dependent businesses expressed concerns about meeting state-imposed deadlines for replacing or installing emissions-control equipment on diesel trucks. The state Air Resources Board has unveiled proposed amendments to a regulation that requires diesel truck and bus owners to take steps to reduce engine emissions. Posted. http://agalert.com/story/?id=6540 FUELS California's low-carbon fuel rule future hazy. California is replacing oil with cleaner-burning fuels in cars and trucks, thanks to a landmark low-carbon fuel rule, according to a recent report. But the rule's fate is uncertain amid legal chaos and a shortfall in the production of clean biofuels. The report, conducted by researchers at the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis, said California drivers saved more than 2 billion gallons of gasoline in the two years since the launch of the rule…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-s-low-carbon-fuel-rule-future-hazy-5329325.php Biofuels Trying to Hit Big Oil Where It Hurts. Implicit in plans by ExxonMobil to tame overall production levels for 2014 is a need to refocus on higher-margin fuels that may be threatened by developments from companies like Amyris , Solazyme , and Darling International that are developing competitive, renewable bio-based products. While biofuel companies will not be taking over at the pump anytime soon, they may have the capacity to slowly chip away at Big Oil's specialty chemical divisions. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Biofuels-Trying-to-Hit-Big-Oil-Where-It-Hurts-5331070.php Methanol an 'orphan fuel' among alternatives to oil. In the quest to replace petroleum with cleaner, low-cost transportation fuels, methanol has advantages over other alternatives but the least political support, according to advocates for the fuel. Methanol is an alcohol that can be transported easily as a liquid and derived cheaply from natural gas. The fuel has a high toxicity in humans but produces a low level of hazardous particulate emissions when burned and can be safely blended with gasoline and used in today's cars with minimal adjustments. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996357/print BY SUBSCRIPTIO ONLY FRACKING Did 'fracking' play role in L.A. earthquake? Councilmen want to know. Three Los Angeles City Council members want city, state and federal groups to look into whether hydraulic fracturing and other forms of oil and gas “well stimulation” played any role in the earthquake that rattled the city early Monday morning. The motion, presented Tuesday by Councilmen Paul Koretz and Mike Bonin and seconded by Councilman Bernard Parks, asks for city departments to team up with the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-fracking-los-angeles-earthquake-20140318,0,1536066.story#ixzz2wQLCT8n2 Carson considers temporary oil drilling ban over 'fracking' concerns. The city of Carson is considering a temporary ban on all new oil drilling following a public outcry over a massive proposed oil project by Occidental Petroleum. Despite repeated assurances from Oxy that "fracking" and other well stimulation techniques will not be used to extract the oil, residents say they don’t trust the company, and are concerned about possible air and groundwater contamination. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-carson-oil-drilling-ban-20140318,0,4835922.story#ixzz2wQLd6lv6 Green Fracking? 5 Technologies for Cleaner Shale Energy. It may seem strange to hear the words "fracking" and "environmentally friendly" in the same sentence. After all, hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in which high-pressure chemically treated water is used to crack rock formations and release trapped oil and gas, is a dirty term to many environmentalists. Critics decry the practice for consuming vast amounts of fresh water, creating toxic liquid waste, and adding to the atmosphere's greenhouse gas burden…Posted. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/03/140319-5-technologies-for-greener-fracking/ VEHICLES Electric Cars Have a Dirty Little Secret. Like most of the world's billion cars, they use a potent super greenhouse gas in their air-conditioning systems. America's electric cars are better for the environment, but they share a dirty little secret. The Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf and Tesla Roadster all use a super greenhouse gas known as HFC 134a as the refrigerant for their air conditioners. The liquid coolant is so potent that when it leaks into the atmosphere it traps 1,400 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 100-year time horizon. Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140319/electric-cars-have-dirty-little-secret BY SUBSCRIPTION GREEN ENERGY Let These Companies Turn Your Home Into a Power Plant. The utility industry is changing and one of the biggest shifts is distributed power. That's when a customer generates electricity and sells it back to the power company. SolarCity and SunPower are the leaders in this emerging niche. They are, effectively, building a different electric utility one rooftop at a time. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Let-These-Companies-Turn-Your-Home-Into-a-Power-5330926.php Greenhouse Gas Levels Surpass Troublesome Milestone. Greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) is continuing to increase at a steep rate in the Earth's atmosphere. The heat-trapping gas hit a troublesome milestone last year at its peak in May when it reached levels of 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide. But this year, two months earlier, those levels are already being seen. Greenhouse gas is the main global warming pollutant caused by the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal for electricity and oil for gasoline. Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/mar/19/greenhouse-gas-levels-surpass-troublesome-mileston/ Incentives for energy storage spread worldwide. Last October, California became the first government to require its utilities to store a significant slice of the power they produce, instead of using it all right away. Now a growing roster of states and countries is taking up versions of the same idea, creating rules or incentives that will place storage in homes in Japan and Germany, at wind farms in Puerto Rico…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059996345/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY With virtual power purchase agreements, companies go long on renewable energy. Absent government subsidies or a carbon tax, it may take more than a decade for renewable energy from wind and solar to become cost competitive with cheap natural gas. Despite years of steady, sometimes precipitous cost declines, the price of renewable power still hovers well above market prices. Nevertheless, some companies are making long-term bets on green power. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996353/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Why don't small farmers choose cheaper, cleaner solar-powered pumps for irrigation? Solar irrigation pumps could save money for poor farmers throughout the developing world while conserving water and reducing emissions. But despite the benefits, energy experts said yesterday, the technology is struggling to succeed. Fewer than 50,000 such devices are in use in Africa, even though more than 7 million farmers on the continent lack grid-connected energy access and, by extension…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996355/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Allitt's new book reviews US environmental history. "A Climate of Crisis" (The Penguin Press), Patrick Allitt. According to "A Climate of Crisis," climate change and other pressing environmental concerns will be, instead of disasters, problems handily managed by America's capitalism and technological know-how. That's bound to be a hard sell on any of the shorelines that regularly disappear under projections of rising sea levels. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BOOK_REVIEW_A_CLIMATE_OF_CRISIS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OPINIONS Smoking tax - state's addiction. As a lifelong nonsmoker with objectivity in the current e-cigarette debate, I was happy to see Sarah Longwell's piece "Exhale, San Francisco - it's safe" (Open Forum, March 17 ) offering a supportive view of the product to balance the piece by San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar "Treat e-cigs just like smokes"(March 5). Among the listed ways Mar wanted e-cigs treated like tobacco cigarettes was being "taxed at 87 cents a pack." Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/letterstoeditor/article/Letters-to-the-editor-March-19-5329184.php Editorial: Tesla test drives the free market. Tesla Motors, like almost all makers of electric cars, is largely an offshoot of government intervention. Once a favorite of President Obama’s green energy push, the electric car industry has enjoyed favorable Energy Department loans, sizable tax credits for buyers and the benefits of being on the receiving end of carbon cap-and-trade schemes. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/government-606047-tesla-free.html Does cap-and-trade work? Dear EarthTalk: If cap and trade has worked so well in Europe for reducing greenhouse gas emissions there, why haven’t we tried something similar here in the U.S.? —Sandra M., Bern, N.C. Cap-and-trade, whereby big polluters must pay to emit greenhouse gases against a capped total amount that is reduced over time — has been in effect across the European Union (EU) since 2005. Posted. http://www.theridgefieldpress.com/27292/does-cap-and-trade-work/ BLOGS Fighting Climate Change, and Living With It Too. The Obama administration is launching a new effort to highlight a climate change policy that usually doesn’t get much attention: adaptation. The administration Wednesday is unveiling a new website, climate.data.gov, and a series of other related initiatives, to coincide with an event the White House is hosting to highlight efforts to help the country become more prepared for and resilient toward climate change. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/03/19/fighting-climate-change-and-living-with-it-too/ Insurers Seek to Capitalize on China’s Smog. Wars can present many opportunities to make money, and China’s recently announced “war against pollution” looks to be no exception. Manufacturers of air purifiers, breathing masks and power plant desulphurization technologies have already found ready markets in China’s smog-choked cities. But the latest companies attempting to cash in on the haze are taking things to a new level: pollution insurance. Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/19/insurers-seek-to-capitalize-on-chinas-smog/?_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rss&emc=rss&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry292%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Study: Chevron refinery plan won’t boost pollution. Chevron Corp.’s plan to upgrade its aging Richmond refinery won’t add to air pollution if the oil company follows all its proposed steps, according to a draft environmental report released Tuesday by the city. The report indicates that Chevron should be able to fulfill its pledge that the $1 billion project will result in no net increase in pollution, including greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/energy/2014/03/19/study-chevron-refinery-plan-wont-boost-pollution/ Grow Rice, Not Methane: California May Tap Voluntary Markets. Part of the solution to the climate problem may lie within the 2.7 million acres of rice cultivated in the United States last year. Rice growing is the third largest source of methane emissions in the United States’ agricultural sector. When rice fields are flooded, the organic matter decomposing sans-oxygen below releases methane gas, a climate pollutant that has 21 times the strength of carbon dioxide. Posted. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10260§ion=news_articles&eod=1 Energy Industry Overestimated Cost Of Pollution Controls: Study. A new report from the Center for American Progress examines some historical industry claims about how much new pollution regulations would cause electricity prices to spike, and finds that industry estimates have been higher than the reality. The report is meant to draw an analogy to the current fight over power plant pollution, specifically greenhouse gas pollution. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/19/coal-emissions-regulation_n_4993075.html?view=print&comm_ref=false China-India cooperation on carbon emission to benefit both: Daily. Coordinated efforts by China and India will help in moving both the countries towards global sustainability goals in carbon emission, a leading Chinese daily said Wednesday. An article in The People's Daily newspaper said that the two countries faced similar mitigation pressures and this suggested the possibility and priority of cooperation between the two nations. Posted. http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/china-india-cooperation-on-carbon-emission-to-benefit-both-daily-114031900809_1.html Pentagon says climate change is clearly a present danger, again. Like the Olympics and leap year, the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) comes at us every four years. A big-picture look by the US military at the threats they see out there, the QDR (PDF) is a broad document, but you can read in it just how big the military thinks its mission is (global dominance, really). Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/18/pentagon-says-climate-change-is-clearly-a-present-danger-again/ Green HOV stickers for plug-in hybrids almost gone in California. There's a bit of a traffic jam building for those High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) stickers designed to help plug-in hybrid vehicle drivers in California avoid, uh, traffic jams. The stickers in question are of the green variety and they're doled out by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to let such drivers cruise down the HOV lanes solo. And they're running out. Fast. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/19/green-hov-stickers-for-plug-in-hybrids-gone-california/ Ford UK exec says EVs are a good way to lose a fortune. Stateside, Ford execs are quick to point out the automaker's expansion in the plug-in sector. And despite a minimal presence in the pure EV space, the Blue Oval has been promoting its plug-in vehicles as part of an overall effort to boost fleetwide fuel economy. Too bad the company's UK chief didn't get the memo. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/19/ford-uk-exec-says-evs-are-good-way-to-lose-fortune/ How companies can clear up myths about indoor air pollution. There’s been a lot of talk in the news lately about carbon monoxide poisoning – from a death and 19 people hospitalized at a Long Island restaurant, to a close call with a little girl here in Tennessee – and it has a lot of people worried about the air quality in their own homes. The problem is that most consumers don’t understand what really affects the quality of the air inside their houses. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/03/19/whats-in-your-indoor-air California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 14:14:01 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for March 21, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 21, 2014. 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 Australia's Senate rejects carbon tax repeal bill. The Australian government's efforts to scrap the country's carbon tax were defeated in a Senate vote on Thursday, though the bill is likely to return after July when more Liberal senators take their seats. Prime Minister Tony Abbott wants to repeal the tax, which forces companies to pay to emit carbon dioxide, the main gas blamed for causing climate change. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/20/australia-carbon-idUSL3N0MH2SG20140320 AIR POLLUTION Angry residents confront state officials over Exide plant. Neighbors of the Vernon battery recycler urge the state to shut it down after the discovery of high lead levels in nearby homes. Furious residents confronted state officials at a community meeting Wednesday night to discuss the high levels of lead found in the backyards of homes near a Vernon battery recycling plant. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-exide-meeting-20140320,0,3823920.story#ixzz2wcKtNoTE Air quality district OKs Exide's plan — with misgivings. New plan aims to curb health risks from Vernon plant with a history of lead and arsenic emissions, but key official expresses doubts about company's commitment to the goal. One year after the South Coast Air Quality Management District found that arsenic emissions from a Vernon battery plant posed a cancer risk to more than 100,000 people, the agency has approved Exide Technologies Inc.'s plan to reduce health risks. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-exide-20140321,0,6899279.story#ixzz2wcdusYWc Richmond report concludes Chevron refinery project won't increase pollution, output. As Chevron looks to restart a long-delayed refinery overhaul, a draft environmental report released this week concludes that the $1 billion project would allow the company to process dirtier oil without increasing air pollution. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/west-county-times/ci_25387387/richmond-report-concludes-chevron-refinery-project-wont-increase Toxic plan for Vernon battery plant approved. Southern California regulators have approved a final plan to reduce toxic pollution at a battery recycling plant that neighbors have blamed for health problems. The South Coast Air Quality Management District says it approved the plan for Exide Technologies on Wednesday. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Toxic-plan-for-Vernon-battery-plant-approved-5335570.php Air Pollution May Cause Genetic Harm in Kids, China Study Finds. Air pollution led to genetic changes that may have sapped learning skills in children whose mothers were exposed to a Chinese coal-fired power plant before it was shuttered a decade ago, researchers found. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/bloomberg/article/Air-Pollution-May-Cause-Genetic-Harm-in-Kids-5333249.php CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change fuelled storms, rising seas cost China $2.6 bln in 2013. Climate change fuelled storm waves and rising sea levels cost China 16.3 billion yuan ($2.6 bln) and killed 121 people in 2013, the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said. China is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases which scientists say is driving climate change. Southern Guangdong province was hit hardest, recording 7.4 billion yuan worth of damage…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/20/china-environment-idUSL3N0MH0VZ20140320 Thirsty California pins hopes on El Niño's return. The arrival of spring Thursday ushered out the third-driest winter in Northern California history, leaving behind parched hills, shallow reservoirs and a higher-than-usual threat of fire. But even as hope dims for a March miracle storm, climatologists say weather conditions could change this year if an El Niño takes shape. The U.S. Climate Prediction Center issued an El Niño watch this month…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Thirsty-California-pins-hopes-on-El-Ni-o-s-return-5336354.php UH Hilo wins $5M grant to study climate change. The University of Hawaii at Hilo has received a second $5 million grant to study how plants, animals and microbes respond to climate change. The school's Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science Program received the original $5 million National Science Foundation grant in 2009. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/UH-Hilo-wins-5M-grant-to-study-climate-change-5337482.php What chickadees can tell us about climate change. About 15 years ago, Villanova University biology professor Robert Curry was looking for a project that would allow his students to investigate something interesting without much travel. He found it in a cheeky little bird with a black cap, familiar to anyone with a backyard feeder: the chickadee. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/21/6256016/what-chickadees-can-tell-us-about.html#storylink=cpy EPA budget proposal signals major changes ahead for state regulators. President Obama has packed cash for state air regulators in his U.S. EPA budget proposal, pointing to a leading role for states in shaping rules for curbing greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants. The fiscal 2015 proposal would provide $24.3 million to help states prepare for the climate rule -- offering $19.8 million in Clean Air Act grants for writing implementation plans and $4.5 million for greenhouse gas permitting…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996457/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Exxon Mobil agrees to report its climate change risks. Apparently giving in to shareholder pressure, massive U.S. energy company Exxon Mobil Corp. has agreed to publish a report for the first time about the risks to the company's assets from climate change. Two environmentally minded shareholders, Arjuna Capital and As You Sow…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996495/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2014/03/21/stories/1059996502 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.N. report draft sees many impacts from warming. The United Nations is warning in a new report that climate change may displace hundreds of millions of people by 2100, which could heighten the risk of armed conflict and cost the world economy trillions of dollars. The second of three reports by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is seen as the most in-depth investigation of climate impacts the world has seen. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996497/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY E.U. leaders begin climate and energy talks aimed at deeper emission cuts. The two-day spring E.U. summit meeting in Brussels moved today to consider a proposed 2030 framework for climate and energy objectives, which the European Commission presented in January. Much of the result, expected later today, will depend on whether the situation in Ukraine reconciles recent arguments among member states, encouraging greater cooperation…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996504/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California drought dilemma: Drain Anderson Reservoir to make dam safe in earthquakes? As California's historic drought worsens by the day, Silicon Valley's main water provider faces a difficult choice: Risk catastrophic flooding if a major earthquake strikes its largest dam -- or drain billions of gallons of water from the reservoir behind it to make repairs. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25385558/california-drought-dilemma-drain-anderson-reservoir-make-dam?source=email California drought: Ray of hope in fish-vs.-farms dispute. Tens of thousands of squiggling salmon fattening up on bugs and other nutrients on flooded cropland in the Sacramento Valley could soon provide a solution to the long-running dispute over who should get the bulk of California's diminishing supply of water: farms or fish. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-Ray-of-hope-in-fish-vs-farms-5336353.php?cmpid=twitter-mobile&utm_content=buffer6f048&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer House Republicans harangue federal, Calif. officials on response to crisis. House Republicans hammered California and federal water managers yesterday on their response to the Golden State's continuing drought, charging that they haven't done enough to ensure water supplies for farmers. At a field hearing in Fresno, Calif., House Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) and Republican members of California's House delegation called for legislative intervention in the state's water situation…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996451/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS The Democratic Civil War Over Energy. Green demands to stop drilling for natural gas come at an awkward time for Obama and his party. The environmental left is seeing Democrats the Keystone XL pipeline, and raising them natural-gas exports. The question of who folds on this issue will play big in this midterm election year. A split is growing in the Democratic Party, one that ought to rival the divisions on the right that the headlines trumpet. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303802104579451693067746208#printMode In Shift, Exxon Mobil to Report on Risks to Its Fossil Fuel Assets. Energy companies have been under increasing pressure from shareholder activists in recent years to warn investors of the risks that stricter limits on carbon emissions would place on their business. On Thursday, a shareholder group said that it had won its biggest prize yet, when Exxon Mobil became the first oil and gas producer to agree to publish that information by the end of the month. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/21/business/in-a-shift-exxon-agrees-to-report-on-carbon-asset-risk.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DEnergy%2520%2526%2520Environment%2520%26region%3DTopBar%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2Fsince1851%2Fallresults%2F1%2Fallauthors%2Fnewest%2F Carson imposes moratorium on oil drilling over fear of fracking. The decision makes Carson the first city in California to ban all oil drilling, even temporarily, officials say. The oil-rich city of Carson has imposed an emergency moratorium on all new drilling, halting efforts by a petroleum company to bore more than 200 wells near homes and a state university. The drilling ban, which runs for 45 days but could be extended up to two years…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0320-carson-drilling-20140320,0,554095.story#ixzz2wcAh5Oz4 Ethanol Groups Seek Supreme Court Review Of California's Low-Carbon Fuel Standard. Ethanol industry groups have asked the Supreme Court to determine whether California's low-carbon fuel standard violates the dormant commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution (Rocky Mountain Farmers Union v. Corey, U.S., docket number unavailable, 3/20/14). Posted. http://www.bna.com/ethanol-groups-seek-n17179888987/ http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996501/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY BLM royalty reforms will follow fracking, methane regs – official. The Bureau of Land Management's reform of nearly century-old oil and gas royalty rates will likely have to wait until the agency finalizes rules on hydraulic fracturing and methane emissions, a top official said here yesterday. Linda Lance, BLM's deputy director, said that the royalty overhaul is still in BLM's regulatory queue but that agency personnel are working at capacity to finish the fracking rule…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996449/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY World ethylene market casts U.S. as leader, but interests depend on producer's role. A worldwide shift from oil to natural gas as a feedstock for plastics production will reshape the global market, pushing low-cost producers in the United States and the Middle East to the front of the industry while forcing longtime leaders in Europe and East Asia to shut down or retool production for niche markets, according to a new report. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059996503/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Five ways Tesla Motors pushes technology change in auto industry. Although Tesla Motors sold fewer than 23,000 cars last year, an almost immeasurable amount of the 15.6 million vehicles Americans purchased last year, the electric car company is pushing technological change throughout the auto industry, according to Barclays Capital. In a report to investors, Barclays analyst Brian Johnson identified five ways Tesla’s Model S luxury sports sedan is transforming…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-how-tesla-pushes-auto-technology-20140321,0,3106502,print.story AAA finds electric vehicles lose range at colder temperatures. AAA, one of the largest membership organizations in the United States, released findings from an electric vehicle drive test yesterday that found the cars lose, on average, 57 percent of their range depending on the temperature. At 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the average electric vehicle (EV) battery range in AAA's test was 105 miles. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996498/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Wind Industry’s New Technologies Are Helping It Compete on Price. Tens of thousands of squiggling salmon fattening up on bugs and other nutrients on flooded cropland in the Sacramento Valley could soon provide a solution to the long-running dispute over who should get the bulk of California's diminishing supply of water: farms or fish. There appears to be a way to satisfy both. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/21/business/energy-environment/wind-industrys-new-technologies-are-helping-it-compete-on-price.html?_r=0 Wind and solar power can sustain themselves and support the addition of storage – study. To be cost-effective, any source of power has to produce more energy than it consumes. Oil companies would hardly turn a profit, for example, if extracting a barrel of oil required the energy output of a second barrel of oil. The same holds true of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996493/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS What makes this a drought? Q: Why are we considered to be in a drought, at least in the Sierra foothills, when our rainfall totals are at nearly 50 percent of “normal” for the precipitation year? – Phil Zink, Colfax, CA A: The state Department of Water Resources doesn’t list a series of thresholds that, once crossed, mean we are in a drought. Instead, state officials consider drought a gradual phenomenon that affects different people in different locations in different ways. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/water-questions/#storylink=cpy Rising energy demand a threat to strained water supplies – UN. Rising demand for energy, from biofuels to shale gas, is a threat to freshwater supplies that are already under strain from climate change, the United Nations said in a report on Friday. It urged energy companies to do more to limit use of water in everything from cooling coal-fired power plants to irrigation for crops grown to produce biofuels. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/21/environment-water-idUSL6N0MH4HC20140321 BLOGS How Concerned Are You About Climate Change? This week the world’s largest general scientific society released a stark report on global warming that shows how dire, and how urgent, the problem is. How worried are you about climate change? What have you learned about it in school? What do you think should be done to address it? Posted. http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/20/how-concerned-are-you-about-climate-change-2/?partner=rss&emc=rss Study finds lubricating oil the dominant source of primary organic aerosol from both diesel and gasoline vehicles. Findings from a study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and Berkeley National Laboratory suggest that lubricating oil is the dominant source of primary organic aerosol (POA) from both gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. Unburned diesel fuel makes an additional smaller contribution, with an additional smaller contribution from unburned gasoline. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/03/20140320-poa.html Why cabs and car-sharing are good for the environment. The urbanist fixation with new car services such as Uber and Lyft can seem paradoxical. Why is it good for the environment and for cities to increase the number of cars for hire on our roads? The same could be asked about regular old taxis, and car-sharing services like Zipcar. Aren’t cars bad for the environment? For the rare person who already lives car-free in a city such as San Francisco, a cab ride or car rental might actually increase their carbon footprint. Posted. http://grist.org/article/why-cabs-and-car-sharing-are-good-for-the-environment/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:20:49 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 24, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 24, 2014. 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 Selling a Poison by the Barrel: Liquid Nicotine for E-Cigarettes. A dangerous new form of a powerful stimulant is hitting markets nationwide, for sale by the vial, the gallon and even the barrel. The drug is nicotine, in its potent, liquid form — extracted from tobacco and tinctured with a cocktail of flavorings, colorings and assorted chemicals to feed the fast-growing electronic cigarette industry. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/24/business/selling-a-poison-by-the-barrel-liquid-nicotine-for-e-cigarettes.html?ref=science EPA: La. must tighten Nucor air pollution permit. The federal Environmental Protection Agency is ordering the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to tighten the air pollution permit granted to Nucor Corp.'s St. James Parish plant. NOLA.com ' The Times-Picayune reports that the EPA concludes the pig iron and direct reduced iron manufacturing plants violate parts of the federal Clean Air Act. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/22/epa-la-must-tighten-nucor-air-pollution-permit/#ixzz2wtrCi16X Burning question: Will bonfires be a part of the beach scene this summer? Gregg Kellogg remembers nights gathered around the warmth of a beach bonfire with his family. The 57-year-old lives in the home where he grew up, only steps from the fire rings at Corona del Mar State Beach. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/beach-606538-rings-fire.html Advocates weigh in as White House work on methane guidance hits home stretch. With U.S. EPA curbs on greenhouse gases dominating debates on Capitol Hill, federal agencies have been quietly writing a white paper that outlines plans to limit heat-trapping methane emissions. Officials from six agencies have been working since summer on the interagency methane strategy that President Obama ordered up in his Climate Action Plan last year. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996628/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE UN: 2013 extreme events due to warming Earth. The head of the U.N. weather agency blamed extreme weather on human-induced climate change Monday, citing key events that wreaked havoc in Asia, Europe, the U.S. and Pacific region last year. Michel Jarraud, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, said his agency's annual assessment of the global climate shows how dramatically people and lands everywhere felt the impacts of extreme weather such as droughts, heat waves, floods and tropical cyclones. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_UNITED_NATIONS_GLOBAL_WEATHER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_UN_CLIMATE_PANEL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Big-climate-report-Warming-is-big-risk-for-people-5343096.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/23/6262137/big-climate-report-warming-is.html http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/23/big-climate-report-warming-is-big-risk-for-people/ http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_25406637/big-climate-report-warming-is-big-risk-people http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/24/un-says-2013-extreme-events-due-to-warming-earth/ Clinton wants 'mass movement' on climate change. Hillary Rodham Clinton says young people understand the significant threat of climate change and that she hopes there will be a mass movement that demands political change. The potential 2016 presidential candidate says at a Clinton Global Initiative University panel that young people are much more committed to doing something to address climate change. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLINTON_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Clinton-wants-mass-movement-on-climate-change-5341455.php Toilet tech fair tackles global sanitation woes. Who would have expected a toilet to one day filter water, charge a cellphone or create charcoal to combat climate change? These are lofty ambitions beyond what most of the world's 2.5 billion people with no access to modern sanitation would expect. Yet, scientists and toilet innovators around the world say these are exactly the sort of goals needed to improve global public health amid challenges such as poverty... Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_INDIA_TOILETS_FOR_THE_FUTURE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Toilet-tech-fair-tackles-global-sanitation-woes-5343657.php As Listener and Saleswoman, E.P.A. Chief Takes to the Road for Climate Rules. Gina McCarthy was deep in enemy territory. Here on this wind-whipped prairie pocked with strip mines, Ms. McCarthy, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, faced 20 coal miners, union workers and local politicians deeply suspicious of the new climate change regulations she had come to pitch. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/22/us/as-listener-and-saleswoman-epa-chief-takes-to-the-road-for-climate-rules.html?ref=earth Va. groups plan campaign to cut carbon pollution. A coalition of Virginia environmental groups is planning a statewide campaign calling for a reduction in carbon pollution. The campaign, Virginia Acts on Climate, will run through June. It will include community events and other activities that showcase how local governments, businesses and residents are working to reduce carbon pollution. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-groups-plan-campaign-to-cut-carbon-pollution/2014/03/24/9963b888-b356-11e3-bab2-b9602293021d_story.html Endangered desert species cling to existence. Facing drought and climate change, animals such as the Amargosa vole are struggling to survive in the Mojave Desert. Under a canopy of gleaming stars, Janet Foley made her way across a dab of marshlands surrounded by harsh Mojave Desert terrain, her headlamp fixed on a live trap the size of a loaf of bread. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0324-drought-species-20140324,0,994465.story#ixzz2wtuYNsLs Redlands-based Esri has key role in White House climate change plan. Geographic information system pioneer Esri will play a pivotal role in the development of a White House Climate Data Initiative that will push out information about climate change so that governments, businesses and other organizations can make decisions based on the best available evidence. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140321/redlands-based-esri-has-key-role-in-white-house-climate-change-plan DROUGHT California drought: Central Valley farmland on its last legs. Even before the drought, the southern San Joaquin Valley was in big trouble. Decades of irrigation have leached salts and toxic minerals from the soil that have nowhere to go, threatening crops and wildlife. Aquifers are being drained at an alarming pace. More than 95 percent of the area's native habitat has been destroyed by cultivation or urban expansion…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-Central-Valley-farmland-on-5342892.php Roseville declares mandatory water cutbacks, but measures lack teeth. Roseville city officials are expected to call for water cutbacks today, but the announcement comes with little teeth. The city will ask customers to reduce water use by 20 percent, but it will not impose a surcharge or penalty on residents who do not meet that target. Despite a lack of strict enforcement, the city is calling the reduction “mandatory.” Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/24/6262286/roseville-declares-mandatory-water.html#storylink=cpy California drought puts spotlight on water theft. It’s amazingly easy to steal water from a California stream. Even in this epic drought, the state has no way of monitoring exactly who is tapping into its freshwater supplies and how much they take. And those who do get caught taking water they have no right to often are allowed to keep taking it for years just by promising to obtain a permit. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/23/6259597/california-drought-puts-spotlight.html#storylink=cpy DIESEL EMISSIONS Why smog-bound Chinese cities may have a long wait for their next electric bus. China's clean vehicle promotion has progressed slowly, even in a sector that has been getting the biggest government push. Alternative-fuel buses, including electric buses, hybrid ones and models that run on fuel cells, have been viewed as China's best chance to push its transportation sector into a cleaner path. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996556/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Weaning Europe From Russian Gas. European Union leaders at a summit meeting last week made a commitment to cut their dependence on Russian gas. The Ukraine crisis has highlighted the issue: About 30 percent of the gas the Union consumes comes from Russia. Not that there is any immediate risk of the Kremlin turning off the taps. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/24/business/international/weaning-europe-from-russian-gas.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry85%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Outlook for Coal Darkens. Coal's Comeback Year Runs into Trouble. China Moves Forward with New Nuclear Reactors. The coal market in the United States continues to shrink, dimming the industry's future prospects. New data from the Energy Information Administration shows that planned retirements for coal-fired power plants continue to pile up. The EIA projected last November that 60 gigawatts of coal capacity would be closed down between 2012 and 2020. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Outlook-for-Coal-Darkens-5340755.php New Chevron website covers Richmond news. Chevron's Richmond refinery occasionally makes news for the wrong reasons: pollution, taxes, fires. Now the company has launched its own website to cover community news through its own lens. The Richmond Standard offers a daily stream of local news, crime and sports stories, with an emphasis on short, entertaining features. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/New-Chevron-website-covers-Richmond-news-5339356.php Valero Energy Corporation Purchases Plant to Increase Its Ethanol Capacity to 1.3 Billion Gallons. Valero announced today that it has expanded its ethanol production through the purchase of its 11th corn ethanol plant. The plant purchased from Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings is located in Mount Vernon, Ind., and has an annual production capacity of 110 million gallons. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Valero-Energy-Corporation-Purchases-Plant-to-5338351.php Can Fuel Cells Survive Without Subsidies? Plug Power has seen its share of ups and downs lately, through little fault of its own. Recent increases in market capitalization can be most likely attributed to increasing fourth quarter revenue and decreasing annual adjusted net losses year over year, combined with announcements of new contracts to provide and service GenDrive units. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Can-Fuel-Cells-Survive-Without-Subsidies-5337493.php HIGH-SPEED RAIL Patterson tries to derail funds for high-speed train. Fresno Assembly Member Jim Patterson, who like many other Valley Republicans is no particular fan of California's high-speed train plans, is taking a swing at derailing money for the controversial project with a bill to be heard Monday by the Assembly's Transportation Committee. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/21/3835450/patterson-tries-to-derail-funds.html GREEN ENERGY U.S. energy boom may signal a new export era. The energy industry is pushing to lift government curbs and tap newly accessible reserves to create an unprecedented era of exports. But skeptics point to the risk given shifts in supply and demand. In a Louisiana swamp several miles upriver from the Gulf of Mexico, about 3,000 construction workers are building a massive industrial facility to liquefy natural gas, preparing for a new era when the U.S. will begin exporting energy around the globe. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-energy-exports-20140323,0,5478547.story#ixzz2wu69Szp5 Clean Energy Investment Is Falling, but That's Good News -- for Solar Stocks. Clean energy was one of the hottest investments on the market last year. Once-moribund solar stocks shone brightly, wind energy whipped stagnant share prices into a roaring gale of gains, and even formerly abandoned biofuel hopefuls began to look like more than just a pipe dream: Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Clean-Energy-Investment-Is-Falling-but-That-s-5342390.php Is Now the Time for Real Alternative Energy? Technology is changing the power industry, with advances in solar power and wind turbines helping to push the envelope on renewable energy. But those sources of energy are becoming more and more mainstream. If you want to be at the cutting edge, you need to look at companies like Covanta , Solazyme , and FutureFuel. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Is-Now-the-Time-for-Real-Alternative-Energy-5342353.php Stamford firm creates trading platform for renewable energy certs. Across the country, people are putting solar panels on rooftops. Wind farms are getting erected. Geothermal energy is being harnessed out West. To some, the future is increasingly green. It could be doubly so for one Wall Street newcomer. "It's a false distinction that things that are good for the environment are bad for business," says Kapil Mohindra, seated in his sparse Stamford office one morning. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Stamford-firm-creates-trading-platform-for-5339531.php Is SunPower Really Worth 2.5 Times First Solar? SunPower is trading at a trailing P/E ratio around 50 while its competitor First Solar trades at a trailing P/E ratio around 20. Such a big difference in valuation could signal that SunPower is heavily overvalued or that it is a far superior company. The situation is complex, but taking into account changing margins and fundamental product differences SunPower really is the superior growth stock for long-term investors. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Is-SunPower-Really-Worth-2-5-Times-First-Solar-5344184.php This Week's Winners and Losers in the Battle for Offshore Wind. Did the ocean breezes blow in favor of advocates or opponents of offshore wind this past week? Here are some of the most recent developments: MEA Culpa The Maryland Energy Association, or MEA, is guilty -- guilty of revealing its support for offshore wind projects. It announced a $700,000 initiative to help state businesses enter and compete in the global offshore wind market. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/This-Week-s-Winners-and-Losers-in-the-Battle-for-5343725.php Companies Going Green is Bad for Utilities. New technologies are allowing utility customers to reduce their energy consumption and, thus, save money. But every penny they save is a penny that doesn't go to the local utility. The trend toward "green" could limit demand growth in the utility sector for years to come. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Companies-Going-Green-is-Bad-for-Utilities-5337976.php Airport may harness the sun for power. The sweeping curves and glass walls of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport's planned new terminal building have defined that project since the design was released last month, but the futuristic architecture is not the only forward-looking aspect of the project. Airport officials say they are also embarking on an ambitious plan: harnessing enough solar energy to fully power the airport…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/23/airport-may-harness-the-sun-for-power/#ixzz2wtrqPU31 Silurian Valley solar/wind project up for public discussion in Barstow. Members of the public can weigh in on a proposed 200-megawatt solar and wind facility in the Mojave Desert during two public meetings, hosted by the Bureau of Land Management, on Thursday. The Silurian Valley solar project would be on Highway 127, about 10 miles north of Baker, and consist of multiple arrays of photovoltaic panels, 44 miles of service roads…Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140323/silurian-valley-solarwind-project-up-for-public-discussion-in-barstow New report offers consistent metric to compare energy efficiency programs. Compared to building a new generator, it's much cheaper for a utility company to coax customers to swap old light bulbs for ones that use less electricity. And it might cost less to convince people to insulate their homes than it does to build new gas pipelines. But energy efficiency measures have a long way to go before power providers in the United States can count them as just another resource, like a power plant. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996587/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS After the Exhibition, Finding New Uses for Displays. MAKING what is old new again with fresh displays has long been the province of museums. But what happens to all the stuff left over when shows end? Many museums are going beyond traditional recycling efforts and giving second lives to exhibit materials. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/20/arts/artsspecial/after-the-exhibition-finding-new-uses-for-displays.html?ref=earth OPINIONS Vernon's Exide battery plant: An environmental wake-up call. High levels of lead found in the soil near the battery recycling facility show that state regulators have failed to protect public health. There's no clearer sign that state environmental regulators have failed to protect public health than the warning issued this month to parents living in the shadow of the Exide battery recycling plant in Vernon: Don't let children play in the dirt in your backyard. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-exide-20140323,0,1471694.story#ixzz2wtu9RSPM Editorial: Drivers ought to control data collected by cars. Your new car knows how long you've been driving, where you're going, and how fast you're going to get there. Your automaker knows all of this, too. Do you? This is not a rhetorical question. More and more new cars are equipped with technology called telematics that collects an astounding amount of data on drivers and their families. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/editorials/article/Editorial-Drivers-ought-to-control-data-5338302.php EDITORIAL: Flint Hills air quality fines show resolve. If you think that U.S. companies can't afford to spend what is needed to operate in an environmentally responsible manner, the Flint Hills refinery in Port Arthur has 44 million reasons why you are wrong. That is the staggering amount of money that plant officials agreed to spend on upgrades to reduce air pollution. Oh, and the company also will pay a $350,000 penalty for violating the Clean Air Act. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EDITORIAL-Flint-Hills-air-quality-fines-show-5336327.php Viewpoints: Fracking boom could increase California’s earthquake risk. It destroyed more than a dozen homes, injured people and damaged a key highway. But the earthquake that struck near Prague, Okla., in 2011 didn’t just harm one community. This magnitude 5.7 quake shook up people’s peace of mind across the whole state, which was not known for seismic activity. That has changed: Oklahoma is now earthquake country, thanks to the oil and gas industry. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/23/6251505/viewpoints-fracking-boom-could.html#storylink=cpy Dan Morain: Lining up for the cap and trade gusher. Count ’em, 45 smart lobbyists and consultants sashayed to the microphone in a Capitol committee room last week, each of them seeking millions of dollars for very important programs that would cut greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/23/6257647/dan-morain-lining-up-for-the-cap.html Viewpoints: A better direction for California’s climate change policy. California’s historic climate change legislation is at a crossroads. Signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006, AB 32 has been coming online in stages, with the law’s centerpiece cap-and-trade program launching in late 2012. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/22/6257858/viewpoints-a-better-direction.html Diana Gomez: More freeways not the answer for Valley transportation needs. It is a fact that California is growing. In the last 18 months or so alone, we welcomed over 350,000 new residents to the state. These new residents, along with all the people who live here, will have transportation needs that far exceed the capacity of our infrastructure. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/03/21/3556544/diana-gomez-more-freeways-not.html Time to clear the air and end Oceano dune disagreements. Off-road vehicle recreation is a mainstay of the South County economy, and it would be political suicide for elected officials to arbitrarily and abruptly move to shut it down. Posted. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/03/24/2987344/time-to-clear-the-air-and-end.html?sp=/99/181/ Cold response to global warming. The latest Environment Ministry report on estimated damage from global warming reminds us of the urgency of efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions — efforts that do not appear to be high on the Abe administration’s policy agenda. Last year, Japan came under severe international criticism for its new greenhouse gas emissions target…Posted. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/03/24/editorials/cold-response-to-global-warming/ BLOGS EarthTalk: Cap-and-trade may be future of emissions regulation. If “cap-and-trade” has worked so well in Europe for reducing greenhouse gas emissions there, why haven’t we tried something similar here in the U.S.? Posted. http://azdailysun.com/lifestyles/columnists/earthtalk-cap-and-trade-may-be-future-of-emissions-regulation/article_a2f5dccc-b163-11e3-a0bd-0019bb2963f4.html Transportation Priorities Jostle for CA’s Cap-and-Trade Revenue. A series of hearings in Sacramento have been revisiting California’s Global Warming Solutions Act, Assembly Bill (A.B.) 32, which calls for a statewide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) to 1990 levels by 2020. Posted. http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/03/21/transportation-priorities-jostle-for-cas-cap-and-trade-revenue/ California Climate Law on Track, State Officials Say. With the energy sector and methane squarely in the sights of state regulators, California is on track to meet its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets by 2020, and it is revising plans to set more challenging reduction targets for 2030, state officials said earlier this month. The goal is to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Posted. http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/97806-california-climate-law-on-track-state-officials-say IPCC draft: brake on food supply and economy. Global warming will disrupt food supplies, slow world economic growth and may already be causing irreversible damage to nature, according to a UN report due this week that will put pressure on governments to act. A 29-page draft by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will also outline many ways to adapt to rising temperatures, more heatwaves, floods and rising seas. Posted. https://www.businessspectator.com.au/print/795856 Making the best of methane: The latest look at methane abatement in coal mining. In a climate of political turmoil, when we don’t know which way the climate tax is going to go, one thing is for sure: Investing in cleaner mining techniques is a safe way to go, no matter the political outcome. The good news is the mining industry in the Hunter Valley will soon be leading the way for cleaner emissions thanks to a history-making grant, the biggest ever seen by the University of Newcastle…Posted. http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/features/coping-with-carbon-the-latest-look-at-methane-abat Global warming to hit Asia hardest, warns new report on climate change. Flooding, famine and rising sea levels will put hundreds of millions at risk in one of the world's most vulnerable regions. People in coastal regions of Asia, particularly those living in cities, could face some of the worst effects of global warming, climate experts will warn this week. Hundreds of millions of people are likely to lose their homes as flooding... Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/22/global-warming-hit-asia-hardest Derby, Shelton, West Haven to be honored for energy efficiency. Derby, Shelton and West Haven will be among 23 state municipalities honored today for their participation in statewide clean energy programs. These city’s mayors will be joined by their state senators and state representatives in receiving grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 for their work at a 10 a.m. ceremony in the state capitol. The grants can be used in community-based energy-saving projects. Posted. http://blog.ctnews.com/connecticutpostings/2014/03/24/derby-shelton-west-haven-to-be-honored-for-energy-efficiency/ BYD electric bus goes over 200 miles on one charge in Denmark. BYD continues to have good news to share about its electric buses. From huge orders (1,200 units!) in China to 30-hour run times in New York City, things seem to be working well for the maker of the EV people mover. The latest batch of good news comes from Copenhagen, Denmark, where BYD says an ebus has managed to drive over 200 miles on a single charge. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/24/byd-electric-bus-goes-200-miles-on-one-charge-in-denmark/ Jay Leno plugs himself into Porsche's 918 Spyder. As one of the greatest sports car manufacturers of all time, when Porsche puts out a new, ultra-exclusive hypercar, enthusiasts tend to stand up and take note. Jay Leno is no exception, and now, the funnyman is finally getting his time with awesome 918 Spyder. With his 1963 Porsche 356 and his 2005 Carrera GT flanking a Liquid Silver 918, Leno takes us through the basics of this plug-in hybrid roadster alongside Daniel Eastman of Porsche North America. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/03/24/jay-leno-porsche-918-spyder-video/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 14:38:48 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 25, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 25, 2014. 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 China's Hubei province to launch carbon market on Apr 2. China's central Hubei province will launch its carbon trading market on April 2, its emissions exchange said Tuesday, a move that could cap carbon dioxide emissions from nearly 140 of its biggest companies. The Hubei market will be China's sixth of seven planned regional emissions trading schemes as the world's biggest-emitting nation steps up its efforts to limit its impact on climate change. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/25/china-carbon-carbontrading-idUSL4N0MM1FQ20140325 Public support for state-level climate policy has declined since 2008 – report. Public enthusiasm for state-level climate change policies has waned in recent years as rhetoric denying the role of humans in warming the planet has intensified and the federal government has taken the lead in tackling greenhouse gas emissions. The peak in public support for state climate policies came in the fall of 2008, according to a report released yesterday from the National Surveys on Energy and Environment…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996663/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Polluted air linked to 7 million deaths in 2012 – WHO. Air pollution killed about 7 million people in 2012, making it the world's single biggest environmental health risk, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday. The toll, a doubling of previous estimates, means one in eight of all global deaths in 2012 was linked to polluted air and shows how reducing pollution inside and outside of people's homes could save millions of lives in future, the United Nations health agency said. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_MED_POLLUTION_DEATHS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USL5N0ML2TY20140325 http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/who-pollution-kills-7-million-people-every-year/2014/03/24/8bd2f39a-b3b1-11e3-bab2-b9602293021d_story.html http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/03/20140325-who.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/24/who-pollution-kills-7-million-people-every-year/#ixzz2wzbeDMEK Eleven EU nations exceed air pollution ceilings: EEA. Eleven European Union nations breached ceilings for air pollution in 2012 despite plans to avert health-damaging smog of the sort that choked Paris this month, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said on Monday. The number rose from 10 in 2011, with the addition of Malta to the list of states above national limits set for at least one of four pollutants from sources including industry and cars. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/24/us-pollution-idUSBREA2N0Z220140324 China's face mask industry under scrutiny as pollution worsens. Chinese citizens are feverishly snapping up face masks as worsening air pollution fuels a multi-million dollar industry where many products fail to provide even basic protection, drawing calls for better oversight and standards. The country's worsening air quality is at the top of the list of concerns of China's stability-obsessed leaders…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USBREA2O0GI20140325 China says polluting industry still growing too fast, heavy smog alert for Beijing. China's energy-hungry, high-polluting industries continued to grow too fast in 2013, putting "huge pressures" on the environment and causing air quality to worsen, the country's pollution agency said on Tuesday. Premier Li Keqiang "declared war" on pollution in a major policy address this month, but China has long struggled to strike a balance between protecting the environment and keeping up economic growth. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USBREA2O0BZ20140325 UPDATE 1-China's Hangzhou latest city to restrict car sales. China's eastern city of Hangzhou will start restricting car sales from Wednesday, joining major cities, including Shanghai and Beijing, in the fight against snarling traffic and heavy smog in the world's largest automobile market. The Hangzhou government said on Tuesday the curbs would take effect while it canvassed public opinion on details of the move. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USL4N0MM2YZ20140325 Murray Energy sues EPA, alleges law noncompliance. An Ohio-based coal operator is suing the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, claiming that the agency has failed to comply with the Clean Air Act's requirement to evaluate the potential impact of its regulatory actions on employment. "The Administrator has no discretion to avoid or limit its obligation to continuously evaluate the employment impacts of EPA's administration and enforcement of the Clean Air Act," Murray Energy's lawsuit states. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Murray-Energy-sues-EPA-alleges-law-noncompliance-5347430.php CO2 concentrations reach 400 ppm 2 months earlier this year. In May 2013, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations at Hawaii's famed Mauna Loa observatory hit 400 parts per million for the first time. This year, it only took until March. "We have had five [days over 400 ppm] in the last week," said Pieter Tans, a senior scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who monitors the readings. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996651/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Climate scientists in Japan to study warming risks. Along with the enormous risks global warming poses for humanity are opportunities to improve public health and build a better world, scientists gathered in Yokohama for a climate change conference said Tuesday. The hundreds of scientists from 100 countries meeting in this Japanese port city are putting finishing touches on a massive report emphasizing the gravity of the threat the changing climate poses…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_JAPAN_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/climate-scientists-in-japan-to-study-warming-risks/2014/03/24/dcc2ffb0-b3cb-11e3-bab2-b9602293021d_story.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/25/climate-scientists-in-japan-to-study-warming/#ixzz2wzc7ZeyS World agriculture 'dangerously unprepared' for climate change – report. The global food system is "dangerously unprepared" for the onslaught of climate change, according to a new report that finds food prices could double by 2030, with rising global temperatures and extreme weather events largely responsible. The Oxfam study comes as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) prepares to release new findings that food supplies and the global economy will be a victim of rising sea levels…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996667/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California drought: Silicon Valley cities and farms hit with new water cutbacks. In the latest sign that California's historic drought is having a worsening impact on Silicon Valley, the region's largest water provider is putting in place unprecedented cutbacks this spring on cities, farmers and its own efforts to recharge groundwater supplies. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25411117/california-drought-silicon-valley-cities-and-farms-hit?source=rss DIESEL EMISSIONS Uruguay’s Public Transport Goes Electric. Uruguay plans to gradually replace oil-based fuels with electric energy in its public transport system, and is currently assessing the costs and benefits of the shift. Tests indicate that the running costs of electric buses can be six- to eight-fold lower than for diesel buses. For the last two years, studies have been under way on the potential benefits of adding electric vehicles to the public transport fleet in Montevideo, where half the country’s 3.3 million people live. Posted. http://www.ipsnews.net/2014/03/uruguays-public-transport-goes-electric/ FUELS Infographic: U.S. oil production outpaces imports. For the first time since 1995, U.S. oil production surpassed oil imports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Predictions are that the trend will continue, eliminating the 'oil deficit' between what we drill ourselves and what we take in, and making the U.S. the number one oil producer in the world by 2020. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/la-cod-energy-exports-20140317-dto,0,4331048.htmlstory#ixzz2wzWR58VM Omnitrans to study possible risk of natural gas storage. Community fears regarding liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas storage at the Omnitrans facility on the Westside spurred an agreement Monday to hire a consultant to study the potential danger. Officials told the operations and safety committee of the Omnitrans board that the two 30,000-gallon liquefied natural gas tanks and smaller amounts of compressed natural gas have been stored in compliance…Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140324/omnitrans-to-study-possible-risk-of-natural-gas-storage FRACKING Are New Fracking Regulations in California Enough? California is instituting what some are calling the toughest regulations in the nation for the controversial oil extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. But some say the regulations don't go far enough and instead want a ban. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/20628 Another Calif. city moves toward fracking moratorium. A suburban Los Angeles city last night took a significant step toward blocking unconventional oil drilling, making it the third in recent weeks to make such a move. The City Council in Culver City, located about 10 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles, in a 5-0 vote directed aides to come back with language for a moratorium on oil drilling that uses hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking"; gravel packing; or acidization. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059996669/print BY SUBSCRIPITON ONLY VEHICLES Car Companies Take Expertise in Battery Power Beyond the Garage. As more homeowners generate their own electricity from solar panels, they still need power from a utility after the sun goes down. Now, automakers say they may have an answer, by storing that carbon-free energy in electric car batteries for later use. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/business/car-companies-take-expertise-in-battery-power-beyond-the-garage.html?_r=2 Quietest road race ever? Croatia hosts electric vehicle rally in May. Nikola Tesla would be proud. In May, Croatia will host its first electric car rally that winds from the northern coast to the capital Zagreb through some of the country's most scenic spots. The route includes a visit to electricity pioneer Tesla's hometown too. The Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2014 starts May 27 and will be divided into five legs that cover some 530 miles. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trb-croatia-electric-car-road-rally-20140318,0,6007550.story#ixzz2x00SRl6d GREEN ENERGY Siemens to Invest $264 Million in British Wind Turbine Project. Siemens, the German power and industrial giant, said on Tuesday that it would build facilities for offshore wind turbines off the east coast of England, as Britain rapidly expands its wind-power generation. Siemens plans to invest about 160 million pounds, or about $264 million, in the production and installation facilities. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/business/international/siemens-to-invest-264-million-in-british-wind-turbine-project.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry830%23%2Fgreen%2Benergy%2F24hours%2F MISCELLANEOUS Electronic cigarettes may not help people stop smoking: study. A small U.S. study raises new questions about whether using electronic cigarettes will lead people to quit smoking, adding to the debate over how tightly the products should be regulated. The study, which looked at the habits of 88 smokers who also used e-cigarettes, was published as a research letter in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine on Monday. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USBREA2N1JT20140324 25 years later, have we learned anything from the Exxon Valdez? Some lessons take a long time to sink in. The Exxon Valdez disaster, which occurred 25 years ago this week when the oil tanker struck a reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound, was both the product of previous lessons unlearned and the source of new lessons that continue to be overlooked. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-exxon-valdez-20140325,0,280616.story#ixzz2wzXBX0TN OPINIONS Letters: Keep fossil fuels in the ground. Re "Energy boom may augur a new export era," March 23. Every dollar invested to expand the use of fossil fuels here or abroad is a bad investment. Spending a single penny or drilling any new wells to find more dirty energy is wrongheaded. We have more fossil fuels in the ground than we can afford to burn. To avoid a climate catastrophe, most of that dirty energy must remain where it is. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0325-tuesday-energy-boom-20140325,0,3657482,print.story BLOGS Climate Change Art: That Sinking Feeling. I apologize for 10 days of blog silence while I co-led our Pace University documentary production class on a filmmaking trip in Brazil. Now comes crunch time as we shift to editing mode. The film will describe efforts in three places — Ilha Grande, Paraty and Rio de Janeiro — to make sure the benefits of tourism aren’t exceeded by the environmental and social costs. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/climate-change-art-that-sinking-feeling/?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry830%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Fomm Concept One is a floating EV for dangerous times. Somewhat reminiscent of the all-electric Rinspeed sQuba concept from the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, the new Fomm Concept One is an electric car with a bit of buoyancy. This Japanese car is being billed not only as the "world's smallest class four-seater electric vehicle," but also as an EV that floats and "even moves on water surface." In other words, this thing is kind of a boat. And for good reason. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/24/fomm-concept-one-is-a-floating-ev-for-dangerous-times/ Compliance Car Update: Which Electric Cars Are Loss Leaders? The Fiat 500e is perhaps the most critically lauded new all-electric vehicle that arrived in 2013. It's received rave reviews from unlikely sources, like buff-book magazines—even from Consumer Reports. There's reportedly been a long waiting list for these cars, with a $199/month lease deal and, yes, even some reports of markups. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1091059_compliance-car-update-which-electric-cars-are-loss-leaders California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 14:03:02 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 26, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 26, 2014. 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 Pollution advisory issued for Phoenix on Wednesday. Strong winds that are expected to stir up dust have prompted environmental regulators to issue a high pollution advisory for fine particulate matter Wednesday in metro Phoenix. The poor air quality also has led regulators to bar people in Maricopa County from starting wood-burning fires on Wednesday. Regulators say people with respiratory problems should avoid outdoor activities. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AZ_AIR_QUALITY_METRO_PHOENIX_AZOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Beijing Warns Against Outdoor Activity on Hazardous Smog Levels. Beijing warned its 20 million residents to avoid outdoor activities as a U.S. Embassy pollution monitor showed air quality at “hazardous” levels in the Chinese capital.The concentration of PM2.5 -- the small particles that pose the greatest risk to human health -- hit 309 in Beijing as of 6 p.m., according to the monitor. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-26/beijing-warns-against-outdoor-activity-on-hazardous-smog-levels.html CLIMATE CHANGE UN chief in Greenland climate change visit. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has traveled to Greenland to get an up-close look at the consequences of global warming. Ban landed Wednesday in Uummannaq, north of the Arctic Circle, the first of two towns he will visit as part of preparations for a climate summit in New York in September. Local lawmaker Sakio Fleischer said Ban was "up here to see the effects of climate change." Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GREENLAND_UNITED_NATIONS_BAN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Extracting carbon from nature can aid climate but will be costly-UN. A little-known technology that may be able to take the equivalent of China's greenhouse gas emissions out of the carbon cycle could be the radical policy shift needed to slow climate change this century, a draft U.N. report shows. Using the technology, power plants would burn biomass - wood, wood pellets, or plant waste like from sugar cane - to generate electricity while the carbon dioxide in the biomass is extracted…Posted. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/26/climatechange-ccs-idUKL5N0MN30420140326 Raise a Glass of Scottish Wine to Global Climate Changes. Thanks to climate change, Christopher Trotter will make history later this year by pairing a Scottish white wine with the local spoots. The razor clams harvested from the nearby shores of the North Sea will go down nicely with the first bottles from Trotter’s vineyard north of Edinburgh. The 2014 vintage will be special for Scotland, where Highlanders have distilled whisky and brewed ale for centuries. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-26/raise-a-glass-of-scottish-wine-to-global-climate-changes.html Christie Greenhouse Changes Violate N.J. Law, Court Says. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s administration violated state law in the way it withdrew from a regional program to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, a state appellate court ruled. New Jersey must begin amending or repealing the state’s climate-change regulations within 60 days, according to a three-judge panel in Trenton. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-25/new-jersey-ordered-by-court-to-repeal-or-amend-pollution-rules.html Scientists report explanation for recent pause in sea-level rise. In a finding that challenges climate skeptics, a team of scientists reported this week that a seeming slowdown in global sea-level rise in the last decade was not a slowdown at all. Their work -- released in Nature Climate Change -- found that a natural weather cycle known as La Niña provides most of the explanation for the pause in sea-level rise observed after 2003. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996725/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Sacramento drought busters write 350 violations. Sacramento: You’ve been warned. Turn off the sprinklers – at least on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Yet, judging by complaints, thousands of residents apparently have not gotten that water-saving message. When city utilities officials noticed a substantial spike in water use Thursday, they sent out enforcement officers on the lookout for sprinklers spraying on a non-watering day. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/25/6266813/sacramento-drought-busters-write.html#storylink=cpy First load of Sacramento River salmon begin migration – by truck. Wildlife officials on Tuesday formally launched a massive trucking operation to move 30 million Sacramento River salmon toward the sea to help the fish avoid harmful river conditions caused by drought. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/25/6267695/first-load-of-sacramento-river.html#storylink=cpy Drought Means Pumps Possible In Sacramento River. The Department of Utilities had hoped to avoid installing extra pumps at the Sacramento River Pump Station, but the drought has made it unavoidable. The department's Dave Brent says the river is four-feet-high now. If it drops below a foot-and-a-half, the pump station probably won't be able to operate, which is when the City would likely turn on the submersible pumps. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/20744 Rain system expected to bring relief to Bay Area. Northern California on Wednesday was in the midst of what forecasters were predicting would be the longest stretch of wet weather yet this year. Rain, heavy at times, was falling in the San Francisco Bay Area in the morning. The National Weather Service was forecasting light to moderate rain for morning commuters in the Sacramento Valley and northern San Joaquin Valley as well. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/26/rain-system-expected-to-bring-relief-to-bay-area/#ixzz2x5Lwp2ft New Stanford center aims to 'revolutionize' wastewater reuse. When a Stanford University student flushes a toilet on campus in the not-too-distant future, the wastewater that's produced may not only irrigate the university's lawns, but could also be used to create energy needed for the treatment process. Stanford yesterday broke ground on a $3 million facility to explore better ways to reclaim water using innovations developed by in-house researchers. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996720/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Panel fears agency's budget plan fails to properly address water shortfalls. GOP lawmakers yesterday criticized the Obama administration's plan to lead parched Western states through ongoing drought conditions, with some arguing during a hearing that the administration cares more about addressing climate change and conserving water than about meeting growing demand. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1059996740/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Texans try to cope with lingering hangover from record drought. After Texas got hit by a historic drought in 2011 that caused major damage to its agricultural sector, many farmers and ranchers in the state had hoped their dry spell would be over by now. But although conditions have somewhat improved since then, moderate to exceptional drought is still affecting 64 percent of the state…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996722/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS No technical barrier to advancing regulations on shipping emissions – study. Ahead of a ruling next week on whether or not to move forward with international regulations on emissions from large ships, a new study finds that the standards are technically feasible and should not be delayed. The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found that emission reduction technologies that are needed to achieve limits on nitrogen oxides (NOx)…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996749/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Gasoline Gains as Shut Pipeline Seen Crimping East Coast Supply. Gasoline futures rose on speculation that the closing of a key pipeline transporting Gulf Coast oil products to the U.S. Northeast will reduce East Coast inventories. Prices gained as much as 0.6 percent one day after Colonial Pipeline Co., shut the segment for unplanned repairs. The line is capable of moving 850,000 barrels a day of gasoline and distillates from North Carolina to New Jersey. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-26/gasoline-gains-as-shut-pipeline-seen-crimping-east-coast-supply.html Richmond calls on Congress to halt crude oil transport through Bay Area. A unanimous Richmond City Council voted Tuesday to call on Congress to halt rail transport of Bakken crude oil from North Dakota pending new regulations and explore what local measures could be enforced to thwart truck transport of the volatile fuel mix on local streets. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_25421666/richmond-calls-congress-halt-crude-oil-transport-through?source=rss Switching fuels poses increased health risk for world's energy poor. As the developing world claws out of the darkness, many are finding that the path to a better life and economic growth is fraught with danger. This is especially true when it comes to energy. Lighting to gain more usable working hours or stoves for cooking and heating require fuels, and in impoverished regions, this usually means biomass collected locally. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996748/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Industry group says EPA proposal will increase GHG emissions. The Biotechnology Industry Organization today warned that a proposal by the Obama administration to lower federal biofuel targets this year will result in higher greenhouse gas emissions. If U.S. EPA lowers the renewable fuel standard this year, the agency will be responsible for a net increase equivalent to putting 5.9 million cars on the road, the industry group said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996767/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Cadillac takes on Tesla with plug-in ELR. Finally, there's an electric car that rivals Tesla's eye-catching Model S. The sleek, new-for-2014 Cadillac ELR coupe is arguably as sexy looking as the sporty Model S, and like the Tesla, it's a plug-in vehicle that's capable of traveling for hours without stopping. For drivers who don't want to worry about finding a place to recharge batteries and waiting around until the charging is complete, the Cadillac ELR is eminently more accommodating. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BEHIND_THE_WHEEL_CADILLAC_ELR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Nissan recalling over 1 million vehicles for airbag issue. Nissan Motor Co is recalling 1,053,479 vehicles globally, mostly in the United States, to fix software that could deactivate the front passenger airbag. The vehicle occupant classification system software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, deactivating the airbag and increasing the risk of an injury in a crash, according to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/26/nissan-recall-idUSL1N0MN0G720140326 U.S. Senate panel sets April 2 hearing on GM auto recalls. A U.S. Senate panel will hold its first hearing on April 2 to probe how General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration handled recalls over the past decade of malfunctioning GM ignition switches, which are linked to 12 deaths. The Senate's Commerce subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance will hold the hearing one day after the House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee holds a hearing on the same topic. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/26/us-gm-recall-congress-idUSBREA2P1GO20140326 GREEN ENERGY Will Your Next House Produce More Energy Than It Consumes? UC Davis and a division of Honda say they've built a new house that saves energy and water, and reduces carbon emissions by 11 tons each year. The house uses L-E-D lighting and has a geothermal heating and cooling system. It is solar-powered. The solar system provides the energy needed for the house and an electric vehicle. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/20731 New England seeking to tap Canadian hydropower. A 300-mile power cable line would be buried on land and run underwater from Maine to Boston in a proposal to tap Canada's hydropower for power-hungry southern New England. New England governors say they need up to 3,600 megawatts of renewable energy to meet green energy goals, while also lowering costs and offsetting losses as aging power plants go offline. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/25/new-england-seeking-to-tap-canadian-02/ China's big plans for biomass. China, the largest producer and consumer of electricity in the world, is also a significant contributor to global pollution. The Asian giant has been frequently making headlines due to its toxic air. Fossil fuels, particularly coal, comprise almost 90 per cent of the country's current energy consumption. On the other hand, China only obtains about eight per cent of its total primary energy from non-fossil fuel sources. Posted. http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2014/3/26/china_s_big_plans_for_biomass.htm MISCELLANEOUS Obama highlights need for US-EU energy cooperation. U.S. President Barack Obama said Wednesday that energy cooperation would be a crucial part of a free trade deal with the EU that, if reached, would allow the 28-nation bloc to become less dependent on Russia. Several EU nations rely heavily on Russia for gas supplies, something they regret now that they are in a diplomatic standoff over Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EUROPE_US_FREE_TRADE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT On the Road to Zero Waste The California Strawberry Festival Recycling Program Scores Tons Of Success. Ten years ago the California Strawberry Festival kicked off a new recycling program in partnership with the City of Oxnard and Oxnard City Corps. For this year’s 31st annual celebration May 17, 18 in Oxnard, organizers are taking steps leading toward zero waste -- a plus for the environment and fundraising. Since 2004, a total of nearly 70 tons of materials have been recycled from the annual celebration including…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/25/on-the-road-to-zero-waste-the-california-strawberr/#ixzz2x5MTsk5x Dust Suppression Unit Introduced. Company Wrench patented and introduced high-pressure air water cannon (HAWC) used in dust control at a variety of sites. The company sells and rents HAWC machines to demolition, scrap & recycling, land fill, mining and coal sites for use in dust suppression, material retention, evaporation, odor control, alternative daily coverage, and irrigation. The machine provides large volumes of properly-sized mist droplets, to cover large areas where operations disperse volumes of particulate matter. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/03/26/dust-suppression-unit-introduced/ BLOGS Japanese Giant Mitsui Leads $60M Investment In A Startup That Turns Pollution Into Pure Money. As places like China and India continue to grow, an ever-increasing number of billowing smoke stacks mark these countries’ landscapes. 7 million people died in 2012 from air pollution. LanzaTech wants to clean up those industries by turning all that pollution into extremely valuable fuels and chemicals. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2014/03/26/japanese-giant-mitsui-leads-60m-investment-in-a-startup-that-turns-pollution-into-pure-money/ Climate Change: Case Closed. Today, we are at an environmental crossroads. Just as those that pioneered environmental protection in the 20th Century faced the threat of industrial pollution, this generation faces a looming environmental disaster of our own creation. Human-caused climate change threatens almost every aspect of human existence. Left unchecked, the world of tomorrow will be a vastly different world than the one we know today. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-alan-lowenthal/climate-change-science_b_5030346.html Toyota's 'green bond' an industry first, quickly rises to $1.75 billion. Toyota is greasing the skids for more green car purchases with the announcement of a $1.75-billion bond designed to finance the purchase of high-efficiency Toyota and Lexus models. The Asset-Backed Green Bond is a first for the automotive industry and is making a lot of money available to buy or lease the following vehicles: any of the four Prius variants, Camry Hybrid, Avalon Hybrid, RAV4 EV, Lexus CT 200h and Lexus ES 300h. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/25/toyotas-green-bond-industry-first-quickly-rises-1-75-billion/ In Ranchers Vs. Weeds, Climate Change Gives Weeds An Edge. Most climate models a bleak picture of the Great Plains a century from now as a hot region besieged by heavy rainstorms and flooding. And new studies suggest that climate change may bring farmers another headache: more invasive plants. Ask most Midwestern and Rocky Mountain ranchers about the weeds they pull their hair out over and be prepared for. There's cheat grass in Nebraska, red brome in Utah and yellow star thistle in California. Posted. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/03/25/294351697/ranchers-brace-for-weed-invasion-as-climate-change-takes-hold Exide Technologies FAQ: Everything you need to know about recycling lead batteries in LA. What do battery recyclers like Exide Technologies in Vernon do? Old lead-acid batteries, like those you see under the hood of your car, are gathered up and shipped to secondary recycling facilities. (Motorcycle batteries and other commercial batteries go to Vernon too.) They’re disassembled or otherwise broken down; first, plastic casings and hardware are pulled off and separated. Then the lead is melted down in furnaces, to separate it from the acid parts. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2014/03/25/13867/exide-technologies-faq-everything-you-need-to-know/ The Scientific Debate On Global Warming In One Chart. The next time someone tries to tell you that there's a legitimate scientific debate about man-made global warming, point them to this chart. It was created by James Powell, an MIT-trained geochemist, longtime Oberlin professor, and former member of the National Science Board (under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush). He searched for all studies published in 2013 that mentioned "global warming," "global climate change," or "climate change," and found 10,885 of them. Posted. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-scientific-debate-on-global-warming-in-one-chart-2014-3#ixzz2x5pwUI1A Carbon briefing: changing views on biofuels reflected in forthcoming climate report. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s new report, due to be launched next week, is likely to give a new and updated perspective on biofuels - reflecting a flood of research on their impact on natural systems in past years. The UN-created body launched its last major report back in 2007. At that time, the idea of using plant based crops as a replacement for fossil fuels was largely viewed as an effective Posted. http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2014/03/carbon-briefing-changing-views-of-biofuels-reflected-in-climate-report/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 14:05:42 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 27, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 27, 2014. 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 Enforcement seen key to success of China's new environmental markets. China's plan for a market in air pollution permits promises to help clean up its air cheaply, but the move could prove just as useless as previous environmental policies unless the government stamps out lax enforcement and spotty data. Smog regularly blankets the country's major urban centers and kills half a million people each year. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-china-environment-idUSBREA2Q0B220140327 China to move some facilities out of polluted capital to ease congestion. China plans to move some administrative, research and healthcare facilities out of its capital to a nearby city to ease the burden on Beijing, which is often wreathed in heavy smog and choked with traffic jams, state media reported on Thursday. The environment has emerged as one of Beijing's key priorities amid growing public disquiet about urban smog…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-china-beijing-idUSBREA2Q0L420140327 Beijing Tells Residents to Stay Inside to Avoid Smog. Beijing warned its 20 million residents to avoid going outside for a fourth day because of unhealthy smog. The concentration of PM2.5 -- the small particles that pose the greatest risk to human health -- was 90 micrograms per cubic meter in the capital as of 3 p.m., according to a U.S. Embassy monitor. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-27/beijing-tells-residents-to-stay-inside-to-avoid-smog.html Air board, State Parks agree to settle lawsuit over dust rule. The San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District and California State Parks have reached a tentative agreement to settle lawsuits over an air district rule intended to reduce dust blowing onto the Nipomo Mesa from Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. At its meeting Wednesday, the air district board voted unanimously to accept the settlement agreement, called a consent decree. Posted. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/03/26/2991498/slo-county-air-board-state-parks.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy ‘Environmental Poisoning’ of Iraq Is Claimed. An advocacy group representing American military veterans and Iraqi civilians arrived here on Wednesday armed with a message for the United States government: Washington must do something for the thousands of people suffering from what the group called the “environmental poisoning” of Iraq during the war. The group, Right to Heal, says that veterans and civilians continue to feel the effects of the burn pits…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/27/world/middleeast/environmental-poisoning-of-iraq-is-claimed.html?ref=earth Wood burning in Valley to be discussed at air district meeting. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District will hold a public meeting this evening to present and receive comments on strategies to further reduce emissions from wood burning in the Valley.The workshop will take place at 5:30 p.m today in the Valley air district office in Fresno and will be video-teleconferenced at the Bakersfield and Modesto district offices. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/03/26/3261072/wood-burning-to-be-discussed-at.html#storylink=cpy Oilseed in Livestock Feed Can Cut Emissions Up to 13%, Study Finds. Using oilseed plant in livestock feed can cut methane and carbon dioxide emissions by up to 13 percent, according to preliminary findings of a study. The environmental monitoring study, carried out by the Life-Seed Capital project and co-founded by the European Commission’s Life+programme, found that introducing rapeseed cake cuts methane emissions between 6 percent and 13…Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/03/27/oilseed-in-livestock-feed-can-cut-emissions-up-to-13-study-finds/ Vehicle and engine importer fined $630K for Clean Air Act violations. California vehicle and engine importing company American Lifan Industry Inc. has agreed to pay $630,000 in civil penalties after U.S. EPA said it imported and sold thousands of vehicles and engines made in China that did not meet clean air standards. The company sells motorcycles, recreational vehicles and engines…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996850/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE CORRECTED-Britain's greenhouse gas emissions down 1.9 pct in 2013: govt. Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell 1.9 percent in 2013 due to a decline in fossil-fuel power generation, preliminary government data showed on Thursday. Output of the heat-trapping gases in Europe's second-largest emitter dipped to 569.9 million tonnes compared to 581.1 million tonnes in 2012, data from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) showed. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/britain-carbon-idUSL5N0MO2G120140327 Climate changes put the freeze on elephant seal births. More ice means fewer elephant seal pups, according to Australian scientists studying breeding colonies on Macquarie Island near Antarctica and atmospheric changes in the region that have affected the feeding grounds. "When there's more sea ice the population is likely to go down and in years when there's less sea ice the population is likely to go up,"…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-antarctic-seals-idUSBREA2Q0CQ20140327 Extracting carbon from nature can aid climate but will be costly: U.N. A little-known technology that may be able to take the equivalent of China's greenhouse gas emissions out of the carbon cycle could be the radical policy shift needed to slow climate change this century, a draft U.N. report shows. Using the technology, power plants would burn biomass - wood, wood pellets, or plant waste like from sugar cane - to generate electricity while the carbon dioxide in the biomass is extracted…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/26/us-climatechange-ccs-idUSBREA2P1LK20140326 Carbon Falls to 2-Month Low as U.K. Emissions Drop Cools Demand. Carbon fell to a two-month low as a bigger-than-expected drop in greenhouse-gas emissions from U.K. power stations signaled demand for pollution permits may decline across Europe. European Union carbon permits fell as much as 11 percent to their lowest since Jan. 25, according to the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London. Trading volume for the December 2014 benchmark contract more than tripled to a record. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-27/carbon-falls-to-2-month-low-as-u-k-emissions-drop-cools-demand.html The Emerging Investor Language of “Carbon Asset Risk” Last Thursday, ExxonMobil agreed to publish its plans to assess the risks climate change pose to its business model, making it the first oil and gas producer to do so. In exchange, a group of shareholders led by Arjuna Capital, a sustainable wealth management fund, and the advocacy organization As You Sow agreed to withdraw a shareholder proposal on the issue. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-Emerging-Investor-Language-of-Carbon-Asset-5350514.php RFS Proposal Would Increase Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Cuts in biofuels this year would increase emissions of greenhouse gases next year, according to a new white paper from the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). The Obama administration’s proposal to reduce the 2014 renewable fuel standard (RFS) could reverse progress on reducing climate-changing emissions from the US transportation sector, according to the BIO. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/03/27/rfs-proposal-would-increase-greenhouse-gas-emissions/ Bioenergy from Forest Litter Could ‘Negate’ Emissions Savings. Bioenergy production from forest harvest residues can reduce the carbon stock of forests and as such the process may negate greenhouse gas savings obtained by using bioenergy, according to research published in the journal GCB Bioenergy. As harvesting from forest residues increases it decreases the amount of forest litter – the detritus shed from plants…Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/03/27/bioenergy-from-forest-litter-could-negate-emissions-savings/ Climate change acidifying tropical Pacific Ocean more than expected – study. The amount of carbon dioxide in the tropical Pacific Ocean has increased surprisingly quickly over the past 14 years, according to new research from scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Washington. The reason for the rapid increase in carbon dioxide concentrations is a combination of natural variability and human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996806/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Faced with drought and climate change, desert animals cling to existence. Under a canopy of gleaming stars, Janet Foley made her way across a dab of marshlands surrounded by harsh Mojave Desert terrain, her headlamp fixed on a live trap the size of a loaf of bread. She peered inside, smiled and said, "Hi there, cutie." The creature staring back at her was a federally endangered Amargosa vole, one of the rarest mammals in North America. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/26/6269207/faced-with-drought-and-climate.html#storylink=cpy Drought battle focuses on homeowner rules, meters. With California in the grips of a prolonged dry spell, state lawmakers are looking to grant members of homeowner associations the freedom to plant drought-resistant landscaping without the fear of fines. Moreover, the Legislature is moving closer toward forcing developers to install meters in individual units when building a new apartment complex or other multifamily housing projects… Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/26/drought-battle-focuses-on-homeowner-rules-meters/ California drought spurs surge of neo-49ers as low Sierra water levels bring gold hopes. There's gold in them dry hills! Or gold seekers anyway. And they see a historic opportunity in California's historic drought. Low water levels have led to a mini gold rush in the same Sierra Nevada foothills that drew legions of fortune seekers from around the world in the mid-1800s, as amateur prospectors dig for riverbed riches in spots that have been out of reach for decades. Posted. http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2014/03/27/california-drought-spurs-mini-gold-rush-in-sierra Growers of thirsty pot are under fire in drought-struck California. In drought-hit California, marijuana growers are feeling the heat, accused of using too much water for their thirsty plants and of polluting streams and rivers with their pesticides and fertilizers. State officials say a pot plant sucks up an average of 6 gallons of water per day, worsening a shortage caused by one of the biggest droughts on record. Posted. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/03/26/222487/growers-of-thirsty-pot-are-under.html#storylink=cpy DIESEL EMISSIONS Proposed changes to diesel standards would give truckers more time. State air officials would give truckers more flexibility and time to comply with new rules under proposed changes to controversial diesel emission standards. The proposed amendments, announced this month, come after a series of meetings the California Air Resources Board had with stakeholders across the state late last year, including one in Redding in December. Posted. http://insurancenewsnet.com/print.aspx?id=480338 Kenworth and Peterbilt introduce more fuel-efficient Class 8 trucks. At the Mid-America Trucking show, PACCAR companies Kenworth and Peterbilt introduced more fuel efficient version of their heavy-duty models: the Kenworth T680 Advantage and the Peterbilt Model 579 with EPIQ package. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/03/20140327-paccar.html FUELS Special Report: A Canadian family's 'Plan B' to pump tar sands oil. Keystone XL, a pipeline proposal to pump Canadian oil sands through the heart of America, has alarmed environmentalists and become one of the most contentious issues of the Obama presidency. But there is a "Plan B" to cut the United States out of the picture, and it is championed by one of Canada's wealthiest business dynasties. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-pipeline-irvings-special-report-idUSBREA2Q10A20140327 Greens debate impacts of LNG exports on global warming. Environmentalists wary of plans to open the gates for U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) might be missing an opportunity to advance their primary goal, fighting global warming. So say some advocates for climate change action who see the wider distribution of natural gas leading to reduced emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases as coal-burning power plants are switched to gas. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996847/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Earthquake risks pushed as reason for frack moratorium. Environmentalists behind a recent report on shale drilling and seismic risks in earthquake-prone California are working to jolt the political debate over whether to block unconventional oil extraction. Center for Biological Diversity, Earthworks and Clean Water Action advocates are underscoring their analysis, titled "On Shaky Ground," as they push for a hydraulic fracturing moratorium. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059996825/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL AM Alert: High-speed rail's 'potential for success' evaluated. California's drought has pushed high-speed rail out of the headlines in recent months, but the controversial project isn't forgotten. Republican legislators continue to introduce bills to defund the project and, in February, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom pulled his support, suggesting the state should instead reallocate voter-approved rail bonds. Posted. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/03/27/2992518/am-alert-high-speed-rails-potential.html GREEN ENERGY UPDATE 1-EU to probe French green tax caps for large energy users. European Union antitrust regulators are investigating whether green tax reductions granted by French authorities to energy-intensive users give the companies an unfair advantage. France, the world's most nuclear-reliant country, wants to boost the share of renewable energy to 23 percent of its energy mix by 2020 from the current 15 percent. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/eu-france-energyprobe-idUSL5N0MO2RG20140327 Ukraine spotlights German priority: energy switch. The crisis in Ukraine has added an extra dose of uncertainty to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's biggest domestic project: shifting the country from nuclear to renewable energy sources. Merkel launched the drive to transition the country away from nuclear after Japan's 2011 Fukushima disaster. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/26/ukraine-spotlights-german-priority-energy-switch/ Wyo. wind could help Calif. meet goals at lower cost -- NREL study. A new federal study estimates that ratepayers in California could save as much as $1 billion a year in power generation costs to meet renewable energy goals if transmission lines are built that allow the Golden State to access wind-generated electricity from Wyoming. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1059996790/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY German scientists bundle renewable energy sources to form a 'virtual' power plant. With the relaunch of its "Energiewende" program earlier this year, the German government renewed its commitment to the near phaseout of fossil fuels -- including a transition to 80 percent renewable energy -- by 2050. Many Germans, meanwhile, remain optimistic that a complete transition to renewables could be possible by midcentury. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996824/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Solar installations top wind for first time in 2013 – report. Solar power is poised to overtake wind energy as the renewable energy source with the most financing and installation, according to a new report. Clean Edge Inc., a research advisory firm, said more solar photovoltaic generating capacity than wind power was installed worldwide for the first time last year. "This was the crossover year," said Ron Pernick, the firm's managing director. Pernick said that although wind generation still makes up a market 2 ½ times the size of the solar market, trends are favoring solar generation. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996834/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS No longer blowing smoke? E-cigarettes could surpass traditional brands, experts say. When change has come for the tobacco industry during its long history, it usually has arrived at a leisurely pace. Not this time. The crop and products made from it face something that has gutted or transformed many other industries in recent years: a disruptive technology. Electronic cigarettes are winning over smokers so quickly that some analysts predict the battery-powered newcomer…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/26/6269209/no-longer-blowing-smoke-e-cigarettes.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS Climate change: While we fiddle, the world burns ... and floods and parches. Here’s a statistic for you. Out of 10,855 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals last year that dealt with some aspect of global warming, all but two accepted human behavior as the primary cause. Oddly, that represents a bit of backsliding. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-global-warming-neil-de-grasse-tyron-cosmos-england-zadie-smith-20140326,0,3874109.story#ixzz2xB15kR00 BLOGS Report: In Cutting Emissions, CAHSR Expensive Compared to Local Upgrades. UCLA’s Lewis Center published a report yesterday finding that California’s High-Speed Rail project is a relatively expensive way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the near-term, compared to upgrading local transit and bicycle infrastructure. Comparing CAHSR to Los Angeles Metro’s Gold Line light-rail and Orange Line bus rapid transit route and bikeway…Posted. http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/03/25/report-in-cutting-emissions-cahsr-expensive-compared-to-local-upgrades/ Here’s why B.C.’s carbon tax is super popular — and effective. Suppose that you live in Vancouver and you drive a car to work. Naturally, you have to get gas regularly. When you stop at the pump, you may see a notice like the one above, explaining that part of the price you’re paying is, in effect, due to the cost of carbon. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/heres-why-b-c-s-carbon-tax-is-super-popular-and-effective/ Honda Smart Home, NJ dealer show the power of solar. Car dealerships are not usually thought of as "green" enterprises. They sell, after all, the fossil fuel-powered vehicles that account for about 18 percent of the CO2 emissions created in the US each year. As demonstrated by Rossi Honda in Vineland, NJ though, it doesn't have to be that way. Sure, the franchise still sells cars - lots of them - but they power the entire operation with sunlight in a way that provides ancillary benefits. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/27/honda-smart-home-nj-dealer-show-the-power-of-solar/ WWF app paints China’s polluted sky blue. WWF China and OgilvyOne Beijing have joined hands again this year to support Earth Hour by creating a new “Blue Sky” iPhone app that allows users to turn their photos of polluted gray skies into clear blue skies with a simple finger wipe. Users can share the before and after pictures on their WeChat Moments and Sina Weibo (Chinese microblog). In addition, the app invites users to pledge against air pollution by signing their phone screens and sending their signatures…Posted. http://www.marketing-interactive.com/wwf-new-app-tries-wipe-polluted-grey-sky-china/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 12:12:13 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 28, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for March 28, 2014. 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 Most Chinese Cities Fail Minimum Air Quality Standards, Study Says. Only three of the 74 Chinese cities monitored by the central government managed to meet official minimum standards for air quality last year, the Ministry of Environmental Protection announced this week, underscoring the country’s severe pollution problems. The dirtiest cities were in northern China, where coal-powered industries are concentrated, including electricity generation and steel manufacturing. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/28/world/asia/most-chinese-cities-fail-pollution-standard-china-says.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DSectionFront%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3Dscience%26t%3Dqry501%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F White House eyes new regulations to cut methane from oil, gas sector. The White House said on Friday it will take a hard look at whether new regulations are needed to cut emissions of methane from the oil and gas industry, part of President Barack Obama's plan to address climate change. Regulators will start by proposing new rules later this year to reduce venting and flaring from oil and gas wells on public lands, Posted. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-climatechange-obama-20140328,0,1486700.story http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-03-28/obama-s-climate-plan-said-to-include-study-of-methane-gas-leaks Iowa company faces record $1.5M environmental fine. An Iowa company accused of major pollution violations will pay a record $1.5 million penalty and convert its coal-fired boilers to natural gas to settle a state lawsuit. Attorney General Tom Miller said Thursday the penalty for Grain Processing Corporation of Muscatine will be the largest ever in Iowa for environmental violations. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/27/iowa-company-faces-record-15m-environmental-fine/#ixzz2xH1mNDU3 CLIMATE CHANGE California Climate Policies Continue To Survive Legal Challenges. Lawsuits challenging California's climate policies have yet to delay implementation of the programs, attorneys involved in the various cases said March 26. “The California Air Resources Board is batting about 1,000,’’ Tom McHenry, a partner at Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher in Los Angeles, said during a presentation on the status of legal actions the state still faces eight years after enacting the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (A.B. 32). Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-28/california-climate-policies-continue-to-survive-legal-challenges.html Borrowed Time on Disappearing Land. When a powerful storm destroyed her riverside home in 2009, Jahanara Khatun lost more than the modest roof over her head. In the aftermath, her husband died and she became so destitute that she sold her son and daughter into bonded servitude. And she may lose yet more. Ms. Khatun now lives in a bamboo shack that sits below sea level about 50 yards from a sagging berm. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/29/world/asia/facing-rising-seas-bangladesh-confronts-the-consequences-of-climate-change.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0 Rising Seas. The low-lying islands of Kiribati, just a few feet above sea level, are on the front lines of climate change. Globally, sea levels have risen eight to 10 inches since 1880, but several studies show that trend accelerating as Arctic sea ice melts. If carbon emissions continue unchecked, a recent survey of experts concluded, sea levels may rise about three feet by 2100. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/03/27/world/climate-rising-seas.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DSectionFront%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3Dscience%26t%3Dqry501%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Heartland, rejecting climate change harm, says more CO2 is good for the planet. The Heartland Institute, a Chicago-based libertarian group, is raising its rhetoric a notch by claiming that rising greenhouse gas levels will actually help the world more than harm it. The group points to increased plant and forest growth, bigger crop yields and longer growing seasons as benefits derived from rising concentrations of carbon dioxide. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996902/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.S. pressure groups conflict over impacts of pending trade talks on emission reduction efforts. As the United States and European Union step up trade talks aimed at boosting economic growth and strengthening their geopolitical standing, some activist groups say the developing trade agreement threatens to undermine existing climate and clean energy laws. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996911/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California Drought Creating Toxic Clams In San Francisco Bay. California’s ongoing drought is affecting much more than just drinking water supplies as scientists are looking into how declining rainfall may be increasing the toxicity of the San Francisco Bay. With less water flowing into the bay during the drought, there is an increase in naturally occurring toxins—materials which are then ingested by all kinds of creatures, including the overbite clams, which are non-native to the ecosystem, and then move up the food chain. Posted. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/03/27/california-drought-creating-toxic-clams-in-san-francisco-bay/ Drought pushing ag to the 'tipping point'. San Joaquin Valley agriculture needs to link up with Silicon Valley — and will do so as the food-production industry accelerates into a higher-tech era to deal with water shortages, an environmentally-friendly regulatory environment and groundwater pumping issues. Welcome to the new normal. Posted. http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news/in_focus/california_drought/drought-pushing-ag-to-the-tipping-point/article_2616c2fc-b690-11e3-91eb-001a4bcf887a.html Feinstein leads bipartisan call for more deliveries to Calif. Farmers. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D), Rep. Devin Nunes (R) and other members of California's delegation asked the Obama administration yesterday to make more water available for farmers struggling with the state's ongoing drought. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1059996898/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Daimler Execs Upbeat About Truck Sales, Concerned About CARB. Truck orders at Daimler Trucks North America over the past four months are up 30% over the previous year, so the company has been gradually ramping up production and expects a strong 2014. However, the involvement of the California Air Resources Board in writing the next round of federal emissions regulations has them concerned. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2014/03/daimler-trucks-upbeat-about-truck-sales-concerned-about-carb.aspx Carrier Transicold displays complete line of refrigeration solutions. Carrier Transicold is using the Mid-America Trucking Show this week to highlight its new line of ultra-high performance transport refrigeration units (TRUs), all of which are compliant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 emissions standard. Posted. http://fleetowner.com/equipment/carrier-transicold-displays-complete-line-refrigeration-solutions FUELS Average gasoline price in California hits nearly $4 a gallon. Most in the state are paying more than the $3.99 average per gallon, including $4.06 in Los Angeles. Prices could rise during the summer. For the first time in months, most Californians are shelling out more than $4 for a gallon of regular gasoline. And with the busy summer driving season ahead, prices are likely to move even higher, fuel analysts said. It's a rite of spring as predictable as warmer weather or blooming flowers: Gasoline prices are edging up. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gasoline-prices-20140328,0,7661042,print.story Pacific carbon alliance has momentum but faces legislative hurdles. A West Coast alliance of states and British Colombia to coordinate carbon and fuels policies is moving ahead slowly, with Oregon and Washington state banking on upcoming elections to create a more hospitable climate for action. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) is planning to move ahead with a low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS), perhaps sometime this year…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996906/print BY SUBSCRIPITON ONLY Methane guidance shows EPA mulling sweeping new petroleum regulations. The entire natural gas system could be subject to new U.S. EPA regulations under the White House interagency guidance on methane released today. The 15-page document, which was called for under the president's Climate Action Plan last year, instructs the agency to consider regulating the potent short-lived greenhouse gas at each of five stops along the natural gas supply chain. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996941/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES In Worcester, Patrick unveils electric vehicle rebate program. In hopes of furthering the state's emissions goals, Gov. Deval Patrick announced a new rebate program Thursday to encourage sales of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. The rebates, worth up to $2,500, are funded through $2 million raised in an auction for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. "Anything that makes a purchase less expensive helps," said John O'Dell, senior editor and green car guru at Edmunds.com…Posted. http://www.telegram.com/article/20140327/NEWS/303279703/1116 HIGH-SPEED RAIL Bullet train won't meet target travel time, lawmakers told. Regularly scheduled service on California's bullet train system will not meet anticipated trip times of two hours and 40 minutes between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and are likely to take nearly a half-hour longer, a state Senate committee was told Thursday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-bullet-train-hearing-20140328,0,3123925.story#axzz2xGwCPkhy GREEN ENERGY Net-zero-energy: Step into California's future. Like many other Bay Area homeowners during last December's record cold snap, Bill and Michelle Wong didn't hold back on heating up their San Jose residence. But unlike a lot of the others, they weren't stunned when the energy bill arrived. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_25394981/step-into-californias-future?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_25394982/netzeroenergy:-step-into-californias-future California says current solar owners can cash in off their excess power for 20 years. The California Public Utilities Commission finalized a decision on Thursday to guarantee that homeowners with solar systems will be allowed to continue in the current net metering program for 20 years from the date of installation. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/03/27/43095/california-says-current-solar-owners-can-cash-in-o/ http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/government/state-regulators-protect-rooftop-solar-from-utilities.html Southern Co. agrees to disclose near-term moves to reduce CO2 emissions. Southern Co., the Atlanta-based utility holding company that operates one of the nation's largest fossil power plant fleets, has agreed to produce a comprehensive report on its future integration of renewable and distributed energy resources such as wind and solar power. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996905/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY McCarthy vows to be 'a friend' to clean energy industry. U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy today promised renewable energy advocates that the Obama administration's climate rules would help grow the clean energy industry. "Know that you have a friend at this podium," McCarthy told a meeting of the American Council on Renewable Energy on Capitol Hill. "The energy issues and the environmental issues are really two sides of the same coin," she said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996937/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Cree sets new LED record. Light-emitting diode manufacturer Cree Inc. this week said it has reached a new lighting efficiency record, producing 303 lumens per watt from a white high-power LED at room temperature. Those levels are about 10 percent higher than the previous record of 276 lumens per watt, which Cree set last year. By comparison…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996915/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS The Two Numbers Climate Economists Can’t Stand to See Together. Okay, fine. You're persuaded that climate change is a problem. So if we can work out the costs and benefits of reducing carbon emissions, we'll be able to decide on the cheapest course of action, right? Not so fast. The two numbers that you'd need to do that apparently shouldn't be compared, under penalty of lectures from either climate scientists or economists. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-03-28/the-two-numbers-climate-economists-can-t-stand-to-see-together.html Climate Forecast: Muting the Alarm. Even while it exaggerates the amount of warming, the IPCC is becoming more cautious about its effects. The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will shortly publish the second part of its latest report, on the likely impact of climate change. Government representatives are meeting with scientists in Japan to sex up—sorry, rewrite—a summary of the scientists' accounts of storms…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303725404579460973643962840?url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303725404579460973643962840.html China’s War on Pollution. Only three of the 74 Chinese cities monitored by the central government met the national standard for “fine air” — meaning healthy air — in 2013, according to a report this week from the Environmental Protection Ministry. The three cities are in remote areas, including Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/29/opinion/chinas-war-on-pollution.html?hp&rref=opinion&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DSectionFront%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3Dscience%26t%3Dqry501%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F The water revolution California needs. The state must follow Australia's example and fundamentally change the way water and water rights are managed. This year's drought has thrown California into a sudden tizzy, a crisis of snowpack measurements, fish-versus-people arguments and controversial cuts in water deliveries. But in reality, crisis is the permanent state of water affairs in the Golden State — by design, because our institutions keep it that way. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-0325-graham-drought-australia--water-market-20140328,0,4118870,print.story Transit bucks for commuters coming to Bay Area workers by Sept. 30. Thousands of Bay Area workers will become eligible by Sept. 30 for a new commuter benefit that could save them hundreds of dollars a year if they take public transit or van pools to work. Employers of 50 of more full-time workers within the nine Bay Area counties must start offering employees at least one of four kinds of assistance for commute alternatives to driving alone. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_25425893/transit-bucks-for-commuters-coming-to-bay-area-workers-by-sept-30 BLOGS The bill for climate change is coming due. Americans have just endured one of the coldest winters in memory, so global warming may not be on their radar. But a new U.N. panel report has just refocused the public debate on a problem some scientists call the greatest threat facing the world. There is trouble ahead for global agriculture, warns the influential Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, if measures are not taken quickly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2014/03/27/the-bill-for-climate-change-is-coming-due/ Radical vision of personal carbon allowances could be the answer to greenhouse gas glut. What if carbon trading – where companies must bid for limited permits to emit pollutants, and so pay a price in order to do so – could be applied on an individual level? Personal carbon trading is a policy idea that aims to reduce a nation’s overall carbon emissions by handing to individuals rights and responsibilities for their own emissions. Posted. http://theconversation.com/radical-vision-of-personal-carbon-allowances-could-be-the-answer-to-greenhouse-gas-glut-23288/ Toyota turning landfill gas into hybrid vehicles, indirectly. Chamillionaire certainly wasn't referring to the Toyota Avalon or Camry when he rapped about "ridin' dirty" but maybe he'll change his tune soon. That's because some of the future energy sources for the Kentucky factory that makes those two models will come from gas created from the breakdown of solid waste. So the power behind some of the production at Toyota's largest North American factory will indeed be funky. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/28/toyota-turning-landfill-gas-into-hybrid-vehicles-indirectly/ EVs, plug-ins already saving 45 million gallons of gasoline per year in US. Plug-in vehicles, battery-electric cars and plug-in hybrids are cutting US gasoline use by 45 million gallons a year, which means Americans are already saving $100 million a year in refueling costs thanks to EVs. Now, imagine how those savings might look if startups like Aptera, Coda Automotive and Fisker Automotive had created hits instead of flops. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/27/evs-plug-ins-saving-45-million-gallons-of-gas-per-year/ Congress successfully took the wind out of wind energy’s sails last year. America’s fossil fuel-smitten Congress helped China blow the U.S. out of the water last year when it came to installing new wind energy farms. A little more than 16 gigawatts of new wind capacity came online in China in 2013 — nearly half of the 36 gigawatts installed around the world. Posted. http://grist.org/news/congress-successfully-took-the-wind-out-of-wind-energys-sails-last-year/ States struggling to understand frackquakes. Frackers have been triggering earthquakes across the country by injecting their wastewater at high pressure into disposal wells. That much is certain. The U.S. Geological Survey has linked the practice to a sixfold increase in earthquakes in the central U.S. from 2001 to 2011. It’s also possible that the very act of fracking has been causing some temblors. Posted. http://grist.org/news/states-struggling-to-understand-frackquakes/ Calif Green House Comes Ready For EV And CNG Vehicles. Are you ready to buy a new green house with a garage ready for your EV or CNG-powered vehicle? KB Home unveiled its first ZeroHouse 2.0 in Los Angeles County yesterday, a house that comes ready for green vehicles with an EV charging station and a CNG hoockup in the garage. Posted. http://www.hybridcars.com/calif-green-house-comes-ready-for-ev-and-cng-vehicles/ Buying a Car in 2014? Consider These Eco-Friendly Options. More hybrid vehicles are produced now than ever before, primarily due to consumer demand. Some drivers simply want to save money on gas. Others are interested in helping the planet stay healthy for future generations. Regardless of the motivation behind driving these vehicles, two things are clear…Posted. http://www.greenerideal.com/vehicles/0322-buying-car-2014-consider-eco-friendly-options/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2014 16:07:49 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 1, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 1, 2014. 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 Californians to get first power bill credits from climate program. California residents and small businesses will receive a first-of-its-kind climate credit on their utility bills starting on Tuesday, as the state's ambitious greenhouse gas reduction program begins to affect the pocketbooks of average citizens. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/31/california-climatechange-idUSL1N0MS1UR20140331 http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Calif-climate-change-fight-results-in-utility-5360311.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/01/6284190/carbon-credit-coming-for-pge-electricity.html#mi_rss=Business http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/30/april-electric-bill-credit/ http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/California-utility-customers-get-climate-credit-5361452.php http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140331/A_NEWS/140339986/0/SEARCH http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/03/31/lower-power-bills-for-nearly-12-million-californians/ http://www.rtcc.org/2014/04/01/california-rewards-energy-users-with-climate-credits/ http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996994/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/04/01/stories/1059997094 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION On Canvas, Clues About Air Pollution. Sunsets painted by the great masters are now providing a type of information their creators could never have imagined: important clues about air pollution. Polluted skies result in redder sunsets, and artists captured this redness on the canvas, said Andreas Kazantzidis, an atmospheric physicist at the University of Patras in Greece who was involved in the research. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/science/on-canvas-clues-about-air-pollution.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry461%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Company Tries to Catch CO2 Before It Touches the Sky. Andre Boulet, chief executive officer of Inventys Thermal Technologies Inc. in Burnaby, British Columbia, holds up a 6-inch piece of charcoal, showing how light passes through toothpick-sized air shafts. He says the crevices in this filter offer a cheap way to capture carbon dioxide before it ascends into the atmosphere and haunts future generations.. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-01/cleaning-dirty-gas-enabling-c02-sales-to-dirtier-oil-producers.html EPA seeks public input on Ill. carbon-capture plan. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting public comments on a plan to inject carbon dioxide deep underground in western Illinois. FutureGen Industrial Alliance wants to capture carbon dioxide from a coal-burning power plant in the Morgan County village of Meredosia, then inject it into underground wells near Jacksonville, about 20 miles to the east. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/01/epa-seeks-public-input-on-ill-carbon-capture/#ixzz2xekF3pBG CLIMATE CHANGE UN panel: Warming worsens food, hunger problems. Global warming makes feeding the world harder and more expensive, a United Nations scientific panel said. A warmer world will push food prices higher, trigger "hotspots of hunger" among the world's poorest people, and put the crunch on Western delights like fine wine and robust coffee, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded in a 32-volume report issued Monday. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_SCI_CLIMATE_REPORT_FOOD?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CLIMATE_CHANGE_ASIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/science/earth/climate.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry461%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-0401-climate-change-20140401,0,1584240.story http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/01/6284558/climate-change-is-already-felt.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/30/6280954/global-warming-dials-up-our-risks.html#storylink=cpy http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/mar/30/global-warming-dials-up-our-risks-un-report-02/#ixzz2xejsqtrc http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26810559 Costs of climate change steep but tough to tally. The economic and financial impact of global warming is complex and not well understood. In some scenarios there would be economic benefits for countries that get warmer and wetter and consequently more fertile agriculturally. Drier weather in some regions would result in sharply lower crop yields. Overall, changes in climate are expected to cause significant disruptions that also exact an economic toll. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CLIMATE_CHANGE_ECONOMY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CLIMATE_PANEL_LISTICLE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Exxon sees little climate change risk to assets. Exxon Mobil Corp, the world's largest publicly traded oil company, said on Monday that risks related to climate change pose little risk to its oil and gas reserves because the resources will be needed to meet expected growth in energy demand. Responding to queries from shareholder activists, the company also said it is "confident" that none of its oil and gas reserves will lose value or become "stranded" if governments act to slash carbon emissions. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/31/exxon-carbon-idUSL1N0MS1UF20140331 California Climate Policies Continue To Survive Legal Challenges. Lawsuits challenging California's climate policies have yet to delay implementation of the programs, attorneys involved in the various cases said March 26. “The California Air Resources Board is batting about 1,000,’’ Tom McHenry, a partner at Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher in Los Angeles…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-28/california-climate-policies-continue-to-survive-legal-challenges.html Climate Study Puts Diplomatic Pressure on Obama. A sweeping new study on the effects of climate change — which the report says is already disrupting the lives and livelihoods of the poorest people across the planet — creates a diplomatic challenge for President Obama, who hopes to make action on both climate change and economic inequality hallmarks of his legacy. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/world/climate-study-puts-diplomatic-pressure-on-obama.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry461%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F College Classes Use Arts to Brace for Climate Change. University courses on global warming have become common, and Prof. Stephanie LeMenager’s new class here at the University of Oregon has all the expected, alarming elements: rising oceans, displaced populations, political conflict, endangered animals. The goal of this class, however, is not to marshal evidence for climate change as a human-caused crisis, or to measure its effects — the reality and severity of it are taken as given — but how to think about it, prepare for it and respond to it. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/education/using-the-arts-to-teach-how-to-prepare-for-climate-crisis.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry461%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Cupertino officials crafting Climate Action Plan. The Cupertino City Council gave the go-ahead March 18 for the city to work with a consultant on its first Climate Action Plan. Cupertino, along with many local governments in California, is working on a Climate Action Plan to meet the regulations of the California Global Warming Solutions Act, commonly known as AB32. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_25427901/cupertino-officials-crafting-climate-action-plan DROUGHT Drought prompts some in Sacramento area to rethink lawns as landscaping norm. The capital’s turf tradition is deeply rooted and is even enshrined in the bylaws of various homeowners associations. That may be starting to change, however. Nudged by local governments worried about water shortages, home builders and homeowners associations are showing increased willingness to embrace the drought-tolerant landscapes that more naturally suit California. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/01/6284201/drought-prompts-some-in-sacramento.html California Drought: San Joaquin Valley sinking as farmers race to tap aquifer. So wet was the San Joaquin Valley of Steve Arthur's childhood that a single 240-foot-deep well could quench the thirst of an arid farm. Now his massive rig, bucking and belching, must drill 1,200 feet deep in search of ever-more-elusive water to sustain this wheat farm north of Bakersfield. As he drills, his phone rings with three new appeals for help. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_25447586/california-drought-san-joaquin-valley-sinking-farmers-race California Drought: After years of overpumping groundwater, state may be ready for reforms. For nearly 50 years, California has passed sweeping environmental laws that limit private property for the common good -- from the nation's toughest automobile pollution standards to curbs on clear-cutting forests to rules requiring that developers keep beaches open to the public…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25453902/california-drought-after-years-overpumping-groundwater-state-may In a new era, maybe we need a groundwater budget. Groundwater needs a budget, said Carl Hauge, who worked for the Department of Water Resources for four decades, including serving as chief hydrogeologist. Posted. http://www.chicoer.com/chicostate/ci_25444052/new-era-maybe-we-need-groundwater-budget FUELS Exxon: Highly unlikely world limits fossil fuels. On the same day the world's scientists issued their latest report on climate change and the risks it poses to society, the nation's biggest oil and gas company said the world's climate policies are "highly unlikely" to stop it from selling fossil fuels far into the future. Exxon Mobil issued a report Monday on the risks that climate change policies could pose to the value of its assets and future profitability…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EXXON_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Gas hits $4 a gallon in California once again. Once again, California motorists are forking over $4 a gallon for gas and they may have to dig for 10 to 15 cents more as prices continue to rise through the rest of the spring and into summer. The state hit an average of $4 per gallon Monday, the first time since September, with the usual factors in play -- increased driving as winter recedes, higher crude prices…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_25462076/gas-hits-4-gallon-california-once-again?source=rss VEHICLES Waiting list forms for Calif. green car rebates. A California program that gives rebates for the purchase of cars with no tailpipe emissions is so popular it's running out of money. The state's Air Resources Board (ARB) Friday announced the formation of a waiting list for its Clean Vehicle Rebate Project. The list will log people who buy eligible cars between now and late summer, when the state is expected to make more money available for the effort. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996991/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL Estimated Travel Time Latest Issue with California Bullet Train. Travel time may be another issue facing California's controversial bullet train. When voters approved funding for the high speed rail project in 2008, they were told it would take two hours and 40 minutes to run between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Posted. http://www.kfbk.com/articles/kfbk-news-461777/estimated-travel-time-latest-issue-with-12205358/ GREEN ENERGY All Your M&Ms Will Be Green by 2040: The Mars Mission. Mars Inc., which sells about $30 billion of deliciousness a year, is going green. We’re talking 100 percent. The Mars mission: to eliminate fossil fuel use by 2040. The maker of Snickers and M&Ms is just 3 percent green today, at least when it comes to renewable energy. But don't worry, your green M&Ms won't cost a penny more than the coal-colored ones, according to Barry Parkin, chief sustainability officer at Virginia-based Mars. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-31/all-your-m-ms-will-be-green-by-2040-the-mars-mission.html For some, solar tariff will last 20 years. Rooftop solar customers can hold on to a popular tariff for 20 years as California reconfigures the payoff for utility customers who generate their own renewable energy, state utility regulators ruled Thursday. Solar installers and finance companies expect a quick boost in business from the decision by the California Public Utilities Commission, as new customers rush to lock in the old credit system. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/28/solar-tariff-grandfathered/ MISCELLANEOUS Car won't pass smog check? Get free help at event. Vehicle owners whose cars are unlikely to pass a smog check could be eligible for up to $500 in free repairs, if they attend an event on Saturday. The "Tune In & Tune Up" event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, but the gates open at 6:30 a.m. and drivers are advised to arrive early. Expect a wait of two hours or more. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140331/A_NEWS/140339993/0/SEARCH Environmentalists Sue to Block Explosive Fracked Oil Shipments in Richmond. The fight against shipping crude oil by rail through Bay Area communities intensified late last week when environmental groups filed suit to stop Kinder-Morgan from shipping highly explosive Bakken crude oil through its rail yard in Richmond. The groups are also suing the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) for approving Kinder-Morgan’s switch to transporting crude oil…Posted. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2014/03/31/environmentalists-sue-to-block-explosive-fracked-oil-shipments-in-richmond http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1059996943/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Rat poison maker challenges rule restricting sales. The manufacturer of a popular rat poison is suing California over a new regulation that would prevent consumers from buying many types of pesticides for at-home use because they can harm pets and wildlife. Reckitt Benckiser, a major producer of health and home products, including d-CON rodent poison, filed a lawsuit in San Diego on Friday against the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Rat-poison-maker-challenges-rule-restricting-sales-5365237.php http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_25461592/makers-rat-poison-d-con-sue-state L.A. poised to OK sweeping overhaul of trash collection. Hoping to make Los Angeles a national leader in steering trash away from landfills, the City Council is poised to approve a sweeping and controversial transformation of garbage collection for tens of thousands of businesses and apartment buildings. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-zero-waste-20140401,0,5164440.story OPINIONS Climate Signals, Growing Louder. Perhaps now the deniers will cease their attacks on the science of climate change, and the American public will, at last, fully accept that global warming is a danger now and an even graver threat to future generations. On Monday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations group that since 1990 has been issuing increasingly grim warnings about the consequences of a warming planet, released its most powerful and sobering assessment so far. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/opinion/climate-signals-growing-louder.html?hp&rref=opinion&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry461%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F Editorial: Yes, climate change is real and damaging. Faced with overwhelming evidence, climate-change deniers resort to cherry picking and spinning. Global warming will reduce cold-related deaths, they say, and plants will grow bigger with more carbon dioxide in the air. Seriously, that’s the deniers’ response to the latest report, released Sunday in Japan, by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which reviewed more than 12,000 peer-reviewed scientific studies. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/01/6284069/editorial-yes-climate-change-is.html#storylink=cpy California climate law is paying off – literally. The millions of Californians receiving the first "climate credit" on their electricity bills in April have the state's landmark climate and clean energy law to thank. Not only is the Global Warming Solutions Act, known as AB32, reducing the amount of carbon pollution dumped into the atmosphere and improving the air we breathe, it also is literally paying off for customers of Pacific Gas and Electric…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/California-climate-law-is-paying-off-literally-5361457.php Will electric-bill credit get reinvested? Given $75 and a choice, will Californians invest in energy-efficient appliances, light bulbs and other gadgets that address climate change? The state’s two top clean-air regulators said Monday that they hope it is a safe bet that millions of utility customers will put a twice-annual “climate credit” toward purchases that can further lower their utility bills. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/31/spending-your-climate-credit/ Combating climate change in San Diego. The real questions about global climate change have always come down to what to do about it, how quickly and at what cost. What San Diego City Council President Todd Gloria wants to do about it goes further than probably any other city in America. It would cost homeowners and businesses a bundle and could put San Diego at an economic disadvantage. And, with few if any other local governments doing anything similar, its impact on global climate change would be minuscule. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/29/climate-change-san-diego-gloria-plan/ Hedge the bet on energy. The U.S. Energy Department’s recent announcement of the construction of a $14 billion nuclear power plant in Augusta, Ga. — the first one to be built in the United States in nearly 30 years — is welcome news. But it’s not enough to reverse the current trend. Nuclear plants are shutting down in every region of the country: California, Wisconsin, Florida and Vermont. Posted. http://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/202241-hedge-the-bet-on-energy#ixzz2xewwuw3E BLOGS Jerry Brown calls himself 'missionary' to oil executives in climate change fight. Gov. Jerry Brown, whose permissiveness of hydraulic fracturing has alienated many environmentalists, said Monday he is a "missionary" to oil executives in the fight against climate change. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/in-climate-change-fight-jerry-brown-calls-himself-missionary-to-oil-executi.html California Forms Waiting List for Electric Car Rebates. The growth of electric car sales in California can be attributed, in part, to the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project. But the success of the program, which has surpassed expectations, caused the California Air Resources Board this week to temporarily suspend mailing rebate checks. The administrators of the program formed a waiting list for EV buyers seeking the rebate. Posted. http://www.plugincars.com/california-forms-waiting-list-electric-car-rebates-129566.html What the U.N.’s new climate report says about North America. Global warming is a global crisis, but the effects of climate change are being felt differently in different corners of the globe. The latest report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns of a world wracked by hunger, violence, and extinctions. Posted. http://grist.org/news/what-the-u-n-s-new-climate-report-says-about-north-america/ The hellish monotony of 25 years of IPCC climate change warnings. The latest blockbuster United Nations report on the impacts of climate change makes dire reading, just as the first one did almost a quarter of a century ago. Entire island nations "rendered uninhabitable", millions of people to be displaced by floods and rising seas, uncertainties over global food supplies and severe impacts on human health across the world. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/planet-oz/2014/mar/31/ipcc-climate-change-impacts-report-history-warnings With Drought, New Scrutiny Over Fracking’s Water Use. California’s historic drought and shrinking water supplies are putting a spotlight on hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” and its thirst for freshwater. In other states, the controversial technique is a heavy water consumer, using millions of gallons of freshwater to extract oil or gas from each well. In California, fracking uses less water on average than in other states, according to industry data. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/audio/with-drought-new-scrutiny-over-frackings-water-use/ Palo Alto lawmaker opens inquiry into EPA’s toxic waste cleanup program. A Silicon Valley lawmaker has opened an inquiry into the toxic trail of environmental damage created by the Superfund cleanup program. U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, today requested details on how the Environmental Protection Agency deals with the pollution that’s left behind by treating and shipping toxic waste across the country and whether it’s looked into alternative cleanup methods. Posted. http://cironline.org/reports/palo-alto-lawmaker-opens-inquiry-epas-toxic-waste-cleanup-program-6226 Massachusetts introduces $2,500 state incentive for EVs. Now that the deuces are wild for Massachusetts, its governor is placing a bigger bet on electric-vehicle adoption in the Bay State. With exactly 222 publicly accessible electric-vehicle charging stations currently available, the famously liberal Massachusetts is finally joining the ranks of those states that are piling rebates on top of the incentives the federal government provides for those who buy electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/31/massachusetts-introduces-2500-state-ev-incentive/ 60 Minutes can't even get Tesla Model S EV sound right. 60 Minutes has come under fire for screwing up important bits of news recently, but an error in Sunday's profile of Tesla Motors and CEO Elon Musk is completely perplexing. 60 Minutes has said it was an "audio editing error," but we're wondering how you manage to edit in internal combustion engine and transmission sounds into a video specifically on electric vehicles. The stock footage that 60 Minutes used is official Tesla material, but the videos on the company's YouTube page are devoid of engine sounds. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/01/60-minutes-cant-even-get-tesla-model-s-ev-sound-right/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2014 14:21:13 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 2, 2014. From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 2, 2014. This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office of Communications. You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. CAP AND TRADE EU Carbon Pares Gains as Analysts Revise 2013 Emissions Estimate. Carbon permits pared gains as analysts said European Union data showed emissions from factories and power stations probably fell more than their predictions made earlier today. The benchmark December carbon contract advanced 8.7 percent to 5.11 euros ($7.05) a metric ton on ICE Futures Europe in London. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-01/eu-carbon-rises-after-2013-emissions-fell-slower-than-expected.html AIR POLLUTION Sahara desert dust brings smog to Britain. European pollution and dust swirling in from the Sahara created a "perfect storm" of smog in Britain on Wednesday, prompting authorities to warn people with heart or lung conditions to cut down on tough physical exercise outdoors. Air pollution in some areas reached the top rung on its 10-point scale, the environment department said. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_AIR_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/02/6288084/sahara-desert-dust-brings-smog.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Sahara-desert-dust-brings-smog-to-Britain-5369236.php O.C. metal-finishing plant poses high cancer risk to nearby residents. Air regulators will seek an order for Hixson Metal Finishing to reduce chromium 6 emissions as soon as possible. A metal-finishing facility in Newport Beach poses an "unacceptably high" cancer risk to its neighbors and should curtail its emissions as soon as possible, state air quality officials said Tuesday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-newport-pollution-20140402,0,3992189,print.story http://www.ocregister.com/articles/aqmd-607943-hixson-newport.html Review of air permits finds high pollution rates for biomass energy -- environmental group. Economic incentives and legal technicalities have allowed for the construction of more 70 biomass plants in the last decade, according to a group opposed to generating electricity from burning plant matter. The Partnership for Policy Integrity released an analysis of 88 biomass power plant air permits today…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997162/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE West Coast States, British Columbia Talk Carbon Collaboration. An agreement signed in October 2013 by the governors of California, Oregon and Washington and the leader of British Columbia to collaborate on climate policies could produce a consistent fueling infrastructure for electric vehicles on the West Coast, California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Matt Rodriquez said March 27. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-01/west-coast-states-british-columbia-talk-carbon-collaboration.html Has the new U.N. report turned Bill O'Reilly into an environmentalist? Don't expect a wholesale rush on the part of climate change skeptics or deniers to embrace the idea that human beings are responsible for global warming. Expect instead a slow melting of resistance as scientists turn up the heat. You’d like to think the new, alarming U.N. report on global climate change might provide a wake-up call to skeptics such as…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-ra-global-climate-change-20140401,0,4792215.story#ixzz2xkrCGzmW Climate impacts are going to hit the developing world hardest, IPCC says. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world's leading climate science body, declared in a new report that global warming is wreaking havoc "on all continents and across the oceans," with the worst yet to come. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/02/6289529/climate-impacts-are-going-to-hit.html#storylink=cpy UC Merced Connect: Changes seen deep in the sea. Large, naturally occurring low-oxygen zones in the Pacific appear to be expanding, and there is a sharp change in the number of bacteria that produce and consume different forms of toxic sulfur, according to a UC Merced researcher’s latest paper in Nature Communications. These expanding deoxygenated zones could also contribute to climate change, which, in turn, appears to contribute to their growth. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/01/6287911/uc-merced-connect-changes-seen.html#storylink=cpy Brown preaches climate change to state regulators. California Gov. Jerry Brown, who once studied to become a Jesuit priest, brought his missionary passion for making progress with climate changes to the spring meeting of the Environmental Council of the States, a national non-profit, non-partisan association of state and territorial environmental agency leaders, at the old Ft. Baker in Sausalito on Monday. Posted. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=25553 Entrepreneurs vie to turn heat-trapping gas into a red-hot commodity. Awkward, adolescent companies that capture carbon emissions or convert them into chemicals or fuels nervously gussied up booths and showed off nearly mature technology ready for commercial partners at the agency's annual Energy Innovation Summit. Unlike the wallflowers of last year, largely exhibited in posters on the wall, carbon utilization and alternative carbon capture technologies were a noticeable presence on the main floor at this year's DOE Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) conference in Washington, D.C. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059997195/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Drought in California may hinder job growth for years, economists say. Lack of rain in 2013 could diminish the fishing and manufacturing sectors in California, the UCLA Anderson Forecast says. Even without the weather factor, L.A. is grappling with major problems with its job market. The ongoing drought in California could dampen employment growth in coming years and have a ripple effect on several industries in the state…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ucla-forecast-20140402,0,6357166,print.story California water managers ease delta pumping limits. Fishery agencies are under increasing political pressure to take advantage of late winter storms and ramp up pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Officials announced Tuesday that they are temporarily waiving an endangered species protection to enable water managers to send more Northern California water south. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-drought-pumping-20140402,0,5488934.story#ixzz2xl9fcsNJ Despite recent storms, Sierra snowpack remains well below normal. These are strange days for California water officials. The penultimate snow survey of the season Tuesday found the Sierra Nevada snowpack holding 32 percent of normal water content – a relatively dismal reading – and yet many of them expressed relief. A few months earlier, those water officials had feared much worse. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/01/6286757/despite-recent-storms-sierra-snowpack.html?storylink=lingospot#storylink=cpy Mountain View declares water shortage emergency. Mountain View has declared a water shortage emergency as the San Francisco Bay Area city faces the statewide drought. The San Jose Mercury News reports (http://bit.ly/Odep9K) the City Council voted unanimously Tuesday for a "Stage 1" declaration, the lowest emergency level. It authorizes city staff to ramp up efforts to educate the public about conservation programs. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/02/6288611/mountain-view-declares-water-shortage.html#storylink=cpy California drought: Downpours fall far short of ending crisis. Snow surveyors are expected to tromp out into the Sierra powder Tuesday under a soft, steady patter of comforting precipitation, but the spring moisture is a cruel oasis in California's desert of drought, according to leading climate and weather gurus. The pounding rain along the coast and fluffy snow in the mountains this week won't come close to solving the state's mounting water crisis…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-drought-Downpours-fall-far-short-of-5365318.php FUELS Oil down to $99 ahead of US inventories report. The price of oil retreated to near $99 a barrel on Wednesday, adding to a big fall the day before, as traders awaited a report on U.S. crude stockpiles and considered the possible reopening of export terminals in Libya. By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark U.S. crude for May delivery was down 66 cents to $99.08 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Tuesday, the Nymex contract slid $1.84. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OIL_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/02/6288009/oil-down-slightly-ahead-of-us.html#storylink=cpy Methane-spewing microbe blamed in Earth's worst mass extinction. Sometimes bad things come in small packages. A microbe that spewed humongous amounts of methane into Earth's atmosphere triggered a global catastrophe 252 million years ago that wiped out upwards of 90 percent of marine species and 70 percent of land vertebrates. That's the hypothesis offered on Monday by researchers aiming to solve one of science's enduring mysteries…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/01/us-science-extinction-idUSBREA2U1KO20140401 Officials concerned about crude oil rail shipments. Local and state leaders are raising concerns about a San Francisco Bay area refinery's plan to move as many as 100 train cars of flammable crude oil daily through Northern California cities. The Sacramento Bee reports (http://bit.ly/1mKFu3a) the Valero Refining Company in Benecia plans to have trains travel on the Union Pacific line that runs through downtown West Sacramento and Davis…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/02/6289447/officials-concerned-about-crude.html#storylink=cpy Parnell seeks tax credits to state refineries. Gov. Sean Parnell has put forth a proposal that may assist the state's three refineries in providing lower cost fuels to in-state customers. Parnell's proposal is a new tax credit that the three state refineries may use for infrastructure upgrades and investments for the purpose of increased production, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported Tuesday (http://bit.ly/1lAiymY). Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/01/6286493/parnell-seeks-tax-credits-to-state.html VEHICLES Does Tesla Really Need a $5 Billion Battery? Musk Seeks Sites in Southwestern States for Giant Factory. In a project that is befuddling industry experts and competitors, Tesla Motors Inc. is looking for possible sites for a giant electric-car battery factory in four Southwestern states. The plant, dubbed a "gigafactory" by Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, would be the world's largest factory by a long shot. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304157204579473304005412522?mod=WSJ_hps_MIDDLE_Video_Top&mg=reno64-wsj China Considers More Electric-Car Incentives: Official. China may exempt electric-car buyers from paying purchase taxes as part of expanded state measures to bolster sales of such vehicles after past incentives failed to spur demand, Vice Premier Ma Kai said. The government may cut or waive the 10 percent auto-purchase tax for new-energy vehicles…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-02/china-considers-more-electric-car-incentives-vice-premier-says.html GREEN ENERGY Going Under the Sea for Clean Energy. A black-and-red tower with what look like white wings juts out of the water in Strangford Lough, a fjord that runs from the Irish Sea deep into the farm country of Northern Ireland. Curious seals stick their heads up as a boat draws close, but they don’t seem to be bothered by the strange-looking device, which is actually a windmill, except its blades are under water. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/business/energy-environment/going-under-the-sea-for-clean-energy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry485%23%2Fgreen%2Benergy%2Fsince1851%2Fallresults%2F1%2Fallauthors%2Fnewest%2F MISCELLANEOUS L.A. Council overhauls trash collection for business, big apartments. The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to overhaul the way garbage is collected from tens of thousands of businesses and apartment complexes in what supporters described as an ambitious bid to put Los Angeles at the forefront of reducing landfill waste nationwide. "This is really about environmental justice," said Councilman Jose Huizar, who backed the plan. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-trash-franchise-overhaul-20140401,0,557748.story#ixzz2xkpydSbb Allergic asthma sufferers should take some precautions when exercising. Spring has sprung, and in addition to welcoming the beauty and warmth of the season, many folks welcome - though maybe not with eager anticipation - seasonal allergies. And for some, allergies and asthma go hand in hand. More than 50 percent of the 20 million Americans with asthma have allergic asthma, according to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/02/6288319/allergic-asthma-sufferers-should.html#storylink=cpy EarthTalk: Cool green apps that help you commune with nature. Dear EarthTalk: What are some cool apps that work with a mobile phone that can help me get in better touch with the environment? _ Mitchell Brown, Troy, Mich. Not surprisingly, there are thousands of "green" apps out there that make it easier for people to find and share information to help us all become better stewards of the natural environment. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/01/6286528/earthtalk-cool-green-apps-that.html#storylink=cpy Toxic vapor control system planned for DeWitt Clinton building. A system to vent hazardous gas from underground pollution will be added to the former DeWitt Clinton hotel as part of a state Superfund pollution cleanup agreement near the site of a planned new downtown convention center, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Toxic-vapor-control-system-planned-for-DeWitt-5368337.php OPINIONS Global Warming and the Developing World. Climate change is drastically affecting the whole world and is likely to become much more damaging unless greenhouse gases are reduced, recent reports from the United Nations and the American Association for the Advancement of Science have concluded. The problems are most immediate in developing nations, many of which have contributed little pollution but are most affected by rising sea levels and drought. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/04/01/global-warming-and-the-developing-world?hp&rref=opinion Climate change is here, now. Will the world act? There's a new tone in the latest report on climate change from the United Nations' expert organization on the subject. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change doesn't just forecast the usual sweeping changes that are likely to occur as the planet warms, the kinds of warnings the public has heard (and often ignored) for decades. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-climate-change-un-ippc-report-20140401,0,7095074.story#axzz2xkp7OCE5 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/02/6288321/climate-change-is-here-now-will.html#storylink=cpy Climate change report raises new alarms about future disasters. The following editorial appeared in the Kansas City Star on Tuesday, April 1: A new report from an international study group on climate change could hardly be gloomier. The adverse effects of greenhouse gases in global environments, at least in part probably caused by human activities, extend from coastal flooding to farmland drought. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/02/6288320/climate-change-report-raises-new.html#storylink=cpy As globe warms, adapt and mitigate: Our view. As a piece of literature, the latest report from the United Nations' expert organization on climate change is no John Grisham page-turner. Pulled together by 309 authors and editors from 70 countries, the document released this week brings to mind the saying about a camel being a horse designed by committee. Despite the turgid prose, excessive acronyms and bewildering flow charts…Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/04/01/climate-change-global-warming-ipcc-editorials-debates/7175157/ If You Can Read This, You Won't See the End of Coal. Maybe coal is considered a compelling subject for discussion as we move into spring and increasingly concern ourselves with the quality of our outdoor world. Or perhaps it's purely coincidence. Whatever the reason, my newly arrived April issues of both National Geographic and Wired include lengthy articles about the controversial black fuel…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/If-You-Can-Read-This-You-Won-t-See-the-End-of-5370656.php BLOGS IRENA: Making A Business Case for Renewable Energy. Solid progress has been made in the past three years promoting renewable energy as a policy choice, especially in parts of the developing world where demand is expected to grow rapidly, although more must be done to make clean energy a significant share of the global mix, according to the director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/middleeast/2014/04/02/irena-making-a-business-case-for-renewable-energy/?KEYWORDS=climate+change How China's Electric Car Dreams Became A PR Nightmare In America. Few individuals or institutions have the power to truly move markets like Warren Buffett and the Chinese government. When the two forces converged in 2008 to back Chinese electric car company BYD, the little-known brand rose to international fame. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway put $230 million into buying a 10 percent stake in the company…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/01/byd-china-electric-car_n_4964233.html What is causing the UK's high levels of air pollution? The high air pollution across central and southern England and parts of Wales is due to light easterly winds bringing pollutants from the continent and allowing local pollution to linger close to where it is produced. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/02/what-causing-uk-high-level-air-pollution Congress members ask EPA to reopen three fracking investigations. A crew of Democratic House members are calling on the EPA to do its damned job — specifically, to investigate potential links between pollution and fracking in three states where groundwater has been mysteriously poisoned. Posted. http://grist.org/news/congress-members-ask-epa-to-reopen-three-fracking-investigations/ Nissan Leaf has 2nd-best sales month ever, Chevy Volt does a 2013 repeat. A month ago, Nissan's director of EV sales and marketing, Toby Perry, said he expected to see the Leaf's sales momentum continue into March. It wasn't a big leap, since January and February were slow sales months in 2013 (around 640 each) before a big climb to 2,200 in March. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/01/2014-march-chevy-volt-nissan-leaf-sales/ Number of electric vehicles doubling every year. Percentage-wise, 400,000 vehicles in the global fleet of cars is a small, small number. If 2011 estimates of a billion cars worldwide is accurate, 400,000 is basically a rounding error. Still, since those 400,000 are electric vehicles, it's a number worth celebrating. The Zentrums für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (which roughly translates as the Center for Solar and Hydrogen Energy Research in Baden-Württemberg…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/01/number-of-electric-vehicles-doubling-every-year/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2014 14:35:34 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 3, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 3, 2014. 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 Hubei Province Starts China’s Second-Biggest Carbon Exchange. China’s central province of Hubei began trading permits on the nation’s second-largest emission exchange at some of the country’s lowest prices. The province sold 510,000 metric tons of carbon allowances at 21 yuan ($3.4) each on the first day of trading on the China Hubei Emission Exchange, according to an e-mailed statement today. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-04-02/hubei-province-starts-china-s-second-biggest-carbon-exchange.html AIR POLLUTION Pollution and Dust in Britain Bring Health Warnings. A combination of air pollution and dust from the Sahara on Wednesday prompted British authorities to issue a smog alert and a health warning for the elderly and for people with heart or lung problems. High levels of air pollution were reported in several parts of England, with the worst conditions in the eastern part of the country, where light easterly winds trapped domestic pollution…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/world/europe/britain-pollution.html?_r=0 Residents wheeze as England hit by 2nd day of smog. Schools have closed their playgrounds and ambulance staff are reporting a surge in breathing problems as smog blankets parts of England for a second day. Environmentalists criticized Prime Minister David Cameron after he said the haze — a mix of local pollution, European emissions and Sahara sand — was "a naturally occurring weather phenomenon. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/03/3273635/residents-wheeze-as-england-hit.html#storylink=cpy Americans used more energy, and polluted more, in 2013. Americans used more energy from all sources -- renewable, fossil and nuclear -- in 2013, and also polluted the air with more carbon dioxide, the first increase in CO2 emissions since 2010. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory said Americans used 2.3 quadrillion thermal units, or "quads," more energy in 2013 than in 2012. And American's carbon dioxide emissions went up to 5.39 billion metric tons. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2014/04/02/americans-used-more-energy-and-polluted-more-2013.html State wants firm to reduce toxic emissions. Southern California regulators want an Orange County metal finishing firm to move more quickly to reduce toxic and potentially cancer-causing emissions. The South Coast Air Quality Management District said Tuesday it would seek an order from its hearing board requiring Hixson Metal Finishing to install pollution controls on an expedited schedule. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/02/state-wants-firm-to-reduce-toxic-emissions/#ixzz2xq7G8RYN Competition aims to build a better methane detector. A competition to develop sensors that can detect methane leaks from the oil and gas industry has been announced by the Environmental Defense Fund and five energy industry partners. The goal of the competition, called the Methane Detectors Challenge, is to lower the cost of detecting leaks of the potent greenhouse gas enough to deploy the technology deployed throughout the oil and gas industry. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059997260/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EPA air chief touts progress on rule writing, efforts to clear 'backlogged' state plans. A variety of rules to protect public health by cutting air pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter are steadily grinding through the cogs of the federal government. That was the message today from Janet McCabe, the acting assistant administrator for U.S. EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, at a meeting of the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee here. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059997289/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Bay Area Air Quality Management District adopts plan to control greenhouse gases. It has fought to rein in smog and smoke for years, but now the Bay Area's air pollution board is tackling a new challenge: reducing greenhouse gases. A plan to speed up work on reducing global warming gases from the region's businesses, industries and residents was adopted Wednesday by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_25479280/bay-area-air-quality-management-district-adopts-plan-to-control-greenhouse-gases http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_25479280/bay-area-air-quality-management-district-adopts-plan-to-control-greenhouse-gases Arctic warming theory so 'cutting edge,' it's hard to prove. Last September, a group of scientists gathered to review the evidence on a new hypothesis: that the rapid warming of the Arctic was causing the jet stream to meander, leading weather systems to become "stuck" in places farther south, like over the United States and Europe. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997255/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Documentary series seeks to bring warming into America's living rooms. Washington, D.C., environmentalists got a sneak peak last night of the documentary series they hope will finally bring the realities of climate change home for average Americans. The Center for American Progress hosted the viewing of the first episode of "Years of Living Dangerously" at a downtown cinema ahead of its Sunday, April 13, premiere on Showtime. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059997290/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Meager snowpack bad news for drought-plagued Calif. Drought-weary California got more bad news Tuesday. Though late-season storms slightly boosted the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, it's still far below normal as the spring melt fast approaches. "This is dismal news for farms and cities that normally depend on the snowpack – often called California's largest reservoir – for a third of their water”…Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/04/01/california-sierra-snow-survey-drought/7169631/ FUELS DSM to Make Biofuel by July as EPA Considers Mandate Cut. Royal DSM NV (DSM), the world’s largest vitamin manufacturer, expects to begin producing cellulosic ethanol in the U.S. by July as the government considers reducing the amount of renewable fuel that oil companies will be required to buy. The $250 million plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa, is a joint venture with ethanol maker Poet LLC and will produce about 12 million gallons (45 million liters) this year…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-04-02/dsm-to-make-biofuel-by-july-as-epa-considers-mandate-cut.html Clean fuel's the story at the L.A. Auto Show. Automakers said Wednesday that in the next few years they will put more vehicles on American roads that burn less gasoline, or don't use it at all. At the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show, General Motors pledged it would make plug-in hybrids, ultra-efficient gas-electric cars that can be filled at gas stations or charged at home. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/Business/ci_4748833/Clean-fuels-the-story-at-the http://www.insidebayarea.com/Business/ci_4748833/Clean-fuels-the-story-at-the Partners launch $51M hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and infrastructure project in Europe. Automakers, hydrogen fuel suppliers, the Mayor of London’s Office and energy consultancies launched the £31-million (US$51-million) European HyFive project at City Hall in London. Five different manufacturers will deploy a total of 110 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at several European locations (Bolzano, Copenhagen, Innsbruck, London, Munich, Stuttgart) and develop new clusters of hydrogen refueling stations. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140403-hyfive.html Clean Energy Fuels Expanding Natural Gas Fueling Operations. Clean Energy Fuels continues to grow its natural-gas fueling network, with expansions in Texas, Pennsylvania and New York, and more fleets signing on to fuel at the nationwide network. It has begun fueling at its Amarillo, Texas, and Oklahoma City facilities to serve UPS' growing heavy-duty liquefied natural gas truck fleet. UPS has deployed six heavy-duty LNG trucks that are fueling at Clean Energy's newly-opened Oklahoma City station. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fuel-smarts/news/story/2014/04/clean-energy-fuels-expanding-natural-gas-fueling-operations.aspx U.N. report explores bioenergy's potential for pulling CO2 out of the air. Pushing the needle back on billowing carbon dioxide emissions may be necessary to avoid catastrophic warming. But for those who are squeamish about drastically engineering the climate by seeding algae blooms or spraying aerosols to form clouds, scientists are exploring the concept of negative emissions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997251/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Calif. proposes shrinking EV rebates, making priciest cars ineligible. Rebates available for purchases of electric vehicles in California could shrink next year for many cars and disappear for the priciest models under a proposal up for discussion today. Aides to the state's Air Resources Board are recommending reducing amounts available under the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) to $2,000 from $2,500 for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and to $1,000 from $1,500 for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059997285/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DOE jump-starts sluggish clean vehicle manufacturing program. The Department of Energy announced plans yesterday to revive its languishing loan program dedicated to supporting the development of fuel-efficient vehicles. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz acknowledged that the automotive industry had raised concerns about the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program, particularly over the last six months. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997256/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Apple, Facebook, Google Web data centers getting greener: report. Apple Inc., Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. have made significant progress in adopting renewable energy sources to power their Web services, the environmental group Greenpeace said in a report on Wednesday. But energy-hungry data centers operated by some of the Internet industry's top companies remain overly reliant on carbon-emitting coal and gas, the report said. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/02/us-datacenters-greenpeace-idUSBREA3117F20140402 Robots find a job in the emerging world of solar energy. Every night once the sun sets on a solar field in south Israel, robots go to work cleaning panels. They awaken at the same time each evening and work without human intervention. For the emerging solar power industry, keeping panels clean is incredibly important and will be a significant business. Research has found a solar panel can lose 40 percent of its ability to collect energy if covered in dust. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/04/03/robots-find-a-job-in-the-emerging-world-of-solar-energy/ BLOGS Teaching About Climate Change With The New York Times. This week, an intergovernmental panel of scientists reported that climate change is already having sweeping effects on every continent and throughout the world’s oceans — and that the problem is likely to grow substantially worse unless greenhouse emissions are brought under control. Over the years on The Learning Network, we’ve published scores of lesson plans and other resources related to the topic of climate change, and in 2010 we collected them all on one page. Posted. http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/teaching-about-climate-change-with-the-new-york-times/?_php=true&_type=blogs&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry461%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Why US roads aren't smothered in BYD electric vehicles. Remember back in 2008 when BYD (Build Your Dreams) first displayed its fuel saving hybrid at the Detroit Auto Show and later announced plans to begin selling in the US in 2010? A quick glance at any street in the country will provide ample evidence that the Chinese automaker has failed to smother our roadways with low-cost electric and hybrid vehicles. Ditto its buses. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/03/why-us-roads-arent-smothered-in-byd-electric-vehicles/ Obama Doesn't Pass Gas: New Methane Regulations. The role of methane in global climate change is important but often overlooked. Possibly this is because methane burning emits less CO2 than coal and oil, and many environmentalists consider fuel-switching to lower GHG emissions, rather than eliminate them with renewables, morally unacceptable. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellynch/2014/04/03/obama-doesnt-pass-gas-new-methane-regulations/ Climate Change Threatens Economic Growth - UN Report. How Should Investors React? The latest report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) could not be clearer – climate change is a threat to economic growth. The report’s thousands of pages are not an easy read in any sense. Thoroughness is favoured over accessibility, which is unsurprising given that the amount of scientific evidence on the impacts of climate change…Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikescott/2014/04/03/climate-change-threatens-economic-growth-un-report-how-should-investors-react/ PG&E Ratepayers Will See $30-40 Climate Credit on April Bill. Next month you should see a $30-40 credit on your PG&E bill — thanks to California’s new greenhouse gas regulations. Under the cap-and-trade program, the state’s biggest power companies will be paying $750 million in credits on consumers’ April and October bills. The April rebate is the first climate credit being handed down to users as part of the state’s new cap-and-trade program. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2014/04/02/pge-climate-credit One Third Of Planet May See Drier Conditions Because Of Warming Temperatures. Warming temperatures, scientists say, can tip places into drought conditions by increasing evaporation and sapping soil of its moisture. A new study suggests up to a third of the Earth's land area could be subject to drier conditions because of warmer temperatures, not just changing precipitation patterns, by the end of the century. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/03/drier-conditions-warming-temperatures_n_5083506.html Recent Reports Show Need for Congress to Act on Climate Change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations task force, released a report last week that was seven years in the making. The report drew upon unequivocal evidence of substantial climate related impacts that are extremely likely to be perpetuated by human activity. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-mark-pocan/recent-reports-show-need_b_5083591.html?view=print&comm_ref=false A Tale of Two Air Quality Programs: China vs. the U.S. Air quality benefits can come in baby steps or huge leaps. Anywhere you go, air pollution is big business. Big business in its production a la factories, power plants and automobiles. Big business in the expenditures on ameliorating controls and prevention measures. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-chameides/a-tale-of-two-air-quality_b_5079589.html Biking the Iditarod? Climate change makes for faster times. It takes a special kind of person to want to bike 1,000 miles through the dead of winter in Alaska (being hard as nails, or Iceman, helps). But if you’re going to do it, at least now you’ll get a little boost from global warming. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/biking-the-iditarod-climate-change-makes-for-faster-times/ Advocates Push for Bike/Ped Funding From CA’s Cap-and-Trade Funds. A coalition of bike and pedestrian advocates are inviting organizations to sign on to a letter [PDF] asking the state legislature to recommend allocating $50 million of the state’s cap-and-trade revenue towards the Active Transportation Program. Currently, none of the $850 million in cap-and-trade funds are allocated specifically for walking and bicycling in this year’s budget. Posted. http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/04/02/active-transportation-advocates-ask-for-cap-and-trade-funds/ Harnessing Innovation to Cut Methane Emissions. I believe that Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is at its best when we are leveraging the power of market leaders to drive innovation and solve environmental challenges. Over the years we have worked with McDonalds, Walmart, FedEx, KKR and many others to kick start market transformations in sectors including fast food, shipping, retail, private equity and commercial building energy efficiency. Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/innovation/2014/04/03/harnessing-innovation-to-cut-methane-emissions/#sthash.cWpUFzkz.dpuf Air pollution: youngsters, elderly and vulnerable urged to stay indoors. Schools are being urged to stop pupils from using playgrounds at lunchtime and employees to avoid cycling, running or walking to work during rush hour in the areas of England worst affected by the ongoing rise in pollution. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/02/air-pollution-youngsters-elderly-vulnerable-urged-to-stay-indoors California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2014 12:28:15 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 4, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 4, 2014. 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 Colorado’s new drilling rules seen as making an impact in Texas. Colorado’s tough, new air pollution rules for the oil and gas industry were approved only a month ago, but they’re already making an impact in Texas, where lawmakers and energy companies have long-resisted tightening air standards. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/03/6293924/colorados-new-drilling-rules-seen.html#storylink=cpy Report: EPA fails to disclose risks in human tests. An internal investigation issued Wednesday found that the Environmental Protection Agency failed to disclose long-term cancer risks and a small chance of death to 81 human test subjects who consented to breathe in diesel exhaust and other pollutants during experiments. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/02/3856543/report-epa-fails-to-disclose-risks.html That will leave a mark: CARB fines wipe fluid maker $418,500. The California Air Resources Board has proven it isn’t afraid of fining companies for violating emissions standards in any capacity. In the past, CARB has fined – besides among trucking companies and public utilities that violate California air quality regulations – makers of gas-powered tailgate beverage blenders, mini-scooter manufacturers and others,. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=26810#.Uz7QYhByx4w CLIMATE CHANGE ESA launching satellite for new monitoring system. The European Space Agency is launching the first of six satellites for a new system designed to better monitor climate change, environmental disasters and catastrophes like floods, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The Sentinel 1A satellite is due to be launched from French Guiana later Thursday. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/03/6292381/esa-launching-satellite-for-new.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/ESA-successfully-launches-new-monitoring-satellite-5375678.php US helps rice growers reduce greenhouse gases. The federal government is helping rice growers in Arkansas and elsewhere to use new production methods that would decrease greenhouse gas emissions. The Agriculture Department said Thursday its Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing more than $1 million to develop new conservation methods. Methane and nitrous oxide, gases that help trap heat in the earth's atmosphere…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/03/6294108/us-helps-rice-growers-reduce-greenhouse.html#storylink=cpy Researchers project higher disease risk from ticks under changing climate. Moving farther north each year, ticks are spreading in North America as the climate changes, bringing dangerous diseases with them. Health officials are drawing on the past to forecast where the illnesses might go, but new trends keep emerging, forcing researchers to adapt and revise their models. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997348/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Sea ice hits fifth-lowest level on record. Arctic sea ice cover is falling to its fifth lowest on the satellite record, National Snow and Ice Data Center scientists said Wednesday. They revealed that Arctic sea ice coverage averaged 14.8 million square kilometers for the month of March, putting it at 730,000 square kilometers below the 1981-2010 satellite average. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997319/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Assembly slaps HOAs on water. San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez’s legislation to grant residents of common-interest developments the unbridled right to plant drought resistant landscaping is on its way to the state Senate. The Democrat’s measure easily cleared the Assembly Thursday, 74-1. “Homeowners who want to act responsibly in these times of water insecurity should be rewarded — not penalized, sued or fined by their HOAs,” Gonzalez said. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/03/assembly-slaps-hoas-on-water-use/ California is poised to take over groundwater management if locals don't step up. Message to local water managers: pick up the pace on handling groundwater management, or expect the state to do it for you. That's the word in a new state action plan on Sustainable Groundwater Management," available here: http://bit.ly/1gSNwDZ Posted. http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_25491165/california-is-poised-take-over-groundwater-management-if Water transfer proposal ruffles some locals in ag. Farmers with surface water rights are scrambling to decide if they will pump groundwater to make up for cutbacks from the state water supplies along the Feather and Sacramento rivers. In the meantime, a "relatively quiet" proposal to transfer water from Biggs-West Gridley Water District to south of the delta a has some farmers in the Sacramento Valley upset. http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_25480363/water-transfer-proposal-ruffles-some-locals-ag-community Feinstein applauds decision to pump more water in Central Valley, seeks more. Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday applauded a decision by federal and state officials to release more water in the Central Valley, and pushed for much more supplies to be made available to the parched farming region. Posted. http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20140403/NEWS06/304030019/Feinstein-applauds-decision-pump-more-water-Central-Valley-seeks-more DIESEL EMISSIONS $2.2M hydrogen-fueled zero-emissions bus rolls through Marin. Marin residents now have the opportunity ride a $2.25 million, environmentally-friendly bus around the county. The zero-emissions bus, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, is rolling through the county's streets and on Highway 101, part of a state plan to cut the amount of diesel pollutants standard buses spew into the air. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_23198062/22M-hydrogenfueled-zeroemissions-bus-rolls-through Port of Oakland goes electric to reduce diesel pollution. The Port of Oakland celebrated a clean air milestone Friday with the completion of a power system that will allow vessels docked at berths to power up on electricity instead of diesel fuel. The $70 million project is expected to eliminate 11 tons of diesel particulate and further improve air quality in West Oakland where prior studies have shown higher-than-average levels of asthma and cancer. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_24486229/Port-of-Oakland-goes-electric-to FUELS U.N. climate chief urges radical clean-up of oil, gas industry. The U.N.'s climate chief called on the oil and gas industry on Thursday to make a drastic shift to a clean, low-carbon future or risk having to leave three-quarters of fossil fuel reserves in the ground. "The time for experimentation, for marginal changes and for conditional response is now over," Christiana Figueres told the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) in a speech in London. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/03/us-climate-oil-idUSBREA320T220140403 Will the White House's New Rules on Methane Hurt These Companies? There are cost-effective technologies and best management practices to capture methane from venting and leaks across the entire oil and natural gas value chain. These range from equipment upgrades or replacements, to process or operational changes. -- White House Climate Action Plan (opens PDF) Natural gas production in the U.S. …Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Will-the-White-House-s-New-Rules-on-Methane-Hurt-5373598.php Gas prices may jump from California emissions law. California's greenhouse gas reduction law already has shaken up the state's industrial sector, costing it more than $1.5 billion in pollution permit fees. It's now poised to hit the pocketbooks of everyday Californians. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/AP%20Content/ci_25307349/Gas-prices-may-jump-from-California More truck fleet owners convert to natural gas, but will it stay cheap? For companies to shift their vehicle fleets off conventional petroleum products to cleaner fuels and efficient technologies, managers must have confidence that they will be able to recover their sunk costs. Natural gas is currently one of the most attractive alternative fuels for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997347/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Genetically engineered poplar trees make a better biofuel feedstock – study. Scientists have genetically engineered poplar trees to break down more easily, yielding about 25 percent more sugars to make biofuels, according to a study in Science today. Lignocellulosic biofuels are made from grasses, agricultural residues, trees, forestry waste and even household trash. They have low carbon emissions, don't compete with food crops and make use of waste…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997349/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EPA, oil industry to square off in court over 2013 RFS. U.S. EPA will defend its 2013 targets for renewable fuels in court Monday against oil industry trade groups and a refinery owned by Delta Air Lines Inc. At issue in the case that combines all the oil industry challenges: Did EPA overshoot the targets, requiring refiners to breach the "blend wall"? The challenge also accuses EPA of breaking the law by releasing a final 2013 renewable fuel standard (RFS) more than eight months after its statutory deadline. Posted.http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/04/04/stories/1059997374 FRACKING Exxon Mobil agrees to share more data on fracking's risks. Exxon Mobil Corp, the world's largest publicly traded oil company, has agreed to disclose more information about the environmental risks of hydraulic fracturing, the process known as fracking. In an agreement with New York City's pension funds, which control Exxon shares worth roughly $1.02 billion, the company agreed to report on risks surrounding disposal of fracking waste water…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USL1N0MV23020140403 There's a War Going on in the Supreme Court No Energy Company is Safe From. Murray Energy has followed through on its threat to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over what the company calls a "war on coal." Arch Coal , however, just lost a pivotal case against the EPA. That could make Murray's move a long shot with more downside risk than upside opportunity for the coal industry, with serious implications that reach across the energy space. Oil industry creates groups to battle fracking moratoriums, severance tax. Oil industry groups and their allies have launched parallel campaigns in California to battle a proposed oil extraction tax and efforts to block unconventional oil drilling, including hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059997355/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES VW to build plug-in hybrid cars in China as pollution reforms open the market – sources. Volkswagen plans to make plug-in cars in China, company sources say, seeing a big potential market as the country's leaders fight hazardous levels of air pollution with measures that include boosting green power. VW will announce its plans at the Beijing auto show on April 19-20 and will build the plug-in hybrids …Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/03/vw-china-idUSL5N0MV2MI20140403 Many 'green' cars carry greenhouse gas. America's electric cars are better for the environment, but they share a dirty little secret. The Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf and Tesla Roadster all use a super greenhouse gas known as HFC 134a as the refrigerant for their air conditioners. The liquid coolant is so potent that when it leaks into the atmosphere, it traps 1,400 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 100-year time horizon. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/04/6295256/many-green-cars-carry-greenhouse.html#storylink=cpy China Plans More Electric Vehicle Support. China announced plans to support greater adoption of electric vehicles by exempting buyers of EV's from paying a sales tax. Vice Premier Ma Kai said that past incentives have not worked with sufficient speed, so the government will exempt "new-energy vehicles" from the 10% auto tax that buyers must pay. That includes plug-in hybrids, electric cars, and fuel-cell vehicles. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/China-Plans-More-Electric-Vehicle-Support-5376342.php GREEN ENERGY General Electric Company Unveils Wind Turbine for India. General Electric Company introduced its 1.7 MW wind turbine to India's energy market today, creating new opportunity to pull power from the country's low-wind-speed conditions. The 1.7 MW wind turbine's 103-meter rotor is specifically designed by General Electric Company to deal with the South Asia nation's low wind speeds, allowing it to generate electricity efficiently and economically. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/General-Electric-Company-Unveils-Wind-Turbine-for-5376472.php MISCELLANEOUS Nest disables feature on smoke alarms. The high-tech home monitoring device company Nest Labs is disabling a feature on its smoke alarms due to the risk that owners could unintentionally turn off the device with the wave of a hand. Nest was acquired this year by Google Inc. for $3.2 billion. Nest developed technology which it calls the Nest Wave that allows owners to turn off the Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide alarm at a distance, among other things. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOOGLE_NEST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OPINIONS Viewpoints: Green Bank would create more clean energy innovation. As a venture capitalist, I spend much of my time on the unvarnished edge of capitalism. It’s a place where some level of failure is inevitable, survival of the fittest is an understatement, and success is usually the result of a combination of merit, relentless hard work and a little luck thrown in for good measure. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/03/6290647/viewpoints-green-bank-would-create.html?storylink=lingospot_related_articles#storylink=cpy BLOGS Stanford economists say social cost of carbon too low. An an article published Friday in the journal Nature, Nobel laureate economist Kenneth Arrow and Lawrence Goulder, both of Stanford, along with six other law and economics scholars, said the controversial “social cost of carbon” calculations developed by the federal government are too low, not too high, as conservatives argue. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/04/04/stanford-economists-say-social-cost-of-carbon-too-low/ Wind Power Has Cut U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions By 4.4 Percent: Report. The growth of wind power in the United States is putting a significant dent in emissions, according to a forthcoming report from the American Wind Energy Association. Wind generation avoided 95.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2013, which is equivalent to taking 16.9 million cars off the road. That's a 4.4 percent cut to power sector emissions, when compared to the level of emissions that would have been generated if that power had come from fossil fuels. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/04/wind-power-emissions_n_5087308.html Republicans join Democrats in trying to revive wind energy incentives. The political winds in the nation’s capitol shifted on Thursday in favor of wind energy. A Senate committee passed a bill that would restore two key tax credits for the wind industry. Both credits have helped spur the sector’s rapid growth in recent years, but Congress allowed them to expire at the end of last year. Posted. http://grist.org/news/senators-move-to-revive-wind-energy-incentives-2/ CA Electric-Car Incentive Update: Funds Run Out, Green Stickers Gone. Access to carpool lanes on California's legendarily crowded freeways is a big perk. So is getting a check in the mail that cuts the purchase cost. These incentives were successful in spurring sales of hybrids years ago, and they've helped sales of modern battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars since the first ones were sold in 2010. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1091271_ca-electric-car-incentive-update-funds-run-out-green-stickers-gone California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2014 15:00:33 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 7, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 7, 2014. 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 Clean-air rule for cargo ships survives Russian challenge. Russia lost its bid this week to delay for years an international agreement to cut air pollution from ships — a rule Southern California regulators are counting on to help the region meet clean-air goals. Container ships, oil tankers, cruise ships and other diesel-powered ocean vessels that visit Los Angeles County ports are the third-largest producer of nitrogen oxide in the region. The pollutant mixes with other emissions to form ozone and fine particles, both linked to a range of illnesses. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140404-ship-smog-clean-air-rule-for-cargo-ships-survives-russian-challenge.ece Beijing to film building sites in new smog control measure. China's capital Beijing will set up cameras at building sites across the city to monitor how much construction contributes to Beijing's notoriously polluted air, state media said. Air quality in cities is of increasing concern to China's stability-obsessed leaders, anxious to douse potential unrest as a more affluent urban population turns against a growth-at-all-costs economic model that has poisoned much of the country's air, water and soil. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/07/china-environment-idUSL3N0MZ0LZ20140407 Weber State students create pollution tracker. Students at Weber State University say they've found a new and improved way to track air pollution. Instead of getting data from fixed areas in the state, their system can gather information specific to a neighborhood. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Weber-State-students-create-pollution-tracker-5377363.php CLIMATE CHANGE Time running out to meet global warming target - U.N. report. World powers are running out of time to slash their use of high-polluting fossil fuels and stay below agreed limits on global warming, a draft U.N. study to be approved this week shows. Government officials and top climate scientists will meet in Berlin from April 7-12 to review the 29-page draft that also estimates the needed shift to low-carbon energies would cost between two and six percent of world output by 2050. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/06/climate-un-idUSL5N0MW3MA20140406 Climate meeting to discuss future of fossil fuels. After concluding that global warming almost certainly is man-made and poses a grave threat to humanity, the U.N.-sponsored expert panel on climate change is moving on to the next phase: what to do about it. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, will meet next week in Berlin to chart ways in which the world can curb the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say are overheating the planet. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_UN_CLIMATE_PANEL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED ARTICLES http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/05/climate-meeting-to-discuss-future-of-fossil/#ixzz2yDYgGDGX http://www.insidebayarea.com/AP%20Content/ci_25501776/Climate-meeting-to-discuss-future-of http://www.contracostatimes.com/AP%20Content/ci_25501776/Climate-meeting-to-discuss-future-of UN climate panel chairs call for 'enlightenment'. The head of the United Nations scientific panel on climate change has urged governments to "exercise a high level of enlightenment" in order to bridge their differences over how to stave off the worst global warming scenarios. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change chairman Rajendra Pachauri told governments and scientists on Monday that their task at the week-long meeting in Berlin is to agree on a "robust, policy-relevant and informative document" in order to keep global temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 F) by the end of the century. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_UNITED_NATIONS_CLIMATE_PANEL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED ARTICLES http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/07/3279788/un-climate-panel-chairs-call-for.html#storylink=cpy http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/07/3864324/un-climate-panel-chairs-call-for.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/un-climate-panel-chairs-call-for-enlightenment/2014/04/07/05417edc-be33-11e3-9ee7-02c1e10a03f0_story.html Marin welcomes Bay Area air quality district plan to control greenhouse gases. Marin environmental leaders applauded the adoption this week by the Bay Area's air pollution board of a 10-point program with goals of reducing Bay Area greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent, developing a regional climate action strategy and creating rules cutting back energy use and pollution. Posted. http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_25494364/marin-welcomes-bay-area-air-quality-district-plan Joshua Tree National Park seeks ‘citizen scientists’. Researchers are starting a long-term project to measure the impacts of climate change on the plants and animals in Joshua Tree National Park and are enlisting “citizen scientists” who will participate in the research during a weekend class on Saturday and Sunday. The class will be led by ecologist Cameron Barrows, of UC Riverside’s Center for Conservation Biology, and Josh Hoines, vegetation branch chief at Joshua Tree National Park. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/04/07/joshua-tree-national-park-seeks-citizen-scientists-climate-change-research-study/7410061/ DROUGHT California drought puzzle: store or conserve more water? There was a time not long ago when much of civilized society considered each drop of river water that reached the ocean a wasted resource. That was before environmentalists pointed out the benefits of the outflow to fish, wildlife and the ocean ecosystem, setting off an ongoing tug-of-war between fishermen and farmers in California that has reached a critical stage this year as the state struggles through a drought. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-puzzle-store-or-conserve-more-5381238.php DIESEL EMISSIONS Regulations on ships' pollution upheld. Russia lost its bid last week to delay for years an international agreement to cut air pollution from ships – a rule Southern California regulators are counting on to help the region meet clean-air goals. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ships-608640-air-pollution.html http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140404-ship-smog-clean-air-rule-for-cargo-ships-survives-russian-challenge.ece FUELS Cost Among Hurdles Slowing New York City’s Plan to Phase Out Dirty Heating Oil. But three years into a four-year plan to phase out No. 6, barely more than half of the buildings that were burning it have switched to cleaner oil. And of those that have stopped using No. 6, hundreds have switched to No. 4, which though permitted for another 16 years, can be only slightly less noxious, depending on the supplier. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/07/nyregion/cost-among-hurdles-slowing-new-yorks-plan-to-phase-out-dirty-heating-oil.html?_r=0 FRACKING Declare a California fracking moratorium now. Water is top-of-mind for most Californians. Amid calls for conservation, we have overlooked an obvious step to protect water supplies: stopping extreme oil-extraction techniques such as fracking and well stimulation. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Declare-a-California-fracking-moratorium-now-5380780.php VEHICLES Tesla to Get Fewer Eco Credits as California Tweaks Rules. Tesla Motors Inc., which had its first profitable quarter last year aided by sales of California environmental credits, is to receive fewer for each Model S sold as the state modifies its zero-emission vehicle program. The Palo Alto, California-based carmaker, which sold ZEV credits worth $129.8 million last year to other automakers, will initially qualify for only four credits per car sold in California and states that follow its rules. That’s down from seven per Model S through 2013, according to California’s Air Resources Board, which posted the changes April 3. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-04/tesla-to-get-fewer-eco-credits-as-california-tweaks-rules.html California ARB posts final modifications for ZEV rule on fast refueling/battery exchange for public comment. The staff of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) has posted for public comment current final modifications for the Zero Emission Vehicle Regulation for 15 days. (Earlier post.) Statutorily, depending upon the comments received, ARB staff may either make further modifications and resubmit to Board for further consideration; failing that, the Board will adopt the new regulatory language. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140405-zev.html California rule change affects Tesla’s eco credits. As the US state with the toughest eco rules starts to modify its zero-emission vehicle program, Tesla Motors could see its sales of California environmental credits affected. Last year the US electric automaker – which has seen a huge boom in its transaction fees for its shares and mostly accounted for its first profitable quarter last year because of sales of the credits earned by its Model S – could loose an important part of its revenue. Posted. http://www.inautonews.com/california-rule-change-affects-teslas-eco-credits#.U0LalIXxd4w GREEN ENERGY San Diego airport adds solar to new terminal. Operators of the San Diego International Airport have struck a 20-year deal to provide its two main terminals with a big dose of solar power and save at least $3 million in electricity costs in the process. The San Diego airport's first solar array should produce enough power to offset 10 percent to 13 percent of energy needs at the two main terminals. Savings will depend on the trajectory of electricity prices, but savings could reach $8 million, according to the project's developers. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/04/san-diego-terminal-solar/ World's Most-Polluting Country Leads in Clean-Energy Investment. Climate Central — Don’t let all those Texas wind farms and massive installations of solar panels in California fool you. The U.S. is not the world leader in clean energy investment. China is. For the second year, an annual Pew Charitable Trusts report, “Who’s Winning the Clean Energy Race?”, shows that China is the world leader in clean energy investment, with $54 billion in investments in renewables in 2013, well above total U.S. investment of $36.7 billion. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-04/world-s-most-polluting-country-leads-in-clean-energy-investment.html MISCELLANEOUS Calaveras offering disposal of wood, yard waste for free. In an effort to curb smoke pollution from yard waste burning, Calaveras County this month will offer a chance for people to dispose of wood and yard waste for free at three county facilities. The smoke pollution is a classic illustration of how economic, political and environmental problems are linked. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140407/A_NEWS/404070307 SDSU Wins $35,000 Grant for Journalism Experiment ‘What’s in the Air?’ San Diego State University has won a $35,000 grant to test air quality as part of a collaborative journalism project, the Online News Association announced Friday. SDSU’s winning experiment — one of a dozen schools to get such grants — is called “What’s in the Air?” Posted. http://timesofsandiego.com/education/2014/04/04/sdsu-wins-35000-grant-journalism-experiment-whats-air/ EarthTalk: Explaining environmental issues to kids is easier today. Dear EarthTalk: Do you have any tips for explaining global warming and other complex environmental problems to my kids? - Peter Buckley, Pittsburgh, Pa. Kids today may be more eco-savvy than we were at their age, but complex topics like global warming may still mystify them. SUBSCRIPTION ONLY. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/07/3864429/earthtalk-explaining-environmental.html OPINIONS Second Climate Thoughts. The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published its latest mammoth report last week, and the effort marks an improvement over the IPCC's last such effort in 2007. That may not be saying much, but on climate change intellectual progress of any sort is worth commending. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303532704579477222157281450?KEYWORDS=climate+change&mg=reno64-wsj Viewpoints: Focusing on cleaning up the air. High-pollution countries such as China and India have not always seemed willing to clean up their air, which in turns dampens American enthusiasm for investing in pollution control and responses to climate change. But in fact, people like Manisha Panwar make it clear that China and India have huge incentives to reduce air pollution, including greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/05/6297698/viewpoints-focusing-on-cleaning.html BLOGS California is about to run out of green PHEV HOV lane stickers. The Golden State is very close to running out of stickers that allow plug-in hybrid vehicle drivers to take up precious HOV lane space all on their own, according to Green Car Reports. To add insult to injury, the funds for California's rebates for plug-in vehicle purchases ($2,500 for battery-electric vehicles, $1,500 for plug-in hybrids) may have also dried up. We last looked at the sticker status in mid-March, when about 36,200 green stickers were spoken for. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/07/california-about-to-run-out-of-green-phev-hov-lane-stickers/ Toyota NA CEO says his excitement for hydrogen sedan is rising. Toyota has an undeniable vested interest in seeing its hydrogen sedan succeed when it goes on sale in the US next year, so it's no surprise that the company's North American CEO, Jim Lentz, says that he's got more hope for the car now than ever before. And if we remember ways that others in the company, like Bob Carter, have loudly sung hydrogen's praises, we have to assume that positivity is running awful high in Torrance. In fact, Lentz said that the US side of the company is far more excited by the H2 car than colleagues in Japan. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/04/toyota-na-ceo-says-his-excitement-for-hydrogen-sedan-rising/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 12:12:22 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 8, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 8, 2014. 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 Scientists find missing piece of air particle equation hiding in the walls. Laboratory chamber walls have been stealing vapors, causing researchers to underestimate the formation of secondary organic aerosol in the atmosphere. A study published April 7 in PNAS Online Early Edition describes how a team of scientists, including researchers from the University of California, Davis, showed that vapor losses to the walls of laboratory chambers can suppress the formation of secondary organic aerosol, which in turn has contributed to the underprediction of SOA in climate and air quality models. Posted. http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10887 China's Smog Splits Expatriate Families as Companies Pay for Fresh Air. As a thick smog hung over Beijing last year, Stephanie Giambruno and her husband decided it was time for her and their two girls to return to the U.S. Giambruno’s husband stayed back in China for his job as general manager of a global technology company. He now skypes with the family twice a day and lives with “constant jet lag” as he travels to Florida once a month to see them, she says. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-07/china-s-smog-splits-families-as-toxic-pollution-extracts-costs.html CLIMATE CHANGE Salamander’s Hefty Role in the Forest. According to a new study in the journal Ecosphere, salamanders play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. If flatulent cattle are among the black hats of climate change (the livestock industry emits 14.5 percent of human-associated greenhouse gases), then salamanders may just be the white hats, helping to stave off climate disaster. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/08/science/salamanders-hefty-role-in-the-forest.html?ref=earth El Nino Odds Seen at More Than 70% as Pacific Warms. An El Nino weather pattern, which can parch parts of Australia and Asia while bringing rains to South America, will probably develop in the next few months as the Pacific Ocean warms, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology says. The chances of El Nino developing during the southern hemisphere winter are more than 70 percent, the bureau said on its website today. It is too early to determine the strength of the possible weather pattern, it said. Australia’s winter starts in June and runs to the end of August. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-08/el-nino-odds-seen-by-australia-at-more-than-70-as-pacific-warms.html EPA director says draft greenhouse rules will give states new tools. New draft rules limiting greenhouse gases from existing power plants will give states the tools to curtail emissions that drive climate change without shuttering lots of facilities and threatening electric reliability, said Gina McCarthy, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, at a panel discussion in Washington on Monday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-greenhouse-gas-rules-epa-20140407,0,5921220.story#ixzz2yJQ0ZFg9 Earth Science- 2014 to Focus on Climate Change & Control in Earth. Talking about the event Dr. Srinubabu Gedela, MD & CEO of OMICS Group International has unveiled the main objectives of the conference with an intention to bring together recognized experts from diverse disciplines i.e., Geosciences, Geology, Climate Change, Environmental Science, Ecology, Biodiversity, Atmospheric Science, Remote Sensing, Oceanography, Hydrology, Volcanology, Seismology, Soil Science, Meteorology, Cosmology, Petrology and Global Warming to provide a broad range of perspectives on the conference theme. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Earth-Science-2014-to-Focus-on-Climate-Change-5384591.php Many nations wary of extracting carbon from air to fix climate. Many nations want a draft U.N. report to tone down prospects for sucking greenhouse gases from the air to help fix global warming, reckoning the technologies are risky, documents seen by Reuters show. Government officials and scientists are meeting in Berlin this week to edit the report, which says time is running out to keep warming below an agreed ceiling of 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial times. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/08/climate-un-idUSL6N0N01JX20140408 DROUGHT Rains bring relief to Sacramento Valley rice farmer, but will it be enough? Water is the lifeblood of a rice farm, and Sacramento Valley’s recent rains have given grower Tom McClellan a bit of hope that 2014 will not be a wasted year. “We’re seeing some regrowth of the grasses,” said McClellan, who farms 1,500 acres on land that stretches from Sacramento to Sutter counties. “The rains have been substantial, to a point of almost being normal.” Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/08/6304207/rains-bring-relief-to-sacramento.html#storylink=cpy HIGH SPEED RAIL Valley high-speed rail construction could start next month near Madera. An elevated viaduct near Madera will likely be one of the first major pieces of tangible construction for California's proposed high-speed rail line, with work potentially starting as early as next month. SUBSCRIPTION ONLY. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/07/3865619/valley-high-speed-rail-construction.html?sp=/99/406/ FUELS EPA chief says power plant rule will be tough, enforceable. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's chief said on Monday that new carbon pollution standards due in June will be flexible enough for all states to meet but will be environmentally stringent and federally enforceable. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy gave her first remarks since the agency sent its proposed rule, which aims to curb carbon emissions from more than 1,000 existing power plants in the United States, to the White House's Office of Management and Budget for review. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/07/us-usa-climate-epa-idUSBREA361DR20140407 FRACKING Amid showdown with energy-rich Russia, calls rise in Europe to start fracking. Europe’s newest weapon in the battle of wills with Russian President Vladimir Putin lies buried deep beneath the ancient oaks and rolling green pastures of this quintessentially English village. There, wedged in the bedrock, lie vast quantities of oil and natural gas — enough, when combined with the spoils of hundreds of other sites like it, to help kick Europe’s addiction to Russian energy. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/amid-showdown-with-energy-rich-russia-calls-rise-in-europe-to-start-fracking/2014/04/07/f3616058-2c24-4683-abe3-728a5572debf_story.html VEHICLES GM to Announce $450 Million Investment in Electric Car Research and Production. General Motors Co. is expected to announce on Tuesday a $450 million investment in two Michigan plants to bolster the development and production of its Chevrolet Volt and Cadillac ELR hybrid-electric vehicles. The funding will be split between the auto maker's Detroit-Hamtramck car assembly plant and the Brownstown Township factory, which produces batteries for the Volt. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304819004579487853476140462?KEYWORDS=vehicles&mg=reno64-wsj GREEN ENERGY Vermont public workers can invest fossil-fuel-free. Participants in both the State and municipal defined contribution retirement plans will now have the option of investing retirement savings in a fossil fuel-free mutual fund. That's the word from state Treasurer Beth Pearce and Vermont Municipal Employees' Retirement System Board Chairman Steve Jeffrey. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/08/6304900/vermont-public-workers-can-invest.html#storylink=cpy Polish government approves renewable energy bill. Poland's government approved a long-awaited draft law on Tuesday that lays out new long-term subsidies for renewable energy, aiming to cut costs to consumers as well as help the coal-reliant country meet EU climate targets. Under the draft law, which requires final approval by parliament and the president, developers and owners of new renewable installations can sell their energy at auctions for a fixed price that would be guaranteed for 15 years regardless of market prices. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/08/us-poland-energy-renewables-idUSBREA3719A20140408 Germany Amends Green-Energy Regime to Curb Rise in Prices. The German government has amended renewable-energy laws that were meant to make the country nuclear-free but sent power prices rocketing, squeezing consumers and the country's formidable export machine. The cabinet approved amendments on Wednesday that it said would contain an explosion in electricity costs while seeking to protect German jobs in the industrial sector. The changes include less ambitious targets for wind power and a cut in subsidies for certain forms of green energy. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304819004579489434076477734?KEYWORDS=green+energy&mg=reno64-wsj OPINIONS How Climate Change Conquered the American Campus. Here is a college quiz. While many parts of the U.S. economy struggle to recover from the Great Recession of 2008-09, one domestic industry is experiencing a technology-driven expansion in which American innovations have led to countless new company startups, a surge in hiring and some of the highest-paying entry-level jobs for graduating college seniors. How are the nation's universities responding so students might prepare for a promising career in this growing and intellectually challenging field? By largely ignoring it. Why? Because the industry is oil and gas. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304441304579481200046204022 BLOGS Showtime Series Aims to Engage Sleepy Public on Global Warming With Celebrity Guides. Early in 2011, two longtime 60 Minutes producers, David Gelber and Joel Bach, met with me to describe their ambitious plan to create a television series on global warming that, they hoped, would break through the enduring public apathy and haze of disinformation surrounding the subject. I wished them luck, while warning that the scale and complexity of the problem would make it hard to be both engaging and accurate. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/07/showtime-series-aims-to-engage-sleepy-public-on-climate-change-with-celebrity-guides/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Other Voices: Earth Institute’s Steven Cohen Seeks a Post-Hysterical Approach to Climate Progress. I encourage you to read “Facing the Climate Crisis without Hysteria,” the latest Huffington Post piece by Steven A. Cohen, who is the executive director of Columbia University’s Earth Institute and whose career, including long stints at the Environmental Protection Agency, has given him an excellent vantage point on the mix of regulation, motivation, prosperity and innovation that drives environmental progress. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/07/earth-institutes-steven-cohen-seeks-a-post-hysterical-approach-to-climate-progress/ Use Your Climate Credit to Ask for More. In the next month, millions of Californians will receive their first "climate credit." The credit will appear as a line item of about $35 on household electric utility bills for customers of PG&E, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric, and a few others around April or May. Six months later, another credit will appear. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-sandler/use-your-climate-credit-t_b_5102421.html San Francisco sees spate of Smart tipping. Apparently, some delinquents in San Francisco, bereft of bovines to tip, have taken to tipping Smart ForTwos, like some absurd, real-life version of the tractor-tipping scene from Cars. Witnesses told KRON-4 in San Francisco that eight people, wearing hoods, were responsible for tipping three Smarts. While the vehicle above was tipped on its rear hatch, the other two were tipped on their side and roof, respectively. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/07/smart-fortwo-tipping-video/ 'King of Lemon Laws' Vince Megna files suit against Tesla Motors. Tesla Motors is already busy in the courts, filing a suit in New Jersey last week to appeal the direct-sales ban of its automobiles in that state. But now it's going to have to deal with the self-described "King of Lemon Laws," Vince Megna, in Wisconsin. Now that we think about it, this showdown was quite inevitable.In a video that is obviously part one of who knows how many (view it below), Menga sets up his argument against Tesla because the Model S of a client won't start. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/07/king-lemon-laws-vince-megna-files-suit-against-tesla-motors-video/ EVs are getting fake engine sounds, because they’re so quiet it’s dangerous. Hybrids can be so quiet you can’t tell if they’re on. Which is bad news for cyclists and pedestrians — especially walkers who are visually impaired. So the European Parliament just decided that EVs and hybrids have to add fake “vroom vroom” noises so drivers quit sneaking up on people, goshdarnit. Acoustic vehicle alerting systems (AVAS) mimic traditional engine noise, and auto manufacturers have to add them by 2019. Posted. http://grist.org/list/evs-are-getting-fake-engine-sounds-because-theyre-so-quiet-its-dangerous/ Climate change: The hottest thing in science fiction. Post-apocalyptic science fiction isn’t new. But you may have noticed an uptick in books set in the wake of some kind of major climate disaster. Some call it “cli-fi” — sci-fi infused with the increasingly frightening impacts of climate change. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/climate-change-the-hottest-thing-in-science-fiction/ DOE releases five-year strategic plan, 2014-2018; supporting “all of the above” energy strategy. The overarching goal for Science and Energy is: “Advance foundational science, innovate energy technologies, and inform data driven policies that enhance US economic growth and job creation, energy security, and environmental quality, with emphasis on implementation of the President’s Climate Action Plan to mitigate the risks of and enhance resilience against climate change.” Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140408-doe.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2014 13:34:18 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 9, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 9, 2014. 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 EASTVALE: Business park with warehouses set for hearing. A proposed warehouse/business park that could put hundreds of big rigs on Limonite Avenue -- already rejected by the Planning Commission -- will come before the City Council Wednesday, April 9. Eastvale Mayor Ike Bootsma said he shared the Commission’s misgivings about the truck traffic the project could generate. Big rigs are noisy, can cause air pollution and damage city streets, he said. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/corona/corona-headlines-index/20140408-eastvale-business-park-with-warehouses-set-for-hearing.ece Exide denied more time to reduce arsenic pollution. A hearing board for the South Coast Air Quality Management District denied a request on Tuesday to allow the battery recycling company Exide Technologies more time to install pollution control devices at its facility in Vernon. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/04/08/43387/exide-denied-more-time-to-reduce-arsenic-pollution/ OTHER RELATED ARTICLES http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_1121e340-bf8c-11e3-9506-0019bb2963f4.html http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-exide-20140409,0,7358038.story#axzz2yP8HewSa Architect firm proposes building park domes in Beijing to protect from air pollution. An architectural firm has a solution for the smog problem in Beijing - placing large domes over its parks so people can have a place to go away from the pollution. Posted. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/proposed-air-pollution-solution-beijing-domed-parks-article-1.1749575 Clean air measures of Olympics to be used for APEC. A comprehensive pollution-control plan similar to that applied during the 2008 Olympics will be launched for the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting to be held in Beijing’s Huairou district this autumn, the Beijing News reported on Tuesday. Posted. http://www.eco-business.com/news/clean-air-measures-olympics-be-used-apec/ CLIMATE CHANGE How to Think Like the Dutch in a Post-Sandy World. In December 2012, Shaun Donovan, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was on vacation in Berlin when he decided to detour to the Netherlands. He wanted to get a firsthand sense of the famed Dutch approach to water management. Hurricane Sandy struck six weeks before, and in the aftermath, President Obama asked him to lead a task force, whose objective was not just to rebuild but also to radically rethink the region’s infrastructure in light of climate change. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/magazine/how-to-think-like-the-dutch-in-a-post-sandy-world.html?hpw&rref=magazine Are CEOs Ready for Climate Change? Fred Krupp goes about his business as head of the Environmental Defense Fund by applying leverage where the interests of business and the environment intersect. He sat down with The Wall Street Journal's John Bussey to discuss climate change. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304432604579473483863311234?KEYWORDS=air+pollution&mg=reno64-wsj FUELS Port of Hueneme awarded $500,000 EPA grant for power system. The Port of Hueneme will receive a $500,000 grant to help with the second phase of its shore-side power project, allowing for more vessels to simultaneously connect to the power system. The Environmental Protection Agency informed the port Tuesday that it would receive the grant. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/08/port-of-hueneme-awarded-500000-epa-grant-for/#ixzz2yPAtAZ6S FRACKING New book on fracking illuminates pros, cons. "The Boom: How Fracking Ignited the American Energy Revolution and Changed the World" (Simon & Schuster), by Russell Gold. The once-obscure oil and gas drilling process known as fracking has generated hundreds of billions of dollars and considerable dissent, as communities and experts argue over how to balance the vast amounts of money at stake with environmental and health risks. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BOOK_REVIEW_THE_BOOM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT VEHICLES Cars Become Biggest Driver of Greenhouse-Gas Increases. The greatest emerging threat to the global climate may rest in the side pocket of your trousers -- or wherever you keep the car keys. Emissions from transportation may rise at the fastest rate of all major sources through 2050, the United Nations will say in a report due April 13. Heat-trapping gases from vehicles may surge 71 percent from 2010 levels, mainly from emerging economies, according to a leaked draft of the most comprehensive UN study to date on the causes of climate change. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-08/cars-become-biggest-driver-of-greenhouse-gas-increases.html GREEN ENERGY Germany Moves Forward on Renewable Energy Plan. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government approved legislation on Tuesday revamping Germany’s sweeping plan to generate more than 40 percent of its energy needs through renewable resources by 2025 by slowing the rapid expansion of solar and wind parks in an effort to hold down spiraling prices. Already, 25 percent of German energy comes from renewable resources, but that advance has come at a cost to consumers, who have borne the brunt of the surcharges that funded the expansion. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/business/international/germany-moves-forward-on-renewable-energy-plan.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/08/us-germany-energy-idUSBREA3716I20140408 SOLAR: Ivanpah project described as deadly trap for wildlife. When hundreds of thousands of mirrors focus solar energy on the 460-foot towers at Ivanpah solar plant in northeastern San Bernardino County, butterflies, dragonflies and other winged insects are attracted to the intense white glow — like moths to a porch light. Insect-eating birds pursue the bugs, and then come the falcons and other raptors to snag the smaller birds. And when they fly into the heat zone — as hot as 800 degrees — around the towers, they are maimed and die. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140408-solar-ivanpah-project-described-as-deadly-trap-for-wildlife.ece Energy Investors Are an Uncertain Kitten. Global investment in renewable energy last year declined for the second year in a row. Even worse: For the first time since renewables became plausible, growth in new capacity slowed. "Is this the clean-tech crash?" asked Michael Liebreich, chairman of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, to start his keynote at the group's annual summit in New York. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-09/energy-investors-are-an-uncertain-kitten.html EU Industries to Pay Less Into Funds to Finance Renewable Energy. Europe's energy-intensive industries scored a victory Wednesday in being largely let off the hook for footing the bill for decarbonizing the economy. The European Commission watered down some key parts of new rules on government aid aimed at encouraging production of energy from renewable sources, lessening the financial burden on heavy industries and reducing the scale of government subsidies for providers of renewable energy. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303873604579491102502305242?KEYWORDS=climate+change&mg=reno64-wsj http://www.contracostatimes.com/AP%20Content/ci_25528808/EU-seeks-cheaper-power-curbs-renewable Wal-Mart's Green Initiative: Status Report. What happens when the world's largest retailer decides to go green? For years, Wal-Mart Stores has been carrying out an ambitious program to make its operations more environmentally sound—an effort that has an impact upon employees and supply chains around the globe. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304432604579473453226974252?KEYWORDS=green+energy&mg=reno64-wsj The U.S. Military Goes Green. The military is a huge consumer of energy and other resources. Roger M. Natsuhara is one of the people charged with helping it get greener. The principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy spoke with Wall Street Journal editorial-board member Kimberley A. Strassel about the Navy's efforts to run a cleaner fleet and other initiatives. Here are edited excerpts of the discussion. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304432604579473493950223048?KEYWORDS=green+energy&mg=reno64-wsj City OK's solar loans for homes. San Diego homeowners got a much easier and more affordable way Tuesday to install solar power and make other upgrades that improve energy efficiency and shrink utility bills. The City Council unanimously approved allowing owners of residential properties to pay for such projects without any up-front costs as part of the state’s “property assessed clean energy” program. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/08/san-diego-solar-energy-loan-program-approved/ OPINIONS Global Warming Scare Tactics. If you were looking for ways to increase public skepticism about global warming, you could hardly do better than the forthcoming nine-part series on climate change and natural disasters, starting this Sunday on Showtime. A trailer for “Years of Living Dangerously” is terrifying, replete with images of melting glaciers, raging wildfires and rampaging floods. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/opinion/global-warming-scare-tactics.html?hpw&rref=opinion&_r=0 MISCELLANEOUS Ceres police roll out electric motorcycles. The Ceres Police Department on Tuesday rolled out the three electric Zero DS police motorcycles just added to its Traffic Unit fleet. The purchase of the three bikes was covered by a grant from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/08/3282625/police-get-charges.html?sp=/99/1623/ Bike sharing program plans to roll into the East Bay. A Bay Area bike share program that began last summer in San Jose and San Francisco is planning its first expansion into the East Bay communities of Oakland, Berkeley and Emeryville. The East Bay debut could be as early as late 2015 for the bright blue bicycles, which can be checked out for free rides of up to 30 minutes at a time, reports the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25515659/Bike-sharing-program-plans-to-roll http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25515659/Bike-sharing-program-plans-to-roll BLOGS Tesla's ZEV credit allotment changing under new CARB rules. Could the California Air Resources Board (CARB) be taking a $55-million bite out of Tesla Motors' profits? The state regulator, which grants zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) credits for automakers making plug-in vehicles, is planning to reduce the number of credits generated by each Model S battery-electric sedan from seven to four, Bloomberg News reports. That means the California-based automaker will have fewer credits to sell to big buyers such as General Motors and Chrysler, who don't make enough ZEVs on their own to comply with state mandates. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/08/teslas-zev-credit-allotment-changing-under-new-carb-rules/ TripAdvisor Expands Environmental Rating Program. International travelers looking for a certain amount of “green” in their accommodations can now turn to TripAdvisor for help. The hotel review and booking website recently expanded its GreenLeaders program, which evaluates a property’s ecological and environmental friendliness (or “green” practices), to include properties Canada, Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, in addition to those in the United States. Posted. http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/08/tripadvisor-expands-environmental-rating-program/?partner=rss&emc=rss Bentley shows plug-in hybrid concept ahead of Beijing, will power SUV in 2017. From its more mainstream, popular origins in the original Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, the hybrid powertrain has worked its way up to the the corner office, the big chair, the top slot in the corporation. Bentley has announced that it will introduce a plug-in hybrid option on its SUV due in 2017. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/09/bentley-plug-in-hybrid-concept-beijing-official/ This Ingenious iPhone App Lets You Un-Smog The World's Most Polluted Cities. The pollution in Beijing is bad right now. “Nuclear winter” bad. Crops can’t breathe, and neither can people, so much so that this February, the Chinese government -- normally not the source for unflattering readings of the country's air quality -- told residents to definitely wear masks. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/09/china-pollution-iphone-app_n_5107778.html As if the ozone hole weren’t enough, now there’s a hole in the troposphere. Everyone knows men shouldn’t wear white dress shirts without undershirts, because then you can see their furry chests and tantalizing man-nipples and sensual sweat stains. But the Earth’s been shopping at the Hanes Outlet again, because ITS white v-neck — a.k.a. the troposphere, the innermost part of the atmosphere — has a hole. Posted. http://grist.org/list/as-if-the-ozone-hole-werent-enough-now-theres-a-hole-in-the-troposphere/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:08:47 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for April 10, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 10, 2014. 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. CALIFORNIA FORESTRY OFFSETS California issues first forestry offsets for carbon market. California air regulators on Wednesday issued the first carbon offset credits for a forest protection project, credits that power companies and others large emitters can use to meet their compliance obligations under the state's greenhouse gas reduction program. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/09/california-carbonoffset-idUSL2N0N12GR20140409 California Issues First Forestry Compliance Offsets. The Yurok tribe has seen first-hand the devastation that deforestation wreaks on trees and plant and animal species living on its tribal lands. Now, with a big stamp of approval from California regulators, the tribe is hoping to tap into the carbon markets to help reverse these devastating trends. Posted. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10283§ion=news_articles&eod=1 AIR POLLUTION Southern California city declares Sriracha maker a nuisance. A Southern California city has declared the factory that produces the popular Sriracha hot sauce a public nuisance. The Irwindale City Council's action Wednesday night gives the factory 90 days to make changes to stop the spicy odors that prompted complaints from some residents last fall. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HOT_SAUCE_CONTROVERSY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25537247/Southern-California-city-declares-Sriracha-maker http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25537247/Southern-California-city-declares-Sriracha-maker 'Mecca stink' a thing of the past. Recent monitoring efforts in the eastern Coachella Valley show few signs of the past problems of pollution and foul smells sweeping the region, the agency charged with monitoring local air quality says. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/2014/04/10/mecca-odor-aqmd/7538117/ Stench rankles Escondido club neighbors. The agency that acts as the county’s air quality watchdog said Wednesday it will cite the owner of the now defunct Escondido Country Club for creating a public nuisance by spreading chicken manure over several dying fairways, causing a stench that residents and an inspector described as horrible. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/09/manure-chicke-escondido-country-club/ CLIMATE CHANGE Artificial cooling tricky topic for climate panel. It's Plan B in the fight against climate change: cooling the planet by sucking heat-trapping CO2 from the air or reflecting sunlight back into space. Called geoengineering, it's considered mad science by opponents. Supporters say it would be foolish to ignore it, since plan A — slashing carbon emissions from fossil fuels — is moving so slowly. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_CLIMATE_ENGINEERING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.contracostatimes.com/AP%20Content/ci_25537436/Artificial-cooling-tricky-topic-for-climate http://www.insidebayarea.com/AP%20Content/ci_25537436/Artificial-cooling-tricky-topic-for-climate http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/10/artificial-cooling-tricky-topic-for-climate-panel/ Climate changes to result in bird, reptile shifts. As temperatures climb across the Southwest, researchers have found some species will win, but others stand to lose - and lose big. The U.S. Geological Survey and researchers from the University of New Mexico and Northern Arizona University released a report this week that takes a closer look at some of the effects climate change is likely to have on species such as the desert tortoise and the pinyon jay. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_CHANGE_SOUTHWEST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/09/climate-changes-to-result-in-bird-reptile-shifts/#ixzz2yV3Pqht8 U.N. climate report stops short of clear economic case for action. A U.N. report about ways to fix global warming due on Sunday is likely to disappoint investors seeking clear-cut economic calculations about the benefits and costs of curbing rising greenhouse gas emissions. Authors say the report stops short of an economic bottom line since it is hard to put a value, for instance, on human lives lost to extreme weather or on risks of a faster melt of Greenland's ice sheet that would push up sea levels. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/10/us-climate-un-idUSBREA3919Q20140410 Slash Greenhouse Gases to Meet Climate Goals, U.N. Draft Says. A key United Nations report is expected to suggest that governments will have to drastically reduce greenhouse-gas emissions to meet international goals to reduce the impact of global warming. Based on the current trend of emissions, the global temperature is projected to increase by 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels in less than three decades, according to a draft summary reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303603904579491620728985540?KEYWORDS=emissions&mg=reno64-wsj Hollywood heavyweights put climate change manifesto on TV. As temperatures continue to rise and habitats come under threat, a group of Hollywood heavyweights is seeking to bring the spotlight back on climate change with a new documentary. "Years of Living Dangerously," a nine-part documentary beginning Sunday on CBS Corp's premium cable network Showtime, chronicles the human impact on the global climate and the consequences for humans of climate change. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/10/us-climatechange-idUSBREA390UM20140410 DIESEL EMISSIONS Rail Yard Air Pollution Challenged in 9th Circuit. Rail yards must be stopped from emitting tons of harmful diesel pollution into neighborhoods surrounding Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, environmentalists told the 9th Circuit. Posted. http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/04/10/66960.htm DROUGHT California, federal officials officially unveil drought plan, no water delivery adjustments made. State and federal agencies on Wednesday officially unveiled a joint plan detailing how they will tackle the ongoing drought that has raised difficult questions about how California farmers, residents and wildlife share the dwindling supply of water. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/contra-costa-times/ci_25533494/state-federal-officials-officially-unveil-drought-plan-no?source=rss Latest state drought plan eases standards for Delta. State officials unveiled a longer-term plan to deal with the drought Wednesday, one which relaxes some water-quality standards and endangered species protections in the Delta to allow for more water to be sent south to parched cities and farms. Officials described the plan as a "balance" that attempts to bolster supplies to the extent possible while minimizing harm to fish. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140410/A_NEWS/404100328/-1/A_NEWS14 Drought plan doesn't change water allocation to California farms, cities. State and federal agencies on Wednesday officially unveiled a joint plan detailing how they will tackle the ongoing drought that has raised difficult questions about how California farmers, residents and wildlife share the dwindling supply of water. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25533490/state-federal-officials-officially-unveil-drought-plan-no FUELS Democratic senators press Obama for Keystone decision by May 31. Eleven U.S. Democratic senators on Thursday urged President Barack Obama to make a final decision on whether to approve TransCanada Corp's Keystone XL crude oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast no later than May 31. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/10/usa-keystone-democrats-idUSL2N0N20UD20140410 VEHICLES Toyota gas cars get efficient engine from hybrids. Toyota has developed an efficient gasoline engine using technology fine-tuned with gas-electric hybrids, in which the Japanese automaker is an industry leader. Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday the engine will be rolled out in 14 models this year and next year. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/toyota-gas-cars-get-efficient-engine-from-hybrids/2014/04/10/d6623004-c08d-11e3-9ee7-02c1e10a03f0_story.html Ford unveils new 2015 Focus four-door sedan; 1.0L EcoBoost with start/stop comes to US model. Ford unveiled the new Ford Focus four-door sedan prior to its debut at the 2014 New York International Auto Show next week. The debut of the new Focus four-door sedan and the Focus Electric in New York follows the Geneva Motor Show debut in March of the Focus three- and five-door hatchback and wagon. (Earlier post.) A new version of the performance Focus ST will be shown later this year. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140409-focus.html GREEN ENERGY Clean Power Funding Easier as Investors Seek Simplicity. Simplifying finance vehicles for renewable energy will lure more investors and lower the costs of capital. “Renewable power requires a lot of explanation,” Jim Barry, the head of renewable power investing at BlackRock Inc., said during a panel discussion today at the Bloomberg New Energy Finance conference in New York. “If you’re explaining, you’re losing.” Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-09/clean-power-funding-easier-as-investors-seek-simplicity.html MISCELLANEOUS In China, jar of French mountain air fetches $860. Beijing artist Liang Kegang returned from a business trip in southern France with well-rested lungs and a small item of protest against his home city’s choking pollution: a glass jar of clean, Provence air. He put it up for auction before a group of about 100 Chinese artists and collectors late last month, and it fetched 5,250 yuan ($860). Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_JAR_OF_CLEAN_AIR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/in-china-jar-of-french-mountain-air-fetches-860/2014/04/10/a3f5777c-c077-11e3-9ee7-02c1e10a03f0_story.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/10/in-china-jar-of-french-mountain-air-fetches-860/#ixzz2yV1Q9WAG Why hasn't the US tried cap and trade for emissions? Dear EarthTalk: If “cap and trade” has worked so well in Europe for reducing greenhouse gas emissions there, why haven’t we tried something similar here in the U.S.? Posted. http://www.pottsmerc.com/lifestyle/20140410/why-hasnt-the-us-tried-cap-and-trade-for-emissions OPINION Isaac Orr: On fracturing: Clearing the air. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science has found air pollution from China is lowering air quality in the western United States. Thankfully, residents in this region may soon find relief from an unexpected source: hydraulic fracturing. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/states-609137-united-manufacturing.html BLOGS New U.N. Climate Report Meets a Complicated World. Cut emissions and expand the use of renewable energies. Not unexpectedly, that’s the recommendation expected from a key United Nations report on how to meet international goals to reduce the impact of climate change. The Wall Street Journal’s Gautam Naik has seen a draft of the report, due to be presented on Sunday. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/04/10/new-u-n-climate-report-meets-a-complicated-world/?KEYWORDS=climate+change It’s time to refocus California’s climate strategy. You know this already, but let’s review: Climate change is a global emissions problem, California produces about 1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, Over the next few decades, the majority of emissions will come from developing countries, If we don’t solve the problem in the developing world, we don’t solve the problem. Posted. http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2014/04/09/its-time-to-refocus-californias-climate-strategy/ Climate change just reshaped America’s wildfire strategy. Like a tree in a greenhouse, America’s forest fire problem is growing ominously. Rising temperatures and declining rain and snowfall are parching fire-prone areas and juicing conflagrations. On Thursday, following years of meetings and scientific reviews, the Obama administration published a 101-page strategy that aims to help meet the country’s shifting fire threats. Posted. http://grist.org/news/climate-change-just-reshaped-americas-wildfire-strategy/ California’s drought plan will screw the environment. California has a radical plan for managing its rivers and reservoirs as drought grips the Golden State for the third consecutive year. It could help the state cling to water that would normally flush through rivers and into the Pacific Ocean — at the expense of wildlife and fishing folk who rely on the health of those rivers. Posted. http://grist.org/news/californias-drought-plan-will-screw-the-environment/ Saab begins 9-3 EV pilot production. To say that Saab has had a tough time lately would be like saying that it's been a little colder than usual this winter. After General Motors finally gave up and sold it to Spyker in 2010, Saab declared bankruptcy the following year. GM successfully blocked Spyker from selling Saab to Chinese automaker Youngman the following year, but ultimately it ended up in the hands of another Chinese consortium called NEVS. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/10/saab-9-3-ev-pilot-production-report/ Honda Accord Hybrid sales capacity constrained. Honda might be selling more hybrids if it could just get them to dealers. While the second-generation Insight never lived up to sales expectations and production is ending, the Japanese automaker is seeing strong demand for the Accord Hybrid here and abroad. However, there is so much global consumer desire that it can't keep them in US showrooms. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/10/honda-accord-hybrid-sales-capacity-constrained-report/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2014 12:18:00 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for April 11, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 11, 2014. 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 Stench rankles Escondido club neighbors. The agency that acts as the county’s air quality watchdog said Wednesday it will cite the owner of the now defunct Escondido Country Club for creating a public nuisance by spreading chicken manure over several dying fairways, causing a stench that residents and an inspector described as horrible. The owner, Stuck in the Rough LLC, hasn’t watered the course in months and wants to build houses on the site — a plan that has been stymied by the city in response to neighborhood opposition. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/09/manure-chicke-escondido-country-club/ Appeals court finds EPA carbon decision reasonable. A federal appeals court says the Environmental Protection Agency acted reasonably in deciding not to change the primary air quality standard for carbon monoxide. Three environmental and wildlife organizations want the public health standard toughened. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EPA_CARBON_MONOXIDE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT CLIMATE CHANGE UN panel shows who's responsible for CO2 emissions. The U.N.'s expert panel on climate change is preparing a new report this weekend outlining the cuts in greenhouse gases, mainly CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels, required in coming decades to keep global warming in check. Since it's a scientific body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won't tell governments how to divide those emissions cuts — a crunch issue in negotiations on a new climate pact that's supposed to be adopted next year. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_CLIMATE_EMISSIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/un-panel-shows-whos-responsible-for-co2-emissions/2014/04/11/8e050cee-c184-11e3-9ee7-02c1e10a03f0_story.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/11/6316147/un-panel-shows-whos-responsible.html http://www.contracostatimes.com/AP%20Content/ci_25545340/UN-panel-shows-whos-responsible-for http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/11/3872051/un-panel-shows-whos-responsible.html#storylink=misearch Temperatures, ozone on the rise again. As temperatures rise, ground level ozone pollution typically returns to the San Joaquin Valley. The National Weather Service in Hanford expects temperatures to remain in the mid 80s until Monday. With no precipitation anticipated within the next week, extreme drought conditions will continue. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/04/10/3595401/temperatures-ozone-on-the-rise.html?sp=/99/215/167/ http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/10/3871310/temperatures-ozone-on-the-rise.html DIESEL EMISSIONS A merger with Port of L.A.? No way, Long Beach officials say. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are like the Coke and Pepsi of U.S. maritime transportation. They seem similar, they dominate the competition but they have a long history of less-than-friendly rivalry. Now, an independent commission's proposal to merge the neighboring harbors is being met with skepticism. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ports-merger-20140411,0,4795577.story#axzz2yb9J9qAk HIGH-SPEED RAIL California high-speed rail board adopts new business plan. The board that oversees the California High-Speed Rail Authority approved a new business plan to submit to state lawmakers Thursday, reflecting lower revenue projections but leaving the 2028 timeline for finishing the $68 billion bullet train unchanged despite legal setbacks that could cause delays. Posted. http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2014-04-11/california-high-speed-rail-board-adopts-new-business-plan/1776425121320.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/10/high-speed-rail-board-adopts-new-business-plan/#ixzz2yat8hEbc DROUGHT Drought-stricken Southern California could get more water, regulators say. Although recent summer-like temperatures have signaled the California drought is very much still here, Southern California could see a slight increase in water allocations from Northern California by the end of the month, state and federal water regulators said Wednesday. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140410/NEWS/140419929 FUELS RFA calls CARB’s ILUC analysis out of date. The Renewable Fuels Association has submitted comments to the California Air Resources Board pertinent to CARB’s draft indirect land use change analysis. Geoff Cooper, RFA’s senior vice president, notes in his submission that RFA is greatly concerned by many aspects of the draft. Posted. http://www.ethanolproducer.com/articles/10941/rfa-calls-carbundefineds-iluc-analysis-out-of-date GREEN ENERGY LA leads cities in solar energy production. Los Angeles leads major cities across the nation in the amount of solar energy produced, according to a report released Thursday by the Environment California Research and Policy Center. The report examined the installed solar capacity for 57 U.S. cities. Los Angeles, with 132 megawatts of solar production, topped the list followed by San Diego, which produces 107 megawatts. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/04/10/43425/la-leads-cities-in-solar-energy-production/ Zero energy green houses far from a silver bullet in combating carbon emissions. The Honda Smart Home, unveiled last month at UC Davis, is a technical showplace. As a zero net energy house, which produces at least as much energy as it consumes, the home represents the type of construction the state of California is pushing as a tool to control carbon emissions. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/11/6314945/zero-energy-green-houses-far.html Shift to green energy will be tiny brake on growth. A radical shift from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy would slow world economic growth by only a tiny fraction every year, a new draft U.N. report on tackling global warming said on Friday. Many governments had complained that an earlier draft was not clear in its estimate of the costs of low-carbon energy, which include solar or wind, nuclear and fossil fuels whose greenhouse gas emissions are captured and buried underground. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/11/climate-growth-idUSL6N0N335020140411 BLOGS It’s Time for Africa’s Green Revolution, Focused on Corn. I hope you’ll read Tina Rosenberg’s latest Fixes post — “A Green Revolution, This Time for Africa.” The first Green Revolution, in Asia, was centered on rice and wheat. Rosenberg lays out the case for an African focus on corn (known as maize almost everywhere else in the world): The high-yield wheat and rice of the Green Revolution produced dramatic gains in harvests in Asia and Latin America. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/10/its-time-for-africas-green-revolution-focused-on-corn/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Mercedes-Benz cut fleetwide emissions by 4.3 percent last year. Mercedes-Benz says it reduced its fleetwide vehicle emissions by 4.3 percent last year. Of course, the German automaker has another 29 percent to go to meet the European Commission's 2020 mandate. But who's counting? Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/11/mercedes-benz-cut-fleetwide-emissions-by-4-3-percent-last-year/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 12:05:26 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for April 14, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 14, 2014. 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 Which Voluntary Emissions Reduction Projects Will California Tap Next? The voluntary carbon market has been the breeding ground for offset project types welcomed into California’s regulated carbon market, which many say will face a shortage of offsets in its second phase. Market participants, including an official at one of the largest publicly-owned utilities in the United States, say it is critical for California regulators to quickly welcome even more voluntary project types. Posted. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10294§ion=news_articles&eod=1 Sustainably Speaking: Cap and trade succeed. In 2013, California initiated its groundbreaking cap and trade system as one mechanism to mitigate greenhouses gas emissions produced in the state. Despite predictions by opponents of the cap-and-trade system and the broader California Global Warming Act that California’s proactive stance on climate change would create job loss and lead to economic downturn, in its first year this system has proven to be successful without harming the state’ economy. Posted. http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20140413/NEWS04/304130042/Sustainably-Speaking-Cap-trade-succeeds?nclick_check=1 AIR POLLUTION Regional air regulators step up efforts to shutter Exide's operations in Vernon. Pointing to numerous violations of lead pollution standards at the Exide Technologies battery recycling plant even while it's closed, regulators at the South Coast Air Quality Management District are asking their independent review board to halt maintenance work at the Vernon facility. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/04/11/43456/regional-air-regulators-step-up-efforts-to-shutter/ CLIMATE CHANGE UN climate report balances science and politics. After racing against the clock in an all-night session, the U.N.'s expert panel on climate change was putting the final touches Saturday on a scientific guide to help governments, industries and regular people take action to stop global warming from reaching dangerous levels. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_CLIMATE_SCIENCE_OR_POLITICS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.contracostatimes.com/AP%20Content/ci_25553113/UN-climate-report-balances-science-and http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/13/6320792/cost-of-fighting-warming-modest.html http://www.insidebayarea.com/AP%20Content/ci_25558004/Cost-of-fighting-warming-modest-says Climate Efforts Falling Short, U.N. Panel Says. Delivering the latest stark news about climate change on Sunday, a United Nations panel warned that governments are not doing enough to avert profound risks in coming decades. But the experts found a silver lining: Not only is there still time to head off the worst, but the political will to do so seems to be rising around the world. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/14/science/earth/un-climate-panel-warns-speedier-action-is-needed-to-avert-disaster.html?partner=rss&emc=rss Other related articles: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/13/climate-panel-warns-emissions-rising-blurs/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/world-must-turn-from-fossil-fuels-to-cleaner-energy-to-avoid-climate-disaster-panel-says/2014/04/13/21bd2144-c273-11e3-b574-f8748871856a_story.html http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/U-N-climate-change-panel-issues-dire-warning-5399739.php U.N. Climate Change Report Says Worst Scenarios Can Still Be Avoided. A United Nations report suggests that governments can still avert the more serious consequences of climate change provided they act quickly and aggressively to cut the accelerating pace of greenhouse-gas emissions. According to the report, global greenhouse-gas emissions have risen more rapidly between 2000 and 2010 than in each of the three previous decades. The global economic crisis of 2007 and 2008 temporarily reduced emissions but didn't change the trend, the report says. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303663604579498721229249160?KEYWORDS=climate+change&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303663604579498721229249160.html%3FKEYWORDS%3Dclimate%2Bchange Factbox: U.N. issues guide to slow climate change. Following are main findings by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in a report on Sunday saying that time is running out to keep global warming within agreed limits. The 33-page summary, by leading scientists, is meant to guide almost 200 governments which have promised to work out a deal by the end of 2015 to slow climate change. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/13/us-climatechange-un-factbox-idUSBREA3C06820140413 El Niño could whip up big California storms. Raising hopes that California’s severe drought could end with a series of soaking storms next winter, federal scientists on Thursday announced there is now a 2-in-3 chance of an El Niño climate pattern developing in the Pacific Ocean by the end of this year. “We’re seeing a pretty strong tilt toward El Niño,” said Michelle L’Heureux, a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center in College Park, Md. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140411/el-nixf1o-could-whip-up-big-california-storms DIESEL EMISSIONS The diesel decision: ARB ponders whether to allow current engines more time before tougher emissions standards set in. Area trucking companies and farmers may soon be given more flexibility with regulations aimed at reducing engine emissions on their diesel trucks and buses. The Air Resources Board is accepting comment through April 21 ahead of an April 24 board meeting, when it could decide to allow diesel truck and bus owners to be able to drive additional miles each year. Posted. http://www.appeal-democrat.com/business/the-diesel-decision-arb-ponders-whether-to-allow-current-engines/article_fece55d2-c2d0-11e3-bf37-001a4bcf6878.html DROUGHT California looking to recycled water to ease drought concerns. At two treatment plants in El Dorado Hills, millions of gallons of brown wastewater pour in every week, and millions of gallons of clean water pour out through purple pipes that irrigate the lawns of 4,000 homes. Proponents call it water recycling. Critics call it “toilet-to-tap.” But as the drought has taken hold in California, opposition to the idea has been drying up, and recycled water is winning acceptance. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/14/6321372/california-looking-to-recycled.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region FUELS Natural Gas Futures Drop as Milder U.S. Weather Cuts Fuel Demand. Natural gas fell for a second day in New York on speculation that stockpiling may accelerate as milder weather reduces fuel use. Gas dropped as much as 1.8 percent as MDA Weather Services predicted seasonal or higher temperatures for most of the lower 48 states from April 19 through April 28. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-14/natural-gas-futures-drop-as-milder-u-s-weather-cuts-fuel-demand.html GREEN ENERGY Renewables, Nuclear Must Triple to Save Climate, UN Says. The world needs to triple the energy it gets from renewables, nuclear reactors and power plants that use emissions-capture technology to avoid dangerous levels of global warming, United Nations scientists said. Investments needed to keep climate change within safe limits would shave a fraction of a percent off annual global growth, the UN said yesterday in the third part of its most comprehensive study on warming. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-13/renewables-nuclear-must-triple-to-save-climate-un-says.html California electricity grid tests ‘green’ technology. If a cloud goes over one of the large-scale solar farms east of the Coachella Valley — or one of the desert’s thousands of rooftop installations — Jim Blatchford is going to know about it and have a pretty good idea of its impact on the electric grid. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/greenenergy/2014/04/13/california-electricity-grid-tests-green-technology/7664637/ Improve now, pay later in Escondido. Two new ways to finance energy and water-efficient home improvement projects without significant upfront costs are now available to Escondido residents and business owners. Last week, the Escondido City Council approved participation in two programs that allow commercial and residential property owners to finance hundreds of types of projects — such as insulation, solar panels and high-efficiency faucets — through long-term, low-cost, financing paid through their property tax bill. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/11/energy-escondido-improvement-water-finance/ Energy Department seeks methane hydrate proposals. The U.S. Department of Energy is soliciting for another round of research into methane hydrates, the potentially huge energy source of "frozen gas" that could step in for shortages of other fossil fuels. The department is looking for research projects on the North Slope of Alaska that could explore how to economically extract the gas locked in ice far below the Earth's surface. DOE is also seeking researchers to document methane hydrate deposits in outer continental shelf waters of coastal states. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/13/energy-department-seeks-methane-hydrate-proposals/ MISCELLANEOUS Cordless mowers a deal in Calaveras. Calaveras County residents who want to replace their gasoline-powered lawn mowers with cordless electric ones can get a $145 check for doing so. The Calaveras Air Pollution Control District is offering the money to anyone residing in Calaveras County with a working gasoline mower who turns it in and replaces it with a cordless electric model. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140414/A_NEWS/404140313/0/SEARCH State water board official shares views about the region’s groundwater concerns. Turlock resident Dorene “DeeDee” D’Adamo, one of five members of the State Water Resources Control Board, will participate in Tuesday’s “Groundwater Challenges” forum at California State University, Stanislaus. D’Adamo has lived in the San Joaquin Valley for more than 20 years. Gov. Jerry Brown appointed her to the water board last year, after she had served 14 years on the California Air Resources Board. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/13/3291236/state-water-board-official-shares.html?sp=/99/1623/#storylink=cpy BLOGS Energy Journal: U.N. Says Climate Change Needn’t Be So Bad. Worried about climate change? If so, the United Nations for once has some reasonable news. As Gautam Naik reports, a UN report this weekend has said the worst consequences of climate change can still be averted if governments act more quickly and in a co-ordinated way to cut back on the pace at which greenhouse gas emissions have been rising. The report reckons those emissions rose faster in the first decade of the 21st century than at any time in the previous three decades. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/04/14/energy-journal-u-n-says-climate-change-neednt-be-so-bad/ Nations’ Handling of New Climate Report Presages Divisions in Treaty Effort. Justin Gillis’s news story from Berlin on the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — the one on the world’s options for limiting global warming — tells you all you need to know about the familiar contents. The chart of trending news in the United States above tells you all you need to know about how much people are tuning in. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/nations-handling-of-new-climate-report-presages-divisions-in-treaty-effort/?partner=rss&emc=rss Washington State governor signs pro-Tesla bill. Maybe Tesla should build its proposed gigafactory in the Evergreen State. Last week, Washington Govermor Jay Inslee signed a bill that will allow Tesla to keep selling its electric vehicles through its showrooms and not have to work through third-party dealerships, Automotive News says. That means the California-based electric-vehicle maker can keep its showrooms in Seattle and Bellevue open. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/13/washington-state-governor-signs-pro-tesla-bill/ California could put $60,000 MRSP limit on EV tax rebates. In California, electric vehicles have been selling so well that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is discussing ways to reduce the amount spent on the state's Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP). The program, which provides tax rebates to EV buyers, is $30 million in debt this year, according to the Capitol Weekly. A new discussion document that was presented at CARB's April 3 meeting lists two main ways that the state could save money while still supporting EV sales. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/11/california-could-put-60-000-mrsp-limit-on-ev-tax-rebates/ Air conditioners in EVs may not be that dirty of a secret. Reports that the leaking of a certain type of air-conditioning fluid used in electric vehicles may help cause global warming may be a bit of hot air. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is addressing stories saying that HFC-134a, also known as R-134a, may nullify the benefits of driving electric because of its potential effect on the ozone. The UCS debunks those stories. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/11/air-conditioner-in-evs-may-not-be-that-dirty-of-a-secret/ Beijing’s Bad-Air Days, Finally Counted. Thanks to the U.S. State Department, Beijing residents finally have the answer to one of the city’s greatest mysteries: How often is the air polluted? Well, a lot, a resident would say. But how many is a lot? Heavy pollution levels can stretch for weeks, leaving locals to grouse over hot pot about how the smog seems to last forever. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/04/14/beijings-bad-air-days-finally-counted/ GM Is Serious About Electric Cars, Despite Grumbling By Advocates. Sometimes memories are short. Electric-car advocates often forget that it took seven years from the first Toyota Prius hybrid, launched in Japan in 1997, until sales of the second-generation Prius started to grow in global markets. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1091380_gm-is-serious-about-electric-cars-despite-grumbling-by-advocates Tesla opposes reduced California electric car rebate. Government incentives have been a boon to the adoption of electric cars, which begs the question of whether they could survive without them. Tesla Motors apparently doesn’t want to find out. The Californian carmaker is lobbying against proposed changes to the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) program of electric-car incentives, which would effectively end state-level incentives for its so-far popular Model S sedan. Posted. http://ecomento.com/2014/04/14/tesla-opposes-reduced-california-electric-car-rebate/ Some Thoughts on Near Roadway Air Pollution and L.A.’s Future. I attended a forum event yesterday, entitled “The Collision of Best Intentions: Public Health, Smart Growth, and Land Use Planning.” Speakers focused on “NRAP” – an acronym I wasn’t familiar with. NRAP stands for Near Roadway Air Pollution. It’s the study of pollution risks near freeways and other high-volume roads. Posted. http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/04/10/some-thoughts-on-near-roadway-air-pollution-and-l-a-s-future/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:55:09 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for April 15, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 15, 2014. 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 California lawmaker scraps plan to replace carbon market with tax on fuels. A top Democratic lawmaker in California on Monday backed off an unpopular plan to tax gasoline and diesel fuels and instead proposed a less controversial plan to spend up to $5 billion a year from the state's fledgling carbon program on affordable housing and mass transit. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/15/us-california-carbonoffset-idUSBREA3E01H20140415 Other related articles: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/14/top-democratic-lawmaker-backs-off-carbon-tax/ http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/14/3021148/capitol-alert-steinberg-plan-would.html?sp=/99/177/348// AIR POLLUTION Asian air pollution could have impact on global weather patterns. A study finds that air pollution from Asia directly affects the storm pattern over the Pacific Ocean. Researchers further speculate that this could be driving freak winter weather in North America. "The Pacific storm track is a major driving force over global weather patterns," says the study's lead author Yuan Wang, a post-doctorate fellow at the NASA U.S. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Posted. http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/15/world/asia/asia-air-pollution-pacific-storm/ U.S. appeals court upholds hazardous air pollution rule. In a victory for the Obama administration, a U.S. appeals court on Tuesday upheld a regulation that would limit emissions of mercury and other hazardous pollutants mainly from coal-fired power plants, starting next year. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/15/us-usa-court-pollution-idUSBREA3E13Y20140415 http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/15/court-upholds-epa-emission-standards/ Southland air regulators seek to hold ports to pollution targets. Air quality regulators, embarking on a bold new strategy to reduce smog in Southern California, want to hold the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach responsible for their pledges to cut pollution from thousands of trucks, ships and trains carrying goods to and from the nation's largest port complex. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-ports-air-20140415,0,6421076.story#axzz2ysvK36GP CLIMATE CHANGE Political Rifts Slow U.S. Effort on Climate Laws. The United States needs to enact a major climate change law, such as a tax on carbon pollution, by the end of this decade to stave off the most catastrophic impacts of global warming, according to the authors of a report released this week by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. But aggressive efforts to tackle climate change have repeatedly collided with political reality in Washington, where some Republicans question the underlying science of global warming and lawmakers’ ties to the fossil fuel industry have made them resistant to change. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/15/us/politics/political-rifts-slow-us-effort-on-climate-laws.html?hpw&rref=politics&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=csesort%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry559%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 El Nino Signs Detected, Presaging Global Weather Change. Signs have been detected that a periodic warming of the tropical Pacific known as El Nino is imminent, presaging changes to global weather patterns in the months ahead, the World Meteorological Organization said. Water temperatures below the surface of the Pacific’s equatorial waters have warmed to levels similar to the onset of El Nino, and about two-thirds of climate models indicate thresholds for the phenomenon may be reached from June to August, the United Nations’ WMO said today in an e-mailed statement. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-15/el-nino-signs-detected-presaging-global-weather-change.html City growth by almost 2 Manhattans a day said key to climate. The world's urban areas are set to grow by almost twice the size of Manhattan a day until 2030 and the design of future cities in Asia and Africa will be crucial to slow global warming, a U.N. study showed on Monday. The breakneck expansion means billion-dollar opportunities for companies, ranging from greener construction of homes and offices to improved rail and bus networks, according to a report by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/14/environment-cities-idUSL6N0N639720140414 DIESEL EMISSIONS EU lawmakers vote for redesign to make trucks safer and greener. European trucks will be transformed to make driver cabs more aerodynamic, cutting emissions and improving safety, under new rules backed by EU politicians on Tuesday that could divide the industry due to the cost. Campaigners hailed the vote at the European Parliament in Strasbourg as the beginning of the end of trucks' brick-shaped cabs blamed for cyclist and pedestrian deaths because of poor driver visibility. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/15/eu-trucks-idUSL6N0N50DF20140415 FUELS ARB posts 5 new LCFS pathways; two renewable diesel. California Air Resources Board (ARB) staff has posted five new and one revised Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) fuel pathway applications to the LCFS public comment website. The new pathways include two renewable diesel pathways; two biodiesel pathways, and one corn ethanol pathway. The revised package is for corn oil biodiesel. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140415-lcfs.html Dual Turning Point for Biofuels. There is an old joke in the energy business that advanced biofuels are the fuel of the future, and always will be. A Spanish company, Abengoa Bioenergy, has bet $500 million on robbing that joke of its punch line. In the middle of a cornfield here it is building a 38-acre Erector set of electrical cable and pipe that will soon begin producing cellulosic ethanol, which it calls a low-polluting alternative to petroleum products. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/15/business/energy-environment/dual-turning-point-for-biofuels.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=csesort%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry559%23%2Ffuels%2F24hours%2F GREEN ENERGY Couple gets $1.3M in wind turbine settlement. A Vermont couple whose Northeast Kingdom farm became a focal point in the fight against construction of a 21-turbine industrial wind project on Lowell Mountain said Monday that they were selling their 540-acre farm to Green Mountain Power for $1.3 million. In announcing they had agreed to settle a lawsuit over a boundary dispute filed against them by GMP, Don and Shirley Nelson said they felt they could have won in court, but it would not have led to the removal of the now-operating turbines. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/14/couple-gets-13m-in-wind-turbine-settlement/#ixzz2yyPMV5G4 OPINION Public Attitudes About Climate Change. Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger (“Global Warming Scare Tactics,” Op-Ed, April 9) embrace uncritically what can be called the ultimate technocratic illusion: that whatever we human beings do to our habitat can be fixed by a rescue technology. Just as the American media are beginning, belatedly, to take seriously the dire effects of climate change, the writers scold these efforts as “fear-based.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/15/opinion/public-attitudes-about-climate-change.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=csesort%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry559%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F Climate change has arrived. In case there was still any doubt, and there shouldn't be at this point, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations group of scientists, has made it official: Climate change is not coming, it's already here. And it's going to get worse unless the whole world - especially the industrial world - greatly reduces greenhouse emissions causing global warming. The U.N. panel periodically weighs in on the state of the Earth's climate. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/15/3293278/climate-change-has-arrived.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS By 2050, every company needs to be a zero-energy company. Or else. The latest climate change report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is out, and the news isn’t good: attempts to reduce carbon emissions over the past decade have failed, and we’re looking at some pretty grim scenarios if governments around the world don’t find a way to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by the year 2050. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/04/15/by-2050-every-company-needs-to-be-a-zero-energy-company-or-else/ Could natural gas be the answer to London’s pollution concerns? Over 8% of the deaths in some parts of London may be attributable to long-term exposure to man-made particulate air pollution, according to a new study from UK government body Public Health England. Posted. http://blogs.platts.com/2014/04/15/natgas-buses-uk/ Court upholds EPA air pollution rule. A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld the Obama administration's standards for curbing mercury and toxic air pollution from power plants. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected a challenge to the rule, which was completed by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2011 and set the first national limits on air pollution emitted by coal and oil-fired power plants, specifically mercury, arsenic and acid gases. Posted. http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/203566-appeals-court-backs-epa-mercury-toxics-rule FEV says new PHEV transmission ready for 'sports car performance.' At the SAE World Congress in Detroit last week, FEV showed off what it calls an "innovative" new plug-in hybrid transmission. The reason for that moniker is that the system does away with the need for a torque converter while offering two speeds, which makes it particularly good during launch. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/15/fev-says-new-phev-transmission-ready-for-sports-car-performa/ Is 120 miles just about perfect for EV range? When it comes to battery-electric vehicles, our friend Brad Berman over at Plug In Cars says 40 miles makes all the difference in the world. That's the approximate difference in single-charge range between the battery-electric version of the Toyota RAV4 and the Nissan Leaf. It's also the difference between the appearance or disappearance of range anxiety. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/14/is-120-miles-just-about-perfect-for-ev-range/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2014 16:15:53 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 16, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 16, 2014. 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 Top Democratic lawmaker backs off 'carbon tax' The state Senate leader on Monday backed off an unpopular proposal for a so-called carbon tax on consumer fuels and instead wants to dedicate billions of dollars generated by California's greenhouse gas reduction law to affordable housing, mass transit and high-speed rail. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said his willingness to pivot from a higher tax on gasoline, propane and other consumer fuels was driven by the need to fund…Posted. http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Top-Democratic-lawmaker-backs-off-carbon-tax-255252171.html AIR POLLUTION Court Upholds Key EPA Mercury Standards for Power Plants. A federal appeals court handed the Environmental Protection Agency a significant victory April 15 by upholding stringent mercury and air toxics standards for power plants, which are among the costliest regulations the agency has promulgated. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected argument after argument that industry petitioners made, saying the EPA's decisions were reasonable and the agency deserves deference. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-16/court-upholds-key-epa-mercury-standards-for-power-plants.html http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-air-toxics-limits-20140416,0,1999439.story#ixzz2z4Hruy5c http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/15/6327682/appeals-court-upholds-epa-limits.html http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/epa-mercury-power-plants-earth-day-105728.html Masses of Mercedes Thicken Hong Kong Air-Pollution Mess. Hong Kong is one of the best places in the world to do business. As long as you don’t breathe. Toxic air caused 3,279 premature deaths last year in the city that means “fragrant harbor” in Chinese, contributing to more than 5.5 million doctor visits in the metropolis of 7.2 million, according to an index developed by the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health.Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-04-15/masses-of-mercedes-thicken-hong-kong-air-pollution-mess.html EPA didn’t track own air pollution program — report. The Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t bothered to track whether one of its key pollution reduction programs is actually having an effect, according to a new review by the agency’s internal watchdog. The National Petroleum Refinery Initiative was launched in 1996 to try to cut down on pollution from oil refineries, which were estimated to be pumping 66 million pounds of toxic pollutants into the air each year. Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/16/epa-didnt-track-own-air-pollution-program-report/#ixzz2z4Xk2ICx Senators back state management of carbon emissions. Louisiana could have its own, less stringent plan for implementing the Environmental Protection Agency's limits on carbon dioxide emissions, under a proposal that got the approval Tuesday of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee. The measure by the committee's chairman, Sen. Mike Walsworth, would let the state Department of Environmental Quality decide how to apply EPA's upcoming rule on carbon dioxide emissions by setting standards for measuring emissions and the pace for following EPA's regulations. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/15/senators-back-state-management-of-carbon/ CLIMATE CHANGE Petroleum group says fracking helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The American Petroleum Institute said hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it is sometimes called, contributed to a 3.4% drop in greenhouse gas emissions in 2012, the trade group said in a statement. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday issued a report that found that greenhouse gas emissions dropped 3.4% in 2012 compared with the year before. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-fracking-greenhouse-gas-emissions-20140416,0,4347086.story#ixzz2z4LKXUia U.S. greenhouse gas emissions dropped 3.4% in 2012. Greenhouse gas emissions in the United States dropped by 3.4% in 2012, federal environmental regulators reported Tuesday. The decline over the previous year was driven mostly by power plant operators switching from coal to natural gas, improvements in fuel efficiency for transportation and a warmer winter that cut demand for heating, according to an inventory released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-greenhouse-gas-emissions-drop-2012-epa-20140415,0,205087.story Climate change gets the blockbuster treatment on Showtime. Clad in a military-style flight suit and aviator shades, Harrison Ford walks across a sunny tarmac and climbs into a fighter jet and takes off. Soon, he's soaring 5,000 feet above California. Ford is not starring as the hero of a summer blockbuster but in fact is tagging along on a NASA mission to measure levels of methane and carbon dioxide, two primary greenhouse gases, in the atmosphere…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/15/6326842/climate-change-gets-the-blockbuster.html#storylink=cpy As another report urges action, how can U.S. overcome obstacles to effective climate policy? This week’s latest U.N. report on climate change warns of the urgent need for global action in the next five to 15 years, if countries want to ward off the worst impacts of rising emissions. Posted. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/how-can-u-s-overcome-obstacles-to-climate-policy/ Scientists urge bigger research budgets for pulling CO2 out of the air. Scientists with an eye on climate change came together here this week to discuss the future of a potential game-changer, devices that can capture carbon dioxide from the air. During a conference at Columbia University, experts in the field from industry and academia essentially had this to say about direct carbon capture's prospects…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997970/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Field Poll: Drought responses split California. Californians agree their state is parched, but they diverge by region on how supplies dried up and what should be done about the drought. “There’s clearly a consensus that the state has a serious water shortage,” Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo said of a survey on the subject released Tuesday. “There, however, is no consensus to what got us into this situation.” Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/16/6327692/field-poll-drought-responses-split.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News#storylink=cpy City Contradicts Itself With Watering Restrictions. The City of Sacramento declared a drought in January, but city code still requires property owners keep their lawns watered and landscaping maintained. The Community Development Department will ask the City Council on Thursday to clarify which rules code enforcement officers are supposed to follow during a drought. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/21833 FUELS Pitzer College selling fossil fuel stocks in environmental move. Pitzer College, a liberal arts school in Claremont, has joined the vanguard of U.S. campuses deciding to sell off its investments in fossil fuel companies as a statement of concern about global warming. Pitzer’s board of trustees recently voted to approve a divestment plan to sell off about $4.4 million in fossil-fuel related investments, mainly in oil and gas companies… Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-pitzer-divestment-20140415,0,1879950.story#ixzz2z4HSamHn Southern agrees to coal research with Chinese firm. Southern Co. says it has signed a deal with a state-owned Chinese coal and energy company to work together to develop coal technologies, based in part on the coal gasification and carbon capture technology that Southern subsidiary Mississippi Power Co. is deploying at the $5 billion Kemper County power plant. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/15/6326784/southern-agrees-to-coal-research.html#storylink=cpy Sacramento’s Pacific Ethanol wipes out its corporate debt. Pacific Ethanol Inc. said Tuesday it has eliminated all its corporate debt, another milestone in the recovery of the once-troubled Sacramento company. However, the Sacramento ethanol producer said its four operating plants are still a combined $48 million in debt. At the corporate level, the company retired a $22.2 million bond offering by repaying the outstanding balance of less than $1 million. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/15/6326436/sacramentos-pacific-ethanol-wipes.html#storylink=cpy The menace of methane. Researchers found higher-than-expected emissions of a potent greenhouse gas emanating from Pennsylvania wells, according to a study published Monday that adds to concerns about the environmental footprint of natural gas. The study, conducted by Purdue and Cornell universities and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the latest to scrutinize methane emissions associated with natural gas development…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-menace-of-methane-5402413.php House Dems Want EPA to Reopen Investigation on Fracking. White House Targets Methane Emissions. A new study by scientists from Purdue and Cornell suggests that the methane emissions from shale gas could be much higher than previously thought. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looked at fugitive methane emissions in Pennsylvania by flying an airplane over drilling sites and collecting samples. What they found was a bit unnerving. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Is-Natural-Gas-No-Better-Than-Coal-5406826.php GAS PRICES: 12 straight days of increases irk customers. On the 12th day of gas-price increases, Alberto Castro-Mendoza pulled into the Shell station at the intersection of Iowa Avenue and Blaine Street in Riverside. It didn’t feel like Christmas. Castro-Mendoza, 22, usually shops around, but on Tuesday, April 15, he was in a rush. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20140415-gas-prices-12-straight-days-of-increases-irk-customers.ece With white papers, EPA takes first step on a set of potentially far-reaching regulations of methane. U.S. EPA yesterday took a first step toward what could become a new set of regulations governing emissions of methane from oil and gas operations. Yesterday, the agency released a set of five white papers analyzing methane leaks from the industry. The EPA release is the first part in a multi-step effort the agency is taking to address emissions of methane…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997979/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Suzuki joins fuel efficiency race with simplified hybrid system. Japanese small-car maker Suzuki Motor Corp said on Wednesday it will introduce an affordable, simplified gas-electric hybrid technology in its cars, joining rivals in the race for fuel efficiency. Japan's fourth-biggest car maker, which has largely focused on internal combustion engines, said it needs to boost fuel efficiency to survive in a competitive industry. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/16/us-suzuki-hybrid-idUSBREA3F0CA20140416?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews GREEN ENERGY New Wind, Solar Power Cheaper Than Nuclear Option, Study Shows. New wind and solar plants generate cheaper low-carbon electricity than the latest nuclear reactors, a study shows, indicating they will lead a global push for green energy. Newly built wind and solar with natural-gas as a backup can make power a fifth cheaper than nuclear backed by gas, the study by consultant Prognos AG shows. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-16/new-wind-solar-power-cheaper-than-nuclear-option-study-shows.html Clean Energy Investment Rises 9%, Led by Solar Power. Clean energy investment rose by 9 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier on surging demand for rooftop solar panels from the U.S. to Japan. New investment in renewable power and energy efficiency rose to $47.7 billion in the first three months of the year from $43.6 billion, Bloomberg New Energy Finance said today in an e-mailed statement. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-04-16/clean-energy-investment-rises-9-led-by-solar-power.html Owens Valley mobilizes against proposed DWP solar project. Opponents say the project would destroy scenic vistas and ruin the sense of isolation at Manzanar National Historic Site. One by one, a parade of Owens Valley residents rose at a public hearing Tuesday to assail the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's plan to meet its renewable energy goals by covering 2 square miles of high desert with 1 million solar panels. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-owens-solar-20140416,0,1493394.story#ixzz2z4EaLVQj Clean energy: Is a boom coming in 2014? Clean energy is off to a strong start in 2014, with global investment rising as prices for wind and solar power continue to drop. Renewables still hold a small share of total energy mixes, but clean-energy growth is picking up momentum. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0416/Clean-energy-Is-a-boom-coming-in-2014 DOE issues draft loan solicitation for up to $4B for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects; drop-in biofuels a key area. The US Department of Energy (DOE) issued a draft loan guarantee solicitation for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects located in the US that avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140416-doe.html Renewable energy rises, but IPCC authors warn that nuclear power must also rise to replace fossil fuels. Over the past decade and a half, countries around the world have taken unprecedented steps to shift their energy dependence from fossil fuels to alternative resources. Tariffs and subsidies have spurred the growth of wind and solar, regional emissions markets have imposed costs on carbon, and government funds have poured in to support the development of new, low-carbon technologies. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997976/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Cities' move toward solar power accelerates in 5 years. American cities looking for cleaner and more reliable electricity resources are increasingly adopting solar power under a broad movement among mayors and councils to make their grids cleaner and less carbon-intensive. In fact, 20 cities, occupying just 0.1 percent of the entire U.S. landmass, now produce 7 percent of all photovoltaic solar energy in the country, according to a new report from the nonprofit group Environment America. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059997974/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Eric Garcetti signs waste franchise plan to expand recycling. A major expansion of the city’s recycling program was launched Tuesday as Mayor Eric Garcetti signed into law a new waste franchise agreement to expand recycling to businesses and apartments. “This is one of the most ambitious programs of its kind,” Garcetti said at a City Hall news conference where he was surrounded by the Zero Waste Coalition. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140415/NEWS/140419527 OPINIONS Public Attitudes About Climate Change. Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger (“Global Warming Scare Tactics,” Op-Ed, April 9) embrace uncritically what can be called the ultimate technocratic illusion: that whatever we human beings do to our habitat can be fixed by a rescue technology. Just as the American media are beginning, belatedly, to take seriously the dire effects of climate change, the writers scold these efforts as “fear-based.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/15/opinion/public-attitudes-about-climate-change.html A backup plan for climate change. OF ALL the reports that the U.N.-chartered Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released over the last several months, this week’s might be the most distressing. The authoritative body of scientists, economists and other experts previously warned that the planet is warming, that humans are primarily responsible and that uncontrolled climate change would have a range of unwelcome effects. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-backup-plan-for-climate-change/2014/04/15/6894b8c0-c41c-11e3-b195-dd0c1174052c_story.html Climate change has arrived. The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Monday, April 14: In case there was still any doubt, and there shouldn't be at this point, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations group of scientists, has made it official: Climate change is not coming, it's already here. And it's going to get worse unless the whole world - especially the industrial world - greatly reduces greenhouse emissions causing global warming. Posted. Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/15/6325590/climate-change-has-arrived.html#storylink=cpy Slogging forward on climate-change. THE WORLD now has a rough deadline for action on climate change. Nations need to take aggressive action in the next 15 years to cut carbon emissions, in order to forestall the worst effects of global warming, says the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Expect a certain part of our political class to insist that man-made climate change is not consensus science, and that until it is, nothing should be done. Posted. http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/04/15/climate-change-skeptics-don-deserve-veto/NsUEz1Epj9SjQchg2GIqoN/story.html Turn the tide on climate change: Try vegan for Earth Day. The recently released United Nations report Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability might alter your plans for Earth Day on April 22. It confirms that climate change is having an impact on every continent, affecting agriculture, human health, ecosystems, water supplies and even some people's livelihoods, but it also indicates that we can still turn the tide if we take significant steps to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/16/3294806/turn-the-tide-on-climate-change.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS A Risk Analyst Explains Why Climate Change Risk Misperception Doesn’t Necessarily Matter. David Ropeik, the risk communication consultant and author of “How Risky is it, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match the Facts,” had some concerns about the way I characterized our “inconvenient minds” in my TEDx talk in Portland, Ore., over the weekend. He’s right, of course. The 19-minute presentation on how, with sustained work…Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/16/a-risk-analyst-explains-why-climate-change-risk-misperception-doesnt-necessarily-matter/ A Green Group Sees Hope in ‘The End of China’s Coal Boom’. Through much of its history, Greenpeace has been big on what I call “woe is me, shame on you” messaging on the environment. As I explained at a TEDx event in Portland, Ore., over the weekend, fingerpointing (including Greenpeace’s) is appropriate in many instances, but doesn’t work well with human-driven global warming. The blame game too often ends up resembling a circular firing squad. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/15/a-green-group-sees-hope-in-the-end-of-chinas-coal-boom/?_php=true&_type=blogs&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=csesort%3Ah&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry671%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Environmentalists slam Dianne Feinstein’s drought bill. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s revised drought bill is coming under increasing attack from the left even as the California Democrat tries to woo Republicans to speed the bill’s passage through the Senate without committee consideration. More than a dozen environmental groups, including Sierra Club California, Audubon California…Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/04/15/environmentalists-slam-dianne-feinsteins-drought-bill/ California Trails Texas in Wind Power, Says New Report. The commercial wind industry was born in California, and the state has one of the strongest renewable energy incentive programs in the country. Still, when it comes to wind, Texas has us beat by a long shot, according to a new report from the Washington, D.C.-based American Wind Energy Association. California generates 5,829 megawatts of wind energy, compared with 12,354 megawatts in the Lone Star State. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/04/15/california-trails-texas-in-wind-power-says-new-report/ The brink of disaster, the edge of salvation. Three United Nations sponsored climate reports were just released that clearly point to the dangers of a changing climate. The three reports show that dramatic cuts in greenhouse emissions must proceed with all due haste to belay the most harmful effects of climate change. In other words we have a major problem but there is a way out. There is hope. Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/lawrencewhite/the-brink-of-disaster-the-edge-of-salvation/924/ How CPUC's Robert Weisenmiller sees California's energy future. Before its retirement in 2012, the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) represented about 16 percent of the local electricity generation supply covering an average of 1.4 million homes serviced by Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and the city of Riverside in southern California. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/04/16/how-cpucs-robert-weisenmiller-sees-californias-energy-future?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+greenbuzz+(GreenBiz) Four Ways The U.S. Military Can Adopt Clean Energy For National Security. At the U.S. Defense Department, the multiple national security threats created by sea level rise and severe weather command daily attention; climate change has been on its radar for years. The recently published Quadrennial Defense Report (QDR), an assessment of U.S. defense readiness, addresses the growing threat that climate change poses to military capabilities and global operations. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/edfenergyexchange/2014/04/16/four-ways-the-u-s-military-can-adopt-clean-energy-for-national-security/#./?&_suid=139766688649509169351091921758 California Plans For A Hydrogen Future. The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development for the State of California (nicknamed “GO-Biz”) held an event at the Toyota USA Automobile Museum yesterday. The topic was “Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure in Your Neighborhood: A state and local workshop.” After opening remarks, approximately 150 attendees from automotive manufacturers, state and local government…Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonfogelson/2014/04/15/california-plans-for-a-hydrogen-future/#./?&_suid=1397667900413083215336916282 Scaling Wind — Informative, Short Documentary On Moving US Wind Energy Ahead. Scaling Wind, directed by Michelle Nunez, and produced by GreenTech Films, is an informative 30-minute documentary showcasing the benefits and challenges of reaching 20% wind energy by 2030 in the US. The film shows how the goal started, with a 2006 State of the Union address by George W. Bush. His suggestion of getting 20% wind energy by 2030 was one solution to getting off fossil fuels. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/04/16/scaling-wind-informative-short-documentary-moving-us-wind-energy-ahead/#SqRkMSz1Cc7E0gY3.99 There’s Still Time to Profit From This Renewable Energy Technology. Among the many secrets to successful investing, one of the most powerful is to identify promising sectors that haven’t seen much interest… then wait for the masses to catch up. In the technology sector, this usually happens with unfamiliar areas, where investors will only go halfway. For example, they’ll buy a solar panel company, but won’t peel back the layers to reveal even better opportunities, such as microinverter companies. Posted. http://www.wallstreetdaily.com/2014/04/15/solar-energy-solar-stocks/ Here comes an app to tie your carbon footprint with what you buy. Summary: Startup Oroeco is tying financial data from Mint with carbon emissions data, in the hopes that their app will be compelling enough to change user behavior. There are plenty of apps out there that help people calculate and lower their carbon footprints, but the reality is that most of these apps receive little use — they’re just not that compelling and useful. Posted. http://gigaom.com/2014/04/16/here-comes-an-app-to-tie-your-carbon-footprint-with-what-you-buy/ Renters: Minimize Your Carbon Footprint. Apartment living offers the advantage that as a tenant, you aren’t required to take responsibility for matters like upkeep, waste disposal and even energy use in communal areas. But what if you do want to take responsibility for your own carbon footprint and you want your efforts to extend beyond driving a hybrid vehicle and buying sustainable goods? Fortunately, you don’t need to own a home to make your lifestyle more eco-friendly. Posted. http://blog.allstate.com/renters-minimize-carbon-footprint/ A Timely Reminder From the CSLB and a Funny Acronym to Boot. Growing up in Sacramento, California I remember it being so hot that you could feel your tennis shoes stick to the asphalt on the playground. As California enters its worst drought in 119 years concern over water has spawned a well drilling boon. Our ever vigilant (and prescient) California Contractors State License Board has sent out this timely reminder: Posted. http://calconstructionlawblog.com/2014/04/15/its-hot-out-there-a-timely-reminder-from-the-cslb/ If You Were Watching "Game of Thrones" Last Night, You Missed Neil Tyson's Solution to Global Warming. Last night's episode of Fox's Cosmos series didn't seem political or controversial, at least on the surface. Rather, it introduced us to the world on the molecular and atomic scale, at one point venturing inside of a dewdrop (packed with extremely cool tiny organisms like tardigrades) and, later, inside of a plant cell. Posted. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/04/neil-tyson-cosmos-chloroplasts-climate-change Novel technique produces ethanol from carbon monoxide. Ethanol may be touted as a more eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuels, but it's not without its own drawbacks. Most importantly, the corn or other plants required as feedstock often take up field space that could otherwise be put to use growing food crops. Also, as with other plants, the feedstock crops require large amounts of water and fertilizer. Posted. http://www.gizmag.com/ethanol-carbon-monoxide/31658/ Volvo S60L Petrol Plug-in Hybrid is the full package. At next week's Beijing Motor Show, Volvo is set to introduce a new member of its plug-in hybrid family. The company has had success with the world's first diesel PHEV, the V60 plug-in hybrid, but the new S60L is dubbed a PPHEV. The extra P stands for petrol. Unsurprisingly given the debut location, the S60L PPHEV is a vehicle that is destined for the Chinese market. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/16/volvo-s60l-petrol-plug-in-hybrid/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 13:23:44 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for April 17, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 17, 2014. 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 Using Cap and Trade Funds for Housing and Transit. State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg is proposing a new plan for cap-and-trade proceeds that are collected from the state's biggest polluters. Steinberg, D-Sacramento, wants the majority of those revenues to go toward providing a permanent source of funding for sustainable affordable housing and mass transit, like high-speed rail. Posted. http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2014-04-16/climate-change-air-quality/using-cap-and-trade-funds-for-housing-and-transit/a38802-1 Can Oregon and Washington Price Carbon Pollution? Sick and tired of waiting for the US and Canadian federal governments to lead on climate issues, the US states of California, Oregon and Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia decided last year to reinvigorate a regional partnership aimed at tackling the climate challenge. Posted. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10303§ion=news_articles&eod=1 AIR POLLUTION Beijing's bid to move polluting firms watched warily in nearby regions. China's capital has ordered more than 50 companies to shut down this year in an effort to cut pollution but pushing factories out could raise objections in surrounding areas reluctant to host Beijing's polluters. Smog-shrouded Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei have become a front in a "war against pollution" declared by Premier Li Keqiang last month. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/17/china-pollution-beijing-idUSL3N0N91RD20140417 Beijing says one third of its pollution comes from outside the city. About a third of the air pollution in China's smog-hit capital comes from outside the city, official media reported on Wednesday, citing a pollution watchdog. Chen Tian, chief of the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, said that about 28-36 percent of hazardous airborne particles known as PM2.5 came from surrounding provinces like Hebei…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/16/china-pollution-beijing-idUSL3N0N814420140416 Shanghai Warns Children to Stay Indoors on Heavy Pollution. Shanghai warned children and the elderly to stay indoors as haze covered the city and levels of PM2.5 rose to more than eight times the World Health Organization recommended range. Smog levels started rising around noon today with the air quality index reaching 254 as of 5 p.m., signaling “heavy pollution,” the third worst in a six-tier warning system, according to the website of the city’s environmental monitoring center. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-17/shanghai-warns-children-to-stay-indoors-on-heavy-pollution.html Measuring Africa’s Air Pollution. When Jenny Linden, an air quality scientist, tried to measure the pollution in Burkina Faso’s capital city, one of her instruments clogged up. It was designed for road dust in Arizona, but the dust in Ouagadougou far exceeded the machine’s limit, and it had to be sent to the United States for repair. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/17/business/energy-environment/measuring-africas-air-pollution.html Sriracha sauce maker considers relocation. Huy Fong Foods owner says he's made no decision to move but faces uncertainty in Irwindale. Texas, other states have made pitches. After a months-long battle with the city of Irwindale over complaints about a spicy odor, Sriracha sauce creator David Tran said Wednesday that he is now seriously considering moving his factory to another location. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-sriracha-20140417,0,6897133.story#ixzz2zAPlmb8u Environmental groups slam Pa. smog proposal as lax. Environmental groups say Pennsylvania's federally mandated plan to reduce smog would allow coal-fired power plants to emit more pollution than they do now. The state has been working on a proposal to curb ground-level ozone in 17 counties where the federal government says smog levels remain too high and pose a health risk to the young, the elderly, people with asthma and others. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/16/environmental-groups-slam-pa-smog-proposal-as/#ixzz2zA5Fc632 Study outlines minorities' dramatically higher exposure to NO2. Americans of color are exposed to 38 percent more nitrogen dioxide (NO2) outdoor air pollution than white people, according to a new study that finds the differences persist even among income levels. Exposure to sustained amounts of NO2 can bring serious health effects, like asthma attacks, and can help cause heart attacks. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998080/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Drunken Trees: Dramatic Signs of Climate Change. As the permafrost melts in the north, forests no longer grow straight. Sarah James, an Alaska Native elder, says global warming is radically changing her homeland. Even the forests no longer grow straight. Melting ground has caused trees to tilt or fall. "Because permafrost melts, it causes a lot of erosion," says James, who lives in Arctic Village, a small Native American village in northeastern Alaska. "A lot of trees can't stand up straight. If the erosion gets worse, everything goes with it." Permafrost is permanently frozen ground. But climate change has caused much of that ground to melt at an unprecedented rate. Posted. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140417-drunken-trees-melting-permafrost-global-warming-science/ Frigid Eastern winters and warm Western ones nothing new -- blame the jet stream. A new study has found that the wavy jet stream pattern that tends to bring warm winter weather to the U.S. West and cold weather to the East was set in place 4,000 years ago. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, also suggests that climate change may help keep the wavy pattern in place. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998032/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Fossil fuels states band together on existing power plant rule. Fossil fuels states met yesterday and today in Bismarck, N.D., to swap ideas about how to protect their states' economic and energy interests from what they fear could be the harmful effects of U.S. EPA's upcoming existing power plant carbon dioxide rule. The meeting comes six weeks before the federal agency is set to release its proposed guidance for the rule, and regulators have been tight-lipped about what it will look like. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998084/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Industry group says large U.S. reserves can support exports. Natural gas reserves are likely to grow and support the United States' move toward exporting domestic gas, according to a report the American Gas Association released today, as the topic heats up on Capitol Hill and beyond. The industry group's study found domestic reserves will likely increase, based on a sampling of some of the country's 30 largest reserve holders. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998070/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Ethanol plant gets key EPA permit for carbon sequestration. U.S. EPA issued a draft "Class VI" permit for the underground injection of carbon dioxide to the second-ever project this week, marking a milestone in regulations of capture and storage of the greenhouse gas. The draft permit under the Class VI program for the Archer Daniels Midland Co. project in Decatur, Ill. -- which aims to capture 1.1 million metric tons of CO2 annually over five years from an ethanol plant… Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998037/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Clean Slate. Big vehicles need not have a big impact on the environment. Green technology is hotter than ever, and nowhere does that technology make more sense — and have a bigger impact — than beneath the hoods of sport-utilities and pickups. After all, Americans love spacious, versatile rides as well as fuel economy. Some of us even factor in environmental concern. And green technology delivers it all in a big way — literally. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/shopping/la-ss-trucksandsuvs-cleanslate-10122011,0,4354281.story#ixzz2zABTc9d2 Mercedes-Benz’ anticipatory energy management system for hybrids. Mercedes-Benz has developed an intelligent energy management system for hybrid vehicles that assesses the road ahead and takes it into account. The objectives of the “Intelligent HYBRID” system are to maximize the benefit of recuperation energy and to provide driving pleasure through the boost effect of the electric motor. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140417-mb.html A tiny additive may give durability to a more powerful new electric car battery. Adding tiny particles to lithium-sulfur batteries may extend the range of electric vehicles, overcome range anxiety and unlock the full potential of renewable energy. Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed a unique, powdery nanomaterial called a metal organic framework, or MOF…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998042/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Zero-emission engine preparing for its debut. It appears the "zero emission" engine is ready for prime time. Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz's parent corporation, plans to start selling hydrogen-fueled cars to the public by 2017 with assistance from government spending and joint efforts by Nissan Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co. If they're successful, wind energy, not the car industry, would be impacted. According to experts, a large commercial market could compel green energy producers to make clean hydrogen instead of storing electricity in expensive batteries. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998034/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Tiny power plants hold promise for nuclear energy. Small underground nuclear power plants that could be cheaper to build than their behemoth counterparts may herald the future for an energy industry under intense scrutiny since the Fukushima disaster, the incoming head of the Nuclear Energy Agency told The Associated Press. Size is relative - the modular plants could be about as big as a couple of semi-trailers - easily fitting on the dimensions of coal plants they're ultimately intended to replace in the U.S. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_SMALL_NUCLEAR_REACTORS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Private Sector Driving U.S. Wind Market Forward. Hydropower increasingly important in Scotland. French Utility Reports $13Billion Loss over Solar, Wind Subsidies. The onshore wind energy sector is booming in the United States, where there's enough of the renewable resource on hand to meet the annual demands for 15 million homes. It may take one of the biggest retailers in the world, however, to usher in the necessary change in energy consumption. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Private-Sector-Driving-U-S-Wind-Market-Forward-5409951.php MOJAVE DESERT: Huge solar project questioned. Worries about possible environmental damage from another large-scale solar project proposed for the Southern California desert has prompted the federal government to give people more time to submit comments on the proposal. The Silurian Valley solar project would go on 11-square miles of public land in San Bernardino County, about 10 miles north of Baker, between Death Valley National Park and the Mojave National Preserve. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140416-mojave-desert-huge-solar-project-questioned.ece Scientists develop a way to see how energy moves in potential solar cell materials. With a new imaging technique, researchers can now watch how energy moves through materials, paving the way for more efficient solar cells and better light-emitting diodes. Understanding how electrons move through substances like silicon is a key to unlocking higher efficiencies in many electronic devices, circumventing some of the engineering limits in clean energy technologies like photovoltaic panels… Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998039/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY White House highlights industry growth, pledges additional assistance. The White House this morning convened a summit designed to tout the dramatic growth in solar energy deployments and reductions in the technology's costs in the United States over the last several years, pledging additional government assistance to further expand the industry. The most substantial policy announcement from this morning's summit was a $15 million pledge from the Energy Department to aid community efforts to expand solar panel installations…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998064/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Scholarship winners rewarded for environmental savvy. A student team from a middle school in Michigan and another student team from a high school in New Jersey each earned $30,000 grand prizes in scholarships and grants for their innovative ideas to improve the environment. The scholarship competition encourages students nationwide to make the world a better place through environmental initiatives. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/17/3296661/scholarship-winners-rewarded-for.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS Political Roadblocks to Action on Climate Change. “Climate Efforts Falling Short, U.N. Panel Says” (front page, April 13) correctly points out the dire nature of the situation that threatens the very future of our planet. The article blamed “congressional opposition” for thwarting President Obama’s effort to adopt “aggressive climate policies.” While many environmentalists have serious concerns about how “aggressive” the president has really been in this area, what is absolutely clear is that it is not “congressional opposition” that is blocking progress. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/17/opinion/political-roadblocks-to-action-on-climate-change.html?_r=1 Column: Fuel-careful F1 less of a guilty pleasure. As Earth's atmosphere warms alarmingly and fills with heat-trapping gases, and the writing on the wall — "People, we're in trouble!" — looms ever larger, Formula One has steadily become a guilty pleasure, the motorsport equivalent of blue whale burger or wearing panda fur. All that precious fuel going up in smoke, speed, and outrageous noise. Unsustainable and increasingly unjustifiable. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Column-Fuel-careful-F1-less-of-a-guilty-pleasure-5409089.php The real polluters of Barrio Logan. A major argument used by supporters of the controversial community plan for Barrio Logan, just across from San Diego’s downtown shipyards, is that the plan will protect families, particularly children, from the neighborhood businesses that serve the shipyards and that spew “toxic, flammable chemicals, carcinogens” and other pollutants throughout the community. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/17/tp-the-real-polluters-of-barrio-logan/ Berkeley boost for electric-vehicle charging options. Making electric vehicles an everyday sight on Berkeley's streets is a core component of the city's ambitious plan to tackle global warming. As part of the its Climate Action Plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by one-third by 2020, Berkeley is dedicated to promoting the use of vehicles that run on renewable sources or low-carbon fuels. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25579223/Guest-opinion:-Berkeley-boost-for-electricvehicle http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25579223/Guest-opinion:-Berkeley-boost-for-electricvehicle BLOGS Here’s what fracking can do to your health. If you know one thing about fracking, it might be that the wells have been linked to explosive tap water. Of course, a tendency toward combustion isn’t the biggest problem with gas-infused water; it’s what could happen to you when you drink it. Posted. http://grist.org/business-technology/heres-what-fracking-can-do-to-your-health/ Toyota Europe boss says 'reasonable number' of fuel cell vehicles on the way. We know that Toyota is gung-ho about delivering its first hydrogen fuel cell sedan to early-adopter markets like southern California and part of Japan next year. The Japanese automaker's European H2 plans have long been part of the mix, but a new press release shows just how committed Toyota is to hydrogen all around the world. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/17/toyota-europe-boss-says-reasonable-number-fuel-cell-vehicles/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2014 11:18:43 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 18, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 18, 2014. 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 Appeals court rejects challenge on cement plants. A federal appeals court has turned aside a challenge by environmental groups to an air pollution standard for cement plants. In a 3-0 decision, the appeals court said the emissions-related provisions of the Environmental Protection Agency standard are permissible. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CEMENT_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT#3e9f8ecf-53c2-412f-9926-84eb1e077d2c Sriracha plant's possible move out of Irwindale called 'very extreme'. Irwindale's city attorney said he was confused and disappointed to hear that Sriracha hot sauce creator David Tran is seriously considering moving his factory -- the source of a months-long battle over spicy odor complaints -- out of the city. “This seems very extreme,” City Atty. Fred Galante said. “It's disappointing given that [air quality officials] have explained that there are readily available solutions.” Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-irwindale-attorney-sriracha-plant-20140417,0,7827443,print.story APNewsBreak: State rejects Hanford proposal. The state of Washington is rejecting the U.S. Department of Energy's proposal to amend the federal court agreement governing cleanup of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the nation's most polluted nuclear weapons production site. The state on Friday sent a letter to federal lawyers, saying the March 31 proposal that would have eliminated many deadlines for Hanford cleanup "is not acceptable to Washington." Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/APNewsBreak-State-rejects-Hanford-proposal-5413132.php CLIMATE CHANGE Thanks in part to climate change, the American West will see more fiery summers. Wildfires are getting bigger and more frequent in the American West. It’s not your imagination. And the summers ahead will bring more of them, even larger than the ones that came before. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/04/18/thanks-in-part-to-climate-change-the-american-west-will-see-more-fiery-summers/ SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Sneeze, wheeze, allergies: Valley's drought making it worse. Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/#storylink=cpyThe drought is drying up Valley farms -- but not noses. The dry, warm spring has kicked allergy season into overdrive. Pollen counts began spiking early, in February instead of their typical arrival this month, and except for a storm or two in March there hasn't been rain to wash the pollen away. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/17/3882818/sneeze-wheeze-allergies-valleys.html?sp=/99/217/&ihp=1 Unlikely Partnerships Spring From California Water Crisis. At a recent rally in Fresno County, Calif., farmers in plaid shirts stood side by side with migrant farmworkers in ball caps, holding signs that read "sin agua, no futuro" and "no water, no food." Fresno is the top agriculture-producing county in the U.S., with more than $6 billion in annual sales. Protesters argued that farms could go out of business without more water, and there would be mass layoffs. Posted. http://www.npr.org/2014/04/17/304143230/unlikely-partnerships-spring-from-california-water-crisis FUELS Gasoline prices jump in California as refineries encounter trouble. The statewide average for a gallon of regular has surged 13 cents in a week. Analysts differ on when prices will begin to drop. Problems at some of the state's fuel refineries have sent gasoline prices soaring in California just in time for the kickoff of the busy driving season. A gallon of regular gasoline hit a statewide average of $4.196 on Thursday, up about 13 cents in a week, according to AAA. That's the highest price since March 2013. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-prices-20140418,0,5851200,print.story What's Holding Back U.S. LNG Export Projects? With the U.S. currently awash in natural gas, the nation's government is accelerating the pace of approvals for projects that seek to export domestic natural gas in the form of liquefied natural gas. However, despite broad support for LNG exports by the Obama administration, only one export project has been given the final go-ahead to begin construction. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/What-s-Holding-Back-U-S-LNG-Export-Projects-5413126.php LNG Could Save Your Rail Stock Billions of Dollars. In 2012, the seven largest freight railroad companies spent $11 billion to guzzle more than 3.6 billion gallons of diesel fuel. But new government projections point to massive savings if corporations like Berkshire Hathaway's BSNF Railway and CSX Corporation can make the switch from diesel to LNG. Here's what you need to know. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/LNG-Could-Save-Your-Rail-Stock-Billions-of-Dollars-5412909.php Residents express outcry over Chevron Richmond's modernization project. More than 60 people addressed the city's Planning Commission on Thursday, saying the environmental report describing Chevron Corp.'s proposed $1 billion modernization of its local refinery does too little to reduce pollutants and ensure safety. "The proposed way that Chevron wants to run its plant is unacceptable," said Mike Parker, a resident and mayoral candidate. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/portal/west-county-times/ci_25590885/residents-express-outcry-over-chevron-richmonds-modernization-project?source=rss&_loopback=1 GREEN ENERGY Ukraine Seeks Renewable-Energy Boost to Counter Russia. Ukraine is seeking U.S. investment in its biomass, wind and solar power industries. The idea is to use renewable energy to curb its reliance on fuel imports from Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region last month and has troops massed on the border. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-17/ukraine-seeks-to-boost-biomass-to-lessen-dependence-on-russia.html County extends rooftop solar program to homes. County officials are predicting a boom in rooftop solar installations in unincorporated areas after the Board of Supervisors approved a program that allows homeowners to finance the work through their property tax bills. “This is a great, sunny day for the unincorporated area of San Diego County,” Supervisor Dianne Jacob said after the board action. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/17/tp-county-extends-rooftop-solar-program-to-homes/ Northwest Fresno development recognized for green construction practices. The Offices at Palm Crossing, a Lance-Kashian & Co. development in northwest Fresno, received an LEED Platinum rating for new construction from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, ratings are part of a green building certification program that recognizes sustainable building strategies and practices, according to the USGBC. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/17/3297764/northwest-fresno-development-recognized.html#storylink=cpy BLM advancing large Calif. project with measures to avoid condors, eagles. The Obama administration has completed the draft environmental analysis of a commercial-scale wind farm project in the foothills of the Tehachapi mountain range, an area that has some of the nation's best wind resources near habitat for California condors and golden eagles. The Bureau of Land Management today released a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Tylerhorse Wind Project in Kern County, Calif…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998144/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Norwalk woman cited for clean energy financing. Connecticut has been hailed as a poster child for clean energy reform and Norwalk's Jessica Bailey was recognized at the White House on Thursday for her commitment to affordable, smart energy options that have helped preserve the state's environment and revitalize its economy. Bailey, director of Connecticut's Commercial and Industrial Property Assessed Clean Energy program, was named one of 10 "Champions of Change" at the Solar Summit. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Norwalk-woman-cited-for-clean-energy-financing-5411587.php OPINIONS Climate misinformation. Re "Climate crisis reprieve" (Letters, April 17): Letter writer Paul Brady calls out the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for changing its tune in its most recent report. This is patently false. By comparing numbers that are not directly comparable, he weaves a fictitious tale of the boy-who-cried wolf variety. Climate models, although not perfect, have their foundations in fundamental physical principles…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/17/6332368/climate-misinformation.html#storylink=cpy Our View: Air Resources Board should consider easing up a bit. Here's hoping the state's Air Resources Board eases up a little on regulations that phase out older diesel engines. It's important that we continue to work to improve our air quality; but it's also important that we don't put our economic cornerstone — agriculture — at risk. Posted. http://www.appeal-democrat.com/opinion/our_views/our-view-air-resources-board-should-consider-easing-up-a/article_2067ada6-c6aa-11e3-b732-0017a43b2370.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:34:01 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for April 21, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 21, 2014. 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. CLIMATE CHANGE Australia's Palmer says won't back government climate plan: report. Australia's government might fail to get the necessary backing for its planned A$1.55 billion ($1.45 billion) fund to pay big emitters to cut pollution, after a Senate minority party on Monday said it would vote against the plan. Mining billionaire Clive Palmer, whose Palmer United Party (PUP) will control the balance of power in the Senate from July, said he would not back the government's direct action Plan on climate change. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/21/us-australia-climatechange-idUSBREA3K08V20140421 Setbacks Aside, Climate Change Is Finding Its Way Into the World's Classrooms. From Mauritius to Manitoba, climate change is slowly moving from the headlines to the classroom. Schools around the world are beginning to tackle the difficult issue of global warming, teaching students how the planet is changing and encouraging them to think about what they can do to help slow that process. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/21/business/energy-environment/setbacks-aside-climate-change-is-finding-its-way-into-the-worlds-classrooms.html?hpw&rref=education&_r=0 Fresh data and warning about climate change. International efforts to cut greenhouse-gas emissions haven’t been enough to stave off climate change, the world’s leading scientific organization on the issue warned last week. Emissions climbed at record rates for the first decade of this century, and only major action will keep warming at manageable levels, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said in the final volume of a trilogy of reports about the science and policy of climate change. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/21/tp-fresh-data-and-warning-about-climate-change/ Climate changes visible by ZIP code with new online tools. With the click of a computer mouse, the potential risks of rising sea levels will soon be searchable — by ZIP code — for all U.S. coastal communities. An online mapping tool will show how much sea levels are expected to rise in each area, as well as the number of residents and buildings that could be flooded. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/20/climate-change-new-online-tools/7739415/ Climate change increasing massive wildfires in West. Massive wildfires are on the increase in the Western USA due to rising temperatures and worsening drought from climate change, and the trend could continue in the decades to come, new research suggests. http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/04/19/western-wildfires-climate-change/7874841/ DROUGHT California’s Thirsting Farmland. This summer, Todd Allen’s only crop will be Pima cotton. He and his brother, Joel, usually also grow cantaloupes and, later in the season, winter wheat on about 600 acres or so. But this year, they and hundreds of others will get no water from the reservoirs that sustain farming in the Central Valley, where much of the nation’s fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables are grown. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/21/business/energy-environment/californias-thirsting-farmland.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1 California drought: Food banks drying up, too. The effects of California's drought could soon hit the state's food banks, which serve 2 million of its poorest residents. Fresh produce accounts for more than half the handouts at Bay Area food banks, but with an estimated minimum of 500,000 acres to be fallowed in California, growers will have fewer fruits and vegetables to donate. With less local supply, food prices will spike…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/California-drought-Food-banks-drying-up-too-5416846.php DIESEL EMISSIONS Air quality board to consider another relaxation of diesel rules. Under pressure, air quality board might again give small trucking operations more time to comply with rules to clean up diesel emissions. California air quality officials are again moving to relax tough rules to clean up aging diesel trucks that are among the state's worst remaining sources of air pollution. The changes being considered this week by the state Air Resources Board come in response to pressure from small trucking firms and owner-operators…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-diesel-trucks-20140421,0,2318054,print.story http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/21/3302587/air-quality-board-considers-easing.html#storylink=cpy Price Chopper joins RPI test using air flow to stretch trucking fuel. A technology initially aimed at making jetliners more efficient by directing the flow of air may someday help the Price Chopper supermarket chain and other shippers squeeze more mileage out of delivery trucks. Developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, small devices called air-jet actuators are part of $4.3 million in state research funding announced this week for 17 different projects across the state meant to reduce the environmental footprint of trucks, cars, trains, subways and airports. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Price-Chopper-joins-RPI-test-using-air-flow-to-5414000.php FUELS Study: Fuels from corn waste not better than gas. Biofuels made from the leftovers of harvested corn plants are worse than gasoline for global warming in the short term, a study shows, challenging the Obama administration's conclusions that they are a much cleaner oil alternative and will help combat climate change. A $500,000 study paid for by the federal government and released Sunday in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Climate Change concludes that biofuels …Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BIOFUELS_GLOBAL_WARMING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-biofuels-study-20140421,0,6597246.story#axzz2zXOph5Qj http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Study-Fuels-from-corn-waste-not-better-than-gas-5417114.php http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/21/3302154/study-fuels-from-corn-waste-not.html#storylink=cpy http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/study-fuels-from-corn-waste-not-better-than-gas/2014/04/21/f2ea63c6-c92b-11e3-b81a-6fff56bc591e_story.html http://www.contracostatimes.com/AP%20Content/ci_25606746/Study:-Fuels-from-corn-waste-not http://www.insidebayarea.com/AP%20Content/ci_25606746/Study:-Fuels-from-corn-waste-not http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/20/corn-biofuels-gasoline-global-warming Delay won't quell 2014 wrangling over Keystone XL. Democrats sweating this year's elections may be hoping that the Obama administration's latest delay to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline takes a politically fraught issue off the table for the midterms. Fat chance. An indefinite extension of the government's review of the contentious oil pipeline, announced late Friday by the State Department, almost certainly pushes a final decision past the November elections…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_KEYSTONE_PIPELINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/20/us-usa-keystone-obama-analysis-idUSBREA3J0CE20140420 http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Decision-delayed-on-Keystone-pipeline-5414172.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/18/6336139/keystone-pipeline-decision-delayed.html FEATURE-Many Canadian aboriginals see no compromise on oil sands pipeline. Just a few miles from the spot where Enbridge Inc plans to build a massive marine terminal for its Northern Gateway oil pipeline, Gerald Amos checks crab traps and explains why no concession from the company could win his support for the project. Amos, the former chief of the Haisla Nation on the northern coast of British Columbia and a community leader, has argued for years that the risk - no matter how small…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/21/canada-pipeline-aboriginals-idUSL2N0NC05B20140421 Exporting Oil Will Lower Your Gasoline Bill? Since 1975, U.S. exports of crude oil have been largely banned under restrictions imposed by Congress in the aftermath of the 1973 Arab oil embargo. But with the U.S. entering into what many have termed a new era of oil abundance, U.S. lawmakers are now seriously thinking about lifting the ban. Some worry that exporting U.S. oil could raise domestic gasoline prices, eating into consumers' disposable incomes and hindering economic growth. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Exporting-Oil-Will-Lower-Your-Gasoline-Bill-5416201.php Canada Embracing Climate Control Measures to Support Oil Sector. Environmental advocacy groups put Canadian oil sands on the same footing as a weapon of mass destruction. With limited trade options on hand, provincial leaders are now trying to recast the Canadian oil sector's image with a green hue. The processes involved in exploiting the more viscous form of crude oil found in the Athabasca region of Alberta are viewed as detrimental to human health and the global environment. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Canada-Embracing-Climate-Control-Measures-to-5417543.php Can Biodiesel Investments Survive Without the Blender's Tax Credit? he blender's tax credit, or BTC, is a fixed $1 per gallon tax credit given to the first fuel blender of a volume of biodiesel that contains at least one-tenth of one percent petroleum-based diesel fuel. It is separate from renewable identification numbers, or RINs, that are used to track monthly production and are priced on the open market. In other words, biodiesel and renewable diesel producers…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Can-Biodiesel-Investments-Survive-Without-the-5410602.php How Natural Gas Prices Could Spike Over the Long Term. The future is generally not set in stone. Thousands of factors affect natural gas prices, and each factor can change at any moment. So far, these factors have kept U.S. natural gas trading at a significant discount to prices in the rest of the world. Natural gas contracts at Henry Hub, for example, trade at around $4.7/MMBtu while LNG trades at approximately $20/MMBtu in the Asian Pacific. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/How-Natural-Gas-Prices-Could-Spike-Over-the-Long-5417872.php Gasoline prices hit 14-month high. Surging gasoline prices in the San Diego area have reached their highest level in more than a year. The average price of a gallon of regular-grade gasoline climbed to $4.27 on Friday at San Diego gas stations, up 12 cents from a week ago and 27 cents in a month, according to the AAA daily fuel gauge report. The last time gasoline sold for so much was March 2, 2013. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/18/gas-price-spike-unrelenting/ Former EPA official: Fracking transparency vital. Controversies over the fracking process may be inevitable, a former administrator with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acknowledged recently, but Wisconsin can protect its place as the leading supplier of sand for the nation's fracking boom as long as the state has strong regulations, maintains maximum transparency and responds quickly to neighbors' concerns. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/20/3301696/former-epa-official-fracking-transparency.html#storylink=cpy Study casts doubts on GHG savings of fuels made from corn stover, cobs. The loss of soil carbon that results from removing corn field wastes to make biofuels could negate their value as a low-carbon fuel ingredient, a recent paper suggests. Using corn residue -- corn stover and cobs -- to make cellulosic biofuels increases emissions from the burning of plant matter and other residue components in the biorefinery…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998148/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FRACKING Fracking foes cringe as unions back drilling boom. After early complaints that out-of-state firms got the most jobs, some local construction trade workers and union members in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia say they're now benefiting in a big way from the Marcellus and Utica Shale oil and gas boom. That vocal support from blue-collar workers complicates efforts by environmentalists to limit the drilling process known as fracking. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Fracking-foes-cringe-as-unions-back-drilling-boom-5416292.php National energy boom blurs political battle lines. The U.S. energy boom is blurring the traditional political battle lines across the country. Democrats are split between environmentalists and business and labor groups — and one key issue is the proposed Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline. Some deeply conservative areas are allying with conservationists against fracking, the drilling technique that's largely responsible for the boom. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/19/6337045/national-energy-boom-blurs-political.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES Mazda recalls 109,000 SUVs in the United States for rust issue. Mazda Motor Corp (7261.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is recalling 109,000 Tribute compact sport utility vehicles in the United States to address potential rusting frame parts in cold-weather states where road salt is heavily used in the winter. The recall affects Tribute SUVs from model years 2001 to 2004 as corrosion on a part of the vehicle's frame could result in the loss of steering control, Mazda said in a statement. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/21/us-autos-mazda-recall-idUSBREA3K0RE20140421 UPDATE 1-VW to push electric cars in China as market opens. Volkswagen will keep expanding Chinese operations and start selling battery-powered cars in the biggest auto market as the country rewards electric-vehicle buyers to tackle air pollution. VW said on Saturday it will add capacity in its top market, the destination of over a third of its 2.4 million first-quarter group deliveries, as economic stimulus measures and demand in China's interior regions fuel sales. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/19/autoshow-china-vw-idUSL6N0NB07U20140419 Clean Energy Fuels CEO: Why Tesla Isn't Competition, and Passenger Cars Aren't Clean Energy's Market. The difference between fleet and passenger vehicles is often misunderstood, Andrew Littlefair says. Andrew Littlefair is the CEO and co-founder of Clean Energy Fuels , the leading provider of natural gas for transportation in North America. Clean Energy provides CNG and LNG fuels to solid waste, trucking, and transit fleets, among others, and currently operates some 500 fueling stations in the United States and Canada…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Clean-Energy-Fuels-CEO-Why-Tesla-Isn-t-5417556.php 300mpg Diesel-Electric Hybrid Unveiled by Volkswagen. The star of this week's Qatar motor show will undoubtedly be Volkswagen's "one-liter car," the diesel hybrid XL1, which is able to achieve more than 300 mpg. The $60,000 XL1 is powered by an 800cc, two-cylinder turbodiesel powerplant (half a BlueMotion engine), producing 47bhp, supported by a 27bhp electric motor hat fuelled by lithium-ion batteries. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/300mpg-Diesel-Electric-Hybrid-Unveiled-by-5409930.php New battery research initiative announces first corporate members. Duracell, Volkswagen and Hitachi are among the firms that last week joined CalCharge, an initiative that pools research resources from national laboratories, universities and private companies to design better batteries. The program aims to bridge a critical gap between fundamental improvements in battery technology and commercial products, smoothing over administrative hurdles…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998157/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY NASCAR begins an environmental cleanup with fuel cells. NASCAR, both the world's most popular motor sport and a sport widely disdained by environmentalists, is attempting to throw its green agenda into a higher gear. Five years into the NASCAR Green program, the racing series has launched ambitious recycling, clean air and renewable energy initiatives. NASCAR is now also looking to other clean energy technologies to improve its environmental credentials…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998146/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL High-speed rail agency issues final environmental report for Fresno-Bakersfield route. A final version of an environmental report has been issued for the Fresno-Bakersfield stretch of California's proposed high-speed rail system. The 20,000-page report, released Friday afternoon by the California High-Speed Rail Authority, details the anticipated effects that construction of the rail line and operation of the bullet train would have on homes…Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/18/3884498/rail-agency-issues-final-environmental.html GREEN ENERGY Conservative heavyweights have solar industry in their sights. The Koch brothers and large utilities have allied to reverse state policies that favor renewable energy. Environmentalists are pushing back, but the fight is spreading and intensifying. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-solar-kochs-20140420,0,7412286.story Earth-friendly. Earth Day is Tuesday, and if you've forsaken an eco-friendly lifestyle because you think going green requires a lot of green, think again. Investing in solar panels, hybrid cars and energy-efficient appliances can save cash long-term, but the initial investment can be costly and infeasible. Likewise, adopting an exclusively organic diet or using store-bought, all-natural cleaning products can hurt a grocery budget. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Earth-friendly-5413554.php 25 Amazing Facts About Solar. In the past few years alone, the solar industry has gone from a clean energy source that required subsidies just to stay afloat to a full-fledged economic force. Solar energy is now passing grid parity in Europe, the southwestern U.S., South America, South Africa, and many other parts of the world. As costs fall, even more locations will find solar power to be economical, opening up a global electricity market worth over $1 trillion annually. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/25-Amazing-Facts-About-Solar-5416343.php Oxford schools' green reputation grows. The Oxford School District's traditional school colors of blue and gold are facing some stiff competition by the color green now that the district is becoming synonymous with healthy food choices, sustainability efforts and energy efficiency. The Oxford High School is headed toward becoming the first high school in Mississippi to become LEED Silver Certified. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/20/3295138/oxford-schools-green-reputation.html#storylink=cpy BY SUBSCRIPTION MISCELLANEOUS Poll: Big Bang a big question for most Americans. While scientists believe the universe began with a Big Bang, most Americans put a big question mark on the concept, an Associated Press-GfK poll found. Yet when it comes to smoking causing cancer or that a genetic code determines who we are, the doubts disappear. When considering concepts scientists consider truths…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCIENCE_POLL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Serial Bird Killers? The True Toll of Infamous Windmills. As if cats weren’t bad enough, humans have invented all sorts of torture devices for our winged friends. We’ve paved over their nesting sites to make room for Olive Gardens and have broken up their skyscapes with glass buildings and radio towers. Then came the most infamous bird killer of all: the wind turbine. As you can see in the chart below, these sky blenders top the list. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-21/beware-the-blades-of-death-world-s-top-serial-bird-killers-.html Top court declines Exxon's appeal in water pollution case. The Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a ruling against Exxon Mobil Corp that ordered the company to pay $105 million in damages for polluting New York City's groundwater with a toxic gasoline additive. The decision not to hear the case leaves intact a July 2 U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that upheld the judgment. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/21/us-usa-court-environment-idUSBREA3K0L720140421 Fighting season for Brown, lawmakers. The governor and legislative leaders are about to begin an intense period of bartering on cap-and-trade, the bullet train and a rainy-day fund. High-stakes bargaining is about to begin in California's Capitol. As the weather heats up in Sacramento every year, so does the intensity. There'll be bartering over wonky programs and policies that for most citizens would be snooze-inducing. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-cap-budget-20140421,0,6500689,print.column Apple offering free recycling of all used products. Apple is offering free recycling of all its used products and vowing to power all of its stores, offices and data centers with renewable energy to reduce the pollution caused by its devices and online services. The iPhone and iPad maker is detailing its efforts to cultivate a greener Apple Inc. with an environmental section on the company's website that debuted Monday. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Apple-offering-free-recycling-of-all-used-products-5418208.php Farm Briefs: Range camp, Run Your Tail Off, greenhouse gases. The application deadline for Range and Natural Resource camp has been extended to April 28. The camp is a week-long event that immerses 24 students throughout California, ages 15-18, in science and topics related to rangelands, forests and riparian areas. Posted. http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_25601005/farm-briefs-range-camp-run-your-tail-off BY SUBSCRIPTION OPINIONS Column: Climate is right for clean energy firms. If you're ecology minded, the news hasn't been all that green of late, with ice caps and glaciers melting and storms becoming more destructive. But there is a huge silver lining for long-term investors in environmentally-friendly companies and technologies. To stave off a nearly 5-degree global temperature increase by 2100, nations must cut their global greenhouse emissions by up to 70 percent by the middle of this century…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/21/us-column-wasik-greenenergy-idUSBREA3K0PV20140421 Running Out of Time. Next year, in December, delegates from more than 190 nations will gather in Paris to take another shot at completing a new global treaty on climate change. This will be the 21st Conference of the Parties under United Nations auspices since the first summit meeting in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. For the most part, these meetings have been exercises in futility, producing just one treaty — in Kyoto in 1997 — that asked little of the big developing countries and was never ratified by the United States Senate. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/21/opinion/running-out-of-time.html?hp&rref=opinion Does fracking cause quakes? California needs to know. A swarm of Ohio quakes that geologists say may be linked to fracking illustrate the risks in California. Many concerns have been raised about hydraulic fracturing — also known as fracking — but the one scientists know the least about is the potential for earthquakes. Until recently, evidence linking earthquakes to fracking …Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-fracking-20140420,0,6379009,print.story Dan Morain: California could be in the running for Tesla’s battery factory, after all. Elon Musk probably would be a billionaire even if California didn’t exist. But this state’s green laws and subsidies certainly helped turn Musk golden. Musk founded Tesla Motors Inc., the sleek all-electric cars that sell for $70,000 or more, and SpaceX, which has the lucrative NASA contract to ferry cargo to the International Space Station. He’s also chairman of SolarCity, the largest installer of rooftop solar panels. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/20/6336181/dan-morain-california-could-be.html#storylink=cpy Editorial: Keystone XL pipeline needs green light, not stop signs. As the comic strip character Charlie Brown might say, "Good grief!" Last week President Obama decided yet again to delay a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline. Technically, the latest delay is tied to developments in Nebraska, which the northern leg of the pipeline must pass through. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Editorial-Keystone-XL-pipeline-needs-green-5413941.php Positive actions to celebrate Earth Day. The following editorial appeared in the Kansas City Star on Monday, April 21: As the nation celebrates Earth Day on Tuesday, it's an excellent opportunity to highlight the positive initiatives taken in the past to protect the air, water and land we all depend on for life. The special day, which began April 22, 1970, has spurred much progress. U.S. laws have cleaned up rivers and the air, especially in large cities. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/21/6340943/positive-actions-to-celebrate.html#storylink=cpy Learn about climate change at Earth Day forum. A public meeting dealing with climate change will be held Tuesday night in Atascadero. The free forum will be held in the Fellowship Hall of the Community Church beginning at 7 p.m. One of the issues to be answered, at least for me, will be the difference between weather change and climate change. I tend to use the terms interchangeably, as if they are the same. Posted. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/21/3030568/climate-change-forum-atascadero.html#storylink=cpy Voices: On Earth Day 2014, a climate change challenge. Two other reporters and I wrote those words about the first Earth Day in 1970 for the Elizabeth, N.J., Daily Journal. At the time, concerns about the environment were only beginning to enter the mainstream, prompted by worsening smog in our major cities and pictures of Ohio's Cuyahoga River on fire in 1969. Congress had created the Environmental Protection Agency just months before that first Earth Day, but the agency had not yet opened for business. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/21/earth-day-environment/7905743/ BLOGS Climate Change: Who Will Lead? With the latest warnings delivered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) over the past few weeks, no world leader will ever be able to claim that they were caught off-guard by climate change. As former heads of state ourselves, we've experienced global crises from within the corridors of power. Some may take the world by surprise, but sometimes the warning signals are such that there is no excuse not to act. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jimmy-carter/climate-change-who-will-l_b_5185328.html Earth Day: Promoting Urban Revitalization and Green Cities. April 22nd is Earth Day--an annual celebration of the planet's biodiversity and an important opportunity to highlight solutions to some of the world's most pressing environmental and social challenges. Through more than one billion pledges to buy local produce, start composting, eat less meat, reduce energy consumption, and many other actions…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-nierenberg/earth-day-promoting-urban_b_5187097.html Fueling the Future: How California Businesses are Advancing Earth Day’s Vision. To mark the 44th Earth Day, EDF has released a new Green Roads map celebrating clean transportation, an economic sector that is helping the Earth by producing groundbreaking and sustainable technologies. We Californians like to drive, but unfortunately our dependence on petroleum is harming our state, giving us the nation’s most polluted cities and the state’s biggest contributor to climate pollution (see the graph). Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/californiadream/2014/04/21/fueling-the-future-how-california-businesses-are-advancing-earth-days-vision/#sthash.cjkU8YqU.dpuf “Climate change war” is not a metaphor. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has just completed a series of landmark reports that chronicle an update to the current state of consensus science on climate change. In a sentence, here’s what they found: On our current path, climate change could pose an irreversible, existential risk to civilization as we know it – but we can still fix it if we decide to work together. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/climate-change-war-is-not-a-metaphor/ Honda Concept B Hybrid production version coming to China in 2016. At the Beijing Motor Show this weekend, Honda took the wraps off of the Concept B Hybrid, a "new-value concept" that will apparently do its level best to get the Japanese automaker back into the entry-level gas-electric game. Powertrain details for the five-door concept hatch are noticeably absent, so we are assuming that what Honda wants with this concept is for us to focus on the looks. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/21/honda-concept-b-hybrid-beijing-2014/ Lexus NX debuts in turbocharged and hybrid guise. Lexus showed off its polarizing new NX at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show, trotting out both the turbocharged 200t model (Lexus' first production turbo) alongside the hybrid-powered 300h. We still don't know a great deal about the turbocharged model, aside from the fact that the engine underhood is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, although we're hoping to get details sooner rather than later. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/20/lexus-nx-200t-300h-beijing-2014/ DOE offers $10M to advance biomass-to-biofuel efforts. The Department of Energy has made it clear that it favors a technology-somewhat-neutral, "all-of-the-above" strategy for developing energy alternatives for the US, as the new Strategic Plan 2014-2018 (PDF) states. What this looks like in the real world is another $10 million for "Technologies to Produce Advanced Biofuel Products from Biomass." Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/19/doe-offers-10m-to-advance-biomass-to-biofuel-efforts/ Montreal sets new EV gathering record: 431. The Nissan Leaf models are the easiest to spot, since they dominate the foreground. But Tesla Model S EVs and Chevy Volt plug-in hybrids are represented as well. Look a little closer and you'll see a Ford Focus Electric and Mistubishi i EVs. And is that a Cadillac ELR we see? Yes, it's kind of fun to take a good look at the picture above which was released by the Electric Vehicle Association of Quebec (AVEC) showing off the group's successful 431-EV gathering…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/20/montreal-sets-new-ev-gathering-record-431/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2014 12:59:53 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 22, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 22, 2014. 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 Earth Day look back: Global climate change overshadows success in cleaning up Los Angeles’ smog. Forty-four years ago today during the first Earth Day, skywriting planes inscribed the word “air” across the rust-colored skies of Los Angeles. Protesters and lawmakers came together in a miraculous kind of Kumbaya moment to solve the problem of L.A.’s dirty air that was damaging our lungs and lowering property values. Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/environment-and-nature/20140421/earth-day-look-back-global-climate-change-overshadows-success-in-cleaning-up-los-angeles-smog After Declaring War on Smog, China Gets Around to Updating Its Environmental Laws. If there’s any country that needs new-and-improved environmental laws, it’s China. The pollution in Beijing and other cities is visible from space, and tourists worried about unbreathable air can now buy smog insurance. Pollution has left 16 percent of Chinese land unfit for use, according to a recent government report, and two-thirds of companies surveyed by…Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-22/after-declaring-war-on-smog-china-gets-around-to-updating-its-environmental-laws CLIMATE CHANGE Forty-Four Years of Earth Day. When environmentalists proclaimed the first Earth Day, on this date in 1970, the air was filled with doomsday predictions. At the initial rallies to mark the day, people warned of overpopulation, a denuded planet, hundreds of millions of people starving to death, a new Ice Age or the greenhouse effect. Many — though not all, obviously — of those forecasts were off. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/upshot/forty-four-years-of-earth-day.html There is no global warming, declare 25 percent of Americans. Americans have clustered into three broad groups on the issue of global warming, with the largest, currently describing 39 percent of U.S. adults, attributing global warming to human actions and are worried about it, according to a new survey by Gallup Inc. Almost as large is a group Gallup terms the "mixed middle" at 36 percent. Posted. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/templates/print.cfm?ID=25686 Today’s Antarctic region once as hot as California, Florida. Parts of ancient Antarctica were as warm as today’s California coast, and polar regions of the southern Pacific Ocean registered 21st-century Florida heat, according to scientists using a new way to measure past temperatures. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, underscore the potential for increased warmth at Earth’s poles and the associated risk of melting polar ice and rising sea levels…Posted. http://www.rdmag.com/news/2014/04/today%E2%80%99s-antarctic-region-once-hot-california-florida DROUGHT Fields and farm jobs dry up with California's worsening drought. On a recent afternoon on the main drag of Orange Grove, Calif., about a dozen farm workers gathered on the sidewalk in front of a mini-mart. One man sits on a milk crate sipping a beer. A few others scratch some lotto tickets. Salvador Perez paces back and forth with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans. If there is no water, there's no work, he says in Spanish. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/04/22/43670/fields-and-farm-jobs-dry-up-with-california-s-wors/ DIESEL EMISSIONS Air quality board considers easing diesel rules. California air quality officials are considering giving small trucking operations more time to comply with new rules to clean up diesel emissions. The proposal would push back deadlines by a few years for small fleets, lightly used trucks and those in rural areas with cleaner air, and offer other adjustments to assist truck owners…Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/21/air-quality-board-considers-easing-diesel-rules/#ixzz2zdYPCFbH http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/04/21/43657/air-quality-board-considers-easing-diesel-rules/ http://fleetowner.com/running-green/updated-carb-may-relax-compliance-certain-fleet-types http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=34769 http://www.timescolonist.com/business/money/california-air-quality-officials-consider-relaxing-rules-for-some-diesel-trucks-1.978565 http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2014/04/carb-to-consider-delaying-some-emissions-rules.aspx http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/04/21/3800345/air-quality-board-considers-easing.html http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2014/4/22/Airqualityboardconsiderseasingdieselrules.aspx http://fleetnewsdaily.com/california-air-quality-board-considers-easing-diesel-rules/ http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/140/article/103806/ http://www.recorderonline.com/news/state_news/air-quality-board-considers-easing-diesel-rules/article_1b7ae807-9b1e-5ab3-89e9-4e5d38d703ba.html Ports to power a new kind of cleaning crew. A new war on air pollution in the twin seaports of Los Angeles and Long Beach is about to be launched. An armada of pelican-shaped barges with 100-foot-tall towers and booms could soon be navigating the ports, connecting their sleeves of ductwork to smokestacks of berthed container ships, and vacuuming out an alphabet soup of poisonous gases through a huge scrubber. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/long-610755-garcia-beach.html FUELS Keystone Pipeline May Be Big, but This Is Bigger. THE Keystone XL pipeline is a great political symbol. The proposed 1,700-mile pipeline, which would carry 830,000 barrels daily of carbon-heavy crude from Canada’s Alberta oil sands to Gulf Coast refineries, has galvanized environmental activists, who call it a litmus test for President Obama’s commitment to fighting climate change. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/business/energy-environment/us-emission-rules-would-far-outweigh-impact-of-keystone-pipeline.html?_r=0 We Could See You in the Gas Tank Later, Alligator. PRODUCTION of biodiesel as an alternative to fossil fuels is on the rise in the United States, and one reason, proponents say, is that it can be made from a long list of raw materials.“Biodiesel is made from all sorts of fats and oils,” said Ben Evans of the National Biodiesel Board, a trade group based in Washington. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/business/energy-environment/researchers-study-producing-biodiesel-from-alligators.html Alaska Lawmakers Back Natural Gas Plans. Alaska’s legislature on Monday approved Gov. Sean Parnell’s plan to join four energy companies in moving ahead on plans to build infrastructure to transport and market 35 trillion cubic feet of North Slope gas to be shipped by an 800-mile pipeline to a liquefied natural gas export plant. The project is valued at $45 billion to $65 billion for the line and gas treatment facilities. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/business/energy-environment/alaska-lawmakers-back-natural-gas-plans.html?ref=earth EPA's newly proposed targets are bad for climate, assert industry heads. For years, the biofuels industry has seen solid support from the federal government. But as the administration intensifies its message on climate change, the industry behind the one-time pillar of global warming mitigation -- replacing fossil fuels with biofuels -- is losing influence in the White House. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998219/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Tesla's Delays Upset Some China Customers. Electric-Vehicle Maker Plans Its First Model S Delivery in Country for Tuesday. A group of disgruntled Tesla Motors Inc. TSLA +4.66% customers in China is protesting delayed deliveries of their cars one day before the electric-vehicle maker is set to make its first China delivery. The furor underscores the challenges facing auto makers in marketing new-energy vehicles in China, which so far hasn't delivered on the promise of becoming a major new market for electric cars. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304049904579515434271348994?mg=reno64-wsj Dealers not always plugged in about electric cars, Consumer Reports’ study reveals. Also, not all staff seemed enthusiastic about making EV sales; a few outright discouraged it. You would think that if you were to go to a car dealership that sold electric cars, a salesperson would want to sell you one. But that that’s true only some of the time, a months-long survey by Consumer Reports reveals. And that's the case with some brands more than others. Posted. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/04/dealers-not-always-plugged-in-about-electric-cars-secret-shopper-study-reveals/index.htm HIGH-SPEED RAIL FRA issues final environmental documents for portion of California's high-speed rail project. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Fresno-to-Bakersfield segment of the proposed California high-speed rail project. Posted. http://www.progressiverailroading.com/high_speed_rail/news/FRA-issues-final-environmental-documents-for-portion-of-Californias-highspeed-rail-project--40166 GREEN ENERGY Drones Are Becoming Energy’s New Roustabouts. THE egg white drone lifted off from its ground station at a hospital construction site here, hovered for an instant, then zoomed off, sounding like a five-pound bee as it buzzed around the cranes towering over the six-acre project. Capable of carrying a high-resolution camera and other sensors, the quadcopter, a helicopter with four rotors that resembles a spaceship from a 1950s science fiction movie…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/business/energy-environment/drones-are-becoming-energys-new-roustabouts.html?_r=0 How Green Was Thy Norman Conquest? Crown Estate Tries to Jump-Start Britain’s Offshore Wind Sector. WHEN William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066, he could not have imagined what would happen to the land he seized from the Anglo Saxons. A thousand years after the Norman Conquest, the entity that resulted, the Crown Estate — which owns property across Britain and is now independent of the British monarchy — is at the heart of the country’s push into green energy. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/business/energy-environment/crown-estate-tries-to-jump-start-britains-offshore-wind-sector.html Ice or Molten Salt, Not Batteries, to Store Energy. ENERGY storage is crucial to transforming the electric grid into a clean, sustainable, low-emissions system, the experts say. And it’s happening already, just not the way most consumers would expect. The simplest idea for storage — charging up batteries at night when there is a lot of wind energy and not much demand for it, or at midday when the sun is bright — is years from being feasible, according to the experts. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/business/energy-environment/ice-or-molten-salt-not-batteries-to-store-energy.html Old World, New Tech. Barcelona is among a number of European cities adopting new forms of technology aimed at improving services. More important, the investments, including neighborhood wide high-speed Internet connections and electricity charge points for cars and motorbikes, offer ways to cut energy use and generate income. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/business/energy-environment/europe-remains-ahead-of-us-in-creating-smart-cities.html How conserving water, energy isn’t always about a ‘green’ lifestyle. Lorrie Ourada’s elegant desertscape of a yard stands out from the lush, green lawns that dominate her Porter Ranch neighborhood. Last fall, the Realtor installed drought-tolerant shrubs and succulents, decomposed granite pathways and large boulders in front of her Mediterranean-style home. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140421/how-conserving-water-energy-isnt-always-about-a-green-lifestyle Top decisionmakers pledge to keep lowering energy emissions. A veritable who's who of U.S. business executives, including leaders of the nation's largest energy firms, have pledged to put their companies on a trajectory that promotes sound environmental decisionmaking and best practices to reduce or mitigate impacts to air and water in a new report released this week by the Business Roundtable. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998207/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Visions of cleaner, healthier Inland Empire. In recognition of Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22, we asked several experts who deal with environmental issues: What is your vision for Inland Southern California in the next decade?” Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140421-earth-day-visions-of-cleaner-healthier-inland-empire.ece Think globally, act locally at Earth Day events in the Inland Empire. Inland Empire residents can expect to have almost a week’s worth of Earth Day activities to choose from, including community cleanups, e-waste collection events and a UC Riverside lecture on what ancient global warming might mean for today’s residents of planet Earth. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140421/think-globally-act-locally-at-earth-day-events-in-the-inland-empire Green Prize Festival aims to make Long Beach greener. In commemoration of Earth Day, a few Long Beach organizations are hoping to make it easy for everyone to “be green” with the launch of the Green Prize Festival this Saturday. The daylong festival at Bixby Park is all about urban farmers, green artists, chefs, green technology and even a few chickens and some bees. The goal is to turn Long Beach into a greener city and… Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/lifestyle/20140421/green-prize-festival-aims-to-make-long-beach-greener County district wants old mowers. The Calaveras County Air Pollution Control District is getting into the lawn mower business by assisting residents with the purchase of new electric mowers. The district announced that it’s starting a grant program for people in Calaveras County to replace gasoline- and diesel-powered mowers with cordless, electric mowers that produce zero emissions. Posted. http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/news/article_c30aaf64-c9ab-11e3-a3f8-001a4bcf887a.html Ecology offers incentives to remove old wood stoves. In an effort to improve air quality, the Washington State Department of Ecology is offering incentives for homeowners to remove old wood stoves from their homes. Residents in Colville River Valley are eligible for a $200 voucher if they turn in their wood stoves on April 27th. Posted. http://colvillestevenscounty.kxly.com/news/environment/127061-ecology-offers-incentives-remove-old-wood-stoves No progress on move. The LA 2020 Commission was critical of the city’s lack of effort to convince the California Air Resources Board to build its new lab within Los Angeles and bring along with it the 250 jobs of engineers and technicians now based in El Monte. While the proposal looked good on paper, nothing is really in the works on moving the 40-year-old Haagen-Smit Labs, officials said. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20140420/tipoff-future-options-are-open-for-molina-yaroslavsky Closing San Onofre could cost ratepayers $3.3 billion. Consumer watchdog groups plan to fight a proposed settlement over the closure of the San Onofre nuclear plant that could cost utility users in South Orange County and San Diego more than $3.3 billion. “Under California law, ratepayers don’t have many rights. But one cardinal right they do have is this: They only have to pay reasonable rates,”…Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/san-610763-billion-settlement.html OPINIONS Warm water, cold reality. Big screen "Noah," the box office hit, presents the biblical story of near apocalypse and indifference to God's warnings. Small screen NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, regularly warns of impending man-made environmental doom on its climate.gov website. Whether one is more susceptible to religious parables or scientific findings, the very real effects of contemporary climate change are happening at a stunning pace. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/22/6342823/warm-water-cold-reality.html#storylink=cpy Trucking rules: Don't delay clean air regulations on trucks, buses. The California Air Resources Board will meet Thursday in Sacramento to discuss a proposal to delay the Truck and Bus rule requiring the vehicles to meet higher standards for clean air. This would allow noncompliant companies to profit at the expense of good trucking businesses that have been proactive, compliant and environmentally responsible. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_25608307/trucking-rules-dont-delay-clean-air-regulations-trucks?source=rss On fracking, can’t California get half a loaf? Thomas Elias When a city like Carson, home to one large oil refinery and next-door neighbor to another, hard by the junction of two major freeways and site of both a Cal State campus and a Major League Soccer stadium, slaps a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing because of environmental questions, you know fracking of California’s vast oil and gas reserves is no sure thing. Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/opinion/20140421/on-fracking-cant-california-get-half-a-loaf-thomas-elias The deadliest environmental threat (it’s not global warming). Earth Day is a chance to take stock: What is the state of the world’s environment? Our knee-jerk reaction is that it’s getting worse. But that is not only mostly incorrect, it also prevents us from using Earth Day to help do the most good to make the environment even better. Many think the biggest global environment problem is global warming. Posted. http://nypost.com/2014/04/21/the-deadliest-environmental-threat-its-not-global-warming/ As nuclear power dies, solar rises. At long last, this Earth Day we celebrate the true dawn of the Solar Age. That sunrise is hastened, here and abroad, by the slow demise of the once-touted "too-cheap-to-meter" Atomic Age of nuclear power. As utilities find nuclear power less and less cost effective, new solar photovoltaic installations in the United States are springing up. New solar installations in 2013 reached a record 4.2 gigawatts, bringing the total to 10. Posted. http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/22/opinion/hayes-denman-solar-power/index.html Want green cities? Lose the cars. If you really want to strike a blow for the environment during Earth Day on Tuesday, do yourself and everybody else a favor and stop driving your car in town. Really -- who needs it? This is not a message for you if you're a farmer or live in a rural area, where it's 20 miles to the grocery store and 100 miles to the nearest hospital. You can keep your car; it's a safety thing. Posted. http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/21/opinion/sanderson-earth-day-cars/index.html?iid=article_sidebar BLOGS GOP ties California Democrats to Keystone XL pipeline delays. The Republican Party sent an email blast Monday blaming California Democrats for delaying a controversial pipeline that even supporters acknowledge would bring little economic benefit to the state. The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee sent the letter in response to President Barack Obama's decision Friday to extend the review period for the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring oil from western Canada to the Gulf Coast. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/04/gop-tries-to-tie-california-democrats-to-keystone-xl-delays.html#storylink=cpy Exide lays off more than 120 employees at Vernon plant. A lead battery recycler with a plant in Vernon has announced layoffs for its California employees as problems with environmental regulators grow. Georgia-based Exide Technologies says it’s issuing temporary layoff notices to more than 100 hourly workers and 20 salaried workers at its Vernon facility. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2014/04/21/16427/exide-lays-off-more-than-120-employees-at-vernon-p/ Use This Earth Day to Urge Leaders to Take Biggest Step Possible on Climate Change. I plan to spend this Earth Day advocating for the single most important thing our nation can do to confront climate change: cutting carbon pollution from power plants. These plants kick out 40 percent of the carbon pollution in our country. Right now they are free to dump as much carbon pollution into our atmosphere as they want—intensifying climate change and endangering our health in the process. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/fbeinecke/use_this_earth_day_to_urge_lea.html Three “Next Steps” for California Climate Action. California enacted its Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32) in 2006. Since then, an entire network of interacting, mutually-reinforcing legislation has evolved in the state, historic in how the different measures support one another. A solar roof mandate (one million by 2020) augments an electric vehicle mandate (also one million in 2020)…Posted. http://energyblog.nationalgeographic.com/2014/04/03/three-next-steps-for-california-climate-action/ Happy Earth Day. We Just Reached Another Scary Climate Change Milestone. In May 2013, it was big news when, for the first time, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit 400 parts per million. Now, researchers say that number has been consistently above 400 for the last month. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/carbon-dioxide-climate-change_n_5187844.html Electric-Car Buyers Younger And Richer Than Hybrid Owners. While it might seem logical to expect the demographics for buyers of both electric and hybrid-powered cars to be similar, the former tend to skew considerably younger and more affluent than the latter according to a market analysis conducted by Experian Automotive in Schaumburg. Ill. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2014/04/22/electric-car-buyers-younger-and-richer-than-hybrid-owners/#./?&_suid=139819171946307654927198211496 Air pollution from China = stronger storms in the Pacific? While air pollution is now the world’s biggest environmental health risk with 7 million deaths per year, according to the World Health Organization, its effects aren't limited to your heart and lungs. According to a new paper published by researchers from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology…Posted. http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/air-pollution-china-stronger-storms-pacific.html KBB Names 10 Best Green Cars of 2014. Just in time for Earth Day, Kelley Blue Book editors picked the 10 Best Green Cars of 2014 to assist eco-friendly drivers in the market for a new vehicle. Posted. http://www.autoremarketing.com/retail/kbb-names-10-best-green-cars-of-2014 Ford says C-Max mpg reduction has hurt sales. The Ford C-Max is having a rough time. Sales for the five-door hybrid hatchback were down 39.1 percent in March to 2,295 cars, and sales from January through March were down 42.5 percent to 5,566 units. In an interview with The Detroit News, Ford Americas boss Joe Hinrichs places the blame on lowering the model's fuel economy rating. "We're definitely seeing consideration on C-Max decline over time. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/22/ford-c-max-mpg-reduction-hurting-sales-report/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:55:11 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 23, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 23, 2014. 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 De Blasio wants to ban new wood fireplaces. Mayor Bill de Blasio celebrated Earth Day on Tuesday by proposing more regulations — including a ban on new wood-burning fireplaces. The mayor made the proposal, along with those for other sweeping regulations that he said would update emission standards and help curb air pollution. Instead of wood-burning fireplaces, de Blasio wants to allow only cleaner-burning units, such as those that use natural gas. Posted. http://nypost.com/2014/04/23/de-blasio-wants-to-ban-new-fireplaces/ http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/04/23/new-york-city-mayor-wants-to-ban-new-fireplaces/ New map could refocus state's pollution battles. After being criticized for assessing environmental hazards only by the state's 1,800 ZIP Codes, Cal/EPA issues scores for its 8,000 census tracts. The California Environmental Protection Agency has released a statewide list of census tracts most burdened by pollution, providing a first-of-its-kind ranking certain to pressure regulators to clean up neighborhoods with long-standing health risks. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0423-pollution-neighborhoods-20140423,0,1487851.story#ixzz2zjUf4nrj Exide to temporarily lay off nearly all workers at its Vernon plant. The company notifies 124 employees of the layoffs after its shutdown last month by air-quality regulators over pollution concerns. The beleaguered operator of a Vernon battery-recycling plant announced the temporary layoffs of nearly all of its employees Monday, weeks after air-quality regulators shut down its operations over air pollution concerns. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-exide-20140423,0,7226962.story#ixzz2zjWNy41Y Air quality officials warn that strong winds are likely to kick up clouds of dust across Valley. Air quality officials warned this morning that strong winds are likely to kick up clouds of dust across the San Joaquin Valley for the rest of the day, resulting in high levels of harmful particle pollution. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140422/A_NEWS/140429954 CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change likely to make Everest even riskier. Climbing to the roof of the world is becoming less predictable and possibly more dangerous, scientists say, as climate change brings warmer temperatures that may eat through the ice and snow on Mount Everest. Nepal was left reeling when a sudden ice avalanche slammed down onto a group of Sherpa guides on Friday and killed 16 in the deadliest single disaster on Everest. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_NEPAL_EVEREST_RISK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT U.N. Report: Avoiding Climate Change Possible With ‘Substantial Emission Reductions’. The effects of climate change are undeniable, but governments are still behind the curve in taking action to slow the spread of greenhouse gases. The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has just released its fifth report on the rapidly closing window of time to take action on reducing greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/apr/21/un-report-finds-climate-change-mitigation-possible/ FUELS Correction: Biofuels-Global Warming story. In a story April 20 about new research showing biofuels made with corn leftovers are worse for global warming than gasoline in the short term, The Associated Press erroneously reported that cellulosic biofuels that failed to release 60 percent less carbon than gasoline wouldn't earn a $1 per gallon subsidy. That tax subsidy expired on Dec. 31, 2013. A corrected version of the story is below: Study: Fuels from corn waste not better than gas. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BIOFUELS_GLOBAL_WARMING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT EPA sends 2013 cellulosic blending requirement sharply downward. U.S. EPA has revised the number of cellulosic biofuel gallons in 2013 that needed to be blended in the U.S. fuel supply to 810,185 ethanol-equivalent gallons -- about five ten-thousandths of a percent of the country's fuel -- a move supported by both oil and renewable fuel groups. It's a drastic reduction from the amount EPA had decided on eight months ago -- 6 million gallons -- and an even larger decline from the 1 billion gallons the industry was meant to produce in 2013…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998290/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Tesla bringing plant to Central Valley, but it’s not the big one. Tesla Motors Inc. is opening a factory in the San Joaquin Valley, but it’s almost certainly not the 6,500-job battery plant that’s being coveted by governors and community leaders in California and other states. The maker of luxury electric cars leased a 430,000-square-foot facility in Lathrop, officials from the San Joaquin Partnership announced Tuesday. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/22/6345191/tesla-bringing-plant-to-central.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region#storylink=cpy Menlo Park poised to get solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations. Menlo Park is hoping to reel in four new electric vehicle charging stations and five solar panels early next year. Rebecca Fotu, the city's environmental programs manager, said the panels could be obtained through the Regional Renewable Energy Procurement Project, an effort involving Menlo Park and 18 other public agencies and led by Alameda County to boost green energy. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25617787/Menlo-Park-poised-to-get-solar GREEN ENERGY The 'invisible renewable' struggles with slow U.S. growth. Geothermal energy is sometimes referred to as the "invisible renewable." That is in part because the resource is located thousands of feet underground. But it's also just not on the radar for many utilities and policymakers. The geothermal energy industry saw "lackluster growth" over the past year due to policy barriers, gridlock at the federal level, inadequate transportation infrastructure and low natural gas prices…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998291/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Decades after first Earth Day, hope endures. More than 40 years after the first Earth Day, there’s much improvement and some challenges for the greater Orange County area. Here are four updates from the eco front lines. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/county-610830-orange-pollution.html OPINIONS Fracking expert Mark Zoback: We need good science, good engineering, good regulations and good enforcement. "Fracking" — now there's a word that just begs for a bumper sticker. Short for "hydraulic fracturing" — the process of breaking open rock with high-pressure liquids to get at otherwise untappable oil and natural gas — fracking conjures up a welcome energy boom for some, ecological disaster for others. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-0423-morrison-fracking-zoback-20140422,0,65426.column#ixzz2zjVAOWy2 Koch brothers and big utilities campaign to unplug solar power. The Koch brothers have a new ploy to protect the traditional energy business that helped make them the planet’s fifth- and sixth-richest humans. They are funding a campaign to shackle solar energy consumers who have escaped the grip of big electric utilities. Of all the pro-business, anti-government causes they have funded with their billions, this may be the most cynical and self-serving. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-koch-brothers-and-solar-power-20140422,0,1087398.story#ixzz2zjWs1d4q Obama's Keystone pipeline trap. The president's predicament is just the latest example of how climate change monomania has become a problem for environmentalists — and the country. On Good Friday, President Obama made a bad call. The State Department announced that it would delay its decision on the Keystone XL pipeline until after the Nebraska Supreme Court rules in a case involving the route. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-goldberg-keystone-democrats-20140422,0,7790783.column#ixzz2zjVk1l3M Combating climate change and keeping energy costs low. California’s pathbreaking market approach to combating climate change just celebrated its first anniversary in ho-hum fashion. Thinking back to the state’s ill-fated experiment with markets to deregulate utilities, critics said that my cap measure, part of Assembly Bill 32, would cause electricity and other energy prices to skyrocket. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/23/6345604/viewpoints-combating-climate-change.html Gas price increase a hidden tax. A recent Associated Press news item warns us that we may experience an immediate 12-cent increase in gas prices as a direct result of California’s greenhouse gas reduction law. Moreover, this 12-cent gouge is just the beginning; gas prices could ultimately increase by as much as 40 cents per gallon. Posted. http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20140423/OPINION04/304230014/Gas-price-increase-hidden-tax BLOGS A Deeper Look at a Study Finding High Leak Rates From Gas Drilling. Most efforts to slow the natural gas drilling boom in the United States have focused on questions about the environmental impacts of the process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which occurs deep underground after a well is drilled. That’s why a great deal of attention was paid last week to the results of a two-day aerial survey over gas fields in southwestern Pennsylvania that calculated emission rates of methane…Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/a-deeper-look-at-a-study-finding-high-leak-rates-from-gas-drilling/?_php=true&_type=blogs&src=twrhp&_r=0 A Jesuit carbon offset programme in Cambodia. The Jesuits in Cambodia have initiated a carbon offset programme in conjunction with the modest seedling nursery set up in Banteay Prieb, the Jesuit-run vocational school for people with disabilities, in late 2012. Primarily intended for Jesuits within the country, volunteers and visiting friends, the carbon offset programme provides an opportunity for air travelers to counterbalance the carbon emissions from their flights to or from Cambodia. Posted. http://sjapc.net/content/jesuit-carbon-offset-programme-cambodia Happy Earth Day. We Just Reached Another Scary Climate Change Milestone. In May 2013, it was big news when, for the first time, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit 400 parts per million. Now, researchers say that number has been consistently above 400 for the last month. "This is higher than it's been in millions of years," said Pieter Tans, a senior scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/carbon-dioxide-climate-change_n_5187844.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2014 14:19:48 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 24, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 24, 2014. 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 UPDATE 1-China to impose tougher penalties on polluters under new law. China on Thursday passed amendments to an environmental protection law imposing tougher penalties on polluters in the most sweeping revisions to the law in 25 years amid mounting public anger over pollution. The much-anticipated amendments follow a two-year debate among scholars, the government and state-owned enterprises over changes to the environmental protection law. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/24/china-environment-idUSL3N0NG35Q20140424 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-24/china-enacts-biggest-pollution-curbs-in-25-years.html http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304788404579521274114447440?KEYWORDS=air+pollution&mg=reno64-wsj Fresno ranks No. 1 on California pollution list. New Cal/EPA maps show that Fresno contains eight of the 10 areas most heavily burdened by pollution. But the data tell just part of the story. The state's new effort to map the areas most at risk from pollution features hot spots up and down California. But nowhere are there more of the worst-afflicted areas than in Fresno…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-fresno-pollution-20140424,0,5860295.story#ixzz2zoz0Oohd New map could refocus California's pollution battles. The California Environmental Protection Agency has released a statewide list of census tracts most burdened by pollution, providing a first-of-its-kind ranking certain to pressure regulators to clean up neighborhoods with long-standing health risks. Many of the worst pollution pockets identified and mapped by state officials are in the San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/24/6349324/new-map-could-refocus-californias.html#storylink=cpy Feds asked to beef up planned state air pollution tests at Albany port. An environmental group working with Albany South End residents is urging the federal government to step in over concerns that a proposed state air-testing plan for the Port of Albany is too weak. The state Department of Environmental Conservation is planning tests next month for potential air pollution from an influx of crude oil trains discharging oil at the port…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Feds-asked-to-beef-up-planned-state-air-pollution-5425980.php Economic freedom leads to cleaner air – study. Greater economic freedom leads to lower levels of air pollution, according to a new study that says such freedom helps support property rights and legal remedies for pollution victims. In 2010, the study found that the 20 highest-ranked economically free countries, such as Singapore, New Zealand and Canada, had fine particulate matter concentrations (PM10) almost 40 percent lower than the 20 lowest-ranked countries, which include Syria, Nigeria and China. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998396/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Australia climate plan leaves emission cuts with government. Australia on Thursday released a draft climate plan that would leave the government responsible for funding the nation's emission cuts while the nation's biggest carbon emitters would only be liable if they exceed historically high levels. The A$2.55 billion ($2.37 bln) Emissions Reduction Fund is the Liberal government's main weapon to meet its target of cutting Australia's climate-changing emissions to 5 percent below 2000 levels by 2020. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/24/australia-carbon-idUSL3N0NG2EZ20140424 UPDATE 2-South Asia monsoon seen below-average to average in 2014 –WMO. India and its South Asian neighbors are expected to see below-average to average rains this year if the El Nino weather pattern gains strength during the four-month monsoon season, a forum of weather experts said on Wednesday. Poor monsoons could dent crop output in India - the world's No.2 rice and sugar producer, while less rains in soybean areas could make the country…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/23/india-monsoon-idUSL3N0NF2U120140423 Springing Forward, and Its Consequences. This is a busy time of year for Richard B. Primack, a biologist at Boston University. He and his colleagues survey the plants growing around Concord, Mass., recording the first day they send up flowers and leaves. Compared to the last five springs, things are pretty slow right now around Concord, in large part because of the relatively cold winter and chilly March. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/science/springing-forward-and-its-consequences.html Study Finds Less Green in the Congo Rain Forest. Years of drier conditions in the Congo River basin in central Africa appear to be affecting trees in the region’s vast rain forests, scientists reported on Wednesday. Writing in the journal Nature, the researchers said the capacity of the trees to photosynthesize had declined. If this trend continues, they suggested, a long-term result could be changes in the structure and composition of the region’s forests…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/science/earth/study-finds-less-green-in-the-congo-rain-forest.html?hpw&rref=science Climate change threatens California's air quality, report says. Climate change and extreme weather could set back decades of improvement in California’s air quality, a new report by the state’s pollution control officers says. A higher number of extreme heat days from global warming will boost smog formation and increase severe wildfires that release harmful smoke into the air…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-change-california-air-pollution-officers-20140423,0,2814744.story Forum: Climate change impacts everyone. The debate on climate change is over. Global warming is happening and humans are responsible for it. This was the message delivered by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy on Wednesday at a climate change forum at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Forum-Climate-change-impacts-everyone-5425994.php Study links California drought to global warming. While researchers have sometimes connected weather extremes to man-made global warming, usually it’s not done in real time. Now a study is asserting a link between climate change and both the intensifying California drought and the polar vortex blamed for a harsh winter that mercifully has just ended in many places. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/study-links-california-drought-to-global-warming/2014/04/24/d8d2a5e6-cbda-11e3-b81a-6fff56bc591e_story.html http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/04/24/study-links-california-drought-to-global-climate-change/ http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/study-links-california-drought-global-warming-23457909 DROUGHT Cal State University playing a critical role in water conservation. As water agencies wrestle with California’s drought emergency, and lawmakers pass bills seeking relief from a third consecutive dry year in the state, another institution, the public university system, is continuing to play a critical role in water conservation. Among its 23 campuses, California State University has 12 water research institutes, with more than 250 faculty studying the issue, from drought patterns…Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140423/NEWS/140429774 DIESEL EMISSIONS In reversal of roles, eyes of trucking will be on CARB this week. Truck drivers throughout North America know they are watched for incompliant trucks, reefer trailers and other diesel engines every time they cross into the state of California. This week, however, many throughout the trucking industry will be watching the California Air Resources Board as it examines exemptions and timelines for administering its Truck and Bus Regulation. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=26909#.U1lRMIXxAXU FUELS Lufthansa says helping to test new aviation biofuel. Lufthansa is testing a new type of biofuel for use in aircraft, the German carrier said on Wednesday, as the airline industry steps up efforts to cut its carbon dioxide emissions. Lufthansa was the first airline worldwide to use biofuels in commercial flights in 2011, when it used a 50:50 mix of biofuel - gained from plant oils and animal fats - and regular kerosene to power one engine per plane on daily flights between Frankfurt and Hamburg. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/23/lufthansa-biofuels-idUSL6N0NF2O920140423 Jury awards Texas family nearly $3 million in fracking case. A family says fracking and other drilling by Aruba Petroleum near their ranch created severe health problems. The civil jury verdict may be the first of its kind in a fracking case. In a landmark legal victory that centered on fracking, a middle-class north Texas ranching family won nearly $3 million from a big natural gas company whose drilling, they contend, caused years of sickness, killed pets and livestock…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-fracking-lawsuit-20140424,0,508199.story#ixzz2zp0UCAO4 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/23/6348941/wise-county-texas-couple-win-29.html Cruder than Alberta tar sands. According to experts and the New York Times, President Obama's eventual decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline - last week, the administration once again postponed a decision - "will have a marginal impact on global warming emissions." The global economy releases lots of greenhouse gas - 32.6 billion metric tons of carbon in 2011. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Cruder-than-Alberta-tar-sands-5425705.php Keystone XL's Latest Delay Is Great News for This Company. The U.S. State Department is once again extending the approval process for TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline. That's bad news for the pipeline company, but good news for Canadian National Railway , which is shipping Canadian crude by rail all the way down to the U.S. Gulf Coast—exactly the path TransCanada's Keystone is supposed to traverse. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Keystone-XL-s-Latest-Delay-Is-Great-News-for-This-5426854.php Keystone XL Pipeline Delayed Again: What Companies Will Suffer? The U.S. government has again held off making a decision on the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline. The State Department announced recently that litigation currently pending in the Nebraska courts is one reason for the delay. It's likely that the issue will not be settled until after national, state, and local elections later this year. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Keystone-XL-Pipeline-Delayed-Again-What-5424143.php Obama admin mulls regulating mine methane releases. The Bureau of Land Management is moving forward with a potential rulemaking to control methane releases from mining operations on public land. Environmental advocates have for years pressed regulators to require the capture, destruction or sale of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, from mining operations. Companies have generally resisted new requirements, calling them uneconomic and potentially dangerous. Methane venting is needed to protect miners underground and prevent explosions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998411/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES 3 Reasons Why Tesla Motors Inc.'s Sales in China Will Accelerate When It Starts Manufacturing In-Cou. Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, who's in China to kick off the initial deliveries of the company's Model S sedan in the country, said on Monday: "At some point in the next three or four years we'll be establishing local manufacturing in China." This "local manufacturing" will likely be in the form of a joint venture with a Chinese company, which is required of Tesla…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/3-Reasons-Why-Tesla-Motors-Inc-s-Sales-in-China-5424428.php GREEN ENERGY Green groups urge U.S. to drop solar trade case against India. Environmental groups urged the United States on Wednesday to drop a challenge to India's massive solar program and said the World Trade Organization case would only hurt the growth of renewable energy resources. The United States is taking action at the WTO over the domestic content requirements in India's program, which aims to ease chronic energy shortages in Asia's third-largest economy. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/23/usa-trade-india-idUSL2N0NF1J520140423 Britain's Conservatives to end onshore wind farm subsidies. British Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative party pledged to end government subsidies for onshore wind farms if it wins a national election next year, increasing uncertainty for investors in renewable energy. Michael Fallon, a Conservative energy minister, said that onshore wind still had a role to play in helping Britain meet its energy needs and renewable energy targets…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/24/us-britain-energy-windfarms-idUSBREA3N1BR20140424 Subtle surprises fuel today's green business tactics. Born of the hippie, flower-child culture of the 1960s, the modern environmentalist movement in business today is in many ways about dollars and cents. The green economy has gone mainstream, whether that means traditional businesses adopting environmental principles, or environmentally friendly businesses becoming the norm. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/24/6349921/subtle-surprises-fuel-todays-green.html#storylink=cpy SunPower and Google invest $250 million in residential solar panel leases. Google and SunPower are planning to invest up to $250 million to lease solar panels to homeowners, the companies said on Wednesday. Google is investing up to $100 million, while solar panel maker SunPower is committing the other $150 million. Some 20,000 people in the U.S. already lease solar panels from San Jose-based SunPower, the companies said. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_25621400/sunpower-and-google-invest-250-million-residential-solar OPINIONS Koch brothers vs. the solar industry. Re "The right takes aim at the solar industry," April 20. The vast sums of money used by the Koch brothers and their ilk originated from average Americans fueling their vehicles and powering their homes. Billions of dollars are sucked out of our economy by those who want us to keep using carbon-based energy. The use of oil, coal and natural gas has massive external costs that are not paid by the end user. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0424-thursday-koch-bros-solar-20140424,0,7389485.story#ixzz2zp04OXEs Viewpoints: Cleaning up coal emissions through cap and trade. This week, the California Air Resources Board is planning to vote on whether to adopt changes to its cap-and-trade program, including how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal mines. Some may wonder why ARB is doing this with almost no active coal mines or coal-fired power plants in California. The answer lies outside our state’s borders. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/24/6348555/viewpoints-cleaning-up-coal-emissions.html#storylink=cpy Profits from cap and trade. Re "Cleaning up coal emissions through cap and trade" (Viewpoints, April 24): Coal is evil and Greg Arnold profiting from Cap and Trade Taxation is good. I'm surprised that you printed an op-ed from someone who stands to gain financially from the manmade global warming myth. To believe taxing California's business will have any effects on the Earth's temperature is to believe Leland Yee was a great Legislator. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/24/6350359/profits-from-cap-and-trade.html#storylink=cpy Berkeley Voice letters to the editor: Public health funding is critical; monopoly on free speech. Climate change liars are wrong. On April 17, I attended an excellently filmed movie at the Rialto Cinema Cerrito about losing ice from the Arctic Circle, "Chasing Ice." Only 8 percent of the world's ice is in the Arctic Circle. Two percent of the ice is on the world's mountain caps and 91 percent of the world's ice is in Antarctica, which has not lost 1 pound of ice. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/News/ci_25623159/Berkeley-Voice-letters-to-the-editor: Fracking moratorium could hurt state's economy. California is blessed with two-thirds of the nation’s estimated shale oil reserves — 15.4 billion barrels of clean energy — so with an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent and chronic budget deficits, the state should be doing all it can to encourage new business development to create jobs and raise revenue. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/23/fracking-california-moratorium/ BLOGS A Deeper Look at a Study Finding High Leak Rates From Gas Drilling. Most efforts to slow the natural gas drilling boom in the United States have focused on questions about the environmental impacts of the process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which occurs deep underground after a well is drilled. That’s why a great deal of attention was paid last week to the results of a two-day aerial survey over gas fields…Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/a-deeper-look-at-a-study-finding-high-leak-rates-from-gas-drilling/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 When it comes to climate change, not all forests are created equal. Any gardener can tell you that plants need nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus to grow. The gardener who feeds homemade compost or fertilizer pellets to her plants can expect bountiful harvests and lush landscapes — while failing to do so could yield a much scrubbier planter box. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/inthepeninsula/2014/04/23/climate-change-forests/ Congress’ power plays. Our opinion: Congress needs to support wind power, not keep leaving the industry dangling while it doles out billions for fossil fuels. A savvy shopper with an eye on the household budget knows that items need to be both nice and necessary before going in the cart. Congress sure gets the nice part of that equation, raking in millions in political giving from the oil and gas industry while doling out billions to it annually in tax breaks. Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion/congress-power-plays/28778/ Diesel Truck Pollution: The Truth is Lost in the Fumes. A couple things about diesel truck pollution: there’s still a lot of it in California, truck drivers are suffering from it, and most truck owners oppose rolling back the statewide truck clean-up rule. These facts have been obscured by all the fumes emanating from a tiny but vocal minority of trucktivists who want to do away with the Air Resources Board measure curbing diesel pollution from trucks. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/dbailey/diesel_truck_pollution_the_tru.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2014 14:39:33 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 25, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 25, 2014. 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 China demands more transparency from polluters. China has changed its environment law for the first time in 25 years, instituting public oversight of companies and allowing unlimited fines against persistent polluters, a response to the country's environmental challenges and demands from the public for action. The amendments passed by China's legislature Thursday, which go into effect Jan. 1, took three years to come about and went through four readings and two rounds of public consultation. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_ENVIRONMENT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT CLIMATE CHANGE Australia climate plan leaves emission cuts with government. China has changed its environment law for the first time in 25 years, instituting public oversight of companies and allowing unlimited fines against persistent polluters, a response to the country's environmental challenges and demands from the public for action. The amendments passed by China's legislature Thursday…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_ENVIRONMENT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT El Nino Risk Increases as Pacific Gets Warmer: Carbon & Climate. The odds are increasing that an El Nino weather system will form this year, portending drought for Australia and Asia and a warmer winter in the U.S. Northeast. The U.S. Climate Prediction Center now says there’s a 65 percent chance the Pacific Ocean warming pattern will develop after August. It put the odds at 52 percent last month. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-24/el-nino-risk-increases-as-pacific-gets-warmer-carbon-climate.html Climate Change Onstage: Singing of the Extinction of Fauna. The drumbeat of dire reports about climate change has grown so rhythmically regular over the past few years that it’s almost surprising that someone hasn’t set it to song, at least within the confines of a musical. That day has now come. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/25/theater/the-great-immensity-gives-environmentalism-its-own-lyrics.html?_r=1 China: Legislature Toughens Environmental Law. The Chinese legislature decided Thursday to revise the country’s environmental protection law to allow for stricter punishments against companies or individuals caught polluting the environment, according to a report by Xinhua, the state news agency. Under the new law, expected to take effect next year, fines against companies would be increased, and company executives deemed responsible for pollution could be detained for up to 15 days. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/25/world/asia/china-legislature-toughens-environmental-law.html?ref=earth Study links California drought to global warming. While researchers have sometimes connected weather extremes to man-made global warming, usually it's not done in real time. Now a study is asserting a link between climate change and both the intensifying California drought and the polar vortex blamed for a harsh winter that mercifully has just ended in many places. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25636808/Study-links-California-drought-to-global Calif. cuts part of its greenhouse gas emissions by exporting them. A California economist says that the state's landmark, economywide cap-and-trade system for reducing greenhouse gases has a fatal flaw that is now emerging. Utilities, and even a state agency, are ending contracts for electricity from coal-fired power plants, which have high levels of carbon dioxide emissions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998444/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Researchers prove they can turn CO2 into rock. After initial experiments, researchers have demonstrated that they can permanently sequester carbon dioxide in basalt formations underground. Basalt reacts with carbon dioxide to form carbonate minerals, turning the greenhouse gas into immobile rock. The approach avoids risks of gas leakage, and basalt formations occur all over the world, making this an attractive option for controlling emissions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998442/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Water picture improves for some California towns. While much of California remains in the grips of extreme drought, spring storms have eased pressure slightly and reduced the number of rural communities considered at risk of running dry. In February, the California Department of Public Health listed 17 mostly rural water systems as having less than two months water supply in storage. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT For first time in 15 years, drought hits 100% of California. For the first time in 15 years, the entire state of California is experiencing drought, ranging in severity from moderate to exceptional. That’s the analysis from the National Climatic Data Center’s most recent drought monitor released this week, which found that nearly 39% of the country was in drought. That figure rose by 1% from the previous week. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-california-drought--20140424,0,1853402.story Santa Cruz Approves Mandatory 25 Percent Water Rationing. The Santa Cruz City Council has unanimously approved strict new water rationing rules, calling for 25 percent mandatory cutbacks for residents, due to the continued statewide drought. Toby Goddard with the Santa Cruz Water Department said these are the first mandatory cuts for the city in nearly 25 years. Posted. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/04/24/santa-cruz-approves-mandatory-25-percent-water-rationing/ Link seen between drought, global warming. While researchers have sometimes connected weather extremes to man-made global warming, usually it’s not done in real time. Now a study is asserting a link between climate change and both the intensifying California drought and the polar vortex blamed for a harsh winter that mercifully has just ended in many places. The Utah State University scientists involved in the study say they hope what they found can help them predict the next big weird winter. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/25/tp-link-seen-between-drought-global-warming/ U.S. Drought Monitor sees more records broken in Calif., Texas. The drought records just keep on coming. The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor, released yesterday, shows less than a 1 percent change in drought area for the contiguous United States. Dry conditions remain entrenched on more than 38 percent of the United States with California, Nevada, North Texas and parts of Oklahoma bearing the worst of the bad conditions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998439/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB approves compliance extensions of emissions regs for small fleets, owner-operators. The California Air Resources Board voted April 25 to amend some of its emissions regulations deadlines, giving owner-operators and small fleets who financially were unable to comply with the rule some compliance alternatives. The amendments passed 11-1, though with some changes requested by the Board, and final versions of the amendments will be produced within the next few months. Posted. http://www.ccjdigital.com/carb-approves-compliance-extensions-of-emissions-regs-for-small-fleets-owner-operators/ CARB hears hours of emotional testimony from fleets, owner-operators on compliance extensions. Note: CARB voted April 25 to approve the amendments it heard testimony on the day prior. Click here to read the story on the approved changes. Proposed amendments to delay some emissions regulations deadlines and allow alternate compliance options for small fleet owners were presented to the California Air Resources Board April 24 to consider and adopt. Posted. http://www.ccjdigital.com/carb-to-vote-today-on-compliance-extensions-after-hours-of-trucking-testimony-april-24/ Owner-operators speak passionately for and against CARB extensions in hearing. California’s Air Resources Board this week officially unveiled some proposed changes to its Truck & Bus Rule emissions regulations, which required truck owners with pre-2007 model trucks to either update their equipment or install particulate matter filters by Jan. 1. Posted. http://www.overdriveonline.com/owner-operators-speak-for-and-against-carb-extensions-board-to-vote-today/ CARB Approves Full Verification of Carrier Engine Emissions System. The California Air Resources Board has granted full verification status to the Carrier Transicold Engine Emissions System for certain transport refrigeration units (TRU or reefer) and TRU generator sets (gen sets) with no limits on hours of accrued operation at time of installation. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fuel-smarts/product/detail/2014/04/carb-approves-full-verification-of-carrier-ees-dpf.aspx California May Ease DPF Rule. California regulators may relax rules that currently require smaller fleets to install diesel particulate filters on older diesel-powered trucks, the Los Angeles Times reported. The changes, being considered this week by the California Air Resources Board, come in response to pressure from small fleets and tractor-trailer owner-operators…Posted. http://www.ttnews.com/articles/lmtbase.aspx?storyid=2795&t=California-May-Ease-DPF-Rule- FUELS Keystone XL pipeline part of larger Senate fight. Alison Lundergan Grimes is the latest Democratic Senate candidate to call for building the Keystone XL oil pipeline, but the Kentucky secretary of state's move doesn't seem to have cost her support among environmental groups who want to unseat Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. It's evidence that campaign wrangling over Keystone XL is about more than the project itself. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEMOCRATS_ENERGY_POLITICS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Major oil and gas firm to list fracking chemicals. A major supplier to the oil and gas industry says it will begin disclosing 100 percent of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluid, with no exemptions for trade secrets. The move by Baker Hughes of Houston is a shift for a major firm; it's unclear if others will follow suit. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_25630943/major-oil-amp-gas-firm-list-drilling-chemicals MIT study: higher octane standard fuel in US could lower fleet fuel consumption & GHG an extra 4.5-6% by 2040. Offering a higher-octane gasoline to the consumer market in the US as the standard grade could deliver an incremental 4.5% to 6% reduction in fleet fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, on top of a projected 26.8% reduction by then in the baseline case (i.e., without higher octane fuel, but with other projected vehicle and powertrain technology improvements)…Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140424-chow.html Making jet fuel out of garbage -- a first. Come 2017, British Airways could be able to fuel flights from London's City Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on trash. The airline has partnered with Washington, D.C.-based Solena Fuels to make 50,000 metric tons of jet fuel from municipal solid waste per year. It is the first project in the world to attempt to convert trash into a drop-in fuel for airplanes. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998443/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Enzyme giant forecasts bigger U.S. ethanol production using less corn. Denmark's Novozymes, the world's biggest maker of industrial enzymes used in the production of biofuels, forecast yesterday that U.S. ethanol production will rise slightly this year to 13.5 billion gallons after a strong start to the year. The company said its enzyme sales to the bioenergy industry grew by 34 percent in local currencies in the first quarter of the year, when ethanol production increased by…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998425/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Elon Musk Inc. Having friends in Sacramento comes with rich benefits, especially if you're Silicon Valley billionaire Elon Musk. The California state Assembly on Thursday approved legislation to exempt Mr. Musk's SpaceX, a company that manufactures rockets, from the state's personal property tax, saving the enterprise $2 million in back taxes and more going forward. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304518704579522132810457734 Automakers comply quickly with EPA tailpipe rule, but some greens aren't celebrating. Automakers on average have reduced the greenhouse gas footprint of their model year 2012 passenger vehicles even below the levels required by U.S. EPA's new tailpipe emissions rules, according to a new report released today by the agency. The report found that in the first year of the Obama administration's new fuel economy standards, cars and light trucks averaged 286 grams of greenhouse gas emissions per mile…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998486/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY America’s Energy Boom: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. America's energy production and reserves are soaring and emissions are falling. The boom is fueling tremendous job creation as hundreds of billions of dollars are spent to keep production growing and to use cheaper American energy in manufacturing. This is fueling additional tax revenue for governments, while making millions of Americans rich and saving the rest of us a lot of money on our energy bills. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/America-s-Energy-Boom-The-Good-the-Bad-and-5429402.php Lighting the way. A state environmental award received this week by Ethan Allen is the latest achievement for a company with a continued focus on reducing its carbon footprint while helping its bottom line. The Danbury-based furniture company recently received a platinum award through the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Summer Saver program for saving more than 45 percent of its electricity…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Lighting-the-way-5428414.php The Search for Excellence in Wind Power Development. Despite political wrangling over the extension of tax credits to encourage renewable energy project development -- namely wind -- the United States recognized 1,032 MW of wind capacity additions in 2013. This pales in comparison to the 12,885 MW of wind capacity which was added in 2012, but there has been recent talk in Congress of renewing the expired tax credits. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-Search-for-Excellence-in-Wind-Power-5427092.php SOLAR POWER: Second big project dedicated. A vast landscape of trough-shaped, interconnected mirrors west of Blythe has started feeding clean energy into the electrical grid after three years of construction, an event celebrated Thursday in a dedication ceremony under bright sunshine. The Genesis Solar Energy System was the second commercial-scale solar plant to go online in the California desert in the past few months…Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140424-solar-power-second-big-project-dedicated.ece The future of the green economy lies with the states. This election cycle, environmentalists will pour over one hundred million dollars into Red States like Montana in a valiant attempt to maintain Democratic control in the Senate. This money is being spent so that, in the best of circumstances, we will have another two years of bitter, partisan trench warfare in Congress without any progress. Posted. http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/climate-change-green-economy-future-lies-with-states BLOGS Diesel Truck Pollution: The Truth is Lost in the Fumes. A couple things about diesel truck pollution: there’s still a lot of it in California, truck drivers are suffering from it, and most truck owners oppose rolling back the statewide truck clean-up rule. These facts have been obscured by all the fumes emanating from a tiny but vocal minority of trucktivists who want to do away with the Air Resources Board measure curbing diesel pollution from trucks. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/dbailey/diesel_truck_pollution_the_tru.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 14:03:45 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 28, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 28, 2014. 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 Calif. board adds mine methane capture to cap-and-trade system. The California Air Resources Board voted last week to allow the capture of waste methane from mines to count toward compliance with the state's cap-and-trade system. The vote is a win for California companies looking for new compliance avenues and mining companies looking for incentives to capture their methane emissions. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/25/6354235/climate-change-play-funded-by.html Calif. extends free allowances for oil and food companies, allows coal mines to get credits. California tweaked its cap-and-trade program Friday to make it less expensive for its companies to comply, giving them more free allowances and expanding its auxiliary offsets program to include a new sector -- methane reductions from coal mines. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998540/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Oil firm accused of hazardous South L.A. emissions agrees to upgrades. The agreement settles a probe by the EPA, launched after residents of the South L.A. neighborhood complained of health problems. An oil operation that sent noxious fumes into a South Los Angeles neighborhood has agreed to spend about $700,000 on upgrades to prevent future hazardous emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0425-fumes-20140425,0,5681734.story#ixzz30CcK4Bfw New maps pinpoint neighborhood health risks. California environmental officials released new data last week ranking neighborhoods based on their vulnerability to pollution, accounting for both demographic factors and environmental risks. The information, produced on what’s called a CalEnviroScreen map, was broken down by census tract…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/27/6356685/new-maps-pinpoint-neighborhood.html#storylink=cpy Sweeping new Chinese laws hope to tackle mounting pollution problems. China’s lawmakers approved sweeping new environmental protections this week amid mounting concerns over pollution poisoning the nation’s air, water and soil. The amendments, approved Thursday by the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, are the first revisions to China’s environmental protection law…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/25/6353267/china-passes-sweeping-new-laws.html#storylink=cpy How pollution is harming the Earth - and our health. Pollution, quite literally, stinks. And as ominous images from around the world show, it is a problem that spans from China, India and Paris to California, New York and everywhere in between. Whether from vehicle emissions, coal plants, agricultural operations, forest fires, or other sources, pollutants take a toll - on the Earth, of course, but also on its inhabitants. Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/04/28/how-pollution-is-harming-earth-and-our-health/ CLIMATE CHANGE They’re Not Sure What ‘Climate Finance’ Is But Say We Need a Ton of it Why is Google putting $100 million into financing rooftop solar power in the U.S.? There are two answers. The first is simple enough. The company has made a strategic commitment to invest in renewable energy. It will help the company to secure its own reliable energy sources, develop new products and services around energy-use data, earn tax credits and cut carbon pollution. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-28/they-re-not-sure-what-climate-finance-is-but-say-we-need-a-ton-of-it.html DROUGHT Gov. Brown orders more emergency drought measures. Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed a sweeping new emergency drought proclamation, cutting red tape for a variety of government functions to help water agencies find new supplies, and to press the public to use water carefully. “I call on every city, every community, every Californian to conserve water in every way possible,” Brown said in a statement. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/25/6354618/gov-brown-orders-more-emergency.html#storylink=cpy http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998543/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY A few California cities start water-waste patrols. Steve Upton thinks of himself more as an "Officer Friendly" than a water cop. On a recent sunny day, the water waste inspector rolled through a quiet Sacramento neighborhood in his white pickup truck after a tipster tattled on people watering their lawns on prohibited days. He approached two culprits. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/27/6357581/a-few-california-cities-start.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News#storylink=cpy California drought putting fish, birds and tree species at risk, scientists say. California’s drought is imperiling tricolored blackbirds, large trees and native fish, with some of the affected species already on the state’s endangered list and others likely headed there because of rapidly declining numbers, scientists say. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/25/6355521/california-drought-putting-fish.html#storylink=cpy California drought: Jobs, money dry up in farm towns. Jose Pineda Rivas could use the cash. He's got rent to pay, and his tooth hurts so badly he needs to see a dentist. But these days, money for fieldworkers like Rivas in this drought-parched stretch of California is about as scarce as rain. And the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-drought-Jobs-money-dry-up-in-farm-5431129.php DIESEL EMISSIONS Air quality regulators give truckers more time to meet smog standards. California Air Resources Board extends deadline for diesel trucks to cut emissions and comply with strict pollution rules. A day after hearing hours of impassioned testimony from a divided trucking industry, California air quality regulators on Friday postponed deadlines for aging heavy-duty trucks to comply with the nation's toughest diesel air pollution rules. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-diesel-trucks-20140426,0,3351398.story#ixzz30CaJwJDx FUELS Coal to Fill China's Nuclear Gap. Gigawatt Buildup by 2030 Will Be Huge, but Likely Short of Goal. Though China is pushing hard to promote the use of nuclear and renewable energy, coal is likely to be the fuel of the world's most populous and polluted country into the foreseeable future. To combat worsening greenhouse-gas emissions and pollution…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304163604579529142484282038?KEYWORDS=energy&mg=reno64-wsj Industry lashes out at corn stover study. The biofuels industry is coming down hard on a study it feels has unfairly characterized ethanol from corn stover as being worse for the climate than gasoline and far from qualifying for U.S. EPA's coveted advanced biofuel designation. Last week, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, researchers published a paper in Nature Climate Change finding that fuels made from corn residue -- the tough, fibrous stalks…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998542/print VEHICLE Toyota to move jobs and marketing headquarters from Torrance to Texas. Toyota's move to suburban Dallas would put management of Toyota's U.S. business close to where it builds most cars for the American market. Toyota Motor Corp. plans to move large numbers of jobs from its sales and marketing headquarters in Torrance to suburban Dallas, according to a person familiar with the automaker's plans. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-toyota-texas-20140428,0,2881400.story#ixzz30CWhLIvR 2012 autos beat environmental standards, EPA reports. Cars and light-duty trucks for the 2012 model year exceeded new federal standards for fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The 2012 fleet averages 23.6 miles per gallon, up from 22.4 for the previous model year - one of the greatest improvements in fuel economy in 30 years, according to a report released Friday. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/27/6357335/2012-autos-beat-environmental.html#storylink=cpy Musk says China could become Tesla's largest customer. Tesla Motors Inc. delivered its first Model S electric sedans last week to enthusiastic customers in China, which is set to become the electric car-maker's largest market. "It was like a pop concert; it was just crazy," said Musk, who had just returned from a trip to Beijing, at the Export-Import Bank of the United States' annual conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998541/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY A battle is looming over renewable energy, and fossil fuel interests are losing. In state capitals across the country, legislators are debating proposals to roll back environmental rules, prodded by industry and advocacy groups eager to curtail regulations aimed at curbing greenhouse gases. The measures, which have been introduced in about 18 states, lie at the heart of an effort to expand to the state level the battle over fossil fuel and renewable energy. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/a-battle-is-looming-over-renewable-energy-and-fossil-fuel-interests-are-losing/2014/04/25/24ed78e2-cb23-11e3-a75e-463587891b57_story.html Nuclear Industry Gains Carbon-Focused Allies in Push to Save Reactors. Environmentalists and the nuclear industry are beginning a push to preserve old nuclear reactors whose economic viability is threatened by cheap natural gas and rising production of wind energy. They argue that while natural gas and wind are helpful as sources of electricity with little or no production of greenhouse gases…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/business/energy-environment/nuclear-industry-gains-carbon-focused-allies-in-push-to-save-reactors.html U.S. electricity prices may be going up for good. Experts warn of a growing fragility as coal-fired plants are shut down, nuclear power is reduced and consumers switch to renewable energy. As temperatures plunged to 16 below zero in Chicago in early January and set record lows across the eastern U.S., electrical system managers implored the public to turn off stoves, dryers and even lights or risk blackouts. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-power-prices-20140426,0,6329274.story#ixzz30CaifMXy Utility resumes construction of wind power project. Consumers Energy is resuming construction on a wind power project in Michigan that will expand the company's renewable energy options. The unit of Jackson-based CMS Energy Corp. broke ground last year on the project in Tuscola County's Akron and Columbia townships, about 90 miles northwest of Detroit. The renewed work announced Monday comes as warmer weather returns to Michigan. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/28/6359578/utility-resumes-construction-of.html#storylink=cpy Can a DOE competition jump-start wind power in America's vast offshore? Right about now, offshore wind developers across the United States have started holding their breath. Next month, the Department of Energy will announce three competition winners that could blaze a path for offshore wind's future in the United States, where, despite the best efforts of a few determined mavericks, no utility-scale offshore wind farms have yet been built. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998514/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Solar power's reach accelerates and moves east – survey. For the sixth consecutive year, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. provided more new solar energy to its customers than any other utility in the nation, with nearly 1,500 megawatts of new power coming from both utility-scale solar facilities and homes and businesses with rooftop solar systems, according to figures released today by the Solar Electric Power Association. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998539/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY National Renewable Energy Lab commissions global offshore wind database. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has hired Danish firm K2 Management to build a global installation database for offshore wind. NREL wants easily accessible data on installation times, correlation effects, implications and processes involved in developing offshore wind so the industry can develop in the United States with best practices…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998512/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Indian man confronts mining industry, wins prize. The man walked into Ramesh Agrawal's tiny Internet cafe, pulled out a pistol and hissed, "You talk too much." Then he fired two bullets into Agrawal's left leg and fled on a motorcycle. The 2012 attack came three months after Agrawal won a court case that blocked a major Indian company, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd., from opening a second coal mine near the village of Gare in the mineral-rich state of Chhattisgarh. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_INDIA_TAKING_ON_INDUSTRY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-goldman-prize-20140428,0,3262999.story#ixzz30CX4HUXP http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/28/6359026/indian-man-confronts-mining-industry.html Japanese wins California air award. A former senior official of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government became the first Japanese to win the Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award handed out by the California state government. Teruyuki Ono, who once headed the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Bureau of Environment, is managing director of the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation, which was established by Softbank Corp. Posted. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/04/25/national/japanese-wins-california-air-award/#.U13OF9iKBMs OPINIONS The Koch Attack on Solar Energy. At long last, the Koch brothers and their conservative allies in state government have found a new tax they can support. Naturally it’s a tax on something the country needs: solar energy panels. For the last few months, the Kochs and other big polluters have been spending heavily to fight incentives for renewable energy, which have been adopted by most states. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/27/opinion/sunday/the-koch-attack-on-solar-energy.html China’s Ravaged Farmlands. China’s environmental degradation poses a health hazard that should be classified as a human rights violation. A report issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Land and Resources last week was another reminder of just how bad things are: One-fifth of China’s farmland is polluted. And the area of polluted soil is increasing sharply. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/29/opinion/chinas-ravaged-farmlands.html?_r=0 Irwindale's a town where something always smells funny. The city, currently enmeshed in a flap over the Sriracha hot sauce plant, is no stranger to controversy. Let me state my bias up front. I like hot sauce. I like it on eggs. I like it in ramen. I like it on stir-fry dishes and Mexican food, and I don't think you can honestly call yourself a Californian if you're not a hot sauce lover. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0427-lopez-sauce-20140425,0,3819273.column#ixzz30CYk9DLM Calculating the costs of pollution. The EPA's rule on mercury will save lives. Last week, a divided court of appeals upheld what may well be the most important environmental rule in the nation's history: the Environmental Protection Agency's mercury standards. The regulation is expected to prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks and 130,000 asthma attacks a year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-sunstein-mercury-regulation-pollution-epa-20140425,0,5554039.story#ixzz30CXdZU00 Letters: The environment and the GOP. Re “Obama's Keystone trap,” Opinion, April 22 Jonah Goldberg has a point. On one side there are the global warming deniers; on the other are the hard-line environmental activists. One side refuses to accept there is a problem; the other demonizes those who raise questions. Environmentalists who consider global warming an emergency should support the construction of safe…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/letters/la-le-environment-and-the-gop-20140425,0,4127714.story#axzz30CX2Li4e The EPA's rule on mercury will save lives. Last week, a divided court of appeals upheld what may well be the most important environmental rule in the nation's history: the Environmental Protection Agency's mercury standards. The regulation is expected to prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks and 130,000 asthma attacks a year. Critics of the mercury rule have focused on its expense. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/28/6359367/the-epas-rule-on-mercury-will.html#storylink=cpy Dan Walters: California politicians jousting over how to spend cap-and-trade money. We humans crave free money – which explains why we buy so many lottery tickets despite infinitesimal chances of winning. Politicians are no different. Free money? There is, of course, no such thing, but politicians consider money borrowed via bonds, federal aid and money from fees “free” because they can spend funds as they wish without directly tapping constituents’ wallets. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/28/6356696/dan-walters-california-politicians.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy Communicating The Renewable Energy Revolution. The clean tech movement is about a shift toward a more peaceful world, a world in which there is more respect for others and in which our ways of living leave a smaller environmental footprint. Clean energy is not just about cleaning our air, preserving our water supplies and helping to protect our climate; it is also about democratizing the energy sector. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/04/27/communicating-renewable-energy-revolution/#HLkMRiZZwFIeil2J.99 Atmospheric pollution. These days, the atmosphere of all major urban cities around the world has become overladen with gases emitted by automobiles. The alarming rate of deaths caused by automobile pollution is something that should be brought to the notice of the authorities concerned. With the passage of time, countless experts have maintained that polluted air has serious effects on health, climate and economics. Posted. http://tribune.com.pk/story/701436/atmospheric-pollution/ BLOGS Climate Change: The Externality That Came in From the Cold. An externality is something that costs nothing on the part of the person or enterprise that creates it, but imposes a cost or conveys a benefit to others. The world is full of them. My children create them by Skyping with their friends at elevated decibel levels all night. Externalities come in all sizes too. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-fox-gorte/climate-change-the-extern_b_5225870.html Apple's New Green Manifesto: Renewable Energy Is Ready to Become Mainstream. With the launch of Apple's new environmental initiative, the world is once again buzzing with comments, critique and speculation on what the world's biggest brand is doing. Apple's bold move is an impetus for the private sector to move in the same direction. Renewable energy is ready to become mainstream, and those companies that fail to pick up on the trend will lose their competitive edge. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kumi-naidoo/apples-new-green-manifest_b_5226037.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 14:17:58 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 29, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 29, 2014. 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 'Climate credits' appear on April PG&E bills. If your April PG&E bill seems lower than usual, it's not a mistake. Millions of California households will see a credit averaging $35 on their April electricity bill thanks to the state's groundbreaking efforts to address climate change through several efforts, including the landmark cap-and-trade program. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_25654584/climate-credits-appear-april-pg-e-bills?source=rss Air Resources Board approves amendments strengthening California ’s cap-and-trade regulation, adds new offset protocol. Mine methane capture is newest carbon reduction opportunity. The California Air Resources Board today approved amendments to the state's greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program. The Board also voted to adopt a new protocol that would generate compliance-grade carbon offsets for mine methane. These amendments will be effective July 1, 2014. Posted. http://www.nationaljournal.com/library/144768 AIR POLLUTION Court revives EPA rule on cross-state pollution. The Supreme Court on Tuesday handed the Obama administration an important victory in its effort to reduce power plant pollution that contributes to unhealthy air in neighboring states. In a 6-2 decision, the court upheld a rule adopted by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2011 to limit emissions from plants in more than two-dozen Midwestern and Southern states. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPREME_COURT_DOWNWIND_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-29/obama-power-plant-pollution-rule-upheld-by-u-s-supreme-court.html http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/04/29/usa-court-environment-idINL2N0JS14220140429 http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/court-revives-epa-rule-on-cross-state-pollution/2014/04/29/8ae3e260-cfa8-11e3-a714-be7e7f142085_story.html http://washingtonexaminer.com/supreme-court-upholds-major-epa-air-pollution-rule/article/2547842 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/30/us/politics/supreme-court-backs-epa-coal-pollution-rules.html?_r=0 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/29/6362902/court-revives-epa-rule-on-cross.html##storylink=cpy http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/29/court-revives-epa-rule-on-cross-state-pollution/ http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-04-29/obama-power-plant-pollution-rule-upheld-by-u-dot-s-dot-supreme-court http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/29/supreme-court-air-pollution-states/5657571/ http://time.com/80993/supreme-court-epa-power-plant-emissions/ http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/supreme-court-epa-air-pollution-106140.html http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/epa-is-on-a-legal-winning-streak-20140429 http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998620/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Inslee signs executive order setting in motion carbon pollution process. Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday signed an executive order that sets into motion a process to reduce carbon pollution in Washington State. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the state, and the time to act is now, Inslee said at a news conference at Shoreline Community College. "We're doing this because the law requires it," he said. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WA_INSLEE_CLIMATE_CHANGE_WAOL-?SITE=ILROR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Smoke coiling from Jamaica dump concerns residents. A growing chorus of Jamaicans said Monday they are exasperated with the government's failure to stop noxious, sooty smoke from billowing out of a sprawling waste dump that has been burning for a week and a half. People in communities around the capital say they are concerned about the health effects of breathing in acrid smoke and microscopic pollutants put in the air…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/28/6361211/smoke-coiling-from-jamaica-dump.html##storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Smoke-coiling-from-Jamaica-dump-concerns-residents-5436232.php EPA to finalize wood-heater rule under settlement with states, enviros. U.S. EPA has settled a lawsuit filed by seven states and environmental groups on wood-heater emissions with an agreement that the agency will release overdue regulations next year that would make some of those products 80 percent more efficient. In a consent decree at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998638/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE New greenhouse gas metric reflects impacts of multiple gases over time. Carbon dioxide rules the pantheon of human-produced greenhouse gases, but its companions in the atmosphere -- nitrous oxide, methane and fluorinated gases -- play major roles in the climate, as well. However, the gases come from diverse sources, linger in the sky for varying amounts of time and trap heat differently. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998612/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Agency insiders, Obama's staff huddle amid energy, climate push. U.S. EPA acting air Chief Janet McCabe probably knows her way around the White House pretty well by now. She has been a regular in meetings with some of President Obama's top staffers this year, attending at least seven at the White House in January alone, according to records released last week. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998634/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Valley farmers face deadline, possible fine on groundwater. State water quality enforcers are telling farmers it's time to join a groundwater protection program that has been in the making for many years -- sign up by May 19 or face fines. Many farmers already are in the program, but for those who miss the deadline, the state may remind them with a notice of violation. Those who continue to delay could eventually be fined up to $1,000 a day. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/28/3899785/farmers-face-deadline-possible.html Between Farmers And Frackers, Calif. Water Caught In Tussle. California's extreme drought has drawn battle lines over who gets water and who doesn't. As KQED's Lauren Sommer reports, fracking and farming are vying for freshwater in California's Central Valley. Posted. http://www.npr.org/2014/04/28/307766319/between-farmers-and-frackers-calif-water-caught-in-tussle Reaction Split on Gov. Brown's Newest Drought Proclamation. California Governor Jerry Brown raised the stakes in the state's response to the ongoing drought Friday, and reaction to the move from environmentalists is decidedly mixed. The new declaration increases the state's exemptions from environmental law for water managers and others contending with the drought. The proclamation, which builds on Brown's initial drought declaration in January…Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/redefine/rewild/agencies/reaction-split-on-stronger-drought-proclamation.html FUELS Economists back increased US oil and gas exports. Whether to allow more exports of U.S. oil and natural gas has become a matter of political debate in Washington. But to economists, the answer is clear: The nation would benefit. The vast majority of economists surveyed this month by The Associated Press say lifting restrictions on exports of oil and natural gas would help the economy even if it meant higher fuel prices for consumers. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AP_ECONOMY_SURVEY_ENERGY_EXPORTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Average Sacramento-area gas price hits $4.10 a gallon. Sacramento-area gas prices continue to rise, but energy analysts say they think the weeks-long trend will slow down soon. The retail price of gasoline in the area rose 6.1 cents to an average of $4.10 per gallon over the past week…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/28/6360812/average-sacramento-area-gas-price.html#mi_rss=Business#storylink=cpy Busy Protesting, Keystone XL Opponents Missed This Massive Environmental Shift. Oil from Canada's oil sands is dirtier than most other oil varieties produced around the globe. That's one of the big reasons why environmentalists don't want to see more of it being produced. It's also one of the big reasons why there is such a big protest over Transcanada's Keystone XL Pipeline. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Busy-Protesting-Keystone-XL-Opponents-Missed-5433496.php San Diego County Gasoline Price Rises To Highest Amount Since February 2013. The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County rose Monday to its highest amount since Feb. 27, 2013, increasing four-tenths of a cent to $4.292. The average price has risen four consecutive days and is 1.5 cents higher than a week ago…Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/apr/28/san-diego-county-gasoline-price-rises-highest-amou/ Methane leaks from natural gas distribution continue to fall -- industry group. The American Gas Association has released a report highlighting the declines in leaks from natural gas distribution systems, according to the latest U.S. EPA greenhouse gas inventory. Methane is a greenhouse gas with 34 times more warming potential than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period, which is why emissions of methane from the natural gas system are worrisome from a climate perspective. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998607/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Efficiency bill may face roadblocks beyond Keystone XL. Senate Democrats may face tough votes on energy issues beyond the Keystone XL pipeline -- potentially including the Obama administration's broader climate changes policies -- if they want to move a long-stalled bipartisan energy efficiency bill, its lead Republican sponsor said today. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998651/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY 'Excruciatingly slow' EPA approvals hurting startup companies. NexSteppe, a startup seed company headquartered in San Francisco, is hoping to capitalize on the federal renewable fuel standard. The company has developed two varieties of sorghum, a type of annual grass, engineered specifically for bioenergy. NexSteppe believes fuels made from the crops could help refiners comply with their annual biofuel mandates under the RFS. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998631/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES US Rep. pushes for larger electric car tax credit. Vermont U.S. Rep. Peter Welch said Monday he wants to make it easier to buy electric cars by increasing the size of the federal tax credit for the vehicles and making those credits available at car dealerships. The Democrat said increasing the size of the tax credit to $10,000 and making it easier to take advantage of would make the vehicles more affordable for middle-income people. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/28/6358795/us-rep-peter-welch-to-tout-electric.html##storylink=cpy Success puts pressure on clean-car rebates. The state rebate for low- or zero-emission vehicles has been extended into the summer months, after funding for the popular payout became nearly exhausted, the California Air Resources Board has announced. The rebates offset the price of a new vehicle by as much as $2,500, encouraging consumers to buy into new technologies that can reduce smog and the emission of heat-trapping gases linked to climate change. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/29/clean-car-rebates-reconsidered/ BYD Motors delivers its first two California-built electric buses to Antelope Valley Transit. Electric bus manufacturer BYD Motors revealed its first pair of vehicles manufactured in California on Monday during an event that may be significant for both the production of zero-emissions vehicles and U.S.-China trade relations. “It’s a small beginning. A few buses. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140428/byd-motors-delivers-its-first-two-california-built-electric-buses-to-antelope-valley-transit HIGH-SPEED RAIL Rail backers now downplaying mandate. Supporters of California’s plan to build a high-speed rail line that had promised to take riders from Los Angeles to San Francisco in less than three hours have long championed the voter-backed initiative (Proposition 1A) that authorized its initial construction as a reflection of the public’s desire to build such a system. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/28/high-speed-rail-california/ GREEN ENERGY EU Putting Renewable Power to the Market Test: Will the U.S. Follow? Power markets in Europe have been in bizarro world. Renewable subsidies have actually led to more coal use and key industrial markets like steel have been faltering because of disproportionately high energy prices. The European Commission is looking to do something about that, which will be a big test for renewable energy and could set the stage for the United Stated going down the same path. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EU-Putting-Renewable-Power-to-the-Market-Test-5435680.php Decision delayed on "bird friendly" wind turbine experiment for Altamont Pass. An experimental project designed to test whether a new type of wind turbine will prove less lethal to Altamont Pass birds will have to clear a few more hurdles before gaining approval of Alameda County. The three-member East County Board of Zoning Adjustments on Thursday delayed voting on permits for the 40-turbine Sand Hill Wind project…Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25637653/decision-delayed-bird-friendly-wind-turbine-experiment-altamont?source=rss OPINIONS What Does Today Owe Tomorrow? If you had driven north on Highway 101 toward San Francisco a few summers ago, you might have noticed a banner hanging from a freeway bridge. “What have future generations done for us?” it asked. The question not only answers itself, but implies a follow-up question, as was presumably the intention of the anonymous provocateur who posted it. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/29/science/what-does-today-owe-tomorrow.html?_r=0 Sarah Rose and Andrew Grinberg: Mounting evidence of fracking risks bring call for a time-out. California lawmakers are considering a new proposal, Sens. Holly Mitchell and Mark Leno's SB 1132, to impose a moratorium on fracking, acidizing, and other unconventional oil and gas drilling techniques in California. The reason for the bill is simple: Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_25653699/sarah-rose-and-andrew-grinberg-mounting-evidence-fracking BLOGS What if Climate Change Were a Foreign Enemy? Part I What if climate change were a foreign enemy that had declared it would destroy civilization as we know it and we had only five to fifteen years to defeat it? Would our president be taking his political cues from opinion polls geared to the next electoral cycle? Would our legislators be whining about deficits and debt or overweening government regulation, or seeking to stall any legislation? Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sheila-d-collins/what-if-climate-change-we_b_5206495.html?view=print&comm_ref=false Invest In the Future - Not in Fossil Fuels. Americans are worried about pollution – oil trains running through their towns, fracking in their neighborhoods, coal dust in their air. They’re worried about what the future will look like for their children if carbon pollution continues unchecked. Wall Street is worried about it too. Under pressure from a growing movement of people who want their money out of fossil fuels…Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/fbeinecke/invest_in_the_future_-_not_in.html Climate-Resilient Solar Hot Water Systems at Rockaways Firehouses Save NYC Money, Cut Carbon. Solar hot water heating is the redheaded stepchild of the renewable energy world. Most people have no idea what it is. Or, they confuse it with its attention-grabbing cousin, solar photovoltaics, the solar panels we all know about that convert light into electricity and glint on a rapidly increasing number of American roofs. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kkennedy/climate-resilient_solar_hot_wa.html Geely shows Emgrand Cross PHEV concept with 31-mile range. Still officially a concept, Geely showed off the Emgrand Cross Concept PHEV (plug-in hybrid) at the Beijing Auto Show recently. Those in the know say that the car looks production-ready, but Geely isn't talking about this show car's future. So, it's no surprise that official details for the Emgrand Cross PHEV are scarce, but reports say it will be able to hit 62 miles per hour in ten seconds and a top speed of 118 miles per hour. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/28/geely-shows-emgrand-cross-phev-concept-with-31-mile-range/ Toyota's Texas Move: Prius Maker Lands In Highest-Carbon State (Updated). Toyota announced yesterday that it would relocate the headquarters of its U.S. arm from Torrance, California, to Plano, Texas. Left unaddressed in the announcement was the fact that the Japanese carmaker, known for its green image and its pioneering Prius hybrid range of 50-mpg cars, is moving from a state that has aggressively cut auto emissions…Posted.http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1091769_toyotas-texas-move-prius-maker-lands-in-highest-carbon-state California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 14:09:13 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for April 30, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for April 30, 2014. 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 Germany Levies Fines on Aircraft Operators Over Emissions. Germany ordered 61 aircraft operators from countries including Russia and the U.S. to pay fines for breaching European Union emissions-trading rules. The penalties are the first since the EU included aviation in its carbon market, the world’s largest, in 2012, drawing protests from the U.S. and emerging countries. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-30/germany-levies-fines-on-aircraft-operators-over-emissions.html http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-04-30/germany-levies-fines-on-61-aircraft-operators-over-emissions China says could add big-polluting regions to carbon market. China is developing plans to expand its pilot carbon trading schemes into more of its key industrial regions, a top climate official said, as the country continues its drive to curb emissions. China, the world's biggest emitter of climate-changing gases, has over the past 10 months launched pilot carbon markets in six cities and provinces with a view to rolling out a national market later in the decade. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/30/us-china-carbon-idUSKBN0DG0AG20140430 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-china-carbon-20140429,0,4389822.story Valley truckers, farmers fear effects of pollution-credit auctions. Representatives of trucking and agriculture want state legislators to delay air-quality regulations that they say will create unpredictable spikes in gasoline and diesel prices starting next year. State regulators say those fears are overblown, and continue to aim at a Jan. 1 date for including fuel distributors in California's controversial cap-and-trade program. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/28/3900016/valley-truckers-farmers-fear-effects.html?sp=/99/170/#storylink=cpy Inslee Calls For New Cap And Trade Program. “This is the time to act,” said Inslee, a Democrat, at a news conference Tuesday inside the Automotive Training Center at Shoreline Community College near Seattle. Acknowledging that Washington is already a low carbon-emitting state, Inslee said "we may be a small fraction of the world’s pollution, but we own 100 percent of our own moral commitment to our own children and our grandchildren.” Posted. http://kplu.org/post/inslee-calls-new-cap-and-trade-program http://www.isidewith.com/news/article/inslee-orders-a-move-toward-limits-on-carbon-emissions http://m.spokesman.com/stories/2014/apr/30/inslee-task-force-to-tackle-issue-of-carbon/ AIR POLLUTION L.A., Central Valley have worst air quality, American Lung Assn. says. Los Angeles has again topped a list of the cities with the worst smog in the nation, violating federal health standards for ozone an average of 122 days a year. The annual air pollution rankings, being released Wednesday by the American Lung Assn., were dominated by the Los Angeles Basin and California's Central Valley…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0430-air-pollution-20140430,0,2614465.story#ixzz30O7QE2vA http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Saratoga-County-gets-high-grade-for-air-quality-5440202.php http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/29/3901583/fresno-area-air-problem-ranks.html http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/29/3315999/fresno-area-air-problem-ranks.html#storylink=cpy http://www.dailybulletin.com/environment-and-nature/20140430/air-quality-gains-could-be-eroded-by-drought-climate-change http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140430/A_NEWS/404300317/0/SEARCH http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/30/nations-air-quality-worsens/8466889/ http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2014/04/30/report-phoenix-air-quality-rankings-dip/8499045/ Permits will be needed for outdoor burning in areas of Calaveras, Tuolumne counties. Burn permits will be required beginning Thursday for all outdoor burning within California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection coverage areas in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties as well as the eastern edges of San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. The Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit of Cal Fire issues the burn permits at its stations, including the unit headquarters at 785 Mountain Ranch Road in San Andreas. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140429/A_NEWS/140429824/0/SEARCH Pollution's victims: 92,903 S.J. residents face higher risk than 95 percent of rest of state. More than 100,000 Stockton residents are among the most vulnerable in California to pollution, new data show. Those residents, many of whom live in some of the city's poorest neighborhoods, shoulder a disproportionately high level of risk compared to almost all other regions of the state. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140430/A_NEWS/404300321/0/SEARCH CLIMATE CHANGE South Africa Publishes Plan for Carbon Offsets. South Africa has published proposals for businesses to lower carbon-tax liability, which includes proposalsto reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Public comments on the carbon offets paper must be submitted by June 30, according to an e-mailed statement by the National Treasury in Pretoria. The carbon offsets program is meant to complement the carbon tax that South Africa plans to introduce from 2016, it said. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-29/south-africa-publishes-plan-for-carbon-offsets.html EPA’s Powers Upheld by Court With Climate Rules on Deck. The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday strengthened the Environmental Protection Agency in its drive to cut air pollution, a result critics warned would lead to costly regulations as the agency moves to curb global warming. The justices, voting 6-2 to overturn a lower court, backed the EPA’s so-called Good Neighbor rule, which targets air pollution that crosses state lines. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-30/epa-s-powers-upheld-by-court-with-climate-rules-on-deck.html U.S. Greenhouse Emissions Tied to Aging Nuclear, Coal Plants. Is Natural Gas No Better than Coal? New projections from the Energy Information Administration find that the trajectory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) is highly sensitive to the operation of the nation's nuclear and coal-fired power plants. The rate and timing of retirements from these aging plants could dramatically impact how much carbon pollution the U.S. will emit decades from now. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/U-S-Greenhouse-Emissions-Tied-to-Aging-Nuclear-5438598.php Scientific ‘buried treasure’ may yield data about shorelines’ future. Deep beneath the ocean floor off the New Jersey coast lie secrets that could help scientists predict how climate change might affect one of the most popular shorelines in the country. Gregory Mountain, with a name that befits his expertise, teaches Earth and planetary sciences and has spent a lot of time in recent years sailing those waters to uncover the answers. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/30/6365785/scientific-buried-treasure-may.html#storylink=cpy Climate change: Pacific Ocean acidity dissolving shells of key species. In a troubling new discovery, scientists studying ocean waters off California, Oregon and Washington have found the first evidence that increasing acidity in the ocean is dissolving the shells of a key species of tiny sea creature at the base of the food chain. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25664176/Climate-change:-Pacific-Ocean-acidity-dissolving http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25664176/Climate-change:-Pacific-Ocean-acidity-dissolving Deadly avalanche, 'closed' Everest blamed on climate change. The deadly avalanche on Mount Everest earlier this month that killed 16 Nepalese sherpas and effectively ended the 2014 climbing season wasn't technically an avalanche. Instead, it was a collapse of a glacial serac in one of the mountain's most dangerous areas. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998678/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Scientist probes weather risk that's like 'fire hose aimed at the coast' On a 70-degree April day, scientist Marty Ralph looked out his office window here toward a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. The sky was clear, the ocean was calm, and paragliders floated toward the water. It's what most people envision when they think of California weather, said Ralph…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998738/print BY SUBSCRIPTION FUELS Pipeline supporters seek quick Senate vote. In a struggle steeped in election-year politics, supporters of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline are seeking a swift Senate vote on legislation to approve construction of the project that environmentalists oppose strongly and the Obama administration has delayed indefinitely. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SENATE_KEYSTONE_PIPELINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/29/6364218/keystone-xl-pipeline-supporters.html Oil price falls on supplies rise, Russia sanctions. The price of oil fell to near $100 a barrel on Wednesday as a report showed an increase in U.S. crude stockpiles and investors shrugged off the impact of new sanctions on Russia. By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark U.S. crude for June delivery was down 97 cents to $100.31 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OIL_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Financial firms launch fossil-free investment fund. An environmental group and two major financial firms are launching an investment fund that excludes companies involved in the fossil fuel business. The Natural Resources Defense Council says it helped BlackRock Inc. of New York and FTSE Group of London to develop a stock index for investors who want to avoid fossil fuel related companies. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/article/AP6e543463e5d447afac127c347893e7ab.html?KEYWORDS=climate+change http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/29/6363479/financial-firms-launch-fossil.html#storylink=cpy Fracking-inspired moratorium on oil drilling to expire in Carson. An effort to extend a moratorium on all oil drilling in the city of Carson failed Tuesday night after the five-member City Council failed to reach the four-fifths supermajority needed to keep the ban in place. The temporary ban, passed last month, was initially sought by the council to allow the city more time to study the potential effects of oil extraction techniques… Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-moratorium-oil-drilling-carson-fracking-20140430,0,7557119.story#ixzz30O9L8oXZ China Can’t Quit Coal. China to Ban High Sulfur Coal Imports. Despite enacting recent ambitious clean energy targets, coal will likely remain a central pillar of the Chinese energy economy for years to come, according to a new report from research and consulting company Wood Mackenzie. China is in the midst of a massive build out of all types of energy in an effort to diversify away from coal…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/China-Can-t-Quit-Coal-5441628.php California Joins H2 USA to Advance Hydrogen Transportation. In California’s latest effort to advance hydrogen transportation, the Energy Commission and the Air Resources Board announced today that California has joined H2 USA, a public-private partnership led by the U.S. Department of Energy. H2 USA is dedicated to accelerating the commercialization of clean transportation solutions…Posted. http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/8421-california-joins-h2-usa-to-advance-hydrogen-transportation.html Effort to keep gas prices from increasing. With gasoline already over $4.00 a gallon business interests are rallying to delay a state law they believe will make prices go even higher, hurting the economy. Michael Kelton is the CEO of Inland Star, a Fresno trucking and warehouse company. "I believe that the working poor will be impacted the greatest over this, it's all gonna be passed down, all the costs will be passed on." Posted. http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=9519866 3 cellulosic producers eye 2014 start dates. Three big companies that have placed bets on turning agricultural waste into transportation fuel say they're on track to open production facilities this year. Abengoa Bioenergy, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels and DuPont have invested millions of dollars in facilities that would convert post-harvest corn debris into cellulosic ethanol. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998744/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Hydrogen is fuel of the future � and Southern Californians have more access than others. As Hyundai readies its Tucson fuel cell electric vehicle for market this spring, the hydrogen highway to support those vehicles is beginning to get paved. The California Energy Commission recently provided a map of the six existing hydrogen fueling stations in Los Angeles and Orange counties…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/29/6363885/hydrogen-is-fuel-of-the-future.html#storylink=cpy http://www.ocregister.com/articles/hydrogen-611921-fuel-cell.html GREEN ENERGY Mexico lays out energy reform rules. The Mexican government is proposing bidding-based rules for the opening of its state-owned oil and energy industry, saying contracts and production licenses will be put out for public bid and will go to the company that offers the best return. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_MEXICO_ENERGY_REFORM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT For now, industry hangs its hopes on Texas -- AWEA report. Wind power installation rates aren't what they used to be. But that could change within the next two years, asserts the leading wind energy industry group, largely thanks to a surge of construction activity in Texas. The first quarter of 2014 saw 214 megawatts of wind energy built, according to the American Wind Energy Association's "U.S. Wind Industry First Quarter 2014 Market Report," released yesterday. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998702/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY State regulators seek credit in new rule for efficiency programs. The state regulators that will play a leading role in implementing U.S. EPA's greenhouse gas rules for existing power plants are putting the finishing touches on guidelines for how the rule should handle state energy efficiency programs. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998736/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Environment focus of Calif. governor's Mexico trip. California Gov. Jerry Brown plans a trade and environmental mission to Mexico this summer, in part to strike a deal reducing air pollution. Brown's office announced the dates for the trip Tuesday. The mission will take place the last week of July and be organized by the California Chamber of Commerce. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/29/6364795/environment-focus-of-calif-governors.html#storylink=cpy Marine base trash finds a new beat with recycling message. Anyone walking through the Oceanside Earth Festival on Sunday afternoon might have wondered why a trash heap of twisted metal was piled up behind behind the stage on Tremont Street. As a jazz band from Coastal Music Studios left the stage, however, it became clear that the old pipes, auto parts and plastic boxes weren’t trash, but the next act. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/29/oceanside-recycled-drum-line/ OPINIONS The Right Way to Develop Shale Gas. LISTENING to the polarized energy debate in the United States, you might think natural gas was an economic and geopolitical cure-all — or an environmental curse. Too many oil and gas executives behave as if this newly abundant resource, released from underground shale deposits by the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, has no environmental challenges. Opponents often act as if it has no economic and environmental benefits. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/30/opinion/the-right-way-to-develop-shale-gas.html?_r=0 Keeping Track: Air Pollution and Drones. In a victory for clean air, the Supreme Court on Tuesday voted 6-to-2 to uphold the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to find the most cost-effective way of reducing harmful air pollution that crosses state lines. Because soot and ozone from power plants don’t respect borders, states are required by the Clean Air Act to establish plans to avoid “significantly” polluting their neighbors. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/30/opinion/keeping-track-air-pollution-and-drones.html?hp&rref=opinion Why 'cheap' coal is actually expensive Re "Sticker shock," April 26 Before bemoaning the fact that we are moving from coal to renewable energy, it should be noted that coal-generated electricity is no bargain. The hidden cost of coal is $345 billion a year, according to Harvard researchers. Given that, coal is one of the most expensive fuels in the U.S. We all suffer from climate change thanks in no small part to coal. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0430-wednesday-electrcity-price-20140430,0,6868686.story#axzz30O861Bq7 EDITORIAL: Court ruling on drifting air pollution makes sense. Logic and laws don't always mix, but they did this week in a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. It ruled that the source of air pollution can be held responsible even if its smog or soot blows far away across state lines. The decision vindicates a long effort by the Environmental Protection Agency to hold polluters accountable even if they don't violate local standards. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EDITORIAL-Court-ruling-on-drifting-air-pollution-5439769.php Editorial: California’s leaders shrug off Toyota move. Occidental Petroleum. Raytheon. Legalzoom. Waste Connections. Daegis and Revionics. And, this week, Toyota Motor Sales. The list of major companies that have left California recently, or are planning on leaving soon and taking their jobs with them, is getting uncomfortably long. Toyota announced Monday it was moving 3,000 white-collar jobs from its sprawling campus in Torrance to a new, consolidated headquarters in Plano, Texas. Posted.: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/30/6364955/editorial-californias-leaders.html#storylink=cpy Kate Gordon and Cole Wheeler: Price of gas not as meaningful as its bad impacts. We’re public policy advocates, so we’re always happy to hear that legislators are discussing our work. But we were less than pleased by the recent op-ed (“Hidden double-digit gas tax would affect Central Valley the most,” April 25, Page A13) on gas prices from Central Valley policymakers Sen. Anthony Cannella and Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen…Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/04/28/3623086/price-of-gas-not-as-meaningful.html?sp=/99/177/#storylink=cpy http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/28/3314373/price-of-gas-not-as-meaningful.html?sp=/99/1641/#storylink=cpy OPINION: California should rethink water management practices. The 2014 drought is unprecedented in modern times. It is also our first glimpse into a future where climate disruption alters when and how California gets water. But it won’t be the last. Within 35 years, projected temperature increases mean that rain is likely to outpace snow in the Sierra Nevada. Average snowpack may be reduced by as much as 40 percent and more rain will flow quickly through western rivers in winter months. Posted. http://www.pe.com/opinion/local-views-headlines/20140429-opinion-california-should-rethink-water-management-practices.ece As U.S. warms, dangerous mosquito thrives. Many Americans think global warming is a distant risk that threatens faraway places with ice caps and polar bears. Very few Americans link global warming to infectious disease, but that could change. As the climate of the northern United States warms, the Asian tiger mosquito, one of the world's most invasive pests, continues spreading northward from Texas to New York…Posted. http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/30/opinion/pagani-climate-change-mosquito-illness/ LOIS HENRY: Epic drought calls for epic solution: backward flow. Water does funny things in California. When there's a drought as bad as the one we're in now, it does things you wouldn't think were possible. Like flow backwards. As in south to north. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/columnists/lois-henry/x1042368439/LOIS-HENRY-Epic-drought-calls-for-epic-solution-backward-flow Joe Schwarcz: The high-stakes challenge of capturing carbon dioxide. It is clear that no longer can we continue to spew carbon dioxide recklessly into the atmosphere; and it is also clear that eventually we will run out of fossil fuels. So, how about killing two birds with one stone? (Only figuratively, of course.) The challenge consists of capturing the carbon dioxide formed in combustion processes before it is released into the atmosphere…Posted. http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/Schwarcz+high+stakes+challenge+capturing+carbon+dioxide/9791093/story.html BLOGS Car Makers Are Delivering Better Mileage, But How Much Is Real? Auto makers are doing a better job of reducing fuel consumption in their new cars than federal regulators predicted they would, according to a new report today from the U.S. government. How much of that progress is real is the subject of some debate. The Environmental Protection Agency says major auto makers in the U.S.—the Big Three and their major foreign rivals… Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2014/04/28/car-makers-are-delivering-better-mileage-but-how-much-is-real/?KEYWORDS=climate+change Put Down Your Pistols: Cap and Trade Isn't Dead Yet. The latest U.N. report says that the darling climate strategy isn't working. But that doesn't mean it's dead. For climate advocates, those are fighting words. Cap-and-trade efforts to combat global warming have often come under fire from politicians. And sometimes literally. Posted. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/04/29/put_down_your_pistols_cap_and_trade_isnt_dead_yet_climate_change BY SUBSCRIPTION Types of Carbon Pricing: Part 1 of 3. This post is the first of three summarizing the differing features of carbon pricing instruments – emissions trading (cap-and-trade), carbon taxes, and hybrids – and commenting on some of the implications for existing carbon pricing schemes. The three together can be found as a pdf file under the carbon pricing pages of this site. These posts focus on the differences between types of carbon pricing. Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/onclimatechangepolicy/374286/types-carbon-pricing-part-1-3 This man is on the hunt for California’s next climate leaders. Tom Steyer isn’t the only ambitious fundraiser working to get climate hawks elected. Meet Nick Josefowitz. Both men live in San Francisco, but while Steyer is playing on the national scene, Josefowitz is focused on his home state. He recently founded a new political action committee, Leadership for a Clean Economy…Posted. http://grist.org/politics/this-man-is-on-the-hunt-for-californias-next-climate-leaders/ Trident Inceni stakes claim to world's fastest diesel sports car, will come to US. It was back in 2006 when we first came across Trident and its plans to create a diesel-powered sports car. The prototype was up and running a couple of years later, and it debuted at the Salon Privé in London a few years after that. It's now been the better part of two years since its debut – and eight years since the project first surfaced – but Trident Sports Cars says it's finally ready to launch the vehicle it called Iceni. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/30/trident-inceni-worlds-fastest-diesel-sports-car/ Tesla making plans for Gigafactory in at least two states. Ever since February, when Tesla officially announced that it would build a gigafactory to make the incredible number of lithium-ion batteries it expects to need to power its electric vehicles, we thought it would be located in one of four states. Those four states – Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada – have been lobbying the automaker ever since, hoping to hear that the new…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/29/tesla-making-plans-for-gigafactory-two-states/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 1 May 2014 14:58:24 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 1, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 1, 2014. 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 Bill advances to add cost of cap and trade to gas pump disclosures. Information about how much California's cap-and-trade program for carbon emissions increases gasoline prices would be posted at fuel pumps throughout the state under legislation that has cleared its first committee hurdle. With an 8-5 vote, the Assembly Committee on Business, Professions and Consumer Protection on Tuesday approved A.B. 2656 and sent it to the Appropriations Committee. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998805/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Court orders EPA to adopt new air pollution rule. A federal court has given the Obama administration a deadline for updating federal standards for smog that are more than a year overdue. U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in San Francisco on Tuesday ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue ground-level ozone standards by Dec. 1 and a final rule by Oct. 1, 2015. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EPA_SMOG_STANDARD?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/court-orders-epa-to-adopt-new-air-pollution-rule/2014/04/30/9119657a-d097-11e3-a714-be7e7f142085_story.html Air quality gains could be eroded by drought, climate change. Almost 15 years of steady improvement to the air breathed by Southern Californians is being threatened by a statewide drought causing the release of lung-damaging particles from dry riverbeds, home fireplace chimneys and local wildfires, according to a national health organization. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140430/NEWS/140439999 CLIMATE CHANGE Russia Says 2C Climate Goal Shouldn’t Dictate Carbon Pledges. Russia said the United Nations-endorsed goal of keeping global temperatures from rising 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) shouldn’t dictate countries’ emission limits in a new climate treaty. The “only reasonable” method is for countries to make emissions pledges according to economic development, natural and geographic characteristics…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-01/russia-says-2c-climate-goal-shouldn-t-dictate-emission-pledges.html High carbon dioxide levels set a record. There's striking new evidence that Earth's atmosphere is increasingly saturated with carbon dioxide, the major gas from fossil fuel emissions that trigger climate change. Measurements of the climate-changing gas by instruments high on a mountain in Hawaii and around the world show that global emissions from burning fossil fuels rose last month to levels higher…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/High-CO-2-levels-set-a-record-5443592.php Climate change: Pacific Ocean acidity dissolving shells of key species. In a troubling new discovery, scientists studying ocean waters off California, Oregon and Washington have found the first evidence that increasing acidity in the ocean is dissolving the shells of a key species of tiny sea creature at the base of the food chain. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25664175/climate-change-pacific-ocean-acidity-dissolving-shells-key?source=email NASA carbon-counting satellite arrives at launch site. A NASA spacecraft designed to make precise measurements of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere is at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., to begin final preparations for launch. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 arrived Wednesday at its launch site on California's central coast after traveling from Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Satellite Manufacturing Facility in Gilbert, Ariz. Posted. http://phys.org/news/2014-05-nasa-carbon-counting-satellite-site.html#jCp DROUGHT Water cutbacks looming for California farmers, water agencies. California water officials are on the verge of making an unusually drastic pronouncement in response to the ongoing drought: Ordering hundreds of water agencies, farmers and other property owners to stop diverting water from rivers in which they have longstanding water rights. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/30/6368291/water-cutbacks-looming-for-california.html#storylink=cpy EBMUD's new emergency water supply arrives from Sacramento River. An emergency supply of Sacramento River water arrived at the East Bay's largest water district Wednesday, culminating a mission sidetracked for decades by a regional water war. East Bay Municipal Utility District leaders welcomed the water gushing into San Pablo Reservoir as drought insurance for 1.3 million people in Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25670232/ebmuds-new-emergency-water-supply-arrives-from-sacramento?source=rss Farmers Forecasting Less Rice, Higher Prices Because of Drought. California supplies virtually all of the nation’s sushi rice and half of it is exported. But of all the food crops in the state, rice is likely to be affected by the drought the most. The mere speculation of losses is already driving up prices. At Montna Farms near Yuba City, huge drag scrapers level a rice field in preparation for planting. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/04/30/farmers-forecasting-less-rice,-higher-prices-because-of-drought/ South Australians warned they may have to carry cost of losing their homes to rising sea levels. Around 60,000 homes in South Australia are considered at risk of a predicted sea level rise of half a metre over the next 50 years. Eyre Peninsula homeowners have been warned to accept that their properties may have an “expiry date” if relocation or the construction of sea walls is too expensive in the face of sea levels raised by melting ice caps. Posted. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/south-australians-warned-they-may-have-to-carry-cost-of-losing-their-homes-to-rising-sea-levels/story-fnii5yv5-1226901369729 DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB meeting to tackle efficiency in freight movement. Have ideas to make goods movement more efficient? The California Air Resources Board wants you to share your opinion. CARB is hosting a public forum “for the development of the Sustainable Freight Strategy,” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, May 5 at the Cal/EPA Headquarters Building in Sacramento, Calif. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be webcast here. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=26953#.U2J0rYUvDfk EPA offers new round of grants for clean diesel projects. U.S. EPA announced the offer today of $9 million in grants for clean diesel projects aimed at cutting emissions from diesel engines, such as those found in trucks, locomotives and buses. The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Program targets projects considered cost-effective ways to improve fleets in areas with dirty air. EPA expects to provide cash for 10 to 20 projects under this funding round. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998824/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Enterprise Products Profit Rises on Winter Fuel Demand. Enterprise Products Partners LP (EPD), the biggest U.S. pipeline operator by market value, said first-quarter profit rose 6 percent as a frigid winter and surging energy supplies boosted demand for transporting fuel. Net income climbed to $798.8 million, or 85 cents a share, in the first quarter, from $753.5 million, or 83 cents, a year earlier…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-01/enterprise-products-profit-rises-on-winter-fuel-demand.html The bad side of the biofuel boom. There's biofuel in them thar prairies! You've got it, Yosemite Sam. A biofuel rush has officially swept the U.S., with farmers planting corn, soy, sugarcane and other plants for use in fuel. Their crops help meet the EPA requirement that almost all gasoline sold in the U.S. contain at least 10 percent corn ethanol, the most common biofuel. As early as the 1970s, scientists touted biofuels as a clean, renewable energy source. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/01/ozy-bad-side-biofuel/8558385/ Switch from gasoline to ethanol linked to higher ozone levels. Scientists have made a surprising discovery about ethanol: The more it was used by drivers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the more ozone they measured in the local environment. The finding, reported this week in Nature Geoscience, is contrary to other studies predicting that increased use of ethanol would cut levels of ground-level ozone, or smog. Posted. http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-sci-sn-ethanol-ozone-levels-brazil-20140501,0,6484730.story Oil sands heavyweights see new path to profit in rising carbon emissions. It’s a bold proposition: Don’t just capture carbon and bury it deep underground, but use it as feedstock to spur large-scale production of chemicals, ski boots and fishing rods, concrete products and pavements, among other applications. Raw oil exports offer big bang-for-the-buck for Canada’s economy, report says. Posted. http://business.financialpost.com/2014/05/01/carbon-emissions-assets/?__lsa=9016-68da Green group accuses Calif. of 'blatant violations of fracking disclosure rules' California has repeatedly failed to disclose information on unconventional oil drilling as required by state law, an environmental group said yesterday in a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown (D). The state's Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, known as DOGGR, hasn't posted legally mandated reports for 47 fracking operations…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059998808/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLE Green Batteries’ Graphite Adds to China Pollution. As more environmentally conscious Americans do their bit to help clear the air by paying up for an eco-friendly Prius or a sporty Tesla, a damaging form of polluted rain is falling in China. The link is graphite, a vital component in batteries used in Tesla’s Model S, Toyota’s plug-in Prius and other electric cars, as well as in electronic gadgets including iPhones. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-14/teslas-in-california-help-bring-dirty-rain-to-china.html California Fines Ford $3 Million Over Defective Pollution Control Equipment. Ford is being fined $2.96 million because the pollution control system on 2011-12 Fiestas sold in California are not working properly, the state’s Air Resources Board said late Wednesday. “It is one of our larger fines,” Stanley Young, a spokesman for the agency, said in an interview. The board enforces California’s particularly strict air pollution standards. The problem affects almost 16,500 vehicles, he said. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/02/automobiles/california-fines-ford-3-million-over-defective-pollution-control-equipment.html?_r=0 Success puts pressure on clean-car rebates. The state rebate for low- or zero-emission vehicles has been extended into the summer months, after funding for the popular payout became nearly exhausted, the California Air Resources Board has announced. The rebates offset the price of a new vehicle by as much as $2,500, encouraging consumers to buy into new technologies that can reduce smog…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/29/clean-car-rebates-reconsidered/ Tesla Motors To Open Operations In San Joaquin County. Tesla Motors has started work on building modifications at a plant in Lathrop in San Joaquin County. The electric automaker is already seeking job applicants for the new facility. Tesla says it is expanding its infrastructure and has signed leases for more than 625,000 square feet of California real estate. The Lathrop plant is located along Interstate 5. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/04/30/tesla-motors-to-open-operations-in-san-joaquin-county/ GREEN ENERGY Offshore Wind to Grow 6-Fold, Aiding Suzlon, Vestas: HSBC. Offshore wind power is set to grow six-fold by 2020, benefiting turbine makers Suzlon Energy Ltd. (SUEL), Vestas Wind Systems A/S and Gamesa Corp. Tecnologica SA, HSBC Holdings Plc said. Total global installed capacity of wind turbines at sea is forecast to rise to 43 gigawatts by 2020 from 6.5 gigawatts at the end of 2013, the bank said today in an e-mailed report. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-01/offshore-wind-to-grow-6-fold-aiding-suzlon-vestas-hsbc.html A Ghost Town, Going Green. Gerald Freeman leaned on a walking stick on a dusty hill near the four rows of his solar arrays, talking about it like an apostle on a mission. Down the road are the eucalyptus trees he planted as a potential source of biomass. And not far away, he said, he hopes to install a hydrogen system, another source of renewable fuel. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/01/business/energy-environment/a-ghost-town-going-green.html Mayor Lee proposes gutting CleanPowerSF energy program. Mayor Ed Lee on Wednesday proposed raiding $19.5 million that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors set aside to fund a renewable energy program, his administration saying the money could be better spent on additional streetlights and subsidies for solar panels on homes and businesses. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Mayor-Lee-proposes-gutting-CleanPowerSF-energy-5443302.php Wind-powered S.F. Bay ferry commute tests promising. It's a twist on last year's America's Cup that may bring a breakthrough in commuting. Take a sleek, carbon-fiber sail that can propel a racing yacht to speeds of 55 mph, combine it with the winds of San Francisco Bay, and make a hefty ferryboat perform like Team Oracle. That's the thinking behind a $355,000 grant awarded by pollution regulators to a group…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Wind-powered-S-F-Bay-ferry-commute-tests-5443767.php Cleantech Sector Is Growing Fast, Yet Cost Drops Lead To Renewable Energy Investment Decline. Investors worldwide spent less on renewable energy and related technologies—such as smart meters, electric vehicles, and storage—last year than in previous years. Global investments in renewable energy fell to $214 billion, down 14 percent from 2012. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/04/30/renewable-energy-investments-decline-reality-clean-tech-sector-growing/#WjvtlDTDz7UV8lMY.99 Amendment to energy bill aims to boost tribal renewable energy ventures. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee met yesterday to hear testimony from tribal members and federal officials on potential amendments to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that would boost alternative energy development on reservations and revamp Tribal Energy Resource Agreements (TERAs), which have been a resounding failure since they became available in 2008. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998800/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.S. has potential to double its capacity -- DOE report. A new report from the Department of Energy concludes that the United States has the potential to almost double its hydropower generation capacity and replace hundreds of millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. The assessment of U.S. hydropower capability was prepared earlier this week and demonstrates how the country can continue to diversify its energy supply…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998798/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Democrats offer green bank bills. House Democrats are attempting to revive an approach to mobilizing private financing for clean energy projects by establishing a national green bank. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, led seven colleagues in introducing the bill, H.R. 4522. A similar idea was included in the greenhouse gas cap-and-trade bill…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998843/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Scalia gets his facts wrong in EPA dissent. Supreme Court opinions are rarely susceptible to the kind of fact-checking that reporters usually employ on politics. But Justice Antonin Scalia's hearty dissent in an environmental case this week contained such a glaring error of fact — misreporting an earlier case in which Scalia himself wrote the majority opinion — that the justice changed the opinion. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Scalia-gets-his-facts-wrong-in-EPA-dissent-5444217.php http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/scalia-gets-his-facts-wrong-in-epa-dissent-106226.html Etiwanda fire drives 1,600 from their Southern California homes. Driven by fierce winds, a wildfire continued to burn into the mountains above Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday night after scorching more than 1,000 acres, forcing more than 1,600 from their homes. By evening, the Etiwanda Fire was zero-percent contained, and investigators still had not determined the cause of the blaze…Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25672888/Etiwanda-fire-drives-1600-from-their OPINIONS The Supreme Court makes the right call on a Clean Air Act provision. THE SUPREME Court considered two cases this term in which somewhat unclear wording in the federal Clean Air Act left sensible environmental rules open to challenge. On Tuesday, in the first case, the justices rightly sided with the sensible rules. In Environmental Protection Agency v. EME Homer City Generation L.P., a 6-to-2 majority upheld EPA rules designed to stop groups of states from contributing harmful ozone…Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-supreme-court-makes-the-right-call-on-a-clean-air-act-challenge/2014/04/30/25eab558-cfe1-11e3-b812-0c92213941f4_story.html Mercury News editorial: Court ruling provides EPA with legal backing to fight climate change. The Supreme Court decision handing the Environmental Protection Agency an important clean air victory Tuesday was refreshing in every sense of the word. The court's 6-2 ruling upheld the EPA's authority to limit power-plant emissions that blow across state lines. It's a crucial step forward for President Barack Obama's effort to improve the air quality of states downwind from polluting coal-fired plants. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/News/ci_25669076/Mercury-News-editorial:-Court-ruling-provides Why Doesn't Anyone Know How to Talk About Global Warming? The gap between science and public understanding prevents action on climate change—but social scientists think they can fix that. When Vox.com launched last month, the site's editor-in-chief, Ezra Klein, had a sobering message for us all: more information doesn't lead to better understanding. Posted. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/talking-about-climate-change-how-weve-failed-and-how-we-can-fix-it-180951070/#i5TDm973ivBiABms.99 BLOGS Climate Change and Children: A Call for Action. The UN recently issued their latest report on climate change, and the findings are grim, suggesting that "climate change risks destabilizing human society". US Secretary of State John Kerry commented: "Unless we act dramatically and quickly, science tells us our climate and our way of life are literally in jeopardy. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/courtenay-cabot-venton/climate-change-and-childr_b_5226952.html What Are The 10 Most Polluted U.S. Cities? California may be a haven for plug-in electric cars, but it's also home to many of the most-polluted cities in the U.S. Of the 10 most polluted U.S. cities in the American Lung Association's State of the Air report (via Mashable), seven are in the Golden State. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1091816_what-are-the-10-most-polluted-u-s-cities Arizona’s enormous solar plant is up and running. The Agua Caliente Solar Photovoltaic Facility might just be the happiest farm in the world. Instead of pigs and cows enjoying a free-range frolic before their inevitable demise, it’s sunbeams being harvested after skittering across 2,400 acres of solar panels. Posted. http://grist.org/list/arizonas-enormous-solar-plant-is-up-and-running/ Jerry Brown is his own man. Jerry Brown is his own man. “There are some people making fun of everything,” the California governor told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in an interview that aired Wednesday. “So that's just the way life is.” In this case, he was responding to a question about his struggle to get a high-speed rail plan off the ground. Posted. http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/01/california-governor-jerry-brown-standing-up-to-the-critics/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 2 May 2014 11:16:17 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for May 2, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 2, 2014. 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 Supreme Court Rules 6-2 On EPA Air Pollution Reductions Across State Lines. This week, President Obama’s environmental agenda gained a victory. The Supreme Court revived a 2011 Environmental Protection Agency regulation, known as the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, limiting power-plant emissions blowing across state lines. The ruling will now require 28 states to reduce power-plant emissions, which hurt the air-quality in states located downwind. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/brighammccown/2014/05/02/supreme-court-rules-6-2-on-epa-air-pollution-reductions-across-state-lines/ California Fines Ford $3 Million Over Defective Pollution Control Equipment. Ford is being fined $2.96 million because the pollution control system on 2011-12 Fiestas sold in California are not working properly, the state’s Air Resources Board said late Wednesday. “It is one of our larger fines,” Stanley Young, a spokesman for the agency, said in an interview. The board enforces California’s particularly strict air pollution standards. The problem affects almost 16,500 vehicles, he said. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/02/automobiles/california-fines-ford-3-million-over-defective-pollution-control-equipment.html Other related articles: http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-ford-fined-for-faulty-fiestas-20140501,0,5572819.story#axzz30ZwhaKlq FIRE SEASON: Hot day? High wind? Watch out! The temperatures are hot and the winds are fast — the perfect conditions for people to accidentally cause fires. The National Weather Service issued a red-flag warning Tuesday, April 29, to warn Inland Southern California residents that the high winds and low humidity are creating dangerous fire weather. Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20140429-fire-season-hot-day-high-wind-watch-out.ece Summer 'Spare the Air' season begins in the Bay Area. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has announced the start of the 2014 summer Spare the Air season. The program encourages Bay Area residents to reduce air pollution every day by carpooling, taking transit, driving less, walking and biking. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25682510/Summer-Spare-the-Air-season-begins http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_25682509/summer-apos-spare-air-apos-season-begins-bay http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25682510/Summer-Spare-the-Air-season-begins Air Quality Index aids those with breathing issues. Weather plays a big role in the air we breathe every day. The Air Quality Index measures five different pollutants including ground level ozone and particulate matter, both of which pose the greatest threat to human health. Both of these also tend to rise during the upcoming summer months. Posted. http://www.10news.com/news/air-quality-index-aids-those-with-breathing-issues-05022014 Sonoma County air quality gets high grades. Sonoma County got straight-A's on the American Lung Association's latest air quality report card, a rating it owes in large part to cool, breezy weather, officials said. Vehicle exhaust emissions in Sonoma County, for example, are typically blown to the east and converted to hazardous ozone under a hot sun in Livermore, they said. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140501/articles/140509933 CLIMATE CHANGE Court ruling provides EPA with legal backing to fight climate change. The following editorial appeared in the San Jose Mercury News on Thursday, May 1: The Supreme Court decision handing the Environmental Protection Agency an important clean air victory Tuesday was refreshing in every sense of the word. The court's 6-2 ruling upheld the EPA's authority to limit power-plant emissions that blow across state lines. It's a crucial step forward for President Barack Obama's effort to improve the air quality of states downwind from polluting coal-fired plants. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/02/3320585/court-ruling-provides-epa-with.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/02/6372834/court-ruling-provides-epa-with.html Carmakers' Greenhouse Gas Reductions Greater Than Required for 2012, EPA Says. Light-duty vehicle manufacturers achieved more greenhouse gas emissions reductions in model year 2012 vehicles than was required by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to an annual EPA report. On average, 2012 vehicles emitted 10 grams less carbon dioxide per mile than the EPA's emissions standard requires, EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe told reporters April 25. Posted. http://www.bna.com/carmakers-greenhouse-gas-n17179890126/ FUELS Switch from gasoline to ethanol linked to higher ozone levels. Scientists have made a surprising discovery about ethanol: The more it was used by drivers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the more ozone they measured in the local environment. The finding, reported this week in Nature Geoscience, is contrary to other studies predicting that increased use of ethanol would cut levels of ground-level ozone, or smog. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ethanol-ozone-levels-brazil-20140501,0,5517616.story Toyota to provide financial assistance to FirstElement for construction of H2 refueling network in California. Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) and its affiliate Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) have entered into a group of financial agreements with FirstElement Fuel Inc. (FE) to support the long-term operation and maintenance expenses of new hydrogen refueling stations in California. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/05/20140502-tmsh2.html VEHICLES 2014 BMW i8 plug-in hybrid: High performance but with a conscience. Attention eco-chic speed freaks: Set aside your Teslas, you have a new toy to covet. The 2014 BMW i8 plug-in hybrid and the all-electric i3 are the first offerings from the automaker's new i subbrand. Equal parts sex appeal and efficiency, the cars combine electrification with lightweight construction and eye-catching designs. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-autos-bmw-i8-review-20140502,0,2028203.story#axzz30ZwhaKlq GREEN ENERGY High tech sail could one-day power ferry boats. San Francisco Bay is being used to test a one-of-a-kind wind sail that could end up powering ferry boats. The objective is to reduce fuel use and air pollution. The 40-foot sail is made of carbon fiber making it light. The design is sleek to help propel any vessel. One day it could be used on a ferry boat carrying hundreds of commuters. The boats would use both wind and diesel. Posted. http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=resources/traffic&id=9524343 MISCELLANEOUS Family Farmers Hold Keys to Agriculture in a Warming World. The challenge is huge but the solution may be small—very small. Faced with global warming and a population that will swell to nine billion by 2050, a growing number of experts say that the way to feed the masses as climate change makes growing our food more difficult is to focus on family farmers, who often can barely feed themselves. Posted. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/05/140502-climate-change-agriculture-family-farm-science/ OPINIONS Our View: Central Valley has the greatest need for using “cap and trade” billions. There’s no shortage of ideas on how to spend California’s anticipated “cap and trade” billions. But two recent reports lay out a compelling case for where a serious dose of that money, from the state’s program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, needs to go. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/05/01/3628298/our-view-central-valley-has-the.html?sp=/99/177/ http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/01/6368570/editorial-central-valleys-dire.html#storylink=cpy California’s Business ‘Leakage’ Becoming a Deluge. The list of businesses leaving California for greener pastures is long and growing. And now we can add Toyota to it. The word ‘leakage’ is the new politically correct term used by legislators, the Governor, bureaucrats and the California Air Resources Board, to describe what happens when California businesses leave the state because of tax increases and stupendous regulations… Posted. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/05/californias-business-leakage-becoming-deluge/ Why is California 'worst'? Los Angeles frequently had "Stage 3" smog alerts when I was a kid, meaning that we weren't supposed to play outside. Fortunately, those days are over. Air quality in California, including Los Angeles, has vastly improved from decades ago. But compared to other states and to the Federal Clean Air Act health standards, California is way behind on cleaning up its air pollution. Posted. http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/02/opinion/pettit-california-pollution/ Viewpoints: Drought shadows the start of California’s salmon season. Today, California’s commercial salmon season begins off our coast. From Santa Barbara to Fisherman’s Wharf and beyond, commercial fishermen will soon be delivering one of nature’s most healthy and delicious foods – California wild king salmon. The king salmon caught off our coast are the best anywhere in the world, and markets all over the U.S. and beyond will bid for these fish. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/01/6368316/viewpoints-drought-shadows-the.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS How the green energy sector can help Wall Street do the right thing. Wall Street. Asset-backed securities. Too big to fail. Memories of the mortgage market meltdown still haunt Main Street and Wall Street. But in spite of all the naysayers, the green business sector is growing up and may be just what Wall Street needs to help be a positive force in growing the nation’s economy. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/05/02/how-the-green-energy-sector-can-help-wall-street-do-the-right-thing/ Fracking disclosure dispute doesn't clear the air about oil and gas production. Anti-fracking activists are complaining that disclosure requirements about well stimulation are failing, but regulators overseeing oil and gas production in California say those opponents to fracking are overreacting. The dispute points up the ongoing problems around what the public knows about oil and gas production in California. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2014/05/01/16515/fracking-disclosure-dispute-doesn-t-clear-the-air/ How To Convince Conservative Christians That Global Warming Is Real. Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, an evangelical Christian, has had quite the run lately. A few weeks back, she was featured in the first episode of the Showtime series The Years of Living Dangerously, meeting with actor Don Cheadle in her home state of Texas to explain to him why faith and a warming planet aren't in conflict. Posted. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/05/inquiring-minds-katharine-hayhoe-faith-climate Toyota R&D shows off free piston engine linear generator for future EVs. We often hear how an electric vehicle powertrain architecture allows vehicle designers much more freedom than a traditional ICE powertrain does. With differently shaped battery modules and small electric motors, there are lots of way to put the pieces together. With today's plug-in hybrid technology, engineers still need to put a decent-sized ICE somewhere, but new technology from Toyota could free up the gas-electric vehicle designers of the future. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/01/toyota-randd-shows-off-free-piston-engine-linear-generator-for-fut/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 5 May 2014 15:44:31 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 5, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 5, 2014. 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 Beijing fines 652 firms for pollution in four months. Authorities in the Chinese capital fined 652 industrial facilities for breaching environmental regulations in the first four months of the year as it stepped up efforts to fight pollution. Beijing's air quality has come under intense scrutiny since January last year, when heavy smog settled over the city to the alarm of its residents. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/05/us-china-pollution-idUSKBN0DL09A20140505 Smog-Standard Ruling Stirs Debate.Judge's Ruling Reanimates Battle Between Businesses and Environmental Groups. A federal judge's ruling last week directing the Obama administration to issue a long-delayed smog standard is reanimating a battle between businesses and environmental groups that has been dormant for three years. The more stringent federal standard for ground-level ozone, commonly known as smog, was delayed by President Barack Obama in 2011. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304831304579541533406221584?KEYWORDS=climate+change&mg=reno64-wsj Sriracha sauce becomes a hot political issue with bipartisan backing. California’s latest political darling comes in a clear plastic bottle with a green top and tastes good on eggs. Sriracha hot sauce has won the eager endorsement of politicians from both sides of the aisle in recent weeks as the manufacturer has talked about leaving Irwindale amid a regulatory battle over whether the plant sends a spicy smell into nearby neighborhoods. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-sriracha-politics-20140503,0,2366189.story#ixzz30s9LGIOs Online environmental tool places Stanislaus and Merced counties among the worst areas in California. The latest rankings of neighborhood exposure to pollution continue to place much of Stanislaus and Merced counties at the bad end of the spectrum in California. That’s good if you’re looking for state money to help address longstanding problems such as unemployment, dirty water, asthma and lack of bus stops. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/02/3322038/online-environmental-tool-places.html?sp=/99/1623/#storylink=cpy Supreme Court's ruling expands air pollution control efforts, say Stanford scholars. Stanford experts analyze the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that states must comply with regulations developed by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce coal-burning pollutants that float to downwind states. The U.S. Supreme Court has given the Environmental Protection Agency more power to establish and enforce air pollution standards for coal power plants. Posted. http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/may/coal-pollution-ruling-050514.html Ozone levels will rise dramatically as climate warms – study. As the climate continues to warm and temperatures rise, concentrations of lung-irritating ground-level ozone could significantly increase over the next four decades, according to a new federal study. The study led by the Boulder, Colo.-based National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) forecasts this spike in ozone pollution levels by 2050 across the continental United States if current emissions of ozone-forming pollutants persist. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999012/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Final fed climate report will present dire picture. The Obama administration is more certain than ever that global warming is changing Americans' daily lives and will worsen - conclusions that scientists will detail in a massive federal report to be released Tuesday. Once people thought global warming was more in the future and more of an issue in other parts of the world…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_REPORT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/for-president-obama-a-renewed-focus-on-climate/2014/05/04/6b81412c-d144-11e3-9e25-188ebe1fa93b_story.html?wprss=rss_campaigns UN chief calls for greater action on climate. The United Nations secretary-general on Sunday urged world policymakers to do more to address the threat of climate change as negotiators attempt to forge a new global warming pact next year. Speaking to hundreds of international delegates at the start of a climate gathering in Abu Dhabi, Ban Ki-moon warned that time is running out to reduce harmful emissions…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_EMIRATES_CLIMATE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/UN-chief-calls-for-greater-action-on-climate-5451805.php East Antarctica more at risk than thought to long-term thaw: study. Part of East Antarctica is more vulnerable than expected to a thaw that could trigger an unstoppable slide of ice into the ocean and raise world sea levels for thousands of years, a study showed on Sunday. The Wilkes Basin in East Antarctica, stretching more than 1,000 km (600 miles) inland, has enough ice to raise sea levels by 3 to 4 meters…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/04/us-climatechange-antarctica-idUSKBN0DK0HM20140504 Ocean data points to strong El Nino: climate scientist. A spike in Pacific Ocean sea temperatures and the rapid movement of warm water eastwards have increased concerns that an El Nino weather pattern this year could be one of the strongest in several decades, an Australian climate scientist said. El Nino - a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific - affects wind patterns and can trigger both floods and drought in different parts of the globe, curbing food supply. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/05/us-elnino-weather-scientist-idUSKBN0DL07A20140505 Investors in Coal-Burning Plants Brush Off Supreme Court Decision on EPA Air Rules. Investors in coal-burning utilities are brushing off a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court this week that gave federal regulators more power to control air pollution. Time, they say, is on their side. It will be years more before utilities feel any pain from new rules as companies, lawyers and regulators wrangle over how to apply restrictions…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-02/investors-in-coal-burning-plants-brush-off-supreme-court-decision-on-epa-air-rules.html Scientists race to develop farm animals to survive climate change. When a team of researchers from the University of Delaware traveled to Africa two years ago to search for exemplary chickens, they weren't looking for plump thighs or delicious eggs. They were seeking out birds that could survive a hotter planet. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-climate-chickens-20140504,0,2628316.story#ixzz30rIJr82G Remaining carbon capture projects in Europe continue with government support and tempered targets. Bruised from the collapse of the carbon price under the E.U. Emissions Trading System, surviving European carbon capture and sequestration projects are moving forward, albeit with reduced ambitions. Earlier this year, a pilot carbon capture initiative in Norway began scrubbing carbon dioxide from a nearby oil refinery and power plant…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998981/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Warming influence from human-emitted gases continues to rise – NOAA. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's annual index of greenhouse gases continues to tick upward, with a 1.5 percent increase from 2012 to 2013, the agency reported Friday. The index is meant to provide a straightforward way to understand the warming influence of greenhouse gases and how that changes year to year. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998960/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California city looks to sea for water in drought. This seaside city thought it had the perfect solution the last time California withered in a severe drought more than two decades ago: Tap the ocean to turn salty seawater to fresh water. The $34 million desalination plant was fired up for only three months and mothballed after a miracle soaking of rain. As the state again grapples with historic dryness…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT_DESALINATION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/05/6378242/california-city-looks-to-sea-for.html Cal Fire declares burn ban in Bay Area counties. State fire officials have announced a ban on outdoor burning in several Bay Area counties because of dry conditions and a jump in fires statewide. The ban went into effect Thursday and prohibits open burning in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito counties and parts of Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties, according to Cal Fire spokesman Officer Daniel Berlant. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_25683439/cal-fire-declares-burn-ban-bay-area-counties?source=rss California drought: Tioga road in Yosemite opens on earliest date since 1988. In the latest sign of California's persistent drought, the Tioga Road, a historic route through Yosemite National Park and the highest-elevation highway in the state, opened Friday to motorists -- the earliest in more than two decades. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25685400/california-drought-tioga-road-yosemite-opens-earliest-date?source=rss Calls for groundwater regulation grow louder in parched Calif. California's drought is increasing the political pressure to bring the state's groundwater basins under regulation. The state relies on groundwater supplies for up to 40 percent of its water in a normal year. This year's drought conditions are pushing groundwater to contribute as much as 65 percent, as farmers facing surface water cutbacks turn to well water. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999004/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Drought in West, cold in East make a difficult spring for America's farmers. The landscape across the United States to date has led to a split experience among farmers, with some not able to plant because of the cold and others unable to grow because of the heat. Colder-than-normal soil temperatures in the Midwest, heavy rainfall in the East, and lingering drought in California, Texas and the Great Plains…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998980/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Costly upgrades still loom for local truckers. Even as California air quality officials ease diesel engine regulations intended to meet state emission standards, local trucker Michael Velez says he’s still in the same place as five months ago. http://www.vvdailypress.com/articles/loom-46554-truckers-upgrades.html High tech sail could one-day power ferry boats. San Francisco Bay is being used to test a one-of-a-kind wind sail that could end up powering ferry boats. The objective is to reduce fuel use and air pollution. The 40-foot sail is made of carbon fiber making it light. The design is sleek to help propel any vessel. One day it could be used on a ferry boat carrying hundreds of commuters. The boats would use both wind and diesel. Posted. http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=resources/traffic&id=9524343 FUELS Survey: US gas prices jump 3 cents per gallon. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. rose 3 cents, to $3.72, during the past two weeks, marking the 12th straight week of price hikes at the pump. That's according to a survey released Sunday. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg says gas prices are about to tumble, however, as crude oil and wholesale gasoline prices have started falling due to…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAS_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT US to build 2 gasoline reserves in Northeast. The federal government offered New Yorkers smarting from Superstorm Sandy some hope Friday that they won't see a repeat of chronic gasoline shortages, announcing plans to create gas reserves to ease future weather-related disruptions. The two reserves - one for the New York City area and one in New England - will total 42 million gallons gasoline and will be stored…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NORTHEAST_GASOLINE_RESERVES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Gov-t-to-build-2-gasoline-reserves-in-Northeast-5448253.php AP IMPACT: Deadly side effect to fracking boom. Booming production of oil and natural gas has exacted a little-known price on some of the nation's roads, contributing to a spike in traffic fatalities in states where many streets and highways are choked with large trucks and heavy drilling equipment. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DRILLING_TRAFFIC_DEATHS_ABRIDGED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Lobbying Surges for Keystone Pipeline Before Senate Vote. Television ads sponsored by the oil industry’s main trade association are being broadcast in five states to pressure Democrats to back the Keystone XL pipeline, part of a flurry of last-minute lobbying before a Senate vote as soon as this week. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-05/lobbying-surges-for-keystone-pipeline-before-senate-vote.html Canada Finds China Option No Easy Answer to Keystone Snub. Stephen Harper was in need of a new friend with a big appetite for oil. The Americans just weren’t cutting it. It was February 2012, three months since President Barack Obama had phoned the Canadian prime minister to say the Keystone XL pipeline designed to carry vast volumes of Canadian crude to American markets would be delayed. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-02/how-canada-s-flirtation-with-a-china-oil-market-soured.html VEHICLES Toyota Joins California Hydrogen Push in Station Funding. Toyota Motor Corp. (7203) is funding a startup led by General Motors Co.’s former marketing chief to speed up the opening of hydrogen-fuel stations in California needed for zero-emission cars. Toyota is backing FirstElement Fuel, led by Joel Ewanick, with at least $7.2 million, according to letters filed with the California Energy Commission…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-02/toyota-joins-california-hydrogen-push-in-station-funding.html Energy Commission will fund new hydrogen fueling stations in California. California’s long-talked-about “Hydrogen Highway” has received a major commitment to help it take shape. The Sacramento-based California Energy Commission says it will invest $46.6 million to accelerate the development of public hydrogen fueling stations throughout California to promote a consumer market for zero-emission fuel-cell vehicles... Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/02/6373512/energy-commission-will-fund-new.html#storylink=cpy HIGH-SPEED RAIL High-speed rail agency poised to approve Fresno-Bakersfield section. The California High-Speed Rail Authority board is poised to forge ahead with approval of its Fresno-Bakersfield bullet-train route when it meets Tuesday and Wednesday in Fresno. A 20,000-page report detailing the potential effects of construction and operation of the 114-mile segment will be up for public comment for at least four hours…Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/03/3908316/high-speed-rail-agency-poised.html#storylink=cpy Brown wants to raid Cap-and-Trade for HSR train. Will the Legislature let him? Lots have been written lately about the use of Cap-and-Trade dollars to fund the building of the high-speed rail project. There are two problems first of all; there is a huge capital gap and cap-and trade is merely a Band-Aid and it is most unlikely it will fill that gap even for the first 300 miles of construction. Governor Brown wants $250 million in this coming year’s budget for the High-speed rail project. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/brown-wants-to-raid-cap-and-trade-for-hsr-train-will-the-legislature-let-him OPINIONS COLUMN-Energy and climate as an optimisation problem: Kemp. Uncertainty about the commitment of politicians and the public to "stay the course" risks derailing Britain's plan to cut greenhouse emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050. "Recent statements from government ministers show that energy policy is once again in flux," according to the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). "Climate change mitigation is subject to increasing trade-offs with other objectives within government," …Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/02/kemp-energy-climatechange-idUSL6N0NO19020140502 Sacrificing Africa for Climate Change. Western policies seem more interested in carbon-dioxide levels than in life expectancy. Every year environmental groups celebrate a night when institutions in developed countries (including my own university) turn off their lights as a protest against fossil fuels. They say their goal is to get America and Europe to look from space like Africa: dark, because of minimal energy use. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303380004579521791400395288#printMode Toyota Escapes to Texas. Governor Jerry Brown's California comeback tour was rudely interrupted this week by news that Torrance-based Toyota is moving to Plano, Texas. The runaway car maker shines a headlight on how the South is overtaking California as a commercial and industrial power. In addition to its sales headquarters, Toyota says it plans to move 3,000 professional jobs to the Dallas suburb to centralize operations and improve efficiency. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303678404579533794175451998?KEYWORDS=climate+change&mg=reno64-wsj Gardening for Climate Change. This past winter was a tough one in our backyard. Where we live, about a hundred miles inland from the South Carolina coast, winter is normally a good time to make changes, like the swath of turf I removed from our front yard this year and replaced with perennial flowers and small tufts of native grass. But what is normal now in the garden? Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/04/opinion/sunday/gardening-for-climate-change.html?_r=0 Get ready for a water war in the Valley. In the name of helping endangered fish, the state takes 40 percent of the water flowing down the Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Merced rivers and sends it to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, leaving a third less for irrigation. Farmers start pumping more groundwater for their trees and vines. After a couple of droughts, there isn’t enough groundwater left, and the trees and vines begin dying. Everyone loses. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/03/3322782/mike-dunbar-get-ready-for-a-water.html?sp=/99/1641/#storylink=cpy When air becomes a public health hazard. A new report from the American Lung Association lists the cities that have the worst air pollution in the U.S. Places in Southern California and the Central Valley, including Los Angeles, Fresno, Visalia and Modesto, top the list. But Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and even Fairbanks are also offenders. Posted. http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/04/opinion/farber-air-pollution/index.html?sr=sharebar_facebook BLOGS Keystone emissions amount to a fraction of what U.S. cows release into the atmosphere. Frustrated with the Obama administration's foot-dragging over a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, the Senate this week is considering legislation that would approve the pipeline by making an end-run around the White House. Since we'll be hearing an awful lot about the issue this week, it's worth reviewing exactly what is — and isn't — at stake here. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/05/05/keystone-emissions-amount-to-a-tenth-of-what-u-s-cows-release-into-the-atmosphere/ National Climate Assessment roll-out Tuesday: With proper translation, rolling eyes not deserved. ‘Oh great, another climate report!…’ Admit it, some of you are rolling your eyes and saying this…. The National Climate Assessment (NCA) report , a comprehensive review of climate change and impacts on the United States, is being released Tuesday. This report, for Americans, is a bit closer to home and should generate a buzz. But, will it? Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/05/05/national-climate-assessment-roll-out-tuesday-with-proper-translation-rolling-eyes-not-deserved/ Sierra snowpack a ‘Houston, we have a problem’ moment for Obama. Satellite photos in February of the Sierra Nevada’s shrunken snowpack brought home the urgency of climate change to President Obama, according to a front-page story in Monday’s Washington Post: “‘It was a ‘Houston, we have a problem’ moment,’ recalled White House counselor John D. Podesta, one of two aides who briefed the president that February day. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/05/05/sierra-snowpack-a-houston-moment-for-obama/ CA, MD up EV incentives; US Rep wants tax credit increased to $10,000. Advanced-powertrain vehicle advocates in California and Maryland can rejoice over a chilled glass of Napa Valley's finest white wine and a heaping plate of Baltimore's best crab cakes. That's because both states will continue to make life a little financially sweeter for plug-in vehicle drivers. It's a short-term fix for California but potentially longer-term for Maryland. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/04/us-rep-wants-ev-tax-credit-increased-10000-dollars/ EPA's $9M clean diesel campaign could pay back $117M in health benefits. Diesel fumes are bad for people. But diesel power is good for a lot of heavy-duty work. So, for now, one answer to threading the needle of that little conundrum is to make diesel engines as clean as possible. To that end, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $9 million worth of grant funds from the DERA National Funding Assistance Program. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/05/epa-clean-diesel-campaign-offers-117-million-health/ A Small Victory in the 'War on Coal' While the main action in reducing air pollution and greenhouse gasses must be to focus on developing renewable energy, the elimination of coal as a source of energy remains an important environmental and economic goal. Although it is incorrect to say that the Obama administration is sponsoring a "war on coal," they should be. I recognize the importance of coal to the economies in Appalachia, but we need to begin the transition to a coal-free economy. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/a-small-victory-in-the-wa_b_5266388.html Climate change is clear and present danger, says landmark US report. National Climate Assessment, to be launched at White House on Tuesday, says effects of climate change are now being felt. Climate change has moved from distant threat to present-day danger and no American will be left unscathed, according to a landmark report due to be unveiled on Tuesday. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/04/climate-change-present-us-national-assessment 8 Incredibly Efficient Cars That Drive Thousands Of Miles On Just One Gallon--Designed By Kids In High School. If you're feeling down about the state of the environment, there are few things more heartening than to check out the winners of the annualShell Eco-Marathon Americas. The competition challenges teams of high-school and college students to build incredibly energy-efficient vehicles that are powered by everything from gasoline and fuel cells to electricity and solar power. Posted. http://www.fastcoexist.com/3030037/8-incredibly-efficient-cars-that-drive-thousands-of-miles-on-just-one-gallon-designed-by-kid California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 6 May 2014 12:44:49 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 6, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 6, 2014. 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 Emissions Trading and the Supreme Court. Advocates of cap-and-trade should find support from the Supreme Court's opinion in the cross-state pollution case. In a number of areas, including climate change regulations, a key question is EPA’s power to control compliance costs. A particularly important method is the use of cap-and-trade systems. Posted. http://legal-planet.org/2014/05/06/emissions-trading-and-the-supreme-court/ AIR POLLUTION Salinas air quality nets an 'A' grade. A new report on air quality in California notes that Monterey County earned an A grade during 2013 — one of the healthiest counties in the state — but like overall health, the good news needs to be tempered with a caution that healthy air depends on your ZIP code. Posted. http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20140506/NEWS01/305060012/Salinas-air-quality-nets-an-grade CLIMATE CHANGE Federal report: Warming disrupts Americans' lives. Global warming is rapidly turning America the beautiful into America the stormy, sneezy and dangerous, according to a new federal scientific report. And those shining seas? Rising and costly, the report says. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_REPORT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED ARTICLES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-06/half-u-s-population-vulnerable-to-climate-change-report.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-climate-report-says-global-warming-impact-already-severe/2014/05/06/0e82cd3c-d49c-11e3-aae8-c2d44bd79778_story.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/07/science/earth/climate-change-report.html?hp&_r=0 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/06/6382315/climate-change-assessment-paints.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/06/6381519/fed-report-warming-disrupting.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Federal-report-Warming-disrupts-Americans-lives-5456950.php http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/06/3912248/new-report-climate-change-has.html#storylink=cpy http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/05/3325233/white-house-top-climate-threats.html#storylink=cpy http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/06/politics/white-house-climate-energy/ http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/06/3912081/fed-report-warming-disrupting.html http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999055/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999091/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate change could worsen ozone levels across the U.S., study says. Smog could worsen across the United States in the coming decades as climate change boosts summer temperatures and makes ozone levels more difficult to control, a new study says. Americans can expect the number of days with unhealthy air to jump 70% by mid-century unless emissions of smog-forming pollutants are slashed, according to a study led by the federally funded National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-change-ozone-smog-20140505-story.html Germany and Brazil offer climate policy lessons for the U.S. Even across three continents, the United States, Brazil and Germany have much to learn from each other when it comes to fighting climate change, according to experts. "Illuminating state-national relations in Germany and Brazil also helps us in the United States," said Vivian Thomson, an associate professor of environmental sciences and politics at the University of Virginia. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999059/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Water flows uphill? Maybe, in California drought. Water has flowed from Northern California's snow-capped peaks to the South’s parched cities ever since the California Aqueduct was built in the 1960s. Now, amid one of the worst droughts in history, state officials are considering an audacious plan to send some of the water back uphill. State water engineers say using pumps to reverse the flow of the aqueduct would be a first in a drought. Posted. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/water-flows-uphill-maybe-california-drought FUELS Court upholds EPA's 2013 RFS rule. A federal court today upheld U.S. EPA's 2013 renewable fuel standard rule against a challenge from a refinery owned by Delta Air Lines Inc. The U.S. Court for the District of Columbia Circuit said in a ruling this morning that EPA issued a reasonable rule setting the targets for renewable fuel use last year. The agency also adequately took into account the ability of refiners to purchase credits to meet the standards…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999082/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Toyota's American office gets hydrogen fuel cells. The first Toyota hydrogen fuel cell cars reach the market next year, but already the company is exploiting the technology to cut costs and carbon emissions at one of its largest office complexes. The Japanese manufacturer had gone green and had been focussing on hybrid cars with the Prius being its best-seller. Soon, Toyota will also introduce hydrogen fuel cell cars from next year onwards. Posted. http://www.cardekho.com/india-car-news/toyotas-american-office-gets-hydrogen-fuel-cells-12984.htm GREEN ENERGY Senate takes up energy bill amid Keystone squabble. The Senate has voted to take up a bill that supporters of the Keystone XL oil pipeline want to use as a vehicle to authorize immediate construction of the proposed pipeline from Canada to the United States. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SENATE_KEYSTONE_PIPELINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Yakima Basin canals could generate electricity. Farmers across the Yakima Basin depend on a network of canals to deliver water for their crops. Now, scientists believe the canals could provide another resource to the region: renewable energy. Capturing the energy contained in the water flowing in the Northwest's rivers is nothing new — hydropower dams have been doing just that since the 1930s. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Yakima-Basin-canals-could-generate-electricity-5456966.php Mars Moves Toward Carbon-Neutral Operations With Massive Wind Farm In Texas. Mars Inc. is partnering with the Sumitomo Corp. of Americas and BNB Renewable Energy Holdings to build a wind farm capable of producing enough renewable electricity to power all of its U.S. operations. Mesquite Creek Wind, a 118-turbine, 200-megawatt wind farm, was jointly developed by Sumitomo and BNB. Its output will equal Mars's electric use at of its 70 U.S. sites, which includes 37 factories. Posted. http://www.vendingtimes.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=EB79A487112B48A296B38C81345C8C7F&nm=Vending+Features&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=D151BCEC7BE04A15B3BB40D7564AE2D5 Solar Inc. gets CA$115 million loan to build solar projects for Ontario. Ontario's energy transformation from fossil fuels to renewables took another step forward last week with the announcement of 115.5 million Canadian dollars ($105 million) in financing from the National Bank of Canada to Canadian Solar Inc., allowing for the completion of 30 megawatts of new utility-scale solar power in the province. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999044/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Thieves find a lucrative new commodity: grease. In darkened alleyways, a slimy cat-and-mouse game is playing out across America. Men in trucks are fighting over a dirty and sometimes foul-smelling substance that restaurants once paid to get hauled off. Now it can be worth thousands per truckload. Liquid gold, some in the trade call it. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/06/6381845/thieves-find-a-lucrative-new-commodity.html#storylink=cpy Acidification already eating away at tiny creatures along West Coast. It didn't take long for researchers examining the tiny sea snails to see something amiss. The surface of some of their thin outer shells looked as if they had been etched by a solvent. Others were deeply pitted and pocked. These translucent sea butterflies known as pteropods, which provide food for salmon, herring and other fish, hadn't been burned in some horrific lab accident. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/06/6381810/acidification-already-eating-away.html#storylink=cpy Lodi’s air and water quality will be discussed at Thursday event. Lodi’s air and water quality will be discussed at the Lodi Lake Nature Area Docent program from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, May 8, in the Bud Sullivan Community Room of the Lodi Public Library, 201 W. Locust St. Lodi’s Storm Drain Detectives, students from Lodi and Tokay high schools, will present their findings on their yearlong monitoring of the Mokelumne River. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140505/A_NEWS/140509952 OPINIONS Setting it straight. The editorial “Fracking fluid’s disclosure is step in the right direction” on May 3 should have said California’s fracking laws require companies to publicly disclose trade secret ingredients in an additive but not the ingredients’ precise concentrations. They must release these concentrations to regulators confidentially. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/06/6380565/setting-it-straight.html#storylink=cpy Trade wter for gas, oil? SB 4, the legislation regulating hydraulic fracturing and acid matrix well stimulation practice within California, is a half-step in the right direction. At least there are some restraints put on hydraulic fracturing within California. The main problem is that, in a time when Californians are being asked to conserve water, drillers are permitted to use as little as 3 million gallons…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/05/6379060/trade-water-for-gas-oil.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Beijing Kebab Vendors Among List of Polluters Hit With Fines. China has engaged in a “war against pollution,” as Prime Minister Li Keqiang has said. And in the trenches on the enemy side are legions of roadside kebab vendors, if one takes Beijing officials at their word. On Monday, the state-run China News Service reported that in the first four months of this year…Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/06/beijing-kebab-vendors-among-list-of-polluters-hit-with-fines/?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3As&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry635%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F Chrysler 100, midsize CUV and plug-in hybrid minivan launch bid to go mainstream. The news just keeps on rolling from Auburn Hills today, as Fiat Chrysler continues to detail its five-year growth plan. This time round, we're talking about Chrysler. The troubled American brand has been limited in the past few years to the lamentable Sebring/200, the Town & Country and the 300, although that's likely to change in the coming years. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/05/06/chrysler-100-cuv-plug-in-hybrid-minivan/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 7 May 2014 13:53:11 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 7, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 7, 2014. 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 WHO finds Indian cities have dirtiest air; Chinese data foggy. An effort by the World Health Organization to measure pollution in cities around the world has found New Delhi admits to having the dirtiest air, while Beijing's measurements, like its skies, are far from clear. The study of 1,600 cities found air pollution had worsened since a smaller survey in 2011, especially in poorer countries, putting city-dwellers at higher risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/07/us-pollution-idUSKBN0DN13P20140507 A burning concern: San Lorenzo Valley winter air quality fails U.S. standard. Donna Smith, who has lived in the San Lorenzo Valley for 34 years, wants people to know how toxic the air gets in the winter because of the common practice of using wood-burning stoves to heat homes. During the six-month burn season, which ended April 30, there were 37 days when San Lorenzo Valley air did not meet the federal standard, 19 last year…Posted. http://www.montereyherald.com/breakingnews/ci_25710834/burning-concern-san-lorenzo-valley-winter-air-quality Carbon Pollution Could Make Your Sandwich Less Healthy. Add more thing to worry about on climate change: the more CO2 we put in the atmosphere, the fewer nutrients many crops will have. The massive National Climate Assessment (NCA) that came out yesterday was full of sobering lessons about the way that human-caused global warming is changing life around us. That includes human health: Posted. http://time.com/90823/carbon-pollution-could-make-your-sandwich-less-healthy/ CLIMATE CHANGE Report: Climate change already affecting US. When it came time to deliver a new federal report detailing what global warming is doing to America and the dire forecast for the future, President Barack Obama turned to the pros who regularly deliver the bad news about wild weather: TV meteorologists. "We want to emphasize to the public, this is not some distant problem of the future. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_REPORT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_REPORT_HAWAII_GLANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_REPORT_GREAT_PLAINS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_REPORT_MIDWEST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_REPORT_SOUTHWEST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_REPORT_ALASKA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_REPORT_NORTHWEST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/report-climate-change-already-affecting-us/2014/05/07/6efeb926-d5b6-11e3-8f7d-7786660fff7c_story.html AP PHOTOS: A look at warming in the United States. A federal report released Tuesday says that global warming is rapidly affecting the United States in both visible and invisible ways. >From severe weather to an increase in pollen, the report says that warming is not only physically dangerous, but also costly. Still, it's not too late to prevent the worst of climate change, says the 840-page report, which the White House is highlighting as it tries to jump-start often-stalled efforts to curb heat-trapping gases. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_REPORT_PHOTO_GALLERY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Fed climate report called 'tremendous undertaking'. A new federal report is the most exhaustive and perhaps even easiest-to-read look at what global warming will to do the United States, say experts who strongly support it. The report, required by federal law, is "the most comprehensive assessment ever done on how climate is affecting the United States," said University of Illinois climate scientist Donald Wuebbles, a study author. White House counselor John Podesta called it authoritative and "a tremendous undertaking." Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_REPORT_METHOD?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Industry Sees Costly Rules After Obama’s Climate Report. President Barack Obama’s choreographed rollout of a dire new climate report is sending a signal to the fossil-fuel industry: look out. Supporters and opponents saw the Obama administration’s full embrace of the National Climate Assessment yesterday as laying the groundwork for wide-ranging new efforts to curb emissions blamed for global warming. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-07/industry-sees-costly-rules-after-obama-s-climate-report.html EU Proposes Shield for 175 Industries in Carbon Market. The European Union’s regulator proposed expanding the list of industries in its emissions market that should be protected from relocating to regions without greenhouse-gas curbs. The reviewed measure, which would cover a total of 175 industries from 2015 to 2019, includes sectors such as production of dietetic food. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-06/eu-proposes-shield-for-175-industries-in-carbon-market.html U.S. Climate Has Already Changed, Study Finds, Citing Heat and Floods. The effects of human-induced climate change are being felt in every corner of the United States, scientists reported Tuesday, with water growing scarcer in dry regions, torrential rains increasing in wet regions, heat waves becoming more common and more severe, wildfires growing worse, and forests dying under assault from heat-loving insects. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/07/science/earth/climate-change-report.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1 http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/05/06/226686/report-says-climate-change-is.html On Climate, Republicans and Democrats Are From Different Continents. Americans are less worried about climate change than the residents of any other high-income country, as my colleague Megan Thee-Brennan wrote Tuesday. When you look at the details of these polls, you see that American exceptionalism on the climate stems almost entirely from Republicans. Democrats and independents don’t look so different from people in Japan, Australia, Canada and across Europe. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/upshot/on-climate-republicans-and-democrats-are-from-different-continents.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3As&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry360%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Americans Are Outliers in Views on Climate Change. As President Obama sets out to convince the public that climate change requires immediate attention, he has his work cut out for him. Perhaps more than people in any other rich nation, Americans are skeptical that climate change is a dire issue. In Pew Research Center surveys conducted last spring, 40 percent of Americans said that global climate change was a major threat to their country. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/07/upshot/americans-are-outliers-in-views-on-climate-change.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3As&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry360%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Are Your Companies Copping Out on Climate Change? Whatever people may think, climate change is affecting Americans -- period. Fortunately, many companies, nongovernmental organizations, and government representatives are gathering to talk about the challenges -- as well as the economic opportunities -- of dealing with this growing problem. It's not all bad, although there are still many companies that need to show improvements. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Are-Your-Companies-Copping-Out-on-Climate-Change-5457598.php Climate change being felt across the United States, new report says. Climate change is rapidly turning America the beautiful into America the stormy, sneezy, costly and dangerous, according to a comprehensive federal scientific report released Tuesday. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_25708081/climate-change-being-felt-across-united-states National Climate Assessment: Who conducted the study, and how. A new federal report is the most exhaustive and perhaps even easiest-to-read look at what global warming will to do the United States, say experts who strongly support it. The report, required by federal law, is "the most comprehensive assessment ever done on how climate is affecting the United States," said University of Illinois climate scientist Donald Wuebbles, a study author. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_25709270/national-climate-assessment-who-conducted-study-and-how CLIMATE CHANGE: Report highlights current, future impacts. Droughts like the one plaguing California will become more severe and prolonged, and so will heat waves, destructive wildfires and other consequences of a fast-changing climate, the authors of a White House report said Tuesday. Climate change can be seen in the reduced Sierra Nevada snowpack, resulting in shrinking water supplies for farming and drinking; the fallowing of 800,000 acres of crops statewide...Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140506-climate-change-report-highlights-current-future-impacts.ece Climate report assesses impacts of global warming, including more droughts, wildfires in California. Global warming is rapidly turning America the beautiful into America the stormy, sneezy and dangerous, according to a new federal scientific report. And those shining seas? Rising and costly, the report says. Climate change’s assorted harms “are expected to become increasingly disruptive across the nation throughout this century and beyond,” the National Climate Assessment concluded Tuesday. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/government-and-politics/20140506/climate-report-assesses-impacts-of-global-warming-including-more-droughts-wildfires-in-california >From crop failures to flooded runways, new climate report catalogs impacts across sectors. When it rains, it pours. When it's dry, it's parched. When it's hot, it lasts. These are some of the impacts climate change is already bringing to the United States, with more extremes to come in the future, according to the National Climate Assessment report released yesterday. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999137/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate rollout is aimed at changing attitudes, or at least elections. People who hear the word "enhanced" might think of a stronger body part or a loaded pizza. For Susan Hassol, it represents the problematic dialect of climate scientists, many of whom, admittedly, have a better grasp of wind currents than words. "To the public, that means to make it better," she said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999135/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY New global map of world's glaciers holds a grave sea-level rise warning. Imagine an inventory of almost all of the world's glaciers that allows scientists to assess their size and location from Antarctica to Canada and make better projections of future rising sea levels. That now exists, according to a team of 74 scientists led by the University of Colorado, Boulder, and Trent University in Canada. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999138/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Officials warn of dire fire season. Urge all county residents to be prepared. State, local and federal officials — including U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell — said Tuesday that a bone-dry California is poised for its worst fire season ever and they urged San Diego County residents to be prepared. “We are right now looking at a pretty tough wildfire season,” said Jewell during a news conference held at Cal Fire’s local headquarters in Rancho San Diego. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/06/fire-jewell-drought-danger-pimlott/ FUELS Stanford Divesting Boosts Student Campaign Seeking Domino Effect. Stanford University’s decision to stop investing in coal companies may help bolster the hundreds of student-led campaigns that have spread across college campuses in the past two years aimed at stopping climate change. Stanford, which has an $18.7 billion endowment, is by far the wealthiest and most high-profile university to embrace the movement’s argument that universities should divest from fossil-fuel companies contributing to global warming. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-06/stanford-university-says-it-will-divest-from-coal-companies-1-.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/07/carbonstanford-divestment-idUSL2N0NT0T720140507 HIGH-SPEED RAIL High-speed rail plan attracts foes, supporters at Fresno hearing. Members of the California High-Speed Rail Authority were alternately scolded and encouraged -- and even threatened with arrest -- for more than three hours Tuesday in a hearing on plans for the Fresno-Bakersfield section of its proposed bullet-train network. Tuesday was the first part of a two-day meeting for the rail board to consider certifying environmental reports…Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/06/3913683/high-speed-rail-plan-attracts.html#storylink=cpy BY SUBSCRIPTION GREEN ENERGY Lake View Terrace solar project angers neighbors, raises planning questions. It’s a field of weeds hemmed in by a chain-linked fence. But to Lyles Perkins and other neighbors, it’s scarce land where horses might one day roam — if only someone else would buy the land. Brad Wilson at Ecos Energy, the landowner, has a different vision — one with, as they say in the business world, a double-bottom line. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140506/NEWS/140509635 Federal tax credit for wind turbines gives GE a backlog of orders. Customer orders for General Electric Co.'s advanced wind turbines have surged over the last 18 months, the company announced yesterday, in part because renewable energy developers responded aggressively to Congress' one-year extension of the production tax credit (PTC) for wind energy. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999110/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Metal-hungry clean tech aims to shrink its carbon footprint by powering mines. Clean technology has a dirty secret. "If you want clean tech, you need mines," said Kerry-Ann Adamson, a former research director with Navigant Research who now owns her own consulting firm. "If you haven't got mines, you are not going to get a battery," she added. "If you don't have platinum, you are not going to get a fuel cell." Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999160/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS China fertile ground for green progress: report. China's massive pollution problems have given rise to a new force of environmental campaigners, different politically from middle class activists in the West and potentially more effective in tackling climate change, new research finds. In Europe, financial crisis has knocked environmental policy down the political agenda and populist movements see environmentalism as a hobby of European elites. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/07/us-china-environment-activism-idUSKBN0DN06L20140507 OPINIONS COLUMN-In electricity, Britain is nostalgic for central planning: Kemp. Britain is abandoning its market-based model for electricity and opting for much greater state control, as politicians intervene more aggressively in response to concern about rising bills, climate change and supply security. For a brief period in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Britain had the most liberalised and market-based electricity system in the world, but now politicians, experts and many voters seem to want a return to more central planning. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/07/kemp-britain-electricity-idUSL6N0NT3JI20140507 The G.O.P. Can’t Ignore Climate Change. “TO waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed.” These words were spoken by one of the nation’s most passionate conservationists: Republican President Teddy Roosevelt. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/07/opinion/the-gop-cant-ignore-climate-change.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3As&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry360%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Editorial: Climate change in the 'present'. John Paul Holdren, senior adviser to President Obama on science and technology, took a star turn Tuesday when he released the administration’s third U.S. National Climate Assessment. The document is “the most comprehensive and authoritative ever about how climate has been changing in the United States,” said Mr. Holdren. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/climate-613072-obama-coal.html Mike Kasperzak: Senate bill restores meaning and purpose to the CEQA process The California Environmental Act, or CEQA, is a critical environmental protection law that is implemented for nearly every type of land use project across California. In great part because of its stringent substantive and procedural requirements, CEQA has assisted cities in approving environmentally conscious land use projects that are in line with California's goals of environmental protection. http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_25700274/mike-kasperzak-senate-bill-restores-meaning-and-purpose BLOGS Renault Twizy silently sneaks into university library. "If you've never heard of the Renault Twizy, that's because it's silent." That's the tagline for a new video of a promotional stunt by the French automaker that sent the funky looking EV driving into a university library to show off how quiet it is. Get it? You aren't supposed to talk in a bibliothèque but you can drive an EV there. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/06/renault-twizy-silently-sneaks-into-university-library-video/ In Air Pollution Fight, Beijing Replaces BBQ With Burning Buses. A bus converted into an indoor barbecue restaurant went up in flames on Tuesday, according to local media. The state-run China Daily posted a photo showing the charred, blackened shell of the makeshift restaurant, which caught fire on May 6. According to the report, no one was injured and firefighters were able to transfer two cooking-gas tanks inside the bus to safety before they could explode. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/05/07/in-air-pollution-fight-beijing-replaces-bbq-with-burning-buses/ Wonkbook: Will we now finally care about climate change? It's been more than 25 years now since James Hansen of NASA, testifying before Congress, helped bring global warming (and climate change more generally) to the public forefront. And ever since then, scientists and scientific organizations have warned the public time and time again — in public appearances, on TV, in papers or even in assessment reports — that global warming is not only real but very likely human-caused. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/05/07/wonkbook-will-we-now-finally-care-about-climate-change/ A New Miles Per Gallon Rating System. UC Riverside graduate student works with Motor Trend magazine to create fuel economy ratings for vehicles based on real-world driving, not lab tests. Do you ever wonder about the accuracy of those miles per gallon ratings pasted on windows of new cars? So did Emissions Analytics, a United Kingdom-based vehicle emissions testing company. Posted. http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/22093 New Methane Study Demonstrates Urgent Need for Regulatory Action. Another scientific study finds methane emissions from oil and gas production are higher than previously thought, reinforcing the urgent need to reduce emissions of this powerful climate pollutant. The latest study, accepted today to be published in American Geophysical Union’s Journal of Geophysical Research…Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/2014/05/07/new-methane-study-demonstrates-urgent-need-for-regulatory-action/#sthash.eOEoS8J2.dpuf Beverly Hills just banned fracking. There’s no shortage of strange chemicals in the bodies of Beverly Hills’ surgically enhanced, Botoxed residents. But leaders of the Southern California city on Tuesday took a major step toward keeping mystery chemicals out of the ground beneath them. Posted. http://grist.org/news/beverly-hills-just-banned-fracking/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 8 May 2014 12:39:37 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for May 8, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 8, 2014. 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 Elections not stopping Obama pollution rules. Within weeks, President Barack Obama's administration is set to unveil unprecedented emissions limits on power plants across the U.S., much to the dismay of many Democratic candidates who are running for election in energy-producing states. Fearful of a political backlash, they wish their fellow Democrat in the White House would hold off until after the voting. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_CLIMATE_POLITICS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Other related articles: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/08/6388202/elections-not-stopping-obama-pollution.html http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/08/3329894/elections-not-stopping-obama-pollution.html#storylink=cpy Cities in India Among the Most Polluted, W.H.O. Says. An international effort to quantify air pollution levels has found that New Delhi’s air is the most polluted in the world, followed by that of three other cities in India’s central Hindi belt. The findings by the World Health Organization confirm those of other experts, who for years have been puzzled about why so much international attention has focused on Beijing’s troubled air quality rather than on what some say are equal or worse problems in South Asia. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/09/world/asia/cities-in-india-among-the-most-polluted-who-says.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry630%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F India rejects WHO report saying New Delhi has worst air pollution. India on Thursday rejected the findings of a World Health Organisation (WHO) study that ranks New Delhi as the world's worst city for air pollution, with government scientists saying the U.N. agency had overestimated levels in the capital. A WHO study of 1,600 cities released on Wednesday found air pollution had worsened since a smaller survey in 2011, putting city-dwellers at a higher risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/08/us-india-pollution-idUSKBN0DO12I20140508 Report shows Los Gatos is reducing air pollution. Had the sneezies this spring? You might want to invest in Kleenex because a report released earlier this week says pollen season is becoming longer due to climate change. The 840-page National Climate Assessment says climate change "threatens human health and well-being in many ways," including smoky air from wildfires and smoggy air from other types of pollution. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/News/ci_25718498/Report-shows-Los-Gatos-is-reducing California park officials, air board seek OK for deal to cut dune dust. California recreation and air-quality officials have asked a court to sign off on a deal seeking to reduce the amount of dust that emanates from a stretch of sand dunes and blows into housing tracts atop a nearby mesa in San Luis Obispo County. The agreement comes after months of sometimes acerbic negotiations, and has economic and environmental implications that stretch throughout the Central Coast. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-coast-dust-20140508-story.html Bruce McPherson exploring San Lorenzo Valley air pollution solutions. County Supervisor Bruce McPherson, who represents the San Lorenzo Valley, said Wednesday he is exploring solutions to reduce winter air pollution for Valley residents. In the burn season that ended in April, there were 37 days when San Lorenzo Valley air did not meet the federal Clean Air Act standard, 19 last year, when storms blew smoke away, and 42 the year before, according to the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_25717653/bruce-mcpherson-exploring-san-lorenzo-valley-air-pollution CLIMATE CHANGE Miami Finds Itself Ankle-Deep in Climate Change Debate. The sunny-day flooding was happening again. During high tide one recent afternoon, Eliseo Toussaint looked out the window of his Alton Road laundromat and watched bottle-green saltwater seep from the gutters, fill the street and block the entrance to his front door. “This never used to happen,” Mr. Toussaint said. “I’ve owned this place eight years, and now it’s all the time.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/us/florida-finds-itself-in-the-eye-of-the-storm-on-climate-change.html?hpw&rref=us&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry630%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Obama Climate-Change Push Faces a Lukewarm Public. The White House rollout of a climate-change report this week was aimed squarely at showing the public that inaction affects people directly, covering everything from extreme weather to seasonal allergies. But left unanswered is the question of whether a broad public-relations push—which features President Barack Obama chatting with TV meteorologists including NBC's Al Roker—will be enough to make Americans care. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303701304579548270013580820?KEYWORDS=climate+change&mg=reno64-wsj DIESEL EMISSIONS ARB announces fines for violations of diesel truck and bus fleet rules. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) announced yesterday that it had issued fines totaling more than $2 million to operators of heavy duty diesel truck and bus fleets across the state in 2013 . The fines were levied against a total of 256 different companies, including several small businesses. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/arb-announces-fines-for-violations-of-diesel-truck-and-bus-fleet-rules Funding boost for long haulers? CARB presents expanded Moyer funding. For 15 years, most long-haul trucking operations haven’t qualified for grant money to pay for diesel emissions upgrades through the California Air Resources Board. Times may be changing. According to a proposal by California Air Resources Board staff, CARB is considering lowering the required operating time in California for trucking companies from 75 percent to 51 percent. While trucks based on the other side of the country may not qualify, the move could make California and other West Coast-based trucks eligible. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=26990#.U2uhSYUvDfk HIGH-SPEED RAIL High-speed board OKs next 114-mile section between Bakersfield & Fresno. The board that oversees California’s $68 billion high-speed rail project voted Wednesday to unanimously adopt a planned route for its second and most substantial section to date, a 114-mile stretch between Fresno and Bakersfield. Meeting in Fresno, the board voted 7-0 to approve a 20,000-page environmental planning document, sending the next phase of the project on for federal review. Posted. http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/140/article/105176/ Estimated cost of key bullet train segment rises $1 billion. The estimated cost of building a key Central Valley segment of the California bullet train has increased by nearly $1 billion from the original estimate, based on figures in an environmental impact statement approved by the rail agency Wednesday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-bullet-train-costs-20140508-story.html FUELS Stanford Divesting Coal Helps Students Seeking Domino Effect. Stanford University’s decision this week to end investments in coal companies may bolster student-led campaigns to stop climate change that have spread to hundreds of U.S. college campuses. Stanford, which has an $18.7 billion endowment, is the wealthiest and most high-profile university to embrace the argument that universities should divest from fossil-fuel companies contributing to global warming. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-08/stanford-divesting-boosts-student-campaign-seeking-domino-effect.html Poll: Californians want oil-extraction tax, county control over fracking. California seems to be moving toward imposing a tax on oil pumped from the ground, either through a legislative bill or a ballot measure, a new poll suggests. The poll -- commissioned by NextGen Climate Action, the group formed by billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer of San Francisco -- found most likely voters in the state want oil companies to pay such a tax. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_25717122/poll-californians-want-oil-extraction-tax-county-control VEHICLES Cal State Los Angeles joins the Hydrogen Highway. Before he helped christen a new hydrogen-fueling station at Cal State L.A. on Wednesday, Richard Corey had a message for Detroit automakers: “Develop and bring zero-emission vehicles to California — from battery electric to fuel-cell vehicles.” “Bring ‘em on!” exclaimed the executive officer of one of the most powerful environmental agencies in the world, the California Air Resources Board. Posted. http://www.sgvtribune.com/environment-and-nature/20140507/cal-state-los-angeles-joins-the-hydrogen-highway http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140507/cal-state-los-angeles-joins-the-hydrogen-highway Palo Alto looks to supercharge electric vehicle charger ordinance. A Palo Alto law that requires new single-family homes to come rigged for electric vehicle chargers could soon be extended to other developments. On Tuesday, the City Council's Policy and Services Committee is slated to review a similar ordinance that would apply to new hotel, multifamily and commercial developments. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/News/ci_25720824/Palo-Alto-looks-to-supercharge-electric MISCELLANEOUS The Greening of Business Travel Gains Momentum. On a single afternoon recently, Rob Bernard had a meeting in Kenya, one in Ireland and one in Finland — three countries and two continents in less than 24 hours. But he never left his desk in the United States. “I’m able to do that digitally now, instead of physically, and that saves massive amounts of time, massive amounts of carbon emissions and makes me far more productive because I’m not trying to figure out all these time zones with my body clock,” said Mr. Bernard, the chief environmental strategist at Microsoft. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/business/the-greening-of-business-travel-gains-momentum.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry630%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F OPINION Climate Disruptions, Close to Home. Apart from the disinformation sowed by politicians content with the status quo, the main reason neither Congress nor much of the American public cares about global warming is that, as problems go, it seems remote. Anyone who reads the latest National Climate Assessment, released on Tuesday, cannot possibly think that way any longer. The report is exhaustive and totally alarming. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/opinion/climate-disruptions-close-to-home.html?hpw&rref=opinion&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry630%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F How California should budget for climate change. A new federal report on climate change released by the White House does not focus, as previous reports did, on predictions about the future but instead offers stark descriptions of the here and now: shorter winters, intensified storms, deepening drought, more frequent heat waves. Growing seasons are changing and Western pine forests are falling to beetle infestations. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-cap-and-trade-20140508-story.html BLOGS Rising carbon dioxide levels affect nutrients in crops, study says. The increased concentration of carbon dioxide that comes with climate change could mean some basic food plants will carry lower concentrations of iron and zinc – and deficiencies of those nutrients are already a “substantial global public health problem,” scientists reported Wednesday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-carbon-dioxide-crops-20140507-story.html Types of Carbon Pricing, Part 2 of 3. Carbon taxes define a set price for all emissions from a jurisdiction and a particular time. For jurisdictions accounting for a small proportion of emissions and looking at limited time horizons – for example British Columbia over the next 5 years – variations in emissions will have little effect on the stock of GHGs in the atmosphere, so there is little likelihood that any incremental emissions will lead to a dangerous threshold being reached. Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/onclimatechangepolicy/377331/types-carbon-pricing-part-2-3 U.K. To Invest $850 Million By 2020 To Promote Electric Vehicles. Despite hefty incentives, electric vehicle sales have remained stagnant in the United Kingdom. While sales doubled in 2013 compared to 2012, matching the global trend, just 2,500 vehicles found homes last year. That's less than the Nissan Leaf sells in some single months in the U.S. The UK government has this week promised to invest £500 million--almost $850 million--to boost the 'ultra low emission vehicle' industry. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1091972_u-k-to-invest-850-million-by-2020-to-promote-electric-vehicles Natural Gas May Be a Lot Worse for Climate Than Suspected. Natural gas and oil fields may well be releasing far more climate-killing methane into the atmosphere than previously thought, undermining natural gas' usefulness as an alternative "bridge fuel" for society to use to wean itself off coal in fighting climate change. That's according to a new federally funded study to be published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/natural-gas/natural-gas-may-be-a-lot-worse-for-climate-than-suspected.html Next-gen Nissan Leaf will look more mainstream, have more range. The next-generation Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicle will look better and go farther on a single charge, company executives tell Automotive News. How much better and how much farther remains to be seen, as does the timing on when the new version will be available to the public. Nissan executive Andy Palmer, speaking recently at the Beijing Motor Show, implied that an electric vehicle would need to have a 185-mile single-charge range to be competitive with hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, once those arrive in larger numbers. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/08/next-gen-nissan-leaf-will-look-more-mainstream-have-more-range/ Mercedes testing C-Class plug-in hybrid modes in Germany. Testing appears to be underway for what would be the first Mercedes-Benz C-Class with a hybrid powertrain. We can see a pair of the prototypes undergoing testing in Germany, with one, a C-Class Wagon, still heavily clad in camouflage and featuring a more noticeable outlet on the passenger side of its rear bumper. There's also a more production-looking sedan, which features a not-so-discreet flap over its rear-bumper outlet. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/05/07/mercedes-testing-c-class-plug-in-hybrid-spy-shots/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 9 May 2014 11:09:34 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for May 9, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 9, 2014. 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 Air pollution spikes in Palm Beach County. Air quality in Palm Beach County worsened slightly this week, as hot dry weather prevented the swift dilution of pollution from cars, power plants and other sources. The Air Quality Index for the county dipped from good to moderate for ground-level ozone Thursday and was forecast to remain moderate on Friday. Posted. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-air-pollution-palm-20140508,0,7777031.story HIGH-SPEED RAIL Deerfield company helps bring bullet rail to California. A Deerfield company has designed equipment being used to create the first bullet train in California. RCM Power Engineering is providing a remanufactured mobile rail car mover, a Trackmobile 3 TM, for the French company Alstom Transport to move high speed rail train car bodies. Posted. http://www.recorder.com/news/townbytown/deerfield/11673389-95/deerfield-company-helps-bring-bullet-rail-to-california DROUGHT In California, Spigots Start Draining Pockets. The municipal water utility in this city, home to wide beaches, sun-kissed weekend getaways and evocative alternative scholarship, just got tough. Last week it started rationing water — for nonfarmers, the most draconian response to date to California’s debilitating drought. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/09/us/a-thirsty-california-puts-a-premium-on-excess-water-use.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1 GREEN ENERGY Obama to tout renewables, announce solar panel back at the White House. President Obama will promote his record on energy efficiency on Friday by touting several initiatives he says are taking hold across the country – as well as the completion of one very close to home. After years of delay, solar panels have been installed on the first family’s residence at the White House, according to aides, who say Obama will make the announcement at a speech in Mountain View, Calif., on Friday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-obama-energy-20140508-story.html BLOGS Another Hydrogen Fueling Station Opens In LA, With Fuel-Cell Cars On The Way. Another hydrogen fueling station opened in southern California yesterday, this one at California State University, Los Angeles. The university's Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility is a part of its program in sustainable energy and transportation technology, and is the largest hydrogen station operated by a university anywhere in the U.S. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1091968_another-hydrogen-fueling-station-opens-in-la-with-fuel-cell-cars-on-the-way Solar panels here to stay atop White House roof. The White House has completed installing solar panels on the First Family's residence, a process it started back in 2010. President Obama, who will announce the project's completion as part of a broader push to expand solar energy deployment in the private and public sectors, took up the gauntlet nearly three decades after Ronald Reagan dismantled the panels Jimmy Carter had put on the roof. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/05/09/solar-panels-here-to-stay-atop-white-house-roof/ Texas will soon offer $2,500 rebate for EVs, PHEVs and more. Lots of US states have implemented some sort of tax incentive program for buyers of electric vehicles. Hawaii, California, Massachusetts and more. One of those others could soon be Texas - land of the famously anti-Tesla dealer laws - where an alternative fuel vehicle rebate is about to go into effect, perhaps as soon as next week. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/08/texas-will-soon-offer-2-500-rebate-for-evs-phevs-and-more/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 12 May 2014 13:43:26 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for May 12, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 12, 2014. 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 Obama administration limits on soot pollution upheld by appeals court. The Obama administration on Friday scored its third major legal victory on air pollution in less than month when a federal appeals court rejected an industry challenge to its latest health standards for fine particulate matter, or soot. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-soot-air-pollution-epa-ruling-20140509-story.html Officials peg West Sacramento neighborhood as region’s most vulnerable to pollution. Rocio Martinez lives with the effects of what the maps show every day. Two of her four boys have asthma, and after 15 years in her West Sacramento neighborhood, she’s developing it, too. It’s worst in the afternoon, when traffic is heavy with trucks rumbling through to the interstate or the port, but inhalers help. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/10/6395057/officials-peg-west-sacramento.html Bay Area air quality alert issued, first this year. The Bay Area Quality Management District is issuing a Spare the Air Alert for today. The alert, which is the district's first of 2014, advises air quality is expected to be unhealthy today due to high temperatures, low winds and motor vehicle exhaust. These factors are expected to cause unhealthy ozone accumulation in the Bay Area. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_25745301/bay-area-air-quality-alert-issued-first-this China may begin to reduce coal consumption by 2020 – report. China could make its coal consumption peak by 2020, putting the world's largest greenhouse gas polluter on a fast track to reducing climate change-causing emissions, British economist Lord Nicholas Stern argues today in a new report. The study of China's plans to address climate change finds that it would be advantageous as well as possible for the energy giant to phase out coal in the medium term. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999380/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Draft letter from EPA advisors urges tougher ozone standard. A draft letter from a U.S. EPA science advisory committee recommends a tight standard for how much ozone pollution can be in the air, recommending that the lower bound of the standard should be 60 parts per billion, much lower than the current standard. But the letter notes that committee members haven't made a decision on the upper bound of the ozone standard. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999409/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Major utility trims CO2 footprint 21% with energy efficiency, coal plant closures. American Electric Power Corp. is proving that large, coal-fired electric utilities can make significant reductions in their carbon footprints. The Ohio-based utility, in its 2014 corporate accountability report issued last week, said it had reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 21 percent over the last eight years, from 145.1 million metric tons in 2005 to 115 million metric tons last year. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999376/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Cleanest Fossil Fuel Is Wall Street's Bet on Climate Change. Wall Street’s idea of investing in climate change means investors are piling into natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel. Energy accounted for almost two-thirds of the $8 billion of inflows into sector-based exchange-traded funds this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. In the absence of federal mandates for renewables such as wind and solar, much of that money is going into funds that invest in natural gas drillers. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-09/cleanest-fossil-fuel-is-wall-street-bet-on-climate-change.html Scientists hope 2,000-year-old ice holds clues to climate change. Polar scientists who retrieved ice samples from the Antarctic say they are on the verge of unlocking 2,000 years of climate records offering clues to how global warming will affect our future. An international team traveled to Antarctica's Aurora Basin in a five-week project that began last December, to drill for ice samples needed to bridge a gap in knowledge of temperature changes over the last 20 centuries. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/09/us-climatechange-antarctic-idUSKBN0DP04C20140509 Brothers Battle Climate Change on Two Fronts. In the New Mexico of the 1950s, the two brothers grew up steeped in the beauty of the landscape, the economics of energy and the power of science. They skied, fly-fished, explored on the family’s 50,000-acre sheep ranch, watched oil towns go boom and bust, and talked of the nuclear weapons up the road at Los Alamos. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/us/brothers-work-different-angles-in-taking-on-climate-change.html?_r=0 Obama hopes to win over voters with renewed focus on climate change. President Obama capped a weeklong focus on climate change with a push for greater energy efficiency, a pitch particularly attuned to reaching two groups: big-dollar donors in the green movement and activists once inspired by his 2008 ambition to heal the planet. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-obama-environment-20140510-story.html DROUGHT This Trio Is Taking the West Coast Drought in Stride. Water is a key component of life, and the West Coast drought has caused its fair share of disruption. However, companies from Edison International to Chipotle Mexican Grill have managed to handle the strain without missing a beat. Still a troubled region. The West Coast isn't out from under the shadow of the drought. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/This-Trio-Is-Taking-the-West-Coast-Drought-in-5471751.php DIESEL EMISSIONS Google buses - a clear need for environmental review. San Francisco officeholders have been quick to give public assets to private industry in exchange for specious "community benefits." The most recent exchange is the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's Google bus plan. The plan purports to collect data on, regulate and charge private commuter shuttles for stopping in Muni bus zones. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Google-buses-a-clear-need-for-environmental-5470040.php FUELS How 'Big Corn' lost the ethanol battle to Philadelphia refiners. Six months ago the U.S. oil industry scored a surprise win against farm groups when the Obama administration proposed slashing the amount of ethanol refiners must blend into gasoline, a move that could save them billions of dollars. Stunned by the reversal, producers of the corn-based biofuel and their supporters are now fighting back ahead of a June deadline for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make a final decision on the cut. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/12/oil-ethanol-lobby-idUSL2N0NG2D220140512 Timeline: Delta Air Lines' and Carlyle's efforts to ease U.S. ethanol rules. In 2013, Delta Air Lines and The Carlyle Group joined the refining industry in lobbying to lower federal mandates on how much ethanol and other biofuels have to be blended into U.S. fuel supplies. A surge in the price in renewable identification numbers (RINs), credits used to track the production and blending of ethanol and other biofuels into motor fuel, saddled their investments in ageing Philadelphia-area refineries with hundreds of millions of dollars of additional costs. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/12/us-oil-ethanol-lobby-timeline-idUSBREA4B01T20140512 Fed govt failed to inspect higher risk oil wells. The government has failed to inspect thousands of oil and gas wells it considers potentially high risks for water contamination and other environmental damage, congressional investigators say. The report, obtained by The Associated Press before its public release, highlights substantial gaps in oversight by the agency that manages oil and gas development on federal and Indian lands. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/fed-govt-failed-to-inspect-higher-risk-oil-wells/2014/05/12/9753d402-d9ac-11e3-a837-8835df6c12c4_story.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/11/6395665/fed-govt-failed-to-inspect-higher.html#storylink=cpy Fossil fuels may dominate sector through 2040. There are a growing number of ways to power cars and trucks with low-carbon fuels, such as electricity, hydrogen and advanced biofuels. But according to experts at an alternative fuel summit here last week, fossil fuels are likely to dominate the transportation sector well into the future. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999381/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Oil and gas companies ask EPA to exempt cogeneration from power plant rule. Coal isn't the only fossil fuel industry vying for a stake in U.S. EPA's greenhouse gas standards for new power plants. The oil and gas industry is mounting an effort to exempt cogeneration, also known as combined heat and power (CHP), from regulations on new power plants. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999379/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Spills up 18 percent in U.S. in 2013. The number of spills reported at oil and gas production sites shot up nearly 18 percent last year, even as the rate of drilling activity leveled off. There were at least 7,662 spills, blowouts, leaks and other mishaps in 2013 in 15 top states for onshore oil and gas activity, according to an EnergyWire analysis of state records. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059999364/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Mercedes B-Class Hits the A-List of Electric Cars. And over here in the Appliance Department you'll now find the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive, the firm's first proper, volume-production electric car: Five-seats, five doors, front-wheel drive, 85 miles of range, 42 grand or so before tax credits at the state and federal level. In all respects, just another ship in Mercedes' fleet. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304431104579549721309416240?mg=reno64-wsj Charge your electric car in New Milford. New Milford is embracing 21st century driving changes. An electric vehicle charging port will be installed on Main Street. It will be set up across from New Milford Library, by the first parking spot near the electrical kiosk on the Village Green. The EV charging port should be installed and operational within six weeks, according to Mayor Pat Murphy's office. It is being purchased from California-based ChargePoint. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Charge-your-electric-car-in-New-Milford-5468227.php GREEN ENERGY Solar Seen Bailing California Out of Summer Hydro Shortage California, facing a record drought that’s dried up hydropower supplies and spurred wildfires, has enough electricity to supply peak demand this summer thanks to a jump in solar and gas-fired generation, according to the state’s grid manager. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-09/solar-seen-bailing-california-out-of-summer-hydro-shortage.html Solar panels finally arrive atop the White House. The White House is finally on the solar grid, in response to prodding by environmentalists and nearly four years after then-Energy Secretary Steven Chu pledged that solar panels and a solar water heater would be installed on the historic building’s roof. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/09/6392876/solar-panels-finally-arrive-atop.html#storylink=cpy Local sustainability innovation. As the energy provider in a region known for sustainability and innovation, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is doing its part to take the lead in environmental stewardship. San Diegans might be most familiar with SDG&E’s collaborative efforts with customers to promote energy efficiency or extensive initiatives to foster renewable energy. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/sponsored/2014/may/11/sdge-sustainability-workplace-employees/ OPINIONS Editorial: Climate change is here now. THE ISSUE: Another national report on climate change warns of imminent danger. THE STAKES: Americans cannot afford to ignore it or even move slowly in our response. Even as one credible report after another describes with scary detail how we, our children and our grandchildren will be affected by climate change, it remains frustratingly difficult to make the substantive changes needed now to deal with the negative effects of our planet's rising temperatures. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Editorial-Climate-change-is-here-now-5468375.php Tax carbon emissions to curb climate change. Climate change is here and now, according to the National Climate Assessment report cited in "Dire warnings about climate in federal study" (May 6). Climate change is costing Americans billions in infrastructure damage from ever-worsening storms, food-crop losses from droughts, and more and more stress on human health every day. President Obama is finally stepping up loud and clear to take aggressive action. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Letters-to-Insight-May-11-5466802.php No need for faster buses. "Why bus rapid transit isn't picking up speed" (May 8): The high-speed BRT buses are too long, take away parking spaces, protrude into intersections and are dangerous when their drivers deliberately crowd their lanes, often driving at well above legal speed limits, intimidating vehicles in front or alongside. We do not need "high speed" street transport to duplicate our fine BART system. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/No-need-for-faster-buses-5470038.php Climate change: We have no solution. It would be healthy — in the sense of promoting honesty — if every report warning of global warming and climate change (the two terms are interchangeable) came with the following disclaimer: Despite our belief that global warming poses catastrophic threats to many of the world’s 7 billion inhabitants, we acknowledge that we now lack the technologies to stop it. Posted. http://helenair.com/news/opinion/climate-change-we-have-no-solution/article_9c725ad4-d994-11e3-920b-0019bb2963f4.html Climate change: A cure worse than the disease. Man-made greenhouse gas emissions already are causing gloom and doom and adversely affecting our way of life. That's the conclusion of the National Climate Assessment just released by the Obama administration. But before we trade our Buicks for bikes, it's important to highlight the climate realities and show that the administration's proposed policy solutions will drive up the cost of energy for Americans and have no meaningful impact on climate. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/12/3336074/climate-change-a-cure-worse-than.html#storylink=cpy http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/05/12/3644514/climate-change-a-cure-worse-than.html Doyle McManus: The GOP does the climate change dance. Last week, the White House issued a new and alarming edition of its national report on climate change. How did leading Republicans respond? Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the GOP's leader in the Senate, scoffed at President Obama for "talking about the weather," dismissing the issue as a hobbyhorse of "liberal elites ... who leave a giant carbon footprint and then lecture everybody else about low-flow toilets." Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/12/3336129/doyle-mcmanus-the-gop-does-the.html#storylink=cpy The World's Biggest Environmental Killer: Indoor Air Pollution. Political heavyweights such as Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon name climate change the “defining issue of our times” and “perhaps the world’s most fearsome weapon of mass destruction.” Yet, the biggest environmental killer we face is actually indoor air pollution. More than one third of the world’s population – 2.9 billion people – still burns wood, charcoal and dung indoors to keep warm and cook food. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/bjornlomborg/2014/05/12/the-worlds-biggest-environmental-killer/ BLOGS The Insiders: Five reasons voters don’t believe the White House about global warming. The White House released a third iteration of the “U.S. National Climate Assessment,” claiming it is “the most comprehensive scientific assessment ever generated of climate change and its impacts across every region of America and major sectors of the U.S. economy.” The report emphasizes the need for “urgent action to combat the threats from climate change.” Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2014/05/08/the-insiders-five-reasons-voters-dont-believe-the-white-house-about-global-warming/ China’s Coal Dependency Threatens Efforts to Curb Warming. Projected increases in China’s coal consumption may render it “almost impossible” for the world to limit global temperature increases from greenhouse gases to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) unless the country acts quickly to cap and then reduce its dependency on the fossil fuel, a new study has found. Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/12/chinas-coal-dependency-threatens-efforts-to-curb-warming/?_php=true&_type=blogs&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry157%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 New York facing extreme weather future. The national climate report that was released last week provides Americans with an alarming view of the upcoming and current impact of climate change on the United States, New York included. The study shows evidence of climate change in every region with visible impacts in each state. Around the nation, extreme weather events have become more frequent and intense. Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/lawrencewhite/new-york-facing-extreme-weather-future/1323/ Tesla pulling plug on Toyota RAV4 EV battery deal. The future of the Toyota RAV4 EV appears to be in doubt. Tesla supplies the EVs battery packs, and it says that production ends later this year. "Toyota is expected to end the current RAV4 EV model this year," Tesla said in its quarterly financial filing obtained by Bloomberg. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/05/12/tesla-battery-deal-ends-toyota-rav4-ev/ EPA challenged by third-party fuel economy test. Fuel economy figures from the Environmental Protection Agency have been criticized in recent years for being, in some cases, wildly inaccurate, and after enduring public controversies about some automakers' mile-per-gallon claims. In 2012, Hyundai and Kia admitted that some of their economy numbers were exaggerated, and Ford had to re-rate the C-Max because its original stats were too high. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/05/11/epa-challenged-by-third-party-fuel-economy-test/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 13 May 2014 15:04:24 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 13, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 13, 2014. 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 Washington State Inching Closer To A Price on Carbon? Washington Governor Jay Inslee is known to be a man of action: climate action, that is. As a member of the US Congress, he was one of the major backers of a comprehensive climate bill that barely passed the House of Representatives in 2009. Now, as state governor, he may be one step closer to achieving something that he wasn’t able to at the federal level: putting a price on carbon. Posted. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10346§ion=news_articles&eod=1 AIR POLLUTION EPA Defeats Bid for Tighter Coal Mine Air Pollution Rules. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defeated a challenge from a group seeking to force regulation of air pollution produced by coal mines, a fourth court victory this year for the agency’s discretion to set air-quality standards. In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington ruled the EPA had broad latitude to determine the timing and priorities of its regulatory agenda. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-13/epa-defeats-bid-for-tighter-coal-mine-air-pollution-rules.html http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-air-toxics-limits-20140416,0,1999439.story#axzz2z48soUUc $2M project will monitor Imperial County air quality. A new $2 million project will monitor air quality over the next four years in Imperial County, an area bordering the Coachella Valley and Salton Sea that for years has faced some of the highest asthma hospitalization rates in the state and exceeded standards for air-quality measures. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/05/12/air-quality-monitoring-imperial-county/9022751/ CLIMATE CHANGE NASA spots worrisome Antarctic ice sheet melt. The huge West Antarctic ice sheet is starting a glacially slow collapse in an unstoppable way, two new studies show. Alarmed scientists say that means even more sea level rise than they figured. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_ANTARCTIC_MELT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/12/6398294/nasa-spots-worrisome-antarctic.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/2014/05/12/70c26750-da00-11e3-b745-87d39690c5c0_story.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/13/science/earth/collapse-of-parts-of-west-antarctica-ice-sheet-has-begun-scientists-say.html http://www.aol.com/article/2014/05/12/nasa-spots-worrisome-antarctic-ice-sheet-melt/20884431/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D475471 http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140512/nasa-spots-worrisome-antarctic-ice-sheet-melt http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/2014/05/12/70c26750-da00-11e3-b745-87d39690c5c0_story.html Amid Pipeline and Climate Debate, Energy-Efficiency Bill Is Derailed. A bipartisan bill to encourage energy efficiency in buildings died in the Senate on Monday, derailed by the contentious debate over the Keystone XL pipeline and President Obama’s plans to issue new climate change regulations. The bill’s end came as the Senate voted 55 to 36 on a procedural motion, falling five votes short of the 60 required to bring the bill to a final vote. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/13/us/politics/bill-to-encourage-energy-efficiency-fails-in-senate.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry934%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 $1 Trillion in Fossil Fuel Projects Threatened From Climate Action. A new report from the Carbon Tracker Initiative (CTI) finds that there is $1 trillion worth of fossil fuel projects expected over the next decade that could be thrown into doubt if governments begin to take action to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The concept known as the "carbon bubble," largely put forward by CTI, is based on the notion that in order for the world to avoid the worst effects of climate change…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/1-Trillion-in-Fossil-Fuel-Projects-Threatened-5471247.php Did Alpha Natural Resources Inc Really Just Report a Profit? The coal sector continues to be hammered with declining prices and lower margins, causing some large miners to continuously report losses. In the case of Alpha Natural Resources , the metallurgical-focused miner is facing lower pricing for the prime coal used to produce steel. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Did-Alpha-Natural-Resources-Inc-Really-Just-5471200.php Southwest struggles to adapt to year-round fire season. Last week was Wildfire Awareness Week in California, a time when firefighters and forest managers travel up and down the state talking about fire risk and public safety. Usually that would mean wildfire conditions were just picking up, with higher temperatures drying out fuels nurtured by winter rain and snowpack. That's not the case this year, though. For much of the Golden State, last year's fire season never really ended. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999377 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY As another report urges action, how can U.S. overcome obstacles to effective climate policy? This week’s latest U.N. report on climate change warns of the urgent need for global action in the next five to 15 years, if countries want to ward off the worst impacts of rising emissions. Posted. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/how-can-u-s-overcome-obstacles-to-climate-policy/ DROUGHT Leaders look at drought. Leaders of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Drought Task Force visited Tulare Monday to speak with locals about their needs and concerns regarding the drought. Posted. http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20140513/NEWS01/305130010/Leaders-look-drought Tuolumne Community's Only Source Of Water May Go Dry By Summer's End. People in Twain Harte in Tuolumne County are trying to cut their water use by 50 percent. The town's only source of water may go dry before the end of summer. Twain Harte is home to 1,600 people who depend on Lyons Reservoir for their water. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/05/12/tuolumne-communitys-only-source-of-water-may-go-dry-by-summers-end/ Some businesses strike gold in parched Calif. California's drought is hitting industries in sharply different ways. While some companies are planning layoffs, others are adding workers to drill water wells and install irrigation systems. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/05/13/stories/1059999492 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Clean Diesel Technologies seeks to jump-start sales, turn first profit. Some companies run from California's strict regulatory standards on air pollution and emissions. Not Clean Diesel Technologies Inc., where the executives can't imagine being anywhere else. CDTi manufactures and distributes vehicle emissions control systems to automakers and other customers. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-stock-spotlight-clean-diesel-20140512-story.html CARB 2013 Heavy-Duty Diesel Fines Totaled Nearly $2.2 Million. The California Air Resources Board announced it settled 256 cases last year involving air quality violations by heavy-duty diesel truck and bus fleets that failed to comply with its various air quality programs with fines totaling nearly $2.2 million. Violations included failure to comply with the statewide truck and bus program, verification/certification procedures for diesel particulate filters…Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2014/05/carb-2013-heavy-duty-diesel-fines-totaled-nearly-2-2-million.aspx http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27010#.U3JSY4UvAjw FUELS Pipeline, energy bill backers vow to keep up fight. Supporters of a popular energy savings bill and the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline say they will keep trying to force Senate action on the measures, even after they were defeated amid partisan gridlock in the Senate. The energy legislation would tighten efficiency guidelines for new federal buildings and provide tax incentives to make homes and commercial buildings more efficient. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SENATE_KEYSTONE_PIPELINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Coal Pushback: Carbon Limits for New Power Plants Must Be ‘Grounded in Reality.' The Environmental Protection Agency's proposed carbon dioxide emissions limits for new fossil fuel-fired power plants should be reworked to be “grounded in reality,” an industry group said May 12. The proposed rule, formally issued in January, set separate standards for coal-fired and natural gas-fired generating units. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-13/coal-pushback-carbon-limits-for-new-power-plants-must-be-grounded-in-reality-.html Seeing Future in Fuel Cells, Toyota Ends Tesla Deal. Toyota said on Monday that it would allow a battery-supply deal with Tesla Motors to expire this year and would focus instead on building cars running on hydrogen fuel cells, a next-generation technology that rivals Tesla’s all-electric systems. Toyota Motor invested $50 million in Tesla to acquire a 3 percent stake in the Silicon Valley upstart in 2010, and signed a $100 million joint-development deal…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/13/business/energy-environment/seeing-future-in-fuel-cells-toyota-ends-tesla-deal.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry934%23%2Ffuels%2F24hours%2F VEHICLES Nissan Banks on China Subsidies to Boost Electric Cars. Nissan Motor Co., maker of the Leaf electric vehicle, said it is targeting to win 20 percent of EV sales in China as the central government steps up efforts to cut auto emissions and reduce air pollution. EV sales in China may rise to 100,000 to 400,000 vehicles a year by 2017 to 2018, and Nissan expects to win about a fifth of the market, according to Jun Seki, head of Nissan’s China business. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-13/nissan-banks-on-china-subsidies-to-boost-electric-cars.html California Plans For A Hydrogen Future. The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development for the State of California (nicknamed “GO-Biz”) held an event at the Toyota USA Automobile Museum yesterday. The topic was “Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure in Your Neighborhood: A state and local workshop.” Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonfogelson/2014/04/15/california-plans-for-a-hydrogen-future/ GREEN ENERGY U.K. Government Says Onshore Wind to Compete With Solar for Aid. Onshore wind power will have to compete with solar power for funding when a new system of renewable aid starts in October, the U.K. government said today. The government said it will divide technologies into “established” and “less established” groups, with the first set competing for subsidies this year, according to a statement published on the website of the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-13/u-k-government-says-onshore-wind-to-compete-with-solar-for-aid.html Rate changes an opportunity for solar. A plan to raise utility bills on small users of home electricity in California could open up a new market in rooftop solar energy systems, says a leading provider of solar in the U.S. In a conference call with investors last week, SolarCity CEO Lydon Rive discussed proposals by California utilities to adopt a two-tiered billing system that would charge small customers only slightly less per kilowatt hour than large consumers. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/13/solarcity-sees-opportunity/ Caltech receives $15 million grant for sustainable energy. Timely considering all the talk of climate change, Caltech has received a monetary gift to help further the school’s research in human sustainability. Entrepreneurs and philanthropists Lynda and Stewart Resnick last week donated $15 million to the Resnick Sustainability Institute. Founded in 2009, the institute at Caltech was established to propel clean-energy and sustainability of sciences. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140512/caltech-receives-15-million-grant-for-sustainable-energy DOE issues draft loan solicitation for up to $4B for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects; drop-in biofuels a key area. The US Department of Energy (DOE) issued a draft loan guarantee solicitation for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects located in the US that avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140416-doe.html Four Ways The U.S. Military Can Adopt Clean Energy For National Security. At the U.S. Defense Department, the multiple national security threats created by sea level rise and severe weather command daily attention; climate change has been on its radar for years. The recently published Quadrennial Defense Report (QDR), an assessment of U.S. defense readiness, addresses the growing threat that climate change poses to military capabilities and global operations. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/edfenergyexchange/2014/04/16/four-ways-the-u-s-military-can-adopt-clean-energy-for-national-security/ MISCELLANEOUS Plastic bag makers air TV ads opposing Padilla’s proposed. The Capitol’s years-long debate over plastic grocery bags is heading to a TV set near you, as a plastic industry association launches an ad campaign Wednesday opposing the latest attempt to ban disposable plastic check-out bags in California. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/12/6399639/plastic-bag-makers-air-tv-ads.html OPINIONS The Dubious Benefits of Further Ozone Reductions. The proposed EPA standard is very close to levels that are found naturally in some regions of the country. Over the past several decades the U.S. has achieved remarkable success in reducing air pollution. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the country has reduced six common air pollutants by 72% since 1970. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304178104579536120366671620?KEYWORDS=air+pollution&mg=reno64-wsj The Toxic Brew in Our Yards. In much of the country, it’s time to go outside, clean up the ravages of winter and start planting. Many of us will be using chemicals like glyphosate, carbaryl, malathion and 2,4-D. But they can end up in drinking water, and in some cases these compounds or their breakdown products are linked to an increased risk for cancer and hormonal disruption. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/opinion/sunday/the-toxic-brew-in-our-yards.html Reduce your carbon footprint. Carbon footprints are a big part of our environment. Everything has a carbon footprint. This generation is responsible for most things that are likely to happen in future generations because of how high our carbon footprint is. We can reduce our carbon footprints by doing many things -- even really simple things such as turning the sink water off when brushing our teeth. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/12/3923355/reduce-your-carbon-footprint.html#storylink=cpy Michael Gerson: Challenging questions for warming world. Americans have something of a science problem. They swallow, for example, about $28 billion worth of vitamins each year, even though the Annals of Internal Medicine recently concluded that “most supplements do not prevent chronic disease or death, their use is not justified, and they should be avoided.” Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/05/13/michael-gerson-climate-warming/9018555/ Water Fears All Wet. To be sure, California has a water shortage, and a severe one. It has been calamitous for some Central Valley farmers. But is it really a crisis? Posted. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/05/water-fears-wet/ BLOGS Why society is failing to stop global warming, in one 90-second video. When it comes to combating the heat-trapping greenhouse-gas emissions that are warming the globe, the United States has had something to cheer about lately. U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases have fallen enough that the country is more than halfway to meeting its 2020 greenhouse-gas emissions pledge. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/05/12/why-society-is-failing-to-stop-global-warming-in-one-90-second-video/ What Does Climate Change in California Look Like? [Infographic] Be it torrential rains or severe droughts, huge wildfires or rising sea-levels, every corner of the United States has been — and will continue to be — impacted by the effects of human-induced climate change. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/05/12/2014/california-climate-change Lexus apologizes for anti-EV ad, Plug In America calls it 'outdated.' Anyone who's spent any time learning about the alternatives to the standard fossil fuel-burning internal combustion engine knows that there are arguments to be made for and against all of the main options. They also know that there is barely any refueling infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell cars in the US, aside form a handful of H2 stations in California and one in South Carolina. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/12/lexus-apologizes-for-anti-ev-ad-plug-in-america/ Southern California gets one more hydrogen fueling station [w/video]. This would really be news is if a publicly accessible hydrogen refueling station was opening outside of Southern California. But we'll have to wait a bit more for that. What we have here is Cal State Los Angeles announcing that a new hydrogen station is up and running as of Wednesday. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/12/southern-california-opens-hydrogen-fueling-station-video/ How CPUC's Robert Weisenmiller sees California's energy future. Before its retirement in 2012, the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) represented about 16 percent of the local electricity generation supply covering an average of 1.4 million homes serviced by Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and the city of Riverside in southern California. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/04/16/how-cpucs-robert-weisenmiller-sees-californias-energy-future?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+greenbuzz+(GreenBiz) California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 14 May 2014 13:57:06 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 14, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 14, 2014. 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 Forest group asks EPA to include offsets in power plant rule. A California forest group has asked U.S. EPA to consider offsets as a way for utilities to comply with the agency's upcoming standards for existing power plants. The Pacific Forest Trust, which represents private forest owners, wants the agency to adopt the California Air Resources Board's methods for buying and selling forest carbon offsets under A.B. 32, the state's cap-and-trade law. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999540/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Study: Tropical cyclones migrating out of tropics. Tropical cyclones worldwide are moving out of the tropics and more toward the poles and generally larger populations, likely because of global warming, a surprising new study finds. Atlantic hurricanes, however, don't follow this trend. While other studies have looked at the strength and frequency of the storms, which are called hurricanes in North America, this is the first study that looks at where they are geographically when they peak. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_MIGRATING_HURRICANES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Obama Views Climate Change As Part of His Legacy. President Barack Obama views addressing the problem of climate change as a key part of his legacy and remains staunchly committed to implementing as much of his climate action plan as possible prior to leaving office, a senior aide said May 13. John Holdren, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told the Association of Climate Change Officers' Climate Strategies…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-14/obama-views-climate-change-as-part-of-his-legacy.html Climate Change Deemed Growing Security Threat by Military Researchers. The accelerating rate of climate change poses a severe risk to national security and acts as a catalyst for global political conflict, a report published Tuesday by a leading government-funded military research organization concluded. The CNA Corporation Military Advisory Board found that climate change-induced drought in the Middle East... Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/us/politics/climate-change-deemed-growing-security-threat-by-military-researchers.html?_r=0 Brown says rising sea levels could force costly move of LAX. California will face billions of dollars in spending to cope with the consequences of rising sea levels if low-lying communities along the coast are ultimately submerged, as scientists predict, Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-brown-sea-level-airports-20140513-story.html Can A City Get To Net Zero? Lancaster, California Mayor Thinks So. R. Rex Parris is the mayor of Lancaster, California – a city of 158,000 inhabitants close to Los Angeles. He’s both a Republican and a strong believer that we have an obligation to do everything we can to combat the impending threat of climate change. With respect to climate change, he was quoted last year in the New York Times as saying “I may be a Republican, but I’m not an idiot.” Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterdetwiler/2014/05/13/can-a-city-get-to-net-zero-lancaster-california-mayor-thinks-so/ DROUGHT Drought among the worst in Texas in past 500 years. Will record-breaking droughts become the "new normal" for South Texas? That question was posed by the state Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon at a meeting of the Edwards Aquifer Authority board Tuesday. The current drought, which started four years ago, is among the five worst in the past 500 years, he said. If it continues to be as dry as it is has been, the drought could be the third worst. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Drought-among-the-worst-in-Texas-in-past-500-years-5477812.php DROUGHT: State will short Castaic instead of shrinking Lake Perris. The magnitude of California’s drought hit home with water managers recently when they considered draining what’s left of Lake Perris just to get some Inland communities through a dry spring. The unprecedented move was averted in the past few weeks after Metropolitan Water District, Southern California’s wholesaler, searched for another way to get 30,000 acre-feet of water to western Riverside County. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/water-694551-lake-perris.html How much would you pay for an avocado? California's drought will make fruit and vegetables more expensive, but whether consumers can stomach the cost is up for debate. According to farmers and food sellers, water shortages in Central California are forcing growers to pay more for imported water or cut back on planting. That means crops that use more water could see their prices rise steeply. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999541/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Westport Executive Talks About A New Dynamic in Natural Gas Trucking. At the 2014 Alternative Clean Transportation Expo, Fool contributor Jason Hall sat down with Mark Aubry, Westport Innovations' vice president of sales and marketing, to talk about how adoption of natural-gas vehicles is ramping up in the heavy trucking sector. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Westport-Executive-Talks-About-A-New-Dynamic-in-5477790.php FUELS Fed govt acknowledges gaps in oil well inspections. The federal agency tasked with managing oil and gas development on Wednesday acknowledged it needed to do more to improve oversight of drilling, pointing to a lack of funding as reasons it failed to inspect oil and gas wells it considers potentially high risks for water contamination. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OIL_AND_GAS_FEDERAL_OVERSIGHT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Fed-govt-acknowledges-gaps-in-oil-well-inspections-5477619.php Oil above $102 on Ukraine crisis, US supply drop. The price of U.S. oil climbed above $102 a barrel Wednesday amid ongoing tensions in Ukraine and an industry report showing crude stocks falling at a key U.S. storage hub. By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark U.S. crude for June delivery was up 38 cents to $102.08 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OIL_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Control methane now, greenhouse gas expert warns. As the shale gas boom continues, the atmosphere receives more methane, adding to Earth’s greenhouse gas problem. A Cornell ecology professor fears that we may not be many years away from an environmental tipping point – and disaster. “We have to control methane immediately, and natural gas is the largest methane pollution source in the United States,”…Posted. http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/05/control-methane-now-greenhouse-gas-expert-warns VEHICLES Gas scooters pollute more than Hummers, new study finds. It's common to see scooters crowding city streets throughout Southern Europe and countries in the Asia-Pacific region, where they offer a relatively cheap and low-carbon way to travel. But new research finds that certain gasoline-powered scooters also pose a significant threat to public health. Two-stroke scooters can produce 10 to 1,000 times more particulate matter than a full-sized light-duty vehicle…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999536/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY California Heat Pushes Power to Six-Year Seasonal High. Spot electricity in California, the second-leading power-consuming state, jumped to the highest seasonal level in six years as surging temperatures boost air-conditioning demand. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-13/california-heat-pushes-power-to-six-year-seasonal-high.html 'Resourceful consumers' push energy efficiency, home and business solar. U.S. consumers appear increasingly sophisticated in their consumption of energy, and they have emerged as an important force in expanding home energy efficiency and distributed power generation, according to two new reports from Deloitte. While part of this movement may be based on increasing awareness of sustainable energy, the reports…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999527/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY World demand grows for renewable energy, boosting related jobs by 14%. Surging demand for renewable energy pushed global employment in the solar, wind and biofuels energy sectors to 6.5 million in 2013, a 14 percent increase from 2012, according to new figures released this week by the International Renewable Energy Agency. "Renewable energy employment continues to spread to more and more countries. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999525/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.K. government to cut financial support for solar farms. The U.K. government is planning to make sweeping changes to the financial support it provides to solar energy farms, an action that renewable power companies and green activists think will reduce the nation's capacity to produce low-carbon power and green jobs as well as boost dependency on fossil-fuel imports. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999518/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS An Inconvenient Truth About Our Food. “Fed Up” is probably the most important movie to be made since “An Inconvenient Truth,” to which it’s related in a couple of ways. One of its producers is Laurie David, who also produced “An Inconvenient Truth.” Climate change, diet and agriculture are inexorably intertwined; we can’t tackle climate change without changing industrial agriculture…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/opinion/bittman-an-inconvenient-truth-about-our-food.html?hp&rref=opinion&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry816%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F BLOGS Three Long Views of Life With Rising Seas. After finishing my post on the inevitability of substantial long-term sea-level rise from Antarctic ice loss, I sent this question to Curt Stager, a paleoclimatologist and author of “Deep Future,” Kim Stanley Robinson, the novelist focused on “cli fi” before that term was conceived, and the astrobiologist David Grinspoon: Given your focus on long timescales, environmental change…Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/three-long-views-of-life-with-rising-seas/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=future&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry24%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Roadside Poem Combats Pollution — Literally. “Poetry makes nothing happen,” William Butler Yeats once wrote. But then he never got a chance to read “In Praise of Air,” a poem by Simon Armitage just installed on a building along a busy road at the University of Sheffield, England, and billed as the world’s first bit of air-cleansing verse. Posted. http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/roadside-poem-combats-pollution-literally/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Kia expects US to be Soul EV's top market. While its sister brand Hyundai invests in hydrogen fuel cell technology, Kia is entering the battery-powered electric vehicle market with the new Soul EV. The Korean automaker plans to sell some 5,000 units of its first electric vehicle around the world. While it's not saying exactly what proportion it hopes to sell in (or how many it's allocating to) any individual market, the latest reports indicate that it expects the United States to be its biggest market. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/05/13/kia-soul-ev-us-top-market-report/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 15 May 2014 13:53:27 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for May 15, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 15, 2014. 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 California greenhouse gas emissions inch up 2 percent. California’s greenhouse gas emissions rose about 2 percent in 2012 compared to the previous year as more natural gas was burned to compensate for the closure of a nuclear plant and a drop in hydro-electricity due to a drought, the state’s air regulator said on Wednesday. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/14/us-california-carbon-idUSKBN0DU21X20140514 AIR POLLUTION Air quality monitor near I-5 in Anaheim finds higher pollution level. The first permanent air quality monitor near a Southern California freeway has detected elevated pollution levels, a finding that will increase pressure on state and local officials to address health risks facing nearly 1 million people in the region living near busy transportation corridors. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-freeway-air-20140515-story.html Air quality not as bad as in '03, '07 fires. The patchwork of fires that blazed throughout San Diego County Wednesday threatened wildlife habitat on Camp Pendleton and elsewhere, but didn’t push regional air quality into the danger zone Wednesday. Air monitoring stations didn’t detect big spikes in particulates – the fine particles released in wildfire smoke – said Adam Canter, a meteorologist with the San Diego Air Pollution Control District. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/14/environment-fire-air-quality-least-bells-vireo/ Air quality steers clear of danger zone. The patchwork of fires that blazed throughout the county Wednesday threatened wildlife habitat but didn’t push regional air quality into the danger zone. Air monitoring stations didn’t detect big spikes in particulates — the fine particles released in wildfire smoke, said Adam Canter, a meteorologist with the San Diego Air Pollution Control District. “In the big fires of 2003 and 2007, we saw major impacts,” he said. “But those were much-larger-scale fires.” Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/15/tp-air-quality-steers-clear-of-danger-zone/ Beijing's smog police outgunned in China's war on pollution. Environmental inspectors in Beijing are scrambling to keep pace with a rising number of cases as the city tries to impose tough new standards on thousands of polluting firms, highlighting the growing logistical problems facing China's war on smog. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/14/china-environment-beijing-idUSL3N0O018E20140514 CLIMATE CHANGE EPA proposes changes to refinery emission rules. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed changes to oil refinery rules that would compel operators to monitor benzene emissions, upgrade storage tank emission controls, ensure waste gases are properly destroyed and adopt new emission standards for delayed coking units. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/epa-proposes-changes-to-refinery-emission-rules/2014/05/15/78e928f0-dc4f-11e3-a837-8835df6c12c4_story.html Wyoming governor says he might be wrong on climate. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead, a climate-science skeptic from the nation's top coal-producing state, said he could be wrong about the causes of global warming but argued for developing cleaner technology to burn coal rather than trying to eliminate its use. In a speech Wednesday, the Republican governor reaffirmed he has doubts about research showing humans are causing climate change. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/15/3341399/wyoming-governor-says-he-might.html#storylink=cpy Obama Said to Put Personal Push Behind EPA Emission Rules. U.S. President Barack Obama plans to personally unveil proposed carbon-emissions rules for power plants, elevating climate change policy as a top tier issue for his final two years in office, according to two people familiar with White House strategy. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-14/obama-said-to-put-personal-push-behind-epa-emission-rules.html As economy improves, greenhouse gas emissions growth in Calif. is slowing. The most recent tally of California's greenhouse gas inventory is in, and it shows the country's largest state on a steady path toward slower emissions growth. The greenhouse gas inventory released by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) yesterday shows that, although the state's economy grew by 5 percent from 2009 to 2012, carbon emissions for 2009 and 2012 were nearly identical, at about 458 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999620/ DROUGHT California’s Thirst Shapes Debate Over Fracking. Enemies of fracking have a new argument: drought. Fracking a single oil well in California last year took 87 percent of the water consumed in a year by a family of four, according to the Western States Petroleum Association, an industry lobbying group. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/15/us/californias-thirst-shapes-debate-over-fracking.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C%5B%22RI%3A8%22%2C%22RI%3A16%22%5D&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DU.S.%26region%3DTopBar%26WT.nav%3DsearchWidget%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2Fgreen%2Benergy%2F24hours%2F Depletion of Central Valley's groundwater may be causing earthquakes. For years, scientists have wondered about the forces that keep pushing up California's mighty Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges, causing an increase in the number of earthquakes in one part of Central California. On Wednesday, a group of scientists offered a new, intriguing theory: The quakes are triggered in part by the pumping of groundwater in the Central Valley, which produces crops that feed the nation. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-quake-water-20140515-story.html DIESEL EMISSIONS Ford to pay $2.96 million in CARB fines. Ford Motor Co. is the latest large vehicle maker to get slammed with a multimillion-dollar fine by the California Air Resources Board. In an interesting twist, however, part of Ford’s fine money will go to help fund diesel upgrades for companies needing compliance help to meet California’s Truck and Bus Regulation. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27023#.U3TcboUvDfk FUELS Indian refiners face $13 bln clean fuels bill. Indian oil refiners will need to invest 800 billion rupees ($13.4 billion) in upgrades to produce cleaner fuels, a government official said, as the world's fourth biggest oil consumer seeks to curb dire air pollution in its cities. The World Health Organization, in a recent study, said air pollution in New Delhi was the worst anywhere, while 13 of the dirtiest 20 cities were in India. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/14/india-election-refineries-idUSL3N0O047O20140514 HIGH-SPEED RAIL Reality Check: Can CA Governor Nix High-Speed Rail Project? Election season is right around the corner and that means it’s time to prepare for the onslaught of political ads that will hit the airwaves. The race for the Republican nomination for governor features Tea Party favorite Tim Donnelly and moderate conservative Neel Kashkari. Posted. http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Reality-Check-Can-California-Governor-Nix-High-Speed-Rail-Project-259321041.html VEHICLES New battery tech may lead to inexpensive, safer electric cars. A large portion of the high cost of electric cars comes from their batteries, and the biggest problem for electric car owners is the time it takes to recharge those batteries. A new battery technology from Power Japan Plus promises to alleviate both of those issues, and add improved thermal safety into the bargain. Posted. http://www.cnet.com/news/japanese-company-promises-revolutionary-new-electric-vehicle-battery/ GREEN ENERGY Solar Helping Keep California Cool During This Heatwave. The agency that operates the electrical power grid for most of California forecasted last week that the state was in good shape for the summer, even without the San Onofre nuclear power plant and with drought making significantly lower output from hydroelectric stations. This week seems to be underscoring that confidence. Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/solar-helping-keep-california-cool-this-week.html MISCELLANEOUS Plastic bag ban gains momentum in Sacramento. California legislators have recycled a bill aimed at making the state the first in the nation to ban plastic grocery bags -- and the new effort gained momentum Wednesday despite fierce industry opposition and passionate appeals from workers who say the measure threatens their livelihoods. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25761402/Plastic-bag-ban-gains-momentum-in http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25761402/Plastic-bag-ban-gains-momentum-in Why don’t bike share programs provide helmets? Do you cringe when a cyclist rides by on one of those urban bike-share bicycles without a helmet? I know I do. One mistake, one distracted motorist, and the worst could happen. As I write this, a young man is spending his 13th day in intensive care in a Washington, D.C., hospital after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding a Capital Bikeshare bicycle on a busy street without a helmet. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/05/15/why-dont-bike-share-programs-provide-helmets/ OPINIONS Climate Change: Prophets and Deniers. Compounding the tragedy of the collapsing West Antarctic ice sheet is the fact that the possibility was foreseen more than three decades ago. It was, for example, one of the warnings in the 1981 climate change assessment issued by the Council on Environmental Quality during the Carter administration. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/15/opinion/climate-change-prophets-and-deniers.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry867%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 BLOGS Steinberg may leverage bullet train in budget talks. A day after Gov. Jerry Brown updated his $107.8 billion general fund budget proposal, Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg made it clear he plans for fight for social services left out of the administration’s proposal, including his own calls for universal preschool. And the termed-out Democratic Senator made it clear he isn’t above using the embattled High Speed Rail as leverage. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/05/14/steinberg-may-leverage-bullet-train-in-budget-talks/ 2015 Chevy Spark will have lighter, smaller battery. As General Motors gets ready to release the 2015 Chevy Spark EV, it is retooling the Brownstown Battery Assembly to build a new battery system for the chirpy little electric car. The new Spark will lose a few pounds and kWh from its lithium-ion pack, but it will keep all of it's performance specs. The current Spark EV uses a 21-kWh lithium-ion battery pack with bits made by A123 Systems (known as B456 Systems during bankruptcy). Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/15/2015-chevy-spark-will-have-lighter-smaller-battery/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 16 May 2014 14:54:58 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 16, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 16, 2014. 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 California carbon slips to $11.73 as traders eye auction. California's benchmark carbon contract slipped 8 cents from its close one day earlier to settle at $11.73 a tonne on Thursday as traders positioned themselves ahead of Friday's state-run allowance auction, where permits are expected to clear near the floor price. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/05/16/californiacarbon-idINL1N0O200320140516 California: Affordable housing at issue in cap-and-trade talks. With billions of dollars forecast to flow into state coffers under a landmark clean air act, there is a battle underway over how to allocate the money. State Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, was in Oakland on Wednesday promoting his plan that includes setting aside one-fifth of the funds for affordable housing construction near transit hubs. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25772028/state-affordable-housing-at-issue-cap-and-trade BY SUBSCRIPTION AIR POLLUTION EPA proposes changes to refinery emission rules. Texas environmental advocates are applauding a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposal to reduce oil refinery pollution by forcing operators to adopt new technology that better monitors and controls emissions. If adopted, the rule would mark the first change to the industry's emission standards in nearly two decades. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EPA_OIL_REFINERIES_RULE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-15/white-house-carbon-rules-said-to-seek-cuts-beyond-plants.html http://www.bna.com/epa-proposes-emissions-n17179890522/ http://www.latimes.com/science/la-na-0516-refineries-20140516-story.html http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/05/16/epa-targets-refineries-emissions/ Air quality monitor near I-5 in Anaheim finds higher pollution level. The first permanent air quality monitor near a Southern California freeway has detected elevated pollution levels, a finding that will increase pressure on state and local officials to address health risks facing nearly 1 million people in the region living near busy transportation corridors. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-freeway-air-20140515-story.html EPA targets oil refineries' emissions into neighborhoods. Oil refineries would be required to cut emissions and begin monitoring levels of toxic air pollutants at their fence lines with neighboring communities under standards proposed Thursday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-na-0516-refineries-20140516-story.html Officials peg West Sacramento neighborhood as region’s most vulnerable to pollution. Ramirez’s family lives on the eastern end of West Sacramento’s Westfield Village neighborhood, a tract of about 5,400 residents among the city’s poorest, which state environmental officials last month pegged on a CalEnviroScreen map as the most vulnerable to pollution in the Sacramento region. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/16/6395057/officials-peg-west-sacramento.html Schumer urges battle against toxic algae. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer urged federal regulators Wednesday to take a tougher stance against a form of freshwater toxic algae that's becoming more common in the state, in part due to climate change. So-called blue-green algae produces cyanotoxins that can sicken animals and people…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Schumer-urges-battle-against-toxic-algae-5478988.php Toxic smoke could blow back onshore. Air pollution crept up past healthy levels in Oceanside early Thursday, as fires burned nearby, but dropped back down by late morning, air quality experts said. Air quality monitors in Oceanside showed particle pollution at 70 micrograms per cubic meter around midnight Thursday, a level ranked as unhealthy…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/15/environment-air-quality-fire-toxics/ No surprises: More pollutant near freeway, first numbers show. Confirming previous scientific reports and popular assumptions, the region’s first freeway-adjacent air-quality monitoring device has shown that one pollutant is more concentrated next to the freeway than farther away. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/monitor-614502-quality-air.html Air Quality Tips for San Diegans. In the wake of the wildfires in San Diego, the air quality across the county has been impacted, according to county officials. Thus, locals are advised to follow a few tips to reduce their exposure to the smoke and air pollution. According to the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, air quality is currently considered less than moderate. Posted. http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Air-Quality-San-Diego-Wildfires-Health-259457571.html#ixzz31tnZ6o6Q CLIMATE CHANGE Climate Change to Hit Sovereign Creditworthiness: S&P. Global warming will harm sovereign creditworthiness around the world this century, with poorer nations the worst hit, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said. Climate change is one of two “global mega-trends” alongside aging populations that dominate global economic risks, the agency said today in a report. It identified the most vulnerable nations as Vietnam, Bangladesh and Senegal. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-15/climate-change-to-hit-sovereign-creditworthiness-s-p.html Brown: Climate change is factor. Gov. Jerry Brown Thursday blamed climate change for producing timber-dry conditions fueling the infernos rampaging through San Diego County, but he was less sure about rumors that an arsonist was on the loose. “Despite what you may hear in Washington, climate change is a factor,” he told CNN. “This is not about theory. It’s not about politics. This is about fires on the ground, people’s homes.” Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/15/brown-climate-change-is-factor/ Tropical storms shifting paths; impact of climate change debated. Hurricanes and typhoons are migrating from the tropics toward the North and South poles, a new study finds. In the past 30 years, the total number of storms has remained about the same in the tropics, said lead study author Jim Kossin, a climate scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center. Posted. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tropical-storms-shift-paths-toward-poles-impact-of-climate-change-debated/ State plans to double down in fight against climate change. California is raising its game against climate change as the stakes get higher, girding for a long-term battle with carbon dioxide that will stretch through at least 2050. The state is planning to bring more of its regulatory muscle to bear on greenhouse gases, working to set a "midterm" 2030 emissions target, and is preparing to broaden its focus on electric-sector emissions…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999697/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY As El Niño potential increases, summer outlook warms for West Coast – NOAA. If Californians can see through the wildfire smoke and across parched farmland through to their next wet season, they may find some relief. The potential for an El Niño, which tends to bring strong winter storms to much of the state, has continued to increase as summer approaches, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported yesterday. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999695/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Scientists pledge to study Amazon's carbon sink potential if CO2 levels increase 30%. An international group of scientists announced Wednesday that they will embark on a decadelong study to determine the Amazon's capability to store carbon dioxide should global concentrations of the greenhouse gas increase by 30 percent. Tropical forests have the potential to store vast quantities of carbon dioxide in the air. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999677/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate change could rid Ariz. of Joshua trees. Climate change may be pushing Arizona's Joshua trees north, and the U.S. Geological Survey has sent a researcher to investigate. Todd Esque, a research ecologist, is inspecting and measuring the trees at Grapevine Mesa Joshua Trees Forest in Mohave County to figure out whether they'll face the same fate as those he's been examining in Nevada. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999676/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Absent climate policies, widespread use of natural gas is unlikely to curb greenhouse gases – study. An oft-heard comment about America's natural gas boom is that it has led to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Insofar as natural gas replaces coal in electricity generation, this claim is probably true. But step back and look globally and into the future, and widespread use of natural gas fails to significantly alter the world's current global warming trajectory, a new study finds. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999696/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Drought, Hurricane Bigger Threat to World’s Top Companies. Drought, hurricanes and rising seas are becoming more significant threats to the world’s biggest companies and the risk is accelerating, according to the Carbon Disclosure Project. Companies planning for various threats related to climate change say they’re grappling now with about 45 percent of the potential risks, or will be within five years…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-16/drought-hurricane-bigger-threat-to-world-s-top-companies.html Feinstein: Environmentalists no help on California drought. Washington -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein will try to fast-track farm-friendly drought legislation through the Senate over the objections of environmentalists, who the senator complains have done nothing to help her adapt California's aging water system to deal with climate change and the addition of millions of thirsty residents. Posted. http://www.sfchronicle.com/science/article/Feinstein-Environmentalists-no-help-on-5481560.php 100 Percent of California Now in Highest Stages of Drought. It might not seem possible, but California's drought just got worse. According to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, 100 percent of the state is now in one of the three worst stages of drought. Posted. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/california-severe-drought-or-worse-17444 FUELS Biofuel groups take aim at EPA methods in U.S. blending quota cuts. Nearly three dozen advanced biofuel companies including DuPont and Spain's Abengoa appealed to President Barack Obama on Thursday to rethink the methodology for setting U.S. biofuel blending quotas. In their letter, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, 33 suppliers of "advanced" biofuels such as lower-carbon ethanol made from corn stovers…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/15/epa-rvo-final-rule-idUSL1N0O114720140515?feedType=RSS Intended showcase of clean-coal future hits snags. Last November, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz rode an elevator to the top of the 11-story scaffolding surrounding Southern Co.’s new coal-fired power plant here and gazed out over the Mississippi flatlands. Below him lay a new lignite coal mine, new storage facilities and a glimmering maze of steel. The beauty of it all was this: Sixty-five percent of the plant’s carbon dioxide…Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/intended-showcase-of-clean-coal-future-hits-snags/2014/05/16/fc03e326-cfd2-11e3-b812-0c92213941f4_story.html Can Green Diesel Wean the U.S. Off Oil? A Louisiana refinery ramps up production of a biofuel that could power everything from Jettas to jetliners. When it comes to kicking the United States’s oil addiction by substituting biofuels—mobility methadone—the nation has repeatedly fallen off the wagon. For instance, the U.S. last year was supposed to have produced 1.75 billion gallons of cellulosic biofuels to meet a Congressional mandate set back in 2007. Posted. http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/05/can-green-diesel-get-america-off-oil/370957/ BLM hearing sparks a debate on the agency's role in regulating methane. How many regulations are enough to successfully curb America's methane emissions? It depends on whom you ask. Representatives from environmental groups and the fossil fuel industry sharply disagreed on the Bureau of Land Management's role in regulating venting and flaring from oil and gas wells on public lands at an information session held yesterday in Washington, D.C. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999698/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Carnage on China Roads Shows Dark Side of Electric Bikes. Electric bicycles are China’s answer to the Prius because they’re green, they’re zippy and they’re cheap. They’re also emerging as a safety hazard in a country where road accidents are the biggest killer of young people. As Chinese cities impose car quotas to fend off record pollution, more residents are turning to rechargeable electric cycles. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-15/carnage-on-china-roads-shows-dark-side-of-electric-bikes.html Tesla CEO Elon Musk: Gigafactory will take battery production 'to another level' Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday that Tesla will partner with several companies besides Panasonic for its planned "gigafactory" for battery production, painting a portrait of a facility resembling a massive industrial park and saying that there eventually will be a need for several more. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_25761219/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-gigafactory-will-take-battery 80 Days Around The World In Zero Emissions Vehicles (2016). In April of 2016, an 80 day around the world race open only to zero emissions vehicles will begin, inspired by the classic Jules Verne novel. This new race takes to heart the original work’s focus on new technology subverting the status quo, as teams land and sea without burning any fuel. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/05/16/zero-emissions-vehicles-80-day-around-world-race-2016/#wSpRkoKvBB9kCePu.99 Read more at http://cleantechnica.com/2014/05/16/zero-emissions-vehicles-80-day-around-world-race-2016/#wSpRkoKvBB9kCePu.99 GREEN ENERGY Should energy be taxed? Dean Elliott and others offer insight. The energy industry in the United States is booming, according to Dean Elliott, the owner of Dino Operating, LLC, a company that works in refurbishing oil fields and shallow drilling. The country is on track to become the top producer of oil by 2016, according to the International Energy Agency. Already, the U.S. is the largest producer of natural gas. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/should-energy-be-taxed-dean-elliott-and-others-offer-insight-1 MISCELLANEOUS Want to test drive an electric car? Check out this free event. The public is invited to test drive a variety of electric cars from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in San Francisco in a free event co-sponsored by Bay Area transportation and air pollution control agencies. The free test drives are available on a first-come, first served basis to licensed drivers at the Marina Green Triangle along Marina Green Drive at Marina Boulevard, across from a Safeway store. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_25772386/want-test-drive-an-electric-car-check-out Fracking's Air Pollution Drives Couple From Their Home of 23 Years. 'We're not anti-drilling at all...It's just causing me a lot of medical issues, and I can't have it.' After 23 years living on the South Texas prairie, Lynn and Shelby Buehring are looking for a new home, far from the fumes, traffic and noise of the Eagle Ford Shale boom. Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140516/frackings-air-pollution-drives-couple-their-home-23-years OPINIONS Climate Change: Prophets and Deniers. To the Editor: Re “Scientists Warn of Rising Oceans From Polar Melt” (front page, May 13): Compounding the tragedy of the collapsing West Antarctic ice sheet is the fact that the possibility was foreseen more than three decades ago. It was, for example, one of the warnings in the 1981 climate change assessment issued by the Council on Environmental Quality during the Carter administration. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/15/opinion/climate-change-prophets-and-deniers.html?_r=0 How should Washington act on climate change? Your Say Interactive. Climate change remains a low priority for many Americans. The White House this month released the National Climate Assessment, a report that warns of floods at several coastal airports and other damaging effects of climate change. But for Americans, dealing with global warming nears the bottom of their priorities, above only dealing with global trade issues, which ranked lowest. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/05/15/global-warming-climate-change-your-say/9115659/ Glenn Kessler: Sen. Reid fails fact-check. While the Koch brothers admit to not being experts on the matter, these billionaire oil tycoons are certainly experts at contributing to climate change. That's what they do very well. They are one of the main causes of this. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/15/3929115/sen-reid-makes-up-his-own-facts.html?sp=/99/274/ BY SUBSCRIPTION LETTER: Agency working to mitigate impacts. The op-ed by John Husing, “Demographics key to Inland Empire job growth” (Opinion, May 13), mistakenly creates an impression that efforts to attain healthful air are incompatible with a strong economy. The South Coast Air Quality Management District is working to bring about economic growth and cleaner air. Contrary to Husing’s op-ed, the SCAQMD is not proposing a rule that would force new warehouses to pay fees to offset truck trips. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/air-694599-pollution-california.html Bringing climate change home. Last week, while the city's parks were teeming with birders watching the spring migration and the lilac and wisteria were just starting to bloom, the National Climate Assessment report was issued. A comprehensive work prepared by a team of 300 scientists and climate experts and extensively reviewed, it makes an imposing trilogy…Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/bringing-climate-change-home BLOGS How to Laugh at Climate Change. In the nineteen-thirties, the literary theorist Kenneth Burke proposed what he called the “comic frame”—the view, he wrote, of “human antics as a comedy, albeit as a comedy ever on the verge of the most disastrous tragedy.” Tragedy marches inexorably toward the end, but comedy keeps us guessing at our fate. Christina Foust, a communications professor at the University of Denver, points out that climate science, and climate news…Posted. http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2014/05/the-comedy-of-climate-change.html Global warming fight: California’s next steps. California must double its pace of cutting greenhouse gases after 2020 — slashing emissions from factories and power plants, freight trains and farms — in order to meet its long-term global warming goals, according to a state plan to be released Friday. California-Greenhouse Gases.JPEG-08548. The steps proposed by the California Air Resources Board go well beyond the already aggressive moves California has made to fight climate change…Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/energy/2014/05/16/global-warming-fight-californias-next-steps/ There’s no practical fix for climate change. Missing from the climate-change debate is the recognition that we have no solution, says Robert Samuelson in The Washington Post. With no practical replacement for fossil fuels, and no government willing to risk economic fallout by curtailing their use, and global emissions on the rise in developing countries…Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion/theres-no-practical-fix-for-climate-change/29083/ EPA Proposes to Limit Cancer-Causing Toxic Air Pollution From Petroleum Refineries. Yesterday, EPA proposed new standards to limit toxic air pollution from petroleum refineries. EPA’s proposal is good news for millions of Americans, since about 90 million Americans live within 30 miles of a refinery, and many live near more than one. There currently are about 150 petroleum refineries in the country, located in over 30 states. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jwalke/epa_proposes_to_limit_cancer-c.html Soot Pollution Limits Unanimously Upheld in Court, Continuing Clean Air Victory Streak. Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit unanimously upheld the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) particulate matter (soot) pollution standard, ruling that EPA’s decision to strengthen the standard in 2012 was firmly grounded in science and the law. The ruling also upheld EPA’s new requirement that states install air quality monitors near heavy traffic roads, where soot pollution levels can spike. Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2014/05/16/soot-pollution-limits-unanimously-upheld-in-court-continuing-clean-air-victory-streak/#sthash.4uDxBbsL.dpuf Why carbon emissions are material for transportation companies. Federal law requires companies to disclose material information through various standardized forms and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) explicitly has noted that this includes extra-financial factors that may affect investment outcomes. Furthermore, institutional investors and asset managers have a fiduciary duty to consider all material issues when making investment decisions. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/05/15/why-carbon-emissions-are-material-transportation-companies California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 19 May 2014 17:05:19 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 19, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 19, 2014. 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 California air board urges big hike in greenhouse-gas cuts. California must double its pace of cutting greenhouse gases after 2020 - slashing emissions from factories and power plants, freight trains and farms - in order to meet its long-term global warming goals, according to a state plan released Friday. The steps proposed by the California Air Resources Board go well beyond the already aggressive moves California has made to fight climate change…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/California-air-board-urges-big-hike-in-5484959.php ARB releases updated AB32 Climate Change Scoping Plan. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) today released the first update to its Scoping Plan, the document that shows how it has met and will continue to meet the goals mandated by AB 32, California's landmark climate change legislation. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/arb-releases-updated-ab32-climate-change-scoping-plan Carbon Pricing vs. Regulation. Ask any economist about the most efficient way to tackle climate change, and the response will be clear: put a price on carbon. Cap or tax carbon pollution, and then get out of the way. It’s the most effective policy. It’s cheap. It works. Except for when politics gets in the way. A price on carbon may be the obvious choice for policymakers in Beijing, Brussels and Sacramento. Yet, Washington is playing a different game. Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/gernotwagner/384116/carbon-pricing-vs-regulation AIR POLLUTION Smog war skirmish: Universities pitch to host emissions lab. A yellow, 450 cc off-road motorcycle screams in a cramped room, bucking against its restraints with every twist of the throttle, an industrial fan imitating wind-speed and a tube gathering the all-important byproduct – its exhaust. Several local universities are champing at the bit to host engine tests like this one, as the southern lab of the California Air Resources Board considers where to move its advanced-but-aging motor vehicle emissions laboratory. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/research-614662-lab-new.html http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/1f74b48ce79e4d78a0024b2a97b173bf/CA--Emissions-Lab http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/17/schools-vying-to-host-california-emissions-lab/ Wildfire smoke negatively impacting region’s air quality. Air quality officials warned Saturday that smoke from the multiple wildfires in San Diego County is negatively affecting the air above parts of San Bernardino County. When the wildfires first erupted Tuesday and Wednesday, Santa Ana winds out of the northeast caused the flames to spread quickly and pushed smoke over the Pacific Ocean. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140517/wildfire-smoke-negatively-impacting-regions-air-quality As O.C. takes a breath, smoke from south reminds of trouble. After several days of scorching heat and high winds, fires continue to burn on Camp Pendleton and in north San Diego County. According to Cal-Fire, the forestry department’s fire service, three fires continue to burn on the marine base, causing smoke to drift across much of Orange County, which prompted residents to call authorities. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fire-614682-fires-saturday.html E-Cigarettes Don't Expose You to Just 'Harmless' Water Vapor: Air Pollution Discovered. Could e-cigarettes help you quit smoking? That's apparently not the case, despite what the industry claims. Scientists have discovered that claims about the devices are unsupported by the evidence to date. Posted. http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/14806/20140519/e-cigarettes-dont-expose-harmless-water-vapor-air-pollution-discovered.htm Get The Dirt Out Of Your Indoor Air-And Save. If your house is like most in America today, you and your family create up to 40 pounds of dust a year, just through everyday living. In addition, high temperature and humidity can also increase concentrations of some pollutants. So can not getting in enough outdoor air, which can happen, especially with modern homes designed to minimize air “leaks.” Posted. http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/living/8776-get-the-dirt-out-of-your-indoor-air-and-save.html EPA proposes new air quality monitoring plan for refineries. The Environmental Protection Agency said it is proposing new emission standards for refineries. At least one local watchdog group said it's about time. "The air quality, being right here so close to the refinery, is very poor. And if you have asthma or sinus problems, it's really bad for you," said Susan Ferrera, who lives in Chalmette. Posted. http://www.wdsu.com/news/epa-proposes-new-air-quality-monitoring-plan-for-refineries/26040406#ixzz32CcrFUGa CLIMATE CHANGE Studies: Wildfires worse due to global warming. The devastating wildfires scorching Southern California offer a glimpse of a warmer and more fiery future, according to scientists and federal and international reports. In the past three months, at least three different studies and reports have warned that wildfires are getting bigger, that man-made climate change is to blame, and it's only going to get worse with more fires starting earlier in the year. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_WILDFIRES_AND_WARMING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Studies-Wildfires-worse-due-to-global-warming-5487333.php Kerry calls on U.S. college graduates to face down climate. The rapidly changing climate poses a threat of sparking greater global conflict, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday told the graduating class of Boston College, urging the graduates to play a role in pushing for new energy policies. Citing recent reports from the United Nations and White House showing that a rising emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels in contributing to a warming world, he warned of the possibility of climate-related conflict. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/19/us-usa-kerry-climatechange-idUSBREA4I0GY20140519?feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=11563 Local Leaders Call for U.S. help to Deal With Climate Change. Local leaders who are members of a White House advisory panel are calling for better coordination across the federal government and reforms to federal funding programs and policies to help them deal with increased threats of flooding, hurricanes and other impacts associated with climate change. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-19/local-leaders-call-for-u-s-help-to-deal-with-climate-change.html Climate change: Get ready or get sued. On April 18, 2013, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) declared a state of emergency after an epic deluge left much of the Chicago area under water. “After several days of rain, an overnight deluge overwhelmed Chicago’s underground labyrinth of aging sewers and giant tunnels Thursday, forcing a noxious mix of sewage and stormwater into local waterways and Lake Michigan. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/05/19/climate-change-get-ready-or-get-sued/ Gov. Jerry Brown: California ‘on the front lines’ of climate change. California Gov. Jerry Brown said Sunday that Republicans are in “denial” over climate change as his state battles “on the front lines” against a rash of fires that have swept Southern California. “As we send billions and billions of tons of heat-trapping gases, we get heat and we get fires and we get what we’re seeing,”…Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/may/18/gov-jerry-brown-california-front-lines-climate-cha/#ixzz32ChXbRL9 Gov. Jerry Brown presses message on climate change. Even as wildfires cool in San Diego, Gov. Jerry Brown is heating up his argument that what the state really is battling is global warming. "We here in California are on the front lines," Brown said on ABC in the first of two Sunday morning news show appearances. "We've got to deal with it. We've already appropriated $600 million. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ff-jerry-brown-climate-change-20140518-story.html KCBS in Depth: Stanford Professer’s Plan For Combatting Global Warming in California And 49 Other States. A Stanford professor and researcher has come up with 50 workable plans to combat climate change in the U.S. - one for each state – which map out how we become 100 percent powered by wind, water and sunlight by the year 2050. Dr. Mark Jacobson says by focusing on changing energy policy, we can address the problem of global warming… http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/05/19/kcbs-in-depth-stanford-professers-plan-for-combating-global-warming-in-california-and-49-other-states-energy-efficiency-wind-water-geothermal-solar-power-the-solution-project-mark-jacobson-global-warm/ Smokin' summer looms unless El Niño comes to rescue. September has come early in 2014. That’s the month when the fire season usually begins in Southern California, a tinderbox of high temperatures, Santa Ana winds and post-summer aridity. But, this year, May is September. This week, triple-digit temperatures, strong Santa Ana winds and drought conspired to create conditions that led to nearly a dozen major fires from San Diego through Los Angeles counties. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fire-614675-county-smoke.html President Obama’s big carbon crackdown readies for launch. The EPA will launch the most dramatic anti-pollution regulation in a generation early next month, a sweeping crackdown on carbon that offers President Barack Obama his last real shot at a legacy on climate change — while causing significant political peril for red-state Democrats. The move could produce a dramatic makeover of the power industry, shifting it away from coal-burning plants toward natural gas, solar and wind. Posted. http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/carbon-crackdown-barack-obama-106783.html#ixzz32ClCaHL5 California Emissions Rise 1.6%. Strong economic growth, the unexpected closure of the San Onofre nuclear power plant and limited hydropower generation caused by drought led to a 1.7 percent increase in total greenhouse emissions in California from 2011 to 2012, according to the most recent greenhouse gas inventory from the California Air Resources Board. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/05/19/california-emissions-rise-1-6/ Climate change lawsuit filed against some 200 US communities. Climate change lawsuits filed against some 200 US communities. Climate change lawsuits: Farmers Insurance filed class action lawsuit last month against nearly 200 communities in the Chicago area for failing to prepare for flooding. The suits argue towns should have known climate change would produce more flooding. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0517/Climate-change-lawsuits-filed-against-some-200-US-communities Climate: The only thing that never changes is change. The old adage, "The only thing that never changes is change," suddenly has taken on a new sense of relevance when it comes to one of the most important issues of our day -- climate change. No one can argue the point that the climate is changing. The point of contention is whether or not mankind is causing it and thus, should governments mandate massive changes in human behavior to address it. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/climate-the-only-thing-that-never-changes-is-change Fighting air pollution with innovation and technology. Air pollution has become one of the world's biggest threats to the future of our planet. Chronic air pollution shortens our lives and the lives of the ecologies around us. In parts of Asia, where air pollution is most pervasive, food crops and other plants are exhibiting signs of stress due to low air quality. Posted. http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/47403 Obama admin weighs deleting super-warming gases from approved ozone list. The mounting effort to ban hydrofluorocarbons has centered around international diplomacy, like President Obama's agreement last year with Chinese President Xi Jinping to phase down the super greenhouse gases. But domestically, the administration has been working hard, albeit quietly, to curb the production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/05/19/stories/1059999785 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Amid drought, water-use penalties hit Bay Area. Here comes the chapter of California's drought story where things get testy. Asking people to conserve water? No problem. Ordering them to cut back or else pay up? Those are fighting words. A debate has ignited in Pleasanton after leaders of the tidy East Bay city full of manicured yards and swimming pools declared a "local drought emergency"…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Amid-drought-water-use-penalties-hit-Bay-Area-5486729.php Water shortages force Stanislaus County’s Westside almond growers to make tough, costly choices. Water shortages are forcing almond growers to make tough and costly decisions this spring. That includes killing off the natural vegetation that normally grows between orchard rows, even though those weeds and wildflowers are home to the beneficial insects needed for integrated pest management. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/17/3653630/esyrt-shortages-are-forcing-stanislaus.html#storylink=cpy http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/17/3345117/water-shortages-are-forcing-stanislaus.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES City Now Expects to Authorized More Green Cabs by the Fall. One day after signaling that it would slow indefinitely the expansion of street-hail livery cab service outside Manhattan, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration said on Friday that it expected to issue new permits for the popular green taxis at the end of the summer. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/17/nyregion/city-now-expects-to-authorize-more-green-cabs-by-the-fall.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL Brown doubles down on high-speed rail amid calls for restraint. Preparing for looming budget battles with the Democratic-controlled Legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown warned Friday that lawmakers must balance "desire and need" for expensive social programs - even as he defiantly doubled down on support for the increasingly unpopular high-speed rail system, saying it remains emblematic of his passion to "build great things" in his final term as governor. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Brown-doubles-down-on-high-speed-rail-amid-calls-5484808.php GREEN ENERGY China Targets 70 Gigawatts of Solar Power to Cut coal Reliance. China, the world’s biggest carbon emitter, plans to speed up solar power development, targeting a more than tripling of installed capacity to 70 gigawatts by 2017 to cut its reliance on coal. The goal would be double a previous target set for 2015, according to a statement posted today on the National Development and Reform Commission’s website. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-16/china-targets-70-gigawatts-of-solar-power-to-cut-coal-reliance.html Siemens Seals $2.1 Billion wind Deal With Service Plan. Siemens AG (SIE) won a 1.5 billion-euro ($2.1 billion) contract for a Dutch offshore wind park that will also give Europe’s largest engineering company its biggest-ever energy service contract. The order for the Gemini wind park, 85 kilometers (53 miles) offshore from Groningen, Netherlands, comprises 150 wind turbines with a capacity of four megawatts apiece, the Munich-based company said today in an e-mailed statement. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-15/siemens-seals-2-1-billion-dutch-wind-deal-with-service-fillip.html Some NFK Teams Are Going Green. When San Francisco 49ers fans enter the team's new Levi's Stadium for the first time later this year, they'll see green—and not just on the field. The $1.2 billion stadium will be the first in the National Football League to feature a "living roof," a canopy of green and flowering plants nestled across the top of an eight-story tower of luxury suites to reduce the building's energy use and offer other environmental benefits by providing natural insulation. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304677904579537882691550494 Where Whale Oil Once Reigned, a Town Looks to Renewable Energy. Whale oil made New Bedford, Mass., America's energy capital in the early 19th century. Now the gritty fishing port is once again linking its future to energy—this time renewable Not only is the city of 95,000 expanding its docks to supply wind farms off the Massachusetts coast, it's also becoming a major generator of solar power. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303678404579536213202032436 When the Power Goes Out, Microgrids keep Electricity Flowing. TO MAKE SURE the lights stay on, some institutions are creating their own power grids. Microgrids, small-scale power networks that can operate independently of the main grid, are generating new interest for two main reasons: the spread of alternative power sources like solar, which make local networks more feasible…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304831304579544200059257532 Coal: The World’s Deadliest source of Energy. Coal is the largest source of electricity across the world, mainly because it is abundant and cheap. But a string of coal mining accidents this week has served as a stark reminder that coal also remains the world's most deadly source of energy. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Coal-The-World-s-Deadliest-Source-of-Energy-5487219.php Rick Perry sends Obama letter criticizing energy policy. Texas Gov. Rick Perry has written to President Obama criticizing his administration's energy policies, EPA regulations and failure to approve the construction of a pipeline to carry tar sands crude from Canada to Gulf Coast refineries. The letter, which reiterates much of Perry's longstanding opposition to the Obama administration's energy policies…Posted. http://washingtonexaminer.com/rick-perry-sends-obama-letter-criticizing-energy-policy/article/2548599 S.F. Building aims to produce as much energy as it consumes. On a rare sweltering day in San Francisco, the new office of DPR Construction stays cool and pleasant. But don't credit the air conditioning. It isn't on. Large fans circulate air. Skylights turn dark when the sun beats down, letting in light while minimizing heat. Tilted rows of solar panels shield the roof while producing a steady stream of electricity. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/S-F-building-aims-to-produce-as-much-energy-as-5486349.php MISCELLANEOUS Events plug electric cars; free test drives offered. You see them everywhere these days - cars that glide silently by and never stop to fill up for gas. Electric cars - one of those things that a friend of a friend owns. But regional transportation officials are hoping to spark a surge in the popularity of plug-in electrics in the Bay Area by putting drivers behind the wheel of the clean, green cars at a series of events around the region. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Events-plug-electric-cars-free-test-drives-5484839.php Conflict of interest allegations not valid, FPPC says. After nearly a year of investigation, the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) has determined that Lompoc City Council member Ashley Costa did not violate conflict of interest regulations for votes she cast as a board member of the county’s Air Pollution Control District (APCD) last year. Posted. http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/conflict-of-interest-allegations-not-valid-board-says/article_23326b12-de46-11e3-a12e-001a4bcf887a.html OPINIONS For investors, coal brings lumps. If you care about the environment, you can emulate Stanford University's move to remove coal-producing companies from its endowment portfolio by purging fossil fuel companies from your own investments, although it will take a customized strategy. Despite its role in climate change and air pollution, coal may remain in favor because it's still relatively cheap to mine and…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/19/us-column-wasik-coal-idUSBREA4I0ID20140519 The Climate Continues its Change. Regarding Steven F. Hayward's "The Latest Storm of Climate Alarmism" (op-ed, May 9): The foundation of the third National Climate Assessment is the extensive set of observations made by thousands of scientists over many decades. It documents the changes in our climate and the impacts of those changes on Americans. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303627504579558153724592732 California’s Drinking Problem. California has at least another five months of drought ahead, U.S. forecasters estimate, putting new pressure on everyone to conserve already stretched water supplies. While farms use 80 percent of the state's water -- and it's essential that they cut back -- cities and towns have to do their share. Posted. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-05-18/california-s-drinking-problem?cmpid=hpbv We are conscious of climate change around us. Robert J. Samuelson’s May 12 op-ed column, “There’s still no fix for climate change,” hit the issue on the button. It is not about science, opinions, even politics. It’s about economics, who we are and if we will survive. There are no serious scientific climate/global change “deniers.” Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/we-are-conscious-of-climate-change-around-us/2014/05/18/93ac8ba4-dd0e-11e3-a837-8835df6c12c4_story.html China’s Pollution Challenge. China’s national legislature has adopted sweeping changes to the country’s Environmental Protection Law, revisions that have been hailed as major steps toward saving China’s environment from rampant degradation. The authorities will now have stronger enforcement powers, including the right to detain persistent violators for up to 15 days and to fine polluters more heavily than before. Some legally registered civil-society organizations will now be able to initiate public-interest litigation as well. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/opinion/chinas-pollution-challenge.html Fine-Tuning a U.S. Energy Plan. Re “Go big, get crazy” (May 8): I’m afraid that Thomas L. Friedman’s proposed “grand bargain” on energy issues would likely end up as a grand swindle. Sure, Republicans might promise to agree to “a national renewable portfolio standard that would require every utility in America to gradually introduce more renewable power…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/19/opinion/fine-tuning-a-us-energy-plan.html A Blueprint to End Paralysis. Over Global Action on Climate. The international community should stop chasing the chimera of a binding treaty to limit CO2 emissions. Instead, it should pursue an approach that encourages countries to engage in a “race to the top” in low-carbon energy solutions. International deal-making fundamentally hinges on assessments of national self-interest by the parties involved. Posted. Stephen Moore: The morality of cheap energy. Energy is the master resource, as the late, great economist Julian Simon used to say. You can’t produce much of anything if you don’t have affordable electric power. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/energy-614603-policy-gas.html ‘Einstein Was Right: You Can Turn Energy Into Matter’. E=mc2 Albert Einstein proposed the most famous formula in physics in a 1905 paper on Special Relativity titled Does the inertia of an object depend upon its energy content? Essentially, the equation says that mass and energy are intimately related. Atom bombs and nuclear reactors are practical examples of the formula working in one direction, turning matter into energy. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/paulrodgers/2014/05/19/einstein-was-right-you-can-turn-energy-into-matter/ BLOGS What Will the Supreme Court’s Latest Climate-Change Case Mean? Sometime in the next few weeks, the Supreme Court will decide its third case on climate-changing carbon pollution in the last seven years. The earlier cases clearly established the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to set standards under the Clean Air Act to curb carbon pollution from both vehicles and factories. Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/384776/what-will-supreme-courts-latest-climate-change-case-mean Climate Change Will Hurt Nations’ Credit Ratings, S&P Warns. Add credit ratings to the list of things climate change might ruin. According to a recent report released by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, rising global temperatures will put downward pressure on sovereign credit ratings. The international credit-rating firm warns that poorer countries and nations with already low ratings will be hit the hardest by the effects of climate change. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/17/climate-change-credit-ratings_n_5344078.html . The economic crash brought Vegas to its knees; climate change could do it. Next time you fly into Las Vegas at night, take a close look at the casino-studded carnival in the center of the city. You’ll notice something odd. Amid all the glitter, there are a couple of black spots, like patches of dark matter in a star cluster. These are the dead zones, reminders of the 2007 economic collapse that brought this city to its knees. Posted. http://grist.org/cities/the-economic-crash-brought-vegas-to-its-knees-climate-change-could-do-it-again/ Chevrolet Purchases $500,000 Worth Of Carbon Credits From University of Illinois. The University of Illinois, which has been actively making an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its buildings since 2010, has joined three other educational institutions in selling carbon offset credits to Chevrolet. Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and Valencia College in Orlando, Florida both sold carbon credits to Chevy earlier this year…Posted. http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/05/chevrolet-purchases-500000-worth-of-carbon-credits-from-university-of-illinois/#ixzz32D1m22B4 The Times has fallen for an unfounded climate change conspiracy theory. Who needs scientific evidence on climate change when you can distract the world with shiny new conspiracies? Here we go again. The latest IPCC report, the US National Climate Assessment report, and a report published by US military researchers all recently warned us yet again about the risks associated with human-caused climate change. While the planet continues to warm, ice continues to melt, and sea levels continue to rise…Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2014/may/19/another-manufactured-climate-controversy 7 Unexpected Ways to Fight Air Pollution. Air pollution is rising in the world’s biggest cities, and health risks are growing with it. There are multiple ways living among chronic air pollution can put you in an early grave, and the consequences are just as dire for those who haven’t been born yet. In China, where air pollution persists at shocking levels, plants, even food crops, are being attacked by the low air quality, adding another dimension of risk to the issue. Posted. http://www.care2.com/causes/7-unexpected-ways-to-fight-air-pollution.html ‘Bay of the Smokes’, the name that shows Los Angeles has always suffered air pollution (VIDEO). Topography and weather patterns make Los Angeles an area where air pollutants find no escape, no matter what the source of the pollution is. In 1542, explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and Spanish sailors landed in San Pedro Bay. The air pollution was so bad that the crew named the area “Bay of the Smokes”. Posted. http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/bay-of-the-smokes-the-name-that-shows-los-angeles-has-always-suffered-air-p China's push for better fuel economy has a bigger purpose. Any business reporter is taught that, when in doubt, always follow the money. With China's aggressive push for advanced-powertrain vehicle production and sales, that means better fleetwide fuel economy. Why? Lower fuel use means less money spent importing oil. It's that simple. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/19/chinas-push-for-better-fuel-economy-has-a-bigger-purpose/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 20 May 2014 15:41:28 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 20, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 20, 2014. 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 EPA carbon curbs to reach beyond power plant 'fence,' aiding cap-and-trade. President Barack Obama's landmark rules to cut power plant emissions will likely give a fresh push to regional U.S. carbon cap-and-trade systems by allowing for a holistic, state-wide view of new pollution targets, sources familiar with the process said. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/20/usa-carbon-idUSL1N0O50CD20140520 AIR POLLUTION African dust's link to flesh-eating bacteria in the Gulf. Researchers at Texas A&M Corpus Christi have been awarded more than $200,000 to study the link between Saharan dust clouds over the Gulf and increases in dangerous bacteria. The dust is swept up from the Saharan and Sahel deserts and carried across the Atlantic, only to be dumped in the Gulf days later. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/African-dust-s-link-to-flesh-eating-bacteria-in-5489562.php CLIMATE CHANGE El Nino Alert Remains as Australia Sees Pattern by August. Australia remains on El Nino watch on expectations the weather pattern that brings drought to the Asia-Pacific region and heavier-than-usual rains to South America will probably develop by August. The alert indicates at least a 70 percent chance of an El Nino developing this year, the Bureau of Meteorology said on its website today. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-20/el-nino-alert-remains-as-australia-predicts-pattern-by-august.html In California, Climate Issues Moved to Fore by Governor. Portraying California as the front line of climate change, Gov. Jerry Brown said Monday that the effects of man-made global warming were devastating the state, drawing a direct link between climate change and both the record-setting drought that has left the state parched and the early-season wildfires that broke out across California last week. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/us/politics/in-california-climate-issues-moved-to-fore-by-governor.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1 http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-jerry-brown-california-climate-change-20140519-story.html?track=rss http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_25794198/governor-jerry-brown-calls-action-climate-change-irks?source=rss http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/05/20/gov-jerry-brown-climate-change/9314643/ http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/19/3933673/brown-california-at-epicenter.html http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25794198/Governor-Jerry-Brown-calls-for-action The Big Melt Accelerates. Centuries from now, a large swath of the West Antarctic ice sheet is likely to be gone, its hundreds of trillions of tons of ice melted, causing a four-foot rise in already swollen seas. Scientists reported last week that the scenario may be inevitable, with new research concluding that some giant glaciers had passed the point of no return, possibly setting off a chain reaction that could doom the rest of the ice sheet. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/science/the-melting-isnt-glacial.html?ref=science?src=dayp&_r=0 How El Niño Might Alter the Political Climate. El Niño is coming. Above-average sea surface temperatures have developed off the west coast of South America and seem poised to grow into a full-fledged El Niño event, in which unusually warm water temperatures spread across the equatorial East Pacific. Models indicate a 75 percent chance of El Niño this fall, which could bring devastating droughts to Australia or heavy rains to the southern United States. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/upshot/how-el-nino-might-alter-the-political-climate.html Oxfam prods 10 largest food and drink firms on climate change. Few companies are potentially more vulnerable to climate change than the world's biggest food and beverage brands. Droughts are diminishing agricultural yields, and severe cold snaps like the one that crippled parts of the U.S. this year resulted in weeks of lost production. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/19/6416920/oxfam-prods-10-largest-food-and.html#storylink=cpy National landmarks threatened by climate change. Climate change is putting historic and cultural landmarks around the USA at risk, according to a report released Tuesday by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a non-profit science advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. "Sea-level rise, coastal erosion, increased flooding, heavy rains and more frequent large wildfires are damaging archaeological resources…Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/05/20/national-landmarks-climate-change/9281341/ http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/05/140520-threatened-historic-landmarks-climate-change/ Climate change brings short-term benefits, long-term fears to California wine country. California's warmest winter on record is now leading to an incredibly early wine season. While the warmer weather could provide short-term benefits to the state's wine industry, the gradual spike in temperatures could also have a detrimental impact on winemaking throughout the famed Napa Valley region. Posted. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-brings-short-term-benefits-long-term-fears-to-california-wine-country/ Stanford research shows importance of European farmers adapting to climate change. New Stanford research reveals that farmers in Europe will see crop yields affected as global temperatures rise, but that adaptation can help slow the decline for some crops. A newly published Stanford study indicates European wheat yields will drop more than 20 percent by 2040 due to global warming. Posted. http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/may/climate-europe-farming-052014.html Reported 25% GHG cut from power plant rule not enough – enviros. The Obama administration has a lot riding on next month's proposal for existing power plants. U.S. EPA's much-anticipated Clean Air Act rule would limit emissions from a sector responsible for 40 percent of the nation's carbon dioxide pollution and is President Obama's most significant tool for achieving the economywide emissions reduction pledges he made in Copenhagen, Denmark, nearly five years ago. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999904/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Forest fires may spur Greenland melt – study. Large forest fires may contribute to extensive ice melt on Greenland's surface, indicating that a growth in fire frequency in the future may also worsen widespread melt on the ice sheet, according to a new study. The research, published online yesterday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that 2012's summer melt event in Greenland…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999865/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Drought could cost Central Valley farms $1.7 billion and 14,500 jobs. The Central Valley’s 7 million acres of irrigated farmland are best known as the richest food-producing region in the world. But a new study by UC Davis researchers forecasts severe socioeconomic impacts ahead in the area where many of the nation’s fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables are grown. The drought could cost the region’s farm industry $1.7 billion in 2014 and cause more than 14,500 workers to lose their jobs…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-drought-economic-impacts-20140519-story.html Lawn water: A fix for the drought? It’s enough water to fill Lake Oroville and more, and it’s flowing out on to lawns and landscapes in cities and communities across the state each year, according to the Department of Water Resources. But with the state deep in drought and water supplies dwindling, there’s a movement underfoot that’s hoping to change that. Posted. http://capitolweekly.net/lawn-water-answer-drought/ FUELS EPA mulls ethanol change as industry profits soar. Just as ethanol producers have been seeing the industry's most profitable months ever, the federal government is considering whether to lower the amount of the corn-based fuel that must be blended into gasoline. That could be a serious blow to a biofuels industry that saw booms and busts connected to corn and petroleum prices before a renewable fuel standard... Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ETHANOL_PROFITABILITY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Shell Considers Retiring California Coker Amid Shale Boom. Europe’s biggest oil company, is considering retiring one of two coking units at its only refinery in California as the company seeks to run lighter crude at the plant. The company has applied to county regulators for a permit to shut the flexicoker at the 156,400-barrel-a-day Martinez refinery northeast of San Francisco…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-19/shell-considers-retiring-california-coker-amid-shale-boom.html http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059999873/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Gasoline Slips as Imports Seen Rising From 11-Month High. Gasoline fell for a second day in New York on speculation imports of the motor fuel will climb from an 11-month high and production from U.S. refineries increases. Foreign shipments of motor fuel to the U.S. East Coast rose to 861,000 barrels a day in the week ended May 9, the most since June 21 and the highest seasonal level since 2007, according to government data. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-20/gasoline-slips-as-imports-seen-rising-from-11-month-high.html Stanford Says No to Coal, Pats Itself on the Back. Stanford University's announcement that it won't invest directly in coal-related companies will be watched closely by professional and individual investors alike. Unfortunately, this decision misses the point. Substantial social injury Stanford's investment goal is to make money. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Stanford-Says-No-to-Coal-Pats-Itself-on-the-Back-5489443.php A Fracking Boom Where There Is No Fracking. On the Texas coast, the state’s fracking boom has sparked an industrial surge and new fears about pollution. For John LaRue, sand was the harbinger of the change. Several years ago, LaRue, the Port of Corpus Christi's executive director, began seeing the smooth quartz grains arriving in bulk from Wisconsin and Minnesota. Posted. http://www.nationaljournal.com/new-energy-paradigm/a-fracking-boom-where-there-is-no-fracking-20140519 Research envisions turning woody waste into asset for cellulosic producers. A pesky polymer that stands in the way of the sugars needed to make plant-based fuels might yet become a valuable asset for biofuels companies. At issue is whether lignin, the complex polymer that gives plants their structure, could be the basis for carbon fiber, a lightweight but strong substance growing in popularity as transportation industries seek greater efficiencies. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999887/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Is This Man Going to Be China’s Elon Musk? The Chinese billionaire who bought Fisker Automotive Holdings Inc. at a bankruptcy auction is planning to build a new slate of electric-drive cars in the U.S., challenging Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA) on its home turf. Lu Guanqiu, the chairman and founder of China’s Wanxiang Group Corp., plans to manufacture electric cars in the U.S. and ultimately in China, he said in his first extensive interview since prevailing in a February bidding war for Fisker’s assets. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-19/fisker-s-billionare-owner-eyes-u-s-revival-china.html Nissan Recalls About 200 Leaf E.V.s for a Faulty Weld. Nissan is recalling 211 Leaf electric vehicles from the 2014 model year for a welding defect that requires the automaker to give owners a new vehicle if necessary, the automaker said in a report posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. Nissan says that some of the structural welds in the front section of the Leaf “may not have been welded to specification”…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/automobiles/nissan-recalls-about-200-leaf-evs-for-a-faulty-weld.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry429%23%2Fvehicles%2F24hours%2F GM reduced energy intensity and carbon intensity per vehicle in 2013. In 2013, GM reduced the energy-intensity per vehicle manufactured 3.5% from 2012, down to an average 2.22 MW/vehicle from 2.30 MW, according to the company’s just released 2013 sustainability report. GM has set a target of 1.97 MW/vehicle for 2020, a reduction of 20% from the 2010 baseline of 2.47 MW. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/05/gm-reduced-energy-intensity-and-carbon-intensity-per-vehicle-in-2013.html US DOE awarding $7M to 6 projects for advanced hydrogen storage systems for vehicles. The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award a total of $7 million to six projects to develop lightweight, compact, and inexpensive advanced hydrogen storage systems that will enable longer driving ranges and help make fuel cell systems competitive for different platforms and sizes of vehicles. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/05/20140520-doeh2.html HIGH-SPEED Approps bill aims at Calif. bullet train, urges final safety standards. House Republicans are poised to take another swipe at California's high-speed rail endeavor in a spending bill likely to be approved tomorrow by the House Appropriations Committee. The bill, which would fund both the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development departments in fiscal 2015, would bar the Surface Transportation Board from approving any segment of the planned 800-mile system unless it has…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999902/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY IEA to help countries improve management of 'hidden fuel' The 'hidden fuel' is the fuel you don't use, and it can be very hard to keep track of. An inability to track use and data about energy savings can be a significant obstacle for countries looking to establish ambitious energy efficiency policies. Energy efficiency can help cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve a country's energy security…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999872/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Flood Danger Persists in Serbia, Threatening Power Plant. The rain has stopped, at last, but the danger persists in flood-ravaged Serbia, where a lake of water is pushing its way down the Sava River, toward the Danube, threatening the capital, Belgrade, and the power plant southwest of the city that provides half of the nation’s electricity. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/world/europe/flood-danger-persists-in-serbia-threatening-power-plant.html?ref=earth Memo to Tesla Motors, Inc.: Use Our Batteries. While Tesla seems to be traveling at a headstrong 100 miles per hour toward building its Gigafactory, a factory with the capacity to build more lithium-ion batteries under one roof than in the entire world's production today, one small start-up in Japan says it has the technology that would put lithium-ion to shame. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Memo-to-Tesla-Motors-Inc-Use-Our-Batteries-5487652.php OPINIONS Stanford takes on coal, not tobacco. Professor Frank Wolak's piece on Stanford University's decision to divest its endowment fund from coal mining interests, and his alternative of an on-campus "revenue-neutral carbon tax," are both to be commended, as the Stanford community seeks no longer to profit from funds from corporate interests that produce highly toxic clouds of smoke that lead to deleterious health effects. ("Memo to Stanford: Don't attack coal, attack carbon -- with a tax," Opinion, May 18) Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0520-tuesday-stanford-coal-20140520-story.html EDITORIAL: New rules on air quality must strike fair balance. Air quality is not a theoretical issue in Southeast Texas. The region has four major refineries and many other petrochemical plants. No doubt about it, those facilities produce varying levels of emissions that can be unhealthy. Yet Southeast Texans also work at these plants and depend on their tax revenues. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EDITORIAL-New-rules-on-air-quality-must-strike-5484757.php You Want to Save the Environment? Forget the U.S. and Look at China and India. The U.S. government is increasingly looking to regulate emissions from pollution-heavy energy sources like coal and gasoline. That's not a bad thing if new rules are judiciously imposed, but it misses the point. In fact, the United States is only a small part of the problem. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/You-Want-to-Save-the-Environment-Forget-the-U-S-5491823.php Memo to Stanford: Don't attack coal, attack carbon � with a tax. Last week, Stanford's Board of Trustees announced that the university would not directly invest funds from its endowment in coal mining companies. Even the strongest advocates of this action acknowledge that it is a symbolic gesture with little direct effect on the coal industry or global greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-wolak-stanford-divestment-carbon-20140516-story.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/19/6414813/memo-to-stanford-dont-attack-coal.html#storylink=cpy Steve Paul: Environmental law seems more divisive than ever. The Endangered Species Act was established in 1973, during the presidency of a Republican, Richard Nixon, and at a time of increasing awareness of ecological degradation. Following previous efforts at conservation policy, it clarified the concern that human behavior and industrial activity could have harmful effects on wildlife and wild lands. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/20/6417639/steve-paul-environmental-law-seems.html#storylink=cpy UN climate change expert reveals bias in global warming report. Three of the four installments of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which claims to show the state of the global climate system under stress, are now available. All three show things are seriously amiss – although not necessarily with the climate itself. Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/05/20/un-climate-change-expert-reveals-bias-in-global-warming-report/ BLOGS Of fire and ice “We as people see it as closing doors and limiting our future choices. Most of us personally would like to keep those choices open.” Richard Alley, professor of geosciences, Pennsylvania State University. As has been reported hundreds of trillions of tons of ice is rapidly melting in the West Antarctic Sheet. This will cause a 4 foot rise in the world’s sea levels. Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/lawrencewhite/of-fire-and-ice/1453/ How Bridgeport will save the world. If recent news reports are to be believed, it might be too late to stop catastrophic climate change: “A rise in sea level of 10 feet or more may be unavoidable in coming centuries,” scientists say. And for anyone still of the belief that this is all somehow a big hoax, the U.S. military, for one, disagrees. Any hope of mitigating the worst means a serious effort at cutting carbon emissions. Posted. http://blog.ctnews.com/bailey/2014/05/20/how-bridgeport-will-save-the-world/ IEA Graphic Shows How to Radically Reduce CO2. Worldwide, nations are going to have to slash their greenhouse gas emissions drastically to prevent average global temperatures from warming beyond the point of no return, which many scientists consider to be 2°C warmer than average temperatures just before the industrial age. Posted. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/iea-co2-emissions-data-17459 EPA's Power Plant Emissions Limits Will Likely Aid Existing Cap-And-Trade Programs. President Barack Obama's landmark rules to cut power plant emissions will likely give a fresh push to regional U.S. carbon cap-and-trade systems by allowing for a holistic, state-wide view of new pollution targets, sources familiar with the process said. The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to allow states including California and Maryland to use existing emission-cutting schemes to reach their goals…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/20/epa-power-plant_n_5356784.html What all our computers together can tell us about climate change. As I type these very words, I’m helping scientists figure out the future of climate change. I’m doing it by running a program that I downloaded from Climateprediction.net (CPDN), a group that’s using my laptop’s extra processing power to forecast how global warming is going to impact heat waves in Australia. Posted. http://grist.org/business-technology/what-all-our-computers-together-can-tell-us-about-climate-change/ EV Sociability Run returns to celebrate 100th anniversary. This year's Electric Vehicle "Sociability Run," will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the original EV rally, about 65 miles northwest of the original site. This year, electric-vehicle enthusiasts will meet up in Charles Town, WV – and not Washington, DC – on June 7 to toast their slice of EV Nation and take to the roads. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/20/ev-sociability-run-returns-to-celebrate-100th-anniversary/ IHS: EVs sales are better than you might think. Plug-in vehicles are getting a lot more done during their proverbial senior year than hybrids ever did. IHS Automotive is poking holes into the theory that plug-in vehicles aren't selling as well by comparing them to hybrids at the same stage the technology's evolution. Turns out, the plug-ins come out substantially ahead. By the end of 2013, the fourth year of sales for both the …Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/19/ihs-evs-sales-are-better-than-you-might-think/ New Fisker owner ready to go broke building EVs, challenging Tesla. Now this is the kind of fighting spirit we like to see. Lu Guanqiu is a Chinese billionaire who has visited the White House alongside Chinese president Hu Jintao in 2011. He's worth an estimated $3.1 billion. And he wants to take on Tesla Motors and other EV makers with his newly purchased company, Fisker Automotive. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/19/new-fisker-owner-go-broke-building-evs-challenging-tesla/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 21 May 2014 12:31:18 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for May 21, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 21, 2014. 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 Electricity market structure will make carbon-cutting difficult – report. The patchwork of different electricity markets in the United States will make it difficult for states to meet upcoming environmental rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent report released by the American Public Power Association. The lack of a nationwide cap-and-trade system or carbon tax as part of the rules will be another barrier, the report says. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059999923/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Synthetic Gas: False Friend for China’s Clean Air Drive? Beijing's city hall recently ordered 300 industrial polluters to relocate outside the city by October as part of a campaign to clean up its notoriously bad air. Nationwide, officials have been handed sweeping new enforcement tools in what Bloomberg calls the most significant overhaul to China's environmental regulations in more than 25 years. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Synthetic-Gas-False-Friend-for-China-s-Clean-5494777.php What are you doing to help improve your indoor air quality? [Infographic] The home is often thought of as a haven where parents feel confident about the environment they've created for family members. However, while people may be conscious of outdoor air pollution and health hazards, many don't realize that there may also be pollutants inside the home. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/What-are-you-doing-to-help-improve-your-indoor-5492243.php O.C. ranks low in annual report on State of the Air. The American Lung Association recently released their annual, national State of the Air report, which gave Orange County a failing grade in air quality. The study “is useful, but it isn’t very well represented,” said Jane V. Hall, a Cal State Fullerton professor of economics who studies how air pollution affects the California economy. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/air-615066-people-hall.html EPA still unsure about industry's methane emissions – director. U.S. EPA is not yet fully convinced that emissions from the oil and gas industry are higher than stated in the national greenhouse gas inventory, according to Paul Gunning, director of the agency's Climate Change Division. Several studies in recent months have suggested that EPA may be underestimating how much methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is leaking from the industry. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059999960/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE NY Attorney General to Propose Bill Requiring Climate Adaptation for Utilities. New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman (D) has proposed legislation to require that New York's electricity and gas utilities assess their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and prepare a plan for adapting to severe weather. Schneiderman May 19 said the proposed legislation would build on a February decision by the state Public Service Commission (PSC)…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-21/ny-attorney-general-to-propose-bill-requiring-climate-adaptation-for-utilities.html UN Climate Fund Agrees Rules, Paving Way to Raise Funds. The Green Climate fund set up as a result of United Nations climate-treaty talks to help finance projects that reduce emissions in poorer nations agreed on a set of rules, paving the way for initial capital to be raised. The design of the fund, how it will raise funds and spend them, was completed at a meeting in Songdo, South Korea, today, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-21/un-climate-fund-agrees-rules-paving-way-to-raise-funds.html U.K. Urged to Fast-Track Drax, SSE Carbon-Capture Plans. U.K. ministers should accelerate funding for carbon-capture and storage projects by Drax Group Plc (DRX) and SSE Plc (SSE) to kick-start a technology that’s vital for climate protection, a panel of lawmakers said. Seven years after the U.K. first pledged to help pay for a project to demonstrate technology that strips out carbon dioxide from power plant emissions…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-20/u-k-urged-to-fast-track-drax-sse-carbon-capture-plans.html EPA is readying climate rule for existing power plants as deadline approaches. With less than two weeks to go, the Environmental Protection Agency is readying a climate rule for existing power plants that requires steep carbon reductions while allowing states and companies broad flexibility in how they limit their overall greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/epa-is-readying-climate-rule-for-existing-power-plants-as-deadline-approaches/2014/05/21/8d1c0b5c-e088-11e3-9743-bb9b59cde7b9_story.html Pat Sajak calls global warming advocates ‘unpatriotic racists’ “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak sparked a social media backlash Tuesday after calling people concerned about climate change “unpatriotic racists.” Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/21/6421817/pat-sajak-calls-global-warming.html#storylink=cpy Industry says EPA's existing plant rule could lead to expensive GHG-cutting measures. U.S. EPA's eagerly anticipated power plant rule could bar states from using the most cost-effective means for cutting greenhouse gases, an industry-backed paper finds. President Obama will announce the nation's first-ever regulations to control greenhouse gases from the nation's existing power plants -- the source of about 40 percent of the country's carbon emissions -- on June 2. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999956/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DOE leadership role discussed at White House methane round table. White House counselor John Podesta and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz met privately yesterday with scientists as well as representatives from environmental groups and other nongovernmental organizations to discuss methane emissions from the natural gas sector. The participants discussed the gaps in knowledge when it comes to emissions from the industry…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059999959/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Insurers pledge to be involved in climate debate. Sixty-seven insurance companies committed to tackling climate change yesterday by encouraging government action and promoting emission reductions, marking new momentum within one of the world's richest industries, organizers said. The Geneva Association released a Climate Risk Statement containing a broad set of principles in which signatories pledge to underwrite clean energy projects…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999933/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Sen. Feinstein's wrong response to the drought. The test of any water policy is not if it works in the wet times but if it protects widely shared public values in the dry times. So it is distressing to see Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., determined to toss out water management policies and protections, worked out over 20 years to balance the water needs of California cities, farms and the environment, in order to serve some interests at the expense of others. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Sen-Feinstein-s-wrong-response-to-the-drought-5493436.php Court upholds SD water deal. A federal appeals court says environmental reviews were properly done on the nation’s largest farm-to-city water transfer, the latest ruling to uphold a 2003 agreement on how California agencies divide that state’s share of Colorado River water. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that federal authorities properly considered how the transfer from Imperial County to San Diego would affect the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/20/water-imperial-san-diego-transfer-colorado-river/ Calif. water district sues federal supplier over cutbacks. A California water supplier is suing the federal government over drought-induced supply cutbacks. The Friant Water Authority filed suit yesterday in U.S. District Court in Fresno against the Bureau of Reclamation, alleging that the agency violated the terms of its contract by cutting its customers' supplies to zero in order to fulfill others' needs during the current drought. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059999986/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS EC sets out strategy to cut CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles; short-term focus on measurement and reporting. Heavy-duty trucks, buses and coaches would use less fuel and emit lower amounts of carbon dioxide under a strategy adopted by the European Commission. Such heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) are responsible for around a quarter of CO2 emissions from road transport in the EU. Without action, HDV emissions in 2030-2050 are projected to remain close to current levels. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/05/20140521-ec.html FUELS Oil climbs to $103 as US supplies seen falling. The price of oil climbed to $103 a barrel Wednesday after a report showed a large drop in U.S. crude supplies. By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark U.S. crude for July delivery was up 71 cents to $103.04 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Tuesday, the Nymex contract gained 22 cents. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OIL_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT U.S. Agency Will Assess Dangers of Tar Sands Oil Spills. InsideClimateNews.org — The federal government said Tuesday it will study a critical question in the battle over oil pipelines carrying Canadian diluted bitumen: Are spills involving dilbit more dangerous to people and the environment than leaks of lighter traditional oil? In recent years, dilbit spills in Michigan, Arkansas and elsewhere have provided convincing evidence on the subject…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-21/u-s-agency-will-assess-dangers-of-tar-sands-oil-spills.html U.S. officials cut estimate of recoverable Monterey Shale oil by 96% ederal energy authorities have slashed by 96% the estimated amount of recoverable oil buried in California's vast Monterey Shale deposits, deflating its potential as a national "black gold mine" of petroleum. Just 600 million barrels of oil can be extracted with existing technology, far below the 13.7 billion barrels once thought recoverable from the jumbled layers of subterranean rock spread across much of Central California…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-oil-20140521-story.html Clean Energy Fuels Corp Is About More Than Saving Customers Money. As the world's cleanest commercial fuel, Clean Energy's Redeem can make a huge difference in achieving many companies' sustainability goals. And it's cheaper than diesel, according to Andrew Littlefair, the CEO and co-founder of Clean Energy Fuels . Littlefair sees great potential for Redeem in heavy-duty trucking fleets, such as those operated by and for Procter & Gamble and The Home Depot. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Clean-Energy-Fuels-Corp-Is-About-More-Than-Saving-5494772.php Natural Gas Pipelines Needed in the Northeast. Natural gas pipelines, especially in the East Coast, continue to expand. There are 15 proposed pipelines in the works, and as aging coal plants continue to go offline, natural gas will be in even greater demand. In this "Digging for Value" video, Fool energy and materials analysts…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Natural-Gas-Pipelines-Needed-in-the-Northeast-5495139.php Wash. governor set to use executive authority to enact clean fuels program. On the heels of an executive order that jump-starts efforts to address climate change, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) has signaled he is willing to take further executive action to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. Appearing on a recent Seattle-based television show, Inslee said he is willing to use executive authority to implement a low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS). Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999922/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES GM adds 218,000 older cars as number of U.S. recalls this year hits 29. General Motors Co is recalling more than 218,000 older Chevrolet small cars in the United States and its territories due to a potential fire hazard, bringing U.S. recalls this year to 29 and a record number of vehicles. The recall, and a related smaller action, is the latest announced by GM, the largest U.S. automaker. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/21/us-gm-recall-aveo-idUSBREA4K0G420140521 Electric-car charging program hits speed bump. Nissan's plan to let buyers of its electric Leaf recharge their cars for free may be in jeopardy, after the country's largest charging station network announced Tuesday it was dropping out of the program. ChargePoint, based in Campbell, will not take part in the EZ-Charge promotion, expected to start this summer in the Bay Area and a handful of other markets nationwide. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Electric-car-charging-program-hits-speed-bump-5493482.php HIGH-SPEED RAIL Role of state law at issue in bullet train lawsuit. California's $68 billion bullet train project should be exempt from the state's strict environmental review process now that it is subject to federal oversight, the state attorney general's office argued Tuesday in a state appellate court. The hearing came after the federal Surface Transportation Board determined last year that it has authority over California's high-speed rail project, subjecting it to additional federal requirements. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/20/role-of-state-law-at-issue-in-bullet-train-lawsuit/ GREEN ENERGY U.K. Green Investment Bank Aims to Allocate $1.2 Billion. The U.K. Green Investment Bank aims to boost the capital it commits to carbon-cutting projects to 700 million pounds ($1.2 billion) this year as it chases deals in offshore wind, waste and energy efficiency. The bank, capitalized with 3.8 billion pounds of government funds, allocated 668 million pounds to clean-energy projects in the year through March…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-21/u-k-green-investment-bank-aims-to-allocate-1-2-billion.html EPA regs could make solar shine brighter, experts say. An already-booming U.S. solar industry could see even more growth by 2020 as utilities look to renewable energy technologies to help comply with new federal fossil fuel plant regulations, experts said yesterday. A draft of the new U.S. EPA power plant regulations aimed at reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from coal-, oil- and natural-gas-fired power generators is expected by June 2… Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059999935/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS DMV adopts autonomous vehicle testing rules. The state Department of Motor Vehicles says it has adopted regulations governing how car manufacturers can test autonomous vehicles on California roads, effective Sept. 16 this year. The regulations set rules for vehicle testing, insurance, registration and reporting by manufacturers. Autonomous vehicles can operate without driver input, steering or control. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/21/6420571/dmv-adopts-autonomous-vehicle.html#mi_rss=Business#storylink=cpy OPINIONS COLUMN- For polluted China, gas is a matter of life or death: Kemp "If I work in your Beijing, I would shorten my life at least five years," Premier Zhu Rongji, a career politician from Shanghai, quipped in 1999, referring to the notorious air pollution in China's northern capital. Research has confirmed life expectancy in northern China is 5.5 years shorter than in the south owing to the worse air pollution, and the shocking difference stems from a well-intentioned government policy to keep the residents of northern China warm in winter. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/21/china-russia-gas-pollution-idUSL6N0O73HS20140521 Jerry Brown faces climate change facts while GOP chases moonbeams. It was once said that California is the place where America’s future gets invented. Now, it is once again leading the way -- this time into a tomorrow of daunting changes in climate. With 100% of the state under various levels of drought, from moderate to extreme, Gov. Jerry Brown says California is “on the front lines” in the battle with global warming. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-jerry-brown-climate-20140521-story.html Editorial: Jerry Brown takes the lead on climate change, as does California. California, as Gov. Jerry Brown says, is on the front lines of the climate change battle. The nation should consider itself lucky. If it were up to Congress, it’s unclear whether anyone would have the courage to lead the charge. The last couple of months have brought a barrage of alarms on the devastating impact of global warming, not just in the future, but right here and right now. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/21/6419855/editorial-jerry-brown-takes-the.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Two policies that help limit air pollution and reduce emergency room visits. I’ve spent the better part of my life as a doctor, caring for my patients, working to make their lives better and helping them live longer. Modern medicine, innovative research and preventive health care have certainly improved patients’ quality of life, but over the years, the growing number of patients suffering from lung cancer, asthma, heart attacks…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/21/6419723/viewpoints-two-policies-that-help.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Santa Cruz Is First California County to Ban Fracking. Santa Cruz County has become the first county in California to impose a “permanent” ban on fracking, as well as all other on-shore oil and gas development. Tuesday morning the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the pre-emptive move against hydraulic fracturing, a technology that uses water and chemicals to unlock oil and gas underground. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/05/20/santa-cruz-is-first-california-county-to-ban-fracking/ California will not exempt Tesla from zero emissions rebate program. Amid discussions on how to address its finite funds for zero emissions vehicle rebates last month, the California Air Resources Board suggested that owners of electric cars costing more than $60,000 be exempt from the program. It would mean that buyers of the $75,000 Cadillac ELR would not qualify for a $2,500 state rebate. Posted. http://ecomento.com/2014/05/21/california-will-not-exempt-tesla-from-zero-emissions-rebate-program/ http://www.siliconbeat.com/2014/05/20/carb-shelves-proposal-to-kick-tesla-out-of-the-zev-rebate-program/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 22 May 2014 15:46:03 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 22, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 22, 2014. 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 California Carbon Allowances Sell Out at Auction for $11.50 Each. California, the second-most polluting state in the U.S., sold all 16.95 million carbon allowances at auction for $11.50 each, in line with analysts’ expectations. Units of Chevron Corp. (CVX), Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) were among the companies that qualified to purchase the permits put up for sale May 16, a report posted today on the state Air Resources Board’s website shows. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-21/california-carbon-allowances-sell-out-at-auction-for-11-50-each.html Study says state fuel/pollution policies are saving billions of dollars. The state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard and cap-and-trade program will save Californians more than $10 billion in health, energy and other costs by 2020, according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund and American Lung Association. The report, “Driving California Forward,” analyzes health and economic issues affected by California fuel/pollution policies within the scope of AB 32…Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/05/21/3659251/study-says-state-fuelpollution.html#storylink=cpy AIR POLLUTION Tricked-out car measures air pollution on Sacramento freeways and roads. If you want to measure how much air pollution exists on streets and freeways, there’s no substitute for sticking a pipe out a car window and sucking air in. In simple terms, this is the work of a gray RAV4 that has been traveling Sacramento area roadways recently measuring pollution from vehicles. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/21/6423373/tricked-out-car-measures-air-pollution.html#storylink=cpy EPA stays mum, denounces speculation on power plant rule. Less than two weeks before President Obama announces a highly anticipated U.S. EPA rule to limit greenhouse gases from existing power plants, rumors abound about how ambitious the rule will be and how easy it will be for utilities to comply while keeping electricity reasonably priced and reliable. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000050/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Climate group to sink $100M in 7 races in 2014. Setting his sights on Republicans who reject climate change, an environmentalist billionaire is unveiling plans to spend $100 million this year in seven competitive Senate and gubernatorial races, as his super PAC works to counteract a flood of conservative spending by the Koch brothers. NextGen Climate Action said it plans to spend at least $50 million contributed by…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_POLITICAL_MONEY_ENVIRONMENT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Another month, another heat record tied for globe. Once again, the world hit record heat levels. The average global temperature last month tied the hottest April on record four years ago. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Tuesday say last month's average temperature was 58.1 degrees Fahrenheit (14.5 degrees Celsius). That was 1.39 degrees F (0.77 C) warmer than the average last century. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_HOT_APRIL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-05-20-13-51-22 Obama Divides Power Players With Rule Utilities Accept. The Obama administration’s upcoming greenhouse gas rules are gaining acceptance from an unlikely quarter -- power companies -- and splitting the energy industry’s normally unified opposition to new limits. The proposed regulations set for release on June 2 would mandate deep cuts in greenhouse-gas pollution while allowing smokestack emissions…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-22/obama-divides-power-players-with-rule-utilities-accept.html Climate change a wedge issue in 2014? Billionaire Tom Steyer hopes so. One of President Obama’s wealthiest supporters is pledging to spend at least $50 million in a bid to make climate change the central issue in hotly contested elections in New Hampshire, Florida, Michigan and a handful of other battleground states. A group run by California billionaire Tom Steyer unveiled plans to aggressively target Republicans in seven states who have been skeptics of global warming. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-pn-steyer-20140521-story.html Climate change to result in less nutritional food, report says. Climate change threatens to undermine not only how much food can be grown but also the quality of that food as altered weather patterns lead to a less desirable harvest, according to a new study. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-climate-food-20140522-story.html As Central Valley fog disappears, fruit, nut crops decline. The soupy thick tule fog that regularly blanketed the Central Valley and terrorized unsuspecting motorists during the winter has been slowly disappearing over the past three decades, a UC Berkeley study has found. The blinding mists may not be missed by those who remember white-knuckle drives in zero visibility and regular multiple-car pileups, but the fog dearth is bad news for farmers, according to a study published this month. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/As-Central-Valley-fog-disappears-fruit-nut-5496710.php Cutting carbon is cheaper than its costs, groups say. A new report released by the Environmental Defense Fund and the American Lung Association concludes that it’s cheaper overall for California to cut greenhouse gases and switch to cleaner-burning fuels than to do nothing. The study’s release comes as regulatory disputes and court challenges continue over the state's efforts to reduce the "carbon intensity" of California's vehicle fleet…Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/05/21/44294/cutting-carbon-is-cheaper-than-its-costs-groups-sa/ Glacial melt pouring iron into the ocean – study. Call it natural geoengineering. Scientists report in a new study this week that glacial melt may be funneling significant amounts of reactive iron into the ocean, where it may counter some of the negative effects of climate change by boosting algal blooms that capture carbon. The paper, published in Nature Communications, adds to a body of research suggesting that melting ice at both poles may have widespread consequences beyond rising sea levels. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000044/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Severe drought leads to dying lawns at state Capitol. The state Capitol grounds are a bit less green this year, thanks to California's severe drought. In an effort to save water, state landscapers are letting several lawns bordering the Capitol building die. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-drought-capitol-lawn-20140520-story.html California drought: S.F. gets smart water meters. Across California, residents are being asked to decrease their water use to cope with the drought - 10 percent, 20 percent, sometimes more. But unlike a dieter who regularly steps on a bathroom scale, water consumers can't track the gallons as they flow down the drain. Their effort to cut back, if they make one, is often educated guesswork. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-S-F-gets-smart-water-meters-5496714.php DIESEL EMISSIONS UPDATE 1-EU policymakers inch towards regulating truck emissions. EU policymakers took the first steps towards regulating emissions from lorries through greater fuel efficiency on Wednesday, but stopped short of the targets that have forced car manufacturers to make their vehicles pollute less. As part of wider efforts to cut the need for imported energy, especially from Russia, the European Commission is seeking to improve energy efficiency across all sectors. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/21/eu-europe-trucks-idUSL6N0O72X620140521 FUELS Estimate of recoverable Monterey Shale oil slashed. The amount of oil that can be recovered from California's sprawling Monterey Shale formation using existing technology is far less than thought, according to a new federal estimate that potentially deals a blow to oil companies looking to extract the resource. About 600 million barrels of oil can be tapped from the formation…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SHALE_OIL_CALIFORNIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Diesel Slumps in Europe as Russia, U.S. Imports Surge. European diesel will probably stay depressed this summer after plunging to the lowest for this time of year since 2003 amid surging imports from Russia and the U.S. Barges of diesel traded at $9 a metric ton more than the June gasoil contract on the ICE Futures Europe exchange on May 19. That’s the lowest premium in more than three months and a drop of 66 percent from April 15, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-22/diesel-slumps-in-europe-as-russia-u-s-imports-surge.html Russia Offers Gas To China While European Energy Prices Fall. Russia is a bit of an enigma to many of us Americans, but looking at European energy prices helps our understanding. Oil in Europe (Brent) has been falling in price since 2011. This surprises us in the United States, where oil (in West Texas) has been roughly flat. Brent and West Texas prices used to move in lockstep, but they’ve diverged somewhat in the past few years. They cannot get too far apart, but they do show different paths recently. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2014/05/21/russia-offers-gas-to-china-while-european-energy-prices-fall/ FRACKING Reduced estimates of oil trapped in Monterey Shale. The amount of oil that can be squeezed from California's vast Monterey Shale formation through fracking, acidizing and other drilling techniques may be far less than originally believed, according to a new estimate from the federal government. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Reduced-estimates-of-oil-trapped-in-Monterey-Shale-5496353.php http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_25810989/fracking-new-monterey-shale-oil-estimate-rocks-californias http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060000052/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Toyota recalls 466,000 vehicles globally for spare tire, braking issues. Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said on Thursday it is recalling 466,000 minivans and cars globally, mostly in the United States, for possible faulty brakes and loss of a spare tire. The Japanese automaker said it is recalling about 16,000 Lexus GS sedans from model year 2013 because a switch in the braking system could cause the system to activate while driving, which could cause unexpected deceleration of the vehicle. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/22/us-toyota-recall-usa-idUSBREA4L0S020140522 http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304479704579577981058416384?mg=reno64-wsj Electric, hybrid car sales up, California auto emissions down. California continues to lead the country in transportation efficiency, says the Green Innovation Index, a new study on energy use and emissions by the nonprofit group Next 10. The Green Innovation Index shows statewide registrations of alternative fuel vehicles rising 16% from 2011 to 2012, at a time when all California vehicle registrations increased by only 1.5%. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-electric-vehicle-sales-up-auto-emissions-down-20140521-story.html?track=rss DOE to award up to $2M to develop supply chain, manufacturing competitiveness analysis for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The Energy Department announced up to $2 million to develop the domestic supply chain for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and to study the competitiveness of US hydrogen and fuel cell system and component manufacturing. (DE-FOA-0000854) (Earlier post) This funding will support projects that focus on scaling-up the production of today’s hydrogen and fuel cell components and systems to commercial scale. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/05/20140522-doe.html GREEN ENERGY China’s Global Search for Energy. Whether by diplomacy, investment or in extreme cases, force, China is going to great lengths to satisfy its growing hunger for energy to fuel its expanding car fleet and electrify its swelling cities. The Chinese government showed that desire on Wednesday when it reached a 30-year natural gas deal with Russia, even as China was locked in a tense standoff with Vietnam over a Chinese oil rig drilling in the contested South China Sea. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/business/international/chinas-global-search-for-energy.html?_r=0 California’s Economy Gets Good Marks In Green Innovation Report. San Diego gets good marks in the latest assessment of the state's green economy. The nonpartisan group Next 10 is out with its annual Green Innovation Index. The report finds California's clean technology sector is growing at a faster rate than the rest of the economy. The state's green friendly policies get a lot of credit for creating an environment that encourages innovation. Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/may/21/californias-economy-gets-good-marks-green-innovati/ Utilities 'freaked out' by solar growth, but leaders say energy revolution is near. Large-scale solar will be competitive with traditional sources of energy in "just a few years," executives and researchers said here Tuesday. Rooftop and larger-scale solar is booming in 15 states where about half of the nation's population lives, leaders of SolarCity and Sunrun said at the Fortune Brainstorm Green conference, a gathering of business, environmental and government leaders. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000043/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Mopeds Cause Significantly More Air Pollution Than Cars In Some Places. While some may just offhand assume that, owing to the relatively small size of mopeds, there’s no way that they produce more air pollution than a car (during an equivalent trip), that’s not always true, according to new research from the Paul Scherrer Institute. Despite making up just a fraction of total traffic-volume in most regions…Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/05/22/mopeds-cause-significantly-air-pollution-cars-research-shows/#hkXKb4sWyaP0WSys.99 Report: Environmental laws could save $10B by 2020. California’s controversial environmental protection laws will result in economic savings of over $10 billion by 2020 from avoided health care and oil consumption costs, according to a report jointly produced by environmental and health advocates. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/05/21/report-environmental-laws-could-save-10b-by-2020.html OPINIONS If We Judged The Monterey Shale By Green Energy Standards Then The 96% Cut In Recoverable Oil Is Great News. An interesting report telling us that the amount of oil thought to be recoverable from the Monterey Shale has just been cut by 96%. This is taken as being something of a blow to employment prospects, to the economy of California and so on. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2014/05/22/if-we-judged-the-monterey-shale-by-green-energy-standards-then-the-96-cut-in-rcoverable-oil-is-great-news/ Timm Herdt: Ask a California farmer about climate change. If there's any group that doesn't have to be sold on the idea that government must address the effects of climate change, it's farmers. "Anybody who's paying attention knows the climate has already changed," says Daniel Sumner, director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center at UC Davis. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/Opinion/ci_25808223/Timm-Herdt:-Ask-a-California-farmer http://www.insidebayarea.com/Opinion/ci_25808223/Timm-Herdt:-Ask-a-California-farmer New controls needed on carbon pollution. As a parent, I would do everything in my power to protect my child, which is why I support the EPA’s new carbon pollution limits for existing power plants. Carbon pollution — much of which comes from power plants burning fossil fuels — directly contributes to air pollution and is linked to asthma attacks, lung disease and neurological disorders. Posted. http://www.app.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/05/21/new-controls-needed-carbon-pollution/2289464/ BLOGS The Surprising News About Vehicle Emissions. DANIEL SPERLING: The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) met last month in Berlin to finalize its scientific assessment of solutions to curb greenhouse gas emissions. One of the key takeaways in the report is the opportunity for large emission reductions in the transportation sector. Transportation is often thought to be the most intractable sector for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/05/22/the-surprising-news-about-vehicle-emissions/ The Energy-Efficient Mortgage: Win, Win, Win. With housing stats trending upward again in the U.S., we may be missing a golden opportunity to stimulate local economies and to put an extra paycheck into the pockets of homeowners, all while making the air cleaner and the nation more energy-efficient. The opportunity is energy-efficient mortgages, or EEMs. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/05/22/the-energy-efficient-mortgage-win-win-win/ The great uniter: Conservative reform. At an event at the American Enterprise Institute recognizing the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s declaration of the War on Poverty, Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) joined AEI president Arthur Brooks for a discussion about conservative reform. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/05/22/the-great-uniter-conservative-reform/?wpisrc=nl%5Fpopns 'Stop the denial' on climate change. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and more than 40 of her colleagues Wednesday urged a crowd of environmental activists to push lawmakers to address the threat of climate change. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/05/boxer-stop-the-denial-on-climate-change.html The Himalaya shows off how fast it can melt, too. Last week, we got the news that the West Antarctic ice sheet is ditching us. Then, on Sunday, another fresh study told us that Greenland is also melting away rather fast. And now glaciology brings us a new report, on what’s going on at the so-called “third pole” (so called because it has more snow and ice than anywhere outside of the polar regions): the Himalaya mountain range. Posted. http://grist.org/news/the-himalaya-shows-off-how-fast-it-can-melt-too/ 5 Reasons California Latinos Should Care About Clean Fuels. For the first time since becoming a state in 1850, Latinos are the "new majority" in California, representing the largest ethnic demographic in the country's most populous state. While Latinos account for 39 percent of California's population, they are disproportionately exposed to dangerous air quality, health impacts, and adverse economic risk from dirty fuels. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jorge-madrid/five-reasons-california-l_b_5366666.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 23 May 2014 13:16:19 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for May 23, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 23, 2014. 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 China's ambitious cap-and-trade plan rolls down a long, bumpy runway. China has made progress in its carbon trading pilot programs but still has a long way to go, government officials and industry players believe. China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, is betting on carbon trading as a key measure to cut its emissions for each unit of economic output 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000102/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Claims Exide Battery Recycling Plant Has Repeatedly Violated Lead Emission Standards. Officials announced Thursday that the Exide battery recycling plant in Vernon has emitted risky levels of lead into the air, violating federal limits and endangering nearby residents’ health. Exide could face penalties of $37,500 per day for each violation, according to the EPA. Posted. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/05/22/report-exide-battery-recycling-plant-has-repeatedly-violated-lead-emission-standards/ Air pollution is a $1.7T health problem, OECD finds. Air pollution is costing the world's most advanced economies plus India and China $3.5 trillion per year in lives lost and ill health, with a significant amount of the burden stemming from vehicle tailpipes, according to a new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Posted. http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060000041 CLIMATE CHANGE Australia’s Pollution U-Turn Threatening UN Climate Talks. Australia’s program to rein in pollution is losing momentum, the latest in a series of setbacks for the international effort to tackle global warming. With the highest per-capita fossil fuel emissions among industrial countries, Australia’s participation in United Nations-led climate talks is seen as crucial to sway China and India to step up pollution controls even as developed nations backslide. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-22/australia-s-pollution-u-turn-threatening-un-climate-talks.html Air Resources Board shows off mobile pollution monitoring technology. Tasked with monitoring and reducing vehicle emissions, among other things, California Air Resources Board showed off some of the mobile technology it uses to measure pollution. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/05/22/air-resources-board-shows-off-mobile-pollution.html Study Finds Regulations Could Be Improving Sacramento’s Terrible Air Quality Rating. The American Lung Association ranks Sacramento as having the fifth-worst air quality in the nation, but new testing reveals that ranking may soon begin to fall, meaning possible big savings for the state. From the outside, the Toyota Rav4 doesn’t look like much, but inside is $300,000 worth of pollution testing equipment. Posted. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/05/22/study-finds-regulations-could-be-improving-sacramentos-terrible-air-quality-rating/ Lawmakers Called Upon to Make More Definitive Climate Rules Beyond 2020. As the California Air Resources Board (CARB) hears public comment Thursday on a far-reaching plan to meet the greenhouse gas reduction goals in the Golden State's clean energy law (AB 32), business groups are calling on lawmakers to make more definitive plans beyond 2020. Posted. http://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=20182 Air quality at Culver City school under study. In its ongoing efforts to improve the air quality around El Marino Language School, the Culver City Unified School District recently installed a donated heating and air conditioning system in the classroom that is closest to the San Diego (405) Freeway, which is literally across the street from the school. Posted. http://wavenewspapers.com/news/local/culver_city_edition/article_62e4e7a8-e201-11e3-a7ef-001a4bcf6878.html Managers see freshwater shortages as part of a new normal for changed climate. Forty out of 50 state water managers expect freshwater shortages in their states "under average conditions" in the next decade, and a growing number are expressing concerns about climate effects on water infrastructure, according to a new government report released yesterday. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000131/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Study says carbon loss from tropical forests 'underestimated' A new study suggests that "hidden" emissions from tropical forests mean their amount of carbon lost is being significantly undercounted. Selective logging and fires, almost invisible to satellite observations, are causing extensive emissions in tropical forests. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000101/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Drought has upside: record-low rainfall means cleaner beach water. California's drought has at least one upside: Record-low rainfall has resulted in cleaner water up and down the coast, a new report says. Ninety-five percent of California beaches earned A or B grades for water quality during the summer of 2013, a 2% improvement over the previous year, according to the annual Beach Report Card released Thursday by Heal the Bay, an environmental group. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-adv-beach-report-20140523-story.html Drought's upside? Better water quality at beaches, report says. There’s at least one upside to the drought: Record-low rainfall has resulted in cleaner water up and down the California coast, a new report says. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-beach-report-card-drought-boosts-grades-20140522-story.html Feinstein's California drought bill passes Senate. Sen. Dianne Feinstein won unanimous Senate approval of a drought bill Thursday, setting up a potential compromise with House Republicans who have passed legislation that would override endangered-species protections to send more water to farms and cities. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Feinstein-s-California-drought-bill-passes-Senate-5499655.php http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/05/22/228255/senate-passes-california-drought.html#storylink=cpy DIESEL EMISSIONS Company racing to clean up ship pollution in ports. One day last week, Clean Air Engineering-Maritime Inc. pulled a barge alongside a container ship in the Port of Los Angeles. A 130-foot-tall tower with a boom attached was slowly swung out over the hulking ship hauling thousands of containers. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/air-615384-clean-ship.html Children breathe easier as new regs, technologies clean up school buses. Those big yellow buses ubiquitous on school-day mornings and afternoons are getting vastly cleaner as schools and bus companies adapt to new tough pollution regulations and launch diesel-free vehicles. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060000152/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Forget Saving the Planet, Driving an Electric Car Will Save Your Life. The failure to persuade a sizeable percentage of Americans that climate change poses a clear and present danger is one of the great failures in marketing and the subject of considerable debate among scientists, academics and politicians. But there is one argument for taking action against global warming that has resonated: health. Posted. http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/05/forget-saving-the-planet-driving-an-electric-car-will-save-your-life/371533/ OECD: rising air pollution-related deaths taking heavy toll on society; more should be done to reduce transport emissions. Outdoor air pollution kills some 3.5 million people across the world every year, and causes health problems from asthma to heart disease for many more, according to data collected by the World Health Organization (WHO). (Earlier post.) This pollution is costing advanced economies plus China and India an estimated US$3.5 trillion a year in premature deaths and ill health…Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/05/20140523-oecd.html GREEN ENERGY Generous rooftop solar credit far from over. The end may still be years away for a generous utility bill credit for rooftop solar customers in the San Diego area. Customers of San Diego Gas & Electric have yet to reach the halfway mark toward a cap on the current system of “net energy metering” credits for rooftop solar energy, according to the utility. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/22/net-metering-still-open/ Big battery at Stanislaus-Merced line called a game changer in solar-energy storage. In the middle of a remote almond orchard near the Stanislaus-Merced county border, a revolutionary “battery” was unveiled Thursday. Energy experts are calling it a game changer that will help stabilize California’s electrical grid. It’s the world’s largest iron-chromium redox flow battery, and it can store the electrical power generated by the adjoining photovoltaic solar panel array. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/22/3352691/big-battery-at-stanislaus-merced.html?sp=/99/1571/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy UC Riverside center to focus on renewable energy research. UC Riverside officials have launched a $12 million facility to identify and research the integration of renewable energy technologies with energy storage and vehicles that hook into the grid. “The project has implications for the nation and the world,” said Reza Abbaschian, dean of the Bourns College of Engineering, during a ceremony Wednesday beneath photovoltaic panels. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140522/uc-riverside-center-to-focus-on-renewable-energy-research For the first time, hydropower accounts for less than 50% of U.S. renewable energy. Solar and wind power may be leading the growth of renewables in the United States today, but it has long been an older source of energy -- hydropower -- that has dominated the renewable energy sector. Built for the most part decades before climate change entered the popular lexicon, hydroelectric has continued to supply the majority of the country's clean, renewable energy, even as other power sources raced forward. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000132/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY First grid-scale battery of its kind unveiled at Calif. Farm. In the middle of an almond grove near here, in California's Central Valley, a first-of-its-kind battery is sharing space with nut trees, solar panels and irrigation equipment. The 1-megawatt system, which holds four hours of power, is the first large-scale example of an iron-chromium flow battery. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000134/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Sacramento’s Mather Airport in long-shot bid for Tesla’s big factory. It would be among the biggest economic development bonanzas Sacramento has seen in years, courtesy of one of the most glamorous companies around. But the odds are very long. Wading into a fierce multistate competition, Mather Airport’s business park is in the running for the massive battery factory planned by Tesla Motors Inc. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/22/6425105/sacramentos-mather-airport-in.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region#storylink=cpy Designing a bigger, greener home amid trees. The sylvan beauty and funky charm of Santa Monica's Rustic Canyon cast its spell on Jill Soffer a dozen years ago. She liked the neighborhood's relaxed environment and abundance of sycamore trees. She purchased a home there in 2002. "There's all this green around. It's not too manicured," Soffer says appreciatively…Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25778882/Designing-a-bigger-greener-home-amid Local community meeting set on high-speed rail. A community meeting to discuss the proposed California high-speed rail system is scheduled for Thursday, June 5 in Newhall. It is one of five meetings being conducted by the California High-Speed Rail Authority to discuss the route for the Palmdale to Los Angeles project section, which includes potential routes through the Santa Clarita Valley. Posted. http://www.signalscv.com/section/36/article/120286/ OPINIONS Gavin Schmidt on Why Climate Models are Wrong, and Valuable. I’m overdue to draw your attention to two fresh, and very different, discussions of climate science by Gavin Schmidt, the longtime climate modeler at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. First is his conversation with Perrin Ireland, a science illustrator with a playful touch at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/gavin-schmidt-on-why-climate-models-are-wrong-and-valuable/?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry651%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Natural Gas Race. “Russia and China Finally Complete 30-Year Gas Deal” (front page, May 22): The Cold War of the 1940s and ’50s set off an arms race. The United States’ new cold war against Russia has set off a natural gas race. That Russia is turning to China as a major natural gas customer is hardly surprising, but it is dismaying given the extent of climate change across the planet, which is sure to worsen if fossil fuel use continues at its current levels. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/opinion/natural-gas-race.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry651%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Dan Walters: ‘Cap-and-trade’ fee spending looms as major conflict. Spending a growing pot of money from “cap-and-trade” fees on businesses that emit greenhouse gases looms as a major conflict between Gov. Jerry Brown and legislators as they wrangle over the 2014-15 budget. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/22/6426400/dan-walters-cap-and-trade-fee.html BLOGS Why Electric Vehicles Will Rule the Road. I’m not generally a fan of picking winners and losers except when it comes to the future of cars. Here, electric vehicles (EVs) are the clear long-term winners. They’re highly efficient, dirt cheap to power, and can run on infrastructure that already exists. And even though electricity isn’t yet “clean” in many places around the country, EVs still generate fewer emissions than your average gas-powered vehicle—regardless of whether you charge up on the coal-fired Kentucky grid or Washington’s much cleaner hydro- and wind- powered system. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/05/20/why-electric-vehicles-will-rule-the-road/ How (not) to talk about climate change. Last week, John Oliver’s skit on climate change went viral. In it he proclaimed: “That [people's beliefs about climate change] doesn’t matter. You don’t need people’s opinion on a fact. You might as well have a poll asking which number is bigger, 15 or 5. … The debate on climate change should not be whether or it exists, it’s what we should do about it. There is a mountain of research on this topic.” Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/05/22/how-not-to-communicate-uncertainty-about-climate-change/ CARB’s Special Toyota RAV4 EV Collects Air Pollution Data. With so many automakers delivering their first batch of green cars to California, you can easily say the state is like a Mecca of clean driving, if you neglect some areas in Japan, like Toyota City for example. Thing is, California is the place of choice for automakers to test out their newest technology in green matter and two of the greatest eco vehicles were born/made popular in the area - the Toyota Prius and Tesla Model S. Posted. http://www.autoevolution.com/news/carbs-special-toyota-rav4-ev-collects-air-pollution-data-81675.html CARB uses tricked-out RAV4 EV to measure air pollution in California. The old-school Toyota RAV4 EV you see above is the California Air Resources Board's version of a non-participant observer. The all-electric vehicle cruises around the state measuring airborne pollution. Since it's powered by batteries, there are no tailpipe emissions created as CARB tries to get a handle on how dirty the roadway air is. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/22/carb-uses-tricked-out-rav4-ev-to-measure-air-pollution/ As of today, Nissan has sold 50,000 Leafs in the US, 115,000 globally. Watch out, America, there are 50,000 Nissan Leaf electric vehicles prowling your streets. That's the official word from Nissan, which says it has just delivered the 50,000th Leaf – a black SL model – to Todd and Lisa Bolt in Dallas, Texas. Todd is a pastor at the Gateway Church in Southlake, where there almost two dozen Leaf drivers who call themselves the "Blessed LEAFs Club." We're not making that up. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/23/nissan-sold-50000-leafs-in-us-115000-globally/ Is Subsidizing the Purchase of Electric Cars the Best Way to Reduce Air Pollution? The purpose of this article is to show with relatively simple logic that electric cars will not have a noticeable impact on air quality and so it is a complete waste of money to subsidize these cars. Let's start with the objective of not only electrification but also of other alternative fuels: reduce emissions, so as to improve the air quality. Posted. http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=33152 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 27 May 2014 14:31:08 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for May 27, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 27, 2014. 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 Three competing plans emerge for spending cap-and-trade fees. And now there are three competing plans for spending about $1 billion in cap-and-trade fees on businesses that emit greenhouse gases, with three weeks to resolve the differences before the June 15 deadline for enacting a state budget. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/23/3940961/capitol-alert-three-competing.html AIR POLLUTION China to take 5 mln old cars off road in 2014 in anti-pollution push. China plans to take more than 5 million ageing vehicles off its roads this year in a bid to improve air quality, with 330,000 cars set to be decommissioned in Beijing alone, the government said in a policy document published on Monday. Pollution has emerged as an urgent priority for China's leaders as they try to reverse the damage done by decades of breakneck growth and head off public anger about the state of the nation's air, water and soil. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/26/china-pollution-idUSL3N0OC19720140526 Court sides with EPA on not setting new standard. A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the Environmental Protection Agency was justified in not establishing a new air quality standard for acid rain. The EPA decided in 2012 after a lengthy rulemaking proceeding that it needed further scientific study before it could set a new air quality standard for oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/27/3946489/court-sides-with-epa-for-not-setting.html http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/27/3358771/court-sides-with-epa-for-not-setting.html#storylink=cpy Judges reject greens' challenge to EPA acid rain standards. A federal appeals court today rejected a challenge from environmentalists to U.S. EPA's 2012 decision against tightening air quality standards for pollutants that contribute to acid rain. Green groups, led by the Center for Biological Diversity and the National Parks Conservation Association, claimed EPA violated the Clean Air Act with its April 2012 decision against strengthening air standards for nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060000213/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Australia’s Pollution U-Turn Threatening UN Climate Talks. Australia’s program to rein in pollution is losing momentum, the latest in a series of setbacks for the international effort to tackle global warming. With the highest per-capita fossil fuel emissions among industrial countries, Australia’s participation in United Nations-led climate talks is seen as crucial to sway China and India to step up pollution controls... Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-22/australia-s-pollution-u-turn-threatening-un-climate-talks.html http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000172/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Buying Insurance Against Climate Change. The third National Climate Assessment report — released on May 6 by the White House, and representing the work of more than 240 scientists — warns us about our hazardous future and offers many good ideas for dealing with it. But a most important point may be lost in the crowd. After discussing how to mitigate the coming dangers, the report says, “Commercially available mechanisms such as insurance can also play a role in providing protection against losses due to climate change.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/upshot/buying-insurance-against-climate-change.html Governments Await Obama’s Move on Carbon to Gauge U.S. Climate Efforts. President Obama is expected to announce on Monday an Environmental Protection Agency regulation to cut carbon pollution from the nation’s 600 coal-fired power plants, in a speech that government analysts in Beijing, Brussels and beyond will scrutinize to determine how serious the president is about fighting global warming. The regulation will be Mr. Obama’s most forceful effort to reverse 20 years of relative inaction on climate change by the United States…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/27/us/politics/governments-await-obamas-move-on-carbon-to-gauge-us-climate-efforts.html?hpw&rref=politics&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%5B%22RI%3A11%22%2C%22RI%3A13%22%5D&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry607%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F Will public opinion shift with new evidence of climate change? The release of a set of reports recently might be the evidence that finally pushes the climate change “debate” into the dark corner of science denial, where it can fester with theories that the moon landing was a hoax and the earth was made in seven days. Posted. http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/science/2014/05/23/will-public-opinion-shift-with-new-evidence-climate-change/eZ9a167sJklLgIn1XKdFzI/story.html How much difference can a year make? A lot, where GHGs are concerned. U.S. EPA's choice of which year to use as a benchmark for emissions reductions could hold an important clue to how far the administration will go to curb climate change, experts and state regulators say. In crafting its highly anticipated regulation for existing power plants, EPA's pick for a base-line year could move the needle toward a preference for one of two priorities: Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000178/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Researchers find ancient carbon stored deep beneath Great Plains – study. Every year, about a quarter of the carbon dioxide coming from human activities gets absorbed by forests and soils. At around 10 billion tons per year, this natural sequestration is kind of a big deal. But until recently, scientists had only really been paying attention to the carbon getting stored in the very top layer of soil from about 1 to 3 feet deep. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000176/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate change definitively linked to decline of iconic trout – study. Flowing through British Columbia and past the forests and peaks of Montana's Glacier National Park, the Flathead River is one of the last strongholds of the threatened cutthroat trout. The species, with its signature spotty back and blush red belly, is a favorite of local fly fishermen, but today it swims in about 10 percent of its historical range. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000179/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California drought will hit cost of rice hardest. How will California’s epic drought hit our grocery bills? Probably not as hard as we might have feared. That was the consensus of a panel of food and farming experts assembled for the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce’s second annual “Perspectives on Agriculture” luncheon, held Thursday at the Hyatt Regency. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/22/6426140/drought-will-make-cost-of-rice.html#mi_rss=Business#storylink=cpy State water board adopts emergency regulations for Mill, Deer and Antelope creeks. The California Water Resources Control Board adopted regulations Wednesday that could lead to the curtailment of water diversions in Mill, Deer and Antelope creeks. The new water rules come about from Gov. Jerry Brown's drought relief package signed March 1. Posted. http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/news/ci_25828853/state-water-board-adopts-emergency-regulations-mill-deer FUELS British Columbia Said to Seek Lower LNG Carbon Emissions. The British Columbia government is considering a requirement to force liquefied natural gas terminals to have a carbon footprint at least one-third below global standards, said two people familiar with the talks. The government of Canada’s Pacific Coast province is discussing the proposal with energy companies…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-26/british-columbia-said-to-seek-lower-lng-carbon-emissions.html FRACKING Bad oil news is much ado about very little. Environmentalists are gleeful at the news reported last week by the U.S. Energy Information Administration that the amount of recoverable oil from California’s Monterey Shale formation — predicted to be the nation’s largest reserve of oil — is a whopping 96-percent below original production estimates. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/24/bad-oil-news-is-much-ado-about-very-little/ Fracking moratorium heads to state Senate floor. California state lawmakers moved closer to placing a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing and other forms of well stimulation last week with a bill's passage through a key committee. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted Friday to advance S.B. 1132, by state Democratic Sens. Holly Mitchell and Mark Leno, to the Senate floor. The bill is expected to be taken up this week by the full Senate. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060000193/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Hyundai Bumps Honda at Top of Greenest Automaker Rankings. Hyundai Motor Co. (005380)’s quick embrace of downsized engines, electric hybrids and other anti-pollution technology helped the company unseat Honda Motor Co. (7267) as the most environmental automaker, a scientific research group said. Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG rounded out the top 5 in the rankings released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit that works on climate change and nuclear-weapon control. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-27/hyundai-bumps-honda-at-top-of-greenest-automaker-rankings.html http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/what_you_can_do/automaker-rankings-2014.html?print=t http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140527/AUTO01/305270069/Hyundai-unseats-Honda-title-greenest-automaker-U-S- http://www.autonews.com/article/20140527/OEM05/305279958/hyundai-unseats-honda-for-greenest-automaker-crown-in-u-s-scientists http://www.freep.com/article/20140527/BUSINESS0104/305270084/1207/BUSINESS01/Union-Concerned-Scientists-name-Hyundai-Kia-greenest-automaker http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/05/27/stories/1060000224 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092327_hyundai-kia-topples-honda-for-ucs-greenest-carmaker-title EXCHANGE: Electric bikes alternative to gas. avid Lasley is a big fan of electric bicycles — up to a point. "It's not a religion. I don't ride it much in the winter," said Lasley, who uses his customized electric bicycle to commute between his north-end Springfield home and work at the U.S. Post Office on Wabash Avenue. But humming along — electric bikes barely even hum — at speeds up to 20 mph saves big bucks on gasoline, especially with prices this spring bouncing around either side of $3.75 a gallon in the Springfield market. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/27/3358408/exchange-electric-bikes-alternative.html#storylink=cpy 'Fast food' stops for electric cars’ Electric cars have supposedly been the future of transport for decades, but most of us still don't use them. Prices have dropped and designs have improved, but the transition is hampered by an infrastructural chicken and egg problem: What comes first, cars or charging stations? The answer, surprisingly, may come from the…Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/05/27/ozy-charging-stations-electric-cars/9624017/ GREEN ENERGY Applying the Lessons of Politics to Green Power. Over the years, Tom Matzzie — by working as a political operative on John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign and on building the antiwar movement that helped usher President Obama into office — became convinced that the key to creating change was to make it easy for people to participate. But it was not until 2010, as he navigated the complexities of buying and installing solar panels on his home here, that he thought to apply those lessons to renewable energy. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/27/business/energy-environment/applying-the-lessons-of-politics-to-green-power.html?hpw&rref=science&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%5B%22RI%3A11%22%2C%22RI%3A13%22%5D&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry607%23%2Fgreen%2Benergy%2F24hours%2F Turbines Popping Up on New York Roofs, Along With Questions of Efficiency. A dozen construction workers gathered around a flatbed truck in Long Island City, Queens, one recent Tuesday, marveling at the final piece of a new 15-story apartment building they had just finished assembling. As a mobile crane hoisted the 20-foot-long black contraption over Pearson Street, many of the workers used their phones to film its ascent. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/27/nyregion/turbines-pop-up-on-new-york-roofs-along-with-questions-of-efficiency.html?ref=earth Wind power sees itself on fast track to benefit from new EPA rules. Some of the nation's top greenhouse gas-emitting states -- including Texas, Illinois and California -- are better positioned to meet new U.S. EPA regulations targeting utility-sector carbon dioxide emissions because they are early and aggressive adopters of wind power, according to a new analysis by the American Wind Energy Association. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000181/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Innovation funds key to breaking global climate agreement impasse – report. International agreements and policies to fight climate change should focus on research and development rather than embattled current carbon emission caps, taxes and regulations, according to a report released by the Center for Clean Energy Innovation. The report argues that, given weak economies and low political will, governments will not enforce a carbon price that is high enough to actually change the market for either developed or developing economies. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060000229/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS CARB to hold free informational meeting for Truck and Bus Reg compliance. Truck drivers around southern California have an opportunity next week to get personalized help in complying with the state’s Truck and Bus Regulation. The California Air Resources Board will hold two informational sessions on Thursday, May 29 at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, Calif. The first session is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The second session is scheduled to run from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27078#.U4S6DYUvAk8 OPINIONS Memorial Day 2050. Of the many things being said about climate change lately, none was more eloquent than the point made by Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington State in the Showtime series “Years of Living Dangerously,” when he observed: “We’re the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/opinion/sunday/friedman-memorial-day-2050.html?hp&rref=opinion&assetType=nyt_now&assetType=nyt_now&_r=0 ‘A Climate Crisis Is Also a Health Crisis.’ Climate change effects extend far beyond the very real and urgent crisis faced by California communities that are running out of water (“Climate Issues Moved to Fore in California by Governor,” news article, May 20). Millions of Californians now rely on groundwater contaminated by agricultural runoff and industrial chemicals. Drought-related dust and wildfires intensify asthma, respiratory diseases and Valley Fever. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/27/opinion/a-climate-crisis-is-also-a-health-crisis.html?_r=0 Americans’ Varied Views of ‘Global Warming’ and ‘Climate Change’ Anthony Leiserowitz, the director of the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication, has distributed a note summarizing the findings of “What’s In A Name? Global Warming vs Climate Change,” an interesting new study of Americans’ perceptions of the two dominant shorthand phrases used to describe the building human influence on the climate system. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/27/americans-varied-views-of-global-warming-and-climate-change/ AB 32: California businesses appreciate state's environmental planning. Business people are, by nature, careful planners. Most executives wouldn't think of starting a venture without a business plan, detailed budgets and thoughtful growth plans. It's important to have the kind of information available that helps businesses decide how to invest and grow. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_25818678/ab-32-california-businesses-appreciate-states-environmental-planning http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25818678/AB-32:-California-businesses-appreciate-states http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25818678/AB-32:-California-businesses-appreciate-states Fracking offers benefits in strictly-regulated California. After reading the Sierra Club's outrageously inaccurate attack on energy production, one would think that hydraulic fracturing is the root of all evil. The truth is, hydraulic fracturing is a safe and proven energy extraction technique that has been used without incident for more than half of a century in California, and arbitrary bans on oil production threaten our state's energy independence. Posted. http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_25838802/bob-martin-fracking-offers-benefits-strictly-regulated-california The colour of pollution. The air is getting cleaner, but less so for non-whites. BEFORE the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970 many Americans led shorter, sicker lives because of pollution. White-collar workers in Gary, Indiana, a steel town, often went to work with an extra shirt because the first one looked too dirty by midday. Posted. http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21602735-air-getting-cleaner-less-so-non-whites-colour-pollution BLOGS Americans’ Varied Views of ‘Global Warming’ and ‘Climate Change.’ Anthony Leiserowitz, the director of the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication, has distributed a note summarizing the findings of “What’s In A Name? Global Warming vs Climate Change,” an interesting new study of Americans’ perceptions of the two dominant shorthand phrases used to describe the building human influence on the climate system. “Global warming” clearly better captures the essence of the issue, across a wide range of societal sectors, according to the report. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/27/americans-varied-views-of-global-warming-and-climate-change/?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%5B%22RI%3A11%22%2C%22RI%3A13%22%5D&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry607%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F After decades, dirty power plant to get clean. Three years ago, the operators of one of the nation's dirtiest coal-fired power plants warned of "immediate and devastating" consequences from the Obama administration's push to clean up pollution from coal. Faced with cutting sulfur dioxide pollution blowing into downwind states by 80 percent in less than a year…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20140527/us--dirtiest-power-plant/ Let Them Eat Carbon. In the 1980s, encountering regulatory restrictions and public resistance to smoking in the United States, the giant tobacco companies came up with a particularly effective strategy for sustaining their profit levels: sell more cigarettes in the developing world, where demand was strong and anti-tobacco regulation weak or nonexistent. Now, the giant energy companies are taking a page from Big Tobacco’s playbook. As concern over climate change begins to lower the demand for fossil fuels in the United States and Europe…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-t-klare/let-them-eat-carbon_1_b_5396954.html Electric-Car Rally Celebrates 'Sociability Run' 100 Years Ago Today. Modern electric cars like the Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf are slowly getting better-known to consumers today, but their history stretches back much further. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Washington D.C's original "Electric Sociability Run" of 1914, and local enthusiasts are planning a commemorative re-creation set to take place June 7. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092256_electric-car-rally-celebrates-sociability-run-100-years-ago-today Top 10 Electric Vehicles With the Longest Driving Range. What good is an electric vehicle if you need to plug it in every time you need to go the grocery store? It wasn’t long ago that people actually had these concerns about battery-powered cars. These days, you won’t have a problem making it to the store and back even if you live 50 miles away from the nearest grocer. (But if that’s the case, you have bigger problems than which car to buy. Posted. http://wallstcheatsheet.com/automobiles/top-10-electric-vehicles-with-the-longest-driving-range.html/?a=viewall#ixzz32wlYwY5X Towering roadside poem sucks pollution out of the air [w/video]. It isn't just governments and automakers working on reducing air pollution. Creating surface coatings that can absorb nitrogen oxides, usually titanium dioxide, has been a focus of several companies in several countries, and their products have been used on architectural tile, roofing tile and paving in England and The Netherlands. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/27/men-women-drive-and-enjoy-their-evs-differently/ New Iranian law could boost EVs, hybrids. A change in Iranian trade law could help promote the sale of hybrid and electric vehicles. EVs and hybrids with engines 2.5-liters or smaller are no longer subject to import tariffs, reports the Tehran Times. Iran intends to completely eliminate car import tariffs within two years, according to Iranian Member of Parliament Ali Alilou, who has also urged the government to stop pumping money into the auto industry. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/25/new-iranian-law-could-boost-evs-hybrids/ Men, women drive and enjoy their EVs differently. That bad habit some men have of seeing how far they can go when the "empty" fuel light is on? Many challenge their electric vehicles in the same way. Some things don't change. Men and women approach driving plug-in vehicles differently, according to a report by the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/27/men-women-drive-and-enjoy-their-evs-differently/ Cities End Free Rides at Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. Initially, cities across the country offered free use of their charging stations, but more are moving toward a pay model to recoup maintenance and electricity costs. Consumers trading in gas guzzlers for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles may find fewer places for free juice, as California cities such as Pleasant Hill and Martinez make motorists pay to use public charging stations. Posted. http://www.govtech.com/transportation/Cities-End-Free-Ride-at-Electric-Vehicle-Charging-Stations.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 28 May 2014 14:00:30 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 28, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 28, 2014. 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 Power plant becomes a model for cleaner operation. A massive coal-fired power plant in western Pennsylvania is turning from one of the worst polluters in the country to a model for how such a facility can clean up its act. Homer City Generating Station is expected to make the transformation in a few years. When it does, it will end four decades of nearly limitless pollution from two of its units that had long escaped regulation. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DIRTIEST_POWER_PLANT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/28/3947787/power-plant-becomes-a-model-for.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/power-plant-becomes-a-model-for-cleaner-operation/2014/05/28/e9a843f4-e637-11e3-a70e-ea1863229397_story.html http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/28/3360027/power-plant-becomes-a-model-for.html#storylink=cpy A long road to clean up a dirty power plant. A timeline of the legal battles to get Homer City Generating Station to clean up its pollution: -June 2008: EPA files violation notice alleging that beginning in 1988 Homer City made modifications without installing pollution controls. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DIRTIEST_POWER_PLANT_TIMELINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT New Mexico biofuel plant catches fire. A New Mexico biofuel facility caught fire Tuesday, sending a giant column of black smoke into the air and prompting authorities to briefly evacuate an area that includes about 350 homes. A series of small explosions was reported at the Rio Valley Biofuels plant near the town of Anthony, but there was no immediate word of any injuries…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BIOFUEL_FACILITY_FIRE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT China to take 6 million older vehicles off roads. China's government plans to take 6 million older, polluting vehicles off the road this year in an effort to revive stalled progress toward cleaning up smog-choked cities. The plan also calls for filling stations in Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities to switch to selling only the cleanest grades of gasoline and diesel, according to a Cabinet statement issued Monday. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_OLD_CARS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-28/china-targets-heavy-industry-vehicles-coal-for-2015-carbon-cuts.html London’s Dirty Secret: Pollution Worse Than Beijing’s. London has a dirty secret. Levels of the harmful air pollutant nitrogen dioxide at a city-center monitoring station are the highest in Europe. Concentrations are greater even than in Beijing, where expatriates have dubbed the city’s smog the “airpocalypse.” It’s the law of unintended consequences at work. European Union efforts to fight climate change favored diesel fuel over gasoline because it emits less carbon dioxide, or CO2. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-27/london-s-dirty-secret-pollutes-like-beijing-airpocalyse.html EPA Defeats Groups’ Push to Toughen Rules on Acid Rain. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in at least its sixth court victory this year in air-quality cases, defeated a challenge by environmental groups to its delay of new rules to combat acid rain. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington today accepted the agency’s argument that drafting effective rules to curb the airborne chemicals that cause acid rain involves “large complexities”…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-27/environmental-groups-lose-challenge-to-epa-acid-rain-rulemaking.html Damage Award in Texas Fracking Case Raises Stakes in Air Quality Debate. Between February 2010 and July 2011, Lisa and Bob Parr filed 13 complaints about air pollution from gas and oil operations near their ranch in Wise County, Texas. Sometimes they had trouble breathing, they told the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). They also experienced nausea, nosebleeds, ringing ears and rashes. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-28/damage-award-in-texas-fracking-case-raises-stakes-in-air-quality-debate.html Air pollution levels up in parts of Inland Empire. Air pollution levels will edge up into the “unhealthful for sensitive groups” range in parts of Inland Empire and in the Coachella Valley Tuesday, the AQMD warned today. Ozone levels will be at an estimated index level of 111 in the San Bernardino Valley and Coachella Valley, and an estimated 137 in the nearby San Bernardino Mountains. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140526/air-pollution-levels-up-in-parts-of-inland-empire EPA power plant rule could lead to drastic cuts in traditional air pollutants – study. A new study finds that allowing more flexible compliance with U.S. EPA's upcoming power plant rule wouldn't only lead to less greenhouse gas emissions -- it would lead to cleaner air and healthier ecosystems, too. Researchers from Harvard University and Syracuse University modeled three different possible scenarios for the June 2 proposal…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000270/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY RGGI proved electricity sector will adapt to new power plant regs – study. Critics have warned of an energy-sector crisis in the wake of the Obama administration's new power plant rules, but groups that monitored the East's largest carbon trading program for power plants argue that regulation, if done properly, can provide both environmental and economic benefits. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000269/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Bloomberg: Cities key to confront climate change. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in his new U.N. job, said Tuesday that cities hold the key to confronting climate change because they account for 75 percent of the heat-trapping gases and their mayors have executive powers to reduce emissions. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_UNITED_NATIONS_CITIES_AND_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Bloomberg-Cities-key-to-confront-climate-change-5508296.php http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/27/3359502/bloomberg-cities-key-to-confront.html Chamber Study Predicts Obama Climate Rule Will Kill Jobs. The nation’s biggest business lobby says President Barack Obama’s plan to tackle climate change could cost the U.S. economy $50 billion a year. Supporters predict it will create jobs and lower power bills. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Natural Resources Defense Council are both releasing economic impact studies this week…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-28/chamber-study-predicts-obama-climate-rule-will-kill-jobs.html Mobley: Climate is right to beat Gray in Assembly race. A latecomer to next week’s primary election, Jack Mobley said the changing political climate in California gives him a legitimate shot at contending with incumbent Adam Gray, D-Merced. Mobley, a Merced Republican, said Gray’s win of the 21st Assembly District seat in 2012 was buoyed by the re-election of President Barack Obama and excitement surrounding the California high-speed rail project – both of which he said are less popular than two years ago. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/27/3359699/mobley-climate-is-right-to-beat.html#storylink=cpy ‘Time Is Running Out’ To Stop Rising CO2 Levels, Says UN. April was the first time the monthly average of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere passed 400 parts per million, a threshold that the U.N. says has "symbolic and scientific significance" The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached a record high last month, according to the UN’s weather agency, highlighting the need to curb rising greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://time.com/#116131/un-co2-levels-greenhouse-gases/ 'Global warming' is much scarier to Americans than 'climate change' – study. A new report proves words are a powerful thing -- especially when it comes to describing a changing climate rife with extreme weather events. Findings published yesterday by researchers from the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication revealed that while "global warming" and "climate change" …Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000273/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Want to manufacture fresh water without producing greenhouse gases? It'll cost you. In the search for climate change solutions, desalination presents a conundrum. As a warming planet causes natural water sources to become scarce in regions like the U.S. Southwest, Northern Africa and the Middle East, the technology provides a much-needed new resource, transforming brackish wastewater into safe, clear drinking water. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000248/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Bill would allow local groundwater management. The state Senate approved legislation Tuesday asking local agencies to develop plans to manage groundwater, a supply that is largely unregulated throughout the state even amid a statewide drought. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/27/6436725/bill-would-allow-local-groundwater.html#storylink=cpy Central Valley lawmakers to discuss drought compromise. Just before leaving town last week, the U.S. Senate passed the amended version of California Democrat Dianne Feinstein’s drought relief bill. The House passed its own version in February. Now lawmakers begin the process of compromise. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/05/27/44389/central-valley-lawmakers-to-discuss-drought-compro/ FUELS Exxon CEO: Oil will be top energy source for years. The CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp. says alternative fuels will grow but that oil will remain the world's leading source of energy for another quarter century. CEO Rex Tillerson says natural gas will surpass coal as the second most heavily used fuel. Tillerson made the comments Wednesday at the company's annual shareholder meeting. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EXXON_MOBIL_MEETING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT New safety requirements set for Keystone pipeline. Safety regulators have quietly placed two extra conditions on construction of TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone XL oil pipeline after learning of potentially dangerous construction defects involving the southern leg of the Canada-to-Texas project. The defects - high rates of bad welds, dented pipe and damaged pipeline coating - have been fixed. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_KEYSTONE_CONSTRUCTION_DEFECTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT For a Canadian Province, Gas Boom Presents a Conundrum. As nations rush to ship vast new stores of natural gas across oceans, the climate change implications of the fuel are coming under increased scrutiny. Perhaps nowhere is the debate so intense as in British Columbia, a province in western Canada where there are plans to export large quantities of natural gas to Asia. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/business/energy-environment/for-british-columbia-gas-boom-presents-a-conundrum.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry710%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F VEHICLES Google’s Next Phase in Driverless Cars: No Brakes or Steering Wheel. Humans might be the one problem Google can’t solve.For the past four years, Google has been working on self-driving cars with a mechanism to return control of the steering wheel to the driver in case of emergency. But Google’s brightest minds now say they can’t make that handoff work anytime soon. Their answer? Take the driver completely out of the driving. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/technology/googles-next-phase-in-driverless-cars-no-brakes-or-steering-wheel.html?hpw&rref=technology&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry710%23%2Fvehicles%2F24hours%2F GREEN ENERGY Walmart to double number of solar project. Walmart will be doubling the number of on-site solar energy projects at its U.S. stores, with a number of its solar-powered stores already in the Inland Empire. Walmart is the number one commercial solar energy user in the United States, according to the Solar Energy Industry Association. The company has 240 solar installations in the United States. There are 123 in California. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140527/walmart-to-double-number-of-solar-projects How the U.S. energy mix made a U-turn from Calif. to Texas. Windmill blades could be seen on a loading dock at one of the nation's busiest ports during a recent visit to the offices of the Port of Houston Authority to discuss major petrochemical investments coming their way. The blades weren't entering the port, the staff explained, but rather leaving it. Though the details were fuzzy, the explanation was that a canceled wind energy project in central Texas was reselling them to another buyer, perhaps in Latin America. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060000240/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS 5 things to know about hurricane season. Starting this hurricane season, forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami will begin dropping small drones into storms in the hope they can learn more about how storms strengthen and better predict a storm's intensity. With the season's official start just days away, here are five other things to know about hurricanes: Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/5-things-to-know-about-hurricane-season-5507190.php OPINIONS Climate Change Doomed the Ancients. This month, a report issued by a prominent military advisory board concluded that climate change posed a serious threat to America’s national security. The authors, 16 retired high-ranking officers, warned that droughts, rising seas and extreme weather events, among other environmental threats, were already causing global “instability and conflict.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/opinion/climate-change-doomed-the-ancients.html?_r=0 Cap-and-trade law levels playing field for reducing carbon emissions: Guest commentary. For decades, polluting industries have argued that California’s policy approach to addressing cleaning up our air harms our economy. The misleading warnings and doom-and-gloom predictions haven’t materialized — instead Californians continue to support our state’s approach to addressing climate change, in polls and at the ballot box. Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/opinion/20140527/cap-and-trade-law-levels-playing-field-for-reducing-carbon-emissions-guest-commentary BLOGS UN says diesel trucks might not be worst emission offenders. Airborne particulate matter can really do a number on us humans, particularly with regard to our cardiovascular systems. It seems reasonable for air pollution, then, to be a major concern when calculating the environmental and health costs of the way we do business. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/28/un-study-says-diesel-trucks-might-not-be-worst-emission-offender/ HOME IMPROVEMENT: EPA puts clothes dryers on Energy Star list. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rolled out the first-ever Energy Star label for clothes dryers. After getting feed-back from retailers, manufacturers, the U.S. Department of Energy and environmental groups, the EPA said it would put the Energy Star rating on electric, gas and compact dryers that use 20 percent less energy than…Posted. http://blog.pe.com/business/2014/05/28/home-improvement-epa-puts-clothes-dryers-on-energy-star-list/ One Of America's Dirtiest Coal Plants Had Some Dire Predictions. It Was Wrong. Three years ago, the operators of one of the nation's dirtiest coal-fired power plants warned of "immediate and devastating" consequences from the Obama administration's push to clean up pollution from coal. Faced with cutting sulfur dioxide pollution blowing into downwind states by 80 percent in less than a year, lawyers for EME Homer City Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/27/america-coal-plant_n_5400396.html What kills 3000 Australians per year? There's something that kills 3000 Australians per year. You probably won't have read about this significant danger. It's not cancer. It's not sharks, or drop bears, or funnel web spiders. And it's not car accidents or heroin overdoses. It causes serious health problems for even more Australians each year, and for many people there is no "safe" level of exposure. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/southern-crossroads/2014/may/28/air-pollution-australia-greg-hunt California Moves Closer Toward Clean Air for All. Imagine a California with substantially cleaner air and lower rates of asthma and cancer, especially in disadvantaged communities hardest hit by dangerous air pollution. Then imagine you’d be paying less in fuel costs – the equivalent of about $1 a gallon of gas – to help make it happen. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mbaumhefner/california_moves_closer_toward.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 29 May 2014 13:28:22 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for May 29, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 29, 2014. 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 The Sriracha war appears to be cooling down. The Irwindale City Council voted Wednesday night to drop its declaration that the hot sauce plant was a public nuisance. Sriracha maker Huy Fong Foods and Irwindale have been feuding in the courts and in headlines since Irwindale residents began to complain of a spicy odor last year. Chief Executive David Tran has repeatedly asked city officials to visit the factory, to no avail. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sriracha-war-cools-irwindale-says-factory-no-long-a-nuisance-20140528-story.html Planes' exhaust could be harming communities up to 10 miles from LAX. High levels of potentially harmful exhaust particles from jets using Los Angeles International Airport have been detected in a broad swath of densely populated communities up to 10 miles east of the runways, a new air quality study reported Thursday. The research, believed to be the most comprehensive of its type, found that takeoffs and landings at LAX are a major source of ultrafine particles. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0529-lax-pollution-20140529-story.html Report: Some diseases more prevalent near Logan. A new state Public Health Department study has found elevated levels of some respiratory diseases among residents who live near Logan International Airport. The report released at a public meeting in Winthrop on Wednesday night found that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was higher for adult residents who had lived near the airport for three or more years. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/29/6441624/report-some-diseases-more-prevalent.html#storylink=cpy Lighter winds, lower temperatures expected in Merced area. Winds and temperatures for the rest of the week should be more favorable for those with respiratory problems. According to David Spector, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford, winds are expected to be “relatively light” for the next few days. Blowing dust caused by Wednesday’s high-gust winds prompted the region’s air pollution…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/28/6440233/lighter-winds-lower-temperatures.html#storylink=cpy Kern County farmers question just how 'clean' new coal plant would be. Plans to build a $4 billion experimental "clean coal plant" in the San Joaquin Valley has touched off fears here that as it generates cleaner electricity, it would foul groundwater and air in a region where airborne pollutants are among the nation's worst. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/28/6437635/kern-county-farmers-question-just.html#storylink=cpy ENVIRONMENT: Air quality takes a hit as summer approaches. Smog season is once again upon us. Southern California this week has weathered three consecutive days of unhealthful levels of ozone, the corrosive gas that forms when emissions from cars, trucks, factories and other polluters react with each other in the sunlight. Kevin Durkee, a senior meteorologist for the South Coast Air Quality Management District, said air quality should improve Thursday and Friday then return to unhealthful levels during the weekend…Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/ozone-695337-air-days.html GOP bill aimed at speeding up permitting clears House subcommittee. A House subcommittee today advanced draft legislation meant to ease air pollution permitting for new manufacturing facilities. The draft bill, authored by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), passed the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power in a 14-8 vote after the approval of an amendment addressing concerns raised by U.S. EPA. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/05/29/stories/1060000377 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Obama Seeks Climate Legacy as Coal-State Democrats Cringe. When President Barack Obama reviewed his aides’ ideas for tackling climate change last year, he gave one simple directive: “Don’t skinny it down.”They didn’t, and Obama now is set to release new limits on greenhouse gas emissions by power plants as early as next week. That comes atop the unveiling of a National Climate Assessment in May and executive actions including promoting renewable fuels and building better defenses against extreme weather. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-29/obama-seeks-climate-legacy-as-coal-state-democrats-cringe.html President Said to Be Planning to Use Executive Authority on Carbon Rule. President Obama will use his executive authority to cut carbon emissions from the nation’s coal-fired power plants by up to 20 percent, according to people familiar with his plans, which will spur the creation of a state cap-and-trade program forcing industry to pay for the carbon pollution it creates. Mr. Obama will unveil his plans in a new regulation, written by the Environmental Protection Agency, at the White House on Monday. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/us/politics/obama-to-offer-rules-to-sharply-curb-power-plants-carbon-emissions.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry465%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Americans More Worried about ‘Warming’ Than ‘Climate Change’ Many scientists have come to prefer the term “climate change” over “global warming.” Climate change is a broader term that encompasses not only the warming of the planet in recent years but also the rise of severe storms, droughts and damaging wind events. The choice of terms has important implications for polling, because Americans give different answers to questions depending on which is used. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/upshot/climate-change-or-global-warming-tough-choice-for-pollsters.html?rref=business/energy-environment&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Energy%20%26%20Environment&pgtype=article Obama to unveil rule to cut greenhouse gas emissions. President Obama will unveil a rule Monday intended to confront climate change by cutting carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, the nation's greatest source of the heat-trapping gas. Obama plans to bypass Congress and use his authority under the Clean Air Act to achieve greenhouse gas reductions. Power generation accounts for about 40% of such emissions. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-na-nn-climate-change-power-plant-20140528-story.html#page=1 http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-0530-climate-change-coal-20140529-story.html#page=1 U.S. Chamber says new EPA rule could cost economy $51 billion a year. Signaling growing industry opposition to the Obama administration’s forthcoming proposal to curb carbon emissions from power plants, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned in a report Wednesday that the climate-change rule could cost the economy tens of billions of dollars in lost investment and millions of jobs. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-fi-climate-change-impact-chamber-commerce-study-20140528-story.html Obama to bypass Congress to cut greenhouse gas emissions. President Barack Obama will unveil a rule Monday intended to confront climate change by cutting carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, the nation's greatest source of the heat-trapping gas. Obama plans to bypass Congress and use his authority under the Clean Air Act to achieve greenhouse gas reductions. Power generation accounts for about 40 percent of such emissions. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/29/6441129/obama-to-bypass-congress-to-cut.html#storylink=cpy Geologist in the trenches of climate change. For the past three decades, University of Miami geology professor Harold Wanless has tracked the tides as they crept higher, watched oysters head for drier ground and repeatedly warned that the ocean is swelling in ways that could one day put coastal cities like Miami under water. His predictions - punctuated with dire conclusions like "this is going to test the very fibers of civilization" - often drew skepticism or, worse, silence. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/29/6440963/geologist-in-the-trenches-of-climate.html#storylink=cpy New research helps explain why Antarctic sea ice grows as Arctic melts. Large waves from storms may play a significant role with the breakup of sea ice and may provide a partial explanation why Arctic and Antarctic sea ice behave differently in a warming world, a new study suggests. The research, released yesterday in Nature reported that large waves in the Southern Ocean break sea ice over larger areas than previously thought. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/05/29/stories/1060000350 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Cities key to fighting climate change – Bloomberg. Former three-term New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday that cities are key to combating climate change as they produce 75 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, and mayors hold executive powers that would allow them to cut emissions. The former mayor and businessman spoke at the opening of a three-day U.N. meeting on making urban spaces more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000332/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California's golf courses gird for long, dry summer. Gripping a hose, Robert Hirsch, a maintenance worker at DeLaveaga Golf Course in Santa Cruz, sprays a dry patch of grass, several feet away from a lush green where a group of golfers practice chipping with their 9-irons. "In another month, all of this will be brown," Hirsch says as he splashes another withered spot. "We're going to sacrifice some fairways." Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/29/6440961/californias-golf-courses-gird.html#storylink=cpy FUELS For a Canadian Province, Gas Boom Presents a Conundrum. As nations rush to ship vast new stores of natural gas across oceans, the climate change implications of the fuel are coming under increased scrutiny. Perhaps nowhere is the debate so intense as in British Columbia, a province in western Canada where there are plans to export large quantities of natural gas to Asia. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/business/energy-environment/for-british-columbia-gas-boom-presents-a-conundrum.html?rref=business/energy-environment&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Energy%20%26%20Environment&pgtype=article GOP candidates Kashkari, Donnelly want to tap Monterey Shale oil. Republican gubernatorial candidates Neel Kashkari and Tim Donnelly, who have both made fracking for oil the centerpieces of their plans to create jobs, were in rare agreement Wednesday as they brushed off a recent federal report that most of the oil in a vast California deposit is not recoverable now. A report released by the U.S. Energy Administration last week estimated that 600 million barrels of oil could be extracted…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-pol-donnelly-kashkari-fracking-20140529-story.html RFS proposal would reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- enviro report. U.S. EPA's recent proposal to reduce this year's corn ethanol blending mandate would result in lower greenhouse gas emissions, an environmental group said in a report released today. The proposal to reduce the corn ethanol requirement by 1.4 billion gallons compared to the level set by 2007 statute would reduce emissions by the equivalent of taking 580,000 cars off the road…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/05/29/stories/1060000375 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES States set ambitious target for zero-emission vehicle sales. California and seven other states have unveiled a plan to put 3.3 million electric and fuel cell vehicles on the road by 2025 — a goal that seems out of reach, based on current market trends. Today, we're putting a foot on the pedal to get more clean cars on the road. This is real action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. - California Gov. Jerry Brown. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-zero-emissions-vehicles-20140529-story.html http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/05/29/stories/1060000393 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY A Pushback on Green Power. As renewable energy production has surged in recent years, opponents of government policies that have helped spur its growth have pushed to roll back those incentives and mandates in state after state. On Wednesday, they claimed their first victory, when Ohio lawmakers voted to freeze the phasing-in of power that utilities must buy from renewable energy sources. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/business/energy-environment/a-pushback-on-green-power.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0 Look, Ma, no hands: Google to test 200 self-driving cars. General Motors. Toyota. Google? One of the world's largest technology companies is getting into the car business — and hoping to turn drivers into passengers. The tech giant announced on its blog Tuesday that it plans to test about 200 of its own two-seat self-driving cars. "We've been working toward the goal of vehicles that can shoulder the entire burden of driving," the company wrote. "They will take you where you want to go at the push of a button. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-google-car-20140529-story.html White House touts energy policies as rules loom. Setting the stage for upcoming restrictions on coal-fired power plants, the Obama administration is making a concerted effort to cast its energy policy as an economic success that is creating jobs, securing the nation against international upheavals and shifting energy use to cleaner sources. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/29/6440773/white-house-touts-energy-policies.html#storylink=cpy http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/29/3361916/white-house-touts-energy-policies.html#storylink=cpy Solar industry hails second-best quarter on record. Solar development in the United States continued its breakneck pace in the first months of 2014, with 1,330 megawatts of new photovoltaic (PV) capacity coming online between January and March, new industry figures show. The quarterly growth is the sector's second-largest ever, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association and partner GTM Research, and it comes on the heels of a record-breaking 2013. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/05/29/stories/1060000338 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Ripon police add electric motorcycles to force. The Ripon Police Department has joined other Northern San Joaquin Valley cities that have started using electric motorcycles on patrol. The department purchased two Zero Motorcycles last week with grant money from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/28/3361216/ripon-police-add-electric-motorcycles.html?sp=/99/1623/ California gets another H2 station. The College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology at California State University, Los Angeles, officially opened its Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility and the College Open House, operated using Hydrogenics Technology. The facility is the largest university-operated hydrogen plant of its kind in the US and Hydrogenics installed one HySTAT-30 electrolyser that provides 65kg of Hydrogen every day. Posted. http://www.gasworld.com/news/regions/north-america/california-gets-another-h2-station/2003835.article BLOGS Cheap Climate Protection. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce just came out with its preemptive strike against Obama administration regulations on power plants. What the Chamber wanted to do was show that the economic impact of the regulations would be devastating. And I was eager to see how they had fudged the numbers. But a funny thing happened on the way to the diatribe. Posted. http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/cheap-climate-protection/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Opinion&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry465%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F Eight States To Add To Plan for 3.3 Million Zero-Emission Vehicles By 2025. Eight states comprising 28 percent of the U.S. passenger vehicle market are expected today to add more details to their 2013 announced plan for 3.3 million zero emission vehicles by 2025. The governors of these states – California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont – last year signed a memorandum of understanding devoted to regulatory and incentives-backed boosts to ZEVs. Posted. http://www.hybridcars.com/eight-states-to-add-to-plan-for-3-3-million-zero-emission-vehicles-by-2025/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 13:45:05 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for May 30, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for May 30, 2014. 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. CLIMATE CHANGE Obama prepares to push for new power plant rules. President Barack Obama is planning a public show of support for new climate change rules that his administration will unveil Monday. The White House says Obama will spotlight the first-ever carbon pollution limits on existing power plants during his weekly radio and Internet address, released Saturday. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT How Obama's power plant emission rules will work. The Obama administration is poised to unveil the first rules limiting carbon emissions from the thousands of power plants across the nation. The pollution controls form the cornerstone of President Barack Obama's campaign to combat climate change and a key element of his legacy. Obama says the rules are essential to curb the heat-trapping greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_CHANGE_QA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT U.S. industry gears up to fight Obama's climate rules. A U.S. plan to curb carbon emissions from power plants is likely to come under attack this summer by industry opponents in a bid to stir voter anger ahead of elections in November, when voters in states such as Kentucky and West Virginia could decide whether Democrats keep control of the Senate. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/28/us-usa-climatechange-industry-analysis-idUSKBN0E80CP20140528 Climate Change Meets Kitchen Table as Issue Gets Personal. The White House, as it prepares to announce new limits on carbon emissions, is working to transform the debate from distant threats to more immediate issues. President Barack Obama wants to shift the conversation from polar bears and melting glaciers to droughts in Iowa and more childhood asthma across the nation. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-30/climate-change-meets-kitchen-table-as-issue-gets-personal.html Scary Statistic: China May Have 1 Billion Drivers. If Beijing’s bumper-to-bumper traffic looks scary now, imagine this: one billion Chinese drivers. That’s the number of people that Shi Jianhua, deputy secretary-general of the state-backed China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, forecasts could have driving licenses in the country in the next 10 to 15 years. There were about 280 million last year, according to the Ministry of Public Security. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-30/scary-statistic-china-may-have-1-billion-drivers.html A Price Tag on Carbon as a Climate Rescue Plan. Bryan T. Pagel, a dairy farmer, watched as a glistening slurry of cow manure disappeared down a culvert. If recycling the waste on his family’s farm would help to save the world, he was happy to go along. Out back, machinery was breaking down the manure and capturing a byproduct called methane, a potent greenhouse gas. A huge Caterpillar engine roared as it burned the methane to generate electricity, keeping it out of the atmosphere. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/science/a-price-tag-on-carbon-as-a-climate-rescue-plan.html?_r=0 Seven things to know about the coming EPA power-plant rule. The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce Monday the first-ever carbon emissions limits on the nation's 1,600 power plants. The proposed rule is the centerpiece of President Obama's strategy to cut back on climate change and builds on an earlier regulation that would set carbon emission standards for power plants that have yet to be built. Posted. http://washingtonexaminer.com/seven-things-to-know-about-the-coming-epa-power-plant-rule/article/2549121 Scoping out a plan for cleaner air in California. California’s devastating wildfires, ongoing drought and record heat offer a preview of the hotter, drier, more fiery future scientists say we can expect as the climate continues to change. For the millions who struggle to catch a breath in our state, increased air pollution from a never-ending fire season is just one of the dangerous side effects of climate change. Last week, the California Air Resources Board adopted an updated “scoping plan” to chart the state’s clean energy future under the pioneering climate change law AB 32. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/30/tp-scoping-out-a-plan-for-cleaner-air-in/ Can measuring megacities' GHGs help reduce global warming? A few years ago, it looked like efforts to curb releases of greenhouse gases had come to a screeching halt. The 2009 U.N. treaty negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark, were largely deemed a failure, and months later, the U.S. Senate abandoned climate legislation. But in the face of national and international failures, cities stepped up. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000431/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California orders thousands of Sacramento Valley water users to stop pumping from streams. California has ordered more than 2,600 water agencies and users in the Sacramento Valley to stop pumping water from streams, a drastic response to the ongoing drought that hasn’t occurred since 1977. The curtailment notice was imposed by the State Water Resources Control Board late Wednesday. It affects 2,648 water agencies, farms, cities and other property owners with so-called “junior” water rights, or those issued by the state after 1914…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/29/6441935/state-orders-sacramento-valley.html#storylink=cpy DIESEL EMISSIONS California Air Resources Board OKs use of new locomotive engine filter at L.A. port. The Port of Los Angeles earlier this month announced that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has approved the use of new locomotive technology to help meet strict clean-air standards in the area. Developed by Johnson Matthey, the Locomotive Catalyzed Continuously Regenerating Trap (L-CCRT) diesel particulate filter recently earned CARB verification that it meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 emission standard required for all new locomotives, effective Jan. 1, 2015. Posted. http://www.progressiverailroading.com/mechanical/news/California-Air-Resources-Board-OKs-use-of-new-locomotive-engine-filter-at-LA-port--40597 FUELS Oil edges down but still above $103. The price of oil drifted down Friday after U.S. crude inventories rose in a possible sign of slack demand. Benchmark U.S. crude for July delivery was down 38 cents to $103.20 a barrel at 0835 GMT in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract added 86 cents to close Thursday at $103.58. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OIL_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT California Senate rejects bill to halt fracking. The California state Senate on Thursday rejected for the second year in a row a bill that would have put a temporary stop to the controversial oil-producing practice of fracking in the state. The measure failed with a handful of Democrats joining Republicans in defeating the bill. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/30/us-california-fracking-idUSKBN0EA01X20140530 Fracking Sucks Money From Wind While China Eclipses U.S. U.S. President Barack Obama says natural gas can be a bridge from coal to a cleaner energy future. Investors are showing it’s more likely a bridge to nowhere. The country’s embrace of natural gas means less love for wind and solar. New investments in renewable energy sources declined 5 percent in North America last year to $56 billion, the lowest since 2010, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-29/fracking-sucks-money-from-wind-while-china-eclipses-u-s-.html 'Value over volume' is analysts' mantra for future oil and gas investments. It's never been rocket science what investors want to see from their oil and gas companies: oil and gas production. That means fresh barrels and Btus, quarter in, quarter out. It means gathering reserves -- finding new resources to show they can keep it up for years or decades. Should a company stumble on this mission, markets can be merciless, dashing its stock price and possibly giving competitors a boost. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060000440/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES 8 states release action plan to promote clean cars. Eight states on the East and West coasts released a plan Thursday for working together to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles on the nation's roads by 2025. The so-called "action plan" follows last year's memorandum of understanding announced by the governors of the states, including California and New York. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ZERO_EMISSION_VEHICLE_PLEDGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://online.wsj.com/article/AP8b4c5e6dcf4b4871baf8c1fef0500c9b.html http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/05/29/california-among-8-states-pledging-to-put-3-3-million-zero-emissions-cars-on-roads-by-2025/ http://www.automotiveworld.com/news-releases/8-state-alliance-releases-plan-put-3-3-million-zero-emission-vehicles-road/ http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/05/20140529-8states.html http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/05/30/stories/1060000434 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CORRECTED-Car battery maker LG Chem to decide on capacity expansion in 3 months. South Korea's LG Chem Ltd plans to make a decision on expanding production capacity for electric vehicle (EV) batteries in three to four months, expecting EV demand to take off in 2016. "We are seriously considering investing in expanding (our EV battery production)," President Kwon Young-soo, who oversees LG Chem's battery division, said on Thursday at the Busan Motor Show. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/29/lg-chem-factory-idUSL3N0OF19Q20140529 Crevier BMW Delivers Its First All-Electric BMW i3. At the beginning of May 2014, BMW delivered the first all-electric BMW i3 in the U.S. to Boston resident and Tufts University professor of practice, Charles Rabie. And on May 9, 2014 Santa Ana-based Crevier BMW delivered their first i3 to local resident and entrepreneur, Ash Satar. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/occars/bmw-616200-delivers-electric.html GREEN ENERGY SunEdison solar power plant unit files for IPO. TerraForm Power Inc, a unit that solar company SunEdison Inc created to own and operate some of its solar power plants, filed for an initial public offering to raise up to $50 million. SunEdison is following in the footsteps of NRG Energy Inc, which last July listed a unit holding some of its wind and natural gas assets, as solar firms seek newer and cheaper ways to finance new solar power plants. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/29/us-terraform-ipo-idUSKBN0E90Z520140529 New York City Trying to Help Households Turn Waste Into Compost. For the first week or so, the brown bins hunkered on the streets like alien capsules that had fallen to Earth: gingerly stepped around, uneasily eyed, tenaciously ignored. One was pressed into service as a wastebasket for empty liquor bottles. Another was unceremoniously tossed in a street-corner trash can. But many sat untouched outside the front steps of houses all over Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, as though their new owners hoped that if they refused to acknowledge them long enough, they might simply disappear. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/31/nyregion/composting-in-new-york-city-pilot-program-expands.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DScience%26region%3DTopBar%26WT.nav%3DsearchWidget%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2Fgreen%2Benergy%2F24hours%2F New ‘petuary’ liquifies deceased pets, green alternative to cremation. When Jerry Shevick’s and Susan Booker’s beloved dog died, they were horrified she might be frozen, then hauled off in a plastic bag and burned. So they made humane arrangements for their Labrador mix. Then the married couple launched a full-service “petuary” that does away with crematory fire and smoke. Instead, it reduces dead household companions to water. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/lifestyle/20140529/new-petuary-liquifies-deceased-pets-green-alternative-to-cremation OPINIONS Teaching an Old Law New Tricks. PRESIDENT OBAMA is expected to announce his much anticipated rule for power plants on Monday, requiring for the first time that older and dirtier plants reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, which account for a sizable share of the nation’s carbon pollution. This new rule has rightly been called the “cornerstone” of the president’s climate action plan. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/opinion/teaching-an-old-law-new-tricks.html?rref=opinion Taking Up the Climate Challenge. Thomas L. Friedman and others who write about climate change and related problems are just tinkering around the edges. Those who address the issues persist in ignoring the fundamental problem: overpopulation. The solution is not about accommodating a growing global population in ingenious ways but about cutting the population in half and keeping it there. Metaphorically speaking, 10 billion people driving Priuses won’t stop climate change. We must address the real problem rather than discuss symptoms and how to palliate them. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/31/opinion/taking-up-the-climate-challenge.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DScience%26region%3DTopBar%26WT.nav%3DsearchWidget%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F Cutting Back on Carbon. Next week the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce new rules designed to limit global warming. Although we don’t know the details yet, anti-environmental groups are already predicting vast costs and economic doom. Don’t believe them. Everything we know suggests that we can achieve large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions at little cost to the economy. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/opinion/krugman-cutting-back-on-carbon.html?hp&rref=opinion&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DScience%26region%3DTopBar%26WT.nav%3DsearchWidget%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F BLOGS The coming political explosion over climate change. In a speech last night, embattled Senator Kay Hagan blasted GOP challenger Thom Tillis over his climate denialism, arguing that North Carolina “needs a Senator who believes climate change exists.” Hagan added: “Unlike my opponent who flatly denied the existence of climate change, I know the EPA’s ability to responsibly regulate greenhouse gas emissions is key to protecting our environment for future generations.” Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/05/28/the-coming-political-explosion-over-climate-change/ Evolving the conversation on climate change. Ed Rogers wrote yesterday that liberals are to blame for the poisoned nature of the political debate on climate change, not Republican “intransigence or denial.” Ed argues that climate “alarmists” are vague or dishonest about the costs and effectiveness of efforts to lower carbon dioxide emissions. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2014/05/29/evolving-the-conversation-on-climate-change/ Hookah Bars Contain Elevated Levels Of CO2 And Air Pollution. Waterpipes - hookahs - create hazardous concentrations of indoor air pollution and poses increased risk from diminished air quality for both employees and patrons of waterpipe bars, according to a new paper from Johns Hopkins, which did an analysis of air quality in seven Baltimore waterpipe bars and found that airborne particulate matter and carbon monoxide exceeded concentrations common in public places that allowed cigarette smoking. Posted. http://www.science20.com/news_articles/hookah_bars_contain_elevated_levels_of_co2_and_air_pollution-137395 John Boehner: 'I'm Not Qualified To Debate The Science Over Climate Change' The Obama administration is preparing to roll out new regulations on greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants on Monday, and the rules are already drawing criticism from congressional Republicans. Of course, many of the rules' opponents are not even convinced that the issue the rules seek to address -- namely, climate change -- is even a problem at all. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/29/boehner-climate-change_n_5411154.html Climate Change This Week: Religion Gets Climate Change, Undrillable Reserves, and More! How unusual has the weather been? No one event is "caused" by climate change, but global warming, which is predicted to increase unusual, extreme weather, is having a daily effect on weather, worldwide. Looking above at recent temperature anomalies, much of the US is experiencing warmer than usual temperatures, while the Pacific warm spot continues to prevent rain from reaching California. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ellen-harte/climate-change-this-week_b_5415270.html Emissions Without Borders: The Problem With Greenhouse Gas. We can fence national boundaries with concrete and barbed wire, but unseen CO2 emissions are released into a border-less atmosphere. Right now, we are on track to triple these emissions by century's end. The last time CO2 levels went sky-high, the planet was probably 18 degrees Fahrenheit hotter, with sea levels approximately 120 feet higher than now. But we were not here then to enjoy the overly sultriness of it all. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/belinda-waymouth/emissions-without-borders-climate-change_b_5390373.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2014 16:42:57 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 2, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 2, 2014. 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 California’s ‘boring’ carbon market to take limelight after EPA. When California launched the country's most ambitious carbon trading scheme 18 months ago, officials hoped that neighboring states equally worried about climate change would quickly follow its lead, expanding the nascent market. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/30/carbon-california-idUSL1N0OG10Z20140530 CLIMATE CHANGE Pollution rule tricky for coal country Democrats. President Barack Obama's plan to curb power plant pollution put Democrats running for office in coal country in a tough spot on Monday: Criticize their president, or side with him and become part of what could be a major drag on their region's economy. For the most politically vulnerable, it was not a tough call. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GLOBAL_WARMING_COAL_COUNTRY_POLITICS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Obama: Power plant rule will shrink power prices. In a sweeping initiative to curb pollutants blamed for global warming, the Obama administration unveiled a plan Monday aimed at cutting carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by nearly a third by 2030. But it delays the deadline for some states to begin complying until long after President Barack Obama leaves office. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_GLOBAL_WARMING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Reaction to Obama's global warming plan. Reaction from lawmakers, environmental activists, industry groups and others to President Barack Obama's proposal to cut carbon dioxide emissions from U.S. power plants: Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_GLOBAL_WARMING_REACTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT States move to blunt Obama carbon reduction plan. As President Barack Obama prepares to announce tougher new air quality standards, lawmakers in several states already are trying to blunt the impact on aging coal-fired power plants that feed electricity to millions of consumers. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLEAN_AIR_STATES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT U.S. unveils sweeping plan to slash power plant pollution. The U.S. power sector must cut carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels, according to federal regulations unveiled on Monday that form the centerpiece of the Obama administration's climate change strategy. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/02/us-usa-climatechange-epa-idUSKBN0ED0U020140602 Factbox: In G7, U.S. leads Japan, Canada in carbon curbs, lags Europe. Following is a comparison of cuts in greenhouse gases by leading democracies in the Group of Seven, whose leaders will meet in Brussels this week, after the United States announced sweeping plans to reduce power plant emissions on Monday. Official data show that the United States has performed better in restricting emissions since 1990 than Canada and Japan but lags Italy…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/02/us-climatechange-usa-g7-factbox-idUSKBN0ED1SY20140602 EU Calls on Deeper U.S. Emissions Cuts to Protect Climate. The European Union said the U.S. must do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions than the proposal President Barack Obama’s government released today if it’s to keep talks on limiting global warming on track. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-02/eu-calls-on-deeper-u-s-emissions-cuts-to-protect-climate.html Obama Proposes Deep Cuts to Power-Plant Emissions. President Barack Obama proposed cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions from the nation’s power plants by an average of 30 percent from 2005 levels, a central part of his plan to fight climate change that also carries political risk. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-02/obama-said-to-propose-deep-cuts-to-power-plant-emissions.html Greenhouse Gas Limit Supported: ABC/Post Poll. The White House probably can count on some public support for the regulations on power plant emissions it rolled out today — even if it costs consumers something in the process. Posted. http://go.bloomberg.com/political-capital/2014-06-02/greenhouse-gas-limit-supported-abcpost-poll/ EPA Sets Draft Rule to Cut Carbon Emissions by 30% by 2030. The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday released a draft rule to regulate carbon emissions from hundreds of fossil-fired power plants across the U.S., the cornerstone of President Barack Obama's climate-change agenda. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/epa-rule-to-cost-up-to-8-8-billion-annually-sources-say-1401710600?KEYWORDS=air+pollution http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-climate-change-rule-20140602-story.html http://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2014/06/02/obama-epa-issues-coal-killing-rules-to-cut-carbon-emissions-30-percent/ http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060000528/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EPA Proposal Draws Fire From United Republicans, Some Democrats. GOP Lawmakers Say Obama's Plan to Lower Carbon Emissions Will Kill Jobs. Republicans pounced on President Barack Obama's plan to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 as a job-killing sop to his environmental donors, while Democrats ran the gamut from embracing the Environmental Protection Agency's rule to quickly backing away from it. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/epa-proposal-draws-fire-from-united-republicans-some-democrats-1401737527#printMode Timeline of Administration's Effort to Regulate Carbon Dioxide Emissions. The Obama administration's effort to regulate carbon dioxide emissions follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling during the Bush administration, a congressional battle during President Barack Obama's first term and the launching of a climate change initiative early in the president's second term. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/timeline-of-administrations-effort-to-regulate-carbon-dioxide-emissions-1401724718?KEYWORDS=air+pollution How Will Climate Change Affect the Sahara? A geologist's findings in Africa challenge the way scientists think about the threat of desertification. At the end of the last ice age, about 11,000 years ago, northern Africa became a grassland, home to fish, elephants and thousands of people. Then, 5,000 years ago, scientists say, it abruptly turned into an enormous wasteland—the vast desert that we now call the Sahara. The shift from savanna to sand was the result of natural climate change…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/how-will-climate-change-affect-the-sahara-1401489555 Greenhouse-Gas Emissions Limits Likely to Drive Up Electricity Prices. Coal Producers Likely to Be Hit Hardest Under New Federal Carbon Limits. The new federal limits on greenhouse-gas emissions are likely to drive up electricity prices in some parts of the country as power companies close coal-fired generating plants. But utilities that have power supplies that don't emit as much carbon dioxide—nuclear, natural-gas and renewable energy including wind and solar—will probably benefit, analysts say. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-limits-likely-to-drive-up-electricity-prices-1401715727?tesla=y Don’t overlook the health benefits of EPA’s coal plant rule. The focus of the Obama Administration’s plan to cut carbon pollution by 30 percent over 2005 levels by 2030 is, rightfully, the impact it will have on climate change. But let’s not overlook the significant effects on public health that Monday’s sweeping proposal would have. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/06/02/dont-overlook-the-health-benefits-of-epas-coal-plant-rule/ Key Details of E.P.A. Carbon Emissions Proposal. A rule proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency would cut carbon pollution from power plants 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 – the equivalent, according to the agency, of taking two-thirds of all cars and trucks in America off the road. Here are some things to know about the rule:…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/us/politics/key-details-of-epa-carbon-emissions-proposal.html Unveiling New Carbon Plan, E.P.A. Focuses on Flexibility. The Obama administration on Monday announced one of the strongest actions ever taken by the United States government to fight climate change, a proposed Environmental Protection Agency regulation to cut carbon pollution from the nation’s power plants 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The regulation takes aim at the largest source of carbon pollution in the United States…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/us/politics/obama-epa-rule-coal-carbon-pollution-power-plants.html?_r=0 Trying to Reclaim Leadership on Climate Change. At the end of his first year in office, President Obama flew to Copenhagen and made a big promise: that the United States would cut its greenhouse gas emissions substantially by 2020 — a bold and risky pledge that hinged on a balky Congress to make it possible. His efforts became bogged down within months, and Mr. Obama’s pledge to the rest of the world soon looked like a pipe dream. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/02/us/politics/obama-tries-to-reclaim-leadership-on-climate-change.html Is Global Warming Real? Most Americans Say Yes. The Obama administration announced new regulations Monday meant to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. What do Americans believe about climate change, and how have those beliefs changed? Our overview follows. First, a majority of Americans say that global warming is indeed happening, and the numbers have held relatively steady since the mid-2000s. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/02/upshot/is-global-warming-real-most-in-US-believe-in-climate-change.html EPA administrator says rule critics 'crying wolf' to protect interests. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy offered a blunt defense Monday of the Obama administration’s new rule to cut carbon dioxide pollution, touting its benefits against mounting criticism from the coal industry and some members of Congress. “Given the astronomical price we pay for climate inaction, the most costly thing we can do is to do nothing,” …Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-epa-mccarthy-rule-20140602-story.html EPA unveils far-reaching climate plan targeting power plants. The Obama administration Monday morning unveiled its far-reaching proposal to curb climate change by substantially restricting emissions at power plants, a plan that promises to set off intense debate across the country amid the president’s boldest action yet to reshape the energy landscape. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-obama-climate-plan-20140602-story.html# EPA's new emissions rule may complicate Democrats' electoral hopes. Mitch McConnell and Alison Lundergan Grimes, bitter rivals in one of the nation's most competitive Senate races this year, will find rare accord Monday as they both denounce the Obama administration's new approach to cutting carbon emissions. But how the Republican senator from Kentucky and his Democratic challenger manage to agree so disagreeably will illustrate the complicated politics of an issue…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-epa-politics-20140602-story.html# 'Cosmos' recap: Climate change is explained in 'The World Set Free' Is it getting hot in here? In what is likely to prove one of its most controversial episodes yet, this week's "Cosmos" lays out the powerful scientific case for climate change, framed within a tale of two planets: Venus and Earth. Venus was not much different from Earth back in the earliest days of the solar system, with vast oceans and an atmosphere potentially friendly to life. Visit Venus today, however, and you'll find that its once abundant oceans have long since evaporated away because of the broiling temperatures …Posted. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-st-cosmos-recap-world-set-free-20140601-story.html#page=1 California well-positioned for U.S. global-warming rule. The Obama administration proposed far-reaching limits Monday on power-plant emissions that contribute to global warming, but tailored the rule in ways that would give mean far fewer costs to states such as California that have already taken steps to cap carbon pollution. The proposed rule represents the heart of what has become President Obama's signature issue of his second term, tackling climate change. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-well-positioned-for-U-S-5522525.php California has head start, but new EPA rules on carbon will prompt to state to go further on curbing emissions. With California already claiming a head start in the push to curb carbon, state leaders today hailed the Obama administration’s proposal to slash greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Officials said California’s crackdown on carbon, largely the result of the 2006 global warming law, means the Obama plan won’t translate into radical change on how electricity is generated in the state. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/02/6451336/california-has-head-start-but.html#storylink=cpy Big power-plant pollution cuts are ordered. In a sweeping initiative to curb pollutants blamed for global warming, the Obama administration unveiled a plan Monday aimed at cutting carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by nearly a third by 2030. But it delays the deadline for some states to begin complying until long after President Barack Obama leaves office. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/02/epa-seeks-to-cut-power-plant-carbon-by-30-percent/ http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/02/3368614/epa-seeks-to-cut-power-plant-carbon.html UN climate chief hails US power plant plan. The United Nations' top climate change official is hailing a planned new U.S. regulation to limit pollution blamed for global warming from power plants and says she expects it to spur other countries into action. The Obama administration plans to announce the rule Monday, tapping the president's executive powers to tackle carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/01/un-climate-chief-hails-us-power-plant-plan/ Proposed EPA rules will spark political fireworks. The week will start with fireworks after the release of proposed regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from existing coal-fired electric plants. President Barack Obama is expected to lead this climate change initiative, and announce the rules Monday. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/veterans-616577-senate-angeles.html EPA seeks to cut power plant carbon by 30 percent. The Obama administration on Monday will roll out a plan to cut earth-warming pollution from power plants by 30 percent by 2030, setting in motion one of the most significant actions to address global warming in U.S. history. The rule, which is expected to be final next year, will set the first national limits on carbon dioxide…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/01/epa-to-seek-to-cut-power-plant-carbon-by-one/#ixzz33VFrtdgy EPA seeks 30% cut in power plant carbon emissions by 2030. Taking a historic step to fight climate change, the Obama administration proposed a plan Monday that aims to slash carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants 30% by 2030 and could accelerate the nation's shift away from coal. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/06/02/epa-proposes-sharp-cuts-power-plant-emissions/9859913/ EPA carbon limits: an 'Obamacare' for climate change (+video). The EPA will unveil new regulations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 30 percent by 2030. The EPA power plant rules are the most aggressive of President Obama's Climate Action Plan and have already provoked heated debate over a complex issue. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0602/EPA-carbon-limits-an-Obamacare-for-climate-change-video EPA to propose 30 percent reduction in power plant carbon emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will propose Monday a new rule for existing coal-fired power plants across the country that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent by 2030, sources close to the matter confirm to CBS News. This would be the first use of regulatory power by the Obama administration to reduce carbon dioxide emissions…Posted. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/epa-to-propose-30-percent-reduction-in-power-plant-carbon-emissions/ New EPA rule would seek to cut carbon emissions 30% by 2030. The Obama administration will seek to cut greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants 30% from 2005 levels by 2030, potentially one of the biggest steps any country has taken to confront climate change, people familiar with the plan said Sunday. Seen as the linchpin of President Obama's climate campaign and a key part of his domestic policy legacy…Posted. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/la-na-climate-change-rule-20140602,0,5138332.story EPA to propose cut in power plant emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency will unveil a draft proposal on Monday to cut carbon pollution from the nation’s power plants 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, according to people briefed on the plan. The proposed rule amounts to the strongest action ever taken by the U.S. government to fight climate change. Posted. http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2014/06/01/epa-propose-cut-power-plant-emissions/TLBndyuOkaxbd2M0nA1FcM/story.html Why Obama Had to Act on Climate. Congress couldn’t get it done. We know, because we tried. After months of anticipation, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed the first-ever regulations to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from existing power plants. As the source of about one-third of the United States greenhouse gas emissions, power plants are key to any serious effort to reduce global warming…Posted. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/why-president-obama-had-to-act-on-climate-107329.html#ixzz33W7t85Z1 Geoengineering isn’t going to save the planet, says UCLA researcher. In recent years, some researchers have proposed massive technological fixes to combat global warming, attempts to "geo-engineer" the climate to counteract the build-up of greenhouse gases. A new study led by a professor at UCLA concludes there's no silver bullet to stop climate change. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/06/01/44472/geoengineering-isn-t-going-to-save-the-planet-says/ DROUGHT Drought brings California gold prospectors back to life. David Fiori, waist-deep in the chilly Kern River, braced against the current, stabbed a shovel into the ancient silt between his feet and tossed the muck downstream. His eyes, though, wandered to a potential prize — a spot on the opposite bank of the river. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-drought-gold-20140601-story.html#page=1 State cuts off many Russian River diverters. Due to a "water supply crisis," the State Water Resources Control Board for the first time is ordering more than 600 rights holders to stop diverting water from the Upper Russian River. Posted. http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/news/ci_25871601/state-cuts-off-many-russian-river-diverters Study finds medical pot farms draining California streams dry. Some drought-stricken rivers and streams in Northern California's coastal forests are being polluted and sucked dry by water-guzzling medical marijuana farms, wildlife officials say -- an issue that has spurred at least one county to try to outlaw personal grows. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_25876432/study-finds-medical-pot-farms-draining-california-streams?source=rss FUELS Special Report: How fracking helps America beat German industry. Nestled in the green hills of southern Germany, chemical giant Wacker Chemie churns out a wide range of products, from an ingredient for chewing gum to the polysilicon crystals in solar cells. The electricity to produce all that - enough power for more than 700,000 households annually - has become more costly at Wacker’s main factory in Burghausen. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/02/us-usa-germany-power-specialreport-idUSKBN0ED0CS20140602 Dueling studies highlight focus on climate impacts of renewable fuel standard. A couple of industry- and environmentalist-led studies on the greenhouse gas impact of the federal renewable fuel standard are shining a light on the biofuel policy's role in affecting climate change. The RFS, which calls on the United States to boost biofuels production to 36 billion gallons per year by 2022, has been used as an argument for jobs, for low-priced gasoline and for national security. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000519/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Durable design solves critical problem in making fuel from water. Using materials that are more durable, researchers are moving closer to a viable way to turn water into fuel using sunlight. The goal is to produce artificial photosynthesis, a process that mimics how plants grow, using only carbon dioxide, water, soil nutrients and the sun as raw materials. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000514/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Biofuel companies find help on K Street. Biofuel companies have brought on top-notch lobby firms as the battle over the renewable fuels standard continues in Washington, D.C. A rule by U.S. EPA to lower the biofuel requirement for refiners is expected to be finalized soon. Announced last November, that move by the agency was a blow to the biofuel industry, which argues it will lead to plant closures and layoffs. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060000547/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES First Drive: Volkswagen to enter U.S. electric market with e-Golf. For several years, Volkswagen has been watching the race to develop viable electric cars from the sidelines. But this fall, the German automaker will bring its first all-electric vehicle to the U.S., a battery-powered version of the venerable Golf, the hatchback that has sold more than 30 million copies globally over six generations. Dubbed the e-Golf, this model uses the same platform and body as gas- and diesel-powered Golfs, which have all been redesigned for the 2015 model year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-vw-e-golf-20140530-story.html GREEN ENERGY Can Calif. rule in energy storage? California, land of Google Inc., Apple Inc. and Hollywood, wants to add one more to the roster of industries it dominates. This time it's energy storage, an absolutely enormous emerging market where it has quietly been developing a substantial lead. The Golden State has more engineers and entrepreneurs figuring out how to store energy in phones, cars, buildings and power plants than anywhere else on Earth. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060000525/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS California’s air pollution laboratory in El Monte looking to move to a UC campus or Cal Poly Pomona. After 41 years in El Monte, the state’s venerable vehicle emissions laboratory made famous for developing landmark anti-smog regulations needs a new home. The California Air Resources Board’s Arie Jan Haagen-Smit Laboratory, housed in a series of nondescript buildings in the Flair Park office complex just south of 10 Freeway, received the go-ahead May 6 from the state Department of General Services…Posted. http://www.dailybulletin.com/environment-and-nature/20140602/californias-air-pollution-laboratory-in-el-monte-looking-to-move-to-a-uc-campus-or-cal-poly-pomona OPINIONS Carbon Capture Is the Best Answer. If all we had to do to solve the problem of climate change were to reduce the flow of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere to a sustainable level, then a cap and trade regime, or simply putting a price on carbon, would indeed be a good way to start. But it isn’t. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/06/01/can-the-market-stave-off-global-warming/carbon-capture-is-the-best-answer-to-climate-change Editorial: It’s high time California manages its underground water sources. This has to be the year that California finally starts to regulate groundwater. It has to be. Not since the drought of 1977 have water resources been in such dire straits. To cope, the state is taking drastic steps when it comes to surface water. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/02/6448051/editorial-its-high-time-california.html#storylink=cpy Brown’s steady march to an alternative energy future. California is poised to spend $120 billion by 2020 toward constructing a sustainable green economy. That’s a lot of money, about 10 times greater annually than the United Kingdom, with twice California’s population, invests on wind farms and other solar applications. These renewable investments solidify California’s role as a showcase the Obama administration can point to at the United Nations climate change talks…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/01/6443493/browns-steady-march-to-an-alternative.html#storylink=cpy EPA finally gets U.S. into climate game: Our View. In recent weeks, the scientific warnings about global warming have been coming in faster than a line of summer thunderstorms. Authoritative studies have documented rising sea levels, "irreversible" ice sheet melting, a northward migration of the tropics, and climate-induced conflict and instability. There's no guarantee that the Obama administration's new limits on carbon emissions from existing power plants, announced Monday, can reverse these ominous trends. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/06/02/epa-carbon-emissions-climate-change-editorials-debates/9780411/ New climate rules are a breath of fresh air. The debate on climate change is over. Scientists are now as certain that climate change is a real, man-made threat as they are that cigarettes kill. But cleaning up our air has much more to it than combating shifts in Earth's temperatures and environment. The administration's new pollution standards -- new Environmental Protection Agency regulations that place tough limits on emissions from coal-fired power plants...Posted. http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/02/opinion/brazile-climate-change-rules/index.html BLOGS Rah-Rah to ‘Nuts’: Five Faces of EPA Emissions Emoting. No surprise here: Many Democrats are big fans of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new proposed rules to govern carbon emissions while Republicans are aghast that President Barack Obama’s administration would try to implement curbs on coal-based power plants. House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) called the plan “nuts” while Sen. Bernie Sanders(I., Vt.) said “much more must be done to avoid a planetary crisis.” Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/06/02/rah-rah-to-nuts-five-faces-of-epa-emissions-emoting/ Why Obama’s car rules trump his new climate proposal. The Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to curb carbon dioxide from existing power plants has sparked both plaudits and critiques alike, with environmentalists calling it a critical way to save the planet and industry opponents predicting that it will devastate the economy. But here's a secret: The agency's previous efforts to impose the first-ever carbon limits on passenger cars and light trucks will do more…Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/06/02/why-obamas-car-rules-trump-his-new-climate-proposal/ The climate change science cop-out. If you’re asked about climate change science, duck and cover. That’s the spineless strategy of politicians and governments without the courage to discuss or encourage dialog on this important, timely issue. Politico reports some Republicans have recently evaded questions about climate change science with responses such as ”I am not a scientist” or “we are not experts”. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/05/30/the-climate-change-science-cop-out/ China’s Solar Panel Production Comes at a Dirty Cost. Although China may be a cheaper place than Europe for producing solar panels, the savings come at a higher cost to the environment, a new study says. Weaker environmental standards and the more highly polluting sources of energy used by Chinese manufacturers are the reasons for the discrepancy, according to research by Northwestern University and the United States Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/02/chinas-solar-panel-production-comes-at-a-dirty-cost/?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DPolitics%26region%3DTopBar%26WT.nav%3DsearchWidget%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F Tracking Obama’s Climate Rules for Power Plants. I’m in Beijing to participate in a week of meetings related to the unfolding international science effort called Future Earth, so I won’t be able to weigh in in a timely fashion on President Obama’s planned Monday release of regulations restricting carbon dioxide emissions from existing American power plants. You can follow coverage and commentary on this White House move in The Times here. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/tracking-obamas-climate-rules-for-power-plants/?module=BlogPost-ReadMore&version=Blog%20Main&action=Click&contentCollection=Climate%20Change&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DPolitics%26region%3DTopBar%26WT.nav%3DsearchWidget%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Rhetoric and Realities Around Obama’s ‘Carbon Pollution’ Power Plant Rules. With the release this morning of the Obama administration’s proposed regulations curbing emissions of heat-trapping gases from existing power plants, the battle to shape public attitudes is already in high gear. Republicans are scurrying to label the move a hidden “national energy tax” and “war on coal” (see the fine NBC online piece titled “Carbon Combat” for more). Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/02/a-look-at-rhetoric-and-realities-around-obamas-carbon-pollution-power-plant-rules/?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DPolitics%26region%3DTopBar%26WT.nav%3DsearchWidget%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2Fgreen%2Benergy%2F24hours%2F EPA: Global Warming Here and Now. As the Obama administration bolsters its climate agenda, the EPA reviews how climate change is being felt here and now. They’re seeing green. Just days from the release of long-awaited new emissions rules for power plants, the Obama administration has been ramping up its efforts to promote its global-warming agenda, highlighting the economic benefits of boosting clean energy and the consequences…Posted. http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2014/06/02/epa-global-warming-here-and-now EPA Releases Much-Anticipated Limits On Power Plant Emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled new standards on Monday, calling for a 30 percent cut in carbon emissions from power plants by 2030. The regulations are the first of their kind for the fleet of existing power plants, which currently produce 39 percent of U.S. emissions. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy described the rules in further detail at a press conference Monday morning. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/02/epa-carbon-rules_n_5428632.html New Rules for Power Plants: What They Mean for California. Going into Monday’s roll-out from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, there was optimism — if not clarity — over what proposed new regulation of power plant carbon emissions would mean for California. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/06/01/new-rules-for-power-plants-what-they-mean-for-california/ EPA Chief Claims Greenhouse Gas Rules Will Save Country Billions. New federal regulations that aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants will have a large economic upside, largely through health savings, says Gina McCarthy, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. "We are talking by 2030 having $90 billion in benefits," McCarthy told NPR's Robert Siegel in an interview airing on All Things Considered. Posted. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/06/02/318259180/epa-chief-claims-greenhouse-gas-rules-will-save-country-billions EPA Unveils New Proposal Targeting Greenhouse Gases. New federal regulations announced Monday aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 30 percent by 2030. The draft proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency has sparked opposition from industry groups who say the changes would be prohibitively expensive. But the proposal's backers say the rules are needed to cut carbon pollution that scientists say contributes to climate change. Posted. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/06/02/318151240/epa-to-unveil-new-proposal-targeting-greenhouse-gases AIR QUALITY: Pollution monitor installed near Sentinel power plant. An air pollution monitor now tracks emissions downwind of the CPV Sentinel power plant, one year after the 800-megawatt project went online near Desert Hot Springs. South Coast Air Quality Management District, the government agency which monitors air quality across much of Southern California, announced on Friday the new monitor has already collected data for a week. The natural gas-powered plant’s pollutants have been a source of controversy for those living nearby since before it opened last year. Posted. http://blog.pe.com/air-quality/2014/05/30/air-quality-pollution-monitor-installed-near-sentinel-power-plant/ Solar Roadways raises $1M for solar-panel covered roads. The concept of using roads as solar cells seems like a great idea until you start considering all of the damage that streets regularly have to handle. From freezing water to overloaded vehicles, the nation's highways take a lot of punishment. However, that isn't stopping Solar Roadways from refining its concept for a sun-powered surface that you can drive on.. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/06/02/solar-roadways-1million-indiegogo-video/ MIT figures out how to clean diesel trucks with RF signals. People rightfully dislike wireless signals being transmitted from the person behind the wheel when they text while drive, but there are times when a car's wireless signals can be good news. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a way to use wireless signals under the hood to help cut pollution from heavy-duty vehicles such as diesel-powered trucks. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/01/mit-figures-out-how-to-clean-diesel-trucks-with-rf-signals/ Wave 2014 sets new record, gathers 507 EVs in one place. Take that, everyone else who's tried to gather the most electric vehicles in one place at one time. The 2014 edition of the World Advanced Vehicle Expedition (WAVE) has set a new world record with 507 EVs in one parking lot in Stuttgart, Germany over the weekend. The tally has been certified by Guinness World Records, so Montreal will have to try harder. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/02/wave-2014-sets-new-record-gathers-507-evs/ Obama To Announce 30 Percent Cut to U.S. Carbon Emissions. President Obama is expected to announce today a new initiative by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce the United States' carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent from their 2005 levels by 2030. The plan, according to the New York Times, would be "the strongest actions ever taken by the United States government to fight climate change." Posted. http://gawker.com/obama-to-announce-30-percent-cut-to-u-s-carbon-emissio-1584694293 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2014 16:46:37 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 3, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 3, 2014. 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 Politics May Sour Cap-And-Trade Sweeteners in Obama Plan. Obama administration officials gave new life to cap-and-trade yesterday. Just don’t expect them to say so. Republicans championed the approach decades ago then rejected it when President Barack Obama pushed it in 2009. States may now view the politically toxic concept as a way to comply with limits on carbon emissions from power plants Obama proposed yesterday. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-06-03/politics-may-sour-cap-and-trade-sweeteners-in-obama-plan CLIMATE CHANGE Obama plan might help boost climate talks. President Barack Obama's proposal to curb U.S. greenhouse gas emissions might improve the chances of completing a global climate treaty but is unlikely to defuse demands by China, India and others for Americans to do more. Governments have set a goal of signing an agreement next year in Paris to curb emissions of climate-changing gases. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_OBAMA_GLOBAL_WARMING_TREATY_HOPES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Obama carbon rule to produce winners and losers. We'll increasingly be turning to companies that can help us waste less electricity - and generate cleaner power with nuclear reactors, natural gas-fired plants, wind turbines and solar panels - in response to the Obama Administration's proposed new carbon dioxide limits. The proposed limits will likely help the biggest U.S. natural gas producer, Exxon Mobil…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_GLOBAL_WARMING_WINNERS_AND_LOSERS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Australian PM backs Obama's greenhouse gas plan. Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who wants to remove Australia's unpopular carbon tax on industrial polluters, on Tuesday described President Barack Obama's plan to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions as sensible steps. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AUSTRALIA_GLOBAL_WARMING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/03/australian-pm-backs-obamas-greenhouse-gas-plan/#ixzz33avGUZgp 5 things to know about EPA's power plant rule. Five things to know about the Obama administration's plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the chief greenhouse gas, from power plants. HOW MUCH POLLUTION WILL IT REALLY CUT? The proposal announced Monday calls for the nation's fossil-fuel fired power plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_GLOBAL_WARMING_5_THINGS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Power plant plan further clouds coal's future. President Barack Obama's ambitious plan to reduce the gases blamed for global warming from the nation's power plants gives many coal-dependent states more lenient restrictions and won't necessarily be the primary reason coal-fired power plants will be retired. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_GLOBAL_WARMING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Adviser says china considers cap on CO2 emissions, possible turning point in climate talks. China is considering an absolute cap on its CO2 emissions from 2016, a senior adviser to the government said on Tuesday, a day after Washington announced new targets for its power sector, signaling a potential breakthrough in tough U.N. climate talks. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/03/us-china-climatechange-idUSKBN0EE1R620140603 Historic EPA global warming rules: How will they affect California? The Obama administration's announcement Monday of sweeping new rules aimed at curbing global warming emissions from power plants could boost profits at Silicon Valley companies that make solar panels, energy efficiency software and other clean technology. And California should have an easier time complying than other parts of the country…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25884259/historic-epa-global-warming-rules-how-will-they?source=rss http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25884259/Historic-EPA-global-warming-rules:-How Taking Page From Health Care Act, Obama Climate Plan Relies on States. President Obama’s new plan to fight climate change depends heavily on states’ devising individual approaches to meeting goals set in the nation’s capital, a strategy similar to the one he used to expand health care, often with rocky results. Rather than imposing a uniform standard for reducing power plant carbon emissions, the regulation unveiled on Monday offers the states flexibility to pick from a menu of policy options. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/us/politics/obama-epa-rule-coal-carbon-pollution-power-plants.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry392%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F In Debate Over Coal, Lessons From ’90s Tobacco Fight. The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed regulation of power plant emissions signals the beginning of a fight over coal and climate change. Any chance of a resolution is likely to depend on the combatants agreeing to a reduction in emissions in exchange for help to coal-dependent regions and assistance to workers struggling with higher energy costs. In that way, the so-called War on Coal is reminiscent of the War on Tobacco during the 1990s. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/us/politics/in-debate-over-coal-lessons-from-90s-tobacco-fight.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry392%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Key Details of E.P.A. Carbon Emissions Proposal. A rule proposed by the Enivironmental Protection Agency would cut carbon pollution from power plants 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 – the equivalent, according to the agency, of taking two-thirds of all cars and trucks in America off the road. Here are some things to know about the rule. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/us/politics/key-details-of-epa-carbon-emissions-proposal.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry392%23%2Femissions%2F24hours%2F Health Experts See Benefits in Push to Cut Pollution. The Obama administration contends that its new plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants will not just fight climate change, but will also quickly improve public health, preventing up to 100,000 asthma attacks and 2,100 heart attacks in the first year the rules take effect. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/health/health-experts-see-benefits-in-push-to-cut-pollution.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry392%23%2Fair%2Bpollution%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 A sampling of states' reaction to carbon cuts plan. A sampling of states' reactions to President Barack Obama's plan for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants: states most reliant on coal for electricity. KENTUCKY: Not surprisingly, the proposal is widely unpopular in Kentucky, which gets 92 percent of its electricity from coal - more than any other state except West Virginia - and is the nation's third-largest coal producer. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/02/a-sampling-of-states-reaction-to-carbon-cuts/#ixzz33asMVxXh Hawaii ahead of many states on Obama climate goal. Hawaii is ahead most other states in accomplishing President Barack Obama's goals to cut carbon levels. The Obama administration announced a plan Monday to cut carbon dioxide emissions from power plants nationwide by 30 percent by 2030. Power plant emissions are the largest source of greenhouse gases in the country. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/02/hawaii-ahead-of-many-states-on-obama-climate/#ixzz33atcQasv California governor applauds global warming fight. Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday welcomed President Barack Obama's global warming initiative, saying it shows the administration is willing to confront climate change. The Democratic governor touted the state's aggressive energy-saving programs, saying they already generate billions of dollars in savings and more than a million jobs as a result of clean-energy efforts. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/02/california-governor-applauds-global-warming-fight/ Obama plan might help boost climate talks. President Barack Obama's proposal to curb U.S. greenhouse gas emissions might improve the chances of completing a global climate treaty but is unlikely to defuse demands by China, India and others for Americans to do more. Governments have set a goal of signing an agreement next year in Paris to curb emissions of climate-changing gases. Unlike the previous 1997 Kyoto Protocol…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/03/obama-plan-might-help-boost-climate-talks/ New York in group welcoming pollution cuts. While New York and eight other Eastern states report cutting power plant pollution by 40 percent over the past decade, the Obama administration has proposed national guidelines calling for new steep cuts over the next 15 years. The states' effort, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which sets pollution caps and requires using or buying credits to exceed them, welcomed Monday's federal proposal. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/02/new-york-in-group-welcoming-pollution-cuts/#ixzz33axkNBLz EPA proposes first-of-its-kind regulation to help curb climate change. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday proposed states reduce carbon emissions from existing power plants by 30 percent in 16 years, an ambitious plan to curb greenhouse gases that cause global climate change. A first-ever nationwide proposal, local energy experts say it won’t have much of an effect on California utilities. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140602/epa-proposes-first-of-its-kind-regulation-to-help-curb-climate-change CLIMATE CHANGE - SPANISH MEDIA El gran movimiento ambiental de Obama: exigir la reducción de carbono. El presidente de Estados Unidos, Barack Obama, está utilizando su autoridad ejecutiva para tomar su medida más fuerte en contra del cambio climático, proponiendo nuevas regulaciones de la Agencia de Protección del Medio Ambiente (EPA por sus siglas en inglés). Posted. http://mexico.cnn.com/planetacnn/2014/06/02/el-gran-movimiento-ambiental-de-obama-exigir-la-reduccion-de-carbono?hpt=ila_bn1 OPINIÓN: Las nuevas reglas sobre el cambio climático son un respiro. El debate sobre el cambio climático terminó. Los científicos están tan seguros de que es una amenaza real, creada por el hombre, tanto como están seguros de que los cigarrillos matan. Sin embargo, limpiar nuestro aire implica más que combatir los cambios en la temperatura y el ambiente en la Tierra. Posted. http://mexico.cnn.com/opinion/2014/06/03/opinion-las-nuevas-reglas-sobre-el-cambio-climatico-son-un-respiro Reducirán emisiones contaminantes de plantas energéticas. La administración Obama busca reducir en 30% las emisiones de plantas energéticas, lo que protegería la salud de la gente y el medio ambiente. Posted. http://univision41.univision.com/noticias/estadosunidos/videos-de-estados-unidos/video/2014-06-02/planean-reducir-contaminantes-de-plantas-energeticas The Obscure 1970 Compromise That Made Obama’s Climate Rules Possible. On Monday, the Obama administration unveiled its plan to establish national limits on carbon-dioxide emissions from existing power plants. Critics of the move say that President Obama is making an end run around Congress, stretching the law to achieve by executive action what he could not accomplish through the legislative branch. This is flat wrong. Posted. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-obscure-1970-compromise-that-made-obamas-climate-rules-possible-107351.html#ixzz33bfr7uTu Scars from last climate bill show up in ambitious EPA power plant rule. Five years is a lifetime when it comes to the politics of climate change. On June 26, 2009, people jammed the U.S. House galleries to watch the chamber led by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) vote on a bill that would cap industrial carbon dioxide emissions for the first time in U.S. history. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060000604/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Drought prompts Roseville water surcharge. Roseville residents will soon be paying a few more dollars on their water bill, a direct result of the state’s drought. The city’s water utility announced Monday it would be implementing a so-called “drought surcharge” starting June 15. The temporary fee would be equivalent to 15 percent of the monthly water use charge and would apply to both commercial and residential customers. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/03/6447193/roseville-plans-drought-surcharge.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News#storylink=cpy DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB hits harvesting company with $141,000 fine. The California Air Resources Board has fined JR Custom Harvesting Company Inc. of Salinas and its associates New Venture Trucking LLC, and Zion Harvest Company Inc., a total of $140,925 for a variety of air quality violations relating to the company’s diesel vehicle fleet. Posted. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/templates/print.cfm?ID=25985 FUELS Coal Will Survive as Efficient Power Plants Boost Demand. President Barack Obama’s plan to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions left coal with a future even as the industry accuses him of trying to make the fuel obsolete. The proposal, released yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency, calls for reductions in carbon dioxide pollutants of 30 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels to stem climate change. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-02/coal-seen-surving-as-efficient-power-plants-boost-demand.html Gas boom dulls carbon rule's effect. Despite fears that the Obama administration's proposed rule to curb carbon-dioxide pollution could wreak severe damage on the economy, the true effect is likely to be much more modest. And a key reason can be linked to the nation's boom in natural gas production. The Environmental Protection Agency, in announcing plans Monday to reduce power plant emissions 30% by 2030 from 2005 levels…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-epa-economy-20140603-story.html VEHICLES Eight U.S. States Promise to do More to Encourage Electric Car, ZEV Adoption. Thanks to the combined effect of the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate from its Air Resources Board and neat perks like being able to drive an electric car in the carpool lane regardless of how many people are on board, California has helped lead America’s electric car revolution. Posted. http://transportevolved.com/2014/06/02/eight-u-s-states-promise-encourage-electric-car-zev-adoption/ GREEN ENERGY Chevron Dims the Lights on Green Power. In January, employees of Chevron’s (CVX) renewable power group, whose mission was to launch large, profitable clean-energy projects, dined at San Francisco’s trendy Sens restaurant as managers applauded them for nearly doubling their projected profit in 2013, the group’s first full year of operations. But the mood quickly turned somber. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/203828-chevron-dims-the-lights-on-green-power Caltech breakthrough keeps solar energy generators from corroding quickly. The beach isn’t the only place where the positive effects of sunscreen can be found this summer — it can also be found inside Caltech laboratories. Researchers at the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis have created a new way to keep semiconductors used in solar fuel generators from corroding in a matter of minutes…Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/science/20140602/caltech-breakthrough-keeps-solar-energy-generators-from-corroding-quickly OPINIONS Carbon-Income Inequality. President Obama vowed last year that he wouldn't wait on Congress to bless his anticarbon agenda, and the rule his Environmental Protection Agency proposed on Monday is equal to that promise. The agency is bidding to transform and nationalize U.S. energy the way ObamaCare is doing to medicine, but in this case without even the pretense of democratic consent. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/carbon-income-inequality-1401752504 Nearing a Climate Legacy. The greenhouse gas reductions required by the Obama administration’s proposed rule on power plants will not get the world to where it has to go to avert the worst consequences of climate change. But they are likely to be enormously beneficial: good for the nation’s health, good for technological innovation, good for President Obama’s credibility abroad, and, in time, good for the planet and future generations. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/opinion/nearing-a-climate-legacy.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry392%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Letter: Proposed carbon pollution standards worthy of support. President Obama made a promise in his second inaugural address, stating, “If Congress won’t act on climate, I will.” In line with the president’s Climate Action Plan, the EPA has now proposed carbon pollution standards for existing power plants across the country. According to the Supreme Court, the EPA has the authority under the Clean Air Act to do so. Posted. http://www.concordmonitor.com/opinion/12229765-95/letter-proposed-carbon-pollution-standards-worthy-of-support BLOGS 6 Q’s About the News | Unveiling New Carbon Plan, E.P.A. Focuses on Flexibility. WHAT did the Obama administration announce on Monday? WHAT is the largest source of carbon pollution in the United States? WHO is Gina McCarthy? HOW is President Obama using his executive authority to act on climate change, even though Congress refused to pass climate change legislation during his first term? Posted. http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/6-qs-about-the-news-unveiling-new-carbon-plan-e-p-a-focuses-on-flexibility/?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry392%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Nissan sells 3,117 Leaf EVs in May, climbs over 3,000 for first time ever. Chalk up a big win for the Nissan Leaf. In May, the world's most popular electric vehicle sold a record 3,117 units, the first time any pure electric vehicle has sold over 3,000 units in a month in the US (unless Tesla managed that feat but rolled the number into a quarterly report). This marks the 15th month in a row of record Leaf sales and the seventh where the Leaf was the top EV seller in the US. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/03/nissan-leaf-sells-3117-may-climbs-over-3000-first-time/ EPA proposes new rules to make US power plants 30 percent cleaner by 2030. A year ago, President Obama put the electricity industry on notice and said that he would implement some sort of limits on carbon emissions. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a proposed rule for cleaner electricity generating plants and it would go a long way towards making the "long tailpipe" of electric vehicles even cleaner. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/02/epa-new-rules-make-us-power-plants-30-percent-cleaner-2030/ Famous Sunset Paintings Reflect Key Air Pollution Events From the Past. Last month the Bay Area saw 2014′s first Spare the Air alert, even as we face an extra-dry fire season with prospects of worsening air quality. On the bright side, we’re in for some beautiful sunsets! Air pollution scatters light, producing vivid reds that have been faithfully captured by landscape painters over the last 500 years. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/06/03/famous-sunset-paintings-reflect-key-air-pollution-events-from-the-past/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:22:04 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 4, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 4, 2014. 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 Calif. prepares for joint auctions of carbon permits with Quebec. California's cap-and-trade market for carbon emissions is readying to hold joint auctions with Quebec starting this fall. The Golden State's Air Resources Board (ARB) announced yesterday that California and the Canadian province will hold a practice auction next month. If that's successful, they will sell carbon permits jointly for the first time in November. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000685/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EPA proposal spurs talk of Western emissions program. California has long said that it didn't want to go it alone running a cap-and-trade program to force down the carbon emissions blamed for climate change. Now there's renewed talk that it could have imitators or even partners. U.S. EPA's proposal ordering cuts in greenhouse gas emissions at existing power plants creates motivation for states to look at programs like California's cap and trade, analysts and some West Coast state officials said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060000622/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE US lauded in Africa for new coal emission proposal. Leaders at a U.S.-Africa summit on energy congratulated and thanked the United States for a new Obama administration proposal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, the U.S. secretary of energy said Wednesday. Ernest Moniz attended a two-day summit in Ethiopia to explore strategies to accelerate the development of clean energy sources…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_AFRICA_POWER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT A look at US, EU and Chinese climate action goals. The new U.S. effort to curb greenhouse gas pollution sees Washington rallying behind the European Union in the fight against global warming and might also help spur emerging economies like China to take action. Climate change can only be tackled at a global level and chief responsibility lies with the biggest polluters: China, the U.S. and the EU. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBAMA_GLOBAL_WARMING_GLANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Carbon standards for reservation plants delayed. Two of the Southwest's largest coal-fired power plants straddle the San Juan River in northwestern New Mexico, one within clear view of the other. But one of them didn't factor into the Obama administration's plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions across the nation because it is on an American Indian reservation. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GLOBAL_WARMING_TRIBES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT US hottest spots of warming: Northeast, Southwest. The United States is warming fastest at two of its corners, in the Northeast and the Southwest, an analysis of federal temperature records shows. Northeastern states - led by Maine and Vermont - have gotten the hottest in the last 30 years in annual temperature, gaining 2.5 degrees on average. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_WARMEST_STATES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Obama Emission Rules Discount Gas Leaks, Scientists Say. President Barack Obama’s plan to fight global warming underestimates pollution from natural gas, according to scientists studying how leaks affect the climate. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week proposed requiring power plants to cut greenhouse-gas emissions 30 percent from their 2005 levels by 2030, largely by burning natural gas instead of coal. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-04/obama-emission-rules-discount-gas-leaks-scientists-say.html Obama Relying on Consensus Builder to Steer Carbon Plan. As an Obama administration team was crafting its plan to fight climate change, one nightmare haunted it: The troubled rollout of Obamacare. Both plans are major parts of President Barack Obama’s legacy, being fought vigorously by Republicans. And both would succeed only with the help of an unlikely -- and often unwilling -- set of governors and industry groups. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-04/obama-relying-on-consensus-builder-to-steer-carbon-plan.html U.S. carbon plan will not reach climate goals: study. A U.S. plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants is not enough to achieve its goals for limiting climate change, and all nations will need to significantly step up actions to curb warming, a group of scientists said in a report on Wednesday. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/04/us-climatechange-un-tracker-idUSKBN0EF14I20140604 US wins praise for carbon cuts at UN talks, told to do more. The United States won praise at U.N. talks on climate change on Wednesday for its plan to cut carbon emissions, but a group of scientists said it too little to put the world on track to limit global warming. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/04/us-climatechange-un-idUSKBN0EF0CS20140604 Obama: U.S., EU must commit to ambitious emissions targets. U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday touted new proposals from his administration to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and said the United States and Europe had to lead by example in fighting global warming. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/03/us-usa-eu-climatechange-idUSKBN0EE1A720140603 EPA policy change may hinge on 1 word. The coming legal battle over President Obama's far-reaching climate-change rules will probably turn on the meaning of one word in the Clean Air Act of 1970 — "system." Under the landmark anti-pollution law, the Environmental Protection Agency is empowered to require states to apply "the best system of emission reduction" to existing power plants. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-epa-climate-legal-20140604-story.html EPA greenhouse gas rule may lay new bet on future natural gas supplies. The Obama administration's ambitious plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants 30% by 2030 is laying another big bet on future U.S. natural gas supplies. The boom in U.S. production, the result of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling into shale formations, has sharply boosted the availability of gas since 2009…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-epa-natural-gas-20140602-story.html A Paltry Start in Curbing Global Warming. Tim Jackson, professor of sustainable development at the University of Surrey in Britain, uses a nifty back-of-the-envelope calculation to underscore the challenge of giving the world’s poor a shot at prosperity while preventing a global climate disaster. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/business/economy/a-paltry-start-in-curbing-global-warming.html?ref=earth Twitter Chat About New E.P.A. Carbon Pollution Regulations. Coral Davenport, who reports on energy and environment policy from the Washington bureau of The New York Times, answered questions on Tuesday from readers on Twitter. The discussion was spurred by President Obama’s announcement of Environmental Protection Agency regulations to cut emissions rates from the nation’s power plants 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/us/politics/coral-davenport-obama-epa-carbon-regulations.html?ref=earth States May Look to California for Ways To Meet EPA Rule. California and other states that have already adopted climate policies have an advantage over states that waited for proposed federal rules mandating plans to curb carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, California Air Resources Board Chairman Mary D. Nichols said June 2. As a result, neighboring states may want to look at what California is doing, Nichols told Bloomberg BNA…Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-06-03/states-may-look-to-california-for-ways-to-meet-epa-rule Vulnerable Democrats fight EPA emissions rule. Vulnerable Democratic candidates and lawmakers are distancing themselves from President Obama’s new regulations on power plant emissions that will harm the coal industry. The Environmental Protection Agency has announced carbon dioxide emissions limits for existing power plants which the agency says will force the retirement of coal-fired power plants…Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/03/vulnerable-democrats-fight-epas-co2-emissions-rule/ Delays on climate action could hurt the economy. Postponing climate policies could hurt the economy more than if they are enacted quickly, new research shows, perhaps raising questions about the sluggishness of the White House's new carbon rules. Economists with the Brookings Institution found that a carbon tax that is implemented now would cost less and reduce more national debt than a similar tax that is put in place eight years later. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000683/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Nation's biggest carbon emitter is well-positioned to weather EPA rule. In Texas, elected leaders don't flinch when a new directive heads their way from Washington. Especially when it's from U.S. EPA. So it came as no surprise Monday when two Republicans -- Rick Perry, the current Texas governor, and Greg Abbott, the attorney general and gubernatorial nominee -- blasted a proposed U.S. EPA rule on power plants …Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060000661/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT More California Water Users Receive Notices of Curtailment. In a cascade of notices, the State Water Resources Control Board told junior water-rights holders in the state's major watersheds last week to immediately stop diverting water. The board said extreme drought leaves the watersheds without enough water to serve all water-rights holders. Posted. http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/mariposa-daily-news-2014/179-june/13671-more-california-water-users-receive-notices-of-curtailment DIESEL EMISSIONS Want a CARB extension? Deadline for reefer orders approaches. The California Air Resources Board says reefer owners must have emissions upgrade orders placed by late summer and fall in order to be eligible for any time extensions. CARB’s Transportation Refrigeration Unit rule requires reefers and gen sets to be upgraded within seven years of the manufacture date. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27124#.U49Pi_ldWSo FUELS Kentucky plant emblematic of move from coal to gas. In the shadow of Paradise Fossil Plant's aging smokestacks, where white steam and carbon dioxide rise into the sky, outdated coal-fired generators are being replaced with one that runs on natural gas. The change in Muhlenberg County, once the nation's top producer of coal, is emblematic of what's been happening across the U.S. as natural gas becomes cheaper and…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GLOBAL_WARMING_COAL_TO_GAS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Keystone XL pipeline vulnerable to attacks, NextGen study says. The Keystone XL oil pipeline project would be vulnerable to attacks that could cause heavy crude to be spilled in farm regions dependent on fresh water, according to a report by NextGen Climate, a political group led by billionaire activist Tom Steyer. Attackers could damage remote pump stations along the pipeline's route in the northern Great Plains…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/04/us-usa-keystone-vulnerability-idUSKBN0EF1RQ20140604 Gasoline Demand Drops From Three-Year High After Holiday. Gasoline demand in the U.S. fell from the highest level in almost three years following the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Gasoline supplied to wholesalers, a proxy for demand, slid 2.2 percent, to 9.1 million barrels a day in the seven days ended May 30, the Energy Information Administration reported. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-04/gasoline-demand-drops-from-three-year-high-after-holiday.html The Potential Downside of Natural Gas. Conventional wisdom, strongly promoted by the natural gas industry, is that natural gas drives down American emissions of carbon dioxide, by substituting for carbon-rich coal. The climate stabilization plan announced by the Obama administration on Monday relies on that. But in other ways, cheap natural gas drives emissions up. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/business/energy-environment/the-potential-downside-of-natural-gas.html?ref=earth GREEN ENERGY U.S. Imposes Steep Tariffs on Importers of Chinese Solar Panels. The Commerce Department on Tuesday imposed steep duties on importers of Chinese solar panels made from certain components, asserting that the manufacturers had benefited from unfair subsidies. The duties will range from 18.56 to 35.21 percent, the department said. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/business/energy-environment/us-imposing-duties-on-some-chinese-solar-panels.html?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%5B%22RI%3A6%22%2C%22RI%3A12%22%5D&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DSectionFront%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3Dscience%26t%3Dqry931%23%2Fgreen%2Benergy%2F24hours%2F World's solar installations rise as Asia takes lead. Solar power installations rose 28 percent globally last year to 38.4 gigawatts as Asia surpassed Europe for the first time to become the biggest market for the technology, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association said in a report. "Europe's situation at the end of last year shows that photovoltaic technology remains policy-driven," …Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000647/print BY SUBSCRIPITON ONLY China-made solar panels have twice the CO2 footprint of European ones – study. After a leading Chinese solar panel maker was found to be causing air and water pollution in 2011, people began to wonder how green China's process of producing green energy was. This question has been answered by scientists from Northwestern University and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000655/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.S. approves Fla. test facility for current-powered energy systems. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a lease to Florida Atlantic University yesterday for a first-of-its-kind facility to test devices powered by the ocean's currents. According to BOEM, the new test site is part of the Obama administration's Climate Action Plan to develop domestic clean energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas pollution. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000684/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS RPT-COLUMN-U.S. refiners struggle with too much light crude: Kemp. Most of the extra oil produced in the United States in the next two years will be light crudes and condensates that domestic refineries will struggle to process - intensifying pressure for at least a partial relaxation of the country's export ban. U.S. oil production is set to increase by another 2 million barrels per day in 2014-15. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/03/usa-oil-exports-kemp-idUSL6N0OJ4CH20140603 Coal Pollution and Climate Change. Re “Obama to Take Action to Slash Coal Pollution” (front page, June 2): The U.S. Chamber of Congress, the coal industry, coal-state Democrats and Republican members of Congress are objecting to new environmental rules, claiming that they will be too expensive, disruptive or difficult to achieve. This country has become great because of individuals and groups…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/opinion/coal-pollution-and-climate-change.html Wasting cap-and-trade money on the bullet train. As one who voted for California's high-speed train in 2008 but has since lost faith in its current design, route and budget, I feel that a better use of some of those cap-and-trade funds to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would be to finally set up a robust loan or rebate program for low- to middle-income property owners — especially seniors on fixed incomes — for installing solar panels. ("Bullet train funding is bargaining chip in state budget debate," May 30) Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0604-wednesday-bullet-train-20140604-story.html EPA strikes a blow for the planet. The debate over reducing carbon dioxide emissions to combat global warming brings us to the truth: Saving money is more important than saving the planet. In its shortsightedness, big business — led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — will fight this proposal to the death. ("New EPA rule seeks to cut carbon emissions 30% by 2030," June 1) Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0604-wednesday-epa-carbon-coal-20140604-story.html Don't buy the smear of the EPA. The nation's worst polluters and their allies have launched a propaganda campaign to convince you that the Environmental Protection Agency's new carbon pollution standards are nothing more than a backdoor energy tax that will kill jobs and cost you money. That campaign is a lie. And what's at stake is too important to let the lie stand, or even start. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-beinecke-epa-coal-jobs-costs-20140604-story.html The EPA's greenhouse gas rule may be too flexible. Here's some irony for you: By trying to make its new greenhouse gas proposal less draconian for states and power companies, the Environmental Protection Agency may have made it more vulnerable to a lawsuit -- by states and power companies. A legal battle was probably inevitable, considering that many states are led by Republicans who don't believe that climate change is happening or, if it is, that humans are causing it. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-epa-greenhouse-rules-legal-attack-20140603-story.html Now, about that solar farm next door. Last year, when the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power kicked off a new program to buy electricity from local solar installations, city leaders along with environmentalists and business groups said it would be the nation's largest urban rooftop solar program and would allow hundreds of building owners to create sun-fueled power plants on their roofs or over parking lots. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-dwp-solar-20140604-story.html What candidate Obama said about coal in 2008. What would you ask a presidential candidate? When President Obama was still Senator Obama, a first-time candidate for president, I asked him about his thoughts on the coal industry. (He introduced a bill supporting coal-to-liquid fuels.) Given the Bay Area's concern about global warming, I thought it was an important issue for voters here to consider. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/What-candidate-Obama-said-about-coal-in-2008-5525448.php Our View: California has left coal behind; now others will, too. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations proposed Monday by the Obama administration will have a familiar ring to Californians, though they’re groundbreaking almost everywhere else. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/03/3371638/our-view-california-has-left-coal.html#storylink=cpy Cutting through the smog. The Obama administration has finally rolled out its centerpiece climate change policy. It is a praiseworthy, solid step, taken in the face of withering opposition, something California started implementing years ago. And even though the plan is good, it is not enough. Posted. http://www.dailydemocrat.com/editorials/ci_25892085/cutting-through-smog BLOGS Green(ish) energy. This week, the EPA unveiled its new rule to cut carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 (that is, 30% from 2005 levels). Most of those cuts will come from burning less coal, which is currently the source of about 38% of the United States’ electricity. Conservatives rushed to oppose the new rule, calling it “Obama’s War on Coal”. Posted. http://blogs.reuters.com/counterparties/2014/06/03/greenish-energy/ The ad war over EPA’s climate rule has begun. The Environmental Protection Agency’s draft rule to limit carbon from existing power plants is just two days old, but it’s already sparked an ad war. The American Lung Association today will launch a national television ad buy featuring a sleeping baby drawing deep breaths, touting the fact that the regulation would close the “loophole” that allows industry to “pump unlimited carbon pollution into his air.” Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/06/04/the-ad-war-over-epas-climate-rule-has-begun/ Behind the Mask – A Reality Check on China’s Plans for a Carbon Cap. Having covered China’s stance on global warming since 1988, I’ve gotten attuned to the need to tread carefully when something is said that feels like a shift in the official position of this greenhouse gas giant. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/behind-the-mask-a-reality-check-on-chinas-plans-for-a-carbon-cap/?action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%5B%22RI%3A6%22%2C%22RI%3A12%22%5D&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DSectionFront%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3Dscience%26t%3Dqry931%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F Climate change needs agreement. Thomas Friedman’s observation in his column “Climate change needs urgent action,” May 25, that “(A)cting today as if climate change requires an urgent response (such as) a carbon tax … actually makes us healthier, more prosperous and more resilient, even if climate change turns out to be overblown” mirrors a recent argument by conservative economist Irwin Stelzer in the Weekly Standard:…Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion/climate-change-needs-agreement/29324/ Energy Efficiency Critical To Achieving EPA Carbon Standards, Boosting the Economy. There is overwhelming evidence that saving energy lowers electric bills while increasing comfort, supporting a growing workforce, and reducing harmful carbon pollution. And that’s why the Environmental Protection Agency and others are betting energy efficiency will play a major role in meeting EPA’s proposed carbon pollution standards, which allow states flexibility in reaching their emissions reduction targets. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/scarter/energy_efficiency_critical_to.html Ditching your car could save you over $10,000 a year. Looking to line your pockets with some extra cash? Perhaps it's time to give up driving. A sobering report from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) says that people using public transit in the 20 cities with the most riders save an average of $848 dollars a month, or $10,181 a year. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/04/ditching-your-car-could-save-you-over-10-000-a-year/ California state senate says Charge Ahead for more EVs. When it comes to pro-electric vehicle mandates, California is headed into summer with a full head of steam. Or at least battery power. The Golden State continues to take steps to ensure the pieces are in place for aggressive adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by its residents during the next decade. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/03/california-says-charge-ahead-for-more-evs/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 13:16:01 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 5, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 5, 2014. 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 California investigating validity of 4.3 mln carbon offset credits. California is reviewing half of the offset credits it has issued for its carbon market while regulators investigate whether wrongdoing at an incineration facility in Arkansas rendered those credits out of compliance with the cap and trade program's rules. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/06/05/usa-california-carbonoffset-idINL1N0OM01R20140605 AIR POLLUTION Bill to preserve beach bonfire rings passes state Senate committee. The legislation draws questions because some say the pits are still widely used after a mandate that only charcoal be burned. A bill to safeguard beach bonfire rings by requiring coastal regulators to sign off before rings can be removed or their use restricted passed Wednesday out of the state Senate Environmental Quality committee. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bill-617111-rings-beach.html Monitor tracks downwind pollution from Sentinel power plant. An air pollution monitor now tracks emissions downwind of the CPV Sentinel power plant, one year after the 800-megawatt project went online near Desert Hot Springs. South Coast Air Quality Management District, the government agency which monitors air quality across much of Southern California, announced on Friday the new $52,000 monitor began collecting data May 23. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/plant-695714-air-monitor.html Gov. Herbert has concerns about new pollution cuts. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said Wednesday that President Barack Obama's new plan to cut pollution discharged by America's power plants will likely raise electricity rates for consumers and cost the state jobs. He said the state is in good shape to make the transition from coal-powered plants to natural gas because the state has been taking steps in that direction for the past nine years…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/04/new-pollution-cuts-on-agenda-at-utah-energy/#ixzz33mU0X6Kz Feds could impose air plan on Arizona. A 2010 state law designed to prevent Arizona from limiting greenhouse gases could prevent state regulators from coming up with a plan to limit carbon dioxide emissions from power plants without approval from the Republican-controlled Legislature, which has repeatedly opposed new federal regulations. That means the federal government could be left to choose how to implement new air rules proposed by President Barack Obama this week. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/04/feds-could-impose-air-plan-on-arizona/#ixzz33mWJa3bj CLIMATE CHANGE Interior chief: Jamestown at risk from rising seas. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell got a firsthand look Thursday at the effect of climate change on ever-receding Jamestown island, concluding that America's first permanent European settlement is clearly vulnerable to rising seas. Led by National Park Service rangers, Jewell trekked around the island, where some sections now lie beneath the James River…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DISAPPEARING_JAMESTOWN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Interior-chief-Jamestown-at-risk-from-rising-seas-5530086.php China Working to Cap Emissions as Soon as Possible: Xie. China is working on how to cap its greenhouse gas for the first time, an effort that would spur the worldwide effort hold back climate change. The world’s biggest producer of fossil fuel emissions has been studying for more than a year how and when it might be able to make its pollution levels peak and hopes to act as soon as possible, said Xie Zhenhua…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-05/china-working-to-cap-emissions-as-soon-as-possible-xie.html Time to take climate change quite seriously. Even for people who don't believe in it, climate change just got real. It's about time. The Obama administration's proposed new rule for existing power plants - reducing heat-trapping carbon emissions by up to 30 percent by 2030 - is ambitious enough to get anyone's attention. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140605/A_OPINION0608/406050314/0/SEARCH Some states already lashing at climate rule. Long before President Barack Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency unveiled its major climate rule for power plants this week, legislators around the country were working to undercut it with a big money conservative group nudging them along. In at least eight states, lawmakers have approved symbolic anti-EPA resolutions based on a model approved by the American Legislative Exchange Council…Posted. http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/obama-climate-rule-states-lash-out-107450.html#ixzz33myrasPu Scientists report breakthrough in capturing CO2 from natural gas production. A research team says it may have a better way to capture carbon dioxide from natural gas wells. The team's results, published this week in Nature Communications, unveil a patented material that, at least in a lab, can capture CO2 from natural gas more cheaply and efficiently than typical amine scrubbers on natural gas processing facilities. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000758/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Severe Flooding May Follow Summer Fires Out West, Thanks to El Nino. Drought-stricken states in the western United States could face severe flash flooding later in the year due to the combination of an intense wildfire season in the summer and a strong El Niño event the following winter. Posted. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/severe-flooding-may-follow-summer-fires-out-west-thanks-to-el-nino/ DIESEL EMISSIONS Ship Operators Propose Drones to Hunt Sulfur Scofflaws. Container carriers may find it difficult to pass on the cost as the oversupply of ships persists. The world’s biggest shipping companies will call on authorities to deploy drones in enforcing new pollution controls that may tempt competitors to use cheaper, dirtier fuel and undercut prices. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-04/ship-operators-propose-drones-to-hunt-sulfur-scofflaws.html VEHICLES Electric-car company Tesla Motors might be able to stay plugged in in New Jersey. The Assembly's consumer affairs committee on Thursday unanimously advanced a bill that would allow electric car manufacturers to sell vehicles directly to residents. The companies would be required to operate maintenance facilities in the state. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Bill-to-allow-Tesla-to-sell-in-New-Jersey-advances-5530414.php GREEN ENERGY Energy storage: The hot new thing in Silicon Valley. First, Randy Ross bought a Chevy Volt. Faced with the need to charge his car and eager to cut his utility bill, he installed solar panels on the roof of his Pleasanton home. Now Ross, 61, has taken the next big step toward energy independence: his own battery storage system, which gives him a source of backup power and could ultimately…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_25900627/energy-storage-hot-new-thing-silicon-valley State renewable energy mandates raise power prices by only tiny amounts so far – study. Electricity ratepayers in states with renewable portfolio standards (RPSs) have seen their power bills increase slightly as utilities and other power providers work to incorporate more wind, solar and biomass energy into their fuel mixes. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/06/05/stories/1060000742 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EPA proposal unlikely to be a game changer for clean energy 'innovation' Despite White House promises to "spur" innovation in drumming up support for the new U.S. EPA rule to cut carbon emissions on existing power plants, the rule if enacted will not create any great leap forward in clean energy technology. The rule would not solicit a surge of investment for advanced energy storage and batteries; flexible, paper-thin solar panels would not become the building material of choice because states are looking for cleaner generation. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060000787/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY BLOGS What’s News in Washington: Obama Talks Climate Change at Summit. Good Thursday morning. Political controversies over a prisoner swap with the Taliban and the scandal at the Department of Veterans Affairs are still swirling in Washington, but on this warm and gloomy day, President Obama has a busy agenda across the pond. Mr. Obama is meeting with foreign leaders at the Group of 7 in Brussels to discuss energy, climate change and, of course…Posted. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/05/whats-news-in-washington-obama-talks-climate-change-at-summit/?_php=true&_type=blogs&action=click&module=Search®ion=searchResults&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%5B%22RI%3A6%22%2C%22RI%3A12%22%5D&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry377%23%2Fclimate%2Bchange%2F24hours%2F&_r=0 Energy Choices. Nate Silver got a lot of grief when he chose Roger Pielke Jr., of all people, to write about environment for the new 538. Pielke is regarded among climate scientists as a concern troll – someone who pretends to be open-minded, but is actually committed to undermining the case for emissions limits any way he can. But is this fair? Posted. http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/05/energy-choices/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Opinion&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&_r=0 Power Plant Rule A Tipping Point For Clean Energy Economy. For those of us (and all of you) who’ve been urging the government to implement meaningful climate policy, the release yesterday of a plan to cut carbon emissions from power plants has been a long time coming. But it finally came. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed carbon pollution rule for existing fossil-fueled power plants – also known as the Clean Power Plan – are a huge win for our climate. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/edfenergyexchange/2014/06/04/power-plant-rule-a-tipping-point-for-clean-energy-economy/ Average new-vehicle MPG climbs yet again, to 25.6. April Fools! That dip in new-car fuel economy during the fourth month of this year was in fact an aberration. The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) calculated the weighted average of new-car fuel economy and determined that new car month-over-month fuel economy in May rose for the fourth time in five months. Better yet, May represented a monthly record high. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/05/average-new-vehicle-mpg-climbs-yet-again-to-25-6/ Tucson hydrogen fuel cell CUV will allow Hyundai to sell more dirty cars. With the first Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell Vehicle deliveries happening soon (a bit later than expected), it's time for the Korean automaker to explain why it's offering the H2 CUV here in the states. After all, there are only 10 public hydrogen stations in the US today, according to the DOE, so it can't be to take over the market. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/04/tucson-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cuv-allow-hyundai-sell-dirty-cars/ Production Tesla Model X designed for women, looks 'better' [w/video]. A recent study found that men and women drive their electric vehicles differently. That might help explain why there is a male bias towards Tesla's electric offerings while the more practical Nissan Leaf get the attention of female drivers. Well, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/04/production-tesla-model-x-designed-for-women-looks-better/ The Fight Over Drones, As Seen From A Drone. There are entrepreneurs who would love to fly drones all over the country. They dream of drones taking photos for real estate agents and survey their fields. But there's a battle in the courts right now standing in their way. The battle is about whether it's legal for drones to take to the sky. The question at the core of the battle: Who owns the air? We explored this question in a and in the video above. Posted. http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/06/05/318861346/the-fight-over-drones-as-seen-from-a-drone California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2014 13:32:01 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for June 6, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 6, 2014. 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 Billionaire sets up fund for victims of climate change. Billionaire Tom Steyer, the leading financial underwriter of campaigns to combat climate change, says he is putting up $2 million to start a fund for victims of wildfires and other "extreme weather events." Steyer and his wife, Kat Taylor, are announcing the establishment of the Climate Disaster Relief Fund on Friday. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Billionaire-sets-up-fund-for-victims-of-climate-5532918.php Hayward power plant complies with air regulations. An emission problem at the Russell City Energy Center has been fixed, and the power plant now complies with air quality rules, according to the regulating agency. The plant's cooling tower had been releasing almost 10 times the allowed amount of water droplets that could contain particulate matter, according to a complaint filed earlier this year by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_25912515/hayward-power-plant-complies-air-regulations China admits to failures over air quality. A senior Chinese government official has admitted that most major Chinese cities fail national standards for good air quality. Li Ganjie, a vice minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, gave a positive spin to the launch of the 2013 Report on the State of China's Environment, but did not disguise all its bad news on the severe levels of air, water and soil pollution brought by years of fast-paced economic growth. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/06/05/china-air-pollution/10006559/ Carbon emissions rule relies on a broad view of 'system'. The coming legal battle over President Barack Obama's far-reaching climate-change rules will probably turn on the meaning of one word in the Clean Air Act of 1970 — "system." Under the landmark anti-pollution law, the Environmental Protection Agency is empowered to require states to apply "the best system of emission reduction" to existing power plants. Posted. http://www.10news.com/nct/carbon-emissions-rule-relies-on-a-broad-view-of-system CLIMATE CHANGE Texas Cash-From-Carbon Program Lures Climate Skeptics. At an aging cement plant in San Antonio, entrepreneur Joe Jones is trying to turn fighting climate change into a money-making venture. Instead of letting carbon dioxide escape from the plant and contribute to global warming, Jones’s Skyonic Corp. is spending $128 million to convert the gas into baking soda and hydrochloric acid that can be sold to the cattle and oil industries. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-06/texas-cash-from-carbon-pilot-lures-climate-skeptics.html Brazil First to Submit Forest CO2 Data for UN Assessment. Brazil today submitted data on emissions reductions achieved by forest protection to the United Nations, the first country to do so under rules on deforestation agreed in November. The country’s data will be assessed by international experts to establish a benchmark, against which future reductions in greenhouse-gas discharges will be measured. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-06/brazil-first-to-submit-forest-co2-data-for-un-assessment.html Republicans Can’t Block EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Rules, Says Hoyer. Democrats in Congress will be able to keep Republicans from overturning the Obama administration’s rules to lower greenhouse-gas emissions, said second-ranking House Democrat Steny Hoyer. “The overwhelming majority of our party is going to support it and the Senate’s not going to pass a repeal,” Hoyer of Maryland said…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-05/republicans-can-t-block-epa-s-greenhouse-gas-rules-hoyer.html China Studying Timeline for Carbon Cap To Include in Next Five-Year Plan. China is reportedly studying a timeline for an absolute cap on carbon dioxide emissions, as it prepares climate change policies to include in its forthcoming 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), although an announcement of such a policy is premature, analysts told Bloomberg BNA June 4. The policies are expected to include measures to meet a previous carbon intensity target…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-05/china-studying-timeline-for-carbon-cap-to-include-in-next-five-year-plan.html World War II Skeletons Washed From Graves by Rising Seas. Skeletons of World War II soldiers are being washed from their graves by the rising Pacific Ocean as global warming leads to inundation of islands that saw some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict. On the day Europe commemorates the 70th anniversary of the storming of Normandy beaches in the D-Day landings, a minister from the Marshall Islands…Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-06-06/world-war-ii-skeletons-washed-from-graves-by-rising-seas Best of Both Worlds? Northeast Cut Emissions and Enjoyed Growth. Some critics of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new requirements for power plants argue that forcing emissions reduction will curtail economic growth. But the recent experience of states that already cap carbon emissions reveals that emissions and economic growth are no longer tightly tied together. One of the ways that states will be able to meet the new E.P.A. standards is by joining a Northeastern cap-and-trade program known as the…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/upshot/best-of-both-worlds-northeast-cut-emissions-and-enjoyed-growth.html?hpw&rref=&_r=0 Top Obama aide calls climate change 'existential' problem. The Environmental Protection Agency's crackdown on carbon emissions is meant to avert an "almost existential problem" from climate change, a top White House adviser asserted Friday. "If you're a climate denier trying to run nationally, I think you're going to have a very long row to hoe getting elected president" in 2016, said John Podesta…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/06/6463508/top-obama-aide-calls-climate-change.html#storylink=cpy DROUGHT El Niño likely to be too weak to have big impact on drought. The odds of an El Niño helping shake California out of its prolonged drought got a bit bleaker this week with a new forecast from the U.S. Climate Prediction Center. Though the agency's monthly report still projects that summer or fall will give rise to an El Niño - the warming ocean surfaces that can tip worldwide weather - federal scientists say the phenomenon is most likely to be only of moderate strength. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/El-Ni-o-likely-to-be-too-weak-to-have-big-impact-5532447.php FUELS BP, Chevron Among Refiners Sued by Vermont Over MTBE. BP Plc (BP/), Chevron Corp. (CVX) and Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) are among two dozen U.S. refiners sued by Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell and accused of polluting the state’s groundwater with a gasoline additive. Sorrell filed the case today in state court in Montpelier, the capital. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-05/bp-chevron-among-refiners-sued-by-vermont-over-mtbe.html China Seeks to Cap Fossil Fuel Emissions for First Time. China is working on how to cap its greenhouse gas emissions for the first time, an effort that would spur the worldwide effort to hold back climate change. The world’s biggest producer of fossil fuel emissions has been studying for more than a year how and when it might be able to make its pollution levels peak and hopes to act as soon as possible…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-05/china-working-to-cap-emissions-as-soon-as-possible-xie.html Suit seeks to halt plans for Richmond oil refinery expansion. Environmental advocates seeking to curb Chevron's plans to modernize and expand its Richmond oil refinery sued Bay Area air-quality regulators Thursday, claiming they approved construction based on outdated reports that understated the plant's greenhouse gas emissions and the pollutants it would spew into surrounding neighborhoods. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Suit-seeks-to-halt-plans-for-Richmond-oil-5532560.php Oil Industry Kills California Assembly Bill to Support Biofuel Expansion. The oil industry did some intellectual gymnastics last week over California’s low-carbon fuel standard, a 2007 mandate that gasoline refiners reduce the carbon intensity of their transportation fuels 10 percent by 2020. After arguing for years that there simply aren’t enough low-carbon fuel alternatives around to meet the rule’s requirement, the fossil fuel companies killed a bill in the state assembly May 29 aimed at—yes—bolstering the supply of low-carbon fuels. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-06-06/oil-industry-kills-california-assembly-bill-to-support-biofuels-expansion#r=hpt-ls Chevron Retreats on Clean Energy After Renewables Hit 20% Margin. In January, employees of Chevron (CVX)’s renewable power group, whose mission was to create large, profitable clean-energy projects, dined at San Francisco’s trendy Sens restaurant. Managers applauded them for almost doubling their projected profit in 2013, the group’s first full year of operations. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-29/chevron-retreats-on-clean-energy-after-renewables-hit-20-margin.html VEHICLES California enters race for Tesla 'Gigafactory' California lawmakers and the Brown administration introduced legislation Thursday morning that seeks to lift regulatory and financial barriers to lure a proposed $5 billion Tesla Motors factory to the Golden State. The legislation by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, a Sacramento Democrat, and Sen. Ted Gaines, a Roseville Republican, takes a two-pronged approach by committing the state to offer a mix of financial incentives…Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/06/05/newcalifornia-bill-offers-incentives-to-lure.html?s=print DOE to award up to $4.6M for innovations in fuel cell and hydrogen fuel technologies. The US Department of Energy (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) issued a funding opportunity announcement for up to $4.6 million for 12–24 month projects with industry and academia (DE-FOA-0000966) in support of innovations in fuel cell and hydrogen fuel technologies. (Earlier post.) Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/06/20140606-doe.html GREEN ENERGY Students Invent Smog-Eating House — For Only $5! A team of students has calculated that for the low cost of $5.00, your home could be transformed into a smog-eating house that could eliminate pollution-causing nitrogen oxides from the air just by sitting there. The secret sauce is a coating of titanium dioxide (TiO2), and $5.00 reflects the cost of just enough TiO2 to coat the roof tiles of a typical home. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/06/05/students-invent-smog-eating-house-5/ MISCELLANEOUS State is moving to prevent spills of oil shipped by trains. Although most people think of oil spills in California as potential beachfront disasters, there is new anxiety in Sacramento about the surge of crude oil now coming through the state each day by train. Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers want to avoid the sort of fiery disaster that killed 47 people in July in southern Quebec when tank cars exploded as they carried oil from the booming Bakken oil fields of North Dakota through Canada. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-oil-train-safety-bills-20140605-story.html?track=rss OPINIONS Best state in America: New York, for its shrinking carbon footprint. The Environmental Protection Agency announced plans Monday to require big reductions in carbon output from coal-fired power plants. It may sound drastic, but advances in technology mean that some states are well on their way to meeting the administration’s goals. No state has made more progress than New York. The proposed EPA rules would require states to cut emissions 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/best-state-in-america-new-york-for-its-shrinking-carbon-footprint/2014/06/06/5137b2b4-eb6c-11e3-9f5c-9075d5508f0a_story.html The Climate Domino. Maybe it’s me, but the predictable right-wing cries of outrage over the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rules on carbon seem oddly muted and unfocused. I mean, these are the people who managed to create national outrage over nonexistent death panels. Now the Obama administration is doing something that really will impose at least some pain on some people. Where are the eye-catching fake horror stories? Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/opinion/krugman-the-climate-domino.html China’s Search for Energy. Re “Beijing casts a wide net in its search for energy” (Business, May 23): It is true that China’s search for oil, gas and coal is taking it to all points of the globe. But is this the best path to energy security for China? The authors are silent on the question. The article makes not a single mention of China’s buildup of renewable energy industries, taking it to world leadership in production in wind turbines, photovoltaic cells…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/07/opinion/chinas-search-for-energy.html?hpw&rref=opinion Our Voice: Air quality monitor a useful addition. The Desert Sun applauds the South Coast Air Quality Management District for installing an air quality monitor downwind from the Sentinel power plant. It has been a year since the 800-megawatt natural gas plant began feeding electricity to the grid during times of peak demand, and seven months since AQMD officials told The Desert Sun editorial board the district would install the monitor. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/editorials/2014/06/06/aqmd-sentinel-power-plant-air-quality-monitor/10051263/ Adaptation key to dealing with climate change: Column. In his weekly radio address, President Obama continued his war on climate change and prepared for the battle in Congress for regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gases by as much as 25% over 15 years. "As president, and as a parent, I refuse to condemn our children to a planet that's beyond fixing." Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/06/04/climate-change-obama-entrepreneurs-column/9041285/ Froma Harrop: Not much to lose in move from coal. Barack Obama need not ask how well he's doing in coal country, because the answer is always the same: Not well. A cerebral black man never had much of a chance in poor, rural white Appalachia; let's be honest (though we don't have to like it). In 2012, Obama lost to Mitt Romney in West Virginia by a 27-point margin. So Obama had little to lose politically in proposing new rules to cut carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. Posted. http://www.cdispatch.com/opinions/article.asp?aid=33975#ixzz33t0Kg0Sn BLOGS Technology, not regulation, is the best way to tackle climate change. By all accounts, President Obama is deeply interested in his legacy. And though relatively few American voters see dealing with climate change as a top priority for the federal government, the president famously sees it as the most important issue he can address in his second term. Posted. http://blogs.reuters.com/reihan-salam/2014/06/06/technology-not-regulation-is-the-best-way-to-tackle-climate-change/ Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease: It's Complicated. Epidemiology studies have provided powerful evidence linking air pollution to cardiovascular disease, especially heart attacks (MI) and stroke. By some estimates, air pollution may be responsible for 3.2 million deaths each year, most from cardiovascular causes. At first glance…Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhusten/2014/06/05/air-pollution-and-cardiovascular-disease-its-complicated/ Taking Climate Change Seriously. Climate change is about people, not just science and politics -- it is an inter-generational ethics issue. The earth is the Lord's, and in Genesis, God entrusts us with caring for Creation. The earth that we leave to future generations is already being changed by climate change, and so far, our nation has done little to stop climate pollution. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-wallis/taking-climate-change-ser_b_5454507.html China Is Tearing Down Mountains to Build Cities. Land creation projects are proceeding apace without scientific research to back them up. China is moving mountains. Literally. As their populations boom, several cities in mountainous regions are busy leveling their mountaintops in order to make more room for development. Scientists from Chang'an University wrote about the process in Nature this week. Posted. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/china-tearing-down-mountains-build-cities-180951678/#6JstVZ1zd8DhgTTm.99 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2014 15:48:53 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 9, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 9, 2014. 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 Truckers, Business Leaders Rally Against ‘Hidden’ Gas Tax. Southland truck drivers and local business leaders Thursday staged a protest over what they say is a hidden gas tax under California’s “cap and trade” program. Supporters of the “Tank the Tax” effort warn that consumers and small businesses could see an increase of 12 cents or more at the pump beginning in 2015, when the California Air Resources Board is set to move fuels under the cap-and-trade…Posted. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/06/05/truckers-business-leaders-to-rally-against-hidden-gas-tax/ Bump at pump in January to help speed bullet train project. California drivers are going to see a bump at the pump starting Jan. 1 - with a good chunk of the money going to kick-start Gov. Jerry Brown's struggling high-speed rail project. Reason: Starting next year, tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks will come under California's cap-and-trade program, which is designed to reduce greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/Bump-at-pump-in-January-to-help-speed-bullet-5538049.php?cmpid=hp-hc-bayarea Group to unveil carbon tax today that would give most Americans $132 a month. The Citizens Climate Lobby will release a plan today for a carbon tax that proposes mailing monthly checks to nearly every American, including children. The California-based group supports enacting a $10 tax on each ton of carbon dioxide in 2016. It would raise an estimated $56 billion in the first year, enough to provide a family of four with $44 in monthly rebates in 2016, supporters say. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000918/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Global auto component makers gear up for China’s tougher emission rules. Global companies that specialize in making vehicle emissions cleaner are rushing to take advantage of Beijing's war on pollution, as Chinese automakers look to comply with tougher regulations in the world's biggest auto market. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/08/uk-china-autos-pollution-idUSKBN0EJ0WN20140608 Scientists explore using trees to clean pollution. Before Houston and its suburbs were built, a dense forest naturally purified the coastal air along a stretch of the Texas Gulf Coast that grew thick with pecan, ash, live oak and hackberry trees. It was the kind of pristine woodland that was mostly wiped out by settlers in their rush to clear land and build communities. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/08/scientists-explore-using-trees-to-clean/#ixzz34A48VlrA Chinese group launches app to shame polluters. A Chinese environmental group launched a smartphone app on Monday that tracks and shames polluting factories, highlighting how the country is making environmental data more available and enabling public monitoring of companies that pollute. The app gives, where available, hourly updates on emissions reported by factories to local authorities and shows the plants as color-coded points on a map, with violators of emissions limits in red. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/09/chinese-group-launches-app-to-shame-polluters/ Bay Area heats up, residents asked to 'spare the air'. As temperatures soar this week, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District is calling a second consecutive Spare the Air Day for the region on Monday. The alert was issued as air district officials predict a high level of air pollution and smog throughout the Bay Area on Monday. Posted. http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/bay-area-heats-residents-asked-spare-air/ngGt4/ Some states push back against proposed EPA carbon rule. Legal challenges to U.S. EPA's proposed rule on power plant carbon won't be possible until a final version is released next year, but that hasn't stopped a number of states from laying foundations for resistance. Nineteen states -- nearly all of which either produce or consumer significant quantities of coal -- have introduced resolutions targeting the proposed rule. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000921/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Tom Steyer’s slow, and ongoing, conversion from fossil-fuels investor to climate activist. At the base of the mountain, Tom Steyer was a billionaire hedge-fund manager with oil and gas investments and a seemingly conflicted conscience. But by the time he and environmentalist Bill McKibben finished a hike up two tall Adirondacks peaks on that summer day in 2012, Steyer had revealed that he was ready to change his life — he would unload his investments in fossil fuels and become an activist in the fight against global warming. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/tom-steyers-slow-and-ongoing-conversion-from-fossil-fuels-investor-to-climate-activist/2014/06/08/6478da2e-ea68-11e3-b98c-72cef4a00499_story.html?wprss=rss_national In Some States, Emissions Cuts Defy Skeptics. The cries of protest have been fierce, warning that President Obama’s plan to cut greenhouse gases from power plants will bring soaring electricity bills and even plunge the nation into blackouts. By the time the administration is finished, one prominent critic said, “millions of Americans will be freezing in the dark.” Posted. http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/06/07/science/in-some-states-emissions-cuts-defy-skeptics.html S.F. waterfront development must prepare for rising seas. Now that San Francisco voters have said they want final say on waterfront development, we'll see if they have the courage and smarts to tackle the real job at hand - facing up to the need to deal with rising sea levels. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/place/article/S-F-waterfront-development-must-prepare-for-5536682.php McCarthy keeps up carbon rule outreach. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy hits the road this week to tout the power plants carbon rule she unveiled days ago. McCarthy, who has embraced her role in recent days as a public spokesperson for President Barack Obama's climate agenda, is to make four appearances to talk up the regulation. Posted. http://www.energyguardian.net/mccarthy-keeps-carbon-rule-outreach BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Latin Americans forge ahead with CO2 reduction plans. Climate change legislation is blazing a path across Latin America in what analysts say is one of the most promising trends on the horizon for action against global warming. Over the past year, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia and Peru have all either passed or…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000922/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.S. automakers to weather costs of EPA rule far better than climate change – study. For automakers, which represent the United States' largest manufacturing sector, costs incurred from climate-related disruptions will far outweigh the costs stemming from the new U.S. EPA power plant rule, according to a recent report. The study conducted by Business Forward…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000920/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Poll finds little support for drought spending despite broad awareness. Most Californians surveyed say the statewide drought has had little or no impact on their daily lives, and a majority oppose the suspension of environmental protections or large-scale public spending to boost water supplies, a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll has found. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-poll-drought-20140606-story.html California drought: Voluntary cutback falls short in Bay Area. Nearly five months after Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency and asked Californians to use 20 percent less water, almost everyone believes they're doing their part. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-Voluntary-cutback-falls-short-5538084.php Water rights may be limited for century-old irrigation districts. Some folks simply don’t trust state leaders when it comes to protecting their water rights. The State Water Resources Control Board this month is expected to “curtail” river diversions for those who established their water rights more than 100 years ago. http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/07/3379426/water-rights-may-be-limited-for.html?sp=/99/1623/#storylink=cpy Water bill with California impacts expected to be signed. San Clemente’s beach restoration has a long way to go, but a big step could come this week when President Barack Obama is expected to sign a water resources bill into law, according to Politico. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/house-617476-committee-california.html FUELS Methane-slashing powder, new vaccine may help tackle livestock emissions. Despite being the world's second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions -- behind the energy sector -- global production of beef and dairy products is on the rise. And scientists around the world are racking their brains on how to reduce the hefty emissions from this largely ignored sector. Methane and carbon dioxide are pouring into the air as a result of farmers clearing land for cattle grazing…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060000893/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL More lawsuits are a foregone conclusion for California high-speed rail. When California voters approved $9 billion in funding for a bullet train in 2008, the ballot measure included the strictest engineering and spending controls ever placed on a major state project. Voters were told that the high-speed trains would hit 220 mph, get from Los Angeles to San Francisco in two hours and 40 minutes…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-bullet-train-battle-20140609-story.html#page=1 Kern County Sues State Over California High-Speed Rail Project. Kern County is the latest Central Valley government to sue the state over its $68 billion bullet train plan. Officials say they filed suit Friday in Sacramento County Superior Court over the environmental review for the Fresno to Bakersfield section approved last month. Posted. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/06/06/kern-county-sues-state-over-california-high-speed-rail-project/ Kings County challenges rail's environmental study. In the latest challenge to California's $68 billion high-speed-rail project, Kings County and a group of its residents filed another lawsuit against the bullet train Thursday, alleging continued violations of California's Environmental Quality Act and several other state laws. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Kings-County-challenges-rails-environmental-study-262148651.html GREEN ENERGY Stockton Unified commits to solar. Solar panels have steadily been installed at schools throughout Stockton Unified as part of the district's efforts to conserve energy and save costs. The panels are paid for by the contractor and leased back to the district at a reduced price. The panels double as car ports in the schools' parking lots. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140607/A_NEWS/406070329/-1/A_NEWS14 MISCELLANEOUS South Coast Air Quality Management District offers lawn mower exchange. Southern California residents can register to get up to 75 percent in savings on a new electric lawn mower with the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Lawn Mower Exchange Program. Now in its 12th year, the program helps the wallet and air quality by trading residents’ used, polluting gas-powered lawn mowers for cordless battery-electric models. Posted. http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/environment-and-nature/20140606/south-coast-air-quality-management-district-offers-lawn-mower-exchange OPINIONS Dan Walters: Senate passes bill to make electricity even more expensive. There are probably a few people living off the grid in the backcountry of California, but the other 38 million of us depend on our local utilities for electric power. That makes us stakeholders in how that energy is produced, distributed and priced – the latter accounting for many, many billions of dollars. One would think that the nearly universal experience of buying electricity…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/09/6465218/dan-walters-senate-passes-bill.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy Interests, Ideology And Climate. There are three things we know about man-made global warming. First, the consequences will be terrible if we don’t take quick action to limit carbon emissions. Second, in pure economic terms the required action shouldn’t be hard to take: emission controls, done right, would probably slow economic growth, but not by much. Third, the politics of action are nonetheless very difficult. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/09/opinion/krugman-interests-ideology-and-climate.html?hp&rref=opinion&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar New EPA rules are a strong and overdue response to perilous challenge. The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Friday, June 6:Faced with the prospect of either bypassing Congress or doing nothing about America's poisonous greenhouse-gas emissions, President Obama made the right decision last week. He set a goal of cutting carbon pollution from power plants by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/09/3381249/new-epa-rules-are-a-strong-and.html#storylink=cpy Mark Landsbaum: Cap-and-trade plan vs. free market. Let’s consider President Barack Obama’s cap-and-trade proposal, by the numbers. • 5.9 percent – Environmental Protection Agency’s predicted increase in your electricity costs by 2020. • 200 percent – Actual increase in household electricity prices since the 2000 introduction of Germany’s similar “renewable energy” law to replace coal, gas-fired and nuclear power generation with renewable energy, according to Germany’s economy minister. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/energy-617296-government-percent.html Robert J. Samuelson: Obama’s climate fog. On climate change, both Barack Obama and his harshest critics — business groups and Republicans — have a shared interest in exaggerating the impact of the president’s proposal. By 2030, it would reduce the electricity sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent from a 2005 base. For Obama, it’s all about legacy. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/09/tp-robert-j-samuelson-obamas-climate-fog/ BLOGS Infographic: Comparing California’s Three Cap-and-Trade Spending Proposals. In the midst of California’s state budget negotiations, the legislature must separately decide how to spend the state’s cap-and-trade revenue, be it on public transit, high-speed rail, affordable housing near transit, or other emissions-reducing programs. http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/06/06/infographic-comparing-californias-three-cap-and-trade-spending-proposals/ Nissan could offer plug-in hybrids by 2016. Nissan is recharging the idea of a production plug-in hybrid model. The Japanese automaker may start making a plug-in hybrid by as soon as late 2015, with deliveries to start in time for the 2016 model year, Green Car Reports says, citing an interview with company executive Andy Palmer. Those comments go against what Nissan said during the North American Auto Show in January. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/06/nissan-could-offer-plug-in-hybrids-by-2016/ Toyota to start production of hydrogen vehicles in December. Toyota's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle will be in showrooms sooner than planned, the Japan Times reporting that production will commence in mid-December with the sedan following "by the end of this year." No reason was given for the new timeline; Toyota has been saying all along that we'd see it in 2015. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/06/08/toyota-hydrogen-fchv-production/ Wireless charging set for massive growth by 2020. Count wireless vehicle charging system sales as yet another sector in which both supply and demand will soon surge because of the growing popularity of plug-in vehicles. The relatively nascent inductive charging market will more than double every year from 2012 to 2020, research firm Frost & Sullivan says. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/09/wireless-charging-set-for-massive-growth-by-2020/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 14:37:57 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 10, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 10, 2014. 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 EIA projects how a price on carbon might affect natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy. U.S. EPA proposed rules last week that would require coal-fired power plants to cut carbon dioxide emissions. States would put together plans to achieve the targets outlined by EPA, and some of them might choose regional cap-and-trade mechanisms that places a price on carbon pollution. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001003/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Bay Area 'Spare the Air' issued for 2nd day in a row. Commuters were urged to avoid driving in the Bay Area on Monday as air quality authorities issued a Spare the Air Alert for the second day in a row. Monday's alert was the fifth in 2014 so far as the Bay Area Air Quality Management District once again prepares for unhealthy levels of smog around the region. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Area-Spare-the-Air-issued-for-2nd-day-in-a-5537826.php Valley lawmakers fight to keep pollution cleanup funds. Local legislators are opposing a proposal that would eliminate funds promised to help reduce pollution in the Central Valley. In 2012, the state passed SB 535, which allocates 25 percent of cap-and-trade revenues to the most disadvantaged communities in the state. In response, the California Environmental Protection Agency developed the CalEnviroScreen to measure environmental and socioeconomic indicators…Posted. http://www.turlockjournal.com/section/14/article/26072/ China’s Environment Goes From Bad to Worse. Each year, China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) releases a “state of the environment” report (PDF); it’s a rather grim annual ritual. For all the talk about China’s new “war on pollution” and money pouring into wind farms and river cleanup campaigns, the reality is that, according to most metrics, China’s environmental situation is getting worse, not better. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-06-10/air-water-soil-chinas-environment-gets-worse Carbon Regs Will Help Your Health More Than the Planet’s. Public health—through cleaner air—will benefit more from EPA carbon rules than climate change, and that's O.K. When the White House rolled out the proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations on power-plant carbon emissions on June 2—regs that will reduce emissions 30% below 2005 levels—President Barack Obama attended a conference call with a number of public health groups, including the American Lung Association. Poste. http://time.com/2839619/carbon-regs-will-help-your-health-more-than-the-planets/ CLIMATE CHANGE Canada, Australia Prime Ministers Talk Climate Change. Leaders Say They Are Taking Action But Are Against Measures That Would Destroy Economies. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Australian counterpart, Tony Abbott, said Monday they are taking action on climate change but are against measures that they say would destroy their economies. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/canada-australia-prime-ministers-talk-climate-change-1402343957#printMode And Even More on Climate Change. Last week, the big news was that the Obama administration had unveiled a new Environmental Protection Agency regulation to cut carbon emissions from United States power plants 30 percent by 2030. But E.P.A. legislation aside, it has already been a banner year for climate news. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/10/science/and-even-more-on-climate-change.html?_r=1 Democrats See Winning Issue in Carbon Plan. He is a Democrat in a marquee Senate race, pressed by a strong Republican in a state with a challenging political environment. So when a new proposal to limit power plant emissions was seen as posing a threat to allies of the Obama administration, Senator Mark Udall of Colorado acted quickly: He embraced the plan. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/10/us/democrats-see-winning-issue-in-carbon-plan.html?hpw&rref=us&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar In Some States, Emissions Cuts Defy Skeptics. The cries of protest have been fierce, warning that President Obama’s plan to cut greenhouse gases from power plants will bring soaring electricity bills and even plunge the nation into blackouts. By the time the administration is finished, one prominent critic said, “millions of Americans will be freezing in the dark.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/07/science/in-some-states-emissions-cuts-defy-skeptics.html UC President Napolitano forms climate change advice group. University of California President Janet Napolitano formed an advisory group that includes several professors and a former Gap Inc. CEO to help the UC system cut pollution. Napolitano hopes the University of California will reach carbon neutrality by 2025, meaning the system will cut its own emissions and also pay to offset them. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2014/06/09/uc-president-napolitano-climate-change-gap-fisher.html Report: US companies preparing for climate change. Businesses across the U.S. are factoring global warming into their financial planning, according to a new report by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). The report, which examines 173 S&P 500 companies in nine different states, found that all companies expect some form of regulation to mitigate climate change. Posted. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/208784-report-us-companies-preparing-for-climate-change#ixzz34GGpp0jj EPA promotes global warming proposal to governors. The head of the Environmental Protection Agency promoted proposed clean power plant rules to Western governors Tuesday, framing the plan as a way to deal with destructive wildfires and floods that have ravaged the region in recent years. "There are some states that are really feeling some of the brunt of the changing climate most dramatically with…Posted. http://m.idahostatejournal.com/news/state/epa-promotes-global-warming-proposal-to-governors/article_6f6e3847-5e0a-5366-beb7-890a289c4c4f.html?mode=jqm Wind-blown dust darkening Greenland, increasing melt – study. Greenland's snowy surface is now darker in the spring than it was before 2009, suggesting that the ice sheet's melting and contribution to sea-level rise may be larger than expected, according to a new study. The research in Nature Geoscience this week adds to a body of recent research finding that the Arctic's albedo, or reflectiveness, may decline more sharply than original estimates. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001006/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB Fines Trucking Operation nearly $141,000 for Violating Air Regulations. When the California Air Resources Board says it is serious about fining trucking companies for violating state regulations over air quality it isn’t kidding. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2014/06/carb-fines-trucking-operation-nearly-141-000-for-violating-air-regulations.aspx http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27153#.U5cz7fldWSo FUELS China’s Clean-Fuel Focus Tests U.S. Coal-Export Lifeline. The mud-colored air that blankets Chinese cities these days is bad for the people who live there. It may prove unhealthy for U.S. coal producers, too. Intense opposition on the U.S. West Coast, over climate change, rail congestion and damage to Native American fisheries, already is blocking new export terminals designed to ship coal across the Pacific Ocean. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-10/china-s-clean-fuel-focus-tests-u-s-coal-export-lifeline.html The Public Eye: Fight over crude-oil transports through California intensifies. The fight over the secrecy of crude-oil rail shipments through California intensified Monday. Responding to a federal order, BNSF Railway Co. acknowledged in a report to state safety officials that it’s transporting flammable Bakken crude oil in California, but it continued to vehemently resist releasing information about the shipments to the public. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/09/6470835/fight-over-crude-oil-transports.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region#storylink=cpy Diesel and gasoline both in decline this week. Average retail pump prices in the U.S. for both diesel and gasoline dropped this week, according to data tracked by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), though prices remain elevated compared to those posted during the same week last year. Diesel declined 2.6 cents to $3.892 per gallon this week, the agency said, which is 4.3 cents per gallon higher compared to the same time period in 2013. Posted. http://fleetowner.com/fuel/diesel-and-gasoline-both-decline-week http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=35195. GREEN ENERGY Harry Reid Shapes Energy Regulator With an Eye to Nevada Industry. The nation's top energy regulator may soon get two new leaders who share at least one thing in common: the unrelenting attention of Sen. Harry Reid. As majority leader of the Senate, the Nevada Democrat is one of the most powerful people in Washington. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/harry-reid-shapes-energy-regulator-with-an-eye-to-nevada-industry-1402270520 West Coast demand could push clean energy in Mont. Montana has room to spare. Ranking above only Wyoming and Alaska in population density, the aptly named "Big Sky State" is the fourth-largest in the nation with a population that could squeeze comfortably into Dallas. It's high and dry, bounded by mountains to the west that taper into high plains to the east. It's also very, very windy. These characteristics have sent the traditionally red state onto something of a renewable energy boom. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001008/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Tax Credit for Wind Power. “A Pushback on Green Power” (Business Day, May 29) explores an important policy debate — how to balance our environmental and economic goals. Federal subsidies for renewables like the wind production tax credit need to end. If we transcend the partisan debate on renewable energy subsidies and take an objective look at this tax credit, it’s clear that its time is over. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/10/opinion/tax-credit-for-wind-power.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar California can expand its water supply and reduce demand. California has reached “peak water.” We’ve far exceeded the limits of our renewable and sustainable supply. The current severe drought has highlighted these limits and shown us the stark reality of a water system in need of new thinking, new strategies and new answers. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/10/6470411/viewpoints-california-can-expand.html#mi_rss=Viewpoints#storylink=cpy Earth Log: Clovis, you're having an air problem. It's Tuesday. We've gone nine straight days exceeding the federal eight-hour ozone standard. Let's keep talking about air. Clovis, you're having an air problem. Aside from the 13 bad days so far for Clovis, the ozone peak came your way on Monday in this heat wave. Between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., your monitor showed 112 parts per billion -- just 13 away from the one-hour or peak ozone threshold. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/10/3970327/clovis-youre-having-an-air-problem.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Hurray For EPA Carbon Rules! New carbon rules may be going into place in America and everyone is worried about the economic effects. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine. It won’t hurt the economy or our energy security or our energy reliability. It won’t even cause a net loss of jobs, just shift them around a bit. But it will spur alternative energy development and installation including new nuclear, lower our health care costs, and continue our fracking craze for gas. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/06/08/hurray-for-epa-carbon-rules/ California’s Blueprint for Meeting (and Exceeding) EPA’s Clean Power Plan. Even before the Environmental Protection Agency proposed the nation’s first federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants last week, naysayers were claiming California’s longstanding policies to cut emissions and improve energy efficiency don’t work and have sent electric bills soaring. But Californians and anyone else taking a close look at the state’s success know otherwise. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ajackson/californias_blueprint_for_meet.html Carbon tax should replace cap-and-trade — better emissions benefit, better economic benefit. In talking about how to eliminate carbon emissions, I’ve written about three general methods: Ask for change. Encourage change. Force change. We’re well beyond asking, so encouragement seems the next step. (Psst: I’m a fan of force, given the urgency.) Encouraging this kind of change — eliminating carbon emissions — comes in a couple of forms. Posted. http://americablog.com/2014/06/carbon-tax-replace-cap-trade-better-emissions-benefit-better-economic-benefit.html First-ever offer from EPA to tribes for cleaner diesel vehicles. Everyone deserves clean air, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has never directly offered diesel emission reduction program assistance to tribal (aka Native American) entities before. This is what makes a new announcement from the EPA about a million dollars targeted at reducing emissions from older diesel engines a bit more interesting than usual. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/10/epa-offering-1-million-to-help-tribes-clean-up-diesel-vehicles/ Doing nothing on climate change could cost auto industry millions. When it comes to climate change, the auto industry will be better served by working with the energy industry on cleaner energy plants than dealing with more and more severe weather incidents in the future. That's the finding of a new study by Business Forward, which says that supporting the EPA's new rules…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/09/doing-nothing-on-climate-change-would-cost-auto-industry-million/ Can carbon emissions become a revenue stream? On the heels of last week's EPA’s new carbon rules proposed by President Obama, it's time to take a closer look at a potential disruptive technological breakthrough: Taking CO2 waste streams and turning them into saleable, value-added feedstocks. Certainly, the deployment of renewables, energy efficiency, smart grid, and energy storage technologies…Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/06/09/can-carbon-emissions-become-revenue-stream Diesel Engines in Need of an Overhaul, but not Without More Funding. Despite the well-known health risks from diesel emissions and the economic consequences of unhealthy air, clean air projects are often stalled because they lack money. Fortunately, funding options for transportation-related clean air initiatives are available at the national, regional, and state levels. One of the key national sources of funding has been the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA)…Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/texascleanairmatters/2014/06/09/diesel-engines-in-need-of-an-overhaul-but-not-without-more-funding/#sthash.2O6d00qu.dpuf Four reasons to love Obama’s power plant rules, and three reasons not to. It can be hard to know what to think of EPA’s proposal for regulating CO2 emissions from existing power plants, unveiled last week. Environmental groups all praised it, but they actually want stronger rules. Conservatives hate it, but they hate all environmental regulation, so that doesn’t prove it is strong enough. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/four-reasons-to-love-obamas-power-plant-rules-and-three-reasons-not-to/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 14:04:19 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 12, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 12, 2014. 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 Trailblazing California-Quebec Climate Plan Faces Fossil Industry Pushback. With the deadline to expand the cap-and-trade program less than six months away, energy companies are urging the two governments to pull back. When you combine climate change, an unlikely partnership between Californians and French-speaking Canadians—and the prospect of an 8-cents-a-gallon rise in gasoline prices—what do you get? The energy industry vs. California. And Quebec. Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140612/trailblazing-california-quebec-climate-plan-faces-fossil-industry-pushback AIR POLLUTION Calexico City Council to hold conference with legal counsel regarding Imperial County Air Pollution Control District fine. As the city continues working with the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District to reduce a fine imposed on it last month in regard to their wastewater treatment plant, Calexico City Council members will meet in closed session today to hold conference with legal counsel for anticipated litigation. Posted. http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/local/county/calexico-city-council-to-hold-conference-with-legal-counsel-regarding/article_53e4d554-f76a-544b-973b-47d00264fd81.html CLIMATE CHANGE Watching Silicon Valley’s Response to Climate Goals. If the United States is going to achieve President Obama’s new climate change goals, an X factor is how Silicon Valley will respond. Success will depend, many analysts think, on whether the policy will spur entrepreneurs to come up with new technologies and create a clean energy economy. Once upon a time, clean tech was the buzzword in tech. People like John Doerr and Vinod Khosla, big-name venture capitalists who made billions in computers and the web, said it was the next big thing. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/13/upshot/watching-silicon-valleys-response-to-climate-goals.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw The Top 5 Non-Energy Sources of Climate Change. On June 2, U.S. President Barack Obama announced a sweeping plan to rein in carbon pollution from the nation's coal-fired power plants. It was the most significant step his administration has taken to address climate change. With the stroke of a pen, he has done more to tackle greenhouse gases (GHG) than any president in U.S. history. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-Top-5-Non-Energy-Sources-of-Climate-Change-5547459.php 22 Devastating Effects Of Climate Change. Major negative effects of climate change are here now and they're only getting worse, as shown by recent reports from the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change (IPCC) and the White House among others. The greenhouse gas emissions that drive warming "now substantially exceed the highest concentrations recorded in ice cores during the past 800,000 years," the IPCC said. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/22-Devastating-Effects-Of-Climate-Change-5545741.php Australian PM's climate stance watched on US visit. The United States has few closer allies than Australia, but as Prime Minister Tony Abbott visits the United States climate change remains a touchy subtext between the two nations. Abbott, who was elected in September, met with President Barack Obama Thursday for about an hour at the White House, just days after Obama announced bold plans to cut carbon dioxide…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Australian-PM-s-climate-stance-watched-on-US-visit-5546629.php DROUGHT Discussion on 100-year-old water rights delayed until July. The State Water Resources Control Board will push back its discussion of curtailing 100-year-old water rights to July 1.The board planned to bring up the controversial issue at its meeting next week, but apparently its staff needs more time to prepare. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/11/3386020/discussion-on-100-year-old-water.html#storylink=cpy California Home Prices Taking Hit As Lawns Turn Brown During Drought. The California drought is hitting home prices as a growing number of brown lawns are making properties less attractive. Posted. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/06/11/california-home-prices-taking-hit-as-lawns-turn-brown-during-drought/ GREEN ENERGY SF board to consider deal on clean-energy plan. Six weeks after Mayor Ed Lee proposed raiding a $19.5 million Public Utilities Commission fund set aside to help pay for a clean-energy program supported by the Board of Supervisors - and three weeks after a board committee rejected the entire PUC budget because of Lee's stated intention - Supervisor John Avalos brokered a compromise deal that will preserve around $7 million for CleanPowerSF. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SF-board-to-consider-deal-on-clean-energy-plan-5545065.php Why Greenbacks Aren't Going Toward Green Energy. EPA Inflicts Mortal Wound on King Coal. Coal-fired power in the United States should start to ebb as regulations targeting pollution come into effect. More power, in turn, is coming online in the form of green energy resources, but so far, the money isn't backing that momentum. U.S. coal production during the first quarter of 2014 was down 1.1 percent year-on-year and should continue that trend into 2015. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Why-Greenbacks-Aren-t-Going-Toward-Green-Energy-5547283.php OPINIONS Global warming. I keep reading articles from people who are of the opinion that global warming is a natural occurrence every ten thousand years or so and that nothing we do has any effect on it. It seems like they’re trying to argue the point with some reasonable logic and I agree with them to a point. I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject but I would like to share some common sense on the matter. I’ve read that there is evidence of ice ages occurring in the past due to global warming…Posted. http://www.desertdispatch.com/article/20140611/NEWS/140619989/12977/OPINION#sthash.NRoxW4oD.dpuf BLOGS Facts & Figures: Americans O.K. With Paying to Curb Climate Change. By an almost two-to-one margin, 62 percent to 33 percent, Americans say they would pay more for energy if it would mean a reduction in pollution from carbon emissions, according to the Bloomberg National Poll. While Republicans were split, with 46 percent willing to pay more and 49 percent opposed to it, 82 percent of Democrats and 60 percent of independents say they’d accept higher bills. Posted. http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/12/facts-figures-americans-o-k-with-paying-to-curb-climate-change/?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw California climate policies offer roadmap for EPA carbon rule. You’ve heard it before: As California goes, so goes the nation. So as states try to get their arms around the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new Clean Power Plan, we can look to California for some helpful pointers. Granted, there are many roads to follow and for this journey, states are very much in the driver’s seat. They choose how to best reduce carbon pollution from their power plant by 30 percent over the next 15 years – as long as they can show EPA they’ll get there. Posted. http://www.edf.org/blog/2014/06/12/california-climate-policies-offer-roadmap-epa-carbon-rule California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 12:16:24 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for June 13, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 13, 2014. 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 Gov. Brown and lawmakers reach deal on spending billions in carbon cap-and-trade revenues. Billions of dollars in revenues from California's carbon cap-and-trade auctions will help fund development of the state's high-speed rail line and pay for public transit, affordable housing and communities located near jobs and transportation under a deal struck yesterday. Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) office and top state lawmakers reached agreement on a package that carved up $870 million that the state expects to see in fiscal 2014-15 from its sales of greenhouse gas pollution permits to businesses. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060001261 Beijing emitters ignore carbon scheme, question government authority: media. More than a quarter of all companies covered by Beijing's municipal carbon laws ignored a key reporting deadline, local media reported Friday, with some powerful companies questioning the local government trading body's authority to regulate them. Beijing's carbon trading market, one of six set up in China to rein in rapidly growing greenhouse gas emissions, caps carbon dioxide from nearly 500 local enterprises. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/13/us-china-carbon-idUSKBN0EO0MR20140613 AIR POLLUTION Ozone levels expected to rise more this summer. The early arrival of summer-like heat and dry conditions are already sparking a grim outlook for this year's air quality forecast. The Valley Air District says it's likely we'll see more dangerous ozone fill out sky this summer. That's despite the community's efforts to significantly reduce harmful emissions. Posted. http://abc30.com/news/ozone-levels-expected-to-rise-more-this-summer/111084/ CLIMATE CHANGE NASA satellite to map carbon emissions. NASA's first spacecraft dedicated to measuring carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere is in final preparations for a July 1 launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission will provide a more complete, global picture of the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide, as well as carbon dioxide's "sinks," the natural ocean and land processes by which carbon dioxide is pulled out of Earth's atmosphere and stored. Carbon dioxide, a critical component of Earth's carbon cycle, is the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth's climate. Posted. http://geospatialworld.net/News/View.aspx?ID=29254_Article Muon detector could help UK reduce carbon emissions. Muon detectors which exploit cosmic-ray muons, a natural radiation to see through kilometres of rock - in a similar way to X-rays being used to see inside a patient’s body - are being developed by the Particle Physics Group at the University of Sheffield, to improve monitoring of the process of subsurface carbon storage. Posted. http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/muon-detector-reduce-carbon-emissions-1.380076 Six Things Michael Mann Wants You to Know About the Science of Global Warming. There is nothing controversial about the work of climatologist Michael Mann, director of Penn State’s Earth System Science Center. His innovative research helped recreate the Earth’s historical temperature record and separate the noise of natural weather fluctuations from the steady signal of real climate change. As such, Mann has played a significant role in the development of the overwhelming scientific consensus – the planet is warming and human activities are responsible. Posted. http://billmoyers.com/2014/06/12/six-things-michael-mann-wants-you-to-know-about-the-science-of-global-warming/ HIGH-SPEED RAIL Budget Deal Allots 25 Percent of Cap-and-Trade Funds to Bullet Train. We've seen some compromising. The new state budget will likely include funding for high speed rail and affordable housing, and it looks like another major difference has been bridged as well. After staging rallies and vigils in recent weeks, in-home care workers look to have scored a victory. Posted. http://www.kfbk.com/articles/kfbk-news-461777/budget-deal-allots-25-percent-of-12456688/ DROUGHT California seeing hottest year on record thus far. Remember the 90-degree days in San Francisco last month? How about the triple digits inland this spring? According to a new federal climate report, those were anything but blips. California is baking in its hottest year on record. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Burn-notice-California-seeing-hottest-year-on-5548755.php VEHICLES Tesla open-sources all its patents. When Tesla CEO Elon Musk says that he's thinking about something, you definitely need to pay attention because it's likely something big. In an eloquently worded press release (a very rare thing indeed) Musk explains reason after reason why Tesla is opening up all of its patents, effective immediately. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/06/12/tesla-open-source-patents/ GREEN ENERGY Michigan Lawmaker Wants Tar Sands Waste To Count As Renewable Energy. A Michigan lawmaker wants to change his state’s renewable energy standard to include some rather unconventional fuels. State Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) is sponsoring a bill that would alter Michigan’s definition of renewable energy to include plastic waste and petroleum coke, a byproduct of tar sands refining. The aim of the bill is to “remove unnecessary burdens on the appropriate use of solid waste as a clean energy source.” Posted. http://flcoastalandocean.org/news/michigan-lawmaker-wants-tar-sands-waste-to-count-as-renewable-energy MISCELLANEOUS Smog-busting roof tiles could clean tons of pollution, study says. UC Riverside researchers say they have demonstrated an inexpensive roof coating that gobbles up smog-forming pollutants and, if widely adopted, could clean tons of air pollution from Southern California each day. In a laboratory experiment, engineering students found that ordinary clay roof tiles sprayed with titanium dioxide removed 88% to 97% of nitrogen oxide pollution from the air. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-smog-busting-roof-tiles-20140605-story.html OPINION Lack Of Transparency The Key To Success Of EPA Climate Change Proposals. Opponents of the EPA proposals to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent readily concede that if implemented they might indeed reduce the earth’s temperature by as much as one twentieth of a degree within one hundred years, but have expressed concerns about the hundreds of billions it would cost consumers to do so. Of particular concern to opponents is how these proposals would affect the poor, since the poor pay three times as much as a percentage of their income as higher income groups. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/06/13/lack-of-transparency-the-key-to-success-of-epa-climate-change-proposals/ Contra Costa Times editorial: Bullet train scam is a bad budget deal. Enough with the high-speed rail lunacy. The Legislature needs to derail the budget deal reportedly cobbled together Thursday by Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders that calls for spending 25 percent of future cap-and-trade revenue on California's high-speed rail boondoggle. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/editorial/ci_25951420/contra-costa-times-editorial-bullet-train-scam-is BLOGS How Eating Broccoli Can Help Your Body Cope With Air Pollution. Eat your broccoli, it’s good for you. More specifically—and not incidentally if you live in China—it can apparently help your body better deal with air pollution. According to a study published this week by the journal Cancer Prevention Research, an experiment conducted in eastern China’s Jiangsu province found that feeding villagers beverages concocted from broccoli sprouts had various salutary effects, including helping the body to more speedily eliminate ingested air pollutants. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/06/13/how-eating-broccoli-can-help-your-body-cope-with-air-pollution/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 13:46:22 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for June 16, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 16, 2014. 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 Gov. Brown and lawmakers reach deal on spending billions in carbon cap-and-trade revenues. Billions of dollars in revenues from California's carbon cap-and-trade auctions will help fund development of the state's high-speed rail line and pay for public transit, affordable housing and communities located near jobs and transportation under a deal struck yesterday.Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) office and top state lawmakers reached agreement on a package that carved up $870 million that the state expects to see in fiscal 2014-15 from its sales of greenhouse gas pollution permits to businesses. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001261 AIR POLLUTION Barrio Logan grapples with pollution. In the waterfront neighborhood of Barrio Logan is a jumble of industry, recycling centers, homes and schools that has put the community on the map as one of California’s toxic hot spots. A state environmental health program calculated that high levels of pollutants such as diesel and airborne toxins, combined with factors such as poverty and high asthma rates, ranked Barrio Logan as 99th worst out of 8,035 census tracts in California for pollution risks. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/15/barrio-logan-grapples-with-pollution/ CLIMATE CHANGE At Commencement, Obama Mocks Lawmakers Who Deny Climate Change. President Obama, appearing emboldened after his recent move to cut carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants, on Saturday ridiculed members of Congress who deny climate change or plead scientific ignorance as an alibi for avoiding an uncomfortable truth. Speaking in gleefully sarcastic terms to a commencement ceremony at the University of California, Irvine, Mr. Obama likened those who deny climate change to people who would have told John F. Kennedy, at the dawn of the space program, that the moon “was made of cheese.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/us/obama-mocks-lawmakers-who-deny-climate-change.html?hpw&rref=us&_r=0&assetType=nyt_now http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/15/tp-obama-blasts-climate-change-deniers-as-radical/ http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/14/us-usa-obama-climatechange-idUSKBN0EP12J20140614 http://online.wsj.com/articles/president-obama-renews-call-to-combat-climate-change-1402773087?KEYWORDS=climate+change U.N. climate talks edge towards 2015 emissions deal. U.N. climate negotiations made tentative progress on Saturday towards a text for a 2015 deal to bind all nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The talks, which were heading to a close on Saturday, drew some 1,900 diplomats from 182 countries to Bonn to line up what their leaders will be prepared to sign up to next year to tackle emissions that U.N.-backed scientists say will cause more severe flooding, droughts and the sea level to rise. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/14/us-un-carbon-idUSKBN0EP11T20140614 Colorado is ahead of the curve on reducing carbon emissions. At the beginning of this month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a strategy to cut power plant emissions by 30% across the entire country. If the rule is implemented in anything resembling its present form, it will have a dramatic effect on U.S. energy policy across the entire country. Yet not all states will share in the consequences equally. Posted. http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/colorado-ahead-the-curve-reducing-carbon-emissions Shaky stats fuel power plant debate. President Barack Obama's new pollution limits for power plants have set off an avalanche of information about what the rules will cost, how they will affect your health and how far they will go toward curbing climate change. There's just one problem: Almost none of it is based in reality. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_CHANGE_SHAKY_ESTIMATES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT FRACKING Calif. issues updated frack rules, including disclosure on quakes. Oil and gas companies using unconventional drilling methods in California must report earthquakes of 2.0 magnitude or greater occurring near their operations, under updated oversight rules the state issued Friday. The California Department of Conservation's Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) included the mandate as part of revised regulations it put out in response to S.B. 4., legislation that passed last year. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060001343/ FUELS Biodiesel dreams on hold in California. Just six months ago, the future burned bright for a Barrio Logan refinery that collects used cooking oil from hundreds of San Diego-area restaurants and turns it into motor fuel for standard diesel engines. New Leaf Biofuel was on pace to produce 5 million gallons a year — the outcome of years of planning, a hiring spree, state grants and more than $1 million in private investment. The company provides fuel to military bases, San Diego city and county governments, and hundreds of school buses at the San Diego Unified School District. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/16/biodiesel-dreams-california/ VEHICLES California online dashboard provides information about PEV buyers; importance of incentive funds, $130M from California paid out to date. A new online tool published by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) and California Center for Sustainable Energy offers the general public, researchers, policymakers and stakeholders the opportunity to learn about who is buying plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in California, and why. The online “EV Driver Survey Dashboard” offers multiple approaches to analyzing the data provided by a survey of those who received rebates for purchasing PEVs. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/06/20140615-calipev.html GREEN ENERGY NASA to Launch First Satellite to Chart Levels of Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration plans to launch July 1 its first satellite dedicated to measuring carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere. The $465 million Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission seeks to provide a more complete picture of human and natural sources of carbon dioxide globally, as well as sinks where carbon dioxide is absorbed. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-13/nasa-to-launch-first-satellite-to-chart-levels-of-carbon-dioxide-in-atmosphere.html How Will Residential Solar Play Out in the U.S.? When analyzing the solar industry, one of the biggest questions I ponder is: What does the future of the residential solar market look like? Thus far, SolarCity has been far and away the most successful company, building a footprint that spans 15 states with more added regularly and the company plans to install as much as 1 gigawatt of solar next year. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/How-Will-Residential-Solar-Play-Out-in-the-U-S-5556055.php OPINIONS Health Care and Climate: President Obama’s Big Deals. Then there’s climate policy. The Obama administration’s new rules on power plants won’t be enough in themselves to save the planet, but they’re a real start — and are by far the most important environmental initiative since the Clean Air Act. I’d add that this is an issue on which Mr. Obama is showing some real passion. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/16/opinion/paul-krugman-health-care-and-climate-president-obamas-big-deals.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw BLOGS Minnesota scores first-in-US statewide EV charging discount rate. The Land of 10,000 Lakes is now No. 1 when it comes to cutting electric-vehicle recharging rates. Minnesota has become the first state in the union to require investor-owned utilities to offer consumers discounted rates for EV charging during off-peak hours. You betcha. More than 1.3 million households throughout the state will have the chance to take advantage of off-peak rates when recharging their plug-ins during hours outside of the 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. timeframe, clean-energy advocate Fresh Energy says. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/13/minnesota-scores-first-in-us-statewide-ev-charging-discount-rate/ Nissan expands US EV test market for e-NV200 to Portland. Of course, it's going to be Portland. Oregon's largest city, known for its green-friendly vibe and policies, will be where Nissan will next test of its all-electric e-NV200 cargo van. And we hope those vans have cup holders for the inevitable java. The Japanese automaker is working with local utility company Portland General Electric (PGE) on a six-week trial program. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/13/nissan-expands-us-ev-test-market-for-e-nv200-to-portland/ Will EPA’s power plant regulations be stopped in the courts? The famous adage that nothing is certain in this world but death and taxes should probably be amended. At least insofar as politics and policy are concerned, there is a third inevitability: lawsuits. Before they even know the details of a major environmental regulation, affected industries start looking for ways to get it thrown out in court. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/will-epas-power-plant-regulations-be-stopped-in-the-courts/ Bikers Suck Down Less Pollution When They Ride In Separated Bike Lanes. If you want to encourage cycling in cities, separated bike lanes are key, say cycling advocates. While hard-core riders are happy to mix it with motorized traffic, inexperienced cyclists want the safety and predictability of paths protected by plant-pots or bollards, or--better--paths that are several feet from the road. Posted. http://www.fastcoexist.com/3031593/heres-an-idea/bikers-suck-down-less-pollution-when-they-ride-in-separated-bike-lanes Chinese Outlook for Electric Cars Rosier, Says Nomura. China’s wealthy consumers are falling in love with electric vehicles.So says Japanese investment bank Nomura in a note following a tour of Chinese companies involved in the electric vehicle business. Nomura found rising demand for both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, like Chinese auto maker BYD ’s Qin hybrid car, which can run on either gasoline or battery power, and for pure electric cars such as Tesla Motors Model S. Posted. California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2014 13:50:54 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for June 17, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 17, 2014. 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 Valley air officials to consider putting $4M into program to repair cars to pass smog test. Valley air officials this week will consider pumping $4 million into a program that helps residents of Stockton and other communities repair their cars to pass a smog test. "Tune In and Tune Up" holds periodic drive-up testing events at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds. Motorists whose cars flunk the unofficial tests are eligible for waivers to make repairs. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140616/A_NEWS/140619909/0/SEARCH Chileans asked to stop World Cup barbecues as pollution rises. The governor of Santiago has asked Chileans to refrain from lighting up their barbecue grills while they watch the World Cup soccer tournament, as air pollution in the capital has worsened. "We have air problems. Do not light a wood fire, no bonfires, no barbecues," Governor Claudio Orrego said at the weekend, as the local government issued an environmental alert, restricting traffic and banning outdoor sports at schools. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/16/us-chile-worldcup-pollution-idUSKBN0ER2JM20140616 HIGH-SPEED RAIL Long-term money a big boost for California's high-speed rail. Gov. Jerry Brown scored a big win for California's $68 billion high-speed rail project by persuading fellow Democrats to dedicate a steady future funding source for it in the state budget. The $108 billion, 2014-15 general fund budget approved Sunday includes $250 million this year from the state's cap-and-trade greenhouse gas emissions fund. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25975450/Longterm-money-a-big-boost-for http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140616/NEWS/140619486 http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/16/long-term-money-a-big-boost-for-high-speed-rail/ Cap-and-trade funds fuel bullet train. Hundreds of millions of dollars from California’s auctions of carbon emission credits are being tapped by the Brown administration to help finance the $68 billion high-speed rail project. The first-year installment, $250 million contained in the 2014-15 budget approved Sunday by the Legislature, will begin flowing to the bullet train beginning July 1. In subsequent years, a fourth of the auction money will go to the train. The budget requires the governor’s signature to take effect. Posted. http://capitolweekly.net/cap-trade-funds-fuel-bullet-train/ VEHICLES DOE awards $20M to 10 hydrogen production and delivery technologies projects. The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award $20 million to ten new research and development projects that will advance hydrogen production and delivery technologies: six on hydrogen production and four on hydrogen delivery. The six hydrogen production R&D projects selected aim to produce, deliver, and dispense hydrogen at less than $4 per gallon gasoline equivalent. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/06/20140617-doe.html California-based Center for Sustainable Energy Selected To Manage Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Rebate Program. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources has selected the nonprofit, California-based Center for Sustainable Energy to administer a new incentive program aimed at increasing the number of zero-emission vehicles commonwealth residents own. The Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV) program will provide up to $2,500 for the purchase or lease of plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles (EVs). Posted. http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1993546 GREEN ENERGY Cable TV boxes become 2nd biggest energy users in many homes. In the middle of the night, when most Americans are sound asleep, their lights and appliances off, a power hog is wide awake and running at nearly full throttle: the boxes that operate their cable or satellite television service. The seemingly innocuous appliances — all 224 million of them across the nation — together consume as much electricity as produced by four giant nuclear reactors, running around the clock. They have become the biggest single energy user in many homes, apart from air conditioning. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-power-hog-20140617-story.html#page=1 MISCELLANEOUS Obama to create world's largest ocean preserve. Moving to protect fragile marine life, President Barack Obama announced plans Tuesday to create the largest ocean preserve in the world by banning drilling, fishing and other activities in a massive stretch of the Pacific Ocean. Using presidential authority that doesn't require new action from Congress, Obama proposed to expand the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, which President George W. Bush designated to protect unique species and rare geological formations. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_OCEANS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/17/obama-to-create-worlds-largest-ocean-preserve/ OPINION How the insurance industry sees climate change. Twenty years ago, I interviewed Frank Nutter, then and now president of the Reinsurance Assn. of America, on the threat climate change posed to the $2-trillion-plus global property and casualty insurance industry. "It is clear," he said back then, "that global warming could bankrupt the industry." Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-linden-insurance-climate-change-20140617-story.html Can the Port Authority Save the Planet? THIS has been a bad year for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, with scandals over a bridge closure and, most recently, a shady real estate deal. But the authority has a chance at redemption, if it is willing to move beyond its traditional mandate. Its model of interstate cooperation could do much more than prevent traffic jams; it could also play the leading role in managing the ecological health of the Hudson River estuary, and serve as an example for other coastal cities around the world facing complex environmental problems in a time of climate change. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/17/opinion/can-the-port-authority-save-the-planet.html?hpw&rref=opinion&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar BLOGS Budget Deal a Shot in the Arm for California Sustainable Communities. With less than 6 hours left before the constitutional deadline, California lawmakers passed a budget last night that includes substantial new revenues for implementing California’s landmark Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Law (SB 375), both this year and into the future. Posted. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aeaken/budget_deal_a_shot_in_the_arm.html Solar Tax Break Proves Budget Muscle of Powerful Interests. In a five hour session of the Legislature’s joint budget conference committee last Thursday night, it all went down in less than three minutes. A multi-year, multi-million dollar tax break — inserted into the budget and never examined in the light of day — was being fast-tracked as part of a state spending plan that was only hours away from landing on the governor’s desk for an all-but-certain signature. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/state+budget+surprise+solar+tax+break How to get incredibly accurate information on your EV's charging power. One would think that paying about $300 to receive a bit of bad news about electric-vehicle charging would be counterproductive. But the fine folks at Teslarati believe that truth is beauty, and they're willing to pay a little extra for the straight dope. There are always losses when taking power from the grid and shoving it into an EV's battery pack. The question is how big are these losses. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/17/how-to-get-incredibly-accurate-information-on-your-evs-charging/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2014 14:38:58 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 18, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 18, 2014. 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 RESOURCES BOARD Environmental Law Institute hails Calif. and head of its air agency. California and the leader of its air agency have been awarded this year's Environmental Achievement Award by the nonpartisan Environmental Law Institute. The institute said the Golden State and Mary Nichols, chairwoman of its Air Resources Board, earned the award through their "preeminent, pathbreaking leadership role in initiating and implementing innovative and effective environmental protection and enhancement programs." Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060001521/ CAP AND TRADE California lawmaker hopes for stop to potential gas-price hike. A state Assembly member is telling people in her district who are worried about gas prices to write to state air quality officials and to Gov. Jerry Brown to urge a stop or delay to a pollution rule set to take effect next year. Assembly member Kristin Olsen, R-Modesto, and others said that rule amounts to a “hidden tax” and will be responsible for a price spike of at least 12 cents more per gallon in the new year. Posted. http://www.kcra.com/news/california-lawmaker-hopes-for-stop-to-potential-gasprice-hike/26540574#ixzz350NmxUdr ‘Cap-and-trade’ revenues to support Californian high speed programme. The California state budget for 2014-15 includes a commitment to provide a further $250m for the planned San Francisco – Los Angeles high speed rail project. The contribution would be provided using revenues accrued by the state’s emissions trading scheme. Posted. http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/cap-and-trade-revenues-to-support-californian-high-speed-programme.html AIR POLLUTION Is it safe? While home is where most of us feel secure, it can also be a dangerous place, filled with pollutants in the form of allergy-causing dust mites, pests or mold that can make living there sick. The good news is that people often feel better once the source is removed. Preventing and taking care of issues that can cause people to feel ill is often a simple fix. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/17/tp-is-it-safe/ Air pollution linked to cognitive decline in later years. The tiny particles in vehicle exhaust and other sources of air pollution may hasten cognitive decline in older adults, according to a new U. S. study. “We decided to examine the link between air pollution and cognitive function in older adults because there is growing evidence that fine particulate matter air pollution affects brain health and development, but relatively little attention has been given to what this means for the aging brain,” said Jennifer Ailshire, who co-wrote the report. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/18/us-pollution-aging-cognitive-function-idUSKBN0ET1NM20140618 Indonesia's "haze" pollution defences not enough, says green group. Indonesia's promises to tackle the upcoming annual "haze" season with a $30 million fund and limited military equipment have been called into question by experts anticipating worse pollution levels than last year due to the El Nino weather pattern. Indonesia has failed in previous attempts to stop the regional haze, with last year giving the worst pollution readings since 1997. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/18/indonesia-haze-idUSL4N0OZ0ZW20140618 CLIMATE CHANGE Merced climate meeting set. The first of five focus group meetings to discuss Merced’s plan to reduce greenhouse gases is scheduled to take place Thursday. The roughly three-hour meeting is open to the public and starts at 1:30 p.m. in the Sam Pipes Room of the Merced Civic Center, 678 W. 18th St. The meeting will be an introduction to the city’s programmatic climate action plan, geared to help new developers reduce emissions. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/17/3396147/merced-climate-meeting-set.html#storylink=cpy Republican EPA chiefs to Congress: Act on climate. Top environmental regulators for four Republican presidents told Congress on Wednesday what many Republican lawmakers won't: Action is needed on global warming. In a congressional hearing organized to undermine Republican opposition to President Barack Obama's environmental proposals, Senate Democrats asked the heads of the Environmental Protection Agency for Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan to discuss the risks from climate change. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GLOBAL_WARMING_CONGRESS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/18/3983599/republican-epa-chiefs-to-congress.html#storylink=cpy Berkeley may consider gas pump warnings about global warming. Berkeley may become the first city in the nation to require warning stickers on gas pumps that inform consumers that the state has concluded that CO2 emissions contribute to global warming. Two citizen panels — the Energy Commission, followed by the Community Environmental Advisory Commission last week — have approved the concept of the stickers, which would be affixed to gas pump handles. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-berkeley-gas-pump-warnings-20140617-story.html FRACKING California releases revised fracking regulations. California oil regulators have released updated rules governing well stimulation jobs including hydraulic fracturing. The revisions announced Tuesday are a continuation of the draft rules released last year. Operators would have to perform real-time seismic monitoring during fracking and other oil recovery techniques. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-releases-revised-fracking-regulations-5558866.php VEHICLES Massachusetts pushing to expand electric car use. Massachusetts drivers buying or leasing new electric cars can begin applying for rebates from the state worth up to $2,500, according to Gov. Deval Patrick's administration. Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Mark Sylvia said the $2 million Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles program will let electric car owners or lease-holders receive a rebate on vehicles purchased on or after Wednesday. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/17/3395689/massachusetts-pushing-to-expand.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY SolarCity Is Acquiring a Start-Up, Silevo, to Build Panels. SolarCity, the fast-growing provider of rooftop solar electricity systems, is moving into the panel manufacturing business, acquiring a start-up and planning to build one of the world’s largest module factories in Buffalo, executives said on Tuesday. The move into manufacturing, a business that has proved deadly for many other upstart American solar companies, is intended to help the company bring the cost of the electricity it sells below that of fossil fuels, even after subsidies phase out. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/18/business/energy-environment/solarcity-acquiring-a-start-up-to-build-panels.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C[%22RI%3A7%22%2C%22RI%3A13%22] http://www.sbsun.com/business/20140617/elon-musks-solarcity-announces-plans-to-acquire-solar-cell-producer-silevo Energy firm NRG expands solar foothold. A new, 50-acre solar power plant in the Imperial Valley desert has been completed by a Carlsbad-based division of power generator NRG Energy, the company confirmed Tuesday. The array of photovoltaic panels in the town of Brawley -- dubbed Community 1 Solar Generating Facility -- stands on property leased from San Diego State University's Imperial Valley Campus, which hopes to use the facility as a teaching tool. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/17/energy-giant-nrg-carlsbad/ Tesla said to be eyeing Salton Sea's lithium. A Tesla Motors employee recently visited the Imperial Valley while the automaker considers Southern California as a potential source of lithium for batteries, a board member of the Imperial Irrigation District said Tuesday. Tesla is looking to secure additional sources of lithium as the Palo Alto-based electric car maker moves forward with plans for its "Gigafactory," the world's biggest plant to produce lithium-ion batteries. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/06/18/tesla-motors-salton-sea-lithium/10724795/ Sustainable energy hub for Asia launched. The Asian Development Bank and two U.N. agencies launched a hub Wednesday to mobilize investments and innovation to bring clean energy to the Asia Pacific region, where more than 600 million people lack electricity and 1.8 billion use firewood and charcoal at home. Energy demand is soaring in the region on the back of economic and population growth, and the ADB said that by 2035 developing countries in the region will account for 56 percent of global energy use, up from 34 percent in 2010. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/sustainable-energy-hub-for-asia-launched/2014/06/18/45a38dae-f6e5-11e3-9e63-ec28e320b8bf_story.html L.A. councilman wants to put ground-based solar arrays on pause. Worried solar farms could overtake prized patches of open space, a Los Angeles councilman is asking the Department of Water and Power board to put off allowing new arrays that are mounted on the ground -- part of its Feed-In Tariff program -- until the city can make sure they mesh with neighborhoods. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-solar-clash-feed-in-tariff-20140618-story.html OPINION Dan Walters: Budget keeps Gov. Brown’s bullet train alive, but what now? The Legislature kept Gov. Jerry Brown’s pet bullet train project alive by allocating $250 million from “cap-and-trade” greenhouse gas fees on business in the new state budget. It also agreed to give the project 25 percent of future fees, whatever they may be – somewhat less than the one-third the governor had sought. So it means that the bullet train is on track? Hardly. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/17/6491122/dan-walters-budget-keeps-gov-browns.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Ford made three big mistakes in calculating MPG for 2013 C-Max Hybrid. It's been a rough time for the official fuel economy figures for the Ford C-Max Hybrid. When the car was released in 2012, Ford made a huge deal about how it would beat the Toyota Prius V, which was rated at 42 combined miles per gallon, 44 city and 40 highway. The Ford? 47 mpg across the board. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/17/ford-made-three-big-mistakes-mpg-for-2013-c-max-hybrid/ This magic bus recharges while you dig for your fare. Electric buses are great, but you have to deal with all of those wires strung through half the city, making urban kite flying a dangerous proposition at worst and an opportunity to develop lightning-like super powers at best. And while being a real-world Black Vulcan would, admittedly, be rad, (you’d never run out of juice for your Palm Pilot, for instance), an OSHA workplace study shows that less than one in 50 people who are electrocuted develop super powers. Posted. http://grist.org/list/this-magic-bus-recharges-while-you-dig-for-your-fare/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 13:26:08 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for June 19, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 19, 2014. 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 China completes pilot carbon market rollout, but take up uncertain. The Chinese city of Chongqing launched its pilot carbon scheme on Thursday, the seventh and final one planned by the country as it looks for ways to rein in its rapidly growing greenhouse gas emissions, the highest in the world. Chongqing, a sprawling metropolis of 30 million people on the Yangtze river, follows the cities of Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing and the provinces of Guangdong and Hubei in launching a trading scheme that allows big local firms to buy and sell permits that cover their carbon emissions. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/19/china-carbon-idUSL4N0P00KL20140619 AIR POLLUTION Lawsuit Launched to Clean Up Lead Air Pollution Across United States. Three environmental groups filed a formal notice of intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency today for failing to ensure that people across the country are protected from dangerous lead in the air. In 2008 the EPA revised 30-year-old air standards for lead, lowering allowable airborne lead levels by 90 percent to protect health and environmental quality. Posted. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2014/lead-06-18-2014.html Asthma rates drop but experts not breathing easier. A new survey suggests asthma in the U.S. may finally be on the decline. But the results are so surprising that health officials are cautious about claiming a downturn. "I wouldn't say it's good news - yet," said the study's lead author, Jeannine Schiller of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_ASTHMA_DECLINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Asthma-rates-drop-but-experts-not-breathing-easier-5564375.php CLIMATE CHANGE Collaborating to meet San Diego's climate change challenges. In 1980, no one could have imagined that we’d face the state’s worst drought in decades in 2014 or experience frightening fires as early as May. Today, we ponder, how is our region’s climate changing? What will the San Diego region look like 35 years from now as climate change effects are seen more clearly? From our individual perspectives, we arrive at numerous conclusions. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/18/San-Diego-collaboration-climate-change/ DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB holds free compliance classes, including webinar. Truck owners wanting to stay on top of the latest in California emissions rules have multiple opportunities in the coming weeks, including one session that can be viewed online. The California Air Resources Board will hold multiple diesel education classes in June and July. The courses are free and cover topics like diesel emissions devices and filters, and how to comply with the state’s Truck and Bus Regulation. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27212#.U6L9vYUvAk8 Long Beach named best green seaport in world. The Port of Long Beach was recognized as the “Best Green Seaport” in the world by an Asian shipping publication, the port announced Wednesday. The port beat out two other finalists for the distinction, including the Port of Hamburg in Germany and the Port of Singapore, said Art Wong, a spokesman for the Port of Long Beach. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/port-622625-long-beach.html VEHICLES Survey provides fascinating insight into the reasons people buy electric vehicles. Ever wonder what motivates people to make the big transition to owning an electric vehicle, either battery electric or plug-in hybrid? The California Air Resources Board (CARB) wanted to know this and a great deal of other information concerning electric vehicles, so it conducted a detailed survey of EV owners in the state. The results are intriguing to anyone who follows the industry. Posted. http://www.torquenews.com/2250/survey-provides-fascinating-insight-reasons-people-buy-electric-vehicles Harley-Davidson introduces electric motorcycle. Harley-Davidson will unveil its first electric motorcycle next week, and President Matt Levatich said he expects the company known for its big touring bikes and iconic brand to become a leader in developing technology and standards for electric vehicles. Harley will show handmade demonstration models Monday at an invitation-only event in New York. The company will then take several dozen riders on a 30-city tour to test drive the bikes and provide feedback. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/19/3398655/harley-davidson-introduces-electric.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY L.A. councilman wants to put ground-based solar arrays on pause. Worried solar farms could overtake prized patches of open space, a Los Angeles councilman is asking the Department of Water and Power board to put off allowing new arrays that are mounted on the ground -- part of its Feed-In Tariff program -- until the city can make sure they mesh with neighborhoods. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-solar-clash-feed-in-tariff-20140618-story.html?track=rss William Maclay’s Road Map to Get Off the Grid. Four years in the making, “The New Net Zero: Leading-Edge Design and Construction of Homes and Buildings for a Renewable Energy Future” (Chelsea Green Publishing, $90) marshals detailed architectural drawings and impressive pie charts to show that net-zero-energy buildings (those that make as much — or more — energy than they consume) not only offer long-term advantages for the planet, but can also save their owners money from the start. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/19/garden/william-maclays-road-map-to-get-off-the-grid.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar MISCELLANEOUS Trash a waste no more. At Foothill Landfill, an old flare stands like a 35-foot-tall candle, its top blackened after burning methane gas produced by millions of tons of trash buried there over the past half-century. Today the flare has been snuffed out, its flame rendered mostly irrelevant thanks to a new methane-gas power plant recently built right next to it. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140619/A_NEWS/406190324/-1/A_NEWS14 For Ideas on How to Live Greener, Think Mobile. Smartphones and tablets may not seem to be designed with the environment in mind, being made of complex layers of plastics, metals and electronics, with chemical batteries. But apps may help you adopt environmentally sensible habits in your daily life. BrightNest, free on iOS, is a beautiful general guide to improving your home. One of its many categories is simply called Green. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/19/technology/personaltech/for-the-greener-life-think-mobile.html?hpw&rref=science&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw Aston Martin Racing to Explore Solar Technology. Aston Martin Racing announced last week that it would join with the Hong Kong-based Hanergy Global Solar Power & Applications Group to find ways to apply solar energy to racecars. The partners plan to use electricity from thin-film photovoltaic cells applied to the car’s roof to power air-conditioning on the cars Aston enters in Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile World Endurance Championship events. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/19/automobiles/aston-martin-racing-to-explore-solar-technology.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw&_r=0 Smart umbrellas keep you dry and check the air you breathe. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, but no one's really fooled. Lurking by everyone's side is an umbrella, ready to be whipped out and unfurled at a moment's notice. Capitalising on the ubiquitous accessory, students Simon Herzog, Saurabh Datta and Akarsh Sanghi from the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design have upgraded the humble umbrella to create a device that measures air pollution levels via a small box mounted on the shaft. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/19/smart-umbrellas-check-air-quality OPINION EPA's clean power plan will boost economy, create jobs. In early June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed a long-term plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants. The agency describes its Clean Power Plan as a "common-sense" way to reduce risks to public health and the economy posed by climate change. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/19/3398461/epas-clean-power-plan-will-boost.html#storylink=cpy http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/19/3985307/epas-clean-power-plan-will-boost.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/19/6495438/epas-clean-power-plan-will-boost.html Viewpoints: Sticker shock coming at the gas pump. Congratulations to the state Legislature for passing an on-time budget! As always, though, the fine print reveals troubling details. A significant problem is that billions of dollars allocated to this and future budgets are new monies that will be coming straight from consumers, thanks to a state program most Californians have never heard of. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/19/6493995/viewpoints-sticker-shock-coming.html BLOGS Chevy Volt owners log half a billion electric miles, 2015 production starts. As General Motors gets ready to start 2015 Volt production Monday, Chevrolet is looking back at some of the numbers that got the car to where it is today. The headline number is that Volt owners have collectively put more than a half-billion electric miles on their cars. The unsurprising upshot is that, if you went out and bought a Volt, you're pretty keen on getting as many electric miles out of it as possible. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/19/chevy-volt-half-billion-miles-2015-production/ DOE spending $20 million to get hydrogen costs down to $4/gallon. There is death. There are taxes. And there is the US Department of Energy (DOE) periodically funding millions of dollars worth of grants towards advancing hydrogen fuel-cell technology. This time, the DOE says it will write checks for $20 million, and the goal is pretty specific: bringing the production and distribution costs of hydrogen to less than the equivalent of $4 a gallon. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/19/doe-spending-20-million-to-get-hydrogen-costs-down-to-4-gallon/ World Gets 22% of Electricity From Renewable Energy. The Renewables 2014 Global Status Report released earlier this month has good news for the environment, namely that an estimated 22.1% of the world’s electricity was generated from renewable sources in 2013. That percentage is expected to rise as countries across the globe pour money and resources into alternative, clean energy. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/numbers/world-gets-22-of-electricity-from-renewable-energy-1456/?KEYWORDS=green+energy Liquid air vehicles economic without subsidy, says report. There is ‘a compelling business case’ for introducing vehicles equipped with liquid air engines in Britain, says a new report. The most promising early applications include refrigerated trucks and trailers, urban buses and delivery trucks, which could repay their original investments within months or just a few years without government subsidy. Posted. http://eandt.theiet.org/news/2014/jun/liquid-air-vehicles.cfm California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 15:14:03 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for June 20, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 20, 2014. 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 Air District Questions Asthma-Air Pollution Link. In 2011, a study by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District established a link between asthma-related ER visits and levels of PM2.5, or fine particulate matter in valley air. But after a follow-up to that study, the Air District now reports that for a number of years, asthma-related ER visits increased even as PM2.5 levels dropped. Posted. http://kvpr.org/post/air-district-questions-asthma-air-pollution-link-0 Study may explain how pollution causes heart disease. Scientists and clean air advocates are well aware that fine particles in the air, known as PM2.5, are correlated with deaths from cardiovascular disease. “You can see days where we have higher pollution, and they’ve already tracked that to more hospital admissions for heart disease, heart attacks," said Angela Johnson Meszaros, general counsel for Physicians for Social Responsibility - Los Angeles. "That kind of thing, we already knew.” Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/06/20/44852/study-may-explain-how-pollution-causes-heart-disea/ CLIMATE CHANGE E.P.A. Administrators Plead With Fellow Republicans to Acknowledge Global Warming. Four former Environmental Protection Agency administrators, all Republicans, pleaded with GOP senators Wednesday to acknowledge and address the reality of climate change, the Huffington Post reports. "We believe there is legitimate scientific debate over the pace and effects of climate change, but no legitimate debate over the facts of the Earth's warming or over man's contribution," William Ruckelshaus, former EPA chief under both Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, told senators at the hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety. Posted. http://www.newsweek.com/ep-administrators-plead-fellow-republicans-acknowledge-global-warming-255573?piano_t=1 Republican Former EPA Chiefs Try To Convince Senate GOP That Climate Change Is Real. Four Republican former administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency had a message for the Senate on Wednesday on climate change: It's real, it's bad and the United States should do something about it. But their fellow Republicans at the hearing largely ignored that position, instead repeating a variety of arguments about why the U.S. should not address the greenhouse gas emissions causing the planet to warm up. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/18/epa-republicans-climate_n_5509048.html?ir=Politics Berkeley considering climate change labels at gas pumps. Berkeley could become the first city in the country to mandate climate change warning labels on gas pump hoses. The signs would inform drivers that the state has determined CO2 emissions contribute to global warming. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25996416/Berkeley-considering-climate-change-labels-at http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25996416/Berkeley-considering-climate-change-labels-at http://www.mercurynews.com/News/ci_25996413/Berkeley-considering-climate-change-labels-at DROUGHT California's drought getting even worse, experts say. California's drought conditions have worsened over the past week with the percentage of the state suffering from the highest category increasing, the National Weather Service said Thursday. "Exceptional" drought conditions have spread in Central California since a week ago, weather officials said. Areas in Northern California have also moved into this category since last week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drought-worsens-across-california-20140619-story.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL APCD approves agreement with California High Speed Rail to mitigate emissions. The Governing Board of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (APCD) today approved agreements that would mitigate all construction emissions from California's High-Speed Rail (HSR) project that occur in the Valley. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/apcd-approves-agreement-with-california-high-speed-rail-to-mitigate-emissions Valley air district gets funds to offset pollution from high-speed rail construction. The San Joaquin Valley will get up to $35 million over the next 14 years to offset the pollution created by construction of the state's high-speed rail. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District board agreed Thursday to accept the commitment from the California High Speed Rail Authority. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/19/3986529/valley-air-district-gets-funds.html?sp=/99/406/263/ Early stage of high-speed rail kicking off in Madera County. A very early stage of the California High-Speed Rail design and testing process is now kicking off in the North Valley. Crews are currently setting up in Madera County near the intersection of Highway 146 and Storey Road. Over the next several weeks the land will become one of the first places in our state used to test the high-speed rail project. Posted. http://abc30.com/news/early-stage-of-high-speed-rail-kicking-off-in-madera-county/125539/ VEHICLES Benicia unveils electric vehicle fast-charging station. It looks exactly like a fuel pump at the gas station. However, instead of dispensing gasoline, the new addition to the City Hall parking lot is the city's latest electric vehicle station. The dual-compatible charger station was unveiled Wednesday during a short ribbon-cutting ceremony in the parking lot. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26000302/Benicia-unveils-electric-vehicle-fastcharging-station GREEN ENERGY Buying Into Solar Power, No Roof Access Needed. Like many consumers, David Polstein had already done much to reduce energy use in his large Victorian home in Newton, Mass. He replaced his appliances with energy-efficient models, installed better heating and put in new insulation. But he was unable to get a solar system to reduce his utility bill, he said, because his roof is too small and shady to make it worthwhile. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/20/business/energy-environment/buying-into-solar-power-no-roof-access-needed.html?_r=0 MISCELLANEOUS California smog research pioneer Pitts dies at 93. James Pitts, a pioneering smog researcher whose work spurred California's ground-breaking clean-air regulations, died Thursday at age 93, his wife said. Pitts died in his sleep at his home in Irvine, according to his wife and fellow professor at the University of California, Irvine, Barbara Finlayson-Pitts. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-smog-research-pioneer-Pitts-dies-at-93-5565635.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/19/6497512/california-smog-research-pioneer.html Open windows to reduce energy consumption. Warm days full of sunshine give homeowners good reason to open windows and let fresh air into their homes while they are at home. Not only can open windows boost mood and create an inviting living space, but open windows also can be good for one’s environment. Posted. http://www.thevillagenews.com/story/78949/ BLOGS Chevy Volt owners log half a billion electric miles, 2015 production starts. As General Motors gets ready to start 2015 Volt production Monday, Chevrolet is looking back at some of the numbers that got the car to where it is today. The headline number is that Volt owners have collectively put more than a half-billion electric miles on their cars. The unsurprising upshot is that, if you went out and bought a Volt, you're pretty keen on getting as many electric miles out of it as possible. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/19/chevy-volt-half-billion-miles-2015-production/ Not waiting to act until it’s too late: the foreign policy and climate change imperative. In a column Wednesday, David Ignatius referred to Henry Kissinger’s model of statecraft from his 1957 book, A World Restored. The model had nothing to do with climate change, but viewed from within that framework, it hits the mark on how to move ahead. To quote Kissinger from 1957: “Nations learn only by experience they ‘know’ only when it’s too late to act”. Then and now this dynamic is self-evident. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/06/19/not-waiting-to-act-until-its-too-late-the-foreign-policy-and-climate-change-imperative/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 15:30:31 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 23, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 23, 2014. 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 Australia’s Abbott Revives Proposal to Scrap Carbon-Price Levy. Australia re-introduced a bill today to repeal a carbon-price mechanism brought in by the previous Labor government ahead of a power shift in the Senate, which has previously rejected the levy’s removal. “Repealing the carbon tax will reduce the cost of living, make jobs more secure and improve the competitive position of our country,” Prime Minister Tony Abbott told parliament in Canberra today. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-22/australia-s-abbott-revives-efforts-to-scrap-carbon-price-levy.html OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/23/australian-pm-introduces-bill-to-repeal-carbon/#ixzz35U1te3Oo AIR POLLUTION Summer, with wildfires as wild card, brings ozone concerns. Brace yourself, Bakersfield. Saturday is officially the first day of summer, and the change of seasons will undoubtedly bring significant shifts in weather and air quality. This is how it works: Longer, hotter days in the valley bring more stagnant air and a corresponding buildup of ground-level ozone, the main component of smog. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x2071376363/Summer-with-wildfires-as-wild-card-brings-ozone-concerns Study may explain how pollution causes heart disease. Scientists and clean air advocates are well aware that fine particles in the air, known as PM2.5, are correlated with deaths from cardiovascular disease. A study out this month in the journal "Environmental Research" may shed light on something that wasn't as well known — the mechanism by which particulate matter causes the disease. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/06/20/44852/study-may-explain-how-pollution-causes-heart-disea/ CLIMATE CHANGE Justices limit existing EPA global warming rules. The Supreme Court on Monday placed limits on the sole Obama administration program already in place to deal with power plant and factory emissions of gases blamed for global warming. The justices said that the Environmental Protection Agency lacks authority in some cases to force companies to evaluate ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPREME_COURT_GREENHOUSE_GASES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/23/us-usa-court-climatechange-idUSKBN0EY1L920140623 http://online.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-reins-in-some-of-epas-greenhouse-gas-efforts-1403534416 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-limits-epas-ability-to-regulate-greenhouse-gas-emissions/2014/06/23/c56fc194-f1b1-11e3-914c-1fbd0614e2d4_story.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/us/justices-with-limits-let-epa-curb-power-plant-gases.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C[%22RI%3A9%22%2C%22RI%3A14%22 http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/23/supreme-court-greenhouse-gas/8567453/ http://www.cnbc.com/id/101781498 http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060001767/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Obama EPA Gets Partial Court Win on Climate-Change Permits. The U.S. Supreme Court partially upheld one of President Barack Obama’s early efforts against climate change, saying the Environmental Protection Agency had authority to impose new permitting requirements on some power plants and factories. The permitting rules apply when facilities are built or expanded. They are separate from the administration’s more comprehensive climate-change regulations…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-23/obama-epa-gets-partial-court-win-on-climate-change-permits-2-.html http://www.bloomberg.com/video/supreme-court-backs-epa-on-climate-change-permits-Ukf0KayQTFejURjMPxLHxg.html Heat & Repeat: Globe breaks May temperature record. Federal records show the globe hit a record high for heat in May, driven by warm ocean waters. May's average temperature on Earth of 59.93 degrees Fahrenheit beat the old record set four years ago. In April, the globe tied the 2010 record for that month. Records go back to 1880. Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb and other experts say there's a good chance global heat records will keep falling…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_WARMEST_MAY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT US mayors to vote on climate change resolution. U.S. mayors gathered in Texas will decide whether to endorse a call for cities to use nature to fight the effects of climate change. Attendees of the U.S. Conference of Mayors are set to vote Monday on a resolution encouraging cities to use natural solutions to "protect freshwater supplies, defend the nation's coastlines, maintain a healthy tree cover and protect air quality," sometimes by partnering with nonprofit organizations. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MAYORS_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/23/us-mayors-to-vote-on-climate-change-resolution/#ixzz35U1DUeMF Democrats use climate change as wedge issue on. When President Obama stood before students in Southern California a week ago ridiculing those who deny climate science, he wasn't just road testing a new political strategy to a friendly audience. He was trying to drive a wedge between younger voters and the Republican Party. http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Democrats-use-climate-change-as-wedge-issue-on-5570165.php Debate rages on what ruling means for power plant curbs. Today's Supreme Court ruling that limited some of U.S. EPA's permitting program for greenhouse gases raised a big question: What does it mean for hot-button proposals for curbing heat-trapping emissions from power plants? The decision handed down by a divided high court barely touched on the use of the Clean Air Act's Section 111(d), which EPA is using to regulate carbon from power plants. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060001799/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Scientists pinpoint drivers behind extreme weather in new study. In the messy, chaotic atmosphere of our planet meanders the jet stream, a wiggly belt of air circling the mid-latitudes. As the belt moves south, it pulls cool air from the Arctic toward the tropics. Then it switches direction, pulling warm air from the tropics toward the poles. Sometimes, in response to natural climate patterns, the jet stream becomes abnormally wavy. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001743/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Cutting pollution saves lives, but climate change could undermine health gains, research shows. In his pitch for new greenhouse gas emissions restrictions earlier this month, President Obama argued that proposed U.S. EPA rules would rapidly yield health benefits. The smokestacks that produce the biggest chunk of the country's carbon dioxide also release black carbon, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, ozone and volatile organic compounds, the president observed. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001763/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Bay Area agencies agree to consider GHG impacts of transportation plan. Bay Area agencies have agreed to update the region's long-term transportation plan with a new analysis of its impact on greenhouse gas emissions, settling a lawsuit with local environmental groups. The agreement requires the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which developed a transportation plan for the region through 2040…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060001771/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Pain of California’s water shortage is spreading. Outingdale is one of the first communities in Northern California to know what the worst drought since 1977 really feels like. Residents have been told by the El Dorado Irrigation District, their water provider, to consume no more than 68 gallons of water per person per day. That’s about one-third of the state average. Their use is being monitored by water meters at each home. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/22/6502072/pain-of-californias-water-shortage.html Marin water managers: Residents saving more than what state says. Marin's two largest water agencies report their customers have done slightly better than other Bay Area residents in conserving water since Gov. Jerry Brown called for a 20 percent voluntary cutback in January. Even so, the state's data would suggest a poor level of compliance in Marin. But local water managers say the numbers don't paint an entirely accurate picture. Posted. http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_26013125/marin-water-managers-residents-saving-more-than-what California Drought: Snowmelt's path shows impact from Sierra to Pacific. When a single snowflake falls peacefully atop a Sierra peak, it begins a turbulent journey to help quench the thirst of a drought-stricken state. In most years, Sierra snow provides a third of California's water supply. But it is by far the least reliable portion — and now, after three years of historically low snowfall, tensions are soaring over how we share the shrinking bounty of this great frozen reservoir. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26009266/california-drought-snowmelt-path-shows-impact-sierras-pacific Water war bubbling up between California and Arizona. Once upon a time, California and Arizona went to war over water. The next water war between California and Arizona won't be such an amusing little affair. And it's coming soon. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-20140620-column.html FUELS California city pursues gas-pump warning labels. The San Francisco Bay Area city of Berkeley is moving forward with plans to put climate-change warning labels on gas pumps in what could be the first such requirement of its kind in the nation. The city's community environmental advisory commission called on the city manager last week to draft an ordinance for the labels. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAS_PUMPS_CLIMATE_CHANGE_LABELS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Exxon, Chevron Sued by Pennsylvania Over Gas Additive. Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and Chevron Corp. (CVX) were among oil companies accused by Pennsylvania of polluting groundwater with a gasoline additive in lawsuits similar to ones brought by New York City, New Hampshire and Vermont. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-20/exxon-chevron-sued-by-pennsylvania-over-gas-additive.html European Coal Drops to 4-Year Low as Credit Suisse Cuts Forecast. European thermal coal fell to the lowest in more than four years as Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN) cut its price forecast for the fuel. The bank lowered its third-quarter price outlook for Australian and European coal by 6.3 percent to $75 a metric ton, and cut its fourth-quarter forecast by 12 percent to $75. Supply is expected to outweigh demand in the seaborne market through at least 2015…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-23/european-coal-drops-to-4-year-low-as-credit-suisse-cuts-forecast.html Asia Soaks Up Excess Oil. As U.S. Production Increases and Imports Drop, Oil-Exporting Nations Find Another Outlet. Asia will be able to absorb increasing amounts of crude oil not needed by the U.S. in the years ahead, providing an important outlet for oil suppliers in several regions. With new technology having unlocked vast quantities of North American crude and natural gas previously trapped in shale rock beds…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/asia-is-soaking-up-oil-displaced-from-the-u-s-1403239125#printMode VEHICLES More S.J. drivers opting for electric. Ready to consider an electric car? You won't be alone. Not anymore. Although significant roadblocks still hinder electric vehicle ownership in the San Joaquin Valley, new statistics show a surge in buyers over the past two years. During that time, in San Joaquin County alone, motorists have pocketed more than half a million dollars in state rebates by purchasing 260 fully electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140621/A_NEWS/406210328/0/SEARCH San Diego nonprofit steers clean-car rebates. Massachusetts is borrowing from California's clean-technology playbook to increase consumer interest in plug-in electric cars. The Commonwealth will rely on the California Center for Sustainable Energy, headquartered in San Diego, to oversee state-funded rebates toward battery powered cars and other vehicles that leave behind little or no air pollution. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/23/energy-nonprofit-expands-reach/ GREEN ENERGY U.K. Plans Rules for Capacity Market, Contracts-for-Difference. The U.K. proposed further rules for how the country’s incentives for low-carbon electricity and a planned capacity market will work as part of a program to reform the electricity market. Secondary legislation fleshing out government reforms of the power market that were approved in last year’s Energy Act were put before Parliament today…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-23/u-k-plans-rules-for-capacity-market-contracts-for-difference.html Initiative for renewable power in S.F. is stalling. In his first month in office, Mayor Ed Lee assembled a team of energy experts to help San Francisco meet its ambitious goal of having all electricity in the city come from renewable sources by the end of 2020. But over the past year, Lee has overseen the evisceration of a renewable power program that clean-energy advocates, analysts and that task force say is critical to San Francisco meeting its goal. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Initiative-for-renewable-power-in-S-F-is-stalling-5571354.php California law would fast-track residential solar panel installations. Installing solar panels in California will get a lot less complicated if the state Senate votes Wednesday to pass a bill to speed up the permitting process that can often drag on for months. Assembly Bill 2188, drafted by South Bay Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, would force cities to process permits for small, residential solar installations within five business days. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140622/california-law-would-fast-track-residential-solar-panel-installations Smog and the lack of a business model make China's urban solar energy outlook murky. With a goal to demonstrate the use of renewable energy, Greenpeace was giving some serious thought to installing solar panels on their building's rooftop when the environmental group rented a training center two years ago in Beijing. A Chinese solar panel producer was eager to help with the system installation. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001765/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Environment, economy linked at new UN assembly. The first-ever United Nations Environmental Assembly opened in Kenya on Monday, as more than 150 high-level delegations began a weeklong examination of the intersection between global economic progress and the environment. The environment is no longer a niche topic backed by a passionate minority, Achim Steiner, the head of the U.N. Environmental Program…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_KENYA_ENVIRONMENT_SUMMIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/23/environment-economic-linked-at-new-un-assembly/ At School, Turning Good Food Into Perfectly Good Compost. One by one, the children at Public School 30 on Staten Island dumped their uneaten bananas into a bin in the back of their raucous cafeteria, each greenish-yellow missile landing with a thud. Thud. Thud. John Sullivan, 9, a fourth grader, said bananas “make my stomach hurt.” Julianna Delloso, 6, a first grader, said “they taste funny.” And Joseph Incardone, 7, also in first grade, was almost gleeful as he explained why he, too, had chucked his unpeeled banana. “I didn’t like it,” he said. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/23/nyregion/at-new-york-city-schools-turning-good-food-into-perfectly-good-compost.html OPINIONS The Coming Climate Crash. Lessons for Climate Change in the 2008 Recession There is a time for weighing evidence and a time for acting. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my work in finance, government and conservation, it is to act before problems become too big to manage. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/opinion/sunday/lessons-for-climate-change-in-the-2008-recession.html The Big Green Test. On Sunday Henry Paulson, the former Treasury secretary and a lifelong Republican, had an Op-Ed article about climate policy in The New York Times. In the article, he declared that man-made climate change is “the challenge of our time,” and called for a national tax on carbon emissions to encourage conservation and the adoption of green technologies. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/23/opinion/paul-krugman-conservatives-and-climate-change.html BLOGS Too Hot to Handle. Hot weather kills more Americans than all other natural disasters combined, and the casualties continue to climb despite decades of warnings about how to recognize the signs of heat stress and take prompt corrective action. With climate change, some experts predict ever-worsening summer heat waves and even more related illnesses and deaths. Posted. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/23/too-hot-to-handle/ Cleaner Air Linked to Fewer Deaths. Air quality has improved significantly in the past 20 years because of federal and state laws and regulations, and researchers in North Carolina have found an associated decline in rates of death from respiratory disease. A study, published Monday in The International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, analyzed mortality trends for emphysema, asthma and pneumonia from 1993 to 2010, along with changes in air pollution levels as measured monthly. Posted. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/23/cleaner-air-linked-to-fewer-deaths/?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C[%22RI%3A9%22%2C%22RI%3A14%22] Two Climate Analysts Weigh the Notion of a ‘Good’ Path in the Anthropocene. I’m just catching up with reactions from two climate and sustainability analysts (Michael Tobis and Curt Stager) to my recent talk charting a “good” path through the age of us, the Anthropocene, and Clive Hamilton’s blunt critique. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/two-climate-researchers-weigh-the-notion-of-a-good-path-in-the-anthropocene/?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C[%22RI%3A9%22%2C%22RI%3A14%22] Assembly Democrats fear gas price increase, urge change in environmental policy. Business-friendly Democrats in the state Assembly are urging the Brown administration to back off implementation of a greenhouse gas reduction measure that is expected to result in higher gas prices starting next year. In a letter to Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, 16 Assembly Democrats last week urged delaying or changing a planned expansion of the state's cap-and-trade program to transportation fuels. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/06/assembly-democrats-fear-gas-price-increase-urge-change-in-environmental-pol.html#storylink=cpy California’s Cap and Trade a Versatile Tool for Environmental Policies. Governor Brown signed a budget last week that lays out for the first time how to invest the millions from California’s landmark cap-and-trade program ($734 million so far). California has shown another way that cap-and-trade is like the Swiss army knife of environmental policies: a versatile tool known for its usefulness and adaptability. Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/californiadream/2014/06/23/californias-cap-and-trade-a-versatile-tool-for-environmental-policies/#sthash.nFEsV9nb.dpuf Why a Carbon Tax Is Better Than Obama’s Cap and Trade. This weekend, former Treasury secretary Hank Paulson weighed in at the New York Times about the need for more urgent action on the climate front, and described how various indicators of how quickly climate change is taking place, such as the speed of Arctic and Antarctic ice melt, are moving much faster than models had predicted. Paulson, who has long been an ardent conservationist (and in contrast to his alpha Wall Street male standing, lives modestly), made a forceful pitch for carbon taxes. Posted. http://www.economonitor.com/blog/2014/06/why-a-carbon-tax-is-better-than-obamas-cap-and-trade/#sthash.zLRfr22o.dpuf Forget 'Cars and Coffee,' the future is cars ON coffee. For many of us, coffee runs our lives. Without the bitter, caffeinated brew, most of us wouldn't be able to get up in the morning or avoid fading in the afternoon. Now, new research from the University of Bath suggests we might want to get our cars as hooked on java as we are. Regardless of the variety of coffee used, the UK institution has found that coffee grounds are a great source to create biodiesel. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/06/21/coffee-powered-cars-bath-university-uk-study/ The Turning Point: New Hope for the Climate. In the struggle to solve the climate crisis, a powerful, largely unnoticed shift is taking place. The forward journey for human civilization will be difficult and dangerous, but it is now clear that we will ultimately prevail. The only question is how quickly we can accelerate and complete the transition to a low-carbon civilization. Posted. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-turning-point-new-hope-for-the-climate-20140618#ixzz35Ue7DdcR Renewable Energy Won't Cause Electric Utility 'Death Spiral': Study. Beware the idea of a "death spiral," heralded by some as the inevitable result for electric utilities of mass adoption of renewable energy sources--particularly solar. Under this scenario, advances in renewable energy will allow consumers to generate more of their own power. As more customers leave the network, the theory goes, companies will be forced to raise rates to cover fixed costs--like power-transmission infrastructure--forcing even more people away. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092809_renewable-energy-wont-cause-electric-utility-death-spiral-study Controlling Dust With Curtain Walls. Controlling dust and other airborne particulate in a facility is essential for quality control and, more importantly, is a matter of safety. Any company involved in a process handling operation or generating particulate matter will benefit from dust control practices. Woodworking, painting, powdered ingredients/spice mixing and packaging, ceramic cutting/grinding, powdered chemical processing and packaging are just a few of the applications for which it is critical. Posted. http://www.chem.info/articles/2014/06/controlling-dust-curtain-walls California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 14:46:11 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 24, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 24, 2014. 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 Lawmakers urge change to carbon emissions plan. As California gas prices climb, a group of moderate and pro-business Democratic lawmakers is voicing concerns about the cost to drivers of state regulations to curb carbon emissions set to take effect next year. As part of a landmark law passed in 2006, motor vehicle fuel will be subject to new price pressures starting in January, and the change could add at least an estimated 15 cents to the average price of regular unleaded gasoline. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-prices-sacramento-20140625-story.html CLIMATE CHANGE Money men tally cost of climate change. Climate change is likely to exact enormous costs on U.S. regional economies in the form of lost property, reduced industrial output and more deaths, according to a report backed by a trio of men with vast business experience. The report, released Tuesday, is designed to convince businesses to factor in the cost of climate change in their long-term decisions and to push for reductions in emissions blamed for heating the planet. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_COST_OF_CLIMATE_CHANGE_REPORT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/23/6506471/money-men-tally-cost-of-climate.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/24/money-men-tally-cost-of-climate-change/#ixzz35ZnvHtKr http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/science/report-tallies-toll-on-economy-from-global-warming.html?_r=0 http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/06/24/climate-change-poses-business-risks/11302761/ http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/11302761 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/business-leaders-say-climate-change-threatens-economy/ http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/140624-bipartisan-report-risky-business-climate-change-science/# BY SUBSCRIPTION US mayors unanimously pass climate change ideas. A bipartisan group of mayors from across the country unanimously approved a resolution Monday that calls on cities to use natural solutions to fight the effects of climate change. Attendees of the U.S. Conference of Mayors voted in Dallas on the resolution that encourages cities to use nature to "protect freshwater supplies, defend the nation's coastlines, maintain a healthy tree and green space cover and protect air quality…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MAYORS_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Justices rap EPA, but uphold global warming rules. The Supreme Court largely left intact Monday the Obama administration's only existing program to limit power plant and factory emissions of the gases blamed for global warming. But a divided court also rebuked environmental regulators for taking too much authority into their own hands without congressional approval. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPREME_COURT_GREENHOUSE_GASES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/A-climate-change-win-5573955.php Billionaire Obama adviser: Punish companies that ignore climate change. The climate change debate took a sharp left turn on Tuesday when several former cabinet secretaries, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and a key Wall Street donor to environmental causes said companies that don’t buy into global warming should be punished and penalized. Posted. http://washingtonexaminer.com/billionaire-obama-advisor-punish-companies-that-ignore-climate-change/article/2550111 NC scientists find that oyster reefs can grow faster than sea-level rise. Climate scientists predict that by 2100, sea level will be 2 to 3 feet higher than it is today, but it appears that oyster reefs may adapt to the change. New research at the University of North Carolina Marine Science Institute found that oyster reefs grow fast enough to keep pace with rising seas. Climate warming and sea-ice loss is causing sea levels to rise, threatening to swamp coastal ecosystems in the process. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/24/6507070/nc-scientists-find-that-oyster.html#storylink=cpy White House pushes climate change solutions this week. White House officials are spending this week highlighting the public health and economic consequences of climate change on the one-year anniversary of President Barack Obama’s speech to combat address the problem. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/23/6505922/white-house-pushes-climate-change.html#storylink=cpy Climate Change becomes a battle ground of money wagers. The proponents for and against climate change have 97 percent of the scientists supporting that climate change has been increased by the hand of man with fossil fuel burning while pitted against staunch supporters in denial. Today, a physicist put up at wager of $10,000 to anyone who could refute scientifically the claim of climate change, posted online in Climateprogress. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/climate-change-becomes-a-battle-ground-of-money-wagers FUELS Neste Agrees to Buy Algae Oil to Make Clean Transport Fuel. Neste Oil Oyj (NES1V), a Finnish oil refiner, agreed to buy algae oil from U.S.-based Renewable Algal Energy to turn into clean diesel. The agreement secures access to industrial volumes of algae oil and will require Renewable Algal to increase its production capacity, Espoo-based Neste said today in a statement. The deal is non-exclusive and Neste said it’s looking for other partners. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-24/neste-agrees-to-buy-algae-oil-to-make-clean-transport-fuel.html Ohio college to stop investing in fossil fuels. The University of Dayton says it will begin divesting coal and fossil fuels from its $670 million investment pool, hoping to spark discussion about how use of fossil fuels affects climate change. The private Catholic university said in a statement Monday that university trustees unanimously approved the new investment policy. The school says that reflects its commitment to environmental sustainability, human rights and its religious mission. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Ohio-college-to-stop-investing-in-fossil-fuels-5573230.php Big News for Natural Gas Is Big News for This Industry. The media is buzzing with natural gas news, ranging from the effects of global warming initiatives on the industry to reports of Russia cutting off their supply of natural gas to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the fertilizer industry sits quietly behind the forefront of the natural gas dominance, remaining highly dependent on both domestic and international natural gas pricing. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Big-News-for-Natural-Gas-Is-Big-News-for-This-5575704.php VEHICLES California Puts Its Electric-Car Owner Survey Info Online. Plug-in electric cars are driving silently off showroom floors in growing numbers--but who is buying them, and why? Data on electric-car owners can provide valuable insight for policymakers, helping to show which strategies for increased adoption are more likely to work. Now, one such a resource is available to the public. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092900_california-puts-its-electric-car-owner-survey-info-online Even Ferrari To Cut Carbon Emissions, With Hybrid V-12 & Turbo V-8 Engines. The fastest, most expensive sports cars and supercars must constantly boost performance to stay competitive--and now they're also having to cut their carbon emissions at the same time. Ferrari, possibly the best-known among sought-after supercar brands, plans to cut average carbon emissions across its fleet by 20 percent over the next seven years. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092912_even-ferrari-to-cut-carbon-emissions-with-hybrid-v-12-turbo-v-8-engines Hybrids vs Electric Vehicles vs Plug-in Hybrids (Infographic) Looking for a quick crash course in the world of electric vehicles in a single infographic? Well look no further. Fix.com has put together a nifty infographic that explains the differences between hybrids, electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrids, and explains all the money-saving and environmental benefits of electric vehicles. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/06/23/infographic-shows-differences-hybrids-evs-phevs/ HIGH SPEED RAIL Lawsuit contests high-speed rail air quality plans. A San Rafael-based group that opposes California's high-speed rail project filed a lawsuit Monday contesting the state's plan to spend cap-and-trade pollution money on the $68 billion project, arguing that building the bullet train would create more pollution than it would reduce for at least a decade. Posted. http://hosted2.ap.org/CAANR/703431ceb9e54ef59a493df79e81e2f3/Article_2014-06-23-CA--California%20High-Speed%20Rail/id-4128899fd7814ff2aa1284d2cfa343eb http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Lawsuit-counters-high-speed-rail-air-quality-plans-5573733.php http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/23/3992439/new-lawsuit-in-fresno-challenges.html?sp=/99/406/ http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2014-06-24/lawsuit-contests-high-speed-rail-air-pollution-money-plan/1776425125465.html http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140623/lawsuit-filed-contesting-plans-to-pay-for-californias-high-speed-rail-project-with-cap-and-trade-funds http://www.mercurynews.com/california-high-speed-rail/ci_26024041/lawsuit-contests-californias-high-speed-rail-air-quality http://www.kesq.com/news/highspeed-rail-critics-sue-state-over-diversion-of-funds/26635874 GREEN ENERGY 2 universities in DC make deal to buy solar power. Two universities in the nation's capital have agreed to a major energy deal to buy more than half their power from three new solar power farms that will be built in North Carolina, the schools announced Monday night. George Washington University, American University and the George Washington University Hospital announced the 20-year agreement with Duke Energy Renewables to reduce their carbon footprints by directly tapping solar energy. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_UNIVERSITIES_SOLAR_POWER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Rooftop Solar Leases Scaring Buyers When Homeowners Sell. Dorian Bishopp blames the solar panels on his roof for costing him almost 10 percent off the value of the home he sold in March. That’s because instead of owning them he leased the panels from SunPower Corp. (SPWR), requiring the new owner of the house to assume a contract with almost 19 years remaining. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-23/rooftop-solar-leases-scaring-buyers-when-homeowners-sell.html Can General Electric and Synthetic Biology De-Risk Nuclear Energy? The average nuclear power plant generates 20 metric tons of nuclear waste every year, while America's entire nuclear fleet produces about 2,000 metric tons. That has added up to over 70,000 metric tons in the past 40 years. It's not a big volume, relatively speaking, but the problem is usually associated with the length of time it remains hazardous. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Can-General-Electric-and-Synthetic-Biology-5572954.php DOE awards $100M in 2nd funding round for 32 Energy Frontier Research Centers. The US Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding $100 million in the second round of funding for Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs); research supported by this initiative will enable fundamental advances in energy production, storage, and use. The 32 projects receiving funding were competitively selected from more than 200 proposals. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/06/20140624-doe.html OPINIONS On Balance, a Good Ruling on Emission. The Supreme Court Correctly Affirms the E.P.A.’s Authority. The Clean Air Act is a complex and often confusing piece of legislation, especially when it comes to confronting the challenges of global warming, which were not fully understood when the original law was passed in 1970. At that time, the biggest risk to the environment and human health was believed to come from more “conventional” air pollutants, like sulfur dioxide and lead. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/opinion/the-supreme-court-correctly-affirms-the-epas-authority.html Cap-and-trade is fueling California's economy. Re "Sticker shock coming at the pump" (Viewpoints, June 19): As California business owners and residents, we take strong objection to Jay McKeeman's assertions that fuels under the cap in 2015 will result in a heavy economic burden on consumers. Since AB32 was enacted in 2006, California's clean-tech job growth is 10 times that of the state. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/23/6505270/cap-and-trade-is-fueling-californiaas.html#storylink=cpy Lee Lane: Does climate science dictate energy policy? In recent remarks, while avoiding disputes about climate science, House Speaker John Boehner has denounced the high costs of President Barack Obama’s climate and energy policies. Obama has responded by insisting that his own energy policies are based purely on science. He maintains, as well, that concerns that environmental controls will curtail economic growth reflect only the false claims of special interests. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/science-626869-climate-obama.html BLOGS Claim that global warming has “decelerated” is troubling, misleading (Viewpoint). As a meteorologist, I am used to dealing with uncertainty. The atmosphere is complex and our models always paint an incomplete, but still useful picture of the weather. We strive to be as confident in our conclusions as possible, but are careful to avoid showing over-confidence by drawing conclusions that are simply not justified by the data itself. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/06/23/claim-that-global-warming-has-decelerated-is-troubling-misleading-viewpoint/ Researcher develops portable device to monitor air quality. Andy Zhang, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, and his students at City Tech designed a portable device called AirCasting that monitors air quality and transmits the data to a smartphone app. Zhang said there is interest in the air monitors from institutions in California, Colorado, and as far away as Poland, Hong Kong and China. Posted. http://phys.org/news/2014-06-portable-device-air-quality.html Cap-and-trade policy can help US reduce emissions. President Obama has established new emission standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into our atmosphere by 30 percent by 2030. The success or failure of this regulation will rely - at least in some states - on market economics and the allocation of resources in the most efficient manner. There are some areas, of course, where the market needs help. For instance, the market does not factor future costs into the price consumers pay for a product or service. Posted. http://newsitem.com/opinion/letters/cap-and-trade-policy-can-help-us-reduce-emissions-1.1707704 AAA says Tesla Model S is the best green car available. AAA has released its 2014 Green Car Guide (PDF), a 140-page document that discusses what it means to be green, how to be a greener driver, how to shop for green cars, what choices are available and what green cars are on the horizon. Most importantly, the guide evaluates and ranks 83 different green vehicles, from high-mileage gasoline vehicles to battery electric cars, and everything in between. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/24/aaa-says-tesla-model-s-is-the-best-green-car-available/ Idling vehicle engines are big polluters. WHILE there is a lively public discussion about the dangers of second-hand cigarette smoke, I have been wondering why the danger to health caused by idle vehicle engines is seldom addressed. Although the Environmental Pollution Control regulations deem it an offence to keep the engine running while a vehicle is stationary for reasons other than traffic conditions... Posted. http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/idling-vehicle-engines-are-big-polluters-20140625#sthash.0YYJQ6pv.dpuf California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 12:30:07 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 25, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 25, 2014. 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 Calif. Earmarks a Quarter of Its Cap-and-Trade Riches for Environmental Justice. One-quarter of the $872 million generated by California's 18-month-old cap-and-trade scheme will go to housing and public transit programs for poor and minority communities this year, according to the recently approved state budget. The decision caps a long fight by environmental justice advocates over how much of the state's carbon proceeds…Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140625/calif-earmarks-quarter-its-cap-and-trade-riches-environmental-justice AIR POLLUTION Bid to save beach bonfires advances in California legislature. As rising temperatures send thousands to Southern California's storied beaches, lawmakers are rushing to make sure a classic rite of summer, the beach bonfire, doesn't burn out before they get there. Under a new anti-pollution measure adopted last year by regional air quality regulators, fire rings on beaches near houses or in places with poor air quality would have to be removed. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/24/us-usa-california-beaches-idUSKBN0EZ30J20140624 Oxnard gets traffic study grant. The $132,795 grant, combined with a $17,205 match from the city for a total $150,000, will pay for a consultant to work with large local employers on programs that reduce vehicle trips, said Cynthia Daniels, project manager. The funds were awarded last year but the city is just now kicking off the project, Daniels said. Overall, the goal is to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/24/oxnard-gets-traffic-study-grant/#ixzz35fZe8MkH EPA study of CAFO emissions grinds on with no end in sight. U.S. EPA's nine-year effort to document air pollution at livestock operations is likely still many years from completion and unlikely to be as useful as industry and environmental groups had hoped. Still incomplete is what EPA promised to do under a 2005 deal cut with livestock producers to identify air emissions for different types of concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060001938/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Ohio State helping develop 'clean' coal power plant. An Ohio company is working with Ohio State University researchers to develop a "clean" coal power plant that would capture up to 90 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions. A $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy is funding the research, which will be used to scale up a small prototype plant that has already tested the coal-direct chemical looping process for 680 hours. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001877/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE U.S. to face multibillion-dollar bill from climate change: report. Annual property losses from hurricanes and other coastal storms of $35 billion; a decline in crop yields of 14 percent, costing corn and wheat farmers tens of billions of dollars; heat wave-driven demand for electricity costing utility customers up to $12 billion per year. These are among the economic costs that climate change is expected to exact in the United States over the next 25 years…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/24/us-climatechange-economy-idUSKBN0EZ0AA20140624 Why the U.S. Needs Business to Save It From Congress. It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a climate bill to move through the United States Congress. That's why the Obama administration is threading its climate policy through the Environmental Protection Agency instead of Capitol Hill, where it tried and failed in 2010. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-25/u-s-business-is-the-grassroots-climate-movement.html Climate Forecast: A Heat More Deadly Than the U.S. Has Ever Seen. It’s not the heat. It’s the humidity. And the U.S. is on a path to regularly experience a deadly combination of the two the likes of which have only been recorded once on planet Earth. That’s one of the findings in a report published today called “Risky Business,” commissioned by some of America’s top business leaders to put price tags on climate threats. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-24/what-to-expect-when-your-planet-is-expecting-risky-business-in-climate.html EPA’s Winning Streak Extended as High Court Backs Greenhouse Permits. The Obama administration added to a series of environmental court wins, as the Environmental Protection Agency retained the right to curb greenhouse gases from power plants, refineries and chemical factories. The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday upheld the EPA’s requirement that such facilities address the emissions as part of permits for expansion. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-24/epa-extended-legal-victories-for-climate-change-moves.html Where Did the Supreme Court Leave EPA's Power on Greenhouse Gas? Confused by the Supreme Court’s ruling on carbon emissions? It’s understandable. Monday’s decision interpreted highly technical regulatory provisions and produced a splintered vote. Scholars, advocates, and pundits emphasized contrasting themes. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-24/where-did-the-supreme-court-leave-epa-s-power-on-greenhouse-gas-.html Fighting Climate Change Is Profitable: Mexico’s Calderon. Curbing climate change is profitable and nations must offer business incentives for low-carbon growth to cut fossil-fuel reliance, according to former president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon. Countries must act jointly and in a “comprehensive” way, targeting the energy industry, cities, agriculture and forests as the main areas where runaway greenhouse gas emissions can be reined in, Calderon said in an interview in London. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-25/fighting-climate-change-is-profitable-mexico-s-calderon.html Supreme Court backs EPA power to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions. The Obama administration's drive to regulate global-warming gases won a surprising victory in the Supreme Court on Monday with the support of two conservative justices. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Antonin Scalia joined the court's moderates and liberals in a 7-2 vote to uphold most of an Environmental Protection Agency rule that requires new or rebuilt factories…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/25/6509893/supreme-court-backs-epa-power.html http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Supreme-Court-upholds-program-limiting-greenhouse-5574034.php Extreme heat a danger to all, especially elderly, young. Hot weather kills more Americans than all other natural disasters combined, and the casualties continue to climb despite decades of warnings about how to recognize the signs of heat stress and take prompt corrective action. With climate change, some experts predict ever-worsening summer heat waves and even more related illnesses and deaths. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Extreme-heat-a-danger-to-all-especially-elderly-5576849.php Obama aides to meet with climate change mega-donor. Obama administration officials are planning a climate change meeting Wednesday that includes a Democratic donor who has pledged to spend up to $100 million to make climate change a major issue in the November elections. Billionaire Tom Steyer will be one of several people at the Wednesday meeting devoted to a new report detailing the economic consequences of climate change. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2014/06/24/obama-tom-steyer-climate-change-white-house-meeting-wednesday/11312935/ How influential is billionaire climate change activist Tom Steyer? Today marks the one year anniversary of an important speech President Obama made on climate change in which he detailed plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Tonight, the White House will be looking at the potential economic damage of climate change. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2014/06/25/38062/how-influential-is-billionaire-climate-change-acti/ DROUGHT Drought takes toll on hydro generation in Calif. Hydropower generation in California has dropped by half as a result of the state's gripping drought, according to a new analysis. The state, which normally gets about 14 percent of its electricity from hydroelectric dams and turbines, saw its hydropower generation fall 48 percent in the first quarter of 2014 compared with the same period last year, according to an analysis from SNL Energy. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001916/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Beyond the Keystone XL Pipeline. Political wrangling continues over the Keystone XL project, a proposed TransCanada pipeline from Alberta's oil sands to the U.S. With all the publicity around this controversial project, it's easy to get the impression that TransCanada's fortunes will rise or fall with the Keystone XL pipeline. But is that really the case? Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Beyond-the-Keystone-XL-Pipeline-5578379.php VEHICLES Japan Moves to Fast-Track Cars Powered by Hydrogen Fuel Cells. Japan’s government and the country’s top carmakers, including Toyota Motor, are joining forces to bet big that they can speed up the arrival of the fuel-cell era. The still-costly and complex fuel cell technology uses hydrogen as fuel and could greatly curb automotive pollution. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/26/business/international/japan-bets-big-on-cars-powered-by-hydrogen-fuel-cells.html http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2014/0625/Japanese-fuel-cell-cars-on-track-for-March-2015-release Study finds that electric cars are putting the brakes on pollution. Annual sales of electric vehicles have skyrocketed by 500 percent nationwide the past two years, according to a new report, benefiting public health and the environment. "It's clearer we need more cleaner vehicles on the road," said Mac Farrell, global warming organizer at Environment California. "We're in the middle of a technological revolution that is helping to clean up our air and reduce our dependence on oil. It's the rise of electric vehicles. It's time for this revolution to really charge ahead." http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_26025531/study-finds-that-electric-cars-are-putting-brakes GREEN ENERGY SunPower Offers Batteries to Hold Solar Power Until Night. SunPower Corp. (SPWR), the second-largest U.S. solar manufacturer, is offering energy-storage systems to California homeowners that will power houses at night with electricity generated from sunlight during the day. The company is testing systems that combine rooftop solar panels with battery storage in new homes built by KB Home (KBH), San Jose, California-based SunPower said in a statement today. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-24/sunpower-offers-batteries-to-hold-solar-power-until-night.html How much energy went into making your solar roof? Researchers want to know. When it comes to energy, you have to invest some in order to get some. Whether drilling for oil or baking silicon for photovoltaic panels, there is an energy price for the energy we produce, researchers say. However, these considerations are often in a policy blind spot, and most energy regulations focus on economic costs more than energy outlays. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001922/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Solar leasing helps drive PV boom, but market is shifting – study. Third-party leases that brought U.S. residential solar power from a niche market into a mainstream energy investment will account for a record 68 percent of all new residential solar systems installed this year, according to new findings from GTM Research. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001915/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DOE finalizes furnace-fan standards to mark climate plan anniversary. The Department of Energy announced final energy efficiency standards for furnace fans today, the one-year anniversary of the release of President Obama's Climate Action Plan. "The part of the Climate Action Plan that got the most attention was the EPA rules on power plants," but the plan was packed with smaller DOE measures that will add up over time…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060001947/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Divergent views on exporting gas through bay. Dominion Resources' proposal to build a liquefied natural gas export facility is dividing residents of the quiet town of Lusby on the Chesapeake Bay. Some, like longtime resident Tracey Eno are worried about increased air pollution. "That can't be good for me. I mean that's just common sense," said Eno, 44, who lives 1½ miles from the site. "Is that going to show up as asthma? Lung cancer? Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Divergent-views-on-exporting-gas-through-bay-5578812.php OPINIONS Taking Effective Action Against the Unstoppable. Carbon Cuts Now Won’t Stop Climate Change, but Could Limit Damage. Climate change is not an event in your children’s future. It is bearing down upon you now. And there is nothing you — or anyone else — can do to prevent the hit. Over the next quarter-century, heat-related death rates will probably double in the southeastern states. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/25/business/economy/carbon-cuts-now-wont-stop-climate-change-but-could-limit-damage.html?_r=0 Climate change: The peril is in all the things we don't know. Maybe space is indeed the final frontier, but here in Arctic Alaska, at the Toolik Field Station, it feels like the biggest gap in our knowledge of the universe is a lot closer to home — as in, what can we expect as the planet warms? The amount we don’t know about how geology, plants and animals will respond is daunting. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-climate-change-mysteries-20140624-story.html The economic climate [Editorial]. For too long and by too many, confronting climate change has been seen through the prism of economic sacrifice. Reducing greenhouse gases is viewed as a burden to growth and employment opportunity, the cause of global warming a fixation of left-wing environmentalists and against the interest of business, big or small. Posted. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-climate-20140624,0,1278590.story#ixzz35fbJQaN5 Good ruling on emissions. The Clean Air Act is a complex and often confusing piece of legislation, especially in confronting the challenges of global warming, which were not fully understood when the law was passed in 1970. At that time, the biggest risk to the environment and health was believed to come from more conventional air pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and lead. But when the threat of greenhouse gases became clear…Posted. http://www.toledoblade.com/Editorials/2014/06/25/Good-ruling-on-emissions.html#pzftGvFleRUG4lyU.99 BLOGS Green Cement To Help Reduce Carbon Emissions. Cement production comprises around 10% of human CO2 emissions. In Switzerland, researchers at Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EFPL), the same institute who created Roombots, recently received a round of funding to focus on the development and testing of a new blend of low-carbon cement. This new green cement has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of construction sites by 40%. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2014/06/23/green-cement-to-help-reduce-carbon-emissions/ Reform Conservatism and Climate Change. When the “Room to Grow” collection of reform conservative essays dropped last month, some of the most frequent criticisms from liberals focused on topics that the book did not address: In particular, comprehensive immigration reform (the subject of my last post) and climate change legislation. Posted. http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/reform-conservatism-and-climate-change/ Hardcore Capitalists Warn That Climate Change Is A Big Deal For American Businesses. Another day, another climate change report predicting serious consequences for the United States. Tuesday's report, however, focuses on the devastation that climate change could cause for American businesses. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/24/climate-change-business-b_n_5525742.html White House Plans Another Big Climate Push. One year after President Barack Obama rolled out his climate change action plan, the administration is putting fresh emphasis on its environmental agenda. The White House plans to host two roundtable discussions this week on the economic threats that climate change poses and the "opportunities to overcome those risks”…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/24/obama-climate-change_n_5523982.html Energy: Consider the global impacts of oil pipelines. The debate over the development of oil sands in Alberta, Canada, is inflaming tensions in and between Canada and the United States. In April, US President Barack Obama deferred a decision on the fate of the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline, despite escalating pressure to approve it from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Posted. http://www.nature.com/news/energy-consider-the-global-impacts-of-oil-pipelines-1.15434 Plug In America expects 250,000 EVs will be sold by September. The group of electric vehicle supporters known as Plug In America (PIA) figures that a grand total of 220,494 plug-in vehicles have been purchased in the US since the modern wave of EVs went on sale in late 2010. Just over a year ago, PIA celebrated the 100,000th EV sold in the US, a Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Based on current sales patterns…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/24/plug-in-america-expects-250000-evs-will-be-sold-by-september/ Toyota prices fuel cell sedan at $70k in Japan, coming to US and Europe next summer. Toyota has finally unveiled its FCV hydrogen fuel cell sedan and its Japanese price. We won't have to wait too long to see the first of these revolutionary vehicles on the roads. It will go on sale in Japan in April 2015 and will come to the US and Europe later that summer. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/06/25/toyota-prices-fuel-cell-sedan-70k-in-japan-coming-to-us-and-eu/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:38:29 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for June 26, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 26, 2014. 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. CLIMATE CHANGE UN: Strong odds of El Nino's return by end of year. There's a strong chance an El Nino weather event will reappear before the end of the year and shake up climate patterns worldwide, the U.N. weather agency said Thursday. The El Nino, a flow of unusually warm surface waters from the Pacific Ocean toward and along the western coast of South America, changes rain and temperature patterns around the world and usually raises global temperatures. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_UNITED_NATIONS_EL_NINO?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Obama: Climate change steps making a difference. Appealing for patience and perseverance from environmental activists, President Barack Obama claimed progress Wednesday in his second-term drive to combat climate change but said more must be done to address a generational problem. One year after unveiling an aggressive plan, Obama said new emissions limits on power plants, renewable energy projects…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Groups seek protection of iconic Alaska tree. Four conservation groups have petitioned the Interior Department to list an iconic Alaska tree as threatened or endangered because of climate change. Yellow cedar for centuries has been carved by Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people for canoe paddles and totem poles. They could remove a lengthwise strip of bark from a living tree to use for weaving baskets and hats, and as backing in blankets because the trees can compartmentalize the damage and heal themselves. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_THREATENED_ALASKA_TREE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Groups-seek-protection-of-yellow-cedar-trees-5579108.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/25/6511842/groups-seek-protection-of-yellow.html http://www.presstelegram.com/general-news/20140625/groups-seek-protection-of-iconic-alaska-tree Congress the butt of Obama's climate science jokes. President Barack Obama lampooned congressional skepticism over climate change on Wednesday, saying that lawmakers who balk at tackling air pollution are either blind to science or cowed by extremists. In a speech to the League of Conservation Voters, the president enumerated the steps he has taken to slow pollution and rein in emissions that scientists say have trapped heat in the earth's atmosphere. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/26/us-usa-obama-climatechange-idUSKBN0F106920140626 http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/barack-obama-climate-change-108338.html Historic Greenland ice sheet collapse a cautionary tale for the future – study. Roughly 400,000 years ago, the Greenland ice sheet collapsed. According to new research, this collapse could account potentially for almost half of the 6 to 13 meters of global sea-level rise witnessed during that period. And while it occurred almost half-a-million years ago, the collapse is significant to scientists trying to determine how the planet's current warming trends could affect the world's ice sheets…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001995/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Carbon sinks take center stage in nation's capital. Agriculture's ability to take in and store carbon dioxide was both celebrated and downplayed in the nation's capital yesterday. A House panel explored how improved grazing practices on public lands might help sequester carbon, while a new U.S. Geological Survey report announced by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell reinforced its earlier findings that forests, not farms, are America's biggest carbon sink. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001993/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Fruit and vegetable prices going up as California drought continues. Fresh fruits and vegetable prices will go up an estimated 6% in the coming months, the federal government said Wednesday, as California’s ongoing drought continues to hit price tags in grocery stores across the country. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fruit-and-vegetable-prices-california-drought-continues-20140625-story.html Legislators lack direction for a water fix. Few issues are more important to the future of California than providing a reliable source of water for the state’s growing population. But despite the sense of urgency caused by this year’s particularly severe drought, legislators still aren’t sure exactly what to do about the problem. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/25/legislators-fail-proposed-water-bond-ballot/ Calif. water board to crack down on urban waste. As many California farms are left with little or no water this summer because of drought, state water officials say they’re about to crack down on urban water users’ wasteful practices. As overall water use statewide has declined by 5 percent according to a state survey, water managers say cities have failed to cut their measured water use by 20 percent as called for by Gov. Jerry Brown in two drought declarations this year. Posted. http://www.capitalpress.com/California/20140625/calif-water-board-to-crack-down-on-urban-waste FUELS Opponents of renewable energy law ask for U.S. Supreme Court hearing. Fuel producers are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a challenge to California's landmark low carbon fuel standard, the first of a series of cases seeking to roll back state renewable energy laws around the country. The court could decide in the next few days whether to take up a lawsuit brought by a coalition of ethanol and gasoline producers trying to overturn a 2009 California rule mandating cuts to carbon emissions. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/25/usa-court-energy-idUSL2N0P521L20140625 DuPont Pushes the Green Fuels Agenda. DuPont is a chemicals giant, but it's also getting ready to become a green fuel giant. That puts it up there with specialized companies like Solazyme , but with the heft of a $60 billion market cap Dow 30 Component. Green fuels could be a nice niche for DuPont to dominate, if it gets its technology right. What's DuPont up to, anyway? DuPont is working on a plant that makes ethanol. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/DuPont-Pushes-the-Green-Fuels-Agenda-5581583.php Research raises new concerns about climate impact of natural gas. Natural gas fields globally may be leaking enough methane, a potent greenhouse gas, to make the fuel as polluting as coal for the climate over the next few decades, according to a pair of studies published last week. An even worse finding for the United States in terms of greenhouse gases is that some of its oil and gas fields are emitting more methane than the industry does, on average, in the rest of the world, the research suggests. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001996/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Toyota reveals exterior, Japan pricing of 2015 fuel cell vehicle. Toyota, whose Prius jump-started our appetites for hybrids almost two decades ago, is hoping for another eco-revolution. The automaker announced Wednesday the production version of an all-new fuel cell vehicle. The car -- currently named the FCV -- will go on sale in the U.S. in summer 2015, several months after it bows in Japan. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-autos-toyota-fuel-cell-price-20140625-story.html GREEN ENERGY Merkel to push back against EU if green energy support questioned. Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday she would push back decisively against the European Commission if it raises further objections to Germany's system of green power subsidies. "You can't simply start to question support systems which have been in place for years without thinking about how we make the transition. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/25/us-germany-merkel-energy-idUSKBN0F00OC20140625 High-tech firms focus on energy efficiency to confront climate change. As President Obama pushes ahead on a strategy for confronting climate change that relies heavily on energy efficiency, some Americans may see flashbacks of Jimmy Carter trying to persuade them to wear an extra sweater and turn down the thermostat. Silicon Valley sees dollar signs. Long overshadowed by wind turbines, solar panels and other fashionable machines of renewable power…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-climate-efficiency-20140626-story.html California Continues to Set Daily Records for Utility-Scale Solar Energy. On June 1, 2014, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) recorded a record midday hourly peak of 4,767 megawatts of alternating current (MWAC) of utility-generated solar electricity delivered into the California grid. With rapidly growing utility-scale solar capacity, CAISO has regularly recorded new hourly output records going back to 2010…Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/todayinenergy/408881/california-continues-set-daily-records-utility-scale-solar-energy SolarCity backed Chinese solar-panel makers flooding U.S. market. Months before the U.S. government slapped Chinese manufacturers with hefty tariffs on solar panels that were flooding the American market, at least one American stood – or rather sat – with the Chinese. John Stanton, vice president of policy and markets with California-based SolarCity, defended Chinese manufacturers at a Jan. 22 U.S. Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/25/solarcity-backed-chinese-solar-panel-makers-flooding-us-market/ Concentrating solar power could serve as competitive baseload source in some countries – report. The persistent bugbear behind most renewable energy sources is intermittency. When the wind slows or when the sun stops shining, the power stops, forcing utilities to ramp up expensive peaking generators or to buy power on the open market. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060001994/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS James Pitts dies at 93; his research led to cleaner air in California. James Pitts, an influential smog researcher whose work was used to craft California's pioneering air quality regulations, has died. He was 93. Pitts died in his sleep of natural causes at his Irvine home on Thursday June 19, according to his wife, Barbara Finlayson-Pitts, a fellow chemist at UC Irvine. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-james-pitts-20140626-story.html California's Cap-and-Trade Program and other environmental market opportunities. The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will hear about a new University of California initiative concerning food, and focus on the state’s Cap-and-Trade Program and other environmental market opportunities for farmers and ranchers at its meeting on Tuesday, July 1st in Sacramento. This meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 ‘N’ Street - Main Auditorium, Sacramento. Posted. http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/9519-california-s-cap-and-trade-program-and-other-environmental-market-opportunities.html OPINIONS What ailing pteropods tell us about climate change. Pteropod, meaning "wing foot," refers to a group of animals that have neither wings nor feet as we usually think of them. Instead, these seagoing snails get their name from wing-like extensions they use to swim (the "foot" being the muscular portion of their body). They're unknown to most people, and recent news articles discussing ocean acidification and pteropod shells probably didn't grab the public's attention. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-taylor-climate-change-pteropods-20140626-story.html Why 'rethinking' California's bullet train would kill it. To the editor: I take issue with state Sen. Kevin de Leon's (D-Los Angeles) desire to reconfigure the construction of California's high-speed rail system. Too many have worked too hard to start all over again, as De Leon suggests. In fact, $3.4 billion in federal money must be spent by 2017 or the state loses that critical funding. ("Next Senate leader Kevin de León wants Brown to rethink bullet train," June 22) Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0626-thursday-bullet-train-20140626-story.html America's Small Businesses: Stop Climate Change. A new poll shows business owners understand the risks that come with climate change. The ranks of climate deniers grow thinner by the day. On Monday, prominent Republican Henry Paulson, a George W. Bush administration treasury secretary, broke ranks with deniers in a prominent op-ed in the New York Times. Posted. http://www.usnews.com/opinion/economic-intelligence/2014/06/26/small-businesses-want-action-to-stop-global-warming BLOGS Obama Ties GOP Climate Critics to ‘Fringe Elements’ President Barack Obama took aim at lawmakers who deny that carbon pollution is a problem, saying Wednesday night that they are answering to “fringe elements” who think climate science is a liberal plot. Speaking to a friendly crowd at a League of Conservation Voters event, the president took a hard line against those who question the science of climate change…Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/06/25/obama-ties-gop-climate-critics-to-fringe-elements/?KEYWORDS=climate+change California Falls Short on Water Conservation: But There's Still Hope. It seems that California Governor Jerry Brown's January 2014 plea for 20 percent water conservation has done little to actually reduce consumption across the state. According to a June State Water Resources Control Board report, Californians have decreased water use by just 5 percent. Dealing with limited water supply and drought conditions is not a new situation for Californians--we have been told to install low-flush toilets…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ucla-inst-of-the-environment-and-sustainability/california-falls-short-on_b_5532415.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 13:34:17 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for June 27, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 27, 2014. 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 Watch Air Quality Above U.S. Cities Clear Up in Seconds. U.S. city-dwellers can breathe easier than they have in years. Satellite maps released this week by NASA show a pervasive drop in nitrogen dioxide, which is emitted by cars, trucks, power plants and other combustion-fired machinery. That’s a boon for people who prefer inhaling air to corrosive industrial exhaust. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-27/watch-air-quality-above-u-s-cities-clear-up-in-seconds.html CSU study: Simple steps on farm can cut pollution. Corn farmers could slash carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change by nearly half simply by reducing the amount of fertilizer they apply on their fields, according to a new study from Colorado State University. The research by the CSU team also found that a group of farmers reduced carbon emissions by 65 percent by tilling less often. Posted. http://www.bcbr.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140627/EDITION/140629957&template=printart EPA science advisers endorse tighter ozone standard. U.S. EPA science advisers have officially endorsed a tighter ozone standard in the range of 60 to 70 parts per billion. In a letter to EPA yesterday, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee said the current standard of 75 ppb was too high to protect people from asthma and other health problems. The committee said it based its recommendation on scientific evidence from clinical, epidemiological and animal toxicology studies. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002104/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EPA moves to cut greenhouse gases used in refrigeration. U.S. EPA released a proposal today aimed at phasing out the use of potent greenhouse gases in refrigerants and air conditioning. Written under Clean Air Act authority, the new proposal would add non-climate-forcing chemicals to the Significant New Alternatives Policy Program, a list of approved chemical alternatives to ozone-depleting substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol. It will undergo a 60-day public comment period. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002099/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Walmart, 18 Other Companies Fined for VOC Emissions. Nineteen companies including Walmart and Bumble and Bumble have been fined a total of $233,175 for air pollution violations in California, according to the Air Resources Board. The 19 cases involved companies manufacturing or selling consumer products that exceeded California’s standards for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), amounting to more than 11 tons of excess VOC emissions. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/06/27/walmart-18-other-companies-fined-for-voc-emissions/ CLIMATE CHANGE Some state agencies prepare to challenge new EPA carbon rule. States have had several weeks to mull over U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan (CPP), which, once finalized, would set standards for greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants. While most are keeping mute as they analyze the rule and prepare to submit comments, a few early movers have already taken action, either to challenge the rule or comply with it -- and, in some cases, both. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/06/27/stories/1060002062 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB Approves $85 Million for Clean Truck Technology Projects. The California Air Resources Board said it has approved $85 million for advanced-technology, heavy-duty truck projects to help improve the state’s air quality. CARB said it plans on spending $10 million to $15 million to purchase heavy-duty hybrid and electric vehicles, such as delivery trucks, and about $25 million for large-scale pilot projects to demonstrate zero-emission technology in the freight sector. Posted. http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=35365&t=CARB-Approves-%2485-Million-for-Clean-Truck-Technology-Projects FUELS CBO predicts higher gas prices under the renewable standard. Meeting the renewable fuel standard's total volume mandates would raise gas prices and have a negligible effect on food prices, according to the Congressional Budget Office. In a report released yesterday, the office found that complying with the renewable fuel volumes that Congress laid out in the 2007 RFS would raise diesel prices by up to 14 percent by 2017. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002085/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES S.D. gets grant for 41 electric car chargers. San Diego has been awarded a $500,000 state grant to install 41 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the city. The goal is to encourage more people to choose electric cars, which reduce air pollution and help slow down climate change, by making it easier to charge them. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/26/tp-sd-gets-grant-for-41-electric-car-chargers/ GREEN ENERGY Rooftop solar leases put off some buyers when homeowners sell. Dorian Bishopp blames the solar panels on his roof for costing him almost 10 percent off the value of the home he sold in March. That's because instead of owning them he leased the panels from San Jose-based SunPower, requiring the new owner of the house to assume a contract with almost 19 years remaining. He had to shave the asking price for the house in Maricopa, Arizona, to draw in buyers unfamiliar with the financing arrangement. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26042228/Rooftop-solar-leases-put-off-some http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26042228/Rooftop-solar-leases-put-off-some MISCELLANEOUS Feds nix eagle penalties for California wind farm. A California wind farm will become the first in the nation to avoid prosecution if eagles are injured or die when they run into the giant turning blades, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday. The Shiloh IV Wind Project LLC, 60 miles east of San Francisco, will receive a special permit allowing up to five golden eagles to be accidentally killed over five years. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WIND_ENERGY_EAGLE_DEATHS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT High-End Homes With High-End Air Purification Systems. The demand for 'particle-free' living spurs some luxury developers to install elaborate filtration systems. Alongside infinity pools and gourmet kitchens, more high-end developers and luxury-home builders are pitching a new amenity: freshly circulated, highly scrubbed air. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/high-end-homes-with-high-end-air-purification-systems-1403823216 Test drive an electric car in Berkeley on Saturday at Farmers' Market. The public is invited to test drive electric cars for free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in an event sponsored by Bay Area's regional air pollution and transportation planning agencies. It will be held at the Berkeley Farmers' Market on Center Street between Milvia Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26041054/Test-drive-an-electric-car-in http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26041054/Test-drive-an-electric-car-in OPINIONS Court ruling is a victory for EPA authority. The following editorial appeared in the Dallas Morning News on Friday, June 27: The U.S. Supreme Court got it right this week when it upheld the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions. In two well-balanced rulings, a split court made clear that the EPA has broad, but not unlimited, authority and the court pointedly warned that it will take a dim view if the EPA intrudes into the power of Congress or interprets its powers too aggressively. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/27/6516981/court-ruling-is-a-victory-for.html#storylink=cpy http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/27/3412861/court-ruling-is-a-victory-for.html Editorial: Big Tobacco kills sensible e-cig bills. Rep. Jackie Speier last week proposed federal legislation to regulate e-cigarettes like tobacco products. Forgive us if our hopes are less than high. Only a few months ago, state lawmakers in California were full of plans to limit the sketchy electronic devices, which heat a nicotine solution to create vapor that may or may not be hazardous to the health of those who inhale it. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/27/6515470/editorial-big-tobacco-kills-sensible.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Industry Complaints About the New EPA Carbon Pollution Rule? We've Heard It All Before. The argument industrial polluters and their friends in Congress are making against the new Environmental Protection Agency plan to curb power plant carbon emissions should sound familiar. After all, it's the same scare tactic they trot out every time the government proposes stricter emission controls: exaggerate the cost, overstate job losses, and completely ignore the benefits. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elliott-negin/industry-complaints-about_b_5535545.html EVs get support in Canada with big tax incentives, wireless EV charging. Perhaps a confluence of larger public and private incentives will help EV reach the tipping point north of the border. Canadian consumers are now privy to company, provincial and dealership incentives that could total more than C$12,000 ($11,200 US) for battery-electric cars such as the Smart ForTwo ED and Ford Focus Electric. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/26/ev-support-in-canada-with-tax-incentives-wireless-ev-charging/ To motivate climate activists, use optimism. So it turns out, hope is important. Did we know that already? We sort of knew that already. But — according to a new study put together by Yale’s Climate Change Communication Project — hope is particularly critical as a motivator in the very doom-heavy world of climate change activism. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/to-motivate-climate-activists-use-optimism/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 14:52:54 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for June 30, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for June 30, 2014. 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 Industry groups stir opposition to a cap-and-trade expansion they say will lead to higher gas prices. In a conference call with oil industry analysts in late 2012, Mike Wirth, a Chevron Corp. executive, took stock of California’s greenhouse gas reduction policies and warned that the state’s plan to expand its controversial cap-and-trade program to vehicle fuels in 2015 would result in higher prices at the pump. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/30/6521238/industry-groups-stir-opposition.html California earmarks a quarter of its cap-and-trade riches for environmental justice. One-quarter of the $872 million generated by California's 18-month-old cap-and-trade scheme will go to housing and public transit programs for poor and minority communities this year, according to the recently approved state budget. The decision caps a long fight by environmental justice advocates over how much of the state's carbon proceeds…Posted. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/06/29/231840/california-earmarks-a-quarter.html Dem lawmakers worry California’s cap-and-trade expansion will drive up gas prices. A group of California Democrats is having second thoughts about the state's expanding cap-and-trade program, urging Gov. Jerry Brown's administration to rethink the plan out of concern that it will drive up gas prices and hurt low-income residents. Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/30/dems-worry-californias-cap-and-trade-expansion-will-drive-up-gas-prices/ Activists say California fighting pollution globally but not locally. In the Bay Area oil port city of Martinez, where a colossal Shell refinery has long tainted the air, the landmark California law that requires polluters to ease their carbon footprint seemed to some to promise new relief. But one big move by Shell to comply with rules on greenhouse gas emissions won't do much for Martinez. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-fi-climate-credits-20140630-story.html Worst Bay Area Polluters Being Let Off The Hook? In the Bay Area, residents are constantly reminded to ‘spare the air’, but air quality managers may be letting some of the worst polluters off the hook. Chevron runs the Bay Area’s biggest, and busiest oil refinery, and they are mandated to keep careful tabs on air emissions. Posted. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/06/29/398744-chevron-refinery-pollution-polluter-bay-area-air-quality-management-district-gas-oil-spare-the-air-particulates-epa-regulation/ AIR POLLUTION Burn notice for homeowners: Keep it clean to keep it safe. The plants are whispering that peak fire season is upon us, months ahead of schedule. Consult the calendar and you’ll see it’s late June, but send a sample of sage through the scientific furnace and the plants’ dryness will indicate it’s late July, August or even September. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fire-627358-year-season.html ARB fines 19 consumer products companies for air pollution violations. The California Air resources Board (ARB) yesterday announced the settlement of 19 cases involving violations of air pollution regulations related to consumer products. Fines totaling $233,175 were issued to companies which either manufactured or sold products such as nail polish removers, bathroom cleaners, air fresheners, charcoal lighters, and automotive products. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/arb-fines-19-consumer-products-companies-for-air-pollution-violations CLIMATE CHANGE NASA to launch global warming satellite after loss. Five years after a NASA satellite to track carbon dioxide plunged into the ocean after liftoff, the space agency is launching a carbon copy - this time on a different rocket. The $468 million mission is designed to study the main driver of climate change emitted from smokestacks and tailpipes. Some of the carbon dioxide is sucked up by trees and oceans…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CARBON_SATELLITE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/30/science/nasa-launching-satellite-to-track-carbon.html http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/06/29/nasa-global-warming-satellite/11725253/ http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4606575-nasa-to-launch-satellite-to-track-global-warming-after-2009-failure/ http://time.com/2940876/nasa-global-warming-satellite/ Climate-Change Proposal in U.S. Poses Pascal’s Wager: Economy. The Environmental Protection Agency calls its carbon rules an economic winner that will deliver more than $10 in benefits for each dollar spent on compliance. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the economic costs of implementing the greenhouse-gas controls will be much higher than the EPA’s estimates indicate and will mean lost jobs, bigger electric bills and missed opportunities for growth. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-30/climate-change-plan-poses-pascal-s-wager-as-both-sides-oversell.html Climate Change Goes Underwater. When it comes to climate change, almost all the attention is on the air. What's happening to the water, however, is just as worrying -- although for the moment it may be slightly more manageable. Here's the problem in a seashell: As the oceans absorb about a quarter of the carbon dioxide released by fossil-fuel burning, the pH level in the underwater world is falling, creating the marine version of climate change. Posted. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-06-29/climate-change-goes-underwater Awakening the ‘Dutch Gene’ of Water Survival. As global climate change threatens to raise sea levels by as much as four feet by the end of the century, the authorities here are working to make real to children the forecasts that may seem far-off, but that will shape their lives in adulthood and old age. “Everything works so smoothly that people don’t realize anymore that they are taking a risk in developing urban areas in low-lying areas…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/30/world/europe/netherlands-water-management-system-global-climate-change-sea-level-rise-dutch-gene.html?_r=0 Health Care System Needs To Prepare For Global Warming. Climate change is happening, and with that will come more deaths from heat-related illness and disease, according to a report released Tuesday. The report, spearheaded and funded by investor and philanthropist Thomas Steyer, former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, examines many of the effects of climate change for business and individuals. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/health-care-system-needs-to-prepare-for-global-warming_88858153 Salamanders in the Appalachians are smaller. Some scientists suggest it could be still another sign of climate change: Salamanders in the Appalachian Mountains are getting smaller, they say, because in a drier, warmer climate, the little cold-blooded creatures use more energy to stay alive. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/29/study-salamanders-in-the-appalachians-are-smaller/ Hot cities: Climate change may lead to air stagnation. Air quality for countries around the world could worsen in the 21st century as the occurrence of atmospheric stagnation events - in which still air lingers over a region - increases due to climate-change-related shifts in global wind and rainfall patterns, according to new research by scientists at Stanford University. Posted. http://imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/latest-news/9606-hot-cities-climate-change-may-lead-to-air-stagn ation.html Marin 'carbon farming' project offers hope on global warming. Sprawled on the hillside at Nicasio Native Grass Ranch, Peggy Wick showed off a patch of grass nourished by compost Sunday, an approach some say could help prevent global warming. The soil in a 2.5-acre plot of land can remove 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in a year with the application of one-half inch of organic matter…Posted. http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_26058891/marin-carbon-farming-project-offers-hope-global-warming City power department could be forced to make nation's sharpest carbon emissions cut. The power department in Los Angeles could be required to implement the country's most aggressive carbon emissions reduction program. A Los Angeles city councilman on Friday introduced a measure calling on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) by 2030 to cut its carbon emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels, a move that the Sierra Club said would be the first of its kind in the nation for any utility. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002134/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY McCarthy announces new policy goals to address climate change. U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy today committed to a suite of policy goals to address climate change, saying there is "new and stronger evidence" that man-made climate change is affecting the United States. In a policy statement today, McCarthy said that EPA would modernize financial assistance programs to bolster climate resilience…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002164/print FUELS Court won't hear dispute over Calif. fuel standard. The Supreme Court won't hear a challenge to California's first-in-the-nation mandate requiring fuel producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The justices on Monday turned away appeals from fuel makers that say the law discriminates against out-of-state producers. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPREME_COURT_CARBON_FUEL_STANDARDS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-30/california-fuel-standard-dispute-rejected-by-high-court.html http://online.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-declines-to-review-california-low-carbon-fuel-standard-1404136650 http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/30/4003814/california-low-carbon-rule-survives.html http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26061090/Supreme-Court-wont-hear-dispute-over http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/30/court-wont-hear-dispute-over-calif-fuel-standard/ http://www.platts.com/latest-news/oil/washington/us-supreme-court-will-not-hear-california-lcfs-21831418 http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/06/30/45055/supreme-court-won-t-hear-dispute-over-calif-fuel-s/ http://domesticfuel.com/2014/06/30/supreme-court-turns-down-california-lcfs-case/ http://www.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/Article/3356743/Latest-News/Supreme-Court-declines-to-review-Californias-low-carbon-fuel-standard.html http://www.newsmax.com/US/court-fuel-standard-dispute/2014/06/30/id/579965/ http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002161/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Redemption sweet for Pacific Ethanol. These are days of sweet vindication for Neil Koehler, who has spent his career pursuing a single goal: to get Americans to pump more ethanol into their gas tanks. Working with a passion bordering on obsessiveness, Koehler has overcome resistance from the oil industry, scorn from environmentalists and skepticism from regulators. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/28/4001823/redemption-sweet-for-pacific-ethanol.html?sp=/99/406/ Study finds low carbon payback periods for sugar cane ethanol. The soil carbon lost when pasture and crop lands are converted to sugar cane for ethanol production is small and can be made up within a few years, according to new research. It takes three years to build back the soil carbon lost when pasture land in Brazil is converted to sugar cane for ethanol production…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002163/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY REFINERIES Appeals court tosses hazardous waste exemption for refineries. Certain petroleum refinery processes will no longer avoid oversight under federal hazardous waste laws. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last week struck down a 6-year-old rule that exempted some refinery actions from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. U.S. EPA's Gasification Exclusion Rule, in place since 2008…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060002126/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES CARB Adopts Funding Plan for Low-Carbon Freight Transportation. The California Air Resources Board has approved a funding plan to encourage the continued deployment of clean vehicles over the next year. California’s 2014-15 budget provides $200 million from cap-and-trade auction proceeds to CARB to support low-carbon transportation projects that reduce global warming emissions. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2014/06/carb-adopts-new-funding-plan-for-low-carbon-transportation.aspx GREEN ENERGY Transportation plan takes a greener route. Officials this week approved an $11 billion transportation plan that reduces the amount of money pumped into traditional road expansions and invests more in mass transit, walking and bicycling. Long-term transportation plans are routinely written by the San Joaquin Council of Governments, but this is the first time officials were required under a new state law to consider the sustainability of our communities for decades to come when deciding how to spend transportation dollars. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140628/A_NEWS/406280318/-1/A_NEWS14 Modesto Irrigation District corrects fumble over solar rebates. The Modesto Irrigation District appears to have appeased dozens of customers by reopening for a short period a window for solar rebate applications. Many customers and solar contractors complained when the district abruptly canceled installation and performance rebates for the rest of 2014 upon running out of $4.2 million set aside for the yearlong program in four months. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/06/29/3416184/modesto-irrigation-district-corrects.html#storylink=cpy What Would It Take To Decarbonize The Energy System? For the United States to remove carbon emissions from its energy system in 20 years, it would have to build new clean energy capacity at 10 times the rate it has built existing capacity, a specialist in problems of technology and public policy said Friday in Washington D.C. Renewable energy is currently growing at about half the rate of traditional growth, according to the White House. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2014/06/29/what-would-it-take-to-decarbonize-the-energy-system/ MISCELLANEOUS UC President Janet Napolitano And Air Resources Board Chairman Mary Nichols To Speak At July 1st State Board Meeting Focusing on Cap-and-Trade Program. The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will hear about a new University of California initiative concerning food, and focus on the state’s Cap-and-Trade Program and other environmental market opportunities for farmers and ranchers at its meeting on Tuesday, July 1st in Sacramento. This meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 ‘N’ Street – Main Auditorium, Sacramento, CA 95814. Posted. http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/mariposa-daily-news-2014/179-june/14092-uc-president-janet-napolitano-and-air-resources-board-chairman-mary-nichols-to-speak-at-july-1st-state-board-meeting-focusing-on-cap-and-trade-program Bike lanes vs. bike paths: Where you ride may make a difference in the pollution you breathe -- science roundup. When you think of the hazards of commuting by bike or just the occasional ride alongside traffic, what may come first to mind are collisions, driver vs. bicyclist road rage, and maybe even that special bit of hazing called "rollin' coal." Actually, relating to the later, having a driver intentionally blast a plume of smoke in your face is not the only time you may need to worry about what's coming out of the tailpipes around you. Posted. http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/06/bike_lanes_vs_bike_paths_where.html OPINIONS California's Cap-and-Trade Revolt. President Obama has mocked Republicans who oppose his climate agenda as flat-earthers. Perhaps he'll be more charitable to Democrats who are protesting California's cap-and-trade program as an undue burden on the poor. Last week 16 Democratic Assembly Members—about 30% of their caucus—signed a letter urging California Air Resources Board chairwoman Mary Nichols to delay or redesign the state's cap-and-trade program. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/californias-cap-and-trade-revolt-1403908359 Dan Morain: Cool bid for state’s pollution program is lost on Arkansas incinerator. Earlier this month, Jerry Brown and legislators happily carved up $850 million they figure will flow into state coffers from California’s cap-and-trade experiment. Brown got $250 million for his pet project, high-speed rail. Legislators got $400 million for housing and transit, plus more for alternative energy concepts. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/29/6518049/dan-morain-cool-bid-for-pollution.html Viewpoints: Oil companies should help clean the air. During the school year, I drive my two sons, ages 6 and 3, to school in downtown Fresno. As a Central Valley mom, I have to include one more step in my morning routine – checking the air quality flag. For those who don’t know, right under the American flag and the California flag at Yokomi Elementary is a color-coded flag representing the severity of air pollution that day. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/28/6517888/viewpoints-oil-companies-should.html LETTER: Cap and trade legislation good for New Jersey. Senate President Sweeney along with Senators Bob Smith and Peter Barnes recently passed legislation that would require the state to re-enter the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a northeast and mid-Atlantic regional cap and trade program that will reduce pollution while raising funds for solar and wind projects. Posted. http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/06/29/regional-greenhouse-gas-initiative/11680247/ Commentary: Working together on energy needs. The proposed Environmental Protection Agency rules that would cut carbon pollution significantly by 2030 come at a time when elected officials in the Washington area have been focusing on the need to upgrade the region’s energy infrastructure. The EPA’s proposed rule would help meet the long-term goals our regional leaders have already set through the National Capital Region Climate Change Report and Action Plan. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/commentary-working-together-on-energy-needs/2014/06/27/ad9dcf26-f566-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html LETTER: Global warming not caused by greenhouse gas. The topic of “global warming” may be the most confused and manipulated subject since the debate over whether the Earth is flat or spherical. The confusion derives from the complexity of the physics involved and the ages-old perversion of the related “science” caused by those “scientists” who are focused on the campaign for the funding that is available. Posted. http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/06/30/global-warming/11724055/ BLOGS Night Vision: China Enlists Drones in Fight Against Pollution. Watch out, big Chinese polluters: The cover of night won’t help you anymore. So say Chinese officials who are deploying aerial drones equipped with infrared cameras to spot pollution emissions after the sun sets. The Ministry of Environmental Protection said Saturday that 11 unmanned aerial vehicles were used this month to inspect 254 factories in the provincial-level regions of Hebei, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/06/30/night-vision-china-enlists-drones-in-fight-against-pollution/ Is ammonia the secret to better hydrogen cars? Hydrogen cars are on their way, and they aren't bringing harmful emissions with them. That doesn't mean they aren't without their problems. There are safety concerns about storing it under high pressure, whether that's inside the car or in a tank at the fueling station, for example. Also, the challenge of creating a hydrogen infrastructure at a large enough scale to actually make the cars practical is a daunting one. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/30/ammonia-secret-to-better-hydrogen-cars/ Climate Change This Week: Packing Record Heat, Fracking Leaks and More! Today, the Earth got a little hotter, and a little more crowded. Daily Climate Change: Global Map of Unusual Temperatures, June 28 2014 How unusual has the weather been? No one event is "caused" by climate change, but global warming, which is predicted to increase unusual, extreme weather, is having a daily effect on weather, worldwide. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ellen-harte/climate-change-this-week_b_5540419.html Why climate change inaction will cost us dearly. Two important studies recently released on the economic costs of climate change show us the very high costs of continuing on our current carbon pollution trajectory. The first, commissioned by the prominent bipartisan Risky Business Project, finds significant economic losses for the U.S. from only six climate damages. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/06/30/why-climate-change-inaction-will-cost-us-dearly California’s Cap-and-Trade Program Will Fund Environmental Justice. Have poor Californians hit the environmental-health jackpot? The money raised through the sale of carbon credits under the state’s young carbon-trading program is earmarked for projects that help the climate and the environment. And under a law passed a couple of years ago, SB 535…Posted. http://greenlining.org/issues/2014/californias-cap-trade-program-will-fund-environmental-justice/ Hacking the climate: The search for solutions to the world’s greatest challenge. In recent years, weather patterns around the world have grown fiercer than ever. Blizzards paralyze daily life across large areas of the nation, while intense heat waves and enduring droughts cripple food production in the West. Huge storms threaten to sweep away coastal communities. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/hacking-the-climate-the-search-for-solutions-to-the-worlds-greatest-challenge/ The secret to richer, carbon-capturing soil? Treat your microbes well. Imagine if someone invented machines to suck carbon out of the atmosphere — machines that were absurdly cheap, autonomous, and solar powered, too. Wouldn’t that be great? But we already have these gadgets! They’re called plants. The problem is, plants die. So there’s one hurdle remaining: We have to figure out how to lock away the carbon in dead plants so that it doesn’t just return to the atmosphere. Posted. http://grist.org/food/the-secret-to-richer-carbon-capturing-soil-treat-your-microbes-well/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2014 13:49:29 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 2, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 2, 2014. 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 Gas station event to decry law's 'hidden tax.' Business and political leaders plan to gather at a Coffee Road gas station Wednesday to call attention to a state law they say will significantly raise pump prices early next year. Organized by the California Independent Oil Marketers Association, the "Fed Up at the Pump" event is expected to criticize rules geared toward reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, as required by 2006's landmark Assembly Bill 32. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x855026410/Gas-station-event-to-decry-laws-hidden-tax AIR POLLUTION EPA Seeks to Reduce Landfills’ Methane Emissions. The EPA has proposed updates to its air standards for new municipal solid waste landfills that would require certain landfills to capture additional landfill gas, which would reduce emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The agency also is seeking public feedback on how and whether to update guidelines for existing landfills. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/07/02/epa-seeks-to-reduce-landfills-methane-emissions/ Wal-Mart Among Companies Fined for Selling Products That Create Too Much Pollution. Hair care company Bumble and Bumble and Wal-Mart are among the companies fined by the California Air Resources Board for selling products that create too much pollution. Spokesman Antonio Leaks says they settled some 20 cases in the second half of 2013 involving air-quality violations. Posted. http://www.kfbk.com/articles/kfbk-news-461777/walmart-among-companies-fined-for-selling-12517567/ CLIMATE CHANGE Second Try Puts Carbon Observatory Into Orbit. NASA’s new spacecraft to sniff carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere reached orbit on Wednesday after launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The $468 million Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 mission had to be put off when Tuesday’s launching attempt was halted with just 46 seconds left in the countdown. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/03/science/space/second-try-puts-carbon-observatory-into-orbit.html China’s Hurdle to Fast Action on Climate Change. When the Environmental Protection Agency published in June its new rules to combat carbon emissions from power plants, the American political class lit up in debates over what this meant for the country’s carbon emissions, its coal industry and its economic growth. But a more relevant discussion was taking place some 7,000 miles away. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/02/business/economy/persuading-china-to-act-fast-on-climate-change.html?_r=0 http://venturebeat.com/2014/07/02/nasa-launches-new-satellite-to-map-co2-emissions/ 1969: A Warning on Global Warming. This feature looks at the first time famous names or terms appeared in The Times. Have an idea for someone or something you would like to read about? Send a suggestion in the comments section. The world was chock-full of man-made conflagrations in 1969 Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/times-insider/2014/07/01/1969-a-warning-on-global-warming/ BY SUBSCRIPTION Climate Change Joins Lions and Livestock in an Unlikely Partnership. The rolling sea of long, golden grasses that characterize Africa’s savannas serve not only as representations of the unique ecosystems of this expansive continent but also as symbols of a quietly but precisely balanced climate. Posted. http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/07/02/climate-change-joins-lions-and-livestock-in-an-unlikely-partnership/ DROUGHT California struggles to manage water rights in drought. Six weeks after ordering thousands of California water users to stop diverting from rivers and streams amid the worst drought in a generation, state officials say only 31 percent have bothered to respond by sending back the required forms. Now, their efforts to force the rest to comply are prompting threats of lawsuits and economic chaos. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/01/6527849/california-struggles-to-manage.html#storylink=cpy Managing our water: Tips, regulations and sources for keeping California wet. As California officials struggles to develop strategies and approaches for conserving water for residents and companies in the state parched by another year of drought, other government entities as well as individuals have taken steps to reduce water consumption. Here are many resources geared toward ensuring we don’t go totally dry before the rains return. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/01/6527276/managing-our-water-tips-regulations.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY Renewables to Get Most of $7.7 Trillion Power Investments. (Corrects to say $2.5 trillion not billion in the last paragraph. Also corrects dateline.) Renewable energy may reap as much as two-thirds of the $7.7 trillion in investment forecast for building new power plants by 2030 as declining costs make it more competitive with fossil fuels. About half of the investment will be in Asia, the region where power capacity will grow the most…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-01/renewables-to-get-most-of-7-7-trillion-power-investments.html Hackers Find Open Back Door to Power Grid With Renewables. Making the electricity grid greener is boosting its vulnerability to computer hacking, increasing the risk that spies or criminals can cause blackouts. Adding wind farms, solar panels and smart meters to the power distribution system opens additional portals through which hackers can attack the grid, according to computer security experts advising governments and utilities. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-01/renewable-energy-s-expansion-exposing-grids-to-hacking.html Georgia Coal-to-Solar Pivot Shows the Way on Climate Regs. Georgia small-business owner Julian Smith keeps hearing that the Obama administration’s latest climate regulations will drive up local electric bills. He doesn’t believe the prediction, but he isn’t arguing: The fears are doing wonders for his solar-panel installation company. “My phone is blowing up with new customers,” Smith, owner of SolarSmith LLC of Savannah, said in an interview. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-01/georgia-coal-to-nuke-pivot-shows-the-way-on-climate-regs.html Oil-producing Iran looks to solar to light future. In this village nestled in the arid hills of rural Iran, government-subsidized solar panels on the rooftops of homes provide both needed electricity and a shining symbol of efforts by the Islamic Republic to wean itself off fossil fuels and nuclear power. President Hassan Rouhani's government has quintupled its spending on solar power projects…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/01/oil-producing-iran-looks-to-solar-to-light-future/ US gives conditional backing for Cape Wind project. The U.S. Department of Energy announced Tuesday it has conditionally committed to a $150 million loan guarantee for Cape Wind's proposed energy project off the coast of Cape Cod. Company President Jim Gordon said the announcement represents an "important endorsement" by the federal government as Cape Wind seeks to attract the remaining private capital needed to get the estimated $2.6 billion project…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/US-gives-conditional-backing-for-Cape-Wind-project-5591878.php Energy investments face a changing climate. The opening bell has sounded for investors concerned about climate change. Businesses have started creating renewable energy financing mechanisms as ways to address climate change, a trend that's underscored by a United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report that said the increasing risks to investors and financial institutions dependent on fossil fuels…Posted. http://washingtonexaminer.com/energy-investments-face-a-changing-climate/article/2550434 Rooftop solar advances cloud the appeal of utility bonds – analysts. The outlook for rooftop solar units and household storage batteries in this decade is promising enough to add a new element of investment risk to high-grade utility industry bonds, according to an analysis by Barclays Credit Research. "We are not calling for the elimination of electric utilities, but believe the combination of cost competitive solar and storage could alter the current business model…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060002262/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY BLOGS China Sees Long Road to Cleaning Up Pollution. A trickle of statements from Chinese leaders in recent months have given hope to some residents of Beijing and other smog-choked Chinese cities that they might regularly breathe clean air within a few years. Prime Minister Li Keqiang in March declared a “war against pollution,” for instance. But China Daily, an official English-language newspaper…Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/02/china-sees-long-road-to-cleaning-up-pollution/?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C[%22RI%3A6%22%2C%22RI%3A17%22] Listening to GOP on climate change. Let’s hope that the words of former Republican Environmental Protection Agency administrators William Ruckelshaus, Lee Thomas, William K. Reilly and Christine Todd Whitman did not fall on deaf ears on Capitol Hill (“GOP EPA chiefs: Act on climate,” June 19). Let’s hope that those who listened came away with respect for their courage. Let’s hope that those legislators who still object to President Obama’s carbon-reduction efforts consider an alternate route…Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion/listening-to-gop-on-climate-change-2/29792/ Duke Energy reduces emissions, fuel use with coal-plant locomotive. Duke Energy's Marshall Steam Station is already using the first of four high-efficiency, low-emission locomotives the Charlotte-based utility is buying to haul coal at power plants. Duke Energy is buying four high-efficiency, diesel-electric locomotives that are expected to cut by 75 percent the engine emissions tied to hauling coal at some of its large power plants. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/energy/2014/07/duke-energy-reduces-emissions-fuel-use-with-coal.html Red, White, and Renewable. According to the Energy Information Administration, the U.S. has an energy grid in transition. While uncertainty remains concerning the continuation of the federal tax subsidy programs for renewable energy, there is no doubt wind, solar, hydro, and even nuclear power should continue to play a growing part in America's energy production equation. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brigham-a-mccown/red-white-and-renewable_b_5548203.html Key Republicans: Solving Climate Change More Important Now Than Ever. By now, everyone has heard that unmitigated climate change can lead to ice caps melting, sea levels rising and heat waves escalating. But the world is just now starting to listen to major national Republicans who are pleading with their party’s current leaders to accept the phenomenon as real and to help shape an outcome. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2014/07/01/key-republicans-solving-climate-change-more-important-now-than-ever/ BNEF: Renewable Energy’s About To Dominate Global Power Investments. Bad news if you’re getting tired of reading new headlines every day about the rapid growth of renewables across the world – they’re only going to keep increasing. Renewable energy could represent up to 65% of the $7.7 trillion in new power plant investments and 60% of all new capacity additions expected over the next 15 years…Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/07/01/bnef-renewable-energys-about-to-dominate-global-power-investments/ Nissan quietly, quickly installing more CHAdeMO stations. Nissan Leaf electric-vehicle sales continue to grow. And the number of US fast-charging stations that the Leaf can use are growing, well, faster. As it should be. Nissan has made good on its early-2013 vow to help ensure that the number of CHAdeMO stations in the US tripled by mid-2014, with Atlanta, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dallas emerging as the most prevalent US markets, Green Car Reports says. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/02/nissan-quietly-quickly-installing-more-chademo-stations/ Recharge Wrap-up. California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) stands, as the Supreme Court rejects oil and ethanol companies' request to review a previous ruling upholding the plan. LCFS would reduce carbon in California's transportation fuels by 10 percent by 2020. Earlier, California's Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld LCFS, when Big Oil and Ethanol claimed the plan was discriminatory toward out-of-state companies. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/02/formula-e-comes-to-london-hydrogen-fueling-in-denmark/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2014 14:06:18 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 3, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 3, 2014. 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 California lawmakers, industry groups join to oppose ‘gas tax’ in emissions cap program. A bipartisan group of local lawmakers are joining business groups in a campaign to oppose an air quality regulation they say will lead to higher gas and goods costs for consumers. Lawmakers, including State Senators Mike Morrell, R-Rancho Cucamonga, and Norma Torres, D-Chino, spoke out against a program they say would amount to a new gas tax at a press conference held at the Pacific Mountain Logistics facility in Ontario on Wednesday. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/government-and-politics/20140702/california-lawmakers-industry-groups-join-to-oppose-gas-tax-in-emissions-cap-program http://www.dailybulletin.com/government-and-politics/20140702/california-lawmakers-industry-groups-join-to-oppose-gas-tax-in-emissions-cap-program AIR POLLUTION Fireworks: Hazardous to air quality and health. Local air officials are reminding residents that Independence Day fireworks increase levels of dangerous particulate matter, posing a threat to air quality and health. Fireworks emit large quantities of particulate matter, including soot, ash and metals. These can trigger serious health problems, especially in people with existing respiratory conditions, elderly people and small children, officials said. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/02/3421754/fireworks-hazardous-to-air-quality.html Independence Day can be hazardous to those with respiratory problems. Independence Day brings out a lot of national pride and desire to celebrate, but for those with respiratory problems, it can be a hazardous day. Fireworks increase the levels of dangerous particulate matter and can pose a health threat. Even "safe and sane" fireworks emit this matter, including soot, ash and metals. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140702/A_NEWS/140709972/0/SEARCH Second Try Puts Carbon Observatory Into Orbit. NASA’s new spacecraft to sniff carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere reached orbit on Wednesday after launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The $468 million Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 mission had to be put off when Tuesday’s launching attempt was halted with just 46 seconds left in the countdown. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/03/science/space/second-try-puts-carbon-observatory-into-orbit.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C[%22RI%3A6%22%2C%22RI%3A17%22] DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB posts advisory and language for Truck and Bus timetables. Truck owners who need to know when their trucks must be upgraded to meet California’s rapidly changing Truck and Bus Regulation have new documents and a hotline to call and receive help. The California Air Resources Board is using email, social media and virtually every outlet at its disposal to publicize enforcement dates for the Truck and Bus Regulation – its most expensive truck rule. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27286#.U7WKbIUvAk8 DROUGHT California toughens enforcement of water violations. California’s water cops on Wednesday approved emergency drought regulations aimed at forcing water users to act swiftly when told to stop diverting water from streams. The State Water Resources Control Board, after meeting for nearly 12 hours over two days, voted unanimously to approve the new rules package. The emergency regulations mean that for the next nine months, the board can follow a streamlined process to force some water-rights holders to stop diverting from rivers and streams. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/02/6530585/california-toughens-enforcement.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News VEHICLES Lithium-ion battery makers look to stimulate electric car production. Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors has decided it will no longer pursue lawsuits against anyone using its patented technology. Chief executive Elon Musk explained on the company’s blog that Tesla cannot tackle the carbon crisis alone: ‘If we clear a path to the creation of compelling electric vehicles, but then lay intellectual property land mines behind us to inhibit others, we are acting in a manner contrary to that goal.’ Posted. http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2014/06/lithium-ion-battery-makers-stimulate-electric-car-production GREEN ENERGY For some new homes, batteries included. In a new pilot offering, San Jose-based SunPower, the second-largest U.S. solar manufacturer, is partnering with builder KB Home to offer energy-storage systems to California homeowners that will power houses at night with electricity generated from sunlight during the day. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/03/houses-feature-batteries-solar/ OPINIONS Stop the hidden cap-and-trade tax on fuel: Guest commentary. Fighting climate change is the right thing to do; but measures considered to reduce greenhouse gases deserve public debate. Allowing the California Air Resources Board (CARB), a state regulatory agency, to levy a gas tax and hiding it from the public is the wrong way to go. Posted. http://www.dailybulletin.com/opinion/20140703/stop-the-hidden-cap-and-trade-tax-on-fuel-guest-commentary BLOGS How Climate Change Could Foil China’s Smog-Fighting Efforts. Scared of a big problem, a government throws money at it. Hundreds of billions of dollars. Yet the money doesn’t truly help. That’s a scenario that may be facing China as it tries to rid itself of severe air pollution, a prominent Harvard University scientist said after a two-day, closed-door symposium in Shanghai attended by leading American and Chinese scientists and pollution experts, including meteorologists, chemists and economists. Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/03/how-climate-change-could-foil-chinas-smog-fighting-efforts/?_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&_r=0 Madrid's new parking meters cost more if you drive a gas guzzler. The parking situation in Madrid, Spain went through two big changes this week. In some areas, the meters have been updated to know what kind of vehicle is parked there and charge dirty vehicles more money while giving discounts to cleaner ones. In another area, all parking meters have been removed. We'll call it mixed messaging. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/02/madrids-new-parking-meters-cost-more-if-you-drive-a-gas-guzzler/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2014 14:09:20 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 7, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 7, 2014. 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 California rice farmers could get pollution credit. California’s evolving cap-and-trade market may soon have a new player: rice farmers. A proposal by the California Air Resources Board staff, up for board approval in September, would allow rice farmers in the Sacramento Valley to sell carbon emission offsets as part of the state’s effort to combat climate change. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/05/6535820/california-rice-farmers-who-reduce.html#storylink=cpy http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/05/3425929/california-rice-farmers-who-reduce.html#storylink=cpy Business groups, lawmakers accelerate drive to keep fuels out of Calif. cap-and-trade program. A political push is underway to block California's carbon cap-and-trade program from expanding next year to include motor fuels. State Assemblyman Henry Perea (D) on Friday stripped text out of one of his bills that was sitting in committee and replaced it with language that would put a three-year moratorium on adding fuels to cap and trade. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002394/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION IBM to Help China Manage Air Quality, Renewable-Energy Supplies. International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) started a project to support China in managing air quality and energy consumption as well as forecasting renewable-energy supplies. Under the project, the Armonk, New York-based company is cooperating with the Beijing municipal government on a system to determine the type, source and level of emissions and predict air quality in the capital, IBM said today in a statement. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-07/ibm-to-help-china-manage-air-quality-renewable-energy-supplies.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/business/international/ibm-will-help-beijing-monitor-pollution.html?partner=yahoofinance&_r=0&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C[%22RI%3A7%22%2C%22RI%3A12%22] Air District to continue vehicle repair program. Vehicle emissions are key contributors to the formation of ozone, the major component of summertime smog. To help reduce these emissions, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has approved $4 million to continue the Tune In and Tune Up vehicle repair program. The program provides funding to Valley residents to make smog-related repairs to their vehicles in an effort to reduce pollution. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/06/3427168/air-district-to-continue-vehicle.html#storylink=cpy CLIMATE CHANGE Misconceptions helped kill Australian carbon tax. In 2007, Australians were ready to do something to combat climate change, even if it was expensive. More than two-thirds of them said so in a poll, and both major political parties vowed to make industries pay for greenhouse-gas emissions. The undoing of that perspective will likely be complete after a new Senate is sworn in Monday. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_UNGREENING_AUSTRALIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Misconceptions-helped-kill-Australian-carbon-tax-5602292.php http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/05/3426227/misconceptions-helped-kill-australian.html#storylink=cpy U.S. Carbon Reduction Plan Will Fall Short of Europe Goal. U.S. efforts to regulate greenhouse gases will fall short of the European Union’s goal of reducing emissions by 40 percent by 2030, according to the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. The Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to regulate emissions from coal-burning power plants will reduce carbon dioxide by 18 percent by 2030 from 2012 levels…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-07/u-s-carbon-reduction-plan-will-fall-short-of-europe-goal.html Taking Oil Industry Cue, Environmentalists Drew Emissions Blueprint. In November 2010, three combatants gathered in a sleek office here to build a carbon emissions policy that they hoped to sell to the Obama administration. One was a lawyer who had been wielding the Clean Air Act since his days at the University of California, Berkeley. Another had turned to practicing environmental law and writing federal regulations to curb pollution…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/07/us/how-environmentalists-drew-blueprint-for-obama-emissions-rule.html BBC admonished for giving climate change deniers equal air time. BBC journalists are being schooled in how to cover science. A progress report from an independent body, the BBC Trust, says Britain’s public broadcasting service shouldn’t be giving equal air time to climate change deniers and others on the scientific fringe. The report found the BBC remains prone to “over-rigid application of editorial guidelines on impartiality”…Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/07/bbc-admonished-for-giving-climate-change-deniers-equal-air-time/ Las Cruces council to consider climate measure. The Las Cruces City Council will consider a proposed resolution that would urge Congress to pass legislation promoting reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports (http://bit.ly/1ktOpRq) the council is scheduled to take up the proposal Monday. The measure states Las Cruces has a track record of acknowledging climate change and taking steps to counter it, such as the city's sustainability action plan. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Las-Cruces-council-to-consider-climate-measure-5603538.php Miami-Dade urged to accelerate climate change plan. A South Florida task force is urging officials to speed up climate change adaptation planning because sea level rise is a "measurable, trackable and relentless reality." The Miami-Dade Sea Level Rise Task Force issued its recommendations earlier this week. The county commission created the task force a year ago to develop a report on sea level rise. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Miami-Dade-urged-to-accelerate-climate-change-plan-5600336.php Warming's impact on wolverines cast into doubt. A top federal wildlife official says there's too much uncertainty about climate change to prove it threatens the snow-loving wolverine — overruling agency scientists who warned of impending habitat loss. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director Noreen Walsh said there's no doubt that the wolverine's high-mountain habitat is getting warmer. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/07/6538440/warmings-impact-on-wolverines.html#storylink=cpy http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/07/warmings-impact-on-wolverines-cast-into-doubt/ Climate Change Puts World's Energy Systems at Risk. Rising sea levels, extremes of weather and an increase in the frequency of droughts and floods will all play havoc with the world's energy systems as climate change takes hold, a new report has found. Energy companies are more often cited as part of the problem of climate change, generating the lion's share of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, amounting to around 40 percent of the total. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/climate-change-puts-worlds-energy-systems-at-risk_81326492 City wrestles with climate-change plan. How aggressively the city of San Diego should fight climate change will be a hot topic in coming months, with Mayor Kevin Faulconer starting to move forward with an ambitious plan that many of his political allies oppose. The worsening drought and the earlier-than-usual start this year of San Diego’s fire season have increased momentum behind efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/07/tp-city-wrestles-with-climate-change-plan/ DROUGHT Some Sacramentans let their lawns die, but city says that’s not necessary. Jerry let his lawn turn brown, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to. Around the state Capitol, expanses of grass are dead or dormant. The administration of Gov. Jerry Brown let the lawns die to make a point to residents during a historic drought, said Brian Ferguson, deputy director for public affairs at the state Department of General Services, which maintains the Capitol grounds. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/07/6534427/some-sacramentans-let-their-lawns.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY What’s Your Clean Energy Future? Do you think it's a good idea to get away from fossil fuels for our energy needs? If so, you'd be one of millions. Fact is, we are totally dependent on energy for our daily lives, especially electricity. (You can't read this post without electric power, for example.) Where Does Power Come From? Most electricity, by far, is generated with fossil fuels: coal, oil and natural gas. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/What-s-Your-Clean-Energy-Future-5602475.php OPINIONS Congress’s head-in-the-sand approach to climate change. ANY GOOD business executive knows that the world is full of risks, ignored at a company’s peril. Interest rates could spike. China could change its currency policy. Chaos in Iraq could push up gasoline prices. Smart firms account for these possibilities as best they can, adjusting business plans so that they aren’t caught flat-footed. The same can be said of wise societies. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/congresss-head-in-the-sand-approach-to-climate-change/2014/07/06/656db75e-0167-11e4-8572-4b1b969b6322_story.html Are Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund and Sierra Club three of the richest bullies on the block? President Obama's anti-carbon emissions program is a classic illustration of how liberal elites shape federal regulatory policies. The New York Times on Sunday posted a revealing story that described in detail how two lawyers and a climate-scientist-turned-lobbyist at the Natural Resources Defense Council crafted a 110-page proposal that was Obama's "blueprint." Posted. http://washingtonexaminer.com/are-natural-resources-defense-council-environmental-defense-fund-and-sierra-club-three-of-the-richest-bullies-on-the-block/article/2550537 Two Approaches to Tidal Politics. The politics of climate change are veering in starkly different directions in the neighboring states of North Carolina and Virginia. Foolhardy denial about the severity of rising seas is underway in North Carolina, where the Republican Legislature, prodded by tourism-dependent coastal counties and alarmed homeowners, ordered a state commission of experts to soften its estimate that coastal waters could rise 39 inches by the end of the century. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/07/opinion/climate-change-politics-north-carolina-virginia.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C[%22RI%3A7%22%2C%22RI%3A12%22] Editorial Building L.A. County segment would accelerate bullet train project. The "train to nowhere" is beginning to look a bit more like a train to somewhere. Flush with $250 million this year and the promise of billions more from the state's cap-and-trade program, the California High Speed Rail Authority has proposed accelerating plans to build the segment of the bullet train that will run through Los Angeles County. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-high-speed-rail-20140706-story.html Cap-and-trade won't help in the Delta. Re "Polluter games aren't so cool" (Dan Morain, June 29): Dan Morain is correct in calling cap-and-trade pollution laws into question and looking for better ways to handle pollution. He needs to look no further than Chapter 22 of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan's Environment Impact Report which concerns pollution. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/06/6521910/cap-n-trade-wont-help-in-the-delta.html#storylink=cpy The risky business of not facing up to climate change: Editorial. Unafraid to make use of the commonest economic-political cliche of our time, a new group announced itself last fall thusly: “If the United States were run like a business, its board of directors would fire its financial advisers for failing to disclose the significant and material risks associated with unmitigated climate change.” Nothing wrong with a cliche in the service of the greater good. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/opinion/20140705/the-risky-business-of-not-facing-up-to-climate-change-editorial The time to act on global warming is now. It appears that concerns about climate change from global warming have not been exaggerated. Climate change appears to be happening now and this can have potentially serious damaging effects on the health of people. A calculation of the cumulative cost of carbon dioxide emissions offers new insights into the question of who is actually responsible for climate change…Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/the-time-to-act-on-global-warming-is-now BLOGS Bill would delay cap-and-trade effects on gas. A Fresno Democrat has introduced a bill that would postpone a change in California's carbon-emissions law that is expected to push up gas prices for consumers, several news organizations reported late last week. AB 69 by Henry Perea would delay by three years a rule that would extend cap-and-trade requirements to transportation fuels, noted Jeremy White in the Sacramento Bee. That means refiners would have to purchase credits to offset the environmental effects of their products. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/blog/morning-roundup/2014/07/bill-would-delay-cap-and-trade-effects-on-gas.html California's Climate Revolution: Could It Change the National Conversation? Largely under the radar of national and even local media, California has begun a quiet revolution in climate policy that could change the whole national conversation about curbing global warming. Advocates of strong climate change policies have had an immense political challenge that goes far beyond debunking the antiscientific rants of global warming deniers. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/preeti-vissa/californias-climate-revol_b_5563386.html Climate Change This Week: Patriots Win the Fracking War, and More! Today, the Earth got a little hotter, and a little more crowded. Daily Climate Change: Global Map of Unusual Temperatures, July 5, 2014 How unusual has the weather been? No one event is "caused" by climate change, but global warming, which is predicted to increase unusual, extreme weather, is having a daily effect on weather, worldwide. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ellen-harte/climate-change-this-week_b_5561786.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2014 13:09:48 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 8, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 8, 2014. 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 Christie administration is pulling N.J. away -- again -- from regional cap and trade. Gov. Chris Christie (R) may have fallen out of love with cap and trade years ago, but his state is still struggling to complete the divorce papers. New Jersey has been trying to extricate itself from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative -- a cap-and-trade system spanning nine states in the Northeast -- since 2011, when Christie first suspended participation in the program. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002461/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION ‘Illegal’ La Honda oil refinery faces shutdown. The state of California and Bay Area air regulators are trying to shut down a La Honda oil refinery they say has been illegally operating without a permit for 16 years and spewing potential pollution into the air and water. The state and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District claims that Costa Loma Limited Corporation and owner James M. Wilkinson have never had a valid permit and missed numerous deadlines to become compliant with standards to qualify for legal operations. Posted. http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2014-07-08/illegal-la-honda-oil-refinery-faces-shutdown/1776425126233.html CLIMATE CHANGE Picking Lesser of Two Climate Evils. Climate scientists long ago settled among themselves the question of whether human emissions of greenhouse gases are a problem, concluding that we are running some grave risks. But the field still features vigorous debate about how bad global warming will get, how quickly, and how to combat it. One of the biggest fights involves how much effort to put into stopping leaks of methane gas into the atmosphere. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/science/climate-methane-global-warming.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C[%22RI%3A7%22%2C%22RI%3A12%22]&_r=0 Oregon county looks at effects of climate change. Everybody talks about climate change. Now Benton County is trying to do something about it. The Benton County Climate Change Adaptation Plan, recently released in draft form, describes potential impacts of a warming climate on Benton County over the next century or so and outlines possible strategies for dealing with those impacts. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/07/6538947/oregon-county-looks-at-effects.html##storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Oregon-county-looks-at-effects-of-climate-change-5604805.php Scientist's vine research could illuminate climate change. Stefan Schnitzer wields an unusual instrument for a scientist - a machete. Schnitzer, of the School of Freshwater Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, studies woody vines in the tropical forests of Panama - work that has him traipsing through the forest and hacking away at vines to study the impact of their growth on the trees around them. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/08/6540382/scientists-vine-research-could.html#storylink=cpy Silicon Valley tech firms focus on energy efficiency to confront climate change. As President Barack Obama pushes ahead on a strategy for confronting climate change that relies heavily on energy efficiency, some Americans may see flashbacks of Jimmy Carter trying to persuade them to wear an extra sweater and turn down the thermostat. Silicon Valley sees dollar signs. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26088160/Silicon-Valley-tech-firms-focus-on Cooperation, Ingenuity Needed to Halt Climate Catastrophe. Carbon emissions have been rising since the start of the Industrial Revolution. But they'll have to be curbed soon, and sharply, to keep the globe from warming above "safe" levels. A new report lays out avenues to get there and shows that while it's possible, it'll take a little human ingenuity and a lot of global cooperation. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/cooperation-ingenuity-needed-to-halt-climate-catastrophe_48941568 DROUGHT A California Oil Field Yields Another Prized Commodity. The 115-year-old Kern River oil field unfolds into the horizon, thousands of bobbing pumpjacks seemingly occupying every corner of a desert landscape here in California’s Central Valley. A contributor to the state’s original oil boom, it is still going strong as the nation’s fifth-largest oil field, yielding 70,000 barrels a day. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/us/california-drought-chevron-oil-field-water-irrigation.html?_r=0 California water district recycling wastewater. A Northern California water district is offering residents recycled wastewater to use on their lawns and plants, as it tries to cut water use during the drought. The Contra Costa Times reports (http://bit.ly/1otNMtY) that about 60 people are now making regular runs for the water from the Dublin San Ramon Services District, which also provides sewage services. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/07/6538755/california-water-district-recycling.html#storylink=cpy Sacramento Local Online Ad Network: Thoughts about public trust from a state official. It was almost 6 p.m. at the California State Water Resources Control Board meeting that began at 9 a.m. when Board member Tam Doduc said, “I’m going to say something that I very rarely talk about.” Previously, she said she had to leave for another meeting at 4 p.m. but stayed on, perhaps to make what for a government board member is unusually frank. Posted. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26238 California drought: In-N-Out, Chipotle raising prices due to rising food costs. That Double-Double you’ve been craving from In-N-Out Burger just got pricier and more price hikes are on the way, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA projects that the price of beef and veal will rise 5.5 to 6.5 percent this year and that poultry prices will increase 3 to 4 percent. Dairy products will likewise see a 3 to 4 percent jump, with egg prices rising 5 to 6 percent. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140707/california-drought-in-n-out-chipotle-raising-prices-due-to-rising-food-costs FUELS EU Funds First Large-Scale Clean Fuel Project. U.K. Coal-Powered Plant to Test Carbon Capture and Storage Technology. Europe's first large-scale project to turn coal into a clean fuel was given hundreds of millions of euros by the European Union Tuesday, reviving hopes that the technology could finally get off the ground. The EU's climate change chief, Connie Hedegaard, said the funding would help the technology "make a substantial step forward" in Europe…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/eu-funds-first-large-scale-clean-fuel-project-1404834975#printMode GREEN ENERGY Alternative-Energy Funds See Renewed Buying by Investors. While the boom in U.S. natural gas has generated excitement among investors and companies alike, the renewable-energy sector has been having a moment of its own. Investors are pumping more money into funds and projects dedicated to clean energy, such as solar and wind power. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/alternative-energy-funds-see-renewed-buying-by-investors-1404679622 Daniel Yergin on the Future of Energy: Big Gains for Coal and Natural Gas. The Energy Expert Says Change Comes Slowly to the Industry. The world will soon run out of its most important energy resource because supplies are "becoming exhausted." To stave off disaster, there must be a quick shift to wind power. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/daniel-yergin-on-the-future-of-energy-big-gains-for-coal-and-natural-gas-1404764096?KEYWORDS=climate+change "Microgrids" offer energy security and independence. The periodic blackouts in Cassina Tarsia's Oceanside neighborhood meant the 71-year-old couldn't charge her cellphone or electric wheelchair. But outages aren't a problem anymore. Since February, Tarsia's garage has housed a suitcase-sized battery that stores power from her rooftop solar panels and the main electrical grid. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/Business/ci_26102724/%22Microgrids%22-offer-energy-security-and-independence 2 solar giants aim to own it all. SolarCity is America's largest financier and installer of rooftop solar panels. SunPower is one of the country's biggest solar-panel manufacturers. From opposite ends of the supply chain, the two California firms have declared their plans to become vertically integrated, just like the major oil companies. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060002464/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Device Cuts 93% of Harmful Emissions from Lawnmowers. A team of University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering students have won an EPA student design contest for a device they created that curbs harmful pollutant emitted from lawnmowers by 93 percent.The students developed the device – an “L” shaped piece of stainless steel that attaches to the lawnmower where its muffler was – because small engine devices produce significant harmful emissions. Posted. http://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=20425 OPINIONS Valley air needs cleaning up, and oil companies must help. During the school year, I drive my two sons, ages 6 and 3, to school in downtown Fresno. As a Central Valley mom, I have to include one more step in my morning routine -- checking the air quality flag. For those who don't know, right under the American flag and the California flag at Yokomi Elementary is a color-coded flag representing the severity of air pollution that day. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/opinion/hot-topics/x634490612/Valley-air-needs-cleaning-up-and-oil-companies-must-help BLOGS Why Will Economic Growth Be Slower in 2060 Across the Globe? The global economy is one thing that may not be getting better with time. Aging populations, climate change, decelerating growth in emerging economies and rising inequality threaten to drag down global growth in the next five decades, according to a recent report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/numbers/why-will-economic-growth-be-slower-in-2060-across-the-world-1527/?KEYWORDS=climate+change Regulation & Environment: Cap & Trade comes to California oil product markets. California’s cap and trade law has been reality for a wide variety of CO2 emitters for several years. But they are all stationary sources. In January, it moves to a moving kind of source: motor vehicles. In this week’s Oilgram News column, Regulation & Environment, John Kingston, fresh off a trip to the state’s capital city of Sacramento, discusses the implementation of the law in the fuels business. Posted. http://blogs.platts.com/2014/07/07/california-cap-trade-fuels/ Raising farms and preparing for climate change in Bangladesh. When Barry Evans, a 71-year-old retired engineer from Eureka, Calif., went to Bangladesh this spring as a volunteer for Save The Children, he was packing some heavy cynicism along with his lightweight tropical clothing. “I thought this would just be a band-aid job, a rich country throwing a bit of help to some very poor people.” Posted. http://www.realsolutionstoclimatechange.com/raising-farms-and-preparing-for-climate-change-in-bangladesh/#more-287 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2014 14:42:54 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 9, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 9, 2014. This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office of Communications. You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. CAP AND TRADE EU Carbon Market Needs Deep Changes, Industry Panel’s Buzek Says. The European Union should overhaul its emissions program to ensure it encourages investment in clean energy without recurrent market intervention, according to the chair of the industry committee in the EU Parliament. Jerzy Buzek, who was elected yesterday to head the panel for 2 1/2 years, said the EU emissions-trading system has failed to stimulate a switch to low-emission technologies…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-08/eu-carbon-market-needs-deep-changes-industry-panel-s-buzek-says.html http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002508/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Regulators propose agreement to limit pollution from Exide plant. Air quality regulators have reached an agreement with Exide Technologies that would bar its battery recycling plant in Vernon from resuming operations until it installs new controls on arsenic emissions that pose a health risk to surrounding communities. The South Coast Air Quality Management District is asking its hearing board this week to approve two enforcement actions that have been agreed to by Exide…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-exide-orders-proposed-20140708-story.html http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/07/09/vernon-recycling-plant-could-reopen-with-tougher-pollution-standards/ http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/07/07/45179/county-blood-testing-for-exide-neighbors-suffering/ In Cambodia, toxic air threatens timeless ruins. A thousand years ago, they were temples so sacred only high priests were allowed to enter — the spiritual epicenter of a powerful empire that dominated Southeast Asia. Now, millions of tourists climb among the elaborate, enchanting ruins. In this poor, struggling nation, they arrive at Angkor Archaeological Park’s ticket counter via decades-old tour buses that belch dark, toxic fumes. Here, air pollution is at its worst. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140707/in-cambodia-toxic-air-threatens-timeless-ruins CLIMATE CHANGE China, US differ on global plan to cut emissions. China and the United States took small steps toward their shared goal of fighting climate change on Wednesday, but the world's No. 1 and No. 2 carbon emitters remain significantly apart over a wider global plan to cut emissions. China's chief climate official Xie Zhenhua said China should not be subject to the same rules for greenhouse gas emissions as the United States and other rich countries…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_US_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=PATOW&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/07/09/us-usa-china-climatechange-idUKKBN0FE0JI20140709 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/09/6543082/china-us-differ-on-global-plan.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/China-US-differ-on-global-plan-to-cut-emissions-5608526.php http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/09/china-us-differ-on-global-plan-to-cut-emissions/ Fix the Climate Problem? Easy. Cut U.S. Emissions to 1901 Levels. A draft report prepared for the United Nations suggests, out loud, what the U.S. needs to do about climate change: Cut emissions to one-tenth of current levels, per person, in less than 40 years. It’s perilous to say these things in the U.S., where a mere description of the scale of the climate challenge too often invites ridicule and dismissiveness. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-09/fix-the-climate-problem-easy-cut-u-s-emissions-to-1901-levels.html UN Proposes Building Blocks of New Global Climate Deal. The United Nations left open the option for rich and poor nations to remain divided in their obligations on climate change, setting up a conflict over exactly who should cut greenhouse gases. In a policy paper setting out possible language to include in a global warming agreement envoys from 190 nations are drawing up for next year, the UN set out an option for maintaining a divide between developed and developing nations. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-08/un-proposes-building-blocks-of-new-global-climate-deal.html Global warming requires more frequent rethink of "normal" weather-U.N. The baseline for "normal" weather used by everyone from farmers to governments to plan ahead needs to be updated more frequently to account for the big shifts caused by global warming, the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization said on Wednesday. The WMO's Commission for Climatology believes rising temperatures and more heatwaves and heavy rains mean the existing baseline, based on the climate averages of 1961-90…Posted. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/07/09/climatechange-normal-idUKL6N0PK2PS20140709 Global warming threatens Antarctica’s emperor penguins. The biggest threat to emperor penguins may not be leopard seals or even killer whales, but a much larger predator: global warming. Climate change, which is quickly melting the sea ice that this species depends on for survival, could cause dramatic drops in the number of emperor penguins across Antarctica by the end of the century, a new study finds. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/global-warming-threatens-antarcticas-emperor-penguins/2014/07/07/ae13db5c-01f1-11e4-b8ff-89afd3fad6bd_story.html Blueprints for Taming the Climate Crisis. Here’s what your future will look like if we are to have a shot at preventing devastating climate change. Within about 15 years every new car sold in the United States will be electric. In fact, by midcentury more than half of the American economy will run on electricity. Up to 60 percent of power might come from nuclear sources. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/09/business/blueprints-for-taming-the-climate-crisis.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22} You May Be Denying Climate Change, But The US Military Isn't. Climate change is still a contentious issue, as some people and organizations deny it is even happening, or concede the world is getting warmer, but it's not because of humans. The U.S. military is not one of those organizations. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/You-May-Be-Denying-Climate-Change-But-The-US-5607893.php Miss. regulators seek input on carbon dioxide rule. The Mississippi Public Service Commission is seeking input from others, including utilities, in its efforts to fight proposed federal rules that would cut carbon dioxide emissions from Mississippi's power plants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as part of a nationwide effort, proposed in June that Mississippi's carbon dioxide emissions from power plants be 38 percent lower in the year 2030 compared to 2005. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Miss-regulators-seek-input-on-carbon-dioxide-rule-5607256.php Group presents sea level rise proposals for Va. The Chesapeake Climate Action Network has released a report detailing its recommendations for how Virginia should adapt to rising sea levels. The group unveiled its recommendations on Wednesday in Norfolk, which routinely experiences flooding during even minor storms. Among other things, the report calls for improved emergency planning coordination…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Climate-group-to-present-sea-level-rise-proposals-5608508.php Meat-eaters are twice as bad for the environment as vegetarians: study Oxford researchers looked at eating habits and greenhouse gases emitted from particular foods. More energy is used to raise animals than plants, which is why carnivores’ carbon footprints are bigger. Here's some meaty news: Carnivores are twice as bad for the Earth as vegetarians, a new study out of Oxford University found. Researchers found that meat-eaters have carbon footprints about twice as large as vegetarians do. Posted. http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/meat-eaters-bad-environment-vegetarians-study-article-1.1860488 Want to limit global warming? Bring cash Any effort to limit global warming to 2ºC will require deep investment in low-carbon research and development, a new assessment warns. Promises on emissions cuts alone are not sufficient. The world lacks not only the will, but the technology to achieve the deep carbon cuts needed to avert catastrophic climate change, according to a report presented to the United Nations today by leading research institutions in 15 countries. Posted. http://www.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2014/07/low-carbon-investment Global climate change solution still possible ... but barely, says report. Climate change requires a rapid and dramatic decarbonization of the global energy supply, according to a new report. It comes as world leaders aim to learn from past failures in forging an international pact on climate change at international talks next year in Paris. World leaders have a rapidly closing window of opportunity to decarbonize the global energy supply before rising greenhouse gas emissions cause irreversible harm to the planet. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0708/Global-climate-change-solution-still-possible-but-barely-says-report The Real Deal with Global Warming And Climate Change Decades since the issue of global warming reared its ugly head; a lot of people still argue the validity of scientific findings put forth by researchers and professionals around the world. Arguments, such as “the climate is a natural process”, to the issue being entirely a hoax is still ravaging the minds of the world's population. http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1151191 A plan to de-carbonize the world by 2050 -- doable, though chances are slim. Holding back catastrophic climate change is still possible -- but just barely, and doing so will require a tremendous technological effort, according to a sweeping new report that analyzes what it would take to de-carbonize the world's top economies. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002534/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California board considers fines for wasting water. Wasting water outdoors amid the state's drought will begin hitting Californians in the wallet under get-tough restrictions being proposed by state regulators, with fines of up to $500 a day for overwatering front lawns or washing a car without a nozzle on the hose. The State Water Resources Control Board next week is scheduled to consider draft emergency regulations made public Tuesday. They are intended to put teeth into conservation efforts that so far have produced disappointing results. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/09/6543086/california-board-considers-fines.html FUELS If It's a War on Coal, Coal Is Winning. As wars go, the fight between clean and dirty energy sources is more like a centuries-old religious conflict than shock and awe. That’s one lesson from a new study of U.S. power generation by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. In 2040, the electricity sector might not look radically different from the way it does today, with emissions a little higher, or lower, and power sources still clubbing each other over the head for market share. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-07/if-it-s-a-war-on-coal-coal-is-winning.html VEHICLES China to Exclude Electric Cars From Purchase Tax Amid Smog Fight. China will exempt electric cars from purchase taxes as part of expanded government measures to combat pollution. Authorities will exclude new-energy autos -- China’s term for electric cars, plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles -- from the taxes starting September 1 this year until the end of 2017, according to a statement posted on the central government website yesterday, citing a State Council meeting. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-09/china-to-exclude-electric-cars-from-purchase-tax-amid-smog-fight.html Tesla Sued by Businesseman Claiming China Trademark Right. Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA), the electric carmaker led by Elon Musk, was sued in China for trademark infringement in the latest example of the difficulties foreign companies face doing business in the country. Zhan Baosheng, who registered the rights to the name before the U.S. carmaker entered China…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-07/tesla-sued-in-china-for-trademark-infringement.html Bay Area governments make big electric-vehicle buy. A group of San Francisco Bay Area cities, counties and water agencies has joined forces for what is being billed as one of the largest single government purchases of all-electric vehicles in the country. The six cities, two counties and two water agencies have united to buy 90 electric vehicles with the help of a $2.8 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Bay-Area-governments-make-big-electric-vehicle-buy-5607956.php http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/bay-area-governments-make-big-electricvehicle-buy_12468990 http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002535/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Sonoma County's electric-car infusion (w/video). Sonoma County is playing a major role in what is being billed as the single largest government purchase of the electric vehicles in the nation. More than a third of the 90 vehicles being purchased by a collective of 10 Bay Area government agencies are headed to Sonoma County in a bid to reduce fuel costs and demonstrate environmental leadership. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140708/articles/140709649 Fuel cell vehicles can refuel at existing gas stations – report The gas 'n' go at the rest stop could offer not only soda and gasoline but also hydrogen fuel, according to a new study from Sandia National Laboratories. The report examined the feasibility of integrating hydrogen at 70 California commercial gas stations under the 2011 fire codes from the National Fire Protection Association and found almost half could accommodate separation distances and other issues of hydrogen fuel based on the risk-informed analysis. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002566/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY GE to Operate 211-Megawatt Wind Farm in Texas Panhandle With EON. General Electric Co. (GE), the largest U.S. producer of wind turbines, agreed to own and operate a project in Texas with EON SE (EOAN), Germany’s biggest utility, that will power about 64,000 homes. GE Energy Financial Services Inc. and EON Climate and Renewables North America LLC each provided half of the equity investment in the 211-megawatt Grandview I wind farm, according to a statement today. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-08/ge-to-operate-211-megawatt-wind-farm-in-texas-panhandle-with-eon.html http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/GE-in-Texas-wind-farm-deal-5607200.php Borrowing from taxman to buy solar. Homeowners in San Diego and surrounding areas gained access this week to a new kind of financing for home improvements to reduce energy bills or save water that is repaid through property tax bills. So-called PACE financing -- short for property assessed clean energy -- was extended Monday to homeowners within San Diego city limits, unincorporated areas of the county and the cities of Escondido and El Cajon. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/08/pace-financing-arri-san-diego/ MISCELLANEOUS Capitol Corridor hope: 10 passenger trains a day between Roseville and Sacramento. Capitol Corridor has launched plans for a $200 million track construction project that would allow it to increase passenger rail service tenfold between Sacramento and Roseville. The intercity rail line, which runs from Placer County to the Bay Area, has long operated one round-trip commuter train a day between the two cities…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/08/6542731/capitol-corridor-hope-10-passenger.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS Is Greener Always Better? A high recycling rate is a bit like a civic penance. Yes, we consumed, the figure admits. But we paid for it by going through the trouble of sorting our waste into green and blue bins. High recycling rates are demonstrations of personal and civic virtue, and so long as green is good, greener --as measured by a higher rate -- is obviously better. Posted. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-07-08/is-greener-always-better How much water does California have left? Southern California water managers are doing such a great job that you would hardly know we are in the midst of the worst drought since record-keeping began in the late 1800s. However, excellence in water management has a real downside: a false sense of security. It is exceedingly difficult to convey the urgency of the situation when most everything around us is green. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-famiglietti-southern-california-drought-20140709-story.html No drought for the rich. Re "No need to let your grass die" (Page A1, July 7): I recently flew over Sacramento in a Cessna. From the plane, I could see that throughout South Sacramento, the majority of lawns were straw-colored as residents heed the call and do their part in conserving water. I sometimes walk my dog through the Fabulous Forties in East Sacramento. The lawns there are invariably large and lush and green. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/07/6538394/no-drought-for-the-rich.html#storylink=cpy Ranchers coming around on global warming. The chorus of global warming deniers has not shrunk. Outcries claiming the entire issue is fraudulent are not going away. But realism is also slowly setting in among some California groups that long tried to wish away the issue by claiming any warming that's happening is strictly a cyclical natural phenomenon. California ranchers are now among the first interest groups to realize that like it or not, global warming can no longer be denied with any semblance of accuracy. Posted. http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/07/08/ranchers-coming-around-global-warming/12299279/ BLOGS Get Outside While You Can: Beijing and Shanghai’s Air Pollution, By the Clock. With its notoriously smoggy skies, Beijing seems to launch a new initiative to reduce air pollution almost every week. Last week, local authorities said they wanted to build wind tunnels to funnel wind through the streets and blow away the bad air. This week, the state-run People’s Daily reported plans to spend $7.7 billion in the next five years to reduce air pollution. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/07/09/get-outside-while-you-can-beijing-and-shanghais-air-pollution-by-the-clock/?http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/feed?http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/feed?http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/feed HYBRIDS. I love my Toyota Prius so much, I don’t’ want it totaled. Thus, it is still unfixed. I filed a complaint with the Insurance Commission and they agreed with me that Triple AAA should revalue my car because I installed a new EV battery pack in it 18 months ago. So, now I wait. The wheels of justice from insurance, complaints, etc. turn slowly. Today, I went on line and looked at other electric vehicles, thinking maybe I’d buy a second hand EV. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/mary-matzek/2014/07/09/hybrids/ Oil companies try to weasel out of California’s cap-and-trade program. Like climate change, California’s cap-and-trade program is an evolving and growing beast. Since its official launch last year, power plants, cement producers, glass manufacturers, and some other heavy industries operating in the Golden State have been required to reduce carbon emissions and pay for the privilege of polluting the atmosphere with heat-trapping gases. Posted. http://grist.org/news/oil-companies-try-to-weasel-out-of-californias-cap-and-trade-program/ 5 Things You Should Know About Generating Electricity From Landfill Gas. With EPA's recent announcement that new landfills will be required to capture two-thirds of their methane and air toxic emissions by 2023 (13 percent more than current requirements), the Obama Administration takes another step forward to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosaly-byrd/5-things-you-should-know-_3_b_5570361.html Nissan's 'No Charge to Charge' is what incentives look like in the EV age. Nissan knows that offering free charging can increase Leaf sales, so it only makes sense for them to expand the "No Charge to Charge" program. And that's exactly what happened yesterday. As previewed during the New York Auto Show, No Charge To Charge gives new Leaf buyers free charging at participating public charging stations – which is pretty much any public station – for two years. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/09/nissans-no-charge-to-charge-incentive-for-leaf-sales/ Customers want wireless charging in next-gen Prius Plug-In; they might get it. Could 2016 be the year prospective Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid buyers are waiting for? Why, yes, says an unidentified Toyota spokesman. That's according to Plug-in Cars, which reports that a wireless plug-in vehicle charging system may be less than two years away for the Prius Plug-in. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/08/toyota-prius-phev-wireless-charging/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 11:13:52 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for July 10, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 10, 2014. 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 Capturing CO2 emissions remains frustratingly expensive: Kemp. Fossil fuels will remain an indispensable part of the global energy supply for at least the next 50 years, so a means must be found to burn them without pumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. According to Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator of the Financial Times: "(Just) as the civilisation of ancient Rome was built on slaves, ours is built on fossil fuels. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/10/climatechange-carboncapture-kemp-idUSL6N0PL4CK20140710 Climate Change Activists Call for Carbon Emissions Cap in Virginia. State officials have to take steps to protect Virginia's eroding shoreline and minimize nearby carbon emissions in the face of climate change, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network has said. Called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the environmental group's proposal would cap carbon emissions produced by power plants in nine states from Maryland to Maine, the Associated Press reported. Posted. http://www.autoworldnews.com/articles/8148/20140709/activists-call-for-climate-change-protection-in-virginia.htm AIR POLLUTION US environmental official talks up clean air rules. A federal environmental official will meet with environmentalists, state officials and others in Hartford to discuss the Obama administration's clean air initiatives. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/US-environmental-official-talks-up-clean-air-rules-5611142.php Panel to Impose Strict Pollution Standards on Battery Plant. Regulators on Wednesday mulled over a plan aimed at cutting toxic pollution from battery maker Exide Technologies, which some residents in a Southern California city blame for health problems. The Hearing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District considered proposed operating conditions on the Vernon facility, which has agreed to stay closed until it completes upgrades on its air pollution control systems. Posted. http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Public-Hearing-Wednesday-to-Determine-Future-of-Vernon-Battery-Recycling-Plant--266510991.html CLIMATE CHANGE Mothers bring kids to Senate to push for EPA's climate change rule. More than 200 mothers and their children marched to dozens of Senate offices Wednesday, carrying handwritten signs and calling for members of Congress to support the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed anti-pollution rules, which seek to cut carbon emissions from power plants by 30%. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-mothers-climate-change-senate-nu-20140709-story.html GREEN ENERGY Lawrence Berkeley Lab to unveil FLEXLAB for studying energy efficiency in commercial buildings. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, located in the hills above UC Berkeley with sweeping views of the Bay, has long been known for its cutting-edge research in energy efficiency. On Thursday, it will unveil FLEXLAB, the world's most advanced lab for studying energy efficiency in commercial buildings. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26122093/Lawrence-Berkeley-Lab-to-unveil-FLEXLAB-for-studying-energy-efficiency-in-commercial-buildings Why Big Tech Companies Are Investing In Renewable Energy. When it was completed in 2013, the London Array was the largest offshore wind farm in the world, designed to produce a gigawatt of electricity. In April of this year, Google GOOGL +0.09% announced that it had contracted for that much renewable energy over the course of seven different purchase agreements since 2011—the largest one being the most recent purchase agreement for 407 megawatts of wind-sourced power from MidAmerican Energy Company to supply its data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/emc/2014/07/10/why-big-tech-companies-are-investing-in-renewable-energy/ OPINION Carbon producers can meet EPA's limits as they have in the past. Past is prologue, and as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency moves forward with new limits on carbon pollution from the nation's electric power plants, familiar alarms are sounding that the limits will drive up electric bills, threaten the reliability of our electric power system, and harm our economy. Nonsense. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/10/4018305/carbon-producers-can-meet-epas.html http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/10/3432736/carbon-producers-can-meet-epas.html Saving Water in California. California is in the third year of its worst drought in decades. But you wouldn’t know it by looking at how much water the state’s residents and businesses are using. According to a recent state survey, Californians cut the amount of water they used in the first five months of the year by just 5 percent, far short of the 20 percent reduction Gov. Jerry Brown called for in January. In some parts of the state, like the San Diego area, water use has actually increased from 2013. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/10/opinion/saving-water-in-california.html?_r=0 BLOGS Smart Umbrella Tracks Air Quality While Keeping You Dry. Earlier this year, a scientist had the idea to use umbrellas as a way to collect data and prevent urban flooding, but now a team from the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design wants to use the trusted accessory as a way to measure, and visualize air pollution. The Sensing Umbrella is able to measure carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide levels, while built-in LED lights respond to the air quality by changing color and rhythm. It’s a project that looks good, but also has plans to make an impact on people’s health around the world. Posted. http://www.psfk.com/2014/07/led-umbrella-real-time-air-tracking.html#!bckus6 EVs popping up where you might not expect. "New York, London, Paris, Munich," went the 1979 pro-techno hit Pop Muzik. Today, however, the adoption of electric vehicles is going far beyond those major metropolises, all of which have seen a healthy dose of plug-ins. And we think that's a good thing. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/09/evs-popping-up-where-you-might-not-expect/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 14:56:19 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 11, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 11, 2014. 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 Petition gatherers: Come for one measure, stay for another. Michael Arno, whose company is collecting signatures to qualify Draper’s initiative for the November 2016 ballot, has offered signature gatherers an unrelated “expression of support” that people can sign urging the Legislature to hold off expanding California’s controversial cap-and-trade program to vehicle fuels in 2015. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/10/6547239/petition-gatherers-come-for-one.html AIR POLLUTION Vernon battery recycler is allowed to reopen, with conditions. Air quality officials are giving a battery recycling plant in Vernon another chance to prove it can operate without putting nearby residents at risk. Despite demands from community groups calling for permanent closure of the Exide Technologies plant, the region's air quality hearing board approved an agreement Thursday that would allow the idled facility to reopen…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0711-exide-20140711-story.html http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/07/10/45248/orders-clear-the-air-in-exide-pollution-fight/ CLIMATE CHANGE Why Some Cities Get Way Hotter Than Others During The Summer. Summer in the city can be brutal, but just how bad it gets depends on the city itself. Most cities are hotter than their surroundings, but some are more susceptible to this "heat island" effect than others. A new study, released July 9 in the journal Nature, has pinpointed why — and which cities are the most at risk. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Why-Some-Cities-Get-Way-Hotter-Than-Others-During-5612637.php Teaming up on clean power. California’s role as a lonely pioneer on climate change is coming to a close. The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed limits on carbon emissions from existing power plants gives states wide latitude on how to achieve reductions. The 2030 emission targets — set to become part of the U.S. Clean Air Act next year, with many adjustments…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/11/tp-teaming-up-on-clean-power/ Climate change solution: Scrap subsidies, fund innovation. Mark your calendars. November 30, 2015 is international climate D-Day. Representatives from 196 countries will meet in Paris for the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to complete negotiations on a new international climate agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which ends in 2020. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0710/Climate-change-solution-Scrap-subsidies-fund-innovation Soot from wildfires discovered with 90% greater warming potential – study. Scientists have learned something new about the nasty, dark smoke that rises from wildfires that might have important implications on the climate. As the U.S. wildfire season is well underway, researchers have detected a new, bigger kind of soot particle emitted by fires that, when released into the atmosphere, has a 90 percent greater warming effect than the particles assumed in current climate models. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002708/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Global warming education proponents strengthen efforts against 'anti-science forces' The fight over whether states should include man-made climate change in K-12 science education heated up yesterday with the "Climate Science Students Bill of Rights," a new campaign launched by advocacy groups with the aim of garnering national support for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002704/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Changing southern winds could exacerbate sea-level rise – study. Fragile ice sheets in Antarctica could come under even more pressure from climate change as shifting westerly winds in the region drive warm water under the continent's protruding glaciers. After running almost two dozen ocean simulations from the data-poor Antarctic -- at a higher resolution than ever before -- an international team of researchers now believes that projected changes in winds circling the continent may help accelerate global sea-level rise. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002703/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY USGS scientists use satellites to see how polar bears adapt to warmer conditions. Scientists traditionally track animals by capturing and tagging them, then releasing them back into the wild. Or researchers might have access to GPS systems or be able to count members of a population from the window of a low-flying plane. But now, a handful of scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey are using some exceptionally expensive machinery in order to study animals in the Arctic: satellites. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002710/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California drought: El Niño not likely to bring much rain. Professional weather watchers are losing hope that the expected arrival of an El Niño in coming months will wash away California's drought. The U.S. Climate Prediction Center, which issued its monthly report on Pacific Ocean weather patterns Thursday, is still projecting that sea surface temperatures will rise, a phenomenon known as El Niño. But the El Niño that's in the forecast will likely be "weak to moderate," the report says. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Report-El-Ni-o-not-likely-to-end-California-5613442.php http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140710/NEWS/140719965 California’s Deepening Drought Shrinking Reservoirs. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which serves 19 million people from Ventura to the Mexico border, is anticipating drawing down 40 percent of its water storage this year to meet demand. Southern California’s reservoirs were in good shape going into last winter. Now, seven months later, “Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/jul/11/californias-deepening-drought-shrinking-reservoirs/ FUELS A Lesson in Diplomacy for Pipeline Companies. Big energy projects often bring out opposition groups. Investors often think of such groups as intractable opponents and as obstacles to overcome. But a proposed project in Canada shows that this isn't always the case. Opposition groups have blocked Canada's efforts to bring its oil and gas to international markets at every turn. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/A-Lesson-in-Diplomacy-for-Pipeline-Companies-5615189.php VEHICLES China to Exempt Electric Cars From 10% Purchase Tax. China will waive a 10 percent purchase tax on electric cars as part of expanded measures to combat pollution and cut energy dependence. New-energy autos -- China’s term for electric cars, plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles -- will be excluded from the levy from Sept. 1 to the end of 2017…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-09/china-to-exclude-electric-cars-from-purchase-tax-amid-smog-fight.html Betting on Diesel Cars, Exxon Is Set to Expand Belgium Refinery. Exxon Mobil to Invest in Diesel in Belgium. At Dimitris Poliviou’s car repair shop, customers are increasingly turning up with diesel-powered vehicles. “There are loads and loads of them,” Mr. Poliviou said as his crew in the Belsize Park neighborhood here worked on a diesel Volkswagen Passat. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/11/business/international/exxon-mobil-to-invest-in-diesel-in-belgium.html ENERGY: Grant to pay for electric vehicle charging stations. The Riverside County Economic Development Agency has moved into the fast lane when it comes to charging-station installations for electric vehicles. A $497,357 grant has been awarded to the EDA by the California Energy Commission to install 45 charging stations with 87 ports at workplaces, destinations and travel corridors over a three-year period. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/riverside-697383-stations-electric.html GREEN ENERGY Inventor pushes solar panels for roads, highways. The solar panels that Idaho inventor Scott Brusaw has built aren't meant for rooftops. They are meant for roads, driveways, parking lots, bike trails and, eventually, highways. Brusaw, an electrical engineer, says the hexagon-shaped panels can withstand the wear and tear that comes from inclement weather and vehicles, big and small, to generate electricity. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SOLAR_ROADWAYS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Inventor-pushes-solar-panels-for-roads-highways-5614287.php Solar subsidy extended to farms, campuses. Some utility customers will be able to link multiple electricity meters to a single solar energy system, making renewable energy more feasible for farms and campus-style office complexes, under state rules adopted Thursday. The new guidelines adopted by the California Public Utilities Commission extend a generous credit system for renewable energy…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/10/solar-rules-help-farms-campuses/ Calif. to award $26M for microgrid- and grid-connected EV projects. California doesn't have to contend with the intense hurricanes and snowstorms that have battered the Northeast in recent years, causing widespread and prolonged blackouts. But the Golden State faces other threats to its power system that have prompted a new $26.5 million investment in resilient microgrid projects from the California Energy Commission (CEC). Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002705/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Taking a Bite Out of Climate: 4 World Cup Snacks. But bugs aren't just a personal health issue. Raising them produces far fewer greenhouse gases than current agriculture operations, which account for about 20 percent of global emissions. Raising insects is less water- and energy-intensive than traditional agriculture operations. In the U.S., relentless drought in California and Oklahoma is having an impact on cattle and grain prices, but bugs would likely be better able to weather the storm. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/taking-a-bite-out-of-climate-4-world-cup-snacks_34726487 OPINIONS BBC told that science fringies belong in the audience, not on the air. The BBC is getting some grief, and some plaudits, for pledging to do what it’s supposed to do: evaluate the quality of what it puts on the air before it airs it. A deeply researched report from its governing body, the BBC Trust, says the BBC programmers should stop falling into the faux-equal-time trap, bringing in fringe figures to discuss substantive matters of science, such as climate change. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-bbc-eschews-science-fringies-20140711-story.html Opinion: Who you gonna call: 'Drought Busters' or 'Water Conservation Response Unit'? Dear Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Please bring back the “Drought Busters.” We’re in the midst of what could be the worst drought in California history, and despite calls for residents throughout the state to cut their water consumption by 20%, some communities actually have used more water. Angelenos need reminding. The “Drought Busters” could help. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-drought-busters-20140710-story.html Smooth surfaces help make cities into sizzling urban heat islands. Nineteen years ago this month, Chicago experienced one of the worst heat waves in its history. Nearly 500 people, mostly poor and elderly residents of the city’s dense urban core, perished in sweltering temperatures and oppressive humidity. The National Weather Service later determined that Chicago itself was partly to blame…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-urban-heat-island-20140710-story.html Water conservation in California can no longer be voluntary. Earlier this year, Gov. Jerry Brown urged Californians to voluntarily cut their water usage by 20% to help preserve the state's already limited supply during this severe drought. But sometimes, asking nicely doesn't work. Between January and May, water use was reduced by a measly 5%. Clearly, the voluntary approach isn't enough — water use is even up in some communities — and the state needs to take a harder line. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-water-conservation-20140711-story.html Water rules and fines will help, but attitudes must change. We hope the State Water Resources Control Board affirms all the staff recommendations for emergency urban water cutbacks outlined Wednesday – restrictions and fines on excessive landscape watering, running hoses and rinsing off sidewalks. Such rules are reasonable and doable. They’re also debatable in how much good they’ll do. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/10/3433914/our-view-water-rules-and-fines.html Water limits should apply to all users. The California Water Resources Control Board will decide next week whether to impose mandatory limits on urban water use and slap violators with fines of up to $500 a day. This raises two questions: 1) What took it so long? 2) Why aren't agricultural water users, who gulp 80 percent of California's usable supply, getting the same attention? http://www.contracostatimes.com/editorial/ci_26126057/contra-costa-times-editorial-water-limits-should-apply Carbon producers can meet EPA's limits as they have in the past. Past is prologue, and as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency moves forward with new limits on carbon pollution from the nation's electric power plants, familiar alarms are sounding that the limits will drive up electric bills, threaten the reliability of our electric power system, and harm our economy. Nonsense. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/10/6546368/carbon-producers-can-meet-epas.html#storylink=cpy The Truth Behind the Government's "Clean Power Plan". The EPA's Clean Power Plan is part of Barack Obama's larger agenda to battle climate change caused by the burning of coal and other fossil fuels. It aims to cut carbon emissions 30% by 2030. The proposal would enforce more stringent environmental standards, requiring states to reduce their carbon footprints. States have until 2016 to comply with the new regulations. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-Truth-Behind-the-Government-s-Clean-Power-5612324.php BLOGS China, U.S. Agree to Take Baby Steps on Climate Change. The world’s two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases agreed on Wednesday to do more to fight climate change, but the specific steps they settled on were far from ambitious. Chinese and U.S. officials, including heavy hitters such as Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, are meeting in Beijing for the Strategic and Economic Dialogue…Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/07/10/china-u-s-agree-to-take-baby-steps-on-climate-change/ West Nile Virus is alarming example of climate change’s effects. The message gets to the Santa Clara County Mosquito and Vector Control District that a dead bird was found in Sunnyvale. If it’s a crow or a jay, the district sends out a team to collect the bird and bring it back to their in-house lab to test it for West Nile Virus. If the bird tests positive, a team of five technicians in white pick-up trucks goes out and sets 40 mosquito traps in a one-mile radius of the site. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/inthepeninsula/2014/07/11/west-nile-virus/ Richmond planners OK Chevron refinery upgrade. Chevron Corp.’s long-delayed effort to upgrade its Richmond refinery won the blessings of the city’s planning commission late Thursday, moving the controversial project closer to construction. The commission unanimously certified the upgrade’s latest environmental impact report, adopting several measures related to safety and pollution controls sought by the project’s opponents. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/energy/2014/07/11/richmond-planners-ok-chevron-refinery-upgrade/ Dell’s magic trick: pulling carbon out of the air. Carbon-negative packaging reverses carbon emissions. Just when you thought carbon-neutral was amazing … carbon negative comes along. Oliver Campbell, Worldwide Procurement Director, Packaging, for Dell, launches plastic packaging products made from carbon in the air. Dell, which has already advanced the use of organic materials to ensconce its computer and other electronic products in (see “Dell’s Campbell: The whole package,”) has taken the carbon reduction fight to the next elevation–carbon negativity. Posted. http://sustainablemfr.com/air-emissions/dells-magic-trick-pulling-carbon-air Opinion: California's Low On Water? Time to Fine the Water Resources Board Not Its Citizens. California is in the midst of one of its many droughts. To combat the current drought, the otherwise do-nothings of the California Water Resources Board are proposing to fine citizens they call “water hogs” $500 per day. Instead of fining helpless consumers, California’s government should do its job for once and seriously increase water supplies. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasdelbeccaro/2014/07/10/californias-low-on-water-time-to-fine-the-water-resources-board-not-its-citizens/ Why We Need a Carbon Tax. The scientific community is clear: Global warming is real and it is caused by human activity. In terms of droughts, heat waves, floods, forest fires, disease, rising sea levels and extreme weather disturbances, global warming is already causing devastating problems. The simple truth is that if we do not act boldly and quickly these problems will only get much worse in the years to come. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-bernie-sanders/why-we-need-a-carbon-tax_b_5571408.html?page_version=legacy&view=print&comm_ref=false Oil Refineries Have a Moral Imperative to Fix the Air Pollution Problem They're Causing. When I moved with my family from California to Utah nine years ago, I was stunned by the horrible air quality in this otherwise gorgeous mountain state. Day after day, during that first winter, we were smothered in breath-taking blanket of smog. Back then, I knew little about how air pollution impacted our health…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cherise-udell/oil-refineries-have-a-mor_b_5577858.html?page_version=legacy&view=print&comm_ref=false Bad idea: change the Wilderness Act to respond to climate change. The Wilderness Act is one of the iconic pieces of environmental legislation, and it is 50 years old this year. It created a process and management standard by which millions of acres of relatively undeveloped federal land were protected from development and most forms of active human management. Posted. http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2014/07/10/bad-idea-change-the-wilderness-act-to-respond-to-climate-change/ There are now more than 500,000 EVs on the planet. In the three years since automakers started selling mass-produced plug-ins such as the Nissan Leaf battery-electric and Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in, global customers have acquired a half-million plug-ins, according to a UC Davis report. That adoption rate is faster than how quickly people bought hybrid-electric vehicles during the first three years of gas-electric vehicle commercial availability more than a decade ago. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/11/there-are-now-more-than-500000-evs-on-the-planet/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2014 16:22:17 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 14, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 14, 2014. 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 Beijing to enforce use of clean coal in anti-pollution drive. China's capital city, Beijing, will enforce the use of cleaner low-sulphur coal from Aug. 1 in a bid to tackle the soaring levels of air pollution that frequently clog the country's major cities, the official Xinhua media agency said on Saturday. Beijing will implement strict controls and targets for airborne sulphur from coal, Xinhua said, citing the Beijing Municipal Administration of Quality and Technology Supervision. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/07/12/us-china-pollution-idINKBN0FH0BJ20140712 LA Smog: the battle against air pollution. When we see photos of Beijing shrouded in a veil of thick smog, we’re horrified. How can the Chinese live with such terrible air pollution? One answer is: Americans did. Back in the 1950s and '60s, people in Los Angeles breathed some of the dirtiest air in the world. Los Angeles still has smog, of course, but it’s not nearly as bad as it used to be. How did the city get its act together? Posted. http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/we-used-be-china/la-smog-battle-against-air-pollution Women led air pollution protests from the start. Ask Jeff Slade if his mother was a “typical housewife” and he’ll say, “There was nothing typical about my mother.” Karenlin Madoff will tell you the same about her mom. She wasn’t a housewife, she was “a force of nature.” Both Madoff’s and Slade’s mothers were clean air activists in the 1960s, when “clean air activist” wasn’t really a thing. But those 1960s “housewives” had plenty of sisterly company in the cause. Posted. http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/we-used-be-china/women-led-air-pollution-protests-start CLIMATE CHANGE Texas, Leader in Greenhouse Gases, Stands Vulnerable to Their Effects. As Republicans promote the state’s economic “miracle,” many climate scientists from Texas say prosperity has come at a steep price. With its dependence on an energy industry that relies on extracting fossil fuels, scientists say Texas has become a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions as well as more vulnerable to its consequences. Texas emits more greenhouse gases than any other state, according to federal data. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/13/us/texas-leader-in-greenhouse-gases-stands-vulnerable-to-their-effects.html Australian Winemakers Respond to Climate Shift. The young Australian vintner Nick Glaetzer’s winemaking-steeped family thought he was crazy when he abandoned the Barossa Valley — the hot, dry region that is home to the country’s world-famous big, brassy shiraz. Trampling over the family’s century-old grape-growing roots on the Australian mainland, Mr. Glaetzer headed south to the tiny island state of Tasmania to strike out on his own and prove to the naysayers there was a successful future in cooler-climate wines. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/15/business/energy-environment/australian-winemakers-adjusting-to-climate-shift.html?ref=earth Democratic bill would slow California's effort to curb climate change. Political-economic fights at the Capitol never really end. They just morph into new incarnations. Take, for example, the eight-year battle among industry, environmentalists and the administrations of Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and successor Jerry Brown over how to deal with threats of global warming. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-capitol-business-beat-20140714-story.html Experts discuss climate change at Nimbus fish hatchery. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a third presentation on the effects of climate change on salmon and steelhead trout in the American River. Kevin Shaffer, fisheries branch program manager, will discuss the potential effects of climate change on salmon and steelhead runs in the American River. Whitney Albright, a climate associate…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/12/6551985/experts-discuss-climate-change.html#storylink=cpy Genes Help Plants Handle Rising CO2 Levels. Biologists in the U.S. have identified the genetic machinery that tells a plant how to respond to more carbon dioxide caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Four genes from three different gene families together control the density of stomata, or breathing pores, on the foliage of the healthy plant. As carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, plants respond and make fewer stomata. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/genes-help-plants-handle-rising-co2-levels_12633617 How researchers unearthed the saga of a tiny fern that may have saved the planet. This may come as a shock, but only 55 million years ago, our planet had no polar ice caps; in fact, it nearly became a steamy, runaway greenhouse world, with CO2 levels exceeding 2,500 ppm. Then, all of a sudden, something intervened, causing a shift. Atmospheric carbon dioxide began to drop, steadily generating today's world, with ice caps at both poles. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002785/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Former Reagan official predicts Republican skeptics will be 'mummed' by climate change. Senior GOP statesman George Shultz urged Republicans on Friday to be proactive on climate change, calling it an "obvious risk" to the economy and national security. The former secretary of State for President Reagan says that rising temperatures could be addressed through an inexpensive "insurance policy," similar to Reagan's support for restrictions on gases that degraded the ozone layer in the 1970s and '80s. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002783/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY To a business-centered climate group, economics can drive environmental change. Wearing a blue-and-white pinstriped button-down shirt, staring through crisp silver glasses and sitting at the head of a dark conference room table on K Street, Jeff Erikson played the role of teacher rather than CEO as he explained his audaciously lofty goal -- cut carbon emissions by billion-ton chunks as rapidly as possible. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002791/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY High-resolution climate model finds man's impact on drop in Australian rainfall. Climate change is starkly visible in some parts of the world. The Alaskan permafrost, for example, is melting rapidly due to rising temperatures. But temperature is only part of the story; rainfall patterns are also expected to change and these shifts are harder to pinpoint. Except in Australia, that is, which is the driest continent on Earth. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002769/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS Has the U.S. SmartWay Program Helped Retreading? Fleets with 21 or more trailers operating in California found themselves in a bit of a bad spot back in 2010. That’s when the California Air Resources Board’s Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas regulation became effective. The regulation required, among other things, that trailers be fitted with low-rolling-resistance tires. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/equipment/article/story/2014/07/has-the-u-s-smartway-program-helped-retreading.aspx CARB offers free compliance classes in July, August. Truck owners and others in the freight industry have an opportunity to learn California emissions enforcement techniques, maintenance on emissions devices and other information during a series of upcoming courses run by the state’s Air Resources Board. A course dealing with CARB’s Truck and Bus Rule will be accessible remotely to anyone with Internet capabilities. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27320#.U8QHXYUvAk8 FUELS Is Ethanol Causing Food Disruption and Contributing to Climate Change? If you are a socially responsible investor, you may want to rethink any commitment you have to ethanol and its use as a fuel supplement, oxygenate, and climate change solution. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that U.S production of ethanol (the predominate biofuel in use) is the highest it has been since Jan. 2012. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Is-Ethanol-Causing-Food-Disruption-and-5617311.php Divestment in fossil fuels: symbolism and hypocrisy. A group called Fossil Free UC wants regents to divest UC's endowment fund of all fossil-fuel holdings. "As one of the leading public institutions in the world, we have the privilege and the responsibility to take action where we can influence change," Fossil Free explains on its website. This is the global-warming movement at its most honest - its goal is not change, which requires sacrifice in a plugged-in age. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Divestment-in-fossil-fuels-symbolism-and-5616036.php VEHICLES Chinese officials will buy more electric cars. At least 30 percent of newly purchased government cars will be electric and other types of "new energy vehicles," China's official news agency reported Sunday, as the country attempts to tackle air pollution and encourage the electric car market. A joint plan from five government ministries and departments calls for about a third of cars bought for state use from 2014 to 2016 to rely on clean energy…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_ELECTRIC_VEHICLES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Smart electric cars to measure air pollution. British scientists are using smart electric vehicles fitted with specialised air monitoring sensors to measure the city pollution levels. The University of Leicester researchers have designed and installed special sensors into electric vehicles (EVs) that can measure pollutant concentrations around the city. Posted. http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/smart-electric-cars-to-measure-air-pollution-114071300466_1.html GREEN ENERGY Geothermal: The Other Alternative Energy. With a growing movement to adopt more sustainable energy solutions, investors may be interested in knowing that geothermal fields produce just one-sixth of the carbon dioxide that a clean natural-gas-fueled power plant produces, and this energy production is seen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the most efficient, clean, and cost effective for temperature control. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Geothermal-The-Other-Alternative-Energy-5617077.php Big-name companies urge utilities to produce more renewable energy. To meet their sustainability goals, 12 large American companies signed onto a set of buyers' principles last week calling on utilities to expand and streamline opportunities for renewable energy procurement. The companies, including Bloomberg, General Motors Co., Sprint, Wal-Mart and Mars, are looking to engage with energy suppliers…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002786/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Orcem plans ‘green’ cement plant on Mare Island. Orcem signed a 65-year lease for that part of the 34.3-acre terminal, the former home of a General Mills flour processing facility. This project has an investment budget of $50 million and will involve 140,000 hours of union labor, according to Orcem President Stephen Bryan. Once California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) certification is obtained, construction is set to run 18 months, positioning the plant for commissioning in the second quarter of 2016. Posted. http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/94091/orcem-plans-green-cement-plant-on-mare-island/ Industry cooperation key as EPA targets carcinogen in dry cleaning. U.S. EPA scientists believe at least 330,000 Americans may be exposed to the toxic chemical trichloroethylene at degreasing facilities and dry cleaning businesses but must work with industry first because forcing companies to stop using the chemical could be costly and take years, according to one of the agency's top officials. Trichloroethylene, or TCE, has been classified as a human carcinogen …Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002816/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Fighting Climate Change With Trade. The United States, the European Union, China and 11 other governments began trade negotiations this week to eliminate tariffs on solar panels, wind turbines, water-treatment equipment and other environmental goods. If they are able to reach an agreement, it could reduce the cost of equipment needed to address climate change and help increase American exports. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/13/opinion/sunday/negotiations-to-end-tariffs-on-environmental-goods.html?_r=0 Editorial: Hefty overwatering fines would make clear California is in a drought. We’ve all seen an overwatered lawn: water flowing over the sidewalk and into the gutter. We shake our heads and ask: Don’t they know we’re in the middle of a severe drought? Some cities have strict rules for people who waste water. Others have imposed mandatory cutbacks. But violators don’t face serious consequences. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/14/6550879/editorial-hefty-overwatering-fines.html#storylink=cpy Global warming: worsening California's fires and droughts? Re "Extreme fire season burns cash" (Page A1, July 13): By July 6, Cal Fire had already spent $13.9 million battling wildfires, with one of the longest and most difficult fire seasons anticipated to come. About 80 percent of California is already under extreme drought conditions. It's natural to wonder whether these worsening fire and drought conditions are connected to climate change, and what we can expect in the future. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/14/6553218/is-global-warming-worsening-californias.html#storylink=cpy Another View: Busting water conservation myths. As a solution for California’s complex water challenges, conserving water to get more from every drop stands out for its great potential and the misconceptions around it. A recent op-ed column, “Putting two myths about the state’s drought to rest”, repeated three misstatements about conservation that are often used to delay implementing strategies for more efficient water use. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/13/6548166/another-view-busting-water-conservation.html John M. Crisp: A local climate-change laboratory with global implications. If you were looking for a place to contemplate global climate change in a microcosm - climate change writ small - you could do worse than to consider my humble corner of the world. In some respects, this area is a laboratory for the competing climate and energy tensions that are developing worldwide, pointing toward catastrophes that appear to be more or less inevitable. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/14/4024066/john-m-crisp-a-local-climate-change.html BLOGS Thanks to the fracking boom, we’re wasting more money than ever on fossil fuel subsidies. You probably know that the U.S. government subsidizes fossil fuel production. But here’s something you probably don’t know: Those subsidies have recently increased dramatically. According to a report released last week by Oil Change International, “Federal fossil fuel production and exploration subsidies in the United States have risen by 45 percent since President Obama took office in 2009…Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/thanks-to-the-fracking-boom-were-wasting-more-money-than-ever-on-fossil-fuel-subsidies/ The Plants In This Garden Tell You When The Air Is Dirty. What if you could look at the plants in your garden in order to learn if the air around you is clean or dirty? At the National Center for Atmospheric Research, scientists have planted a garden that does just that. Posted. http://www.kunc.org/post/plants-garden-tell-you-when-air-dirty Cadillac ELR getting massive discounts, some up to $14,000. Well, that didn't go as planned. General Motors had marketed the Cadillac ELR extended-range plug-in as a premium version of the Chevrolet Volt with some Caddy refinements. Now, it looks like that premium, at least from a price standpoint, is shrinking. Shoppers in a number of states are reporting that GM and its dealers are discounting the ELR in order to move more off dealer lots. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/14/cadillac-elr-is-getting-massive-discounts/ City Of Santa Clarita Planning To Implement More Electric Car Charging Stations. "The city is expecting one fast-fill electric vehicle charging station located within easy access to Interstate 5 within the next 6 months. This station is made possible through a grant with the State California Energy Commission," said Evan Thomason, spokesman for the City of Santa Clarita officials are expected to establish the community's first city-funded electric vehicle charging station by January 2015. Posted. http://hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/environment/city-santa-clarita-planning-implement-more-electric-car-charging California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 13:38:40 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 15, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 15, 2014. 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 Democratic bill would slow California's effort to curb climate change. Political-economic fights at the Capitol never really end. They just morph into new incarnations. Take, for example, the eight-year battle among industry, environmentalists and the administrations of Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and successor Jerry Brown over how to deal with threats of global warming. Now, the conflict again is heating up. Just before their July recess...Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-capitol-business-beat-20140714-story.html Ain't no such thing as a free regulation. Robert Heinlein’s 1966 sci-fi novel about a lunar colony that breaks away from its earthly rulers, “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress,” popularized a term that should be understood by everyone who works in the Capitol. Called TANSTAAFL, it translates as follows: “There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.” Decades ago, bars would offer free food to patrons that ordered drinks. But as the novel’s characters discussed, a “free lunch” isn’t free. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/14/legislators-feign-surprise-cap-trade-high-costs/ AIR POLLUTION Coal Plant Carbon Pollution Injects Life in Old Oil Wells. In one of the first projects to harness the C02 waste of a coal plant for oil drilling, power generator NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) announced today that it’s beginning construction on a $1 billion retrofit of its East Texas coal plant. NRG will pump carbon dioxide pollution from the plant deep into a nearby oil field that it partially owns. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-15/coal-plant-carbon-pollution-injects-life-in-old-oil-wells.html http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-07-15/coal-plant-carbon-pollution-injects-life-in-old-oil-wells Richmond council set to weigh competing proposals for Chevron modernization project. Chevron Corp.'s quest to begin construction on a $1 billion upgrade to its refinery is set for another showdown July 22, when the City Council will weigh competing visions for the project proposed by the energy giant and the city's Planning Commission. The commission last week unanimously approved the project's environmental impact report, written by an outside consulting firm, but added more than a dozen safety and pollution-reduction amendments, which the company said Monday it will formally appeal. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26147116/Richmond-council-set-to-weigh-competing-proposals-for-Chevron-modernization-project http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26147116/Richmond-council-set-to-weigh-competing-proposals-for-Chevron-modernization-project Drive to clean up S.F. freeway, construction air pollution. Freeway-adjacent neighborhoods such as the Bayview and South of Market have the unfortunate distinction of being the most polluted in San Francisco. These neighborhoods, on the eastern side of San Francisco, are also seeing the most new construction. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Drive-to-clean-up-S-F-freeway-construction-air-5622234.php States ask Supreme Court to take up EPA mercury, toxics standards. Twenty-one states have asked the Supreme Court to review U.S. EPA's landmark air standards for mercury and other hazardous air pollutants from power plants. They are seeking review of a divided April ruling from a federal appeals court that upheld EPA's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, or MATS, one of the most significant EPA rules issued during President Obama's first term. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002884/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Mary Robinson named UN envoy for climate change. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed former Irish president Mary Robinson as his special envoy for climate change. She has a mandate to mobilize world leaders to take action at the climate summit the U.N. chief is hosting in September. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Monday the Sept. 23 summit will be "an important milestone" to mobilize political commitment for a global climate agreement by 2015…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_UNITED_NATIONS_CLIMATE_APPOINTMENT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Mary-Robinson-named-UN-envoy-for-climate-change-5621130.php Court KOs New Jersey bid to block ocean blasting. A federal appeals court on Monday cleared the path for seismic testing off the coast of New Jersey that will blast the floor of the Atlantic Ocean with loud noises as part of a climate change research project. The 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals rejected New Jersey's request to block the testing off Long Beach Island, which aims to use acoustic research to examine sediment dating back tens of millions of years. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OCEAN_BLASTING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Inslee, UK minister further climate change work. Gov. Jay Inslee and officials in the United Kingdom are expanding their work together on climate change. Inslee and Gregory Barker, the UK's minister of energy and climate change, signed a "phase two" agreement on Monday to continue their work. Last fall, Inslee and Barker, formally entered into a partnership, agreeing to work together to find market-based solutions, such as a cap and trade program, to tackle climate change. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Inslee-UK-minister-further-climate-change-work-5621174.php Taking to the pulpit against climate change. Rabbi Moti Rieber travels the politically red state of Kansas armed with the book of Genesis, a Psalm and even the words of Jesus to lecture church audiences, or sermonize if they'll let him, about the threat of global warming. "My feeling is that I'm the only person these people are ever going to see who's going to look them in the eye and say, 'There's such a thing as climate change,'" Rieber says. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/15/climate-religion-kansas-church-global-warming-evangelical/12515665/ EPA Followed States' Lead in Developing Power Plant Proposal, Officials Say. The Environmental Protection Agency built off of successful state initiatives when it proposed carbon dioxide emissions standards for existing fossil fuel-fired power plants, agency officials and environmental advocates said. The various components of the proposed carbon dioxide standards are already being implemented by the states and have proven to be achievable and cost effective…Posted. http://www.bna.com/epa-followed-states-n17179892311/ President set to roll out help for climate-affected communities. President Obama will personally roll out a series of new climate change adaptation actions tomorrow when he meets with members of his State, Local and Tribal Leaders Climate Task Force on Preparedness and Resilience. A White House official said the announcement will focus on ways the administration can "support state, local, and tribal leaders in preparing their communities, including electricity systems and infrastructure, for the impacts of climate change." Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1060002843/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY China lures companies into carbon footprint labeling. First, it was energy efficiency labeling. Then it was carbon emissions trading. Now, China is finding another way to limit climate impacts of its domestic production. A group of Chinese companies recently earned a certification from their government for producing goods with a significantly smaller carbon footprint than the market average, marking the start of a carbon labeling system in the country that is the world's largest greenhouse gas polluter. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002822/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Precipitation may affect long-term survival of bird species under climate change – study. In a climate-changed world, wetness or dryness could be a matter of life or death for some bird species, according to a recent study published in the journal Global Change Biology. Funded by the National Science Foundation with support from the U.S. Geological Survey and others, the analysis found that precipitation is more likely than temperature to influence the long-term population trends of birds. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002856/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California Expected to Set Mandatory Water Curbs. Reservoirs' Water Levels Have Fallen to Less Than Half Their Capacities. California is poised to institute mandatory statewide water restrictions for the first time, as the impact of a three-year drought continues to spread across the Golden State. The emergency measure expected to be approved Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board comes as reservoirs in California and elsewhere in the West have shriveled amid one of the worst droughts on record to hit the region. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/california-expected-to-set-mandatory-water-curbs-1405367707 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/15/6556180/am-alert-state-water-board-considers.html#storylink=cpy http://www.kfbk.com/articles/kfbk-news-461777/water-wasters-may-soon-be-fined-hundreds-of-dollars-12561694/ http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/07/14/california-gears-up-to-vote-on-water-wasting-law-tuesday-conservation-drought/ Airport, parks not cutting water use by 10 percent goal. The grass is browner, fountains are shut off, trucks and equipment haven't been cleaned since February, and water use in city parks is down by almost 20 percent from 2009 numbers. And yet the Recreation and Park Department is still using too much water. Posted. http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/airport-parks-not-cutting-water-use-by-10-percent-goal/Content?oid=2850126 Little oversight as Nestle taps Morongo reservation water.The plant, located on the Morongo Band of Mission Indians' reservation, has been drawing water from wells alongside a spring in Millard Canyon for more than a decade. But as California's drought deepens, some people in the area question how much water the plant is bottling and whether it's right to sell water for profit in a desert region where springs are rare and underground aquifers have been declining. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/07/12/nestle-arrowhead-tapping-water/12589267/ DIESEL EMISSIONS New program aims to reduce log truck pollution. In an effort to help loggers reduce their air pollution, a new program called Truck Improvement/Modernization Benefitting Emission Reductions Program – also known as the TIMBER program – is being offered in Calaveras County to California log truck owners. Posted. http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/news/article_9cd6f1f8-0bab-11e4-a1ae-0019bb2963f4.html FUELS LNG larger threat than fracking. Gov. Andrew Cuomo deserves credit for so far resisting the powerful gas lobby's push to frack New York. But where does the governor stand on tying our future to fracked gas? We may soon see by how his Department of Environmental Conservation responds to 50,000 comments from New Yorkers concerned about proposed rules for liquefied natural gas. LNG, essentially liquid methane, is a dangerous…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/LNG-larger-threat-than-fracking-5620922.php Green, consumer groups demand fair and accurate fuel economy ads. A consortium of environmental, safety and consumer groups submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission last week calling for an end to the deceptive use of fuel economy information in vehicle advertisements. Properly disclosing fuel economy ratings in car advertisements is a significant consumer issue, the group said in its comment letter. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002858/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Why Toyota Delayed the All-New 2016 Prius. The Prius hybrid may not be Toyota's best-selling model -- that would be the Corolla -- but it's arguably the company's most important. It's not just that the Prius is the world's best-selling hybrid car, hands-down. In many ways, the Prius is a perfect example of everything Toyota does right: Cutting-edge green technology made accessible, easy to use, and reliable -- at a mass-market price. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Why-Toyota-Delayed-the-All-New-2016-Prius-5621176.php Carmakers Are Central Voice in U.S.-Europe Trade Talks. It’s a task that makes sense only by the logic of international trade strictures — which is why negotiators for the European Union and the United States are eager to change the rule book. Here, in a corrugated metal warehouse next to a barge terminal, crews toil two shifts a day on brand-new Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner cargo vans, fresh from assembly lines a few miles away. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/15/business/international/winding-road-ahead-for-us-europe-trade-talks.html?_r=0 GREEN ENERGY Companies Don't Care Anymore That You Don't Care Anymore About This Sustainability Thing. It kind of doesn't matter to serious companies that some people still dismiss corporate sustainability as empty green PR. “It kind of doesn't matter," Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said in an interview last month. "We do it because it's the right thing to do." Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-14/companies-don-t-care-anymore-that-you-don-t-care-anymore-about-this-sustainability-thing.html For Energy Startups, Valuation Comes Harder These Days. The way we value energy start-ups will dramatically change in the very near future since there are a host of new ways economic energy disruption can impact capital expenditures (capex) and therefore valuation. One necessary area for meeting corporate needs is connecting with consumers like never before to deliver data and savings. This is something that has driven the recent IPO of OPOWER to reach over 32 million households already. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/For-Energy-Startups-Valuation-Comes-Harder-These-5620410.php MISCELLANEOUS The Green Gypsie celebrates two eco-friendly years. “Going Green” has become a popular phrase that — at the very least — has many separating their paper, plastic, aluminum and glass for recycling. But Amanda Reifel and Angela Rossi have made the eco-conscious habits not only their way of life, but their livelihood. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/lifestyle/20140714/the-green-gypsie-celebrates-two-eco-friendly-years Battle lines form -- farms vs. solar vs. high-speed rail. Tension is mounting in California over shrinking farmland as solar developers, oil companies and the state's planned bullet train fight for open space. An alliance that includes farm groups and environmental advocates painted the situation with farmland conversion as dire in a report last week. The Golden State grows about half of the nation's fruits and vegetables, it said, and the crops help power California's economy. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060002882/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Editorial: How California can best fight climate change. California's landmark climate change law, AB 32, has created a promising cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases that has put the state on track to meet its emissions goals for 2020, kick-started the state's green technology industry and generated hundreds of millions of dollars for mass transit and other projects that will further reduce reliance on fossil fuels. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-adv-carbon-tax-20140712-story.html The 80 percent should stop wasting water. Re "Hefty overwatering fines would make it clear California is in a drought" (Editorials, July 14): Yes, everyone should do their part to reduce overall water consumption and eliminate wasteful watering habits. Not just during the drought but going forward. So when do the folks of California see the end of gravity irrigation, flooding fields and orchards, planting water intensive crops and other wasteful practices? Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/15/6555163/the-80-needs-to-play-by-the-same.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS China Clarifies its Plans on Setting a CO2 Emissions Peak. With climate treaty negotiations expected to intensify next year, China is signaling that it may soon set the timetable for hitting an eventual peak in its emissions of carbon dioxide, the most important human-generated greenhouse gas. The signals came on Monday from Xie Zhenhua, China’s lead climate treaty negotiator, speaking at a German climate conference. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/15/china-clarifies-its-plans-on-setting-a-co2-emissions-peak/ Oklahoma hit by eight earthquakes in two days. Is the fracking industry to blame? The eight earthquakes that occurred in Oklahoma over the past couple of days may be yet another side effect the U.S.’s insidious fracking boom. The quakes hit between Saturday morning and early Monday morning, most of them small enough that people didn’t realize the ground was shaking beneath them (they ranged from 2.6 to 4.3 on the Richter scale). Posted. http://grist.org/news/oklahoma-hit-by-eight-earthquakes-in-two-days-is-the-fracking-industry-to-blame/ Innovation: Key to Reducing Carbon Emissions. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled a proposal to reduce carbon emissions aggressively -- by 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. It will create economic opportunities, improve public health especially among children and seniors, and curb the harmful impact of dirty power plants on the environment. It also avoids a potentially clumsy federal "one-size-fits-all" approach, by requiring and empowering each state to craft its own pollution reduction strategy. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-scott-peters/innovation-key-to-reducin_b_5587909.html U.S. Military May Be the Strongest Force in Battle Against Climate Change. Fear is a potent force in American politics. It is the force that sustains the War on Terror, the latest calls for further military interventions in Iraqi and Syrian civil wars, and Obama's use of drones on multiple continents. At the same time, fear about the threat of climate change has proven sharply divisive. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-rafaty/us-military-climate-change_b_5577959.html?page_version=legacy Red States Are Way Ahead of Congress on Global Warming. Congress is more deeply divided today than it has been in the last two decades on a wide range of issues, including global warming. In the Senate, for example, Oklahoma Republican James Inhofe routinely fulminates that it's a hoax, while Rhode Island Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse understands the science and is leading the charge for a carbon tax. Conventional wisdom says the schism between Inhofe and Whitehouse shouldn't come as a shocker. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elliott-negin/red-states-are-way-ahead_b_5586451.html States With Fracking See Surge In Earthquake Activity. States where hydraulic fracturing is taking place have seen a surge in earthquake activity, raising suspicions that the unconventional drilling method could be to blame, especially the wells where the industry disposes of its wastewater. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/14/fracking-earthquake_n_5585892.html Daimler, BMW partnering up on wireless charging. Plug-in vehicle advocates can get all warm and fuzzy about two Germany heavyweight automakers getting together for the sake of wireless charging. That's because Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler and BMW will work together to speed up development of a wireless charging system. While not a ton of details were divulged, we can still rejoice. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/15/daimler-bmw-partnering-up-on-wireless-charging/ EPA ready to go virtual with ANSYS to create cleaner engines. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is turning to a company whose home base is as old-school Rust Belt as one can get, but the company's specialty's undeniably new-school technology. The EPA has struck a deal with Pittsburgh-based ANSYS to model simulations of internal combustion engines. And while the models will be theoretical, the EPA is shooting for some very real results. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/14/epa-ready-to-go-virtual-with-ansys-to-create-cleaner-engines/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 12:54:41 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 16, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 16, 2014. 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 Google Streetview cars sniff out gas leaks in cities. Now Google StreetView cars can do more than let you explore places you have never visited. Sensors strapped to the top of the cars have mapped hundreds of methane leaks around Boston, New York's Staten Island and Indianapolis. The cars found about one leak per 1.5 kilometres in both Boston and Staten Island. Leaks was slightly less common in Indianapolis, occurring about once for every 320 kilometres driven. Posted. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25902-google-streetview-cars-sniff-out-gas-leaks-in-cities.html#.U8a0GoUvCFl CLIMATE CHANGE Obama to meet with local leaders on climate change. President Barack Obama wants local government officials to prepare their communities now for the effects of climate change. Obama is meeting with state and tribal leaders on Wednesday at the White House. The White House says they'll discuss how the federal government can help them be more resilient to climate change. It's the fourth and final meeting of the 26-person task force. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/17/us/politics/white-house-unveils-climate-change-initiatives.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22} http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/16/obama-to-meet-with-local-leaders-on-climate-change/ http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002951/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Moving churches to discuss the morality of climate change. Rabbi Moti Rieber travels the politically red state of Kansas armed with the book of Genesis, a psalm and even the words of Jesus to lecture church audiences, or sermonize if they’ll let him, about the threat of global warming. “My feeling is that I’m the only person these people are ever going to see who’s going to look them in the eye and say, ‘There’s such a thing as climate change,’” Rieber said. “I’m trying to let them know it’s not irreligious to believe in climate change.” Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/moving-churches-to-discuss-the-morality-of-climate-change/2014/07/15/5ff65432-0c59-11e4-bc42-59a59e5f9e42_story.html DROUGHT California seeks to send message to water-wasters. Reservoirs are running dry, the Capitol's lawn has turned brown, and farmers have left hundreds of thousands of acres unplanted. Even so, many Californians aren't taking the drought seriously. State water regulators are trying to change that by imposing fines up to $500 a day for wasting water. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT_WATER_FINES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/16/us-usa-drought-california-idUSKBN0FK2AR20140716 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-16/california-sets-fines-for-waste-as-record-drought-deepens.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/16/us/forceful-steps-amid-a-severe-drought.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1 http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-water-wasting-fine-20140715-story.html?track=rss http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/15/6558982/california-used-more-water-in.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/State-water-board-expected-to-OK-500-a-day-fines-5623907.php http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_26153749/california-drought-conservation-efforts-failing-despite-pleas-save http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/15/california-water-board-outdoor-rules-drought/ http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/15/3440605/drought-report-shows-2-billion.html http://www.ocregister.com/articles/water-628993-california-farmers.html http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/15/california-water-use-drought/12682299/ http://labusinessjournal.com/news/2014/jul/16/state-oks-fines-water-wasters/ http://www.pe.com/articles/water-697587-california-board.html http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sacramento/vote-expected-on-proposal-to-fine-waterwasters-500/26961256#!bf7gbu http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/07/15/45367/california-water-use-rises-1-percent-amid-cripplin/ http://time.com/2990069/california-drought-regulations/ http://www.ibtimes.com/california-drought-2014-state-officials-push-water-conservation-climate-change-threatens-1629160 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28323539 http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2014/07/15/california-drought-water-restrictions.html http://ktla.com/2014/07/15/california-drought-urban-water-wasters-could-face-500-fines-under-emergency-regulations/ https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nation-and-world/calif-water-use-rises-amid-severe-drought California drought threatens to dry up farm wells. Researchers say farmers in pockets of California hardest hit by the drought could begin to see wells run dry next year. The Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California, Davis, released the study Tuesday on the possible impact if the next two years remain dry in California. The study also says farmers will leave nearly 430,000 acres unplanted this year, costing California $2.2 billion. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CA_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT_FARMERS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-drought-study-california-agriculture-losses-20140715-story.html?track=rss http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/15/6558062/uc-davis-study-finds-drought-will.html#storylink=cpy http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26152418/drought-has-cost-california-2-2-billion http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-s-Drought-Is-The-Greatest-Water-Loss-5623545.php http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140716/A_NEWS/407160304/0/SEARCH Downtown L.A. is now driest since rain records started in 1877. Rainy seasons over the last two years were the driest in downtown Los Angeles since record-keeping began in 1877, and forecasters now say the El Niño that had been predicted to bring some relief may not materialize. According to the National Weather Service, the 2012 to 2014 rainy seasons -- which are measured every July 1 to June 30 -- only brought 11.93 inches of rainfall, which is 17.93 inches below normal. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-downtown-la-driest-since-1877-20140714-story.html See which Californians are increasing water use despite the drought. A survey revealed that Californians have increased their water usage amid the worst drought to hit the state in decades. Meanwhile, California decided on Tuesday to come down hard on water wasters by imposing fines of up to $500 per violation. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26149855/see-which-californians-are-increasing-water-use-despite?source=rss http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140716/see-which-californians-are-increasing-water-use-despite-the-drought Santa Cruz water school washes away fines for overuse. What was supposed to be a relaxing Santa Cruz getaway for Chris and Gilbert Hernandez was anything but - thanks to, of all things, water. When the San Jose residents arrived at their old beach house near the boardwalk last month, they discovered that a leaky toilet on the second floor had pushed them over the city's water limits and into an ocean of red ink. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Water-school-washes-away-fines-for-water-hogs-5623976.php Groundwater pumping propping up farms in California drought. Consumers will see no shortages of California-grown fruits, nuts and vegetables this year despite one of the worst droughts in state history, but that's because farmers are draining groundwater reserves and leaving no insurance should heavy rains fail to materialize next winter, UC Davis researchers said Tuesday. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Groundwater-pumping-propping-up-farms-in-5623258.php FUELS California hearing set on tough oil refinery rules. The Environmental Protection Agency is coming to one of the nation's largest petroleum-producing areas to hold public hearings on a proposal aimed at reducing toxic air pollution from California to Texas through tough new controls on oil refineries. The daylong hearing set for Wednesday will be held at a community center in Wilmington, a blue-collar section of Los Angeles that is dotted by more than 6,000 oil-pumping rigs and is home to three of California's major oil refineries. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/16/california-hearing-set-on-tough-oil-refinery-rules/ VEHICLES BMW Boosts Battery Supplies on Electric-Car Rollout Plans. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) agreed to spend billions of euros increasing its orders of Samsung SDI Co. batteries as the world’s largest maker of luxury cars expands its line of electric vehicles. BMW is planning to increase its purchases of SDI battery cells for the electric i3 city car and the plug-in hybrid i8 sports car as well as for “additional hybrid models” in the coming years…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-15/samsung-sdi-bmw-expand-multi-billion-euro-battery-supply-deal.html China mandates increase in low-emissions vehicle use. Good news for electric car companies. China, which suffers from some of the world's worst air pollution, has mandated that its government agencies dramatically increase their use of electric vehicles. The government said this week that 30% of its central agencies' new vehicle purchases must be "new energy" vehicles by 2016 -- "new energy" being a Chinese government catch-all for lower-emission cars and trucks. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-china-increase-electric-vehicle-20140715-story.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL Fresno County supervisors make no decision on opposing high-speed rail. Fresno County supervisors pushed off a vote Tuesday on reversing their support for California's high-speed rail project, delaying a symbolic decision by two weeks to get more information. Following about four hours of discussion, including more than two hours of comment from 36 speakers…Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/15/4025872/fresno-county-supervisors-make.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY Leased solar panels may harm homes' values. Leasing solar panels can cut down on the upfront costs of making homes more energy efficient, but when the typical lease period lasts a couple of decades, they can be problematic for owners trying to sell their homes. Leasing solar panels on homes has become a popular way to offset upfront installation costs of $20,000 or more, but prospective buyers can be reluctant to take over the remainder of the lengthy leases. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060002915/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Brave new gardening for brave new climates.. As many parts of the United States grapple with drought and rising water bills, “The thought of an English garden in the Central Valley of California is sheer madness. It wasn’t meant to be, and it’s sucking up precious groundwater we need for agriculture,” said Ann Savageau, a design professor at the University of California at Davis, who recently traded in her lush green lawns for a desert look. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/brave-new-gardening-for-brave-new-climates/2014/07/15/55f850a4-0c43-11e4-bc42-59a59e5f9e42_story.html OPINIONS The invisible high price of your little bottle of water. Bottled water is usually a waste of money and, beyond that, an environmental mess. American buy 50 billion bottles of water each year, and recycle less than one-fourth of those bottles. It’s a tremendous source of landfill waste, but worse, 17 million barrels of oil are used each year to produce those bottles. That’s enough oil to power 1.3 million cars a year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-arrowhead-bottled-water-20140715-story.html California’s drought scoffers brought fines into play: Editorial. When it comes to California water wasters, authorities are taking the stick approach now that we’ve munched up all the carrots. That big stick comes in the form of fines of up to $500 a day that the State Water Quality Control Board approved Tuesday for people who waste through over-irrigating landscaping so that water runs to the sidewalks and streets, on fountains, on washing vehicles with a constantly running hose, and other outdoor uses. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/opinion/20140715/californias-drought-scoffers-brought-fines-into-play-editorial Drought takes toll on birds, Pacific Flyway. Summer is a relatively quiet time for birds in California’s Central Valley, as most of the ducks and geese are breeding in the north. But this year is more quiet than usual. According to a recent survey conducted by the Department of Fish Wildlife, the number of breeding ducks remaining in California this season is 23 percent below the long-term average. The decline speaks to the significant degradation of habitat in the Central Valley due to lack of precipitation. Posted. http://capitolweekly.net/drought-birds-pacific-flyway-bond/ BLOGS Miami’s Coastal Climate Calamity – in Super Slo-Mo. I’ve differed with Time Magazine’s fine correspondent Michael Grunwald on the importance of the Keystone pipeline (Grunwald, me), but cheered him on earlier this week on Twitter after climate campaigners attacked him (Grunwald a “denier” and “polyanna”?) for challenging an overheated Guardian account of the impacts of rising sea levels on Miami (Grunwald’s home turf). Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/16/miamis-coastal-climate-calamity-in-super-slo-mo/?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22 } Worse For Your Health: Rolling coal or burning rubber? With social, political and ecological concerns all wrapped up into one made-for-the-Internet phenomenon, there's no question that "rolling coal" has taken over the airwaves in the last few weeks. As many before me have pointed out, this practice isn't a new one, but renewed interest in (or horror at the exercise of) has flooded many of our feeds with terrifying photos, careening op-eds and viral videos. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/15/rolling-coal-burning-rubber-which-worse/ Huge Swaths Of Farmland Idle In California As Drought Threatens To Dry Up Wells. Hundreds of thousands of acres of rich California farmland has gone unplanted this year because of drought, and researchers said Tuesday that next year could be even worse, with some farmers possibly losing their last source of water as wells run dry. The University of California, Davis, Center for Watershed Sciences released a study finding that farmers struggling with drought left nearly 430,000 acres unplanted this year…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/16/california-drought-farmland_n_5589610.html?utm_hp_ref=green California’s Drought Is Hurting Farmers More Than Food Consumers. Economists estimate that the California drought will inflict about $2.2 billion of losses on the state’s farm economy this year, including the loss of more than 17,000 jobs. The analysis, produced by UC Davis and the consulting firm ERA Economics, projects that about 430,000 farm acres will go unplanted for lack of water. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/07/15/californias-drought-is-hurting-farmers-more-than-food-consumers/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 15:57:54 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 17, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 17, 2014. 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 Australia repeals maligned 2-year-old carbon tax. Australia's government repealed a much-maligned carbon tax on the nation's worst greenhouse gas polluters on Thursday, ending years of contention over a measure that became political poison for the lawmakers who imposed it. The Senate voted 39 to 32 to axe the 24.15 Australian dollar ($22.60) tax per metric ton of carbon dioxide that was introduced by the center-left Labor government in July 2012. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AUSTRALIA_CARBON_TAX?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-17/australia-scraps-carbon-price-as-abbott-meets-election-pledge.html http://online.wsj.com/articles/australia-repeals-carbon-tax-1405560964?mod=pls_whats_news_us_business_f http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/07/17/carbon-trading-idINL4N0PP5JH20140717 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/world/asia/environmentalists-decry-repeal-of-australias-carbon-tax.html?_r=0 http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/16/australia-repeals-controversial-carbon-tax/ http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2014/0717/Australia-repeals-controversial-carbon-tax.-Will-others-follow http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/07/17/stories/1060003054 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION California hearing addresses oil refinery rules. Residents of modest neighborhoods near three of the largest oil refineries in California called on the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday to crack down on plant emissions, saying the pollution is choking their children and endangering their health. Residents of the oil-rich Wilmington area of Los Angeles were among 15 speakers to address the morning session of an EPA hearing about a proposed rule requiring stricter emission controls and monitoring standards. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OIL_REFINERIES_AIR_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-07-16-18-37-04 EPA says proposed regulation will do more than clean air. The Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to reduce carbon pollution nationwide means a goal of reducing carbon emissions in New York state by more than 40 percent. Judith Enck, the area's EPA regional administrator, was in Syracuse to discuss how the plan will allow the nation to keep producing energy, while reducing pollution. Posted. http://wrvo.org/post/epa-says-proposed-regulation-will-do-more-clean-air CLIMATE CHANGE Obama: Climate change a direct threat to US cities. Harsher storms, worsening flooding and rising seas threaten the public's safety and health across the country, President Barack Obama warned Wednesday as he urged local communities to prepare for the effects of climate change. Joined by top federal officials and local, state and tribal leaders at the White House, Obama said communities experiencing negative effects firsthand know that climate change is already upon us. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-16/extreme-weather-is-target-of-obama-climate-change-actions.html http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/16/obama-to-meet-with-local-leaders-on-climate-change/ International Study Finds 2013 One of Hottest Years Ever. Last year was one of the world’s 10 hottest in records going back to the 19th century as concentrations of climate-changing greenhouses gases rose, according to a study. Four international agencies reported the global average temperature was 0.2 to 0.21 Celsius (0.36 to 0.38 Fahrenheit) above the 1981 to 2010 average, making 2013 the second- to sixth-warmest year ever…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-17/international-study-finds-2013-one-of-hottest-years-ever.html Germany Pledges $1 Billion to UN Green Climate Fund. German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised 750 million euros ($1 billion) to the United Nations Green Climate Fund, the first major pledge it has received. The fund, designed to channel climate aid to poor nations, has so far only had seed capital to help set itself up. In May, it opened up for big donations after completing rules on how it will collect and disburse money. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-16/germany-pledges-1-billion-to-un-green-climate-fund.html White House Announces Climate Change Initiatives. President Obama announced a series of climate change initiatives on Wednesday aimed at guarding the electricity supply; improving local planning for flooding, coastal erosion and storm surges; and better predicting landslide risks as sea levels rise and storms and droughts intensify. The actions, involving a variety of federal agencies, were among the recommendations of the president’s State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, a group of 26 officials who have worked since November to develop the proposals. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/17/us/politics/white-house-unveils-climate-change-initiatives.html?_r=0 Obama's second-in-command at EPA resigns. The No. 2 environmental official under President Barack Obama is resigning to head a nonprofit group dedicated to energy and climate change. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on Thursday announced the resignation of Bob Perciasepe (pur-cha-SEP'-ee). He was appointed deputy administrator in 2009 as the Obama administration tapped the EPA to tackle pollution blamed for global warming. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/17/obamas-second-in-command-at-epa-resigns/ http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003036/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Obama suggests states may have to make plans to adapt to climate change risks to receive federal disaster aid.Tucked into President Obama's announcement on climate change yesterday was a detail that disaster experts say could spark widespread changes in coastal development. The understated measure had no dollar figure attached to it, and it seems to sidestep an explicit reference to climate change. Obama never bothered to mention it. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/07/17/stories/1060003033 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Sunny California Could Still Use a Lot of Rain. How bad is the 2014 California drought? Well, Governor Jerry Brown called it “an unprecedented, very serious situation.” That was Jan. 17. Soon after that he started talking up a plan for two interstate-highway-size water tunnels that for $15 billion would help bring water from northern to southern California. “This isn’t a coming crisis,” the state Water Resources Department director said in February. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-16/sunny-california-could-still-use-a-lot-of-rain.html Drought-plagued California gets tough on water wasters: Will it help? California water officials on Tuesday approved a $500 fine to be imposed on water wasters and other measure to improve water conservation during the drought. Here are some answers to questions about Tuesday's action: So how is California doing in terms of water conservation? Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drought-california-water-wasters-20140716-story.html?track=rss With water conservation lagging, Lady Gaga urges California to do more. Lady Gaga has joined the effort to get Californians to conserve water during the drought. The move comes amid new numbers that show Californian are not conserving as much as officials hoped they would. In a video for the Save Our Water campaign, above, Lady Gaga talked about a trip she took to California, where she learned about the importance of conservation. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lady-gaga-california-water-drought-20140716-story.html http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003049/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Sacramento agencies: Our water waste rules are tough enough. Large water agencies throughout the Sacramento region have no intention of imposing criminal penalties for water waste, despite a new state regulation that allows them to do so. The State Water Resources Control Board adopted the unprecedented measure on Tuesday in response to the ongoing statewide drought. Starting Aug. 1, it means water agencies can cite residents and businesses with…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/16/6561418/in-sacramento-area-no-plans-for.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region#storylink=cpy Drought buster patrols the streets of Los Angeles. A day after state water regulators voted to get tougher on water restrictions, the Los Angeles water police Wednesday were out in force — with a full-time water cop of one. But until he gets three more water enforcement deputies next month, Rick Silva has the herculean task of patrolling 500 square miles of illegally watered lawns, driveways and restaurant water glasses by himself. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140716/drought-buster-patrols-the-streets-of-los-angeles California drought: Blame L.A.? Not so fast, Southern California water officials say. If whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over, as the adage goes, the Bay Area might feel like knocking back a shot and aiming its rhetorical pistols at Southern California. California's north-south water rivalry revved up Wednesday, a day after a state survey showed that while most of the drought-ravaged state modestly reduced its water consumption…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_26162697/california-drought-blame-la-not-so-fast-socal?source=rss California drought: San Jose's new high-tech water purification plant to expand recycled water use. When the San Francisco 49ers' stadium opens next month in Santa Clara, almost all of it will be new except for one thing: the water used to irrigate the field and flush the toilets. Like hundreds of other places around Silicon Valley -- golf courses, power plants, San Jose's airport -- Levi's Stadium will use recycled water, which is essentially sewage that has been filtered, cleaned and disinfected. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_26160300/california-drought-san-joses-new-high-tech-water Officials: Complacency Drives Hike in Water Use. Some Southern California water districts became so good at saving water and building their own water storage facilities in recent decades that residents are not feeling the effects of the worst drought to hit the state in a generation. That's a problem. Thinking plenty of water was available at the start of summer, residents along a coastal area doused their lawns and filled their pools, while elsewhere in the state farmers fallowed hundreds of thousands of acres. Posted. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/california-seeks-send-message-water-wasters-24578015 Biggest water saving, guzzling districts. Despite the governor's call for conservation amid a historic drought, California water agencies across the state collectively reported a 1 percent increase in water use in May 2014 compared to the same month over the previous three years. The State Water Resources Control Board says changes in water use varied drastically across the state, with the south coast region, which includes Los Angeles…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/16/biggest-water-saving-guzzling-districts/all/?print Drought takes aim at farms. California farmers are taking a huge economic hit as the drought’s impact deepens, with crop and livestock losses estimated at $1 billion this year alone, and an additional out-of-pocket cost of some $454 million to pump groundwater to partially replace surface supplies, according to a new study. The report by the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis put the total economic…Posted. http://capitolweekly.net/water-drought-farms-california/ FUELS Fewer gas leaks found in cities with new pipes. Cities such as Indianapolis that regularly replace old natural gas lines have significantly fewer leaks than older urban areas where they don't, like Boston and New York City's Staten Island, according to a new study by Google and an environmental group. Using a gas-sniffing device attached to Google's city-mapping cars and new statistical calculations that determine rough leak rates…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_GAS_LEAKS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT VEHICLES Tesla's Musk abandons SEX plan; will name new lower-cost car Model 3. Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk once thought the electric car company’s lineup would spell out SEX. There would be the Model S sedan, the upcoming Model X sport-utility vehicle and later, the Model E, a smaller, less expensive vehicle for the masses. Stymied by Ford Motor Co. – it has the rights to E – Musk is now going for Model 3 for the third car, he told the British automotive news website Auto Express. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-tesla-model-3-20140716-story.html After hybrid success, Toyota gambles on fuel cell. Rocket science long dismissed as too impractical and expensive for everyday cars is getting a push into the mainstream by Toyota, the world's top-selling automaker. Buoyed by its success with electric-gasoline hybrid vehicles, Toyota is betting that drivers will embrace hydrogen fuel cells, an even cleaner technology that runs on the energy created by an electrochemical reaction when oxygen in the air combines with hydrogen stored as fuel. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/16/after-hybrid-success-toyota-gambles-on-fuel-cell/ OpEneR: improving EV range by optimizing energy management. At its final review, the European research project OpEneR (“optimal energy consumption and recovery based on a system network”) presented collaboratively developed driving strategies and driver assistance systems to improve significantly the efficiency (and hence range) and safety of electric vehicles by optimizing energy management. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/07/20140717-opener.html GREEN ENERGY China Three Years Late on Installing Offshore Wind Farms. China is three years behind schedule on a plan that would make it the world’s biggest market for offshore wind, a setback for the $15 billion industry that’s seeking to produce affordable electricity from the one of nature’s most reliable energy sources. China set out an ambitious plan in 2011 to build 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind turbines in four years, enough to power 5.4 million homes. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-16/china-three-years-late-on-installing-offshore-wind-farms.html Calif. crushes competition for clean energy – survey. Many states are striving to become the nation's clean technology hot spot but California remains the undisputed leader, according to an annual survey from research firm Clean Edge Inc. The report ranked states and cities based on several dozen indicators in the categories of technology, policy and capital. The technology criteria considered low carbon emission generation, transportation and buildings. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060002992/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Editorial: Overwatering is a crime – except for state’s biggest water user. Use a hose, go to jail. It’s an unpleasant but necessary measure. As a study by UC Davis makes clear, the ongoing drought hurts the state’s economy. It’s a pain that trickles down to all of us, even those already doing their part to cut back. But it is frustrating that agriculture has been let off the hook. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/17/6561607/editorial-overwatering-is-a-crime.html Editorial: A clunker of a program. California is well-known for imposing environmental regulations and programs that have questionable benefits, environmental or otherwise. The cap-and-trade program and high-speed rail project come to mind. We can add to this list the state’s “cash-for-clunkers” program. According to the California Air Resources Board website, “voluntary accelerated vehicle retirement” programs have been in place in California since the 1990s. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/program-629068-vehicle-owners.html BLOGS This Desperate Chinese Tesla Owner Built His Own National Charging Network. China wants its car market to go green, but so far, that dream is a long way off. For example, when Zong Yi, a Chinese businessman with asthma and worries about his country’s pollution problems, bought an electric Tesla Model S sedan in May, he faced a problem: how to get it home. As the WSJ’s Rose Yu and Colum Murphy report: Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/07/17/this-desperate-chinese-tesla-owner-built-his-own-national-charging-network/ The Warming State of the Climate in 2013. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released State of the Climate, 2013 — a useful compendium of trends and climate events last year. Visit climate.gov to click for the data on Arctic conditions, sea level change, severe storms and more. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/17/the-warming-state-of-the-climate-in-2013/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Climate%20Change&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body Strategic Growth Council affirms its role as lead agency implementing cap and trade revenues for sustainable communities. >From the standing room only turnout at last week’s Strategic Growth Council (SGC) meeting, you would never have guessed we were smack in the middle of summer vacation season. The meeting was convened to discuss the new Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC), a recently designated recipient of some of the proceeds from California’s cap and trade program. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aeaken/strategic_growth_council_clari.html Anti-Fracking Activists in California Take Fight to County Ballots. Opponents of hydraulic fracturing — or fracking — have pushed for a statewide moratorium on the controversial oil production technique. With those efforts stalled in the state legislature, activists are taking the fight to the county level. Copying tactics that have worked in Colorado and New York, activists have qualified November ballot measures that would ban fracking in two counties…Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/07/14/anti-fracking-activists-in-california-take-fight-to-county-ballots/ Are Ants the Answer to CO2 Sequestration? A 25-year-long study published in GEOLOGY on 14 July provides the first quantitative measurement of in situ calcium-magnesium silicate mineral dissolution by ants, termites, tree roots, and bare ground. This study reveals that ants are one of the most powerful biological agents of mineral decay yet observed. Posted. http://www.geosociety.org/news/pr/2014/14-47.htm Study says states are prepared to limit carbon emissions from power plants. States are well positioned to implement the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rule to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from existing fossil-fueled power plants, according to a new report by the Analysis Group. Reducing CO2 emissions "will tend to increase the cost of doing business for many owners of affected plants," the report said. Posted. http://www.publicpower.org/Media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=41869#sthash.WT9kP67N.dpufhttp://www.publicpower.org/Media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=41869#sthash.WT9kP67N.dpuf Tool From USGS Lets You Assess Sea-Level Rise, Storm Overwash, Coastline Changes At Your Favorite National Seashore. With hurricane season upon us, what are the odds that your favorite national seashore might be impacted by a Category I storm? How might sea-level rise in the years ahead affect your favorite beach? The U.S. Geological Survey has developed a tool that can give you some insights to those questions. The tool -- the USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal…Posted. http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2014/07/tool-usgs-lets-you-assess-sea-level-rise-storm-overwash-coastline-changes-your-favorite-national-sea25375 'A Perfect Storm of Stupidity': Scientists React To News The Carbon Tax Is Gone. The Abbott Government delivered on its election promise to repeal the carbon tax today, 10 months after taking office, thanks to a new Senate line-up and the support of Clive Palmer’s party and some other crossbenchers. While Clive Palmer appeared with Nobel Prize winner and climate campaigner Al Gore three weeks ago to detail his views on addressing the issue, scrapping the tax was first and foremost on the mining magnate’s agenda. Posted. http://www.businessinsider.com.au/a-perfect-storm-of-stupidity-scientists-react-to-news-the-carbon-tax-is-gone-2014-7 Global warming culprit-nations likely to change by 2030. While developed countries and regions have long been culprits for Earth’s rising greenhouse gas emissions, Cornell researchers – balancing the role of aerosols along with carbons in the equation – now predict a time when developing countries will contribute more to climate change than advanced societies: 2030. Posted. http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/07/global-warming-culprit-nations-likely-change-2030 Oil regulators add 95 wells to review. State regulators responsible for last week’s emergency shutdown of 11 Kern County oil field injection wells are scrutinizing 95 other fully permitted wells they say may have contaminated protected ground­water. Although the wells appear to have been exempted from the Safe Drinking Water Act decades ago, state Department of Conservation official Jason Marshall said by email Friday his agency is working with federal and state regulators “to determine whether those wells should be injecting into their target zones.” Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x634492505/Oil-regulators-focus-on-95-injection-wells FBI fears autonomous cars will make great weapons. Let's face it, autonomous cars aren't coming; they're already here. From Google's continual testing to promises from Nissan and Mercedes-Benz that the tech is on the way, the only direction that driverless vehicles are moving is forward. Although, we're already seeing the first joking jabs about the potential misuse of the cutting-edge systems like in Conan O'Brien's recent parody, and even the FBI is taking the possibility for abuse seriously. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/17/fbi-fears-autonomous-car-weapons/ Nissan tests 'self-cleaning' paint on Leaf models in Europe. Once upon a time, self-cleaning ovens were all the rage. Now, Nissan thinks the concept may apply to its vehicles. And the Japanese vehicle maker is testing it out on some of its Leaf battery-electric vehicles Europe, no less. Nissan says its trying out what's called a "superhydrophobic and oleophobic" paint on Leaf battery-electric vehicles for testing and demonstration purposes. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/16/nissan-leaf-self-cleaning-paint/ No steering wheels, pedals or horns in cars by 2035, survey says. At what point does a car cease to be a car and start becoming a people-mover? One survey hints that we're less than two decades away from that eventuality. Whether auto enthusiasts think that's a good thing is another matter altogether. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE, polled about 200 people within academia, research and government agencies about the concept of self-driving vehicles and future automotive design, and got a sense of what people thought would become superfluous during the upcoming decades. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/16/steering-pedals-horns-gone-by-2035-survey/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 14:13:23 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 18, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 18, 2014. 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 AQMD orders Exide to improve pollution controls. The hearing board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District last week unanimously approved two orders for abatement requiring Exide Technologies to make substantial improvements to its air pollution control system before resuming operations at its battery recycling plant here. “These orders will put in place additional measures to protect public health during facility improvements as well as daily operations…Posted. http://wavenewspapers.com/news/article_ecac7a28-0e0c-11e4-8f96-001a4bcf6878.html CLIMATE CHANGE Death of Australian Pollution Levy Marks First U-Turn on Climate. Australia’s decision to repeal its levy limiting fossil-fuel pollution makes it the first nation to turn back from a market approach to fighting global warming. Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s government won final approval from Parliament yesterday to scrap a levy about 300 companies paid for their carbon dioxide emissions. The move leaves Australia, the largest polluter per capita among industrial nations…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-17/australia-scrapping-pollution-levy-marks-first-u-turn-on-climate.html Australia's Carbon Tax Message. Tony Abbott scored a big win Thursday when the Senate repealed Australia's carbon tax, fulfilling the Prime Minister's most prominent promise from last year's election. The global intelligentsia is now making Mr. Abbott public climate enemy number one, but he deserves applause for honoring his campaign pledge and removing a burden on the Australian economy. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/australias-carbon-tax-message-1405616207 Australia Tax Repeal Is Big Blow to Fight Against Emissions. Australia’s repeal of laws requiring large companies to pay for carbon emissions is among the starkest expressions worldwide of how economic concerns have complicated efforts to combat climate change. Analysts are viewing the move as a blow to plans for countries to knit together markets for trading emissions allowances. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/business/international/australia-tax-repeal-is-big-blow-to-fight-against-emissions.html Without Much Straining, Minnesota Reins In Its Utilities’ Carbon Emissions. When city leaders and state legislators agreed last year to fund roughly half the $1 billion cost of a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, they attached the usual strings for such projects: It had to be architecturally iconic, employ steel made from Minnesota iron ore and offer at least a few cheap seats. It also had to be energy efficient, from lighting to building materials to the sources of its power. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/us/politics/without-much-straining-minnesota-reins-in-its-utilities-carbon-emissions.html DROUGHT California couple conserving water amid drought could face fine for brown lawn. A Southern California couple who scaled back watering their lawn amid the state's drought received a warning from the suburb where they live that they might be fined for creating an eyesore - despite emergency statewide orders to conserve. Michael Korte and Laura Whitney, who live near Los Angeles in Glendora, said on Thursday they received a letter from the city warning they had 60 days to green up their partially brown lawn or pay a fine ranging from $100 to $500. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/17/us-usa-california-drought-idUSKBN0FM2OA20140717 http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/california-couple-warned-for-having-brown-lawn/2014/07/17/8f815836-0dcc-11e4-9c90-0c289b74e142_story.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/17/6563230/california-couple-warned-for-having.html##storylink=cpy http://www.startribune.com/nation/267517061.htm http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/us/article/California-couple-warned-for-having-brown-lawn-5628216.php#/0 80% of California is now in extreme drought, new data show. More than 80% of California is now in an extreme drought, according to new data by the National Weather Service. The NWS' Drought Monitor Update for July 15 shows 81% of California in the category of extreme drought or worse, up from 78%. Three months ago, it was 68%. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-extreme-drought-data-20140717-story.html Wasting water? Fear ratting neighbors, not relentless cops. If you decide to spray-wash your driveway in the middle of the drought, God forbid, the cops aren't likely to show up at your doorstep. It's more likely your neighbor will rat you out. Despite new statewide regulations that will allow authorities to ticket residents for excessive outdoor watering - with fines up to $500 - many Bay Area police departments and water agencies say they don't plan to issue citations. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Little-enforcement-of-new-water-rules-planned-5629287.php DIESEL EMISSIONS Report warns of diesel fumes' risks. Leticia DeCaigny straps a portable air-sampling device to the side of a neighbor's deck. For two days, the small gray box with what looks like a chimney on top will gather evidence of pollution from diesel engines. "It's like a human lung," sucking in air as a person would breathe; DeCaigny says as she pushes some buttons that set the device whirring. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/17/6564048/report-warns-of-diesel-fumes-risks.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES Business model borrowed from buildings can reduce barriers to natural gas vehicles – report. The energy services business model that has saved building owners billions of dollars in energy costs could also incentivize fleet managers to invest in natural gas vehicles, achieving both economic and climate benefits, according to a new report by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES). Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003103/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Poll: Men and Women Think Differently About Energy. A new global survey for TIME shows how attitudes toward conservation may be guided by gender. More women than men worldwide say energy conservation is a “very important” issue, while men report greater personal concern about global warming, according to the results of a new global energy survey conducted for TIME. Posted. http://time.com/#3005357/energy-polling-climate-men-women/ Germany takes title in efficiency, while U.S. falls far behind. Taking yet another international crown, Germany yesterday came in first in a ranking of countries on energy efficiency. "We are pleased to win a second title in a week's time," said Philipp Ackerman, minister and deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, referring to the country's World Cup win during a conference call. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003100/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Clean Power, Off the Grid. AFTER years of hype, renewable energy has gone mainstream in much of the United States and, increasingly, around the world. Enormous wind projects are moving ahead in oil- and gas-rich Wyoming, utility-scale solar projects are sprouting up in California and Nevada and tens of thousands of homeowners nationwide are installing affordable solar panels on their rooftops. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/opinion/wind-solar-clean-power-off-the-grid.html?_r=0 Editorial: Punished for saving water: A drought Catch-22. Talk about mixed messages: While Gov. Jerry Brown is warning that California faces its worst drought since record-keeping began and regulators have approved fines of up to $500 for wasting water, some Southern California cities are continuing to issue warnings and citations to residents who let their lawns go brown. “It's tone deaf and irresponsible to preach conservation and then slap people with penalties when they actually conserve water.” Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-brown-lawns-fines-california-drought-20140718-story.html# Opinion: What are we getting ourselves into with cap and trade? We sometimes get the impression that the pump price of gasoline goes up just before the construction holidays, right when thousands of families are heading out onto Quebec’s highways. These hikes are certainly annoying, although they don’t necessarily happen every year and prices usually come down later on. But I can predict with some certainty that in six months, the increases will be even more painful, and permanent this time. Posted. http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/trade+What+getting+ourselves+into/10038646/story.html The Sad, Sad, Cancellation of Australia's Carbon Tax. If you think that the whole idea of climate change is just something whipped up in the labs by scientists hungry for research grants then of course you’ll be delighted that Australia has just cancelled their carbon tax. If, like many, you’re rather more willing to go along with the scientific consensus on this matter then you’ll be a little less overjoyed. And if, like myself, you concentrate mostly on the economics of climate change then this is a sad, sad, day. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2014/07/17/the-sad-sad-cancellation-of-australias-carbon-tax/ BLOGS Google Takes On Rogue Methane Emissions With Street View Cars. Google Inc.'s Street View cars have captured the world's roads, highways and back alleys for years. Now they are being used for something entirely different: detecting the thousands of natural gas leaks blighting major U.S. cities. Google cars fit with air monitors have taken millions of readings along the streets of Boston, New York and Indianapolis over the past two years as part of a program run by the non-profit Environmental Defense Fund to help reduce methane emissions. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/16/google-methane-emissions_n_5592450.html Cap-and-Trade's Moment of Truth. With the looming expansion of its cap-and-trade program to transportation fuels like gasoline, California is fast approaching a significant moment of truth for its climate policy. This has some people nervous, and there are growing rumblings of proposals to delay, perhaps permanently, the expansion of the cap to transportation fuels. While many of the backers of these proposals profess continued support for AB 32 and its goals…Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/jamesbushnell/431681/cap-and-trade-s-moment-truth Wanna see what climate change looks like? Check out the vicious fires in northwest Canada. Lightning, an intense heat wave, and low rainfall are lighting up northwestern Canada like a bonfire, producing conflagrations that scientists are linking to climate change. More than 100 forest fires are burning in Canada’s lightly populated Northwest Territories, east of Alaska. Some residents are being evacuated from their homes; others are being warned to stay inside to avoid inhaling the choking smoke. Posted. http://grist.org/news/wanna-see-what-climate-change-looks-like-check-out-the-vicious-fires-in-northwest-canada/ Innovators In Norway Use Power Plant Carbon Dioxide To Grow Fish Food. Norway is known as a world leader in exporting oil and gas — but it’s also a leading fish exporter. However with global demand growing, feeding all these fish is getting more expensive and challenging. In the first half of this year Norway’s salmon export value reached the highest ever recorded and the value of exported Norwegian salmon to Asia during that time period was up 30 percent year-over-year. Posted. http://www.climatedepot.com/2014/07/18/innovators-in-norway-use-power-plant-carbon-dioxide-to-grow-fish-food/ Americans want the U.S. to act on climate change — even if it goes alone. A massive new study shows that voters are ready for the government to forge ahead even without an international agreement. he conventional wisdom on climate change is that the issue is politically toxic. But it turns out the American people may be prepared for the kind of enormous undertaking that would be required to stem the catastrophic effects of climate change — including unilateral action by the U.S. government. Posted. http://theweek.com/article/index/264928/americans-want-the-us-to-act-on-climate-change--even-if-it-goes-alone How Quantum Mechanics Explains Global Warming. We all know that carbon dioxide is contributing to the warming of our planet but... how, exactly? In this video, Lieven Scheire explains how quantum mechanics holds the answer. Don't worry, though: he starts off slow, using the physics of rainbows and light bulbs to describe how gases can absorb light—and why, in the case of carbon dioxide, that's a real bad thing for us. Posted. http://gizmodo.com/how-quantum-mechanics-explains-global-warming-1607085714 Federal Study Confirms Aviation Glare Hazard From Solar Project. A federal laboratory has released its report on hazards from glare at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in San Bernardino County and the risk that glare poses to aviation in the area. That report isn't good news for those flying between L.A. and Vegas. ReWire reported in March on complaints from pilots flying near the 397-megawatt solar power tower plant that the facility's tens of thousands of mirrors... Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/solar-thermal/federal-study-confirms-aviation-glare-hazard-from-solar-project.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 14:08:57 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 21, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 21, 2014. 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 Cap-and-trade could aid preservation of California farmland. Abandoning the farm that he had worked for three decades, and that his wife’s family had owned for over a century, was never an option for Dan Port. Port and his family had continued to squeeze a profit out of their 180 acres near the small town of Ione, raising grass-fed beef to sell through farmers markets. Determined as he was to keep the farm running, Port said he recognized the constant pressure on farmers to give their land over to developers. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/19/6568511/cap-and-trade-could-aid-preservation.html Utilities already regulated under cap-and-trade urge Brown to hold fast. Utilities urge Brown to hold fast on cap-and-trade. Oil industry groups and some utilities are on opposite sides in the intensifying debate over expanding California’s cap-and-trade program to vehicle fuels in 2015. The oil industry has called on Gov. Jerry Brown to delay the expansion. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/18/6566822/the-buzz-utilities-already-regulated.html#storylink=cpy Climate plan faces new challenge: Gas prices. Fear of a gasoline price spike is creeping into Sacramento as California’s gasoline and diesel producers prepare for the first time to pay for the air pollution their products create. State clean air regulators are getting ready to extend a cap on greenhouse gas emissions to motor fuels in the transportation sector on Jan. 1, 2015. Fuel producers are likely to pass on costs for acquiring necessary pollution allowances to consumers at the gas pump, though at what price is uncertain. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/16/capandtrade-faces-political-test/ Most Americans Support Carbon Tax When Revenue Is Earmarked. A new study shows the public doesn’t trust government to use money effectively without direction. A survey released Monday reveals most Americans – across all political parties – support a tax on carbon emissions if the money it raises is directly spent on a specific cause, such as research into renewable energy. Posted. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/07/21/most-americans-support-carbon-tax-when-revenue-is-earmarked AIR POLLUTION U.S. Seen as Weak on Global Research Collaboration. Amie K. Lund’s long-distance collaboration with a researcher in France was a modest one. They published a paper together, exchanging drafts by email. But Dr. Lund, who studies the effect of air pollution on the heart and brain, wanted to learn an innovative cell-culture technique that her colleague had developed in his lab, and, as she said with a laugh, “you can’t just email a protocol.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/21/us/us-seen-as-weak-on-global-research-collaboration.html?_r=0 FBI issues warning about air conditioner coolant. As the U.S. tries to phase out a polluting refrigerant that is used in millions of air conditioners across the country, unapproved coolant is popping up on the market — with potentially dangerous consequences. The FBI is warning people to be on alert for refrigerant substitutes that have not been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/FBI-issues-warning-about-air-conditioner-coolant-5631525.php Utah gears up for new efforts to clear air. A Utah lawmaker is bringing back a failed effort to clear soot from Utah's skies. Rep. Becky Edwards, R-North Salt Lake, proposes that Utah allow state regulators to set pollution standards that are stricter than their federal counterparts'. The state's mountains, weather and other factors combine in winter to create an air pollution problem unique to the state, Edwards told a legislative panel Wednesday. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Utah-gears-up-for-new-efforts-to-clear-air-5633659.php UC RIVERSIDE: Researchers study smog-eating roof tiles. The UC Riverside student researchers found a titanium dioxide compound removes up to 97 percent of smog-causing nitrogen oxides. A little bit of titanium may go a long way toward reducing air pollution. Student researchers from UC Riverside have found that specially coated roof tiles have potential smog-eating capabilities, prompting questions about where else the coating could be applied for more smog-fighting results. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/smog-697772-tiles-engineering.html Project at Ky. coal plant to trap carbon dioxide. Kentucky elected officials and representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy will visit a central Kentucky coal power plant to tout a project that will capture and store carbon dioxide emissions. They will be breaking ground Monday on the carbon capture pilot system at the E.W. Brown Generating Station in Harrodsburg. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/21/3448735/project-at-ky-coal-plant-to-trap.html#storylink=cpy Court won't reconsider EPA's decision not to regulate mine emissions. A federal appeals court on Friday declined to reconsider a ruling upholding U.S. EPA's decision against regulating coal mine emissions under the Clean Air Act. At issue is a petition from environmentalists asking the agency to crack down on coal mine emissions and set performance standards. In response, EPA expressed being open to the idea but said it didn't have time to act on it. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003209/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Judges reject Volvo's bid to overturn $72M EPA penalty. Federal judges on Friday upheld a $72 million penalty imposed on a non-road heavy-duty engine maker for violating U.S. EPA air standards. Volvo Powertrain Corp. had asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to overturn the penalty, arguing that the engines were manufactured by a sister company -- Volvo Penta -- and therefore did not violate the terms of a previous settlement agreement. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003213/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE First six months of 2014 were warmest in California's history. The first six months of 2014 were the hottest ever in California, according to the National Weather Service. The period was nearly 5 degrees warmer than the 20th century average and more than a degree hotter than the record set in 1934, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-warmest-weather-california-20140721-story.html DROUGHT California drought will only get worse, experts say. California is probably headed into a deeper drought this summer, making it harder to escape in the future, an expert says. With more than 80% of the state in an extreme drought, dry conditions will probably continue and won't improve much in the next few months, said climatologist Brian Fuchs of the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-drought-worsen-20140718-story.html California’s new water-waste penalty also applies to government, but who will enforce it? When California water officials last week passed new regulations making wasting water a crime, they also handed a new tool to government watchdogs. In a little-noticed provision of the regulations adopted Tuesday, the State Water Resources Control Board declared that public agencies – in addition to individuals and businesses – can be prosecuted for a criminal infraction and fined $500 per day for certain categories of water waste. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/21/6569749/californias-new-water-waste-penalty.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region#storylink=cpy Drought hinders California's clean energy goals. Already locked in its third dry year, an ongoing drought could complicate California's battle against global warming and make it more expensive, officials said. For years, dams have been one of California's main sources of clean energy, generating power without spewing greenhouse gases into the air. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Drought-hinders-California-s-clean-energy-goals-5634164.php California drought: Are swimming pools a waste of water? “Swimmin’ pools, movie stars.” The notable refrain from the “The Beverly Hillbillies” theme song describes it best. Not everyone who moves to California can become a movie star. But if you have enough money, you can get a house with a swimming pool. Pools are the aquamarine line between affluent and low-income Los Angeles. Getting a house with a pool was a status symbol for the TV Clampetts…Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140718/california-drought-are-swimming-pools-a-waste-of-water California drought: High-bidding farmers battle in water auctions. Rumors drifted across the parched Central Valley that a bidding war for water might push auction prices as high as $3,000 an acre-foot, up from $60 in a normal year. Yet, Ray Flanders needed water to keep his orchards alive. So this spring he sealed his bid in an envelope, climbed into his truck and drove 70 miles to hand-deliver it to the Madera Irrigation District, which had water saved from 2013. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_26181042/high-bidding-farmers-battle-water-auctions Agriculture chief visits water-starved families. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited drought-stricken homeowners on Friday in Central California, saying drought and climate change would require major investment to secure future water supplies. Vilsack also announced $9.7 million in new emergency drought aid to help rural Californians hurt by the state's three-year drought. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Agriculture-chief-visits-water-starved-families-5631563.php Stanislaus County irrigation districts pumping record amounts of groundwater. Despite widespread concerns about declining groundwater levels, some Stanislaus County irrigation districts have dramatically increased well pumping this year. Modesto Irrigation District wells pumped 311 percent more groundwater this January through June than they did during the same months last year. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/07/19/3755726/stanislaus-county-irrigation-districts.html In the battle against the drought, O.C. residents might be part of the problem. If you’re annoyed with last week’s move by the state to fine people up to $500 a day for wasting water, you might want to consider your own use – or your neighbor’s. It turns out that Southern California, Orange County residents in particular, are very much part of the problem when it comes to saving water. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/water-629340-state-california.html California Emergency Regulations Mandate Water Conservation. In response to the ongoing severe drought, the State Water Resources Control Board approved an emergency regulation to ensure water agencies, their customers and state residents increase water conservation in urban settings or face possible fines or other enforcement. Posted. http://www.sonomacountygazette.com/cms/pages/sonoma-county-news-article-2886.html Despite California's Drought, Taps Still Flowing In LA County. This January, after the driest calendar year in California history, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency. He called on residents to reduce their water intake by 20 percent. But downtown Los Angeles doesn't look like a city devastated by the state's worst drought in decades. The city is green with landscaping, and fountains are running.. Posted. http://www.npr.org/2014/07/20/333019977/despite-californias-drought-taps-still-flowing-in-la-county USDA offers $9.7M in emergency funds for rural Californians. The Agriculture Department is offering close to $10 million to 25 California public utilities and water districts in need of emergency drought assistance. The Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants are triple the amount the department committed to the state earlier this year and will help 73,000 residents, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060003143/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts Plant Open for Business. BASF has inaugurated its €150 million ($203 million) production plant for mobile emissions catalysts — the company’s largest emissions catalysts plant in Europe — in Sroda Slaska, a Special Economic Zone near Wroclaw, Poland. The emissions catalysts produced in Sroda Slaska will be used by manufacturers of light duty gasoline vehicles and light and heavy duty diesel vehicles to meet more stringent Euro 6/VI emissions regulations. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/07/21/basf-mobile-emissions-catalysts-plant-open-for-business/ FUELS China Boosts June Net Diesel Exports to Highest in Four Years. China raised its net diesel exports to the highest level in four years as domestic demand trailed output growth amid a slowing economy. Overseas sales of the fuel in the world’s largest energy consumer exceeded imports by about 440,200 metric tons in June, according to data e-mailed by the General Administration of Customs in Beijing today. That’s the highest since May 2010. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-21/china-boosts-june-net-diesel-exports-to-highest-in-four-years.html Movement targets fossil fuel divestiture. When she learned of an international campaign to divest from the fossil fuel industry, Wanda Guthrie didn't wait long to join in. As environmental justice committee chair of the Thomas Merton Center — a faith-based social activist group in Bloomfield — she has been urging religious and other groups to use their investment decisions to promote a halt in the burning of carbon-emitting fossil fuels. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Movement-targets-fossil-fuel-divestiture-5632655.php Feds approve oil exploration off US Eastern Coast. The Obama administration has sided with energy developers over environmentalists, approving the use of underwater blasts of sound to pinpoint oil and gas deposits in federal Atlantic Ocean waters. The regulatory decision is the first real step toward what could be an economic transformation in East Coast states, potentially creating a new energy infrastructure, thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in tax revenue. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Feds-approve-oil-exploration-off-US-Eastern-Coast-5632273.php Prospect of higher gas prices causes concern. Fear of a gasoline price spike is creeping into Sacramento as California’s gasoline and diesel producers prepare for the first time to pay for the air pollution their products create. State clean-air regulators are getting ready to extend a cap on greenhouse gas emissions to motor fuels in the transportation sector on Jan. 1, 2015. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/21/tp-prospect-of-higher-gas-prices-causes-concern/ FRACKING California reviews fracking water disposal amid contamination concerns. California on Friday said it would review wells where oil drilling waste water from the process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is disposed to ensure they are not contaminating drinking water. The move comes after the state ordered oil companies to shut down 11 wells on July 1 in Kern County, an area in the state’s Central Valley that is home to the bulk of its crude oil production. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/19/us-california-fracking-idUSKBN0FO02Y20140719?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews State allows two oil field injection wells to resume operation. State oil regulators announced Friday they have lifted emergency shutdown orders on two of the 11 Kern County injection wells closed last week out of concern they may have contaminated protected groundwater. One of the wells allowed to resume operation belongs to Longbow LLC, and the other is owned by Pace Diversified Corp., according to the agency that closed the wells July 7, the state Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x855029576/State-allows-two-oil-field-injection-wells-to-resume-operation VEHICLES Tesla idles Fremont production line for Model X upgrade. Tesla Motors shut down its production line Monday as part of a long-scheduled plan to retool the factory to increase production of the Model S sedan and prepare for the introduction of the Model X crossover SUV. "We'll be back at regular production Aug. 4," Simon Sproule, Tesla's vice president of communications, said in an interview. "We'll be down for 128 hours of regularly scheduled production time." Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_26188834/tesla-shuts-down-its-fremont-plant-retool-production GREEN ENERGY How Does Your Energy Bill Compare To Others? Americans will be wiping sweat off their foreheads this month, so get ready to crank up those air conditioners. July tends to be the hottest month of the year in the contiguous U.S., and as a result it has the highest energy consumption. With mercury rising, consumers can expect the heat to drain not only their energy supply but also their wallets. In the United States, 7.1 percent of the average consumer's total income is spent on energy costs, including fuel, natural gas and electricity. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/How-Does-Your-Energy-Bill-Compare-To-Others-5632518.php Solar cooking conference extols virtues of cookers to developing world. Hundreds of people Saturday cooked using only the power of the sun – a practice little used in the United States, but considered a liberating tool for women in developing countries that also helps curb greenhouse gas emissions. The solar cooking event at William Land Park capped a three-day conference by Sacramento-based Solar Cookers International. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/20/3447293/solar-cooking-conference-extols.html#storylink=cpy MISCELLANEOUS Global conference in Nevada focuses on mountains. More than 170 scientists from around the world gathered in Reno for what organizers billed as a first-of-its-kind conference to discuss global monitoring systems for mountain environments. The four-day gathering, which ended this weekend after being hosted by the University of Nevada, Reno, also drew sociologists, political scientists, economists and anthropologists. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/20/6569793/global-conference-in-nevada-focuses.html#storylink=cpy New Peru law weakens environmental safeguards. Dozens of international groups, the United Nations, and even Peru's own citizen ombudsman are objecting to a new law that weakens environmental protections in the Andean nation even as it prepares to host international climate talks this year. The law, aimed at increasing investment, strips Peru's six-year-old environment ministry of jurisdiction over air, soil and water quality standards, as well as its ability to set limits for harmful substances. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/New-Peru-law-weakens-environmental-safeguards-5633522.php OPINIONS The Pentagon's War Against Climate Change. U.S. conservatives make at least two arguments against action on climate change: We don’t have enough conclusive evidence to prove it is happening, and even if we did, the cost of cutting our carbon emissions would be too high. The U.S. military has been quietly rebutting both those arguments. Posted. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-07-18/the-pentagon-s-war-against-climate-change Water and Climate Change. Any blueprint for grappling with climate change must simultaneously factor in the water use involved in the technological options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a fact inadequately addressed in the United Nations report cited by Mr. Porter. Electricity technologies are no exception. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/19/opinion/Water-and-Climate-Change.html?_r=0 Op-Ed: The carbon taxes we're already paying. In June, a decades-long open secret hit the media like a typhoon: Climate change is the fundamental economic challenge of our time. The bipartisan troika of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, hedge fund mogul Tom Steyer and former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson funded the report, titled "Risky Business," which estimated that on its current trajectory, climate change could cost the U.S. economy hundreds of billions of dollars by 2050. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-schapiro-high-costs-of-climate-change-20140717-story.html#page=1 Coalition forms to manage California's groundwater. So let me get this straight: The state government is telling us we can't hose down the driveway and should feel guilty about watering the lawn. But it's OK for somebody to pump all the groundwater he wants? The policy-makers are padlocking flush toilets and shutting off showers at some state parks. But they're too lazy or cowardly to regulate people's wells? http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-cap-ground-water-20140721-column.html Climate-change deniers living in fantasy world. If Michael Grant (June 19, "Global Warming scam keeps rich above peasantry") bothered to read some of the vast body of sound science now available that confirms current climate change is man-made, he would see that this time things are different. The rapidity of change including temperatures, atmospheric CO2 levels, the melting of ancient glaciers…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Climate-change-deniers-living-in-fantasy-world-5629283.php A plan to prevent copper pollution in waterways is fatally flawed. As early as next month, the State Water Resources Control Board could take up the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board’s recommendation for the maximum level of copper particulates allowed in Marina del Rey, one of the largest man-made harbors in the world. This sounds fairly simple, but the proposal is so flawed that it’s destined for failure. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/19/6566734/viewpoints-a-plan-to-prevent-copper.html Spending on the Delta a sticking point in the water bond. If Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers want voters to weigh in this year on a multibillion-dollar water bond – a big if – they will need to compromise on what may seem like an arcane point: Who controls the money earmarked for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta? http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/21/6566904/editorial-spending-on-the-delta.html Opinion: We're the ones to blame for water cops, ticket books. There are some people who if told it's a bad idea to kick a rattlesnake they would go ahead and do it anyway, because, by god, no one is going to tell them what to do. Many of them are 2-year-olds, some perform in Monty Python's Flying Circus but the vast majority are otherwise sane adults living here in California. Posted. http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/home/2014/07/20/ones-blame-water-cops-ticket-books/12925809/ BLOGS One in seven trucks will be alt-fuel by 2035. More natural gas. Less diesel. That's a quick synopsis of a study by Navigant Research on future fueling trends for trucks. Powertrains that are either plug-in or run on natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (i.e. propane or autogas) represent a small minority of global medium- and heavy-duty trucks but will account for 14 percent of those trucks (about one in seven) by 2035. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/20/one-seven-trucks-alt-fuel-2035/ The Week Ahead: EPA's McCarthy to Testify on Carbon Rules for Power Plants. On July 23, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy is scheduled to testify before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee during a hearing on "EPA's Proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for Existing Power Plants." As detailed in a June 17 Energy and Climate Report article, the proposed rules would set carbon dioxide emissions standards for existing and modified power plants by establishing unique CO2 emissions rates for the power industry in each state. Posted. http://www.bna.com/week-ahead-epas-b17179892555/ SAE announces J2601 hydrogen fueling standard. Standardizing refueling systems isn't a quick process, and a new set of fueling standards for hydrogen stations were about 13 years in the making. But SAE International (SAE stands for Society of Automotive Engineers) said this week that it finally settled on a hydrogen refueling standard for light-duty vehicles. For the record, it's called SAE J2601. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/21/sae-announces-j2601-hydrogen-fueling-standard/ Does Big Oil Really Care About Vulnerable Communities? There they go again... with the same lament we always seem to hear from Big Oil lobbyists when it's time to protect public health: Don't put environmental protections on fuels, because that "will hit low-income and middle-income families the hardest." In other words, if you make us clean up our act, then we'll be forced to raise gas prices, which hurts vulnerable people... You don't want to hurt them, do you? Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jorge-madrid/does-big-oil-really-care-_b_5596119.html The Surprising Reasons Why Lowering CO2 Emissions Will Drive Our Electricity Bills Down, Not Up. If the customer wants clean energy, he’ll have to pay for it, right? Wrong. There’s actually no premium attached to low-carbon power, state utility regulators heard last week at their annual conference in Dallas. I’ll cut to the chase. Check out this report from Analysis Group, a five-star consultancy based in Boston, who presented at the conference. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkrancer/2014/07/21/report-lowering-co2-emissions-will-drive-electric-bills-down-not-up-surpised/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 12:57:08 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 22, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 22, 2014. 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 Corralling Carbon Before It Belches From Stack. So much soot belched from the old power plant here that Mike Zeleny would personally warn the neighbors. “If the wind was blowing in a certain direction,” Mr. Zeleny said, “we’d call Mrs. Robinson down the street and tell her not to put out her laundry.” That coal plant is long gone, replaced by a much larger and cleaner one along the vast Saskatchewan prairie. Sooty shirts and socks are a thing of the past. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/science/corralling-carbon-before-it-belches-from-stack.html?_r=0 Groups sue over steel plant’s air emissions permit. A state agency’s decision to revise a Detroit-area steel plant’s air quality permit will allow the facility to continue emitting too much pollution, environmental organizations said Monday in a lawsuit. The Sierra Club and several other groups are challenging the May ruling by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, which changed the permit for a Dearborn plant owned by Severstal. Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/21/groups-sue-over-steel-plants-air-emissions-permit/#ixzz38DcJJzKx http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/21/6571441/groups-sue-over-steel-plants-air.html U.S. troops in Afghanistan sent waste to open burn pits, report finds. Although the U.S. has spent millions to build incinerators in Afghanistan to avoid exposing anyone to toxic smoke from open burning, American troops sent waste to an Afghan-operated open pit for five months last year, according to an inspector general’s report issued late Monday. The Afghans continued to burn their own dangerous waste -- including batteries, tires and plastic…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-afghan-burn-pits-20140721-story.html#page=1 CO2 Emissions Regulations from EPA Narrowed by Supreme Court. Since the US Supreme Court affirmed in 2007 that the Clean Air Act (CAA) provides the EPA with authority to regulate CO2 and other greenhouse gases, EPA has pursued a growing set of regulatory initiatives. In each, EPA has attempted to fit GHGs into statutory and regulatory programs originally designed for more conventional pollutants…Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/07/22/co2-emissions-regulations-from-epa-narrowed-by-supreme-court/ Oil company agrees to pay fine for super greenhouse gas emissions. A subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corp. has agreed to pay $254,100 to settle charges that it emitted a greenhouse gas in amounts exceeding what California law allowed. THUMS Long Beach Co., an offshore oil and gas production operation, did not admit any liability in the case and paid the fine to resolve the complaint by the California Air Resources Board (ARB), according to a written agreement. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003261/print BY SUBSCRIPTON ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Climate scientists have a beef with beef. If you want to slow climate change, white meat may be the right meat, according to two studies that tally the environmental effect of the beef industry. Raising cattle in the U.S. requires 28 times as much land and 11 times as much irrigation water, and pumps at least five times as much planet-warming gases into Earth's atmosphere than producing the equivalent calories of dairy products, poultry, pork or eggs…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-scientists-beef-20140721-story.html http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Beef-pollutes-more-than-pork-poultry-study-says-5635839.php California was hotter than ever during the first half of 2014. It was another balmy, breezy summer day Monday, with a high in San Jose of 79 degrees, far below the record temperature of 97. Oakland was even cooler at 74, and as usual, San Francisco's high of 70 was cool enough to bring out jackets. But beneath that simmering surface calm, the ground was heating up at a record rate -- and the California weather landscape was shifting with it. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26191436/California-was-hotter-than-ever-during-the-first-half-of-2014 http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26191436/California-was-hotter-than-ever-during-the-first-half-of-2014 Checking the variability of EPA's math leads some to question its Clean Power Plan. Under the Clean Power Plan (CPP) -- U.S. EPA's ambitious proposal to curb greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants -- states are asked to meet widely divergent targets. Some, like North Dakota and Kentucky, would have to cut carbon intensity by less than 20 percent; others would have to hit reduction targets of more than 40 percent. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/07/22/stories/1060003262 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.N. gives climate change policy a major role in dealing with poverty. The United Nations has made tackling climate change a central part of fighting poverty in a sweeping new blueprint that could form the core of the world's development priorities for the coming decades. Approved over the weekend after nearly 29 hours of debate, the proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) still must get the green light from the General Assembly in September before undergoing still further negotiations. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003264/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Soaring 60,000 feet above, pilots use NASA laser technology to analyze Arctic ice and sea-level conditions. In the cockpit of an ER-2 jet with its impressive 103-foot wing span, two pilots in Alaska have been flying over the Arctic and back to help NASA scientists gather information about the relationship between melting ice and sea-level rise. Taking turns piloting eight-hour flights from Fort Wainwright -- close to Fairbanks -- to the northern tip of the globe, either Tim Williams or Denis Steele climbs to 60,000 feet and engages NASA's laser and photo system to collect data on ice, water and Arctic forests. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003244/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California drought: Record heat gives some cantaloupe crops sunburn. -- The temperatures were so hot this year in Joe Del Bosque’s cantaloupe fields that some of the melons could have used sunscreen. The surface of the fruit got sunburned, which looks bad and in some cases affects taste. He had to throw those away. The first six months of the year were the hottest ever in California, the National Weather Service said Monday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-drought-record-heat-sunburns-melon-crops-20140721-story.html?track=rss New law prohibits some fines for brown lawns during droughts. Californians who let their lawns die during a drought won't risk a slap on the wrist from their homeowners' associations, thanks to a bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday. The measure prohibits homeowners' associations from imposing fines on residents who stop watering their lawns in an effort to conserve water. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-homeowner-association-lawns-20140721-story.html?track=rss http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/21/6571908/fines-for-brown-lawns-blocked.html#mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert Q&A: City of Sacramento watching for water run-off, watering violations. With California in a severe drought, the State Water Resources Control Board ruled last week that some cases of water waste could be treated as criminal infractions. The city of Sacramento declared a water shortage in January and has been enforcing tough rules since then. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/22/6571661/qa-city-of-sacramento-watching.html#storylink=cpy 'Water cops' being hired by Bay Area agencies to root out water waste. It's about to get more difficult to go unnoticed if your sprinklers are watering the street more than your lawn. California's worsening drought and mandatory new state water rules are prompting Bay Area water agencies to beef up their conservation staffs -- the employees sometimes called "water cops." Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_26191180/california-drought-water-cops-being-hired-by-bay?source=rss BY SUBSCRIPTION FUELS U.S. consumer inflation rises on high gasoline prices. U.S. consumer prices rose in June as the cost of gasoline surged, but the underlying trend remained consistent with a gradual build-up of inflationary pressures. The Labor Department said on Tuesday its Consumer Price Index increased 0.3 percent last month, with gasoline accounting for two-thirds of the gain, after May's 0.4 percent rise. In the 12 months through June, the CPI increased 2.1 percent after a similar rise in May. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/22/us-usa-economy-inflation-idUSKBN0FR19O20140722 Pump Prices in U.S. at 4-Month Low as Refineries Ramp Up. Retail gasoline in the U.S. slid to the lowest level in almost four months as refineries boosted production to cash in on cheaper domestic oil, offering relief to consumers who saw their costs rise last month. Pump prices averaged $3.593 a gallon yesterday, down 4.2 cents from the previous week and the lowest since March 31, data posted on the Energy Information Administration’s website show. Gasoline was 2.4 percent below 2013 levels. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-07-22/u-dot-s-dot-gasoline-falls-below-2013-levels-on-refining-push Maine town fights plan to use pipeline to export oil sands crude. Tom Blake, like thousands of his neighbors in this coastal town, is used to living alongside the oil industry. Tank farms cluster in neighborhoods, by the park where families watch the movie "Frozen" on a summer night, next to schools and senior citizens apartment buildings. As a child, Blake, the town's former mayor, used to jump into high snow drifts from the massive oil tank next door. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-portland-pipeline-20140721-story.html#page=1 San Diego County Gasoline Price Drops For 15th Day. The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County dropped Tuesday for the 15th consecutive day, decreasing six-tenths of a cent to $4.025, its lowest amount since March 29. The average price has decreased 12.8 cents over the past 15 days, including four-tenths of a cent on Monday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/jul/22/san-diego-county-gasoline-price-drops-15th-day/ Natural gas, despite leaks, appears to be less polluting than coal. Natural gas is only half as polluting for the climate as coal, even accounting for leaks of a potent greenhouse gas, suggests a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences yesterday. The study, by scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, compiles the findings of previous studies exploring the benefits of natural gas for the climate. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003240/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY REFINERY Chevron agrees to new Richmond refinery project conditions in hope of gaining approval. Looking to satisfy city and state leaders, Chevron Corp. on Monday reversed its previous position and agreed to a lower cap on greenhouse gas emissions stemming from its $1 billion Richmond refinery modernization project. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_26190816/chevron-agrees-new-richmond-refinery-project-conditions-hope?source=rss http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26190816/Chevron-agrees-to-new-Richmond-refinery-project-conditions-in-hope-of-gaining-approval VEHICLES 4 farms selected to produce energy for utility. Four Michigan farms have been selected to produce electricity for a utility using biodegradable material in anaerobic digesters. Jackson-based CMS Energy Corp. announced the plans Tuesday, saying it's a part of an effort to diversify the use of renewable energy by Consumers Energy. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/4-farms-selected-to-produce-energy-for-utility_38105945 GREEN ENERGY Downstream Solar Companies, Funds Drive Strong Solar Investment. The social and environmental, as well as economic, benefits of making greater use of clean, renewable energy are clear as day, whatever your opinion about climate change and our role in causing it. With performance and reliability steadily improving, costs declining sharply, and the advent of third-party financing that makes installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems more affordable for more people…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Downstream-Solar-Companies-Funds-Drive-Strong-5638206.php Loan, partnership propel Mexico wind farm. A new investment partner and development bank financing are pushing forward plans for a wind power plant in Mexico that delivers electricity to the California grid. IEnova, the Mexico-based subsidiary of Sempra Energy, has sold a 50 percent interest in its Energía Sierra Juárez wind project to power generating firm InterGen. Sierra Juarez is engineered to harness winds blowing across the high plains…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/22/partnership-moves-wind-farm-forward/ An industry nurtured with tax breaks may be nearing commercial tipping point. Limited storage capacities and high upfront costs have historically prohibited solar power from competing against cheaper energy alternatives like coal and natural gas. Yet as the sector grows, solar power proponents can point to promising indicators hinting at the energy potential solar panels might yield. Consider how solar panel use in Australia forced the price of electricity -- in the middle of the day -- below zero on July 2…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003249/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Australia dumps working carbon tax, keeps failed mining tax: Clyde Russell. Australian lawmakers have voted to dump a tax that was arguably working and keep one that is demonstrably failing in yet another example of petty politics trumping sensible policy. The conservative government of Prime Minister Tony Abbott finally managed last week to pass legislation through both houses of parliament that ended the carbon tax and the floating emissions scheme it was to morph into from July 2015. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/22/us-column-russell-australia-carbon-idUSKBN0FR0EB20140722 New survey: Public likes carbon taxes, with caveats. Despite their hostility to new taxes that they might have to pay themselves, a sizable majority of Americans can support a tax on carbon if it's structured the right way, according to a survey released Monday by the University of Michigan's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy. The survey, done in conjunction with Muhlenberg College's Institute of Public Opinion in Pennsylvania, found that the enthusiasm for carbon taxes…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-carbon-tax-support-depends-on-how-revenue-used-20140721-story.html BLOGS A Reassuring American Presence Joins Talks on Climate Change With China. The presence of John D. Podesta, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and now counselor to President Obama, at the recent United States-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing was a surprise. He is not a China expert. But the Chinese like old hands, aides with proximity to the Oval Office, and Mr. Podesta fills that bill. In addition, Mr. Podesta is passionate about climate change. Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/21/a-reassuring-american-presence-joins-talks-on-climate-change-with-china/?partner=rss&emc=rss Researchers Question Expansion of Antarctica’s Fringe of Sea Ice. A new study of methods used to track Antarctic sea ice trends has raised important questions about whether recent increases in ice there are, to a significant extent, an illusion created by flawed analysis of data collected by a series of satellites. The news release excerpted below offers a good overview of the paper — “A spurious jump in the satellite record: has Antarctic sea ice expansion been overestimated?”…Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/researchers-question-expansion-of-antarcticas-fringe-of-sea-ice/?partner=rss&emc=rss California Fire Season: Threat of Dry Lightning Looms. Weather experts say the next couple of weeks could be some of the worst in state history for wildfires caused by lightning strikes. Three years of drought have caused the state to become incredibly dry, with significantly more wildfires than last year. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/07/21/california-fire-season-threat-of-dry-lightning-looms/ Next Big Thing You Missed: Bigger, Cheaper Fuel Cells Will Eliminate Power Outages. General Electric has a bright idea for keeping the lights on even when the electrical grid short-circuits. The 122-year-old company wants to bring clean, reliable, affordable energy to the masses with hyper-efficient fuel cells , and in a rare move, is launching a startup to do it. On Tuesday, the energy and electronics conglomerate unveiled GE Fuel Cells…Posted. http://www.wired.com/2014/07/ge-fuel-cells/ The U.S. Must Lead on Climate Threat. During a Congressional hearing this year, Texas Rep. Joe Barton (R) invoked Noah's Ark saying, "I would point out that if you're a believer in the Bible, one would have to say the Great Flood is an example of climate change and that certainly wasn't because mankind had overdeveloped hydrocarbon." Really? Because 97% of the world's climate scientists beg to differ today. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbra-streisand/the-us-must-lead-on-clima_b_5607751.html?utm_hp_ref=homepage California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:16:21 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 23, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 23, 2014. 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 Poll: 60% back carbon tax if used for renewables. Most Americans oppose a carbon tax, considered by many economists a cost-effective way to fight climate change, but they are willing to support it if the money is returned to them or used to fund renewable energy, a poll Monday finds. Only a third, or 34%, say they support taxing fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas that emit heat-trapping carbon dioxide when burned…Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/07/21/poll-on-carbon-tax-finds-mixed-support/12950925/ AIR POLLUTION Beijing shuts big coal-fired power plant to ease smog: Xinhua. Beijing has closed the first of four large coal-fired power plants set to be de-commissioned as part of the city's efforts to cut air pollution, official news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday, citing the local planning agency. Xinhua said the authorities had shut down the Gaojing Thermal Power Plant's six 100 megawatt generating units. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/23/us-china-pollution-beijing-idUSKBN0FS16J20140723 ARB fines Oxy subsidiary over $250,000 for a 50 lb gas leak. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) yesterday announced a settlement with a California oil company to resolve violations of a state greenhouse gas emissions regulation. Under the settlement, THUMS Long Beach Company was fined $254,100 for excessive emissions of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/arb-fines-oxy-subsidiary-over-250-000-for-a-50-lb-gas-leak CLIMATE CHANGE Greenpeace Says China’s Energy Plans Exacerbate Climate Change. Two operational coal-to-gas plants in China and 48 proposed ones would together emit an estimated 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year and contribute significantly to climate change, according to a report released Tuesday by Greenpeace East Asia. That amount of emissions is equal to about an eighth of China’s current total carbon dioxide emissions, which come mostly from coal-burning power plants and factories…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/world/asia/greenpeace-says-chinas-energy-plans-exacerbate-climate-change.html?_r=0 Obama attributes wildfires to climate change. President Barack Obama says a wildfire that has burned nearly 400 square miles in the north-central part of Washington state, along with blazes in other Western areas, can be attributed to climate change. Obama, speaking at a fundraiser Tuesday, offered federal help to deal with Washington's wildfire, the largest in the state's history. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/22/obama-attributes-wildfires-to-climate-change/ Global warming: How 2013 broke records. Last year was between the sixth and hottest ever recorded, and other records for extreme weather and melting permafrost have been broken, according to a report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2014/0721/Global-warming-How-2013-broke-records DROUGHT Groundwater level in California basin hits historic low. he groundwater level in the San Bernardino Basin area is at its lowest point in recorded history, officials say. Measured in volume, the groundwater level for the basin is now about 500,000 acre-feet below full, according to Douglas Headrick, general manager for the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District. That would put it below the previous low recorded in 1964, a period that followed a 20-year drought, officials said. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-groundwater-levels-san-bernardino-new-low-point-20140722-story.html?track=rss L.A. County supervisors order agencies to scale back water use. Los Angeles County's board of supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to order restrictions on water use for its government operations, following a state directive to Californians to curb water usage during one of the worst droughts in decades. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drought-county-water-use-20140722-story.html?track=rss FUELS Environmental concerns over oil-by-rail project could impact California gas prices. An oil-by-rail project that could lower California gas prices and reduce the state’s reliance on foreign oil is facing increasing opposition over environmental concerns. Tesoro Corp. has partnered with Savage Companies on plans to build an energy distribution terminal in Vancouver, Wash. The oil would be brought to the facility by rail and then shipped by tankers and barges to California refineries where it would be converted into gasoline. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/article/20140722/NEWS/140729827 http://www.sgvtribune.com/business/20140722/environmental-concerns-over-oil-by-rail-project-could-impact-california-gas-prices VEHICLES Electric car advocates court LGTB customers. Advocates for electric vehicles are hosting a promotional event Thursday, by invitation only, tailored to leaders of San Diego's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. As major automakers expand electric-car options, California authorities are trying to put 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025 to help meet the state's aggressive goals for reducing pollution and greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/23/electric-vehicles-court-gay-customers/ GREEN ENERGY Geothermal Industry Grows, With Help From Oil and Gas Drilling. Geothermal energy — tapping into heat deep underground and using it to produce power — is sometimes described as a forgotten renewable. It languishes in the shadows of better-known sources like wind and the sun, and in 2011 it accounted for less than 1 percent of electric power worldwide, according to last year’s World Energy Outlook. Yet the geothermal industry is growing…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/business/geothermal-industry-grows-with-help-from-oil-and-gas-drilling.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A8%22} More Steam From Less Energy, Thanks to Creepy Sponge Thing. A new, sponge-like material developed engineers at MIT can convert water to steam using just 1% of the sunlight required by conventional steam-producing solar generators. Floating above the water and looking an awful lot like the Smog Monster from this 1971 Godzilla movie, this spongy substance is made by spreading graphite flakes onto layers of carbon-based foam. Most importantly for the generation of steam energy…Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/07/23/steam-less-energy-thanks-creepy-sponge-thing/ OPINIONS Is climate change changing you? 5 things you need to know about the unexpected costs of climate change. “Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has moved firmly into the present,” scientists proclaimed in the Obama administration’s National Climate Assessment, released in May. It’s touching every corner of the U.S., the report claims: We can’t escape inland. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2014/07/23/is-climate-change-changing-you/ Big Oil’s Stand in Favor of Air Pollution and Profits in California. I remember the days when smog was the defining feature of San Diego’s skyline for much of the year. We’ve come a long way in the past four decades. But we’re a long way from where we need to be when it comes to mitigating climate change. The big oil companies are running a scare campaign, hoping to delay California’s groundbreaking solution to reducing carbon emissions, Assembly Bill 32…Posted http://sandiegofreepress.org/2014/07/san-diego-pd-stench-reaches-los-angeles/#.U8_ovIXxAXU . Better constraints on pollution necessary for public’s welfare. When the Environmental Protection Agency announced the carbon pollution rules for coal-fired power plants last month, they mentioned asthma and how asthmatic children who live near power plants are impacted every day by pollutants. They said what we in public health already know— we will all suffer more if carbon pollution continues to warm temperatures and worsen air pollution. Posted. http://helenair.com/news/opinion/better-constraints-on-pollution-necessary-for-public-s-welfare/article_4a524fb8-1231-11e4-a2cf-001a4bcf887a.html BLOGS Chevron’s Richmond refinery to limit sulfur, greenhouse gases. Chevron Corp. on Tuesday agreed to limit the greenhouse gases and sulfur produced by its Richmond refinery if the city council approves the company’s $1 billion plan to upgrade the aging facility. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/energy/2014/07/22/chevrons-richmond-refinery-to-limit-sulfur-greenhouse-gases/ Setting State Carbon Pollution Targets. In June, the EPA proposed the first-ever carbon pollution standards for fossil-fuel power plants. Since then, a bevy of pundits have been busy finding fault with various aspects of the proposal. For the most part, these critiques are off-base, failing to highlight the most important issues with the proposal, while spilling a lot of virtual ink without pointing out available remedies where there are shortcomings. Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/440566/setting-state-carbon-pollution-targets Court Ruling May Reverberate on ‘Social Cost’ of Carbon. Greenhouse gas emissions from burning and extracting coal, oil and natural gas drive climate change, and as communities feel the effects of a warming world — rising seas, burning forests and withering crops — communities’ pocketbooks take a hit, too. That’s called the social cost of carbon. And if a recent federal court decision stands…Posted. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/social-cost-carbon-court-ruling-17800 Group Tries To Make Climate Change A Winning Wedge Issue. Many nonprofits and issue groups from across the political spectrum score elected officials on their voting records, evaluating whether a politician has sided with them on key votes. But a new environmental group wants to take that ranking a step farther: Disregarding votes on public lands, endangered species and groundwater protections…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/22/climate-change-super-pac_n_5610875.html?page_version=legacy A federal tax on greenhouse gases. Re: “Climate change and my pack-a-day habit of 25 years ago,” July 13 Perspective article. Allen Best’s fine article reached a very sound conclusion: that our most sensible approach to global warming is a federal revenue-neutral tax on greenhouse gas emissions. In endorsing that idea, Best joins a growing number of conservative economists and business leaders who favor this market-based approach. Posted. http://blogs.denverpost.com/eletters/2014/07/21/federal-tax-greenhouse-gases/32283/ The Strange Relationship Between Global Warming Denial and…Speaking English. Climate denial isn't a worldwide delusion. It's a distinctly Anglophone one. Here in the United States, we fret a lot about global warming denial. Not only is it a dangerous delusion, it's an incredibly prevalent one. Depending on your survey instrument of choice, we regularly learn that substantial minorities of Americans deny, or are skeptical of, the science of climate change. Posted. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/07/climate-denial-us-uk-australia-canada-english China decrees 30 percent of new government vehicles will plug in. Maybe Warren Buffett's bet on Chinese electric-vehicle maker BYD will pay off after all. That's because the Chinese government just made a commitment to buy lots of advanced-powertrain vehicles through its government-vehicle system in an effort to address the notorious pollution problem in China's largest cities, the Associated Press says, citing China's Xinhua News Agency. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/23/china-decrees-30-percent-of-new-government-vehicles-will-plug-in/ Japan offering $20,000 incentives for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. That tailwind Toyota may be feeling in Japan won't be from a stiff breeze off the northern Pacific Ocean. The Japanese automaker is getting ready to start selling its first production hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle in its native country next year. And the government is ponying up real big in incentives, Reuters says. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/22/japan-offering-20000-incentives-for-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 14:46:07 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 24, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 24, 2014. 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 California climate change policies to hit pocketbooks. In California's fight against global warming, consumers may soon suffer their first hit. Come January 2015, gasoline and other fuels will for the first time fall under the state's cap-and-trade system for reining in greenhouse gas emissions. Prices at the pump could rise as a result. Until now, the state's efforts to curb emissions, boost renewable power and encourage alternative fuels haven't hit Californians in the pocketbook. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-climate-change-policies-to-hit-5642825.php AIR POLLUTION Coal Company Pain Accelerates as Bankruptcy Cases Rise. The coal business, after fueling the Industrial Revolution and powering U.S. growth for much of the past century, is now beset by a glut of cheap natural gas and tighter regulation. James River Coal Co. in many ways epitomizes these ills. After filing for bankruptcy almost four months ago with plans to sell its business, the Richmond, Virginia-based company has delayed an auction twice without announcing a buyer. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-24/coal-bankruptcies-loom-on-pain-from-cheap-gas-new-rules.html 3M Profit Up on Demand for Face Masks and Filters. 3M Co. MMM +0.26% reported a 5.8% increase in profit for the second quarter, fueled partly by stronger sales of respiratory face masks and water-filtration products in China and other developing countries where pollution fears are growing. "Air pollution is playing very well to our strong position in this space," Inge Thulin, 3M's chief executive, said in a call with analysts. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/3m-profit-improves-across-all-segments-1406203731 States Against E.P.A. Rule on Carbon Pollution Would Gain, Study Finds. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Senator James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma are among the most vocal Republican skeptics of the science that burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming, but a new study to be released Thursday found that their states would be among the biggest economic winners under a regulation proposed by President Obama to fight climate change. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/us/states-against-epa-rule-on-carbon-pollution-would-gain-study-finds.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22}&_r=0 CLIMATE CHANGE China’s Energy Plans Will Worsen Climate Change, Greenpeace Says. China’s plans for 50 coal gasification plants will produce an estimated 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year and contribute significantly to climate change, according to a report released Wednesday by Greenpeace East Asia. The plants, aimed in part at reducing pollution from coal-fired power plants in China’s largest cities, will shift that pollution to other regions, mostly in the northwest, and generate enormous amounts of carbon dioxide…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/world/asia/greenpeace-says-chinas-energy-plans-exacerbate-climate-change.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22} Study Gives Hope of Adaptation to Climate Change. As we pour heat-trapping gases into the air, we’re running an experiment. We’re going to see what a rapidly changing climate does to the world’s biodiversity—how many species shift to new ranges, how many adapt to their new environment and how many become extinct. We don’t have a very good idea of how the experiment will turn out. Scientists are coming to appreciate that there’s a lot about how climate affects life that they still don’t understand. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/science/study-gives-hope-of-adaptation-to-climate-change.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22} Poll: Californians support global warming rules - unless gas prices rise. Californians continue to strongly support their state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gases – until they find out it involves higher gasoline prices, according to a new poll released Wednesday. The Public Policy Institute of California’s annual environmental survey also found majorities oppose the greater use of fracking for oil exploration (54 percent)…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/23/6577831/poll-californians-support-global.html#storylink=cpy Council trio ask mayor to act on climate plan. Contending that San Diego must move quickly to fight climate change, City Council members lobbied Mayor Kevin Faulconer on Wednesday to accelerate progress on the city’s controversial climate action plan. The council members — David Alvarez, Todd Gloria and Marti Emerald — expressed frustration that there’s been no visible progress on the plan…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/24/tp-council-trio-ask-mayor-to-act-on-climate-plan/ A pause in global warming? Studies try to better explain what's happened. Two recent studies explore a pause in global warming during the first decade of the 21st century, implying that more pauses can be expected because of the climate's natural variability. Any pause in global warming, such as it may have been during the first decade of the 21st century, might seem to be on its way out. Global average temperatures for May and June 2014 reached record levels of warmth. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2014/0723/A-pause-in-global-warming-Studies-try-to-better-explain-what-s-happened Californians show strong support for laws on climate, but higher energy prices could weaken it. Californians overwhelmingly favor state laws aimed at limiting climate change. But that support would drop notably if the rules start to hurt wallets, an opinion poll released today said. The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found that 76 percent of Golden State voters back the 2011 law requiring that one-third of California's electricity come from renewable resources by 2020. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/07/24/stories/1060003412 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate models more accurate when considering natural ocean cycles – study. While short-term climate change models struggle to accurately predict global surface temperatures, a new academic investigation that took natural ocean cycles into account produced significantly more accurate results. In a new study led by James Risbey and published in Nature Climate Change, the authors deployed a large set of simulations from 18 distinct climate models…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003385/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Mapping the Spread of Drought Across the U.S. Maps and charts updated weekly show the latest extent of the drought in the United States. Droughts appear to be intensifying over much of the West and Southwest as a result of global warming. Over the past decade, droughts in some regions have rivaled the epic dry spells of the 1930s and 1950s. About 34 percent of the contiguous United States was in at least a moderate drought as of July 22. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/mapping-the-spread-of-drought-across-the-us.html Major California reservoirs below 50% capacity as drought wears on. Most of California's major reservoirs are now less than half-full -- or at what officials call a "seriously low" level -- but that's still nowhere near the historic lows set in 1977, the state's driest year on record. The latest report released Wednesday by the California Department of Water Resources shows 10 of the state's 12 major reservoirs below 50% of their total capacity, with some nearing just 20%. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-reservoirs-below-capacity-20140723-story.html Amid extreme drought, California sees big jump in brush fires. As California endures record heat and severe drought conditions, the state is also recording more wildfires this year. Through July 19, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported more than 3,400 vegetation fires that have burned more than 51,000 acres. An average year would see about 2,500 fires and 30,000 acres burned, said Cal Fire Capt. Amy Head. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-amid-extreme-drought-california-see-big-jump-in-brush-fires-20140723-story.html Water restrictions backed by 75 percent of Californians, new poll says. Few local water agencies have forced customers to cut their water use amid the ongoing drought, but a new poll shows a large majority of Californians support mandates to turn off the tap. Three-quarters of people surveyed across the state want to see their local water providers require reductions, the Public Policy Institute of California found. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_26206669/new-poll-75-percent-californians-support-local-mandatory REFINERY Richmond's Battle with Chevron's Oil Refinery Project Comes to a Head. The battle over a project proposed by the Richmond Chevron oil refinery is coming down to the wire. Next week, on July 29, the Richmond City Council will vote on the project — and on whether to approve the sweeping new health and safety requirements the city’s Planning Commission wants to add. At a public hearing of the city council July 22, Chevron reversed an earlier position and endorsed an alternative, “scaled-down” version of the project that would require the refinery not to increase greenhouse-gas emissions…Posted. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2014/07/24/richmonds-battle-with-chevrons-oil-refinery-project-comes-to-a-head?mode=print GREEN ENERGY European Wind Turbine Forecasts Cut as Power Demand Falls. Falling power demand and an economic slump in Europe prompted the region’s wind-turbine industry group to cut its forecast for installations through 2020. The 28-nation European Union will probably build a total of 192 gigawatts of wind-energy capacity by the end of this decade, the European Wind Energy Association said in a report released today in Brussels. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-23/european-wind-turbine-forecasts-cut-as-power-demand-falls.html Texas Is Wired for Wind Power, and More Farms Plug In. The wind is so relentless that a week can go by before it is calm enough for a crane operator to install the 30-ton blades atop the 260-foot towers at the Panhandle 2 wind farm here. It’s worth the wait; a single turbine at the farm can produce 40 percent more energy than an average one. But turning wind into electricity is one thing; moving the energy to a profitable market is another. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/business/energy-environment/texas-is-wired-for-wind-power-and-more-farms-plug-in.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22} Utilities trump military on renewable-power bill. San Diego-area defense operations are known for their worldwide military prowess, but when it comes to Sacramento-based politics, they were no match for San Diego Gas & Electric and other statewide electrical utilities during a recent Capitol skirmish. The issue involves electrical generation on California military bases. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/24/tp-utilities-trump-military-on-renewable-power/ Stanford study shows how to power California with wind, water and sun. New research outlines the path to a possible future for California in which renewable energy creates a healthier environment, generates jobs and stabilizes energy prices.A Stanford study outlines how power from facilities such as the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California's Mojave Desert can be part of the state's renewable energy future. Posted. http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/july/clean-energy-california-072414.html MISCELLANEOUS The White House Has a Plan to Stop Oil Train Explosions—Eventually. In the latest chapter of the exploding oil trains saga, the Obama administration has finally released its proposal on how to make them safer and, hopefully, less prone to blowing up. The fixes include phasing out old tank cars, enforcing lower speed limits, using better brakes, and possibly making railroads reroute trains containing large amounts of oil around populated areas. Posted. http://origin-www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-07-23/the-white-house-has-a-plan-to-stop-oil-train-explosions-eventually#r=rss OPINIONS A Carbon Tax’s Ignoble End. It will be remembered as one of the most ignoble moments in our history. On July 17, Australia became the first country to repeal a carbon tax. The deputy leader of the Greens Party, Adam Bandt, said it was “the Australian Parliament’s asbestos moment, our tobacco moment — when we knew what we were doing was harmful, but went ahead and did it anyway.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/opinion/julia-baird-why-tony-abbott-axed-australias-carbon-tax.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22} Needed: a Department of Toxic Substances Control worthy of its name. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control has been a called an agency in "turmoil" by its own former director. Multiple reports and investigations in recent years have described a department unwilling or unable to enforce environmental laws or to properly regulate hazardous waste businesses, putting the public at risk. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-toxic-substances-control-reform-kevin-de-leo-20140724-story.html BLOGS What kind of laws are you supposed to pass to convince 38 million people to conserve water during a drought? As California continues to face the driest period in its history, lawmakers are grappling with the best way to encourage water conservation in a state of 38 million people. On Monday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill barring homeowner’s associations from enforcing requirements to keep lawns green during a drought-related state of emergency. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/07/23/what-kind-of-laws-are-you-supposed-to-pass-to-convince-38-million-people-to-conserve-water-during-a-drought/ Drought: Water now top worry for Californians. Water is the top environmental concern of Californians, surpassing air pollution for the first time in the history of a 14-year-old survey released Thursday. As the state grapples with its driest three-year spell in at least a century, 54 percent of people say water is a big problem in their part of the state, according to the poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. A quarter of those surveyed believe water is somewhat a problem, while just 21 percent don’t think it’s an issue. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/stew/2014/07/24/drought-water-now-top-worry-for-californians/ http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/07/23/drought-becomes-top-environmental-priority-for-californians/ http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/07/23/45521/environmental-concerns-conflict-with-pocketbooks-i/ INVENTIONS: UCR students develop product to cut grill pollution. More pollutant zapping from a team of UCR Bourns College of Engineering students. They have designed a tray that when placed under the grates of a backyard grill reduces by 70 percent the level of harmful emissions produced during cooking. Posted. http://blog.pe.com/air-quality/2014/07/24/inventions-ucr-students-develop-product-to-cut-grill-pollution/ First Six Months of 2014 U.S. EV Sales Show 33% Year-Over-Year Gain. Recent sales numbers from insideevs.com indicate that U.S. EV sales continue to grow steadily. For the first half of 2014, over 54,000 vehicles moved (quietly) off the lot, compared with almost 41,000 for the first six months of 2013. While the winter and early spring remained relatively calm, sales soared in May and June, and showed over a 50% gain (almost 24,000 vs. under 16,000) over last year. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterdetwiler/2014/07/21/first-six-months-of-2014-u-s-ev-sales-show-33-year-over-year-gain/ This is what happens when you drive your Nissan Leaf beyond empty. If you see an AAA truck bringing someone a can of extra gas, it's rarely a big deal, but when an EV driver runs out of charge, people pay attention. Whether its a writer for The New York Times or hardcore Tesla fans, people are curious about this newfangled technology and the things that could go wrong. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/23/what-happens-when-you-drive-your-nissan-leaf-beyond-empty/ Scientists could finally find extraterrestrial life – by spotting its pollution. My flying saucer? Yeah, it’s a hemi. Or at least scientists involved with the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (a.k.a. SETI) hope so. Thanks to a wizbang new telescope, researchers will soon be able to detect life on other planets by observing the contents of their far-away atmospheres. In particular, they’ll be looking for chlorofluorocarbons, because any old single-celled life form can spew a bit of oxygen and methane — but pollution? That takes intelligence. Posted. http://grist.org/list/scientists-could-finally-find-extraterrestrial-life-by-spotting-its-pollution/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 13:39:04 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for July 25, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 25, 2014. 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 California’s Progressive, Divisive Cap and Trade Plan. California is claiming the environmental high ground by preparing to take the next step in its carbon reduction plan, but the result may leave drivers fuming. Starting on January 1, 2015, a cap and trade system will go into effect for all transportation fuels in California, including, of course, gasoline. Oil companies are predicting it will mean an immediate increase of at least 12 cents a gallon at the pump. Posted. http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Californias-Progressive-Divisive-Cap-and-Trade-Plan.html AIR POLLUTION U.S. West States Met to Discuss EPA Emission Proposals. Top air regulators from 13 states across the western U.S. met in private last week to talk about how they could work together on carbon-emissions cuts proposed by the Obama administration. California Air Resources Board chairman Mary Nichols, Nevada Environmental Protection administrator Colleen Cripps and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality director Henry Darwin attended the July 17 meeting in Denver…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-25/u-s-west-states-met-to-discuss-epa-emission-proposals.html http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20140725/us-west-states-met-discuss-epa-emission-proposals China’s Plan to Limit Coal Use Could Spur Consumption for Years. Under pressure to reduce smog and greenhouse gas emissions, the Chinese government is considering a mandatory cap on coal use, the main source of carbon pollution from fossil fuels. But it would be an adjustable ceiling that would allow coal consumption to grow for years, and policy makers are at odds on how long the nation’s emissions will rise. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/world/asia/chinese-plan-to-reduce-coal-use-could-allow-increases-for-years.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSumSmallMediaHigh&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news What Do Chinese Dumplings Have to Do With Global Warming? ‘In Sichuan, we’re eaters,” said Chen Zemin, the world’s first and only frozen-dumpling billionaire. “We have an expression that goes, ‘Even if you have a very poor life, you still have your teeth to please.’ ” He smiled and patted his not insubstantial belly. “I like to eat.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/magazine/what-do-chinese-dumplings-have-to-do-with-global-warming.html?_r=0 Hot weather prompts bad-air warning. Soaring temperatures across the Bay Area have prompted air quality regulators to issue a Spare the Air Alert for Friday. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is advising residents to avoid prolonged outdoor activity during the hottest parts of the day. Agency officials also are urging people to carpool or take public transportation to reduce the number of smog-producing cars on the road. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Hot-weather-prompts-bad-air-warning-5645173.php http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/SF-Bay-Area-officials-issue-air-quality-alert-5646388.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/25/6582062/sf-bay-area-officials-issue-air.html##storylink=cpy http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26210064/Bay-Area-Spare-the-Air-alert-issued-for-Friday http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/25/sf-bay-area-officials-issue-air-quality-alert/ Fairbanks pollution initiative to appear on ballot. Enough signatures have been gathered for a ballot initiative seeking to renew a law barring the Fairbanks North Star Borough from regulating home heating devices. The "Home Heating Protection Initiative" will appear on the municipal ballot in October. It's the third in a series of initiatives that have barred the borough from imposing regulations on home heating devices since 2010…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Fairbanks-pollution-initiative-to-appear-on-ballot-5644125.php EPA awards grant for native indoor air pollution study. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the award of a new grant to measure the effects of indoor pollution on native subsistence hunters in subarctic North America. The $700,000 (£411,413) Science to Achieve Results grant has been awarded to Richard Peltier, health scientist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences. Posted. http://www.envirotech-online.com/news/air-monitoring/6/breaking_news/epa_awards_grant_for_native_indoor_air_pollution_study/31092/ Indoor air purifier company fined $120,000 by ARB for illegal product sales. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) announced today that it has fined a manufacturer of indoor air cleaning machines $120,000 for violating state regulations that applied to two of its products. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/indoor-air-purifier-company-fined-120-000-by-arb-for-illegal-product-sales CLIMATE CHANGE Obama to attend UN climate summit in September. President Barack Obama will attend a United Nations summit on climate change in September. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has invited heads of state and other leaders to the Sept. 23 summit in New York. The U.N. says the goal is to spur governments, industry and civil groups to make new commitments to addressing climate change. Posted. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/obama-attend-un-climate-summit-september OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Obama-to-attend-UN-climate-summit-in-September-5646916.php Climate Change May Reduce Corn, Wheat Crop Yields. Rising temperatures caused by climate change increase the odds that corn and wheat yields will slow even as global demand for the crops for food and fuel increases in the next 10 to 20 years, according to a study published in Environmental Research Letters. There is as much as a 10 percent chance the rate of corn yields will slow and a 5 percent probability for wheat because of human-caused climate change…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-25/climate-change-may-reduce-corn-wheat-crop-yields.html Kudzu That Ate U.S. South Heads North as Climate Changes. As the climate warms, the vine that ate the U.S. South is starting to gnaw at parts of the North, too. Kudzu, a three-leafed weed first planted in the U.S. more than 100 years ago for the beauty of its purple blossoms, has been spotted in every county in Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina. It chokes young trees, brings down power lines and infests abandoned homes. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-25/kudzu-that-ate-u-s-south-heads-north-as-climate-changes.html El Nino Seen by Forecasters Weak or Delayed for Months. El Nino will probably develop as a weak event in late summer or early fall in the Northern Hemisphere, according to MDA Weather Services, while Commodity Weather Group LLC said it may be delayed for several months as the warming of the Pacific Ocean slows. Palm oil futures fell. A drier pattern in Southeast Asia and eastern Australia, and lower monsoon rainfall in India are signs of an El Nino-like event…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-25/el-nino-seen-weak-or-delayed-for-several-months-by-forecasters.html States Against E.P.A. Rule on Carbon Pollution Would Gain, Study Finds. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Senator James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma are among the most vocal Republican skeptics of the science that burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming, but a new study to be released Thursday found that their states would be among the biggest economic winners under a regulation proposed by President Obama to fight climate change. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/us/states-against-epa-rule-on-carbon-pollution-would-gain-study-finds.html?_r=0 Study casts doubt on rate of Antarctic sea ice growth. A new study suggests that scientists must re-examine records that show increases in Antarctic sea ice since 1979. Researchers found that something changed in the way satellite data get converted into ice cover, but they can't yet identify the exact nature of the change, or whether it fixed a problem or introduced one. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/24/6580855/study-casts-doubt-on-rate-of-antarctic.html##storylink=cpy Brown to sign climate pact with Mexico, with linkage on the table. Gov. Jerry Brown (D) is heading to Mexico next week to sign a climate change agreement that will call for some sort of linkage between the two jurisdictions, according to a document detailing part of the agenda. Brown is scheduled to sign the memorandum of understanding in Mexico City on Monday with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, as part of a three-day trip also dealing with energy and trade issues. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003498/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY White House report shows drop in greenhouse gas emissions. Federal agencies have continued to cut their greenhouse gas emissions over the past year, according to a new White House report released today. Agencies across the federal government have reduced emissions by more than 17 percent since 2008. In addition, more than 9 percent of electricity used by the government came from renewable power…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003527/print BY SUBSCRIPITON ONLY Global warming found not to drive tropical soil carbon into the atmosphere – study. Contrary to popular belief, climate warming does not cause the carbon trapped in soil -- found in tropical forests, at least -- to enter the atmosphere at an accelerated rate. While it is true that the planet's soil releases about 60 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year, many short-term studies claim that rising temperatures will increase this process and, in turn, speed up global warming. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003500/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Researchers trace ancient 'tipping points' that could warn of future climate shifts. At the end of the last Ice Age 18,000 years ago, the Northern Hemisphere transitioned rapidly into a new climate state. Glaciers retreated and the world warmed, and by 11,500 years ago, the planet had entered the constant summer of today's Holocene Epoch. Right before this shift, there may have been a warning sign that the planet was hitting a tipping point into a warmer state. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003495/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Satellites show major Southwest groundwater loss. Groundwater losses from the Colorado River basin appear massive enough to challenge long-term water supplies for the seven states and parts of Mexico that it serves, according to a new study released Thursday that used NASA satellites. Researchers from NASA and the University of California, Irvine say their study is the first to quantify how much groundwater people in the West are using during the region's current drought. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_COLORADO_BASIN_SHRINKING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-07-24-17-49-50 California Tries to Measure Water Use as Drought Worsens. State and local officials in California are struggling to track water use as Governor Jerry Brown calls for a 20 percent drop in consumption to alleviate a record drought. The State Water Resources Control Board, for instance, reported usage in Santa Ana soared 63.6 percent in May from the average of corresponding months in 2011-2013, while the city said the increase was 7 percent. Posted. Fire season in West so far is below expectations. Widespread drought across the West had forecasters expecting an above-average wildfire season this summer, which so far has not lived up to expectations. U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said Wednesday that the hot windy weather known as "red flag" days have not lined up with the lighting strikes that start most fires, particularly in drought-parched California. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/24/6578607/fire-season-in-west-so-far-is.html##storylink=cpy California to water-wasters during drought: no more Mr. Nice Guy! As the California drought grinds through its third year, it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy as far as the government goes. After last month’s news that the New Year’s call by Gov. Jerry Brown (D) for a voluntary 20 percent cutback actually yielded a 1 percent increase in water use statewide by June, California took the unprecedented action of imposing a mandatory requirement that all 440 of the state’s major water districts implement drought response plans as of Aug. 1 Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2014/0724/California-to-water-wasters-during-drought-no-more-Mr.-Nice-Guy FUELS Gasoline prices falling in California, across nation. California gasoline prices are falling, welcome news for motorists amid the summer driving season. The average price for a gallon of unleaded regular fell below $4 Friday for the first time since April 1, according to price-tracking website GasBuddy.com. Friday’s average of $3.998 a gallon compares with a recent high of $4.264 on May 1. “You might not go back above $4 this year,” said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst for GasBuddy. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-prices-20140725-story.html Industry Vows to Fight U.S. City’s Ban on Canadian Oil Sands. Why Canada Would Rather Export Oil Than Refine It. Many residents of South Portland, Maine, were ecstatic over a recent decision by the city council to forbid the use of the city's facilities to export Canadian oil sands. The council voted 6-1 on July 21 against allowing the use of the 236-mile Portland-Montreal Pipe Line to ship the Canadian oil to South Portland for export. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Industry-Vows-to-Fight-U-S-City-s-Ban-on-5643718.php California Energy Commission selects 11 advanced biofuels projects for $43.6M in awards. The California Energy Commission (CEC) has selected 11 biofuel projects projects—including gasoline substitutes, diesel substitutes and biomethane projects—for $43,633,421 in awards under a grant solicitation released in January for the development of new, or the modification of, existing California-based biofuel production facilities that can sustainably produce low carbon transportation fuels. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/07/20140725-cec.html Ethanol producer to integrate renewable diesel production from corn distiller oil. Ethanol producer East Kansas Agri-Energy LLC (EKAE) intends to integrate renewable diesel production at its ethanol plant in Garnett, Kansas. Renewable diesel will be made from the corn distillers oil (CDO) already produced at the plant along with other feedstocks purchased on the market. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/07/20140725-ekae.html For energy-producing states, shifts in domestic fuel use could be the biggest impact of the Clean Power Plan. States that pay the highest abatement costs under U.S. EPA's new power plant carbon rule may actually emerge as economic winners once upstream impacts are accounted for, according to a new joint analysis by the Rhodium Group (RHG) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In the month and a half since EPA first released a draft version of its Clean Power Plan (CPP)…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003497/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EPA IG may have strengthened agency's hand on methane regulation. A report released today by U.S. EPA's inspector general may help pave the way for methane regulations for natural gas pipelines. The agency's IG found that EPA is doing too little to limit methane leakage from the natural gas transmission sector, which it estimated to contribute more than 13 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent each year. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003534/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Sales of Big S.U.V.s Pulling the Weight at General Motors. When the redesigned 2015 Chevrolet Suburban started coming off the assembly line this year, Mike Quinto made sure he was one of the first to buy one, ordering it, sight unseen, two months ahead of time. Mr. Quinto, a technology consultant from Blowing Rock, N.C., is well aware that the fuel economy of his four-wheel-drive Suburban, a large sport utility vehicle, is low, officially rated at a combined 18 miles a gallon. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/business/sales-of-big-suvs-pulling-the-weight-at-general-motors.html?_r=1 Nissan will offer free charging to new Leaf electric car buyers. Taking a cue from Tesla Motors, which provides the owners of its cars a network of free charging stations nationwide, Nissan is launching a similar program for drivers of its Leaf electric vehicle. Starting in August, Los Angeles area Leaf buyers will get a card that pays for two years of no-cost public charging at hundreds of stations. The car includes access to fast chargers that can recharge a Leaf battery to 80% power in about 30 minutes. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-nissan-leaf-free-charging-20140723-story.html Changing human behavior is major factor in selling cleaner cars, curbing congestion. Henry Ford's vision to create cars "for the great multitude" has been far better received than anyone could have imagined. More than a century since the Model T was introduced, global demand for personal vehicles is stronger than ever, particularly in the developing world, where people want cars for improved mobility and as status symbols. But as car culture spreads, vehicles are clogging up city streets and threatening the planet with harmful emissions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003467/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY China pushes harder to boost electric car sales. China this week issued a new guideline on how it plans to add more electric vehicles and other green models on the road, reviving the hope that clean car producers will see a long-awaited sales surge in the world's largest auto market. In a statement posted on its website, the State Council, or China's Cabinet, laid out an extensive list of objectives to achieve by 2020, including speeding up green transit in public transportation…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003494/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL High-speed rail Pacheco Pass route upheld by appeals court. A state appeals court on Thursday upheld a proposed route for California's high-speed rail line connecting the San Francisco Bay Area to the Central Valley. The decision is a short-term win for Gov. Jerry Brown, who has prioritized the $68-billion project that has become bogged down by legal and regulatory challenges. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/california-high-speed-rail/ci_26211208/high-speed-rail-pacheco-pass-route-upheld-by?source=rss GREEN ENERGY German Utilities Bail Out Electric Grid at Wind’s Mercy. Germany’s push toward renewable energy is causing so many drops and surges from wind and solar power that the government is paying more utilities than ever to help stabilize the country’s electricity grid. Twenty power companies including Germany’s biggest utilities, EON SE and RWE AG, now get fees for pledging to add or cut electricity within seconds to keep the power system stable…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-24/german-utilities-bail-out-electric-grid-at-wind-s-mercy.html State Department Names Acting Energy Envoy. Amos Hochstein Takes Post at Critical Time for Obama's Energy Diplomacy. The State Department on Friday named Amos Hochstein as acting special envoy and coordinator for international energy affairs, filling the position at a critical time for the Obama administration's energy diplomacy efforts. The State Department's Bureau of Energy Resources, which Mr. Hochstein will now lead…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/state-department-names-new-energy-envoy-1406299086#printMode New technologies await 'discussions' to extend U.S.-China partnership. The U.S. government may be a few months away from renewing a $150 million clean energy research partnership with China, according to a senior U.S. adviser on the program, and he suggested that researchers on both sides of the Pacific have a strong idea about what they would want to spend the new funds on. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003499/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.K. announces cap of £200M to renewable energy subsidies. In a move that frustrated green energy advocates and small businesses in the industry, the United Kingdom's government announced yesterday it would cap subsidies for renewable energy projects at £200 million ($340 million) a year. The decision will affect low-scale renewable energy initiatives, such as wind, solar and biomass installations, and the funding will be available under…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/07/25/stories/1060003471 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Diversity in U.S. power supply poised to fall, and that could drive prices up – study. The United States is heading toward a less diverse supply of electricity in a shift that could stir volatility in the coming decades, according to a new report from IHS Inc. Factors behind the trend include proposed environmental regulations, a preference for natural gas and renewable energy over other sources and lower wholesale power prices, IHS said in a news release yesterday. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060003501/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS San Pedro butane storage company agrees to pay $260,000 fine to EPA. The operator of a large butane storage site in San Pedro that has long drawn complaints from residents has agreed to pay a $260,000 fine for safety and inspection lapses at the facility, federal environmental officials announced Thursday. Rancho LPG Holdings LLC, the owner of two liquid petroleum tanks that can hold up to 25 million gallons of flammable substances…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-storage-tank-fine-20140725-story.html OPINIONS COLUMN-Time to be afraid - preparing for the next big solar storm: Kemp. The probability of a solar storm striking Earth in the next decade with enough force to do serious damage to electricity networks could be as high as 12 percent, according to solar scientists. One such storm erupted from the surface of the Sun two years ago, on July 23, 2012. If it had been directed at this planet, it would have produced the worst geomagnetic storm in more than four centuries and caused extensive power problems. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/07/25/electricity-solarstorms-kemp-idINL6N0PZ5D120140725 Robert Rubin: How ignoring climate change could sink the U.S. economy. Good economic decisions require good data. And to get good data, we must account for all relevant variables. But we’re not doing this when it comes to climate change — and that means we’re making decisions based on a flawed picture of future risks. While we can’t define future climate-change risks with precision, they should be included in economic policy, fiscal and business decisions because of their potential magnitude. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/robert-rubin-how-ignoring-climate-change-could-sink-the-us-economy/2014/07/24/b7b4c00c-0df6-11e4-8341-b8072b1e7348_story.html A Carbon Tax’s Ignoble End. Why Tony Abbott Axed Australia’s Carbon Tax. It will be remembered as one of the most ignoble moments in our history: On July 17, Australia became the first country to repeal a carbon tax. The deputy leader of the Greens Party, Adam Bandt, said it was “the Australian Parliament’s asbestos moment, our tobacco moment — when we knew what we were doing was harmful, but went ahead and did it anyway.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/opinion/julia-baird-why-tony-abbott-axed-australias-carbon-tax.html Dan Walters Daily: Rising costs undermine California cap-and-trade. (VIDEO) Consumers support California's efforts to combat climate change until it hits their pocketbooks, Dan says. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/25/6581209/dan-walters-daily-rising-costs.html##storylink=cpy Genesis finds its groove. Pop a few buttons off most provocatively dressed Hyundais, and you will find four-cylinder hearts born to be mild. Like a few big-city strutters you've known, they promise more than they can deliver. (I keep a tattered court document in a bottom drawer to remind me of mine.) In fact, take a typical Hyundai to a wild party and it will doze off in the parking lot by 9 o'clock, probably dreaming of growing up to be a Lexus. Don't get me wrong. Hyundais can comfortably transport us to a glassy office or a table at a local burger joint. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/25/6582041/genesis-finds-its-groove.html##storylink=cpy Win some, lose some. Re "Australia scuttles tax on carbon emissions" (Page A9, July 18): This is a defeat for efforts to combat climate change. What happened? This was not a simple carbon tax where all revenue collected was returned to Australian households. Thus, the average Australian saw increased energy costs with no direct compensation for these costs. Also, The tax was strongly opposed by the conservative party and when it returned to power it immediately sought the repeal of the tax. Posted. here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/24/6566323/win-some-lose-some.html##storylink=cpy The records keep coming. Re "State's on a warming trend in 2014" (Capitol & California, July 22): The records keep coming. NOAA announced that global average temperature reached a new high in the month of May and then again in June. The National Weather Service reported that the first six months of this year were the hottest in California history. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/24/6574521/the-records-keep-coming.html##storylink=cpy EarthTalk / Another result of climate change: Wildfires. Dear EarthTalk: Why are wildfires on the increase and what can be done to stop them from happening? There's no question that wildfires are on the increase across the American West and other fire-prone regions of the world, and most environmental leaders agree that global warming is largely to blame. In a recent study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EarthTalk-Another-result-of-climate-change-5645330.php [Editorial] Don’t let big business ruin efforts to cap carbon emissions. Greenhouse gas emission trading, the key program for responding to climate change by reducing carbon emissions, is running into trouble at the very outset. On July 15, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and other business lobbyists suggested delaying the implementation of the new system until after 2020. Posted. http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_editorial/648581.html BLOGS This animation shows how awful the California drought is this year. For the first time since 2000, air pollution is not the top environmental concern among Californians, according to a Public Policy Institute of California survey. It’s water. A full 35 percent of the survey’s respondents cited drought or water supply as their top environmental concern in response to an open-ended question, PPIC reported this week. That’s up from 8 percent just three years ago. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/07/25/this-animation-shows-how-awful-the-california-drought-is-this-year/ More Americans working in solar than coal mining. In a report issued in May 2013 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics sites data that estimated slightly over 80,000 jobs for all occupations within the coal-mining industry. A 2013 report from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration cited 123,227 jobs in coal mining. The Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census 2013 sites data that shows as of November 2013 the solar industry employed 142,698 Americans. Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/lawrencewhite/more-americans-working-in-solar-than-coal-mining/2046/ California GOP turns on climate change law. If you want a sense of how politicized the fight against global warming has become, look no farther than the latest poll from the Public Policy Institute of California. Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/energy/2014/07/24/california-gop-turns-on-climate-change-law/ The Dark Side Of Solar Energy: Weaponry. Panic struck late medieval Europe. The Muslims were on the verge of producing, according to one of the most learned men of the day, Roger Bacon, the ultimate doomsday device, a solar mirror that “would burn fiercely everything on anything it could be focused upon.” “Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/07/25/dark-side-solar-energy-weaponry/ How an Island-City Plans to Hold Back Rising Seas. I’m on the east side of Alameda Island, standing in mud in front of a storm drain that empties out into San Leandro Bay. There’s a stretch of homes right on the shoreline looking out at estuaries, the Oakland Airport, and Coliseum. The waterline isn’t quite at my feet right now, but in less than a century I’d likely be standing in water up to my shoulders. Posted. http://newamericamedia.org/2014/07/how-an-island-city-plans-to-hold-back-rising-seas.php On climate change, Republicans are even more backward than oil companies. Ask your average liberal or environmentalist to name the primary impediment to action on climate change, and the response will probably be: “Easy. It’s the fossil fuel industry.” It’s not that easy, however. The fossil fuel companies are actually more accepting of climate reality than virtually every Republican in Congress. Posted. http://grist.org/politics/on-climate-change-republicans-are-even-more-backward-than-oil-companies/ Big Polluters Cry Wolf Over EPA Plan to Protect Health and Fight Climate Change. Next week the Environmental Protection Agency will host four public hearings on its plan to reduce climate change pollution from power plants. The speakers list is already filling up. Physicians will outline the health hazards linked to climate change. Farmers will talk about the challenges of raising crops in the face of extreme weather. And governors and mayors will describe the benefits of attracting clean energy investment to their communities. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frances-beinecke/big-polluters-cry-wolf-ov_b_5620690.html Drive an EV and you, too, can pay the equivalent of 75 cents a gallon. One in six households can party like it's 1979 by purchasing a plug-in vehicle. Add a thumpin' sound system to that vehicle and you can celebrate by pumping out an appropriate hit from that year, too. We think Chic's Good Times would be appropriate. Thanks to special rates for households with battery-electric of plug-in hybrid vehicles, about 21 million households (a sixth of the country's total)…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/25/drive-ev-pay-equivalent-of-75-cents-a-gallon/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:19:07 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 28, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 28, 2014. 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 Japan, Mexico sign carbon trade deal. Japan and Mexico have signed a deal for Japanese companies to earn carbon credits by investing in technology to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Mexico - in Japan's 12th bilateral carbon agreement. The programme, known as the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), lets companies in Japan, the world's fifth-biggest greenhouse gas emitter, use lower-cost emission cuts abroad to help meet domestic targets. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/28/japan-mexico-carbon-idUSL6N0Q32DT20140728 Brown hopes to sell Mexico on following California's green path forward. When California launched its most ambitious effort to combat climate change nearly two years ago, there were fears it would cost workers their jobs and handicap businesses with burdensome regulations. Since then, the state's economy has rebounded from a damaging recession even while operating under tighter restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-pol-brown-mexico-20140727-story.html#page=1 http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/28/tp-brown-kicks-off-mexico-climate-and-trade/ Like or don’t like EPA’s power-plant rule? Now’s your turn to tell them why. Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are taking their controversial power plant rule to the people this week, with a series of public hearings that could generate 1,600 comments. In a conference call with reporters Monday, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy – who testified before Congress on the rule last week…Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/28/4044114/like-or-dont-like-epas-power-plant.html http://www.modbee.com/2014/07/28/3460926/like-or-dont-like-epas-power-plant.html#storylink=cpy http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-07-28/energy-week-ahead-sold-out-hearings-for-epa-climate-plan Cap-and-trade delay bill a tough sell to governor. A late-in-the-game bill pushed moderate Democrats to delay placing vehicle fuels into the state's controversial cap-and-trade requirements may be a populist measure to mitigate rising gas prices, but likely will be a tough sell to the governor. Beginning Jan. 1, California’s emission control law known as cap-and-trade will include transportation fuel, a policy that may raise gas prices by 12 cents or more. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/07/25/cap-and-trade-delay-bill-a-tough-sell-to-governor.html AIR POLLUTION Judge orders EPA to set standards for 3 toxins. A federal judge ordered U.S. EPA on Friday to set air standards for three hazardous air pollutants, ruling that the agency is long overdue in meeting Clean Air Act requirements. EPA has failed to comply with court orders dating back to 2006 mandating that it set emissions limits after environmentalists challenged it in court, said Judge Paul Friedman for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/28/britain-energy-oil-gas-idUSL6N0Q31BC20140728 Sand fire to cause air quality to worsen today, Sunday. Sacramento-area residents will see a worsening of their air quality this evening due to the effects of the Sand fire that has burned more than 4,000 acres in El Dorado and Amador counties. A high-pressure weather system will bring smoke from the fire into areas west of the timber and grass fire…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/26/6584535/sand-fire-to-cause-air-quality.html Wildfire Smoke Warning: Sand Incident Air Quality Advisory. Some areas of Amador and El Dorado counties are experiencing heavy smoke due to the Sand Incident fire. Amador County Public Health advises community members that air quality may be unsafe for those with sensitive medical conditionsPosted. http://thepinetree.net/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=41525 Air quality alert for the Truckee Meadows. The Washoe District Health Department has issued an air quality alert for the Truckee Meadows after ozone reached a level of unhealthy for sensitive groups. The department recommends people, especially those with lung disease like asthma, reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Fine particulates were moderate early Sunday afternoon. Posted. http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2014/07/27/air-quality-alert-truckee-meadows/13245795/ Sacramento Valley under Spare the Air alert due to ozone. The Sacramento Valley is under a Spare the Air alert because of the ozone. When the air quality forecast reaches 127, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District issues a Spare the Air alert. In order to reduce pollution on spare the air days, residents are encouraged to reduce driving, take public transportation or carpool, and, if possible, work from home. Posted. http://www.news10.net/story/weather/forecast/2014/07/28/spare-the-air-smoke/13239319/ CLIMATE CHANGE 5 things to know about coal trade, global warming. As the Obama administration weans the U.S. off polluting fuels blamed for global warming, energy companies have been sending more of America's unwanted energy leftovers to other parts of the world where they could create even more pollution. Here are five things to know about the issue…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_EXPORTING_POLLUTION_5_THINGS_TO_KNOW_1ST_LD_WRITETHRU?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT AP PHOTOS: Coal-exporting town fights rising seas. Norfolk is trapped between the causes and consequences of global warming. The region exports more coal - and the heat-trapping pollution that comes with it - than any place in the U.S. At the same time, Norfolk is already experiencing one of the fastest rates of sea level rise in the country. Flood walls protect downtown from rising waters. Residents raise houses to escape floods. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_EXPORTING_POLLUTION_PHOTO_GALLERY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Australian Repeal Deals Blow to Global Carbon-Emission Plans. International Coordination on Global Warming Struggles Ahead of Climate-Change Talks. Australia's repeal of a pioneering tax on carbon emissions has dealt a sharp blow to struggling international efforts to coordinate on global warming and comes ahead of key climate-change talks next year. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/australian-repeal-deals-blow-to-global-carbon-emission-plans-1406507851?KEYWORDS=climate+change Energy Week Ahead: Sold-Out Hearings for EPA Climate Plan. The nation gets its chance this week to blast or praise the Environmental Protection Agency’s sweeping plan to cut climate-warming emissions by 2030. Companies, environmental advocates and citizens will sound off at EPA hearings starting tomorrow in Atlanta, Denver and Washington about the 645-page proposal, unveiled two months ago, to limit carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-28/energy-week-ahead-sold-out-hearings-for-epa-climate-plan.html Roadside Land Offers Huge Carbon Storage Potential. As you watch the miles roll by on family road trips this summer, look just behind the guard rails to see what some scientists believe is a significant untapped resource in the battle against climate change. The land alongside the 4 million miles of U.S. public roadways, already being maintained by federal, state, and local governments, could be planted with vegetation that helps transfer carbon from the atmosphere into the soil, they say. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/roadside-land-offers-huge-carbon-storage-potential_68695417 Win-Win Way Pinpointed to Aid Food Security & Climate. Imagine being able to contain greenhouse gas emissions, make fertilizer use more efficient, keep water waste to a minimum, and put food on the table for the 10 billion people crowded into the planet's cities, towns and villages by the end of the century. An impossible dream? Not according to Paul West, co-director and lead scientists of the Global Landscapes Initiative at the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/winwin-way-pinpointed-to-aid-food-security-amp-climate_58102684 Canada’s Cities Lead on Climate Action. Amid the dire warnings about global warming’s impacts, what’s often overlooked is that actions to reduce or prevent them will lead to livable communities, improved air quality, protection of natural spaces, and greater economic efficiency, to name just a few benefits. So it’s not surprising that tangible positive action on climate change is happening in Canada’s cities. Posted. http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/817792-canadas-cities-lead-on-climate-action/ Rising temperatures, ozone spell trouble for key food crops. Global warming and smoggy air will likely make it more difficult to feed a growing population, according to a new study led by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The interactions between a warming world and ground-level ozone threaten supplies of rice, wheat, corn and soy, the study found. Climate change by itself may reduce crop yields by 10 percent by 2050…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003611/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California Marinas Docked by Drought. Dry Spell Brings Hard Times to State's Lake and River Tourism Industry. California's relentless drought is beginning to dry up revenue in its popular lake and river tourism industry. Marinas and boat ramps across the state are turning away customers, and even spots where water is still relatively plentiful say visitors are staying away, assuming things are worse than they are. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/california-marinas-docked-by-drought-1406504303 California officials admit they have incomplete water usage data. When state regulators tried to tally water use across California recently, they didn't exactly get a flood of cooperation. Of the 440 water agencies in the state, only 276 provided water consumption data. And officials in San Diego made a point of formally refusing the request, saying the state's method for measuring water use in California's second-largest city was "misleading and technically inappropriate." Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-water-use-war-20140727-story.html The Public Eye: Voluntary water conservation not effective, data show. Voluntary conservation measures are not reliably saving water during the worst drought to hit California in a generation, according to data from water agencies across the state. Only mandatory conservation rules, backed by a threat of fines, seem to prompt consumers to save. California water agencies with mandatory rules alone used 5 percent less water from January through May this year…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/28/6586310/voluntary-water-conservation-not.html#storylink=cpy Pass law to regulate diminishing California groundwater. Water fights in California are usually about how to take more water rather than about how to conserve what we have, so it is no surprise that the state does not regulate groundwater pumping. Why invest in efficient water-use technology when you can stick your drinking straw into your neighbors' wells without consequence? A third year of drought has changed that thinking. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Pass-law-to-regulate-diminishing-California-5647756.php California drought: As land sinks, farmers' brainstorm on water. Case Vlot pulls up groundwater through deep wells to keep his corn and alfalfa crops alive. Chase Hurley runs a water company nearby that sells river water to farmers who can't depend on wells. Normally the two would rarely talk to each other. But that was before the drought, and before the land began to sink beneath their feet. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-drought-As-land-sinks-farmers-5649466.php Drought fight brings incentives, enforcement. “Beer without water is very crunchy.” That slogan appears on the back of the latest craft-beer map from the San Diego Brewers Guild and is the latest attempt to reach residents who might not be thinking about the drought gripping California. A survey this spring by the San Diego County Water Authority found that adults 18 to 34 were significantly less aware of the ongoing drought than those 55 or older. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/27/drought-enforcement-incentive/all/?print California agencies can’t say if they are meeting water conservation goals. The sprinklers outside the California’s state Capitol are off and the lawn is withering, the lemon- and cucumber-infused “water stations” at the state pension building are gone, and prison inmates are taking shorter showers while campers at some popular parks can’t take them at all. Posted. http://www.dailybulletin.com/environment-and-nature/20140727/california-agencies-cant-say-if-they-are-meeting-water-conservation-goals Does Brazilian Deforestation. Drive Drought In The United States? California regulators overseeing the state’s cap-and-trade program now have one more reason to recognize offsets generated by saving endangered rainforest in Latin America. On Monday, they learned that the destruction of trees in the Amazon rainforest will probably slash rainfall in the United States, depriving drought-choked California of even more drinking water. Posted. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10465§ion=news_articles&eod=1 FUELS Not in my backyard: US sending dirty coal abroad. As the Obama administration weans the U.S. off dirty fuels blamed for global warming, energy companies have been sending more of America's unwanted energy leftovers to other parts of the world where they could create even more pollution. This fossil fuel trade threatens to undermine President Barack Obama's strategy for reducing the gases blamed for climate change and reveals a little-discussed side effect of countries acting alone on a global problem. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_EXPORTING_POLLUTION_ABRIDGED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Survey: US gas prices fall 9 cents to $3.58. A national survey finds the average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline has plummeted 9 cents a gallon over the past two weeks to $3.58. That's the largest drop this year. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said Sunday the decrease came despite a rise in crude-oil prices. Lundberg says U.S. refiners, enjoying plentiful supplies, aggressively cut wholesale prices to chase sales. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAS_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT US exports help Germany increase coal, pollution. One of Germany's newest coal-fired power plants rises here from the banks of a 100-year-old canal that once shipped coal mined from the Ruhr Valley to the world. Now the coal comes the other way. The 750-megawatt Trianel Kohlekraftwerk Luenen GmbH & Co. power plant relies completely on coal imports, about half from the U.S. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_EXPORTING_POLLUTION_OPTIONAL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/US-exports-help-Germany-increase-coal-pollution-5650695.php Britain reopens way for fracking. Energy firms will be able to bid for licenses Monday to explore for shale gas in Britain, three years after the controversial fracking process caused seismic tremors which led the government to suspend operations. Business and Energy Minister Matthew Hancock said shale gas has the potential to increase the country's energy supply but stressed national parks will be protected. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_FRACKING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/28/britain-energy-oil-gas-idUSL6N0Q31BC20140728 EPA Should Check up on Leaky Methane Pipelines: Inspector General. Leaking pipelines were responsible for $192 million worth of lost natural gas in 2011, and a voluntary Environmental Protection Agency program to reduce methane leaks has only provided limited emissions reductions, the Inspector General said in a report. The Inspector General's July 25 report, “Improvements Needed in EPA Efforts to Address Methane Emissions >From Natural Gas Distribution Pipelines,” also found the emissions factors…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-28/epa-should-check-up-on-leaky-methane-pipelines-inspector-general.html Could higher prices fueled by exports drive down the cost of gasoline? Freer crude oil exports from the United States would harm some refineries but would likely lower fuel prices for consumers, a government economist asserts in an assessment published last week. The oil and gas industry in Texas is continuing to feel the effects of the shale boom as civil unrest in Eastern Europe and the Middle East help to keep international oil prices above $100 per barrel despite a production glut. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060003592/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES BMW to Expand Electric-Car Fast Charging. Two New Attacks Aimed at Removing Major Obstacle to Cars' Adoption. BMW AG is launching two new attacks on one of the biggest obstacles to broader acceptance of electric cars such as its i3 model: the lack of fast recharging stations. The company plans to announce today a deal with NRG Energy Inc. to allow owners of BMW i3 electric cars to recharge their batteries for free through 2015…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/bmw-launches-new-ways-to-recharge-electric-car-batteries-1406556001#printMode Touring the highway on hydrogen can be fuelish adventure. Most currently available electric vehicles are predictably shaped. They’re small, egg like, efficient. Out of necessity, they’re hardly the epitome of utilitarianism or grand style. That’s one of the reasons hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are so attractive. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fuel-629900-hydrogen-cell.html GREEN ENERGY Yingli Green Energy Faces Tariffs, Committed to U.S. Solar Market. Chinese Solar Equipment Maker Will Face Preliminary Antidumping Tariff of 42.33% on Certain Solar Module Imports. Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. YGE -2.86% Ltd. said Monday that it is still committed to the U.S. solar market, even though the company will be subject to hefty antidumping tariffs. Last week, the U.S. Commerce Department said Yingli Green and other companies shipped billions worth of solar equipment to the U.S. at unfairly low prices last year…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/yingli-green-energy-faces-tariffs-committed-to-u-s-solar-market-1406551704?KEYWORDS=energy China Criticizes U.S. Move on Solar-Equipment Imports. Commerce Ministry Says Washington Ignored 'Facts and Laws' in Plan to Close Loophole. China on Monday hit back at the U.S. for taking another step to close a loophole that allowed some Chinese solar-equipment makers to avoid tariffs. China's Ministry of Commerce, citing an official it didn't identify, said the U.S. ignored "facts and laws" related to the "rules of origin" for trade. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/china-criticizes-u-s-move-to-close-loophole-on-solar-equipment-imports-1406534965#printMode . REGION: Solar sweet spot. Donald Schroth’s last electric bill seemed more like a savings account. The statement said Riverside’s electric utility owed him a $9.11 credit for the month of June, thanks to the $28,000 rooftop solar system he had installed last year. “It’s going to help the environment as well as help me. I have no regrets,” said the retired Riverside Community College maintenance worker. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/solar-698023-system-home.html Powering California with Wind, Water, and Sun. Imagine a smog-free Los Angeles, where electric cars ply silent freeways, solar panels blanket rooftops, and power plants run on heat from beneath the earth, from howling winds and from the blazing desert sun. A new Stanford study finds that it is technically and economically feasible to convert California’s all-purpose energy infrastructure to one powered by clean, renewable energy. Posted. http://www.pcbdesign007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=102130 L.A. utility gets more local solar by linking it to $1.1B project. A Los Angeles utility has a new approach to getting more small-scale solar added in the city, one that solar and energy experts said appears to be unique in the state. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), in a project that just launched, made development of local power a requirement to win a contract for a more lucrative deal. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003584/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Could Calif. run on 100% renewables? Some researchers think so. Among all the states that have mandated renewable energy targets, California leads the pack. Under the Global Warming Solutions Act -- signed into law by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) in 2006 -- the state must receive 33 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2020 and lower its emissions by 80 percent, relative to 1990 levels, by 2050. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003558/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Students grow a bond with nature through environmental internship. Where the Los Angeles River's concrete channels give way to soft riverbed, hawks, swifts and warblers fly overhead while ibises, owls and larks glide by once in a while. On Friday morning, a different species appeared: students kayaking through the water. Three weeks ago, six Environmental Charter High School students abandoned their native urban home of Lawndale for the Santa Rosa Plateau to be immersed in nature. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-leaf-internship-20140727-story.html OPINIONS California's Climate-Change Denial. Californians want "clean" energy, they just don't want to pay more for it—and many don't think they'll have to. That's the takeaway from a new Public Policy Institute of California survey gauging support for policies to counter climate change. Roughly two-thirds of Californians back the 2006 law AB32, which seeks to cut the state's carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/political-diary-californias-climate-change-denial-1406317447?KEYWORDS=climate+change California drought requires urgent action. If California and much of the West is suffering from severe drought, then why have the responses to it been weak and largely ineffective? The answers are as complicated as California's water system itself, with our wildly diverse sources and uses of water, prices and water rights, institutions, and more. But here are some observations. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-drought-requires-urgent-action-5647754.php BLOGS This animation shows how awful the California drought is this year. For the first time since 2000, air pollution is not the top environmental concern among Californians, according to a Public Policy Institute of California survey. It’s water. A full 35 percent of the survey’s respondents cited drought or water supply as their top environmental concern in response to an open-ended question, PPIC reported this week. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/07/25/this-animation-shows-how-awful-the-california-drought-is-this-year/ Plug-In Potential: Why Daimler Is Bullish on Electric Cars in China. China appears to be running behind in its goal of becoming a major market for electric cars. The government set a target of having 500,000 plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles on the road by next year and five million by 2020. Yet sales of new-energy vehicles reached only 17,642 units last year—a tiny fraction of the 18 million passenger cars sold. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/07/28/plug-in-potential-why-daimler-is-bullish-on-electric-cars-in-china/?KEYWORDS=energy U.S. Coal Exports Eroding Domestic Greenhouse Gains. A comprehensive and sobering Associated Press story by Dina Cappiello provides a valuable update on how United States policies promoting exports of coal are undercutting domestic efforts to restrict emissions of carbon dioxide, the heat-trapping gas released when fossil fuels are burned. This is hardly a surprise given past reporting on this issue, and a long history of such seemingly conflicting policies. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/28/u-s-coal-exports-eroding-domestic-greenhouse-gains/?src=twr&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar What ‘The Leftovers’ Says About Climate Change. The new HBO series “The Leftovers” is about what happens after 2 percent of humanity simply vanishes from the earth (this is not really a spoiler; however, some follow). This event has obvious religious connotations, which the show explores. But the story may have secular implications, too…Posted. http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/what-the-leftovers-says-about-climate-change/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Cadillac ELR next EV to get Plugless Power wireless charging tech. Evatran has been testing its Plugless Power wireless charging systems for electric vehicles in the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf for years now and made the tech commercially available early this year. With the growth of the EV market, Evatran is getting ready to expand as well. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/28/cadillac-elr-next-to-get-wireless-charging/ Earth Log: One more time -- how did they figure 110 million miles a day? I heard from enough people. So I did it again. I asked how the state calculates the 110 million miles that are supposedly driven daily in the San Joaquin Valley. Perhaps unwisely, I wrote about all those miles last week. The 110 million miles per day is in the state's 2013 air-quality almanac of emissions. I thought it might be a nice way to get your attention to discuss ozone. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/28/4044131/one-more-time-how-did-they-figure.html?sp=/99/406/ Government Has an Essential Role in Oil Refinery Safety and the Environment. As a chemical engineer who worked for 37 years in the oil industry, I believe we need stronger federal regulation of hazardous air pollutants to insure the health and safety of workers and citizens in the vicinity of all U.S. refining facilities. While some refiners have instituted best practices, many are not yet creating an environmental-awareness culture…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-levy/government-has-an-essenti_b_5627163.html 6 Nearly Living Architectural Designs That Fight Air Pollution. Getting a breath of fresh air can be a rarity in a city, and construction usually doesn't help. However, there are some buildings — whether already built or only just proposed — that can change the way our environment and infrastructure interact, making the air cleaner in the process. From giant filters to pollution-fighting sidewalks, these buildings and structures are a breath of fresh air in places often overrun with harsh fumes. Posted. http://mashable.com/2014/07/27/pollution-architectural-designs/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 14:52:13 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 29, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 29, 2014. 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. MOU SIGNING: CALIFORNIA SIGNS MOU WITH MEXICO ON CLIMATE CHANGE California and Mexico sign pact to fight climate change. California Governor Jerry Brown and Mexican environmental officials signed a pact on Monday aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, an agreement that could eventually expand the market for carbon credits. The six-page memorandum of understanding calls for cooperation in developing carbon pricing systems and calls on the partners to explore ways to align those systems in the future. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/28/us-climatechange-california-mexico-idUSKBN0FX1XO20140728?feedType=RSS http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ln-climate-change-agreement-mexico-california-jerry-brown-signs-20140728-story.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/28/6588756/jerry-browns-business-ties-trouble.html http://www.businessgreen.com/print_article/bg/news/2357701/california-and-mexico-ink-climate-action-alliance-as-obama-prepares-latest-green-push http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/29/3465239/california-mexico-climate-pact-signing/ http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/california-and-mexico-sign-pact-to-battle-climate-change-20140729-zxwws.html http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=OBR&date=20140728&id=17811779 http://ens-newswire.com/2014/07/28/california-mexico-to-collaborate-on-climate-firefighting/ http://article.wn.com/view/2014/07/28/California_and_Mexico_sign_pact_to_fight_climate_change_s/ http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20140729/california-mexico-ink-deal-combat-climate-change http://newsdaily.com/2014/07/28/california-and-mexico-sign-pact-to-fight-climate-change/ http://www.inlandnewstoday.com/story.php?s=34237 Edición Especial – Cobertura de la gira del gobierno de California en México (Prensa hispana) CAMexicoTrade Spanish Media Coverage Analysis/Summary: Coverage is positive with some articles focusing specifically on signing of MOU and climate change discussions between the two governments. All articles mention climate change discussions as one of the priorities of the trip, however, most of the coverage focuses on the border immigration crisis and Gov. Brown having been critical of deployment of Texas National Guard to its borders. http://spanish.mexico.usembassy.gov/es/spress/mexico-y-california-firman-acuerdo-en-materia-de-cambio-climatico.html http://www.aztecanoticias.com.mx/notas/mexico/197360/mexico-y-california-buscan-hacer-frente-al-cambio-climatico http://www.mimorelia.com/noticias/mexico/colaboraran-estado-de-california-semarnat-y-conafor-en-combate-al-cambio-climatico/145346 http://yucatan.com.mx/mexico/medio-ambiente/mexico-y-california-firman-memorandum-contra-cambio-climatico http://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/mundo/gobernador-de-california-inicia-visita-a-mexico.html http://www.laopinion.com/article/20140728/NEWS/140729346/0/SEARCH http://www.uniradioinforma.com/noticias/mexico/284488/dialogan-pena-nieto-y-gobernador-de-california-sobre-mexicanos-en-eu.html http://www.diariolaestrella.com/2014/07/28/135409/gobernador-de-california-y-canciller.html http://lavoztx.com/news/2014/jul/28/gobernador-de-california-critica-plan-de-texas/ http://www.unotv.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/pena-nieto-y-gobernador-de-california-dialogan-sobre-mexicanos-499815/ http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/elmundo/gobernador-de-california-cuestiona-refuerzo-militar-de-articulo-507229 http://www.voanoticias.com/content/california-jerry-brown-gobernador-visita-enrique-pena-nieto/1966404.html http://www.poblanerias.com/2014/07/mexico-reprueba-uso-de-la-fuerza-para-combatir-la-migracion-infantil/ http://www.noticiassin.com/2014/07/mexico-y-california-afirman-que-la-migracion-infantil-es-un-tema-humano/ http://www.andina.com.pe/Espanol/noticia-mexico-y-california-piden-enfoque-humanitario-para-ninos-migrantes-516649.aspx#.U9fPTfldXTo http://noticias.terra.com.mx/mexico/gobernador-de-california-inicia-visita-a-mexico,2e93941641a77410VgnCLD200000b1bf46d0RCRD.html http://www.caracol.com.co/noticias/internacionales/mexico-y-california-aseguran-que-la-migracion-infantil-es-un-tema-humanitario/20140728/nota/2343214.aspx http://www.telemundo52.com/noticias/Migracion-tema-del-gobernador-de-California-visita-Mexico-268923891.html http://www.sandiegored.com/noticias/55929/Gobernador-de-California-visita-Mexico-y-discute-tema-de-menores-migrantes/ http://www.aztecanoticias.com.mx/notas/mexico/197263/gobernador-de-california-inicia-visita-a-mexico Video http://www.noticiasmundofox.com/videos/gobernador-de-california-inicia-gira-por-mexico-buscando-oportunidades-de-inversion-15095 http://noticias.univision.com/video/487648/2014-07-28/videos/gobernador-de-california-viaja-a-mexico?refPath=/tv/ CLIMATE CHANGE White House Report Presses Economic Case for Carbon Rule. Failing to adequately reduce the carbon pollution that contributes to climate change could cost the United States economy $150 billion a year, according to an analysis by the White House Council of Economic Advisers released on Tuesday. The report is part of the White House’s effort to increase public support for President Obama’s climate-change agenda…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/us/politics/white-house-report-presses-economic-case-for-carbon-rule.html?ref=earth http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0729/White-House-climate-change-report-Act-now-or-pay-later http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003674/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Obama team: Delay in climate rules will hurt economy. The Obama administration released a report early Tuesday saying that a delay in addressing climate change will hurt not only the environment, but the American economy overall. Rising temperatures could wind up costing Americans the equivalent of up to $150 billion a year, said the report from Obama's Council of Economic Advisers. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2014/07/29/obama-climate-change-council-of-economic-advisers/13276591/ Seals Surviving Climate Change Tend to Thrive. Although Antarctic fur seal populations are declining because of climate change, their genetic diversity is increasing. Because of food constraints, seal pups are becoming smaller, researchers report based on 30 years of data. But female pups that manage to survive until motherhood tend to be larger, more fit and more genetically diverse. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/29/science/seals-surviving-climate-change-tend-to-thrive.html?_r=0 General Mills joins climate action coalition. Food maker General Mills has joined a coalition to advocate for climate and clean energy policies. BICEP, or Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy, said Monday that the Minneapolis-based maker of Cheerios, Yoplait and other packaged foods has joined the coalition. General Mills chairman and CEO Ken Powell says the company has long recognized the need to mitigate the risks that climate change presents. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/general-mills-joins-climate-action-coalition_15757299 AIR POLLUTION Clean-air rules assailed as too much, too little. Hundreds of people across the country lined up Tuesday to tell the Environmental Protection Agency that its new rules for power-plant pollution either go too far or not far enough. The agency is holding hearings this week in Atlanta, Denver, Pittsburgh and Washington on President Barack Obama's plan to cut carbon-dioxide emissions by 30 percent by 2030, with 2005 levels as the starting point. The rules are intended to curb global warming. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_CHANGE_EPA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Advocates line up to discuss EPA clean air rules. Hundreds of people will tell the Environmental Protection Agency what they think of proposed rules to cut pollution from power plants during public hearings Tuesday and Wednesday in Denver. With just five minutes each to make their case to the EPA, opponents and supporters also are staging rallies around the city. The EPA is holding hearings this week in Denver, Atlanta…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/advocates-line-up-to-discuss-epa-clean-air-rules_25483424 http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/29/opponents-supporters-to-discuss-clean-air-rules/ http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003676/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Curbing air pollution could help crops thrive. Controlling air pollution could help curb projected declines in global food supplies, a new study says, suggesting policymakers should consider both climate change and ozone pollution in efforts to ensure the world has enough food. Posted. http://www.trust.org/item/20140728133158-po82k/ California Fines Company for Hair Products that Violated Air Pollution Laws. Last month, the California’s Air Resources Board (ARB) announced that a hair products manufacturer has agreed to settle two cases with fines totaling over $362,000. The settlement was the result of violations of air quality laws related to the sale of hair styling products across California. Posted. http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=189369#.U9e7O4WZnAk Sierra Club asks court to force EPA to respond to ozone petition. The Sierra Club wants U.S. EPA to respond to its petition to designate areas of the country that are not meeting the federal ozone standard. The environmental group yesterday asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to compel EPA to answer the petition filed last November. The petition asks EPA to name 57 areas of the country to be in noncompliance with the standard, setting in motion statutory actions to reduce ozone levels. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003692/print BY SUBSCRIPITON ONLY DROUGHT EBMUD deal aims to keep sewage out of San Francisco Bay. In the next two decades or so, the millions of gallons of sewage that flow each year to the San Francisco Bay from antiquated East Bay sewer systems will drop to zero. At least, that's the goal of a sweeping agreement announced Monday requiring the East Bay Municipal Utility District and seven communities it serves, including Oakland and Berkeley, to repair 1,500 miles of pipes over a 21-year period. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Watershed-deal-seeks-to-keep-sewage-out-of-San-5652594.php FUELS Congressional watchdog urges EPA to step up actions on fracking. The Government Accountability Office is calling on the federal Environmental Protection Agency to step up enforcement of water contamination and seismic activity associated with fracking, the high-pressure injection of fluids into wells to extract oil and natural gas. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-epa-fracking-20140728-story.html Industry group challenges Compton fracking moratorium. A California city has joined the ranks of local governments defending their oil and gas regulations against industry heavyweights. The Western States Petroleum Association last week filed a complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court challenging a hydraulic fracturing moratorium in Compton. The group represents oil and gas companies in California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington and Oregon. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2014/07/29/stories/1060003631 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GAO faults EPA oversight of states' oil and gas injection programs. During the recent boom in oil and gas development, U.S. EPA has fallen behind in reviewing and approving state programs to protect drinking water from underground injections, leaving the agency unable to go after violations, a government watchdog said in a report released today. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060003638/ BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Industry group challenges Compton fracking moratorium. A California city has joined the ranks of local governments defending their oil and gas regulations against industry heavyweights. The Western States Petroleum Association last week filed a complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court challenging a hydraulic fracturing moratorium in Compton. The group represents oil and gas companies in California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington and Oregon. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060003631/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Communications platform would link electric cars, utilities. Power companies need some way to talk to the growing number of electric cars plugging into the grid. And it would help if all the cars, and all the companies, spoke the same language. Now, a broad alliance of automakers and utilities plans to create a lingua franca for electric vehicles. Their goal: build a single communications platform that will let utilities glean information from and send commands to electric cars. The benefits could be big. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Communications-platform-would-link-electric-cars-5653959.php#photo-6653748 GREEN ENERGY Exelon Buys 21 Megawatts of Fuel Cells From Bloom Energy. Exelon Corp. (EXC), the largest U.S. producer of nuclear power, agreed to buy fuel-cell power plants with 21 megawatts of capacity that Bloom Energy Corp. plans to install at 75 corporate sites in four states. Commercial customers including AT&T Inc. will purchase the electricity, often at a premium to a utility’s grid price, for each plant’s ability to provide power locally with less pollution and more reliability than the grid, said KR Sridhar, Bloom’s co-founder and chief executive officer. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-29/exelon-buys-21-megawatts-of-fuel-cells-from-bloom-energy.html Renewables have a new spark, if investors stay interested. In the past five years, the renewable energy sector has had to watch billions of dollars flow into midstream oil and gas, thanks to a decades-old tax break and the arrival of shale. But in the last year, some enterprising power companies have come up with a scheme of their own. The "yieldco," as it's informally known, offers a new home for renewable energy power plants, and to investors, it looks a lot like the midstream sector: pure catnip. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060003681/ print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Opinion: Barnidge: Instead of worrying about more water, how about conserving what we have? The way Chris Dundon, Contra Costa Water District's conservation coordinator, tells the story, the customer who called for advice was a transplant from San Francisco with a yard so large it required 28 watering stations. Most were drip irrigation, some were sprinklers, and nearly all were broken. That's what accounted for his enormous water bill. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_26226511/barnidge-instead-worrying-about-more-water-how-about BLOGS California Gov. Brown: Relationship With Rep. McCarthy ‘Needs Further Development. California Gov. Jerry Brown, traveling in Mexico on a trade mission Monday, commenting on his relationship with incoming House majority leader and fellow Californian Rep. Kevin McCarthy, described it as one “that probably needs further development.” The remarks come as the two powerful California politicians stake out positions that are at odds with each other on key policy issues. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/07/28/california-gov-brown-relationship-with-rep-mccarthy-needs-further-development/ Climate change: ‘Nuisance floods’ up in San Francisco. A prolonged shortage of rainfall may be gripping California, but scientists say that localized, coastal flooding has increased dramatically along the shores of San Francisco over the last 50 years. http://blog.sfgate.com/stew/2014/07/28/climate-change-nuisance-floods-up-in-san-francisco/ Climate Change and the American Way. We Americans, myself included, are carefree users of energy. Since the dawn of the Industrial Age, we have enjoyed abundantly available and affordable energy so we're spoiled. Given that, a large degree of apathy towards the climate change crisis is neither unexpected nor intolerable. We want our lights to turn on, our homes to stay cool, and our cars to go, and we don't particularly care how the "sausage" is made. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nick-desai/climate-change-and-the-am_b_5631139.html White House Issues Bold Climate Change Warning. Putting off expensive measures to curb climate change will only cost the United States more in the long run, the White House said on Tuesday in a report meant to bolster a series of actions President Barack Obama has proposed to address global warming. "Each decade we delay acting results in an added cost of dealing with the problem of an extra 40 percent,"…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/29/white-house-climate-change_n_5629366.html Total government incentives in Japan could top $30,000 for hydrogen cars. With the two main Japanese automakers, Toyota and Honda, leading the charge for hydrogen vehicles (along with Korea's Hyundai), we shouldn't be too surprised that the Japanese government is supporting the technology big time. We knew the national government is ready to kick in the equivalent of $20,000 for a new FCV…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/29/total-government-incentives-japan-could-top-30000-hydrogen-car/ BMW's new i DC Fast Charger will give free juice to i3 drivers. >From solar chargeports to the first SAE Combo Fast Charger, BMW is offering or promoting more charging options for the i3 than most people will know what to do with. This is not a bad thing. At the Plug-In 2014 conference happening in San Jose, CA this week, BMW announced a new i DC Fast Charging unit as well as the ChargeNow DC Fast program, which is similar in some ways to Nissan's No Charge To Charge. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/28/bmws-new-i-dc-fast-charger-will-give-free-juice-to-i3-drivers/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 16:29:02 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 30, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 30, 2014. 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 Activist will fight delay of vehicle fuels in cap-and-trade system. Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer, who has pledged to spend $100 million in the midterm elections to push his climate change agenda across the nation, announced Tuesday that he would fight efforts to delay a key element of California's landmark environmental law. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-steyer-20140730-story.html Washington State outlines plans for carbon trading. Governor Jay Inslee prepares second attempt at developing cap and trade scheme in north west state. Washington appears to be the latest US state considering tightening its climate laws, with plans for a cap and trade system released on Monday. A memorandum posted on Governor Jay Inslee’s website says design options on a carbon trading scheme will be presented by the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) later today. Posted. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/07/29/washington-state-outlines-plans-for-carbon-trading#sthash.O7ks0bVU.dpuf CLIMATE CHANGE This Happened While Everybody Was Putting on War Paint for the Obama Climate Hearings. Supporters and foes of President Obama’s climate change policy are airing their thoughts publicly this week during two-day hearings in each of four cities. In Denver yesterday, an opponent called the White House’s proposed power-plant rules “a war on prosperity.” Some supporters by contrast wore “I (heart) Clean Air” T-shirts to the event. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-30/this-happened-while-everybody-was-putting-on-war-paint-for-the-obama-climate-hearings.html Merkel’s Air Travel Funds Green Power From India to China. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s flights around the world helped fund a wind farm on a luxury hotel in India and a biogas plant run by a Chinese beer maker. Germany spent about 9.9 million euros ($13.3 million) from 2008 through 2012 to offset the greenhouse-gas emissions made by the air travel of members of the government and parliament, the government said in a reply to questions from the Green Party. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-29/merkel-s-air-travel-funds-green-power-from-india-to-china.html German Water Supply Threatened as Climate Change Boosts Droughts. German water supplies will become increasingly threatened this century as climate change raises the risk of droughts and water shortages in the country. While Germany is considered water-rich, more water evaporates than falls as rain in the eastern part of the country, according to a report by a German parliamentary committee. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-30/german-water-supply-threatened-as-climate-change-boosts-droughts.html White House Pushes Financial Case for Carbon Rule. Failing to adequately reduce the carbon pollution that contributes to climate change could cost the United States economy $150 billion a year, according to an analysis by the White House Council of Economic Advisers released Tuesday. The report is part of the White House’s effort to increase public support for President Obama’s climate-change agenda, chiefly an Environmental Protection Agency proposal targeting coal-fired power plants…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/us/politics/white-house-report-presses-economic-case-for-carbon-rule.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22}&_r=0 3 advisers to Patrick quit amid energy dispute. Three members of an environmental advisory committee for the Patrick administration resigned Monday in protest of policies they say hinder the state’s goal of significantly cutting the greenhouse gases that cause climate change by the end of the decade. In a letter to officials at the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the members of the Global Warming Solutions Act Implementation Advisory Committee called the…Posted. http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/07/29/environmental-advisers-patrick-administration-resign/vWio5x2NELLsxhMSn3SbwN/story.html Brown follows up Mexico climate pact with another on energy. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed an agreement yesterday with Mexico to promote renewable energy, biofuels and other clean energy technologies. The memorandum of understanding, signed with Mexico's energy secretary, Pedro Joaquín Coldwell, calls for technical cooperation and joint implementation of programs to boost low-carbon energy, biofuels, energy efficiency, energy storage and other emissions-reducing technologies. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003762/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Some lawmakers see limited risk from climate change as White House plows ahead with carbon rules. Opinions split sharply yesterday on whether tackling climate change would help or hurt the economy, but none of the lawmakers at a Senate hearing directly dismissed its scientific underpinnings. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), a candidate in his state's 2015 gubernatorial election, said that many people of different political stripes accept that human activity is affecting the atmosphere. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003763/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate change is among top national security concerns – experts. National security once referred only to the defense against armed conflict. But today, there is substantial evidence that national security is also affected by a variety of climate-induced threats, which are expected to become more severe in the coming decades, government leaders and military experts said yesterday. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003767/print BY SUBSCRIPTON ONLY DROUGHT New statewide water waste prohibitions take effect. It is now illegal for any Californian to hose down a driveway or sidewalk, or allow landscape irrigation to flood off their property. These and other new regulations were approved July 15 by the State Water Resources Control Board in response to the ongoing drought in California. They formally took effect Tuesday after passing a legal review by the state Office of Administrative Law. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/29/6591112/new-statewide-water-waste-prohibitions.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News#storylink=cpy ENVIRONMENT: Agencies accelerate drought response. Leaky and ill-timed sprinklers that send precious fresh water flowing down sidewalks and gutters will be the primary focus of efforts by local agencies to enforce state-ordered conservation that started Tuesday, officials said. Inland water districts are ramping up their drought response plans and considering higher rates on water used for irrigation and swimming pools. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/water-698126-use-state.html FUELS Ethanol producer secures $3M grant. Pacific Ethanol Inc., a Sacramento-based renewable fuels producer with a production plant in Stockton, said it and its research partners had received a $3 million California Energy Commission matching grant to further develop sorghum as a feedstock. Pacific Ethanol is working with sorghum seed producer Chromatin Inc., California State University, Fresno's Center for Irrigation Technology and University of California's Kearney Agricultural Research Center. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140730/A_BIZ/407300309/-1/A_NEWS14 DOE discloses first steps to curb leaks in natural gas systems. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz yesterday announced preliminary initiatives to combat leaks of the potent greenhouse gas methane from pipelines, compressors and other parts of the natural gas distribution infrastructure. The Department of Energy is taking first steps to look into mandatory energy efficiency standards for natural gas compressors, which are devices that compress gas and push it down pipelines. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003765/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Enviro group pushes for third-party sustainability audits. Voluntary third-party certification systems are poised to play a large role in future biofuels markets, the Natural Resources Defense Council predicted in a report yesterday. As advanced biofuels begin to be produced commercially in large facilities, environmentalists, policymakers and fuel purchasers will inevitably ask questions of their environmental footprints, NRDC said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003791/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES UC Davis launches website to compare driving costs of electric vehicles. A new, UC Davis-developed website enables car buyers to weigh the potential costs of operating a plug-in electric vehicle. Tuesday’s launch of the “Electric Vehicle Explorer” site is a collaboration of the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies and the university’s Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Research Center. EV Explorer can be accessed at http://gis.its.ucdavis.edu/evexplorer/. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/29/6590581/uc-davis-launches-website-to-compare.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL California high-speed rail project considering tunnel under San Gabriel Mountains. A tunnel under the San Gabriel Mountains has been added as an alternate route for the $67.6 billion San Francisco-to-Los Angeles high-speed rail train’s Southern California segment connecting Palmdale to Burbank, officials said Monday. The new, more direct corridor, along with the S-shaped alignment proposed in 2007 that roughly follows the 14 Freeway through Santa Clarita…Posted. http://www.dailybulletin.com/article/20140729/NEWS/140729373 http://www.sbsun.com/business/20140729/california-high-speed-rail-project-considering-tunnel-under-san-gabriel-mountains GREEN ENERGY Business-technology group unveils new solar marketplace. Installing solar panels can be a time-consuming, inefficient and frustrating endeavor for businesses to pursue. Companies interested in solar power can be victimized by fly-by-night contractors, while others may not see the long-term benefits on their balance sheets for years to come. A new project unveiled by a business- and technology-oriented pairing -- the Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003760/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS The E.P.A.’s Energy Star Program. Regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program, in 2011, the agency implemented a more rigorous process for protecting the label’s integrity through independent certification requirements for all product categories. Additionally, off-the-shelf verification testing demonstrates a 95 percent compliance rate for Energy Star products. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/opinion/The-EPAs-Energy-Star-Program.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22} Another View: Copper paint rules are reasonable. I would like to set the record straight on inaccuracies and misconceptions in a recent Viewpoints article (“A plan to prevent copper pollution is fatally flawed,” July 19) that takes issue with a water quality regulation issued by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board that would require a reduction in harmful levels of copper discharged to Marina del Rey. A statewide study shows Marina del Rey to have the worst copper pollution of any marina in California…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/30/6588659/another-view-copper-paint-rules.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Ban on fracking would cost jobs. When it comes to oil regulation, California’s rules are the toughest in the nation. One would think that these stringent protections, adopted last year by the Legislature and governor under Senate Bill 4, would be a cause for celebration among the environmental community. But instead of claiming victory, extremists are pushing for energy bans that would make our state more dependent on costly imported oil. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/30/6591089/viewpoints-ban-on-fracking-would.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Oil companies should conserve water, too. The signs of drought are everywhere. Lawns are brown, lakes and reservoirs are low, and hundreds of thousands of acres of croplands lie fallow, threatening farmworkers’ livelihoods. Facing one of the worst droughts in California’s history, cities across the state have instituted mandatory water cutbacks. Communities are capturing and reusing runoff and recycling wastewater with renewed urgency. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/30/6591106/viewpoints-oil-companies-should.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Confused about potential Tesla Gigafactory locations? Here's what we know. Is Sacramento in the race for Tesla's mammoth $5 billion battery factory? It's hard to say. While other potential sites boast of their attributes, Sacramento County has been curiously quiet. The last few weeks have seen competing claims over where Tesla Motors will locate its mammoth $5 billion battery factory, dubbed the Gigafactory. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/blog/morning-roundup/2014/07/confused-about-potential-tesla-gigafactory.html?ana=e_sac_rdup&s=newsletter&ed=2014-07-30&u=48zidwXI73mCj+vn7gp6vA0acf0b37&t=1406741822 Toyota Mirai might be the name of new fuel cell car; it means 'future'. Anybody remember the Ford Futura? It wasn't exactly a world-beater of a car, so we don't think the name Toyota's has apparently chosen for its first production fuel-cell vehicle is a tribute of sorts. Though one never knows. Maybe Toyota just likes 18-inch-tall EVs. The Japanese automaker has apparently settled on a nameplate for its fuel-cell model…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/30/toyota-mirai-might-be-the-name-new-fuel-cell-car-it-means-futu/ Nuisance Flooding An Increasing Problem Due To Rising Sea Levels. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a technical report on Monday revealing that of the top 10 US cities that have seen an increase in nuisance flooding, eight are on the East Coast. Nuisance flooding causes public inconveniences such as frequent road closures, overwhelmed storm drains and compromised infrastructure, and is the result of rising sea levels. Posted. http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113200687/sea-level-rise-causes-more-nuisance-flooding-noaa-072914/#ssFb3tSA1xiDX8R1.99 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 09:24:07 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 31, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for July 31, 2014. 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 ARB to consider minor amendments to GHG regs. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) will consider minor changes to the state's greenhouse gas regulations at a hearing on 18 September, the agency said yesterday. The board will consider amending the mandatory GHG emissions reporting program, the cap-and-trade program and offset protocols and the cost-of-implementation fee for the state's climate law, AB 32. Posted. http://www.argusmedia.com/News/Article?id=918681 UPS ups emissions goals after hitting target three years early. Logistics company commits to 20 per cent cut to transport emissions by the end of the decade. UPS has strengthened its climate commitments after the global logistics giant confirmed this week it has delivered a host of green goals early, despite increasing the size of its business. The company's "Committed to More" sustainability report was published yesterday, revealing that UPS cut absolute carbon emissions by 1.5 per cent in 2013, even as global shipping volume increased 3.9 per cent. Posted. http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2357993/ups-ups-emissions-goals-after-delivering-target-three-years-early http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003848/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Steyer takes on oil interests in 'donnybrook' over motor fuels in cap and trade. Billionaire activist Tom Steyer is challenging oil industry-led efforts to keep motor fuels out of California's program to cut carbon emissions, ratcheting up an already heated battle. Steyer accused oil companies yesterday of trying "to avoid paying their fair share" as they push to stop expansion of the cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas pollution. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003876/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION EPA hears praise, criticism of new air rules. To retired coal miner Stanley Sturgill, the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rules limiting pollution from power plants doesn't do enough to protect the public's health. Sturgill, a retired coal miner from Harlan County, Kentucky, who traveled to a public hearing about the rules Tuesday in Denver, told the EPA that coal-fired plants are crippling his health and that of the public. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_CHANGE_EPA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/energy-environment/epa-hears-praise-criticism-of-new-air-rules/2014/07/30/09731680-17cc-11e4-88f7-96ed767bb747_story.html http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jul/30/epa-hears-praise-criticism-of-new-air-rules/ EPA Emissions Plan Draws Protest in Pittsburgh. Union Members Gather in Opposition to Proposed Carbon-Emissions Rule. Several thousand unionized coal miners, electrical workers and others filled this city's downtown on Thursday to protest the Obama administration's proposed rule to curb carbon emissions from the nation's power plants, ahead of two days of hearings on the issue in the city. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/epa-emissions-plan-draws-protest-in-pittsburgh-1406831465?mod=rss_US_News EPA Hearing on Cuts in Carbon Emissions Draws Hundreds. Hundreds of people came before a regional hearing of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Denver this week, as the agency takes public comments on rules that would cut carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. Many scientists believe power plant emissions are the most significant contributors to climate change. Posted. http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2014-07-31/energy-policy/epa-hearing-on-cuts-in-carbon-emissions-draws-hundreds/a40883-1#sthash.aAbIL5eX.dpuf Religious Conservatives Embrace Pollution Fight. The Rev. Lennox Yearwood punched his fist in the air as he rhythmically boomed into the microphone: “This is a moment for great leadership. This is a moment for our country to stand up. This is our moment.” But Mr. Yearwood’s audience was not a church. It was the Environmental Protection Agency. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/31/us/religious-conservatives-embrace-proposed-epa-rules.html?_r=0 South L.A.'s Allenco fined $99,000 over toxic emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday fined an oil operation in a South Los Angeles neighborhood $99,000 for failing to take steps to prevent release of toxic emissions. Allenco Energy Inc., which owns the 2-acre site in the University Park community near USC, was given 70 days to pay the penalty. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0731-allenco-fine-20140731-story.html Opponents, supporters to discuss clean air rules. Hundreds of people are expected to attend public hearings this week in a handful of cities across the U.S. to tell federal regulators what they think of proposed rules to cut pollution from power plants. The Environmental Protection Agency is holding the meetings in Denver, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Washington on President Barack Obama's plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent by 2030, with 2005 levels as the starting point. The rules are intended to curb global warming. Posted. www.kswo.com/story/26140659/opponents-supporters-to-discuss-clean-air-rules CLIMATE CHANGE Senior House Dem pushes climate bill. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) introduced climate change legislation Wednesday for a second time that would put a cap on carbon emissions from industry sources. The bill, titled the Healthy Climate and Family Security Act of 2014, would put a cap on greenhouse gases from the fossil-fuel industry while providing payments to the public. Posted. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/213825-senior-house-dem-pushes-climate-bill#ixzz394jy7yyM USDA offers tips to farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Agriculture Department has released what they hope will be the foundation for more and better tools for farmers to cut greenhouse gas emissions from their operations. USDA published a 600-page report today, listing the most prevalent sources of greenhouse gases and the steps farmers can take to reduce them. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003880/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California breaks drought record as 58% of state hits driest level. More than half of California is now under the most severe level of drought for the first time since the federal government began issuing regular drought reports in the late 1990s, according to new data released Thursday. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor report, in July roughly 58% of California was considered to be experiencing an "exceptional" drought -- the harshest on a five-level scale. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-drought-worsens-record-20140731-story.html Water-use restrictions take effect in California; daily fines possible. Tough new statewide regulations restricting outdoor water use took effect Tuesday, the same day millions of gallons of water gushed from a ruptured water main near the UCLA campus. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-new-california-water-use-restrictions-20140729-story.html North American waterfowl are newest casualty of California’s drought. Add another casualty to California’s prolonged and punishing drought: Wildlife officials warned this week that dry conditions in the state’s Central Valley could have a devastating effect on North American waterfowl. The Central Valley is recognized as the most important resting and wintering ground on the Pacific Flyway, a global migratory path for millions of ducks, geese and other birds. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/30/6593565/drought-contributing-to-waterfowl.html#storylink=cpy Calif. drought crisis deepens. Drought conditions are continuing to worsen across the state as mandatory water restrictions took effect this week. According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Drought Monitor, as of Tuesday 58.41 percent of the state is currently in an exceptional drought status known as D-4, the highest possible. That is up about 22 percent from just one week ago. 81.89 percent of the state is in at least a D-3 status known as extreme drought, which includes most of San Diego County. Posted. http://www.10news.com/news/calif-drought-crisis-deepens FUELS Richmond, Calif., OKs refinery upgrade. A Bay Area city council approved a $1 billion renovation of a controversial Chevron Corp. refinery with a history of accidents that has divided the local community. After nine years of trying, Chevron is one step closer to upgrading its century-old Richmond, Calif., facility but still needs a judge to lift a court order that stopped construction in 2009. The decision came after the United States' second-largest oil company agreed to limit greenhouse gas emissions and spend $90 million on local job training…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060003873/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Panasonic, Tesla to build big US battery plant. American electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc. is teaming up with Japanese electronics company Panasonic Corp. to build a battery manufacturing plant in the U.S. expected to create 6,500 jobs. The companies announced the deal Thursday, but they did not say where in the U.S. the so-called "gigafactory," or large-scale plant, will be built. Financial terms weren't disclosed for the $5 billion plant. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_JAPAN_PANASONIC_TESLA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Rules for marrying EVs with the electric power grid -- a work in progress. Electric vehicles and the power grid are getting to know each other better. Eight global automakers and 15 electric utilities announced this week that they are working with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to develop and implement a standardized grid integration platform for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). The project is intended to enhance vehicle-grid functionality so that PEV drivers can more easily participate in utility programs…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060003846/print BY SUBSCRIPITON ONLY PSEG CEO wants EPA credit for slashing methane leaks, boosting electric vehicles. Public Service Enterprise Group CEO Ralph Izzo wants U.S. EPA to allow states to count promoting electric vehicles and the replacement of leaky cast-iron natural gas pipelines as ways to satisfy the agency's proposed Clean Power Plan. "The feedback I'm being given is that those would not qualify in a state implementation plan proposal…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060003849/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY How to invest in renewable energy. You can now fit a wind or solar farm into your portfolio, even if your portfolio isn't exactly vast. Energy companies are wrapping renewable energy projects and other power-related assets that generate steady cash into new companies they hope attract investors hunting for dividends. In an unfortunate victory for corporate speak, they are called yieldcos. They're the electric power industry's answer to real estate investment trusts…Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26243783/How-to-invest-in-renewable-energy MISCELLANEOUS Free vehicle emissions tests offered at Fresno Fairgrounds. San Joaquin Valley residents can get free emissions testing for their vehicles at the Tune In and Tune Up Car Clean-Up on Aug. 9 at the Fresno Fairgrounds. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., vehicle owners can get a car emissions test and diagnostic inspection. The first 525 vehicles that qualify after the emissions test will receive a $500 voucher for repairs at participating STAR-certified smog shops. No smog certificates will be issued at the event. posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/30/4047337/free-vehicle-emissions-tests-offered.html?sp=/99/406/#storylink=cpy Air district program grants $7.2M for technology projects. Local innovations are showing promise in alleviating the Central Valley’s air problem since being bolstered with funding from the Technology Advancement Program. Launched by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District in 2010, the program relies on locally generated funds and support from the Environmental Protection Agency to reimburse projects or inventions that focus on renewable energy…Posted. http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/energy-and-environment/13227-air-district-program-grants-7-2m-for-technology-projects OPINIONS What will climate change cost? Let's be honest about our ignorance. Because President Obama’s plan for fighting climate change — a moderate one, by the way — will involve some hits to the fossil fuel industry, conservatives and climate skeptics have jumped all over it, saying that it will destroy the economy. In response, the administration released a report this week by the president’s Council of Economic Advisers saying that climate change could end up costing the United States $150 billion a year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-obama-climate-change-cost-20140729-story.html U.S. can be a global winner by going lean on energy consumption. There are endless metrics to gauge whether the United States is ahead or behind other countries. Finland does education better and cheaper. Russians and central Europeans beat Americans in alcohol consumption. But it takes only five minutes for the average American to earn enough money to buy a pint of beer -- far less time than in any other nation. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-energy-consumption-20140729-story.html Insuring for Global Warming's Surprises. Postponing action on climate change will make the problem more expensive to manage later—if it can still be managed at all. So says a July 29 White House report on fighting global warming. While the message is true enough, changing attitudes about the problem is an exercise in persuasion, and the supposedly hard numbers highlighted in the report aren’t the best way to make the case. The document’s most powerful argument doesn’t lend itself to number crunching. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-07-31/insuring-against-global-warming-risks Thoughts on Fresno code enforcement and the drought. Forget Measure W. The single most interesting item on the Fresno City Council’s July 31 agenda is (to use the new identifying code) ID#14-183. The topic: Code Enforcement Free-For-All. I exaggerate, but only a little. Here’s the context. Fresno’s got the new 2035 general plan coming down the pike real soon. This plan is the mother of all dream lists. It’s going to mandate much higher residential densities. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/30/4048254/thoughts-on-fresno-code-enforcement.html#storylink=cpy Dan Liljenquist: The economic impact of high-ethanol blend fuels. Earlier this month, I wrote about the efforts of the Fuel Freedom Foundation to clear the regulatory hurdles so natural gas based high-ethanol blend fuels can compete with gasoline at the pump. With natural gas flowing from the ground in unprecedented quantities, with new technologies that can convert natural gas into pure ethanol and with over 70 million vehicles in the United States…Posted. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865607800/The-economic-impact-of-high-ethanol-blend-fuels.html OP-ED: EPA's carbon rules good for business. Some national business organizations have hammered the Environmental Protection Agency for proposing new rules on carbon pollution from existing power plants, cutting carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030, using 2005 levels as a baseline. What planet are they on? It's ludicrous to pretend that climate change isn't happening, or that it won't affect every industry. Posted. http://www.yorkdispatch.com/opinion/ci_26250270/op-ed-epas-carbon-rules-good-business Delaying Fuel Cost Piece of Greenhouse Gases Law Pits Blue Collar vs. Progressive Elites. One of the most high profile bills in the legislative session that resumes next week just got pushed into the center of the spotlight. AB 69, the measure to delay applying cap-and-trade regulations to transportation fuels, drew the attention of hedge fund billionaire Tom Steyer who pledged “to spend what it takes” to see that the greenhouse gases reduction law is implemented according to schedule. Posted. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/07/delaying-fuel-cost-piece-greenhouse-gases-law-pits-blue-collar-vs-progressive-elites/ BLOGS Déjà vu. Clean and breathable air is a right, not a privilege. In a country as innovative and compassionate as ours, it is entirely unacceptable that the very young, the very old, and the very poor suffer disproportionately from health hazards exacerbated by climate change. This is why I founded NextGen Climate—to tackle climate change head on and secure a cleaner, healthier future for our children. Posted. https://nextgenclimate.org/fair-shake/deja-vu/ Clean Power Plan Leads to Healthy Kids. It shouldn't be dangerous to breathe. But, for thousands of kids in Atlanta, just going outside is like a fullback going into a game without a helmet - unhealthy and unsafe. Millions of American kids live in places where the air is so polluted that it’s not always safe to practice sports, go for a hike, or visit the local park. In fact, Atlanta has one of the worst asthma rates in the country, meaning the dreams of too many kids are at risk of getting sidelined by chronic health problems. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ovie-mughelli/clean-power-plan-leads-to_b_5635254.html?utm_hp_ref=impact&ir=Impact http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/213832-through-epa-rule-children-can-breathe-cleaner-air The U.S. cities with the worst climate change-related flooding. What’s the most pernicious climate-change threat facing the U.S. in the years to come? It might not be lung-scorching air pollution, less-nutritious crops, or super-fueled wildfires, but rising sea levels repeatedly swamping coastal cities, according to a new NOAA report. The number of “nuisance flooding” days in the U.S. has shot up markedly since the middle of last century, by as much as 925 percent in Annapolis and 922 percent in Baltimore. Posted. http://grist.org/cities/the-u-s-cities-with-the-worst-climate-change-related-flooding/ This startup is using a ‘carbon honeycomb’ to capture carbon emissions. Will a honeycomb-like material made of carbon be able to break open the market for capturing carbon emissions from power plants? A Canadian startup called Inventys is now working on a demonstration project using this new technology and they just lined up a series B round from Chevron, and others to move the technology closer to market. CEO Andre Boulet tells us the technology will be cheaper and less energy-intensive than rivals’. Posted. http://gigaom.com/2014/07/31/this-startup-is-using-a-carbon-honeycomb-to-capture-carbon-emissions/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 12:18:37 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 1, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 1, 2014. 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 Tougher Ozone Standard Would Cost Billions, Shutter Coal Plants: Industry. A more stringent national ambient air quality standard for ozone could cost the U.S. economy up to $270 billion per year and force the closure of one-third of the nation's coal-fired power plants, according to a report commissioned by the National Association of Manufacturers. The report, released July 31, outlines the economic effects of revising the current ozone standard of 75 parts per billion to 60 parts per billion…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-01/tougher-ozone-standard-would-cost-billions-shutter-coal-plants-indusry.html Shipping Rates Drop as China Hydro Power Cuts Coal Need. Record production of hydropower from China’s Three Gorges and newer dams is displacing so much coal that rates to transport it have plunged to about record lows, roiling the shipping market. Daily earnings for Panamaxes, vessels that are about 750 feet long and get most of their spot cargoes from hauling coal, slumped as much as 76 percent this year, getting to within $26 of an all-time low. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-31/shipping-rates-suffer-as-china-hydro-curbs-coal-imports-freight.html CLIMATE CHANGE Brazil Challenges Rich Nations to Better Its Carbon Cuts. Brazil said it reduced greenhouse-gas emissions by 3.2 billion metric tons in the five years through 2010, equivalent to nine months of output in the European Union and better than any rich nation. Developed countries should focus on cutting their own emissions rather than urging others to do so, the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations said yesterday in an e-mailed response to questions. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-01/brazil-challenges-rich-nations-to-better-its-climate-record.html Climate change forces a new look at food production. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, China will import almost one-third of all food available in the world by 2030. This will likely drive up food costs as many countries simply responding to market forces increase exports to China. In addition, the average temperature and moisture levels in the Northeastern U.S. are expected to continue to rise, and, as a result, there will be a longer growing season and a greater variety of crops that can be grown. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Climate-change-forces-a-new-look-at-food-5660317.php DROUGHT California’s Exceptional Drought Just Keeps Getting Worse. California’s three-year drought just went from bad to dreadful. In the course of the last week, the crimson expanse of “exceptional drought” grew to engulf the northern part of the state. The chart above shows the drought's progression as reported today by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Archived maps show the end of July for each year since 2011. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-31/california-s-exceptional-drought-spreads-north-as-water-supplies-drop.html Fresno's stricter, twice-a-week watering rules begin Friday. Fresno city officials said July 22 that, effective Friday, residents may water two days a week rather than the current three. The new rules are applicable to everyone from homeowners and schools to businesses and government. Here are the highlights of the rules, which are a response to California's ongoing drought: Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/07/31/4049775/new-fresno-city-watering-rules.html#storylink=cpy Redlands implements water use restrictions, violations. The city has implemented water use restrictions, which comes with a violation process to ensure compliance. The State Water Resources Control Board enacted restrictions on water use effective July 28, which requires cities throughout the state to implement regulations on irrigation. Gov. Jerry Brown in January declared a drought state of emergency due to severe drought conditions. Posted. http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/environment-and-nature/20140731/redlands-implements-water-use-restrictions-violations VEHICLES Tesla posts 2Q loss, prepares Nevada factory site. Electric car maker Tesla Motors widened its loss in the second quarter as it prepared for the launch of a new SUV and started work on a massive new battery plant. Tesla said it started preparing a site for the factory outside Reno, Nevada, last month. But the company is still considering sites in California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas, and won't make a final decision for several months. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EARNS_TESLA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Tesla Rises as Musk Sets Faster Production Pace for 2015. Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA) rose after the carmaker led by Elon Musk reported second-quarter results that beat analysts’ estimates and set a goal to double its pace of electric-vehicle production by the end of 2015. Excluding some costs, earnings were 11 cents a share in the quarter, the Palo Alto, California-based company said yesterday in a statement on its website. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-07-31/tesla-model-s-sales-matched-estimates-on-china-shipments.html http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-tesla-earnings-20140801-story.html Tesla and Panasonic Agree to Build Factory in U.S. Tesla Motors announced on Thursday that it had an agreement with Panasonic to build a large-scale battery plant in the United States. Hours after the deal, the company said its losses grew in the second quarter to nearly $62 million, or 50 cents a share, from $30.5 million in the year-ago quarter. But adjusted earnings were 11 cents a share, 7 cents higher than analysts estimated. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/01/business/tesla-and-panasonic-to-build-battery-factory-in-us.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/31/6596597/tesla-starts-gigafactory-in-reno.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Reno-may-have-hit-jackpot-with-Tesla-Gigafactory-5660962.php http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_26252541/tesla-motors-breaks-ground-reno-gigafactory-speeds-up?source=rss http://www.contracostatimes.com/green-energy HIGH-SPEED RAIL California bullet train project scores major court victory. in a major victory for California’s bullet train project, an appellate court Thursday overturned a lower court ruling that found the state failed to comply with the law in developing a funding plan for the $68 billion line between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The new ruling sets aside a decision last year by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny who found the state failed to meet legal requirements, in part…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-high-speed-rail-story.html?track=rss http://www.mercurynews.com/california-high-speed-rail/ci_26254992/california-high-speed-rail-project-wins-big-appellate?source=rss GREEN ENERGY Goldman’s Icy Arbitrage Draws Interest to Meet EPA Rule. Clustered deep beneath the trading floors of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS)’s Manhattan headquarters are 92 tanks with enough ice for 3.4 million margaritas. Goldman runs chilled anti-freeze through pipes connected to the 11-ton vessels during summer nights -- when power costs less -- to freeze the water. That ice is used the next day in its air-conditioning system, when high-demand electricity comes with a surcharge. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-01/goldman-s-icy-arbitrage-draws-interest-to-meet-epa-rule.html OPINIONS California needs to overhaul its protection of groundwater. There are many environmentally worrisome aspects of oil and gas production, and one is the injection of wastewater back into the ground. This process — a way of disposing of the contaminated water created during the drilling process — is done in conventional oil and gas drilling, and is even more common in fracking, which uses large amounts of water to fracture rock and release oil. The concern is that the injection process can end up poisoning the aquifers that provide drinking water. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-aquifer-fracking-20140801-story.html Opinion: Where’s the balance? I believe all Californians are environmentalists. Who doesn’t want clean air and clean water? I believe all Californians are environmentalists. Who doesn’t want clean air and clean water? So I’ve always been troubled that single-issue advocacy groups have hijacked the term “environmentalist” and under that umbrella pushed specific agendas that do little more than swell the coffers of those advocacy groups, grow the size of government and ignore the economic impact on Californians. Posted. http://www.signalscv.com/section/33/article/125024/ BLOGS California’s Biggest Water Source Shrouded in Secrecy. There’s an “alarming lack of information” about California’s biggest reservoir, finds a major new analysis of the state’s groundwater resources. As water levels dwindle in California’s rivers and reservoirs, many farmers and water districts are relying on the state’s vast underground reservoirs instead. In drought years, groundwater provides up to 60 percent of California’s water supply, according to rough estimates by state officials. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/07/31/californias-biggest-water-source-shrouded-in-secrecy/ Using CO2 Emissions to Pump Oil May Help the Climate. Carbon capture and storage is often talked about as a way to keep major polluters’ carbon dioxide emissions out of the atmosphere by tucking them away safely underground forever. But carbon capture and storage, or CCS, could be used more often in a rather counterintuitive way: To produce crude oil, which releases its own CO2 emissions when it’s burned, helping drive climate change. Posted. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/co2-emissions-to-pump-oil-may-help-climate-17838 Turning a slate quarry green: 40 years of Centre for Alternative Technology. Welsh hippies ushered in an era of sustainable living well before the world had woken up to climate change. Hippies in a slate quarry in Wales are celebrating four decades of green revolution this weekend, having transformed the character of a local town, pioneered new energy technologies and constructed a water-powered railway. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/01/turning-a-slate-quarry-green-40-years-of-centre-for-alternative-technology California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2014 15:13:49 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 5, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 5, 2014. 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 Pollution cap gets wealthy backing. Gasoline producers have a new, wealthy opponent to contend with as they fight to delay California's cap on greenhouse gas emissions for fuels in the transportation sector. Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer announced last week that he will spend money defending California clean air regulations against a bill (Assembly Bill 69) that would delay the carbon cap on vehicle fuels for three years. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/05/carbon-cap-gasoline-embraced/ California lawmakers sound alarm on increased fuel costs. California state lawmakers returned to the state Capitol on Monday to continue discussion on issues that include a delay to putting fuels under the state’s cap-and-trade program. The program has been in place since 2006 through passage of AB32 – the California Global Warming Solutions Act. The program allows the California Air Resources Board to cap greenhouse gas emissions and require companies to buy permits to exceed those caps. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27452 Californians Deserve To Hear More From Sacramento on Cap and Trade Expansion. It is good to hear a public dialogue is occurring on the vast expansion of California’s cap-and-trade system coming January 1, 2015, when gasoline and diesel used by millions of consumers and businesses will be regulated for the first time under the state’s cap and trade program. Posted. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/08/californians-deserve-hear-sacramento-cap-trade-expansion/ AIR POLLUTION Singapore Law to Tackle Haze. Law Equips Singapore With 'Groundbreaking' Legal Tools to Curb Cross-Border Pollution. Singaporean legislators on Tuesday passed a law that allows regulators to prosecute local and foreign companies involved in illegal forest burning that causes severe air pollution in the city state. The legislation, proposed after Singapore endured an air-quality crisis last year stemming from forest fires in Indonesia…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/singapore-law-to-tackle-haze-1407236113#printMode Indigenous Groups Give Tropical Forests a Carbon Boost. One of the best current paths to reduce the globe's carbon emissions goes through tropical forests. They serve as a sink to sequester human emissions, but deforestation risks sending those assets up in smoke. A recent report argues that to avoid that outcome, indigenous communities should be involved in forest management. Currently deforestation and land use change accounts for 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/indigenous-groups-give-tropical-forests-a-carbon-boost_06386849 Determining Methane Leaks Is Key to Climate Goals. If President Obama's Clean Power Plan is going to work, lots of things will have to fall into place. Perhaps the most important is the reduction in greenhouse gases that is expected from increased use of natural gas to generate electricity. Under the plan, which aims to reduce electricity sector emissions by 30 percent by 2030, the EPA projects that coal-fired power will drop more than a quarter from its current 40 percent share of U.S. electricity generation. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/step-1-in-climate-goals-determining-methane-leaks_63463584 Pilot program starts to slow ships to benefit whales, air quality. Ships moving through the Santa Barbara Channel will slow down over the next few months as part of a trial program to help reduce air pollution and protect whales. Shipping companies can receive a small financial incentive for reducing shipping speeds to 12 knots or less, in the trial modeled after similar programs at Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/outdoors/pilot-program-starts-to-slow-ships-to-benefit-whales-air-quality_40470693 http://www.independent.com/releases/2014/aug/04/slowing-ships-down-cleaner-air-and-whale-protectio/ Rain contributes to Reno air pollution problem today. An odd weather phenomenon is trapping urban pollution and dumping smoke from California wildfires on top it, leading to an air quality alert in the Truckee Meadows. The Washoe District Health Department reported that due to pollution of fine particles in the Reno area, the air has reached a level that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. It recommends that children, adults and people with lung disease like asthma reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Posted. http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2014/08/05/rain-contributes-reno-air-pollution-problem-today/13620683/ CLIMATE CHANGE Toledo's Algae Bloom in Line with Climate Projections. Nutrients in agricultural runoff is the biggest contributor to algae blooms in Lake Erie. What brings that runoff from farm fields to the lake is rain, and lots of it. "It's a combo of more rainfall; that climate change is predicted to cause more severe rain events. And more rainfall means more nutrients and higher nutrients mean more toxicity," Timothy Davis, an ecologist at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, said. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/toledos-algae-bloom-in-line-with-climate-projections_28493752 DROUGHT Construction industry preparing for climate change. There's little question many architects and builders are convinced of the threat of climate change and are urging clients to plan for a future of weather extremes. Those who design and construct buildings are required to look decades into the future and are expected to provide owners with their best advice on how and where they should proceed with their projects. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/05/6605765/construction-industry-preparing.html#storylink=cpy Drought watering regulations may leave trees high and dry. Ray Gulliksen sees the dead branches topping his birch trees as a signature of the drought. The trees in his Fair Oaks front lawn are “showing quite a bit of stress,” he said. The stress comes from watering restrictions that are turning lawns brown around the region and could also weaken trees, arborists warn. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/04/6597274/new-state-watering-regulations.html#storylink=cpy How California’s snitches are slaking thirst for justice. As California staggers thirstily through its worst drought in decades, the state’s more conscientious residents are employing extreme measures to curb their neighbours’ wasteful water use. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/how-californias-snitches-are-slaking-thirst-for-justice-9647889.html UN Expert: We Might Have To Migrate People Out Of California If Drought Continues. A United Nations climate change expert said that if California's severe drought continues, eventually, the U.S. might have to migrate people out of California, CNBC reports. More than half of California is currently seeing "exceptional drought" conditions. Wildfires have been ravaging the state. And water is running low. The drought is "the greatest water loss ever seen" in the state, and had already cost the state $2.2 billion. Posted. http://www.businessinsider.com/california-drought-may-mean-people-leave-2014-8 FUELS China Pushes to Build Its Own Ships to Deliver Gas. Chinese shipyards are seeking to take about $10 billion in orders for new liquefied natural gas tankers over the rest of the decade, part of a plan to restructure the country’s ailing shipbuilding sector and secure China’s energy supply chain. China’s push to build its own natural gas delivery vessels will increase its capability in high-tech shipbuilding and challenge South Korean…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/business/energy-environment/china-pushes-to-build-its-own-ships-to-deliver-gas.html?partner=yahoofinance&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A10%22} Santa Barbara County oil-drilling project elicits worries. It's been 45 years since a calamitous spill off Santa Barbara coated the picturesque coast with oil, killed wildlife and prompted tough new pumping restrictions. But new worries have emerged in Sacramento. It turns out that there was an exemption in a 1994 law that still allows drilling in a single portion of state-controlled, coastal waters. And a Santa Barbara lawmaker wants to immediately halt any possibility of drilling. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-oil-drilling-ban-20140805-story.html How biofuels will expand Tesla's charging stations. There aren't many electric vehicles on the road in the United States, especially when compared to the incumbent population of petrol-powered automobiles, but America does have an ample and renewable supply of cows, garbage, and flushable toilets. Leveraging our nation's strengths in the latter could help make electric vehicle charging stations…Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/08/03/how-biofuels-will-expand-teslas-charging-stations/13481289/ UC Riverside team develops new high efficiency method for conversion of biomass to biofuels. A team of researchers, led by Professor Charles E. Wyman, the Ford Motor Company Chair in Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering, has developed a versatile, relatively non-toxic, and efficient way to convert lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels and chemicals. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/20140804-celf.html VEHICLES Electric vehicles go from status symbol to company workhorse. Yet for all the hype, EVs remain more common in glossy magazines than in peoples’ driveways. In Western Europe plug-in EVs made up less than 0.5% of total passenger car sales by May this year. It’s not hard to see why: at around £22,000 for the more affordable Nissan Leaf, and minimal resale market, it’s tough to see who beyond the early adopters are likely to take the gamble. Posted. http://cars21.com/news/view/5807 GREEN ENERGY Calif. bill would cut 'red tape' costs of adding solar. The "red tape" costs of adding solar and the time it takes to win approval vary widely depending on where someone lives in Los Angeles County, a report said yesterday. Some cities approve applications in one day, while others can take as long as 12 weeks, the Sierra Club said as it issued the analysis along with Vote Solar. Overall, the costs of obtaining needed permissions from cities and counties can add as much as $3,500 to the total. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004062/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Study Finds Trees Save More Than 850 Lives A Year. A recent study by the U.S. Forest Service found that by removing pollution from the air, trees are saving lives and preventing respiratory problems. According to the study, U.S. Forest Service scientists and collaborators calculated that trees are saving more than 850 human lives a year and preventing 670,000 incidences of acute respiratory symptoms. This is the first broad-scale estimate of air pollution removal by trees nationwide, according to a news release. Posted. http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/08/04/study-finds-trees-save-more-than-850-lives-a-year/ OPINIONS EPA’s plan on climate change fills a void as Congress does nothing. THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency began marathon public hearings July 29 on its new climate-change plan. “This week,” the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Frances Beinecke predicted before the sessions, “we’ll hear loud and clear that the American people are strongly behind the EPA’s plans.” Things were loud, anyway. Industry groups, environmentalists and various other activists pushed alternate versions of reality. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/epas-plan-on-climate-change-is-necessary-as-congress-does-nothing/2014/08/03/73f996e8-176b-11e4-85b6-c1451e622637_story.html Dan Walters: Drought ramps up pressure on Legislature to write water bond. The water squeeze is on. A few sprinkles fell on the Capitol Monday as the Legislature reconvened, but they didn’t relieve either a severe drought or pressure on members to respond. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/04/6605059/dan-walters-drought-ramps-up-pressure.html A short primer on the California water bond debate. In January, a boat ramp is exposed in Granite Bay at Folsom Lake. Reservoirs throughout California are far below normal water levels for this time of year. California lawmakers and the governor want a smaller water bond than the one scheduled for the November ballot. What it is: An $11 billion water bond, scheduled for the November ballot, was hailed as a landmark compromise when the Legislature passed it in 2009. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/08/05/a-short-primer-on-the-california-water-bond-debate.html Opinion: Drought goes underground to hurt aquifers. Seven Western states have just received an overdraft notice from nature's water bank, written in red ink, all caps. It turns out that three-fourths of the H2O they've been using during the American West's record drought (14 years and counting) has been drawn from their precious savings account: not the Colorado River itself but aquifers below ground. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/opinion/national-voices/x603939158/Drought-goes-underground-to-hurt-aquifers SIMEON GANT: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund In Disadvantaged Communities. Among the many benefits of living in California, besides the magnificent weather, is the continuing aforethought of its government leaders, progressive and determined to reverse the negative effects of climate change. Senate Bill 535, authored by Los Angeles Senator Kevin DeLeon and signed by Governor Jerry Brown could very well inject as much as $12.4 Billion into disadvantaged communities throughout California. Posted. http://sacobserver.com/2014/08/simeon-gant-greenhouse-gas-reduction-fund-soon-to-be-released-in-disadvantaged-communities/ Big Business Working on Climate Science. Many companies, not gas related, are actively working to fix climate change. HIV is not a partisan issue, though it once nearly became one until medical and pharmaceutical scientists untangled its deadly path. We don’t question the scientists who discovered its true nature and, ultimately, found a way to contain it. Astronomy is no longer a religious issue, though it once was until it helped create the modern scientific era. Posted. http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/at-the-edge/2014/08/05/wal-mart-ibm-and-coke-among-companies-addressing-climate-change Local View: Public needs voice in carbon debate. There’s enough chatter at the Capitol about a pair of climate-change policies — familiar but complex proposals known as “cap-and-trade” and “low-carbon fuel standards” — that it’s time to ask: What do these confusing and complicated discussions mean for the average Washington resident? Both cap-and-trade and LCFS deal with controlling the production of carbon. Posted. http://annrivers.src.wastateleg.org/in-the-news-public-needs-voice-in-carbon-debate-2/ BLOGS The White House posted a video linking the California wildfires to climate change. Here’s why. Here's the tricky thing about President Obama's proposal to cut carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent by 2030: In order for people to support the move, they need to understand the link between carbon dioxide emissions and climate change. They need to accept that the proposal -- a mandate being developed by the Environmental Protection Agency -- will help curtail global warming. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/08/05/the-white-house-posted-a-video-linking-the-california-wildfires-to-climate-change-heres-why/ Column: Cap-and-trade can help forests and businesses grow together. Portland’s nickname “Stumptown” reflects the central but conflicted role of trees in Oregon’s physical, cultural, and economic landscape. Forests cover nearly half of Oregon’s 62 million acres, and while wood product markets have faced challenges in recent years, the forest sector employs more than 76,000 people in Oregon and accounts for nearly 7 percent of Oregon’s economic base. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2014/08/column-cap-and-trade-can-help-forests-and.html In Effort To Fight Pollution, Beijing Plans To Ban All Coal Use By 2020. China's smog-plagued capital has announced plans to ban the use of coal by the end of 2020 as the country fights deadly levels of pollution, especially in major cities. Beijing's Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau posted the plan on its website Monday, saying the city would instead prioritize electricity and natural gas for heating. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/05/beijing-coal-ban_n_5650244.html EPA Refinery Standards and California Carbon Limits Can Solve the Puzzle of Refinery Pollution. EPA recently proposed a final pollution reduction rule for refineries that will help cut toxic air emissions and improve monitoring at the nation’s largest industrial facilities. This new rule is an important complement to the state level carbon and air pollution limits we have in California, and together will make our state cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous. Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/californiadream/2014/08/05/epa-refinery-standards-and-california-carbon-limits-can-solve-the-puzzle-of-refinery-pollution/#sthash.aP88vCbs.dpuf This is climate change: Ohio’s water crisis was a man-made disaster. Industrial agriculture, invasive species and warming temperatures are all vital parts of this weekend's big story. Over the weekend, 400,000 people in northwest Ohio were told that their tap water was no longer safe to drink, cook with or bathe in. Water at a treatment plant had tested positive for dangerously high levels of toxins. Posted http://www.salon.com/2014/08/04/this_is_climate_change_ohios_water_crisis_was_a_manmade_disaster/ EV Explorer lets you discover your plug-in commuting costs. Shopping for cars is exciting, but daunting, especially when trying to calculate cost of ownership. And if you commute to work, you want to know what you'll be spending to get there and back. If you want to compare electric cars to gasoline-powered options, this can all get pretty confusing. Thankfully, UC Davis has launched its online Electric Vehicle Explorer tool to help make driving costs much clearer. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/05/ev-explorer-lets-you-discover-your-plug-in-commuting-costs/ Good news! UK's new environment ministers aren't climate change deniers. Being skeptical about global warming was no bar to previous environment and energy ministers, a fact underlining the political problem that climate change poses for the Tories. Happy days! It appears the UK now has a full suite of environment and energy ministers who actually accept that dangerous climate change is being driven by human activities and needs to be tackled. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2014/aug/05/uks-new-environment-ministers-arent-climate-change-deniers California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2014 15:01:56 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 6, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 6, 2014. 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 China to ban all coal use in Beijing by 2020. China's smog-plagued capital has announced plans to ban the use of coal by the end of 2020 as the country fights deadly levels of pollution, especially in major cities. Beijing's Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau posted the plan on its website Monday, saying the city would instead prioritize electricity and natural gas for heating. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_BEIJING_COAL_BAN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/China-to-ban-all-coal-use-in-Beijing-by-2020-5670673.php http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/05/china-to-ban-all-coal-use-in-beijing-by-2020/ http://ens-newswire.com/2014/08/06/beijing-bans-coal-burning-to-clear-the-air/ Residents: Restrict emissions at oil refineries. Environmental advocates and residents living near oil refineries asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday to force petroleum companies to adopt stricter emissions standards and publicly release emissions data to help reduce communities' exposure to a cancer-causing chemical. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OIL_REFINERIES_AIR_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Texas-public-hearing-on-oil-refinery-rules-5668362.php Singapore's ground-breaking haze law faces uphill challenge. Indonesia's complex rules on land use and the difficulty in prosecuting foreign businesses mean Singapore has its work cut out bringing companies to book under its new cross-border air pollution law. The bill, approved by parliament on Tuesday, has won praise from politicians and environmentalists as a bold move to tackle a decades-long problem of smoke from forest fires in neighboring Indonesia choking the city state. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/us-singapore-haze-idUSKBN0G611P20140806 Reducing Carbon by Curbing Population. Remember the population explosion? When population was growing at its fastest rate in human history in the decades after World War II, the sense that overpopulation was stunting economic development and stoking political instability took hold from New Delhi to the United Nations’ headquarters in New York, sending policy makers on an urgent quest to stop it. In the 1970s the Indian government forcibly sterilized millions of women. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/business/economy/population-curbs-as-a-means-to-cut-carbon-emissions.html?_r=0 CLIMATE CHANGE For most of us, global warming has become 'normal' climate. Global warming has been going on for so long that most people were not even born the last time the Earth was cooler than average in 1985 in a shift that is altering perceptions of a "normal" climate, scientists said. Decades of climate change bring risks that people will accept higher temperatures, with more heatwaves, downpours and droughts, as normal and complicate government plans to do more to cut emissions of greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/us-climatechange-warming-idUSKBN0G61BC20140806 http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/chi-warm-climate-norm-20140806,0,3336725.story African negotiators urge U.S. leadership for U.N. climate deal. African climate negotiators attending the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington this week said leadership from the United States is critical to finalizing a global deal on measures to address climate change in 2015 after years of deadlock. Officials from Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Ethiopia said they were optimistic an agreement could be reached…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/us-africa-summit-climatechange-idUSKBN0G61UH20140806 Preparing for Climate Disasters to Get $100 Million Fund. The U.S. Agency for International Development and the Rockefeller Foundation are starting a $100 million project to prepare vulnerable communities for climate-caused humanitarian disasters before they happen. The initiative, which will start in Africa’s Sahel region and be announced today at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, is aimed at the droughts, typhoons and wildfires…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-04/preparing-for-climate-disasters-to-get-100-million-fund.html EPA to hold climate change hearing in Portland. Officials from the federal Environmental Protection Agency will take comments from the public at the University of Southern Maine about the agency's proposal to cut carbon emissions from power plants. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EPA-to-hold-climate-change-hearing-in-Portland-5669729.php Mount Rainier's climate change butterfly effect. With a pirouette and swoosh of his net, John McLaughlin is after his quarry. Up here in the rarefied realm of Mount Rainier's alpine meadows, the mountain, glaciered and magnificent, seems close enough to touch. Velvet green meadows pool with teal lakes. But McLaughlin has eyes only for the lovely denizens of the high country: butterflies, gliding from flower to flower. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Mount-Rainier-s-climate-change-butterfly-effect-5672173.php Tornado Outbreaks Could Have a Climate Change Assist. Days with more tornadoes have become more common over the past 60 years, a trend that new research says could have a climate change connection. Understanding the connection between climate change and tornadoes, if any, is one of the most fraught areas of research. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/tornado-outbreaks-could-have-a-climate-change-assist_94344853 Putting a Climate Context on SoCal's Flash Foods. A confluence of extreme atmospheric conditions over Southern California, possibly with an assist from the intense drought in the state, set the stage for the torrential rains and flash flooding that washed away cars and homes in some areas like Mt. Baldy on Sunday. And while the U.S. Southwest is expected to increasingly dry out in a warming world, when it does rain it is more likely to come as a heavy downpour. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/putting-a-climate-context-on-socals-flash-foods_37374932 DROUGHT Calif. allows fines to force urban conservation, but cities aren't biting yet. California is giving local governments more authority over urban water wasters as the state's historic drought continues, but cities are loath to exercise their new powers. Emergency regulations went into effect last week that allow water agencies to fine residents up to $500 per day per wasteful activity, including washing sidewalks…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004138/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Gasoline Rebounds From Six-Month Low as Inventories Drop. Gasoline futures rebounded from a six-month low after a government report showed inventories of the fuel dropped the most in four months and demand rose. Crude oil was little changed. Prices headed for the biggest one-day gain since June, widening the profit refineries make from processing a barrel of crude into the fuel. Stockpiles decreased 4.39 million barrels last week, the most since April…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-06/oil-prices-rebound-from-six-month-low-as-gasoline-climbs.html http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/markets-oil-idINL4N0QC13P20140806 Boeing, South African Airways to make jet fuel from tobacco. U.S. planemaker Boeing has teamed up with South African Airways to develop jet fuel from a tobacco plant as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions and promote green energy in Africa's most advanced economy. The jet fuel will be made from a hybrid tobacco plant known as Solaris, which will be produced by alternative jet fuel maker SkyNRG, both companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/us-boeing-saa-jetfuel-idUSKBN0G610X20140806 Mexican Congress Approves New Rules for Oil Industry. Mexico’s Congress approved on Tuesday a sweeping overhaul of the energy industry that cleared the way for international giants to tap Mexico’s rich reserves of oil and gas. The new legislation is the centerpiece of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s plan to jump-start economic growth by allowing competition in one of Mexico’s most stagnant sectors. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/business/international/mexican-congress-approves-new-rules-for-oil-industry.html Fracking operation must rework application. The Louisiana Geological Survey has rendered invalid Helis Oil & Gas Co.'s application for an Army Corps of Engineers' wetlands permit for its proposed oil drilling and fracking project near Mandeville. The move means Helis must submit a revised application for which the public comment period would begin anew. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Fracking-operation-must-rework-application-5671653.php VEHICLES Mitsubishi Motors plans new plug-in SUV ahead of EU pollution rules. Mitsubishi Motors Corp will launch a second plug-in hybrid SUV in about two years time, its president said on Wednesday, as the Japanese carmaker seeks to capitalise on higher demand for environmentally friendly cars ahead of tough anti-pollution rules planned in Europe in 2020. Mitsubishi started selling its Outlander plug-in hybrid SUV in January 2013. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/mitsubishimotors-autos-hybrid-idUSL4N0QC1BX20140806 2015 VW e-Golf, 2016 Audi A3 e-tron Get Carbon Offset Program, Offer Of Home-Solar Systems. When it comes to carbon emissions, there's more to consider than what comes out of a car's tailpipe (if it has one). For buyers looking to cancel out the emissions involved in producing, delivering, and charging plug-in cars, carbon offset programs could be the answer. Now the Volkswagen Group has announced a carbon-offset program for its upcoming 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf electric car…Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1093702_2015-vw-e-golf-2016-audi-a3-e-tron-get-carbon-offset-program-offer-of-home-solar-systems http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?rssid=33784 HIGH-SPEED RAIL Delays Persist for U.S. High-Speed Rail. On a 30-mile stretch of railroad between Westerly and Cranston, R.I., Amtrak’s 150-mile-per-hour Acela hits its top speed — for five or 10 minutes. On the crowded New York to Washington corridor, the Acela averages only 80 m.p.h., and plans to bring it up to Japanese bullet-train speeds will take $150 billion and 26 years, if it ever happens. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/us/delays-persist-for-us-high-speed-rail.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSumSmallMediaHigh&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news GREEN ENERGY UPDATE 1-Britain energy market abuse penalties to include jail terms. The British government has proposed penalties including potential prison terms for people who manipulate the gas and electricity markets. Energy regulators can currently investigate and fine people found breaching rules on energy market abuse but cannot send them to prison or impose a criminal record. The government wants to widen those powers to safeguard consumers from unfair practices…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/britain-energy-penalties-idUSL6N0QC1QW20140806 Butt batteries: Scientists store energy in used cigarette filters. Scientists in South Korea say they have found a way of converting used cigarette butts into a material capable of storing energy that could help power everything from mobile phones to electric cars. In a study published on Tuesday in the journal Nanotechnology, researchers from Seoul National University outlined how they transformed the used filters…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/cigarette-butts-energy-idUSL6N0QC4ZS20140806 Russia May Be Losing Influence Over European Energy Markets. The Ukraine crisis is unlikely to produce many benefits. But it could serve as a kind of stress test to see whether Europe’s approach to energy policy is working. The European authorities have been far more interventionist than their American counterparts on energy, with the objectives of reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy security. Now along comes an international imbroglio in which energy is playing an outsized role. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/business/international/russia-may-be-losing-influence-over-european-energy-markets.html U.S. moves to cash in on African economic promise. When Kevin Smith and his partners started a solar energy firm in Santa Monica in 2008, they expected to sell their technology to advanced economies in Europe and the United States. But much of the action has been in a part of the world Smith initially wrote off: Africa. Not only are some of SolarReserve's biggest projects in South Africa, but by year's end the continent is also likely to generate the bulk of the company's sales. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-us-africa-business-20140806-story.html#page=1 California’s alternative energy arc on the agenda. Alternative energy is big business in Sacramento. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the agenda for today’s Advanced Energy Economy summit, a convening of public officials and firms invested in clean, efficient and innovative energy sources. Among the attendees will be billionaire kingmaker Tom Steyer, who has become a national figure for bankrolling environmental causes and candidates. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/06/6607850/am-alert-californias-alternative.html#storylink=cpy Cap-and-trade skeptic Perea exits alternative energy panel. It would have made for a delicate situation: a panel on California’s alternative energy future, featuring a state Assembly member who has been vocally questioning part of the state’s landmark emissions-reducing program. No longer. Averting a potentially awkward scenario, Assemblyman Henry Perea, D-Fresno, withdrew from a panel discussion planned as part of an alternative energy trade group’s Sacramento summit. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/06/6609824/cap-and-trade-skeptic-perea-exits.html#storylink=cpy California adding solar energy at fast clip. California's solar energy capabilities grew by 48 percent last year as homeowners tacked on rooftop panels and utilities tapped into giant renewable power plants in the desert, says a study released Tuesday. The research group California Environment calculated that California had installed about 5.7 gigawatts of solar generating capacity at year's end, comparable on a sunny day to the output of five large nuclear reactors. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/06/solar-energy-boom-unabated/ San Bernardino County Supervisors reject Apple Valley solar farm. County supervisors on Tuesday affirmed a Planning Commission decision to prohibit the building of a solar farm in Apple Valley, concurring that the project did not comply with development standards and that the site was poorly located. “Renewable energy projects must be carefully and thoughtfully located. This is not the right location for this project,” Supervisor Robert Lovingood said in a statement following Tuesday’s meeting. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/government-and-politics/20140805/san-bernardino-county-supervisors-reject-apple-valley-solar-farm MISCELLANEOUS Sacramento leaders: Risk of oil train explosions needs to be acknowledged. Sacramento area leaders say the city of Benicia is failing to acknowledge the risks of explosions and fires that could happen if the Bay Area city approves Valero’s plan to run crude oil trains through Northern California to its refinery. The accusation, in a draft letter released Tuesday by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/05/6607840/sacramento-leaders-oil-trains.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS Ruminating cattle and leaky gas pipelines: Kemp. Supporters of natural gas promote it as a clean “bridge fuel” between the coal-and-oil dominated energy system of the present and the zero-emissions system of the future based on renewables and nuclear power. Burning gas rather than coal in a power plant produces roughly half the carbon dioxide emissions and sharply reduces airborne pollution from mercury and other heavy metals. Switching to gas from coal could therefore slow the rise in global temperatures as well as produce significant health benefits. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/04/us-climatechange-usa-methane-idUSKBN0G40AY20140804 BLOGS Beijing Hopes to Keep Skies Bluer for Regional Forum. Beijng’s air-quality index on Monday fell to some of its lowest levels all year – in the single digits for two hours — after rain swept away most of the city’s air pollution. If the government had its way, the index, which averages about 174, would remain fixed at those famously low levels for the rest of the month. The city plans to heavily reduce the use of government vehicles for two weeks…Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/08/06/beijing-hopes-to-keep-skies-bluer-for-regional-forum/ Will climate change worsen Ebola outbreaks? The Ebola outbreak is “out of control” in parts of West Africa, says the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Could climate change hasten the spread of the deadly virus? Perhaps, but the linkages are complicated, according to limited scientific literature on the topic. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/08/05/will-climate-change-worsen-ebola-outbreaks/ Big oil launches Twitter attack on ARB regarding Cap and Trade program. Big oil has taken to social media to challenge California authorities to explain recent statements related to climate change regulations. In a series of several "tweets" on social media site Twitter yesterday and today, the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) accused staff of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) of misleading the public about how transportation fuels, consumers…Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/big-oil-launches-twitter-attack-on-arb-regarding-cap-and-trade-program GM Finally Is Embracing Diesel Market With New Plans, Projections. General Motors GM +0.57% finally has drunk the Kool-Aid when it comes to clean-diesel power. It plans on adding an array of new diesel passenger models to its Chevrolet Cruze diesel, and executives have embraced even the optimistic projections of diesel advocates when it comes to forecasting the expansion of the market. The company’s endorsement of the future of diesel power…Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/dalebuss/2014/08/06/plans-projections-show-that-gm-finally-is-embracing-diesel-market/ How Ontario Won the War on Coal. It didn’t even need a carbon tax or cap and trade. Canadians aren’t known for boastfulness. Recently, though, the government of Ontario couldn’t help beating its chest a little. In April, eight months ahead of a schedule plotted 11 years ago, Ontario’s energy ministry announced the closing of the Thunder Bay coal-generating plant, on the shores of Lake Superior. Posted. http://www.slate.com/articles/business/the_juice/2014/08/ontario_s_war_on_coal_how_a_heavily_populated_heavy_industry_canadian_province.html The plain bad economics of today’s energy prices. Andrew Steer says that it is bad economics to not tax pollution and congestion, and refutes opposing claims that an energy tax is “government overreach” or would have a negative impact on the poor. http://www.eco-business.com/opinion/plain-bad-economics-todays-energy-prices/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Aug+6+newsletter+-+EB+mag+issue+2&utm_content=Aug+6+newsletter+-+EB+mag+issue+2+Version+A+CID_699a2abb64d3dcc33c69f8b509d26791&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=READ%20FULL%20STORY Linde spending $4.3 million on two new hydrogen stations in California. If California is going to sink millions upon millions to expand its hydrogen-refueling infrastructure, shouldn't at least some of that infrastructure be operated by a company that actually produces hydrogen fuel? Why, yes, and that's the case with Linde North America. The company has announced it will build two publicly-accessible hydrogen stations in Northern California…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/06/linde-4-million-new-hydrogen-stations-california/ Why Battery Electric Vehicles Will Beat Fuel Cells. Fuel cells, like gasoline hybrid power-trains, are at best a stop-gap measure in the electrification of the automobile industry. The best case mass, volume and cost projections for fuel cells do not match the current state of the art li-ion batteries. As batteries become cheaper with higher power densities, faster charge times and more charging cycles, any business case for fuel cells will completely disappear. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/05/why-battery-electric-vehicles-will-beat-fuel-cells/ Pollution: You Can Help Stop It. What do you think of when you hear the word pollution? What i think of is the Earth and how nasty it is, and how people are treating it like it is worthless. Everyone lives on Earth so everyone needs to take care of it. Think of Earth like a bedroom, some people keep their bedroom clean and some people keep their bedroom dirty. The people who keep their bedroom clean are the ones who litter the least. Posted. http://lakewoodobserver.com/read/2014/08/05/pollution-you-can-help-stop-it California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2014 15:14:25 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 7, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 7, 2014. 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 Lawmakers brace for a fight over delaying cap-and-trade impact on gasoline prices. Politicians involved in a debate over the cost of carbon urged business executives yesterday to exercise their clout, but a key player expressed hesitance to get involved in the immediate fray. The debate over the cost of fuels under the state's carbon regulations has been intensifying as the state nears a key milestone for the program. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004180/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION China's War On Air Pollution Shows More Promise Than Reports Indicate. Multinational corporations like Coca-Cola and Panasonic are increasingly offering expat executives “hardship packages,” which include allowances for frequent trips to their home countries and additional ‘bonuses’, to entice them to stay in China’s polluted cities. While the private sector is offering a short-term solution to China’s air pollution problem, it is not the only plan for making China’s smog-choked cities more livable. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ckgsb/2014/08/06/chinas-air-pollution-better-than-reports-indicate/ NRG to close Illinois coal plant in clean-air move. An energy company has announced plans to close one Illinois coal-fired power plant and convert another to natural gas to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The company says the move will eliminate 250 jobs. New Jersey-based NRG Energy Inc. announced the plans Thursday. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/NRG-to-close-Illinois-coal-plant-in-clean-air-move-5674538.php http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-coal-plant-closing-0807-biz--20140807-story.html CLIMATE CHANGE Deep emissions cuts needed by 2050 to limit warming: U.N. draft. Deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions of 40 to 70 percent by mid-century will be needed to avert the worst of global warming that is already harming all continents, a draft U.N. report showed. The 26-page draft, obtained by Reuters on Thursday, sums up three U.N. scientific reports published over the past year as a guide for almost 200 governments which are due to agree a deal to combat climate change at a summit in Paris in late 2015. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/07/us-climatechange-solutions-idUSKBN0G71SF20140807 Q&A: Back-to-back big storms are rare for Hawaii. Comparatively few really big storms pass close enough to Hawaii to do much more than shake the palm fronds, but now back-to-back storms packing high-speed winds are bearing down on the island chain. Hurricane Iselle could hit the islands as early as Thursday. Just behind it is Hurricane Julio, which was expected to pass north of the Hawaiian islands in three to four days. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TROPICAL_WEATHER_QA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT U.S. Lowers Odds of El Nino Forming by End of Year. The odds of an El Nino forming in the equatorial Pacific have fallen to about 65 percent through the end of the year, the U.S. Climate Prediction Center said. Computer forecast models delay the onset of the El Nino, a warming of sea surface temperatures and corresponding atmospheric changes, said the agency in College Park, Maryland. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-07/u-s-lowers-odds-of-el-nino-forming-by-end-of-year.html Keep Watch on the Bully in the Room and the Storms at Sea. While the world’s oceans churn with tropical cyclones, there are a couple of weather updates scheduled for today that may influence the natural gas market and many others. At 9 a.m. New York time, the U.S. Climate Prediction Center will provide its outlook for what may be the most talked-about El Nino in history that hasn’t formed yet. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-07/keep-watch-on-the-bully-in-the-room-and-the-storms-at-sea.html CO2 capture from air could ripen into a global warming solution, researcher predicts. Technologies for capturing carbon dioxide directly from the ambient air will play a key role in reversing the buildup of greenhouse gases if the process can gain wider acceptance, according to a Columbia University scientist. "It's not a question of if air capture technology will be adopted; it's a question of when," said Klaus Lackner, director of the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy at Columbia University's Earth Institute. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004175/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California Century-Old Water Rights Profit From Drought. Last summer, in the second year of California’s latest dry spell, Michael Perez, a farmer in the state’s Central Valley, paid $250 an acre-foot for water to irrigate his almonds, cherries, tomatoes, and cotton. (An acre-foot is enough to cover an acre with a foot of water.) This year, with the drought hitting crisis levels, Perez was in for a shock: Water is now going for as much as $2,200 an acre-foot, an increase of more than 800 percent. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-07/california-century-old-water-rights-profit-from-drought.html Tattletales Use Twitter to Shame California Water-Wasters. California’s record drought has unleashed a flood of social-media tattletales. Vigilantes armed with cameraphones prowl neighborhoods from San Diego to San Francisco documenting sprinklers running freely, runoff flowing from saturated lawns and other water-wasters. Sacramento, California’s capital, received almost 12,000 reports of excessive water use in the first six months of this year, up from about 800 in the period last year. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-07/tattletales-use-twitter-to-shame-california-water-wasters.html Cargill Earnings Decline on Effects of Drought. Cargill Inc., the largest closely held U.S. company, posted a 12 percent drop in fiscal fourth-quarter profit as its trading and processing business continued to feel the effects of drought in the U.S. and a shortage of railcars. Net income declined to $424 million in the three months through May, from $483 million a year earlier, the Minneapolis-based company said today in a statement. Revenue rose 2 percent to $36.2 billion. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-07/cargill-earnings-decline-on-effects-of-drought-railcar-shortage.html http://online.wsj.com/articles/cargill-earnings-drop-12-as-energy-struggles-continue-1407418921 Dry California Fights Illegal Use of Water for Cannabis. An abandoned recreational vehicle was the first clue. In this hamlet two hours north of San Francisco and barely a mile from the largest natural freshwater lake in the state, the trailer sat on a hill, hidden from the main drag. Behind it rose a flimsy fence, tall enough to shield its bounty: 50 marijuana plants in hastily constructed wooden boxes. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/us/dry-california-fights-illegal-use-of-water-for-cannabis.html?_r=0 California's severe drought unchanged despite record thunderstorms. A series of thunderstorms that have hit California in recent weeks may have delivered devastating torrents of rain in some areas, but on the whole they were "inconsequential" in terms of easing the state's worsening drought, according to a report issued Thursday. The U.S. Drought Monitor, in its weekly report, said that the locations of the rain and the rate it fell minimized the relief for California’s parched landscape. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-rain-california-drought-20140807-story.html http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140806/storms-brought-isolated-chaos-flash-flooding-but-no-drought-relief Brazil's water crisis amid drought could lead to rationing. A drought in Brazil has led to a water crisis and the country's largest population center is facing the prospect of rationing. Brazil's Public Ministry, a federal regulatory agency, has recommended that Sao Paulo state immediately commence water rationing to avoid a “collapse of reservoirs,” but the state government missed an initial deadline on Wednesday to take action. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-ff-brazil-water-drought-rationing-20140806-story.html California drought: Strong El Niño, which could bring soaking winter storms, fizzling out. A powerful El Niño that had been emerging in the Pacific Ocean is fizzling out, evaporating hopes it will deliver a knockout punch to California's three-year drought. A new report from scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration decreases the probability of an El Niño -- the condition that occurs when warm Pacific Ocean water at the equator affects the jet stream…Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_26292171/california-drought-strong-el-nino-which-could-bring UC survey analyzing drought's impact on county citrus. There is no doubt the current statewide water shortage is negatively impacting citrus growers in the nation's top agriculture producing county, but what exactly is happening and how are growers dealing with it? The University of California Cooperative Extension in Tulare County wants to know. Farm Adviser Neil O'Connell says the impact should be recorded. Posted. http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2014/08/07/uc-survey-analyzing-droughts-impact-county-citrus/13709483/ Shasta Lake cracks down on excessive water use. The City of Shasta Lake is cracking down on excessive water use in response to California’s ongoing drought. City council members yesterday voted unanimously to put in place additional water use restrictions and penalties in response to more stringent conservation standards issued by the state’s Water Resources Control Board in July. Posted. http://www.redding.com/news/breaking-news/shasta-lake-cracks-down-on-excessive-water-use La Cañada City Council considers task force on drought issues. Just days after a statewide mandate to conserve water in extraordinary drought conditions took effect, members of the La Cañada Flintridge City Council decided to reconvene a blue ribbon task force to coordinate local conservation efforts. Posted. http://www.lacanadaonline.com/news/tsn-vsl-la-canada-council-considers-task-force-on-drought-issues-20140806,0,704159.story California drought can't stop production of bottled water. California's severe drought—now in its third year—has led to major hardships in the state. The list includes dwindling water sources, declining revenues for water districts from conservation; and mandatory fines up to $500 for hosing down driveways or for overwatering lawns. Not to mention the loss of agriculture crops and related jobs. Posted. http://www.cnbc.com/id/101892496 Cotton Harvest in Australia Seen Falling 50% on Drought. Cotton production in Australia is set to plummet as much as 50 percent next season as drought curbs water supply in the world’s third-biggest exporter, according to growers and shippers. Output may be between 2 million and 2.5 million bales in 2014-2015 from about 4 million bales this year, according to Cotton Australia, the Sydney-based producers’ group. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-08-07/australian-cotton-crop-seen-declining-50-percent-on-record-drought Why heavy rains probably won’t do much good in drought-stricken Calif. (+video). This week, firefighters battling wildfires near Sacramento have enjoyed a few moments of respite as the rain has come down. The weather has been anything but normal for California this year. Bizarre weather has dogged the West Coast this year: Wildfires and mudslides have occurred when they usually don’t, and now, unexpected drenching rains have been moving north through the Golden State. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2014/0806/Why-heavy-rains-probably-won-t-do-much-good-in-drought-stricken-Calif.-video Calif. voters favor $6.9B water bond more than one for $11.1B – poll. California voters are more inclined to vote for a $6.9 billion water bond than an $11.1 billion one, back-to-back polls released yesterday said. Surveys commissioned jointly by the California Alliance for Jobs, Nature Conservancy and Association of California Water Agencies probed voters' views about water during the state's ongoing extreme drought. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004197/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB rules: DPF sales spike prompts gratitude from emissions controls makers. Truck owners may not be cheering on new regulations from the California Air Resources Board, but there is one national organization supportive of new emissions rules. Sales of diesel particulate filters for trucks and buses in California jumped in late 2013 and early 2014 due to the implementation of CARB’s On Road Truck and Bus Regulation. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27470#.U-OeXo2wIUU Diesel Particulate Filter Sales Soaring in California. Sales of diesel particulate filters for commercial trucks and buses in California increased at the end of 2013 and in the first half of 2014 compared to the first half of 2013, according a survey released by the Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2014/08/diesel-particulate-filter-sales-soaring-in-california.aspx FUELS California Takes Record Volumes of Oil by Rail From Utah. California, home to two-thirds of refining capacity in the western U.S., brought in a record volume of waxy oil by rail from Utah in June as crude imports from Canada and North Dakota slid. The state, the biggest gasoline market in the U.S., received 2,737 barrels a day of oil by rail from Utah in June, almost twice the volume of the previous month and up from nothing a year ago, data on the state Energy Commission’s website showed yesterday. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-06/california-takes-record-amount-of-oil-by-rail-from-utah.html Mexico Oil Is Boon for Exxon to BP as Frontiers Teeter. Mexico’s vote on rules for the end of its 76-year state-oil monopoly couldn’t come at a better time for global energy companies from Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) to Royal Dutch Shell Plc. With reserves holding $1.3 trillion of crude at yesterday’s prices, Mexico offers a new opportunity for deep-pocketed producers as well as pipeline and power companies to try and mimic an energy revolution that has spurred U.S. oil output to a 26-year high…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-07/mexico-oil-is-boon-for-exxon-to-bp-as-frontiers-teeter.html Dirtiest Fuel Threatens 700-Year-Old Villages in Europe. Europe’s energy dilemma -- burning the dirtiest coal while meeting pollution targets -- is crystallizing in opposition to a plan that would uproot 700-year-old villages and dig two pits the size of Manhattan. PGE SA and Vattenfall AB, the Warsaw- and Stockholm-based utilities, want to tap Europe’s richest lignite deposit, along the German-Polish border. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-05/dirtiest-fuel-threatens-700-year-old-villages-in-europe.html Deep Water Fracking Next Frontier for Offshore Drilling. Energy companies are taking their controversial fracking operations from the land to the sea -- to deep waters off the U.S., South American and African coasts. Cracking rocks underground to allow oil and gas to flow more freely into wells has grown into one of the most lucrative industry practices of the past century. The technique is also widely condemned as a source of groundwater contamination. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-07/deep-water-fracking-next-frontier-for-offshore-drilling.html Why Oil Companies Think We Need MORE Carbon Dioxide. It seems that today's headlines are chock-full of two kinds of articles: those that proclaim that greenhouse gas emissions are the greatest threat to mankind and those that celebrate how America's shale oil and gas boom is smashing records. In fact, according to Bank of America and the International Energy Agency, as of June the US is the largest producer of oil and natural gas liquids in the world. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Why-Oil-Companies-Think-We-Need-MORE-Carbon-5674375.php Prices at the pump may go up. You could see prices at the pump go up as early as next year and this time you may be paying more because of a statewide initiative to clean up our air. Drivers in the Central Valley are not happy about potentially spending more to fill up their tanks in 2015. "It feels like everything keeps going up and up and up," said Crystal Bishop. "It's never a good thing," said Austin Valentine. Posted. http://abc30.com/news/prices-at-the-pump-may-go-up/246287/ VEHICLES Big 2015 Chevy Tahoe remains a rare breed of SUV. The big, 2015 Tahoe sport utility vehicle is thriving at Chevrolet, thanks to updated styling, a more powerful V-8, improved second-row legroom, more towing capacity and new features. Evidently, fuel mileage - a combined city/highway rating of 18 mpg - isn't a deal breaker for buyers. Mileage improved just 1 mile per gallon over the previous Tahoe. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BEHIND_THE_WHEEL_CHEVROLET_TAHOE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Bill would cap income eligibility for state's clean-vehicle rebates. California wants 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025 — more than 15 times the number now. So the state pays buyers $2,500 per car, on top of a $7,500 federal tax credit, to help speed development and promote widespread adoption. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-electric-car-rebates-20140807-story.html#page=1 Power grid braces for more electric cars. A consortium of major automakers and U.S. utilities has set out to create an digital Rosetta Stone to help electric cars communicate with the power grid. The effort aspires to create a widely accepted communication standard that can send signals to electric vehicles, regardless of make or model, to slow or pause the charging of batteries. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/07/electric-cars-improve-efficiency-power-grid/ GREEN ENERGY China Adds Australia-Sized Solar Capacity in Energy Push. China, the world’s biggest carbon emitter, accelerated solar power installations in the first half, adding enough capacity in the period to equal Australia’s entire supply of power from sunlight at the end of last year. China added 3.3 gigawatts of solar capacity in the six months ended June 30, double last year’s additions, the National Energy Administration said today in a statement. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-07/china-add-australia-sized-solar-capacity-in-energy-push.html Russia Sanctions Failing to Stanch Energy Deals With Japan. Japan, dependent on imports for almost all its fuel, is pursuing natural gas projects and energy purchases in Russia despite new sanctions last week designed to punish Vladimir Putin and his associates. Japan won’t be keen on deeper sanctions that would curb its access to gas, oil and coal from Russia…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-06/sanctions-on-russia-failing-to-staunch-energy-deals-with-japan.html Greening the Gilded Age. It was a gray and cloudy morning, and the fog was rolling across the grounds of Stonlea (pronounced stone-LEE), a sprawling Gilded Age estate here on a hill overlooking Dublin Lake, with a view, on most days, of Mount Monadnock. Polly Guth, the 87-year-old owner, was leading a visitor on a house tour that featured lots of the expected Gilded Age-y things. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/garden/greening-the-gilded-age.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A7%22} County passes slate of green building rules. Four new “green building” measures intended to support solar energy and electrical vehicles are slated to become requirements for new homes in unincorporated areas of San Diego County. The Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved requiring a larger electrical panel to support future additions, conduit and wiring to accommodate rooftop solar panels and an electrical vehicle charging station, and reserving space on south-facing roofs for the possible addition of a solar energy system. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/07/tp-county-passes-slate-of-green-building-rules/ Bay Area: Energy efficiency financing now available through state-sponsored program. When Jeff Silver decided to redo the heating and hot water systems in his Emeryville home, the $32,000 price tag seemed way out of reach. But through CaliforniaFIRST, a new state-sponsored program for energy efficiency financing that went live Tuesday in 17 counties, Silver was able to buy and install the equipment he needed with no money down and tack the payments on to his yearly property taxes with payments spread out over 15 years. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/my-town/ci_26281215/bay-area-energy-efficiency-financing-now-available-through MISCELLANEOUS Mercury levels rise in oceans. Man has pumped tens of thousands of tons of mercury into the world’s oceans in the last 500 years, nearly tripling the amount of the toxic heavy metal in sea water, according to a study published online Wednesday in the journal Nature. The study, the first to be based on widespread and long-term sampling of ocean waters, found that the increase in mercury content in Earth’s waters follows the same pattern as the post-industrial increase in carbon dioxide…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-mercury-measurements-oceans-20140806-story.html 'Smart' watering systems can help landscapes survive drought limits. With summer heat and deepening drought upon us, the stringent outdoor watering restrictions adopted July 15 by the State Water Resources Control Board present many homeowners with a conundrum: how to keep their landscaping alive while staying compliant. The good news is that a new generation of "smart" irrigation systems, designed to increase water-delivery efficiency and minimize waste, is available today, often at reasonable cost. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-smart-watering-20140726-story.html#page=1 BLOGS Only 9 Chinese Cities Pass Clean Air Test. If you are looking for a Chinese city with clean air, your best bets would be Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Zhoushan, Zhanjiang, Yunfu, Beihai, Sanya or Lhasa, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Those are the only nine out of 161 monitored cities that met China’s new air quality standards in the first half of this year, the ministry announced on Wednesday. The stricter standards were rolled out by the government in 2012…Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/only-9-chinese-cities-pass-clean-air-test/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Cap and Trade Faces First Major Political Test. California’s cap-and-trade system expands next year. And while the program has already discreetly impacted energy prices, consumers will likely get their first direct glimpse at cap and trade’s effect on markets when it’s applied to transportation fuels. That fact has many politicians nervous, including a group of Democrats who are urging Governor Jerry Brown to hit the breaks on cap and trade. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/08/07/cap-and-trade-faces-first-major-political-test/ El Niño Fizzle: No Relief Likely for California Drought. All that talk you’ve been hearing about El Niño coming to wash California out of its three-year drought: fahgettaboudit. Federal scientists now say the odds of those peculiar ocean conditions often associated with wet winters here have diminished substantially, and there’s now about a 65 percent chance of El Niño by late fall-early winter, right when we’d be hoping for rain and snow to return. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/08/07/el-nino-fizzle-no-relief-likely-for-california-drought/ Don’t be a pawn for your lawn. No, I’m not talking about playing chess on your lawn! Instead, the purpose of today’s blog (written obviously during the height of summer) is to again remind my readers of the health and environmental hazards associated with exposure to pesticides and fertilizers for lawn care. I was amazed to learn that there are more acres of grass (40.5 MILLION) than acres devoted to agriculture (20.3 MILLION). Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/brainman/dont-be-a-pawn-for-your-lawn/223/ Global Warming Pause Puts 'Crisis' In Perspective. Much has been written and argued, from all sides in the global warming debate, about the meaning of the asserted 17-year pause in global warming. Is a 17-year pause significant? Is a pause even occurring? Does the pause signal a longer-term halt to global warming or even a long-term cooling trend? Would a resumption of global warming to pre-pause rates end the global warming debate? Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2014/08/07/global-warming-pause-puts-crisis-in-perspective/ Get used to toilet-to-tap water, Californians told. Drought-hit state plans $140m expansion at world’s biggest treatment facility to recycle more waste water. The golden state’s historic drought is forcing once-squeamish Californians to take a new look at “toilet-to-tap” water re-use. Or as they prefer to call it in Fountain Valley, “showers to flowers”. The town in conservative Orange County is home to the largest water recycling plant in the world and an example during this epic drought of the life-altering changes California will have to make to avoid running out of water. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/07/california-drought-orange-county-toilet-to-tap-water The History Of California Is A History Of Fire And Drought. Southern California is aghast that cities are now enforcing water usage cutbacks during the ongoing drought - it's because during the mandatory restrictions, while the farming regions of central California have met their targets, water usage in southern California actually went up. They may not know something that most people in California realize - California is a desert and its water comes from dams and rivers north of them in California, and in Colorado. Posted. http://www.science20.com/print/142127 Japan considering offering free hydrogen cars because $30k incentives apparently not enough. There's no such thing as a free lunch. A free hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, though? It may become a possibility in Japan, says Automotive News. We know the Japanese government is being plenty supportive of hydrogen vehicles since it will provide about $20,000 worth of incentives to prospective customers of the $69,000 vehicle. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/06/japan-considering-offering-free-hydrogen-cars/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2014 12:43:07 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 8, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 8, 2014. 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 Council tells Governor to just say 'no' to gas tax. Gasoline taxes in California would increase by at least 16 cents a gallon, and perhaps as much as 76 cents a gallon, if the next step in the implementation of the state’s greenhouse gas cap and trade program takes effect as planned in January. Porterville City Council voted unanimously Tuesday in favor of a resolution requesting that the state delay the portion of the program that applies to gasoline and diesel fuel. Posted. http://www.recorderonline.com/news/council-tells-governor-to-just-say-no-to-gas-tax/article_b1d6f442-1e46-11e4-a1cd-001a4bcf6878.html AIR POLLUTION Pot smokers sue San Diego, say long drives to dispensaries pollute air. Medical marijuana smokers in San Diego say the city has forced their pot shops to locate in remote areas and that means the drives to and from will increase air pollution — and ultimately, harm their lungs. The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients has filed a lawsuit, saying the city is violating the California Environmental Quality Act, United Press International reported. Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/8/marijuana-smokers-sue-san-diego/ Earth Log: Time for reading, writing, protecting kids from ozone. School is starting up again. In August heat. Parents, you need to limit your child's exposure to ozone and reduce air pollution. It's not calculus, but it is not simple, unless you just focus on carpooling. With carpooling, two families get together to share rides for their children and cut air pollution by half for those two families. BY SUBSCRIPTION. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/08/4060847/time-for-reading-writing-protecting.html?sp=/99/406/263/ EPA plan for cleaner stoves draws heat from industry groups. Representatives from the fireplace and barbecue industries this week met with senior U.S. EPA officials to air concerns about the agency's plans for reducing pollution from wood-burning stoves and heaters. At the meeting Tuesday, the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association and United States Stove Co. told EPA they were concerned about the costs of compliance and the agency's test methods for determining emissions, according to a meeting record posted yesterday. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004267/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY EPA to take over Wis. program for fine particle emissions. U.S. EPA plans to take over part of Wisconsin's program for reducing fine particle pollution after finding that the state has fallen short in meeting requirements mandated by the Clean Air Act. Wisconsin failed to submit a complete plan by a July 2012 deadline under the act's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program, EPA said in a pre-publication Federal Register notice. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004263/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Spikes in sea-level rise create more coastal damage than hurricanes – study. Hard-to-detect spikes in sea level -- driven by ocean currents and wind patterns -- may be worse for beach erosion than some hurricanes, and climate change could make the spikes worse on swaths of the East Coast, according to a new study. The research in Geophysical Research Letters is worrisome for coastal planners, as sea-level spikes or "anomalies" -- which are different from sea-level rise driven by climate change…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004245/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Researchers find the weaker 'sister' of El Niño by studying ancient clamshells. In the 21st century, El Niño weather events have been a shadow of their ferocious selves. In 1998, they caused massive floods in Peru, Ecuador and California as well as record high temperatures and monster droughts in Australia and Indonesia. Scientists have called the current El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) system "Modoki," which translates in Japanese to "the same, but different." Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004243/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY New England is a model for reducing emissions -- EPA official. New England could be a model for tackling carbon emissions as the Obama administration pushes for national reductions in greenhouses gases, said a U.S. EPA official. Curt Spalding, EPA administrator for Region 1 in New England, praised the nine Northeastern states for the progress they had made in reducing emissions. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004239/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California's invisible reservoirs. Imagine if California discovered a natural reservoir that could hold as much water as all the existing reservoirs in the state. Such a reservoir would allow Californians to store even more water in wet periods and help the state outlast the type of drought currently plaguing us (which is not over despite some recent splashes of monsoonal moisture). Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-s-invisible-reservoirs-5675711.php DIESEL EMISSIONS Truck Electrification System to be Tested at Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach. A project testing a new way to power trucks with electricity is moving forward along selected highway lanes near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The South Coast Air Quality Management District, which is the air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, has selected a company to install a catenary system. Posted. http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fuel-smarts/news/story/2014/08/truck-electrification-system-to-be-tested-at-ports-of-los-angeles-long-beach.aspx Clearing the path for enforcement: EPA grants waiver for CARB's 'Smartway Rule'. The California Air Resources Board won a regulatory victory this past week when the Environmental Protection Agency ruled in its favor – clearing the path for enforcement of an expensive trucking regulation. In a decision the EPA posted to its website, EPA approved a waiver to allow enforcement of CARB’s Smartway Rule and its requirements for aerodynamic equipment for trucks and trailers driving in California. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27474#.U-Th8oXxCFI VEHICLES Electric scooter startup comes to city's 'Innovation District. The city's strategy to attract cleantech companies to its growing "Innovation District" has begun yielding results, as another electric vehicle startup has moved to the area. GenZe, an electric-powered scooter maker, moved last month from Palo Alto to south Fremont, where Tesla's factory and other green companies have set up shop. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_26293301/electric-scooter-startup-comes-citys-innovation-district Stakeholders debate pending heavy-duty vehicle mpg rules. A new round of fuel-efficiency standards for heavy-duty vehicles is coming down the pipeline. So far, the push for improved fuel economy has been well-received. But continued support for the standards will depend on their ability to save stakeholders money. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004242/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Dan Walters: Legislature ducking debate on big fuel price hike. When the Legislature adjourns this month, it will likely leave Assembly Bill 69 still sitting in the Senate Rules Committee, thereby avoiding an election-year debate on whether California motorists should cough up billions of extra dollars when they buy gas. The measure, introduced by Assemblyman Henry Perea, D-Fresno, and backed by quite a few other Democrats…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/07/6613685/dan-walters-legislature-ducking.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy Economic arguments to act on climate change: Your Say. Using Chinese inaction as an excuse for ignoring global warming is a mistake, a USA TODAY editorial argued, because China has begun addressing its environmental problems. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar: Everyone is always saying the United States should lead by example. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/08/07/climate-change-economy-jobs-business-your-say/13750543/ BLOGS Uncertainties of scale affect REDD+ schemes. Maps used to determine tree cover as part of schemes to reduce deforestation have errors owing to scale and pixels. These can be corrected, say Betha Lusiana and colleagues. The ability of a REDD+ scheme to meet its national target for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation plus conservation requires understanding how its processes are linked across scales, from local through provincial to national and international levels. Posted. http://blog.worldagroforestry.org/index.php/2014/08/07/uncertainties-of-scale-affect-redd-schemes/#sthash.03biZsg5.dpuf Why Getting Fresh Air Is So Good For You. While we grew up frolicking through fields, swinging at the park and cruising along on our bikes, as adults, many of us spend most of our time indoors. But all of those hours spent outside were actually good for more than using up our unlimited, childhood energy. As it turns out, science shows that some fresh air really will do you good. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/08/tk-ways-fresh-air-impacts_0_n_5648164.html Communities Near Oil Refineries Must Demand Cleaner Air. In Port Arthur Texas, home to eight oil and chemical industrial sites, the egg-like, putrid smell of toxic chemicals spews from oil refinery smokestacks every hour of every day. That stench stands as a reminder to the people who live there that what they smell and breathe is, indeed, making them sick. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-garcia/communities-near-oil-refi_b_5662559.html?page_version=legacy&view=print&comm_ref=false Plug In 2014: BMW i DC Fast Charger is poised to change the EV game. It looks like it's just a blue box on a pole, but BMW's new i DC Fast Charger represents a much bigger deal than just the lowest-cost SAE Combo Charger on the market. BMW sees it as the key to getting more drivers into electric vehicles. As Robert Healey, the EV infrastructure manager for BMW of North America told us, "For [BMW], the future is clear. DC charging really is the future." Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/07/plug-in-2014-bmw-i-dc-fast-charger-change-ev-game/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 15:12:52 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 11, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 11, 2014. 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 Audubon forest in SC sells carbon credits. A black water swamp in South Carolina owned by the Audubon Society is helping companies in California meet their carbon emission goals to ease global warming. About 5,200 acres of the 17,000-acre Francis Beidler Forest, Audubon Center and Sanctuary near Harleyville have been registered with California's cap and trade program as carbon offsets in a program that also brings dollars to preserve the South Carolina landscape. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/10/6618316/audubon-forest-in-sc-sells-carbon.html#storylink=cpy Is fight over cap and trade and gas prices aimed at scuttling climate law? In the battle over whether California should extend its key climate program to penalize pollution from gasoline and diesel, there's a short-term fight, and increasingly what some see as a longer-term war. Groups and individuals seeking to stop the state's move are sending out sometimes daily email messages and social media alerts. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004296/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Carbon tax doesn't need to affect the poor, researchers say. The biggest problem with a carbon tax might be deciding how to use all the money. Researchers conclude in a new analysis that the tax's impact on poorer Americans might be smaller than what's often stated in policy debates. Financially vexed families don't have to bear the brunt of emissions reductions if the revenue is given back in refunds, says a paper by economists at Resources for the Future. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004288/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Study: Keystone carbon pollution more than figured. The much-debated Keystone XL pipeline could produce four times more global warming pollution than the State Department calculated earlier this year, a new study concludes. The U.S. estimates didn't take into account that the added oil from the pipeline would drop prices by about $3 a barrel, spurring consumption that would create more pollution, the researchers said. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_KEYSTONE_PIPELINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-na-keystone-xl-greenhouse-gases-climate-obama-20140809-story.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/10/6618336/study-keystone-carbon-pollution.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/keystone-xl-will-spike-oil-demand-and-co2-study-says_99268203 http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/11/tp-new-study-increases-keystone-pollution/ http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004292/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Determining Methane Leaks Is Key to Climate Goals. If President Obama's Clean Power Plan is going to work, lots of things will have to fall into place. Perhaps the most important is the reduction in greenhouse gases that is expected from increased use of natural gas to generate electricity. Under the plan, which aims to reduce electricity sector emissions by 30 percent by 2030, the EPA projects that coal-fired power will drop more than a quarter from its current 40 percent share of U.S. electricity generation. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/step-1-in-climate-goals-determining-methane-leaks_63463584 CLIMATE CHANGE What Climate Change Means for Your Coffee. Cuppa Joe. Java. Caffeine Infusion. Liquid Lightning. Morning Mud. Rocket Fuel. Coffee - the black liquid that kick-starts the day for billions of people each morning - is one of our most precious global commodities. But as this video from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew explains, it's also under threat from a changing climate. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/what-climate-change-means-for-your-coffee_00435097 Steady Increase in Flights Will Outweigh Carbon Cuts. The aviation industry insists that it is making only a tiny contribution to global warming, with just 2 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions coming from its aircraft. The problem is the speed at which aviation itself is growing. One aircraft builder believes the number of planes in service in 2011 will have doubled by 2031. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/steady-increase-in-flights-will-outweigh-carbon-cuts_48932263 Threat of lawsuits unlikely to sway industry in favor of climate regulation. In 2008, the Alaskan Inupiat village of Kivalina filed suit against Exxon Mobil Corp., along with 23 other oil- and energy-related companies, for damages related to climate change. For more than 50 years the village had been shrinking, the land around it eroding under the influence of storm surges and declining sea ice. As major extractors of fossil fuels and emitters of greenhouse gases, Kivalina charged, the companies were liable for damages under federal common law. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004285/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Climate Contrarians Are Overrepresented in Media Coverage, New Survey Finds Scientific survey finds media may be skewing its coverage of climate science by seeking out views of a small minority who questions man-made warming. There is an overwhelming consensus among expert scientists studying climate change that man-made pollution is the main cause of global warming. But the media may be skewing its coverage of the issue by persistently seeking out the views of a contrarian minority, according to a new study. In an opinion survey of nearly 1,900 scientists…Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140811/climate-contrarians-are-overrepresented-media-coverage-new-survey-finds DROUGHT This L.A. cop gets the drop on water offenders. Rick Silva began his investigation at the end of an alley, on a hot day in L.A.'s Westlake community. Driving down a busy thoroughfare, he spied water runoff on a sidewalk. He steered his city-owned Honda Civic into the alley and followed the water to a small plastic pipe adjacent to a convalescent home. Silva parked and went inside to see the manager. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-water-cop-20140811-story.html California lawmakers considering historic shift in groundwater policy. As California continues to endure a calamitous lack of water from the sky, the state could, for the first time, start to regulate water drawn from the ground. Groundwater regulation has been politically poisonous since the state's founding. But lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown's administration are hoping to capitalize on the current parched conditions, and cautious cooperation from once-resistant interest groups…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-water-20140810-story.html Construction industry preparing for climate change. There's little question many architects and builders are convinced of the threat of climate change and are urging clients to plan for a future of weather extremes. Those who design and construct buildings are required to look decades into the future and are expected to provide owners with their best advice on how and where they should proceed with their projects. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/05/6605765/construction-industry-preparing.html#storylink=cpy California lawmakers struggle to agree on lower-cost water bond. State lawmakers have until Monday night to revise the $11 billion water bond that will appear on the November statewide ballot, but have thus far been unable to agree on a lower spending amount. Gov. Jerry Brown wants to drop the bond to $6 billion, while state lawmakers are throwing out other amounts ranging from $7 billion to $10 billion. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-lawmakers-struggle-to-agree-on-5680419.php Drought lessons: Water wasters attend Water School. Some overindulged their zucchini patch. Others didn't bother with that dripping kitchen sink. But now every Monday night in this drought-stricken beach town, dozens of residents who violated their strict rations take a seat at Water School, hoping to get hundreds of thousands of dollars in distressing penalties waived. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Drought-lessons-Water-wasters-attend-Water-School-5678534.php Drought watering regulations may leave trees high and dry. Ray Gulliksen sees the dead branches topping his birch trees as a signature of the drought. The trees in his Fair Oaks front lawn are “showing quite a bit of stress,” he said. The stress comes from watering restrictions that are turning lawns brown around the region and could also weaken trees, arborists warn. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/04/6597274/new-state-watering-regulations.html#storylink=cpy California drought: Regulations limiting groundwater pumping under consideration by lawmakers. In what would be the most significant water law passed in California in nearly 50 years, lawmakers in Sacramento are working with Gov. Jerry Brown on a landmark measure to regulate groundwater pumping for the first time. With an Aug. 31 deadline until the end of the session and billions of dollars at stake, negotiations among farmers, environmentalists, cities and elected officials are reaching a crescendo. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140810/NEWS/140819979 http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_26307727/california-drought-lawmakers-consider-historic-rules-limit-groundwater In California, record heat adding to extreme drought. The first half of 2014 was by far the hottest in California in 120 years of record-keeping, and that heat is exacerbating one of the most devastating droughts in state history. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/investigations/2014/08/10/california-record-heat-extreme-drought/13856149/ DIESEL EMISSIONS Beltmann Updates Its Fleet To Meet New Diesel Emissions Rules By California Air Resources Board. Beltmann Relocation Group, a nationwide moving company, is pleased to announce that it is an early adopter of new California emissions standards, ensuring that there is no loss of service for customers. Santa Fe Springs, CA (PRWEB) - National moving company Beltmann Relocation Group, one of the nation's oldest and largest moving companies, has completed updates on its…Posted. http://www.pollutiononline.com/doc/beltmann-updates-its-fleet-diesel-emissions-rules-by-california-air-resources-board-0001 FUELS UC Davis scientists search for ways to turn carbon dioxide into fuel. Carbon dioxide is a waste product of fuel burned in cars, but some UC Davis scientists are working to turn it back into fuel. To accomplish the conversion, Shota Atsumi, a UC Davis chemist, is experimenting with genetically modifying bacteria. His colleague, Louise Berben, another UC Davis chemist, makes compounds that use electricity to power chemical reactions that produce fuel. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/08/6616116/uc-davis-scientists-search-for.html#storylink=cpy Sacramento-area gas prices tumble for fifth consecutive week. Sacramento-area motorists enjoyed a fifth consecutive week of declining gasoline prices, thanks to a relatively quiet hurricane season and crude oil prices settling below $100 a barrel. National price tracker GasBuddy.com, which surveys more than 700 regional gas outlets daily, said the average retail price of gas in Sacramento region fell another 3.6 cents over the past week to $3.83 a gallon. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/11/6620423/sacramento-area-gas-prices-tumble.html#storylink=cpy Despite White House push, biogas industry finds it hard to get off the ground. While proposals to limit greenhouse gas emissions often focus on targets decades ahead, one energy source that dates back to the Iron Age still holds unrealized potential. It's called biogas. Romans used biogas, a newfangled word for the methane they generated from the conversion of solid organic matter to a gas, to light their lanterns. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004281/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Electric-vehicle charging stations sprouting all over California. Gas pumps still rule the roadways, but electric-vehicle chargers are moving up fast, being added by the dozens in California, the world’s No. 1 electric-vehicle market. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/09/6614146/electric-vehicle-charging-stations.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL Fresno City Hall torn over study for high-speed rail station. The place that can't get its fill of plans is dragging its heels over whether to spend someone else's money for a study on the bullet train station. Fresno City Hall is unsure if it should spend $1 million in grants for a consultant who would tell city officials how downtown can maximize the benefits of high-speed rail. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/10/4064411/fresno-torn-over-study-for-rail.html#storylink=cpy California boards to take up high-speed rail issues. The California High-Speed Rail Authority board will contemplate a proposal Tuesday to use cap-and-trade money to accelerate plans in Southern California while construction starts in the San Joaquin Valley. And on Wednesday, another state board could authorize condemnation proceedings to begin on five properties in Fresno and Madera counties…Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/10/4064332/state-boards-to-take-up-rail-issues.html?sp=/99/406/263/ GREEN ENERGY Mexican president signs landmark energy legislation into law. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto signed into law on Monday a package of laws setting out the fine print of a landmark energy reform that promises to lure billions of dollars in investment to the country's ailing oil, gas and electricity sectors. Pena Nieto has made the energy overhaul the top economic priority of his administration, which aims to boost slumping growth in the world's 15th biggest economy. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/11/mexico-reforms-idUSL2N0QH10U20140811 After offshore oil failure, Cuba shifts energy focus. Cuba has shifted its focus away from offshore oil, concentrating on renewable energy and improving output from onshore wells due to a lack of interest by foreign companies for further deepwater exploration, sources close to the industry say. With so much oil readily available around the world, oil companies including those from allies…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/11/us-cuba-energy-idUSKBN0GB1QN20140811 In U.S. Energy Boom, Alaska Is Unlikely Loser. Former Dominant Oil Player Losing Out to Places Like North Dakota. Since joining the Alaskan oil rush in the early 1980s, Richard Repper has jumped from project to project in the state, with no job more than a three-hour flight from this town about 70 miles south of Anchorage. But last fall, he began working in North Dakota, more than 2,000 miles away. A construction manager for an oil-field-services company…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/in-u-s-energy-boom-alaska-is-unlikely-loser-1407724690#printMode Imperial County wants state to require use of more geothermal energy. California's poorest county wants a bigger share of the state's $16-billion wholesale electricity market. Imperial County, which stretches east of San Diego County to Arizona, is seeking a special deal from the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown that would require electric utilities, such as Southern California Edison Co., to buy extra alternative energy from geothermal power plants that are run by naturally occurring steam from deep in the earth. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-capitol-business-beat-20140811-story.html?track=rss Atwater solar project sparks controversy. The expansion of a solar project is sparking a controversy in Atwater. The City Council on Monday will consider an agreement to lease about an acre of private land from a family to expand a solar facility. The project – which installs solar panels on a water well at 380 Commerce Ave., as well as City Hall and the community center, both on Bellevue Road – was first approved in July 2013. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/10/3481277/atwater-solar-project-sparks-controversy.html#storylink=cpy MISCELLANEOUS eHighway system coming to ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles. Next summer, technology that powers today’s trolleys and streetcars may soon power trucks traveling to and from the nation’s two busiest seaports in a demonstration that officials hope will lead to cleaner air. The South Coast Air Quality Management District in July is expected to start a yearlong demonstration of an “eHighway” system near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/general-news/20140810/ehighway-system-coming-to-ports-of-long-beach-los-angeles Sacramento-area leaders concerned about crude-rail risks. Sacramento-area leaders are voicing concerns about Valero's proposed crude-by-rail plan, accusing Benicia of paying too little attention to potential "very serious" hazards of increased oil train shipments through Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, Solano and Contra Costa counties. In a draft comment letter on the project…Posted. http://www.timesheraldonline.com/breaking_news/ci_26307765/sacramento-area-leaders-concerned-about-crude-rail-risks OPINIONS Swimming Against the Rising Tide. IT never feels like summer starts until the first time I go to the beach. To stand nearly naked and heavy from winter on the water’s edge, wade awkwardly into the shallows, dive under the first cold wave, taste first salt, surface and dive again to reach the calmer waters beyond, floating there until water and skin become the same temperature — this is the best way I know to belong again, body and soul, to some larger part of the planet, not just the city, not just the job. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/10/opinion/sunday/secular-climate-change-activists-can-learn-from-evangelical-christians.html?_r=0 Opinion: California deserves tough environmental regulators. To the editor: We pass environmental protection laws in California to keep companies from polluting our environment and causing costly health problems. When the agency charged with enforcing our laws — in this case, the Department of Toxic Substances Control — does not bother to fill out the paperwork to collect the fines, the industries get the message that they can pollute with impunity. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0810-sunday-toxic-subtances-20140810-story.html Viewpoints: Gas price hike from cap and trade will hurt families and small businesses. Californians are in for a big surprise this January, as a new bump at the gas pump will add a projected 13 to 20 cents per gallon to the already high price we pay for gas. Worse, voters in California have absolutely no say in the matter. Prepare for sticker shock in January as emissions from cars and trucks will come under the California Air Resources Board’s little-understood cap-and-trade program. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/09/6615758/viewpoints-gas-price-hike-from.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Scientists are rising to the challenges of drought. This week, scientists from around the world are convening in Sacramento for the Ecological Society of America’s annual meeting to discuss cutting-edge research for a sustainable future. The meeting comes at a pivotal time for California, as the three-year drought drags on. According to the latest Drought Monitor report, more than 58 percent of the state is experiencing “exceptional drought,” the most severe classification, characterized by extreme water shortages and crop loss. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/11/6617698/viewpoints-scientists-are-rising.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: California needs to effectively manage its groundwater basins. If you look closely at the economic impact of California agriculture, it’s staggering how much the nation – and even the world – relies on our farmers and ranchers. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/10/6615664/viewpoints-california-needs-to.html Dan Walters: As clock ticks, chances for water bond fade. With just three weeks remaining in this year’s legislative session and the official deadline for placing issues on the Nov. 4 ballot long since passed, one might think that the Capitol’s politicians would be working night and day to write a new water bond. But if they are, it sure isn’t noticeable, even though the state is wracked by drought and the public expects politicians to respond with more than sympathy. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/11/6616204/dan-walters-as-clock-ticks-chances.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy BLOGS Cutting Carbon Pollution Will Help Create a Healthier Planet. In June, President Obama and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled a proposal that would cut carbon pollution from electrical power generators by 30 percent compared to 2005 levels. We should applaud the Administration for taking action that would at once start to address the crisis of global warming and more immediately leave us all with cleaner air. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lynn-r-goldman/cutting-carbon-pollution-_b_5668511.html What Ecologists Are Most Worried About Right Now: 5 Emerging Trends in Climate. When scientists publish an analysis of the impacts of climate change on species, ecosystems and people, the language used can sound terribly distant and cold. In truth, the tone of these studies reflects the tone of science but not the feelings of scientists. Ecologists studying the impacts of climate change today know that change is not coming at some point in the future; change is here, with much more to come. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-h-matthews/climate-change-ecology_b_5659176.html Egg-shaped, solar- and pedal-powered $5,500 ELF eco-trike on the way. Remember the old Flinstones cartoons where Fred and Barney could make their cars go faster by peddling their feet on the ground under the car? One North Carolina-based company is putting its own spin on that concept. All for the sake of the environment, of course. Organic Transit is selling what it calls the ELF, which stands for Electric, Light Fun and is a three-wheeled 150-pound vehicle (technically classified as a bike) that can be powered by electric power, solar power or pedal power. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/10/egg-shaped-solar-pedal-powered-5500-elf-eco-trike-/ Prius out, ELR in with changing HOV landscape. Out with the sort-of-old, in with the new-ish. The Arizona Department of Transportation has updated its list of vehicles that can legally drive in the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane no matter how many people are in the car. The changes show us how the green car landscape is changing. Standard hybrids like the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight are now relegated back to the normal traffic lanes while most any car with a plug…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/08/prius-out-elr-in-with-changing-hov-landscape/ Californians Can Handle the Truth About Gas Prices. A few weeks ago, Jim blogged about the concerns that cap-and-trade will drive up gas prices in California. In late June, those concerns resulted in a letter from Assemblymember Perea and 15 other Democrats asking the California Air Resources Board to delay this expansion of the cap-and-trade program to include transportation fuels from January 1, 2015 to January 1, 2018. Posted. http://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/californians-can-handle-the-truth-about-gas-prices/?utm_source=Blog+August+11%2C+2014&utm_campaign=blog+re+8&utm_medium=email California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:16:15 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 12, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 12, 2014. 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 Arizona looks for breathing room in EPA’s carbon-emission goals. Arizona will ask federal regulators this week to rethink their June proposal that calls for the state to cut carbon emissions from power plants in half over the next 15 years. Officials with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality have scheduled a conference call with their counterparts in the Environmental Protection Agency in which they hope to show that EPA did not take the state’s unique energy demands into account when coming up with the reduction goal. Posted. http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2014/08/11/arizona-looks-for-breathing-room-in-epas-carbon-emission-goals/#ixzz3ACQz0lt0 AIR POLLUTION U.S. anti-coal dominoes hit BRICS wall, other skeptics. A year ago, U.S. President Barack Obama sought to mobilize the nation behind a grand plan: fight climate change by slashing carbon pollution at home, while prodding other countries to follow. A key part of that strategy was for the United States to stop using public money to finance the construction of most coal-fired power plants abroad, seen as one of the main causes of rising pollution from heat-trapping gases. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/12/us-usa-coal-lending-analysis-iduskbn0gc1p520140812 Senate panels delays vote on fire rings. The state Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday delayed until Thursday voting on a bill to safeguard beach fire rings to assess the legislation’s possible costs. AB 1102 would require cities or counties to obtain a permit from the California Coastal Commission before removing or restricting the use of beach fire rings. The bill would not limit the ability of the South Coast Air Quality Management District to enforce an open burning rule…Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bill-631338-rings-senate.html CLIMATE CHANGE Feds reverse course on wolverine protections, citing climate change 'uncertainty'. Federal wildlife officials plan to withdraw proposed protections for the snow-loving wolverine Tuesday, in a course reversal that highlights lingering uncertainties over what a warming climate means for some temperature-sensitive species. Wolverines, or "mountain devils," are rarely seen members of the weasel family that need deep snow to den. But while there is broad consensus that climate change will make the world warmer…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_CHANGE_WOLVERINE?SITE=NYSCH&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT In the Ocean, Clues to Change. As many people know, the warming of the earth’s surface has slowed sharply over recent years. That slowdown did not match past computer projections of what the climate was supposed to do under the influence of greenhouse gases, and scientists have been struggling to explain it. Their inability to do so raises questions about the reliability of the computer models on which long-term climate projections are based. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/science/in-the-ocean-clues-to-change.html?ref=science&_r=0 Tall, Ancient and Under Pressure. High in the Sierras, biologists are struggling to find ways to protect some of the world’s oldest and most storied trees from drought, forest fires and climate change. The trees are the giant sequoias, some of them 2,000 to 3,000 years old, and they are just one of several ancient Western species, including redwoods and bristlecone pines, that face a daunting future. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/science/tall-ancient-and-under-pressure.html?_r=1 'Remarkable' warming reported in Central California coastal waters. Ocean temperatures along the Central California coast experienced a "remarkable" warming period during the first three weeks of July, leading to unusual encounters with some fish species, scientists reported. The warmer ocean correlated with weaker winds, which reduced coastal upwelling, allowing warmer water to move inshore, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-warming-california-central-coast-20140811-story.html After report, planning begins for sea level rise: County officials hopeful about policy recommendations in Assembly document about ‘slow-moving emergency’. A recently released report from the Assembly’s Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy outlines findings and makes policy recommendations that San Mateo County officials hope will help them plan for the future. The report’s release last week followed more than a year of hearings and committee chair Assemblyman Rich Gordon, D-Menlo Park…Posted. http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2014-08-11/after-report-planning-begins-for-sea-level-rise-county-officials-hopeful-about-policy-recommendations-in-assembly-document-about-slow-moving-emergency/1776425128189.html 5 Key Threats to California From Climate Change. The Golden State faces an onslaught from Mother Nature. Hints of a changing climate can be found all over central California. In the western Sierra Nevadas, the air is filled with smoke and haze from wildfires. In the Central Valley south of Sacramento, dust whips across fallow fields, thanks to lack of rain and a record drought. Near the coast, people worry about bigger storms. "Scientific predictions say that with global warming, we'll see more variability in California's climate…Posted. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140812-california-climate-change-global-warming-science/ BY SUBSCRIPTION DROUGHT California’s Brown Reaches $7.2 Billion Drought Bond Deal. Governor Jerry Brown and California Democratic lawmakers reached tentative agreement on a $7.2 billion bond measure for water storage and delivery to drought-stricken cities and farms. The legislature yesterday approved a two-day extension of the deadline to give all parties time to finalize the deal, according to a statement released by Brown, a Democrat. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-12/california-s-brown-reaches-7-2-billion-drought-bond-deal.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/12/6621055/scrambling-on-water-bond-california.html#mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Legislature-extends-deadline-for-water-bond-5682431.php http://www.insidebayarea.com/california/ci_26317535/water-bond-california-lawmakers-need-more-time-strike?source=rss http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/11/governor-jerry-brown-water-bond-drought-california/ http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/12/3482534/scrambling-on-water-bond-california.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f1641%2f2061%2f http://www.capradio.org/29912 http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/11/water-bond-California-deal-delay/ California drought: S.F. poised to require water rationing. San Francisco water users would be forced to reduce outdoor watering by 10 percent - or face penalties - under a proposal by utility officials who are poised to add the city to a growing number of California communities that are rationing water amid one the worst droughts in decades. But the move by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which has struggled to achieve voluntary reductions, is a half-step of sorts. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/San-Francisco-poised-for-drought-water-rationing-5682398.php Southwest braces as Lake Mead water levels drop. Once-teeming Lake Mead marinas are idle as a 14-year drought steadily drops water levels to historic lows. Officials from nearby Las Vegas are pushing conservation, but are also drilling a new pipeline to keep drawing water from the lake. Hundreds of miles away, farmers who receive water from the lake behind Hoover Dam are preparing for the worst. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/12/3482936/southwest-braces-as-lake-mead.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES LAX adds 14 electric car charging stations to Parking Lot C. Los Angeles International Airport has installed 14 new electric vehicle charging stations, bringing the total number of plug-in parking spots at the airport to 52. The new stations are in long-term Parking Lot C, on the northeast corner of 96th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard. The charging stations are free but normal parking rates still apply. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power paid for the stations with funds from its “Charge UP L.A.!” program…Posted. http://www.dailybreeze.com/environment-and-nature/20140811/lax-adds-14-electric-car-charging-stations-to-parking-lot-c GREEN ENERGY Mexico signs landmark energy law, speeds up timetable. President Enrique Peña Nieto on Monday signed into law Mexico’s landmark energy reform legislation and announced that his government could name as early as this week the first oil and gas fields that will be opened up to foreign investors. “It is the moment to put the energy reform into action,” Peña Nieto said in an elaborate signing ceremony at the National Palace. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-mexico-signs-energy-law-speeds-up-timetable-20140811-story.html California community colleges get $45 million boost for green energy projects. California's community colleges are getting greener with the help of a clean-energy tax measure that brought them $40 million in the past academic year alone for infrastructure upgrades and $5 million for green-jobs training. The chancellor's office predicts that the 313 projects funded in the past year will save the system $4.6 million annually and reduce energy use by the equivalent of 2.9 million gallons of gasoline. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/education/ci_26316445/california-community-colleges-green-energy-projects-get-45?source=rss Living roofs take root in wine country. Odette Estate, which opened recently, is part of a small but blossoming trend of green-roofed wineries. In Sonoma County, next door to the Napa Valley, Hamel Family Wines has a living roof on top of its production facility, part of a 124-acre property with panoramic views of the Sonoma Valley. In Oregon wine country, the Sokol Blosser winery has a green-roofed tasting room. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/12/living-roofs-take-root-in-wine-country/ “Experts” Have Been Misleading People About Renewable Energy. We’ve mentioned this before, but one of the striking patterns of behaviour in the energy industry over the last decade has been the ability of the “established” energy experts to completely underestimate the growth of renewable energy – and to overplay the credentials of fossil fuels. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/08/12/experts-misleading-people-renewable-energy/ Stinky gases emanating from landfills could transform into clean energy. Researchers have devised a catalyst that could one day turn the smelly gases at this landfill in Niterói, Brazil, into clean hydrogen fuel. Credit: Luiz Almeida. A new technique that transforms stinky, air-polluting landfill gas could produce the sweet smell of success as it leads to development of a fuel cell generating clean electricity for homes, offices and hospitals, researchers say. Posted. http://phys.org/news/2014-08-stinky-gases-emanating-landfills-energy.html Mexico, boosting its wind power, is on track for a record year. Renewable energy investment south of the border is zooming again, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, which finds Mexico on track for a peak year. The group found that solar, wind, geothermal and other clean energy attracted $1.3 billion during the first half of 2014 -- compared with $1.6 billion for the entire previous year. But with far-reaching energy reform now underway in Mexico…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004352/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS California expands lead soil testing area near Exide plant in Vernon. State regulators have greatly expanded the area of homes, schools and parks that will be tested for lead-tainted soil near a troubled battery recycling plant in Vernon. California toxic waste regulators blame air pollution from the Exide Technologies plant for the elevated levels of lead detected last fall at 39 homes and a preschool in Maywood and Boyle Heights, prompting officials to issue health warnings for pregnant women and children, and require additional testing. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-exide-homes-20140812-story.html Dan Walters: Will California ban plastic grocery bags? When Capitol insiders talk about a “bag bill,” it refers to something for which an interest group is willing to spend big money – legally, it’s presumed – to see done. Senate Bill 270, one might say, is a double bag bill. It would phase out, beginning in 2015, the single-use plastic bags that grocery stores commonly use to send purchases home. It also involves big money and big interest groups. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/12/6621219/dan-walters-will-california-ban.html#mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert#storylink=cpy Only A Quarter Of San Diego’s Trash Is Recycled Annually. San Diego should revise its contracts with private garbage haulers to boost recycling rates, an audit of the city's waste collection system recommended Monday. Only about a quarter of the 1.3 million tons of refuse generated annually in San Diego is recycled, according to the City Auditor's Office. A recent study, however, found that about three-quarters of the refuse generated can be recycled or used as compost. Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/aug/11/only-quarter-san-diegos-trash-recycled-annually/ OPINIONS COLUMN-Next energy revolution will be on roads and railroads: Kemp. From modest beginnings in the Barnett shale beneath the city of Fort Worth, unnoticed by most energy analysts, horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing spread across North America and transformed all aspects of the energy landscape in under 10 years. Now the most important question for energy analysts is what technology will revolutionize the system next. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/08/12/lng-railways-kemp-idINL6N0QI1Q920140812 Save California agriculture with agroecology. Re "Scientists are rising to the challenges of drought" (Viewpoints, Aug. 11): The Bee published an interesting op-ed by agroecology experts Tom Tomich and Marcia DeLonge. As they note, droughts are anticipated to become more intense as a result of global warming, due to factors like higher temperatures drying out our soil. Tomich and DeLonge suggest we should shift to more sustainable agricultural practices in order to adapt to those dry future conditions. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/11/6619999/save-california-agriculture-with.html#storylink=cpy Ruben Guerra and Susan Frank: Don't delay on clean-air law. You may have seen some ads or read The Fresno Bee editorial ("Head off big fuel price hike," Aug. 3) that suggest "special interests" are going to cause gas prices to go up in January as a result of transportation fuels being covered under California's clean energy and climate law, Assembly Bill 32. We want to set the record straight, as business leaders who have long supported the state's clean-air policies. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/10/4064218/ruben-guerra-and-susan-frank-dont.html?sp=/99/274/644/#storylink=cpy Editorial: A water bond seems within reach, if no side overreaches. An agreement on a revised water bond for the November ballot seemed within reach on Monday, but only if no side gets too grabby. That includes legislators from both parties and from all regions, and it includes members of Congress. As The Bee’s Jeremy B. White reported, California lawmakers converged on a proposed bond in the range of $7.2 billion. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/12/4065971/editorial-a-water-bond-seems-within.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Deadbeat dam projects shouldn’t be part of water bond. In November, California voters will be asked how much money they want to borrow to improve the state’s water infrastructure and fight the drought. Because polls show an $11.1 billion general obligation bond on the Nov. 4 ballot is too expensive for many voters, legislators are scrambling to revise the water bond to make it more palatable. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/12/4065968/viewpoints-deadbeat-dam-projects.html#storylink=cpy LETTERS: Keep AB32 fully intact. AB32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, is a critical public health law that is saving lives and money by reducing emissions from dirty fossil fuels which contribute to pollution-related asthma attacks, heart attacks, lung cancer, emergency room visits and even death. When fully implemented, the transition to cleaner fuels as a result of California’s clean fuels policies will save $23.1 billion in avoided health and other societal impacts by 2025. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/government-698678-employees-health.html Climate change is as dangerous to our health as cigarettes. That’s why I’m writing a letter. Who would you write a letter to tonight, if you found that extra hour in the day? Would it be to the teacher who made such an impact on your life or your career? Would it be to your children’s soccer coach, who has helped them become stronger and more confident? Or would it be to a company that makes a product you love or the volunteer who plants tulips in the local park every year? Posted. http://bangordailynews.com/2014/08/12/opinion/climate-change-is-as-dangerous-to-our-health-as-cigarettes-thats-why-im-writing-a-letter/ BLOGS On Top Of Withering Drought, California Smashes Heat Records. Caught in a withering drought, California is also shattering a 120-year-old record for heat. For the first half of 2014, the state has been an average of 4.6 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal, and 1 degree warmer than the previous record set in 1934, according to the National Climatic Data Center. “In the business of climate science, this is a shattering of a record,” said Jonathan Overpeck, of the University of Arizona’s Institute of the Environment. Posted. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/12/3470113/california-heat-records/ Bottled water comes from the most drought-ridden places in the country. Bottled-water drinkers, we have a problem: There’s a good chance that your water comes from California, a state experiencing the third driest year on record. The details of where and how bottling companies get their water are often quite murky, but generally speaking, bottled water falls into two categories. The first is “spring water,” or groundwater that’s collected, according to the EPA, “at the point where water flows naturally to the earth’s surface or from a borehole that taps into the underground source.” Posted. http://grist.org/business-technology/bottled-water-comes-from-the-most-drought-ridden-places-in-the-country/ Pricing Carbon: A Carbon Tax or Cap-And-Trade? Back in June, Henry Paulson, the former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, published an opinion piece in the New York Times calling for a price on carbon dioxide emissions. Mr. Paulson correctly asserts that “putting a price on emissions will create incentives to develop new, cleaner energy technologies.” Posted. http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/planetpolicy/posts/2014/08/12-pricing-carbon-frank Laura Green: Tell Congress we want a carbon fee with refund. Dear Editor: “EPA's carbon rules good for business, good for economy,” by Richard Eidlin, points out that while taking action to address climate change may cost money, not taking action costs businesses even more. The EPA’s new regulations on coal fired power plants are a step in the right direction in reducing harmful emissions and preventing costly climate-related damages. Posted. http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/mailbag/laura-green-tell-congress-we-want-a-carbon-fee-with/article_ec699e42-29af-54ae-960f-e12b3a8b2edd.html#ixzz3ACq7WV8Z California could give lower-income EV buyers a financial boost. One California state senator wants to make sure electric vehicles aren't just for the jewelry-rattlers anymore. California State Senator Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) proposed a bill last month that is designed to put plug-in vehicles within reach of those with more moderate incomes than your typical Tesla buyer. It's called the Charge Ahead California Initiative and the bill may cross Governor Jerry Brown's desk as soon as next month. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/12/california-could-give-lower-income-ev-buyers-a-financial-boost/ Tesla gets legal go-ahead to sell EVs in Pennsylvania. Tesla Motors has been fighting to sell cars in many states, but has come up against laws prohibiting the electric automaker to exercise its direct-to-consumer business model. Such has been the case in Pennsylvania. Recently, though, Tesla worked out a deal with the Pennsylvania senate to approve a bill allowing five Tesla stores in the state, with the blessing of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/11/tesla-gets-legal-go-ahead-to-sell-evs-in-pennsylvania/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 15:06:43 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 13, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 13, 2014. 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 L.A. County supervisors blast cleanup of only 2 homes near Exide plant. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors wrote a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday blasting the California Department of Toxic Substances Control for slow progress in testing and cleaning up lead-contaminated soil at dozens of homes near a troubled battery recycling plant in Vernon. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-exide-supervisors-jerry-brown-20140812-story.html EPA comments renew oil industry debate on methane flaring. "It looks like a birthday cake out there at night," a New Mexico regulator told his colleague after returning from a trip to the state's oil-rich Permian Basin. Flares dot the region, burning off the greenhouse gas methane and also poisonous hydrogen sulfide given off by freshly drilled oil wells. Methane emissions from oil wells, as well as other parts of the oil and gas sector…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004411/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Kellogg wants suppliers to report carbon emissions. Kellogg said Wednesday it will step up efforts to reduce planet-warming emissions in its supply chain as part of a broader initiative designed to be more environmentally friendly. Under the plan, the Battle Creek-based food products manufacturer will require key suppliers such as farms and mills to measure and publicly disclose their greenhouse gas outputs and targets for reducing them. The company said it will report annually on those emissions and include climate and deforestation policies in the company's code of conduct for suppliers. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_KELLOGG_CONSERVATION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/13/kellogg-wants-suppliers-to-report-carbon-emissions/ Sequoias at risk from climate change. Extended droughts and raging forest fires, made worse by climate change, could have dire consequences in the coming decades for the survival of some of the world's largest and most ancient trees, the giant sequoias. The trees are known to live in some cases 2,000 to 3,000 years and only grow in one 70-mile stretch of land in the Sierra Nevada in California, at an elevation of 5,000 to 8,000 feet. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004402/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY What Climate Change in the Rockies Means for its Water. In the West, Colorado is known as a "headwaters" state because most of the region's biggest rivers begin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The Colorado River. The Arkansas River. The Rio Grande. The San Juan River. The Platte River - North and South. Altogether, they provide 19 states with drinking and irrigation water, including the cities of Los Angeles, Phoenix and Denver, among many others. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/what-climate-change-in-the-rockies-means-for-its-water_88135762 Lloyd’s Warns Sea Level Rise, Land Subsidence Imperil Many ‘Megacities.’ A bulletin from Lloyd’s of London warns that, “as sea levels rise, ground levels in coastal megacities are also falling – with potentially disastrous implications for insurers. Insurers of large property portfolios in the world’s great coastal cities will have factored the effects of climate change into their catastrophe models – including rising sea levels and more frequent storm surges. But what’s often missed is that many of these cities are sinking faster than the water is rising. In some, subsidence outstrips sea level rise by a factor of ten to one.” Posted. http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2014/08/13/337421.htm DROUGHT 2 L.A. councilmen want city to stop watering its lawns. With California's drought worsening, two Los Angeles City Council members want the city to stop watering lawns on city property that aren't used for recreation and eventually replace them with native, drought-tolerant plants. Councilmen Felipe Fuentes and Mike Bonin said in a motion introduced Tuesday that the city "is sending Angelenos mixed messages about the crucial importance of conserving" by watering its own turf-grass lawns even as residents face mandatory watering restrictions. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drought-lawns-city-council-20140812-story.html?track=rss California drought: San Francisco puts caps on watering. San Francisco on Tuesday joined a growing number of cities that are rationing water amid a statewide drought, imposing a mandatory 10 percent reduction on outdoor watering. The mandate, which requires customers to use no more than 90 percent of what they used outdoors in 2013, is meant for all the agency's customers. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Drought-San-Francisco-puts-caps-on-watering-5684559.php Roseville reduces water by 18 percent, short of 20 percent target. Four months after Roseville declared mandatory water cutbacks of 20 percent, the city announced this week it was reaching only 18 percent. “We’re close, but we’re not quite there,” said Lisa Brown, the city’s water efficiency administrator. Residential and commercial customers in the city of 127,000 reduced their water usage significantly in March (33.7 percent) and April (28.9 percent), following a push by state and local officials to save water. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/12/6624326/roseville-reduces-water-by-18.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region#storylink=cpy California sets heat record from January through July. It’s official. The first seven months of this year have been the hottest on record for the Golden State, fueling a fourth year of drought and extreme fire danger, according to national climate report released Tuesday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that from January through July, the average temperature surpassed the previous record by 1.4 degrees. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/article/20140812/NEWS/140819862 EBMUD outlaws wasting water but sets no fines for violators. Two of the Bay Area's largest water agencies on Tuesday took steps to reduce outdoor water use, but stopped short of penalizing residential customers. Responding to a state water board push for stronger conservation measures statewide, the East Bay Municipal Utility District Board outlawed water-wasting practices such as flooding gutters and watering lawns more than twice a week -- practices it previously only asked customers to avoid. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26327173/ebmud-outlaws-wasting-water-but-sets-no-fines?source=rss New DWP rate tiers proposed to conserve water. Two Los Angeles city officials Tuesday called for tougher restrictions on residential water customers in an effort to reduce water use during the state’s unprecedented drought. Councilmen Mike Bonin and Felipe Fuentes asked the Department of Water and Power to report on recommendations made by UCLA to add extra tiers of water use at a higher price. With most water being used outside the home…Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140812/NEWS/140819843 WATER BOND Gov. Brown on water bond compromise: 'We're very close' Warning that there is only a narrow window of opportunity to act on water, Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday that he and lawmakers were "very close" to a deal on a new water bond. The governor touted his latest proposal, rolled out Monday as "a very balanced, integrated plan. It's not a grab bag," Brown said at a meeting convened at the Capitol on Tuesday. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-water-bond-negotiations-20140812-story.html?track=rss Democratic leaders make public push for water bond. Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders made a public push Tuesday for their latest plan to pay for water projects a day ahead of scheduled votes in the Legislature. The Democratic leaders are pushing a proposal to borrow $7 billion to increase the state's water supply and restore its rivers, lakes and streams. They touted support from more than 20 business, agriculture and environmental groups with representatives seated around a table in the governor's office. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Democratic-leaders-make-public-push-for-water-bond-5684519.php#photo-6717622 Jerry Brown, legislative leaders meet on California water bond. As California nears a new legislatively imposed deadline for putting a revised water bond on the November ballot, Gov. Jerry Brown met with legislative leaders and several prominent interest groups to push for a deal. On Monday, Brown and legislative leaders floated a new $7.195 billion measure and delayed printing voter guides that, as of now, would include an old $11.1 billion measure most lawmakers view as untenable for voters. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/12/6623815/jerry-brown-legislative-leaders.html#mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert#storylink=cpy FUELS Oil companies fracking into drinking water sources, new research shows. Energy companies are fracking for oil and gas at far shallower depths than widely believed, sometimes through underground sources of drinking water, according to research released Tuesday by Stanford University scientists. Though researchers cautioned their study of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, employed at two Wyoming geological formations showed no direct evidence of water-supply contamination, their work is certain to roil the public health debate over the risks of the controversial oil and gas production process. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-fracking-groundwater-pavillion-20140811-story.html#page=1 PG&E natural gas rates could be reduced slightly under a new proposal. PG&E ratepayers will receive slightly reduced bills for natural gas, starting next year, the utility said Tuesday, because of lower-than-expected expenses for a pipeline safety improvement program undertaken in the wake of a fatal explosion in San Bruno nearly four years ago. In a new regulatory filing, the utility said it expects a reduced expenditure -- and less revenue required from ratepayers -- for what is called the utility's Pipeline Safety Enhancement Program, or PSEP. The state Public Utilities Commission would have to approve the proposal. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/business/ci_26324112/pg-e-natural-gas-rates-could-be-reduced HIGH-SPEED RAIL Central Valley bullet train construction gets federal go-ahead. Federal officials on Tuesday cleared the way for construction of a major segment of the California bullet train project: 114 miles of track from Fresno to Bakersfield. After months of reviewing the proposed route and related environmental studies, the Surface Transportation Board conditionally approved the longest section of the Central Valley alignment, exempting it from further board oversight. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-high-speed-rail-20140812-story.html?track=rss GREEN ENERGY Palm Desert ‘green’ deal questioned. A consultant who was initially told he would likely win, but eventually lost, a $130,000 environmental programs contract for Palm Desert through the Coachella Valley Association of Governments is raising questions about the process. Ted Flanigan, president of Irvine-based EcoMotion, said not winning the Green for Life contract was “a shocking experience, and it was a very disappointing experience,” after the contract was ultimately awarded to Terra Nova Planning and Research, based in Palm Desert. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2014/08/13/palm-desert-green-deal-questioned/13989317/ OPINIONS Dan Walters: New water bond may be close, but it’s not fully cooked yet. Chances are that sometime Wednesday the Legislature will place a new water bond issue on the Nov. 4 ballot. But it’s not certain, because as of late Tuesday, not all Democratic legislators had signed onto a $7.2 billion plan and it still lacked votes it needs from Republicans even if all Democrats were aboard. Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders fashioned the plan – a $6.995 billion bond and $200 million from previously authorized water bonds…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/12/6624165/dan-walters-new-water-bond-may.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy Making the Case for High-Speed Rail. Most American passenger trains, including Amtrak’s popular Acela service, run at speeds that are far slower than the superfast European and Japanese trains that can zip along at 200 miles per hour or more. The main reason is that, despite modest investments, American lawmakers have not given high-speed rail the priority it deserves. High-speed rail can play an important role in the nation’s transportation system by reducing congestion at airports and on highways. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/13/opinion/making-the-case-for-high-speed-rail.html?_r=0 BLOGS Links between city design, health shown in study. The results showed that increased intersection density was significantly linked to reduction in obesity at the neighborhood level and of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease at the city level. The more intersections, the lower the disease rates. In a rare study of how street network design affects public health, researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Connecticut have discovered that older, more compact cities promote more walking and biking and are generally healthier than many newer cities. Posted. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140811125153.htm RIVERSIDE: UCR again ranks as one of America’s greenest schools. For the third consecutive year, Sierra Magazine has included the University of California, Riverside on its list of “America’s Coolest Schools,” which is a list of the nation’s greenest colleges and universities. UCR finished with a score of 577.98 out of a possible 1,000 points, placing it 90th among the schools surveyed. UCR’s score improved about 12% The America’s Coolest Schools list is the result of a self-reported survey that is open to all four-year undergraduate colleges and universities in the United States. Posted. http://blog.pe.com/colleges-universities/2014/08/13/riverside-ucr-again-ranks-of-as-of-americas-greenest-schools/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 16:35:34 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 14, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 14, 2014. 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 Court throws out EPA permit for Calif. power plant, handing enviros a victory. A federal appeals court yesterday threw out a U.S. EPA air pollution permit for a proposed California natural gas power plant because it did not meet the agency's air quality standards at the time it was issued. The case centered on an August 2011 Prevention of Significant Deterioration, or PSD, permit that EPA awarded to the proposed 600-megawatt Avenal power plant in the San Joaquin Valley. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004441/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Should You Fear the Pizzly Bear? The emergence of the Eastern coyote, however, shows how human activity can break down the barriers that separate species. Perhaps the most obvious way in which humanity is altering the natural world is through climate change. The Arctic, where its effects are especially evident, is warming between two and four times as fast as the rest of the planet. Spring thaws now arrive weeks earlier; winter freezes come weeks later. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/17/magazine/should-you-fear-the-pizzly-bear.html?_r=0 Expanding Existing Farmland Would Benefit Climate. With worldwide food production expected to double by 2050, it's almost inevitable that agriculture is going to have to expand in a warming world with a growing population. A new study suggests that if new farmland is created carefully, billions of tons of carbon emissions could be saved. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/expanding-existing-farmland-would-benefit-climate_60780629 WATER BOND Californians to vote on $7.5 billion water plan. Driven to action by the state's historic drought, California lawmakers on Wednesday voted to place a $7.5 billion water plan before voters in November. The measure marks the largest investment in decades in the state's water infrastructure and is designed to build reservoirs, clean up contaminated groundwater and promote water-saving technologies. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_WATER_BALLOT_MEASURE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/08/14/us-usa-california-drought-idINKBN0GE02H20140814 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/13/6626961/california-lawmakers-reach-deal.html http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2014/08/14/lawmakers-reach-deal-on-7-5b-water-bond.html http://www.kmph-kfre.com/story/26280712/voters-will-decide-on-water-bond-in-november http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140814/californians-to-vote-on-75-billion-water-plan#2 http://www.kgoradio.com/common/page.php?id=86914 COBBLED-TOGETHER WATER BOND WON’T STAVE OFF DROUGHT “You know why there are so many whitefish in the Yellowstone River?” asked Montana-based landscape artist Russell Chatham, in his 1978 book. “Because the Fish and Game people have never done anything to help them.” I keep that quotation in mind whenever the government promises to solve a problem, especially a big one that promises to tame nature. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/14/tp-cobbled-together-water-bond-wont-stave-off/ DROUGHT Brazil's biggest city faces rationing amid drought. Brazil's biggest city is running out of water and options. The worst drought to hit the Sao Paulo region in 84 years is forcing local authorities for the second time in a year to put water pumps below the gates of the main reservoir, where the level has dropped sharply, so water can flow to the city's 9 million people. Federal prosecutors are also demanding that state officials immediately present a plan for water rationing, warning that otherwise the reservoir could go dry. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_BRAZIL_DRY_SAO_PAULO?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT How dust could be the solution to Calif.'s drought. With 80 percent of California in a state of extreme drought, you wouldn't think dust would be the answer to the state's water woes. New research presented in San Francisco yesterday suggests, however, that dusty air blown across the Pacific Ocean from Asia and Africa could be influencing precipitation in the region. In a presentation at a national meeting of the American Chemical Society yesterday, Kim Prather from the University of California…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004473/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FRACKING Fracking Disclosures Erased From Website, Group Says. The oil and gas industry is ignoring a requirement to get permits before using diesel in hydraulic fracturing, putting at risk drinking water supplies near wells, an environmental watchdog group reported. The Environmental Integrity Project combed through data on an industry-backed website and found 351 wells since 2010 that were fracked with chemicals that match the Environmental Protection Agency’s definition of diesel. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-13/fracking-disclosures-erased-from-website-group-says.html Diesel is used in fracking without permits, report says. Energy companies have used thousands of gallons of diesel to frack for oil and gas without obtaining the necessary permits required under federal law, according to a new report by the Environmental Integrity Project. The watchdog group's review of industry and federal data from 2010 to 2014, released Wednesday, found 351 wells in 12 states that used diesel in fracking. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fracking-diesel-20140814-story.html?track=rss VEHICLES Are Hydrogen Cars a Threat to Electric Cars? California's $46.6 million bet on hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles is testing the theory, "if you build it, they will come." Automakers are only just starting to bring fuel cell cars to the market and most are beta test cars, according to Chris White, communications director for the California Fuel Cell Partnership in Sacramento. There are about 300 fuel cell cars and buses on the road in the state today, according to that organization. Posted. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/build-california-invests-millions-hydrogen-fueling-stations/story?id=24962830 California Revealed As Instigator of the Eight State ZEV Action Plan (page 6). From Michigan to Shanghai, government directives and incentives are encouraging PEVs onto roads. Meanwhile at California’s instigation, a group of like-minded US states have taken a pledge to advance the cause. Posted. http://www.thebatteryshow.com/assets/files/show-preview-magazine-final-digital.pdf The Oregon Trail. Ashley Horvat, Chief EV Officer at the Oregon DOT, explains how the recent eight-state ZEV Action Plan is the textbook to which participating states will turn to achieve a low-carbon environment and a clean efficient transportation system. The Action Plan, released in May 2014, is setting the bar for the promotion of zero emission vehicles by aiming to put 3.3 million on the road by 2025 and thus offering the prospect of a much cleaner and healthier environment in the USA. Posted. http://www.evtechexpo.com/media/news/2014/08/12/the-oregon-trail/ DOE to award more than $55M to 31 projects for plug-in and efficient vehicle technologies; Delphi receives $10M to further GDCI. The US Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding more than $55 million to 31 new projects to accelerate research and development of vehicle technologies that will improve fuel efficiency and reduce costs under a program-wide funding opportunity announced in January. (DE-FOA-0000991, earlier post.) Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/20140814-doe.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL Lack of land slows work on California bullet train project. The Hollywood Inn, a shuttered nightclub in a run-down section of Fresno, has been demolished. A few miles away, an 80-foot-deep shaft to test soil conditions has been sunk into the banks of the Fresno River. Officials say such activities, along with recent legal victories and new long-term state funding, show genuine progress on the $68-billion high-speed-rail project that would link the state's major cities with 220-mph train service. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-bullet-train-land-20140814-story.html#page=1 California bullet train scores new victory. High Speed Rail already has authorized the purchase of more than 600 parcels -- and can now negotiate on 158 new parcels in the pathway of the bullet train. Those properties can be acquired through eminent domain. One of those properties belongs to Helen Sullivan, of M&S Farming in Kings County. Posted. http://www.kcra.com/news/california-bullet-train-scores-new-victory/27463570#!bDobTz GREEN ENERGY Catholic Charities will host solar event Saturday. The Catholic Charities Diocese of Stockton will host an event Saturday for residents interested in going solar. No, you don’t have to be Catholic to participate. The diocese has entered into a partnership with Oakland-based solar provider Sungevity to make it easier for parishioners and the general public to switch to solar power. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/article/20140813/A_NEWS/140819923/101094/A_NEWS NRG Energy Buys Solar Start-Up Goal Zero. NRG Energy, one of the country’s largest independent power producers, is getting into the mobile solar business with the acquisition of a start-up called Goal Zero, company executives said on Thursday. Goal Zero makes solar-charged battery packs that can fit in a handbag and mobile generators that could run the main components of a home. Posted. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/14/nrg-energy-buys-solar-start-up-goal-zero/ MISCELLANEOUS Sierra Club: UCI is coolest for being greenest. They focused on the little things, like not serving meat on Mondays in the dining halls and offering “hydration stations,” where students can fill reusable bottles with filtered water. Add to that, campus leaders took steps to reduce energy use by 23 percent in just five years. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/uci-631656-energy-school.html OPINIONS Local projects can keep the water flowing in L.A. To the editor: There's no denying Jim Newton's point that the issue of how water is sourced and distributed throughout California is contentious. Yet the future of Los Angeles' water supply is less about fighting others for water than it is about making smart investments and using ratepayer dollars wisely. ("The contentious, complicated fight for water in California," Op-Ed, Aug. 10). Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0814-thursday-water-drought-20140814-story.html Our View: Central Valley delegation led way on California water bond. It’s not often something happens deserving of the word “monumental,” especially when discussing the legislative process. This might be one of those times. With the Northern San Joaquin Valley delegation playing a pivotal role, and agreeing to trust a governor who is following in the footsteps of his father, an agreement was reached Wednesday on a water bond that could signal a victory in California’s legendary water wars. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/08/13/3794563/our-view-central-valley-delegation.html?sp=/99/177/#storylink=cpy Clean up big vehicles for a healthier California: Opinion. If California is going to meet clean air and climate goals, we have to tackle pollution from the transportation sector. State emission reduction programs like AB 32 have an important role to play, but there is also a need for targeted investment and incentives. This is especially true for heavy-duty diesel vehicles such as trucks, buses and off-road equipment. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/opinion/20140813/clean-up-big-vehicles-for-a-healthier-california-opinion BLOGS Tesla is becoming the 800-pound green jobs gorilla. I don’t even have a car, but I have a soft spot for the folks at Tesla Motors. They’re doing some really cool things with electric car batteries and solar. They melted my cold heart when they reopened the Nummi plant in Fremont, Calif. I’m someone whose entire family was once employed by some aspect of the auto industry. When Nummi became Tesla, it felt like a happy ending to some of the most boneheaded maneuvers that General Motors ever pulled. Posted. http://grist.org/business-technology/tesla-is-becoming-the-800-pound-green-jobs-gorilla/ Lloyd’s Warns Sea Level Rise, Land Subsidence Imperil Many ‘Megacities’. A bulletin from Lloyd’s of London warns that, “as sea levels rise, ground levels in coastal megacities are also falling – with potentially disastrous implications for insurers. Insurers of large property portfolios in the world’s great coastal cities will have factored the effects of climate change into their catastrophe models – including rising sea levels and more frequent storm surges. But what’s often missed is that many of these cities are sinking faster than the water is rising. Posted. http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2014/08/13/337421.htm Water Bond Heads to November Ballot as Proposition 1. A plan to spend $7.5 billion on water projects across California is on its way to the November ballot. The water bond measure — officially the “Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014” — passed both houses with near-unanimous support Wednesday night. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2014/08/14/california-water-bond-proposition-1 Will Mazda sell diesel hybrids in Japan in 2016? Could the "Zoom Zoom" automaker start making hybrids that go "glug glug glug"? Mazda, known for its fuel-efficient Skyactiv engine line, will be the first Japanese automaker to make a diesel-hybrid vehicle for Japan and Europe. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, Mazda may start making its oil-burning hybrids as soon as 2016…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/14/will-mazda-sell-diesel-hybrids-in-japan-in-2016/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 16:36:25 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 15, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 15, 2014. 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 Cap-and-trade linked to likely gas-price hike. Democrats first began raising concerns last winter about what California’s cap-and-trade law would do to gas prices. Those concerns for low-income Californians continue to reverberate — especially since, one way or another, those prices will likely rise. In February, Senate leader Darrell Steinberg, a Sacramento Democrat, proposed a gasoline tax at 15 cents per gallon to avoid a potentially higher hike resulting from California’s cap-and-trade law. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2014/08/15/cap-and-trade-linked-to-likely-gas-price-hike.html?s=print Some businesses see opportunity in expanded cap-and-trade rules gas prices. The last few weeks have seen a rise in businesses howling against a coming hike to gas prices resulting from oil refineries being folded into California’s climate change law. But behind the scenes, a coalition of California clean-energy companies are quietly defending the program. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/08/14/some-businesses-see-opportunity-in-expanded-cap.html AIR POLLUTION Fire rings bill stalls in state Senate committee. A bill to preserve beach bonfires is kaput this legislative session, after the state Senate Appropriations Committee held the bill Thursday. The action stalls the proposed legislation, which had gained unanimous support in the Assembly earlier this year, now preventing it from going to the Senate floor for a vote by all members. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/beach-631764-fire-rings.html CLIMATE CHANGE Study blames humans for most of melting glaciers. More than two-thirds of the recent rapid melting of the world's glaciers can be blamed on humans, a new study finds. Scientists looking at glacier melt since 1851 didn't see a human fingerprint until about the middle of the 20th century. Even then only one-quarter of the warming wasn't from natural causes. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_MELTING_GLACIERS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT DROUGHT UC Davis Scientists Say The Drought Has Helped Water Quality At Lake Tahoe. The drought had at least one positive effect on Lake Tahoe in 2013: improved water clarity. UC Davis researchers have been monitoring the health of Lake Tahoe for nearly 50 years and released the annual "State of the Lake" report Thursday. UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center director Geoff Schladow said the drought has improved clarity as reduced snowmelt has kept contaminants and pollutants from washing into the lake. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/30199 Crippling California drought levels off, latest map shows. After months of worsening drought across California, conditions appear to have leveled off, at least for now. According to the latest assessment released Thursday, more than 80% of California continues to suffer extreme drought conditions -- a figure that has remained unchanged now for roughly two weeks. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-drought-unchanged-20140814-story.html WATER BOND Environmentalists blast new water bond. The water bond that will be on the November ballot in California is a “poster-child of pork barrel politics, a rejection of 21st Century solutions and a return to the failures of the dam building era,” says a critique of the bond’s fine print by the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance. The $7.5 billion bond pushed by the governor represents “an enormous underground subsidy” for the governor’s massive water…Posted. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/templates/print.cfm?ID=26502 VEHICLES Three-wheeled Elio gets closer to going on sale. Your next commuter car could have two seats, three wheels and get 84 miles to the gallon. Elio Motors wants to revolutionize U.S. roads with its tiny car, which is the same length as a Honda Fit but half the weight. With a starting price of $6,800, it's also less than half the cost. Phoenix-based Elio plans to start making the cars next fall at a former General Motors plant in Shreveport, Louisiana. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_THREE_WHEELED_COMMUTER_CAR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/15/3488567/your-next-car-3-wheels-2-seats.html UC Davis researchers suggest we may be at the beginning of a real hydrogen transition in transportation. Researchers at the Institute of Transportation Studies University of California, Davis suggest that a number of positive trends indicate that we may be seeing the beginning of a real hydrogen transition in transportation, despite earlier starts that fizzled. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/20140815-ucd.html Orange County to get hydrogen fueling stations. State energy officials plan to spend $50 million on 28 public hydrogen fueling stations by the end of the year, five of which will be located in Orange County: Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo and Orange, according to the Orange County Register. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2014/08/14/orange-county-to-get-hydrogen-fueling-stations.html MISCELLANEOUS California to Expand Survey of Ingredients. In Consumer Products to 300,000 Items. As many as 2,000 cleaning, personal care and other consumer products manufacturers and suppliers will be required to participate in a multiyear data gathering effort the California Air Resources Board is launching Sept. 1. “This is probably the largest and most comprehensive survey of consumer products we've undertaken,” Dave Edwards, air quality planning and science division manager with the California Air Resources Board, told Bloomberg BNA Aug. 4. The survey is part of CARB's effort to control ozone pollution by limiting emissions of volatile organic compounds—which promote ozone formation—and will enable the agency to maintain an accurate inventory of products containing VOCs. Posted. Daily Environment Report - Carolyn Whetzel and Pat Rizzuto - Bloomberg BNA. OPINIONS Editorial: Jerry Brown, Democrats and Republicans agree on that most contentious of issues, water. A rare event played out in the Capitol on Wednesday night, and it’s worthy of note. Gov. Jerry Brown achieved bipartisan agreement on that most contentious of issues: water. By votes of 37-0 in the Senate and 77-2 in the Assembly, the Legislature agreed to allow a statewide vote this Nov. 4 on a $7.5 billion bond intended to pay for improvements to California’s water system. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/15/6630334/editorial-jerry-brown-democrats.html#storylink=cpy Editorial: Half century later, California Legislature must regulate groundwater. Now that the governor and legislators have put together a water bond, they must confront the groundwater crisis. In the third year of severe drought, groundwater has been critical, providing 60 percent of the water for the state’s $45 billion agriculture industry. Californians have been depleting groundwater for 50 years, probably longer, by pumping more water than nature can replenish. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/15/6629687/editorial-half-century-later-legislature.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Farmers want reasonable groundwater regulation, too. Farmers use water to grow our food, a basic need. No water, no farming, no food. Farmers have been stewards of our natural resources for generations, and have provided jobs and commerce. Despite California’s extensive aqueduct system, the current drought has severely strained surface water supplies. As a result, groundwater is being pumped out at record rates, harming the state’s aquifers and sometimes other landowners. One of the reasons this is happening is that California lacks consistent groundwater management. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/15/6629533/viewpoints-farmers-want-reasonable.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Geothermal bill will hurt consumers, set back renewable energy efforts. Most Californians would agree we need more jobs and cleaner air. Supporters of Senate Bill 1139 are promoting the bill under these claims. The proposed legislation would require select retail sellers of electricity to procure 500 megawatts from new geothermal plants. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/15/6629618/viewpoints-geothermal-bill-will.html#storylink=cpy Editorial: Water bond could leave state awash in new debt. “It was an amazing convergence over a big idea.” So said Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday, when he signed a ballot measure, passed by the Legislature, asking California voters to approve a $7.5 billion water bond. Of course, it’s hardly amazing that the Democratic supermajority in the Assembly and near-supermajority in the Senate blithely signed off on $7.5 billion in new borrowing. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/water-631736-billion-bond.html Officials: Support of water plan right move. Delta-area legislators defended their support of California's new $7.5 billion water bond proposal on Thursday amid tough criticism from some of their friends who believe the bond could be tied to Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed twin tunnels. Delta-area legislators defended their support of California's new $7.5 billion water bond proposal on Thursday amid tough criticism from some of their friends who believe the bond…Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/article/20140815/NEWS/408150319/-1/A_BIZ Now who’s blowing smoke? The Environmental Protection Agency’s unswerving assault on heavy-duty trucks continues. States and municipalities have taken the agency’s cue and continue to impose idling prohibitions, making them even more restrictive. However, heavy-duty trucks have evolved since 2002 from dirty dogs of the highway to big green machines. Trucks coming off the line today emit so few pollutants that, in some cases, they actually clean the air. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Magazine/2014/AugSep/News/whos-blowing-smoke.aspx BLOGS The Debate Over CA’s Cap-and-Trade Funds Is Not Over. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti led a group of California mayors on a trip to Sacramento to push for legislation on a number of issues that impact cities before the final, frantic weeks of August that mark the end of the legislative session. On their agenda was getting assurance that cap-and-trade funds would be available to help cities reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years. Posted. http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/08/14/the-debate-over-cas-cap-and-trade-funds-is-not-over/ California Isn’t Just Dry — It’s Hot. California might be headed for its hottest year on record. The state’s average temperature for the first half of the year is already its highest in recorded history, according to a recent report by the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Association’s Climatic Data Center. The average temperature for January through July was 60.9 degrees Fahrenheit. It beat the previous record, set in 1934, by 1.4 degrees. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/08/14/california-isnt-just-dry-its-hot/ A Little Touch of Climate-Change Despair. Do methane bubbles in the Arctic signal a new level in our dangerous game with climate change? I was passing through Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport last Sunday, on my way home with my two sons. We'd just spent the past 13 days in the Republic of Congo, visiting the Mbendjele forest people, a forest concession and a very fine national park, in order to experience life in Africa. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-poynton/a-little-touch-of-climate-change-despair_b_5674254.html?page_version=legacy&view=print&comm_ref=false Politicians must take on transport “taboos” to curb emissions. Sustainable transport policies will fail unless “taboos” around air and car travel are broken, researchers have warned. Green technology alone cannot cut transport emissions enough to meet emissions targets, say the experts from Lund University and the University of Surrey. Posted. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/08/15/politicians-must-take-on-transport-taboos-to-curb-emissions/#sthash.uk6rF7w6.dpuf EPA's State-by-State Carbon Limits Indicate Smart Policy, Not Arbitrary Rulemaking. In June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced – for the first time ever – standards to limit carbon emissions from U.S. power plants, known as the Clean Power Plan (CPP). Currently power plants emit 40 percent of U.S. carbon emissions, but under the proposed Clean Power Plan, the U.S. power sector will cut carbon pollution by 30 percent below 2005 levels. Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/edfenergyex/462776/epa-s-state-state-carbon-limits-indicate-smart-policy-not-arbitrary-rulemaking?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=The+Energy+Collective+(all+posts) Chemical Air Pollution Around The Tar Sands Is Getting Worse, Data Shows. Chemical air pollution surrounding the primary areas where tar sands oil is mined and processed in Canada is on the rise, according to new data released by the Alberta government. The 2012 data released Thursday showed that levels of both sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide — chemicals that help cause acid rain, smog, and myriad health problems…Posted. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/15/3471679/chemical-air-pollution-tar-sands/ 5 Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Improving Indoor Air Quality. As humans, we take our air and breathing for granted. Each time we breathe, we give our lungs and heart the air they need for circulating our blood to keep us alive. The quote above assumes we are grounded in the moment, but are we really giving our bodies (and minds) the high quality air they need? Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dorit-sasson/5-ecofriendly-alternative_b_5680322.html New app displays air pollution data for 1000 cities worldwide, offers personalized alerts. For those sensitive to air pollution and poor air quality, such as allergy and asthma sufferers, as well as athletes concerned about the air quality when they train outside, the Allairgoo app can offer a helping hand. If going outside during periods of poor air quality can set off your asthma or allergies…Posted. http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/new-app-displays-air-pollution-data-1000-cities-worldwide-offers-personalized-alerts.html Cyclists exposed to five times less air pollution than those in cars, experiment suggests. Those who travel by car can experience five times higher pollution levels than those who cycle, and three and a half times more than those walking, according to an experiment by academics and campaigners. In a video, shown on the Guardian website, by the Healthy Air Campaign, Kings College London, and Camden Council… Posted. http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/cyclists-exposed-five-times-less-air-pollution-cars-experiment-suggests-133129 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 13:59:20 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 18, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 18, 2014. 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 Federal grand jury investigating Exide Technologies over Vernon plant. A federal grand jury is investigating Exide Technologies, the company under scrutiny for emitting high levels of harmful pollutants from its battery recycling plant in Vernon, according to a financial disclosure filed this week. On Aug. 8, Exide received a "grand jury subpoena from the Department of Justice in the Central District of California in connection with a criminal investigation involving its Vernon, California, recycling facility,"…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-0816-exide-feds-20140816-story.html What is causing paint damage at Ithaca car lots? A central New York auto dealer is trying to find out what damaged the paint on about 700 cars and trucks at his Ithaca dealerships. Phil Maguire of the Maguire Family of Dealerships told the Ithaca Journal (http://ithacajr.nl/1qhP0Ib) that the cost of repairing the damage will range from $300 to $5,000 for each vehicle. The damage looks like dried water spots on the paint. Maguire suspects something in the air may have caused the damage…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/article/AP7838cbf939a7425b808a7ad5049c33a8.html Air quality reaches unhealthy levels in Niland. An air quality alert was issued for the Niland area today at 9 a.m. as particulate matter 10 reached unhealthy levels for sensitive groups. Reyes Romero, assistant air pollution control district officer, said Niland is being impacted by sporadic winds as high as 20 mph. El Centro could also experience some air quality impacts, but to a lesser degree, he said. Posted. http://www.ivpressonline.com/quicknews/air-quality-reaches-unhealthy-levels-in-niland/article_3a068e9c-26fb-11e4-849b-0017a43b2370.html EPA refuses to disclose areas that can’t meet ozone standard. U.S. EPA has denied a petition from environmentalists to name nearly 60 areas of the country out of compliance with the federal ozone standard. In a letter obtained by Greenwire, the agency late last week told the Sierra Club and Earthjustice, which is representing the group in the matter, that it would not redesignate the 57 areas as in nonattainment with the 2008 ozone standard. New data show that some of the areas already are meeting the standard…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004585/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Study blames humans for most of melting glaciers. More than two-thirds of the recent rapid melting of the world's glaciers can be blamed on humans, a new study finds. Scientists looking at glacier melt since 1851 didn't see a human fingerprint until about the middle of the 20th century. Even then only one-quarter of the warming wasn't from natural causes. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_MELTING_GLACIERS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT El Nino’s Delay Spurs Memories of 2012 When It Never Came. In 2012, forecasters and researchers entered the summer convinced an El Nino would form in the equatorial Pacific and its weather-changing effects would be felt around the world. It never happened. Now the specter of that failure has cast a shadow over similar predictions in 2014, with many wondering where this year’s El Nino is and if it will ever arrive. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-15/el-nino-s-delay-spurs-memories-of-2012-when-it-never-came.html China's carbon plans: secrecy and oversupply darken outlook. As China lays down plans for a national carbon trading scheme, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases risks repeating mistakes made in carbon trading in Europe by flooding its pilot markets with free permits. The European Union's scheme, the world's largest, suffered a collapse in prices hurting its credibility when the EU gave away too many permits just as the global financial crisis was slashing demand and in turn curbing pollution levels. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/17/china-carbontrading-idUSL4N0Q61AQ20140817 Climate change reflected in altered Missouri River flow, report says. Montana farmer Rocky Norby has worked the land along the Missouri River for more than 20 years, coaxing sugar beets and malted barley out of the arid ground. "Every year it gets worse," he said. "There's not enough water to get through our pumps." Last month, he said, he spent more than $10,000 trying to remove the sand from his clogged irrigation system. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-missouri-river-20140817-story.html Artist stands in bay to turn tide against global warming. At 9:26 Friday morning, Sarah Cameron Sunde walked into San Francisco Bay with no plans to come back in until the tide had gone from low to high and back to low again, 13 hours and five minutes later."I'm walking out - I hope I survive" were her final words, spoken through a mouthful of pasta as she stepped off the seawall at Aquatic Park. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/art/article/Artist-stands-in-bay-to-turn-tide-against-global-5691457.php SNOW HASN’T SHOWN UP ON NEW ZEALAND SLOPES. Some ski resorts have been unable to open all winter; others blast out man-made powder. Winter has rolled into its third month in New Zealand, and Nick Jarman says he’s going stir crazy as he stares out at the driving rain on the small ski area he manages in the Southern Alps. The Craigieburn Valley Ski Area is one of several areas that haven’t opened for a single day this season…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/17/tp-snow-hasnt-shown-up-on-new-zealand-slopes/all/?print Scientists probe poorly understood linkage between melting Arctic and extreme weather. Snowmageddon in Washington, D.C. Extreme floods in the United Kingdom last winter. A Texas heat wave two years ago. For scientists, they all may be a byproduct of a warming Arctic. Or they might not, as much of the research on causation is still in early stages. A new review article, released yesterday in Nature Geoscience, offers one additional theory about the link between the Arctic and extreme weather in midlatitudes…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004571/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MIT Study: Climate Talks on Path to Fall Far Short of Goals. Under countries' current climate pledges, greenhouse gas concentrations would exceed 530 or 580 parts per million by the end of the century. Experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology using a sophisticated computer model examined what they think is the most likely outcome of UN climate treaty negotiations and found that the talks are likely to come up short. Facing a deadline to reach a new treaty by the end of next year in Paris, the world's nations seem unwilling to make the kind of pledges that would rein in global warming to safe levels by century's end, the researchers concluded. Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/carbon-copy/20140818/mit-study-climate-talks-path-fall-far-short-goals Carbon Pollution Threatens Fishing Industry. Commercial fisheries in Alaska are increasingly threatened by ocean acidification, according to research led by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Alaskan fishing industry supports more than 100,000 jobs and generates more than $5 billion in annual revenue. Fishery-related tourism also brings in $300 million annually. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/08/18/carbon-pollution-threatens-fishing-industry/ Shale oil 'dividend' could pay for smaller carbon footprint. Unanticipated economic benefits from the shale oil and gas boom could help offset the costs of substantially reducing the U.S.'s carbon footprint, Purdue agricultural economists say. Wally Tyner and Farzad Taheripour estimate that shale technologies annually provide an extra $302 billion to the U.S. economy relative to 2007, a yearly "dividend" that could continue for at least the next two decades, Tyner said. Posted. http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/latest-news/10558-shale-oil-dividend-could-pay-for-smaller-carbon-footprint.html Louisville, fastest-warming city in U.S., reaches for the brakes. Two years ago, the home of the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Fried Chicken and the Louisville Slugger received an unwelcome distinction: fastest-warming heat island in the United States. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology found that since the 1960s, urban Louisville, Ky., saw its temperature rise above that of its surroundings at a rate greater than any other city in the country and more than double the warming rate of the planet as a whole. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004575/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Researchers suspect climate link to tornadoes. When tornadoes form and reach down to the Earth in sinister columns of 100 mph winds, they do so for so many highly specific reasons that it's almost impossible to predict where they might hit or how strong they will be. The recipe for a tornado has to be Goldilocks-specific. Air temperatures on the ground have to be just right, as do air temperatures in the upper atmosphere. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004572/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Pesticide impact on Arctic wanes as other changes accelerate. Pesticide accumulation appears to be waning in the Arctic on many different levels. While stories taken from recent headlines regarding climate change are often laden with deep concern for the future, a Canadian team recently offered some hope for native communities and wildlife populations of the Arctic. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004573/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT California water bond won't be a drought-buster. Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers are expected to use the backdrop of California's most severe drought in nearly four decades to sell voters on the $7.5 billion water plan they put on the ballot this week. Despite its size, the measure will not solve the problems created by the drought nor is it expected to prevent rationing during future ones. Instead, the projects it will fund are designed to provide a greater cushion when the state finds itself dealing with prolonged water shortages in the decades ahead. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_WATER_BOND_REALITY_CHECK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT West’s historic drought stokes fears of water crisis. When the winter rains failed to arrive in this Sacramento Valley town for the third straight year, farmers tightened their belts and looked to the reservoirs in the nearby hills to keep them in water through the growing season. When those faltered, some switched on their well pumps, drawing up thousands of gallons from underground aquifers to prevent their walnut trees and alfalfa crops from drying up. Until the wells, too, began to fail. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/wests-historic-drought-stokes-fears-of-water-crisis/2014/08/17/d5c84934-240c-11e4-958c-268a320a60ce_story.html California cemeteries work to cope with drought. Cemeteries with thirsty lawns are figuring out new ways to conserve water amid California's drought. Ways to cope include replacing grass with native plants or using recycled water, two steps being taken by Savannah Memorial Park, the oldest nonsectarian cemetery in Southern California. Groundskeepers there removed grass, put in native plants and started to cover the ground with mulch, which helps keep soil moist. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/16/6633473/california-cemeteries-work-to.html http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004596/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY $7.5 billion water bond could meet California’s needs during drought. The $7.5 billion water bond measure approved by state legislators this past week could help pay for ambitious local projects, from cleaning the polluted San Fernando Valley groundwater basin to recycling treated sewage for drinking water. The Los Angeles region depends largely on scarce and expensive imported water, and the bond funds could help reverse that dependence by increasing the local supply, experts say. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_26352693/7-5-billion-water-bond-could-meet-california California Drought: Bay Area loses billions of gallons to leaky pipes. As Bay Area residents struggle to save water during a historic drought, the region's water providers have been losing about 23 billion gallons a year, a new analysis of state records reveals. Aging and broken pipes, usually underground and out of sight, have leaked enough water annually to submerge the whole of Manhattan by 5 feet -- enough to meet the needs of 71,000 families for an entire year. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26350962/california-drought-bay-area-loses-billions-gallons-leaky?source=rss California drought: San Jose moving to impose water conservation measures, but without fines. Complying with new state rules aimed at cutting water use during California's historic drought, the San Jose City Council is poised to declare a citywide water shortage, ask all residents to cut use by 20 percent and place new limits on watering lawns and landscaping. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_26349990/california-drought-san-jose-moving-impose-water-conservation?source=rss Man vs. trout vs. drought. The Forest Service is working to save the endangered Southern California steelhead trout. In the turf war between man and trout, man inevitably wins. And the Southern California steelhead trout – an endangered species with a population a tenth of its former size – is suffering greatly as people destroy its habitat. Engineers armor streams, casting concrete channels on them to contain flooding. Home developers suck streams dry to water lawns. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/steelhead-631923-forest-canyon.html DIESEL EMISSIONS State regulations put local trucking businesses at risk. Alvin Urke has run his Grass Valley excavation and septic business, Urke Construction, for almost 40 years. Urke, though, says he believes he will go out of business due to retroactive truck and bus regulations the California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB, has implemented to reduce pollution and diesel particulates statewide. “I have one truck that is a 1979, the other one is a 1991,” Urke said. Posted. http://www.theunion.com/news/localnews/12617720-113/regulations-truck-trucks-urke BY SUBCRIPTION ONLY FUELS In Santa Barbara County, oil firms and environmentalists square off. Seen from U.S. 101, northern Santa Barbara County looks to be mostly vineyards and cattle ranches, with majestic oak trees scattered across the dry rolling hills. But up a narrow road, spread across the chaparral between Orcutt and Los Alamos, wells drilled deep into the shale have yielded more than 180 million barrels of oil in the 113 years since Union Oil Co. geologist William Orcutt first surveyed the area that would soon bear his name. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-santa-barbara-fracking-20140818-story.html#page=1 Methane leaking from Sacramento gas pipelines adds to greenhouse effect. The natural gas pipelines snaking under the Sacramento region likely leak a significant amount of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, scientists say. Methane is a major component of the natural gas that travels from transmission lines to the underground pipelines that deliver it to homes and businesses. The amount that leaks out is relatively small, but scientists say it has a big impact…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/17/6629858/methane-leaking-from-sacramento.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES LG Chem to supply batteries for 200-mile electric cars in 2016-CFO. South Korea's LG Chem Ltd plans to supply batteries for electric vehicles that can travel more than 200 miles (321 kilometers) per charge in 2016, its chief finiancial officer said on Friday. The CFO, Cho Suk-jeh, did not elaborate on which automakers will use the so-called second-generation batteries. LG Chem currently supplies batteries for General Motors, Renault SA and other automakers. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/18/lg-chem-batteries-idUSL4N0PT25U20140718 BMW 535d: This Eco Car Is No Diesel in Distress. BMW's turbocharged diesel sedan proves to be as punchy and free-revving as a gas-powered car. NOT THE DIESEL thing again. Believe me, if I could, I would just avoid even mentioning the fact that the BMW 535d burns diesel fuel instead of premium gasoline. Why? Because you don't get the crazy email I get, OK? Diesel advocates, the true believers, scare me. They have an agenda and dwell in tunnels between gas stations. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/bmw-535d-this-eco-car-is-no-diesel-in-distress-1408126070#printMode Rolls-Royce vows no 'compromise' on electric cars. Don't count on seeing an electric Rolls-Royce any time soon. Given the success of Tesla's Model S in tapping interest among the world's 1%, an electric version of the big Rolls might seem like an interesting possibility, but CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos says the brand won't embark on any new technologies that involve "compromise." And at present, given the time it takes to charge up an electric car and the requirement that it be plugged in, that's a compromise. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/08/17/rolls-royce-electric/14192913/ GREEN ENERGY Ukraine Seeks Renewable-Energy Boost to Counter Russia. Ukraine is seeking U.S. investment in its biomass, wind and solar power industries. The idea is to use renewable energy to curb its reliance on fuel imports from Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region last month and has troops massed on the border. “Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine indeed brought energy security concerns to the fore,” Olexander Motsyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S. said at a renewable-energy conference… Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-17/ukraine-seeks-to-boost-biomass-to-lessen-dependence-on-russia.html Biggest Solar Project Falls as Australia Reviews Policy. Plans to build the world’s largest solar power plant of its kind have been scrapped in Australia after the developers raised concerns about the government’s commitment to clean energy. Solar Systems Pty Ltd. said it suspended plans for a 100-megawatt plant in the Australian state of Victoria. The plant, which would have used concentrating photovoltaic technology to intensify the power of the sun…Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-08-18/silex-unit-scraps-solar-station-as-australia-reviews-renewables Obama’s Green Dilemma: Punish China, Imperil U.S. Solar. From the State of the Union address in January to a recent California fundraising swing, President Barack Obama has missed few opportunities to tout the nation’s use of renewable energy to fight climate change. “We’ve reduced our carbon pollution over the past eight years more than any country on Earth,” the president told supporters recently at the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-08-18/obama-s-green-dilemma-punish-china-imperil-u-dot-s-dot-solar U.K. Wind Generated Record 22% of Electricity Yesterday. U.K. wind turbines generated a record 22 percent of the country’s electricity yesterday, beating the 24-hour record for the second time in a week, the RenewableUK industry group said. Wind farms generated an average of 5,797 megawatts Sunday, enough to power more than 15 million homes at this time of year, the lobby group said, citing National Grid Plc (NG/) data. They produced 21 percent of the country’s power on Aug. 11, eclipsing the old record of 20 percent set on Dec. 20, it said. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-08-18/u-dot-k-dot-wind-generated-record-22-percent-of-electricity-yesterday County extends rooftop solar program to homes. County officials are predicting a boom in rooftop solar installations in unincorporated areas after the Board of Supervisors approved a program that allows homeowners to finance the work through their property tax bills. “This is a great, sunny day for the unincorporated area of San Diego County,” Supervisor Dianne Jacob said after the board action. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/17/tp-county-extends-rooftop-solar-program-to-homes/ Recycled car batteries solve problem for promising cell technology – MIT. Recycled car batteries could solve a key barrier for a solar cell technology captivating the industry because it is inexpensive but rivals commercial power production, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced today. Perovskite-based photovoltaics are currently one of the most exciting developments in solar research as the cheap material has reached more than 19 percent efficiency in converting sunlight to electricity…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004611/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Emerging solar plants scorch birds in mid-air. Workers at a state-of-the-art solar plant in the Mojave Desert have a name for birds that fly through the plant's concentrated sun rays — "streamers," for the smoke plume that comes from birds that ignite in midair. Federal wildlife investigators who visited the BrightSource Energy plant last year and watched as birds burned and fell…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SOLAR_BIRDS_SCORCHED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-08-18/emerging-solar-plants-scorch-birds-in-mid-air http://www.contracostatimes.com/weird-news/ci_26357650/emerging-california-solar-plants-scorch-birds-mid-air?source=inthenews One-Fifth of China’s Farmland Is Polluted, State Study Finds. The Chinese government released a report on Thursday that said nearly one-fifth of its arable land was polluted, a finding certain to raise questions about the toxic results of China’s rapid industrialization, its lack of regulations over commercial interests and the consequences for the national food chain. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/18/world/asia/one-fifth-of-chinas-farmland-is-polluted-state-report-finds.html?ref=earth USD, UCSD called 'coolest schools' Sierra magazine ranks schools on commitment to protecting the environment. Two local colleges have been named among the “coolest schools” in the country by Sierra magazine for taking steps to protect the environment, address climate issues and encourage environmental responsibility. The University of San Diego was ranked No. 14 nationally in the list of the greenest colleges and universities by the magazine, up from its No. 79 ranking in 2013. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/15/usd-ucsd-coolest-schools-sierra-magazine-ranking/ Can Your Company Reduce Its Carbon Footprint and Disposal Costs? An often overlooked area in which companies can reduce their carbon footprint relates to the transportation of the hazardous waste they generate. Out of sight out of mind is often the mindset that permeates the industry, but understanding where your waste is being transported to and by whom can drastically reduce the carbon footprint generated from the waste that a company produces. Posted. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/08/18/can-your-company-reduce-its-carbon-footprint-and-disposal-costs/ OPINIONS Cheeseburgers Won't Melt the Polar Ice Caps. The next targets of the climate change enforcers will be livestock and all Americans who eat meat. The documentary film "Cowspiracy," released this week in select cities, builds on the growing cultural notion that the single greatest environmental threat to the planet is the hamburger you had for lunch the other day. As director Kip Andersen recently told the Source magazine: "A lot of us are waking up and realizing we can choose to either support all life on this planet or kill all life on this planet…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/jayson-lusk-cheeseburgers-wont-melt-the-polar-ice-caps-1408317541 The cup's half full without groundwater regulation. They're all patting themselves on the back in the state Capitol for finally achieving a water bond deal. And that's fine. It was a momentous act. But what really would be historic — and worth running self-congratulatory reelection ads about — would be to pair the bond proposal with even more important groundwater regulation. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-cap-ground-water-20140818-column.html Editorial: Gasoline prices are sure to rise; Senate ought to hear by how much. Most Californians worry about climate change and support efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But for some reason, and there isn’t a good one, the California Senate is balking at holding a hearing on legislation that would lead to an airing of the coming increases in the cost of gasoline. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/17/6632104/editorial-gasoline-prices-are.html#storylink=cpy Letter: Carbon Fee, Dividend Fair, Simple. Fair. Simple. Money in your pocket. The recent column telling us that cutting carbon emissions makes sense was welcome as readers need to understand the importance of stopping carbon pollution. There is a fair, simple and economically positive way that the EPA’s CO2 pollution reduction can be achieved: a carbon fee and dividend. This is the most positive way to reduce pollution, protect our natural state, eliminate negative impacts on the economy and create more than two million jobs by 2035. http://swtimes.com/opinion/how-you-see-it/letter-carbon-fee-dividend-fair-simple#sthash.xWwu6KNh.dpuf BLOGS California Legislation Would Increase Low-income Access To Green Vehicle Incentive Program. The California rebate program for purchasing zero-emission and very low-emission vehicles would be directed more toward moderate-income and low-income drivers under a bill now in the legislature. California’s goal is to replace one million old polluting cars with new clean energy vehicles in the next 10 years. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/08/07/california-legislation-would-increase-low-income-access-to-green-vehicle-incentive-program/ The Difference Between Fuel Cell Vehicles and Electric Vehicles. Clean transportation is a trend that has emerged in the auto industry that will not disappear any time soon. Much of the auto industry has taken up the call for the production of zero-emission vehicles and a new generation of these vehicles is expected to launch within the next few years. In the coming decades, it is likely that conventional, internal combustion vehicles will be replaced with electric vehicles…Posted. http://www.hydrogenfuelnews.com/difference-fuel-cell-vehicles-electric-vehicles/8519144/ Kellogg's sets crunch time goals for climate. Cereals giant Kellogg's has announced that it wants suppliers to disclose greenhouse gas emissions as part of an ambitious package of new environmental targets. The manufacturer of brands such as Corn Flakes and Pringles recently unveiled its Sustainability Report featuring new goals for 2020 to expand the use of low carbon energy, reduce water use and eliminate waste, alongside a commitment towards more responsible sourcing of the company's top 10 ingredients and materials. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/08/18/kelloggs-sets-crunch-time-goals-climate California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 14:20:02 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 19, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 19, 2014. 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 Two reports warn Los Angeles County residents of how climate change can affect health. Respiratory illnesses, water quality, and mosquito- and rodent-related diseases will worsen across Los Angeles County in the next few decades because of climate change, according to two reports released Monday by public health officials. “Climate change is arguably the biggest health threat of this century,” said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/environment-and-nature/20140818/two-reports-warn-los-angeles-county-residents-of-how-climate-change-can-affect-health Officials schedule practice air alert. Local air officials are asking Valley residents to participate in a practice air alert by making and implementing plans to reduce their driving this week. The goal of the annual Air Alert program is to minimize ozone levels when conditions that are conducive to ozone formation are present. These include high temperatures, sunny skies, stagnant air flow and increased emissions. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/17/6635013/officials-schedule-practive-air.html#storylink=cpy Study charts health risks of Md. gas drilling. University of Maryland researchers say there's a high likelihood that shale gas production in far western Maryland would negatively affect air quality in the region. The report (http://bit.ly/1oKrWGI ) released Monday also found a high likelihood of negative impacts on occupational health and local medical systems due to surging employment in an industry with relatively high risks for respiratory ailments and truck accidents. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/18/6635595/study-due-on-health-impact-of.html#storylink=cpy Folsom Dam project spewing more pollution than expected. The massive project to improve Folsom Dam is going faster than scheduled but is also spewing more air pollution than expected, engineers said Monday. The project is designed to add another spillway to the dam so that it can better prevent flooding following major storms. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is overseeing the project, said it has been able to accelerate the construction thanks to the current drought. Posted. http://www.kcra.com/news/folsom-dam-project-spewing-more-pollution-than-expected/27593204#!bGdBuG CLIMATE CHANGE State hearing focuses on cutting greenhouse gases. Illinois regulators on Monday began formal hearings on how the state should meet tougher federal limits on pollutants blamed for global warming, saying they will consult with environmentalists and industry and will consider working other states on regional solutions. The Illinois Commerce Commission hearing in Chicago and Springfield was the first step toward submitting a required plan to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/18/6637024/state-hearing-focuses-on-cutting.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/ICC-holds-hearings-on-cutting-global-warming-gases-5694894.php http://www.vcstar.com/news/state-hearing-focuses-on-cutting-greenhouse-gases_52983069 Maine environmentalists rally about climate change. Maine environmentalists will gather at a Portland hiking trail to rally about the impact of climate change on the state's recreational opportunities. The Natural Resources Council of Maine is hosting the event Tuesday at Baxter Woods Trail. The council is assembling people from the medical, conservation and outdoor recreation communities to release a National Wildlife Federation report called "Ticked Off." Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Maine-environmentalists-rally-about-climate-change-5697164.php Iceland warns of possible volcanic eruption. Iceland has raised its alert level for the risk of a possible volcanic eruption to orange —the second-most severe level. The warning comes amid swarms of earthquakes that have taken place since Saturday in Bardabunga — a subglacial stratovolcano located under Iceland's largest glacier. Roads nearby have been closed amid fears an eruption could lead to massive flooding. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/18/iceland-warns-of-possible-volcanic-eruption/ Here's How Arctic Sea Ice Could Shrink Even More. As the sea ice covering the Arctic continues to shrink under the influence of greenhouse gas-induced warming, it's causing a host of other changes in the region, including the growth of large waves in the previously iced-over areas. Those waves could potentially reinforce and hasten the demise of sea ice, leading to further changes in the fragile polar realm. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/heres-how-arctic-sea-ice-could-shrink-even-more_81093037 DROUGHT 'Severe' drought covers nearly 99.8% of California, report says. Drought conditions may have leveled off across California, but nearly 100% of the state remains in the third-harshest category for dryness, according to the latest measurements. For the past two weeks, California's drought picture has remained the same, halting a steady march toward worse. But the breather has allowed the state to recover only ever so slightly. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-severe-drought-california-20140818-story.html L.A. takes gentle approach to conserving water during drought. For all the tough talk about cracking down on water wasters, Los Angeles and other California cities are choosing gentle coaxing over costly fines. Los Angeles officials announced Monday that they are beefing up their water-wasting patrols but will keep their policy of educating and warning violators rather than fining them. New state rules allow fines up to $500 per day for water wasters…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0819-drought-police-20140819-story.html L.A. dramatically increases 'water cops' staffing as drought worsens. Los Angeles officials announced Monday they are beefing up their water-wasting patrols. But just don’t call them "water cops." Until now, the Department of Water and Power has assigned just one inspector to drive around handling complaints of water wasting in a city of 4 million people. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-la-dramatically-increases-water-cops-as-drought-worsens-20140818-story.html?track=rss MWD’s drought-friendly lawn-removing rebate has homeowners, businesses frantically ripping out the grass. The number of Southern Californians willing to give up their lawn in exchange for water-saving rebates has nearly doubled so far this year compared to the past five years, thanks in part to the Metropolitan Water District doubling its rebate, the water agency announced today. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/environment-and-nature/20140818/mwds-drought-friendly-lawn-removing-rebate-has-homeowners-businesses-frantically-ripping-out-the-grass Santa Cruz County could expand watering limits. Drought proposal follows local water districts. Santa Cruz County is set to implement drought-related outdoor watering restrictions -- which have already been adopted by some local districts -- across the county. The emergency ordinance is likely to be adopted Tuesday by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, and prohibits watering landscapes between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_26360143/santa-cruz-county-could-expand-watering-limits Why Are Some Sacramento Businesses,’ School’s Lawns Green? In the middle of California’s drought, some businesses’ lawns are lush and green while others die out, prompting some to wonder if they’re following the rules. Earl Schoen is green with envy these days, because as he shows us his not-so-green lawn, he tells us what he’s been seeing that has him seeing red. Posted. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/08/18/why-are-some-sacramento-businesses-schools-lawns-green/ DIESEL EMISSIONS Nevada County Man Worries California Air Rules May Mean End Of His Construction Business. Al Urke has been building new construction for almost four decades, but he’s worried his business could go under with new California rules. “It’s going to end up being the big guys as the only ones who survive this and that’s only because they have more resources,” he said. Posted. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/08/18/nevada-county-man-worries-california-air-rules-may-mean-end-of-his-construction-business/ Cummins’ 6.7L Turbo Diesel receives CARB approval. Cummins said that its 6.7L Turbo Diesel has been certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as meeting Low-Emission Vehicle III (LEV III) standards. This new standard applies to all vehicles under 14,000 lb. GVWR. The Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel powers the Ram Heavy-Duty lineup, and is the first medium-duty diesel engine in the 8,501-14,000 lb. GVWR segment to be certified to the new 2015 LEV III standards, Cummins said. Posted. http://fleetowner.com/equipment/cummins-67l-turbo-diesel-receives-carb-approval FUELS Bill tackles odd crime of grease thievery from restaurants. The California Legislature approved a bill Monday that would increase penalties for stealing a restaurant's used cooking oil, which has become a hot commodity for thieves because it can fetch hundreds of dollars due to its ability to be converted into clean-burning biofuel. The bill, AB1566, is now headed to Gov. Jerry Brown. Fetching around $3 a pound, a truckload of used cooking oil can bring in as much as $600 at a grease recycling center…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bill-tackles-odd-crime-of-grease-thievery-from-5696491.php Study sees potential climate benefits in U.S. exports as Ore. blocks port permit. Burning coal in South Korean power plants would produce fewer planet-warming emissions per unit of electricity than if that same coal was burned in the United States, according to a study released a day after Oregon regulators delivered a severe blow to the export proposal researchers examined. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004679/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES MIT team proposes process to recycle lead-acid batteries to fabricate solar cells. Researchers at MIT have devised an environmentally-responsible process to recycle materials from discarded automotive lead-acid batteries to fabricate efficient organolead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs)—a promising new large-scale and cost-competitive photovoltaic technology. The process simultaneously avoids the disposal of toxic battery materials and provide alternative, readily-available lead sources for PSCs. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/20140818-belcher.html Company seeks to reinvent urban transport with 'origami'-style electric tricycle. It's a trike ... it's a toy ... it's an electric vehicle ... no, it's all three! The Johanson3 electric tricycle project that recently launched on the crowd-funding website Indigogo seeks to offer the best emissions-free urban transportation solution. "The main objective of the Johanson3 is to bring a real alternative to cars in suburban and urban areas at a very cheap price," said Johan Neerman, product inventor and company CEO. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004642/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL Dan Richard, bullet train conductor. Dan Richard, the chair of the California High Speed Rail Authority, is a man in the middle. The middle of court fights, the middle of political fights, the middle of a fight over California’s future. “The rest of the developed world has moved energetically to adopt high-speed rail. We will too,” Richard says. He may be right. After miscues, battles over the bullet train’s routes and funding, and fierce opposition in California and Washington, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Posted. http://capitolweekly.net/bullet-train-rail-california-project-richard/ GREEN ENERGY Court: New Jersey must reconsider windmill plan. A company that wants to build a windmill power project off the coast of Atlantic City has won a victory in court. A New Jersey appeals ruled in favor of Fishermen's Energy in a dispute over the company's plan. The state Board of Public Utilities had denied approval for the project in April. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/18/6637331/court-new-jersey-must-reconsider.html#storylink=cpy http://www.vcstar.com/news/court-new-jersey-must-reconsider-windmill-plan_20998011 Is American Energy Dominance the New Normal? According to the Energy Information Administration, the United States in April produced 13.63 million barrels per day, or BPD, of oil and natural gas liquids. This was 2 million BPD more than Saudi Arabia -- the largest difference ever recorded between the two nations. To understand just how remarkable that is, consider this: Prior to 2008 Saudi Arabia routinely beat America by 2 million to 3 million BPD per month. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Is-American-Energy-Dominance-the-New-Normal-5697849.php MISCELLANEOUS Earth Talk: Antarctica. Dear EarthTalk: To what extent is Antarctica really melting and what impact might it have on coastlines around the world? - Andrea Hutchinson, Cary, NC. The Antarctic continent, roughly the size of the United States and Mexico combined, is composed of rock covered by glaciers some 16,000 feet thick. The glaciers form from fallen snow compacting into successive layers of ice, and they eventually move downhill toward the coasts and "calve" into the ocean as icebergs and eventually melt out into the sea. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/19/6638334/earth-talk-antarctica.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS Another View: Dams are not the answer to long-term water woes. The Bee’s editorial praising bipartisanship on the updated water bond (“A rare sighting of bipartisanship – on water no less,” Aug. 15) rightly saluted state Sen. Lois Wolk for her good work in trying to keep bond funds away from the ill-conceived Delta tunnels. But the piece got it wrong when it implied that the Delta tunnels issue was the only part of the bond that created concerns for Sierra Club and other environmental groups. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/19/6637290/another-view-dams-are-not-the.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Water bond compromise is a good deal for Delta. Two years ago, I introduced a measure to replace the doomed pork-laden water bond from 2009 with a trim, focused and non-controversial bond that could win voter support and address California’s critical water needs, without threatening the Delta region by funding the Bay Delta Conservation Plan or the Delta tunnels. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/19/6637288/viewpoints-water-bond-compromise.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: More trees, better health. When the temperature heads into the triple digits here in the Sacramento Valley, people walk on the shady side of the street and park their cars under trees whenever possible. They know trees make life more comfortable, but do they know trees help make them healthier? Research connecting trees and human health was almost nonexistent before 2000 and has increased dramatically since – and the findings are remarkable. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/17/6633668/viewpoints-more-trees-better-health.html#storylink=cpy Air board should take closer look before doubling of no-burn days. The San Joaquin Valley is no stranger to air pollution issues and has long struggled to find solutions for high levels of particle emissions in the air. On July 31, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District had a public workshop to discuss proposed regulation changes related to wood-burning fireplaces and wood-burning heaters ( District Rule 4901). Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/19/3492888/air-board-should-take-closer-look.html#storylink=cpy http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/08/19/3801448_air-board-should-take-closer-look.html?sp=/99/177/&rh=1 It's up to all of us to save water as drought worsens. I began watching the drought in Santa Clara County back in January when it was apparent that we were having a very dry winter. I called on our county administrators to report back to the Board of Supervisors with a study of our current conditions and suggest solutions. I also called on all of us to cut the water use in our homes and yards by 20 percent. Now that we're well into summer, the drought situation has gotten worse. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_26363147/its-up-all-us-save-water-drought-worsens BLOGS Central Valley Dems run from climate change. The Capitol Hill newspaper the Hill reported Monday that Democrats running for re-election in California’s parched San Joaquin Valley are refusing to link the state’s historic drought to climate change, despite the direct connection drawn by President Obama and his chief scientist, Stanford University physicist John Holdren. Politically, most Democrats have come to see climate change as the new same-sex marriage…Posted. http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/08/18/central-valley-dems-run-from-climate-change/ >From Tree Planting Along a Dirt Road to Car-Free Village Living. Some readers may have noticed a prolonged hiatus here, only half of which was because of a brief escape to Winter Harbor, Me., my mother in law’s birthplace and home. The other half was because of my family’s first move in 17 years — from a 1930s-era farm house on a dirt road to a brick home less than eight miles away, built in the 1860s in the village of Nelsonville, N.Y., by two Civil War veterans. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/18/from-tree-planting-along-a-dirt-road-to-car-free-village-living/?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As 100-mile EVs offer plenty of range, for now. We've heard that the next big paradigm shift in electric vehicle acceptance will come with more 150- or 200-mile EVs. But a new study called Optimizing and Diversifying Electric Vehicle Driving Range for US Drivers says that cars that can go that far really won't make sense for anyone to buy until the battery cost can be dropped to $100 per kilowatt hour. Automakers today are incredibly secretive about how much each kWh in a pack costs, but it's safe to say we're nowhere near that goal just yet. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/19/100-mile-evs-have-plenty-of-range-for-now/ Drillers illegally using diesel fuel to frack, report says. A new report charges that several oil and gas companies have been illegally using diesel fuel in their hydraulic fracturing operations, and then doctoring records to hide violations of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The report, published this week by the Environmental Integrity Project, found that between 2010 and July 2014 at least 351 wells were fracked by 33 different companies using diesel fuels without a permit. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/drillers-illegally-using-diesel-fuel-to-frack-report-says/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 14:30:41 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 20, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 20, 2014. 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 Greens, industry square off over putting cars in EU carbon market. Environmental campaigners are bracing to take on big business over whether Europe should follow California's lead and include road transport in the EU carbon market. Bringing transport - Europe's biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions after the power sector - into the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) could bring down the costs the car industry faces in meeting existing regulation as well as tackling the oversupply on the carbon market. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/20/eu-ets-autos-idUSL6N0Q42U720140820 Liberal coalition urges Harris to scrutinize gas prices in AB 32 feud. A coalition of unions, environmental organizations and other liberal groups are trying to enlist Attorney General Kamala Harris in their efforts to beat back an oil industry campaign to scuttle the state’s plan to expand its cap-and-trade program to vehicle fuels in January. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/19/6639457/liberal-coalition-urges-harris.html#storylink=cpy AIR POLLUTION Cities’ Air Problems Only Get Worse With Climate Change. The threats from climate change are many: extreme weather, shrinking snowpack, altered ecosystems and rising and more acidic seas, to name a few. Another lesser-known issue may hit especially close to home for city dwellers. In the world’s already smoggy metropolises, pollution is likely to grow worse, a phenomenon scientists have taken to calling the climate penalty. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/21/business/international/cities-air-problems-only-get-worse-with-climate-change.html?_r=0 Smoke from Junction fire in Oakhurst prompts health caution. Smoke from the Junction fire in Oakhurst is affecting air quality in Madera County and may affect Merced and other Valley counties, air officials said Tuesday. As weather conditions change, smoke impacts may be felt in Fresno, Stanislaus, Tulare and Kings, as well. Smoke may periodically affect these counties until the fire is extinguished, officials said. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/19/6640568/smoke-from-junction-fire-in-oakhurst.html#storylink=cpy CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change means more bugs, slimy ponds. From a surge in disease-carrying ticks and Tiger mosquitoes to increases in toxic algae blooms, the symptoms of climate change are rapidly affecting America's relationship with the great outdoors, the National Wildlife Federation warned Tuesday. The NWF report assessed troubling climate-related changes in eight species. Federation President Collin P. O'Mara, Delaware's former environmental chief, said the issues raised in the report are critical. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/19/climate-change-means-more-bugs-slimy-ponds/14320677/ Officials say Lake Tahoe imperiled by wildfires. Lake Tahoe, a crown jewel of the western landscape, is being challenged by drought, invasive species, the threat of catastrophic wildfire and climate change, officials said Tuesday. The warning came during an annual summit about protecting the iconic lake that straddles the California-Nevada border. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/officials-say-lake-tahoe-imperiled-by-wildfires_65695433 Corps: Waterway infrastructure improvements needed. Higher-capacity ports, expanded locks and dams and other infrastructure improvements are needed in the Mississippi River Watershed to allow its waterways to handle shipping demands caused by higher agriculture, oil and natural gas production and manage climate change effects, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official said Tuesday. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/corps-waterway-infrastructure-improvements-needed_74494235 Calif. takes a crack at climate's effects -- but first, a definition of success. California has been trying to mitigate climate change for more than a decade now but is just now getting down to business on dealing with its impacts. At the state's first-ever adaptation forum this week, experts ruminated on the meaning and utility of terms like "resiliency" and "readiness," as well as "adaptation" itself, to refer to measures taken in response to the rising seas, fiercer storms…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004702/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Land use will complicate 'climate velocity' as a threat to species – study. Not long ago, the idea that climate change could prompt whole ecosystems to move was introduced to researchers as "climate velocity." It's meant to show how quickly trees, plants and animals will have to migrate to find friendly temperatures. Now a new analysis is estimating the pace of species movement because of both climate change and land use…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/08/20/stories/1060004701 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Gov. Brown says drought concerns helped build support for water bond. Brown praises bipartisan support for water bond. An annual environmental summit at Lake Tahoe on Tuesday gave Gov. Jerry Brown an opportunity for a victory lap on the new plan for a California water bond, which was approved by the Legislature last week. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ln-governor-says-drought-concerns-helped-build-support-for-water-bond-20140819-story.html Ice bucket challenge stirs controversy in drought-plagued California. The simple act of dumping ice water onto one’s head has turned into one of the most viral feel-good campaigns of 2014. More than 2 million ice bucket challenge videos featuring tech giants such as Apple CEO Tim Cook and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos have helped raised more than $20 million for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research and awareness since July 29. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-ice-bucket-challenge-water-drought-20140819-story.html Drought raises pollution on Folsom Dam spillway project this year. Low water levels at Folsom Lake are causing an increase in air pollution from the $900 million Folsom Dam auxiliary spillway project. The lake is filled to just 40 percent of capacity, which has allowed construction to proceed without the use of marine excavation equipment this year. The land equipment used instead has emitted more nitrogen oxide, said Katie Huff, spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/19/6640383/drought-raises-pollution-on-folsom.html#storylink=cpy Fresno group in U.S. court over water usage in S.F. A Fresno nonprofit linked to the largest agricultural water district in the country filed a federal lawsuit alleging San Francisco and other Bay Area communities are unfairly exempted from water cutbacks meant to protect endangered species. The Center for Environmental Science, Accuracy and Reliability alleges that freshwater diversions from the Tuolumne River are jeopardizing endangered species of salmon…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Farm-linked-group-sues-feds-over-San-Francisco-s-5699197.php Merced County hires expert to help draft groundwater ordinance. The topic of groundwater is a complicated one, but regulating the scarce commodity – which is as precious as liquid gold for struggling farmers in a drought year – is even tougher. But that’s exactly what Merced County officials set out to do, hiring a 40-year water expert to lead the way. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/19/4078297_merced-county-hires-expert-to.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Environmentalist: State and feds, not farmers, illegally diverting water. A Stockton environmentalist is fighting back against water users and government agencies who recently claimed Delta farmers might be illegally diverting water. Bill Jennings, head of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, filed a complaint alleging that it’s the state and federal water projects that are illegally diverting. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/article/20140820/NEWS/140829993/101094/A_NEWS The future of water in Southern California. As the state endures one of the worst droughts in recorded history, Southern California residents are looking for answers about the sustainability of the region’s water supplies. Farmers have felt the sting of below-average rainfall for years, but as the crisis worsens, urban and suburban areas are likely to suffer a drastic change in their relationship with this vital liquid. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/events/2014/08/21/1504/the-future-of-water-in-southern-california/ FUELS California business groups warn of impending 'hidden gas tax'. Californians are seeing and hearing a blitz of advertisements warning of a looming "hidden gas tax." The price increase is expected to take effect in the new year because California's cap-and-trade program will expand to include fuel, meaning oil refiners will have to buy permits for the greenhouse gas pollution tied to gasoline and diesel sales. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/2014/08/19/38931/california-business-groups-warn-of-impending-hidde/ FRACKING Activists call for a county ban on fracking. Supervisors, however, show no interest in addressing the issue. Orange County activists are calling for a ban on fracking locally until the oil-extraction method is further studied, and Tuesday they took their message to the county’s top elected officials. Local residents and activists went to the Orange County Supervisors meeting and demanded a meeting with Chairman Shawn Nelson to discuss the issue. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fracking-632198-county-water.html VEHICLES Federal Tax Credits For Plug-In Hybrids, Electric Cars: What You Need To Know. If you want to get a special incentive for driving a hybrid, you're a few years too late; but a tax credit applies to nearly every electric car and plug-in hybrid on the market and it can, in some cases, effectively reduce your cost for such a model to that of an ordinary gasoline vehicle (or even less). The widely mentioned $7,500 tax credit is arguably confusing from the start. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/cars/federal-tax-credits-for-plug-in-hybrids-electric-cars-what-you-need-to-know/2014/08/20/0ae02718-2886-11e4-8b10-7db129976abb_story.html Tesla answers critics with new 8-year warranty. Tesla Motors Inc., perhaps responding to less than stellar reviews of its Model S electric car, is offering a new eight-year, unlimited-mileage warranty for its drive unit and battery pack. The generous warranty will cover all Model S cars already on the road, and will extend to new owners when the cars change hands. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-tesla-warranty-20140819-story.html Lawmakers expand carpool lane permits for plug-ins. The state Senate has approved legislation that would allow another 15,000 fuel-efficient vehicles to use California's carpool lanes, even when they have only one occupant. AB2013 by Democratic Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi of Torrance expands the number of "green HOV" permits to 70,000 from the current 55,000. The stickers generally apply to hybrid plug-in vehicles such as the Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Volt and Cadillac ELR. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Lawmakers-expand-carpool-lane-permits-for-plug-ins-5699069.php California Lawmakers Consider Incentives Package For Tesla Motors. California lawmakers are considering a package of economic incentives and environmental regulatory waivers to convince Tesla Motors to build a new electric car battery plant in the state. Democratic and Republican legislative leaders are participating in the talks with Tesla along with Governor Jerry Brown’s office. Republican Senator Ted Gaines says environmental review timelines could be shortened to help an environmentally friendly company expand in the state. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/30439 GREEN ENERGY Solar carports are fast-growing mainstay of U.S. market – report. Solar carports, providing shade for vehicles and electricity for buildings, are shaping up as a steadily growing part of the galloping solar industry, according to a report by GTM Research. The market for solar carports grew at a compound annual growth rate of 45 percent between 2010 and 2014, according to the report. Projections are that they'll expand from a $578 million business last year to $843 million by 2016…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060004707/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS California environmentalist shakes up Florida race. A California billionaire environmentalist is pouring millions of dollars into the Florida governor's race to buy television ads attacking Gov. Rick Scott as a friend of polluters and utility companies, giving the campaign of Democratic front-runner Charlie Crist a boost as polls show a tightening race. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_GOVERNORS_RACE_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/19/6639462/california-environmentalist-shakes.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-environmentalist-shakes-up-Florida-race-5699074.php US government sells 400,000 acres offshore Texas. The federal government has sold more than 400,000 acres in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas coast for oil and gas exploration and development, an official with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said Wednesday. The acreage represents a fraction of the 21.6 million acres the agency had offered as part of the Obama administration's five-year program to aggressively develop resources on the Outer Continental Shelf. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OFFSHORE_GULF_SALE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OPINIONS Australia’s Retreat on Emissions. Australia’s decision last month to repeal a carbon tax on its biggest greenhouse gas polluters disheartened scientists and advocates of strong action to control greenhouse gas emissions — not least island nations in the South Pacific worried about rising sea levels. And it sends a discouraging signal in advance of a United Nations summit meeting on climate change for heads of state on Sept. 23…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/21/opinion/australias-retreat-on-emissions.html L.A's water ruler, DWP chief Marcie Edwards, on keeping the city hydrated. The Department of Water and Power began 107 years ago, after Los Angeles bought back the civic water system from a group of privateers. Like its top man, William Mulholland, who began as a ditch-digger, the new DWP chief, Marcie Edwards, also started at the bottom, as a clerk. Now she's running the nation's largest city-owned water and power agency. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-morrison-edwards-20140820-column.html#page=1 Editorial: The bill comes due for California’s old water pipes. Aging and broken pipes are a big and expensive problem for California – whether the daily leaks of precious water going to waste, or a catastrophic water main failure like the recent one in Los Angeles. After decades of neglect, the bill is coming due – in the neighborhood of $70 billion in water system fixes needed statewide, according to one estimate. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/20/6640210/editorial-the-bill-comes-due-for.html#storylink=cpy Ice Bucket Challenge critics are the ones who are actually all wet. This weekend, I braced myself for the cold and criticism of the ALS "Ice Bucket Challenge." Like others, my good deed (and video, below) did not go unpunished. I was criticized (good-naturedly by my wife, then by others) for dousing myself with water on my patio instead of my lawn, which has languished this summer during California's drought. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/18/als-ice-bucket-challenge-criticism/ Delta-friendly water bond is a win for all of California. Two years ago, I introduced a measure to replace the doomed, pork-laden water bond from 2009 with a trim, focused and noncontroversial bond that could win voter support and address California’s critical water needs, without threatening the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region by funding the Bay Delta Conservation Plan or the delta tunnels. Posted. http://www.davisenterprise.com/forum/opinion-columns/delta-friendly-water-bond-is-a-win-for-all-of-california/ BLOGS Adomani EV school bus approved for use in California. Your children or grandchildren may very well be riding an electric bus to school soon, and probably sooner still if they live in California. We've just recently seen the funding of the National Strategies demo buses. Now another fully electric school bus has been approved in the Golden State. The California Highway Patrol has greenlighted the Adomani EV bus for use in the Gilroy Unified School District (GUSD). Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/20/ev-school-bus-approved-in-california/ Five things Wikileaks taught us about UN climate talks. As Julian Assange prepares to leave his hideaway, we recall the top Wikileaks releases on climate change. The Wikileaks founder has spent two years holed up in the embassy, trying to find a diplomatic solution to his tangle of legal problems. Assange faces an arrest warrant for sexual assault charges in Sweden. Posted. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/08/18/five-things-wikileaks-taught-us-about-un-climate-talks/#sthash.gp1jMrmG.dpuf How to Help Americans Care About Climate Change Now. For the past decade, I've been asking people -- young and old, rich and poor, highly educated and less so -- why they didn't seem to care about climate change. Or at least, why they didn't seem to care enough to do something about it. I did not do this as part of a formal poll, or even as a representative of an organization. In the beginning, I was simply curious because I'd had a powerful "ah ha" moment in which I went from being someone who rarely thought about the environment…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-bennett/how-to-help-americans-care-about-climate-change_b_5693247.html How We Reduced Our Carbon Footprint. When I retired from my faculty position at the University of Maine in 2003, I resolved that one of my retirement projects would be to greatly reduce my carbon footprint by making my home and transportation more energy efficient, and reducing my consumption of fossil fuels. My wife, Lee, supported me in this undertaking, as we were very much aware of the terrible impacts on the environment of fossil fuel extraction, processing, and transport…Posted. http://www.motherearthnews.com/renewable-energy/reducing-carbon-footprint-zbfz1408zcalt.aspx#ixzz3AxE74mxM CA Seeks Input for Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program. Housing advocates and local officials gathered in Oakland last week to discuss guidelines for California’s new Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC). It was one of three packed meetings held throughout the state by the Strategic Growth Council (SGC), the state agency that oversees the AHSC, to gather input on the new program’s guidelines. Posted. http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/08/19/ca-seeks-input-for-affordable-housing-and-sustainable-communities-program/ Granting Big Oil a Free Pass Under California's Clean Energy Law Would Be a Giant Leap Backward. In their latest video ad, the California Drivers Alliance, an oil-backed front group organized to lobby against California’s clean fuel standards, claims fuel providers “need more time” to prepare for the January 1st inclusion of gasoline under California’s economy-wide program to cap and steadily reduce climate pollution. Some California legislators agree, backing bills that would grant the oil industry a three-year delay or outright exemption. Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ajackson/granting_big_oil_a_free_pass_u.html Transportation Diversification is Key to Fixing California’s Gas Price and Pollution Woes. This summer I had the unique opportunity to drive with members of the California state legislature through their districts in Los Angeles and the Central Valley. In addition to brown lawns, hazy air, and intense heat, we were reminded of California’s persistently high gas prices on filling station signs at nearly every major intersection. Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/californiadream/2014/08/19/transportation-diversification-is-key-to-fixing-californias-gas-price-and-pollution-woes/#sthash.NjTgjqHw.dpuf Why I’m a Climate Change Alarmist. I’m sick of having to hide it, so here goes: I’m a climate change alarmist. There, I said it. After years of fighting off internet trolls and being ridiculed on Fox News for caring about the Earth and its inhabitants enough to make big changes to my life, I’ve had enough. It’s time that we climate change alarmists reclaim this dismissive term and defend ourselves. Posted. http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/08/20/climate_change_alarmist_optimistic_realistic_not_na_ve_assessment_of_global.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 14:09:37 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for August 22, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 22, 2014. 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 California Carbon Permits Sell Out at $11.50 in Auction. California, which releases more greenhouse-gas emissions than any other U.S. state except Texas, sold 22.5 million carbon allowances at auction for $11.50 each, just above analysts’ expectations. Units of BP Plc (BP/), Chevron Corp. (CVX), Edison International (EIX), PG&E Corp. (PCG), Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS) were among the companies that qualified to purchase the permits put up for sale Aug. 18, a report posted today on the state Air Resources Board’s website shows. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-21/california-carbon-permits-sell-out-at-11-50-in-auction.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/21/usa-california-carbonauction-idUSL2N0QR2JW20140821 http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/21/6645911/californias-latest-carbon-auction.html#mi_rss=Business#storylink=cpy http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/08/22/carbon-auction-raises-331-8m/ http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004812/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Coal gas boom in China holds climate change risks. Deep in the hilly grasslands of remote Inner Mongolia, twin smoke stacks rise more than 200 feet into the sky, their steam and sulfur billowing over herds of sheep and cattle. Both day and night, the rumble of this power plant echoes across the ancient steppe, and its acrid stench travels dozens of miles away. This is the first of more than 60 coal-to-gas plants China wants to build…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_COAL_GAS_BOOM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Coal-gas-boom-in-China-holds-climate-change-risks-5705029.php State to ask for lower air permit fee increase. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources Air Pollution Control Program, which enforces the federal Clean Air Act in the state, could be insolvent by late 2016 after a proposal to raise permit and emission fees fell apart, state officials said. A proposed permit and emission fee schedule received support from industry leaders earlier this year but late objections prompted the DNR to offer a new schedule that would make it more difficult for the already cash-strapped program to operate…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MO_AIR_PROGRAM_PERMITS_MOOL-?SITE=MOKEN&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/State-to-ask-for-lower-air-permit-fee-increase-5705514.php U.S. EPA makes strides in air toxics but work remains in cities: report. The United States has made progress in reducing dangerous air pollution since 1990 but work remains to reduce risks for the country's most overburdened urban areas, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's top official said on Thursday. The EPA released to Congress its second report on integrated air toxics, citing "substantial progress" toward reducing levels of contaminants such as arsenic…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/21/us-usa-epa-airtoxins-idUSKBN0GL1QJ20140821 http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/20140822-epa.html Natural Gas Production Falls Short in China. Jin Peisheng, a drilling rig foreman, knows the challenges of trying to extract natural gas from a coal seam under the cornfields here in north-central China. Cracks in the subterranean coal are flooded with water that needs to be pumped out before the gas will emerge. The coal seams are so cold that gels injected into the well, which are meant to help release the gas, sometimes become gummy and block the flow instead. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/22/business/energy-environment/chinas-effort-to-produce-natural-gas-falls-far-short.html?_r=0 Irwindale Sriracha factory opens its doors: Owner hopes tourism will quell criticism. Beginning this week, hundreds of truckloads of fresh-picked red jalapeño chili peppers are making their way to the city of Irwindale to be ground into Sriracha hot sauce. At the height of the August to November chili harvest, 30 to 40 trucks travel each day from a Ventura County farm to the Huy Fong Foods plant on Azusa Canyon Road, just south of the Santa Fe Dam. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/08/22/46143/irwindale-sriracha-factory-opens-its-doors-owner-h/ Big polluter reduces coal use for first time in 100 years. China reduced its coal consumption for the first time in about a century during the first half of 2014. In previous years, coal imports grew by double digits. This year growth was just .9 percent in China. At the same time, domestic coal production decreased by 1.8 percent. The declines are happening after China doubled its coal use to power rapid economic growth over the past decade. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004806/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GDP calculations that factor in air pollution show higher levels of economic growth. Calculations of market performance that are adjusted to account for the cost of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions don't necessarily produce a dismal outlook for economic growth, according to a new research paper. In fact, they would show a higher economic growth in the U.S. economy since 1999. "It is widely recognized that indices that focus exclusively on market production, such as gross domestic product (GDP), are incomplete," wrote Nicholas Muller in the study. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004840/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE How the U.S. and Korea Could Work Together to Reduce Carbon Emissions. Even as the shale-gas boom has dramatically changed America’s energy mix and pricing, the U.S. still burns a lot of coal. Because the fleet of domestic coal-fired power plants includes many aging facilities, it isn’t burned efficiently. A study by researchers at Duke University and the University of Calgary has compared coal burning in the U.S. and Korea and proposed a novel way to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-22/how-the-u-s-and-korea-could-work-together-to-reduce-carbon-emissions.html Australian Premier Tony Abbott under fire as 'environmental vandal'. In less than a year as Australian government leader, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has drawn more ire from environmentalists than most anti-regulation crusaders manage in a full term in office. He delivered last month on his chief campaign promise to make the land Down Under the first to repeal a functioning carbon tax on the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-australia-abbott-environment-20140819-story.html Bay Area billionaire's climate-change ads leave fact-checkers cold. Bay Area billionaire Tom Steyer's blitz against candidates who are soft on climate change is underway in seven states, but some prominent fact-checking groups say he's emitting enough hot air to melt a few glaciers. Negative reviews from watchdogs like PolitiFact, FactCheck.org and the Washington Post are dogging one of the nation's biggest political donors…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_26382278/billionaires-climate-change-ads-leave-fact-checkers-cold?source=rss http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26382517/Bay-Area-billionaires-climatechange-ads-leave-factcheckers-cold http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26382517/Bay-Area-billionaires-climatechange-ads-leave-factcheckers-cold Pause in global warming caused by Atlantic and Southern ocean heat sinks – study. Newly published data suggest that a hiatus in rising global air temperatures in the 21st century is the result of heat sinks deep in the Atlantic and Southern oceans. The trend is likely connected to roughly 30-year global warming and cooling cycles, according to researchers. The study could put to rest a long-standing debate among scientists about why air temperature rise had halted after a period of rapid increases at the end of the 20th century. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004801/print BY SUBCRIPTION ONLY Record year for simultaneous temperature highs and lows in U.S. To date, 2014 has had the largest number of record warm and record low-temperature days to occur simultaneously in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "This is the most unusual year we've seen in terms of bipolar temperatures," said Deke Arndt, a climate scientist with NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. "We've seen twice as much record cold and twice as much record hot days." Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004805/print BY SUBSRIPTION ONLY Sun's activity influences regional climate change and skeptics – study. Almost every scientist agrees that the Earth is warming. But how important is the sun? According to a study released this week, the star that heats and lights our planet year-round plays a notable -- and poorly understood -- role in natural climate change on Earth. This influence on natural climate change pales in comparison with the changes human activity is inflicting on the climate, according to the researchers. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004808/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Big turbine maker feels the breeze of growing U.S. markets. Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the world's largest wind turbine maker, said the U.S. market continues to show high activity, but the industry is starting to focus on whether the production tax credit (PTC) will be renewed before the end of the year. The Danish manufacturer announced turbine orders of 800 megawatts in the United States in the second quarter, which accounted for most of the 18 percent increase in total orders for the company versus last year. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004799/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Ban on filling swimming pools hits communities in parched California. The California dream of owning a house with a sparkling swimming pool is drying up for would-be swimmers in communities across the state as some local water districts have banned homeowners from filling empty pools in drought-stricken areas. The restrictions come as California struggles through its third year of a catastrophic drought that has threatened a half-million acres of farmland…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/21/us-usa-california-pools-idUSKBN0GL2D120140821?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews 63 trillion gallons of groundwater lost in drought, study finds. The ongoing drought in the western United States has caused so much loss of groundwater that the Earth, on average, has lifted up about 0.16 inches over the last 18 months, according to a new study. The situation was even worse in the snow-starved mountains of California, where the Earth rose up to 0.6 inches. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-63-trillion-gallons-of-groundwater-lost-in-drought-study-finds-20140821-story.html http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-groundwater-20140822-story.html 190 drought maps reveal just how thirsty California has become. It doesn't take much to understand why California is so worried about drought. Reservoirs are ever-dwindling. Rainfall is sporadic at best. And let's not forget about the millions of gallons of precious water recently flooding the streets of Brentwood. More than 80% of California is in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and the state's condition isn't expected to improve in the near future. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-g-california-drought-map-htmlstory.html Fewer plants crimp foraging by bees. California’s record drought hasn’t been sweet to honeybees, and it’s creating a sticky situation for beekeepers and honey buyers. The state is traditionally one of the country’s largest honey producers, with abundant crops and wildflowers that provide the nectar that bees turn into honey. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/21/6646223/fewer-plants-crimpforaging-by.html#mi_rss=Business#storylink=cpy ‘Life After Lawns’ gives insight into drought-tolerant yards. “Life After Lawns: 8 Steps From Grass to a Waterwise Garden” (CreateSpace, 2014) is a simple guide to transforming your lawn into a breathtaking drought-tolerant oasis. “Drought-tolerant oasis” may sound like an oxymoron. An oasis is lush and green, you are thinking, so how could such a place be drought tolerant, too? An oasis is also a respite from the storm, a place where you find relief from the desert all around. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/lifestyle/20140821/life-after-lawns-gives-insight-into-drought-tolerant-yards California drought has wild salmon competing with almonds for water. The ongoing California drought has pitted wild salmon against farmers in a fight for water. While growers of almonds, one of the state's biggest and most lucrative crops, enjoy booming production and skyrocketing sales to China, the fish, it seems, might be left high and dry this summer—and maybe even dead. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/08/21/46157/california-drought-has-wild-salmon-competing-with/ American West is so dry that the land is rising. If you live out West, you've likely noticed that things have been pretty dry lately. What you probably haven't noticed is that the ground beneath your feet is also a little bit higher in elevation -- an average of 4 millimeters higher, to be exact. It may be hard to believe, but new research using data from hundreds of different GPS stations shows it to be true: The current drought in the American West is so bad that the loss of water weight has actually caused the land to rise. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004809/print BY FUELS Pipeline giant sidesteps KXL-style permitting fight. Enbridge Inc. is poised to carry out a novel new strategy for avoiding the presidential permitting process that Keystone XL has been mired in for years, shifting extra volumes of Canadian oil between pipelines on its sprawling continental network with the State Department's blessing. The pipeline titan's plan involves building four interconnections between its Alberta Clipper and Line 3 projects, both of which run from the oil sands region of Alberta to Wisconsin. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060004824/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES EU regulators seek to close car emissions testing loopholes. EU regulators are preparing draft legislation that will require vehicle fuel use to be tested on roads rather than in laboratories, looking to close loopholes that allow car makers to exaggerate fuel-saving and emissions credentials. Already from Sept. 1, slightly tougher EU testing standards will be enforced, in line with a global push for accuracy. More-stringent standards are likely to be opposed by automakers. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/21/us-eu-autos-idUSKBN0GK0WP20140821?feedType=RSS http://www.autonews.com/article/20140820/COPY01/308219999/eu-regulators-aim-to-close-car-emissions-testing-loopholes Advances in battery chemistry and hydrogen production may bring affordable zero-emissions vehicles closer to reality. Batteries and hydrogen fuel cells are vying to become the cheapest, cleanest way to power vehicles, in hopes of one day unseating the gasoline engine as the propulsion system of choice. Recent breakthroughs have brought both technologies closer to that goal. With fuel economy standards ratcheting up under President Obama's climate action agenda, automakers are under pressure to put more zero-emission vehicles on the market. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004813/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY HIGH-SPEED RAIL Fresno City Council again rejects train station master plan money. The Fresno City Council has decided the best way to plan for high-speed rail is to assume the train will never get here. The council on Thursday rejected $1 million in grants that would have paid for a master plan showing how downtown can get the biggest boost from the bullet train. The vote was 3-3, with Council Members Lee Brand, Paul Caprioglio and Clint Olivier voting no. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/21/4081580_city-council-again-rejects-train.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY DWP is still slow to turn on home solar energy systems. When Gerry Hans remodeled his Hollywood Hills home, he chose green options such as landscaping with native plants, a system to recycle gray water and a $40,000 rooftop solar installation to provide electricity to the home. The solar panels were installed in January, but they haven't pushed a single electron into the house: Hans is still waiting for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to install a meter and turn it on. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solar-powerless-20140822-story.html Clean energy bill: AB 2145 would stifle program Santa Clara County cities hope to adopt. Community Choice energy programs allow local governments to provide cleaner and greener energy as an alternative to PG&E, often at less cost to residents and businesses. But Assembly Bill 2145 would insert a number of roadblocks in the way of consumers and businesses from accessing cleaner electricity. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26374183/Clean-energy-bill:-AB-2145-would-stifle-program-Santa-Clara-County-cities-hope-to-adopt Calif. lawmakers pass bill forcing cities to cut rooftop solar red tape. California cities and counties must adopt a streamlined process for permitting residential solar under a bill that passed the state Legislature yesterday and was headed to Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) desk. A.B. 2188, from state Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D), targets the "red tape" permitting procedures that can differ across 500 cities and counties statewide. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060004818/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GE backs startup incubator aimed at boosting renewables. General Electric Co. yesterday announced plans to sponsor a California startup incubator aimed at nurturing new solar companies. Oakland-based SfunCube will receive funding and expertise from GE, which touted its experience working with startups and alternative energy. "We are impressed with SfunCube's unique incubator and accelerator and their explicit focus on solar…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004843/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Anderson man gets 3 years for asbestos pollution. An Anderson man will spend more than three years in prison for demolishing a mill full of asbestos without properly protecting his workers or the people living in the area. U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles said in a press release that state health officials repeatedly told 37-year-old Scott Farmer that he had to stop the demolition work in the spring of 2013 and he ignored the orders. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Anderson-man-gets-3-years-for-asbestos-pollution-5703794.php OPINIONS Could shale revive China's flagging oil fields? Kemp. "I believe and will prove that our country is not deficient in oil reserves. If I can use my 20-year lifetime in exchange for a large oil field, I will." Those comments, recorded in an illustrated history of the Songliao Basin published by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), are attributed to Wang Jinxi, an oil field worker who became a hero of Communist China during the 1960s and 1970s. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/22/china-shale-kemp-idUSL5N0QS1IN20140822 California drought continues to take heavy toll on reservoirs. he severe drought gripping nearly all of California eased ever so slightly this past week, but the state's reservoirs remain "seriously low," according to the latest figures released Thursday. The amount of the state that now falls under the "severe" drought category — the third-harshest on a five-level scale — was down to 97.5%, a slight improvement from the 99.8% share during the same period last week…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-drought-reservoir-levels-20140821-story.html Save water now, or face the consequences later. To the editor: You would think that a serious drought would require serious action. But it seems that water use actually has gone up. The trouble is, as with global warming, too many people either deny the drought's existence or just think it needs to be waited out. ("L.A. takes gentle approach to conserving water during drought," Aug. 18). The threat of fines only makes it an obvious money grab and is irrelevant to the issue (no amount of money can replace water once it's gone for good). Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0820-wednesday-drought-fines-20140820-story.html Are we taking the drought seriously enough? To the editor: I got a postcard from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power last week informing me how to conserve electricity during hot summer months. Good to know, despite the absence of an electricity shortage. ("L.A's water ruler, DWP chief Marcie Edwards, on keeping the city hydrated," Op-Ed, Aug. 19). But for months there's been a barrage of news stories about the severity of the drought statewide…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0822-friday-dwp-water-20140822-story.html Livable communities at stake if fuels aren’t in cap and trade. An important environmental debate right now centers on whether transportation fuels should remain part of the cap-and-trade program under California’s climate change law. At stake is our future: Will it be one where we build sustainable neighborhoods, with access to transit, bike and pedestrian paths, and local services? Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/22/6645635/viewpoints-livable-communities.html Michelle Steel: Regulators blindside taxpayers with hidden tax. Just when California’s economy appears to be moving forward again, our state regulators have found yet another way to extract more dollars from consumers’ pockets and send them to Sacramento. Starting Jan. 1, 2015, the California Air Resources Board will greatly expand the state’s cap-and-trade program to include gasoline and diesel fuels, creating a “hidden gas tax” that will cost Californians billions of dollars. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/gas-632467-tax-californians.html Saving Lives with Fossil Fuels. What is the biggest global environment problem? Many believe it is global warming, after all, the issue gets the lion’s share of headlines and accounts for much of the hell-in-a-hand-basket environmental news we come across. But, as I previously wrote on this blog, 2.9 billion people living in energy poverty people face a more immediate problem: indoor air pollution. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/bjornlomborg/2014/08/22/saving-lives-with-fossil-fuels/ Carbon fees are our payback to ourselves [Letter] Regarding Bob Bruninga's recent letter, "Carbon fees are a payback to Mother Nature (Aug. 19), carbon fees can also be payback to us, which would make them much more realistic politically. Rather than having the government tax fossil fuel corporations, which then pass the cost on to consumers, let's have a carbon pollution fee paid by fossil fuel companies and rebated monthly to every American. Posted. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-carbon-20140821,0,4201328.story#ixzz3B9Amjt9H BLOGS Feds to Be Sued Over Solar Projects' Harm to Endangered Bird. A national wildlife protection group announced today that it intends to sue two federal agencies for failing to protect the federally Endangered Yuma clapper rail from being harmed at industrial-scale solar power projects in the California desert. The Yuma clapper rail, Rallus longirostris yumanensis, was listed as Endangered in 1967. Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/photovoltaic-pv/feds-to-be-sued-over-solar-project-harm-to-endangered-bird.html Don't even think about it: Why we are wired to ignore climate change. Climate change is a scientific fact. Scientists have become so bruised by their political battles that they have come to use much weaker language, declaring that climate change is "very likely" or "unequivocal." Let's just call it a fact, because that is what it is. There is plenty of uncertainty around how the climate is responding to these enormous changes, but being uncertain is not the same as being unsure. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/08/22/why-we-wired-ignore-climate-change To Fight Climate Change we Have to Save the Rainforest. Most of us are concerned about how climate change will affect our corners of the world, but we need to be thinking about our most vital natural resources: tropical forests. Tropical and subtropical forests are the most biodiverse areas on the planet, and they even give us most of the oxygen we breathe. These forests provide us with wood for fuel, paper, and building materials, and the plant life provides the world with a critical carbon sink. Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/ecsjessica/469291/fight-climate-change-we-have-save-rainforest California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 16:57:58 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 25, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 25, 2014. 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 California push to avert higher gas prices stalls. Lawmakers from both parties are pushing to halt an increase in the price of gasoline and other fuels expected to hit consumers in January, but their efforts appear to be dead with just a week to go in the legislative session. A pair of bills — one sponsored by Democrats, the other by Republicans — seek to delay or exempt gasoline, diesel fuel, natural gas and other consumer fuels from California's 2006 greenhouse gas emissions law. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/24/california-push-to-avert-higher-gas-prices-stalls/?#article-copy http://www.dailydemocrat.com/breakingnews/ci_26401514/california-push-avert-higher-gas-prices-stalls http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/24/4085295/california-push-to-avert-higher.html http://www.wral.com/california-push-to-avert-higher-gas-prices-stalls/13920248/ http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/08/24/4306649/california-push-to-avert-higher.html http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/clock-ticking-on-gas-tax-backtrack-efforts/article_fa95074b-a657-5735-bd6f-8cdd58fc7ccd.html Cap-and-trade carbon plans slash health costs: MIT study. Reducing pollution could save millions of lives. Massive savings to health-care spending can be had with if governments implement a cap-and-trade carbon reduction program, say researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In their study, the MIT researchers examined three types of carbon reduction policies in the U.S. and their effect on health-care spending…Posted. http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/cap-and-trade-carbon-plans-slash-health-costs-mit-study-1.2746035 http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/20140825-mit.html http://www.universityherald.com/articles/11056/20140825/cutting-emissions-may-make-up-for-some-of-the-cost-of-carbon-reduction-policies.htm California Republicans Call on Governor and Dem Leaders to Stop Higher Gas Prices. Senate Republicans sent a letter today to Governor Jerry Brown, Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) urging their support for any of three options to prevent or delay a significant cost increase on gasoline in California by as much as 76 cents a gallon in the coming months. Posted. http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/451-california-republicans-call-on-governor-and-dem-leaders-to-stop-higher-gas-prices AIR POLLUTION Valley rules could get much tougher on fireplace use. In the heat of August, Valley air authorities are planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas -- and your holiday fires are in jeopardy unless you own the cleanest wood-burning heater available. Burning in fireplaces and older heaters could be stopped on most winter days if the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District approves a rule change next month. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/23/3500612/valley-rules-could-get-much-tougher.html#storylink=cpy CLIMATE CHANGE Farmers' Almanac predicts another nasty winter. The folks at the Farmers' Almanac can be forgiven for feeling smug: The 198-year-old publication correctly predicted the past nasty winter while federal forecasters blew it. Memories of the polar vortex and relentless snowstorms won't soon be forgotten. And the editors of the publication are predicting more of the same for the coming season. "Shivery and shovelry are back. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/24/6650453/farmers-almanac-predicts-another.html#storylink=cpy DOE launches major 10-year project to use high performance computing for climate change research; ACME. Eight national laboratories—Lawrence Livermore, Argonne, Brookhaven, Lawrence Berkeley, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, Pacific Northwest and Sandia—are combining forces with the National Center for Atmospheric Research, four academic institutions and one private-sector company in a 10-year project to use high performance computing (HPC) to develop and to apply the most complete climate and Earth system model. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/20140824-acme.html DROUGHT Brazil's drought-hit coffee belt turns to machines to lower costs. Years of low coffee prices followed by the worst drought in decades in Brazil have pushed even the smallest family farmers to buy modern machinery rather than rely on increasingly scarce and expensive labor. Brazil's crop supply agency Conab noted an "intense trade in machinery, mainly harvesters," in the main coffee-growing states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais this season…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/25/us-brazil-coffee-machinery-idUSKBN0GP1CS20140825 Californians tear out lawns to cope with drought. Rick Blankenship was tired of an insatiable lawn he couldn't keep green, no matter how he watered it, so he decided to tear it out. Three years later, he brims with pride at his new front yard in Long Beach, California, carpeted with natural sage- and emerald green-colored ground covers and shaded by flowering magnolia and peppermint willow trees. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/24/6650513/californians-tear-out-lawns-to.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/24/6650535/turf-removal-in-parched-california.html#storylink=cpy Lawn painters bring the green in California drought. Brown lawns, begone. Thanks to California’s chronic drought and watering restrictions, there’s no shortage of dry, dusty-brown lawns. And that’s led to a growth in business for a remedy that doesn’t involve wasting water or risking fines: lawn painting. Using nontoxic, emerald-hued paints, lawn painters can transform even completely dead lawns to look about as lush as a golf green. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/22/6648397/lawn-painters-bring-the-green.html#storylink=cpy California drought: Water witches in demand as wells run dry. The calls started in October, when the rain was supposed to come. Rob Thompson's phone kept ringing - a farmer in Fresno, a winemaker in Napa Valley, a rancher in Yreka. All were looking for water. And they had heard Thompson could find it using an ancient method most call unorthodox, if not ridiculous. Thompson is a dowser, a person who believes they have the ability to locate water or precious metals deep underground using rods, sticks or a pendulum to guide them. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-drought-Water-witches-in-demand-as-5708344.php Volunteers deliver bottled water to drought-stricken community. Nearly 1,000 people whose wells have gone dry due to drought received an emergency allotment of bottled water Friday. The door-to-door giveaway of 12 gallons of water per person was the latest development in a summer of water woes in the central San Joaquin Valley. Tulare County officials said they have received an avalanche of calls from homeowners whose wells have run dry. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/22/4083201_volunteers-deliver-bottled-water.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Drought fears in Wine Country. To get a sense of how the state’s three-year drought has created a new normal in the wine industry, consider the truck that Rued Vineyards purchased this year. Almost daily, Tom Rued would drive the stainless-steel tanker, with a capacity of 6,400 gallons, about 15 miles to a city of Healdsburg filling station to load up on recycled wastewater. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/2562360-181/drought-fears-in-wine-country Lifestyles of the Rich and Parched. How the Golden State’s 1 percenters are avoiding the drought. Many mornings, just before 7 a.m., a large tanker truck pulls up to the grand gates of Oprah Winfrey’s 40-acre estate in Montecito, California. Inside is neither merchandise nor produce – just water. A year ago, Oprah’s annual bill from the Montecito Water District was just shy of $125,000. Posted. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/08/california-drought-lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-parched-110305.html#ixzz3BQeosDJM FUELS Sacramento-area gas prices fall for a seventh consecutive week. Sacramento-area gas prices, which stubbornly refused to dip below $4 a gallon in the weeks leading up to Independence Day, continue to fall toward the $3.75 mark with the approach of Labor Day. National price tracker GasBuddy.com, which surveys more than 700 regional gas outlets daily, said the average retail price of gas in the Sacramento region fell another 2.8 cents over the past week to about $3.79 a gallon. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/25/6652729/sacramento-area-gas-prices-fall.html#storylink=cpy VEHICLES Audi moving ahead with 48V system in vehicles; mild hybrids. Audi will upgrade part of its vehicle electrical system from 12 to 48 volts. The move represents another technical building block for facilitating the integration of new automotive technologies while increasing the power and efficiency of its cars. Audi recently showcased the scope of the 48-volt electrical system with the two technology demonstrators Audi A6 TDI concept and RS 5 TDI concept. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/audi-moving-ahead-with-48v-system-in-vehicles-mild-hybrids.html Volkswagen E-Golf Release Date: VW Announces US Price For Its Electric Car Due Out In November. Volkswagen AG’s (FRA:VOW) American subsidiary announced Monday the price of the next electric car to hit the U.S. market. With a basic cost of $36,265, the 2015 e-Golf due in some U.S. dealer showrooms in November will bring to the country’s electric vehicle, or EV, market a new price point between the less-than-$30,000 Nissan Leaf and the more-than-$40,000 BMW i3. Posted. http://www.ibtimes.com/volkswagen-e-golf-release-date-vw-announces-us-price-its-electric-car-due-out-november-1668654 HIGH-SPEED RAIL L.A. County supervisor's alternate bullet-train route gaining traction. To get high-speed rail from Palmdale to Burbank, planners have focused for years on two potential routes that parallel the 14 Freeway and course through the rural and growing communities of Acton, Agua Dulce and Santa Clarita — hostile territory for the bullet train project. Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich thinks there's a better way to go. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-bullet-train-route-20140824-story.html California High-Speed Rail—More Questions and Concerns. "Bad, bad, bad," and other critiques. If David Letterman can put out a Top Ten list night after night for decades, we can certainly make it all the way to 10 in our chronicles of the California High-Speed Rail debates. As a reminder, this is No. 8 in a series on the most ambitious and consequential infrastructure project now under consideration in our infrastructure-degraded land. Posted. http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/08/high-speed-rail-more-questions/379046/ GREEN ENERGY Huge solar farm proposed south of Silicon Valley wins power contract, but loses major investor. A proposal to build one of the world's largest solar farms in a rural area south of Silicon Valley has cleared one of its final hurdles after five years of planning and environmental debate. But whether the 247-megawatt facility proposed for Panoche Valley, a vast expanse of rangeland 50 miles south of Hollister…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_26398651/huge-solar-farm-proposed-near-silicon-valley-wins Nicaragua's latest revolution: Becoming a green energy powerhouse. How quickly can a nation wean itself from fossil fuels and move toward reliance on renewable energy? In the case of Nicaragua, very, very fast. So fast, in fact, that Nicaragua is drawing a parade of distinguished admirers coming to examine how the nation is radically changing its energy footprint with an aggressive goal of becoming a green-energy powerhouse. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/world/nicaraguas-latest-revolution-becoming-a-green-energy-powerhouse_09372081 Peru wants Municipal Power Agency's 4th solar farm. A northern Indiana county wants to become the site of Indiana Municipal Power Agency's fourth solar farm. The utility plans to construct a 1-megawatt solar farm in a community where it provides electricity, said Jim Tidd, executive director of the Miami County Economic Development Authority. Peru is among the 59 communities that Indiana Municipal serves, the Kokomo Tribune reported Sunday. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/peru-wants-municipal-power-agencys-4th-solar-farm_25616246 California moves to quicken solar permits. A bill designed to speed up the permit process for home rooftop solar installations in California is headed to the governor's desk for signing. The State Assembly approved Assembly Bill 2188 in a 66-1 vote Thursday. The measure would require every city and county to adopt an ordinance that creates an expedited permitting process for small, residential rooftop solar energy. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/25/bill-speeds-solar-permits/ Big solar, big problems. Just before Interstate 15 exits California for Nevada, drivers catch an astonishing sight: A five-mile swath of desert covered by mirrors and spiked with towers reflecting dazzling beams of light. This place’s official name is as dry as a typical Mojave day: The Ivanpah Solar Project. Motorists’ descriptions are more vivid. “Like something out of science fiction,” said Julie Billington, 54, a microbiologist from Berkeley. “Like something out of a James Bond movie,” said Steve Kosnik Jr., 48, a salesman from Phoenix. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/24/tp-big-solar-big-problems/ Green on the upswing as eco-friendly home building goes mainstream. At first, Baldwin Homes didn't build green. Then it dipped its corporate toe in - one home here, another there. Now the Gambrills company is constructing an entire green neighborhood. It's the story of U.S. home building writ small. Green accounted for 2 percent of the new-home market in 2005, according to a report by industry data provider McGraw Hill Construction. By last year it had ballooned to 23 percent - nearly a quarter. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/25/3503083/green-on-the-upswing-as-eco-friendly.html#storylink=cpy Geothermal Power Steaming Over Wind And Solar Energies. All the talk about the government subsidies given to the various energy forms has one fuel source steaming: geothermal power, which ranks fourth among all renewable energies in terms of total capacity — after wind, solar and hydro. Geothermal stands in the shadows of the higher profile green energies, both literally and figuratively. In actuality, energy is captured and then extracted from deep underground with the steam used to generate electricity. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2014/08/25/geothermal-power-steaming-over-wind-and-solar-energies/ OPINIONS The country’s sinking climate debate. THE NATIONAL debate on climate change has devolved. By the late 1990s, big U.S. businesses were beginning to accept that greenhouse gases must be wrung out of the economy. In the 2000s, prominent Republicans such as Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.) proposed aggressive anti-emissions policies. By 2008, the presidential candidates of both major parties favored strong national climate strategies. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-countrys-sinking-climate-debate/2014/08/24/d4d4aeca-29ff-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html The Climate Swerve. Americans appear to be undergoing a significant psychological shift in our relation to global warming. I call this shift a climate “swerve,” borrowing the term used recently by the Harvard humanities professor Stephen Greenblatt to describe a major historical change in consciousness that is neither predictable nor orderly. The first thing to say about this swerve is that we are far from clear about just what it is and how it might work. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/opinion/sunday/the-climate-swerve.html?_r=0 Another View: Consumers can’t afford a delay in cap-and-trade. There’s no harm in “honest discussion” about fuels, as The Sacramento Bee says in its editorial, “Pump prices will rise, and Senate should air details” (Aug. 17). But honesty involves getting the premise right – and honesty isn’t what the oil industry is offering. The question isn’t one of how much gas prices are going to go up. In fact, Assembly Bill 32 is written so that oil companies need not increase prices at all. If they do, that is something they are choosing to do. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/24/6643336/another-view-consumers-cant-afford.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/24/6640292/we-cant-afford-dirty-air.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: California should strengthen economic ties with Mexico. As Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto visits California this week, it’s time for Californians, indeed for all Americans, to take a fresh look at Mexico. Almost 21 months into an administration characterized by dramatic economic and political reform, U.S. perceptions of Mexico continue to reflect an echo of Mexico’s past rather than the reality of Mexico’s present. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/24/6645615/viewpoints-california-should-strengthen.html#storylink=cpy Dan Walters: Drought leads California to rethink water management. On average, rain and snow storms drop about 200 million acre-feet of water on California each year – 65 trillion gallons of the life-giving liquid. Nearly two-thirds of it either evaporates, sinks into the ground or is absorbed by trees and other plants while the remainder, 70-plus million acre-feet, finds its way into rivers flowing either to the Pacific Ocean or several inland “sinks.” Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/23/6648571/dan-walters-drought-leads-california.html#storylink=cpy California water bond funding for conservancies. Descriptions of the state land conservancies that will split $297.5 million if voters approve the Proposition 1 water measure on the November ballot: — Baldwin Hills Conservancy, $10 million: Manages urban parkland west of downtown Los Angeles and the Ballona Creek watershed, including a scenic overlook, a sports complex and hiking trails. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/23/6648963/california-water-bond-funding.html#storylink=cpy Duraflame responds to doubling of no burn days in Valley. The San Joaquin Valley is no stranger to air pollution issues, and has long struggled to find solutions for high particle emission levels in the air. On July 31, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District held a public workshop to discuss the proposed regulation changes related to wood-burning fireplaces and wood-burning heaters (District Rule 4901). Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/article/20140822/OPINION/140829612/101127/A_OPINION More study needed before cap-and-trade hits gas prices: Isadore Hall. Starting in January, California’s drivers will be asked to pay billions of dollars in added fuel costs as part of the state’s “cap and trade” program to limit greenhouse gases. As this starting date approaches, I have joined other lawmakers in Sacramento to voice concerns over this coming program. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/opinion/20140825/more-study-needed-before-cap-and-trade-hits-gas-prices-isadore-hall Editorial: Regressive cap-and-trade tax to hit motorists. Human beings have an undeniable need to control. In these modern times, when it is possible to build and interpret massive data sets, micromanage your personal calendar with phone apps and run entire businesses across oceans, we are especially prone to thinking ourselves more powerful than we really are. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/bill-748705-fuel-state.html BLOGS The Best Reporting on California’s Drought. This year may be the driest in California in half a millennium. These reports explore how the drought is affecting agriculture, business and living conditions in the nation’s most populous state. After a decade of relatively little rain, California is facing its third year of debilitating drought, and 2014 may be the driest in 500 years. The drought has placed a $44.7-billion-a-year agriculture industry, drinking water for millions of people, and some 204 cities located in high-risk fire zones in jeopardy. Posted. http://www.propublica.org/article/the-best-reporting-on-californias-drought Should we "green up" dirty energy technologies? The world of environmentalism is complex, to say the least, for both companies and their stakeholders. Despite the propensity of pundits, activists, investors and others to identify “good” and “bad” products and companies, it’s never that easy. “Bad” companies can be “good” in many ways, and “good” companies can do “bad” things. That flies in the face of those who want to boil things down to a few well-honed sound bites and certifications. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/08/25/should-we-green-dirty-energy-technologies Climate Change-Related Risks and Costs Exist Today. The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) states on its homepage that it “provides the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information – holding the largest collection globally of primary climate change, water and forest risk commodities information.” Posted. http://theenergycollective.com/jared-anderson/471991/infographic-climate-change-related-risks-and-costs-exist-today California Drought Leaves Homes Without Water. Hundreds of rural San Joaquin Valley residents no longer can get drinking water from their home faucets because California's extreme drought has dried up their individual wells, government officials and community groups said. The situation has become so dire that the Tulare County Office of Emergency Services had 12-gallon-per person rations of bottled water delivered on Friday in East Porterville…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/23/california-drought-water_n_5703273.html Researchers Develop Transparent Solar Concentrator That Could Cover Windows, Electronics. Scientists at Michigan State University announced this week the creation of a “transparent luminescent solar concentrator” that could turn windows and even cellphone screens into solar-power generators. This technology could mean that one day entire skyscrapers might be able to generate solar power without blocking out light or ruining tenants' views. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/24/transparent-solar-concentrator_n_5700544.html EU getting serious about on-road emissions tests. Testing vehicle emissions in the laboratory is a way to guarantee identical procedures, but it doesn't exactly mimic the results from an on-the-road drive. Ford, for example, famously had a problem with dynamometer testing in the Total Road Load Horsepower (TRLHP) calculations for the C-Max Hybrid. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/24/eu-getting-serious-about-on-road-emissions-tests/ Visualize: Comparing California’s Three Cap-and-Trade Spending Proposals. In the midst of California’s state budget negotiations, the legislature must separately decide how to spend the state’s cap-and-trade revenue, be it on public transit, high-speed rail, affordable housing near transit, or other emissions-reducing programs. Posted. http://www.longbeachize.com/visualize-comparing-californias-three-cap-and-trade-spending-proposals-2 The climate movement is way too focused on market-based solutions. There was a time when we met overarching challenges with bold public purpose and concerted action as “we the people.” When the Depression hit, we created large public works projects, building roads, airports, and power dams. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/the-climate-movement-is-way-too-focused-on-market-based-solutions/ Why ignoring global warming is like driving across a rickety bridge. Like the excellent medical analogy (which compares ignoring global warming to ignoring the risk of smoking; or not listening to your doctor when you’re told to eat healthier and exercise), this image makes perfectly clear just how irresponsible it is to ignore the overwhelming consensus of experts. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/why-ignoring-global-warming-is-like-driving-across-a-rickety-bridge/ Harmful Air Pollution In The US Is Declining, Though The Number Of Cars Isn't. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report recently that shows progress in lowering toxic urban air across America. Since the Clean Air Act Amendments were passed in 1990, the EPA reported that “substantial progress” has been made throughout the country to reduce air toxics, such as a 66 percent reduction in benzene, which is a natural byproduct of crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke — it's also found in volcanoes and forest fires. Posted. http://www.medicaldaily.com/harmful-air-pollution-us-declining-though-number-cars-isnt-299478 Cutting emissions pays for itself, research shows. Lower rates of asthma and other health problems are frequently cited as benefits of policies aimed at cutting carbon emissions from sources like power plants and vehicles, because these policies also lead to reductions in other harmful types of air pollution. But just how large are the health benefits of cleaner air in comparison to the costs of reducing carbon emissions? Posted. http://phys.org/news/2014-08-emissions.html In Search Of Alien Life? Seek Out The Smog. One of the worst byproducts of our industrial society is air pollution. It's a global problem that humans have yet to get under control. One scientist thinks we might not be alone, though. Alien civilizations may be polluting their worlds, and that pollution might be one way to detect them. Posted. http://www.npr.org/2014/08/22/342494196/in-search-of-alien-life-seek-out-the-smog California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2014 14:43:39 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 26, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 26, 2014. 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 California bill to delay cap-and-trade expansion finished for year. Avoiding an election-year legislative debate over how California’s cap-and-trade program could affect gasoline prices, the leader of the state Senate has sidelined a bill that would have delayed a key aspect of California’s landmark emissions law. Several years have passed since California enacted AB 32, a 2006 law meant to reduce heat-trapping emissions and which requires industries to purchase permits…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/25/6653053/california-bill-to-delay-cap-and.html#storylink=cpy http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fuel-bill-fails-20140825-story.html http://www.labusinessjournal.com/news/2014/aug/26/california-cap-and-trade-will-not-be-delayed/ http://capitolweekly.net/senate-leader-delay-cap-trade-plan/ http://www.capradio.org/30884 http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/08/26/stories/1060004913 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY California business groups oppose 'hidden gas tax'. California business groups are crying foul over what they say is a hidden tax that will raise gas prices. Starting in January, oil refineries in California will be required to participate in the state’s cap-and-trade program. California’s cap-and-trade system is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capping the total amount of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere. Posted. http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/local/california-business-groups-oppose-hidden-gas-tax/article_67bd4640-4f4c-51ed-882b-d39e8b8b2923.html BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Fracking Link to Birth Defects Probed in Early Research. The first research into the effects of oil and gas development on babies born near wells has found potential health risks. Government officials, industry advocates and the researchers themselves say more studies are needed before drawing conclusions. While the findings are still preliminary, any documented hazards threaten to cast a shadow over hydraulic fracturing, or fracking -- the process of blasting chemicals, sand and water deep underground to extract fuel from rock that’s helped push the U.S. closer to energy self-sufficiency than at any time since 1985. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-26/fracking-link-to-birth-defects-probed-in-early-research.html Black carbon linked to increased cardiovascular risk; exacerbated by co-exposure to motor vehicle emissions. Black carbon (BC) from incomplete biomass and fossil fuel combustion is the most strongly light-absorbing component of particulate matter (PM) air pollution and a major climate-forcing emission. A new international study led by McGill University (Canada) Professor Jill Baumgartner suggests that black carbon may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. The team’s findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States (PNAS). Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/20140826-baumgartner.html CLIMATE CHANGE Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Growing, and Growing More Dangerous, Draft of U.N. Report Says. Runaway growth in the emission of greenhouse gases is swamping all political efforts to deal with the problem, raising the risk of “severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts” over the coming decades, according to a draft of a major new United Nations report. Global warming is already cutting grain production by several percentage points, the report found, and that could grow much worse if emissions continue unchecked. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/science/earth/greenhouse-gas-emissions-are-growing-and-growing-more-dangerous-draft-of-un-report-says.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-08-26/irreversible-damage-seen-from-climate-change-in-un-leak.html Modern Research Borne on a Relic. As part of the study, Dr. Miller and her colleagues asked other researchers whether they thought they might benefit from access to a stratospheric airship. To their surprise, they found that climate scientists were just as interested as cosmologists were in developing a low-cost, reusable platform for their research. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/26/science/airships-that-carry-science-into-the-stratosphere.html?_r=0 Government Auditors Say 'Social Cost of Carbon' Is by the Book. Year-long probe gives no new ammunition to outspoken critics in Congress who requested the audit. Government auditors have taken a close look at a disputed calculation used by federal regulators to assess the long-term costs of carbon pollution. Their verdict: It was all done by the book. The hotly contested economic calculation, known as the "social cost of carbon," or SCC…Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140826/government-auditors-say-social-cost-carbon-book DROUGHT Bills to regulate California groundwater use opposed by farmers. A package of bills aimed at regulating drought-parched California's stressed groundwater supplies has come under fire from agricultural interests, injecting doubt into the measures' fates in the waning days of the state's legislative session this week. The bills, which would allow the state to take over management of underground aquifers and water accessed via wells…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/25/us-usa-california-water-idUSKBN0GP21N20140825 Mapping the Spread of Drought Across the U.S. Maps and charts updated weekly show the latest extent of the drought in the United States. Droughts appear to be intensifying over much of the West and Southwest as a result of global warming. Over the past decade, droughts in some regions have rivaled the epic dry spells of the 1930s and 1950s. About 34 percent of the contiguous United States was in at least a moderate drought as of August 19. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/mapping-the-spread-of-drought-across-the-us.html?abg=1&abt=0002&_r=0 These 9 before and after photos show the impact of California’s drought. In these before-and-after images, full water levels are visible around Lake Oroville in Oroville, California and Folsom Lake in El Folsom, California on July 20, 2011 and low water levels are visible on August 19, 2014. As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, water levels in the state’s lakes and reservoirs are reaching historic lows. Lake Oroville is currently at 32 percent of its total 3,537,577 acre feet. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/article/20140825/NEWS/140829628 The future of water in Southern California. As the state endures one of the worst droughts in recorded history, Southern California residents are looking for answers about the sustainability of the region’s water supplies. Farmers have felt the sting of below-average rainfall for years, but as the crisis worsens, urban and suburban areas are likely to suffer drastic change in their relationship with the vital liquid. Wildfires and brown lawns may be increasingly common visual symptoms of drought…Posted. http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/2014/08/25/39018/the-future-of-water-in-southern-california/ GREEN ENERGY New solar farm in Richmond begins generating power. A utility says its latest solar farm in eastern Indiana has started generating electricity. Indiana Municipal Power Agency says the eight-acre solar farm on the grounds of Richmond Power and Light contains about 4,000 solar panels. They will generate one megawatt of electricity at peak capacity, or enough electricity to power about 200 homes. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/new-solar-park-in-richmond-begins-generating-power_30451697 SolarWorld Americas recalls solar panels. SolarWorld Americas of Hillsboro, Oregon, is recalling solar panels it has installed after June 1, 2010, due to the possibility of bare-copper grounding lugs that can corrode, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If the grounding logs corrode, there is the potential for a faulty ground circuit, the consumer protection agency says. That could cause electrocution, electric shock or fire. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/business/local/company-news/solarworld-americas-recalls-solar-panels_27500400 Underground energy debate powering up. California lawmakers may decide this week whether San Diego County utility customers must underwrite a new fleet of geothermal power plants. The proposed legislation requires the state’s major investor-owned utilities, including San Diego Gas & Electric, to collectively contract 500 megawatts of electrical generating capacity…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/26/california-geothermal-mandate-tough-sell/ OPINIONS A climate for change: America should not wait while the world warms. FOR MORE than a century, scientists have understood the basic physics of the greenhouse effect. For decades, they’ve realized humans can affect the climate by burning coal, oil and gas. But the country’s leaders remain divided on the need to curb greenhouse emissions, let alone how to do it. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-climate-for-change-america-should-not-wait-while-the-world-warms/2014/08/25/872bab64-2a00-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html Editorial: Stop the delays; pass groundwater regulation. Bills to create a system for managing groundwater are being undermined before they come up for final votes as early as today in the Senate and Assembly. Senate Bill 1168 by Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, and Assembly Bill 1739 by Roger Dickinson, D-Sacramento, have been through a process beginning early this year that engages various water users and organizations. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/26/6653604/editorial-stop-the-delays-pass.html#storylink=cpy Our View: We must protect our water, below and above ground. Taken by itself, the legislation known as Pavley-Dickinson is a desperately needed attempt to create a sustainable supply of groundwater. But just as creeks connect to rivers and rivers to oceans, groundwater is inextricably connected to the water that flows through our region. And no plan that ignores that essential fact can succeed for us. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/25/3503839_our-view-we-must-protect-our-water.html?sp=/99/1641/&rh=1#storylink=cpy BLOGS Which Chinese Cities Are Most Congested? A new study by online mapping company Autonavi lists China’s most congested cities, with a surprising city taking the No. 2 spot. Shanghai suffers more from gridlock than the nation’s capital, according to the report released last week. Despite notorious stories of traffic jams that last for days, Beijing ranked third—after Hangzhou—in the study, which was based on data compiled from 25 cities around the country. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/08/26/which-chinese-cities-are-most-congested-the-answer-may-surprise-you/ A Closer Look at Turbulent Oceans and Greenhouse Heating. Earth’s climate is shaped by the interplay of two complicated and turbulent systems — the atmosphere and oceans. (The photo above is from the two years I spent at that interface as crew on ocean-roaming sailboats.) The oceans hold the majority of heat in the system, are full of sloshy cycles on time scales from years to decades and, despite an increase in monitoring using sophisticated diving buoys, remain only spottily tracked. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/26/a-closer-look-at-turbulent-oceans-and-greenhouse-heating/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Climate%20Change&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A11%22} Steinberg: Cap-and-trade expansion will not be delayed. Sen. Henry Perea had introduced a measure to hold off on placing vehicle fuels into California’s emission reduction program for three years, a move to delay gas prices from increasing by 13 cents or more by 2020. But in a letter to Perea, Senate leader Darrell Steinberg said that Assembly Bill 69 would not be heard on the Senate floor because, he argued, the cost of delaying cap-and-trade outweighed the cost of implementing the program. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2014/08/steinberg-cap-and-trade-expansion-will-not-be.html Are the EPA's MPGe ratings hurting EV sales? Plug-in vehicle makers are losing out on sales dollars because the mileage ratings don't make a lot of sense. That's what one Venture Beat writer says after buying a Toyota Prius Plug-in and trying to apply the miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) standard to real-world results. In short, it's difficult to do. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid's 95 MPGe rating is not only difficult to quantify, but it's "artificial" and "purely imaginary" …Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/26/are-the-epas-mpge-ratings-hurting-ev-sales/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2014 15:22:22 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 27, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 27, 2014. 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 Perea Says Cap And Trade Plan Will Hurt San Joaquin Valley. California's landmark anti-global warming law will reach a new milestone in January 2015. That's when the state's cap and trade regulations begin to apply to transportation fuels like gas and diesel. It's part of an effort to reduce the state's CO2 emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020. But industry groups and the state's non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office say the regulations could also drive up prices at the pump. Posted. http://kvpr.org/post/perea-says-cap-and-trade-plan-will-hurt-san-joaquin-valley OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004913/feed UK to give airlines 26.4 mln free CO2 permits for 2013-2016. Britain will hand its airlines 6.6 million free carbon allowances a year to help reduce the cost of meeting their obligations under Europe's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) from 2013-2016, the government said on Wednesday. The European Union's ETS caps the emissions of over 12,000 power plants, factories and airlines, requiring them to surrender one carbon permit for every tonne of CO2 emitted annually by April of the following year. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/27/britain-airlines-carbon-idUSL5N0QX2M720140827 AIR POLLUTION Fighting smog with gas masks. Los Angeles’ smoggiest day occurred on Sept. 13, 1955, when ozone levels reached 0.85 parts per million in downtown Los Angeles and 0.90 ppm in Vernon. Many residents reported problems with burning eyes – a problem for motorcycle riders. The smog was almost as bad on Sept. 14, but as reported in the next day’s Los Angeles Times, one company found a solution. Posted. http://framework.latimes.com/2014/08/26/fighting-smog-with-gas-masks/ Global trash burning more polluting than expected. Rampant trash-burning is throwing more pollution and toxic particles into the air than governments are reporting, according to a scientific study estimating more than 40 percent of the world's garbage is burned. The study published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science and Technology attempts the first comprehensive assessment of global trash-burning data, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, mercury and tiny particulate matter that can dim the sun's rays or clog human lungs. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_INDIA_BURNING_TRASH?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Global-trash-burning-more-polluting-than-expected-5715018.php U.N. Draft Report Lists Unchecked Emissions’ Risks. Runaway growth in the emission of greenhouse gases is swamping all political efforts to deal with the problem, raising the risk of “severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts” over the coming decades, according to a draft of a major new United Nations report. Global warming is already cutting grain production by several percentage points, the report found, and that could grow much worse if emissions continue unchecked. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/science/earth/greenhouse-gas-emissions-are-growing-and-growing-more-dangerous-draft-of-un-report-says.html?ref=science&_r=5 http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_REPORT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Earth Log: Already 16 good-air days in August. We've already had the best August on record since I started following air quality closely in 1995. Every year since the mid-1990s there have been more dirty-air days than clean-air days. Not this time. The clean-day count was 16 early this week. To clarify, I'm referring to days when the ozone in the San Joaquin Valley's air does not exceed the federal eight-hour health standard. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/26/4088697/earth-log-already-16-good-air.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f#storylink=cpy CLIMATE CHANGE Obama pursuing climate accord in lieu of treaty. The Obama administration is working to forge a sweeping international climate change agreement to compel nations to cut their planet-warming fossil fuel emissions but without ratification from Congress. In preparation for this agreement, to be signed at a U.N. summit meeting in 2015 in Paris, the negotiators are meeting with diplomats from other countries to broker a deal to commit some of the world’s largest economies to enact laws to reduce their carbon pollution. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/27/4090398_obama-pursuing-climate-accord.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/26/obama-seeks-bypass-congress-un-climate-change-deal/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS Mexican president praises California policies. His visit followed Brown's trade mission to Mexico earlier this summer. The Democratic governor wants to promote greater cross-border cooperation with the country that is California's largest export market, most notably on alternative energy projects that could help combat climate change. In his own remarks to lawmakers, Brown said California was leading the way on such issues.Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MEXICO_PRESIDENT_CALIFORNIA_VISIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Angry over climate change talks, tea party group says: ‘Tell a Prius driver how you feel.’ Responding to the news that the Obama administration is working on an international climate change agreement that would not need the support of Congress, a tea party group is urging its members to tell Prius drivers how they feel by buying bumper stickers that say: “America Love it or Leave It.” Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/27/angry-over-climate-change-talks-tea-party-group-sa/#ixzz3BcagRCKh Feds protect 20 species of coral as threatened. The federal government is protecting 20 types of colorful coral by putting them on the list of threatened species, partly because of climate change. Five species can be found off the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The other 15 are in the Pacific Ocean area near Guam and American Samoa. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/27/3506910_feds-protect-20-species-of-coral.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy DROUGHT Drought: Tough Choices For California Water Managers. A federal agency is releasing water from a northern California reservoir to help a salmon run on the Klamath River. The extreme drought conditions are making for tough choices. The added water flowing into the Klamath River comes from the Trinity Reservoir. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation water release is intended to help the fall run of adult Chinook salmon, which has entered the lower Klamath to spawn earlier than normal. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/30938 Updated: Deja vu: Irrigators ask judge to cut off water for salmon. Agricultural water providers in the Central Valley of California asked a federal judge to stop releases of extra water intended to help salmon in the Klamath Basin survive the drought. The petition for a temporary injunction was filed late Monday in U.S. District Court in Fresno by Westlands Water District and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, which supply farmers. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_26409592/deja-vu-irrigators-ask-judge-cut-off-water Congress running out of time to reach compromise on drought relief legislation. It's summer recess in Washington. Congress has been gone all month, but talks continue behind the scenes to try to find a compromise on drought legislation. The House and Senate each passed their own version of drought legislation earlier this year; but the two measures are very different and members left town before reaching a compromise. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/08/26/46289/congress-running-out-of-time-to-reach-compromise-o/ California drought: San Jose declares water shortage, but won't fine wasters. More than seven months into the California drought, San Jose has officially declared a city-wide water shortage, asking the city's 1 million residents to cut their water use by 20 percent -- but there will be no new consequences for those who don't. The drought declaration, which the San Jose City Council unanimously approved Tuesday, makes it illegal for property owners to use potable water to irrigate their lawns or landscaping between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. through April 2015. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26411227/california-drought-san-jose-declares-water-shortage-but?source=rss FUELS GE opens fuel cell facility in upstate New York. General Electric Co. has a new facility north of Albany devoted to the development of fuel cells. The facility in Malta that opened Tuesday will be devoted to the development of high-efficiency fuel cells that take in natural gas. GE believes these so-called oxide fuel cells could generate from one to 10 megawatts of power. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/ge-opens-fuel-cell-facility-in-upstate-new-york_84228279 GREEN ENERGY Germany's Expensive Gamble on Renewable Energy. In a sandy marsh on the outskirts of this medieval hamlet, Germany's next autobahn will soon take shape. The Stromautobahn, as locals call it, won't carry Audis and BMW's, but high-voltage electricity over hundreds of miles of aluminum and steel cables stretching from the North Sea to Germany's industrial corridor in the south. The project is the linchpin of Germany's Energiewende, or energy revolution, a mammoth, trillion-euro plan to wean the country off nuclear and fossil fuels by midcentury and the top domestic priority of Chancellor Angela Merkel. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/germanys-expensive-gamble-on-renewable-energy-1409106602?KEYWORDS=green+energy OPINIONS Water is California's buried treasure that no one's watching. California is pumping itself dry. As the drought deepens, desperate farmers are turning to groundwater, using the supply at nearly double the normal rate. It's a short-sighted practice that needs thought and planning, not the open-tap treatment groundwater now gets. Two bills on the topic are before the Legislature in its final days of lawmaking. The measures require local water agencies to manage - not ignore - the underground water supplies and make sure the supply lasts for the future. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/editorials/article/Water-is-California-s-buried-treasure-that-no-5714462.php BLOGS Green Palm Takes Off. The effort to ensure palm oil is sustainably produced is gaining traction with sales of so-called green palm seeing strong sales this year. Palm oil is the world’s most widely used vegetable oil, yet there’s mounting criticism against the industry because it leads to deforestation of tropical rainforests and destruction of peatland in Indonesia and Malaysia, which account for 85% of production. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/08/26/green-palm-takes-off/?KEYWORDS=air+pollution Rhode Island approves EV-specific license plates. OK, so it only took a couple of years for Rhode Island to get the hang of electric vehicle-specific license plates, like its New England neighbors. Now that the smallest state in the union has caught on, it's nice to see that Rhode Island has upped the game by including hybrids in that strategy. Last month, Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee gave the go-ahead to have a special hybrid and electric vehicle demarcation, Rhode Island publication the Valley Breeze says. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/26/rhode-island-approves-ev-specific-license-plates/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 15:20:05 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 28, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 28, 2014. 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. FUELS UNDER CAP AND TRADE Air Resources Board disputes hidden gas tax notion. Small businesses and consumers in California are concerned about what they are calling a "hidden gas tax" that could take effect in 2015. The idea comes from AB 32, which passed in 2006 and requires the state to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/business/Air-Resources-Board-disputes-worry-over-hidden-gas-tax-272967051.html http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=1365&DateTime=8%2F27%2F2014+5%3A06%3A12+PM&Term=california+air+resources+board&PlayClip=TRUE http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=1310&DateTime=8%2F27%2F2014+5%3A06%3A25+PM&Term=california+air+resources+board&PlayClip=TRUE http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=1310&DateTime=8%2F27%2F2014+6%3A08%3A35+PM&Term=california+air+resources+board&PlayClip=TRUE http://mms.tveyes.com/Expand.asp?aln=25810320&id=161529&dt=08%2f27%2f2014+06%3a37%3a31+PM&u=280702 http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=1320&DateTime=8%2F27%2F2014+10%3A03%3A36+PM&Term=Air+Resources+Board&PlayClip=TRUE California drivers brace for costly new gas tax. Californians already pay the nation's second highest gas tax at 68 cents a gallon -- and now it will go up again in January to pay for a first-in-the-nation climate change law. "I didn't know that," said Los Angeles motorist Tyler Rich. "It's ridiculous." "I think it’s terrible," added Lupe Sanchez, pumping $4.09-a-gallon gas at a Chevron near Santa Monica. "The economy, the way it is right now with jobs and everything, it's just crazy." Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/08/27/california-hidden-gas-tax/ AIR POLLUTION Ozone in Colorado mountains surprises researchers. Researchers who examined air pollution along northern Colorado's Front Range said they were surprised by how much harmful ozone and ozone-causing chemicals are drifting into the mountains from urban and rural areas below. "Really, all the way up to the Continental Divide you can find ozone," said Gabriele Pfister, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder and one of the principal investigators on the project. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MOUNTAIN_AIR_POLLUTION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/28/6661293/ozone-in-colorado-mountains-surprises.html Fighting smog with gas masks. Los Angeles’ smoggiest day occurred on Sept. 13, 1955, when ozone levels reached 0.85 parts per million in downtown Los Angeles and 0.90 ppm in Vernon. Many residents reported problems with burning eyes – a problem for motorcycle riders. The smog was almost as bad on Sept. 14, but as reported in the next day’s Los Angeles Times, one company found a solution: A smog strike, one of the first of its kind in Los Angeles, yesterday produced some pretty startling results. Posted. http://framework.latimes.com/2014/08/26/fighting-smog-with-gas-masks/ Industry, enviros fire first shots in boiler standards battle. Industry groups and environmentalists this week filed their opening briefs in a lawsuit over U.S. EPA's air pollution standards for industrial boilers. In a brief filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, several industry groups argued that the agency exceeded its authority in setting the standards. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060005001/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Feds protect 20 species of coral as threatened. The federal government is protecting 20 types of colorful coral by putting them on the list of threatened species, partly because of climate change. As with the polar bear, much of the threat to the coral species is because of future expected problems due to global warming, said David Bernhart, an endangered-species official at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_ENDANGERED_CORAL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/28/us/20-types-of-coral-listed-as-threatened.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/27/6659090/feds-protect-20-species-of-coral.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/28/6660699/efforts-to-restore-floridas-coral.html Governor Brown to Speak at Climate Change Symposium in Sacramento. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. will join former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate President pro Tem-elect Kevin de León, California Air Resources Board chairman Mary D. Nichols and others next month in Sacramento at the “Global Climate Negotiations: Lessons from California” symposium to discuss the policies that have made California a global leader in addressing climate change. Posted. http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/10733-governor-brown-to-speak-at-climate-change-symposium-in-sacramento.html Study: Climate change to affect tourism industry. A University of Hawaii report is warning the state's tourism industry to start preparing now for the effects of climate change. The study says Hawaii will likely see more competition for visitors as warmer climate zones expand and new, easier-to-reach tropical resorts emerge in coastal regions from Texas to Florida, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Wednesday. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/study-climate-change-to-affect-tourism-industry_29841892 Here's Why Obama is Bypassing Congress on Climate. The Obama administration is sidestepping the legislative branch by updating a previously ratified treaty and using it as a basis for a new international climate change agreement. The U.S. Constitution requires that legally binding international treaties be approved by two-thirds of the Senate, but Republican and some Democratic senators who are well-funded by carbon-polluting interests have repeatedly voted against measures to address climate change. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/national/heres-why-obama-is-bypassing-congress-on-climate_37653056 DROUGHT Central California residents rely on bottled water as wells run dry. Extreme drought conditions have become so harsh for the Central Valley community of East Porterville, many of its residents dependent on their own wells have run out of water. Roughly 300 homes have received a three-week supply of bottled water after Tulare County officials discovered their wells had gone dry. In all, county officials distributed 15,552 1-gallon bottles of water…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-central-california-residents-wells-go-dry-20140826-story.html Yard wars: Homeowner fined for replacing grass with drought-tolerant plants. Fran Paxson figured to get a little credit and admiration when she replaced the old lawn around her suburban San Ramon home with drought-resistant plants. Her public water supplier is even rewarding her with a rebate. But her homeowners association - drought and a new state law be darned - is punishing her with a fine. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/28/6660758/yard-wars-homeowner-fined-for.html#storylink=cpy California drought: San Jose declares water shortage, but won't fine wasters. More than seven months into the California drought, San Jose has officially declared a citywide water shortage, asking the city's 1 million residents to cut their water use by 20 percent -- but there will be no new consequences for those who don't. The drought declaration, which the San Jose City Council unanimously approved Tuesday, makes it illegal for property owners to use potable water to irrigate their lawns…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26411331/california-drought-san-jose-declares-water-shortage-but?source=most_viewed DIESEL EMISSIONS Beverage Distributor Fined $116,400 for Air Quality Violations. California Environmental Protection Agency's Air Resources Board issued the following news release: The Air Resources Board has fined DBI Beverage Inc.$116,400 for failure to comply with California air quality regulations. A routine investigation by ARB's Enforcement Division documented that DBI Beverage Inc. failed to properly self-inspect its diesel trucks in 2011 and 2012 as required by ARB's…Posted. http://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/2014/08/28/beverage-distributor-fined-$116400-for-air-quality-violations-a-549061.html#.U_9I0GPxCSo FUELS Legislature clears 2 energy bills on methane leaks, conservation. Utilities in California must reduce methane leaks from natural gas pipelines under a bill now on Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) desk. The state Legislature passed S.B. 1371, from Sen. Mark Leno (D), which directs the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to adopt rules for the reduction and repair of pipeline leaks. Environmental groups sought the bill because methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060004978/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Clean autos get boost in 3 bills. A bill that would phase out rebates for the wealthy who buy plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles passed the Assembly and could join two related bills Thursday on their way to Gov. Jerry Brown's desk. One of the other bills would increase the number of carpool-lane permits for solo drivers using plug-in hybrid cars. The third bill would prohibit landlords from stopping renters from installing electric car chargers as long as the tenant pays for installation. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-electric-car-bill-20140828-story.html GREEN ENERGY US fund in deal to build Myanmar solar plants. A U.S investment group has signed a $480 million deal to build two solar energy plants in central Myanmar, one of the largest investments by an American firm since the easing of U.S. sanctions. The agreement, inked by the ACO Investment Group and the Ministry of Energy, is aimed at helping ease electricity shortages in the country of 60 million, which only recently emerged from a half-century of military rule and self-imposed isolation. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_MYANMAR_SOLAR_ENERGY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OneRoof raises $58M for solar projects. San Diego-based OneRoof Energy has raised $58 million to install more than 2,000 residential solar systems in at least four states, the company announced Wednesday. The funding comes from an undisclosed third party. It initially will be used to provide rooftop solar energy for customers who sign power-purchase agreements in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and New York, OneRoof said in a statement. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/27/oneroof-solar-equity-deal/ MISCELLANEOUS Sacramento leaders question Benicia’s crude oil rail project. Sacramento leaders will send a letter to Benicia today formally challenging the Bay Area city to do a better job of studying train derailment risks before it approves an oil company’s plans to ship crude oil on daily trains through Sacramento-area downtowns to a Benicia refinery. Acting collectively through the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, which represents 22 cities and six counties, Sacramento representatives say they are protecting the region’s interests…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/28/6659775/sacramento-leaders-question-benicias.html#storylink=cpy Sacramento: Debate over plastic bag ban takes a weird but familiar turn. Several days before this weekend's deadline to complete their work, legislators received a letter from what appeared to be a Latino advocacy group urging them to vote against one of the year's most contentious bills. Familias Latinas de California denounced Senate Bill 270, which seeks to ban single-use plastic grocery bags and encourage reusable bags, calling it…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_26420064/sacramento-debate-over-plastic-bag-ban-takes-weird?source=rss OPINIONS California's Plastic Bag Ban Is Bogus. Last year, roughly 12 percent of Americans weren’t offered an equal choice of paper or plastic at the checkout counter, because of local ordinances that banned or imposed fees on single-use plastic bags. This week, legislators in California are trying to impose the nation’s first statewide ban on such bags. Posted. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-08-27/california-s-plastic-bag-ban-is-bogus A climate for change: A solution conservatives could accept. A prominent member of Congress has proposed a comprehensive national climate-change plan. It’s only 28 pages long, it’s market-based, and it would put money into the pockets of most Americans. This is not the first time that Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), a House Democratic leader, has made the point that the best climate-change policy is not complicated. He introduced a similar plan in 2009. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-climate-for-change-a-solution-conservatives-could-accept/2014/08/27/782cba4e-2a01-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html The dangers of nuclear dumps. To the editor: About 60 nuclear power plants with 100 nuclear reactors are operating in the U.S. As time — and global warming and our more-dramatic weather — combine to reduce grid capacity, we must broaden our menu of power sources, looking harder at ever-more cost-effective wind, water and sun. These sources provide diversity and outcompete mined coal. ( “Nuclear dump accident still baffles experts,” Aug. 24) Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-the-dangers-of-nuclear-dumps-20140827-story.html California's drought and the debate over exporting rice. To the editor: It is interesting how David Pierson’s article on U.S. farmers hoping to sell rice to China touches on so many issues. The message overall is that food producers will produce a healthier product when it is economic to do so. (“Looking to Asia,” Aug. 24).Unless someone complains about food additives (ractopamine in pork), contamination (insects in the rice?)…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-california-drought-rice-export-20140827-story.html Jim Patterson: Australia shows how to stop hidden gas tax. Under the guise of ridding our state of greenhouse gases, we have capped-and-traded our way to a huge gasoline tax that, in the end, will be more successful in cleaning out our wallets than it will cleaning up our air. Whether you work the land every day, own a sandwich shop or drive a big-rig across the country — the cap-and-trade created "hidden gas tax" is going to impact your bottom line. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/27/4091778_australia-shows-how-to-stop-hidden.html?sp=/99/274/&rh=1#storylink=cpy BLOGS Gets in Your Eyes, Lungs. Every summer it’s the same, it seems: The woods burn, and the smoke settles in heavily over our inland communities. This season, so far, it’s the Happy Camp and July forest fire complexes, and the Oregon fire in Weaverville, clogging skies and lungs — and the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District has been issuing regular updates on the smoke hazards. Posted. http://www.northcoastjournal.com/Blogthing/archives/2014/08/27/gets-in-your-eyes-lungs Why Republicans won’t back a carbon tax. Climate change activists across the political spectrum fantasize about it. No, it’s not another Kanye West video of snowy mountains and a topless Kim Kardashian. It’s a carbon tax. Republicans, as everyone knows, hate taxes and don’t accept, much less care about, climate change. But wonks on both sides of the aisle dream that a carbon tax could win bipartisan support as part of a broader tax-reform package. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/why-republicans-wont-back-a-carbon-tax/ Palo Alto’s utility now provides guilt-free electricity. It’s one thing to own your utility with a commitment to renewable energy, but it’s quite another thing to deliver on it. In 2007, the municipal utility in Palo Alto, Calif., set an ambitious target of achieving 33 percent renewable energy by 2015, and ultimately a carbon neutral electricity supply. Seven years later, they are on track to reach 48 percent renewable power in 2017, and have been meeting their carbon neutral goal since late last year. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/palo-altos-utility-now-provides-guilt-free-electricity/ California first to likely give extra funds to low-income EV buyers. If you're of the opinion that current federal and state support for electric vehicle shoppers in the US are really just hand-outs to the already well-to-do, you might like what California State Senator Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) is up to. De Leon sponsored a bill earlier this year called the Charge Ahead California Initiative (State Bill 1275) which today passed the California Assembly by a vote of 46-23. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/27/california-first-to-give-extra-funds-to-low-income-ev-buyers/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 13:08:34 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for August 29, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for August 29, 2014. 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 California's Cap and Trade System Could Help Ease Central Valley Pollution. California’s cap and trade program could help clean up pollution in the Central Valley. FM89’s Diana Aguilera explains the early stages of the effort. A few months ago the state came out with a report ranking the most polluted places in California. Many Fresno County neighborhoods ranked among the worst. Posted. http://kvpr.org/post/californias-cap-and-trade-system-could-help-ease-central-valley-pollution EPA Rules Could Breathe New Life into Cap and Trade. Earlier this year, mayors from across the country renewed a pledge to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, building on the 10th anniversary of a national movement that brought new bike lanes, solar panels and entire fleets of hybrid government vehicles to cities. But the mayors made one significant change to their platform: They scrapped the idea of lobbying Congress for a national cap-and-trade program. Posted. http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-epa-cap-trade-power-plant.html AIR POLLUTION LA County Public Works fined $256K over air pollution violations. State air regulators fined L.A. County’s Department of Public Works $256,000 for violating air pollution rules. The California Air Resources Board audited records for the county’s heavy-duty diesel fleet four years ago, and the fine levied now is the result of a settlement under which county public works paid over $192,000 to the state’s air pollution control fund. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/08/28/46342/air-regulators-ding-la-county-public-works-over-di/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+893KpccSouthernCaliforniaNews-Science%2Ftechnology+%28KPCC%3A+Science+News%29 CLIMATE CHANGE Does Antarctic sea ice growth negate climate change? Scientists say no. In the blue half-light of the Antarctic autumn, a thin film spreads across the continent's coastal waters. It's an embryonic form of sea ice: a mush of microscopic crystals that floats on the dense, salty water of the Southern Ocean. As winter takes root, this proto-sea ice grows thicker and stronger until it encircles Antarctica in a vast frozen ring. The ice spans nearly 7 million square miles at its peak, an area roughly twice the size of the United States. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-antarctic-sea-ice-20140830-story.html#page=1 DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB urges TRU upgrade orders in August's final days. The California Air Resources Board says reefer owners must have emissions upgrade orders placed by Aug. 31 in order to be eligible for any time extensions. CARB’s Transportation Refrigeration Unit rule requires reefers and gen sets to be upgraded within seven years of the manufacture date. By Dec. 31, 2014, reefers and gen sets with a manufacture year of 2007 must be retrofitted with a verified diesel particulate filter or replaced with a newer engine model year unit. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27574#.VAC2CGPxCSo West Sacramento beer distributor fined for Air Resources Board violations. Beverage distributor DBI Beverage Inc. was fined $116,400 for failing to monitor the emissions of its diesel truck fleet, the California Air Resources Board announced Wednesday. DBI Beverage has locations in West Sacramento, Chico, Truckee, South San Francisco, Fairfield, Ukiah, San Jose and Stockton. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/08/28/west-sacramento-beer-distributor-fined-air-violati.html FUELS Feds to resume leasing for fracking in California. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management will resume issuing oil and gas leases next year for federal lands in California after a new study found limited environmental impacts from fracking and other enhanced drilling techniques, the agency said Thursday. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/28/6662140/feds-to-resume-leasing-for-fracking.html Environmentally Friendly Fracking Fluids: The Next Energy Breakthrough? One of the biggest complaints against hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" -- the process of injecting high-pressure fluids to release hydrocarbons trapped in deep shale reservoirs -- is that it harms the environment. Even as fracking has helped bring about a veritable shale revolution that has sent U.S. oil production to a multi-decade high and helped reduce the nation's dependence on foreign energy, it has also drawn the ire of those concerned about the environment. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Environmentally-Friendly-Fracking-Fluids-The-5721136.php VEHICLES Hitting the Gas on Hydrogen. California is inching tantalizingly closer to the birth of a new automotive industry based on hydrogen. Fuel-cell vehicles — electric cars that run on hydrogen — will be popping up this year and next year, as will new clusters of fueling stations in and around San Francisco, Los Angeles and Orange County. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/29/tp-hitting-the-gas-on-hydrogen/ Hydrogen highway inches closer. California is inching tantalizingly closer to the birth of a new automotive industry based on hydrogen. Fuel cell vehicles — electric cars that run on hydrogen — will be popping up this year and next near new clusters of fueling stations in and around San Francisco, Los Angeles and Orange County. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/29/california-opens-hydrogen-highway/ ‘Greenest’ refrigerated truck goes into service for dairy business. West Horsley Dairy is making deliveries around London with a 7.5-tonne Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid, complete with a carbon- and noise-free chiller which uses a eutectic system instead of traditional air-blown fridge. The Canter Eco Hybrid's chassis was supplied by dealer Rossetts Commercials and the insulated body was built by Jackson Coachworks, of Loughborough, featuring its 'eistechnik' eutectic refrigeration system. Posted. http://www.transportengineer.org.uk/transport-engineer-news/reenest-refrigerated-truck-goes-into-service-for-dairy-business/63762/ MISCELLANEOUS Bike lane project moving forward. A Highway 33/140 bike lane project moved a step closer to fruition recently with City Council approval of a supplemental funding agreement which will pick up the city’s share of the project cost. City Manager Greg Greeson said the additional dollars will come through the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Posted. http://www.westsideconnect.com/2014/08/28/bike-lane-project-moving-forward/ OPINION The role of health care in preventing climate catastrophes. This week, leading health authorities are huddled at World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, discussing how to confront one of the most urgent threats to humanity. It's not Ebola. And it's not HIV/AIDS, malaria, cancer, obesity, heart disease or diabetes. The problem - a changing climate - doesn't fit the traditional definition of health hazard and yet it threatens to undermine the health of individuals and communities in nearly every nation. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/29/4094064/the-role-of-health-care-in-preventing.html www.modbee.com/2014/08/29/3510013/the-role-of-health-care-in-preventing.html#storylink=misearch BLOGS Renewable energy is up, but renewable investment isn’t. Here’s optimistic news: Last year marked the strongest boom in green energy yet, with 22 percent of the world’s electricity produced by wind, solar, or other renewable energy sources. Sure, those figures are promising, but the International Energy Agency, the Paris-based organization behind a new report on the renewable energy market, cautions that some governments are shying away from policies that promote clean energy and that’s discouraging investment in the sector. Posted. http://grist.org/list/renewable-energy-is-up-but-renewable-investment-isnt/ Accounting for the Expanding Carbon Shadow from Coal-Burning Plants. Steven Davis of the University of California, Irvine, and Robert Socolow of Princeton (best known for his work dividing the climate challenge into carbon “wedges”) have written “Commitment accounting of CO2 emissions,” a valuable new paper in Environmental Research Letters showing the value of shifting from tracking annual emissions of carbon dioxide from power plants to weighing the full amount of carbon dioxide that such plants, burning coal or gas, could emit during their time in service. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/28/accounting-for-the-expanding-carbon-shadow-from-coal-burning-plants/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Tesla Model S now the least-stolen car in the US. When is a Honda Accord more appealing than a Tesla Model S? When you're a thief. The Accord continues to reign as the most-stolen car in the US but the Model S is now claiming a new and interesting title: the least-stolen car in America. Last year, it wasn't even on the list. Of course, sometimes a Model S is stolen and the most famous case ended with tragic results. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/08/28/tesla-model-s-now-the-least-stolen-car-in-the-us/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2014 14:28:44 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 2, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 2, 2014. 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 South Korea delays smog tax; starts emission trading in 2015 - finance minister. South Korea has delayed a proposed tax on vehicle carbon emissions by over five years to the end of 2020, but confirmed it would push ahead with plans to begin its carbon emissions trading scheme from the start of 2015, finance minister Choi Kyung-hwan said on Tuesday. Posted. http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL3N0R31S620140902 AIR POLLUTION Tighter restrictions coming to a hearth near you. It's a little early -- and hot -- to start worrying about fireplaces. But if valley air officials have their way, the use of open-hearth fireplaces and other "dirty" wood-burning devices could be cut in half this winter. In summer, the valley's biggest air problem is ozone, an unhealthy component of smog that forms under the hot, summer sun. But during late fall and winter, the valley's air pollution scourge is particulate matter, or PMs, a mixture of tiny solid particles and liquid droplets in the air. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x110585275/Tighter-restrictions-coming-to-a-hearth-near-you If 2 New Yorkers Shared a Cab ... It may be anathema to New Yorkers. But a team of mathematicians and engineers has calculated that if taxi riders were willing to share a cab, New York City could reduce the current fleet of 13,500 taxis up to 40 percent, in that way unclogging traffic, conserving fuel and fighting air pollution. “The predicted economic and environmental savings are considerable,” said Steven Strogatz, a mathematician at Cornell and an author of a paper describing the findings, published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/science/sharing-taxis-nyc-mathematics.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A6%22} Wyoming carbon test site could be chosen soon. The location of a proposed facility to test new technologies for capturing carbon dioxide from a working power plant could be selected by state officials within the next few months, a utility official said. Two power plants in the Gillette area are being offered as potential sites for the test center by Rapid City, South Dakota-based Black Hills Power and Bismarck, North Dakota-based Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/wyoming-carbon-test-site-could-be-chosen-soon_49866575 Valley ozone at record low levels ... but. The valley may be decades away from reaching the federal government's latest clean-air standards, a line that valley air officials refer to as the "moving goal posts" of federal regulation. But for the second summer in a row, the region is seeing record-low levels of the corrosive gas known as ozone, the main component of valley smog. "We are very pleased that the historically low ozone levels we saw last year were not just an anomaly," said Seyed Sadredin, executive director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x110585268/Valley-ozone-at-record-low-levels-but EPA staff recommends significantly lower ozone standard. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff said Friday that the nation should tighten smog rules significantly, a step that would improve air quality in California but force costly new requirements on government and industry. The EPA staff recommendation is the final step before the rule goes to the agency's leadership and the White House. As a result of lawsuits by environmental and health groups, the agency must propose a new ozone rule by December and the final rule by October 2015. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SMOG_RULE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-ozone-20140830-story.html http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/epa-staff-agency-tough-smog-25186090 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/epa-staff-says-agency-needs-to-be-tough-on-smog/2014/08/29/b7840d8c-2fce-11e4-be9e-60cc44c01e7f_story.html Communities going into power business to cut cost, carbon footprint. Sonoma County, which enticed Americans to forsake factory-made food for artisan wines and farmers market produce, now wants consumers to reconsider another everyday commodity. New on the menu: locally curated energy. The county is at the forefront among eco-minded communities plunging into the power business nationwide. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sonoma-power-20140902-story.html Mountain air has high levels of ozone pollution, too. Mountain air may look and smell clean, but a new study shows high levels of ozone may be polluting the atmosphere at the summit. The Front Range in Colorado was the subject of an investigation, studying air pollution levels in the region. Posted. http://www.techtimes.com/articles/14454/20140830/mountain-air-high-levels-ozone-pollution.htm CLIMATE CHANGE On Climate, a Younger Bush’s Ideas Stray From Party Ideology. On the campaign trail in Texas for a little-known statewide office, George P. Bush is generally toeing the Republican Party line: He is attacking the federal health care overhaul, decrying abortion and championing gun rights. But it is environmental policy that will be under his purview if, as expected, he wins his race to be the state’s next land commissioner in November. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/us/on-climate-a-younger-bushs-ideas-stray-from-party-ideology.html?_r=0 Climate Change Could Soak Up California’s Fresh Mountain Water Runoff. A new study suggests rising global temperatures could cut into California's water supply by altering high-altitude vegetation. Water used to irrigate crops in the Central Valley often begins as runoff from the top of Sierra Nevada mountains. It's so cold up there, vegetation can't take root. But with global temperatures rising, that could change. Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/sep/01/climate-change-could-soak-californias-fresh-mounta/ Nearly Half the World’s Trash Is Burned, and That’s Worsening Climate Change. Nearly half the world’s trash is burned in the open, spewing pollutants into the atmosphere that contribute to climate change and affect human health, according to a new study. Since such burning is largely unregulated and unreported, emissions of some pollutants have been underestimated by as much as 40 percent, said the researchers, who published their findings in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Posted. http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/09/01/burning-trash-is-new-climate-change-threat Climate Change and the Threat to Cancer Research. Climate change is having negative effects upon medical breakthroughs for diseases such as cancer and dermatological disorders, says eco-business Celestial Green Ventures (CGV) in its most recent study. Droughts and floods are just two impacts of climate change being seen in the Amazon Rainforest today; a phenomenon that is being contributed to greatly by the deforestation of the area. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Climate-Change-and-the-Threat-to-Cancer-Research-5726158.php Climate study yields bad news for tiny desert fish. For 10,000 years, a tiny iridescent blue fish has lived in the depths of a cavern in Nevada's desert. But a new study says climate change and warming waters - and its lack of mobility - are threatening its existence and decreasing its numbers. Scientists studying climate change anticipate that as Earth continues to warm, fish and wildlife will migrate away from the equator or seek higher ground for a cooler habitat. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/climate-study-yields-bad-news-for-tiny-desert-fish_76471587 http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/energy-environment/climate-study-yields-bad-news-for-tiny-desert-fish/2014/09/01/60ff9b4e-31e9-11e4-9f4d-24103cb8b742_story.html http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Climate-study-yields-bad-news-for-tiny-desert-fish-5726405.php New Marin Plan Aims to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 30%. A new "climate action plan" providing a "blueprint for a more sustainable future" aims to curb greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent in Marin's unincorporated areas by 2020, a goal that is among the most ambitious in the nation. That's roughly the equivalent of removing 20,000 cars from the road or reducing gasoline consumption 11 million gallons each year, the report calculated. Posted. http://california.construction.com/yb/ca/article.aspx?story_id=id:0lVYwrgUSCeU2kcqi0ehEbJ-PUm9WxOwahiZxQ-h36hvzffp8M_sZ1fR1LjuTeNS Polar vortex visits to U.S. linked to climate change. Remember the polar vortex, the huge mass of Arctic air that can plunge much of the U.S. into the deep freeze? You might have to get used to it. A new study says that as the world gets warmer, parts of North America, Europe and Asia could see more frequent and stronger visits of that cold air. Researchers say that's because of shrinking ice in the seas off Russia. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_POLAR_VORTEX?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/09/02/polar-vortex-climate-change/14973047/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories DROUGHT Water bond could aid Salton Sea. This largest of inland lakes in California is expected to see even more rapid water loss by 2018 connected, in part, to water sales to the San Diego region. The water loss threatens the biological diversity of the sea, which serves as a central stop for hundreds of bird species on the Pacific Flyway. Lower lake levels could also foul air quality for communities around the sea, as the wind whips more exposed playa, laden with pesticides from agricultural run-off. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/01/tp-water-bond-could-aid-salton-sea/ Drought: Is the bottled industry shrinking California's water supply? California's drought has many communities looking hard at where their water comes from and where it goes. One concern is that some water goes into bottles, and those bottles go somewhere else for sale. California has a lot of companies that bottle water, whether it’s purified water — sourced from a municipal system and filtered some more — or spring water, which comes out of the ground. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/blogs/economy/2014/09/02/17232/is-bottled-water-taking-away-from-calif-s-water-su/ Chance of 'megadrought' in U.S. Southwest now 50%, study concludes. The chance of a "megadrought" gripping the Southwest for more than 30 years has increased to 50%, scientists say, which means bad news for California's already parched landscape. The odds of a 10-year drought afflicting the southwestern U.S. have increased to 80%, according to a new study by Cornell University, the University of Arizona and the U.S. Geological Survey. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-megadrought-forecast-20140829-story.html?dlvrit=649324&track=rss&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it Burlingame asks: How green is gray water?. The merciless drought parching California is forcing people to confront scary questions about the state's water supply -- and search for answers. On Wednesday, city leaders in Burlingame will host a forum on two emerging methods of water conservation titled "The Pros and Cons of Gray Water and Rainwater." Tom Bressan, owner of the Urban Farmer Store and an expert in water-friendly landscaping, will lead the discussion. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26448736/Burlingame-asks:-How-green-is-gray-water GREEN ENERGY Solar Company Seeks Stiff U.S. Tariffs to Deter Chinese Spying. In the daunting battle against corporate online espionage worldwide, one major solar company wants to deploy a powerful and novel weapon: higher tariffs. SolarWorld Americas, the largest manufacturer of solar panels in the United States, has asked the Commerce Department to investigate claims that Chinese military personnel broke into the company’s computers and stole documents important to its business and its long-running trade dispute with China. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/business/trade-duties-urged-as-new-deterrent-against-cybertheft.html California among 5 states offering major incentives to Tesla in bid to secure $5 billion factory. From the start, little has been typical about Tesla Motors’ plan for a $5 billion factory to make batteries for a new generation of electric cars. It’s not just the project’s massive scale, the cutting-edge technology, or even the bonanza of 6,500 good-paying jobs.It’s how Tesla is deciding where to build. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/business/20140831/california-among-5-states-offering-major-incentives-to-tesla-in-bid-to-secure-5-billion-factory http://www.sbsun.com/business/20140831/what-states-like-california-can-offer-to-get-teslas-5-billion-factory DOE seeking information on clean energy manufacturing technologies. The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) has issued a request for information (DE-FOA-0001158) on mid- Technology Readiness Level (TRL) research and development (R&D) needs, market challenges, supply chain challenges and shared facility needs in addressing advanced manufacturing development challenges impacting clean energy manufacturing. Submissions are due by 3 October. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/20140901-amo.html California to phase out EV incentives for the wealthy. California, which offers rebates of up to $2,500 to electric vehicle buyers to help meet a goal of getting 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles onto its roads by 2025, is overhauling its incentive program in response to a common criticism: The state’s rebates are sometimes just a windfall for the wealthy. Posted. http://www.autonews.com/article/20140829/OEM05/140829854/california-to-phase-out-ev-incentives-for-the-wealthy Kia selects Greenlots to provide fast chargers and open standards networking for 2015 Soul EV rollout in US. Greenlots, a global provider of open standards-based technology solutions for electric vehicle (EV) networks, is partnering with Kia Motors America (KMA) and ABB, a global leader in power and automation technologies, to offer DC fast-chargers (DCFCs) at select Kia dealerships on the West Coast for the soon-to-launch 2015 Kia Soul EV. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/20140902-greenlots.html MISCELLANEOUS Taxi Sharing Could Reduce Traffic, Air Pollution: Study. If New Yorkers who normally took taxis alone would share their cab with a stranger, the city could cut the size of its taxi fleet by up to 40 percent, according to a new study. The study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and reported by the New York Times, found that if passengers rode together it would unclog busy streets, conserve fuel and decrease air pollution in the city without drastically increasing the length of their trips. Posted. http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Share-Cab-Study-NYC-New-York-City-Environment-TLC-Traffic--273528971.html OPINIONS AB32 helps California move forward on curbing emissions. When climbers team up to scale a big peak, they share the goal of making it to the summit. Success rests on training, detailed planning, clear communication, using the best available technologies and a bit of luck with the weather. If all line up, one might make the summit. These values are at the core of The North Face, the company I have worked with for the past 31 years. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/08/29/3510835_ab32-helps-california-move-forward.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Limiting carbon emissions is not enough to stop global warming. The Post’s editorial series on climate change made valid and important points [“A climate for change,” Aug. 25 through Aug. 29]. In particular: The problem is real, important and urgent. And applying the principles of Economics 101 is an effective and efficient response — if only politics didn’t get in the way. But the series did a disservice by reinforcing the widespread but wrong perception that the source of the problem is carbon dioxide emissions and that alone. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/limiting-carbon-emissions-is-not-enough-to-stop-global-warming/2014/08/29/2a7b6546-2edb-11e4-be9e-60cc44c01e7f_story.html Viewpoints: Beware of too much power in executive branch. Recently, we have seen mounting criticism targeted toward one agency, the California Air Resources Board. While some defend the board’s policies, others say that it has enacted complex policies with little legislative oversight, some of which could affect gasoline prices in California, and others that could even impact the price of wheat in Haiti and rice in Bangladesh. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/30/6662543/viewpoints-beware-of-too-much.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS California renters may soon install EV chargers at home. Electric-vehicle charging stations. They may not just for the landed gentry anymore. At least in the Golden State. California lawmakers have passed a bill that would enable residential and commercial tenants to install electric-vehicle charging stations, provided that they foot the bill, according to Charged EVs. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/01/california-renters-may-soon-install-ev-chargers-at-home/ How minor parties help address climate change. Concern over climate change continues to grow among climate scientists and across the political spectrum. But climate change is a difficult problem to address in large part because its consequences are not immediately apparent, and thus it can be difficult to convince the public to accept the material sacrifices required. In democracies, this task can be made more difficult by the incentives parties and politicians face to pander; that is, to pursue votes by appealing to voters’ short-term interests. In the case of global warming, this would be by appealing to voters’ preferences for material comfort in the present at the expense of a future stable climate. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/09/01/how-minor-parties-help-address-climate-change/ 'Hidden Gas Tax' or Not—California's Cap and Trade Policy Starts a New Era. Will California gas station see queues at their pumps on December 31 as motorists seek their last fill-up before gas prices soar 15 cents per gallon, as AB 69 supporters warned? The bill died in the state legislature on August 22. Marc Lifsher of the Los Angeles Times writes from Sacramento, "The bill, AB 69, was designed to head off what [Assemblymember Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno)] and allies -- in a major multimedia public relations campaign -- called a 'hidden gas tax' of as much as 15 cents a gallon extra that consumers are going to start paying at the pump in January." Posted. http://www.planetizen.com/node/71001 Earth Log: Dirty air started up again, so here's my ozone riff. Dirty air made a comeback on the day that I wrote about the record-setting clean streak in August -- if I only had such influence over rainfall. But it did spark interest in ozone. Several readers wanted to talk about this notorious warm-season pollutant that can scar your lungs and trigger asthma attacks. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/29/4094338/earth-log-dirty-air-started-up.html This California bill will make electric cars way less pretentious. Finally, electric cars are for everybody, and not just the snooty, Prius-driving set: California’s legislature has just passed a first-of-its-kind bill that would up the number of electric cars on the state’s roadways by increasing their availability to disadvantaged and low-income drivers. Posted. http://grist.org/list/this-california-bill-will-make-electric-cars-way-less-pretentious/ Empty study paves the way for fracking in California. Well, there you have it, ladies and gents: Fracking’s just fine! A study found no significant evidence to suggest that fracking and similar extraction techniques are harmful to the environment. Energy companies poised to dig into California’s reserves are breathing a sigh of relief. The findings pave the way for the Bureau of Land Management to resume issuing oil and gas leases on federal land in California next year, following a temporary halt to the practice last year and the defeat of an attempted statewide moratorium on fracking this spring. Posted. http://grist.org/news/empty-study-paves-the-way-for-tracking-in-california/ Why coal is (still) worse than fracking and cow burps. Is fracking for natural gas good for the planet? To understand the pitched fight over this question, you first need to realize that for many years, we’ve been burning huge volumes of coal to get electricity — and coal produces a ton of carbon dioxide, the chief gas behind global warming. Natural gas, by contrast, produces half as much carbon dioxide when it burns, and thus, the fracking boom has been credited with a decline in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. So far so good, right? Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/why-coal-is-still-worse-than-fracking-and-cow-burps/ Earth Talk: Electronic waste. Dear EarthTalk: We must really be swimming in electronic waste, what with all the iPhones and other devices that are so common. How is this all being dealt with? - Mary Shufelt, New Bern, NC. With electronic equipment and gadgets the fastest growing waste stream in many countries, how to deal with so-called "e-waste" may in fact be one of the most pressing environmental problems of the 21st century. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/02/6671966/earth-talk-electronic-waste.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2014 13:41:15 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 3, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 3, 2014. 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 Maine environmentalists rally for cap-and-trade. Maine environmental advocates will gather in Westbrook in support of the multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The Natural Resources Council of Maine and others say the agreement is slated to hold its twenty-fifth auction of carbon credits. The council and others will gather at a Hannaford grocery store in Westbrook on Wednesday at 10 a.m. to celebrate the milestone. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Maine-environmentalists-rally-for-cap-and-trade-5729906.php CLIMATE CHANGE Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to Sacramento. He always said he’ll be back, and soon he will. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be back in Sacramento next Monday, Sept. 8 to attend a symposium on global climate negotiations, co-hosted by the USC Schwarzengger Institute; the California Air Resources Board; and the R20 Regions of Climate Action, a nonprofit that Schwarzenegger and global leaders founded in 2010 in cooperation with the United Nations. Posted. http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2014/09/02/arnold-schwarzenegger-returns-to-sacramento/ Study: Climate Change Means Less Sierra Nevada Runoff. Climate models show that temperatures in California’s Sierra Nevada are expected to climb four degrees Celsius by 2100. Those temperatures could lead to more tree and plant growth at higher elevations, which would suck up more water like a sponge. The result is a 26 percent drop in water that would normally flow into rivers. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/09/02/study-climate-change-means-less-sierra-nevada-runoff/ Cape Cod without cod? Warming Gulf of Maine imperils lobster, fish. Imagine Cape Cod without cod. Maine without lobster. The region’s famous rocky beaches invisible, obscured by constant high waters. It’s already starting to happen. The culprit is the warming seas – and in particular the Gulf of Maine, whose waters are heating up faster than 99 percent of the world’s oceans, scientists say. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/03/3517926/cape-cod-without-cod-warming-gulf.html#storylink=cpy New York Times Adds Climate Editor After Slashing Environmental Coverage. About 19 months after closing down its special team of environmental reporters, the New York Times has named Adam Bryant as editor overseeing climate change and environmental issues for the paper's science coverage. Bryant announced the news on Twitter on Tuesday, noting that he will scale back his other responsibilities at the Times as part of the move. Posted. http://mashable.com/2014/09/02/new-york-times-adds-climate-editor/ N.Y. attorney General warns of climate change risk. New York needs to do more to prepare for ongoing man-made climate change, according to a report issued Tuesday by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Speaking at Pace University in Westchester County, the attorney general also pulled together scientific studies that project extreme storms and rain will become more common in coming years as a consequence of a warming global atmosphere. Post. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/N-Y-attorney-General-warns-of-climate-change-risk-5729556.php DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB fines county, beverage distributor for emissions violations. Just as private trucking companies have found, the California Air Resources Board isn’t afraid to levy fines of several hundred thousand dollars over emission rule violations. The air quality agency proved this week that government bodies with diesel trucks aren’t above the rules either. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works has been fined $256,375 for violating three different emissions rules. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27588#.VAcxqWPDsoA Air District to fund replacement of waste transfer trucks. The San Joaquin Valley Air District has opened a new round of funding that will be used to replace waste transfer trucks that operate within the Central Valley. The district will grant up to $50,000 per eligible replacement truck. Applications will be issued to solid waste transportation companies and owners or operators hauling to landfill and waste facilities. According to district officials, priority will be given to trucks that operate 100 percent in the Valley. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/02/3517161_air-district-to-fund-replacement.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy DROUGHT As California Warms, Greener Mountains Will Mean Less Water for People. This finding should be "of great interest to water managers in California," says Roger C. Bales, a professor of hydrology and environmental engineering at the University of California, Merced, who co-authored the study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study foresees "a potential widespread reduction in water supply with warming, with important implications for California's economy and environment." Posted. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140901-climate-change-water-runoff-mountains-california-drought/ California drought: Why doesn't California build big dams any more? How much money drought-stricken California should spend to build new dams was a big part of the debate over the bill that Gov. Jerry Brown signed last month to put a $7.5 billion water bond on the November ballot. Republicans and Central Valley Democrats who pushed hardest for new reservoirs highlighted the fact that California built many of the world's most ambitious dam projects during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, but a large state- or federally-funded reservoir hasn't been built in 35 years. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/science/ci_26444134/california-drought-why-doesnt-california-build-big-dams California's 100-year drought. California is in the third year of one of the state's worst droughts in the past century, one that's led to fierce wildfires, water shortages and restrictions, and potentially staggering agricultural losses. The dryness in California is only part of a longer-term, 15-year drought across most of the Western USA, one that bioclimatologist Park Williams said is notable because "more area in the West has persistently been in drought during the past 15 years than in any other 15-year period since the 1150s and 1160s" — that's more than 850 years ago. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/weather/2014/09/02/california-megadrought/14446195/ California drought sends hay prices soaring. The cost of feeding horses and cows in California is climbing as the drought sends hay prices to historic highs, a newspaper reported. Less rain has reduced the acres of oats, barley and wheat being planted, which has fueled a sharp jump in hay prices, the Press-Democrat of Santa Rosa reported on Tuesday. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/09/03/4102046/californias-drought-sends-hay.html#storylink=cpy FUELS Limited water presents challenge for natural gas fracking. Extracting natural gas for energy from shale rock deep underground requires lots of water, but much of the world's shale gas is in regions where water is already scarce, including part of California, according to a study issued Tuesday. The amount of recoverable natural gas from shale formations would increase global reserves by nearly half, the report from the World Resources Institute found. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-fracking-water-20140903-story.html GREEN ENERGY Tesla Motors picks Nevada for planned $5-billion battery factory site. Tesla Motors has chosen Nevada as the site for its proposed $5 billion "gigafactory" battery plant. The state's governor, Brian Sandoval, will announce the deal Thursday afternoon at a news conference in Nevada's capital, Carson City. Confirming the details, first reported by CNBC, a Tesla representative said: "We are in ongoing discussions ... and look forward to joining the governor and members of the Legislature tomorrow." Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-tesla-nevada-gigafactory-20140903-story.html Interest in Solar Water Heating Spreads Globally. To produce milk and cheese for the world, dairies need cows and grass. But they also go through enormous amounts of hot water each day to flush out milk lines and clean other equipment. And so farmers on King Island, part of the Australian state of Tasmania, were delighted when workers began installing solar arrays on their dairies’ rooftops to capture the energy of the harsh Australian sun and use it to heat water. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/04/business/energy-environment/interest-in-solar-water-heating-spreads-globally.html?src=twr EPA OKs FutureGen plan for CO2 storage. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday said it has approved permits for the FutureGen clean coal project to store carbon dioxide underground, a key step in the longstanding plan to build the project. FutureGen plans to store carbon dioxide, a greenhouse linked to climate change, after capturing it from a power plant in western Illinois. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/epa-oks-futuregen-plan-for-co2-storage_56216220 Utility, firm form partnership on energy projects. Vermont's largest electric utility is teaming up with a national renewable energy business to implement a series of state-of-the-art energy saving projects, including a new local electrical system in the Rutland area that will eventually be spread across the state. While Green Mountain Power is Vermont's largest electric utility, it is still small and nimble enough to implement new energy saving ideas that could be proposed by NRG Energy, Green Mountain President Mary Powell said Tuesday in Essex, where she announced the partnership. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/utility-firm-form-partnership-on-energy-projects_33247070 Geothermal energy bill gets cold shoulder. Utility customers in San Diego County won't have to buy more electricity from geothermal power plants after all. California lawmakers abandoned proposed legislation -- ending their session Saturday without a vote -- that would have ordered the state's major investor-owned utilities to buy more electricity from power plants that harness underground heat from deep within the earth's crust. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/02/geothermal-energy-cold-shoulder/ Chula Vista adopts sustainability plan. The Chula Vista City Council recently adopted a plan to improve the local environment and help reduce city costs. More than 30 green strategies were identified in the plan and include transitioning to solar energy design for new buildings, expanding alternative fuel vehicles at municipal facilities and hosting environmental-focused trainings for city employees. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/02/chula-vista-adopts-sustainability-plan/ Grease thieves cashing in on booming bio-diesel market. Warm weather, a plethora of restaurants and a penchant for recycling everything are contributing to one of the oddest crime waves to hit Southern California. Grease thieves are breaking into used fry oil vats stored behind Southland restaurants and siphoning away profits. Because of the warm temperatures, the oil remains in a liquid state — making it relatively easy for the thieves to transport the valuable commodity and recycle it resulting in a cash haul of between $200 and $1,000, according to industry sources. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140902/grease-thieves-cashing-in-on-booming-bio-diesel-market OPINIONS The Climate Change Agenda Needs to Adapt to Reality. The Obama administration is instituting a variety of far-reaching policies to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change. Are any of these capable of making a difference? Simple arithmetic suggests not. Given this reality, we would be wise to consider strategies that complement and may be more effective than mitigation—namely, adaptation. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/edward-p-lazear-the-climate-change-agenda-needs-to-adapt-to-reality-1409700618 BLOGS Nissan Leaf sells 3,186 in best month ever as Chevy moves 2,511 Volts. The end of summer seems to inspire people to go out and buy a lot of plug-in vehicles. Last year, for example, the Chevy Volt had its best month ever in August, with 3,351 sales. This year, the Nissan Leaf is going up to the winner's podium, setting its own best-ever record with 3,186 units sold. This beats the Leaf's previous record of 3,117 set in May 2014 by 69 vehicles and is up 31.7 percent from August 2013. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/03/nissan-leaf-sells-3186-best-month-ever-chevy-sells-2511-volts/ In the Parching West, It’s Beginning to Feel like 1159. The dryness in California is only part of a longer-term, 15-year drought across most of the Western USA, one that bioclimatologist Park Williams said is notable because “more area in the West has persistently been in drought during the past 15 years than in any other 15-year period since the 1150s and 1160s” — that’s more than 850 years ago. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/03/in-the-parching-west-its-beginning-to-feel-like-1159/?_php=true&_type=blogs&ref=earth&_r=0 Coal Renaissance Risks Tarnishing the EU’s Green-Energy Credentials. The European Union prides itself as the being the world’s green crusader. It is fighting climate change with a set of ambitious targets to reduce future carbon-dioxide emissions and boost the use of renewable energy, such as solar and wind, by setting an example to the rest of the world. But a revival of coal as an energy source across Europe is leaving a dark spot on the EU’s green credentials, according to a new report by several environmental pressure groups. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2014/09/03/coal-renaissance-risks-tarnishing-the-eus-green-energy-credentials/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2014 12:12:50 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for September 4, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 4, 2014. 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 Emissions from energy generation jump most in eight years after carbon price axed. Carbon emissions from the country's main electricity grid have risen since the end of the carbon tax by the largest amount in nearly eight years. Data from the National Electricity Market, which covers about 80 per cent of Australia's population, shows that emissions from the sector rose by about 1 million tonnes, or 0.8 per cent, at an annualised rate last month compared with June. Posted. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/emissions-from-energy-generation-jump-most-in-eight-years-after-carbon-price-axed-20140903-10by8d.html AIR POLLUTION Salton Sea inaction could cause 'catastrophic change,' report says. Saving the beleaguered Salton Sea will be expensive, but allowing it to continue deteriorating will cost even more in terms of dollars, unemployment, property values and damage to public health, according to a study released Wednesday by the Pacific Institute. Straddling Riverside and Imperial counties, the Salton Sea has never attracted the political constituency of the state’s other bodies of water -- Lake Tahoe, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta or the San Francisco Bay. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-salton-sea-warning-report-20140903-story.html?track=rss Cleaner Air Shown to Reduce Health Costs. A study of air pollution reduction measures over the past ten years in Taiyuan, China, shows more than 50% of health costs associated with loss of life and disability have been saved as a direct result of the regulations’ implementation. Posted. http://www.buildings.com/news/industry-news/articleid/17937/title/cleaner-air-shown-to-reduce-health-costs.aspx CLIMATE CHANGE EPA OKs FutureGen plan for CO2 storage. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday said it has approved permits for the FutureGen clean coal project to store carbon dioxide underground, a key step in the longstanding plan to build the project. FutureGen plans to store carbon dioxide, a greenhouse linked to climate change, after capturing it from a power plant in western Illinois. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/09/02/4101104_epa-oks-futuregen-plan-for-co2.html?rh=1 La Mesa planning to plant new trees. La Mesa has had city workers cut down most of the shade trees along La Mesa Boulevard as it gets deeper into its Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement effort. Planned since March 2008, the $5.8 million project's intent is to improve crosswalks and pedestrian areas; update sidewalks, curbs, gutters and pedestrian ramps; upgrade landscaping, street trees and planters; add new lighting; new benches, new trash receptacles and new recycling containers; and update street signs, pedestrian and vehicular directional signs. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/03/la-mesa-planning-plant-new-trees/ As the seas rise, a slow-motion disaster gnaws at America’s shores. Missions flown from the NASA base here have documented some of the most dramatic evidence of a warming planet over the past 20 years: the melting of polar ice, a force contributing to a global rise in ocean levels. The Wallops Flight Facility’s relationship with rising seas doesn’t end there. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/waters-edge-the-crisis-of-rising-sea-levels/ HIGH-SPEED RAIL Comment period extended for two California high-speed rail projects. The California High-Speed Rail Authority has extended the public comment period to Sept. 12 for the Palmdale-to-Burbank and Burbank-to-Los Angeles high-speed rail projects. On July 24, the authority and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published the notices of preparation and intent for the receipt of public comments regarding the environmental documents for the two sections. Posted. http://www.progressiverailroading.com/high_speed_rail/news/Comment-period-extended-for-two-California-highspeed-rail-projects--41723 DROUGHT Water allocation an issue at fracking locations across US and globally. Extracting natural gas for energy from shale rock deep underground requires lots of water, but much of the world's shale gas is in regions where water is already scarce, including part of California, according to a study issued Tuesday. The amount of recoverable natural gas from shale formations would increase global reserves by nearly half, the report from the World Resources Institute found. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/04/6677344/water-allocation-an-issue-at-fracking.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY Largest corn waste-to-ethanol facility launches. The world's largest refinery that turns corn plant waste into ethanol began production Wednesday in Iowa, and many national and international dignitaries in attendance touted the technology as a major step in the shift from the fossil fuel age to a biofuels revolution. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Netherlands-king-attends-ethanol-plant-opening-5729946.php VEHICLES Plant gets Tesla closer to electric car for masses. To bring electric cars to the masses, Tesla Motors will transform an expanse of desert where pioneers passed on their way to the California Gold Rush and wild mustangs still roam the hillside. This time, the rush will be in Nevada, which Tesla chose over four other states as the site for a $5 billion factory that the carmaker projects will crank out enough high-tech car batteries to power 500,000 vehicles annually by decade's end. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Plant-gets-Tesla-closer-to-electric-car-for-masses-5732578.php http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_26460239/jackpot-tesla-motors-appears-have-chosen-nevada-site?source=rss http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/03/tesla-will-build-first-gigafactory-in-nevada/ BLOGS California Drought Snapshot: Snowless Mount Shasta. That’s John Muir, writing in 1877. The pioneering conservationist, who looked at California’s mountains and always saw poetry, was describing a harrowing day and night spent stranded near the summit of Mount Shasta in a spring blizzard. He and a companion, who had been caught in the open with only the clothes they were wearing, survived the night by sleeping near steam vents high on the mountain. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2014/09/03/california-drought-snapshot-snowless-mount-shasta/ It’s a historic year for temperature extremes. This year is shaping up to be one of the weirder ones in America’s weather history. That’s because we now seem to be living in two geographically separate nations: one scalded by unbearable heat, the other bitten by waves of unusual cold. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/its-a-historic-year-for-temperature-extremes/ Will Obama do the right thing on smog this time? Over the coming year, President Obama will either repeat or undo one of his greatest insults to the environmental community — and to the nation’s air quality. On Friday, the EPA reaffirmed its longstanding scientific finding that current rules allow too much ozone (a.k.a. smog) in the air and do not adequately protect human health. Posted. http://grist.org/politics/will-obama-do-the-right-thing-on-smog-this-time/ Toyota will steer clear of driverless cars. Toyota executives say the company's primary focus is on safety. At least for the time being, that means the company won't pursue development of a driverless car. Speaking at the company's advanced safety seminar in Ypsilanti, MI, Thursday morning, Seigo Kuzumaki, Toyota's deputy chief safety technology officer, said that Toyota envisions a future driving environment that optimizes the best of both humans and computers, not choosing one over the other. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/09/04/toyota-will-not-develop-driverless-car/ Tesla is quietly installing higher-speed, non-Supercharger network. To a Tesla Model S driver, 58 miles an hour is pretty tepid when it comes to driving speed. Recharging speed, though? That's a pretty good clip. The California-based automaker is complementing the deployment of it high-powered Superchargers with slightly-less-super wall chargers that supply 80 amps and can provide almost 60 miles worth of driving in one hour of charging, according to The Wall Street Journal. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/04/tesla-quietly-installing-higher-speed-non-supercharger-network/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2014 11:21:18 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 5, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 5, 2014. 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 Big Oil's 'Grass-Roots' Groups in California. When oil companies mounted a public campaign in 2010 to roll back California’s nation-leading greenhouse gas restrictions, the effort backfired in a big way: 62 percent of the state’s voters rejected Proposition 23, which would have suspended California’s goal of slashing carbon emissions by the end of the decade. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-04/californias-carbon-laws-oil-companies-fund-grass-roots-revolt AIR POLLUTION Chevron's Richmond refinery to pay $278,000 for air pollution violations. The Chevron oil company has agreed to pay $278,000 in penalties to a regional air pollution agency for 27 violations at its Richmond refinery over a period from 2011 to 2013. The civil penalties are included in a settlement agreement between Chevron and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which announced the deal Thursday. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/contra-costa-times/ci_26470287/chevrons-richmond-refinery-pay-278-000-air-pollution http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26470284/Chevrons-Richmond-refinery-to-pay-278000-for-air-pollution-violations http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Chevron-to-pay-278K-for-Richmond-refinery-air-5734687.php Mobile sensors to give U. researchers better look at air quality. University of Utah researchers are getting a better picture of Utah's air quality thanks to mobile sensors. The launch of the new project this week follows two seasons of poor air quality on the Wasatch Front. In the winter, particulate matter gets trapped in the ugly inversions that we see. In the summer, ozone is the problem. Posted. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865610199/Mobile-sensors-to-give-U-researchers-better-look-at-air-quality.html CLIMATE CHANGE Arcata to update coastal commission on sea level rise development plans. With its local coastal development program last updated in 1989, Arcata has been working to incorporate sea level rise into its future development standards and will provide an update on its efforts next week at the California Coastal Commission's meeting in Del Norte County. Posted. http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_26473002/arcata-update-coastal-commission-sea-level-rise-development Paulson Starts Climate-Change Program to Fund Research. Former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is starting a climate-change program through his Chicago-based think tank to fund research and advocate for more aggressive environmental action. The Paulson Institute’s initiative will begin this month in Beijing and bring together Chinese and international specialists to share strategies on reducing the country’s air pollution and identify ways to measure compliance with government targets, the group said in a statement today. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-09-04/paulson-starts-climate-change-program-to-fund-research FUELS Study: E15 would reduce smog, cancer risk. Using E15 gas rather than regular gas will reduce cancer-causing pollutants and smog in Chicago’s air, says a new report that reviews and aggregates the results of independent research by the Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, California Air Resources Board, Coordinating Research Council, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Illinois at Chicago and other institutions. Posted. http://www.ethanolproducer.com/articles/11406/study-e15-would-reduce-smog-cancer-risk OPINION Let them drive Teslas: Jon Coupal. Once again, Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg has thumbed his nose at the working class and other Californians of modest means by blocking legislation that would have slightly delayed implementation of carbon emission fees charged to oil companies. The fees are part of the state’s “cap-and-trade” program, California’s one-of-a-kind effort to reduce worldwide carbon emissions. These fees are really taxes that will be passed on to consumers. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/opinion/20140904/let-them-drive-teslas-jon-coupal Pesticide pollution threatens future of our children. With our brilliant desert skies and oasis resort towns like Palm Springs, few realize that air pollution in the Inland Empire and especially the Coachella Valley is a major public health hazard, especially for our children. Fewer still realize that pesticides significantly contribute to this poor air quality by drifting away from fields and causing smog. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/contributors/2014/09/05/coachella-valley-air-pollution/15115107/ BLOGS New EPA Report Assesses Achievements and Hurdles in Reducing Urban Air Toxics. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the second of two reports required under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to inform Congress about actions and progress in reducing air toxics. Given Texas’ history as an industrial state and major emitter of millions of tons of toxics per year, the report highlights the importance of the CAA in curbing toxic pollution. Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/texascleanairmatters/2014/09/04/new-epa-report-assesses-achievements-and-hurdles-in-reducing-urban-air-toxics/ What do the new climate rules have to do with my kid’s asthma? One of the Environmental Protection Agency’s top selling points for its recently proposed carbon pollution rules for power plants is that they will make immediate improvements to our air quality, in addition to reducing the greenhouse gases that cause climate change. It’s one of those twofer marketing plans (it tastes great and it’s less filling) designed to help make the public more amenable to a new set of rules. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/what-do-the-new-climate-rules-have-to-do-with-my-kids-asthma/ CA Tackles the Question: What Is a “Disadvantaged Community”? In a packed, airless room last night in Oakland, several hundred people grappled with the question of how to define those communities in California that shoulder a heavier burden of pollution than others. The workshop was the third in a series of three—the other two were held recently in Fresno and Los Angeles–led by the California Air Resources Board and the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) to gather input on the question. Posted. http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/09/04/ca-tackles-the-question-what-is-a-disadvantaged-community/ Recharge Wrap-up: No Tesla Gigafactory deal with California, BMW i3 recalled. Before the Nevada announcement was hinted at, a deal to incentivize a Tesla Gigafactory in California fell through. Tesla was looking for around $500 million in incentives, which the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development was willing to offer in tax breaks along with making the permit and environmental processes easier. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/04/no-tesla-gigafactory-deal-with-california/ How Big Oil is using front groups to attack global warming regulations. With California’s landmark measure addressing climate change, Assembly Bill 32, scheduled to begin covering automobile fleets and other transportation sources at the end of this year, Big Oil has been trying to sabotage that process using a variety of front groups and other tactics. Posted. http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2014/09/04/how-big-oil-using-front-groups-attack-global-warming-regulations California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2014 16:24:31 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 8, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 8, 2014. 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 Southern California transportation leaders looking toward $2 billion cap-and-trade windfall. Southern California leaders are anticipating a $2 billion windfall in transportation dollars from the state’s expanding cap-and-trade program that could be used for building more pay lanes or funding the county’s growing bus and rail system. As dollars from the gasoline tax drop, transportation planners will turn to polluters — including oil companies…Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_26478660/southern-california-transportation-leaders-looking-toward-2-billion CLIMATE CHANGE Schwarzenegger makes rare visit to Sacramento. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a rare political appearance on Monday in Sacramento to promote California's fight against climate change and to unveil his official portrait as governor. Three years after leaving office, the Republican was attending a climate symposium with current Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown. Organizers are using the state's policies on the issue to prompt further action ahead of United Nations climate-change conferences in Peru and Paris. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCHWARZENEGGER_RETURNS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-schwarzenegger-california-climate-change-20140908-story.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/07/6687422/schwarzenegger-makes-rare-return.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Schwarzenegger-makes-rare-return-to-state-capital-5739700.php http://fox40.com/2014/09/07/former-governor-schwarzenegger-to-visit-sacramento-expected-to-defend-global-warming-law/ http://www.capradio.org/31604 http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/08/arnold-schwarzenegger-in-sacramento-for-portrait-unveiling-climate-symposium/ http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/sep/08/schwarzenegger-makes-rare-return-state-capital/ http://fox40.com/2014/09/07/former-governor-schwarzenegger-to-visit-sacramento-expected-to-defend-global-warming-law/ http://www.news10.net/story/news/local/sacramento/2014/09/08/former-gov-schwarzenegger-back-in-sacramento/15272397/ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/schwarzenegger-rare-return-state-capital-article-1.1931926 http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-California/2014/09/08/Schwarzenegger-Returns-to-Sacramento-to-Celebrate-Climate-Change http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/274294611.html http://www.kcra.com/news/hes-back-schwarzenegger-makes-appearance-in-sacramento/27936920 http://www.usnews.com/news/entertainment/articles/2014/09/08/schwarzenegger-makes-rare-visit-to-sacramento http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/governator-attends-california-symposium-1.1747401 Yale Fund Takes Aim at Climate Change. As pressure grows from students who want to see their schools use financial clout to address environmental issues, Yale University’s investment office wrote to its money managers asking them to assess how investments could affect climate change and suggesting they avoid companies that do not take sensible “steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/08/business/yale-fund-takes-aim-at-climate-change.html The Arctic Sea Ice Problem Is Actually Worse — Not Better — Than We Thought. Two years ago, Arctic sea ice shrank to cover the smallest area ever recorded — only 1.32 million square miles were measured on September 16, 2012, more than a million square miles less than what would be considered "normal" at summer's end. This year, Arctic sea ice most likely has not hit its low point yet, which usually happens near the end of September — before winter makes the sea ice start growing again. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-Arctic-Sea-Ice-Problem-Is-Actually-Worse-5731859.php Seychelles snail, thought extinct, found alive. A snail once thought to have been among the first species to go extinct because of climate change has reappeared in the wild. The Aldabra banded snail, declared extinct seven years ago, was rediscovered on Aug. 23 in the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles. The mollusk, which is endemic to the Aldabra coral atoll — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — had not been seen on the islands since 1997, said the Seychelles Islands Foundation. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/08/6688469/seychelles-snail-thought-extinct.html#storylink=cpy Cities prepare for warm climate without saying so. With climate change still a political minefield across the nation despite the strong scientific consensus that it's happening, some community leaders have hit upon a way of preparing for the potentially severe local consequences without triggering explosions of partisan warfare: Just change the subject. Big cities and small towns are shoring up dams and dikes, using roof gardens to absorb rainwater or upgrading sewage treatment plans to prevent overflows. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/08/6688215/cities-prepare-for-warm-climate.html#storylink=cpy The Unbelievably Cheap $10 Billion Plan to Stop Climate Change With Airplanes. The global aviation industry accounted for 12% of all transportation-related emissions in 2013. That statistic has pushed The Boeing Company to rally the industry around new efficiency and sustainability efforts. But what if airplanes carrying payloads inspired by volcanoes held the key to stopping global climate change in its tracks? Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-Unbelievably-Cheap-10-Billion-Plan-to-Stop-5739753.php Shell's Jekyll and Hyde Approach to Climate Change. In April, Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) headlined a group of 70 companies that called on world governments to cap greenhouse gas emissions at a level that will contain global warming. The “Trillion Tonne Communique,” named for the amount of heat-trapping gases that scientists believe can be added to the atmosphere while keeping warming within 2 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels, was described as a “global call to arms from businesses who take the science of climate change…Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-08/shell-oils-jekyll-and-hyde-approach-to-addressing-climate-change Arcata honors participants of 'CoolCalifornia Challenge'. The City of Arcata has been taking part in the state-wide "CoolCalifornia Challenge", a competition between cities to reduce their carbon footprint. On Tuesday, at Redwood Park, the city recognized those who have been participating in the challenge. The top residents and groups who have been tracking their energy use were recognized with a certificate. The event was sponsored by Energy Upgrade California, a main sponsor of the competition. Posted.http://kiem-tv.com/video/arcata-honors-participants-coolcalifornia-challenge California Proves Climate Change is a Bipartisan Issue . On Monday, September 8th, the R20 Regions of Climate Action is honored to partner with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and the California Air Resources Board to present the Global Climate Negotiations: Lessons From California symposium. As leaders from around the world prepare to gather at UN climate conferences in New York, Lima, and Paris, Posted. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/09/california-proves-climate-change-bipartisan-issue/ DROUGHT Southern California may see some rain from Hurricane Norbert. The latest hurricane churning off the coast of Baja California could bring some rain and thunderstorms to parts of drought-stricken Southern California, forecasters said Friday. As Hurricane Norbert slowly moves northwest along Mexico's Baja peninsula, it could bring high surf and tides that could cause minor flooding, forecasters warned. The mountains and deserts have a greater chance of rain. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0906-hurricane-norbert-20140906-story.html California homes lack water meters during drought. Although California is locked in a third year of historic drought, many homeowners and businesses still don't have meters telling them just how much water they are using. That's changing, but some say it's not fast enough. State law requires water meters by 2025, but the State Water Resources Control Board says dozens of water districts, many in the thirsty Central Valley, aren't totally metered. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/06/6684055/in-california-some-homes-lack.html#storylink=cpy Five myths about the California drought. California is experiencing its third-worst drought in 106 years, resulting in idled cropland and soaring water prices. Since the state produces almost 70 percent of the nation’s top 25 fruit, nut and vegetable crops, California’s pain could soon hit the rest of the country through higher food prices. Will conservation and new water-saving technologies be enough to weather this dry period? Let’s consider five myths about the California drought. Posted. http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/2629283-186/five-myths-about-the-california Is California in a megadrought? California is in the third year of one of the state's worst droughts in the past century, one that's led to fierce wildfires, water shortages and restrictions, and potentially staggering agricultural losses. The dryness in California is only part of a longer-term, 15-year drought across most of the western United States, one that bioclimatologist Park Williams said is notable because…Posted. http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2014/09/06/california-megadrought/15186237/ OPINIONS Editorial. Like fish? Then there's good news from California's waters. When environmental threats emerge, the response is usually predictable. First comes denial, and the assertion that the problem is not serious enough to require action. Then the offending industry claims that it is not feasible, financially or technologically, to fix the problem, and the public raises concerns that prices will rise. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-seafood-watch-monterey-bay-aquarium-catch-li-20140907-story.html Dan Morain: Luring Tesla with $1.25 billion in tax breaks. Not long after a grinning Tesla founder Elon Musk joined Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval outside the governor’s office in Carson City to announce Musk would build his fancy battery factory in Storey County, Nev., critics attacked Gov. Jerry Brown and California for failing to make Tesla happy enough. “I don’t think Gov. Brown did nearly enough on Tesla or any number of businesses,” Neel Kashkari…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/07/6683182/dan-morain-luring-tesla-with-125.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS Continue clean energy stand. I hope New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman joins the hundreds of thousands who will attend the People’s Climate March in New York City on Sept. 21. I hope he continues to speak out about the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, so as to prevent future superstorms such as Sandy. I hope he condemns, by name, climate-change deniers such as billionaire New Yorker David H. Koch. Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion/continue-clean-energy-stand/30672/ Why A Tax On Carbon Can Help Climate Change - And The Economy. I recently read a thought-provoking interview with Harvard professor of economics Dale Jorgenson, “Time To Tax Carbon,” the cover story in the September issue of Harvard Magazine. In it Jorgenson describes a study that he and several colleagues conducted that concluded that a tax on carbon will help climate change – and the economy. A carbon tax, essentially a “tax on pollution…Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2014/09/08/why-a-tax-on-carbon-can-help-climate-change-and-the-economy/ Where Climate Change and Real Conservatives Meet. In a few weeks, world leaders will converge in New York City for the UN climate summit called by Ban Ki-Moon to prepare a foundation for the 2015 Paris climate accords. Civilization must be set on a sustainable path with the Earth. On September 21st, thousands upon thousands will walk in the People's Climate March to show UN leaders that the time has come to change for good. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-phelps/climate-change-real-conservatives_b_5777486.html 6 Reasons the U.S. Should Step It Up and Lead on Climate. As the UN Climate Summit approaches and countries begin to reveal their reduction commitments for the 21st United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris in 2015, all eyes are on the United States and President Obama. It has recently been reported that as part of the 2015 international negotiations, the President plans to seek an international binding agreement rather than a formal treaty that would require ratification from Congress. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosaly-byrd/6-reasons-the-us-should-s_b_5783018.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2014 14:56:09 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 9, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 9, 2014. 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 Report: Carbon Credits Bring $664 a Ton of Additional Benefits to Local Communities. Offsetting one ton of carbon dioxide brings an additional $664 in benefits to the communities where carbon reduction projects are based, according to new research by Imperial College London and the International Carbon Reduction and Offsetting Alliance (ICROA). Unlocking The Hidden Value of Carbon Offsetting shows how purchasing carbon credits creates economic development opportunities…Posted. http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/new_metrics/mike_hower/report_carbon_credits_bring_664_ton_additional_benefits_local_ AIR POLLUTION UN says CO2 pollution levels at annual record high. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2013 as increasing levels of man-made pollution transform the planet, the U.N. weather agency said Tuesday. As the heat-trapping gas blamed for the largest share of global warming, carbon dioxide rose to global concentrations of 396 parts per million last year, the biggest year-to-year change in three decades, the World Meteorological Organization said in an annual report. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/09/un-says-co2-pollution-levels-at-annual-record-high/ Want to clear smoggy city air? Plant more trees – study. Planting trees can be a cost-effective remedy to ozone pollution in cities with persistent air quality problems, according to a study that examined urban reforestation as a means of controlling ground-level ozone. Researchers in the joint study by the Nature Conservancy and Dow Chemical Co. examined the hypothetical planting of a 1,000-acre tree stand in the Houston metropolitan area, where ozone levels…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060005478/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE UPDATE 1-Carbon surge drives greenhouse gas levels to record high-WMO. The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2013 driven by a surge in the level of carbon dioxide, the World Meteorological Organization said on Tuesday, urging international action to combat climate change. "We know without any doubt that our climate is changing and our weather is becoming more extreme due to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels,"…Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/09/09/environment-carbon-idINL5N0RA1YL20140909 Climate Change Will Disrupt Half of North America’s Bird Species, Study Says. The Baltimore oriole will probably no longer live in Maryland, the common loon might leave Minnesota, and the trumpeter swan could be entirely gone. Those are some of the grim prospects outlined in a report released on Monday by the National Audubon Society, which found that climate change is likely to so alter the bird population of North America that about half of the approximately 650 species…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/09/us/climate-change-will-disrupt-half-of-north-americas-bird-species-study-says.html?_r=0 http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-adv-birds-climate-change-20140909-story.html?track=rss http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/08/6689359/global-warming-may-mean-bye-bye.html http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/09/08/4112958_global-warming-seen-threat-to.html?rh=1 http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/09/09/46584/more-than-half-of-us-bird-species-threatened-by-cl/ Charges Dropped Against Climate Activists. In May 2013, two environmental activists piloted a lobster boat close to the vast pile of coal at the Brayton Point Power Station, the hulking plant that overlooks this industrial inlet near the border between Massachusetts and Rhode Island. With the tiny boat, the two men — Jay O’Hara, 32, and Ken Ward, 57 — dropped anchor and for a day blocked a freighter with a 40,000-ton shipment of coal, and they were arrested and charged with conspiracy, disturbing the peace and other violations. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/09/us/charges-dropped-against-climate-activists.html?ref=earth Climate change increases possibility of megadrought in Southwestern U.S. (video). New study finds increased possibility of severe and long-term megadrought affecting Southwestern United States. John Russell reports. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/video/multimedia/100000003101220/climate-change-increases-possibility-of-megadrought-in-southwest.html U.S. May Not Be Leading on Climate, but California Is. The conference hashtag said it all: #CARoad2Paris. On Monday, Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the current and former governors of the world’s eighth largest economy, appeared together in Sacramento to assert that the path to a global accord on climate change runs through their home state—and not Washington, D.C. “As leaders from all over world prepare for the next UN climate talks in Lima and Paris…Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-09/u-dot-s-dot-may-not-be-leading-on-climate-but-california-is Higher prices power up new ideas. When the cost for electric power plants in New York to emit climate-changing greenhouse gases last week remained near an all-time high, it was helping the state to continue support for a mix of energy programs like an innovative hydrogen recycling company in Latham. Posted. http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Higher-prices-power-up-new-ideas-5742517.php UN says CO2 pollution levels at annual record high. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2013 as increasing levels of man-made pollution transform the planet, the U.N. weather agency said Tuesday. As the heat-trapping gas blamed for the largest share of global warming, carbon dioxide rose to global concentrations of 396 parts per million last year, the biggest year-to-year change in three decades, the World Meteorological Organization said in an annual report. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/09/09/4113133_un-says-co2-pollution-levels-at.html?rh=1 Criminal charges dropped in lobster boat blockade. Criminal charges were dropped Monday against two environmental activists who used a lobster boat to block a shipment to New England's largest coal-burning plant. Lawyers for Ken Ward and Jonathan "Jay" O'Hara had been prepared to argue that their clients' actions were necessary because of the threat posed by climate change. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/criminal-charges-dropped-in-lobster-boat-blockade_64842929 Gov. Brown joins Schwarzenegger, top experts for climate change panel. Sacramento symposium charts economic costs and the advantages of taking the California model global. Government officials, business leaders and environmental researchers gathered in Sacramento to discuss the state policies and information gleaned from nearly a decade at the forefront of addressing the issue of climate change at a symposium co-sponsored by the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. Posted. http://news.usc.edu/68187/gov-brown-joins-schwarzenegger-top-experts-for-climate-change-panel/ Current and former state leaders envision winning a fight against the 'dark shadow' of fossil fuels. Darkness and light were both on offer yesterday in visions of the future of international climate policy as articulated by two California governors. A three-hour climate conference organized by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) functioned as a pep rally for state and international policymakers -- and a response to industry opponents of the Golden State's climate efforts. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005448/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Industry group promotes biomass for reducing greenhouse gases. Burning wood for energy could yield some big benefits for mitigating climate change in the long run, the Society of American Foresters says in a recent paper, offering scientific support to back a long-standing claim from the forestry industry. The recommendations find that, as long as land remains in forest, sustainably managed working lands that produce wood products…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060005486/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Atmosphere's GHG concentration continues to climb, despite reductions from some nations. Despite some recent regional reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and other industrial nations, the total concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continues its upward march at an unprecedented rate, the World Meteorological Organization announced today. Compared to the preindustrial era of the 1750s, the Earth's atmosphere is now choked with 142 percent more carbon dioxide…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005449/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Global economy still 'blowing through' its carbon budget, but glimmers of hope seen in developing countries – PwC. Since edging out the windmill, the water wheel, whale oil and the wood stove as the world's primary source of energy, fossil fuels have been closely tied to the global economy. As economies grow, more fossil fuels are consumed; as they shrink or slow, consumption of coal, gas and oil moves accordingly. That relationship will have to change if the world is to both continue economic growth and head off the worst impacts of climate change. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005443/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Emerging nations lower carbon emissions faster than G-7 in key climate change metric. China, India and other emerging industrial nations have surpassed the Group of Seven for the first time in one closely observed metric of how countries are addressing climate change. The group of the seven emerging industrial powers, or the E-7, lowered its collective carbon intensity -- carbon emissions per dollar of gross domestic product -- by an average of 1.7 percent in 2013. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005427/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Older Caribbean coral lineages may be better able to fight disease and climate stress – study. How ancient a coral's lineage is could play a part in how well it is able to withstand diseases. Recent research by scientists at the University of Texas, Arlington, found that certain older lines of Caribbean corals may be better able to fend off diseases than those from lineages that evolved more recently. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005416/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT As Agriculture Swoons in Drought, West Coast Firms Avoid Worst Effects Air-Cooled Computer Servers, Low-Flow Toilets, Employee Education Help Conserve Water. Through the three-year drought ravaging the West Coast, one surprise has been the muted effect on many urban businesses. Thousands of companies, including MillerCoors LLC, Facebook Inc. FB -1.71% and Vantage Data Centers Management Co., have put millions of dollars into water-saving technologies and vegetation since the last drought, which ran from 2007 to 2009. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/as-agriculture-swoons-in-drought-west-coast-firms-avoid-worst-effects-1410218576 Calif. colleges take drought-friendly Ice Bucket Challenges. Some California colleges are taking the dive to support awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — and they’re making a splash without ice buckets. Around 70 California State University, Chico students plunged into their Wildcat Recreation Center swimming pool on Labor Day to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: Posted. http://college.usatoday.com/2014/09/08/california-colleges-take-drought-friendly-ice-bucket-challenge/ Drilling Through the Drought: A Look At Well Drilling Activity In The Central Valley. In rural areas like California's Central Valley, private wells are a common source of household drinking water. The state of California estimates about two million people in the state rely on private well water or other unregulated underground water sources. Well water is just as important to farmers who use it to irrigate crops, especially when surface water is not available. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/31017 California Drought Forces Farmers To Adapt. The extended drought has been tough on San Diego farmers, growers and ranchers. The dry weather, coupled with high water prices, has forced some to stop watering crops and trees. Cattle ranchers have had to sell off their herd, as pastures dried up and turned brown. And many people who work in the industry have lost their jobs. While the situation is grim, it has pushed area farmers to adapt, by using new irrigation methods and crops that require less water — like grapes. Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/sep/08/california-drought-forces-farmers-adapt/ Can't fill it? Drought is a drain on Orange County swimming pools. The Santa Margarita Water District’s new ordinance to fight drought prohibits the filling of pools. After saving up enough money over six years, Scot Scialpi finally ripped out his lawn this summer to build what many suburban Southern Californians consider their birthright – a backyard swimming pool. Then came a series of obstacles that nearly sent Scialpi off the deep end: California’s persistent drought…Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/pool-634199-water-pools.html Drought: 5 things to know about legislation stuck in Congress. Congress returns to Washington tonight after more than a month’s recess. Californians are thirstily awaiting word on another topic: what does Congress intend to do about the drought? Here's answers to five questions about Washington's response to the drought: Posted. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/09/08/46500/drought-five-things-to-know-about-legislation-stuc/ FUELS Theft of grease for biofuel gets stickier. California is upping the ante against slippery late-night thieves who stalk back alleys behind restaurants in search of a quick payday in the form of an unlikely hot commodity — used cooking oil. The quest for U.S. energy independence and more renewable fuels has transformed ordinary kitchen grease from a nuisance into a cash cow whose theft can be stubbornly difficult to track or trace. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/08/california-crackdown-cooking-oil-theft/ U.S. agency looks at LNG as a cheaper, cleaner bunker fuel for ships. Liquefied natural gas is a cost-effective way for shipping companies to meet U.S. EPA emissions requirements, but adopting the fuel will require improved regulatory harmonization as well as new safety and operational standards, according to a new report commissioned by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD). Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005444/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Tax on land-use emissions would save forest. Can biofuels help constrain climate change and be the sustainable fuel of the future? A new study in Environmental Research Letters (ERL) investigates the global potential of biomass, and explores the impact that a tax on greenhouse-gas emissions from the land-use sector would have. Currently biofuels tend to be made using starch- or sugar-rich food crops, and much of the plant goes to waste. Posted. http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/58486 VEHICLES CA has 100K plug-in cars, and counting. Cumulative sales of plug-in electric cars in California have surpassed 100,000, industry experts announced Monday. As of the end of August, Californians had purchased 102,440 plug-in cars, including both all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids that run on a combination of electricity and gasoline, according to figures compiled by HybridCars.com and Baum & Associates, a Michigan-based market research firm. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/08/california-plugin-car-milestone/ California Has More Than 100,000 Plug-In Electric Cars On Roads. California has hit a major plug-in car milestone this week: Since the first electric vehicle was sold back in 2010, more than 100,000 others have now hit the streets. The figures have been compiled by the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative. The number is impressive on its own, but also means that California accounts for around 40 percent of national plug-in vehicle sales. Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094297_california-has-more-than-100000-plug-in-electric-cars-on-roads Chinese Production Of Plug-In Electric Cars Finally Starts To Grow. After years of encouragement through government policies, Chinese production of plug-in electric cars is finally starting to grow. Amidst rampant air pollution, the Chinese government has heavily incentivized electrified vehicles, but so far that hasn't won the interest of consumers. That appears to be changing, as production of electric cars and plug-in hybrids soared in the first eight months of 2014…Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094310_chinese-production-of-plug-in-electric-cars-finally-starts-to-grow UC Riverside team shows new eco-routing navigation tool can cut EV energy use up to 51%. Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering have shown that a vehicle navigation tool they created can cut electric vehicle energy use up to 51%. The researchers outlined their findings in a report to the California Energy Commission, which paid for the study with a $95,000 grant. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/20140909-ucr.html Plug-in sales hit milestone in Calif.; backers say EVs are headed for 'mainstream'. The number of plug-in electric vehicles on California roads has accelerated past 100,000, a marker that clean energy supporters called a sign that the cars are headed toward the mainstream. The 100,000 plug-in vehicles, or PEVs, represent 0.04 percent of the 24 million passenger vehicles registered in the Golden State. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005445/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY University partners with China to help it develop electric vehicle fleet. The University of California, Davis, will partner with China to speed adoption of plug-in electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles, the school said yesterday. UC Davis signed a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC), the agency that regulates many activities of the auto industry in China. The agreement aims to help China develop policies and strategies to grow the share of zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005451/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY University of California signs major solar deal. The University of California says it has made one of the largest ever solar-energy purchases by a university system in the United States. The UC system, one of the largest public university systems in the nation, says the deal will provide enough solar power to offset 60 percent of the electricity use at five of the state's 10 campuses, as well as some university medical centers. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/08/university-of-california-signs-major-solar-deal/ Merced OKs homeowner loan program for energy-, water-efficient improvements. A loan program aimed to help residents add energy-efficient upgrades to their Merced homes could also benefit the city’s goals to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and water waste, according to city leaders.Merced City Council approved the program in the city with a 6-0 vote last week. Councilman Michael Belluomini was absent. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/08/3527915/merced-oks-homeowner-loan-program.html#storylink=cpy MISCELLANEOUS California lawmakers pass first US plastic bag ban. California lawmakers have approved a measure that would make the state the first to impose a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags. SB270 cleared the Senate on a 22-15 vote Friday and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown. It was approved by the Assembly a day earlier. Senators who had previously opposed the bill, including incoming Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, a Los Angeles Democrat, this time supported the measure after protections were added for plastic bag manufacturers. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/california-lawmakers-pass-first-us-plastic-bag-ban/2014/08/30/a0c1e0ea-3016-11e4-be9e-60cc44c01e7f_story.html BLOGS Who's Worried About Global Warming? Five unexpected agitators on climate talk about why they're taking action. I’m deeply concerned that climate change is a brewing crisis—much like the financial crisis of 2008—that poses massive risk to our economy and the quality of life for future generations. There are some who believe that even if we took steps to diminish the manmade impacts of climate change, we couldn’t possibly do enough to curb its catastrophic effects. Posted. http://climate.audubon.org/article/whos-worried-about-global-warming 9 New Ideas to Cut Carbon Emissions. These solutions could stem emissions from food, fuel, and beyond. Global warming is here, but that doesn’t mean we have to sit around and watch the dire consequences come to pass. Innovators around the world are finding solutions for curbing carbon emission. Here’s our list of some of the most promising efforts under way.http://climate.audubon.org/article/9-new-ideas-cut-carbon-emissions. Posted. Northeast carbon auctions reach $1.8 billion. Auction sales of carbon allowances in the nation’s first cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have generated $1.8 billion since the program was launched six years ago. The nine Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative use the revenue to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, consumer utility bill assistance, and other consumer programs. Posted. http://fuelfix.com/blog/2014/09/08/northeast-carbon-auctions-reach-1-8-billion/ Tesla expects another higher-volume deal with Toyota in next few years. Four months have passed since Toyota ended its relationship with Tesla Motors, in which the electric-vehicle specialist supplied full lithium-ion battery packs to the Japanese behemoth for its RAV4 EV rollout, of which 2,500 vehicles will be completed. Now, Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk has been heard suggesting that a future collaboration is likely within the next two to three years, and that it will probably be much larger than the last one. Posted. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/09/09/tesla-toyota-partnership/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 16:17:29 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 10, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 10, 2014. 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 Time-based prices for electricity raise concern. Many policy makers see time-based power pricing as a important emerging tool for reducing the need for conventional power plants and reining in air pollution. It is also expected to usher in an era of sophisticated home energy devices, like remote-control thermostats, designed to save consumers money and reduce demands on the grid. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/10/time-based-electricity-spurned/all/?print CLIMATE CHANGE Hopes for a Strong El Niño Fade in California. Long-term weather forecasters say it is now unlikely that a strong El Niño will develop this fall, dimming hopes in California for heavy rains that might bring relief from a severe drought. In its latest monthly forecast, the federal Climate Prediction Center in College Park, Md., said that while there was still about a two in three chance that El Niño would develop, perhaps in the next two months, it would most likely be weak. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/10/science/earth/el-nino-california-drought.html?ref=earth&_r=0 Researchers link climate change, vegetation and water. As the climate warms, sources of the water so critical to life everywhere on Earth are drying up. By the end of this century, communities dependent on fresh water from mountain-fed rivers could see significantly less water, according to a new climate model recently released by University of California researchers. For example, people who get fresh water from the Kings River could see a 26 percent decrease in river flow. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/09/09/3838980_researchers-link-climate-change.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Gov. Brown, Japan sign pact to cooperate on water, high-speed rail, clean cars. California has signed a pact with Japan to work together on advancing measures that could help limit climate change. Gov. Jerry Brown (D) and Kenichiro Sasae, Japan's ambassador to the United States, agreed to cooperate on renewable energy; zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs; high-speed rail; water; and trade and investment. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/09/10/stories/1060005533 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY How climate change may disrupt the tranquility along the U.S.-Canada border. Since the end of the War of 1812, the U.S.-Canada border has been one of the more tranquil boundary areas in the world, populated by American and Canadian farmers mostly minding their own business. So what could happen to disrupt this peaceful environment? Well, climate change might. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005489/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Californians cut water use by 7.5 percent in July. Following a spike in statewide water use in spring, Californians have begun to conserve more water as the worst drought in a generation continues. The State Water Resources Control Board reported Tuesday that urban water consumption declined 7.5 percent statewide in July and 4.4 percent in June, compared with the same months in 2013. Both are significant improvements compared with May, when overall urban water use actually increased 1.5 percent. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/09/6693706/californians-cut-water-use-75.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News California water bond leads among likely voters, new poll shows. A new Field Poll finds slightly more than half of likely voters approve of a $7.5 billion water bond on the November ballot. But the poll released Wednesday shows that Gov. Jerry Brown and other supporters have work to do promoting Proposition 1. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed had not heard about the proposal. Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/government-and-politics/20140910/california-water-bond-leads-among-likely-voters-new-poll-shows Most S.J. County communities saving water. San Joaquin County communities saved almost half a billion gallons of water in July compared to the same month last year, though the 20 percent goal established by Gov. Jerry Brown remains elusive in many areas. The State Water Resources Control Board released data Tuesday showing a 7.5 percent reduction across California in July, compared with July 2013. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/article/20140909/NEWS/140909629/101089/A_NEWS DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB offers free compliance classes in September, October. Truck owners have an opportunity to learn how to comply with several emissions regulations written and enforced by the California Air Resources Board this fall. CARB recently announced the air quality agency is holding several free classes, including plans for one webinar. To help educate the public on available emissions technology, CARB offers Course 511: “Controlling Diesel Emissions: Devices & Filters.” The course is offered from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 7, in Imperial, CA. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27627#.VBBqC2PDsoA VEHICLES ENVIRONMENT: State revved up over fuel cells. A cluster of hydrogen fueling stations will be built in the region over the next year, as the state lays out a welcome mat for what many believe will be the next big thing in zero-emission driving – fuel cells. The state plans to spend $50 million for 28 public hydrogen fueling stations and a mobile re-fueler. Riverside and Ontario are among the California cities slated to get stations by the end of next year, state energy officials announced this month. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/fuel-749762-hydrogen-vehicles.html OPINIONS Climate change affecting water supply. This is not dedicated to bludgeoning those unmoved by liberals’ warnings about climate change. It is an invitation to people, especially Christians, to think about what’s happening to the water, and what will happen to us if there’s not enough of it to go around. For whatever reason, 58 percent of California is in “exceptional drought,” which is even worse than “extreme.” Posted. http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/opinion/2014/09/10/climate-change-affecting-water-supply/15354023/ BLOGS Can Humans Get Used to Having a Two-Way Relationship with Earth’s Climate? Earlier this summer, I was invited to write an essay on humanity’s troubled relationship with the changing atmosphere for a special issue of Audubon Magazine centered on the Audubon Society’s comprehensive new report on birds in a changing climate. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/10/can-humans-get-used-to-having-a-two-way-relationship-with-earths-climate/?src=twr UC to invest $1 billion to tackle climate change. The University of California will invest $1 billion over five years in companies and researchers coming up with solutions to climate change, part of an overall UC push in sustainability. The 10-campus university system also said Wednesday that it signed solar energy deals with Frontier Renewables to use solar power generated from the German company's two to-be-constructed solar fields in Fresno County. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2014/09/university-of-california-climate-change-investment.html?ana=twt California has sold 102,440 EVs since Volt, Leaf went on sale in 2010. Last July, Plug In America declared that a Mitsubishi i-MiEV in Alabama was the 100,000th electric vehicle sold in the US. Today, the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative announced that that many EVs have now been sold in California alone. To celebrate the milestone – which was actually 102,440 EVs sold in the Golden State between when the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf were introduced in late 2010 and the end of August 2014…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/09/california-has-sold-102440-evs-since-volt-leaf-went-on-sale/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 12:39:52 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for September 11, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 11, 2014. 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 markets gaining momentum in the U.S. An emerging model for reducing global pollution and promoting renewable energy is quietly gaining traction. Two of the nation's major carbon trading markets have recently held auctions that brought in hundreds of millions of dollars, funding expected to go toward future "clean energy" projects. Posted. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/carbon-markets-gaining-momentum-in-the-u-s/ AIR POLLUTION Pollution board seeks out calendar entries. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is seeking entries for the 2015 annual Healthy Air Living Kids’ Calendar. The entries can illustrate the way Valley resident can live healthy air lives. The art pieces can include clean-air messages, organizers said. Posted. http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2014/09/11/pollution-board-seeks-calendar-entries/15432467/ Smoke from Meadow fire clogs Valley air. Firefighters are making slow progress in their efforts to contain the Meadow fire burning in the back country of Yosemite National Park. The number of firefighters assigned to the fire grew to more than 400 since Tuesday. So far, with the help of nine helicopters, crews have managed to carve containment lines around 10 percent of the blaze. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/10/3532035_smoke-from-meadow-fire-clogs-valley.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Robins Air Force Base helping clean air efforts. Robins Air Force Base helps keep Central Georgia humming, but being the state's largest employer also means it's also a big source of pollution. Otis Hicks, the base's director of civil engineers, says Robins has been working with Middle Georgia's clean air coalition to make sure its a part of the solution and not the problem. For Robins, that's," anything that could impact our ability to grow, the ability to handle new work loads..."Posted. http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/local/robins-air-force-base/2014/09/10/base-helps-clean-air-efforts/15428413/ Air officials issue smoke health caution. Smoke from the Meadow Fire burning in Yosemite National Park is affecting air quality in Stanislaus, Merced, Madera and Fresno counties and may impact more valley counties as long as it burns, local air officials said. Smoke impacts may periodically affect any part of the air basin, including the additional counties of San Joaquin, Kings, Tulare and Kern, on the Valley floor as well as in foothill and mountain areas, until the fire is extinguished. Smoke includes particulates and ozone precursors and is harmful to health. Residents can check the District’s wildfire page at www.valleyair.org/wildfires for information about any current wildfires and whether they are impacting the valley. Posted. http://www.sierrastar.com/2014/09/10/69606_air-officials-issue-smoke-health.html?sp=/99/103/&rh=1 Spare the Air alert called for Thursday in the Bay Area. A Spare the Air alert has been called for Thursday in the Bay Area because of high smog levels caused by rising temperatures and smoke drifting in from a Siskiyou County wildfire. Air quality regulators ask the public to voluntarily minimize driving to reduce pollution, and advise people to avoid strenuous exercise in the afternoon hours when smog levels peak. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26508789/Spare-the-Air-alert-called-for-Thursday-in-the-Bay-Area http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26508789/Spare-the-Air-alert-called-for-Thursday-in-the-Bay-Area http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_26507189/air-alert-issued-marin-bay-area-thursday CLIMATE CHANGE UN climate envoy says summit key to reinvigorate global pact. As climate-changing emissions surge globally, a summit of world leaders this month should help revitalizes ambitions to tackle climate change despite the absence of government heads from China and India, U.N. climate envoy Mary Robinson said. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/11/us-foundation-climatechange-robinson-idUSKBN0H60R820140911 Scientists say the ozone layer is recovering. Earth's protective ozone layer is beginning to recover, largely because of the phase-out since the 1980s of certain chemicals used in refrigerants and aerosol cans, a U.N. scientific panel reported Wednesday in a rare piece of good news about the health of the planet. Scientists said the development demonstrates that when the world comes together, it can counteract a brewing ecological crisis. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_OZONE_REBOUNDS_1ST_LD_WRITETHRU?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Va. climate change focus of panel’s meeting. Gov. Terry McAuliffe launched his climate change commission on Wednesday, urging the panel to develop concrete ideas to blunt the impact of rising seas along Virginia’s threatened coast. The Democrat made it clear he’s no climate change skeptic. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-climate-change-focus-of-panels-meeting/2014/09/10/462cb5c2-38b0-11e4-a023-1d61f7f31a05_story.html A Hurricane in 1964, and What Came After. Although most scientists believe global warming has played a role in the increasing strength of hurricanes, they caution that the issues around climate change are complex. Neither of the two Atlantic hurricanes in 2013 nor any of the three so far this year exceeded Category 2 in strength.Whether that’s a statistical blip or the result of some other factor is unknown. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/upshot/a-hurricane-in-1964-and-what-came-after.html?src=twr&_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0 Global warming is so much worse than we thought. Here’s the chart that proves it. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to freak out about the environment, that time is probably now. The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2013, the greatest increase since 1984, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140911/global-warming-is-so-much-worse-than-we-thought-heres-the-chart-that-proves-it DIESEL EMISSIONS Truck performance tuning firm fined $1 million by ARB for selling illegal parts. One of the leaders in the high performance diesel and racing industry has run afoul of California's air pollution laws. As a result, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) announced today that it has fined H&S Performance LLC $1 million for selling illegal aftermarket parts in California in violation of the California Health and Safety Code. Posted. http://www.examiner.com/article/truck-performance-tuning-firm-fined-1-million-by-arb-for-selling-illegal-parts GREEN ENERGY Cupertino to install solar power-generating systems at service center. The city of Cupertino is going solar in one part of town. The Cupertino City Council on Sept. 2 unanimously and quickly agreed to go in on a Regional Renewable Energy Procurement Project. It will bring the installation of solar power generation facilities to the Cupertino Service Center. The council action gives City Manager David Brandt the go-ahead to negotiate and execute an energy services contract with Cupertino Electric Inc., for an amount not to exceed $426,207. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/News/ci_26509161/Cupertino-to-install-solar-powergenerating-systems-at-service-center VEHICLES California Energy Commission to award $13M to further ZEVs and advanced vehicle technology manufacturing in the state. The California Energy Commission has issued two solicitations for a combined $13.3 million to further advanced ZEV and advanced vehicle technologies in the state. The first, Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Readiness (PON-14-603), will award about $3.3 million to support planning efforts for plug-in and fuel cell vehicles. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/20140910-cec.html California Energy Commission awards $5M grant to AltAir Fuels to expand renewable diesel production; $3M to GFP Ethanol for sorghum feedstock. The California Energy Commission approved $8 million in grants to two biofuel companies stemming from a solicitation issued earlier this year (PON-13-609: Pilot-Scale and Commercial-Scale Advanced Biofuels Production Facilities). AltAir Fuels LLC (earlier post) will receive $5 million to expand production of renewable diesel fuels at its Paramount facility in Los Angeles County from 30 million gallons per year to 40 million gallons per year, and allow for processing of additional feedstocks. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/20140911-cec.html Neighborhood electric vehicles hugely popular in Lincoln. At the Sun City Lincoln Hills retirement community, the preferred mode of transportation isn’t a pickup truck, luxury sedan or Harley Davidson motorcycle. It’s an NEV, which stands for neighborhood electric vehicle. NEVs are small and appear identical to golf carts, but they carry some safety features of cars, including seat belts, signal lights and rearview mirrors. In recent years, NEVs have gained a following in Lincoln Hills, a sprawling community of 11,000 people spread over 3,000 acres. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/11/3526096/neighborhood-electric-vehicles.html#storylink=cpy MISCELLANEOUS Ships Offered Incentive To Slow For Whales. An environmental partnership is rolling out an incentive program to save whales and air quality. Sean Hastings, with NOAA Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary, said air pollution control districts and other groups are raising money to pay ships $2,500 per transit to slow down in local shipping lanes. Posted. http://www.keyt.com/news/ships-offered-incentive-to-slow-for-whales/27992640 La mesa will outfit downtown with new shade trees. La Mesa has had city workers cut down most of the shade trees along La Mesa Boulevard as it gets deeper into its Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement effort. Planned since March 2008, the $5.8 million project’s intent is to improve crosswalks and pedestrian areas; update sidewalks, curbs, gutters and pedestrian ramps; upgrade landscaping, street trees and planters; add new lighting; new benches, new trash receptacles and new recycling containers; and update street signs, pedestrian and vehicular directional signs. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/11/tp-la-mesa-will-outfit-downtown-with-new-shade/ OPINION AB 32: Resist attempts to undercut California's landmark clean energy law. For years, California's largest greenhouse gas emitters have known what was coming under AB 32, our state's pioneering climate and clean energy law. Many have planned accordingly and have been doing things like implementing energy efficiency programs that positively impact the bottom line. However, some are making a last-ditch effort to change the rules. Posted. http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26501376/AB-32:-Resist-attempts-to-undercut-Californias-landmark-clean-energy-law Extras on Excise: Will Part of California’s Cap-and-Trade Program Become a Backdoor Gas Tax? Several years ago, the California Legislature approved a cap-and-trade program aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. It already applies to some industries, but in January, the program will apply to transportation fuel suppliers for the first time. The Golden State’s implementation of cap-and-trade could very well be a test case for other states as well as the federal government. Posted. http://www.bna.com/extras-excise-part-b17179894732/ Guest commentary: Still time to offer advice on pollution mitigation. California is poised to make major investments in neighborhoods that face significant pollution. On Sept. 3, nearly 200 people turned out in Oakland to have their say in how that money is spent. Their is still time to add your voice. Starting in just a few weeks, a state law called the Climate and Community Investment Act, or SB 535, will give Californians some much-needed relief from carbon pollution, along with providing these communities with a whole host of other neighborhood-level benefits. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/opinion/ci_26506045/guest-commentary-still-time-offer-advice-pollution-mitigation BLOGS California Dominates US Plug-In Market. A shock that may come to no one among the B&B, California leads the way in sales of plug-ins with just over 100,000 units sold in the past four years. Bloomberg reports the figures, accounting for 40 percent of the plug-in market, were compiled by the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative from data gathered between December 2010 and August 2014 by the California Air Resources Board, Hybridcars.com and Baum & Associates. Baum also reported overall U.S. sales checked-in at around 250,000 units over the same period. Posted. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/09/california-dominates-us-plug-market/ Extras on Excise: Will Part of California’s Cap-and-Trade Program Become a Backdoor Gas Tax? Several years ago, the California Legislature approved a cap-and-trade program aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. It already applies to some industries, but in January, the program will apply to transportation fuel suppliers for the first time. The Golden State’s implementation of cap-and-trade could very well be a test case for other states as well as the federal government. Posted. http://www.bna.com/extras-excise-part-b17179894732/ The drought is destroying California’s organic dairy farms. “Roll down your window for a second and tell me what you smell,” Rosie Burroughs instructs me. It’s early March and I’m in the passenger seat of her gigantic white Ford pickup truck, bouncing down a narrow, potholed dirt road on her farm in the rolling hills just east of Turlock, Calif. Her husband, Ward is sitting in the driver’s seat. Posted. http://grist.org/food/the-drought-is-destroying-californias-organic-dairy-farms/ This legendary accounting firm ran the numbers on climate change. With every year that passes, we’re getting further away from averting a human-caused climate disaster. That’s the key message in this year’s “Low Carbon Economy Index,” a report released by the accounting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/this-legendary-accounting-firm-ran-the-numbers-on-climate-change/ How Toyota's 100-year textile history influenced FCV hydrogen fuel cell car. Turns out, Toyota had a surprising ace in the hole when it came to building the new fuel tanks for the FCV hydrogen fuel cell car, which is coming next year. Well before Toyota became the Toyota Motor Company, it was the Toyota Industries Corporation and it made textile looms. This is important because the main structure of the hydrogen tank is wound carbon fiber. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/10/toyota-100-year-textile-history-fcv-hydrogen-fuel-cell-car/ 10 birds your grandkids may never see, thanks to climate change. Long before modern times, human beings caused great extinctions of charismatic animals, including many species of birds. From the gigantic Moas of New Zealand (the Polynesians killed them off in about 100 years after arriving), to the Dodo and Passenger Pigeon, we made nature poorer, throwing away biological diversity and unique products of evolution that can never be replaced. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/10-birds-your-grandkids-may-never-see-thanks-to-climate-change/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 13:36:45 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for September 12, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 12, 2014. 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 Market Volatility to Jump on EU Overhaul Talks. The calmest period in more than three years for the world’s biggest carbon market is set to end. Citigroup Inc., Societe Generale SA and Commerzbank AG say prices will start swinging again after European lawmakers resumed talks this week on setting up a reserve to reduce a permit glut that drove the market to a record low. Sixty-day volatility for carbon futures surged by a quarter in April 2013 after politicians threatened to block a rescue plan designed to support prices. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-09-11/carbon-market-volatility-to-jump-on-eu-overhaul-talks.html S.Korea increases emissions cap in proposed carbon trading scheme. A cap on carbon dioxide emissions that South Korea expects to introduce as part of a carbon trading scheme will be around 3 percent larger than previously touted over the next three years, the government said on Thursday. Seoul has been under pressure from industry worried about costs from plans to begin what will be the world's second-biggest carbon emissions trading scheme from the start of 2015. Posted. http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL3N0RC2N720140911 Do we tax carbon emissions or trade them? Economists dig into the problem. When economist Richard Sandor founded the Chicago Climate Exchange more than a decade ago, the term "carbon market" wasn't part of the environmental lexicon, and the notion of placing a dollar value on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases was considered revolutionary by his friends and radical by his critics. But CCX, as the exchange came to be known, persevered and grew…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005718/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Oxy spinoff delays proposed energy plant. A $4 billion, 200-employee energy and chemical plant proposed in western Kern County has been placed on hold because of Occidental Petroleum Corp.'s spinoff of its California operations. The 453-acre Hydrogen Energy California plant planned near Tupman has long been expected to send its byproduct carbon dioxide to Oxy, which wanted to use the soda gas for enhanced oil production purposes in nearby Elk Hills. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x552954144/Oxy-spinoff-delays-proposed-energy-plant CLIMATE CHANGE Glacial Death Watch: Why an Ice Shelf Snapped in 2002 and What's Coming Next. Unfortunately for aspiring homicidal maniacs, the population of Scar Inlet is zero, so this 900-square-mile ice cube on the northernmost finger of the Antarctic Peninsula will have to serve as the site of another kind of vanishing. Scar Inlet used to sit next to what was once a 1,250-square-mile ice shelf -- basically a sheet of ice above water, not land -- that shattered unexpectedly and spectacularly in early 2002. The inlet is next. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-11/glacial-death-watch-why-an-ice-shelf-snapped-in-2002-and-what-s-coming-next.html This Map Shows Where All That Carbon Dioxide Is Coming From. Global carbon emissions have an obvious bias. One of the big problems with climate change is that carbon dioxide is invisible. It's hard to notice something you can't see. Because if carbon dioxide were visible, the eastern U.S. and western Europe would be choking on the stuff worse than Londoners choked on coal soot in the 1800s. You're probably aware that western countries account for most of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/map-shows-where-all-carbon-dioxide-coming-180952687/#wLj8Y0Erm8K22Tzg.99 DROUGHT California drought: 5-mph speed limit imposed on boats at Folsom Lake. With water levels at Folsom Lake down sharply, officials are imposing a 5-mph speed limit for boaters in the latest sign of California's extreme drought conditions. California State Parks officials say the low speed limit is needed to reduce safety risks in what has become a much smaller pool of water to navigate in. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drought-speed-limits-folsom-lake-20140911-story.html DIESEL EMISSIONS Aftermarket diesel parts maker fined $1 million by CARB. The California Air Resources Board has fined a diesel parts manufacturer $1 million for selling aftermarket equipment that modified emission control systems. According to a CARB news release, investigators for the air quality agency discovered H&S Performance LLC was selling diesel engine parts and modifications that hadn’t been exempted from California’s emissions control system anti-tampering laws. Posted. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27645#.VBMRHWPxCSo http://www.examiner.com/article/arb-fines-another-aftermarket-racing-parts-company-for-illegal-sales VEHICLES Kia announces pricing on all-electric Soul EV. Kia has announced pricing on its all-new Soul EV, the South Korean automaker’s first foray into the electric segment. The all-electric version of Kia’s most popular vehicle will start at $33,700 when it goes on sale in October. That price doesn’t include destination or any state or federal tax credits or incentives. Buyers in California could lop off $2,500 for the state’s electric-vehicle rebate, and up to $7,500 for a federal tax credit, depending on their income, pushing the price as low as $23,700. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-autos-kia-pricing-soul-ev-20140911-story.html Who will pay for car chargers? Maybe you. Utility customers in San Diego are being asked to pay for thousands of electric-vehicle chargers at businesses and housing complexes — whether they own an electric car or not. San Diego Gas & Electric is seeking authority to build and own a major share of the electric car charging network in southwestern California. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/12/utility-wants-ownership-electron-highway/ Ariz. company makes world's first 3-D printed car. Layer by layer, inch by inch, the world's first 3-D printed vehicle seemingly emerged from thin air this week on the floor of the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. The Strati, named after the Italian word for layer, was printed in one piece over 44 hours using a process called direct digital manufacturing -- the seamless fabrication of components from computer design to physical object. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005714/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Chemical Company to Base Portfolio, Investment Choices on Sustainability. BASF SE is close to concluding a three-year review of its sustainability, and the findings will influence acquisitions at the world's largest chemical maker as well as mark changes to its current business. Product applications that fail to meet economic, social and environmental criteria such as impact on the climate or water use will be put on an improvement plan or discontinued, Dirk Voeste, head of sustainability strategy…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-11/chemical-company-to-base-portfolio-investment-choices-on-sustainability.html OPINIONS Healthy Benefits Come From Smart Growth Plans. Where we live matters to our health, our air quality, our transportation and job choices and a wide range of other “quality of life” issues. Neighborhoods throughout San Diego County have different characteristics that affect quality of life, for better or worse. As our county grows, we need to think about the best our communities have to offer and what we want to avoid. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/12/tp-healthy-benefits-come-from-smart-growth-plans/ BLOGS Cato climate change skeptic: Rising carbon dioxide levels a sign of “human progress”. Economically literate libertarians can’t deny that, if climate change is a major risk, the rational thing to do is put a tax on greenhouse emissions. Therefore, in order to oppose that sort of government action, they have to deny that climate change is a major risk. And that’s how we get this mind-bending piece from the Cato Foundation. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2014/09/11/cato-climate-change-skeptic-rising-co2-a-sign-of-human-progress/ What can small cities do to fight climate change? Everyone should know by now that the U.S. needs to adopt policies to restrain its profligate energy use. Per capita, we use the most of any country except Iceland. And no, it’s not just because we’re richer: Adjusted for GDP, we still use more than everyone except for Australia, Canada, and a few frigid countries in northern Europe. Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/what-can-small-cities-do-to-fight-climate-change/ Carbon Emissions Cuts Have Huge Health Payoffs for the Consumer. The debate has been heating up this past spring and early summer about whether the United States should pass a comprehensive climate law. There will undoubtedly be a stronger push for some kind of legislation this fall, especially as the United Nations recently released yet another report highlighting the current impacts of climate change — including increased floods, droughts and less-secure food crops. Posted. http://www.mainstreet.com/article/carbon-emissions-cuts-have-huge-health-payoffs-for-the-consumer Calif. Plans Nation’s Most Detailed Sea Level Database. When you’ve got tens of millions of people living close to more than 1,000 miles of coastline, it could help to closely track the slews of steps being taken to protect homes, ports, roads, and other infrastructure from rising seas. So it is in California, a broad and densely populated state where powerful tectonic and hydrologic forces have sculpted elaborate coastal, bayfront, and estuarine landscapes. Posted. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/california-gets-serious-about-rising-seas-18010 Liquid Light Raises $15 Million To Convert Carbon Emissions To Chemicals. In the year 2013, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere – particularly carbon dioxide – increased at its fastest rate in 30 years. According to the World Meterological Association, concentrations of CO2 have reached new highs – higher, in fact, than they’ve ever been since humans first evolved. That continued increase of CO2 emissions is, in turn, a major contributor to climate change and ocean acidification. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2014/09/11/liquid-light-raises-15-million-to-convert-carbon-emissions-to-chemicals/ A Major Accounting Firm Just Ran the Numbers on Climate Change. We're 20 years away from catastrophe, says PricewaterhouseCoopers. With every year that passes, we're getting further away from averting a human-caused climate disaster. That's the key message in this year's "Low Carbon Economy Index," a report released by the accounting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers. The report highlights an "unmistakable trend": Posted. http://www.citylab.com/tech/2014/09/a-major-accounting-firm-just-ran-the-numbers-on-climate-change/379994/ California reaches milestone in sale of electric vehicles. California has reached a significant milestone in the sale of electric vehicles. More than 100,000 electric vehicles have now been sold throughout the state, according to the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative. The organization has been working alongside the California Air Resources Board to keep track of the number of clean vehicles sold in the state. These vehicles include battery electrics, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Posted. http://www.hydrogenfuelnews.com/california-reaches-milestone-sale-electric-vehicles/8519484/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 15:42:25 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- AMENDED -ARB Newsclips for September 15 and 16, 2014 From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 15 and September 16, 2014. 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 California Oil Marketers Want Cap-and-Trade Investigated. California Attorney General Kamala Harris was asked by an oil marketers group to investigate the legality of transportation fuel suppliers being regulated as part of the state’s cap-and-trade program, the biggest market-based effort to cut emissions in the U.S. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-12/california-oil-marketers-want-cap-and-trade-investigated.html Big firms brace for global carbon price rollout –report. An increasing number of big corporations expect governments worldwide to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions to help tackle climate change and some are already factoring in the cost to guide future investment decisions, a report found on Monday. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/09/15/carbontrading-global-idINL3N0RG0YV20140915 Governor Signs Cap-and-Trade Spending Plan with Transportation Funding. Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a fiscal year 2015 budget and a budget trailer bill that together create a short-term and long-term spending plan for cap-and-trade auction sales. This includes $872 million in cap-and-trade revenue for the next fiscal year, to be divided among a few spending categories that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.noodls.com/view/1E355E5C5485D9B0CD3FDC70B840726AC275F222?4945xxx1410825136#sthash.cXPTaO5u.dpuf AIR POLLUTION State fines two engine-parts retailers $1.6M for violating clean-air law. The California Air Resources Board has fined two aftermarket auto-parts manufacturers a total of $1.6 million for violating California clean air regulations. On Wednesday, the board said it negotiated a $1 million settlement with H&S Performance LLC of St. George, Utah. On Thursday, the board announced a settlement of $599,000 with Autosales Inc. The agency did not say where the company is based. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/09/12/statefines-two-engine-parts-retailers-1-6m-for.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_sacramento+%28Sacramento+Business+Journal%29 More “no burn” days coming to air district vote. Thursday could be a red-letter day for people who either suffer from breathing problems or enjoy burning logs in a fireplace. They can comment at a public hearing before air district leaders, who are expected to take a landmark vote that could double the number of “no burn” days for many. In Stanislaus County, burning in fireplaces and older stoves would be outlawed on most winter days. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/09/15/3850318_more-no-burn-days-coming-to-air.html?sp=/99/215/167/&rh=1 SHIP SPEED REDUCTION INITIATIVE Ventura County joins efforts to cut air pollution and protect whales. The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District board Tuesday approved $30,000 to support a pilot program to reduce air emissions from ships. Shipping companies can receive a small financial incentive for reducing speeds to 12 knots or less as they move through the Santa Barbara Channel. Doing so can significantly cut emissions of several air pollutants that blow onshore into Ventura and Santa Barbara counties…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/outdoors/ventura-county-joins-efforts-to-cut-air-pollution-and-protect-whales_84303290 http://lompocrecord.com/santamaria/news/local/community-forum-dives-into-benefits-of-slowing-cargo-ships/article_b51abfc0-2121-5a47-b9cf-81d1534f9dab.html http://www.noozhawk.com/article/karen_telleen_lawton_slowing_down_ships_for_whales_and_cleaner_air http://www.ksby.com/news/organizations-hosting-forum-on-whale-protection-and-pollution-prevention/ CLIMATE CHANGE Big firms brace for global carbon price rollout: report. An increasing number of big corporations expect governments worldwide to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions to help tackle climate change and some are already factoring in the cost to guide future investment decisions, a report found on Monday. Some 150 large listed companies - including 29 in the United States such as Dow Chemical Company, banking group Goldman Sachs and oil firm ExxonMobil…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/15/us-carbontrading-global-idUSKBN0HA09W20140915?feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=11563 Germany Faces Extreme Weather as Climate Change Brings Rains. Germany, which faced heavy rains and intermittent periods of hot and cold this summer, should brace for extreme weather in future probably because of climate change. Low-pressure areas over central Europe brought monsoon-like rainfall and storms to parts of Germany, Paul Becker, vice president of state-run Deutscher Wetterdienst said today. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-15/germany-faces-extreme-weather-as-climate-change-brings-rains.html Wary of U.N. Action, Australia Unveils Plan to Aid Great Barrier Reef. In a bid to keep the Great Barrier Reef from being reclassified by the United Nations as “in danger,” the Australian government on Monday unveiled a 35-year plan to manage risks to the reef, one of the natural wonders of the world. But conservationists warned that the plan does not go far enough. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/world/asia/wary-of-un-action-australia-unveils-plan-to-aid-great-barrier-reef.html?ref=earth Fixing Climate Change May Add No Costs, Report Says. In decades of public debate about global warming, one assumption has been accepted by virtually all factions: that tackling it would necessarily be costly. But a new report casts doubt on that idea, declaring that the necessary fixes could wind up being effectively free. A global commission will announce its finding on Tuesday that an ambitious series of measures to limit emissions would cost $4 trillion or so over the next 15 years…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/science/earth/fixing-climate-change-may-add-no-costs-report-says.html?_r=1 Climate change threatens New Mexico birds. The few flocks of rosy finches that birders come to see at the top of the Sandia Crest overlooking Albuquerque could cease to appear, according to a study by the National Audubon Society. About 50 bird species in New Mexico are being threatened by climate change, according to the study released last week. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Climate-change-threatens-New-Mexico-birds-5754956.php At least 150 major companies prep for carbon prices. At least 150 major companies worldwide - including ExxonMobil, Google, Microsoft and 26 others in the United States - are already making business plans that assume they will be taxed on their carbon pollution, a report today says. The U.S. has yet to impose a price on heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions, but other nations are starting to do so as a way to address global warming so U.S.-based companies…Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/15/us-companies-plan-for-climate-change-with-carbon-price/15526831/ Unusual species in Alaska waters indicate parts of Pacific warming dramatically. A giant hotspot in the North Pacific Ocean may help explain why a massive ocean sunfish was spotted in Prince William Sound this month and a skipjack tuna was caught in a gillnet weeks earlier near the mouth of the Copper River, scientists say. Both species are unusual visitors to Alaska. Posted. http://www.adn.com/article/20140914/unusual-species-alaska-waters-indicate-parts-pacific-warming-dramatically Obama unveils major new effort to tackle climate change. The Obama administration is taking new steps to phase out the production of a well-known chemical coolant used in refrigerators and air conditioners that has been tied to global warming. The White House confirmed to The Hill that it plans to meet with some of the largest chemical firms and food retailers in the country on Tuesday. They will announce voluntary commitments to target the coolant R-134a, a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC). Posted. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/217811-obama-targets-popular-coolant-in-effort-to-fight-climate-change Cities seek new ways to cope with sea level rise – and look to the Dutch for advice. Scientists predict a “tenfold increase” in the frequency of hurricanes and other storms, as well as sea-level rise of eleven to twenty-four inches within a little more than three decades – and planners and managers in U.S. coastal cities are looking at new ways to prepare their cities’ infrastructure for these challenges. Posted. http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20140916-cities-seek-new-ways-to-cope-with-sea-level-rise-and-look-to-the-dutch-for-advice Report argues that climate change-induced wildfires should factor into carbon's social cost. The rising price of wildfires due to climate change should be included in the U.S. government's future estimates of the social cost of carbon emissions. This is the argument in a report released today by New York University's Institute for Policy Integrity, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Fund. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005871/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Water agencies are learning pools aren't a big factor during drought. The Sieferts are the kind of environmentally conscious family who attend local sustainability workshops and have solar panels atop their Mar Vista home. They use timers on their kids' showers and have planted drought-tolerant landscaping. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-pool-haters-20140913-story.html AM Alert: Jerry Brown signs historic groundwater management legislation. As this year’s legislative session drew to a close, groundwater regulation – and whether California would become the last state in the West to implement oversight for drilling and pumping wells – emerged as one of the major policy issues. Driven by concerns over an increasing reliance on groundwater sources during the state’s severe drought…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/16/6709605/am-alert-jerry-brown-signs-historic.html#storylink=cpy http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/09/16/4125678_am-alert-jerry-brown-signs-historic.html?sp=/99/406/552/&rh=1 Even during drought, beautiful gardens are possible. Drought is a word that’s all too familiar with Californians. Residents of the Golden State have dealt with dry conditions before and have pulled together to conserve water; however, this time is different. California has found itself in the grip of what is being called the worst drought in its history since the federal government began issuing regular drought reports. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/sponsored/2014/sep/15/beautiful-drought-garden-design/ Cutting water use 20 percent proves difficult. Some Inland communities are having a tough time making headway toward the state’s order to use 20 percent less water. In Redlands, for example, the city delivered 13 percent more water to its customers in July 2014 than it did the previous July. The city was at a loss to explain why consumption went up despite calls for conservation. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/water-750030-percent-use.html EPA administrator pushes for water rules. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said Monday she's not backing down on her agency's efforts to implement a new rule that would assert regulatory authority over many of the nation's streams and wetlands despite criticisms that it amounts to a federal water grab. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/15/epa-administrator-pushes-for-water-rules/ California drought threatens sushi, too. Sushi eaters could face sticker shock the next time they order a California roll or check the box for another round of yellowtail nigiri. Thanks to the historic drought in California, prices may spike for the specialty rice used in the popular Japanese dish. Production of the rice, which is grown primarily in the Golden State, is expected to drop by 25 percent this year. Posted. http://www.politico.com/story/2014/09/california-drought-sushi-110983.html#ixzz3DVNAvzbE FUELS Study assesses the environmental costs and benefits of fracking. Stanford, California - A strange thing happened on the way to dealing with climate change: Advances in hydraulic fracturing put trillions of dollars' worth of previously unreachable oil and natural gas within humanity's grasp. The environmental costs - and benefits - from "fracking," which requires blasting huge amounts of water, sand and chemicals deep into underground rock formations…Posted. http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/11038-study-assesses-the-environmental-costs-and-benefits-of-fracking.html Obama admin committed to growing industry to full RFS level – Vilsack. The Obama administration wants to see the corn ethanol industry grow to the full extent that Congress envisioned when it passed the renewable fuel standard in 2007, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today. Addressing concerns about a recent proposal by U.S. EPA to scale back this year's mandate for ethanol, Vilsack said the administration is "committed" to working with ethanol producers to meet that 15-billion-gallon target. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060005902/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Honda, Chevrolet give natural gas a push. Natural gas is the neglected stepchild of the alternative fuel vehicles industry. Used in some commercial truck fleets, municipal bus services and the occasional taxicab, the plentiful low-emissions fuel has never caught on in passenger cars - even though it sells for about half the equivalent of a gallon of gasoline in California. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/12/6701274/honda-chevrolet-give-natural-gas.html#storylink=cpy China and UC Davis partner to put Zero Emission Vehicles on a faster track. Tianjin, China - In a landmark international collaboration on clean vehicle adoption, the University of California, Davis, and the China Automotive Technology and Research Center will work together to help speed the commercialization of plug-in and fuel cell electric cars in China and the U.S. under an agreement signed in Tianjin, China. The five-year memorandum of understanding establishes the China–U.S. ZEV Policy Lab…Posted. http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/11039-china-and-uc-davis-partner-to-put-zero-emission-vehicles-on-a-faster-track.html Study finds rapid charging and draining doesn’t damage lithium-ion electrode as much as thought. A new study has found that rapid-charging a lithium-ion battery and using it to do high-power, rapidly draining work may not be as damaging as researchers had thought, and that the benefits of slow draining and charging may have been overestimated. Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/study-finds-rapid-charging-and-draining-doesnt-damage-lithium-ion-electrode-as-much-as-thought-.html Autonomous and connected car technologies may progressively curb emissions. Excitement around connected and autonomous vehicles has been building for years with consumers interested in the convenience of never having to touch the steering wheel and governments anticipating significant improvements in road safety. It's presumed that these technologies will also have energy efficiency and emissions reductions benefits, but only recently have experts been able to quantify them. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005795/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Nissan denies allegations that it plans to close U.S. battery plant. Nissan Motor Co. denied claims made in a report yesterday that the Japanese automaker plans to phase out battery manufacturing at its facilities in the United States and the United Kingdom. "The Renault-Nissan Alliance remains 100 percent committed to its industry-leading [electric vehicle] program," Nissan spokeswoman Rachel Konrad wrote in an email. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005874/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY New Hydroelectric Plant to Be Built for New York. It seems as natural as, well, water: Harness the energy potential of a 95-billion-gallon reservoir to run four turbines and generate electrical power cleanly and at a profit. Having overcome potential hurdles ranging from drought-stricken rafters on the Delaware River to the endangered dwarf wedgemussel and northern wild monkshood, New York City is tapping the vast resources of its upstate reservoir system to commission a new hydroelectric plant. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/nyregion/new-hydroelectric-plant-to-be-built-for-new-york.html Why the Safest Form of Power Is Also the Most Feared. What do you think is the safest form of power generation? What do you think is the deadliest? According to a a 2010 study by the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, and National Academy of Science, coal is the deadliest by far, killing 170,000 people per trillion kilowatt hours...Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Why-the-Safest-Form-of-Power-Is-Also-the-Most-5754734.php Dominion to buy 2 solar projects in Calif. Dominion Resources is planning to buy two solar projects in California. The Richmond -based energy company announced the agreement with EDF Renewable Energy on Monday. The deal is expected to close next year. The projects in Kings, Kern and Marin counties in California would add 42 megawatts of solar power to its portfolio. Both projects are expected to enter service in the first half of 2015. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/15/dominion-to-buy-2-solar-projects-in-calif/ MISCELLANEOUS Recalls this week: smoke alarms, generators. More than 1 million smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are being recalled because a power outage could render them useless. Inflatable rubber tubes that can irritate skin and boys jackets posing an entanglement hazard are also among this week's recalled consumer products. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/12/6702195/recalls-this-week-smoke-alarms.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS China's Environmental Awakening. In June of 1969, the Cuyahoga River, a feeder to Lake Erie and Cleveland, Ohio’s main waterway, burst into flames. The August 1969 issue of Time magazine featured an article on the fire, and it wasn’t kind: “Some river! Chocolate-brown, oily, bubbling with subsurface gases, it oozes rather than flows.” Cleveland, my hometown, a great American city with world class museums, music and major league sports, would soon be known as “the mistake on the lake.” Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/opinion/chinas-environmental-awakening.html?_r=0 Viewpoints: Campaign against gas tax is foolhardy. A lobbying and PR effort is underway to prevent the state of California from implementing a gas tax as part of its effort to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. With funding by fossil fuel companies, the campaign taps into the anxieties of families who are already feeling the pinch at the pump. While I agree that any increase in gas prices hurts, the reality is that our gas consumption is hurting even more, and a tax on carbon is the smartest way to address the problem. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/15/6702773/viewpoints-campaign-against-gas.html#storylink=cpy Emission benefits for high-speed rail. Re "An environmentalist makes the case for high-speed rail" (Forum, Aug. 31): I agree with the ideas in the article, except the estimate for annual carbon dioxide or CO2 emission benefits when the train is up and running between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Our governor has said that this train is more about connecting people, and I agree. I want us to be clear about the possible CO2 emission benefits from the train. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/14/6696181/emission-benefits-for-high-speed.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Governor should veto groundwater policy. Californians – especially those in Northern California – are doing their part during this drought, from shortening their showers to reducing lawn watering and eliminating car washes. The majority of the water that Californians use traditionally comes from surface water sources like rivers and reservoirs. Farmers, however, have been cut off. Earlier this year, the State Water Resources Control Board restricted rights to surface water. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/13/6702579/viewpoints-governor-should-veto.html#storylink=cpy Patrick Mulvaney: Climate change affects restaurant menus today. When I read about climate change, I learn about rising sea levels and shrinking polar ice caps – problems for 100 years in the future. But when I talk to my friends and customers about climate change, the focus is on what is happening today. It seems little things are already adding up. As a chef, I have always believed that the completed dish will only be as good as the ingredients used. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/14/6700156/patrick-mulvaney-climate-change.html#storylink=cpy Climate change. Re "Carbon tax could curb warming" (Sept. 11): Contrary to Al Gore and his believers in the world, there has been no increase in the world's temperature for the past 18 years. If we believe those so-called scientists that rely on computer models that have been shown to be fraudulent, we should all be 15 feet underwater. Instead of water, I see California returning to its historic desert climate. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/11/6699008/climate-change.html#storylink=cpy A Whale of a Good Idea. Incentives Lower Ship Strikes and Air Pollution. When the Santa Barbara Foundation made its first round of innovative grants earlier this year, one of them fostered a “two-fer” that will not only help protect whales, but also improve the air we breathe. The “Safe Passage” project called for a pilot study to see if large container ships would accept incentives to reduce their speed going through the Santa Barbara Channel. Posted. http://www.independent.com/news/2014/sep/09/whale-good-idea/ Brian Nestande: Why We Really Lost Tesla. When I read Congressman Ruiz's article primarily blaming me for Tesla Motors choosing Nevada over California for the location of their battery plant, I wasn't sure if he was joking or if he is completely naive. First, California was never seriously being considered for the plant. Why? Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/contributors/2014/09/13/brian-nestande-valley-voice/15604415/ Protect your lungs; treat wood smoke like cigarette smoke. OPINION: Once the health hazards of secondhand cigarette smoke were firmly established, sweeping ordinances throughout the country were passed to protect people. Protection from wood smoke is even more medically justified. Civilization requires balancing the curtailment of one person’s freedoms with the protection of others and the greater good. Posted. http://www.adn.com/article/20140912/protect-your-lungs-treat-wood-smoke-cigarette-smoke BLOGS In a Season of Deadly Rains in India, Does the New Prime Minister Believe in Climate Change? More than 450 deaths were reported as monsoon floods ravaged parts of northern Pakistan and the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir last week. The area is weathering the heaviest rainy season in more than half a century. A photo essay compiled for The Atlantic illustrates the awful scale of the devastation. Posted. http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/its-a-season-of-deadly-rains-in-india-does-the-new-prime-minister-believe-in-climate-change/ Climate change report: prevent damage by overhauling global economy. Reducing emissions can generate better growth than old high-carbon model, says co-author of report, Lord Stern. The world can still act in time to stave off the worst effects of climate change, and enjoy the fruits of continued economic growth as long as the global economy can be transformed within the next 15 years, a group of the world's leading economists and political leaders will argue on Tuesday. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/16/climate-change-report-damage-overhaul-global-economy Cities can lead on climate change to build a resilient future. Vancouver mayor, Gregor Robertson, explains how a price on carbon is helping his city become the greenest in the world. Around the world, cities are taking the lead on addressing the challenge of climate change. While senior governments stall, urban leaders are responding to the urgent need to make our cities more resilient as climate change impacts intensify. In Vancouver…Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/connect4climate-partner-zone/2014/sep/15/cities-can-lead-on-climate-change-to-build-a-resilient-future/print California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 13:54:55 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 17, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 17, 2014. 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 Bill aims to change red lights to green. Ever feel like every traffic light is a red light? There’s a bill at the Capitol that could ease that frustrating feeling by freeing up money for traffic light synchronization in San Diego County and across California. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/16/ab-1447-marie-waldron-traffic-synchronization/ AIR POLLUTION Ditching cars for buses, bikes best way to cut city pollution: study. Encouraging people to abandon their cars and use public transport or walk or cycle around cities offers the "least pain, most gain" way to cut air pollution from traffic by 2050, a new international study said on Wednesday. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/16/us-foundation-climatechange-transportati-idUSKBN0HB2PA20140916?feedType=RSS EPA grants extension on power plant pollution plan. The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday gave the public 45 more days to weigh in on a plan that would for the first time curb the pollution blamed for global warming from the nation's coal-fired power plants. The agency said it was still aiming to finalize the rules by next summer. The agency has already received 750,000 comments on the plan it unveiled in early June…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EPA-grants-extension-on-power-plant-pollution-plan-5759316.php CMS spending $1 billion to settle pollution case. The U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday that CMS Energy Corp. will undertake an estimated $1 billion program to cut emissions from five coal-fired power plants in Michigan to settle air pollution complaints. The government said that the utility's Consumers Energy subsidiary agreed to a plan to cut 46,500 tons of sulfur dioxide and other emissions annually from plants…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/CMS-spending-1-billion-to-settle-pollution-case-5759322.php http://www.vcstar.com/news/cms-spending-1-billion-to-settle-pollution-case_11593713 King Fire Brings Health Advisories in Nevada, California. The National Weather Service in Reno says "slight changes in wind directions and fire activity" will determine which areas get the smoke. Since the fire started Saturday, Sept. 13, smoke has affected California counties north of the fire and Lake Tahoe, Truckee and Reno. Posted. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/09/16/king-fire-brings-health-advisories-in-nevada,-california/ Pollution Prevention Week in Sonoma County. An annual phenomenon of promoting sustainability and the environment has made its way back around this year to Sonoma County. Starting on the third Monday of September each year is National Pollution Prevention Week. Originating in California in 1992, Prevention Week has gained popularity throughout the entire nation and in the local community. Posted. http://www.sonomastatestar.com/news/2014/9/16/pollution-prevention-week-in-sonoma-county Air district looks to tighten wood burning regulations. The nights spent sitting by a warm fire could be even fewer this winter as the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District considers issuing more wood burning curtailments. Posted. http://www.turlockjournal.com/section/12/article/27457/ Salton Sea odors prompt advisory by air agency. Odors from the Salton Sea have returned to parts of the Coachella Valley. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued an odor advisory on Tuesday after an air monitor near the Salton Sea detected higher-than-normal levels of a gas that smells like rotten eggs. Posted. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/09/16/salton-sea-odor-advisory/15733391/ GOP bill to address feasibility of meeting a tighter ozone standard. A pair of Republican lawmakers plans to introduce legislation today to compel U.S. EPA to take into account economic impacts when it considers whether to tighten the federal ozone standard. The legislation sponsored by Rep. Pete Olson (R-Texas) and co-sponsored by Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) would require the agency to base a new National Ambient Air Quality Standard on both public health effects…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060005988/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE U.S. Moves to Reduce Global Warming Emissions. The Obama administration on Tuesday announced a series of moves aimed at cutting emissions of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, powerful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. The White House has secured voluntary agreements from some of the nation’s largest companies to scale down or phase out their use of HFCs, which are factory-made gases used in air conditioning and refrigeration. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/17/us/hfc-emissions-cut-under-agreement.html?ref=earth Climate Report Details Flood Risk to Sites in Washington. The nation’s capital is likely to see record flooding by 2050, putting about $7 billion worth of property, three military bases and parts of the National Mall at risk as a result of climate change that is raising sea levels all over the world, according to a report released Tuesday by the research group Climate Central. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/17/us/climate-report-details-flood-risk-to-sites-in-washington.html Climate change may add billions to wildfire costs, study says. As wildfires burned in California, a study by several major environmental groups estimated that climate change could mean that future blazes will be much larger and add billions of dollars to already costly losses. The 46-page study released Tuesday, titled "Flammable Planet: Wildfires and the Social Cost of Carbon,”…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-wildfire-climate-change-20140917-story.html Big firms agree to cut use of coolants that add to global warming. A week before world leaders will discuss how to slow the increase of dangerous gases in the atmosphere, the Obama administration announced that it has reached agreements with a range of major companies to voluntarily phase out a class of chemicals, used in refrigerators and air conditioners, and seen as contributors to global warming. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-obama-global-warming-coolants-20140916-story.html DROUGHT Governor Signs First California Groundwater Rules. California will no longer be the last Western state with a pump-as-you-please approach to groundwater. Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation on Tuesday overhauling the state's management of its groundwater supply, bringing it in line with other states that have long regulated their wells. Groundwater makes up nearly 60 percent of California's water use during dry years. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_XGR_CALIFORNIA_DROUGHT_GROUNDWATER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-water-brown-20140917-story.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/price-of-paradise/brown-signs-historic-laws-to-regulate-groundwater-pumping_35543148 http://www.dailybulletin.com/article/20140916/NEWS/140919528 http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/governor-signs-california-groundwater-rules-25542641 Things to know about California groundwater law. Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Tuesday that will require the first-ever rules for pumping groundwater in California. Why lawmakers and the governor acted, and what the new laws mean: WHAT IS GROUNDWATER? It's the water that accumulates below the earth's surface, filling empty spaces and cracks in the rock. Farmers and agencies can tap it by drilling wells. It's an especially valuable source of water during times of drought…Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/16/things-to-know-about-california-groundwater-law/ DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB Approves All-Electric Shuttle Bus Platform. Phoenix Cars LLC, a developer of light- and medium-duty electric vehicles for fleet applications, says the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has approved its all-electric shuttle bus, the ZEUS 300 (Zero Emissions Utility Shuttle 300 series). Posted. http://www.ngtnews.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10062#.VBmw42PxCSp FUELS RFA Submits Comments to CARB on LCFS Lifecycle Analysis Tool. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted comments to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on Monday voicing support for CARB’s proposal to transition to a new version of the GREET model…Posted. http://www.ethanolrfa.org/news/entry/rfa-submits-comments-to-carb-on-lcfs-lifecycle-analysis-tool/ FRACKING Landmark fracking study finds no water pollution. The final report from a landmark federal study on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, found no evidence that chemicals or brine water from the gas drilling process moved upward to contaminate drinking water at a site in western Pennsylvania. The Department of Energy report, released Monday, was the first time an energy company allowed independent monitoring of a drilling site during the fracking process and for 18 months afterward. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAS_DRILLING_WATER_CONTAMINATION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/16/landmark-fracking-study-finds-no-water-pollution/ VEHICLES Major shift away from cars needed to achieve 40% cut in urban transport emissions – study. If the world's cities focused their investments on expanding public transportation, walking and cycling, they could save more than $100 trillion in public and private capital and urban transportation operating costs between now and 2050, according to a report released today by the University of California, Davis, and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP). Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005960/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Jindal: Obama hasn't done enough to harness energy. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said Tuesday that President Barack Obama's administration has become "science deniers," failing to do enough to harness the nation's energy potential. Jindal, a potential Republican presidential candidate, said Obama's policies have limited oil and natural gas production on federal lands, stalled approval of the Keystone XL pipeline and pushed regulations on power plants. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOP_2016_JINDAL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Jindal-Obama-hasn-t-done-enough-to-harness-energy-5758807.php Electric Vehicles Are Cleaner, but Still Not a Magic Bullet. The Union of Concerned Scientists said on Tuesday that in 60 percent of the United States, electric vehicles are now responsible for fewer heat-trapping global warming emissions per mile than even the most efficient hybrids. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/17/automobiles/electric-vehicles-are-cleaner-but-still-not-a-magic-bullet.html Jordan Finds Energy Sources in Unlikely Places. This month, Jordan, a crucial yet energy-poor Western ally, announced a landmark 15-year deal to import vast amounts of natural gas from Israel. The plan, worth $15 billion, would make Israel Jordan’s largest gas supplier, according to the Israeli business daily GlobesPosted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/business/energy-environment/jordan-finds-energy-sources-in-unlikely-places.html Big solar plant in Mojave Desert gets state's OK. Despite environmental concerns, the California Energy Commission has given a preliminary green light to an Oakland company's second big solar project in the California desert. The proposed BrightSource Energy facility would be the latest in a series of solar plants that the Obama administration is subsidizing in the Mojave Desert. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Big-solar-plant-in-Mojave-Desert-gets-state-s-OK-5757299.php Production to resume at renewable diesel plant. The Diamond Green Diesel facility in Norco is expected to return to production next week. That's according to joint-venture partner Darling Ingredients. The facility has been shut down since an explosion and fire on Aug. 3. The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/1s6F6A0) the startup process began on Sept. 15. No one was injured in the blast. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/17/3543211_production-to-resume-at-renewable.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy 2 buoys will help the U.S. explore vast offshore wind power potential. Developers hoping to make offshore wind power a commercial reality in the United States have been slowed in part by one problem: None of the instruments measuring offshore wind speeds is recording winds at 600 feet above sea level, the height of the wind turbine blades. This particular obstacle may soon be solved with the launch of two bright-yellow highly equipped research buoys designed to do just that. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060005929/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY SolarCity says it can make commercial rooftops into better power plants. The country's largest residential rooftop solar installer, SolarCity Corp., announced yesterday that it has a new approach for installing on flat rooftops that could help some commercial buildings boost their solar power by 20 to 50 percent. The news reflects how dropping prices for solar modules are stimulating a race to alter and improve other parts of the solar system…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060005937/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Leonardo DiCaprio gets a climate-change gig with the U.N. Leonardo DiCaprio will be the face of the United Nations' effort to raise awareness of its climate change efforts. The "Wolf of Wall Street" star was bestowed the rather weighty-sounding title of "Messenger of Peace" on Tuesday, courtesy of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-leonardo-dicaprio-united-nations-climate-change-ambassador-20140916-story.html Claremont aims to beat Riverside in CoolCalifornia City Challenge. The battle for the “Coolest California City” is between this city and Riverside. Only 93,000 points separate the two top spots in the statewide challenge that invites residents of each city to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices. As of Tuesday, Claremont trails Riverside in the CoolCalifornia City Challenge. Claremont has earned 1.66 million points while Riverside leads with 1.75 million points. Posted. http://www.dailybulletin.com/environment-and-nature/20140916/claremont-aims-to-beat-riverside-in-coolcalifornia-city-challenge OPINIONS France Bets on Geothermal Energy. France is making a new push to develop geothermal energy. The goal is to reduce the carbon emissions that contribute to global warming while ensuring the nation’s energy independence. Hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas was banned in France in 2011, and the government of President François Hollande has pledged to reduce the country’s dependence on nuclear power from 75 percent of electricity…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/opinion/france-bets-on-geothermal-energy.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A5%22} Editorial: Up in the sky, a lesson. THE PAST: Alarmed by a thinning ozone later, humanity took action, and it's starting to pay off. THE FUTURE: Will we bring the same survival instinct to the politics of climate change? More than three decades after the human beings began taking steps to undo the damage they were causing to Earth's ozone layer, this protective shield is showing signs of recovery. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Editorial-Up-in-the-sky-a-lesson-5760196.php Don't let them pave Paradise. Wake up, citizens of Bridgeport and Stratford. We might lose a piece of Paradise and not realize what a treasure we have until it's gone. I'm talking about Remington Woods, a beautiful 42-acre urban forest in Bridgeport and Stratford which surrounds the 23-acre Lake Success and wetlands. The Woods is home to the endangered box turtle, fox, deer, many birds and thousands of trees. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Don-t-let-them-pave-Paradise-5759833.php Viewpoints: Even without Tesla, electric car batteries can boost state. California leaders are wringing their hands now that Tesla Motors has chosen Nevada as the site for its planned $5 billion “gigafactory.” Lost to California is a battery superfactory with 6,500 on-site jobs, plus thousands more in supportive industries. But California still has an opportunity to boost an entirely different battery supply market…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/17/6712372/viewpoints-even-without-tesla.html#storylink=cpy Climate change revisited. In January 2010 I wrote an essay for CalCoastNews entitled “The Climate Change Challenge.” It is interesting but sobering to see in what ways the picture has and has not changed since then. A good portion of my 2010 article was in response to misinformation from a local office seeker who repeated some of the most common myths about climate change. Posted. http://calcoastnews.com/2014/09/climate-change-revisited/ Editorial: Bag banners' real bugaboo. Think that California’s plastic bag ban will finally stop the controversy over shopping bags? Think again. Sure, legislators succeeded in doling out enough favors to resurrect the disappointing law. But environmentalists are already raising the alarm all over again. Believe it or not, the critics aren’t satisfied with scrapping single-use plastic bags. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bags-635290-bag-use.html Combating global warming: good for economic growth, after all? (+video). New study concludes that much of the investment needed to reduce global emissions makes good economic sense irrespective of climate benefits. When it comes to investing in efforts to combat global warming, international financial markets have the money. What's missing? Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2014/0916/Combating-global-warming-good-for-economic-growth-after-all-video BLOGS Drought Becomes Powerful Political Tool for Brown, Lawmakers. Gov. Jerry Brown didn’t miss a beat on Tuesday when asked what made a deal come together on a first-ever law regulating the use of groundwater in California. “First of all, we’ve got a drought,” said Brown. “And that’s got everybody’s attention.” And that attention has allowed Brown, partially in public and a lot behind the scenes…. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2014/09/16/drought-becomes-powerful-political-tool-for-jerry-brown-and-lawmakers As Global Temperatures Rise, Beloved Bird Species Are Leaving for More Suitable Locales. Last week, a new study by the National Audubon Society found that if global warming continues on its current trajectory, 314 U.S. and Canadian bird species -- more than half of the 588 species studied -- could lose 50 percent or more of their current territories by 2080. Many could lose so much ground that they will face extinction. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-yarnold/as-global-temperatures-ri_b_5836656.html EPA Rules Could Breathe New Life into Cap and Trade. Cap and trade may be dead on Capitol Hill, but states could use it to meet new EPA targets for reducing power plants’ carbon emissions. Earlier this year, mayors from across the country renewed a pledge to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, building on the 10th anniversary of a national movement that brought new bike lanes, solar panels and entire fleets of hybrid government vehicles to cities. Posted. http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-epa-cap-trade-power-plant.html First test drive shows promise of Saab 9-3 EV. We can't read Swedish, so when it comes to a first-drive review of a Saab 9-3 electric-vehicle prototype, we'll trust Inside EVs' translation of a write-up from Swedish automotive publication Elbilen i Sverige. And it's a decent one. The write-up, that is. The translation, too, we hope. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/16/first-test-drive-shows-promise-of-saab-9-3-ev/ Global shift away from cars saves US$100 trillion, eliminates 1,700 MT of CO2 pollution. More than $100 trillion in cumulative public and private spending, and 1,700 megatons of annual carbon dioxide (CO2)—a 40 percent reduction of urban passenger transport emissions—could be eliminated by 2050 if the world expands public transportation…Posted. http://phys.org/news/2014-09-global-shift-cars-us100-trillion.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 13:08:12 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 18, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 18, 2014. 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 China seeks to fight smog by brainstorm: All ideas welcome. The city of Wuhan is considering building skyscrapers coated with a high-tech substance that can "eat" air pollutants. An artist is offering to suck particulates out of Beijing's dirty sky using a giant vacuum-cleaner-type device and sell jewelry made with the collected contaminants. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/world/china-seeks-to-fight-smog-by-brainstorm-all-ideas-welcome_82701050 Valley air board considers wood-burning restrictions at Thursday meeting. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District board is scheduled Thursday to vote on tighter wood-burning restrictions. If the board votes to change the wood-burning rule, it probably will double the number of no-burn days in the Valley for folks who use fireplaces or older wood-burning devices, such as stoves. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/18/3545126/valley-air-board-considers-wood.html#storylink=cpy CLIMATE CHANGE Busy Days Precede a March Focusing on Climate Change. In a three-story warehouse in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, hundreds of people are working to turn the People’s Climate March planned for Sunday into a visual spectacle. There were victims of Hurricane Sandy from the Rockaways toiling with artists on a 30-foot inflatable life preserver, and immigrant artists constructing a papier-mâché tree embedded with axes. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/nyregion/busy-days-precede-climate-change-march-in-manhattan-on-sunday.html With Eye on 2016, Christie Resists Climate-Change Plan for New Jersey. As Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey explores a 2016 presidential campaign, he is under growing pressure from his State Legislature to rejoin a regional cap-and-trade program that would limit New Jersey’s carbon emissions — and likely hurt his chances for the Republican nomination. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/us/politics/with-eye-on-2016-christie-resists-climate-change-plan-for-new-jersey.html Climate change takes center stage in New York next week. Climate change will take center stage in New York City next week with a triple-header of events intended to shine a spotlight on global warming. The first event, the People's Climate March, is Sunday. Organizers expect 100,000 people for what they say will be the biggest demonstration ever for climate action. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/18/climate-week-march-united-nations-summit/15710775/ Climate change: Summer was hottest on record worldwide. You wouldn't know it in San Francisco, where summer temperatures have been characteristically moderate, but last month was the hottest August on record worldwide, according to federal climate data released Thursday. Last month's heat adds to a historic year, with two of the prior three months also posting their warmest average temperatures since record-keeping began in 1880. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Climate-change-Summer-was-hottest-on-record-5764855.php White House officials acknowledge their climate plan's limits, but decry inaction. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. That was the message from top White House officials yesterday as they grappled with Republican critics of the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan. The officials argued that action, even limited, is preferable to and less expensive than inaction on climate change. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006046/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISO study suggests bigger is better when it comes to EPA carbon compliance. States within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator's footprint could save billions of dollars complying with U.S. EPA's proposed carbon rules for existing power plants by banding together and applying strategies beyond the four "building blocks" put forward by the federal agency, according to an analysis by the grid operator. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060006050/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT 'Hi, do you have water?' In a Central Calif. town, answer is often no. The grandmother sat outside in her Sunday best next to a house with peeling paint, her canned iced tea resting on top of a washing machine that didn't work. She'd been without running water for four months. Up an easy-to-miss dirt road, a 70-year-old woman moved 5-gallon jugs of water into her single-wide trailer. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/great-reads/la-me-c1-east-porterville-20140918-story.html#page=1 California drought: Alamo Square Park sprinkler problems. The state is locked in what Gov. Jerry Brown has called its worst drought on record, prompting San Francisco to impose a 10 percent cut last month on outdoor watering. But anybody walking by Alamo Square Park at night might get the impression that the city is flush with the stuff. When the sprinklers come on after hours at one of San Francisco's iconic attractions, water flows…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-Alamo-Square-Park-sprinkler-5762969.php Why fewer acres have burned this year despite California drought. It may feel like all of bone-dry Northern California is on fire, with blazes chewing up land from the Oregon border to Yosemite to here in El Dorado County, where thousands of people were on edge Wednesday after being chased from their threatened homes. But California has seen fewer acres burn than last year, state and federal officials said, and only slightly more land has been blackened than the five-year average. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Firefighters-continue-attack-on-drought-driven-5761346.php Los Angeles reached 103 degrees this week. How drought is to blame (+video). Temperatures in Los Angeles reached 103 degrees this week, accompanied by rolling power outages. California's historic drought is contributing to severe high temperatures, experts say. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2014/0917/Los-Angeles-reached-103-degrees-this-week.-How-drought-is-to-blame-video FUELS Chevron meets shale drilling rules. Chevron has become the first energy company to meet a new set of voluntary shale gas drilling standards that aim to go beyond existing state laws in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, the Pittsburgh-based Center for Sustainable Shale announced Thursday. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAS_DRILLING_CHEVRON?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/18/6716658/apnewsbreak-chevron-meets-shale.html#storylink=cpy http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/18/apnewsbreak-chevron-meets-shale-drilling-rules/ Major forest certifier seeks role in reducing wood-to-fuel controversy. At this week's annual meeting of the world's largest forest certification organization, representatives from the biomass industry were reassured of their place in future efforts to promote sustainable forest management. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006047/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Try out a plug-in car, for free. What is it like to live with a plug-in car? A promotional event for electric vehicles in San Diego on Saturday will offer a close-up look and discussions of the latest in green car technology, including a test drive of new models. California plug-in car sales surpassed 100,000 in August, as state and federal authorities encourage drivers to reduce their dependence on gasoline and diesel fuel. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/17/electric-vehicle-day/ Toyota quietly rolls 2015 fuel cell car into town. One automaker's vision of the transportation future sat parked under a broiling sun not far from AT&T Park baseball stadium Tuesday. But the blackout tint on the sedan's windows wasn't to keep the interior cool, but hidden. Toyota quietly rolled into town with the newest addition to its eco-conscious fleet, the 2015 FCV. That stands for Fuel Cell Vehicle and translates to hydrogen power. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/09/17/toyota-2015-fcv-hydrogen-powered-car/15744945/ GREEN ENERGY UPDATE 1-Green aid test for U.N. climate summit as poor seek $15 bln. A U.N. summit on climate change next week will test rich nations' willingness to fill a near-empty fund to help the poor, but pledges are likely to be far short of developing nations' hopes for $15 billion in 2014. Emerging nations say that cash for the Green Climate Fund (GCF), meant to help the poor with projects to curb rising greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to heatwaves, floods and rising seas, is vital to combat global warming. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/09/18/un-climatechange-fund-idINL6N0RJ3VR20140918 US to train veterans to install solar panels. The U.S. is planning to train veterans to become solar panel installers in the next six years, the White House said Thursday. The jobs training program is among a host of initiatives the White House says will cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 300 million tons through 2030, plus save billions of dollars on energy bills for homeowners and businesses. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/18/us-to-train-veterans-to-install-solar-panels/ Future shock: Concept car comes to Santa Cruz. Dutch car blends solar and electric technologies. Stella is nothing like your grandfather's wood-paneled station wagon. Low-slung and almost insect-like in its profile, "Stella" is a Dutch concept car that represents an evolutionary leap in the clamor for climate-friendly cars that are also practical. Billed as the world's first solar-powered family car…Posted. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santacruz/ci_26555880/future-shock-concept-car-comes-santa-cruz BLOGS Can the U.S. and China Find Harmony in Pursuing Climate Progress? Jeff Goodell, who’s written fine books on “big coal” and the batch of climate-manipulating ideas known as geo-engineering, has written an invaluable feature on China’s energy and climate plans for Rolling Stone: “China, the Climate and the Fate of the Planet.” Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/17/can-the-u-s-and-china-find-harmony-in-pursuing-climate-progress/ New York Today: Climate March Countdown. People are getting out their climate marching shoes. And possibly their kazoos. The People’s Climate March is happening on Sunday in Manhattan. We checked in with Lisa Foderaro, The Times’s reporter who covered the preparations for the march. The climax will be a moment of cacophony at 1 p.m., when about 20 marching bands and church bells across the city will “sound the alarm” on climate change. Posted. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/new-york-today-climate-march-countdown/ Hog Island Oyster Farm Fights Climate Change as Demand Soars. Oysters are big business. That might not be immediately apparent on a visit to Hog Island Oyster Company in Northern California’s bucolic Tomales Bay, where the place still has a seafood shack sensibility. The farm was started more than 30 years ago by two marine biologists who borrowed $500 from parents and a boat from neighbors and began cultivating briny bivalves in five-acres of intertidal waters. Posted. http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2014/09/17/hog-island-oyster-farm-fights-climate-change-as-demand-soars/ Five Reasons Now is the Time for Federal Standards to Reduce Oil and Gas Methane Emissions. Today sixteen leaders of the nation’s largest environmental and conservation groups, including EDF’s president Fred Krupp, came together to call for urgent federal action to curb methane emissions from oil and gas development. This past march, President Obama laid out his Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions, where he announced that the Environmental Protection Agency…Posted. http://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/2014/09/18/five-reasons-now-is-the-time-for-federal-standards-to-reduce-oil-and-gas-methane-emissions/#sthash.FFbTvvAI.dpuf http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ddoniger/a_one-two_punch_to_curb_powerf.html UN Climate Summit Will Be a Time of Reckoning. Next week President Obama will attend the United Nations Climate Summit in New York. Over 125 heads of government will gather for the event, more than the 2009 climate talks in Copenhagen. This summit is not designed to generate a legal agreement, but it will offer an important moment of reckoning. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frances-beinecke/un-climate-summit-will-be_b_5835902.html Blink, CarCharging Group catching flack for EV charging price hike. Joe Dugandzic of Phoenix, AZ doesn't like to see the cost for driving his EV increase. So much so that he started a petition against a recent price hike by CarCharging Group, Inc. (which owns Blink) asking the company to reverse the increase. The hike is somewhat hidden in the change to how Blink charges users for battery juice in some locations. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/17/blink-carcharging-group-catching-flack-ev-charging-price-hike/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 14:02:43 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for September 19, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 19, 2014. 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 Sacramento Report: Road Rage and Bill Basics. Traffic jams are annoying. Potholes, too. But according to a recent study by a Washington D.C. think tank, their impact isn’t limited to our psyches. They’re hitting our pocketbooks as well. A nonprofit group called The Road Information Program found that congested and deficient roads cost Californians an astounding $44 billion a year in extra car expenses and traffic-related delays. That works out to nearly $1,900 annually per San Diego-area driver. Posted. http://voiceofsandiego.org/2014/09/19/sacramento-report-road-rage-and-bill-basics/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+voice-of-san-diego-all-articles+(All+articles+voiceofsandiego.org+--+full+feed) Québec and California to hold their first joint auction of greenhouse gas emission units in November. Québec Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change David Heurtel, and California Air Resources Board (CARB) Chairman Mary Nichols today announced that the first joint Québec-California carbon market auction will be held on November 19, 2014. "This first linked auction is the final step in the consolidation of the Québec and California markets. Posted. http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1413964/quebec-and-california-to-hold-their-first-joint-auction-of-greenhouse-gas-emission-units-in-november http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/09/19/stories/1060006138 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Bay Area scrap recycler fined over bay pollution. A Redwood City scrap metal recycling company was fined $189,500 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday for allegedly polluting San Francisco Bay with metal debris. Since at least the early 1990s, Sims Metal Management allowed toxic dust from metals including mercury, lead, copper, zinc and polychlorinated biphenyls to blow off the top and sides of an elevated conveyor system at its Port of Redwood City facility …Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Area-scrap-recycler-fined-over-bay-pollution-5765232.php http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_26562689/EPA-fines-Sims-Metal-plant-in-Redwood-City-189500-for-polluting-the-Bay Northern California wildfire grows more slowly. A wildfire that has driven some 2,800 people from their homes in Northern California is growing but not as substantially as in previous days. Fire officials say the wind-whipped blaze about 60 miles east of Sacramento had burned through 119 square miles of timber and vegetation as of Friday morning, up about 5 square miles from the previous day. It remains 10 percent contained, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26566026/Northern-California-wildfire-grows-more-slowly Tougher San Joaquin Valley wood-burning rules begin in 6 weeks. San Joaquin Valley air leaders on Thursday approved tighter wood-burning rules aimed at about 240,000 homes creating 95% of the dangerous soot from fireplaces and older wood-burning heaters. The rules could result in 85 no-burn days for Fresno County alone -- and it all starts in about six weeks. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/09/18/3854820_valley-air-board-considers-wood.html?rh=1 Air district adopts compromise on ‘no burn’ days. The new rules are expected to nearly triple “no burn” days in Merced County from an average of 19 to 55, among 120 winter days from November through February. Air-quality leaders on Thursday approved landmark restrictions that will significantly affect people who burn wood. Rather than dwell on when they can’t burn, leaders want to emphasize a compromise focusing on when they can. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/09/18/3856262_air-district-adopts-compromise.html?sp=/99/215/268/&rh=1#storylink=cpy Air Pollution–Scrubbing Roof Tiles Get Real. Despite the advancements made in regulating low-emission cars and city buses, air pollution remains a deadly killer — and a highly visible threat! — across the world. What’s needed, ultimately, isn’t just technology that reduces the amount of pollution we put into the air, but that actually cleans the air around us. That was the motivation behind a team of engineering students at the University of California who coated ceramic roofing tiles with titanium dioxide…Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/09/18/air-pollution-scrubbing-roof-tiles-get-real/ Report: Ohio in the Top Five States for Carbon Pollution. The Buckeye State ranks fifth in the nation in a new list of states with the dirtiest air. According to the Environment Ohio Research and Policy Center, Ohio's power plants spew as much carbon into the atmosphere as the entire nation of Kuwait. Posted. http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2014-09-19/environment/report-ohio-in-the-top-five-states-for-carbon-pollution/a41788-1 CLIMATE CHANGE Don't expect too much from leaders at climate summit – experts. World leaders attending a U.N. summit on Tuesday are unlikely to offer new action on climate change that is ambitious enough to keep global temperature rise to safe levels - but opinion is divided on whether that matters. The one-day event in New York, called by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, is intended to mobilise political will for a global climate deal due to be agreed in Paris in December 2015…Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/09/19/foundation-climatechange-summit-idINKBN0HE1KY20140919 At UN, Obama to urge nations to go big on climate. Having spent political capital fighting climate change at home, President Barack Obama will turn his sights overseas next week, urging fellow heads of state to be as ambitious as possible as they negotiate a make-or-break global treaty to be finalized in Paris next year. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/at-un-obama-to-urge-nations-to-go-big-on-climate/2014/09/18/6445765e-3f7a-11e4-a430-b82a3e67b762_story.html Hong Kong’s Air Pollution Reaches ‘Serious’ Level on Storm. Hong Kong’s air pollution reached the “serious” level today, the worst in almost two months, as an approaching tropical storm led to haze. The pollution, as measured by the Air Quality Health Index, reached the highest level of 10 plus at seven monitoring stations, while the other stations had readings that ranged from 8 to 10, according to the Environmental Protection Department website. Posted. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-09-19/hong-kong-s-air-pollution-reaches-serious-level-on-storm The Cost of Fixing Climate Change. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions could boost the economy rather than slow it, according to a new study by the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. Better Growth, Better Climate: The New Climate Economy Report finds that roughly $90 trillion will be spent in the next 15 years on new infrastructure around the world. Adopting rules that redirect that investment toward low-emissions options…Posted. http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/09/18/the-cost-of-fixing-climate-change/ DROUGHT Chances high for another dry winter in Monterey County. Brown is becoming the new green, and chances are the Salinas Valley will have another dry winter this year that will speed up that shift in colors. A weak El Niño pattern, statistically, will not bring the rainfall needed and hoped for to the Salinas Valley this winter, according to a new report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a statistical analysis…Posted. http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/local/2014/09/19/chances-high-another-dry-winter-monterey-county/15860431/ 'Brown is beautiful' landscaping bill signed by governor. Laws protect residents in HOAs who replace or reduce watering lawns. Gov. Jerry Brown signed a pair of bills on Thursday that protect residents in homeowners associations across San Diego County and California who want to replace their water guzzling lawns with drought tolerant plants, or just cut back on turf watering during a drought. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/18/hoa-drought-lawns-water-ab2104-gonzalez/ FUELS Obama admin inks 'game changer' deals with biorefineries. The Obama administration's hard-fought effort to use military purchasing power to spur the creation of a commercial-scale biofuel industry took a major step forward this morning with the awarding of three new fuel contracts. Together, the contracts are for the production of more than 100 million gallons per year of drop-in biofuels to be used in military jets and ships. The weighted average price of the fuel under the contracts is $3.45 a gallon, the administration said -- roughly the price for conventional military fuels…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060006167/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Your Electric Car Isn’t Making the Air Any Cleaner. Rich places get most California green vehicle subsidies—and the environmental benefits of rich people’s Teslas are canceled out by all the gas-guzzling clunkers still on our roads. This is a tale of two zip codes. Posted. http://time.com/3398981/your-electric-car-isnt-making-the-air-any-cleaner/ Smart Electric Cars to Measure Air Pollution in Britain. Cenex and the Air Quality Group at the University of Leicester will collaborate to measure air pollution using specially equipped Smart EVs. Scientists from the University of Leicester will be taking to the streets from tomorrow (July 4) in electric vehicles (EVs) fitted with specialized air monitoring sensors, to measure the extent of air pollution in city environments. Posted. http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=33531 GREEN ENERGY Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach chiefs discuss green efforts at PortTech Expo. The heads of the nation’s two busiest seaports on Wednesday spoke about their strides to make the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach more environmentally sustainable while remaining economically competitive. Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka and Port of Long Beach Executive Director Jon Slangerup participated at a panel moderated by Federal Maritime Commission…Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/business/20140917/ports-of-los-angeles-long-beach-chiefs-discuss-green-efforts-at-porttech-expo U.S. schools quickly climbing learning curve in solar power. America's K-12 schools are among the fastest adopters of solar power in the United States, with an estimated 3,000 new solar installations coming online between 2008 and 2012, a fivefold increase, according to a new study from the Solar Foundation and the Solar Energy Industries Association. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006112/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY U.S., Canada pledge energy cooperation on Moniz visit. Emissions reductions in the United States could help Canadian energy producers if their systems are more closely integrated. U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Canadian Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford agreed yesterday at a meeting in Ottawa, Ontario, to increase collaboration in energy research, regulation and trade. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060006157/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY 'Flood' of used EV batteries could help Calif. store more renewable energy – study. Used batteries from plug-in electric vehicles could help California meet its goals for energy storage, a report from the University of California, Los Angeles, and UC Berkeley law schools said. In a few years, there will be a growing number of EV batteries that have lost some of their ability to hold power, the analysis said. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006142/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS California teachers fund to boost clean energy bets. The California State Teachers' Retirement System says it plans to increase its investments in clean energy and technology to $3.7 billion, from $1.4 billion, over the next five years. CalSTRS CEO Jack Ehnes says the pension fund is seeing more opportunities in low-carbon projects and technologies. The fund is hoping also to help push for stronger policies aimed at fighting climate change, Ehnes says. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_26566788/california-teachers-fund-to-boost-clean-energy-bets http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/19/3547528/calif-teachers-fund-to-boost-clean.html#storylink=misearch King Fire Blow-up from ARB offices (VIDEO). Posted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6zIANfdhMo&utm_content=buffercaae9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer OPINIONS Errors and Emissions. Could Fighting Global Warming Be Cheap and Free? This just in: Saving the planet would be cheap; it might even be free. But will anyone believe the good news? I’ve just been reading two new reports on the economics of fighting climate change: a big study by a blue-ribbon international group, the New Climate Economy Project, and a working paper from the International Monetary Fund. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/opinion/paul-krugman-could-fighting-global-warming-be-cheap-and-free.html?_r=0 Editorial: Support carbon pollution limits for power plants. Few things are more frightening for a parent than racing to the hospital with a child who can’t breathe. Few things are more difficult for a physician than telling a family that a loved one will not recover from an asthma attack. We work with people who know those experiences far too well, and because of those experiences, we support reducing carbon pollution. Posted. http://scoopsandiego.com/lifestyles/health_wellness/editorial-support-carbon-pollution-limits-for-power-plants/article_d626bde0-3e9f-11e4-8973-001a4bcf6878.html http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2014/09/paul-krugman-errors-and-emissions.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EconomistsView+(Economist's+View) Golden Hammer: Obama’s grants to cut diesel emissions leave IG fuming, waste millions. A part of the $800 billion stimulus package that President Obama pushed through Congress in 2009 was aimed at reducing diesel emissions and helping the environment, but a big chunk of it may have gone up in smoke, according to a new internal audit. Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/sep/18/golden-hammer-obamas-grants-to-cut-diesel-emission/?page=1#ixzz3Dmpk269E The deepest cuts. Our guide to the actions that have done the most to slow global warming. ON SEPTEMBER 23rd 120-odd presidents and prime ministers will gather in New York for a UN meeting on climate change. It is the first time the subject has brought so many leaders together since the ill-fated Copenhagen summit of 2009. Now, as then, they will assert that reining in global warming is a political priority. Posted. http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21618680-our-guide-actions-have-done-most-slow-global-warming-deepest-cuts BLOGS China can rise to the challenge on climate change and air pollution. Next week in New York, national leaders from around the world will gather for a Climate Summit to announce their countries’ actions and contributions for strengthening global efforts to tackle climate change. Zhang Gaoli, the Vice Premier in charge of China’s climate policy, will be representing China at the summit. When he takes the podium, he will be speaking on behalf of a country that is the world’s largest energy user and carbon emitter…Posted. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/alin/china_can_rise_to_the_challeng.html Price slowly rising on carbon emissions in US cap-and-trade states. Economists and policymakers frequently talk about the "social cost of carbon"—the price that society as a whole pays for disruptions caused by climate change and ocean acidification. Although there are various ways of calculating it that give different results, the US currently estimates the cost at $37 a ton. At least nationally, however, there have been no attempts to get anyone to actually pay this price for their emissions. Posted. http://techupdates.com/go/922746# IRS won't, or can't, reveal how many plug-in vehicle tax credits are left. One of the benefits of driving a plug-in vehicle these days is a federal tax credit worth up to $7,500. Officially called IRC 30D, this credit is intended to make the high cost of new EVs sting less for early adopters. Of course, free government money doesn't last forever, and when the tax credit law was first passed in as part of the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008, lawmakers built in a phase out. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/18/irs-plug-in-car-tax-credit-confusion/ Toyota ad says fuel cell cars are inevitable. Toyota's confidence in H2 technology remains as strong as ever. The company has released a new commercial that says it's not a matter of if we all start driving hydrogen cars, but when. In fact, the 70-second spot calls 2015 the turning point for the alternative powertrain technology. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/18/toyota-ad-says-fuel-cell-cars-inevitable-video/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:12:47 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 22, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 22, 2014. 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 California, Quebec to hold first joint carbon auction. In a significant milestone for “cap and trade” carbon markets, California and Quebec have announced that their first combined auction of greenhouse gas emission credits will be held Nov. 19. Officials said the joint auction will strengthen efforts in both jurisdictions to rein in carbon emissions. Credits purchased in the auction can be used by industrial firms in either California or Quebec. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/22/6726997/california-quebec-to-hold-first.html#storylink=cpy A hidden gas tax? Climate change regulations stir debate. You've probably seen the ads. Come Jan. 1, they warn, a new "hidden gasoline tax" will go into effect, one expected to increase the cost to fill up your car between 16 and 76 cents a gallon. "There's still time to stop it, but we must act now," says the ad, sponsored by a group called the California Drivers Alliance. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_26578978/hidden-gas-tax Climate Primer: Explaining the Global Carbon Budget and Why It Matters. Once the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere tops 3.2 trillion metric tons, chances dim to avoid climate disaster, according to new calculations. For as long as scientists and policymakers have been grappling with climate change, they've been up against two critical questions: How much extra carbon has mankind sent into the atmosphere? Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140922/climate-primer-explaining-global-carbon-budget-and-why-it-matters UN SUMMIT U.N. climate summit is high-profile, but some of world’s most important leaders will skip it. This week, the United Nations will host a huge and well-publicized one-day summit on climate change. The public is likely to be watching it closely: It comes just days after thousands of people in New York and around the world took to the streets, demanding more political action to help fight global warming. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/09/22/u-n-climate-summit-is-high-profile-but-some-of-worlds-most-important-leaders-will-skip-it/ Companies to make climate pledges at U.N. summit. Touted as the world's largest gathering ever on climate change, this week's U.N. Climate Summit will be as much about business as politics. Major companies, including Big Oil, will make pledges to help fight global warming by cutting their heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions, protecting the world's forests and reducing methane leakage from fossil fuel production. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/21/companies-make-pledges-un-climate-summit/15891791/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories Governor Brown to Speak at United Nations Climate Summit. Reaffirming California’s position as a global leader in the fight against climate change, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he will speak at the United Nations Climate Summit in New York on Tuesday and signed legislation to continue the state’s push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate pollutants, prepare for rising sea levels and increase solar energy use. Posted. http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/11213-governor-brown-to-speak-at-united-nations-climate-summit.html All Eyes On Obama, World Leaders At Climate Change Summit. The forecast calls for picture-perfect weather Tuesday in New York City as world leaders gather to discuss the challenge of a changing climate. More than 120 leaders, including President Obama, are expected to attend the one-day climate summit, sponsored by the United Nations. They've been instructed to arrive with "bold ideas" to slow the rise in global temperatures. Posted. http://www.npr.org/2014/09/22/350410496/all-eyes-on-obama-world-leaders-at-climate-change-summit UN Climate Summit Expected to Show Growing Momentum for Carbon Pricing. The growing global momentum for carbon pricing in both the public and private sectors will be on full display next week at a United Nations leaders summit on climate change. Many, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, are saying consensus on carbon pricing could be one of the key deliverables from the summit…Posted. http://www.bna.com/un-climate-summit-n17179895075/ AIR POLLUTION Smoke from wildfire cancels Ironman Tahoe events. Ironman races in Lake Tahoe were canceled on Sunday due to smoke and unhealthy air quality from a northern California wildfire. Ironman Lake Tahoe and Ironman 70.3 Lake Tahoe operations manager Keats McGonigal said the mood was "somber" when the decision was announced. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Smoke-from-wildfire-cancels-Ironman-Tahoe-events-5770826.php http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/smoke-from-wildfire-cancels-ironman-tahoe-events_07883756 CLIMATE CHANGE China, US, India push world carbon emissions up. Spurred chiefly by China, the United States and India, the world spewed far more carbon pollution into the air last year than ever before, scientists announced Sunday as world leaders gather to discuss how to reduce heat-trapping gases. The world pumped an estimated 39.8 billion tons (36.1 billion metric tons) of carbon dioxide into the air last year by burning coal, oil and gas. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_EMISSIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/China-US-India-push-world-carbon-emissions-up-5771549.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/22/6725795/china-us-india-push-world-carbon.html# http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/21/ap-china-us-india-push-world-carbon-emissions-up/16009637/ http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/22/3551694_china-us-india-push-world-carbon.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Protesters stage Wall Street climate crisis sit-in. Hundreds of activists protesting what they say is Wall Street's role in the climate crisis have gathered in lower Manhattan's financial district. Scores of environmental activists dressed in blue are marching, carrying signs, chanting and sitting down on Broadway and elsewhere as workers and tourists look on. Organizers say the protest is meant to highlight the role corporations play in stalling political action to combat global warming. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WALL_STREET_PROTEST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/22/us-usa-climatechange-wallstreet-idUSKCN0HH17220140922 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-22/climate-change-protest-promised-in-new-york-financial-district.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/nyregion/new-york-city-climate-change-march.html?_r=0 http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-nn-climate-change-march-new-york-20140921-story.html http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Protests-plan-Wall-Street-sit-in-on-climate-crisis-5771840.php http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Global-warming-march-draws-thousands-5771171.php http://www.vcstar.com/news/environment/hundreds-march-in-ventura-to-protect-climate_68728327 Kiribati leader visits Arctic on climate mission. Fearing that his Pacific island nation could be swallowed by a rising ocean, the president of Kiribati says a visit to the melting Arctic has helped him appreciate the scale of the threat. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_ARCTIC_KIRIBATI_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Money speaks louder than words in climate change fight. A growing movement of individuals and institutions selling off shares linked to fossil fuels has the power to galvanize global efforts to halt climate change, said the co-founder of a group that works with investors. The movement got a boost on Monday when the Rockefellers, who made their fortune from oil…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/22/us-foundation-climatechange-divestment-i-idUSKCN0HH25K20140922 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/us/heirs-to-an-oil-fortune-join-the-divestment-drive.html Climate change to trigger longer, fiercer 'megadroughts': study. Climate change will unleash megadroughts in the coming decades worse than anything seen in the last 2,000 years, new research warns. In semi-arid regions such as the U.S. southwest, there is an 80 percent chance of a drought lasting more than a decade, according to a study published in the Journal of Climate. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/22/us-foundation-climatechange-drought-idUSKCN0HH28720140922 Stingy climate aid leaves poor nations digging deep: report. A lack of help for the poorest countries to adapt to climate change may be undermining their efforts to tackle poverty, researchers warned on Monday. A report from the London-based Overseas Development Institute (ODI) said some African states are having to divert a large share of their national budgets to tackle climate threats, due to a shortage of funding from donors. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/22/us-foundation-climatechange-aid-idUSKCN0HH1T620140922 Global Rise Reported in 2013 Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Global emissions of greenhouse gases jumped 2.3 percent in 2013 to record levels, scientists reported Sunday, in the latest indication that the world remains far off track in its efforts to control global warming. The emissions growth last year was a bit slower than the average growth rate of 2.5 percent over the past decade…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/science/earth/scientists-report-global-rise-in-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2014/0922/Global-carbon-emissions-to-reach-record-high-say-scientists http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29239194 For Polar Bears, a Climate Change Twist. La Pérouse Bay, Manitoba — The sea ice here on the western shore of Hudson Bay breaks up each summer and leaves the polar bears swimming for shore. The image of forlorn bears on small rafts of ice has become a symbol of the dangers of climate change. And for good reason. A warming planet means less ice coverage of the Arctic Sea, leaving the bears with less time and less ice for hunting seals. They depend on seals for their survival. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/science/for-polar-bears-a-climate-change-twist.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LargeMediaHeadlineSum&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news Testing Future Conditions for the Food Chain. From afar, the three young men tramping through a corn field here looked like Midwestern farm boys checking their crop. And a fine crop it seemed to be, with plump ears hanging off vibrant green stalks. But as they edged deeper into the field, the men — actually young scientists, not farmers — pointed to streaked, yellowing leaves on some of the corn plants. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/science/testing-future-conditions-for-the-food-chain.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news Global Warming Concerns Grow. While few Americans regard the environment as the nation’s foremost challenge, most say it should be a priority, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. And more than half say global warming is caused by human behavior, the highest level ever recorded by the national poll. Economic issues continue to top the list of most important problems, and only 1 percent of those surveyed last week offered the environment as a top concern for the country. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/science/global-warming-concerns-grow.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpHeadline&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news A Future as Clouded as Their Past. We won’t ever know what the Anasazi were thinking on the eve of the 13th century when they abandoned the cities they had worked so long to build on the Colorado Plateau. The reasons had something to do with climate — a great drought and, perhaps on top of that, a mini ice age. If that wasn’t enough to defeat a thriving culture, there was the turmoil that came from just not knowing. Why were the sky and earth behaving so strangely? Why wasn’t the old magic working anymore? Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/science/a-future-as-clouded-as-their-past.html L.A., Houston, Philadelphia mayors vow more action on climate change. Mayors of three of the nation’s largest cities are pledging to take more action against climate change by implementing new projects to curb greenhouse gas emissions and persuading other leaders to do the same. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter will announce…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-mayors-climate-agenda-20140921-story.html http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/blaz-pushes-plan-city-greenhouse-emissions-article-1.1947891 New Reports Offer Clearest Picture Yet of Rising Greenhouse Gas Emissions. As the UN prepares to convene its climate summit, disturbing new numbers. Factories around Shizuishan rely on coal-fired power plants. Coal-fired power plants—such as the one above in Shizuishan, China—are part of the reason for rising concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Posted. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140921-climate-change-carbon-budget-un-summit-environment-science/ 6 Ways Climate Change is Making Us Sick. Just a day after the People’s Climate March, one of the largest international environmental marches, a new analysis of 56 studies on climate change-related health problems shows that increasingly, global temperatures and severe weather events will continue to have a major impact on global health. Posted. http://time.com/3414449/6-ways-climate-change-is-making-us-sick/ DROUGHT Melted glacier sends miles of mud down Mt. Shasta. The largest mudslide on Northern California's Mt. Shasta in two decades may be related to California's prolonged drought, experts said Sunday. The mudslide began Saturday after a glacier holding pockets of water either shifted or melted, releasing water down the southeastern side of Mt. Shasta, said Andrea Capps, a spokeswoman for Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/21/6725501/melted-glacier-sends-miles-of.html##storylink=cpy Gov. Jerry Brown Orders Help for Dry Wells. Residents in drought-stricken California whose wells have gone dry will soon get help from key state agencies under an order Gov. Jerry Brown signed Friday. The executive order provides money to buy drinking water for residents, while also directing officials to work with counties and local agencies to find solutions for the shortages. California is in the grips of its third dry year. Posted. http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/california/California-Governor-Orders-Help-for-Dry-Wells-275845021.html California drought: Some wells running dry in Central Valley. Hundreds of domestic wells in California’s drought-parched Central Valley farming region have run dry, leaving many residents to rely on donated bottles of drinking water to get by. Girl Scouts have set up collection points while local charities are searching for money to install tanks next to homes. Posted. http://www.dailybulletin.com/general-news/20140921/california-drought-some-wells-running-dry-in-central-valley VEHICLE Gov. Brown signs clean-air vehicle legislation. Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law several bills designed to boost use of clean-air vehicles in California. One bill signed Sunday allows 15,000 additional electric and partial zero-emissions vehicles, or 70,000 total vehicles, to get green stickers that allow driving in carpool lanes even when solo. Another requires freeway high-occupancy toll lane operators to allow clean air vehicles to drive for free or reduced rates. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLEAN_AIR_VEHICLES_LAWS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/us/brown-seeks-more-electric-cars-in-california.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0 http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-brown-electric-cars-20140922-story.html http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Brown-signs-several-clean-air-vehicle-bills-5771184.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/21/6725096/jerry-brown-heading-to-new-york.html http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2014/09/22/stories/1060006224 GREEN ENERGY Calif. teachers fund to boost clean energy bets. The California State Teachers' Retirement System says it plans to increase its investments in clean energy and technology to $3.7 billion, from $1.4 billion, over the next five years. CalSTRS CEO Jack Ehnes says the pension fund is seeing more opportunities in low-carbon projects and technologies. The fund is hoping also to help push for stronger policies aimed at fighting climate change, Ehnes says. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PENSION_FUND_CLEAN_ENERGY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT MISCELLANEOUS EarthTalk: Ethanol. Dear EarthTalk: I thought that putting ethanol in our gas tanks was going help fight climate change, but lately I've heard reports to the contrary. Can you enlighten? -- Bill B., Hershey, Pa. Ethanol and similar "biofuels" made from corn and other crops seem like a good idea given their potential for reducing our carbon outputs as well as our reliance on fossil fuels. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EarthTalk-Ethanol-5772133.php OPINIONS Bottom-Up Climate Fix. World leaders are at the United Nations this week, at the invitation of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, to “champion an ambitious vision anchored in action that will enable a meaningful global agreement” on climate change next year. But if history is any guide, the dialogue is unlikely to produce the ramped-up response we need to address the many threats we face from the unrelenting buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/opinion/bottom-up-climate-fix.html Robert Miller: Be grateful for the 'uneventful' summer. The word "uneventful" sounds so boring. Nothing's happening. With summer ending Monday evening and autumn kicking in, one can look at the past three months of weather and think the same. In Connecticut, no floods, no hurricanes, no blistering hot spells, no droughts. "It's been extremely quiet," said Bill Jacquemin, chief meteorologist at the Connecticut Weather Center in Danbury. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Robert-Miller-Be-grateful-for-the-uneventful-5771093.php Ed Begley Jr.: People’s Climate March will speak loudly to world leaders. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a keen interest in science. My dad got me a chemistry set, and then an erector set, and they instantly became my most cherished possessions. And though I’ve never sought a career in the sciences, I long have been drawn to experts in various scientific disciplines and have come to the conclusion that I’m not alone. Most Americans love science. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/21/6721124/ed-begley-jr-peoples-climate-march.html#storylink=cpy Water should be priority. Be it climate change or global warming, our oceans are rising. San Diego will put a desalinization plant on line next year at a cost of $1 billion. This is great. It's well spent. It will provide water to nearly 400,000 people. But our government wants us to build high-speed rail to the tune of $68 billion. Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law the regulation of private groundwater. This destroys owners' property rights. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/09/19/4134160_water-should-be-priority.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Opinion: Why climate change is an 'everybody issue' now. Scientists are normally a pretty measured bunch. But in recent months, they've been resorting to some unusual language to get our attention. One top climatologist recently tweeted: "If even a small fraction of Arctic sea floor carbon is released to the atmosphere…Posted. http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/21/opinion/climate-change-march-avaaz/ The impact of climate change affects us all [Letter]. This weekend, international leaders and more than 100,000 concerned citizens will converge on New York City seeking solutions to the problem of climate change. I'll be there. I'm marching because I'm 22 years-old and it is my generation that will deal with the choices that are made today. The actions of this weekend must be translated into real action on climate change. Posted. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-climate-change-20140922,0,778402.story#ixzz3E4DgaNcW BLOGS Does it even matter what the public thinks about climate change? Over 300,000 protesters marched through Manhattan Sunday, calling for serious action to mitigate global warming ahead of a meeting of world leaders at the United Nations Tuesday. The demonstration will not affect public opinion, predicted Stanford University's Jon Krosnick, who has been conducting and analyzing surveys on climate change for 20 years. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/09/22/does-it-even-matter-what-the-public-thinks-about-climate-change/ Q. and A.: Glen Peters on China and Climate Change. Government leaders from across the world will gather at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday for a summit meeting on global warming, and China is at the heart of contentious negotiations on how to cut the greenhouse gas emissions behind that warming. Posted. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/q-and-a-glen-peters-on-china-and-climate-change/ How Should Nations and Individuals Address Climate Change? You have probably heard or read about, or perhaps participated in, one of the 2,700 climate change-related events that took place around the world on Sunday. To what degree did these events raise your awareness about climate change? Do you worry about this or other environmental issues? Posted. http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/how-should-nations-and-individuals-address-climate-change/ The day the Earth mattered. Hundreds of thousands of marchers in NYC, Paris and London let their concern for the earth be known on Sunday. It is clear that decades after the first Earth Day celebrations that a huge percentage of the Earth’s population is anxious to change directions. However the question remains; will our greed win-out or will our survival? Posted. http://blog.timesunion.com/lawrencewhite/the-day-the-earth-mattered/2235/ CEO At Climate March Calls For Carbon Tax. The Peoples Climate March made for quite a weekend. Saturday evening I was at a rooftop party, where somebody from he Union of Concerned Scientists was chiding me about the amount of climate change denial on forbes.com. Who knew? Once again my influence is vastly overrated. Sleeping on an air mattress in my son’s dorm was a real throwback experience. Posted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterjreilly/2014/09/21/ceo-at-climate-march-calls-for-carbon-tax/ The World Spewed More Carbon Pollution Into The Air Last Year Than Ever Before. Spurred chiefly by China, the United States and India, the world spewed far more carbon pollution into the air last year than ever before, scientists announced Sunday as world leaders gather to discuss how to reduce heat-trapping gases. The world pumped an estimated 39.8 billion tons (36.1 billion metric tons) of carbon dioxide into the air last year by burning coal, oil and gas. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/21/carbon-pollution_n_5857526.html Climate Change You Can Believe In. Just as Sunday's big People's Climate March and next week's UN global summit on climate converge here in New York City, the nation and world are experiencing weather of an intensity that should rattle the stubborn false convictions of even the most fervent climate change denier. Terrible flooding in India and Pakistan, the worst in more than a century, with heavy monsoon rains...Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-moyers/climate-change-you-can-be_b_5850018.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics The Climate March Will Break Records But Will It Encourage More Environmental Media Coverage? As someone who has spent too many years trying to break through what I call "The Green Ceiling" in mainstream media -- a steadfast wall of refusal on the part of programming executives to dedicate regular airtime to the then-emerging (and now fully arrived) environmental crises…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/betsy-rosenberg/the-upcoming-climate-marc_b_5846044.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change The ugly economics of green vehicles. It's fair to say that most consumers would prefer a green vehicle, one that has a lower impact on the environment and goes easy on costly fuel (in all senses of the term). The problem is that most people can't – or won't – pay the price premium or put up with the compromises today's green cars demand. We're not all "cashed-up greenies." Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/19/ugly-economics-of-green-vehicles/ New world record set with 507 EVs in parade. Let's be honest, with more and more electric vehicles out in the world, it's getting easier to bring more and more of them together in one spot. Still, the work that goes into convincing over 500 EV owners to show up at one place at one time should be rewarded. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/21/plug-in-america-sets-new-world-record-with-507-evs-in-parade/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 15:27:21 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 23, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 23, 2014. 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 ENVIRONMENT: Gas prices fueling debate. California’s gas prices already are among the highest in the nation, in part because the state has higher emission standards that force gasoline producers to make a special formula. The state’s gas taxes also are among the country’s highest. Riverside County supervisors fear a spike in fuel costs could derail the local economy and hurt county residents who commute long distances and earn less than people in coastal counties. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/gas-750583-california-prices.html?page=2 Oil Companies Quietly Prepare For a Future of Carbon Pricing. The major oil companies in the U.S. have not had to pay a price for the contribution their products make to climate change. But internal accounting by the companies, along with a host of other signs, suggest that may soon change — though the implications of a price on carbon are far from clear. Posted. http://e360.yale.edu/feature/oil_companies_quietly_prepare_for_a_future_of_carbon_pricing/2807/ AIR POLLUTION Smoke advisory issued for Long Beach, South Bay, inland cities. The local smog district has advised residents living near the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to avoid going outdoors and postpone exercising both indoors and outdoors on Tuesday because smoke from a wharf fire could damage their lungs. A 24-hour smoke advisory was issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District so that residents can avoid breathing in smoke and poor air quality…Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140923/smoke-advisory-issued-for-long-beach-south-bay-inland-cities UN SUMMIT Obama urges world to follow US lead on climate. In the first international test for his climate-change strategy, President Barack Obama pressed world leaders Tuesday to follow the United States' lead on the issue, even as a one-day United Nations summit revealed the many obstacles that still stand in the way of wider agreements to reduce heat-trapping pollution. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_CLIMATE_SUMMIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_CLIMATE_SUMMIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/23/obama-offers-climate-change-help-to-other-nations/ http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0923/UN-climate-change-summit-Obama-flexes-US-muscle-in-global-climate-fight http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060006313/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Businesses and investors pressing for green policy. Hundreds of corporations, insurance companies and pension funds are calling on world leaders gathering for a U.N. summit on climate change this week to attack the problem by making it more costly for businesses and ordinary people to pollute. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_CHANGE_PRIVATE_SECTOR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/22/3552484/businesses-and-investors-pressing.html At U.N., de Blasio Warns of ‘Existential Threat’ From Climate Change. Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City, in remarks on Tuesday morning to the United Nations summit on climate change, decried “the reckless way in which we live,” warning of the dangers of humanity’s dependence on fossil fuel consumption and other environmentally damaging habits. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/nyregion/at-un-de-blasio-warns-of-existential-threat-from-climate-change.html UN to leaders: Set 'new course' on climate change. Challenged by the United Nations chief to set a new course for a warming globe and reverse the rise of heat-trapping gases, world leader after world leader Tuesday made promises of billions of dollars and better care of planet Earth. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/23/6729001/un-to-leaders-set-new-course-on.html Brown promotes California climate efforts at UN. Gov. Jerry Brown is joining world leaders at the United Nations Climate Summit in New York to discuss California's attempts to slow climate change. Brown will appear on panels discussing California's law that puts a monetary value on carbon emissions and its agreements with other governments to reduce emissions. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/23/brown-promotes-california-climate-efforts-at-un/ U.N. summit: Europe touts 40% carbon cut goal. At the U.N. Climate Summit, the European Commission will formally recommend a 40% cut in heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 for its 28 member countries, its president said Monday. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/22/climate-summit-draws-europes-40-carbon-cut-goal/16063117/ Global business leaders back carbon price at N.Y. summit. Business leaders from Apple to Lockheed Martin threw down the gauntlet on climate change yesterday, declaring that the private sector must start taking green growth seriously. Speaking on the eve of a climate change mega-summit hosted by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, industry officials representing hundreds of businesses embraced a price on carbon…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006275/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Study links changing winds to warming in Pacific. A new study released Monday found that warming temperatures in Pacific Ocean waters off the coast of North America over the past century closely followed natural changes in the wind, not increases in greenhouse gases related to global warming. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PACIFIC_WARMING_STUDY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-pacific-warming-20140923-story.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/pacific-northwest-warming-could-have-natural-roots_43850966 On the Cusp of Climate Change. Animal and plant species around the world may be threatened by warmer global temperatures. Sea ice is critical for all parts of the walrus’s life cycle. Adults dive and eat on these frigid platforms, and females give birth and raise their pups there. But as sea ice retreats during Arctic summers, walruses are being driven ashore. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/09/22/science/on-the-cusp-of-climate-change.html Forecasts: Hopes and Fears About Climate Change. Two dozen scientists, authors, and world and national figures answered two questions: What is your greatest worry about climate change? What gives you hope? Here are some of their answers, condensed for space. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/science/forecasts-hopes-and-fears-about-climate-change.html Climate Change Protesters Tangle With Police at Wall St. About 100 climate change protesters were arrested on Monday as hundreds marched through the streets of Lower Manhattan, at one point clashing with the police as they tried to push through barricades sealing off Wall Street. Those protesters, some linking arms, had marched two blocks north on Broadway from Bowling Green just after 3:30 p.m. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/nyregion/climate-change-protesters-wall-street.html Too Much of a Good Thing. When scientists talk about carbon footprints and the greenhouse gases behind climate change, they are referring mostly to carbon dioxide, a gas that is one part carbon and two parts oxygen and is awfully efficient at keeping the sun’s heat close at hand. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/science/carbon-dioxide-building-block-of-life-best-in-moderation.html Canada-Australia 'Axis of Carbon' an Obstacle to Climate Pact. Their prime ministers mince no words in their disdain for putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions to protect their fossil fuel exports. Posted. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140923/canada-australia-axis-carbon-obstacle-climate-pact S.D. council lobbies for climate change plan. City Council members lobbied Mayor Kevin Faulconer on Monday to propose a bold city plan for fighting climate change as soon as possible. The move comes one day after an estimated 1,500 San Diegans marched through downtown in support of legislation aimed at reducing climate change and its effects, which most scientists say include increased drought and wildfire risk. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/23/tp-sd-council-lobbies-for-climate-change-plan/ Climate change could cause 250K more annual deaths by midcentury – WHO. The World Health Organization predicts that an additional 250,000 people will die annually between 2030 and 2050 from conditions caused or exacerbated by climate change, the Geneva-based agency reported yesterday in an update of climate mortality estimates. But the causes of sickness and death will shift over that period…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006276/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Forest Service thinks California's drought caused a massive mudslide. Jonathan Dove was patrolling Mt. Shasta on a clear, warm afternoon when a group of backpackers asked him if Mud Creek Canyon on the Northern California peak always flowed so heavily. The U.S. Forest Service climbing ranger scrambled up a ridge to investigate. He peered into the canyon below and found a small creek flowing like a brown river. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-drought-glacier-melt-20140923-story.html Reserves narrowing for California water wholesaler. The giant wholesaler that provides drinking water for half the California population has drained two-thirds of its stored supplies as the state contends with a punishing drought, officials said Monday. Without plentiful rain and snow in coming months, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California could consider cutbacks to its regional distributors next year. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/22/6727814/reserves-narrowing-for-california.html#mi_rss=Business#storylink=cpy FUELS Law orders changes to cut methane leaks from pipelines. Utilities in California must cut methane leaks from natural gas pipelines under a bill Gov. Jerry Brown (D) has signed into law, a measure that supporters hope will start a nationwide push. Brown on Sunday approved S.B. 1371 from Sen. Mark Leno (D), which directs the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to adopt rules for the reduction and repair of pipeline leaks. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060006266/print VEHICLES Nevada changes urged to promote electric cars. A nonprofit group promoting energy efficiency is recommending a number of ways Nevada can do more to promote the use of electric cars in the wake of Tesla Motors' plans to build a $5 billion battery factory in the state. Nevada doesn't have the policy infrastructure needed to support mass deployment of electric vehicles…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/nevada-changes-urged-to-promote-electric-cars_40551357 GREEN ENERGY CalSTRS to increase clean tech investments. CalSTRS plans to dramatically increase its investment in clean technology industries over the next five years. The California State Teachers’ Retirement System said it will increase its clean tech holdings from $1.4 billion to $3.7 billion in direct response to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s call for action to reduce carbon emissions. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/22/6727778/calstrs-to-increase-clean-tech.html#mi_rss=Business Tim Cook brags about Apple's green 'spaceship' campus. Apple's new campus in Cupertino is still under construction, but the company's CEO Tim Cook has just promised that it will be the most environmentally friendly structure on the planet. Cook made remarks during a Climate Change NYC discussion, part of a weeklong series of events on climate change centered around a U.N. summit in New York on the issue. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/national/tim-cook-brags-about-apples-green-spaceship-campus Competition for green home-improvement loans. A competitive market is emerging in the San Diego region for home-improvement loans devoted to energy and water conservation that are repaid through property taxes, with three companies now vying for clients. Property-assessed loans from CaliforniaFIRST are available to homeowners across San Diego city, unincorporated parts of the county and nearly all other local cities. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/22/competition-green-loans-emerges-solar/ Officials pin hopes on Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. Conservation and energy company officials are hopeful that the as yet unpublished 8,000-page Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan will speed permitting times to allow for faster plant development and better protection of wildlife and plants. The joint federal and state document is expected to be published in the Federal Register late this week…Posted. http://www.sbsun.com/environment-and-nature/20140922/officials-pin-hopes-on-desert-renewable-energy-conservation-plan MISCELLANEOUS Green bonds needed to meet 2 C target, HSBC says. Toyota has issued green bonds worth $1.8 billion to finance low-emission vehicles. Unilever sold a $410 million bond to cut in half the greenhouse gas impact and water usage of its products. Stockholm issued $160 million in green bonds to help the 26 municipalities in the Swedish capital transition to a low-carbon economy and climate-resilient growth. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006262/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS Warming Temperatures Threaten Fragile Balance in Canadian Arctic. It’s August, and there’s snow on the ground. The six-week summer has already passed; our 24-hour daylight will drop to 16 in just a month’s time. Small, brittle leaves crunch underfoot as I walk across tundra that’s already beginning to freeze for the long winter ahead. The top of the world is a cold place.. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/science/warming-temperatures-threaten-fragile-balance-in-canadian-arctic.html?ref=earth Mayor de Blasio Takes On Climate Change. “Mayor de Blasio Commits to 80 Percent Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050,” said the Sunday news release, outlining what would be a truly impressive feat if he actually were able to make good on that promise. But there is not going to be any 89-year-old, 10-term mayor named de Blasio declaring a local victory in the battle to save the planet. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/opinion/new-york-takes-on-climate-change.html Editorial: What about those other greenhouse gases? The U.N. Climate Summit that starts Tuesday is a precursor to the Paris climate conference scheduled for next year. No treaty will come out of the summit in New York, which is more of a brainstorming and cheerleading session. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-climate-change-un-summit-methane-20140923-story.html Op-Ed Let's make a climate deal. It has been almost 25 years since the United States joined much of the world in Rio de Janeiro and tentatively agreed to do something to reduce the pollutants associated with global warming and other climate disruption. Since then, though, the U.S. has been a laggard in taking major action. Now, with a United Nations climate summit underway in New York and the next U.N. climate conference…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-diperna-climate-un-cap-and-trade-california-20140923-story.html UN Climate Summit: The dirty little secret about global warming Obama doesn't want you to know. President Obama will speak Tuesday, as world leaders assemble at the United Nations in New York for “Climate Summit 2014,” “to galvanize and catalyze climate action.” Environmentalists have taken note, organizing “the largest climate march in history,”…Posted. http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/09/23/un-climate-summit-dirty-little-secret-about-global-warming-obama-doesnt-want-to/ BLOGS New CO2 Emissions Report Shows China’s Central Role in Shaping World’s Climate Path. While President Obama and more than 100 other heads of state are expected to participate in the United Nations Climate Summit today, President Xi Jinping of China, the country making by far the biggest contribution to the atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gases, will not appear. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/new-co2-emissions-report-shows-chinas-central-role-in-shaping-worlds-climate-path/ The Air We Breathe. Air is a fluid. The science of fluid dynamics is complicated and well beyond my understanding, but a simple definition might suffice for discussion today, accepting that air is a fluid in that it can be formed, reformed, and compressed to fit the shape of its container. External forces can be brought to bear--gravity, physical energy, compression--that can push or pull the fluid within its confines, and even…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-neill/the-air-we-breathe_b_5869914.html Air Pollution From Cars Harms Babies. I’ll be honest. I found this surprising, even for someone pretty heavily biased towards electric vehicles. However, a study out of Princeton and Columbia did a pretty robust analysis and this is their conclusion. They took advantage of the introduction of E-ZPass to compare and contrast groups of pregnant women within close range to toll plazas. Posted. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/09/23/air-pollution-cars-harms-babies/ Elio getting closer to building actual 84-mpg cars. Elio Motors is taking its green-is-good mentality to its factory equipment. The company, which is planning to make super-light three-wheeled vehicles that get 84 miles per gallon, will finally start making trikes next year. The plan is to sell off extra equipment from an old General Motors factory to do so. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/23/elio-getting-closer-to-building-actual-84-mpg-cars/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 16:48:16 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 24, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 24, 2014. 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 California, Quebec Seek Partners to Grow Carbon Market. Less than a year after establishing North America’s largest carbon market, Quebec and California are aggressively recruiting the province of Ontario and other U.S. states to join, Quebec’s premier said. Quebec is discussing a regional market with the governors of New England states and leaders in Ontario while California is working with Oregon and Washington in the western U.S. …Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-09-24/quebec-california-seeking-to-boost-size-of-carbon-market.html Grand Prairie farmers taking part in carbon markets. The rice growers are in Stuttgart, Humnoke, Hazen, Slovak and one near Osceola. Arkansas farmers are participating in carbon markets. The agriculture-based carbon offsets, such as those created from rice management practices, can be sold to corporations to meet their internal sustainability goals, reduce their carbon footprints and to green their supply chains. Posted. http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/article/20140923/News/140929877#ixzz3EGTDvJmO AIR POLLUTION Port of L.A. fire extinguished; crews begin demolition, repairs. The Port of Los Angeles fire that sent a thick plume of toxic smoke into the air Tuesday, forcing a nearby elementary school to evacuate, has been fully extinguished, officials said Wednesday. Crews will now begin the process of demolition and cleanup after the fire smoldered for more than a day in multiple layers of heavy pre-World War II timber soaked in dark, tar-like liquid creosote. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-port-of-los-angeles-fire-extinguished-20140924-story.html Port of L.A. fire spews toxic fumes, prompting air-quality concerns. A plume of toxic fumes from a stubborn fire at the Port of Los Angeles that continued to burn World War II-era lumber pylons soaked in creosote prompted air quality concerns Tuesday as firefighters attacked the blaze from above and below the water. The fumes, which led to a shelter-in-place advisory overnight for nearby residents, have not been measured at a hazardous level beyond the immediate vicinity of the fire…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-port-los-angeles-fire-toxic-air-20140923-story.html California wildfires send waves of smoke, particulates as far as Canada. Smoke from wildfires raging in Northern California has reached far beyond the state's borders to affect Utah, Michigan and even Canada, according to NASA. The fires, including the massive King fire in Eldorado National Forest, have been sending large amounts of smoke and particulate matter into the sky…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-wildfires-smoke-nasa-20140922-story.html Sacramento air quality officials sued over crude oil trains. A Bay Area environmental group has filed a lawsuit against the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District for failing to require an environmental review of a crude oil transfer station at McClellan Business Park. The group, Earthjustice, accuses local air quality managers of quietly rubber-stamping permits for InterState Oil Company…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/23/6729786/sacramento-air-quality-officials.html#storylink=cpy CLIMATE CHANGE Companies Take the Baton in Climate Change Efforts. With political efforts to slow global warming moving at a tortuous pace, some of the world’s largest companies are stepping into the void, pledging more support for renewable energy, greener supply chains and fresh efforts to stop the destruction of the world’s tropical forests. Forty companies, among them Kellogg, L’Oréal and Nestlé, signed a declaration on Tuesday pledging to help cut tropical deforestation in half by 2020 and stop it entirely by 2030. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/business/energy-environment/passing-the-baton-in-climate-change-efforts.html Flooding Risk From Climate Change, Country by Country. If global carbon emissions continue on current trends are reduced sharply are reduced extremely sharply and sea levels are affected by climate change much more than expected about as much as expected much less than expected, about 2.6 percent of the global population (about 177 million people) will be living in a place at risk of regular flooding. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/upshot/flooding-risk-from-climate-change-country-by-country.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1 Plan to disburse climate change funds challenged by Bay Area officials. Bay Area public officials are challenging a state plan to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to fight climate change by cleaning the air in some of California's poorest and most polluted communities, most of which are in Southern California. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-adv-climate-funds-20140924-story.html Google pulls out of conservative group amid environmentalist pressure. Google's effort to build strong alliances with Republican politicians and conservative advocacy groups is paying dividends on Capitol Hill but has created a growing marketing and public-relations headache for the company. Climate-change activists have shown up at shareholder meetings demanding that executives explain how the firm can…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-google-gop-20140924-story.html US Clean Air Act cited as big first step in emissions control. World leaders met in New York on Tuesday to discuss how to tackle the risks posed by climate change, but there was little discussion of one increasingly obvious observation: The planet might be in better shape today if more countries had followed the lead of Richard Nixon's administration when it and Congress enacted the pioneering Clean Air Act in 1970. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/world/us-clean-air-act-cited-as-big-first-step-in-emissions-control_90555500 UN SUMMIT Obama Presses Chinese on Global Warming. President Obama, emboldened by his use of executive powers to fight climate change at home, challenged China on Tuesday to make the same effort to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions and join a worldwide campaign to curb global warming. Declaring that the United States and China — the world’s two largest economies and largest polluters…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/world/asia/obama-at-un-climate-summit-calls-for-vast-international-effort.html?_r=0 The Benefits of Easing Climate Change. On Tuesday, more than 100 world leaders gathered at the United Nations to open a climate summit meeting that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hopes will provide momentum to a new round of negotiations toward a global environmental agreement to be signed in Paris next year. You’re forgiven if you hold your applause. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/business/economy/the-hidden-benefits-of-mitigating-climate-change.html?_r=0 Ban Ki-Moon Says U.N. ‘Must Answer the Call’ to Fight Climate Change, Ebola and Extremism. Scolding the powerful and the power-hungry, the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, opened the 69th annual session of the General Assembly on Wednesday morning, in a 13-minute speech that rued the state of the world, from the conflict in Ukraine to the bombing of United Nations schools in Gaza to beheadings in Iraq and Syria — all before warning of the Ebola outbreak. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/news/un-general-assembly/2014/09/24/ban-ki-moon-says-u-n-must-answer-the-call-to-fight-climate-change-ebola-and-extremism/ Obama calls for more aggressive fight against climate change. President Obama on Tuesday called on both emerging economies and world powers to take more aggressive steps to slow climate change, saying "nobody gets a pass” on addressing the foremost challenge of the century. In brief remarks at the U.N. during a summit on climate change, the president acknowledged the many crises facing world leaders…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-obama-climate-change-un-20140923-story.html U.S. joins other nations in deforestation accord at UN summit. Moving to halt a powerful contributor to climate change, the United States has joined more than 110 corporations, civil society groups and governments to launch a global initiative to reduce deforestation sharply over the next 15 years, with the goal of eliminating the practice by 2030. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-deforest-climate-change-20140923-story.html Obama at Summit: ‘We Have to Answer the Climate Call'. Desperate warnings from world leaders and celebrities about the consequences of unmitigated climate change filled the General Assembly Hall at U.N. Headquarters in New York on Tuesday morning, as a daylong climate summit began. "Climate change is the defining issue of our age," U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in his opening remarks. "Our response will define the future. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/climate-summit-opening-remarks-reflect-urgency_14913291 U.S. and China announce plans to curb greenhouse gases. At a summit Tuesday to kick off the drafting of an international climate change accord, President Obama spoke bluntly of American responsibility for global warming and pledged that ambitious steps would be unveiled over the next year to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-climate-summit-20140924-story.html http://www.vcstar.com/news/world/us-china-announce-plans-to-curb-greenhouse-gases_77282862 Obama offers few climate details. Perhaps the most interesting thing about President Barack Obama’s climate change speech at the United Nations is what he didn’t say. Obama didn’t promise $1 billion to help poor countries adapt to the dire effects of climate change, like France did. And he didn’t offer any hints about how sharply greenhouse gas emissions would be cut in the years after 2020, like the European Union and several other countries did. Posted. http://www.politico.com/story/2014/09/barack-obama-climate-change-pitch-111273.html#ixzz3EG6R4plJ Climate Change Summit: World leaders reach fragile consensus on global warming. World leaders arrived in New York today for a day dedicated to addressing arguably the gravest threat of all to peace and security – the sabotaging of the world’s fragile climate – while at the same time trying not be distracted by a burst of diplomatic static caused by strikes overnight against extremists inside Syria. Posted. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/climate-change-summit-world-leaders-reach-fragile-consensus-on-global-warming-9751958.html DROUGHT Wildfires in California show no sign of abating, officials say. An unprecedented drought that has parched Northern California has led to one of the most active fire seasons on record and there is little hope of a wet and cool end in sight. In an interview, Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said his agency has fought almost 5,000 fires this year, a thousand more than the five-year average. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/wildfires-in-california-show-no-sign-of-abating-officials-say/2014/09/23/10557418-435d-11e4-b437-1a7368204804_story.html Ensuring our water supply. Proposition 1 on November’s ballot is a statewide water bond measure authorizing $7.5 billion in bonds to improve the state’s water quality, supply and infrastructure. The worse the drought gets — and by “worse,” we mean the longer it lasts — the more Californians want to “do something.” So it’s not surprising that Proposition 1 enjoys widespread, and apparently steady, support. Posted. http://www.vvdailypress.com/article/20140923/OPINION/140929936/13030/OPINION DIESEL EMISSIONS Port of Long Beach diesel emissions down 82% since 2005. Diesel particulate matter emissions from ships, trucks, trains and other big machines at the Port of Long Beach has declined by 82 percent since 2005, according to an annual analysis of the area’s air quality. Port officials in Los Angeles and Long Beach credit several programs, including carriers’ use of fuel-efficient ships, increased use of on-dock rail and shore power for berthed ships…Posted. http://www.joc.com/port-news/us-ports/port-long-beach/port-long-beach-diesel-emissions-down-82-2005_20140923.html BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Businesses won’t have to return BP spill payouts. BP wanted its money back — hundreds of millions of dollars of it — but a federal judge says the oil giant must stick by an agreement with companies that got payouts after claiming the 2010 Gulf oil spill hurt their business. BP argued Wednesday that a flawed funding formula in the settlement is giving money to businesses for questionable claims, and they should be forced to return it. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/judge-hears-oil-spill-cleanup-workers-claims/2014/09/24/f6cb1dd4-43cc-11e4-8042-aaff1640082e_story.html Fracking not as bad as you fear, panelists say; some activists disagree. Panel insists the oil drilling technique poses little danger to North Orange County residents and the environment. Don’t worry, fracking won’t harm you. That was the underlying message from a six-expert information session about the controversial oil drilling technique Tuesday night at Cal State Fullerton. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fracking-636103-water-fullerton.html Monterey County Supervisors hear facts on fracking. It could possibly be the most controversial action never to have taken place in Monterey County. Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, is a potential new oil boom in California with the discovery of a geologic zone of trapped oil deposits called the Monterey Shale. Ironically, very little Monterey Shale is actually in Monterey County. Posted. http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/local/2014/09/23/monterey-county-supervisors-hear-facts-fracking/16130025/ VEHICLES Calif. Gov. Brown signs bill to urge more drivers into eco-friendly vehicles. Seeking to put more California drivers in electric cars, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Sunday providing financial incentives and other perks to entice consumers to buy the environmentally friendly vehicles. The push for low-emission cars, combined with the governor's approval of climate-conscious measures such as one to encourage residential solar energy use…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/23/6728410/calif-gov-brown-signs-bill-to.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY Kyushu to Suspend Grid Access for New Renewable-Energy Producers. Kyushu Electric Power Co. (9508) will suspend responding to applications from renewable-energy producers applying to access its grid while it reviews how much more clean energy it’s capable of handling. The utility, which supplies power to the southern island of Kyushu, said the restriction begins tomorrow, according to a statement posted on its website. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-09-24/kyushu-to-suspend-grid-access-for-new-renewable-energy-producers.html Desert plan seeks to balance environment, renewable energy. With towering white wind turbines turning slowly in the background, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell on Tuesday unveiled a plan to manage both conservation and renewable energy production on more than 22 million acres in California — nearly one-quarter of the state — as part of a federal and state effort to promote clean energy production. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-desert-plan-20140924-story.html http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/23/3554923_us-unveils-state-solar-project.html?sp=/99/1526/&rh=1#storylink=cpy http://www.pe.com/articles/plan-750629-energy-projects.html Wind Energy Proposal Would Light Los Angeles Homes. The push for clean energy to reduce greenhouse gases has led to multibillion-dollar investments in wind and solar projects, but finding an economical way to store renewable energy that comes and goes like the breeze or the sun has proved challenging. An alliance of four companies say they have found an answer in an underground salt formation. Posted. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/wind-energy-proposal-light-los-angeles-homes-25718476 http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/23/wind-power-proposed-to-supply-los-angeles-area/ http://insideenergy.org/2014/09/23/will-wind-power-storage-be-a-game-changer/# OPINIONS Climate change deserves front-page coverage. To the editor: More than 310,000 people demonstrated in New York on Sunday, urging the United Nations to take strong action on climate change. Many thousands marched worldwide in support. ("Thousands pack New York's streets to march against climate change," Sept. 21). You would never have known that reading The Times, which confined its print coverage of both the New York march…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0924-wednesday-climate-change-20140924-story.html Editorial, Sept. 24, 2014: Vote yes on Proposition 1. Voters around the state are being asked to pass a $7.5 billion bond measure for a whole menu of water projects — from new infrastructure including new dams to new conservation measures that would expand recycling. We encourage a yes vote. The water measure, Proposition 1 on the Nov. 4 ballot, will pay for additional water storage, cleaning up groundwater and a variety of conservation measures…Posted. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/ci_26592453/editorial-sept-24-2014-vote-yes-proposition-1 BLOGS U.N. Climate Summit Harvests a Host of Commitments. It’s heartening to review the summary of governmental and private climate and energy commitments compiled by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the end of his daylong climate change summit. They range from a substantial new push to reduce and eventually eliminate forest loss to boosted investment in a planned clean-energy corridor in Africa. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/u-n-climate-summit-harvests-a-host-of-commitments/ The Climate Movement Is About Much More Than Just Climate. Some unlikely groups marched side by side among the estimated 300,000-strong People’s Climate March, organized to put pressure on politicians gathering at this week’s United Nations Climate Summit. Wearing purple T-shirts, a group of Sisters of Mercy — as one of them put it, “commonly known as nuns” — came to the march from all around the northeast of the country. Posted. http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/the-climate-movement-is-about-much-more-than-just-climate/ France promises $1bn for climate change fund at UN summit. Pledge comes on a day of impassioned speeches from some 120 world leaders – as well as a cameo from Leonardo DiCaprio. France promised $1bn to a near-empty climate change fund for poor countries on Tuesday and called for the establishment of a new green economy in the first concrete result of a milestone United Nations summit. Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/23/france-promise-climate-change-summit Did We Just Find a Cool Trillion Dollars for Green Energy Projects? Here's a big idea that expresses the frustration, discontent, and anger we feel about how hard it's been bring about the changes we need to address climate change. This proposal shows how easy it can be. We have plenty of practical solutions -- we lack access and financing. It's increasingly obvious to open-minded people that a clean future would pay off. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-m-kammen-phd/did-we-just-find-a-cool-t_b_5867356.html?utm_hp_ref=green The Next Climate Bomb Is About to Explode in Quebec. Most of us have heard of the Alberta oil sands climate bomb. Canada's fastest-growing source of climate pollution is also one of the few places in the world where the fate of our planet's climate is being decided. If the oil sands are to expand, the bitumen has to reach ocean ports. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karel-mayrand/the-next-climate-bomb-is-_b_5864440.html?utm_hp_ref=green An Open Letter to My Neighbors Regarding Drought and My Dead, Weedy Lawn. Dear Neighbors, Hello! My name is Jonathan Kim and I have been living at the house on the corner of _____ and _____ since December 2011. I had previously lived in an apartment just two blocks from my current location, and I am very glad that I decided to stay in this terrific neighborhood. Many of you may know my house, a handsome Steinkamp, by its front lawn…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-kim/an-open-letter-to-my-neig_b_5865846.html?utm_hp_ref=green L.A.'s Drought Response: An Open Letter to Mayor Garcetti and the Office of Sustainability. Drought is hammering California. In our cities, we are swapping out water-thirsty landscaping with drought-tolerant plants. And the problem is? Here's an analogy: After your house burns down -- a house that was inadequate for your family's needs -- do you upgrade only the plumbing and rebuild the rest exactly the way it was? Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-novick/las-drought-response-an-o_b_5854356.html Tesla could need another $6 billion to really change the auto landscape. Telsa Motors has some big plans. The electric car company is building its $5-billion Gigafactory near Reno, NV to guarantee a steady supply of lower-cost batteries, has plans to release two new models and is even talking about providing home energy storage on a large scale. The California automaker is ramping up EV production, and hopes to eventually be producing 500,000 cars per year. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/24/tesla-could-need-another-6-billion-to-really-change-the-auto-la/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:48:22 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 25, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 25, 2014. 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 States Won’t Leave Carbon Market for California, Quebec. California and Quebec, which together created the largest carbon market in North America this year, face an uphill battle as they woo northeastern U.S. states to join their system. States including Vermont, which Quebec’s premier said is particularly interested in uniting, are members of a Northeast group that has been operating an emissions-trading system since 2008. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-09-25/rggi-chair-says-states-won-t-join-california-quebec.html http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/218734-california-quebec-want-to-expand-carbon-trading-system Energy dealmaker girds for new Sacramento battles. The Democratic state lawmaker who led a rebellion against California’s carbon cap on motor vehicle fuels — and lost — is staking claim to the anticipated multibillion-dollar windfall from the sale of pollution allowances. Come Jan. 1, California’s market-based approach to limiting heat-trapping gases linked to global warming will be extended to providers of gasoline, diesel and other motor fuels. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/24/next-energy-battle-sacramento/ A hidden gas tax? Climate change regulations stir debate. You've probably seen the ads. Come Jan. 1, they warn, a new "hidden gasoline tax" will go into effect, one expected to increase the cost to fill up your car between 16 and 76 cents a gallon. "There's still time to stop it, but we must act now," says the ad, sponsored by a group called the California Drivers Alliance. "Contact state officials today and urge them to put the brakes on the hidden gas tax!" Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_26578978/hidden-gas-tax AIR POLLUTION Agency's asbestos experiments threatened human health – IG. U.S. EPA spent more than a decade conducting asbestos removal experiments that threatened public health, the agency's independent watchdog says in a new report. The agency experimented with alternative methods of removing asbestos -- a dangerous pollutant -- for more than a decade without adequate oversight or clear goals, resulting in wasted cash and posing risks to workers and the public…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060006448/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY KING FIRE King fire: 2,000 firefighters added to fight massive wildfire as winds expected. Nearly 2,000 firefighters were added Tuesday to battle a massive Northern California wildfire that threatened thousands of homes and fouled the air 50 miles away in Reno, Nevada, which was blanketed by smoke. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26596415/King-fire:-2000-firefighters-added-to-fight-massive-wildfire-as-winds-expected CLIMATE CHANGE Government officials see slow, hard work to engage U.S. public on risks of sea-level rise. A trio of senior environmental officials from local and federal government yesterday offered its views on how the average American might need to get a better grasp of the risks posed by climate change. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006405/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY UN SUMMIT Putting a price on carbon emissions emerges as a key strategy for nations and businesses to pursue. The colorful Climate Summit 2014 banners have vanished from the hallways, and the talk here has turned from the threat of global warming to air strikes against Syria and the deadly Ebola virus. But Christiana Figueres, the leader of the U.N. agency tasked with bringing nations together to work out a new global climate agreement, said now is when the real work begins. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006420/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Drought worsens China's long-term water crisis. The corn has grown to only half its normal height on Yan Shuqin's ranch in the hills of Inner Mongolia this year, as a swath of northern China suffers its worst drought in 60 years. The ruddy-faced woman said that even before the rains stopped, the groundwater in her region had been sinking, from 20 meters (about 70 feet)…Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_DROUGHT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-09-24-01-48-16 Parched California expected to miss out on typical fall rains. Northern and Central California typically receive 30% to 40% of their precipitation over the next three months, but this year, forecasters say the upper two-thirds of the state can expect to miss out on much of that badly needed moisture. The lack of significant rain will mean little relief for thousands of firefighters battling a series of destructive wildfires…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drought-conditions-forecast-california-20140924-story.html As the California drought enters its fourth year, are we doing enough to conserve water? After a sweaty day outdoors, you're only halfway through an evening shower with shampoo stinging your eyes when it hits you: You've just about used up your water ration for the day. And you still have to water your petunias and wash your dirty socks. What to do? Though it may sound exaggerated, California is inching closer to a reality just like that in the not-too-distant future if the drought…Posted http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_26605101/california-drought-enters-its-fourth-year-are-we BY SUBSCRIPTION Drought plays out differently in various regions of California. Most of California is experiencing a “severe” or “exceptional” drought, impacting more than 37 million Golden State residents, according to the Drought Monitoring Center at the University of Nebraska. But as Californians know, the state feels more like three states — southern, central and northern — and while there’s a shared response from residents up and down the state…Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140924/drought-plays-out-differently-in-various-regions-of-california Dry year means smooth sailing for rice growers, if they had water. Rice fields are looking beautiful this time of year. The tops of the spindly plants are heavy with rice kernels and the straw has turned a slightly chartreuse shade of green. As far as yield and ease of growing, farmers don't have many complaints. However, that's only if there was enough water. Posted. http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_26601101/dry-year-means-smooth-sailing-rice-growers-if Experts gather at Aquarium of the Pacific to talk drought, climate change. States such as California that draw water from Lake Mead are about 6 feet away from mandatory rationing, experts said Wednesday at a symposium at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Officials have never declared this level of emergency and are watching water levels closely, UCLA professor Glen M. MacDonald said. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140924/experts-gather-at-aquarium-of-the-pacific-to-talk-drought-climate-change FUELS UPDATE 1-Canadian PM says U.S. will approve Keystone XL pipeline eventually. Logic dictates that the United States will one day approve the northern leg of TransCanada Corp's controversial Keystone XL crude oil pipeline, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told an audience of executives in New York on Wednesday. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/24/canada-keystone-harper-idUSL2N0RP28F20140924 India’s Top Court Revokes Coal Leases. India’s top court on Wednesday canceled years’ worth of coal field leases, a judgment that drew wide attention in a nation with persistent fuel shortages. The leases, an earlier investigation had found, had been sold below market price and cost the government about $30 billion, a scandal that has added to concerns of corruption and crony capitalism at high levels. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/25/business/international/indias-supreme-court-revokes-hundreds-of-coal-concessions.html?_r=0 VEHICLES Brown Says Global Lead on Zero Emissions Beating Forecast. For four decades, California has set the pace for clean-air initiatives, from curbing tailpipe emissions to promoting renewable energy. Now the world’s eighth-largest economy is forging a path for electric cars. Californians bought as many as 26,482 electric vehicles this year…Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-24/brown-says-global-lead-on-zero-emissions-beating-forecast.html GREEN ENERGY Swiss Pilots to Fly Solar Plane Around World. Last year, two Swiss pilots became the first to fly across the United States in a featherweight plane using the power of the sun. Now they are back with a more ambitious plan, to be announced on Thursday, to fly an even more advanced solar airplane around the world early next year, beginning and ending in oil-rich Abu Dhabi. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/25/business/energy-environment/swiss-pilots-to-fly-solar-plane-around-world.html Natural Gas Reliance Impediment to Renewables. Using natural gas to produce electricity is a major part of the Obama administration's policy on climate change, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants in favor of renewables and natural gas-fired plants that emit less CO2. But a new University of California-Irvine study published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Research Letters suggests…Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/study-natural-gas-reliance-impediment-to-renewables_20683623 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/09/140924-natural-gas-impact-on-emissions/ UCI study: natural gas is not a long-term solution. Researchers at UC Irvine in a study published Wednesday said natural gas does little to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because inexpensive gas boosts energy consumption and hinders the expansion of cleaner energy sources such as wind and solar in the short term. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/gas-636273-natural-study.html Rooftop solar reduces utility revenues more than costs -- federal study. Customer-owned solar panels are chipping away at revenues of electric utilities and will increasingly cut into shareholder returns as their popularity grows, according to a report released yesterday by a federal laboratory. The study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers found that as distributed generation grows, it reduces utility revenues more than it reduces costs. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006415/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY SolarCity's big solar plant lands in Buffalo. The nation's biggest rooftop-solar installer, SolarCity, has chosen Buffalo, N.Y., as the site of what it says will be the largest solar-panel manufacturing plant in the Western Hemisphere. The company and New York officials were effusive in praising each other Tuesday at the prospect of a 1.2-million-square-foot factory and the opportunity it presents to revitalize the economy of Buffalo with up to 3,000 manufacturing and support jobs. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2014/09/25/stories/1060006417 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS "One-Stop Diesel Truck Event" Friday in Alameda. The state Air Resources Board will join other agencies for a truck and bus regulation information session and conference Friday at College of Alameda. There will be regulatory trainings and truck inspection demonstrations at the "One-Stop Diesel Truck Event." Truckers will also get one-on-one assistance from ARB staff to learn about requirements for their specific vehicles and funding programs. Posted. http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_26599264/one-stop-diesel-truck-event-friday-alameda?source=rss California Indian tribes honor water at Friday event. Indian tribes from across California will converge on the state Capitol Friday for an event meant to draw attention to the drought and celebrate water as a sacred substance. The annual Native American Day at the Capitol will feature representatives from every American Indian tribe in the state. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/24/6732896/california-indian-tribes-honor.html#storylink=cpy OPINIONS Give people worst-hit by climate change a voice: activists. Communities hard hit by climate change impacts are finding ways to adapt on their own, but they need a larger voice in international decision making about how to deal with climate change, activists said a U.N. climate summit this week. Speaking at a New York gathering of world leaders called by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to spur action on climate threats…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/25/us-foundation-climatechange-idUSKCN0HK0FW20140925?feedType=RSS DARRELL FEIL: Rising gas prices come at the wrong time for small business. One always hears that small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and I firmly believe this to be true. Small businesses create jobs and provide valuable services to their community. As owner of Abate-a-Weed, I'm proud to be such a small business owner. Posted. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/opinion/hot-topics/x167885540/Rising-gas-prices-come-at-the-wrong-time-for-small-business The Politics of Climate Change. Ah, climate change. A vast majority of scientific studies that take a stand on global warming have concluded that it’s caused by human behavior. The results are awful. The penguins are dwindling. The polar bears are running out of ice floes. The cornfields are drying. The southwest is frying. There is very little on the plus side. Except maybe for Detroit. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/25/opinion/gail-collins-the-politics-of-climate-change.html RedBlueAmerica: Will America ever take bold action on climate change? Should it? Hundreds of thousands of Americans on Sunday marched in New York City, asking the country's leaders to take bold action on climate change. President Barack Obama, California Gov. Jerry Brown, actor Leonardo DiCaprio and other notables this week addressed the United Nations about the climate challenges facing the world. But skeptics abound - notably within the Republican Party. Posted. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/09/25/3866766_redblueamerica-will-america-ever.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy BLOGS Global solar flight to start, end in Abu Dhabi. A Swiss-made solar-powered aircraft will start and attempt to finish its first round-the-world flight from the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi, a government-backed renewable energy company in the oil-rich Gulf federation said Thursday. The choice of Abu Dhabi as the launch site for the historic journey is likely to bolster the wealthy emirate's efforts to position itself as a champion of renewable energy. Posted. http://www.timesunion.com/business/energy/article/Global-solar-flight-to-start-end-in-Abu-Dhabi-5779479.php Menu for a Hot Planet. In many ways the human race hit the skids when we stopped throwing spears and gathering berries. Once we started planting seeds and harvesting the produce, we grew shorter, fatter, sicker, and considerably more overworked. An alien visiting from another planet during that critical transition period to a more settled existence might easily have thought that we were being domesticated by our livestock and not the other way around. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-feffer/menu-for-a-hot-planet_b_5881068.html California Announces Plans To Spend $200 Million Of Drought Aid. California water officials on Tuesday released plans for spending almost a third of the $687 million emergency drought relief package approved by lawmakers earlier this year. More than $200 million in expedited bond funding would benefit 110 projects throughout the state, ranging from the city of Mt. Shasta to San Diego…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/24/california-drought_n_5875470.html?utm_hp_ref=green 35 years of shrinking arctic ice, all in one graphic. The melting of the Arctic has been so gradual and far-off it’s hard to comprehend the huge amount of ice that has vanished. But with this NASA visualization, seeing the disintegration of the polar region is as easy as reading an eye chart with 20/20 vision. Posted. http://grist.org/living/35-years-of-shrinking-arctic-ice-all-in-one-graphic/ Strong Paris deal needed to make carbon pricing work. One of the main outcomes of this week’s climate change events in New York was a declaration of support for carbon pricing. More than 1,000 businesses and investors backed a World Bank campaign for taxes and emissions tradings systems to make climate polluters pay. Posted. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/09/24/strong-paris-deal-needed-to-make-carbon-pricing-work-analysts/ This giant wind farm would dwarf the Hoover Dam. That giant sucking sound you hear on the West Coast these days is the state of California, hoovering up as much renewable energy as neighboring states can produce. The latest development: a proposal from four major energy companies to build an $8 billion wind energy farm in Wyoming to power the city of Los Angeles. Posted. http://grist.org/list/this-giant-wind-farm-would-dwarf-the-hoover-dam/ Natural gas is not a good climate solution, even without methane leakage. With the boom in shale gas opened up by fracking, there’s been a lot more talk about natural gas as a “bridge fuel,” an energy source that could wean us off coal and smooth a transition to renewable energy. President Obama brought up this “bridge fuel” idea in this year’s State of the Union speech…Posted. http://grist.org/climate-energy/natural-gas-is-not-a-good-climate-solution-even-without-methane-leakage/ Biggest climate change march in NYC feels like something even bigger. Is it just us, or did something happen at that 2014 United Nations Climate Summit in New York City this week? The largest-ever climate change march took place in the city and the headlines were full of interesting items, from the famous oil family the Rockefellers divesting their charity from fossil fuels to Google telling ALEC goodbye over climate change lies. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/24/biggest-climate-change-march-in-nyc/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 14:11:59 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 26, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 26, 2014. 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 Firm pays fine for not reporting mine pollution. The Canadian-based owner of a gold mine in northern Nevada has agreed to pay a $182,000 civil penalty for failing to correctly report to federal environmental regulators the release of millions of pounds of toxic chemicals — including arsenic and cyanide — into the air and ground. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Firm-pays-fine-for-not-reporting-mine-pollution-5780839.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/25/6735862/veris-gold-pays-182k-penalty-at.html http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/25/firm-pays-fine-for-not-reporting-mine-pollution/ Ozone health watch issued for metro Phoenix. Environmental regulators on Thursday issued a day-long ozone health watch for metropolitan Phoenix. A health watch is issued when ozone levels are expected to approach federal health standards. Ozone can irritate the lungs and aggravate existing health conditions such as asthma. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Ozone-health-watch-issued-for-metro-Phoenix-5779589.php Valley residents may get help replacing old wood-burning devices. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s Governing Board has authorized more money to change out older, high-polluting wood-burning devices for newer, cleaner units. The move increases the incentive amount available to residents who change out their older, polluting wood-burning devices to $1,500 per device, up from $500. Posted. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26799 CLIMATE CHANGE US Homeland Security moves to tackle climate change risks. Protecting the infrastructure of American cities from the effects of climate change is rising on the agenda of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to a top agency official. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/25/us-foundation-climate-security-idUSKCN0HK2PW20140925 AFRICA INVESTMENT-Africa adds climate change bonds to global warming arsenal. Global warming in Africa may soon move bond markets. In 2016, the first climate change bonds will be issued from Africa - unique instruments that will enable the world's poorest continent to tap both capital markets and donor funds to bolster its defenses against extreme weather events such as prolonged drought or extreme heat. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/26/africa-investment-idUSL6N0RR1Q920140926 EPA head: No need to fear hurting economy in battle against climate change. Hot off the United Nations Climate Summit 2014, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency kept up the Obama administration’s push for significant changes in the rules on carbon pollution – an overhaul she said would help, not hinder, economic progress. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/25/6736034/epa-head-no-need-to-fear-hurting.html#storylink=cpy http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/09/25/4143639/epa-head-no-need-to-fear-hurting.html Despite split from group, Google’s links to climate change denial run deep. Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt has given $29,000 over the past six years to politicians who could be lumped in with the “liars” on climate change that he denounced this week. Schmidt’s donations to eight Republican legislators since 2008 have become part of Google’s complicated relationship…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Despite-recent-split-from-conservative-group-5781594.php Insurers, after White House meeting, emerged worried about more 'extreme weather' events. Five insurance trade groups are promoting stronger building decisions to help counter a sharp rise in losses from extreme weather, prompted by a meeting on climate change between senior White House officials and industry leaders in June. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006351/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Drought has 14 communities on the brink of waterlessness. Under the blistering Central Valley sun, Filiberta Sanchez and her toddler granddaughter strolled down a Parkwood sidewalk lined with yellow weeds, dying grass and trees more fit for kindling than shade. "It was very pretty here, very pretty," said Sanchez, 56, as little Jenny crunched a fistful of parched dirt and pine needles she grabbed from the ground. "Now everything's dry." Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-critical-water-20140926-story.html#page=1 Water shortages not a problem for King fire crews. Over the past two weeks, as the King fire raced through dry Sierra forestland before Thursday’s rain, fire crews had no trouble finding enough water to battle the blaze, although they have had to get creative to access some lakes and reservoirs that have shrunk during the state’s severe drought. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/25/6737227/water-shortages-not-a-problem.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region#storylink=cpy How will California’s Drought relief funds be spent? The Department of Water Resources announced this week that the first $200 million would be distributed from a $687 million drought relief package. KPCC's environment reporter Molly Peterson says the money will be distributed in three installments. The final decision on how to spend that first installment is expected by Oct. 31. Posted. http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2014/09/25/39530/how-will-california-s-drought-relief-funds-be-spen/ FUELS Prices at the pump head below $3 in much of US. The price of a gallon of gasoline may soon start with a "2" across much the country. Gasoline prices typically decline in autumn, and this year they are being pulled even lower by falling global oil prices. By the end of the year, up to 30 states could have an average gasoline price of less than $3 a gallon. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GASOLINE_UNDER_3_DOLLARS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/25/6735623/gas-prices-falling-headed-below.html GE to give Penn State $10M for gas drilling center. Penn State University said Wednesday that General Electric will give the school up to $10 million to create a new center for natural gas industry research. Penn State President Eric Barron said in a statement that the center will produce tangible benefits to the industry, to communities that are affected by drilling or related activity, and to consumers. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/GE-to-give-Penn-State-10M-for-gas-drilling-center-5779222.php VEHICLES EU orders Germany to stop using banned car refrigerant. The European Commission on Thursday ordered Germany to stop using a banned car refrigerant within two months or face court action and possible fines. The EU executive's decision follows months of investigation by the Commission after German luxury carmaker Daimler refused to stop using a highly polluting coolant and won backing from German authorities. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/25/us-eu-germany-coolant-autos-idUSKCN0HK19520140925 GREEN ENERGY Renewable energy plan hinges on huge Utah caverns. A proposal to export twice as much Wyoming wind power to Los Angeles as the amount of electricity generated by the Hoover Dam includes an engineering feat even more massive than that famous structure: Four chambers, each approaching the size of the Empire State Building, would be carved from an underground salt deposit to hold huge volumes of compressed air. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WIND_FARM_LOS_ANGELES_POWER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT UK approves Dong Energy offshore wind farm extension. Britain's energy ministry on Friday approved the expansion of Dong Energy's Burbo Bank offshore wind farm in the Liverpool Bay of northwest England, paving the way for the Danish company to build on its leading position in the UK market. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/26/dong-energy-uk-burbobank-idUSL6N0RR2KZ20140926 Federal report shows how solar panels may hit utilities’ profits. For years, utility executives have watched the rapid spread of rooftop solar power with trepidation, seeing a potential threat to their profits. A new federally funded report suggests that it’s not an idle fear. Rooftop, photovoltaic, or PV, solar could cut utility earnings by as much as 15 percent…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Federal-report-shows-how-solar-panels-may-hit-5781107.php Group delivers 'clean energy' petition to PRC. A group of Latino environmentalists is delivering more than 6,000 petition signatures to the state Public Regulation Commission that call for more renewable energy. Juntos New Mexico was launched earlier this year by Conservation Voters New Mexico Education Fund. Organizers have spent months going door-to-door to collect the signatures. The petition calls for electricity to be generated in a way that won't pollute New Mexico's air and water. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Group-delivers-clean-energy-petition-to-PRC-5779365.php Study predicts California will use only renewable energy by 2050. In a study published by Energy in June, a group of Stanford academics predicted that California will use only renewable energy by 2050. Researchers outlined how to power California with wind, water and solar energy and discussed land-use implications, supply and demand and job creation. Posted. http://www.stanforddaily.com/2014/09/25/study-predicts-california-will-use-only-renewable-energy-by-2050/ New laws will boost residential solar installations, electric-truck production. The governor signed laws this week intended to streamline rooftop solar installations and to speed up the production and deployment of electric trucks and buses. The green laws arrive as Gov. Jerry Brown returns from a U.N. Climate Summit in New York this week where he defended California’s controversial cap-and-trade program, which assesses fees on polluting companies. Posted. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/09/25/new-laws-will-boost-residential-solar.html Arcane technical standards play key role in solar power's future. For all their environmental bad marks, U.S. coal-fired power plants have been good citizens of the grid, their engineers are quick to say, rapidly and dependably adjusting output to keep power in balance and flowing. Now, as wind farms and distributed solar power spread, so must sophisticated electronic devices that will have to help take over the essential stabilizing role of retired coal plants. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060006478/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY If energy is a global weapon, 'America should have the largest arsenal' – Perry. Texas Gov. Rick Perry called on the president and Congress to make the United States the world's leading exporter of energy so that "we can help liberate our European allies from Russian energy aggression." Characterizing the oil and gas renaissance underway in Texas and elsewhere in the nation as the greatest opportunity the United States has seen in generations…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060006492/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Recycling advocates ponder expanding California’s program. The fact that you drag that recycling to the curb doesn’t mean it escapes the landfill. In the years since California enacted a recycling framework, subsidized by the deposits paid on cans and bottles, people have generally been willing to do their part. Cities and counties have reflected that receptiveness by expanding the universe of materials eligible to be picked up curbside. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/25/6733938/recycling-advocates-ponder-expanding.html#storylink=cpy California oil train bill wins Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature. California’s emergency responders will receive more information about trains carrying crude oil under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday. As the volume of crude oil transported by trains increases, elected officials in California have amplified concerns about the types of deadly accidents that have struck several towns. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/25/6736976/california-oil-train-bill-wins.html#mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert#storylink=cpy Study looks at environmental impact on home values. In a study of U.S. counties, market researcher RealtyTrac found that if you live in a county with a high percentage of bad air quality days and other man-made pollution issues, short-term home value appreciation was strong. But long-term appreciation was stronger in counties with fewer environmental hazards. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/price-of-paradise/study-looks-at-environmental-impact-on-home-values_49809593 OPINIONS Letter: Study rest-stop barriers now, not later. The Sept. 18 public hearing on I-95 rest area safety barriers was greatly disappointing and frustrating to the many concerned citizens who for months have been advocating for barriers. It was a classic case of the hierarchy of Project Services LLC and the Connecticut Department of Transportation not listening or being responsive to the many concerns of the people in Fairfield. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Letter-Study-rest-stop-barriers-now-not-later-5782551.php Larry Printz: Electric car sales are rising. Will they have their day in the sun once more? Notice to gas-electric hybrid car lovers: sales are stalling if not falling, according to a study by online automotive site Edmunds.com, capturing 3.6 percent of the market through August, a light decline from last year when hybrids and electric cars netted a 3.7 percent share. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/26/6737849/larry-printz-electric-car-sales.html#storylink=cpy Gail Collins: Florida goes down the drain. On Miami Beach, rising sea levels have interesting consequences. The ocean periodically starts bubbling up through local drainpipes. By the time it’s over, the concept of “going down to the water” has extended to stepping off the front porch. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/25/6735441/gail-collins-florida-goes-down.html#storylink=cpy Drones won't help drought. Re "Police should get warrants for drones" (Viewpoints, Sept. 23): Drones are a promising technology for water conservation. Some drones are able to travel to the edge of space and cover the Central Valley in 3 hours. Susan Ustin of UC Davis has projected a savings 1 to 2 percent of agricultural water using drone data in combination with other information. Posted. here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/23/6731161/the-drought-is-too-serious-to.html#storylink=cpy Joseph Perkins: California's green-energy push not cost-free. Gov. Jerry Brown was in New York City this week for the United Nations Climate Summit. In remarks delivered during the gathering of more than 120 heads of state and government leaders, the governor boasted of California’s putative “global leadership” in combating climate change. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/california-636320-brown-state.html BLOGS Certainties, Uncertainties and Choices with Global Warming. Steven E. Koonin, once the Obama administration’s undersecretary of energy for science and chief scientist at BP, stirred up a swirl of turbulence in global warming discourse this week after The Wall Street Journal published “Climate Science is Not Settled,” his essay calling for more frankness about areas of deep uncertainty in climate science…Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/26/certainties-uncertainties-and-choices-with-global-warming/?_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0 Climate impact of black carbon severely overestimated, says study. Global warming efforts should focus on CO2, not soot particles known as black carbon, say Norwegian team. The global warming effect of ‘black carbon’, or soot, has been greatly exaggerated due to mistaken assumptions about the atmospheric altitude at which its particles are concentrated, according to a new study. Soot plumes belch from chimneys, stoves and forest fires…Posted. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/26/climate-impact-of-black-carbon-severely-overestimated-says-study Nation's Largest Battery Storage Project Charges Forward in Kern County. The largest battery-based grid power storage system in North America just went online in Kern County. With a storage capacity of 32 megawatt-hours, enough to power a typical American home for about 15 months, Southern California Edison's Tehachapi Energy Storage Project is intended to allow grid operators to store surplus power…Posted. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/the-grid/huge-battery-storage-unveiled-in-desert-wind-area.html I’m Optimistic About Climate Change, and You Should Be Too. We’re living in an extraordinary age, a time when just one recently evolved species of small, wandering, wondering, endlessly meddling social mammals have adapted the entire planet to suit us. It’s ironic that at precisely the moment we’ve achieved this awe-inspiring mastery, we discover that we’re endangering our own future as a result. Posted. http://www.wired.com/2014/09/im-optimistic-climate-change/ EPA chief says to expect 'changes' in final climate rule. There will be "changes" made in the Obama administration's proposal to cut carbon pollution from existing power plants, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Gina McCarthy. "People who know me well enough know there are going to be changes between proposal and final because we listen," McCarthy said on Thursday. Posted. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/218975-epa-chief-says-to-expect-changes-in-final-climate-rule Senators Call On Obama To Regulate Methane Emissions From Oil And Gas Development. Fifteen senators are pressing the Obama administration to regulate methane emissions from oil and gas production, arguing that addressing methane is a "key component" of curbing planet-warming emissions. "Ton for ton, methane causes at least 80 times more warming than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period,"…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/26/methane-emissions-obama_n_5889108.html This Palm-Sized Laser Could Make Self-Driving Cars Way Cheaper. We don’t know how much self-driving cars will cost when they finally hit the market, but our best guess is, a lot. The technology needed to take the wheel out of your hands is frightfully expensive. Now, we can revise that estimate down a bit with the debut of a laser system that’s roughly the size and shape of a hockey puck and costs just eight grand. Posted. http://www.wired.com/2014/09/velodyne-lidar-self-driving-cars/ National Drive Electric Week sees 150 percent growth from last year. Since National Plug In Day became National Drive Electric Week this year, electric-vehicle advocates, or at least the greedier ones, perhaps hoped for a sevenfold increase in attendance. Even though that didn't quite happen, the number of people who showed up to celebrate all that is electric and drives certainly surged. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/26/national-drive-electric-week-150-percent-growth/ Climate change and aviation. For more than a decade, a battle has brewed over how to tackle aviation emissions as a part of various efforts to mitigate climate change. Domestic emissions from aviation are naturally part of each national government's policy process; the EU, for example, has chosen to include aviation emissions in their regional emission cap-and-trade program, the EU-ETS (EU Emissions System). Posted. http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/energy-environment/218976-climate-change-and-aviation California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 14:14:19 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 29, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 29, 2014. 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 How Cap-and-Trade Is Working in California. Carbon Program May Hold Lesson for Other States. When it comes to tackling global warming, "cap and trade" are words often heard but seldom put into practice. That may be about to change. Experts thought the U.S. might adopt its own cap-and-trade system for carbon-dioxide emissions during President Barack Obama's first term…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/how-cap-and-trade-is-working-in-california-1411937795?KEYWORDS=air+pollution Chile becomes the first South American country to tax carbon. President Michelle Bachelet of Chile enacted new environmental tax legislation on Friday making the country the first in South America to tax carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Part of a broad tax reform, Chile's carbon tax will target the power sector, particularly generators operating thermal plants with installed capacity equal or larger than 50 megawatts (MW). Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/27/carbon-chile-tax-idUSL6N0RR4V720140927 AIR POLLUTION Extensive harbor cleanup begins after Port of L.A. fire. Port of Los Angeles authorities are beginning an extensive harbor cleanup in the aftermath of a fire that burned through much of a wharf and released toxic gases and smoke into surrounding communities. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-port-fire-20140928-story.html Climate effects of 'black carbon' exaggerated, study says. The impact of "black carbon," or soot, on warming the climate has been significantly exaggerated because of assumptions over altitudes in the atmosphere at which soot particles become concentrated, according to a recent study. Billowing from chimneys, stoves, wildfires and other sources, and causing health problems as it emerges, black carbon was thought to be the second-most potent climate change driver. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006537/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Studies fault warming in much of 2013 wild weather. Scientists looking at 16 cases of wild weather around the world last year see the fingerprints of man-made global warming on more than half of them. Researchers found that climate change increased the odds of nine extremes: Heat waves in Australia, Europe, China, Japan and Korea, intense rain in parts of the United States and India, and severe droughts in California and New Zealand. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_WEATHER_EXTREMES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Studies-fault-warming-in-much-of-2013-wild-weather-5787837.php http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/29/6744743/studies-fault-warming-in-much.html http://www.presstelegram.com/general-news/20140929/2013s-wild-weather-was-mostly-caused-by-man-made-global-warming-study-says Human-Related Climate Change Led to Extreme Heat, Scientists Say. The savage heat waves that struck Australia in 2013 were almost certainly a direct consequence of the human release of greenhouse gases, researchers said Monday. It is perhaps the most definitive statement climate scientists have made that ties a specific weather event to global warming. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/30/science/earth/human-related-climate-change-led-to-extreme-heat-scientists-say.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A6%22}&_r=0 President’s Drive for Carbon Pricing Fails to Win at Home. President Obama stood in the chamber of the United Nations General Assembly last week and urged the world to follow his example and fight global warming. But a major new declaration calling for a global price on carbon — signed by 74 countries and more than 1,000 businesses and investors — is missing a key signatory: the United States. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/world/americas/presidents-drive-for-carbon-pricing-fails-to-win-at-home.html The Impact of Climate Change on Your Investing Thesis. Climate change is on many people's minds this week as the U.N. Climate Summit took place in New York and the Rockefeller family, one of the families that shaped the oil and gas industry, announced its decision to divest its charitable trust from fossil fuels. While there is no panacea for investing in today's energy space…Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-Impact-of-Climate-Change-on-Your-Investing-5786325.php Fungus could be the help agriculture needs to adapt to climate change. Imagine a world, just a few decades away, where once-fertile cropland is baked and starved of rain by ongoing climate change. Just add fungus. Scientists are discovering that microscopic fungi can help make food crops more abundant, less thirsty and more tolerant of rising temperatures. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/28/6742371/fungus-could-be-the-help-agriculture.html#storylink=cpy Source of the sizzle: Climate change fueled heat waves. Climate change influenced several of the world's most extreme weather events of 2013, including heat waves in Australia, Europe, China, Japan and Korea, says a series of studies out Monday in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Though links between global warming and events such as droughts and heavy rainfall were not obvious, connections were clearest with extreme heat: Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/09/29/climate-change-extreme-weather-heat-waves-drought/16421151/ Pension funds feel heat on climate change issue. CalPERS signed a United Nations pledge in Montreal last week to measure the “carbon footprint” of its $296 billion investment portfolio, with the goal of reporting the results before a UN climate change conference in Paris late next year. Posted. http://calpensions.com/2014/09/29/pension-funds-feel-heat-on-climate-change-issue/ DROUGHT California's water agencies look to budget water. As California's severe drought continues, state and local agencies are looking at budgeting water use by creating a daily water allocation for each household. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1xsETsi ) that under such a scheme, a household would be allotted a certain number of gallons for indoor water use and another for outdoor water use. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/28/6742654/californias-water-agencies-look.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Groundwater legislation marks turning point to achieve reliable water supply. California made history recently when Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Its passage marks a once-in-a-century achievement, for it was 100 years ago that California enacted the first comprehensive legal framework for managing surface water. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/28/6727810/viewpoints-groundwater-legislation.html#storylink=cpy How the drought has changed water use in Southern California. The once-shimmering emerald lawns across Southern California were first starved of water, then left to wither to a tawny scruff. But out of the ashes of a four-year drought has popped up a Phoenix of native landscaping and conservation, with businesses and homeowners laying down low-water textured gardens from Los Angeles to San Bernardino — saving tens of millions of gallons of precious water. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140927/how-the-drought-has-changed-water-use-in-southern-california California legislature takes historic measures to preserve water. It’s one thing that Sacramento Republicans and Democrats can agree upon: The state has to act to preserve California’s water supply. This past legislative session was unusually productive as lawmakers approved a $7.5 billion water bond for the November ballot and created the state’s first plan to regulate groundwater use. Posted. http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140928/california-legislature-takes-historic-measures-to-preserve-water California's drought linked to greenhouse gases, climate change. California's extraordinary drought is linked to the abundance of greenhouse gases created by burning fossil fuels and clearing forests, according to a major new paper Stanford scientists released Monday morning. The new study used a combination of computer simulations and statistical techniques to show that the high pressure system parked over the Pacific Ocean…Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26627640/californias-drought-linked-greenhouse-gases-climate-change Daily water allocation could be the next California drought strategy. You probably know your Social Security number, your driver’s license number and perhaps the latest wrinkle in mattress marketing, your sleep number. But do you know your drought number? The latter represents the amount of water you are allowed to use per day. If you don’t know it, you probably should. Posted. http://www.presstelegram.com/general-news/20140927/daily-water-allocation-could-be-the-next-california-drought-strategy Another drought casualty: No chance to make key air standard. California's freakishly dry 2013-14 winter dealt the San Joaquin Valley more than a crippling blow to the farm economy. It set the stage for a lung-scarring siege of soot that squashed any hope of making a key federal air standard. In December and January, the worst episode of stagnant air in 15 years settled over the region…Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/09/27/4147542_another-drought-casualty-no-chance.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy FUELS Leaking CO2 from offshore carbon capture not likely to harm environment, researchers say. One of the common expressed worries about carbon capture is that injected CO2 will eventually leak from its resting spot, offsetting climate benefits or creating health risks. With offshore CO2, there is speculation about the effect of any potential leak on acidity, among other things. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/09/29/stories/1060006539 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Solar energy could dominate electricity by 2050: IEA. Solar energy could be the top source of electricity by 2050, aided by plummeting costs of the equipment to generate it, a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the West's energy watchdog, said on Monday. IEA Reports said solar photovoltaic (PV) systems could generate up to 16 percent of the world's electricity by 2050…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/29/us-solar-iea-electricity-idUSKCN0HO11K20140929 MISCELLANEOUS Explore the State of Wildfires in California with this 5 Part Series from CapRadio. California is burning. The state is now in the midst of one of the worst droughts in its history with 1,000 more wildfires this year than last. A year ago, the largest wildfire ever in the Sierra Nevada was still burning. The 2013 Rim Fire scorched more than 250,000 acres and took 69 days to fully contain. Posted. http://www.californiaburning.org/capradio Stakes high for agencies as justices weigh key rulemaking tool. There are no challenges to President Obama's greenhouse gas program for addressing climate change, nor is there anything on U.S. EPA's effort to clamp down on air pollution that drifts across state lines. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060006570/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS COLUMN-Time for a good sweating in the oil market: Kemp. U.S. demand for petroleum products has experienced an unprecedented and broad-based decline over the last eight years as soaring oil prices have forced consumers to become more efficient and seek cheaper alternatives. Consumption of oil-based products has fallen in every major category - from gasoline, diesel and jet kerosene to heating oil, fuel oil, petrochemical feedstock…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/29/oil-prices-kemp-idUSL6N0RU38520140929 Climate Science and Interpreting Very Complex Systems. It is only when climate models are more accurate that we will be able to have fact-based discussions to distinguish between human and natural changes in our climate. "Climate Science Is Not Settled" (Review, Sept. 20) discusses the current shortfalls in scientists' ability to computationally model the climate and therefore be able to accurately predict the impact of human influence on climate change. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/climate-science-and-interpreting-very-complex-systems-letters-to-the-editor-1411766297#printMode A Group Shout on Climate Change. The marchers and mayors, the ministers and presidents, have come and gone. So what is the verdict on Climate Week, the summit meeting on global warming convened by the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, in New York? The meeting was not intended to reach a global agreement or to extract tangible commitments from individual nations to reduce the greenhouse gases…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/opinion/sunday/a-group-shout-on-climate-change.html A Treaty on Global Warming May Not Be Needed, But U.N Leadership Is. When industrialized countries agreed in Kyoto in 1997 to produce 5 percent fewer greenhouse gases in 2008 to 2012 than they did in 1990, it was clear that would never lead to a stabilization of global warming, which nearly all countries had pledged to seek in the 1992 Rio summit. But coming out of the Kyoto’s magnificent conference hall, I consoled myself that this small step would lead to a giant step later. That giant step never came, though. After 17 years, emissions are about 60 percent greater, not 5 percent less. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/09/28/is-a-global-climate-treaty-only-a-pipe-dream/a-treaty-on-global-warming-may-not-be-needed-but-un-leadership-is International Cooperation on Global Warming Is Vital to Climate Justice. We need to secure an international legally binding climate agreement because climate change cannot be solved at the national level alone. Committed climate action by the Marshall Islands or Ethiopia, for example, no matter how ambitious, will not be enough to mitigate the emissions of big nations like the United States. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/09/28/is-a-global-climate-treaty-only-a-pipe-dream/international-cooperation-on-global-warming-is-vital-to-climate-justice Real Progress on Emissions Can Lead to a Global Pact. Don’t give up on a global climate treaty, but don’t count on it any time soon. I have seen these negotiations up close. Every country trots out its list of reasons why it needs more time to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the negotiations become a race to the bottom. A treaty will happen only when nations see they can meet targets without compromising growth. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/09/28/is-a-global-climate-treaty-only-a-pipe-dream/real-progress-on-emissions-can-lead-to-a-global-pact Readers React: The fight against non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gasses. To the editor: The Times highlights the need to reduce short-lived climate pollutants to fully tackle global warming. California has a long history of leadership in this area. ("What about those other greenhouse gases?," Editorial, Sept. 22). For decades, California has been cutting emissions of particulate matter and black carbon from cars, trucks and agricultural burning. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0927-saturday-climate-change-20140927-story.html Op-Ed: Innovations used in 12 cities around the world may help others. What makes a city work? And are there innovations that can make a city work better? We went looking for good ideas that are being tested in cities around the world, asking urban leaders who will be attending the CityLab conference in Los Angeles this week to tell us about one good idea that has worked well back home. Here is a collection of the ideas we liked best. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-good-ideas-20140928-story.html#page=1 Editorial: Brown’s U.N. speech on climate change rallied Californians, too. Gov. Jerry Brown had encouraging words for world leaders at the United Nations climate summit. They were no doubt a comfort, given the decades of international dithering on climate change. Embedded in the governor’s two sets of remarks, however, was also a message to Californians in the thick of their own war on global warming. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/28/6739381/editorial-browns-un-speech-on.html#storylink=cpy Viewpoints: Urgent action needed to save Sierra forests. As firefighters continue their valiant efforts battling the King fire – the latest large fire in the Sierra Nevada – an important new report makes a compelling and sobering case for bold and urgent action. “The State of the Sierra Nevada’s Forests,” issued by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, details the dire conditions of many of the region’s forests…Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/28/6737076/viewpoints-urgent-action-needed.html#storylink=cpy Mark Landsbaum: Climate activists ignore facts, pursue Utopia. Let’s give the benefit of the doubt to climate activists who crowded New York streets this past week. Maybe they meant well. They yearn for Utopia, where the lion and lamb not only lie down together, but eat grass not cut by gasoline-powered lawn mowers. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/climate-636414-fossil-consequences.html Leaf blowers are polluters, not cleaner-uppers. You are completely missing the issue about leaf blowers! ("Leaf blowers are helping keep our neighborhoods tidy during drought," Sept. 12) They are not keeping our neighborhoods tidy, they are polluting the air we breathe with dust! They are blowing dust that is accumulating in our gutters, streets and gardens all over the place filling the air with clouds of dust. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/News/ci_26600465/Letters-from-Resident-readers BY SUBSCRIPTION BLOGS How Much of World’s Greenhouse-Gas Emissions Come From Agriculture? Agriculture might seem green by definition, but farming accounts for a lot of greenhouse-gas emissions when the entire food production system is taken into account. Typically, estimates of greenhouse-gas emissions from agriculture are around 11%-15% of global emissions. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/numbers/how-much-of-worlds-greenhouse-gas-emissions-come-from-agriculture-1782/?KEYWORDS=climate+change Let’s Attack Waste, Not Global Warming. JOHN HOFMEISTER: Supporters and opponents in the climate debate miserably fail to answer honestly the global-warming question and its impact on climate, because they can’t. No one can possibly know the future of this dynamic and not very well known planet to provide the definitive and absolute answer to the question that cannot be known for decades, even centuries, when anything can happen. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/09/29/lets-attack-waste-not-global-warming/?KEYWORDS=climate+change What’s the Economic Risk From Climate Change? KATE GORDON: Too often in the U.S., the climate conversation falls down one of two partisan rabbit holes—ending up either focused on the question of whether the science is “real” or whether one particular policy solution is a job killer or creator. In falling into these familiar debates, both supporters and opponents miss a basic question…Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/09/29/whats-the-economic-risk-from-climate-change/?KEYWORDS=climate+change Let’s Act Before the Oil Bubble Bursts. BILL RITTER: There is at least one issue that had been overlooked until recently and that deserves discussion between advocates for climate action and the leaders of the world’s big oil companies. It is the finding that the world has a “carbon budget” and we have already spent most of it. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/09/29/lets-act-before-the-oil-bubble-bursts/?KEYWORDS=climate+change The fingerprint of climate change on the California drought, extreme weather in 2013. Researchers studying the fingerprint of human-caused climate change on extreme weather events in 2013 have found that it played a role in half of the events that they looked at, including the California drought and extreme heat events. Climate change attribution — figuring out what role climate change is playing in our weather events…Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/09/29/the-fingerprint-of-climate-change-on-the-california-drought-extreme-weather-in-2013/ In The California Drought, These Animals Are The Silent Sufferers. With no end in sight and hopes pinned on a wet winter, the California drought has left an entire community dependent on bottled water provisions, threatened farmers’ livelihoods and prompted a $7.5 billion water bond measure. Amid those challenges, it’s easy to forget that the drought is not just a human issue. Posted.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/26/california-drought-threat_n_5890296.html?ir=Los+Angeles&utm_hp_ref=los-angeles California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 15:16:02 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for September 30, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for September 30, 2014. 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 Air board adopts new wood-burning rules. The Valley Air District’s Governing Board has authorized more funding to change out older, high-polluting wood-burning devices for newer, cleaner units through the Burn Cleaner fireplace and wood stove change-out program. The move increases the incentive amount available to residents who change out their older, polluting wood-burning devices to $1,500 per device, up from $500. Posted. http://www.recorderonline.com/news/air-board-adopts-new-wood-burning-rules/article_875c970c-47f0-11e4-adee-0017a43b2370.html Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution Announce City Council Endorsements. Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution (CRAAP) has endorsed incumbent Kevin McKeown and Planning Commissioners Richard McKinnon and Sue Himmelrich following CRAAP's three-hour candidates forum on Sept. 22 that featured 13 of the 14 candidates for Santa Monica City Council. Posted. http://www.smmirror.com/articles/News/Concerned-Residents-Against-Airport-Pollution-Announce-City-Council-Endorsements/41250 Greens file brief opposing EPA waste-burning rules. Environmental groups are asking a federal court to send rules governing what discarded materials are exempt from air regulations back to U.S. EPA for review. The organizations say EPA's regulations run contrary to both the Clean Air Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as well as allow harmful air emissions when materials are burned. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060006635/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Scientists Trace Extreme Heat in Australia to Climate Change. The savage heat waves that struck Australia last year were almost certainly a direct consequence of greenhouse gases released by human activity, researchers said Monday. It is perhaps the most definitive statement climate scientists have made tying a specific weather event to global warming. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/30/science/earth/human-related-climate-change-led-to-extreme-heat-scientists-say.html?_r=0 Growing, and Growing Vulnerable. As the president of the Fire Island Association, Suzy Goldhirsch has a message she says she often offers property owners. “We are living on a sandbar in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean,” she tells them. “We are in a high-risk environment. We on barrier islands are on the front lines of climate change.” The same could be said of many coastal areas around the world, which are threatened by rising sea levels as the planet warms. Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/30/science/barrier-islands-feeling-the-effects-of-climate-change.html California drought and climate warming: Studies find no clear link. Global warming contributed to extreme heat waves in many parts of the world last year, but cannot be definitively linked to the California drought, according to a report released Monday. The third annual analysis of extreme weather events underscored the continuing difficulty of teasing out the influence of human-caused climate change on precipitation patterns. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-change-california-drought-20140929-story.html http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-drought-tied-to-climate-change-Maybe-5788420.php 'This Changes Everything' tackles global warming. "This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate" (Simon & Schuster), by Naomi Klein Cutting the vast amounts of man-made pollution that feed global warming is an enormous challenge for societies that gobble up coal, oil and gas. But in "This Changes Everything," Naomi Klein argues that those fuels aren't the root problem — capitalism is. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/30/this-changes-everything-tackles-global-warming/ Study: Climate Not a Factor in Epic Colorado Floods. The rains that the National Weather Service called " Biblical " were thought to be possibly linked to climate change because, overall, higher atmospheric temperatures allow air to hold more moisture, leading to more extreme precipitation. It wasn't a foregone conclusion in Colorado because extreme precipitation may vary by region. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/study-climate-not-a-factor-in-epic-colorado-floods_38544200 Climate Fueled Some of 2013’s Most Extreme Events. As the planet’s temperature steadily rises thanks to the burning of fossil fuels that pumps greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, that warming is having a discernible impact on some of the world’s weather, particularly to heat waves across the globe. Posted. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-fueled-some-of-2013s-most-extreme-events-18104 Beyond Treaties: A New Way of Framing Global Climate Action. As negotiators look to next year’s UN climate conference in Paris, there is increasing discussion of a new way forward that does not depend on sweeping international agreements. Some analysts are pointing to Plan B — recasting the climate issue as one of national self-interest rather than global treaties. Posted. http://e360.yale.edu/feature/beyond_treaties_a_new_way_of_framing_global_climate_action/2809/ Scientists find human-caused link to heat wave, but ties to drought and heavy rains elude them. Blistering heat waves recorded around the globe in 2013 were linked to human-caused global warming, according to a broad survey of studies on extreme weather events published yesterday. But the studies could not link climate change as clearly to heavy rainfall, droughts and storms. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006603/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY As temperatures rise in coming decades, climate 'refugees' have few options. Scientists forecasting cities and regions that will remain relatively safe from extreme storms, destructive flooding and brutal drought don't point to many options. As temperatures rise, many researchers predict, people will shift across the United States to friendly climate havens. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006591/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GHGs from U.S. power plants rose slightly last year – report. Power plants are still responsible for more emissions of greenhouse gases than any other industrial sector, according to a U.S. EPA report released today. The power sector released almost a third of U.S. man-made carbon dioxide last year, the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program's report says. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060006649/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Are humans causing the drought? New study causes a stir. In a controversial study, Stanford University scientists on Monday linked California’s historic drought with atmospheric conditions caused by human-induced climate change. The scientists said the type of atmospheric conditions causing California’s drought very likely exist because of human-created emissions of large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/drought-636736-climate-california.html http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_26627640/Californias-drought-linked-to-greenhouse-gases-climate-change-in-Stanford-study FUELS Canada Tar-Sands Image Set for Overhaul With New Premier. Canada’s reputation as climate bad-boy was invented in Manhattan in 2008. Months before TransCanada Corp. (TRP) applied for a permit for Keystone XL and the pipeline battles that followed, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund convened a gathering of environmental groups to discuss a strategy for taking down Canada’s tar-sands industry. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-30/canada-s-tar-sands-image-set-for-image-with-new-premier.html A U-Turn for a Terminal Built in Texas to Import Natural Gas. The giant Golden Pass natural gas import terminal here, meant to bring Middle Eastern gas to energy-hungry Americans, sits eerily quiet these days, a sleepy museum to a bygone era. Its 5,000 valves, 50 million pounds of steel and ship berth as big as 77 football fields — representing a $2 billion investment by Qatar Petroleum…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/30/business/energy-environment/a-u-turn-for-a-terminal-built-in-texas-to-import-natural-gas.html Dominion natural gas exports plan gets federal OK. Dominion Energy received federal approval late Monday to export liquefied natural gas from its Cove Point terminal on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. In its decision, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concluded that the project, as approved with conditions, would minimize potential adverse impacts on landowners and the environment. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/29/dominion-natural-gas-exports-plan-gets-federal-ok/ World's first coal carbon capture project set for startup this week. The world's first large coal-fired generator refitted to capture the majority of its carbon dioxide emissions is ready for operations. This week, Canadian utility SaskPower hosts officials from the Department of Energy and around the world as part of an official launch of the utility's Boundary Dam carbon capture project, one of four initiatives cited by U.S. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006606/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Study finds solo hybrid drivers in California HOV lanes amplify congestion, create up to $4,500 per car in adverse social costs annually. Allowing single-occupant low-emission cars in California to use high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on congested highways exacerbates the congestion and causes up to about $4,500 per car in adverse social costs annually, including increased commute times and carbon dioxide emissions…Posted. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/09/20140930-hov.html GREEN ENERGY Offshore Wind Turbines Could Tame Hurricanes. Huge Arrays of Windmills Could Protect U.S. Coastal Cities—and Produce Power. Could an armada of giant windmills reduce damage from the next big hurricane? A study by scientists at Stanford University and the University of Delaware suggests that U.S. coastal cities could be spared by installing tens of thousands of gigantic wind turbines offshore in arrays up to 20 miles long. Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/offshore-wind-turbines-could-tame-hurricanes-1411937788 SOLAR TOWERS: Plans for Palen solar farm fizzle. The developer of the Palen solar project filed a notice Friday with the California Energy Commission to withdraw its license application for a 750-foot “power tower” in eastern Riverside County. Palen Solar Holdings, a partnership between Oakland-based BrightSource and Abengoa Solar in Spain, “reassessed its position” after an energy commission committee recommended a scaled-down version of the project, said Joe Desmond, a BrightSource vice president. Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/solar-750823-palen-project.html An RV takes road to energy independence. Thomas “Tim” Lemieux lives in an unlikely showcase for green energy: a 1997 Winnebago recreational vehicle. Scale a narrow ladder up the side of the motorhome, and a compact rooftop solar farm comes into view. Photovoltaic panels cover the top, and even the front hood. They are linked to a series of batteries that help distill and cool water for drinking. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/26/an-rv-rid-of-the-grid/ IEA estimates solar could dominate energy sources by 2050. More than a quarter of the world's electricity demand could be met with solar power by midcentury, surpassing generation from any other single source, including coal, natural gas, oil, wind, hydro and nuclear, the International Energy Agency has determined. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006596/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY New Western real-time market aims to smooth bumps in renewable generation. A new market for electricity is starting this week aimed at integrating renewables onto the power grid in seven Western states. The "energy imbalance market" will give Western buyers the option to purchase electricity in five-minute increments, a privilege previously enjoyed only by participants in the California grid. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060006608/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Gov. Brown signs phase-out of single-use plastic bags in stores. Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday fulfilled a promise by signing a measure that will phase out single-use plastic bags from checkout stands at California supermarkets, convenience stores, liquor stores and pharmacies. California is the first state in the nation to enact such a ban at the state level…Posted. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-gov-brown-signs-phaseout-of-singleuse-plastic-bags-in-stores-20140929-story.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/30/6746966/brown-says-hes-likely-to-sign.html http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/29/plastic-bag-ban-california/ Earth Talk: Air quality. Dear EarthTalk: What are some of the more dangerous threats to our air quality and what can be done to eliminate them so we can all breathe more easily? - Melanie Smith, Pomfret, CT The main threats to local air quality across the United States (as well as most everywhere else) remain smog and particulate pollution, which combined or acting alone trigger millions of hospital visits and health complications for citizens every year. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/30/6747446/earth-talk-air-quality.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS How to End the Gridlock on Climate Change. MAZEN SKAF: Three interrelated questions are missing in the ongoing climate-change debate among the convinced and the skeptics: 1) What is the appropriate frame and could our biases cause us to miss out on specific interventions or solutions? 2) What if the models or analyses used on either side of the debate are significantly flawed; what will be the implications for upside risks and downside risks...Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/09/30/how-to-end-the-gridlock-on-climate-change/ California Is Burning. The drought may cost the region’s farmers upward of $1.7 billion in damages and lost crops, resulting in more than 14,500 farmhand layoffs, Mr. Sahagun writes. “Central Valley irrigators will only get two-thirds of their normal water deliveries,” he says. “Additional pumping of groundwater to replace those shortages will cost farmers about $450 million. Posted. http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/29/california-is-burning/?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A11%22} Harry Reid in favor of $10,000 federal EV tax credit. Harry Reid says the federal government should commit more funds towards incentives for electric-vehicle purchases. We'll wait for readers' shock to sink in. Now, here are the details. The Senate Majority Leader (D-NV) is backing President Barack Obama's efforts to raise federal incentives for EV drivers to $10,000 from $7,500, according to The Detroit News. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/30/harry-reid-in-favor-of-10-000-federal-ev-tax-credit/ Totaled Tesla Model S is a case of buyer beware. Getting a Tesla Model S for just $50,000 is a steal, but when it's a salvage title car and was written off as totaled by an insurance company, the bargain might not be worth the headache. That's what a San Diego man is learning now that he's having trouble getting his fancy but damaged electric vehicle to work. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/29/totaled-tesla-model-s-buyer-beware-video/ Big Greens Are Spending Big Green In 2014 Midterms. First there was a pickup truck. Then there was an ark. The vehicle of choice for drawing attention to the NextGen Climate Action Committee has been, well, vehicles. The climate change super PAC, funded by billionaire investor Tom Steyer, recently rolled a truck filled with fake oil barrels into New Hampshire to chide Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown. Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/29/steyer-nextgen-climate-elections_n_5901232.html Cities are lapping countries on climate action. National governments — especially the American government — are largely paralyzed on climate change. But one message from the U.N. Climate Summit and surrounding events last week was that cities can do a lot to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on their own. They account for most of the world’s population and emissions. Posted. http://grist.org/cities/cities-are-lapping-countries-on-climate-action/ The little island that could is going 100 percent renewable. Europeans thought the tiny island of El Hierro was the end of the world before Cristobal Colon sailed to that other hemisphere. Now it’s the beginning of a post-fossil energy world. One of Spain’s Canary Islands off Africa’s coast, El Hierro is an active volcanic landmass too remote to hook up to the motherland’s electricity grid. Posted. http://grist.org/news/the-little-island-that-could-is-going-100-percent-renewable/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2014 13:43:36 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 1, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 1, 2014. 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 How to build business support for a price on carbon. Recently protestors held massive demonstrations in New York City surrounding the United Nations Climate Summit 2014. The goal of the summit was to mobilize the international community in preparation for next year's climate meeting in Paris, and protestors wanted to show their support for strong action to reverse climate change. Posted. http://www.greenbiz.com/print/58598 AIR POLLUTION Beauty Companies Want to Protect Your Skin From Air Pollution. Companies Want to Establish Whether Smog and Car Exhaust Lead to More Signs of Aging. In the dirty world of car exhaust, cigarette smoke and smog, the beauty industry sees its next big opportunity. Air pollution's suspected effects on the skin—increased signs of aging, dark spots and inflammation…Posted. http://online.wsj.com/articles/beauty-companies-want-to-protect-your-skin-from-air-pollution-1412118685 CO2 emission cuts from energy efficiency save more lives – study. State plans to cut carbon emissions could avoid premature deaths of about 3,500 people annually if they come from increased energy efficiency, according to a new analysis. It also found that switching from coal to natural gas would not prevent as many deaths. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006680/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE 'This Changes Everything' tackles global warming. Cutting the vast amounts of man-made pollution that feed global warming is an enormous challenge for societies that gobble up coal, oil and gas. But in "This Changes Everything," Naomi Klein argues that those fuels aren't the root problem - capitalism is. Posted. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BOOK_REVIEW_THIS_CHANGES_EVERYTHING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT South Pacific flotilla to protest climate change inaction at Australia coal port. Protesters from 12 South Pacific nations plan to block ships entering and leaving Australia's Port of Newcastle, the world's largest coal export terminal, this month to highlight effects they say climate change is having on their islands. Some experts say climate change will cause higher tides that will swamp lower-lying Pacific islands…Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/10/01/us-australia-southpacific-coal-idINKCN0HQ3CJ20141001 Stanford scientists say greenhouse gases worsen California drought. California's catastrophic drought has most likely been made worse by man-made climate change, according to a report released Monday by Stanford University, but scientists are still hesitant to fully blame the lack of rain on climate change. The research, published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society as part of a collection of reports on extreme weather events in 2013…Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/09/30/usa-california-drought-idINL2N0RU2TT20140930 ENVIRONMENT: Dark cloud over solar plans. The Obama administration’s push for big solar plants and other renewable energy projects on public lands has started to stall as developers question whether they can finish projects in time to qualify for key federal subsidies. Just days after U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell came to Palm Springs to trumpet the success of these projects in combating climate change…Posted. http://www.pe.com/articles/project-751058-energy-palen.html A common-sense climate plan for San Diego. Common sense in governing can be a wonderful thing. The latest proof is in Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s proposed plan for San Diego to do its share in curbing the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. The plan is a model of realistic steps to achieve realistic goals without punishing home and business owners with costly financial mandates. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/oct/01/tp-a-common-sense-climate-plan-for-san-diego/ http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/30/faulconer-climate-change-plan-unveil/ EPA Releases Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data from Large Facilities. The EPA released its fourth year of Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program data, detailing greenhouse gas pollution trends and emissions broken down by industrial sector, geographic region and individual facilities. In 2013, reported emissions from large industrial facilities were 20 million metric tons higher than the prior year…Posted. http://www.pollutionengineering.com/articles/89229-epa-releases-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data-from-large-facilities http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006674/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT October begins water year with prospect of tighter restrictions. As the state ends the fourth-driest water year on record with no guarantee of significant rain and snowfall this winter, Californians face the prospect of stricter rationing and meager irrigation deliveries for agriculture. California begins a new October-September water year Wednesday with total reservoir storage at 36% of capacity, or 57% of average for this time of year. Posted. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-water-year-20141001-story.html http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/30/6748897/california-ends-one-of-driest.html Droughts likely to be new normal for California. Whether viewed from a dry-as-dust ground level or from a sky-high planetary perch, the ongoing drought in California is remarkable. As this slow-moving meteorological disaster intensifies, burning forests, fallowed agricultural fields and critically low reservoirs shows the increasingly high-stakes interactions among scientists, policymakers and everyday Californians. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/30/6747452/droughts-likely-to-be-new-normal.html#storylink=cpy FUELS U.S. gasoline stocks lowest in 23 months. U.S. gasoline stocks hit 208.5 million barrels last week, their lowest levels since November 2012, according to weekly data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Wednesday. The number fell by 1.84 million barrels from the prior week, according to the EIA. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/10/01/oil-energy-eia-milestones-idINL2N0RW16R20141001 Exxon fracking report responds to shareholders. Exxon Mobil issued a report Tuesday that acknowledges the environmental risks of hydraulic fracturing but also defends the practice as being better for the environment than other types of energy production and generation. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/30/6749405/exxon-fracking-report-responds.html#storylink=cpy Oil's plunge means $3 gas for many consumers. With crude oil prices plunging to near two-year lows and likely to remain tepid through year's end, consumers in all but a handful of states could soon pay $3 a gallon or less for gasoline, the lowest pump prices since 2010. Rising global oil production, ample inventories, slackening demand and a U.S. dollar trading at multiyear highs have wreaked havoc on the global oil markets in recent weeks. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/30/plunging-crude-oil-could-push-gasoline-to-3-a-gallon-for-much-of-the-us/16494285/ Will California Gas Prices Jump At Beginning Of Year, Or Are Oil Companies Full Of Hot Air? Advertisements are warning California drivers that a big jump at the pump could be on the way, but how likely is a large jump and how big will it be? Experts say the lower-than-normal gas prices we’ve been saying lately are likely to climb. Jay McKeeman with the California Independent Oil Market Association estimates prices will move up 12 to 15 cents in January. Posted. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/30/will-gas-prices-jump-at-beginning-of-year-or-are-oil-companies-full-of-hot-air/ Lower-Carbon Gasoline In CA: Don't Believe Gas-Price Scare Tactics, Says UCS. When it comes to green transportation policies, California leads the way. The state has enacted numerous policies to cut transportation-related emissions, improve energy efficiency, and in some cases eliminate the use of fossil fuel. One such policy--the state's Low-Carbon Fuel Standard, or LCFS--is not sitting well with oil companies…Posted. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094697_lower-carbon-gasoline-in-ca-dont-believe-gas-price-scare-tactics-says-ucs U.S. LNG exports may be key in reducing global emissions – experts. Boosting the United States' natural gas exports is needed to create market liquidity, drive down prices and give American allies energy options they wouldn't otherwise have. But, at its core, enabling exports is also about curbing greenhouse gas emissions, industry experts said yesterday at an energy security event in Washington, D.C. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006684/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY VEHICLES Lower-Carbon Gasoline In CA: Don't Believe Gas-Price Scare Tactics, Says UCS. When it comes to green transportation policies, California leads the way. The state has enacted numerous policies to cut transportation-related emissions, improve energy efficiency, and in some cases eliminate the use of fossil fuel. One such policy--the state's Low-Carbon Fuel Standard, or LCFS--is not sitting well with oil companies, which claim the regulation will raise the price of gasoline, harming consumers. Posted. https://autos.yahoo.com/news/lower-carbon-gasoline-ca-dont-believe-gas-price-120004944.html GREEN ENERGY Governor wins challenge over green building codes. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez has won a legal challenge over her administration's repeal of "green" building standards implemented when Democrat Bill Richardson was governor. The state Court of Appeals last week upheld a decision by the state Construction Industries Commission to revamp building codes. Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/01/3567710/governor-wins-challenge-over-green.html#storylink=cpy Time running out for rooftop solar benefit. The sun is setting steadily on California's super-incentive for rooftop solar. Customers of San Diego Gas & Electric have reached the half-way point toward a cumulative cap on a program known as net energy metering, the utility reported on its website. Posted. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/oct/01/days-numbered-solar-incentive/ The world's biggest energy hogs aren't who you think they are. You might expect the US and Canada to be home to some of the biggest energy consumers in the world, but Iceland and Luxembourg? Oilprice.com calculated the top 10 countries with the highest energy use per person and the results may surprise. Next time you get into your car and drive to the supermarket, think about how much energy you consume on an annual basis. Posted. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/1001/The-world-s-biggest-energy-hogs-aren-t-who-you-think-they-are OPINIONS Why Are Supposed “Greedy” Oil Companies Lowering Gas Prices During Cap and Trade Debate? Oil companies have been part of the campaign to make voters aware that gas prices will increase in January once fuels are put under the cap-and-trade provisions of AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act. Yet, a strange thing is occurring. The campaign to delay the application of cap and trade rules for fuels goes on as gas prices continue to fall in California. Posted. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/09/supposed-greedy-oil-companies-lowering-gas-prices-cap-trade-debate/ Viewpoints: Climate change is increasing the chances of drought. Whether viewed from a dry-as-dust ground level or from a sky-high planetary perch, the ongoing drought in California is remarkable. As this slow-moving meteorological disaster intensifies, burning forests, fallowed agricultural fields and critically low reservoirs show the increasingly high-stakes interactions among scientists, policymakers and everyday Californians. Posted. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/30/6746200/viewpoints-climate-change-is-increasing.html#storylink=cpy Cool Davis: working on local solutions to global warming. When it comes to climate change, you can hear a lot of excuses or fine talk from political and business leaders, but usually little practical action. It can be dispiriting given the consequences we know could result. Fortunately, Davis is a community that does not indulge in despair. Rather, it believes in pro-actively looking for solutions that lower our community’s carbon footprint. Posted. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/30/plunging-crude-oil-could-push-gasoline-to-3-a-gallon-for-much-of-the-us/16494285/ De Blasio’s Green Housing. New York City’s plan to make multifamily buildings, subsidized and rent-regulated housing, and public housing more energy efficient is a significant step forward to defend residents, especially the low income, from climate change and rising utility costs. The initiatives not only provide economic opportunities for families, both through cost savings and new jobs…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/opinion/de-blasios-green-housing.html Jack McBride: High-speed rail will stop here. The most recent mailer from our absentee congressman, Jeff Denham, attacked the Republicans’ favorite target, the high-speed rail project, saying there would be “no stops in Stanislaus or San Joaquin counties.” That’s a lie: The rail line would have stops in both Stockton and Modesto. Why don’t the Republicans have the faith to invest in the future? Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/09/30/3567579_nancy-haydock-if-almond-disease.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy BLOGS Climate-Change Skeptics: What if You’re Wrong? What is the most important question in the climate debate that supporters and opponents are overlooking? The answer to this question is different for supporters and opponents. For opponents, the most overlooked question is whether they have attempted to quantify the possibility that they are wrong about the impacts of climate change…Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/10/01/climate-change-skeptics-what-if-youre-wrong/ The Realistic Way to Tax Carbon. No one energy policy will change the world. So the goal in picking one energy policy is to pick one that’s likely to spur lots of additional moves. A good place to start is a tax on carbon—but one that’s rational politically, economically and environmentally. Those are big, and often-ignored, “buts.” A smart carbon tax would be revenue-neutral, returning its proceeds to consumers rather to national treasuries. Posted. http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/10/01/the-realistic-way-to-tax-carbon/ Amid Climate Change Backlash, Even Oil Companies Are Dumping ALEC Now. The fourth-largest U.S. oil and gas company revealed Friday that it is leaving the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) amid widespread backlash over the free-market lobbying group’s efforts to undermine clean energy and promote climate change denial. Posted. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/09/30/3573662/occidental-leaves-alec/ Nissan Leaf makes it 19 in a row for record sales; Chevy Volt drops 21 percent. The Nissan Leaf continues its streak of "best month ever" sales with 2,881 EVs sold in September. Compared to the 1,953 sold in September 2013, that represents an increase of 47.5 percent and, as Nissan itself must be tired of saying by now, it marks yet another best month ever, same as last month and now the 19th in a row. Okay, sure, we know…Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/01/nissan-leaf-chevy-volt-september-2014-sales/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2014 14:19:31 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 2, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 2, 2014. 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 Cancer risk from Southern California air declining. Southern California's air is getting healthier. According to a major air quality study released Thursday, cancer-causing pollutants have dropped by more than 50 percent on average since 2005. That's when the South Coast Air Quality Management District last monitored air quality so extensively in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Cancer-risk-from-Southern-California-air-declining-5796624.php Full inspections of frack sand mines mostly undone. A report says only 20 percent of active frack sand mine operations have been inspected by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to ensure compliance with air pollution rules. The mining company needs an air permit from the DNR before beginning operations. Then it's up to the agency to do a full compliance evaluation to determine if the company is following the rules. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Full-inspections-of-frack-sand-mines-mostly-undone-5793600.php Port air study hit. A report submitted Tuesday to state regulators labels as "irresponsible" their conclusion that airborne chemical concentrations in Albany's South End weren't a health concern. The report by David O. Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the State University of New York at Albany, said that air samples in 20 of 21 cases showed elevated levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Port-air-study-hit-5792233.php CLIMATE CHANGE Climate Change May Kill More Than Ebola, U.K. Doctors Say. Climate change may kill many more people than the Ebola virus, a group of U.K. doctors said in a call for the World Health Organization to declare the issue a public emergency. Burning fossil fuels causes about 7 million premature deaths from indoor and outdoor air pollution, according to the BMJ, a medical journal owned by the British Medical Association. Posted. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-01/climate-change-may-kill-more-than-ebola-u-k-doctors-say.html Climate Change's Role in Indian Pilgrim Deaths. When the heavens opened over several Himalayan foothill states in northern India for four cataclysmic days last summer, they rained unprecedented hell over villagers, and over streams of pilgrims visiting temples and other holy sites. Floods and landslides tore vulnerable buildings and villages from their feeble riverside roots, flushing their ramshackle remains downstream. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/state/climate-changes-role-in-indian-pilgrim-deaths_76667998 Encinitas Resident Conserves Every Drop To Combat Climate Change. It's been hot in San Diego. Record temperature hot. Our utility grid is taxed, and water is in short supply. Scientists predict all of this will continue thanks to climate change. Many people are doing what they can to reduce their impact on the environment, but some take it much further than others. Posted. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/oct/02/green-building-encinitas-climate-change/ MIT: Global Energy Use, CO2 May Double By 2100. Even as curbing greenhouse gas emissions becomes more urgent as the effects of climate change become more acute, fossil fuels will remain the largest source of GHGs far into the 21st Century as both global energy use and CO2 emissions double, according to MIT’s 2014 Climate and Energy Outlook. Posted. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/global-energy-use-co2-may-double-by-2100-18117 Warring camps seem to agree: It's the economy, stupid. The fight over global warming in Washington, D.C., has shifted from climate science to the dismal science. It's all economy, all the time. Senior administration officials have played up economics with coordinated talking points in recent weeks. U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, and White House Office of Management and Budget chief Shaun Donovan have talked up President Obama's Climate Action Plan…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060006719/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY DROUGHT Amid crippling drought, California voters see no relief at the polls. As November midterm elections loom, state residents appear not to be prioritizing drought issue California residents face stiff fines if they use too much water. Wells in some communities are running dry. Farmers are drilling deeper and deeper in search of what has become liquid gold. Posted. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/10/2/california-watershortages.html FUELS Republicans craft 2015 plan to force Obama's hand on Keystone. Republicans plan to put approval of the long-delayed Keystone XL oil pipeline on a fast track early next year if they win a U.S. Senate majority in November, finally forcing President Barack Obama to make a tough call on the controversial plan. The $10 billion Keystone project to connect Canadian oil sands with U.S. refineries will top the list of Republican energy priorities…Posted. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/01/usa-elections-energy-idUKL2N0RO1G820141001 With greater gas mileage come harmful carbon particulates – report. Modern engines that directly transfer fuel into vehicles' combustion chambers have let automakers churn out high-performance cars and meet stringent government fuel efficiency targets. But according to new research on particulate emissions from the Fuels…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006770/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Methane rules create booming leak detection and prevention business. Regulations on methane emissions have helped created a multibillion-dollar industry that pays high wages and boosts small business, according to a report from a nonprofit group. Methane, the primary ingredient in natural gas, is a powerful greenhouse gas. Both state and federal agencies are requiring oil and gas explorers, pipeline companies…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060006772/print BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Walgreens' designs prove an upgrade for shoppers. The company and the Chicago architects with which it frequently works, Camburas & Theodore, have also won awards for a third Chicago-area location. The store's tiered roof has nearly 850 electricity-generating solar panels, though it has yet to reach its highly publicized "net zero" goal of producing as much energy as it consumes…Posted. http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/02/3569804/walgreens-designs-prove-an-upgrade.html#storylink=cpy MISCELLANEOUS Referendum sought on plastic bag ban. The ink was barely dry on the governor’s signature to ban plastic bags when foes of his decision filed paperwork with the state attorney general’s office for a referendum in 2016 to overturn the new law. The request for an official title and summary from the attorney general was submitted Tuesday. Posted. http://capitolweekly.net/brown-bans-plastic-bags-new-political-fight-looms/ OPINIONS Mr. Obama’s Pacific Monument. Still, environmental groups are uniformly praising him for going as big as he did and for defying opposition from Hawaiian fishing interests whose loyalties lie with the producers of canned tuna. That industry has other places to fish; it will not suffer. But, at a time when the world’s oceans are threatened by rampant pollution, overfishing and climate change…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/02/opinion/mr-obamas-pacific-monument.html?_r=0 Smoke in the air. Why is it that people who smoke treat the world like it’s their own portable ashtray? There are over 1 billion smokers on the planet. If they all smoke one pack of cigarettes and deposit their cigarette butts into the environment, imagine what that toxic waste site would look like. Posted. http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Letters-to-the-Editor-Sept-30-5789038.php D’Amato: Stéphane Dion and his hated carbon tax were right all along. Remember former federal Liberal leader Stéphane Dion? In the election of 2008 he went down in flames after he proposed a carbon tax for Canadians. It was a forward-thinking idea: People would pay less income tax, but the cost of fossil fuels like gasoline would go up. Businesses and individuals would save money if they used less energy…Posted. http://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/4890940-d-amato-st-phane-dion-and-his-hated-carbon-tax-were-right-all-along/ Congress Needn't Look Any Further Than California on How to Combat Climate Change | Commentary. President Barack Obama’s recent address to a global audience at the United Nations Climate Summit, coupled with the executive order he unveiled the same day, make even more evident the need to combat climate change despite some reluctance coming from Congress. Posted. http://www.rollcall.com/news/congress_neednt_look_any_further_than_california_on_how_to_combat_climate-236794-1.html Warming up. Prospects for international agreement on combating climate change look brighter. There is much for the world to be pessimistic about these days. The double crises of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and Islamic extremism in the Middle East, for example, pose real dangers. So it says much for the one-day United Nations summit on climate change…Posted. http://www.nature.com/news/warming-up-1.16024 BLOGS Expanding on the California Climate Credit. California's climate change program lowered millions of households utility bills last April, but very few people noticed. And it is about to happen again with the return of the semi-annual "California Climate Credit" applied to October bills. The credit deserves more attention because it is the rare case where funds raised by a price on carbon are sent back to households…Posted. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-sandler/expanding-on-the-californ_b_5904432.html?utm_hp_ref=green Power Plant Standards Could Save Thousands of U.S. Lives Every Year. Power plant standards to cut climate-changing carbon emissions will reduce other harmful air pollution and provide substantial human health benefits, according to a new study. The research shows that, depending on the policy options included in the final Clean Power Plan…Posted. http://blog.ctnews.com/kantrowitz/2014/10/01/power-plant-standards-could-save-thousands-of-u-s-lives-every-year/ A newly-minted 'genius' hopes to stop pollution from soot and smoke. You probably know black carbon as soot or smoke, the stuff that comes from burning fossil fuels like coal and diesel as well as forest fires and cooking stoves. What you may not know is that scientists believe black carbon is second only to carbon dioxide as a contributor to climate change. Posted. https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-10-01/newly-minted-genius-hopes-stop-pollution-soot-and-smoke Colorado’s GOP Candidate For Governor Goes All In On Climate Change Denial. In Colorado, a state with a recent history of severe drought, epic wildfires and historic floods, the Republican candidate for governor is not backing down from his stance denying the role of humans in driving climate change. Posted. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/10/01/3574368/colorado-governor-debate/ Administration launches climate competition. The Obama administration launched a competition Wednesday aimed at helping cities and towns cut greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the effects of climate change. The White House plans to pick up to 15 communities that have already taken steps to fight climate change and give them expert assistance to further the goals of reducing emissions and building resilience. Posted. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/219413-administration-launches-climate-competition-for-cities Tesla now has 200 Superchargers open around the world. Oxnard, California. That's where electric-vehicle enthusiasts can find Tesla Motors' 200th Supercharger station. And they should be able to find some pretty good surf nearby, too. Number 200 is located in a shopping mall near Highway 101 about 60 miles northwest of central Los Angeles and includes 10 stalls, according to Green Car Reports. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/02/tesla-now-has-200-superchargers-open-around-the-world/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2014 11:25:05 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for October 3, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 Does Carbon Capture Plan Bring The Dream Of Clean Coal Closer? Given the continued dominance of coal in the energy mix, particularly in fast-growing emerging giants such as China and India, carbon capture and storage (CCS) could be the most important technology in the fight against climate change in the near term. So it is great news that the world's first commercial CCS plant has been inaugurated at the Boundary Dam power... http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikescott/2014/10/02/does-carbon-capture-plan-bring-dream-of-clean-coal-closer/?ss=going-global CLIMATE CHANGE Obama and Modi reach climate agreement ...creating a binding climate deal next year, a joint statement from the two nations said. US president Barack Obama and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks in Washington, DC, yesterday, at which they recognised the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving resilience in the face of climate change. Their respective nations will look forward to a "successful outcome" for climate action at the 21st Conference of the Parties (Cop 21) in Paris in December... http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=932595&menu=yes Climate Change Could Increase Global Fresh Water: MIT Water stress — the general scarcity of freshwater for people who need it — is considered by many scientists as one of the biggest challenges facing humanity and struggling ecosystems in a world increasingly affected by climate change. Studies differ on how much the world's growing population will be affected by the growing difficulty of finding freshwater, but a new report by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that climate... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-could-increase-global-fresh-water-supply-mit-18124 AIR POLLUTION Cancer risk from air pollution drops in Southern California Southern Californians' cancer risk from air pollution has dropped 65% since 2005 but is still too high in many areas, regional air quality regulators said in a report released Thursday. They attribute much of the improvement to tough state and local regulations, incentive programs and cleaner fuels that have slashed diesel emissions from trucks, ships and other vehicles on freeways and in freight corridors and ports. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-cancer-risk-20141003-story.html Spare the air alert issued for Friday A Spare the Air alert has been issued for Friday because of unhealthy ozone pollution expected in the Bay Area, regional air quality officials said Thursday. http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/spare-air-alert-issued-friday/nhZ7Z/ DROUGHT EPA sends California $183 million for more water fixes With the backdrop of a parched landscape near the San Joaquin River, a top U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official on Thursday pledged $183 million to invest in drought-scarred California's water needs. Cities in California will compete for the funding to build water-quality projects aimed at reducing pollution as well as improving municipal drinking water and wastewater facilities. http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/02/3570545/epa-sends-california-183-million.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f2307%2f 196 drought maps reveal just how thirsty California has become A sampling of California drought maps Much of California is mired in extreme and exceptional drought. Much of California is mired in extreme and exceptional drought. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-g-california-drought-map-htmlstory.html VEHICLES Carmakers urge EU regulators to be realistic with emissions limits ...and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) on Thursday urged European regulators not to overburden the industry with excessive emission targets, especially in times of an economic downturn. EU nations have agreed to reduce emissions from new cars to 95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre (g/km) by 2021 from around 127 g/km in 2013. Volkswagen Group Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn said he was concerned by talk of even tougher targets for the period after, before the industry had time to develop for electric... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/02/autoshow-paris-carbon-idUSL6N0RX5S520141002?feedName=companyNews&feedType=RSS&rpc=31&type=companyNews Tesla now has 200 Superchargers open around the world Oxnard, California. That's where electric-vehicle enthusiasts can find Tesla Motors' 200th Supercharger station. And they should be able to find some pretty good surf nearby, too. Number 200 is located in a shopping mall near Highway 101 about 60 miles northwest of central Los... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/02/tesla-now-has-200-superchargers-open-around-the-world/ GREEN ENERGY OSU researchers build rechargeable solar battery Researchers at Ohio State University say they've invented the first rechargeable solar battery. The researchers say the new battery could make solar energy more affordable and open the door for its widespread use as a sustainable power source. Solar panels generate energy from the sun that must be stored in expensive batteries in order for it to be sustainable. The OSU researchers say... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/OSU-researchers-build-rechargeable-solar-battery-5798513.php MISCELLANEOUS ARB seeking nominations for 2014 Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards The California Air Resources Board (ARB) yesterday announced that it is seeking applications for the 2014 Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards. The prestigious awards are given annually to those who have made outstanding contributions in the fields of clean air, climate change, technology, and related policies. http://www.examiner.com/article/arb-seeking-nominations-for-2014-haagen-smit-clean-air-awards OPINION Moving toward a sustainable energy supply The recent announcement by University of California President Janet Napolitano of the 80 megawatt solar project east of Fresno represents a strong commitment by the UC to slow climate change. Producing electricity from solar directly affects the need to extract and burn an equivalent amount of fossil fuels, and reduces emissions of carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas responsible for enhanced climate... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/02/3570694/moving-toward-a-sustainable-energy.html?sp=%2f99%2f1641%2f BLOGS U.S. and India Progress on Long-Missed Opportunity: Increasing Clean Energy Access Meeting in Washington, D.C. this week, President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made important commitments for U.S.-India partnership in fighting climate change and accelerating clean energy, echoing discussions at the timely 5th U.S.-India Energy Partnership Summit hosted by Yale University and the Indian think tank The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) across town. With India's 300... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-caseylefkowitz/us-and-india-progress-on-_b_5916748.html?utm_hp_ref=green Your Opportunity to Secure our Future Take a look around the world. Everywhere you turn you'll find a geopolitical mess at the intersection of energy, climate change, and global security. From airstrikes on oil fields and refineries in Iraq and Syria controlled by the Islamic State to natural gas crises in Ukraine and the European Union compromising negotiations with Vladimir Putin to flooding... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-wu/your-opportunity-to-secur_b_5916664.html?ir=New+York&utm_hp_ref=new-york A Change in the Climate ...(or, as we say today, having grown more polite, “asks”); each of them a culture, or an intertwined set of cultures; each of them a political force in the broadest as well as the narrowest sense; each generating the wildest hopes and deepest disappointments. Climate change is now one of them: a burgeoning social fact. The extraordinary range, age, and diversity exhibited in the People's Climate March -- race, class, sex, you name it, and if you were there, you saw it -- changes the game. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/todd-gitlin/a-change-in-the-climate_b_5920018.html Well Said! Carbon Dioxide Made Simple -- and Personal Burning fossil fuels. Rising atmospheric CO2 levels. Global warming. The 1-2-3 of climate change. As the GEICO ads say "everybody knows that!" But surveys suggest that, in fact, many people don't understand this simple relationship. For example, the Yale Project on Climate Communication's... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-reid/well-said-carbon-dioxide-_b_5922300.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Climate Change This Week: Solar Sunflower, Banks Bank on Clean Energy, and More! Today, the Earth got a little hotter, and a little more crowded. Daily Climate Change: Global Map of Unusual Temperatures, Oct 2, 2014 How unusual has the weather been? No one event is "caused" by climate change, but global warming, which is predicted to increase unusual, extreme weather,... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ellen-harte/climate-change-this-week_b_5924602.html The Climate March Firsthand ...him why he was there, I was told: To show my support for changes in the global program where no one is responding to all the pollution that is getting put out there now they're thinking that gas is going to be the answer, and gas is not the answer with methane, and people have got to realize we got to go solar. I'm also really pleased with the turnout today. This turnout is phenomenal, people from all over the country: California, Texas, I met people from Nevada. People are saying enough is enough,... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/murray-rosenbaum/climate-march-firsthand_b_5891194.html?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green Use These Green Gadgets To Help Save Water, Energy And Money In Your Home ...cable box, gaming console and DVD player. Some also disconnect the power when all the devices plugged in are turned off, preventing devices from sucking power while they are in standby mode. Check out this infographic by the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Lab for more info. You can also get really fancy and use your smartphone to control outlets. The Belkin WeMo Insight outlet, for example, lets you turn off devices with your phone, track energy use, set alerts and more. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/02/green-gadgets-save-energy_n_5914078.html?utm_hp_ref=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2014 13:00:21 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 6, 2014. From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 6, 2014. 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 QUALITY New England has fewer unhealthy air quality days BOSTON -- Environmental officials say New England experienced fewer days with unhealthy air quality during this summer's ozone season. Preliminary data collected between April and September shows there were nine days when ozone monitors in New England recorded concentrations above levels considered healthy. That is in... http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/04/6760303/new-england-has-fewer-unhealthy.html Vegas area poised to get EPA clean air designation LAS VEGAS -- A 21-year push to limit dust pollution in and around Las Vegas has federal regulators poised to give the region a clean bill of health. The federal Environmental Protection Agency formally notified the county last month that it will be reclassified as meeting standards for airborne... http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/04/6760539/vegas-area-poised-to-get-epa-clean.html CLIMATE CHANGE California's drought linked to greenhouse gases, climate change in Stanford study The stubborn high-pressure systems that block California rains are linked to the abundance of human-caused greenhouse gases that heat the oceans, according to a major paper released Monday by Stanford scientists. But two other new studies disagree -- saying there's no evidence that... http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26627640/californias-drought-linked-greenhouse-gases-climate-change?source=most_emailed In 35th Assembly District race, water and environment among key issues ...northern Santa Barbara counties. In June, Achadjian beat Harmon easily with 65 percent of the vote districtwide. Both candidates received about 70 percent of their support from San Luis Obispo County. Harmon, who is running largely to champion action on climate change, said she knows she has an uphill battle if she wants to unseat a popular two-term incumbent who has promoted bipartisanship and raised more than $200,000 in campaign cash. While Achadjian has done little campaigning, Harmon is... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/10/03/3278571/katcho-achadjian-heidi-harmon.html?sp=%2f99%2f177%2f183%2f873%2f $627M in Gulf oil spill recovery projects approved ...Louisiana's rapidly eroding coast: Chenier Ronquille, North Breton Island, Shell Island and Whiskey Island. "When we rebuild barrier islands like North Breton, we're also strengthening coastal resilience, making a smart long-term investment in the face of climate change and increasingly frequent storms," U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said in a written statement. Jewell toured the island last year. There's also a $65 million series of "living shorelines" projects in Alabama, Florida and... http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/627M-in-Gulf-oil-spill-recovery-projects-approved-5799540.php DROUGHT California drought worries pool industry SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The drought in California has made waves in the state's swimming pool industry. More than three dozen water districts have placed some kind of restrictions on swimming pool water and the industry worries that future restrictions could mean changes... http://www.sfgate.com/news/us/article/California-drought-worries-pool-industry-5802314.php A look at swimming pools and water SANTA ANA, Calif. — Thirty-seven water districts or cities around California have passed rules restricting the use of water in swimming pools in the past few months due to a devastating drought. The new regulations range from mandating the use of pool covers to reduce evaporation to outright bans on filling or... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/05/3575494/a-look-at-swimming-pools-and-water.html How to keep trees alive through drought Long droughts can weaken or kill trees, especially species brought into the Bay Area from other regions, even of California -- regions where temperatures, rainfall and humidity are different from here, and drought cycles are uncommon. (thinkstock.com) ... more at CAdrought.com Three years into what may be California's worst drought in nearly... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_26614393/how-keep-trees-alive-through-drought Historic drought is backdrop for water bond vote FRESNO, Calif. -- Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers are hoping California's worsening drought persuades voters to approve borrowing billions of dollars for new water projects, treatment systems and conservation measures. The $7.5 billion water package to appear on the Nov. 4 ballot as Proposition 1 includes... http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/04/6756580/historic-drought-is-backdrop-for.html In virtual mega-drought, California avoids defeat A few years ago a group of researchers used computer modeling to put California through a nightmare scenario: Seven decades of unrelenting mega-drought similar to those that dried out the state in past millennia. "The results were surprising," said Jay Lund, one of the academics who conducted the study. The... http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-megadrought-20141006-story.html Could those empty reservoirs fill up in one winter? ...than it was in 1977 — about 11% of capacity. The rest of the state's major reservoirs are down to 60% of average, the lowest they have been in more than a decade. Long-range forecasters are predicting a dry October, November and December. But long-time California water experts say they're always hopeful that droughts could turn around quickly, and they cite 1977 as a prime example. “It's feast or famine in this state,” said Kings River Water Association watermaster Steve Haugen. “I'm not predicting... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/05/3575199/could-those-empty-reservoirs-fill.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f2307%2f FUELS As global oil futures tumble, U.S. cash crude traders ask: What glut? ...benchmark LLS was at a $1.30-premium over Brent on Friday, versus a $4.50 discount a month ago, presenting an arbitrage opportunity that has already prompted some traders to tentatively book tankers from West Africa. U.S. imports of Nigerian crude fell to zero in July for the first time in decades, but new bookings are being reported. "Now that Brent's come down, the folks buying LLS will have to wait a second and look," said Sarah Emerson, president at Energy Security Analysis Inc. "They might think,... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/06/us-usa-oil-cashcrude-analysis-idUSKCN0HV0A520141006 GREEN ENERGY Cityblooms, Plantronics team up on urban farm run by technology ...potential for a partnership. When she asked Plantronics' CEO Ken Kannappan for his opinion, he decided to visit Halmos' operation himself. Kannappan has always pushed innovation, leading the headset-maker to win dozens of product awards, installing a solar energy system above the parking lot, recreating the work environment as a light and cheery place, and earning recognition as one of the top workplaces in the San Francisco Bay Area. The latest idea: A koi pond outside where employees can... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santacruz/ci_26664450/cityblooms-plantronics-team-up-urban-farm-run-by ENVIRONMENT: Hearings set for desert renewable energy plans ...BrightSource Energy Co., releases a desert tortoise in 2011 in the Ivanpah Valley. Dozens of desert tortoises, a species threatened with extinction, were displaced to make way for the company's large-scale solar project, which is now operating. The proposed Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan strives to avoid such conflicts. Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan Meetings in Riverside and San Bernardino counties: When: 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29. Where: Hilton Garden Inn,... http://www.pe.com/articles/energy-751371-plan-land.html VEHICLES Electric cars buzz mountains to tout tourism use CARBONDALE, Colo. (AP) — Electric-car advocates staged a rally on scenic western Colorado highways in an effort to show that the technology is practical for mountain travel and sightseeing. The Electric Vehicle Rally of the Rockies on Friday featured several vehicles starting from Aspen, Grand Junction, Snowmass Village and Vail and converging on Carbondale. They stopped at charging stations along the way. The rally wrapped up with... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Electric-cars-buzz-mountains-to-tout-tourism-use-5801063.php OPINIONS Viewpoints: California must continue to lead on home energy efficiency ...Consumer Electronic Association's membership to stop supporting an industry group that is undermining the state's efforts to become more energy efficient. Recently, top tech companies broke from the American Legislative Exchange Council due to its stance on climate change. We're urging CEA members – including Apple, Intel, Hewlett-Packard and others who are committed to moving to a cleaner, more efficient energy future – to take stock of the industry group's record and at least distance themselves... http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/06/6758661/viewpoints-california-must-continue.html No threat more threatening than climate change In a speech to the United Nations recently, President Barack Obama said that climate change is a more serious threat than terrorism. So, why aren't more Americans terrified? A parade of panicked politicians talk about the Islamic militant group the Islamic State as if it were a combination of Hitler's Germany and Stalin's... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/06/3576729/no-threat-more-threatening-than.html?sp=%2f99%2f1641%2f The Climate March: Beyond Asking Those Beholden to the Wrong People to Do the Right Thing Al Gore's Silence as the U.S. Sought to Torpedo Kyoto Fast forward to 1996-1997. Bill Clinton was in the White House. Al Gore had been known as an environmentalist before becoming V.P. Talks were being held to establish the Kyoto Protocol on global warming, because in 1985 "scientists at [the] Villach conference in Austria reach[ed] consensus that global warming is happening" and action on emissions was needed. (Andy Kroll, "The Long and Warming Road,"... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-goldstein/climate-progress-beyond-a_b_5889056.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change The Transition to Renewable Energy is Difficult but Feasible The United States Energy Information Agency estimates that 11% of the world's total energy comes from renewable sources, a number they project will grow modestly to 15% by 2040. They also estimate that 21% of the world's electricity came from renewable energy in 2011, and they expect that to grow to 25% by 2040. These percentage changes must be viewed in the context of worldwide growth in energy consumption. According to the United States Energy Information Agency: ...world energy... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/the-transition-to-renewab_b_5938540.html Climate Change - Through the Looking Glass We look upon this world through glass - it is like we are observing devastating climatic changes on another planet. Attempts to communicate the science of climate change in order to promote awareness and stimulate action have had unexpected consequences. By educating about concepts such as the greenhouse effect, solar radiation, ice cap albedo, positive climate feedbacks, thermal expansion of sea... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-saddington/climate-change-through-th_b_5935350.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change How We Can Save Coral Reefs and Why We Should ...survived for good reason.” Boosting Resilience Some experts say warming and acidification are receiving too much attention, and that local stresses are more urgent. “We're trying to counter the message that all corals are doomed.” — Ruth Gates “Climate change is only half the story,” says Jeremy Jackson, former director of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at California's Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Jackson was lead editor of a report published in July by the Global... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/value-of-saving-coral-reefs-18129 BLOGS 2014 Zero S and SR ...motorcycles. I write about them frequently for AutoblogGreen and spend a lot more time reading about them and following various racing and development efforts. Yet, despite my infatuation, I had never actually ridden one before showing up at the headquarters of Zero Motorcycles in Scotts Valley, CA a few weeks back. In fact, I'd never previously piloted any sort of motorcycle on the street. Something I may have neglected to mention to my generous hosts. I grew up in Canada, and early on my Dad decided snowmobiles... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/09/30/2014-zero-s-sr-first-ride-review/?icid=autobloggrn%7ctrend%7czero-s-first-ride Tesla Model S EVs now come with lane departure, speed assist AI ...possible without new components. Tesla Model S sedans will likely need a new camera mounted on the front mirror, but it's not for selfies. Instead, it's there to keep the driver from having too much of a lead foot or straying into another lane thanks to the electric vehicle's software and hardware update that adds Lane Departure Warning and Speed Assist. Other luxury vehicles have long had lane departure warnings, but if you're unfamiliar with the idea, it's when the car emits a vibration through the... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/06/tesla-model-s-evs-now-come-with-lane-departure-speed-assist-ai/ Fast charging your EV might not be as bad as predicted ...demise from fast-charging might be highly exaggerated. A study put together by researchers from Stanford, Sandia National Laboratories and MIT and published in Nature Materials refutes previous reports that indicate that rapid charging and intense use of electric-vehicle batteries degrades them at a faster rate than a slower, steadier recharge-discharge process. The study itself is chock full of really scientific terms, but the crux is that a larger percentage of a battery's particles are absorbing... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/06/fast-charging-your-ev-might-not-be-as-bad-as-predicted/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2014 10:06:47 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for October 7, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 Can A Carbon Tax Create Jobs, Jobs, Jobs? Yes, it could. And it should create many more than it destroys, so long as the revenue is spent wisely. Ah…there's the rub. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change insists that we take a path that will get us to a low-carbon future (IPCC; U.N. report), and they insist that we use an all-of-the-above strategy to get there. But the only way to seriously move us in that direction is to... http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/10/06/can-a-carbon-tax-create-jobs-jobs-jobs/ CLIMATE CHANGE A Gulf in Ocean Knowledge Scientists probably have significantly underestimated how much the world’s oceans have warmed since the 1970s, according to a new study. The finding may force researchers to revise their gauges of some climate change effects, including the rate of sea-level rise. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/07/science/a-gulf-in-ocean-knowledge.html?_r=0 AIR POLLUTION AIR POLLUTION: Supreme Court won't review utilities' challenge of ozone standards The Supreme Court refused today to consider an appeal by electric utilities challenging U.S. EPA air standards for ozone. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19168060040&p=19f&v=1&x=EJuTSfsQ-nzi9axmgf95_w Northern California finally gets a break from wildfires For the first time in months, wildfires across California are under control or nearly there, according to state and federal firefighting agencies. Two of the state's biggest wildfires -- the 98,000-acre King fire in El Dorado National Forest and the 133,000-acre Happy Camp Complex fires in Klamath... http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-northern-california-wildfires-contained-20141006-story.html Valley air district urges residents to cut back on driving Valley air district officials are urging residents to reduce their driving and other emission-producing activities this week due to unseasonably high temperatures. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19171413947&p=19f&v=1&x=CaaEo_G4CeJ8c7dgyl4rsA DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB offers free diesel compliance classes Truck owners, brokers and dispatchers have an opportunity to learn how to comply with multiple California emissions regulations this fall. The California Air Resources Board is hosting several free classes, including by webinar, aimed at truck owners and others responsible for compliance with California diesel emissions regulations. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27783#.VDQNpxamOa8 DROUGHT Drought Dries Up California Hydropower As California's historic drought dries up the state's water supplies and withers its crops, it's also shaking up the way electricity is produced there. There's so little water available in the state's reservoirs that California's ability to... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/drought-dries-up-california-hydropower-18141 VEHICLES Fast charging your EV might not be as bad as predicted ...demise from fast-charging might be highly exaggerated. A study put together by researchers from Stanford, Sandia National Laboratories and MIT and published in Nature Materials refutes previous reports that indicate that rapid charging and intense use of electric-vehicle batteries degrades them at a faster rate than a slower, steadier recharge-discharge process. The study itself is chock full of really scientific terms, but the crux is that a larger percentage of a battery's particles are absorbing... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/06/fast-charging-your-ev-might-not-be-as-bad-as-predicted/ Vehicle charging stations generate electricity from sun ...Francisco, Calif., on Monday, October 6, 2014. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Queenie Dianela of San Mateo tries a remote skateboard during an event promoting electric vehicles outside San Francisco City Hall. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle The EV Arc seen at the annual Charge Across Town in the plaza between the SF main library and Asian museum in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, October 6, 2014. Envision Trak by San Diego Gas and Electric increases solar generation by 18 to 25% over conventional... http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Vehicle-charging-stations-generate-electricity-5805080.php Region's first public hydrogen-cell fueling station to open in West Sacramento A German company plans to open by the end of this year the region's first retail hydrogen-cell fueling station at a Ramos Oil Co. facility in West Sacramento that supplies a variety of specialized fuels. The station — to be built by Linde LLC — is part of an effort by the state of California to make hydrogen fuel-cell cars commercially viable by creating a network of stations. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/10/07/regions-first-public-hydrogen-cell-fueling-station.html Electric Vehicles In RV Campgrounds: What You Need To Know Electric vehicles are coming soon to a campground near you! With electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and even electric motorcycles selling in greater numbers every year, a growing number of buyers who want to enjoy the great outdoors are discovering that some recreational vehicle (RV) campgrounds offer access to... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094708_electric-vehicles-in-rv-campgrounds-what-you-need-to-know GREEN ENERGY Businesses not satisfied with current levels of sustainability Sustainability spending more common in the West? There is compelling data that education can move the needle on sustainability? A majority of small and medium-sized businesses want better sustainability programs but are hindered by... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26874 BLOGS Getting Beyond the 2-Degree Threshold on Global Warming The piece, written by David Victor and Charles Kennel, both affiliated with the University of California, San Diego, was quickly challenged by Stefan Rahmstorf on the Realclimate blog and Joe Romm at the Center for American Progress. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/getting-over-the-2-degree-limit-on-global-warming/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1&utm_source=Daily+Carbon+Briefing&utm_campaign=7dc9913ce7-DAILY_BRIEFING&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_876aab4fd7-7dc9913ce7-303439889 Climate Change Hits Close to Home for Small Family Farmers ...Nations Climate Summit. No one who calls Planet Earth home should ignore the urgent need for reforming environmental policies and practices -- worldwide. The President made history, detailing how the United States is leading the way in the fight against climate change and calling for global support. The New York Times called the President's signature action for cutting carbon pollution "the strongest action taken by an American president to tackle climate change." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-w-boyd-jr/climate-change-hits-close_b_5930600.html?ir=Black+Voices&utm_hp_ref=black-voices Climate Change Has Uneven Effects on Ocean Warming ...acidifying seas have been invisibly filled with thousands of these bobbing instruments. They are gathering and transmitting data that's providing scientists with the clearest-ever pictures of the hitherto-unfathomed extent of ocean warming. About 90 percent of global warming is ending up not on land, but in the oceans. Research published Sunday concluded that the upper 2,300 feet of the Southern Hemisphere's oceans may have warmed twice as quickly after 1970 than had previously been thought. Gathering... http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/10/06/climate-change-has-uneven-effects-on-ocean-warming/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2014 14:48:35 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 8, 2014. From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 8, 2014. This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office of Communications. You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. CAP AND TRADE EU Seeks Faster Energy Market Integration Amid Crisis. The European Union is seeking to speed up the creation of a common energy market to help its shift to a low-carbon economy and boost security of energy supplies amid a natural-gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine. Energy and environment ministers from the EU's 28 member states are meeting in Milan today to help build... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-06/eu-seeks-faster-energy-market-integration-amid-crisis Low Carbon Fuels Coalition: Connector of industries and interests. The first budget decision on cap-and-trade revenue was one, because a significant amount of the funds were allocated to programs other than low carbon fuels. Success was not had in obtaining any long-term funding for low carbon fuels either, even though they are providing a majority of greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in the transportation sector here in California, Noyes said. “We saw that as a policy shortfall, and also an opportunity.” http://www.ethanolproducer.com/articles/11515/low-carbon-fuels-coalition-connector-of-industries-and-interests AIR POLLUTION Air turns corrosive in October heat wave. Record heat and stagnant conditions have turned the San Joaquin Valley into a bowl of dirty air. Valley air authorities are urging residents to drive less, avoid letting vehicles idle at drive-up windows and put off yard work that involves gasoline-powered equipment. In other words, pretend it’s late August instead of early October. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/07/4165671_air-turns-corrosive-in-october.html?rh=1 Under Pressure, Texas to Install Air Monitor in Heavily Fracked County.Investigation by ICN and the Center for Public Integrity helped spur Karnes County commissioners to think seriously about fracking's toxic air emissions. Backed by results of a recent air-quality study, mounting pressure from local officials, news reports and the simmering discontent of residents, Texas regulators have decided to install an air monitor in the heart of... http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141007/under-pressure-texas-install-air-monitor-heavily-fracked-county MIT competition uses crowdsourcing to find climate change solutions. Last week, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Collective Intelligence announced the winners of the 2014 Climate CoLab, a project that uses crowdsourcing to develop effective proposals to mitigate the effects of climate change. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006987/climate_digest Study: Renewables As Green As You'd Expect. A lot of metals go into making solar cells and wind turbines, raw materials such as copper, iron, rare earth metals such as indium and others and that involve a lot of greenhouse gases and other pollution when they're mined and processed to make parts for renewable power generators. So just how green are these sources of low-carbon renewable electricity? Pretty green, it turns out. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/study-renewables-green-you%E2%80%99d-expect CLIMATE CHANGE These 10 countries have pledged $2.3 billion to fight climate change. The U.S. isn't one of them. Poorer countries typically get the rough end of global warming: Not only are they more likely to feel the brunt of its impacts — like rising sea levels or increased extreme weather — they also don't have enough money to face the problem. This split between the rich and poor... http://grist.org/climate-energy/these-10-countries-have-pledged-2-3-billion-to-fight-climate-change-the-u-s-isnt-one-of-them/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed Youths seek federal liability for GHG emissions. A group of teenagers has asked the US Supreme Court to require the federal government to curb rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The five teenagers represented by lawyers from nonprofit organizations Our Children's Trust, Kids vs Global Warming and WildEarth Guardians, are appealing a June DC Circuit Court of Appeals rejection... http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=933484&menu=yes Air tanker crashes battling Yosemite wildfire. ...National Park on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014. Photo: Williams, Kale, Cal Fire An air tanker battling a fire burning on the west side of Yosemite National Park crashed Tuesday afternoon, authorities said, underscoring the danger of wildfires fueled by the historic drought that have broken out across the state in recent months. The plane, a Grumman S2 Tracker that is operated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and is designed to drop flame retardant from its belly, crashed about... http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Air-tanker-crashes-battling-Yosemite-wildfire-5807882.php Student interns push legislators to pass Clean Power Plan. Anderson, an international relations and global studies junior, is part of a new batch of Sierra Club student interns who are trying to increase support from local politicians to pass the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan in Texas. The Clean Power Plan, which orders each state in the nation to cut down its carbon emissions, is currently not backed by Texas. The Sierra Club is trying to change that. http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2014/10/07/student-interns-push-legislators-to-pass-clean-power-plan DROUGHT California drought: Why less water equals less power. California has just entered its fourth year of drought -- a slow-rolling crisis that is showing no signs of abating. All of California is now affected, with more than half of the state considered to be in “exceptional” drought, the worst designation handed out by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Reduced rainfall means that California reservoirs are continuing to shrink, with water levels at just 52 percent of their historic average. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/1007/California-drought-Why-less-water-equals-less-power California water use drops 11.5 percent in August. State officials on Tuesday reported the largest monthly decline in water use this year as the severity of California's drought hits home, with community wells running dry, farm fields turning to dust and key reservoirs at a fraction of their capacity. In this photo taken Oct. 6, 2014, a coyote crosses part of dry lake bed normally covered in water... http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/07/6767946/california-water-use-drops-115.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News Can California Make It Rain With Drones? Billowy and filled with life-sustaining water vapor, the cloud passes overhead without emitting a drop of rain. In times of severe drought, that cloud is a frustrating, lumbering tease. That cloud is tantalizing. Delicious even. What that cloud needs is a kick start, a catalyst to squeeze the water out of it. It's not science fiction; it's called cloud-seeding. And in beyond-parched... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141008/can-california-make-it-rain-drones DROUGHT: Calif. would survive a 7-decade drought, computer simulation projects. Though the nation's most populous state is crackling under the worst drought conditions recorded since the federal government began publishing reports on the topic, California wouldn't crumble economically or agriculturally under a seven-decade "mega drought," according to one scientific projection. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060006981/feed DROUGHT: Water use declines thanks to rebates, mandatory restrictions....across most of the Inland area in August compared to the same period last year; “the trend here is good, so it's very encouraging,” water official says Some homeowners in the Redhawk neighborhood of Temecula have stopped watering their grass because of the drought. Such efforts helped drive down water use statewide in August, compared to the same period last year, according to newly released figures. Check out the water reports at waterboards.ca.gov Water use was down across most of the Inland area... http://www.pe.com/articles/percent-751500-water-august.html California drought: Big water cuts by many Northern Californians. Visitors adapt to the lower water levels at the lake which is at at sixty percent of capacity at Bass Lake on Friday July 18, 2014, near Oakhurst, Calif. Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle As California braces for a rainy season that may again be a bust, residents are becoming increasingly mindful about water conservation, particularly in the northern half of the state. State water data released Tuesday show that Californians cut their... http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Drought-Some-Bay-Area-water-users-save-big-5807594.php?cmpid=hp-hc-bayarea Dunne on Wine: Water used to make wine becomes issue during drought. If you have one of those “Save Water Drink Wine” bumper stickers on your car, you might want to rip it off. And not only because the wit is so lame. The advice is erroneous. In this time of drought, a bumper sticker urging fellow motorists to “Save Water Drink Water” makes more sense. After all, 29 gallons of water were used to produce that glass of cabernet sauvignon you look forward to drinking with tonight's dinner. That, at least,... http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/07/6767869/dunne-on-wine-water-used-to-make.html VEHICLES Roadshow: The rules on charging electric vehicles in city lots. Q Is it legal for an EV or plug-in hybrid to stay parked in an electric vehicle parking space after they are done charging? There is much written about EV etiquette that indicates one should move their vehicle when done charging to free up space for others,... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/drive/ci_26657762/roadshow-rules-charging-electric-vehicles-city-lots GREEN ENERGY Feds Award $91M in Loan Guarantees to Cool Planet Biorefinery in Louisiana.Cool Planet Energy Systems, a Colorado energy startup with plans to turn woodchips and other organic waste into gasoline and a crop-boosting soil additive, has secured $91 million in federal loan guarantees to help build its first Louisiana plant. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/feds-award-91m-loan-guarantees-cool-planet-biorefinery-louisiana Warren Buffett’s Big Bet on Renewables in Nevada. At the edge of Interstate 15, a crackling river of electrons provides power not just to Nevada’s homes, mines and casinos, but to parts of California as well. For years, many of those electrons were generated by coal, a fuel now largely abandoned here thanks to both economics and legislative decree. Now an increasing percentage of them are coming from renewable sources — geothermal, solar and wind. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/business/energy-environment/warren-buffetts-big-bet-on-renewables-in-nevada.html?_r=0 How Grid Efficiency Went South. Almost every rooftop solar panel in the United States faces south, the direction that will catch the maximum energy when the sun rises in the southeast and sets in the southwest. This was probably a mistake. The panels are pointed that way because under the rules that govern the electric grid, panel owners are paid by the amount of energy they make. But they are not making the most energy at the hours when it is most needed. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/business/energy-environment/how-grid-efficiency-went-south-.html RENEWABLE ENERGY: Ocean energy set to become commercial by 2030 in Europe, experts say. While offshore wind farms have long staked their claim on the competitive market of renewables, technology for harnessing the wave and tidal power of the ocean is still in its infancy. But industry experts attending the annual Ocean Energy Europe meeting here last week are optimistic that by 2030, marine energy will have proved to be a commercial success. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/10/07/stories/1060006985 Australia Commissions 'Oceania's Largest' Solar Farm. The largest solar power plant in Oceania, the 20MW Royalla Solar Farm has been commissioned, according to Spanish inverter manufacturer, Ingeteam. An opening ceremony was attended by the Australian Capital Territory energy minister, Simon Corbell, and Spanish... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/australia-commissions-oceanias-largest-solar-farm Startup creates gasoline substitute from wood chips plus salable byproduct. Cool Planet Energy Systems, a company offering a unique carbon-neutral biofuel, had a big week last week. Not only did the company receive a loan guarantee of $91 million from the Department of Agriculture to finish construction on its first commercial-scale refinery in the Port of Alexandria, La., but it also opened the first major production facility for the byproduct of its biofuel, CoolTerra, a soil enhancer, in Camarillo, Calif. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/10/07/stories/1060006986 New solar energy technologies to be discussed at seminar. The solar energy industry is emerging as a key player in the multipronged approach California will take in leading the nation in renewable energy, experts say. And the University of California's research is leading the way. UC Merced,.. http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/07/3579742/new-solar-energy-technologies.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f2307%2f Push for Solar Power Comes to Chicago's Southeast Side. Not long ago in a small storefront on Baltimore Avenue near the Indiana border a handful of folks got schooled on solar energy. It was part education, part sales pitch put on by Seth Johnson, policy advocate with the Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/push-solar-power-comes-chicagos-southeast-side SolarCity Offers Its First Home Solar Loan. ...quickly, some solar companies, such SunPower and Mosaic Mosaic, see opportunities in offering loans that allow homeowners to own the solar panels and take advantage of the federal tax credit, which lets taxpayers deduct from their income tax 30% of the cost of a solar energy system. Over long term, owning the should cost homeowners less than paying for leases or power purchase agreements. Loans could enable solar companies to enter states that don't allow third-party solar financing or see solar companies... http://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2014/10/08/solarcity-offers-its-first-home-solar-loan/?ss=business Why Solar Power Is Taking Off at Airports Across the Country. The biggest solar power project in the entire state of Minnesota is going to be at an airport. On Thursday, Gov. Mark Dayton joined officials from the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport to announce the construction of a $25 million solar project... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/why-solar-power-taking-airports-across-country Solar water heater a lesson in energy savings. Mann showed students a monitor mounted outside the maintenance facility that allows anyone to see just how much energy is being produced by the solar panels. With heavy cloud cover on Monday, the count of British thermal units produced was zero, but that, too, was a lesson to pass on to students, the Daily Journal reported (http://bit.ly/1yJOZ9O ). "When the sun is shining it doesn't matter what the temperature is, it will create energy. But if the sun is not shining, no energy," Mann... http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Solar-water-heater-a-lesson-in-energy-savings-5806281.php OPINION Another View: Here’s the real high-speed rail plan. In his recent commentary (“Here’s a better high-speed rail plan that California can afford,” Viewpoints, Sept. 29), Michael D. Setty asserts the need for a more robust rail network in the state. We agree, and under the leadership of Gov. Jerry Brown, we have worked with the Legislature over the last five years to advance a statewide rail network with high-speed rail as the backbone. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/08/6768482/another-view-heres-the-real-high.html#storylink=cpy BLOG Report: Tesla autopilot could offer 90 percent autonomous driving next year. ...vehicle, though that one's of the hands-free, no-steering wheel, no-pedals variety. Related Gallery2012 Tesla Model S: First Drive News Source: The Verge, CNN Money, Bloomberg News Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL Category: Emerging Technologies, EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors Tags: autonomous driving, autopilot, electric vehicle, elon musk, ev, self driving, tesla, tesla model s http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/07/tesla-autopilot-could-offer-90-percent-autonomous-driving-next-y Toyota has now sold over 7 million hybrids. ...versions of the Camry, Avalon and Highlander in the US. Of course, such big sales aren't always easy to match, and Toyota's been lagging behind 2013's numbers all year. Including its Lexus division, Toyota's green-car sales including the low-volume RAV4 electric vehicle fell 10 percent from a year earlier in September to just over 21,000 vehicles. Through the first three quarters of the year, Toyota's green-car sales were down 9.1 percent to almost 247,000 vehicles. That still dwarfs any other... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/07/toyota-has-now-sold-over-7-million-hybrids/ Neste Oil de-emphasizing microbial oil R&D for renewable diesel; seeking other uses for cellulosic biomass. ...using a proprietary process to hydrogenate vegetable oil or animal fat feedstocks. The result is a tailored drop-in fuel; with several major NExBTL refineries worldwide, Neste is currently the leading producer of renewable diesel. However, unlike a biomass-to-liquids technology pathway (e.g., gasification of the biomass and conversion of the resulting syngas to fuel), the NExBTL process out-of-the-box had no option to utilize cellulosic biomass as a feedstock. Since the sustainability... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141007-neste.html Electric Vehicles Reach Highest Percentage of US Auto Sales to Date. ...month, plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) made up the highest percentage ever tallied of total vehicles sold in the United States. This is news for optimism. For an environmental group like the Sierra Club, it is this percentage that we care about more than total EV sales (which were strong, but not outstanding last month). As a way to slash oil use and emissions, we need people to switch from driving to transit, biking and walking -- meaning fewer auto sales and less driving overall. But for the millions who... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-coplonnewfield/electric-vehicles-reach-h_b_5949530.html 21 Numbers That Explain Why The Time To Address Climate Change Is Right Now, Or Maybe Yesterday. ...Arctic ice evidently forced the poor creatures to huddle together on a narrow piece of land out of desperation -- normally, they're observed lying more spread out. (The same thing happened last year as well.) The plight of the walruses is striking, but climate change is also having all kinds of other, less readily visible effects. It's been shown to produce heat waves around the world, contribute to global wildlife extinction and maybe even reduce gravity. Below, we give you 21 numbers to help... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/07/climate-change-statistics_n_5923908.html 5 Reasons Why Climate Change Is a Social Issue, Not Just an Environmental One. As illustrated by the 400,000 attendees at the People's Climate March in New York City and the solidarity events that took place around the word, the realities of climate change are no longer only being stressed by environmentalists. The effects of climate change will be economic, social, and environmental and will alter people's lives in a myriad of ways that we are just beginning to understand.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosaly-byrd/climate-change-is-a-socia_b_5939186.html The repeated claim that Obama ‘vowed’ to bankrupt coal plants. Two new ads by GOP-leaning Crossroads GPS slam Kentucky Democratic Senate nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes with a similar theme — that Obama “vowed” to bankrupt the coal industry. (The second ad, a 15-second hit, says: “She says she supports coal but she backed Obama after he vowed to bankrupt coal.”) This made us wonder: When did the president make such a statement? http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/10/08/the-repeated-claim-that-obama-vowed-to-bankrupt-coal-plants/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2014 13:58:06 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for October 9, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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. CLIMATE CHANGE EPA sends ozone standards to White House (KEY STORY ALREADY) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday sent its proposal for revising federal air quality standards for ozone to the White House for review. Such reviews, led by the Office of Management and Budget, can last for a few days to several months. But EPA is under court order to propose a new ozone standard by December, more than six years after it finalized the current standards of 75 parts per billion. http://www.argusmedia.com/News/Article?id=933904 EU poised to agree 2030 climate, energy goals-draft * EU to set tougher 2030 climate change targets * Poorer nations to get financial help * Also sets single energy market goal BRUSSELS, Oct 7 (Reuters) - EU leaders are poised this month to agree three new, tougher climate and energy goals for 2030 and poorer... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/07/climatechange-eu-idUSL6N0S24AB20141007 Kerry to warn of global threat of climate change Secretary of State John Kerry is planning to discuss the global threat of climate change after touring a Boston wind technology testing center with his British counterpart, Philip Hammond. Kerry also plans to deliver remarks Thursday on the importance of investing in renewable energy sources. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/09/6771424/kerry-to-warn-of-global-threat.html AIR POLLUTION South Coast Air Quality Management District Brings Air Quality Awareness to Taste of Soul!! Children growing up in areas of Southern California with high levels of fine particulate pollution have shown diminished lung function when they reach adulthood due to the region’s air pollution, which ranks among the worst in the nation. African Americans have higher rates of asthma than most other groups. Asthma symptoms, emergency room visits and hospital admissions related to respiratory symptoms -- including asthma -- increase when air pollution levels go up. http://www.lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13657&catid=80&Itemid=170 GREEN ENERGY SolarCity now offering loans to buy solar systems SolarCity Corp., the San Francisco Bay Area company that helped boost residential solar power adoption through leases, said it now will allow customers to buy systems with a loan it offers -- an option the firm says can be cheaper than a lease. The San Mateo company started offering the loans Wednesday in eight states, including... http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solarcity-loans-20141008-story.html California solar tower that can kill birds dropped A solar-energy company has dropped a proposal to build a 75-story solar tower near California's Joshua Tree National Park employing a kind of solar technology that can cause birds to ignite in midair. The California Energy Commission was slated... http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/California-solar-tower-that-can-kill-birds-dropped-5809685.php MISCELLANEOUS Yosemite High School adds green technology course ...curriculum. They meet daily for first- and second-level GTEC courses, which focus on energy conservation, a review of lighting standards, how to measure energy and analyzing energy-saving measures. GTEC students also deal with water conservation and indoor air quality. Part of the curriculum model calls for students to network with industry professionals. While students don't have any projects in the works at present, plans are in the works to construct a solar array at East Campus Educational... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/08/3581932/yosemite-high-school-adds-green.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f2307%2f OPINION Will the drought kill California's economy? ...industrialization is about to come due in the form of a catastrophic ecological disaster -- one that might lead to the sixth great mass extinction on a scale similar to the meteor believed to have taken out the dinosaurs. (Yes, that means you, human reader.) Here in California, the current drought -- which some scientists believe may be the worst in 500 years -- understandably leaves many Golden State residents, always aware of water restrictions in a region surrounded by deserts, with a sense of disquiet.... http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-rall-california-drought-economy-20141008-story.html Next Steps for a Climate Change Policy for California Governor Brown spoke to the United Nations Climate Summit last month. He made a strong pitch for state and local government activism to fight climate change. The Governor also promised to set an ambitious goal for carbon reduction for 2030 that “will also require heightened political will.” The Governor’s timing is perfect because California’s climate change law is about to make a real impact on Californians. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/10/next-steps-climate-change-policy-california/ Reg Henry: The awful people are right about climate change In October 2006, The New Yorker magazine, the repository sooner or later of all human wit and knowledge, printed a prophetic cartoon on the subject of climate change. By the veteran cartoonist Gahan Wilson, it showed an older couple sitting on their porch. The man is reading his newspaper, and although little is shown of him, his bald head and furrowed brow make him appear grumpy, as if he... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/08/3580365/reg-henry-the-awful-people-are.html BLOGS Shift to Low-Carbon Economy Could Free Up $1.8 Trillion, Study Says ...high-profile attention. The issue dominated the agenda at the UN climate summit, and is being reprised in Washington this week at an annual meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, where this year CEOs will join talks about how to deal with global warming. The heightened efforts come amid studies describing the costs and benefits of the shift away from carbon-based energy. The latest come from the Climate Policy Initiative, which on Oct. 9 published two reports indicating... http://insideclimatenews.org/carbon-copy/20141009/shift-low-carbon-economy-could-free-18-trillion-study-says Climate Change Worsens Coastal Flooding From High Tides Science Cindy Minnix waits for a bus in a flooded street on Oct. 18, 2012, in Miami Beach. A changing climate is making floods related to high tides more frequent, scientists say. A wave of high tides is expected to hit much of the East Coast this week. These special tides — king tides — occur a few times a year when the moon's orbit... http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/10/08/144980/climate_change_worsens_coastal_flooding_from_high_tides?category=science&source=npr Evolving the Electric Utility ...below average earnings. Restructuring the electric sector is easier said than done. Yet, a number of states are seeking to align utility profits with performance - based on societal objectives such as increased reliability, greater resilience, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Unsurprisingly after the effects of Hurricane Sandy, New York is the avant-garde. Its Reforming the Energy Vision proceeding, which got underway earlier this year, is already guiding New York utilities to improve delivery... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-lewis/evolving-the-electric-uti_b_5953662.html Study: Renewables As Green As You'd Expect A lot of metals go into making solar cells and wind turbines, raw materials such as copper, iron, rare earth metals such as indium and others and that involve a lot of greenhouse gases and other pollution when they're mined and processed to make parts for renewable power generators. So just how green are these sources of low-carbon renewable electricity? Pretty green, it turns out. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/study-renewables-green-you%E2%80%99d-expect What Do Global Warming And Sweaters Have In Common? This Climate Scientist Explains. Climate scientist Adam Levy got sick of hearing all the usual arguments against the existence of climate change, so he decided to fight back with a clever and easy to understand YouTube channel. His latest video explains global warming using a sweater analogy. "We've known for over a hundred years that the carbon dioxide that... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/06/global-warming-sweaters_n_5940274.html?utm_hp_ref=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 11:19:05 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for October 10, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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. CLIMATE CHANGE Mysterious Sources Of Methane Viewed From Space Makes Central California 2nd Worst ‘Hot Spot’ In Nation A small hot spot in California’s Central Valley is likely the second largest concentration of the greenhouse gas methane seen over the United States, according to a new study of satellite data by scientists at NASA and the University of Michigan. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/10/09/mysterious-sources-of-methane-viewed-from-space-makes-central-california-2nd-worst-hot-spot-in-nation-agriculture-nasa-global-warming-fresno-livestock/ AIR POLLUTION Kern supervisors sued over refinery plans The Kern County Board of Supervisors is being sued over its approval last month of the reopening and expansion of the Alon Bakersfield Refinery to process Bakken crude oil. The lawsuit says Kern County failed to meet its legal duty to fully assess the project’s risks and disclose them to the public. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26902 AIR QUALITY: Smog worse in 2014 Smog season 2014 just doesn’t want to quit. Thanks to continuing hot, stagnant weather, Southern California continued this week to have poor air quality, with pollution levels exceeding the federal health standard. http://www.pe.com/articles/air-751652-ozone-days.html DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB fines bus company $388,000 for bypassing DPFs, sensors The California Air Resources Board says a bus company modified its diesel particulate filters and sensors to avoid complying with California emissions regulations. That company will now pay $388,000 in fines. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27806#.VDf5HRamOa8 GREEN ENERGY Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan Proposed for Southern California Last month, the Department of Interior (DOI) proposed a landscape-level plan for conservation and renewable energy development in Southern California. It took five years to create the "Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan," which covers over 22.5 million acres of California desert. http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25949 Large solar project approved by Fresno County planning commissioners ...supporter of using sites such as the one under consideration for Tranquillity because the lack of environmental and cultural resource conflicts, proximity to population load centers and availability of transmission for the project meet our criteria for developing renewable energy in an intelligent and expeditious way, a process we refer to as ‘Smart from the Start,' ” said Carl Zichella, director of western transmission for NRDC. “Transmission and substation additions contemplated to serve this and potentially... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/09/3583580/large-solar-project-approved-by.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f2307%2f Stanford's GCEP awards $10.5M for research on renewable energy; solar cells, batteries, renewable fuels and bioenergy The Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP) at Stanford University has awarded $10.5 million for seven research projects designed to advance a broad range of renewable energy technologies, including solar cells, batteries, renewable fuels and bioenergy. The seven awards bring the total number of GCEP-supported research programs to 117 since the project's launch in 2002. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141009-gcep.html VEHICLES Electric Motorcycle Buyer's Guide, Most Efficient States, BMW i3 Electric-Car Reviews: Today's Car news Today's news is all about comparisons. Find a zero-emission bike with our 2015 electric motorcycle buyer's guide, see how the BMW i3 stacks up against other electric cars, and find out which states have the most efficient cars and homes. All this and more on Green Car Reports. The BMW... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094857_electric-motorcycle-buyers-guide-most-efficient-states-bmw-i3-electric-car-reviews-todays-car-news BLOGS 40% Drop in Solar PV Cost is Brightest Spot of Global Energy Picture In a world wrestling with climate change and the need to phase out fossil fuels, nothing is more critical than making sure there are reliable and cost-effective clean energy technologies ready to fill the void. Keeping track of the pitfalls and possibilities is the Paris-based International Energy Agency, an autonomous organization that has been analyzing energy for 40 years. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141010/40-drop-solar-pv-cost-brightest-spot-global-energy-picture What Global Warming, Energy Efficiency and Erlang Have in Common Impact of Software Language Choice and Architecture on Energy Efficiency Abstract Hidden in the discussion of rising energy costs and consumption in datacenters is the selection of software language. A physical server is an easy concept for the general... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/noah-gift/sqor-chief-technology-off_1_b_5960372.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-changeb Saving the Planet With Solar, One Community at a Time Last week, American University President Neil Kerwin and I joined about 300 higher education sustainability leaders from around the country in Boston for thePresidential Summit on Climate Leadership. Our message to them was simple: urban institutions can be models of sustainability. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-knapp/saving-the-planet-with-so_b_5960458.html?ir=Impact&utm_hp_ref=impact California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 13:11:16 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 13, 2014. From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 13, 2014. 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 Wildfires can bring tragedy and a need for precautionary measures ...for Cal Fire. The aircraft's bomb bay that used to drop torpedoes now drops up to 1,200 gallons of flame retardant from its belly. The loss of Hunt underscores the severity of way too little rainfall and record-breaking warm temperatures that has left California parched. Everyone has suffered. Groundwater levels have dropped dramatically and left some California communities without water. Many of the state's lakes and reservoirs are near or at record-low levels. California's air... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/10/11/3291403/wildfires-can-bring-tragedy-and.html?sp=%2f99%2f177%2f183%2f CLIMATE CHANGE What Would Milton Friedman Do About Climate Change? Tax Carbon.Leading economists at the “Mecca” of free-market economics, the University of Chicago, evoked their most prominent predecessor, Milton Friedman, last week in advocating a price on carbon to address climate change. At a form entitled “What Would Milton Friedman Do About Climate... http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2014/10/12/what-would-milton-friedman-do-about-climate-change-tax-carbon/ Norwegian Air says younger fleet key to greener skies (Repeats Sunday item without changes) * Budget airline seeks to cut emissions per passenger by 30 pct * Big new orders to cut costs, greenhouse gas emissions By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent OSLO, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Norwegian Air Shuttle will cut the average age of its fleet to less than four years, seeing younger planes as the key both to cutting fuel bills... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/13/climatechange-summit-norwegian-idUSL6N0S70F820141013 UC Santa Cruz puma research demonstrates new high-tech wildlife tracker. ...high-tech wildlife collar to study the big cat's daily activities. Their findings, which were also a demonstration of the new technology, were published this month in the journal Science. "With environments changing so much from humans putting up fences to climate change changing the vegetation, these animals are having to move to find prey, to basically just survive," said lead author Terrie Williams, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz. "It's costing them a lot. What... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/news/ci_26710648/uc-santa-cruz-puma-research-demonstrates-new-high U.S. may make major climate fund contribution -Peru minister. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States may make a major contribution in November to a fund to help poor countries prepare for and combat climate change, said the foreign minister of Peru, the country hosting a round of climate negotiations in December. Peru Foreign Minister Gonzalo Gutierrez said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told him on Oct. 8 that the world's second biggest... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/10/us-un-climatechange-usa-idUSKCN0HZ18Z20141010?feedName=environmentNews&feedType=RSS Tom Steyer's climate change crusade focuses on midterm races, for now. ...berries. Is manure part of the mix? In short order, the inquisitive San Francisco hedge-fund billionaire has become one of the most powerful players in American politics, sinking tens of millions of his fortune into boosting Democrats and trying to elevate global warming from a political afterthought into a top-tier issue. He's built an organization that includes some of the country's top campaign strategists. He's won a following among environmental activists thrilled at his free-spending ways... http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-tom-steyer-environment-2014-elections-20141012-story.html Schools offering agriculture course in Mexico. ...pinterest_share|article-5816278|article-share-redesign|4 reddit_share|article-5816278|article-share-redesign|5 google_share|article-5816278|article-share-redesign|6 CRAFTSBURY COMMONS, Vt. (AP) — A new course at two Vermont schools will allow students to visit Mexico and learn about the impact of climate change on agriculture. Sterling College and Vermont Tech are partnering to offer the course on Agriculture Adaptations to Climate Change. The two-week course will send students to Chiapas, Mexico where they'll study the... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Schools-offering-agriculture-course-in-Mexico-5816278.php Report: Climate change poses military challenges. ...twitter_share_inline|photo-6983335|article-gallery-5818911|3 pinterest_share_inline|photo-6983335|article-gallery-5818911|4 reddit_share_inline|photo-6983335|article-gallery-5818911|5 google_share_inline|photo-6983335|article-gallery-5818911|6 Report: Climate change poses military challenges AREQUIPA, Peru (AP) — Defense officials say a report slated for release Monday will lay out plans for the Pentagon to get a better handle on how climate change will affect the military, and... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Report-Climate-change-poses-military-challenges-5818911.php Pentagon to unveil plan for dealing with climate change. At a meeting that brings together many of the world's foremost military leaders, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is expected to reveal how the ongoing effects of global climate change pose an urgent risk to national security and require extensive rethinking of many aspects of the U.S. military. In coordination with his comments Monday here at the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas, the Pentagon... http://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-hagel-climate-change-20141013-story.html French government backs down on ecotax indefinitely. ....envisaged a launch this year. French Green politician Emmanuelle Cosse, one of the leaders of the Europe Ecologie-Les Verts party, criticized the decision to suspend the ecotax, pointing out that it comes a year before Paris is due to host a summit on climate change. France last week unveiled a budget for 2015 rejecting "austerity" and setting out how it would bring the public deficit down from 4.4 percent of output this year below the EU-mandated threshold of 3 percent only in 2017, two years... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/09/us-france-ecotax-idUSKCN0HY1UI20141009 Fish Fail to Adapt to Rising CO2 Levels: Study. ...their changed environment, research has found. Rising CO2 levels result in ocean acidification which makes it hard for crustaceans to form shells, while corals are more prone to bleaching. Credit: J.P. Lawrence/flickr The study, published in Nature Climate Change, found that elevated CO2 levels affected fish regardless of whether their parents had also experienced the same environment. Spiny damselfish were kept in water with different CO2 levels for several months. One level was consistent... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/fish-adaptation-co2-levels-18163 DROUGHT Frogfruit needs little water to look lush. This is the last in a weekly series featuring the UC Davis Arboretum “New Front Yard” series, 40 drought-tolerant and beautiful plants well adapted to our region. Frogfruit Lippia nodiflora Size: Under 1 foot. Bloom season: Summer, early fall. Pruning needs: Trim edges occasionally to keep within bounds; can be mowed to remove spent... http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/11/6775364/frogfruit-needs-little-water-to.html Trees in Fresno's parks are suffering in the drought. ...2014. JOHN WALKER — Fresno Bee Staff Photo | What: Second of Fresno City Hall's water forums When: Monday, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Where: Oraze Elementary School, 3468 N. Armstrong Ave. (at Dakota Avenue) Fresno City Hall is coming to the aid of the drought's latest victim — city parks' urban forest. It's not too late, city officials say, but time's a-wastin'. “We've got to do something,” said Parks Manager Tony Hernandez. “You can replace a young tree. But you take a tree like this, or a tree... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/11/4173329/trees-in-fresnos-parks-are-suffering.html FUELS Gasoline prices fall to lowest level since November. The average price of regular gasoline in the U.S. slid to the lowest level in more than 10 months, dropping 11.6 cents in the three weeks that ended Friday to $3.26 a gallon, according to a survey of gasoline retailers. Prices are 12.5 cents lower than a year ago, according... http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gasoline-prices-20141013-story.html?track=rss Gas prices in California could fall 30 cents. _ Gasoline prices could plummet as much as 30 cents a gallon in California before Christmas, analysts said, giving drivers a break before a new carbon tax on fuels kicks in next year and sends prices soaring again. The state average stood at $3.64 on... http://www.contracostatimes.com/business/ci_26704378/gas-prices-california-could-fall-30-cents-by Ballot question targets indexing of gas tax. ...Dana Ripley, of Winthrop, Mass., fills the gas tank of his truck at a service station in Andover, Mass. In Ballot Question 1 in the Nov. 4 election, Massachusetts voters will have the opportunity to keep or repeal an automated yearly increase of the state gasoline tax. CHARLES KRUPA — AP Photo BOSTON — If approved, Question 1 on the November ballot wouldn't lower the state's gas tax, but it could stop future increases that would otherwise occur automatically and without any say by lawmakers. Supporters... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/12/3587575/ballot-question-targets-indexing.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f1526%2f Coal, Obama weighing heavy in Rahall's W.Va. bid. ...preferred Obama. But, last election, Rahall's constituents rebuked the president the most. Here, Appalachian coal's downward spiral is clear. Companies are shuttering mines and laying off miners, many who have known no other lifestyle. In his push to stem global warming, Obama has proposed cutting down carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants nationwide. Many in the Mountain State fear it will be an unprecedented nail in the coffin for Appalachian coal, piling onto bigger market... http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Coal-Obama-weighing-heavy-in-Rahall-s-W-Va-bid-5817809.php GREEN ENERGY Tenaska Imperial West solar project construction on schedule. Construction of the electric transmission switchyard, substation and transmission lines for the 150-megawatt Tenaska Imperial Solar Energy Center West is on schedule, with full-scale construction, including installation of the solar panels, expected to start later this year. The 150-megawatt Tenaska Imperial West solar project is Tenaska's second large-scale solar... http://www.ivpressonline.com/business/local/tenaska-imperial-west-solar-project-construction-on-schedule/article_f4b6d151-3080-5384-86d5-6e5f67eb1e01.html Salton Sea dominates discussion about the future of California's green energy mandate. ...policy. I think it ought to be climate. And I think it's (Assembly Bill) 32 that informed the RPS,” said IID general manager Kevin Kelley to regulators and energy officials on his panel, as he directed the focus of of the discussion to the Salton Sea and a geothermal energy bill that stalled in the state legislature. “It's sort of my role — unfortunate as it is — to remind everybody that the Salton Sea is not like a fine wine. It does not improve with age,” Kelley said. “In 2017 it falls off the... http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/local/renewableenergy/salton-sea-dominates-discussion-about-the-future-of-california-s/article_9264419c-f883-5481-85da-b7ddf292e23d.html Elon Musk Just Made It Way Cheaper To Live Off Solar Power. ...twitter_share|article-5810243|article-share-redesign|3 pinterest_share|article-5810243|article-share-redesign|4 reddit_share|article-5810243|article-share-redesign|5 google_share|article-5810243|article-share-redesign|6 Outfitting your home with cheap solar power just got a lot easier. Elon Musk-chaired Solar City, the biggest name in residential solar power, is now offering loans to allow their customers to own their solar panels for cheaper than their current lease offerings.... http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Elon-Musk-Just-Made-It-Way-Cheaper-To-Live-Off-5810243.php Contest spurs energy innovation apps, products. Twenty-two teams worked 24 hours straight this weekend to develop digital products, apps and websites that support Vermont's vision of affordable, efficient and renewable energy. Click to Continue » http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/13/4175861/contest-spurs-energy-innovation.html Thomas Township man adds solar panels to home. ...expects to have to replace it within the next several years. Instead, the panels are mounted on a metal structure about 11 feet tall at its highest point in his backyard. The new solar panel setup is one of a few things Morningstar is doing in the name of sustainability. He drives a Chevrolet Volt, he's installing a high-efficiency furnace in his home, and he plans to eventually improve insulation and invest in new windows, among other things. When Morningstar bought the Volt in May, he recalled... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/11/3582282/thomas-township-man-adds-solar.html?sp=%2f99%2f1526%2f2038%2f Tesla unlikely to build Gigafactory in desert ...energy mix. Solar plants, for instance, generate the most electricity during the middle of the day, but peak energy use occurs in the evening. That's why most solar farms need to be supplemented by natural gas-fired power plants, which produce half as much carbon as coal-fired plants — but still far more than solar farms. If electricity providers could store large quantities of solar power during the day and send it to consumers in the evening, it would be far easier for California to move... http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2014/10/10/tesla-unlikely-build-gigafactory-desert/17075197/ OPINION Man can't disrupt climate. Regarding Seth Borenstein's front-page article Sept. 30 regarding "wild weather," I am very sick and tired of the scientific media parroting what's become a boring old mantra of global-warming nonsense. It is just as insidious for scientists to tell us they can differentiate between natural vs. man-made climate changes as it is to imply that man can cause climate disruption in the first place. The article noted that... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/10/4172475/man-cant-disrupt-climate.html?sp=%2f99%2f274%2f277%2f BLOG Report: GM starting to talk seriously about 200-mile EV. We've been hearing word of a 200-mile EV from Chevrolet for a while now. First, there was General Motors then-CEO Dan Akerson hinting at a $30,000, 200-mile EV that would take the competition by surprise. Then Akerson confirmed that GM is working on a 200-mile EV in a speech in... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/12/gm-starting-to-talk-seriously-about-200-mile-ev/ Cadillac To Offer All-Electric Car As Well As Plug-In Hybrid, ELR Successor. While General Motors' plug-in electric cars are in a bit of a sales lull this fall, the company has an expanding number of plug-in products planned for years to come. The latest to be uncovered--at least in the planning stages--is an all-electric Cadillac sedan. DON'T MISS:... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094907_cadillac-to-offer-all-electric-car-as-well-as-plug-in-hybrid-elr-successor Want A Toyota Fuel-Cell Vehicle A Year From Now? Bid For It! Toyota's hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle doesn't go on sale until late next year, but there's at least one way to get a chance of getting one when it does.The carmaker will give away one of the hydrogen cars--for now known only as the "Fuel Cell Sedan"--to an individual customer. While charity car giveaways are by no means uncommon, this is the first time a hydrogen fuel-cell car has served as the prize. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094885_want-a-toyota-fuel-cell-vehicle-a-year-from-now-bid-for-it Climate Change Emerging as Hot Topic in Key Senate Races. The issue of climate change has emerged in nearly every Senate race this election season. Candidates are discussing it, debate moderators are asking about it, and journalists are covering it. Why? Because the vast majority of voters say they are concerned about... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/heather-taylormiesle/climate-change-emerging-a_b_5976078.html Republicans Look To Oust West Virginia's Only Democratic House Member. ...preferred Obama. But, last election, Rahall's constituents rebuked the president the most. Here, Appalachian coal's downward spiral is clear. Companies are shuttering mines and laying off miners, many who have known no other lifestyle. In his push to stem global warming, Obama has proposed cutting down carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants nationwide. Many in the Mountain State fear it will be an unprecedented nail in the coffin for Appalachian coal, piling onto bigger market... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/12/nick-rahall-2014_n_5972728.html?utm_hp_ref=politics EPA Trends on EVs and PHEVs; beginning of a “measurable and meaningful impact” on new vehicle fuel economy and emissions. The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) annual report “Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends” (earlier post) has, in its past editions since its inception in 1975, treated alternative fuel vehicles—electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles—separately... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141011-trends.html Climate Change Safety. AREQUIPA, Peru (AP) — Defense officials say a report slated for release Monday will lay out plans for the Pentagon to get a better handle on how cli... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/climate-change-safety/ UC Davis ITS study suggests hastening consumer adoption of plug-ins will require innovation on the sales side. ...the quality and pace of diffusion amongst dealers. This, in turn, the team suggests, could—through a sub-par purchase experience—hinder the quality and pace of the adoption of plug-in vehicles by customers. This dynamic may have repercussions for achieving ZEV targets and potentially other regulatory objectives, they note. Presently, 19 different models of PEVs from 10 different manufacturers are available for purchase in California, but only three of these models are available nationally. Although... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141012-its.html Hydrogenics introduces Celerity fuel cell power system for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Hydrogenics Corporation has introduced a new fuel cell system purposely developed for medium- and heavy-duty buses and trucks. The Celerity system is intended to reducing the time and cost needed to integrate fuel cells into a vehicle's drivetrain. The company is profiling the new system... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141013-celerity.html This hockey legend wants to put dirty energy in the penalty box. ...something other than pucks: energy. Richter is the CEO and founding partner at Healthy Planet Partners , a company that retrofits commercial buildings with clean energy technologies. The model is similar to that of SolarCity 's: If a building owner wants, say, solar power, HPP will install the panels for free. HPP owns the technology and charges customers a monthly utility fee (think of it as DirecTV but for cleaner energy). In July, HPP secured $26 million in funding . Richter's venture even allows him... http://grist.org/people/this-hockey-legend-wants-to-put-dirty-energy-in-the-penalty-box/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed Climate Change Brings New Military Challenges As Changing World Spurs Competition.AREQUIPA, Peru (AP) — Defense officials say a report slated for release Monday will lay out plans for the Pentagon to get a better handle on how climate change will affect the military, and determine how best to deal with the challenges. Defense Department leaders have long warned that the evolving change in climate patterns, resulting in rising seas and increased severe weather events,... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/climate-change-military_n_5975734.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 13:37:22 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 14, 2014. From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 14, 2014. 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 E.ON wants deep EU emissions cuts, early carbon trade reform. The head of Germany's biggest utility, E.ON (EONGn.DE), said on Monday an EU package of 2030 targets for tackling climate change looks likely to bring deep carbon emissions cuts and early reforms to the bloc's Emissions Trading System. Leaders of the 28 EU countries meet on Oct. 23-24 to agree on a package of 2030 targets for emissions cuts, the deployment... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/13/us-climatechange-summit-eon-idUSKCN0I217C20141013 CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change a threat to national security, Pentagon says. ...13, 2014 Updated 24 minutes ago In this Oct. 10, 2014 photo, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks at a new conference at the Tolemaida military base in Melgar, Colombia. WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Monday released a report asserting decisively that climate change poses an immediate threat to national security, with increased risks from terrorism, infectious disease, global poverty and food shortages. It also predicted rising demand for military disaster responses as extreme weather creates... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/13/3589900/pentagon-signals-security-risks.html U.S. military lays out plan for coping with climate change. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Defense on Monday laid out its plan to respond to climate change, arguing that rising temperatures and more frequent destructive weather around the globe pose "immediate risks to U.S. national security." Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel unveiled the Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/13/us-usa-climatechange-defense-idUSKCN0I227Y20141013 Companies woefully unprepared for climate events-S&P. (For others news from Reuters Global Climate Change Summit, click on: here) * Grid operators most exposed to weather event risks * Energy firms most exposed to climate policy risk * Emissions cuts could benefit automotive sector LONDON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Many companies... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/13/climatechange-summit-sp-idUSL6N0S821A20141013 FUELS Gas prices fall another nickel in Sacramento area. Sacramento-area gasoline prices edged down for the 14th consecutive week, and analysts believe the cost-lowering streak will continue well into November. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/10/13/6780110/gas-prices-fall-another-nickel.html#mi_rss=Latest%20News Fuels San Joaquin Valley gas prices continue to tumble. The Fresno BeeOctober 13, 2014 Updated 1 hour ago Gas prices dropped 9 cents in the last month. Gas prices in Fresno have been sliding since the fall switch to a less-expensive blend of wintertime gasoline. Falling oil prices in recent weeks have helped push prices down further. Prices in Fresno have fallen 9 cents in the last week to an average $3.56 a gallon, according to AAA of Northern California. In the Visalia-Tulare-Porterville area,... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/13/4176994/san-joaquin-valley-gas-prices.html?sp=%2f99%2f170%2f VEHICLES How the New Tesla 'D' Will Upend Your Expectations for Electric Cars. Tesla unveiled an all-wheel drive version of its Model-S on Thursday. The new car is an improvement over the two-wheel-drive version in almost every way, with increased efficiency, range, acceleration, top speed, and a slew of futuristic auto-pilot features. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/how-new-tesla-d-will-upend-your-expectations-electric-cars Self-driving Cars are Coming. ...cover more than 1/3 of the land area.” But what if you never need to park your car? What if it just drops you off and goes and does something useful? No need for parking garages, parking lots, driveways… Plus, one MIT study found that 40 percent of total gasoline use in cars in urban areas is spent while drivers look for parking. No Mandatory Car Insurance: Self driving cars won't crash and will disrupt the $200 billion auto insurance industry. A Cultural Shift to Sharing – The 6 D's of Transportation:... http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterdiamandis/2014/10/13/self-driving-cars-are-coming/ GREEN ENERGY EPA says it has met with 600 groups on CO2 rule. ...Vermont, to meet by 2030. EPA says the standards will result in about a 30pc reduction in the sector's emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. The proposal would allow states to use a broad range of measures to meet the targets, including emissions trading, more renewable energy and energy efficiency. EPA is accepting public comment on the proposal until 1 December. EPA says it has already received more than 1mn comments. http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=934601&menu=yes Most Australian Households Consider Switch to Solar, Survey Shows. Nine out of 10 Australians have considered, or would consider, switching to solar energy as a way to cut their power bills, a new survey has found. The survey, conducted by Ernst & Young, found that money was the key driver for 70 percent of those people who had already installed solar, while the cost of installation... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/most-australian-households-consider-switch-solar-survey-shows Companies abandon ambitious desert solar project. The Associated PressOctober 14, 2014 Updated 23 minutes ago BERLIN — It sounded like a good idea: build massive solar energy plants in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East to supply Europe with 15 percent of its electricity needs by 2050. But the consortium behind the ambitious plan has now admitted defeat following disagreements over funding... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/14/4177685/companies-abandon-ambitious-desert.html?sp=%2f99%2f170%2f IKEA may tighten carbon rules to protect environment. ...emissions price to help its drive to protect the environment and create a "new and better" company, chief executive Peter Agnefjall said. IKEA, seen as global trend-setter among retailers on green issues, is also on target to invest $1.5 billion in solar and wind power by 2015, and bought a higher proportion of its wood and cotton from sustainable sources in 2014 to aid consumers shift to greener lifestyles. "We see sustainability as a driver of building a new and better IKEA," Agnefjall told... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/13/us-climatechange-summit-ikea-idUSKCN0I211020141013 Wind Power Is Cheapest Energy, E.U. Analysis Finds (Guardian). Wind Power Is Cheapest Energy, E.U. Analysis Finds Onshore wind is cheaper than coal, gas or nuclear energy when the costs of 'external' factors like air quality, human toxicity and climate change are taken into account,... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/wind-power-cheapest-energy-eu-analysis-finds BLOGS EPA says 24.1-mpg new car average is best-ever. 2013 Model Year Was Half-Gallon MPG More Efficient Than 2012 Well done, America. Through some combination of market forces and government regulations and advancing technology, you've managed to buy enough fuel efficient vehicles to raise the overall average for the 2013 model year to 24.1 miles per gallon – that's 0.5 mpg higher than model year 2012. It's also... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/08/epa-24-mpg-new-car-average-best-ever/?icid=autobloggrn%7ctrend%7call-time-high-mpg-averages Cadillac To Offer All-Electric Car As Well As Plug-In Hybrid, ELR Successor.While General Motors' plug-in electric cars are in a bit of a sales lull this fall, the company has an expanding number of plug-in products planned for years to come. The latest to be uncovered--at least in the planning stages--is an all-electric Cadillac sedan. DON'T MISS:... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094907_cadillac-to-offer-all-electric-car-as-well-as-plug-in-hybrid-elr-successor Auction to place first VW e-Golf, raffle to place first Toyota FCV in US. ...Inc. (VWoA) and Global Green USA will auction the first 2015 battery-electric Volkswagen e-Golf in the US. That announcement follows Toyota's announcement that it is partnering with the Environmental Media Association (EMA) to raffle off the company's first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle when it arrives in California in late 2015. BMW earlier had auctioned off a one-of-a-kind 2014 BMW i8 for $825,000 during Gooding & Company's annual Pebble Beach Auctions. Volkswagen e-Golf.... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141013-auction.html Worldwide sales of Toyota Corp. hybrids top 7 million; Prius family accounts for 67.8% ...production ceased in 2003, Crown Sedan production ceased in 2008. Click to enlarge. Toyota calculates that as of 30 September, Toyota hybrid vehicles have resulted in approximately 49 million fewer tons of CO2 emissions than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance. Toyota also estimates that its hybrid vehicles have saved approximately 18 million kiloliters (4.755 billion gallons US) of gasoline compared to the amount used by gasoline-powered... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141014-tmc.html Paul Ryan Thinks Humans Might Not Be The Cause Of Climate Change. KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — The planet has faced climate change forever and humans' pollution might not be to blame for shifts, Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan said Monday during a debate against his Democratic challenger. Ryan, favored to win re-election to his seat representing GOP-leaning... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/paul-ryan-climate-change_n_5980398.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics California Farmers Pray for Rain, Prepare for Continued Drought. KQED's Silicon Valley News Desk reporter Rachael Myrow moderates a panel discussion on sustainable agriculture for The Center for Land-Based Learning. Panelists (L to R): Kat Taylor, Founding Director of TomKat Ranch & CEO of Beneficial State Bank; Bonnie... http://blogs.kqed.org/feeds/2014/10/13/california-farmers-pray-for-rain-prepare-for-continued-drought/ Drop a brick, feel better about the California drought. ...and arrive in the mail squished flat. They're filled with a hydro-gel that expands once you add a bit of water and makes the thing heavy enough to sink. It's a great PR campaign for water-saving techniques in a state that's probably going through its worst drought in 500 years and whose dwindling aquifers are getting slammed with billions of gallons of fracking wastewater, along with plenty of other bad news. Americans use more water flushing toilets than showering or any other activity, according to the... http://grist.org/article/drop-a-brick-feel-better-about-the-california-drought California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 11:54:58 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 15, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 15, 2014. 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 California's Carbon Trading Program May Give You Money Soon. California households who get their electricity from the state's privately owned utilities will be getting a bit of a present in their electric bills this fall, thanks to the state's greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program. Most California residents' electric bills will be credited an average of $35 in October or November through the state's Climate Credit program. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/utilities/californias-carbon-trading-program-may-give-you-money-soon.html Californians To Receive Credit On October-November Electricity Bills. The California Air Resources Board says nearly 11 million households in the state will get a credit averaging $35 on their electric bills. The credit comes from California’s cap-and-trade program to fight climate change. It's a result of payments power plants and industries make when they buy carbon emission permits. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/10/15/californians-to-receive-credit-on-october-november-electricity-bills/ AIR POLLUTION Wind Power Is Cheapest Energy, E.U. Analysis Finds. Wind Power Is Cheapest Energy, E.U. Analysis Finds Onshore wind is cheaper than coal, gas or nuclear energy when the costs of 'external' factors like air quality, human toxicity and climate change are taken into account... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/wind-power-cheapest-energy-eu-analysis-finds Did The Most Expensive Regulation Ever Just Arrive At The White House? Look out! Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just sent what could be the most expensive regulation ever to the Office of Management and Budget for final review. We don't know what the ozone rule will look like, but an EPA advisory board is pushing for standards that would, under EPA's own estimates, cost about $100 billion to comply with every year. http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisprandoni/2014/10/14/did-the-most-expensive-regulation-ever-just-arrive-at-the-white-house/ CLIMATE CHANGE Carbon-Free U.K. ‘Utterly Implausible,’ Ex-Minister Says. Former U.K. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson will say government targets to reduce the emission of gases linked to climate change are “utterly implausible,” in a speech that puts him on a collision course with his party leader, Prime Minister David Cameron. In a speech in London today to the Global Warming Policy Foundation, which is opposed to much of U.K. government policy aimed at tackling climate change… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-14/carbon-free-u-k-utterly-implausible-ex-minister-says.html U.S. considers climate change plan that would mandate emission cuts. The United States is considering a proposal to combat climate change that would require countries to offer plans for curtailing greenhouse gas emissions on a certain schedule but would leave it to individual nations to determine how deep their cuts would be, said Todd Stern, the nation's... http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-climate-change-proposal-20141015-story.html Pentagon finds a new enemy: Mother Nature. From rising sea levels to the melting Arctic ice sheet to political unrest that feeds on starving populations, the U.S. military must rethink how it protects the nation, says a new report from the Department... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26931 Exxon, Shell Carbon Emissions Rise Though Pumping Drops. Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC are emitting more carbon dioxide despite tapping less oil and natural gas. For every barrel they pump, the two biggest Western oil companies generated 10 percent more in greenhouse gases each last year than they did in 2011, according to company data. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141015/exxon-shell-carbon-emissions-rise-though-pumping-drops Climate action a fiscal imperative: Obama's budget director. The director of the White House's Office of Management and Budget said action to combat climate change is imperative for fiscal reasons, not just moral reasons, given the mounting costs of climate events on the federal budget. Shaun Donovan, who took the reins at OMB in August, said the Obama administration's pragmatic approach... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/14/us-climatechange-summit-donovan-idUSKCN0I32S520141014 Study: EPA study proves plug-in vehicles making their mark Filed under: EV/Plug-in, MPG, USA. Talk about a report both green-car advocates and gearheads can celebrate. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put out its annual Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends report.... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/14/epa-study-proves-plug-in-vehicles-making-their-mark/ DROUGHT The Risks of Cheap Water. This summer, California’s water authority declared that wasting water — hosing a sidewalk, for example — was a crime. Next door, in Nevada, Las Vegas has paid out $200 million over the last decade for homes and businesses to pull out their lawns. It will get worse. As climate change and population growth further stress the water supply from the drought-plagued West to the seemingly bottomless Great Lakes…. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/15/business/economy/the-price-of-water-is-too-low.html?_r=0 Amid drought, Mayor Garcetti directs L.A. to cut water use 20% by 2017 ...water use by 20% over the next 21/2 years and warned of new water restrictions if conservation targets aren't met. In announcing the plan, Garcetti said the city's already significant reductions in water use were inadequate given the seriousness of the drought. "The ongoing drought has created a water crisis second to none. http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-city-water-20141015-story.html Calif. Heads for Warmest Year As Drought Hangs On. Heavy precipitation fell across parts of the West in September, and while some locations saw top-10 wettest Septembers, much of the region is still mired in deep drought. Part of that is due to the excess heat that's afflicted the region this year, including what's been the warmest year to date in California according to U.S. temperature data released on Tuesday. In a role reversal, the normally... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/california-warmest-year-drought-18178 DIESEL EMISSIONS Futher Crackdowns On Diesel Emissions Only A Matter Of Time? Both the U.S. and Europe have implemented tighter emissions or fuel-economy standards for gasoline-powered vehicles, but Europe's legion of diesel cars and trucks may get even closer scrutiny. As concerns over urban air quality grow, European analysts see diesel-exhaust emissions as the next major target of regulation.... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094943_futher-crackdowns-on-diesel-emissions-only-a-matter-of-time FUELS Exxon, Shell Carbon Emissions Rise Though Pumping Drops. Greenhouse-Gas Increase Reflects Difficulty in Tapping New Sources of Energy. For every barrel they pump, the two biggest Western oil companies generated 10% more in greenhouse gases each last year than they did in 2011, according to company data. The rise in such emissions, which trap heat in the atmosphere, in part stems from the mounting difficulty of getting oil and gas out of the ground. http://online.wsj.com/articles/exxon-shell-carbon-emissions-rise-though-pumping-drops-1413329329 Oil prices plunge as production rises, fueling concern in OPEC. The roller-coaster ride of oil prices is speeding downward, carrying with it bickering members of OPEC, anxious U.S. shale oil producers and a Russia that relies heavily on petroleum revenue. With a weak global economy, the customary swing producer of oil — Saudi Arabia — has cut prices instead of cutting production, setting off a scramble on world markets. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/oil-prices-plunge-as-production-rises-fueling-concern-in-opec/2014/10/14/9bfd877c-53c9-11e4-892e-602188e70e9c_story.html Valley critics want to kill state proposal that could increase gas prices. With a new proposal to lower greenhouse gases due to kick in Jan. 1, opponents are calling on Gov. Jerry Brown and the state Air Resources Board to kill the plan because they say it will significantly increase gas prices. That price increase — which by some estimates could range from 13 cents to as much as 76 cents per gallon — will mean the potential loss of more than 18,000 jobs and a $3 billion loss in economic output next year… http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/10/14/3902181_valley-critics-continue-calls.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Progress reported on cellulosic ethanol prospects. The potential for producing cost-effective cellulosic ethanol that uses plentiful and sustainable cellulosic plant biomass continues to grow, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Its Agricultural Research Service scientists at the Bioenergy Research Unit in Peoria, Ill., have recently completed studies on multiple approaches that could help streamline cellulosic... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26933 U.S. diesel average falls 3.5 cents in biggest drop in year and a half. ...Administration. That's the largest week-to-week drop since the week ended April 29, 2013, when diesel fell 3.6 cents, according to DOE data. Related Cheaper crude driving down diesel prices; price drop expected to continue The country's average price for a gallon of diesel fuel should continue to fall this year and next, according to the Department of Energy, who ... http://www.overdriveonline.com/u-s-diesel-average-falls-3-5-cents-in-biggest-drop-in-year-and-a-half/ VEHICLES Volkswagen: Plug-In Hybrids A 'Bridge' To Pure Electric Cars In Future. It's often said that plug-in hybrids are the "gateway drug" to pure battery-electric vehicles, exposing drivers to the electric-car experience without looming range anxiety. Now it appears that a member of the powerful board of global automaker Volkswagen Group agrees.http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094919_volkswagen-plug-in-hybrids-a-bridge-to-pure-electric-cars-in-future GREEN ENERGY Germany set for dip in renewable energy subsidy. The cost to Germans of subsidizing renewable energy is set to decline next year for the first time, though the impact on their electricity bills will be only slight. Chancellor Angela Merkel's... http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Germany-set-for-dip-in-renewable-energy-subsidy-5823836.php Scientists: EPA Underestimating Renewables Potential ...and more climate-friendly than the Obama administration expects it to be through 2030, researchers at the Union of Concerned Scientists said in an analysis released Tuesday. The report says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set each state's renewable energy production targets far too low in the proposed Clean Power Plan, the Obama Administration's effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal-fired power plants. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/scientists-epa-underestimating-u.s.-renewables-potential-18176 MISCELLANEOUS Richmond storage company settles suit over bay pollution. San Francisco Bay Keeper, an environmental group, reached an agreement last week with a storage company it sued two years ago for allegedly polluting San Francisco Bay, violating the Clean Water Act and endangering the health of wildlife and neighboring communities. Bay Keeper and the company in question, Levin-Richmond Terminal Corp., reached a settlement that requires the Richmond-based firm to better manage and clean up pollutants… http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_26732718/richmond-storage-company-settles-suit-over-bay-pollution OPINIONS Guest commentary: Hidden tax is about to hit low-income people again. Over the summer, citing a recent Standard & Poor's report, Gov. Jerry Brown addressed income inequality as a critical issue facing our state that needs to be addressed, recognizing that if consumers are in debt, the economy doesn't go forward. California Air Resources Board's plan to raise gas taxes on Californians anywhere from 16 to 70 cents per gallon in the name of cap-and-trade will only compound the struggle already facing our residents. http://www.contracostatimes.com/opinion/ci_26725898/guest-commentary-hidden-tax-is-about-hit-low BLOGS Gas prices could fall by 30 cents by the holiday season. Good news, commuters, analysts predict that gas prices could fall by as much as 30 cents per gallon before the end of the year. As of Wednesday, the state average stood at $3.589, but some stations were selling the product for 20 to 30 cents below that -- a far cry from the midsummer high in July of about $4.09, according to GasBuddy. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/blog/morning-roundup/2014/10/gas-prices-could-fall-by-30-cents-by-the-holiday.html Why clean energy might be cheaper than you think. Wind and solar power often get a bad rap for being more expensive than energy produced from fossil fuels. But what happens when you factor in, say, the health costs of people breathing smoggy air? Or the financial impact of climate change's effect... http://grist.org/article/why-clean-energy-might-be-cheaper-than-you-think Toyota giving away its first hydrogen car in US. ...Tickets Available Through Bidding For Good California isn't Nevada, but Golden State residents are nonetheless being given a chance to make a small bet on what may be a large prize, courtesy of Toyota. The Japanese automaker will start selling its first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles on the West Coast late next year, and before that, Toyota would like to pick up some positive publicity by giving America's first one away to one lucky Californian. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/09/toyota-will-give-away-first-hydrogen-car-in-us/?icid=autobloggrn%7ctrend%7chydrogen-car-giveaway Global Climate Deal Shouldn't Be Legally Binding, Top State Department Official Says. WASHINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - The United States wants to broker a global agreement on climate change that would contain some legal elements but would stop short of being legally binding on an international level, the country's top diplomat on climate change issues said. Todd Stern, the State Department climate... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/15/global-climate-deal-_n_5987252.html?utm_hp_ref=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 14:37:35 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 17, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 17, 2014. 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 Who gets paid under a carbon price? New paper looks at impacts across states. Four years after comprehensive cap-and-trade legislation stalled out in the Senate, the prospect of carbon pricing is back on the table. With regional carbon markets already up and running in California and the Northeast, and cross-state collaboration explicitly encouraged under U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan, more states are examining carbon caps and carbon taxes as a route to lower emissions. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060007484/search?keyword=california BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY AIR POLLUTION Heavily polluted India launches national air quality index. India has launched a new air quality index to help citizens understand complex pollution data and its implications for their health, the environment minister said on Friday. A World Health Organization (WHO) study of 1,600 cities released in May found New Delhi had the world's dirtiest air with an annual average of 153 micrograms of small particulates, known as PM2.5, per cubic metre. Posted. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/10/17/india-air-pollution-index-javadekar-idINKCN0I61L420141017 Indoor air pollution puts residents at risk. Since the 1970s, residential properties have been built in a more energy-efficient manner. While great for energy conservation and lower heating and cooling bills, making homes more air-tight also comes with a hidden health concern: indoor air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental dangers. http://www.utsandiego.com/sponsored/2014/oct/17/home-comfort-reducing-in-home-air-pollution/ CRS cautions against premature cost estimates for ozone standard. The Congressional Research Service this week cautioned against estimating the cost of a new ozone standard before U.S. EPA actually proposes one. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060007501/print BY SUBSCRIPTON ONLY CLIMATE CHANGE Lax emissions reporting makes green firms hard to find in emerging markets. Global investors are increasingly seeking green assets as they become more concerned of the potential financial cost of climate change, but in emerging markets such as India, inadequate disclosure standards make such assets difficult to find. Companies reporting emissions, demonstrating readiness for sudden change in the weather, and assessing climate-related risk on a regular basis… http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/17/us-climatechange-summit-emerging-idUSKCN0I60HU20141017 No silver bullet to tackle building emissions: CBRE. Tackling carbon emissions in U.S. commercial buildings will require a range of everyday measures, not technology, as a solution, said an executive at CBRE (CBG.N), the world's largest commercial real estate services company. Since most buildings are currently being operated less efficiently than when they were built, changing day-to-day operations plays a big role in addressing inefficient energy use, David Pogue, global director of corporate responsibility, said in at interview at Reuters Global Climate Change Summit. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/17/us-climatechange-summit-realestate-idUSKCN0I531120141017 >From Apple to Wal-Mart, Companies Make Bets on Climate Change. If acting on climate change hurts the economy, as the American Coal Council's talking points suggest, it’s a lesson lost on some of the world’s most successful companies. Stocks of companies that take climate change seriously beat the wider market by almost 10 percent over the last five years, according to a report released this week by a U.K. nonprofit. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-17/from-apple-to-wal-mart-companies-make-bets-on-climate-change.html REUTERS SUMMIT-G20 host Australia stumbling block to global climate change action. Business and political leaders around the world, most notably in the powerhouses of the United States and China, are pressing for action to avert the potentially huge financial repercussions of climate change. But this year there's a major stumbling block to concerted global action. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/17/climatechange-summit-australia-g20-reute-idUSL3N0S42QV20141017?feedType=RSS Severe weather alert: U.S. study finds tornadoes coming in swarms ...database for the six-decade period ending last year, excluding twisters below Category F1, with wind speeds of 73-112 mph (117-180 kph), on the Enhanced Fujita Tornado Intensity Scale. Some experts have blamed weather intensity seen in recent years on global climate change they attribute to human activities. This study did not, however, offer a conclusion as to a cause. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/16/us-science-tornadoes-idUSKCN0I52EQ20141016?feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=11563 Texas Plant to Capture, and Then Reuse, Carbon. Amid the calls to capture carbon to save the climate, a Texas company is preparing to do that job for profit. At Capitol Aggregates, a cement plant near San Antonio, the Skyonic Corporation of Austin, plans to open a $125 million factory next week that will make industrial chemicals. Instead of mining natural deposits of carbon found underground, the plant will capture the carbon emitted from making cement… http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/17/business/energy-environment/texas-plant-to-capture-and-then-reuse-carbon.html Proposed S.F. law would put a solar panel on nearly every roof ...require solar panels on most new construction in the city and push owners of existing apartment buildings to plant photovoltaic arrays on their roofs. “If you ever go to the top of a tall building in San Francisco and look down, you see the potential for sustainability on every single roof in the city,” said David Chiu, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Proposed-S-F-law-would-put-a-solar-panel-on-5827997.php Tornado Days Decreasing, but Number Per Day Rising ...are seeming to cluster together so that there are fewer days with tornadoes, but more tornadoes on the days that do have them, a new study finds. This clustering of tornadoes could be due in part to larger changes in atmospheric patterns wrought by global warming, but there is still much work to be done to find those connections… http://www.climatecentral.org/news/fewer-tornado-days-but-more-tornadoes-per-day-18186 IPCC Corrects Claim Suggesting Climate Change Would Be Good for the Economy. IPCC Corrects Claim Suggesting Climate Change Would Be Good for the Economy. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has corrected a controversial claim that small amounts of global warming could have overall positive economic impacts, after... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141017/ipcc-corrects-claim-suggesting-climate-change-would-be-good-economy DROUGHT Winter not expected to end California drought. Parts of California could receive above-average rain and snow this winter but not enough to end the ongoing drought, federal forecasters said Thursday. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/16/4181815/winter-not-expected-to-end-california.html#storylink=rss 'Fake law': A checkered approach to outdoor space in a drought. Peg Rahn loves her garden here but is taking the drought - and the city's mandate to reduce water consumption by 30 percent - seriously. So when it came time to update her side yard, she decided to do what made sense given California's crippling lack of water. "I installed a fake lawn,"... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/16/4181360/fake-law-a-checkered-approach.html?sp=%2f99%2f1355%2f221%2f227%2f Despite possible rains, drought likely to persist this winter. Drought conditions are expected to continue or intensify this winter, as most of the state is forecast to have equal chances of a wet, dry or average November, December and January. NOAA California's drought is likely to persist or intensify... http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/10/16/47430/despite-possible-rains-drought-likely-to-persist-t/ Another warm and dry winter likely for California. Above-average temperatures are most likely in California and most of the West this winter, according to the National Oceanic and... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26959 Winter Unlikely to See Repeat of Frigid Polar Vortex. ...pattern was unusually persistent) in the eastern portions of the country, it was actually only the 34th coldest in the 119-year NOAA records. It only felt so cold in part because winters have been warming overall in the U.S. (as well as across the globe) as greenhouse gases accumulating in the atmosphere trap more and more heat. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/winter-unlikely-to-see-repeat-of-polar-vortex-18184 FUELS Oil continues to show gains in corrective move. Global crude oil continued to show modest gains on Friday, bouncing from near four-year lows as investors bought back into a market they said was oversold, and as fighting in Iraq increased political risk. Oil has lost more than a fifth of its value since June on heavy oversupply, signs of weak demand growth and indications that key oil producers, particularly Saudi Arabia, have a limited appetite to intervene on prices. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/10/17/markets-oil-idINKCN0I609T20141017 Fuels Biofuels plant harbinger of renewable fuel future. A new biofuels plant in southwest Kansas represents the future of ethanol production in the United States, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said. The $500 million biorefinery in Hugoton is one of only three commercially sized plants in the country that use only plant waste, such as stalks and leaves, for production and thus do not compete for food crops. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/17/4183469/biofuels-plant-harbinger-of-renewable.html#storylink=rss Fuels Gasoline prices in California lowest of the year. Plummeting prices for oil and local wholesale gasoline have driven pump prices down by more than a penny a day this past week in California to their lowest levels... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26958 Fuels Shale Boom Helping American Consumers Like Never Before. Oil traders might see the 27 percent slide in global prices as a bear market. For U.S. consumers, it's more like an early holiday gift. The drop in crude has pulled retail gasoline down more than 50 cents a gallon from the year's high in April. That means annual savings of $500 for the average U.S. household, which consumes about 1,000 gallons of fuel a year, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration and... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141017/shale-boom-helping-american-consumers-never GREEN ENERGY ANALYSIS-German industry earns cash from green energy upheaval. German industry is learning how to profit from the upheaval and costs of the country's shift towards solar and wind energy. Greater reliance on renewables in Europe's biggest power market is making the peaks and troughs of electricity production bigger and less predictable, as the wind picks up or drops and the sun shines or disappears behind the clouds. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/10/17/germany-energy-idINL6N0SB1RP20141017 L.A. sued by two companies over rejection of solar array plan. Two out-of-state companies are suing Los Angeles after their plan to install an array of 3,500 solar cells on the northeast edge of the San Fernando Valley was thwarted by a local commission. The proposed project in Lake View Terrace worried neighbors, who thought that the expanse of solar cells slated for a vacant lot… http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-solar-lawsuit-20141017-story.html Renewable Energy China to Phase Out Financial Support for Solar Power Sector by 2020. With the most aggressive and ambitious capacity addition targets in the solar power sector, China may soon see the technology mature enough to pull the high financial support currently on offer. Recent media reports quoting Chinese officials abreast with information about the solar power policy in the... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/china-phase-out-financial-support-solar-power-sector-2020 Renewable Energy Solar Power Leaders Back EPA Climate Rule. Solar Power Leaders Back EPA Climate Rule Business leaders in the solar power industry have endorsed the Environmental Protection Agency's carbon rule proposal for power plants. The letter was organized by Environment America and... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/solar-power-leaders-back-epa-climate-rule MISCELLANEOUS Renewable Energy California official to talk renewable energy. A member of the California Energy Commission is scheduled to give the keynote address to the annual meeting of the group that represents Vermont's renewable energy businesses. David Hochschild is scheduled to speak Thursday at the two-day Renewable Energy Vermont Conference being held in South Burlington. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/California-official-to-talk-renewable-energy-5826231.php UC Merced wins grant to promote technology-based projects ...projects and business ideas that show promising ways of solving problems dealing with energy, water and climate among other science and engineering ventures. In the Central Valley, an example of a problem that would benefit from further research would be the drought, she explained. http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/16/3594015/uc-merced-wins-grant-to-promote.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f2307%2f OPINIONS Climate, Conflict and a Pentagon Report. “Pentagon Signals Security Risks of Climate Change” (news article, Oct. 14): A recently released Pentagon report asserts a causal relationship between climate and terrorism. The research community, however, is far from reaching a consensus on how climate interacts with other factors to bring about or worsen conflict. Recent studies suggest that conflicts associated with climate change manifest as intercommunal and local conflicts…Posted. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/17/opinion/climate-conflict-and-a-pentagon-report.html?_r=0 Opinion: Gasoline prices fall but will climb under cap-and-trade. Gasoline prices in California – and everywhere else in the nation – have been dropping sharply in recent months, down as much as $1 a gallon from several years ago. Regular gasoline was as low as $3.09 a gallon in some California stations this week. The savings to California motorists, who drive more than 300 billion miles a year, are immense. A $1 price drop means $15 billion less that they must shell out each year. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/dan-walters/article2924045.html RPT-COLUMN-Coal industry still in denial over prices, regulation: Russell. These days you would expect a gathering of coal industry executives to be a fairly gloomy affair, given the drop in prices to near seven-year lows, the increasing threat of regulation to control pollution and the general image of the fuel as the main climate change culprit. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/16/column-russell-coal-idUSL6N0SA3LH20141016 It's time to get extremely serious about conserving water. We need to change our mindset about water. The message that California is in severe drought is being heard. But more must be done. We are getting better at conserving water. Many lawns have turned brown. Many of us have put a bucket in the shower to capture water for use on plants. Our cars are dirty.... http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article2923396.html Californians can save a lot of water by retrofitting wasteful older homes. The reduction of water use in new homes has long been a focus of California's homebuilding industry. In fact, our industry has been at the forefront of innovative designs to increase efficiencies. But while new homes have been built and designed to reduce water consumption, not enough has been done in older homes.... http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article2921148.html Editorial: Cap and trade's perpetual campaign. When cap-and-trade laws were first proposed for California, many pro-business politicians loudly objected. The fee system would hamper economic growth and eat away at bottom lines, they argued. For the environmentalists pushing the legislation, however, that was all beside the point. The Earth needed saving, period. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/trade-638774-cap-californians.html Subsidize electric cars ...especially here in California. For instance, oil companies have no oil-extraction fees and no requirement for disclosure of poisonous fracking chemicals pumped into the ground. The feds and states need to level the playing field by providing subsidies and zero-interest financing to buyers of electric cars, especially American made. That will put the economy in high gear, create jobs and reduce pollution. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/15/4180926/subsidize-electric-cars.html?sp=%2f99%2f274%2f277%2f Thomas L. Friedman: Pumping the bad guys to death ..."tight oil" from shale — combined with America starting to make exceptions and allowing some of its newfound oil products to be exported, combined with Saudi Arabia refusing to cut back its production to keep prices higher, but choosing instead to maintain its market share against other OPEC producers. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/15/4180687/pumping-the-bad-guys-to-death.html?sp=%2f99%2f274%2f644%2f EDITORIAL: There's much more we can do to save water in the Valley. The message that California is in severe drought is being heard. But more must be done. We are getting better at conserving water. Many lawns have turned brown. Many of us have put buckets in the shower to capture water for use on plants. Our cars are dirty.... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/16/4182931/theres-much-more-we-can-do-to.html?sp=%2f99%2f274%2f Exide leaked its toxins locally and regionally: Editorial ...how well their chemical output is scrubbed, probably don't belong in a neighborhood around which millions of people live. Operations have been on hold since March, while the plant spends $5 million on new emission control equipment that has been approved by air quality regulators. But as it fights to stay there, under increasing and proper scrutiny from community groups and regulators… http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/article/20141016/LOCAL1/141019605 Cheap Oil: The Kingdom Strikes Back. …indicating they had no intention of cutting output, even as prices fell. Surging U.S. production has shielded us from price volatility this year, despite political upheavals in the Middle East, Ukraine and Libya. As we bomb terrorists in Syria and Iraq, gasoline prices kept falling at the pump. Heck, I just filled up the SUV for less than $3 a gallon. Drill, baby, drill. http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorensteffy/2014/10/16/cheap-oil-the-kingdom-strikes-back/ BLOGS California’s cap and trade expansion. A new report commissioned by the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) has been launched just as California prepares to launch a major expansion of its three year old cap and trade program. The report identifies a series of major design flaws that make the program vulnerable to market meltdowns and also offers a number of solutions that would mitigate impacts passed on to Californian consumers. http://www.energyglobal.com/news/processing/articles/Cap-trade-california-expansion-issues.aspx#.VEFSdRZmZ-0 Warehouse Empire. Behind the largest undercover bribe the FBI ever paid to a public official is the story of how our whole consumer economy has been transformed, bringing lung-stunting pollution and, in some cases, political corruption. The largest bribe the FBI has ever paid to a public official in a sting operation wasn’t to a United States senator or even a state lawmaker. http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicagarrison/how-our-shopping-harms-the-lungs-of-california-children#sgq83u How scientists linked the California drought to climate change. California has officially entered its fourth consecutive year of drought, and is trapped in its worst water shortage situation ever. Because we know that human-caused climate change can trigger and exacerbate drought conditions, media, public officials, California residents and scientists have all been wondering for years if rising global temperatures… http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2014/10/17/how-scientists-linked-the-california-drought-to-climate-change/#sthash.Shm9tdmg.dpuf Sorry, California — winter isn't going to fix your drought. California's crippling drought is not expected to improve over the winter, according to new forecast data released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Nearly 60 percent of the state is experiencing exceptional drought... http://grist.org/climate-energy/sorry-california-winter-isnt-going-to-fix-your-drought/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed EPA providing up to $3M in funding to reduce diesel emissions from school buses. Under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Clean Diesel Rebate program, public and private school bus fleet owners are eligible to apply for funding to replace school buses that have older, dirtier Diesel engines. Many of the nation's... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/epa-providing-up-to-3m-in-funding-to-reduce-diesel-emissions-from-school-buses.html Renewable Energy Do Wind Turbines Kill Birds? Far Fewer Than Cell Towers...Or Cats. Wind turbines are a proven source of clean, renewable energy, but many people believe that they kill massive numbers of birds. It sounds like a classic Catch-22. The story that wind turbines kill birds through collisions has gained a lot of traction, but is it actually true? RELATED: Some... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094983_do-wind-turbines-kill-birds-far-fewer-than-cell-towers-or-cats 11 more GM facilities worldwide go landfill-free; total up to 122 ... (China) Luton Warehouse (England) Fontana Warehouse and Distribution Center (California). The addition of these 11 facilities to landfill-free status helps GM avoid more than 600,000 metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions. This is comparable to the greenhouse gas benefit of 15 million tree seedlings grown for 10 years. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141017-gmlff.html Nissan begins testing combination of LEAF EVs and “LEAF to Home” for grid demand response services. Nissan Motor Corporation has begun testing in Japan of a system to use electric vehicle technology to help power grids cope with peaks in demand. Nissan is using Nissan LEAF EVs paired with the LEAF to Home power supply system (earlier post) for demand response testing at several of its sales outlets run by subsidiary... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141016-nissan.html Self-Contained Solar Carport With Battery: Electric-Car Charging For The Future? Some home owners use home solar-power systems to charge their cars, cutting their transportation-related emissions to negligible levels. However, home solar charging really hasn't entered the mainstream yet, with photovoltaic solar installations costing as much as $25,000... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094963_self-contained-solar-carport-with-battery-electric-car-charging-for-the-future 10 Questions On Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars To Ask Toyota, Honda & Hyundai. Within the next two years, three different hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles will be offered to California buyers in small numbers. The 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell has been available to lease since June, and journalists will be able to drive the new Toyota fuel-cell vehicle in November, just before the Los Angeles Auto Show. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094899_10-questions-on-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-to-ask-toyota-honda-hyundai Changes To CA Rules May Cut Zero-Emission Vehicle Requirement. California's rules requiring six automakers to sell specified numbers of zero-emission vehicles starting in 2012 have had a substantial impact. But a meeting to be held one week from today may determine whether required volumes of emission-free cars--likely battery-electric vehicles--are cut for a second group of automakers. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094967_changes-to-ca-rules-may-cut-zero-emission-vehicle-requirement 2015 Kia Soul EV Electric Car Rated: 93 Miles Range, 105 MPGe. The very first 2015 Kia Soul EV electric cars are now being sold in California, adding a 19th plug-in vehicle to that state's market. And its final EPA range and efficiency ratings may drive buyers in other states to demand that they get the chance to buy it too. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095001_2015-kia-soul-ev-electric-car-rated-93-miles-range-105-mpge Report: Musk: Tesla's first battery swap station to open before end of year ...empty battery pack with a full one in just 90 seconds, was a long time ago. Tesla first showed off the technology in June of 2013 and claimed that the first station would open in California in the fourth quarter of 2013. Since then it's been ... quiet as the electric vehicle company was busy with other projects. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/16/musk-tesla-first-battery-swap-station-to-open/ Toyota Leads 'Best Global Brands,' But Audi, VW, Nissan Rise Most ...increasingly in its products and pace of new launches – is a top priority of Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda, grandson of the founder. Toyota also has made gains in areas ranging from workforce diversity to mobile technology and alternative powertrains, including its new fuel-cell vehicle. Frampton was especially impressed by Audi's 27-percent increase in brand… http://www.forbes.com/sites/dalebuss/2014/10/16/toyota-leads-best-global-brands-but-audi-vw-nissan-rise-most/ Why Car Makers Are No Longer in the Transportation Industry ...traffic congestion and environmental pollution. On hand to participate in the brainstorming will be car manufacturers and suppliers, public transportation companies, local and central government and utilities, and companies like SAP. “The vision of fostering sustainability to improve people's lives is aligned with SAP's goals to improve people's lives and make the world run better. http://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2014/10/16/why-car-makers-are-no-longer-in-the-transportation-industry/ Fuels Falling oil prices shake up global economies. ..Oil consumption globally is 91 million barrels per day. That means the world's oil producing countries and companies are bringing in as much as $2.8 billion less in revenue every day — and consumers, shippers and airlines are saving a comparable amount on gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. "The problem is that countries get accustomed to a certain level of income… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20141016/us--oil-prices-global-impact/?ir=world&utm_hp_ref=world California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:52:44 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for October 20, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 AIR POLLUTION: Bay Area board OKs plan to cut refinery emissions In an effort to curb air pollution, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District board this week announced plans to cut oil refinery emissions by 20 percent. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060007504/feed AIR POLLUTION: EPA targets indoor air quality in schools U.S. EPA today urged schools to take steps to improve their air quality during renovations. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060007524/feed Smog forces some runners to quit Beijing Marathon Runners with masks compete in the annual Beijing Marathon on Oct. 19. Runners with masks compete in the annual Beijing Marathon on Oct. 19. (Chi Ben / European Pressphoto Agency) Runners with masks compete in the... http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-china-smog-apec-beijing-marathon-2014102-001-photo.html?track=rss DROUGHT Is desalination the drought solution for California? Along this patch of the Pacific, welders and pipefitters nearly outnumber the surfers and sunbathers. Within sight of the crashing waves, the laborers are assembling what some hope will make water scarcity a thing of the past. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/19/4188018_drought-solution.html?rh=1 Giant sequoias may surprise us in a warmer future Nature may hold a few surprises as the climate warms this century for giant sequoias and other plants and animals. California's intense drought is giving scientists a valuable sneak peek… http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/18/4184871_giant-sequoias-may-surprise-us.html?rh=1 Water-wise makeover changes a Sacramento landscape Homeowners turn their old front lawn into a drought-tolerant oasis Khristine Terlinde's conversion started when she took a serious look at her water bill. “Here I was telling everybody on Facebook, ‘Save water! Save water!' and then I did the math,” Terlinde recalled. http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/home-garden/article2953213.html GREEN ENERGY Why a better battery is difficult to invent ...volume. "We were pretty thrilled because today's battery technologies are hovering around 600," Sastry says. The upshot: a power source that can last almost twice as long, for half the price or less. Or in car terms, it pushes toward the goal of an electric vehicle with no range issues, at a price of about $25,000. Right now, it's all potential. Sakti3 has to figure out large-scale production, which could take two years to market. Or more. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/10/17/47462/why-a-better-battery-is-difficult-to-invent/ OPINION We're in a drought. Why is it still hard to rip out your lawn in L.A.? For months now California leaders have been telling people to conserve water, let their lawns go brown and switch to drought-tolerant yards. But Los Angeles rules have, in some cases, made it hard to be water wise. Take, for example, the Los Angeles Department... Drought http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-drought-rip-out-lawn-20141016-story.html BLOGS How CARB's next meeting could dramatically change the EV landscape Will October 23 be a day of reckoning for some US automakers? Could be, since that's when the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is meeting up and may tweak its mandates for zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) compliance for some of the world's largest carmakers. Green Car Reports says the news may be good. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/18/how-carbs-next-meeting-could-dramatically-change-the-ev-landsca/ So, How Much Are Plants Helping Us Fight Climate Change? ...originally appeared on Mother Nature Network. Earth's plant life may soak up more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than previously thought, according to a new study. And since CO2 emissions from burned fossil fuels are also the main driver of man-made climate change, that raises an obvious question: Are trees saving the world from us? It's widely known that plants need CO2 for photosynthesis, but the study's authors say current computer models of Earth's climate underestimate how much CO2... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/17/plants-climate-change_n_6004656.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 15:26:55 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 21, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 21, 2014. 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 Return of Bicycle Culture In China Adds To Billionaires' Wealth. China's campaign to re-embrace its biking tradition is catapulting the wealth of two Chinese billionaires. To reduce air pollution and traffic jam, the country has become a leader in building sharable biking systems. Last year, China, with its fleet of 650,000 public bikes, surpassed Italy as the country with most bike-share programs. Now, the world's top four... http://www.forbes.com/sites/ywang/2014/10/20/return-of-bicycle-culture-in-china-adds-to-billionaires-wealth/ CAP AND TRADE California farmers getting $3.6 Million in grants. SACRAMENTO • To help them pay for ways to reduce water use • ?These projects are critical because? Three-point-six million dollars -- the state?s portion of Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds -- are being sent to farmers in California to help them pay for systems to save water, the California Department of Food and Agriculture says Monday. The money will pay for 93 different projects to implement... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26971 CLIMATE CHANGE U.S. Oil Exports Would Worsen Global Warming, Government Auditors Say. ...the vantage point of the climate crisis, GAO report discussing several benefits of lifting the oil export ban is more disturbing. Allowing United States oil producers to export crude would not only sway markets at home and abroad, it would also worsen global warming and present other environmental risks, the Government Accountability Office said in a new survey of experts. "Additional crude oil production may pose risks to the quality and quantity of surface groundwater sources; increase greenhouse... http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141020/us-oil-exports-would-worsen-global-warming-government-auditors-say As Peru's glaciers shrink, government says climate change is to blame. Our software detected that cookies are disabled in your browser. Cookies need to be enabled to access E&E Publishing's premium content. Please allow cookies from www.eenews.net and refresh this page. You may need to relaunch your web browser. Need... http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/10/20/stories/1060007542 EMISSIONS: U.S. should focus on black carbon, methane at Arctic Council. -- The United States should use its coming leadership of the Arctic Council to reduce black carbon and methane emissions that have a disproportionate impact on the rapidly melting polar region, according to a new study from an environmental advocacy group. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/10/20/stories/1060007548 Climate wars: The Pentagon doesn't need more global hotspots. Pittsburgh Post-GazetteOctober 20, 2014 Updated 3 hours ago The following editorial appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Friday, Oct. 17: Conservative members of Congress may not be ready to acknowledge the reality of climate change, but the Pentagon sees it for what it is - a threat to national security. On Monday, the Pentagon issued a report assessing the immediate dangers of climate change. The military is no longer treating it as a theoretical... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/20/3600613/climate-wars-the-pentagon-doesnt.html Warming Earth heading for hottest year on record. ...normal, Blunden said. If 2014 breaks the record for hottest year, that also should sound familiar: 1995, 1997, 1998, 2005 and 2010 all broke NOAA records for the hottest years since records started being kept in 1880. "This is one of many indicators that climate change has not stopped and that it continues to be one of the most important issues facing humanity," said University of Illinois climate scientist Donald Wuebbles. Some people, mostly non-scientists, have been claiming that the world... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/20/3600864/another-month-another-global-heat.html How Climate Change Is Fueling the Miami Real Estate Boom. As a city sitting virtually at sea level, Miami has been called ground zero for the problems posed by climate change, a place where rising sea levels threaten its future existence. The latest forecast of sea level rise from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-20/how-climate-change-is-fueling-the-miami-real-estate-boom DROUGHT California drought: Governor Jerry Brown touts water bond measure at Stanford summit. ...his first two terms as governor, he set the table and made the proposals, he said. Another two terms are needed, he said, "to finally carry the ball across the finish line." More than 70 percent of the western United States is in the grip of an ongoing drought that shows no signs of ending. California is experiencing its third year of historic drought conditions, with losses to the agricultural sector totaling about $2.2 billion in 2014 alone. The governor has asked residents to cut back... http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_26763293/california-drought-governor-jerry-brown-touts-water-bond FUELS Diesel price continues near 4-month downslide, remains at 28-month low. ...ended Oct. 20 to $3.656, according to the Department of Energy's weekly report , marking the 16th week in a row without an increase. Related Cheaper crude driving down diesel prices; price drop expected to continue The country's average price for a gallon of diesel fuel should continue to fall this year and next, according to the Department of Energy, who ... The price of diesel has now fallen every week since the first week of the July, save for a week with no change in early September. It has fallen... http://www.overdriveonline.com/diesel-price-continues-near-4-month-downslide-remains-at-28-month-low/ VEHICLES Carmakers, utility research group unveil new EV charging software. Beginning with electric cars, appliances of the future may interact with the power grid and utilities via a two-way street -- receiving and even sending electricity more efficiently.In the electric car world, the phenomenon is called vehicle-to-grid, or V2G, technology. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/10/20/stories/1060007547 EV charging comes to S.F. apartment buildings. ...announced the size of those fees.) The idea has one other twist: All tenants who sign up with the service can use Powertree's chargers in any building, so long as there's space available. Need to run an errand in another neighborhood? You can drive your EV there, use Powertree's mobile app to locate a nearby garage and use the same app to open an electric garage door that Powertree will install in each building. Plug the car in, run your errand, then drive home. As an added bonus, you'll actually have... http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/EV-charging-comes-to-S-F-apartment-buildings-5835409.php GREEN ENERGY College View to go solar. ...panels at 13 campuses in the last two years, Glendale school officials are now looking to to add them to College View School. School officials dedicated about $8 million in Measure S funds to place panels at seven schools and another $4.6 million with clean renewable energy bonds for six other campuses. The school board last week agreed to hire Clyde Murley, an independent energy consultant, to look at options for installing panels at what would be a 14th school, College View School, a campus that... http://www.latimes.com/tn-gnp-college-view-to-go-solar-20141018-story.html Geothermal power industry lost steam but may be poised for comeback. Geothermal power was once king of California's renewable energy. So many companies were clamoring to transform steam into electricity that they sucked the world's largest geyser field dry. But the industry's shortsightedness — and its slowness to innovate — left geothermal floundering for... http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-geothermal-20141020-story.html Big Box Retail's Latest Bright Idea: Solar Power. Big companies are finally beginning to see the light. Over the past two years, the top 25 corporate solar users in America have more than doubled their capacity, according to a new report by the Solar Energy Industries Association. Cumulatively, these companies produced enough electricity last year to power more than 115,000 homes. Leading the pack by a significant margin: Wal-Mart Stores (WMT). The retail giant produced 105 megawatts... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-20/big-box-retails-latest-bright-idea-solar-power For Waller Wind Turbines, Iowa Engineer Looks to Concrete. If wind turbines stood 20 or 40 meters taller than they typically do today, they would produce more energy and possibly make wind energy economically viable in areas where it currently is not. An Iowa engineer says the solution to provide the necessary growth spurt is to switch from steel to concrete. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/waller-wind-turbines-iowa-engineer-looks-concrete Cheap African Solar Energy Could Power U.K. Homes in 2018. Investors are seeking funding from the U.K. government for an ambitious plan to import solar energy generated in North Africa. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/cheap-african-solar-energy-could-power-uk-homes-2018 New solar modules set efficiency records and enter the power market. This summer, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems unveiled a solar module that operates with 36.7 percent efficiency, a world record. The device uses concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology, bypassing some of the fundamental performance limitations in conventional solar panels. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/10/20/stories/1060007546 Solar Consolidation Expected as Tax Credit Drives Deals. Acquisitions in the solar industry will take off as manufacturers and developers prepare for the expiration of a tax credit that's helping drive a U.S. installation boom. With renewable-energy executives gathering for the Solar Power International conference that began yesterday in Las Vegas, some will be shopping their companies around and others may be evaluating potential purchases, said Michael Horwitz,... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/solar-consolidation-expected-tax-credit-drives-deals BLOG How Many Celebrities Drive Toyota Prius Hybrids? Well, What's A Celebrity? ...but the Toyota Prius hybrid's popularity with celebrities is well known. It's as much a fixture of Hollywood as gossip and botox. Celebrities looking to advertise their environmentalist principles flock to the Prius, but competitive hybrids and now plug-in electric cars have made the Toyota... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095029_how-many-celebrities-drive-toyota-prius-hybrids-well-whats-a-celebrity Official: 2015 Green Car Of The Year finalists announced, run alt-fuel gamut. ...Audi A3 TDI), your 40+ mile-per-gallon gas engine (the Honda Fit) and, finally, a car that can do a little bit of everything (the VW Golf). The Golf is available – at least in some parts of the US – with three different powertrains: a 2.0-liter diesel, a gasoline engine and all-electric drive. The Impala can burn either natural gas or gasoline in its 3.6-liter engine. The A3 is an efficiency champ, able to get 73.5 mpg on some European tests. The i3 can be a pure electric vehicle or... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/21/2015-green-car-of-the-year-finalists-announced/ Video proof that LaFerrari has a pure electric mode. ...us? Well, it's quite obvious that you can drive a LaFerrari on nothing but electric power. As for why Ferrari doesn't advertise this fact, we're inclined to agree with the folks at Jalopnik, who uncovered the video. It's more than likely that the hypercar's EV range is so pitifully low that Maranello doesn't see it as worth mentioning. What do you think? Does an EV mode for a 949-horsepower, 205-mph hypercar even matter? Should Ferrari include it as an actual, driver-accessible item, even if the... http://www.autoblog.com/2014/10/20/laferrari-pure-electric-mode-video/?icid=autoblog%7ccheck-these-out Ford Focus Electric gets $6,000 price drop, now starts at $29,995. Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Ford, AutoblogGreen Exclusive In early 2013, the Nissan Leaf shed a massive $6,500 from its $35,200 base price to offer a new starting price of $28,800. Since then, we have seen numerous other plug-in vehicles get smaller price tags,... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/20/ford-focus-electric-ev-6k-price-drop-29995/ EV buyers not exactly happy with dealership experience. ...prospect of Tesla getting direct-sales rights. Michigan is the latest battleground between Tesla and pro-dealership entities. See below for an abstract on the UC Davis report and then read more here. New Car Dealers and Retail Innovation in California's Plug-In Electric Vehicle Market Abstract: Innovative new products like plug-in electric vehicles may need new approaches to market and sell them. We conducted 43 interviews with automakers and dealers selling plug-in vehicles in... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/20/ev-buyers-not-exactly-happy-with-dealership-experience/ EPA researchers find widespread use of nano cerium diesel fuel additives could have measurable impact on air quality. Predicted surface-level concentrations of cerium due to use of nCe diesel fuel additives. Credit: ACS, Erdakos et al. Click to enlarge. Results of a modeling study by researchers from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggest that widespread use of nanoparticulate cerium (nCe) diesel fuel... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141021-nce.html Delaware Vehicle-To-Grid Test Lets Electric Cars Sell Power. The ability to have large numbers of electric cars store energy and feed it back into electric grids is still many years away, but researchers are studying how it could work in the real world. Vehicle-to-grid technology is seen by some as a way to smooth out demand for grid electricity... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094990_delaware-vehicle-to-grid-test-lets-electric-cars-sell-power Amsterdam's Schiphol airport launches fleet of 167 Tesla electric taxis. ...new fleet of 167 Tesla Model S taxis, giving it the largest fleet of all-electric taxis of any airport in the world. The cabs will be operated by two taxi companies – BBF Schipholtaxi and BIOS-groep – who will shuttle passengers to and from the airport with zero emissions. "This represents a crucial step in our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and become one of the world's three most sustainable airports," said Schiphol Group CEO Jos Nijhuis. Last year, the airport authority brokered a deal to buy Europe's... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/20/schiphol-airport-167-tesla-model-s-taxis-official/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 15:14:46 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 22, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 22, 2014. 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 Invalidated Carbon Offsets Highlight Controversial Rule in California. Now you see them, now you don’t regarding offsets in California’s carbon program, IKEA wrenches up its carbon emission pricing ambition and the Shanghai Emissions Trading System gets in the express lane. California regulators invoked the "draconian" enforcement provisions of their cap-and-trade program for carbon emissions by moving to invalidate more than 230,000 ozone-depleting substances (ODS) offsets… http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10596§ion=home&eod=1 AIR POLLUTION Southland's bad-air days jump in 2014; hot, stagnant weather blamed. Hot, stagnant weather in Southern California pushed smog levels above federal health standards on 94 days in 2014, up from 88 day last year, regional pollution regulators said. This year had been shaping up to be cleaner than 2013, officials with the South Coast Air... http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bad-air-days-smog-los-angeles-20141022-story.html More than 5 million in state live near oil or gas well, report says. ... environmental group. The Natural Resources Defense Council, analyzing state environmental data, identified 5.4 million people who live within a mile of at least one of the state's 84,000 active or new wells. They are the most likely to be affected by potential air and water pollution caused by oil and gas production if advanced extraction methods… http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-1022-drilling-study-20141022-story.html Traffic Pollution May Be a Risk While Pregnant. Children of mothers exposed to high levels of traffic air pollution during pregnancy may be at increased risk for lung damage, according to a new study. Researchers tested the lung function of 620 children in Spain when they were 4 years old. Their mothers' exposure to the traffic air pollutants... http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/10/21/traffic-pollution-may-be-a-risk-while-pregnant Living With a Smoker Like Living in a Polluted City: Study. Nonsmokers who live with smokers are exposed to triple the World Health Organization's recommended safe levels of harmful air particles, a new study warns. That means that air-particle levels in a home with a smoker are similar to that of the air in large, polluted cities, the study found. Living in smoke-free homes could offer major health benefits to nonsmokers... http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/10/21/living-with-a-smoker-like-living-in-a-polluted-city-study CLIMATE CHANGE UPDATE 1-EU nations threaten to block green energy rules at summit talks. EU leaders face a long day on Thursday as they seek to agree on a new decade of climate and energy policy at a summit in Brussels, with nations from Poland to Portugal threatening to block a deal. If the European Union can manage an accord, including a more ambitious greenhouse gas cut, it will be the first major economic bloc to set an emissions target for 2030… http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/22/eu-summit-climatechange-idUKL6N0SH54620141022 Brazil protects giant swathe of Amazon rainforest. ...Declaring a federal reserve means forest clearing and similar development are forbidden. Putting large areas of mostly intact rainforest under federal protection is one of the tools the Brazilian government has to combat deforestation and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The creation of these reserves is part of the country's climate policy. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/21/us-brazil-wildlife-carbon-idUSKCN0IA2EX20141021?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 U.S. insurance firms failing to address climate change risk –report. Most U.S. insurance companies are completely unprepared to address the risks related to climate change, a new survey published Wednesday found, a finding that could have negative consequence for the wider debate over how to tackle the issue. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/21/insurance-climatechange-usa-idUSL2N0SG33D20141021 Environment Is Grabbing Big Role in Ads for Campaigns. In Michigan, an ad attacking Terri Lynn Land, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate, opens with a shot of rising brown floodwaters as a woman says: “We see it every day in Michigan. Climate change. So why is Terri Lynn Land ignoring the science? ” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/22/us/politics/environmental-issues-become-a-force-in-political-advertising.html?ref=politics&_r=1 Researchers find record leaks of methane from oil shale boom areas Oil and gas. basins in North Dakota and East Texas leaked around 10 percent of natural gas they produced to the atmosphere between 2006 and 2011. Natural gas is composed primarily of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that exacerbates climate change. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060007693/print DROUGHT Drought, drawdowns and death of the Salton Sea. The Salton Sea, California's largest lake at 370 square miles, once supported resorts that drew celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Jerry Lewis. It is now in danger of shrinking by half. Water diverted to metropolitan areas along the coast will expose large swaths... http://www.latimes.com/la-me-g-drought-drawdowns-and-death-of-the-salton-sea-20141021-htmlstory.html Amid California's drought, a bruising battle for cheap water. ...old farm wagons parked along quiet two-lane roads and bustling Interstate 5. "Congress Created Dust Bowl." "Stop the Politicians' Water Crisis." "No Water No Jobs." They dot the Westlands Water District like angry salutations, marking the territory of California's most formidable water warrior. Their message is clear: Politicians and environmental laws are more to blame for Westlands' dusty brown fields than the drought that has parched California for the last three years. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-westlands-20141021-story.html San Diego adopts mandatory water limits. San Diego officials have instituted mandatory water restrictions amid California's historic drought. The City Council voted unanimously Monday to shift from Stage 1 "drought watch" conditions to Stage 2 "drought alert" restrictions. U-T San Diego reports (http://bit.ly/1CQvitK ) the heightened measures are designed to reduce city water use by 20 percent and forestall deeper cuts in the future. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19319403371&p=19f&v=1&x=Za9Lgu4qX9-6AUBQ9yw6sA California water agencies lose millions of gallons underground. ...Baker/Los Angeles Daily News/File Fontana (Inland): 1.9 million gallons Long Beach: 1.8 million gallons City of Pasadena: 1.5 million gallons Palos Verdes Peninsula: 455,000 gallons San Gabriel Valley Water Co.: 1 million gallons Source: California Urban Water Management Council As 20 million gallons of drinking water rushed down Sunset Boulevard and flooded the UCLA campus this summer, drought-conscious residents threw up their hands. http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/article/20141021/NEWS/141029843 FUELS Natural gas fleets tout fuel savings, call for return of 15L engine. ...gas from the product you haul, the savings are even greater. Olivier Sylvestre, director of development for natural gas in transportation with Quebec trash hauler EBI, shared his company's success story. Last year, EBI displaced about four million litres of diesel fuel by instead burning renewable natural gas the company creates from the residential waste its trucks collect. http://www.trucknews.com/business-management/natural-gas-fleets-tout-fuel-savings-call-return-15l-engine/1003061243 Daimler Tesla Stake Sale Might Clear The Way For BMW. ...Motors Tesla Motors, and pocketed a $780 million profit came out of the blue, not least because in January, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said the cooperation deal had room for further expansion. Tesla supplies electric motors and batteries for the Smart For Two electric vehicle and the Mercedes B-class electric car. Daimler announced that the sale of the stake didn't mean that cooperation with Tesla would end. http://www.forbes.com/sites/neilwinton/2014/10/22/daimler-tesla-stake-sale-might-clear-the-way-for-bmw/ The Price of Gasoline and Your Happy Wallet. The average national price of a gallon of gasoline as of Monday is $3.12, according to the Department of Energy. That is 52-cents cheaper than we were paying just four months ago in June. The drop comes as the price for a barrel of domestic crude oil fell $25 from its peak this year in June to... http://www.forbes.com/sites/billtucker/2014/10/21/the-price-of-gasoline-and-your-happy-wallet/ VEHICLES Where We're Going, We'll Probably Still Need Cars. The future of the car: from the fuels they’ll run on, to the materials they’ll be made of, to the computers that may drive them. In the year 2025, cars and the rules of the road could look a whole lot different. Cars that drive themselves. Run on hydrogen. Made out of futuristic materials. That know your musical preferences. http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/10/21/future-of-the-car-driverless-technology-tesla Plug-In Hybrids Are The Best Competitors To Fuel-Cell Vehicles: Here's Why. With the imminent unveiling of the Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle, and the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell already on sale, you can expect to hear a lot more about hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles in the coming months. Initially they will be offered only in very low numbers, and restricted to Southern California, where the state and the carmakers are jointly funding the installation of several dozen hydrogen fueling stations. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090724_plug-in-hybrids-are-the-best-competitors-to-fuel-cell-vehicles-heres-why GREEN ENERGY Blackstone creates new renewable energy firm. The Blackstone Group will partner on a new push to develop utility scale wind and solar power projects in North America. Blackstone is teaming up with Matthew Roseblum, the founder and CEO at Solops, to create Onyx Renewable Partners. The company will develop, finance, construct and operate renewable energy projects.... http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-10-21/blackstone-creates-new-renewable-energy-firm ENERGY: Europe splits on whether more energy efficiency and renewables can ease its natural gas crunch. Europe's dependence on natural gas imports could be cut in half by adopting more robust efficiency standards and adding more renewable energy resources to Europe's power portfolio, new research sponsored by the World Resources Institute says. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19317262858&p=19f&v=1&x=C5LBx7uPZSAEMeEtZGWWJw U.S. wind power industry feels a new breeze, may soon double. The U.S. wind power industry continued its modest recovery over the third quarter of 2014, with 419 megawatts of new generation capacity coming online in Texas, Nebraska, Michigan and California. But officials said the quarterly numbers, which reflect a 600 percent increase over the same quarter of 2013 when the industry was emerging from a near-standstill, do not accurately reflect the pace of wind energy development in the United States. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060007692/print BLOGS Oil industry huddles on ways to sway public opinion. Still stinging from last year's passage of California's first fracking law, petroleum industry representatives in Bakersfield Tuesday shared ideas for swaying public opinion to head off regulatory activity they warned could kill jobs, raise gas prices and increase reliance on foreign oil. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x782602398/Oil-industry-huddles-on-ways-to-sway-public-opinion Counties Vie for ‘Disadvantaged’ Cap-and-Trade Bucks. In the fictional town of Lake Woebegon, all of the children are above average. But in the real world of California, all of the counties are disadvantaged. Or so it seemed at a recent California Air Resources Board meeting as officials from all over the state poor-mouthed their districts to gain a share of cap-and-trade funds set aside for “disadvantaged communities.” http://www.publicceo.com/2014/10/counties-vie-for-disadvantaged-cap-and-trade-bucks/ Deciphering Monsoons in a Time of Drastic Changes. ...unknowing has direct impact on the daily lives of billions who depend on monsoon rains annually. Without fully understanding the conceptual basis of a monsoon, researchers cannot predict the future behavior of monsoons as the climate changes. Providing accurate climate change information to communities dependent upon a steady monsoon rainfall lies in being able to accurately model future changes of the monsoon. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-casson/deciphering-monsoons-in-a_b_6004032.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Rooftop solar is just the beginning; utilities must innovate or go extinct. By now, most people are aware that solar power -- particularly distributed solar power, in the form of rooftop panels -- poses a threat to power utilities. And utilities are fighting back, attempting to impose additional fees and restrictions on solar customers. These... http://grist.org/article/rooftop-solar-is-just-the-beginning-utilities-must-innovate-or-go-extinct More on the Mercedes-Benz 2014 B-Class alternative drive systems: electric and natural gas. ...the already successful B-Class a thorough facelift, giving particular attention to an upgrade of the interior. (Earlier post.) The revamped B-Class offers a choice of five diesel models with fuel ranging from 3.6 to 5.0 l/100 km (65.3 to 47 mpg US) and four gasoline engines at between 5.4 and 6.6 l/100 km (43.6 and 35.6 mpg US) as well as… http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141021-bklasse.html EPA researchers find widespread use of nano cerium diesel fuel additives could have measurable impact on air quality. Predicted surface-level concentrations of cerium due to use of nCe diesel fuel additives. Credit: ACS, Erdakos et al. Click to enlarge. Results of a modeling study by researchers from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggest that widespread use of nanoparticulate cerium (nCe) diesel fuel... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141021-nce.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 15:29:53 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 24, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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. COOL CALIFORNIA AWARDS Claremont, Rancho Cucamonga top finishers in Cool California challenge. Claremont and Rancho Cucamonga were among the top finishers in a statewide competition aimed at reducing carbon emission. Riverside took top honors in the CoolCalifornia City Challenge with Claremont finishing a close second, followed by Rancho Cucamonga. The cities were recognized Wednesday afternoon at California Air Resources Board meeting. http://www.dailybulletin.com/environment-and-nature/20141023/claremont-rancho-cucamonga-top-finishers-in-cool-california-challenge http://www.nassaunewslive.com/californias-coolest-cities-announced/222553 250,000 ZEVS SOLD Sales of zero emission vehicles pass 250,000 nationally. ...no to cars that run on petroleum” Sales of zero emission vehicles, dubbed “ZEVs,” have passed the quarter-million mark nationally, according to the California Air Resources Board. To put the milestone in perspective, 250,000 cars is the combined daily volume of traffic on the Golden Gate... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27003 http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/article/20141023/NEWS/141029726 http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060007825/feed http://www.dailybulletin.com/environment-and-nature/20141023/officials-see-33-million-zero-emission-vehicles-on-road-by-2025 ZEV SHOWCASE Zero Emission Vehicles Showcased to Help Fight Air Pollution. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) held a public meeting in Diamond Bar at 10 a.m Thursday to discuss incentive-based emission reduction measures in the San Joaquin Valley. Speakers included the chairwoman of ARB, Mary Nichols, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner and the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment, Kathy Kiney. http://www.atvn.org/news/2014/10/low-emission-vehicles-showcased-help-fight-air-pollution AIR POLLUTION Study Suggests Link Between Air Pollution Exposure And Autism. Preliminary research out of the University of Pittsburgh found that children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) were 1.4 to two times more likely to have been exposed to higher levels of air pollution during pregnancy and the first two years of life than children without ASD. The results of the study were presented at the American Association for Aerosol Research annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. yesterday. To reach these results,... http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonfortenbury/2014/10/23/study-finds-potential-link-between-air-pollution-exposure-and-autism/ Clovis led the Valley in exceeding ozone health threshold. Clovis exceeded the federal eight-hour standard this year more than any other place in the region. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19343723660&p=19f&v=1&x=8H6Bbw8nDXPiABL4918EhA Air quality officials sued over crude oil trains. A fuel distributor has agreed to stop unloading train shipments of crude oil at a Sacramento-area transfer station after the county's top air quality official said his agency mistakenly skirted the state's environmental rules by issuing a permit for the operation. The Sacramento Bee reports (http://bit.ly/1waORyp ) InterState Oil Company said Wednesday that as of Nov. 7 it will... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/23/3606305/air-quality-officials-sued-over.html Facing lawsuit, California oil train terminal to shut down. ...group, won its battle to halt crude oil train operations in the state as InterState Oil Co., a Sacramento fuel distributor, agreed to stop unloading train shipments of crude oil next month at the former McClellan Air Force Base. Sacramento County's top air quality official said his agency mistakenly skirted the state's environmental rules by issuing a permit for the operation. EarthJustice contended the Sacramento air quality district should not have granted InterState a permit... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/23/3606830/facing-lawsuit-california-oil.html CLIMATE CHANGE EU Braces for Battle to Set Energy Goals for Next Decade. ...mines,” French energy minister Segolene Royale told lawmakers in Paris yesterday. “But I think we will have the wisdom, the strength, and the sense of responsibility to reach an accord.” Carbon Targets EU leaders plan to back a binding target to cut greenhouse gases by 40 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels, accelerating the pace of reduction from 20 percent set for 2020, according to draft conclusions for the meeting obtained by Bloomberg News. An agreement would ensure the bloc remains the leader... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-22/eu-braces-for-battle-to-set-energy-goals-for-next-decade There's a Surprisingly Strong Link Between Climate Change, Violence. Earlier this year, when a study came out suggesting global warming will increase the rates of violent crimes in the United States—producing "an additional 22,ooo murders, 180,000 cases of rape," and many other crime increases by the year 2099—it drew widespread criticism. "This ... is what people... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141023/theres-surprisingly-strong-link-between-climate-change-violence The Military Takes on Climate Change Deniers The idea that climate change poses serious risks to U.S. national security, long contested in conservative circles, is now an integral part of Pentagon planning. On Oct. 13, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel made it official with the release of the Pentagon's... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-23/the-military-takes-on-climate-change-deniers PUBLIC LANDS: Officials draft plan to combat climate change. Federal officials joined state officials, tribal members and private land managers to draft a climate change vulnerability and adaption plan in Missoula, Mont., on Monday and Tuesday. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19343137642&p=19f&v=1&x=lef3CEcaJN3suZlvDPaU4g Peru Could Add to UN Climate Fund Ahead of Lima Talks. Peru Could Add to UN Climate Fund Ahead of Lima Talks Peru could soon pledge a substantial amount of money to the United Nations climate fund aimed at helping poorer countries fight climate change. In an interview with Bloomberg News on Wednesday, Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal said the country is considering a pledge as a "political signal" and plans to decide before the Lima talks in December. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141023/peru-could-add-un-climate-fund-ahead-lima-talks Natural gas services group announces its third quarter 2014 earnings call. ...financial results. About Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. NGS is a leading provider of small to medium horsepower, wellhead compression equipment to the natural gas industry with a primary focus on the non-conventional gas and oil industry, i.e., coalbed methane, gas and oil shales and tight gas. The Company manufactures, fabricates, rents, sells and maintains natural gas compressors and flare systems for gas and oil production and plant facilities. NGS is headquartered in Midland, Texas with fabrication... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19342397065&p=19f&v=1&x=2GbydnDqXpxi_8sRNQGrXQ Democratic Climate Activist Is Election's Biggest Donor. That We Know OfPolitics Tom Steyer recently said in a video that "climate change is not just an important issue, it's the issue. And we need leaders who will take it seriously." Liberal billionaire Tom Steyer has spent an astonishing $58 million this election cycle, more than any other donor in the traditional,... http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/10/23/146138/democratic_climate_activist_is_elections_biggest_donor_that_we?category=politics&source=npr Concerned About Climate Change, Officials Want South Florida to Break Off into Its Own State. Officials in the City of South Miami have passed a resolution in favor of splitting the state in half so South Florida would become the 51st state. Vice Mayor Walter Harris proposed the resolution and it passed with a 3-2 vote at the city commission meeting... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141023/concerned-about-climate-change-officials-want-south-florida-break-its-own-state CLIMATE: Senators tour W.Va. as law school predicts state can meet EPA rule. Two Senate Democrats toured West Virginia's coal country yesterday on the second leg of a climate change tour aimed at forging goodwill, if not immediate legislation. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19343137531&p=19f&v=1&x=U-XNDmCW5rjyEmhhAmGnYQ Big insurance won't prep or pay for climate change, fails to see irony. The insurance industry may have been hit by a lot of climate change-related payouts lately, but it's still not doing much to incorporate climate risk into how it does business, according to a report released this week by Ceres, the national network of environmentally minded investment funds. Sure,... http://grist.org/climate-energy/big-insurance-wont-prep-or-pay-for-climate-change-fails-to-see-irony/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed Climate change boosts fire frequency, but Australia's PM calls the link 'hogwash.' Our software detected that cookies are disabled in your browser. Cookies need to be enabled to access E&E Publishing's premium content. Please allow cookies from www.eenews.net and refresh this page. You may need to relaunch your web browser. Need... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19340283231&p=19f&v=1&x=a12y4--VQQ35FADig3johw EU strikes compromise to set new climate target. European Union leaders struck a deal on a new target to cut carbon emissions out to 2030, calling it a new global standard but leaving critics warning that compromises had undermined the fight against climate change. Talks in Brussels stretched into the small hours of Friday as Poland battled to spare its coal industry and other states tweaked the guideline text on global warming to protect varied economic interests, from nuclear... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/23/us-eu-summit-climatechange-idUSKCN0IB1PB20141023?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 U.S. Insurers Meet Climate Risk With 'Deeply Troubling' Silence. ...core business' and their investments, new report says. Even though insurers are in the business of protecting others from risk, a new report shows that most major United States players are turning a blind eye to a serious threat to their own bottom line—climate change. "It's shocking...most of the industry continues to be far behind where they need to be in terms of understanding and articulating [climate risk]," said study author Cynthia McHale, insurance program director at the Boston-based... http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141023/us-insurers-meet-climate-risk-deeply-troubling-silence How An Energy Company Is Using The Cloud To Create A Greener India. ...Bharat Light and Power (BLP), one of India's largest clean energy companies, is combining cloud computing, analytics, mobile and social technologies to increase its green power capacity and transform how it operates. BLP wants to use the cloud to generate more renewable energy, improve efficiency and help rein in the growth of greenhouse gases. In India, about 400 million residents, or nearly 100 million more than the entire population of the U.S., don't have electricity. India has the... http://www.forbes.com/sites/ibm/2014/10/23/how-an-energy-company-is-using-the-cloud-to-create-a-greener-india/ http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/10/23/3311462/eu-reaches-deal-to-cut-greenhouse.html?sp=%2f99%2f177%2f507%2f Coal-rich Poland ready to block EU climate deal. ...Brussels, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. Demonstrators called for EU leaders to resist pressure by the fossil fuel industry and agree an EU 2030 climate and energy package. EU leaders will gather Thursday for a two-day summit in which they will discuss energy and climate change. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) WARSAW, Poland (AP) — European Union leaders meeting in Brussels to stamp their new, ambitious greenhouse gas emissions plan should prepare for unyielding opposition from coal-reliant Poland... http://www.times-standard.com/nation/ci_26783780/coal-rich-poland-ready-block-eu-climate-deal DROUGHT Water supply emergency due to drought is declared by San Gabriel Valley's largest water agency. ...demanding that it receive its fair share of imported supplies, or it may have to shut down water wells. A sternly worded resolution adopted by the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District board late Tuesday night explained that the statewide drought, now entering a fourth year, has lowered the water table in the aquifer to record low levels. Without supplemental water from Northern California and the Colorado River, the San Gabriel Basin's levels could drop another 20 feet, rendering... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19342924380&p=19f&v=1&x=8fxnMMZT0YpzobMqCHlZfw San Gabriel Valley's largest water agency declares water supply emergency. ...is demanding that it receive its fair share of imported supplies, or it may have to shut down water wells. A sternly worded resolution adopted by the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District board late Tuesday night explained that the statewide drought, now entering a fourth year, has lowered the water table in the aquifer to record low levels. Without supplemental water from Northern California and the Colorado River, the San Gabriel Basin's levels could drop another 20 feet, rendering... http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/article/20141023/NEWS/141029754 Central Valley town struggles in California's drought. Caption Central Valley town hit hard by California's drought A tractor works a dried-out parcel west of the Kings River near Stratford, Calif. Stratford, in the state's Central Valley, is one of many towns in the region that are being sucked dry by the state's historic drought.... http://www.latimes.com/local/great-reads/la-me-c1-1024-stratford-pictures-photogallery.html For Sierra resident, the well runs dry -- along with her options. ...heart of the state: the San Joaquin Valley, where some people get sand when they turn on the faucet. She has an acre in the Sierra foothills, in a sparsely populated town an hour northeast of Sacramento with a seemingly abundant water supply despite the drought. Except for one thing: Her water comes from a well. And her well, which is shallow, has gone dry. For someone with money, this would pose little obstacle. But Landers, 57, is stuck. She's tried to get work. But after interviewers see her front... http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-abcarian-drought-dry-well-20141024-story.html FUELS UPDATE 1-Honda execs to take pay cut after fifth Fit hybrid recall. ...of their pay. Honda also said it had appointed Senior Managing Officer Koichi Fukuo to oversee quality improvements across the organisation. Honda said the latest recall was over two noise-related defects in the Fit and Vezel hybrids as well as some gasoline-engine Fit and N-WGN models. The automaker will also recall 183 cars overseas for the same glitch. Honda first recalled the Fit hybrid in October 2013 - just one month after launch - for defective controls on its newly developed seven-speed... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/23/honda-recall-idUSL3N0SI29A20141023 BIOFUELS: Coalition ad campaign urges Obama to reverse proposed RFS cuts. A pro-biofuels coalition today launched a series of online and radio ads pressing the Obama administration to reverse its proposed rollback of the renewable fuel standard. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19343137192&p=19f&v=1&x=Zsn3gbVNmNz8cmH11ZwfSQ VEHICLES Officials see 3.3 million zero emission vehicles on road by 2025. Officials from eight states say the United States is on track to have 3.3 millions zero emission vehicles on the road by 2025. That will include 1.5 million in California alone. “We are glad Americans are embracing the electric car,” said Commissioner David Cash with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. http://www.dailynews.com/environment-and-nature/20141023/officials-see-33-million-zero-emission-vehicles-on-road-by-2025 Sales of zero emission vehicles pass 250,000. Sales of zero emission vehicles, dubbed “ZEVs,” have passed the quarter-million mark nationally, according to the California Air Resources Board. To put the milestone in perspective, 250,000 cars is the combined daily volume of traffic on the Golden Gate and the Brooklyn Bridge. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27003 Zero Emission Vehicles Showcased to Help Fight Air Pollution. The California Air Resources Board features a wide range of zero-emission vehicles from a Harley Davidson to a Mercedes. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) held a public meeting in Diamond Bar at 10 a.m. Thursday to discuss incentive-based emission reduction measures in the San Joaquin Valley. http://www.atvn.org/news/2014/10/low-emission-vehicles-showcased-help-fight-air-pollution Ford CEO: We have expertise to do Tesla-like vehicle. Ford CEO Mark Fields says the company has the expertise and ability to build a Tesla-style high performance, long-range electric vehicle. Fields stopped short of saying Ford will do so, but did say, "It's consistent with our product philosophy." http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/10/24/ford-tesla/17827533/ Biggest Electric Car Attractions Are Performance & Convenience, Not Environmental Benefits. Humans love to categorize. Actually, we rely on it for our survival. But sometimes we categorize too quickly and too simply. Electric cars are heavily linked to their environmental benefits and being green. But I’d contend (well, I do contend) that electric cars’ performance and convenience benefits are the biggest electric car attractions for most consumers. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/10/23/biggest-electric-car-attractions-performance-convenience-environmental-benefits/ GREEN ENERGY Vermont solar company offers group option. One of Vermont's residential solar energy companies has launched a new program intended for people who can't use traditional home solar set-ups. On Thursday, SunCommon launched its first community solar array that will serve 30 homes in the town of Waltham. The community... http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Vermont-solar-company-offers-group-option-5844348.php Reports 7 deals for clean energy projects. ...officials say they have reached agreements in principle to finance seven clean energy projects with a dozen banks and investment firms and the state's new NY Green Bank. They hope to close deals this year that would lead to more than $800 million invested in solar energy, cogeneration and energy-efficiency. The goal is a 575,000-ton annual reduction in carbon dioxide by generating and using energy in ways that reduce pollution and burning fossil fuels. Parties include Ameresco, Bank of America... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/23/3605989/ny-reports-7-deals-for-clean-energy.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f1526%2f Labor Rejects Abbott Govnt's First Attempt at Renewable Energy Deal in Australia. Labor Rejects Abbott Govnt's First Attempt at Renewable Energy Deal in Australia The clean energy industry and Labor have immediately rejected the Abbott government's opening gambit in negotiations to find a bipartisan agreement on the future of the renewable energy target. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/labor-rejects-abbott-govnts-first-attempt-renewable-energy-deal-australia BLOG Insurance company's numbers show EVs cheaper to insure, run. Coverhound Insurance has sold around 20,000 auto policies, and that's been enough for the online comparison-shopping site to notice an EV-friendly trend: electric vehicles are cheaper to insure. An average of $200 cheaper, in fact, according to CoverHound CEO Keith Moore. Moore spoke to The Los Angeles Times, and said that when you add in lower fuel costs, the disparity gets even bigger.... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/23/evs-cheaper-to-insure/ Navigant Research forecasts plug-ins will be 2.4% of global new vehicle sales by 2023; luxury brands to represent about 50% of that. ...that plug-in EVs (which include plug-in hybrids and battery EVs), will represent 2.4% of total worldwide light-duty vehicle sales by 2023, or about 2.5 million units. In its new report, “Global Forecasts for Light Duty Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid, and Battery Electric Vehicle Sales and Vehicles in Use: 2014-2023”, Navigant notes that luxury brands, which have benefited in recent years from increased interest from the developing markets of Asia Pacific, have committed more strongly to plug-in EV... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141023-navigant.html 7 New York State Clean Energy Projects Receive Financing. ...officials say they have reached agreements in principle to finance seven clean energy projects with a dozen banks and investment firms and the state's new NY Green Bank. They hope to close deals this year that would lead to more than $800 million invested in solar energy, cogeneration and energy-efficiency. The goal is a 575,000-ton annual reduction in carbon dioxide by generating and using energy in ways that reduce pollution and burning fossil fuels. Parties include Ameresco, Bank of America... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/23/new-york-state-clean-energy-projects_n_6032790.html Official: Toyota JV will sell Leahead EVs in China next year. You may have read that Toyota is about to establish a new electric vehicle sub-brand in China called Leahead that will focus on "cheap electric cars aimed at young and hip car buyers in China." This isn't 100 percent true, but the Japanese automaker is revving its electric motors for EVs in... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/23/toyota-jv-will-sell-leahead-evs-in-china-next-year/ 2015 VW e-Golf EPA-rated at 116 MPGe combined, 83-mile range. Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced that the compact battery-electric 2015 e-Golf (earlier post) has been rated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at 126 city, 105 highway, and 116 combined Miles per Gallon of Gasoline Equivalent (MPGe), and given a range of up to 83 miles. EPA ratings for select EVs 2015 e-Golf 2014 Ford Focus Electric 2015 LEAF 2014 Tesla Model S 85 2014 BMW i3 MPGe City 126 110 126 88 137 Highway 105 99 101 90 111... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141023-egolf.html New York Renewable Energy. New York officials say they have reached agreements in principle to finance seven clean energy projects with a dozen banks and i... ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A new study says New York could get the power it needs from wind, water and sunlight... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/new-york-renewable-energy/ Food giants Cargill and General Mills believe in climate change. Will they defend themselves from it? ...hawks. So I've been surprised to see a string of announcements from food industry giants about their environmental initiatives. When Greg Page, the executive chair of Cargill, wrote an op-ed in the Des Moines Register entitled "Agriculture must engage in climate change discussion," I rubbed my eyes and reread to make sure I hadn't missed a "not" in there. The current Congress won't do anything on climate change, I thought, but maybe businesses are moving past the politicians on this.... http://grist.org/food/food-giants-cargill-and-general-mills-believe-in-climate-change-will-they-defend-themselves-from-it The Bottom Line on Climate Change Costs. The recent report published by the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, an organization aimed at helping the world's societies to combat the effects of climate change, suggests that the costs of combating climate change are considerably lower than widespread opinion has suggested. This new analysis is considered to be a real game changer in how we perceive and act on remedies for polluting... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-getty/the-bottom-line-on-climat_b_6037458.html?ir=Business&utm_hp_ref=business This Is What Pollution Looks Like In Your World. We hear about pollution constantly, causing health problems, killing wildlife and harming ecosystems. But what does it look like up close, in our cities and neighborhoods? We asked photographers at EyeEm to share their photos of pollution everywhere. The responses... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/23/pollution-looks-like-photos_n_6030652.html?utm_hp_ref=green The Climate Post: Ozone Focus of EPA's Latest Rulemaking. ...finalized a rule that sets domestic production consumption limits for hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)--eventually phasing them out completely by 2020. The rule aims to reduce emissions from leakage and stockpiles of four HCFCs, a class of refrigerant linked to ozone depletion and climate change. "This rule finalizes allowed amounts of HCFC production and import in 2015-2019 that protect human health and the environment, while also encouraging transition to non-ozone-depleting alternatives... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-profeta/the-climate-post-ozone-fo_b_6037656.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change NY Fusion Energy: Hope or Hype? The IPCC Report's Warning The latest draft edition of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report bluntly warns that business-as-usual increases in greenhouse-gas emissions will cause "further warming and long-lasting changes" in the Earth's climate system, with increasing likelihood of "severe, pervasive... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-h-bailey/fusion-energy-hope-or-hype_b_6031968.html California's Fracking Controversy. ...intensity petroleum operations. A Calgary and Duke University study of property values near shale gas wells notes a ten percent drop in values, but with fracking operations in place, values dropped some 22 percent. "Whether or not fracking causes groundwater pollution, people fear the risk enough that property values have dropped for homes with drinking-water wells near shale-gas pads, according to new research," writes Forbes in an article entitled Pollution Fears Crush Home Prices Near Fracking Wells.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harlan-green/californias-fracking-cont_b_6035274.html?ir=Business&utm_hp_ref=business Five Ways Hospitals Prepare For Natural Disasters. ...several hospitals were able to continuing operating and provide life-saving care because they had combined heat and power (CHP) systems. Also known as cogeneration, these systems produce heat and electricity from a single fuel source, such as natural gas or biomass, and they reduce strain on a community's energy infrastructure. The CHP system at Boston's Longwood Medical Area reduced fuel consumption by 24 percent at participating facilities. Another way to conserve energy is by retrocommissioning, which... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/benn-grover/five-ways-hospitals-prepa_b_6016684.html Utility Group Tries To Rally Black Caucus Against Solar Incentives. Representatives of an industry group representing electric companies met with staffers for members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday to rally support for efforts to kill solar energy incentives, an attendee said. The meeting, announced in an invitation provided to The Huffington Post, included a briefing by David Owens, the executive vice president of business operations and regulatory affairs for the Edison... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/24/solar-energy-black-caucus_n_6039290.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 12:32:55 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 27, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 27, 2014. 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 China to shut factories during APEC to curb Beijing pollution: Xinhua. SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli ordered a temporary shutdown of factories to ensure air quality during a meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in Beijing next month, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Friday. It is the strongest measure yet to curb pollution for the Nov. 7-11 meeting in the capital, which has been... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/25/us-china-pollution-idUSKCN0IE02L20141025?feedName=worldNews&feedType=RSS&rpc=69 Penn study seeks to track Ambler's asbestos legacy. ...excavation at the second site, BoRit, was ruled out as too dangerous and too costly. One calculation held that removing all the waste would require a truckload every 25 minutes for 10 years, Emmett said. And what about the safety concerns, the noise, the diesel emissions? Not everyone is appeased. Borough council member Sharon McCormick, who got into politics because of her objection to what was happening at the sites, insists: "It's not dangerous to remove it. It's dangerous here. . . . EPA... http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/health-fitness/article3196432.html COOL CALIFORNIA CITY CHALLENGE Arcata earns prize money to spend on solar panels in statewide energy challenge. Arcata and nine other cities across California prevented more than 800,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released in a greenhouse gas reduction challenge, receiving cash prizes. During the six-month Cool California City Challenge, cities and teams within them competed to save energy by cutting electricity use, changing light bulbs, commuting by bike and other tactics for carbon emissions reduction, said Melanie Turner, public information officer with the California Air Resources Board. http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_26797539/arcata-earns-prize-money-spend-solar-panels-statewide Riverside's simply the coolest. To reduce his contribution to global warming, Taher Bhaigee started taking a bus from his home in Riverside’s Canyon Crest neighborhood to his job downtown. “I bought a monthly pass, and that really reduced my driving,” said Bhaigee, 23, a recent UC Riverside graduate who works as an intern in the mayor’s office. Bhaigee effort helped confirm his city’s coolness. http://www.pe.com/articles/riverside-752623-bhaigee-energy.html CAP AND TRADE Carbon Trading Edges Closer as U.N. Brokers Deal (The Independent). Carbon Trading Edges Closer as U.N. Brokers Deal The world is on the brink of enlisting market forces in the fight against climate change on a truly global scale for the first time, United Nations officials have claimed. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141027/carbon-trading-edges-closer-un-brokers-deal Monterey Shale Dreams Clash With Public Policy Drives. …Billionaire climate change activist Tom Steyer has given up on a statewide ban on fracking, but he is shifting to taxes on the industry, and that is part of where the focus will be next year, according to Hull, who outlined attacks geared to imposing a severance tax on oil, and an added hit at the gasoline pump expected next year from the expansion of the state climate change-driven cap-and-trade market for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions . http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/100190-monterey-shale-dreams-clash-with-public-policy-drives CLIMATE CHANGE Arctic Ice Melt Seen Doubling Risk of Harsh Winter in EU. ...twice as likely atmospheric circulations that suck cold Arctic air to Europe and Asia, a group of Japanese researchers led by the University of Tokyo's Masato Mori said in a study published today in Nature Geoscience. “This counterintuitive effect of the global warming that led to the sea ice decline in the first place makes some people think that global warming has stopped. It has not,” Colin Summerhayes, emeritus associate of the Scott Polar Research Institute, said in a statement... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-26/arctic-ice-melt-seen-doubling-risk-of-harsh-winter-in-eu Climate Panel Sees Risk of 'Serious, Pervasive & Irreversible' Warming. Climate change may have "serious, pervasive and irreversible" impacts on human society and nature, according to a draft U.N. report due for approval this week that says governments still have time to avert the worst. Delegates from more than... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141027/climate-panel-sees-risk-serious-pervasive-irreversible-warming Cold Winters in Europe, Asia Linked to Sea Ice Decline. ...to last winter as the polar vortex) over North America, Europe and Asia are not uncommon. RELATED Arctic Sea Ice to Reach Sixth Lowest Extent on Record Winter Unlikely to See Repeat of Frigid Polar Vortex Polar Vortex in U.S. May be Example of Global Warming But in the past decade or so, frigid winters have been happening with a regularity that defies the projections of climate models, which said that winter would be the fastest-warming season. While some scientists have chalked... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/cold-winters-in-europe-asia-linked-to-arctic-sea-ice-decline-18239 Dangerous jellyfish found in Manasquan River ...water. But it's unlikely that box jellyfish will become established in Barnegat Bay, said Bologna, adding that he's never seen a box jelly in these parts. "I don't think these are anything we need to worry about," he said, but as the water warms with climate change, we might begin seeing them farther north. Over the last five years, Bologna and others have collected probably seven or eight different species with toxins or venom in Barnegat Bay that "can give you a pretty good sting," he said.... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Dangerous-jellyfish-found-in-Manasquan-River-5849022.php EU Agrees to Cut Greenhouse Gases by 2030 Oct. 24 (Bloomberg). -- European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss Energy security, Ebola, the crisis in Ukraine and climate change. The members have already agreed to cut greenhouse gases by at least 40% from 1990 levels by 2030. Bloomberg's Hans Nichols reports on "Countdown." (Source: Bloomberg) http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-10-24/eu-agrees-to-cut-greenhouse-gases-by-2030 GOP candidates straddle the climate change issue. ...government offices and schools closed before the first flake of snow, but there were signs Tuesday that significant winter weather was moving into the mid-Atlantic region as heavy snow began falling. Republicans in competitive races are treading gingerly around climate change this campaign season. Many say they are not in a good position to make a judgment about the issue, then voice concern for the environment, the economy or both. PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS, FILE — AP Photo WASHINGTON — Republicans... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/25/4197574/gop-candidates-straddle-the-climate.html Squabble Over $100B Aid Stalls Global Warming Deal (Bloomberg) Squabble Over $100B Aid Stalls Global Warming Deal. A dispute about how to link greenhouse-gas emissions cuts to a promise from the wealthiest nations for $100 billion a year in climate aid emerged as a major stumbling block at U.N. talks on global warming.... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141027/squabble-over-100b-aid-stalls-global-warming-deal U.N. climate change draft sees risks of irreversible damage OSLO Oct 26 (Reuters). - Climate change may have "serious, pervasive and irreversible" impacts on human society and nature, according to a draft U.N. report due for approval this week that says governments still have time to avert the worst. Delegates from more than... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/26/us-climatechange-report-idUSKBN0IF0C720141026 U.S. Outlines Strategy for Arctic Council, Puts Climate on Top (The Hill). U.S. Outlines Strategy for Arctic Council, Puts Climate on Top A senior Arctic official for the U.S. unveiled the nation's priorities this week as it readies to take over the chairmanship of the Arctic Council next year, and climate change is on top. Julie Gourley laid out Secretary of State John Kerry's priorities, which put climate change in the top three objectives for the U.S. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141027/us-outlines-strategy-arctic-council-puts-climate-top UN envoy: Keep up hope amid climate change battle. The head of the U.N.'s panel on climate change has urged world governments not to be overcome by hopelessness as they negotiate a new agreement to fight global warming. Click to Continue » http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/27/4200431/un-envoy-keep-up-hope-amid-climate.html#storylink=rss How Low Oil Prices May Impact GHG Emissions. How Low Oil Prices May Impact GHG Emissions Published: October 25th, 2014 Print Permalink RSS By Bobby Magill Follow @bobbymagill Pull your car into a New Jersey filling station, and the low prices might give you a shock at the pump. Gasoline was less than $2.90 per gallon at... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/gao-exporting-u.s.-oil-could-mean-ghg-spike-18212 DROUGHT Counting every drop: Los Angeles-area company helps Peninsula customers save water. ...Angeles-area garage. Today, the firm is bringing innovative water conservation methods to the Monterey Peninsula. When Monterey-area organizations want to decrease their water use, many get a free "water audit" from a WaterWise-certified conservation specialist. California American Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District have used the Glendora-based firm since 2009 as a water auditor for local schools, churches, restaurants, businesses, community centers and other organizations. "There's... http://www.montereyherald.com/localnews/ci_26799791/counting-every-drop-los-angeles-area-company-helps Drought Watch: A dry winter could mean tougher restrictions. What will happen with water restrictions if California doesn't get significant rain and snow this winter? The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which provides the Southland with imported supplies from Northern California and the Colorado River, would probably ration... http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-drought-explainer-20141025-story.html Dry spell nearing a record but winter rains look more promising. ...record of 5.41 inches set in 1939. The remnants of Hurricane Norbert produced 3.3 inches of precipitation in one single day in late September at Sky Harbor Airport. The Phoenix area usually receives about 2.7 inches annually. Closer to home, Northern California has seen a series of low pressure systems and associated cold fronts that produced much needed rain in Northern California. “However, the state will need significantly more precipitation this rain season to start to relieve the current... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/10/25/3314482/dry-spell-nearing-a-record-but.html?sp=%2f99%2f177%2f183%2f Drought could bring diseases to bird refuges. ...these birds face every year as they fly south from frigid Canada and Alaska. But this year, predators may be the least of the worries for these birds. Starvation, avian cholera and botulism may be bigger killers than usual. It's another dark twist from California's destructive drought. When the birds make their annual arrival this fall and winter after flying thousands of miles from the north, they will find drought-depleted wetlands on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. Authorities... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/26/3612238/drought-could-bring-diseases-to.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f FUELS As gas prices fall, can station owners fuel sales growth? According to industry data from Sageworks, a financial information company,privately held gasoline stations (NAICS 4471) are barely growing revenues (0.9 percent increase based on financial statements filed over the 12 months ended Oct. 6), and they are generating average net profit margins of 1.7 percent. Relative to the average private company,... http://www.forbes.com/sites/sageworks/2014/10/26/gasoline-prices-falling-impact-gas-stations/ Average gasoline price tumbles to lowest level in almost four years. The average price of regular gasoline at U.S. pumps slid to the lowest level in almost four years, dropping 18.2 cents in the two weeks that ended Friday to $3.08 a gallon, according to Lundberg Survey Inc. Prices are 28.69 cents lower than a year earlier, according to the survey,... http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gasoline-prices-20141027-story.html Diesel Costs Continue Falling as Oil Prices Keep Sliding. ...$3.589 in the Gulf Coast region, down 4.8 cents from last week, to a high of $3.835 in the West Coast region, a 5.6-cent drop during the same time. Compared to a year ago the regions are down at least 21 cents per gallon. The average cost of regular grade gasoline posted an even bigger decline over the past week, falling 8.7 cents to $3.12 per gallon. Compared to this time last year the price is 24 cents less. Regionally, prices are down by at least 5.6 cents over the past week and are at least 17.6... http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/clean-diesel/news/story/2014/10/diesel-costs-continue-falling-as-oil-prices-keep-sliding.aspx Plummeting Fuel Prices Spark New Debate on How States Can Protect Tax Revenues. Welcome Guest While lower gasoline and diesel prices are providing U.S. commuters and truckers money to spend elsewhere, state officials said it is forcing them to cope with lower revenues. ... Only Transport Topics subscribers have exclusive access to this content. Subscriber... http://www.ttnews.com/gateclient/premiumstorylogin.aspx?storyid=36409&t=Plummeting-Fuel-Prices-Spark-New-Debate-on-How-States-Can-Protect-Tax-Revenues U.S. Gasoline Falls to Lowest Since 2010, Lundberg Says. The average price of regular gasoline at U.S. pumps slid to the lowest level in almost four years, dropping 18.18 cents in the two weeks ended Oct. 24 to $3.0759 a gallon, according to Lundberg Survey Inc. Prices are 28.69 cents lower than a year ago, according to the survey,... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-26/pump-prices-in-u-dot-s-dot-decline-to-3-dot-0759-a-gallon-lundberg-says GREEN ENERGY Xcel Energy signs deal for 3 large solar projects. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Xcel Energy Inc. has signed deals with three energy developers to build up to three giant solar arrays to help it comply with Minnesota's renewable energy mandates. Xcel said in regulatory filings Friday that it definitely wants to proceed with at least two of the projects, a 62-megawatt system near Marshall proposed by NextEra Energy Resources of Juno Beach, Florida, and a 25-megawatt... http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Xcel-Energy-signs-deal-for-3-large-solar-projects-5847448.php RIVERSIDE: Cleanup program applauded, but could get new operator. ...launched by the city. Officials are putting existing recycling events, graffiti and litter removal and community cleanups under one umbrella and plan to add new elements, such as “adopt a street” and community beautification awards, said Julie Reyes, the city's sustainability and intergovernmental program manager. Reyes did not have figures on how much the various existing programs cost the city. If Keep Moreno Valley Beautiful grows, she said, the city may seek to hand it over to an outside group that could... http://www.pe.com/articles/program-752795-city-riverside.html New York's "Green Bank" makes first investments. ...initiative designed to help finance clean energy and green technology projects that might otherwise go unfunded. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the bank's first investments last week. They include energy efficiency projects in New York City and a small-scale solar energy project near Buffalo. Combined, the projects represent investments of more than $800 million. The Green Bank works with banks and other private-sector lenders to secure financing for the projects. Cuomo says that by working with... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/New-York-s-Green-Bank-makes-first-investments-5847219.php Next steps for desert renewable energy planning: public meetings. ...Thursday, May 29, 2014. Photo taken at Boy Scout Trail head. Richard Lui/The Desert Sun Last month, state and federal officials released a plan to carve out more than 31-hundred square miles of desert for projects like solar arrays and wind farms. The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan also seeks to designate another chunk of scrubland as nature preserves. Now there's public comment – and public meetings. Officials have scheduled a series of presentations in the counties affected by the Plan.... http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/10/27/47631/next-steps-for-desert-renewable-energy-planning-pu/ SunEdison Closes Financing on 26-Megawatt California Project. ...in a statement. Terms of the financing underwritten by Deutsche Bank AG weren't disclosed. The plant will generate enough electricity for more than 3,500 homes. SunEdison in the last 15 months has committed to developing 158 megawatts of utility-scale solar power in California. The company said today it completed a 1.7-megawatt roof-mounted project in Hesperia, which will sell electricity to Edison International's Southern California Edison under a 20-year contract. SunEdison gained 2.5 percent... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-23/sunedison-closes-financing-on-26-megawatt-california-solar-plant SolarCity's New Bonds: Solar Funding For The Rest Of Us. You might call it solar funding for the rest of us. Or, perhaps, solar crowdfunding, with a lower-case c. Recently, solar power installer SolarCity SolarCity filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue up to $200 million in the first public offering of what it calls solar bonds. It also launched a new online investment... http://www.forbes.com/sites/annefield/2014/10/26/solarcitys-new-bonds-solar-funding-for-the-rest-of-us/ VEHICLES Carmakers Prepare to Shift to Hydrogen Fuel Cells. Concerned about slow sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids, automakers are increasingly betting the future of green cars on hydrogen fuel cell technology. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/carmakers-prepare-shift-hydrogen-fuel-cells OPINION CARB Members Do the Right Thing—Listen to the People about the Hidden Gas Tax. Last week, I was proud to deliver 115,000 signed petitions on behalf of my fellow Californians on the controversial “fuels under the cap” regulation at the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Diamond Bar board meeting. I was joined by dozens of community and educational leaders, elected officials, business organizations and concerned drivers as we gathered outside the California Air Resources Board (CARB) meeting in Diamond Bar to urge the Board to listen to the voices of its constituents and delay its regulation scheduled to take effect next January. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/10/carb-members-right-thing-listen-people-hidden-gas-tax/ BLOG REG begins production and sales of renewable diesel from Geismar biorefinery. Renewable Energy Group, Inc. announced that commercial-scale quantities of renewable hydrocarbon diesel (RHD) produced at the company's Geismar, Louisiana biorefinery are now available for sale. The first truckloads of REG-9000/RHD produced... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141027-reg.html Enerkem in partnerships to build waste-to-biofuels facilities in China Canada-based waste-to-biofuels company. Enerkem has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Shanghai Environmental Group Co. Ltd., a municipal solid waste management company and a subsidiary of Shanghai Chengtou Holding Co. Ltd., to develop a project partnership to... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141027-enerkem.html Environmentalists don't like Europe's new climate plan. Can Obama do better? Environmental groups are warning that a new European agreement to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 sets the bar far too low. The pact — which was reached early Friday in Brussels — makes the European Union the first major bloc of countries to commit to emissions targets ahead of next year's crucial... http://grist.org/climate-energy/environmentalists-dont-like-europes-new-climate-plan-can-obama-do-better/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed The Symbolic Politics of Climate Diplomacy. ...advocates believed the agreement: ...amounted to a weak compromise reflecting the complexity of managing a bloc of 28 member nations with widely varying energy systems. Elements of the deal were watered down to account for countries like Poland that rely on carbon-heavy coal, and for countries like Britain that were unwilling to accept binding targets on such other measures as the percentage of energy that comes from renewable sources and energy efficiency. As diverse as Europe might be, they are quite... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/the-symbolic-politics-of_b_6053620.html GMOs Expose Dangerous Science Disconnect in Agriculture. ...clout with conservative and rural lawmakers. They also influence farmers' decisions. But, ironically, they are AWOL when it comes to publicly communicating the consensus on the science behind the single greatest threat to agriculture, which is human-induced climate change. What's the result of this willful ignorance? A U.S Department of Agriculture survey released this year revealed that a scant 7.8 percent of corn belt farmers believe that human activity causes climate change. Compare... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donald-carr/gmos-expose-dangerous-sci_b_6044950.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics These 8 states helped sell quarter-million electric vehicles in US. Counting the cars that go across the Brooklyn and Golden Gate Bridges every day doesn't exactly sound like fun. But when we're talking about the Multi-State ZEV Action Plan that eight US states are using to boost zero-emission vehicle adoption, though, we can think of it as a positive thing. That's because a quarter million vehicles cross those iconic bridges every day, and that's how many zero-emission vehicles have been sold in the US. Posted. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/26/these-8-states-helped-sell-quarter-million-electric-vehicles/ http://www.msn.com/en-ph/autos/other/these-8-states-helped-sell-quarter-million-electric-vehicles-in-us/ar-BBbkVDK California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 14:57:06 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 28, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 28, 2014. 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 Modular Air Filtering Towers Could Solve China’s Air Pollution Along with its economical rise, China also recorded a boom on its automotive sector, with over 20 million cars being bought there in 2013 alone. Add the fact that most of those cars are used in urban environments, the country’s success relying on energy created by burning coal, thousands of factories spewing uncontrolled emissions and you get the idea about what kind of air pollution problems some of the cities are confronted with. http://www.autoevolution.com/news/modular-air-filtering-towers-could-solve-chinas-air-pollution-88230.html NPS seeks public thoughts on air pollution in national parks The National Park Service (NPS) is opening a new public comment period on its plan to survey visitors about how well they can see in national parks. NPS is following up on a pilot study it did two years ago to see how people perceive the effects of air pollution on non-urban national parks and wilderness areas. It is seeking permission from the Office of Management & Budget to conduct a broader follow-up survey. http://www.examiner.com/article/nps-seeks-public-thoughts-on-air-pollution-national-parks CLIMATE CHANGE UN expert: Keep up hope amid climate change battle A top U.N. climate change expert urged world governments Monday not to be overcome by hopelessness as they negotiate a new agreement to fight global warming. Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/10/27/3316646/un-envoy-keep-up-hope-amid-climate.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f177%2f507%2f349%2f Naomi Oreskes Imagines the Future History of Climate Change “Without spoiling the story,” she told me, “I can tell you that a lot of what happens — floods, droughts, mass migrations, the end of humanity in Africa and Australia — is the result of inaction to very clear warnings” about climate change caused by humans. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/science/naomi-oreskes-imagines-the-future-history-of-climate-change.html?ref=earth&_r=0 US military refuses to be 'too late' on climate change ...comprehending the deadly purpose of a potential enemy. Too late in realizing the mortal danger. Too late in preparedness. Too late in uniting all possible forces for resistance." Today, as we pass another global heat record, we run the risk of being too late on climate change, endlessly debating causes at the expense of sensible actions. Just as we have underestimated recent threats, such as the Islamic State and a revanchist Russia, we are in danger of underestimating those threats that follow a changing... http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article3413993.html HIGH-SPEED RAIL Bullet train just a blur in California governor's race ...presided over a series of key political and legal victories related to high-speed rail over the last two years, including securing the $6-billion appropriation in 2012, winning a commitment from the Legislature to allocate 25% of the state's revenue from future greenhouse gas fees to the project and repelling a court challenge to the validity of spending plans. But there are a number of ongoing challenges that could affect costs and schedules. http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-campaign-train-20141028-story.html FUELS California Energy Commission to award up to $3M for advanced biofuel projects The California Energy Commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP) announced (PON-14-602) the availability of up to $3 million in grant funds for biofuels projects that are in the early/pre-commercial technology development stage. This solicitation is emphasizing transformative technology solutions to significant biofuels industry problems that increase yields, productivity, or cost effectiveness... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141028-cec.html VEHICLES Electric-car drivers trading gas for solar power Owners of electric vehicles have already gone gas-free. Now, a growing number are powering their cars with sunlight. Solar panels installed on the roof of a home or garage can easily generate enough electricity to power an electric or plug-in gas-electric hybrid vehicle. The panels aren't cheap, and neither are the cars. A Ford Fusion Energi plug-in sedan, for example, is $7,200 more than an equivalent gas-powered Fusion even after a $4,007 federal tax credit. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/usnews/ci_26813925/electric-car-drivers-trading-gas-solar-power GREEN ENERGY Next steps for desert renewable energy planning: public meetings Last month, state and federal officials released a plan to carve out more than 31-hundred square miles of desert for projects like solar arrays and wind farms. The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan also seeks to designate another chunk of scrubland as nature preserves. Now there's public comment – and public meetings. Officials have scheduled a series of presentations in the counties affected by the Plan. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/10/27/47631/next-steps-for-desert-renewable-energy-planning-pu/ UC Merced sets goal of 100 percent renewable energy by late 2016 ...Solar Field in 2009. The campus plans to expand its solar farm and install panels on rooftops, which could help the campus get 100 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2016. UC Merced leaders say the campus could be completely powered through renewable energy by the end of 2016, sooner than originally planned. The campus already gets about 15 percent of its power from its solar panels, and will get 60 percent from a Fresno County solar site in the next couple of years. The University... http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/27/3613986/uc-merced-sets-goal-of-100-percent.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f2307%2f OPINION China Won't Breathe Easy Until Port Pollution Solved As President Barack Obama and Asia-Pacific leaders gather in Beijing for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, climate change and air pollution will undoubtedly be on the agenda. This summit provides an important opportunity for these leaders to address one of the most significant, and largely unregulated, sources of toxic air pollutants and black-carbon emissions in Asia: ports and shipping systems. http://www.livescience.com/48494-china-considering-cleaning-up-shipping-and-port-pollution.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Livesciencecom+%28LiveScience.com+Science+Headline+Feed%29 BLOGS California Energy Strategists Push for 100% Clean Energy, Without Fossil Fuels or Nuclear Power ...session that could have national and global implications. Many in the assemblage had come to brainstorm about how to leverage California's model energy policies to spur faster Federal action to protect the climate. Predictably, participants sought to boost renewable energy use in California and increase the state's reliance on energy efficiency. Some were determined, however, not just to slash California's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but to eliminate them altogether http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-j-berger/california-energy-strateg_b_6051616.html?ir=San+Francisco&utm_hp_ref=san-francisco Will falling gas prices be bad for the climate? ...prices, was trading below $85 per barrel. That translates into cheaper prices at the pump. From Sept. 15 to Oct. 20, average gas prices in the U.S. slid from $3.49 per gallon to $3.21. “Lower oil prices could pose a challenge for the transition to post-carbon sustainability,” says Anthony Perl, a professor at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia who researches the intersection of transportation, cities, and the environment. “I would liken it to hitting the snooze alarm on our wake-up call. http://grist.org/business-technology/will-falling-gas-prices-be-bad-for-the-climate California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 14:18:39 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 29, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 29, 2014. 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 U.S. EPA seeks more input on sweeping power plant rule. U.S. regulators said on Tuesday they wanted more input on elements of a sweeping plan to reduce pollution from power plants and about the role natural gas can play to achieve emissions cuts. The Environmental Protection Agency identified areas of concern raised by ""multiple stakeholders"" since it unveiled its proposals in June, and hopes to get... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/28/us-usa-climatechange-epa-idUSKBN0IH23W20141028?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 CLIMATE CHANGE CORRECTED-UPDATE 1- Australia govt wins backing for emissions scheme. (Corrects year in paragraph four to 2000 from 2005). Australia's government has reached a compromise with independent senators and a key opposition party to secure support for a A$2.5 billion ($2.2 billion) fund to cut greenhouse gas emissions, Environment Minister Greg Hunt said Wednesday. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/29/australia-climatechange-idUSL4N0SO2VA20141029?feedName=rbssEnergyNews&feedType=RSS Emissions drop puts EU just shy of 2020 goal. The European Union's environment agency says the bloc's greenhouse gas emissions dropped by nearly 2 percent last year, putting the EU very close to reaching its emissions target for 2020. That goal is to reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases by 20 percent compared to 1990...", http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Emissions-drop-puts-EU-just-shy-of-2020-goal-5852352.php Merced County agency sued over transportation plan. Two environmental organizations are suing the Merced County Association of Governments for adopting a regional transportation plan they claim fails to meet targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lacks a full review of environmental impacts and doesn't encourage public transportation. The Regional Transportation Plan is MCAG's long-range planning document. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/28/4203959/merced-county-agency-sued-over.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f US military refuses to be 'too late' on climate change. ...comprehending the deadly purpose of a potential enemy. Too late in realizing the mortal danger. Too late in preparedness. Too late in uniting all possible forces for resistance." Today, as we pass another global heat record, we run the risk of being too late on climate change, endlessly debating causes at the expense of sensible actions. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article3413993.html Pending U.N. report states that lack of prompt action on climate change will lead to 'severe' and 'irreversible impacts' on planet. Continuing to pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere will trigger "severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people, species and 27 ecosystems," concludes a landmark draft U.N. science report expected to be approved this week. Adapting to climate change, according to a final draft obtained by ClimateWire, can reduce some risks. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19387931111&p=19f&v=1&x=c5C9HPWAB1d0LHunTSFLOQ DROUGHT California drought nourishes fake grass sales. Businesses that sell artificial grass are making some serious green in drought-stricken Southern California. The Torrance Daily Breeze (http://bit.ly/1rPqeAD) says the synthetic turf industry is booming as folks look for ways to reduce water consumption. Chris Hayman of Earth Design Landscape in Redondo Beach...", http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/28/4202100/california-drought-nourishes-fake.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f Farmers sue state over drought water decisions. East San Joaquin Valley growers are suing state water authorities over drought decisions, claiming east-side communities and farms got no federal water after the state illegally denied deliveries to a separate group of landowners with senior water rights. The case was filed Friday in Fresno County Superior Court against..." http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/28/4203314/farmers-sue-state-over-drought.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f California drought takes bite out of rice harvest," ...the Sacramento Valley farmers who planted 25 percent less rice than normal because of water cutbacks, which is impacting migratory birds, and other wildlife that depend on flooded rice fields for habitat. California's deepening drought is shrinking its rice harvest, and that's bad news for farmers, migratory birds and sushi lovers. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/28/4204067/california-drought-takes-bite.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f Prop. 1 aims to relieve drought — but not this one. California's stubborn drought helped push a $7.5-billion water bond through the Legislature and onto the November ballot. But even if voters approve Proposition 1, it won't provide relief any time soon. "It's going to be a long time before we...", http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-water-bond-20141029-story.html Drought could bring diseases to bird refuges. ...these birds face every year as they fly south from frigid Canada and Alaska. But this year, predators may be the least of the worries for these birds. Starvation, avian cholera and botulism may be bigger killers than usual. It's another dark twist from California's destructive drought. When the birds make their annual arrival this fall and winter after flying thousands of miles from the north, they will find drought-depleted wetlands on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. Authorities... http://www.modbee.com/news/local/article3397773.html DIESEL EMISSIONS FUELS EPA announces Frontier Refining to pay penalties. ...The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says Frontier Refining has agreed to pay $153,000 in penalties to address violations at its oil refinery in Cheyenne. The federal agency says Frontier Refining's agreement addresses alleged violations of the Clean Air Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/EPA-announces-Frontier-Refining-to-pay-penalties-5852335.php Why gas is suddenly $3 a gallon – and could go lower,"...who studied world supplies on a field by field basis – says that the current 95 million barrel a day rate of production could easily rise to 100 million barrels a day. That level is “already locked in,” he wrote in a separate email to the Post. Including biofuels and natural gas liquids, global production capacity is already more than 100 million barrels a day. Maugeri isn't the only person to have forecast a decline in oil prices. It's a common saying in the cyclical oil business that “the best cure... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/29/4204328/why-gas-is-suddenly-3-a-gallon.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f557%2f Modesto-area gas prices dip below $3 per gallon. Heather Johnson spends a lot of time and money at gasoline stations. Johnson, a student, was thrilled to pay $2.99 a gallon at an Arco station in Turlock on Tuesday morning. “It's great,” she said of the dropping gas prices. On a budget that counts every dollar, Johnson said it was a happy surprise...", http://www.modbee.com/news/local/article3422764.html Study shows biodiesel blends in buses reduce PM, other harmful exhaust elements, EC and CO. A new study on the combustion properties of biodiesel for use in urban transit buses found that using biodiesel can effectively reduce the mass of particulate matter released in both hot and cold idle modes. The study, published by the Mineta National Transit Research Consortium (MNTRC)... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/study-shows-biodiesel-blends-in-buses-reduce-pm-other-harmful-exhaust-elements-ec-and-co.html DOE launches $1M H2 Refuel H-Prize for small-scale hydrogen refueling. The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) and the Hydrogen Education Foundation (HEF) launched the $1-million H2 Refuel H-Prize. The two-year competition challenges America's engineers and entrepreneurs to develop affordable systems for small-scale..., http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141029-h2.html California Energy Commission to award up to $3M for advanced biofuel projects. The California Energy Commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP) announced (PON-14-602) the availability of up to $3 million in grant funds for biofuels projects that are in the early/pre-commercial technology development stage. This solicitation is emphasizing transformative technology solutions to significant biofuels industry problems that increase yields, productivity, or cost effectiveness... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141028-cec.html Hydropower May Be Huge Source of Methane Emissions," Imagine nearly 6,000 dairy cows doing what cows do, belching and being flatulent for a full year. That's how much methane was emitted from one Ohio reservoir in 2012. Reservoirs and hydropower are often thought of as climate friendly because they don't burn fossil fuels to produce electricity. But what if reservoirs that store water and produce electricity..." http://www.climatecentral.org/news/hydropower-as-major-methane-emitter-18246 VEHICLES Volkswagen to launch over 20 green vehicle models in China by 2018. Volkswagen AG, Europe's biggest carmaker, plans to launch more than 20 models of battery-driven cars in China by the end of 2018, as it capitalizes on Beijing's support for low-emission vehicles in the country's campaign against pollution. By 2020 there could be "some hundred thousand" pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in China… http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/29/us-volkswagen-ecars-idUSKBN0II08420141029 Automakers look to hydrogen fuel cell technology. Hyundai started leasing a hydrogen fuel cell version of its Tucson SUV, above, this year. To the right is a fuel cell stack on display at the 2013 L.A. Auto Show. Hyundai started leasing a hydrogen fuel cell version of its Tucson SUV, above, this year....", http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-1602129-fi-adv-auto-show-42-cmh-jpg-20141024-photo.html?track=rss General Motors to Build Volt Electric Drive in Michigan...government-backed bankruptcy in 2009, GM has announced investments of more than $11 billion in the U.S., with almost half committed in Michigan. The Volt, which started sales in 2010 and is assembled in a Hamtramck, Michigan, factory with a sibling Cadillac ELR, is a plug-in electric vehicle. After charging at a home outlet, it can run on electric-only mode and then switch to power from a small gasoline engine after the battery is drained. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-28/general-motors-to-build-volt-electric-drive-in-michigan Electric-car drivers trading gas for solar power. ...say the investment pays off over time and is worth it for the thrill of fossil fuel-free driving. "We think it was one of the best things in the world to do,"" says Kevin Tofel, who bought a Chevrolet Volt in 2012 to soak up the excess power from his home solar-energy system. "We will never go back to an all-gas car." No one knows exactly how many electric cars are being powered by solar energy, but the number of electric and plug-in hybrid cars in the U.S. is growing.... http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Electric-car-drivers-trading-gas-for-solar-power-5852730.php "2016 Chevy Volt promises more battery range, power". The 2016 Chevrolet Volt will have an all-new drivetrain that will deliver a longer driving range on battery power, quicker acceleration and quieter operation when the car's gasoline engine is running, the extended-range electric car's development team said Tuesday. The Volt was hailed as a technical triumph when it went on sale. It won every automotive award in sight, but never hit the ambitious sales goals GM set for... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/business/ci_26817191/2016-chevy-volt-promises-more-battery-range-power Chrysler recalls over 566,000 trucks, SUVs ...chassis cabs from 2010 through 2014. In trucks with 6.7-Liter Cummins diesel engines, corrosion on a fuel heater terminal could cause overheating, fuel leaks and fires. Chrysler is not aware of any fires or injuries. Owners could be warned by an odor of diesel fuel. Customers will be notified by letters starting in December. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/29/4204303/chrysler-recalls-over-566000-trucks.html?sp=%2f99%2f170%2f The States Where Electric Car Sales Are Skyrocketing [Infographic]...has become the fastest growing market for electric carsin the United States. Last March, the state of Georgia had a grand total of 1,469 registered electric vehicles. 12 months later that number grew to 10,482, a whopping 614 percent increase. So why are electric cars becoming so popular in Georgia? Several factors are contributing to the boom, with the state's $5,000 tax credit the most obvious. http://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2014/10/28/the-states-where-electric-car-sales-are-skyrocketing-infographic/ GREEN ENERGY EU on track so far with green energy goals, 2030 a challenge. EU nations have work to do to meet new green energy goals agreed last week, as increased fossil fuel burning last year drove up pollution in some countries, although the bloc is on track to meet its earlier targets, official data showed on Tuesday. The figures from the European Environment..." http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/28/us-eu-climatechange-idUSKBN0IH0YX20141028?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 UC Merced sets goal of 100 percent renewable energy by late 2016,"...Solar Field in 2009. The campus plans to expand its solar farm and install panels on rooftops, which could help the campus get 100 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2016. UC Merced leaders say the campus could be completely powered through renewable energy by the end of 2016, sooner than originally planned. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/27/4201964/uc-merced-sets-goal-of-100-percent.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f OPINIONS Don't buy the fuel-cell hype -- electric cars hold the most promise. To the editor: I have been driving electric cars for 24 years, and contrary to what a Toyota Motor Corp. official said, I am knocking on the company's door for another one. ("Carmakers prepare to shift to hydrogen fuel cells," Oct. 26) Here is why I am not knocking on anyone's..." http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-1029-wednesday-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-20141029-story.html Dirty Energy Dollars. ...The point was a highly political one: to pressure Congress, President Barack Obama and world leaders to take action. The United Nations, while trying to lead on climate, remains hamstrung by member states unwilling to do what's necessary to prevent further global warming. What's blocking many U.N. member states and their parliamentary or legislative bodies from committing to substantial reductions in greenhouse gasses is the pervasive influence of moneyed interests. Our Congress is equally culpable… http://www.usnews.com/opinion/economic-intelligence/2014/10/28/congress-should-refuse-donations-from-dirty-fossil-fuel-energy-companies John Haarsma: Gray's positions correct and clear. Just what are California State Assembly candidate Jack Mobley's positions on the issues? His opponent, Assemblymember Adam Gray, has diligently worked for oil and gas energy independence, and for more water storage. At the same time, Gray is taking a vigorous stand... http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article3428919.html California has work to do to prepare for climate change: Guest commentary. ...first anniversary of Typhoon Haiyan's similar devastation throughout the Philippines as one of the most powerful storms in recorded history. Will Los Angeles be prepared — or surprised — if it should happen here? As the impacts of a warming world and climate change begin to arrive — and indeed, are already here… http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/opinion/20141028/california-has-work-to-do-to-prepare-for-climate-change-guest-commentary The defining effect of AB 32: Higher gas prices. County Supervisor Ron Roberts — for 20 years a member of the governing board of the California Air Resources Board — is offering his most pointed criticism yet related to implementation of AB 32, the state’s landmark 2006 law targeting greenhouse-gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Roberts is a strong supporter of the law. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/oct/28/defining-effect-of-ab-32-higher-gas-prices/ BLOGS Reducing Carbon Emissions And Increasing Grid Reliability Are Doable. With the Clean Power Plan out for comment, a lot utilities are scurrying to figure out their game plan — or just how they would work with their state utility regulators to reduce their carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030, from a 2005 baseline. The general feeling is that the goal is doable but it may take a little more time. http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2014/10/29/experts-reducing-carbon-emissions-and-increasing-grid-reliability-are-doable/ Inslee climate plans: Heavy winds ahead. The governor readies a measure to limit carbon emissions. His critics roll out arguments against it. Get ready for the 2015 legislative session. There's going to be a big climate change brawl in Washington's 2015 legislative session. And both sides spent Tuesday gearing up for it. http://crosscut.com/2014/10/29/under-the-dome/122548/inslee-climate-plans-heavy-winds-ahead/ Drilling Deeper: New Report Casts Doubt on Fracking Production Numbers ... multiple related resources calling into question the production statistics touted by promoters of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). By calculating the production numbers on a well-by-well basis for shale gas and tight oil fields throughout the U.S., Post Carbon concludes that the future of fracking is not nearly as bright as industry cheerleaders suggest. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-horn/drilling-deeper-new-repor_b_6056534.html?utm_hp_ref=green Electric-Car Drivers Trading Gasoline For Solar Power,"...say the investment pays off over time and is worth it for the thrill of fossil fuel-free driving. "We think it was one of the best things in the world to do,"" says Kevin Tofel, who bought a Chevrolet Volt in 2012 to soak up the excess power from his home solar-energy system. "We will never go back to an all-gas car." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/28/electric-car-drivers-solar-panels_n_6061086.html?utm_hp_ref=green Climate depression is for real. Just ask a scientist. Two years ago, Camille Parmesan, a professor at Plymouth University and the University of Texas at Austin, became so “professionally depressed” that she questioned abandoning her research in climate change entirely. Parmesan has a pretty serious stake in the field. In 2007… http://grist.org/climate-energy/climate-depression-is-for-real-just-ask-a-scientist/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed "Next-gen Chevy Volt will get 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine". As General Motors gets ready to unveil the new Chevy Volt at the Detroit Auto Show in January, it's starting to reveal a few more details about the updated plug-in hybrid. Today should be fruitful on that front, thanks to an event GM is hosting today that focuses on the new Volt, and we've just had the first bit of new: a bigger engine is coming. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/28/next-gen-chevy-volt-will-get-1-5-liter-four-cylinder-engine / Toyota says no one wants a Toyota electric car. It's no secret that Toyota doesn't really have a heart in pushing pure electric vehicles. The very limited Scion iQ EV project was killed before it went very far and the RAV4 EV project with Tesla was always only meant to produce just 2,600 units, but it didn't even get that far. In short, by all public appearances, Toyota just doesn't see the value of a pure..." http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/28/toyota-says-no-one-wants-a-toyota-electric-car/ Best Car To Buy 2015 Poll, 2016 Chevy Volt Range Extender, Tesla Model S Taxi: Today's Car News. We revealed the full list of 2015 Best Car To Buy nominees yesterday, and today you can vote for your favorite in our poll. Also, get the first details on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt's four-cylinder range-extending gasoline engine, and see which city can now boast Tesla Model S taxis. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095160_best-car-to-buy-2015-poll-2016-chevy-volt-range-extender-tesla-model-s-taxi-todays-car-news California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 15:13:23 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 30, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for October 30, 2014. 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 Report: China's ports fail to regulate pollution. China's busy ports fail to regulate heavy emissions of sulfur oxide and other pollutants mostly from cargo ships although they're the biggest source of air pollution in port cities such as Hong Kong, according to a new report. The U.S.-based National Resources Defense Council found that maritime activity makes up half of all sulfur oxide emitted in Hong Kong and about a third of all nitrogen... http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article3434716.html Winter ritual: Get ready to Check Before You Burn. The Check Before You Burn winter air-pollution control program is back, starting this weekend. The program, which aims to reduce airborne particulate pollution from fireplace usage, runs each year from November to the end of February. The program is entering its 12th season. http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Winter-ritual-Get-ready-to-Check-Before-You-Burn-280864382.html 'Dangerously high' levels of airborne carcinogens found at US fracking sites. Dangerously high levels of cancer-causing chemicals have been discovered in the air around “fracking” sites in the United States - highlighting the need for tougher regulations to control oil and gas extraction in Britain, scientists said. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/dangerously-high-levels-of-airborne-carcinogens-found-at-us-fracking-sites-9826586.html CAP AND TRADE Experts: Reducing Carbon Emissions And Increasing Grid Reliability Are Doable. With the Clean Power Plan out for comment, a lot utilities are scurrying to figure out their game plan — or just how they would work with their state utility regulators to reduce their carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030, from a 2005 baseline. The general feeling is that the goal is doable but it may take a little more time. Understandably, the utilities and the state regulators want to find better and cheaper ways of doing... http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2014/10/29/experts-reducing-carbon-emissions-and-increasing-grid-reliability-are-doable/ UK energy minister sees rapid reform of EU carbon market. * Davey says EU should speed through 2030 legislation * EU deal last week was "highest common denominator" * EU 2030 deal aims to spur on global agreement BRUSSELS, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Plans to accelerate reform of Europe's carbon market could be finalised as soon as April, building on the momentum from last week's EU deal on green energy policy, Britain's energy and climate minister said on Tuesday. The EU has been debating proposals to strengthen its... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/28/climatechange-britain-davey-idUSL5N0SN2TW20141028 Climate-Savvy Investing: Insurance Sector Is Ignoring Risks & Rewards. Two years after Superstorm Sandy devastated large swaths of the East Coast and cost our economy an estimated $65 billion, the insurance industry – which is on the frontlines of climate change – is still not doing enough to address the risks associated with extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts or more intense coastal storms. It's no secret that property insurance companies often pick up the tab for losses... http://www.forbes.com/sites/mindylubber/2014/10/29/climate-savvy-investing-insurance-sector-is-ignoring-risks-rewards/ Emissions Trading Scheme 'inevitable'. A carbon industry leader says it's inevitable that Australia will eventually be forced to adopt an emissions trading scheme. A deal struck with Senate crossbenchers yesterday will see the Government's Direct Action policy passed by the Senate, and an inquiry held into the merits of a trading scheme. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bushtelegraph/direct-action/5854196 CLIMATE CHANGE EU: UN Climate Summit Will Fail Unless U.S. Sets Big Goal (AFP). The UN climate summit in 2015 will fail unless the United States sets "a concrete and ambitious" goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard warned. In an interview with AFP, Hedegaard said the European Union set the example for both Washington and Beijing when it pledged last Friday to cut EU emissions by at least... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141029/eu-un-climate-summit-will-fail-unless-us-sets-big-goal With New Campaign Finance Rules, You Can't Really Follow The Money. ...hedge fund guy. You'll see a pattern here. There's a lot of hedge fund donors, people who are current or retired hedge fund people. Tom Steyer ran one of the biggest hedge funds in the country out of San Francisco. And a couple of years ago, he decided that climate change was by far the most important and pressing political issue of our time and that not enough was being done by politicians to combat climate change, that policies that could help avert climate change were being... http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/10/29/146574 /with_new_campaign_finance_rules_you_cant_really_follow_the_money?category=politics&source=npr `Inland economy: a climate for change. Job gains have helped Inland Southern California catch up to the rest of the state economically, experts said Wednesday at the CMC-UCLA Inland Empire Forecast Conference. Lewis Horne is president of the Greater Los Angeles Orange County Region, CBRE Inc. Climate change of... http://www.pe.com/articles/inland-753021-percent-jobs.html GREEN ENERGY Walden Green Energy Partners Delivers Returns To Investors And The Environment. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Walden Green Energy Partners co-founders George Manahilov, Sarah Valdovinos and Henry D. Weitzner. They shared their experience investing in renewable energy and I was very impressed with the dedication and multiplier effect they have been... http://www.forbes.com/sites/miguelforbes/2014/10/29/walden-green-energy-partners-delivers-returns-to-investors-and-the-environment/ Hydropower May Be Huge Source of Methane Emissions. Imagine nearly 6,000 dairy cows doing what cows do, belching and being flatulent for a full year. That's how much methane was emitted from one Ohio reservoir in 2012. Reservoirs and hydropower are often thought of as climate friendly because they don't burn fossil fuels to produce electricity. But what if reservoirs that store water and produce electricity... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/hydropower-as-major-methane-emitter-18246 Two Years On: Sandy Inspires Storm of Climate Research. ...aren't trying. Damage on Staten Island in the immediate aftermath of Sandy. Credit: Somayya Ali/NASA GISS In fact, Sandy has spurred an unprecedented amount of research, attempting to tackle the questions about what role climate change might have played in producing or worsening the storm, how global warming might influence similar storms in the future, and why the storm caused so much damage — $19 billion in the New York City area alone. “It'll... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/two-years-later-sandy-inspires-storm-of-climate-research-18248 Mayor: Boston preparing for climate change. Associated PressOctober 29, 2014 Updated 18 minutes ago BOSTON — The city has made significant strides in preparing for major natural disasters, rising sea levels and other impacts to the ever-changing climate, Mayor Martin Walsh said on the two-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. Speaking at the Architecture Boston Expo at the Boston Convention Center on Wednesday,... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/10/29/3320729/boston-area-leaders-to-hold-climate.html Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability and Green Building Awards: Concord-based group, business among nominees. Competition was spirited as the Sixth Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability and Green Building Awards recognized outstanding sustainability practices in Contra Costa County. The annual event has blossomed, along with the local community's ever-expanding drive to protect the East Bay environment and natural... http://www.insidebayarea.com/science/ci_26821770/contra-costa-leadership-sustainability-and-green-building-awards FUELS Study: Biodiesel in Buses Cuts Pollution. A new study shows that biodiesel used in buses cuts down on the amount of air pollution compared to buses using more conventional diesel. This news release from the Mineta National Transit Research Consortium (MNTRC), a coalition of nine university transportation centers led by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University, showed that using biodiesel could effectively reduce the mass of particulate matter released in both hot and cold idle modes. http://domesticfuel.com/2014/10/30/study-biodiesel-in-buses-cuts-pollution/ Report predicts state drivers would see little cost from tighter fuel standards. A new state study tentatively concludes that gasoline prices would increase by 2 cents per gallon by 2020 and by 12 cents per gallon by 2026 if low-carbon fuel standards are installed in Washington. http://crosscut.com/2014/10/30/climate/122573/report-predicts-state-drivers-would-see-little-cos/ Green Fleet Conference Panel Debunks Alt-Fuel Misconceptions. ...with host Richard Battersby, manager of Equipment Services for the City of Oakland, Calif., and coordinator of the East Bay Clean Cities Coalition. Battersby pointed out that there is a "dizzying choice" available today in fuels: CNG, LNG, RNG, DME, E85, hydrogen, battery electric, plug-in electric, biodiesel, renewable diesel, algae diesel, clean diesel – "And of course we've got dilithium crystals and the flux capacitor drive." He asked several questions of the ambassadors, and turned to "man... http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fuel-smarts/news/story/2014/10/green-fleet-super-session-delves-into-alt-fuel-misconceptions.aspx?ref=rel-recommended Decline of U.S. Diesel Demand After 2015. ...2016, according to a report released Oct. 29. Those changes will “more than offset a substantial increase in the number of diesel-powered light-duty vehicles in the market,” said the report by the PIRA Energy Group. The study, “An Assessment of the Diesel Fuel Market: Demand, Supply, Trade and Key Drivers,” was commissioned by the Fuels Institute with funding from the Natso Foundation, the research and public outreach subsidiary of Natso Inc., a trade group that represents truck stops. ... http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=36455&t=Report-Projects-Decline-of-US-Diesel-Demand-After-2015 Gasoline Price Study to Fuel Debate on U.S. Oil Exports. The push to end a four-decade limit on exporting U.S. oil may get a boost from a government study set for release as soon as today that will explain the relationship between crude oil and domestic gasoline prices. Supporters of lifting the ban anticipate the Energy Information Administration analysis will affirm what they suspect: that overseas sales won't raise the price Americans pay at the pump because the price of gasoline is tied... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-29/gasoline-price-study-to-fuel-debate-on-u-dot-s-dot-oil-exports Natural Gas' Early Adopters See Few Hiccups During Startup. ...to differentiate yourself from the competition," he noted. "We saw an opportunity to save money, but the distinction was the most important factor." When asked what would spur any of the panelists' fleets into 100% adoption of CNG, the answer was $4.50 diesel fuel. "When we began, diesel prices were higher than today and very unstable," said Fasnacht. "That's changed slightly today, with diesel trending downward and stabilizing. Natural gas has increased, but remained fairly stable relative... http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fuel-smarts/news/story/2014/10/natural-gas-early-adopters-see-few-hiccups-during-start-up.aspx?ref=rel-recommended Appalachian Biofuels to establish facility in Va. RICHMOND, Va. (AP). — Appalachian Biofuels LLC is planning to establish its headquarters and biodiesel production facility in Russell County, creating 40 jobs. Gov. Terry McAuliffe says the company will invest $3.5 million for the project. Virginia successfully competed against... http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Appalachian-Biofuels-to-establish-facility-in-Va-5856109.php Modesto-area gas prices dip below $3 per gallon. Heather Johnson spends a lot of time and money at gasoline stations. Johnson, a student, was thrilled to pay $2.99 a gallon at an Arco station in Turlock on Tuesday morning. “It's great,” she said of the dropping gas prices. On a budget that counts every dollar, Johnson said it was a happy surprise... http://www.modbee.com/news/local/article3422764.html VEHICLES Indianapolis eyes savings with electric vehicles ...jump-start. Ballard on Tuesday unveiled the beginnings of what he calls the "Freedom Fleet" — 425 plug-in sedans that are expected to save the city 2.2 million gallons of gas over the next decade. The move, on top of the mayor's prior support for an electric vehicle rental program, increases the city's green footprint. "This is a landmark step in revitalizing our aging fleet and replacing expensive internal combustion engine vehicles with cutting-edge EV technology, all while reducing... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/29/4204359/indianapolis-eyes-savings-with.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f170%2f Solar Electric Cars: When Your Gas Station Is the Sun. Owners of electric vehicles have already gone gas-free. Now, a growing number are powering their cars with sunlight. Solar panels installed on the roof of a home or garage can easily generate enough electricity to power an electric or plug-in gas-electric... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/solar-electric-cars-when-your-gas-station-sun OPINION How to export California's policy on carbon emissions. A recent article on California's carbon market draws much-needed attention to new loopholes that undermine the state's flagship climate policy. This otherwise excellent piece falls short, however, in suggesting that the market's problems were inevitable. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-1030-thursday-global-warming-20141030-story.html BLOG Reforming Fashion By Making It More Eco-Conscious. Are you one of those super environmental types who shops at Whole Foods and your local farmer's market, avoids GMOs and does your housekeeping only with eco-friendly soaps and detergents? I know a lot of people who fall into this category. But then when it comes to fashion, suddenly all their rules about purchasing products that are good for the... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meimei-fox/reforming-fashion-by-maki_b_6069372.html?ir=Style&utm_hp_ref=style Fox News' Parent Company Is Really Worried About Global Warming. The day after Superstorm Sandy devastated much of the East Coast, Al Gore issued a statement linking the storm to climate change. That's when Fox News went on the attack. "These global warming claims have been debunked time and time again," declared Eric Bolling, a former crude oil trader who is now one of the network's most inflammatory... http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/10/superstorm-sandy-fox-news-rupert-murdoch China's latest fashion craze: Smog masks. TREND ALERT: Air pollution may make the air in Beijing gray, odorous, and sickening — but that doesn't mean their fashion has to be! This week Beijing hosts China Fashion Week, and fashion designer Yin Peng's pollution-inspired face masks are almost... http://grist.org/list/chinas-latest-fashion-craze-smog-masks/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed Study shows biodiesel blends in buses reduce PM, other harmful exhaust elements, EC and CO. A new study on the combustion properties of biodiesel for use in urban transit buses found that using biodiesel can effectively reduce the mass of particulate matter released in both hot and cold idle modes. The study, published by the Mineta National Transit Research Consortium (MNTRC),... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/study-shows-biodiesel-blends-in-buses-reduce-pm-other-harmful-exhaust-elements-ec-and-co.html Official: 2016 Chevy Volt will not need premium gas. ...or other performance factors." As Larry Nitz, GM's executive director of vehicle electrification, told AutoblogGreen yesterday, the new engine is more powerful and quieter than the outgoing 1.4-liter engine that's used in the current Volt. Fuel economy and EV range specs for the next-gen Volt are not expected until the full car is revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Related GalleryNext-Gen Chevy Volt Powertrain News Source: GM Category: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, AutoblogGreen Exclusive... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/29/2016-chevy-volt-will-not-need-premium-gas/ Nissan Leaf-To-Home Electric-Car Power Tests: More Practical For U.S. With Longer-Range Cars? Nissan and other makers are beginning to view electric cars not as just as transportation, but as mobile energy-storage units that can provide emergency power and take stress off electrical grids. This month the carmaker will begin testing its Leaf-To-Home energy station in Japan, testing the... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095193_nissan-leaf-to-home-electric-car-power-tests-more-practical-for-u-s-with-longer-range-cars Nissan breaks its own US EV sales record. With more than two months remaining in the year, Nissan LEAF has surpassed its own record of the most US electric vehicle sales in a single calendar year, the mark of 22,610 units that it set in 2013, the company says. LEAF sales in 2014 through September are up more than 36% compared to the same period last year. (Nissan will announce October US sales... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141030-leaf.html Report: VW planning 20 new plug-in models for China. ...year and the Golf GTE plug-in hybrid in 2015. VW said in August that it would start selling the e-Golf in the US for about $35,500 in November. That's a $6,500 price hike from the base Nissan Leaf. Related Gallery2015 VW e-Golf News Source: Reuters Category: EV/Plug-in, Volkswagen, China Tags: china, e-golf, e-up, electric vehicle, jochem heizmann, plug-in hybrid, Volkswagen http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/30/vw-planning-20-new-plug-in-models-for-china/ Sea Level Rise New York. It's been two years since Superstorm Sandy, and much of New York City is still vulnerable to flooding from storm surges. And as global sea levels co... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/sea-level-rise-new-york/ What you need to know about the next big climate report. The rumblings are starting: There's a big climate report on the way. But wait -- you've heard this one before, right? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- its report already came out recently, didn't it? More than once, come to think of it? Well, yes, but there is still one more IPCC report coming out this Sunday, Nov. 2. It's related to the others, but also sort of different. For... http://grist.org/climate-energy/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-next-big-climate-report Artist Melts 100 Tons Of Ice As Physical Reminder Of Climate Change. When 100 tons of Arctic sheet ice is sitting in the middle of your town square, it's difficult to avoid talking about climate change. Just ask the folks in Copenhagen, who have come face-to-ice with 12 large blocks of frozen fjord water, all in the name of environmental art. The Danes have artist Olafur Eliasson to thank for the strange configuration of Greenland-bred... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/artist-melts-100-tons-of-_n_6063550.html Saving the Canadian Polar Bear. ...the only country still allowing polar bears to be hunted for their skins and body parts. Once again, Canada has come under fire from the international community because polar bears are killed for profit at a time when their very existence is threatened by global warming. At a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), both the UK and Norway demanded Canada's trade in polar bear parts come under review as it is contributing to the demise of the species. The... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cathy-kangas/saving-the-canadian-polar_b_5946762.html?utm_hp_ref=green Chuck Hagel: We Should Worry About Climate Change Like We Worry About ISIS. WASHINGTON -- The Islamic State may be the most immediate challenge facing the Defense Department, but Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday that one of the biggest long-term security threats to the U.S. isn't a terrorist group. It's climate change. "From my perspective, within the portfolio that I have responsibility for -- security of this country -- climate change presents security issues for us," Hagel said during remarks at the Washington Ideas Forum. "This... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/chuck-hagel-climate-change_n_6068922.html?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green Why climate rap actually improves the dreaded school assembly. ...Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) and its upbeat school presentations back in 2009, just after the program got rolling in a handful of San Francisco Bay Area high schools. The "ACE Assembly" revamps the deadly school assembly -- and a deadly topic like climate change -- with animation, music, and freestyle rapping to inspire students to get up and do something. Since then, the program has spread all over the country and reached almost 2 million students. And it just got major accolades: A study published... http://grist.org/article/why-climate-rap-actually-improves-the-dreaded-school-assembly Zombies in the Mirror: The Scary Truth About Where We're Headed ...creatures to survive. Except it's not just us - it's us and our livestock. Meat production is responsible for more environmental destruction than any other single industry. It's responsible for enormous amounts of habitat loss, pollution, water use and greenhouse gas emissions. Add that to our sheer numbers and it's no wonder wildlife are going extinct at a pace that's at least 1,000 times the natural background rate. Like most horror movies, this story has a ray of hope. But we're going to... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephanie-feldstein/zombies-in-the-mirror-the_b_6065254.html Weather Channel Says Global Warming Is Real Following Co-Founder's Climate Denial. Days after Weather Channel co-founder John Coleman told Fox News that global warming is a myth, the cable network has clarified its stance on the matter. In an official “position statement” on global warming issued Wednesday, the Weather Channel said that man-made climate change is real.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/weather-channel-global-warming_n_6072054.html Cli-Fi is Real. ...struggling with a blockbuster, as it wrestles with a titanic human species trying to survive its hyperconsumption and narcissism, on a fucking lucky rock spinning through space. It's also why continuing reports from the too-conservative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are treated like fiction by sellouts, and always exponentially worse. The latest (finally) explains that global warming is abrupt and irreversible, and that our children will inherit an Anthropocene riven by swallowing... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-thill/cli-fi-is-real_b_6072518.html First look at all-new Voltec propulsion system for 2G Volt; “the only thing in common is a shipping cap” ...system that maintains electric range over the Volt's life. Based on a GM study of more than 300 model year 2011 and 2012 Volts in service in California for more than 30 months, many owners are exceeding the EPA-rated label of 35 miles (56 km) of EV range per full charge, with about 15% surpassing 40 miles (64 km) of range. Current generation Volt owners have accumulated more than 600 million EV miles. EV range estimates will be revealed in January at the North American International... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141029-voltec.html DOE seeking feedback on findings of hydrogen production and delivery workshops. The US Department of Energy s Fuel Cell Technologies Office has issued two requests for information (RFIs) seeking feedback from the research community and relevant stakeholders about electrolytic hydrogen production (DE-FOA-0001188) and hydrogen delivery research,... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141029-doeh2.html Mercedes-AMG HPP awarded Dewar Trophy for PU106A Hybrid F1 Power Unit. ...successful design, research and teamwork resulted in the Mercedes-Benz PU106A Hybrid Power Unit, which has not only been the dominant powertrain in this first season under the new Formula One rules, but is also arguably among the most thermally efficient gasoline powertrains ever produced, with a claimed thermal efficiency of greater than 40%. PU106A Hybrid Formula One Power Unit. Click to enlarge. Previous Formula One regulations have concentrated on a simple mechanical limitation... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141030-dewar.html Indianapolis plans to add 425 PHEVs and BEVs to municipal fleet by 2016. ...“Freedom Fleet”. The City will replace 100 vehicles by the end of this year and 425 vehicles by the beginning of 2016. This is a landmark step in revitalizing our aging fleet and replacing expensive internal combustion engine vehicles with cutting-edge EV technology, all while reducing our dependence on oil and saving Indianapolis taxpayers thousands in fuel costs each year. America's dependence on oil ties our national and economic security to a highly-unpredictable, cartel-influenced global oil market.... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/indianapolis-plans-to-add-425-phevs-and-bevs-to-municipal-fleet-by-2016.html DOE launches $1M H2 Refuel H-Prize for small-scale hydrogen refueling. The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) and the Hydrogen Education Foundation (HEF) launched the $1-million H2 Refuel H-Prize. The two-year competition challenges America's engineers and entrepreneurs to develop affordable systems for small-scale... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141029-h2.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 11:48:56 -0700 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for October 31, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 5-State Study Finds Unsafe Levels of Airborne Chemicals Near Oil and Gas Sites ...risk. Dirk DeTurck had a years-old rash that wouldn't go away, his wife's hair came out in chunks and any time they lingered outside their house for more than an hour, splitting headaches set in. They were certain the cause was simply breathing the air in Greenbrier, Arkansas, the rural community to which they'd retired a decade ago. They blamed the gas wells all around them. But state officials didn't investigate. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141030/5-state-study-finds-unsafe-levels-airborne-chemicals-near-oil-and-gas-sites CHECK BEFORE YOU BURN Strictest wood-burning rules in nation begin Saturday For 25 years, Valley air pollution cops have squeezed businesses, farms and industry in an effort to slash emissions and meet ever-tightening air quality standards. And now, “We have to get the public to do its part,” said Seyed Sadredin, director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. http://www.recordnet.com/article/20141030/NEWS/141039940/-1/A_NEWS06 Valley's stricter wood-burning rules start on stormy weekend The Fresno BeeOctober 30, 2014 Updated 56 minutes ago Unless you own the latest federally certified heater and register it with the local air district, you may not get a lot of opportunities to have a fire in your fireplace beginning Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 when new rules kick in. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/30/4207772/valleys-stricter-wood-burning.html San JoaquinValley wood-burning rule to start Saturday The 12th season of the San Joaquin Valley's wintertime pollution-reduction rule is scheduled to begin Saturday, the San Joaquin Valley Air District announced Wednesday. Check Before You Burn is a residential wood-burning restriction program designed to reduce particulate matter when air... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/30/4207702/san-joaquinvalley-wood-burning.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f Seasonal wood burning restrictions begin Saturday in Sacramento County The “check before you burn” season begins Saturday in Sacramento County, restricting or prohibiting wood burning on days when air quality forecasts indicate pollution from particulate matter will be high. The restrictions apply to residents and businesses in the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, including unincorporated areas... http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article3484945.html CLIMATE CHANGE How to Talk About Climate Change in an Oil-and-Gas Mecca Houston doesn't seem like the sort of place where a progressive climate-change agenda could thrive. But then again, it might not seem like the sort of place that would elect a lesbian Democratic mayor, either. But Annise Parker, the leader of the nation's fourth-largest city, sees all of this as evidence of a particularly Texan, and particularly Houstonian, mindset: practical, pragmatic, not especially interested in history. http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/10/how-to-talk-about-climate-change-in-an-oil-and-gas-mecca/382132/ Regulator Takes Focus on Climate Change Preparedness With a calm demeanor and in a somewhat scientific tone he doesn’t mind using while explaining his stance on something, Mike Kreidler stood by his decision to call out the insurance industry and the rest of the nation’s insurance commissioners for being unprepared. Gutsy considering that preparing for things is at the core of what the industry does. http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2014/10/30/345558.htm DIESEL EMISSIONS Dirty Shipping Fuel Smogs Up China's Port Cities ...Defense Council, the fuel burned by ocean vessels may contain sulfur levels that exceed by 100 to 3,500 times the level in diesel for automobiles. The upshot, the report finds, is that “one container ship cruising along the coast of China emits as much diesel pollution as 500,000 new Chinese trucks in a single day.” Because several of China's major cities are located on the eastern coast, port pollution has direct consequences for human health. Independent studies cited by NRDC show that container... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-30/nrdc-report-dirty-shipping-fuel-smogs-up-chinas-port-cities Truckers come with questions at diesel emissions event in Anderson North State truckers filled up Lassen Hall at the Shasta District Fair Grounds on Wednesday with questions about new state diesel emission standards approved in the spring. http://www.redding.com/news/local-news/truckers-come-with-questions-at-diesel-emissions-event-in-anderson_42675803 FUELS Researchers slam study showing cellulosic production ups emissions Researchers affiliated with the Agriculture Department and Department of Energy are pushing back against a study from earlier this year that questioned the greenhouse gas benefits of producing ethanol from cornstalks, husks and other agricultural wastes. In a series of correspondence published online today in the November issue of Nature Climate Change, the scientists charge that the study out of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, was based on unrealistic assumptions about the amount of crop waste that cellulosic ethanol companies intend to use. http://www.governorsbiofuelscoalition.org/?p=11027 VEHICLES Prius pushback: Hybrid inspires some hatred When people ask Chris Bellios what he drives, he says it's a Toyota — a black one. "The stigma that goes with owning a Prius is palpable," said Bellios, 43, who loves his Prius so much he's owned two. Other drivers don't share his love. "I have never been tailgated so much as I have been with this car. No matter how fast I'm driving." http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2014/10/29/prius-pushback-hybrid-inspires-hatred/18144355/ E-Car: Electrifying U.K. Drivers One Car at a Time Chris Morris, founder and managing director at E-Car, talks with Francine Lacqua about the U.K.'s first electric vehicle pay-per-use car club. He speaks on “The Pulse.” http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-10-31/e-car-electrifying-u-dot-k-dot-drivers-one-car-at-a-time Small Electric Cars, Toyota Prius 'Pushback,' 2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco: Today's Car News Today we ask whether carmakers were right to launch the current wave of electric cars as small cars, confirm that negative stereotypes of the Toyota Prius hybrid and its drivers are still prevalent, and introduce another one of our 2015 Best Car To Buy nominees, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco. All this and more on Green... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095228_small-electric-cars-toyota-prius-pushback-2015-hyundai-sonata-eco-todays-car-news GREEN ENERGY Senators Hold CSUN Cleantech Hearing Two state lawmakers led a hearing on Thursday at Cal State Northridge aimed at boosting the cleantech industry in the San Fernando Valley. State Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Calabasas, and Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, D-Pacoima, heard comments from speakers at a hearing attended by about 40 industry representatives, entrepreneurs, educators and others. http://www.sfvbj.com/news/2014/oct/30/senators-hold-csun-cleantech-hearing/ BLOGS 38 federal agencies reveal their vulnerabilities to climate change — and what they’re doing about it The Obama administration on Friday plans to publish a small library's worth of climate change documents, outlining 38 federal agencies' vulnerabilities to global warming and how they will address them -- as well as a separate and even larger set of new government-wide plans to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and achieve new targets for sustainability. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/10/31/38-federal-agencies-reveal-their-vulnerabilities-to-climate-change-and-what-theyre-doing-about-it/?hpid=z3 EPA must look at human health and the environment in updating ozone standards The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency might be preparing to unveil a major air pollution rule change shortly after midterm elections. The new standards would reflect the latest science relating to the health and ecosystem impacts of ground-level ozone and could have significant impacts on infrastructure projects across the nation. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/2014/10/31/epa-ozone-limit/ Cli-Fi is Real ...struggling with a blockbuster, as it wrestles with a titanic human species trying to survive its hyperconsumption and narcissism, on a fucking lucky rock spinning through space. It's also why continuing reports from the too-conservative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are treated like fiction by sellouts, and always exponentially worse. The latest (finally) explains that global warming is abrupt and irreversible, and that our children will inherit an Anthropocene riven by swallowing... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-thill/cli-fi-is-real_b_6072518.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2014 12:46:33 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 3, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for November 3, 2014. 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 Air Quality Management District offices moving.The offices of North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District will be moving from 2300 Myrtle Ave., Eureka, to 707 L St., Eureka, on Dec. 12. The district will reopen for business on Dec. 16. http://www.times-standard.com/business/ci_26843856/air-quality-management-district-offices-moving China Is Trying to Curb Its Smog Problem. ...November 7-12. In advance of the summit, Beijing constructed a hotel, villas, a new international convention center, and a highway linking the convention center to the city. There's only one more thing that the Chinese government needs to do: provide clean air. In a city famous for terrible air pollution, smog-free days are never a given. But that hasn't stopped China from trying. The government has ordered a halt to heavy industry within a 124-mile radius of the capital,... http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/chinas-vain-attempts-to-halt-air-pollution/382263/ ‘Check Before You Burn' starts today. Air quality control officials are reminding Sacramento County residents that the season's mandatory “Check Before You Burn” program starts today. The law requires residents to find out whether it's legal to burn in fireplaces and wood stoves.... http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article3510628.html Valley burning restrictions begin; fewer for clean-burning fireplaces. The rain has passed, but nighttime temperatures this week are expected to dip into the 40s and options for warmth might be limited. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's “Check Before You Burn” season started Saturday, restricting use of fireplaces and woodstoves on days with poor air quality. There are no restrictions Sunday, but it will be one of few that folks... http://www.modbee.com/news/local/article3518538.html Groups sue EPA over smog in air basin. LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 25: Surface street traffic corsses above the US 101 freeway on April 25, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. The nation's second largest city, Los Angeles, has again been ranked the worst in the nation for ozone pollution and fourth for particulates by the American Lung Association in it's annual air quality report card. Ozone is a component of smog that forms when sunlight reacts with hydrocarbon and nitrous oxide emissions.... http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/11/01/47780/groups-sue-epa-over-smog-in-air-basin/ Court Lifts Stay of EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. On October 23, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) motion to lift the stay of the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR). The ruling follows the Supreme Court’s April decision (EPA v. EME Homer City Generation, L.P.), which approved EPA’s CSAPR and rejected petitions supporting a stay pending judicial review. http://breakingenergy.com/2014/11/03/court-lifts-stay-of-epas-cross-state-air-pollution-rule/ CLIMATE CHANGE UN Climate Report Rings Alarm, Offers Guidance. ...the accelerating impacts of human activity on the world around us, from warming and rising oceans to the growing toll of heat stroke, was published Sunday by a United Nations panel. The picture that emerged from the 116-page synthesis of three blockbuster climate change reports was alarming. “The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, and sea level has risen,” it reminds us, warning that warming caused by carbon dioxide pollution “is effectively irreversible.”... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/ipcc-synthesis-report-climate-change-18272 U.N.: End Greenhouse Emissions By 2100 Or Risk 'Irreversible' Damage. Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Peru's Minister of Environment, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chairman Rajendra Pachauri and Renate Christ, Secretary of the IPCC present the Synthesis Report during a news conference in Copenhagen on Sunday. Scanpix Denmark / Reuters/Landov A new United Nations report is warning that fossil fuels must be entirely phased out by the end of the century in order to avoid dangerous and irreversible damage to the Earth's climate. http://www.capradio.org/news/npr/story?storyid=360932486 Climate Change Emerges as Priority for Black, Hispanic Voters. It is a point noted with some morbid curiosity year after year—climate change ranks low on the list of Americans' priorities. But this version of the story tends to exclude the concerns of those whose interests are often marginalized at the polls and left out of legislation: people of color. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141103/climate-change-emerges-priority-black-hispanic-voters Climate Science Funding Deadline Looms in Australia. Planned funding cuts by the Abbott government for climate change research will degrade Australia's ability to predict and respond to impacts and may see whole areas of study lose support, according to current and retired scientists. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141103/climate-science-funding-deadline-looms-australia Iceland Is the Only Country Benefiting From Climate Change . ...difficult—if not impossible—to find valuable trees like oak, beech, rhododendron, apple, pear or cherry. But now these species are “beginning to flourish and the fruit trees have begun to bear fruit,” Sigurgeirsson says. “It's not nice to talk well about climate change,” he adds, “and there have been bad consequences for many, but in Iceland it has helped forestry.” As temperatures warm globally, the distribution of trees on the planet generally shifts toward the poles. That sounds like it'd... http://www.newsweek.com/iceland-only-country-benefiting-climate-change-281540 Penguins offer U.S. a lesson in addressing climate change. Los Angeles TimesNovember 3, 2014 It may seem unlikely, but penguins offer a crucial lesson for the United States' national security. On the western Antarctic Peninsula, climate change is wreaking havoc on stocks of krill, tiny crustaceans that penguins eat. Adelie penguins are in decline in the region because they have not changed their survival strategy and found something else to eat. Gentoo penguins have; they... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/03/4213655/penguins-offer-us-a-lesson-in.html?sp=%2f99%2f274%2f644%2f Scientists sound the alarm in climate change report. Climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels is already affecting life on every continent and in the oceans, and the window is closing rapidly for governments to avert the worst damage expected to occur later this century, scientists warned... http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-climate-change-20141102-story.html The Climate-Change Solution No One Will Talk About. ...discussions will regularly include mentions of voluntary family planning as a way to reduce unwanted pregnancies and births. But, said Jason Bremner of the Population Reference Bureau, those policies can also pay dividends for the environment. "And yet the climate-change benefits of family planning have been largely absent from any climate-change or family-planning policy discussions," he said. Bremner was speaking Tuesday at an event hosted by the Woodrow Wilson Center, which... http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/the-climate-change-solution-no-one-will-talk-about/382197/ U.N. issues stark climate change report on acute threats. COPENHAGEN — The gathering risks of climate change are so profound they could stall or even reverse generations of progress against poverty and hunger if greenhouse gas emissions continue at a runaway pace, according to a major new United Nations report. Despite rising... http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/U-N-issues-stark-climate-change-report-on-acute-5865255.php Unusual warm ocean conditions off California, West Coast bringing odd species. ...last time the ocean off California was this warm was in 1983 and 1997, both strong El Niño years that brought drenching winter rains to the West Coast. But El Niño isn't driving this year's warm-water spike, which began in mid-July, experts say. Nor is climate change.What's happening is winds that normally blow from the north, trapping warm water closer to the equator, have slackened since the summer. That's allowed the warm water to move north. In most years, the winds also help push ocean... http://www.contracostatimes.com/science/ci_26851300/unusual-warm-ocean-conditions-off-california-west-coast Warning in climate change report is loudest yet by scientists. By NEELA BANERJEE Tribune Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels is already affecting life on every continent and in the oceans, and the window is closing rapidly for governments to avert the worst damage expected to occur later this century, scientists warned... http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article3525000.html Climate change fight affordable, cut emissions to zero by 2100: U.N. COPENHAGEN Nov 2 (Reuters) - Governments can keep climate change in check at manageable costs but will have to cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2100 to limit risks of irreversible damage, a U.N. report said on Sunday. The 40-page synthesis, summing up 5,000 pages of... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/02/us-climatechange-report-idUSKBN0IM08A20141102?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Climate change fight affordable, cut emissions to zero by 2100-UN * Warming already causing widespread impacts-IPCC. * Time running short to avert worst impacts of climate change (Updates with U.N. Secretary-General, White House, scientists) By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent COPENHAGEN, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Governments can keep climate change in check at manageable costs but will have... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/02/climatechange-report-idUSL6N0SS0B820141102 UN climate panel says emissions need to drop to zero this century to keep warming in check. FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009 file photo, steam and smoke rises from a coal burning power plant in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. After an all-night session, the U.N.'s expert panel on climate science is scrambling to finish a report on global warming that's meant to guide negotiations on a new international climate deal. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) Associated Press Nov. 2, 2014 | 5:27 a.m. EST + More By KARL RITTER, Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Climate... http://www.usnews.com/news/science/news/articles/2014/11/02/un-climate-report-offers-stark-warnings-hope Denmark considers phasing out coal by 2025 in big green shift. COPENHAGEN Nov 1 (Reuters) - Denmark should ban coal use by 2025 to make the Nordic nation a leader in fighting global warming, adding to green measures ranging from wind energy to bicycle power, Denmark's climate minister said on Saturday. Denmark has already taken big steps to break reliance on high-polluting coal - wind turbines are set... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/01/us-climatechange-denmark-idUSKBN0IL35R20141101?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Feds Outline Climate Change Plans. (The Hill) Feds Outline Climate Change Plans The Obama administration released thousands of pages on Friday documenting federal agencies' vulnerabilities to climate change and what those agencies plan to do about it. In all, 38 agencies released climate... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141103/feds-outline-climate-change-plans Great Barrier Reef Plan Doesn't Address CO2 Emissions. By Oliver Milman, The Guardian The Australian government's multimillion dollar plan to halt the worrying decline of the Great Barrier Reef does nothing to address the leading threat of climate change and is likely to prove largely ineffectual, scientists have warned. The Great Barrier Reef has lost around half its coral cover in the past 30 years. Credit: Paul Toogood/flickr In its formal response to the Reef 2050 long-term... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/great-barrier-reef-co2-18265 How To Eat For The Climate. ...between agriculture and the climate toward healthier outcomes, according to food-policy activists at the Green Festival in Chicago Saturday. Agriculture is particularly vulnerable to climate conditions, according to the EPA, but also a major contributor to climate change because of carbon-emitting practices including deforestation, fertilization, transportation, fermentation, irrigation and the burning of crop residues. Not all farmers, however, participate in all those practices. “There's a... http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2014/10/27/foods-that-fight-climate-change/ Map tool shows road vulnerability to rising seas. MIAMI (AP) — A few Florida counties are testing a computer mapping tool that details the vulnerability of their roads to rising sea levels, and perhaps the most surprising thing about it is where it came from. The state's Department of Transportation funded the map's development, something James Cromar of the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization called... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Map-tool-shows-road-vulnerability-to-rising-seas-5864702.php 'All We Need Is the Will to Change.' A new U.N. report, integrating the findings of more than 800 climate scientists, says there's still a chance to reverse climate change. The coal-fired Plant Scherer operating on June 1, 2014, in Juliette, Georgia (John Amis/AP) A new report from the United Nation's panel of climate scientists offers little in the way of surprises: Climate change,... http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/pessimistic-un-climate-change-report-also-offers-an-out/382262/ IPCC Sounds Fresh Alarm as Fossil Fuel Interests Tighten Grip on Congress. ...election would spell trouble for advocates of a strong international climate accord. Treaty negotiations are supposed to pick up in the next few months and culminate in Paris just over a year from now. This weekend, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a synthesis report that sums up its years-long review of the climate crisis and what to do about it. The report called for the near-complete elimination of fossil fuel-burning by the end of the century. This, it said, is what... http://insideclimatenews.org/carbon-copy/20141103/ipcc-sounds-fresh-alarm-fossil-fuel-interests-tighten-grip-congress UN climate report offers stark warnings, hope. Climate change is happening, it's almost entirely man's fault and limiting its impacts may require reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero this century, the U.N.'s panel on climate science said… Click to Continue » http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/02/4211981_un-climate-report-offers-stark.html?rh=1 DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB hints at more rules, involvement in manufacturer warranties. The issue of trucks breaking down and requiring repairs isn’t new to professional truck drivers. Even minor maintenance can require hours and days of downtime that can sink a business. One governmental body is diving deeper into trucking than it ever has before – and that body doesn’t like what it’s seeing from truck manufacturers. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27903#.VFe-zRamOa8 CARB Answers DFP Complaints. With a lawsuit pending, the California Air Resources Board is answering claims that diesel particulate filters are harmful to trucks. The state regulatory body has suggested that the trucks themselves, not the DFPs are the source of mechanical problems. http://www.gobytrucknews.com/carb-answers-dfp-complaints/123 GREEN ENERGY Cruz rallies support for Sullivan in Alaska. Hundreds of people turned out for a rally headlined by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in support of Republican Alaska U.S. Senate hopeful Dan Sullivan. Sullivan is challenging Democratic Sen. Mark Begich in a race that could help decide control of the Senate. Cruz called Alaska ground zero in the fight to retire Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid. Cruz, a tea party favorite and potential 2016 presidential contender, appeared at three rallies for Sullivan this weekend, including two on Sunday. In Palmer, Cruz spoke of the need to defend the Constitution, restore America's leadership in the world and retire Reid. Sullivan spoke to themes he's stressed throughout the campaign, including the need to roll back federal regulations, unleash America's energy potential and protect veterans and the most vulnerable. http://www.modbee.com/news/politics-government/article3530485.html SunEdison to Build 150 Megawatts of India Solar Projects. SunEdison Inc. (SUNE:US), the best-performing U.S. solar company this year, won a bid to build 150 megawatts of solar projects in southern India's Karnataka state. The company will build and own the five projects for Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd., St. Peters, Missouri-based SunEdison said today in a statement. SunEdison was one of 44 developers vying to build 500 megawatts of projects in the state. The facilities are expected to be owned by the developer,... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-30/sunedison-to-build-150-megawatts-of-india-solar-projects SunEdison's Terraform Buys $250 Million of Solar Farms. TerraForm Power Inc. (TERP:US), the company that owns and operates solar farms mainly built by parent SunEdison Inc. (SUNE:US), will pay $250 million to Capital Dynamics U.S. Solar Energy Fund, L.P. for solar projects in five U.S. states. TerraForm will buy the 39 projects totaling 77.6 megawatts in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania using debt financing through a $275 million increase... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-29/sunedisons-terraform-buys-250-million-of-solar-farms Tuskegee to host transportation, energy forum. Tuskegee University is gearing up for an event showcasing electric vehicles, toys and renewable energy for local students and teachers. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/technology/article3536130.html Ohio Utilities Feel Burned by Solar-Energy Users. (Columbus Dispatch) Ohio Utilities Feel Burned by Solar-Energy Users People like Jack Hedge scare utility executives. He has rooftop solar panels that generate more electricity than his house needs "My electric bill was zero most of the year," the 66-year-old Worthington man said. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/ohio-utilities-feel-burned-solar-energy-users FUELS Fossil Fuels Should Be 'Phased Out by 2100,' IPCC Says. The unrestricted use of fossil fuels must end soon if the world is to avoid dangerous climate change. That's one of the key messages in a new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC outlines an approach that could see most of the world's electricity produced from low carbon sources by... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141102/fossil-fuels-should-be-phased-out-2100-ipcc-says MIDEAST MONEY-Gulf economies edge towards reform as oil price slides. ...close to cutting diesel, kerosene subsidies * Higher electricity, water costs in the pipeline * Oman says may start subsidy cuts next year KUWAIT, Nov 2 (Reuters) - When Kuwait's government said last month that it planned to raise domestic prices of diesel fuel and kerosene, some angry Kuwaitis took to Twitter to denounce the move as unfair. A resulting increase in airline ticket prices will be "extracted from our hard work", wrote one person who identified himself as Khalid Alenezi. Essa... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/02/mideast-subsidies-reform-idUSL6N0SA1BE20141102 Sacramento gas prices under $3 per gallon are part of nationwide trend. ...Northern California, Nevada and Utah, said there are several factors for cheaper prices at the pump. She cited record U.S. oil production as well as changing consumer preferences. She said motorists – particularly in California – are driving more hybrids, electric cars and other fuel-efficient vehicles. “There is an ample supply of oil nationwide,” she said. “And there are more vehicles on the road that are fuel efficient. We have seen a drop in consumption. And people have managed to navigate... http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/article3524169.html DROUGHT Calif. storms go south; evacuations in Ventura Cty. ...forecaster Matt Mehly said that while the first big storm this fall is welcome and necessary, it won't be nearly enough to affect statewide water shortages stemming from years with little rainfall. "It's going to take several years to put a dent in the drought," he said. The weather service has issued a winter storm warning for much of the Sierra Nevada starting at 5 p.m. Friday, with snow expected at higher elevations overnight, he said. Ranger Cari Cobb, spokeswoman for Yosemite National Park,... http://www.insidebayarea.com/breaking-news/ci_26844813/calif-storms-go-south-evacuations-ventura-cty First rainfall of season doesn't make a dent in California's drought. The first rainstorm of the just-started season provided some much needed moisture to California, though some areas got more than others. And it was not enough to make much of a dent in the drought. Northern and Central California got the most rain, with Monterey setting a new record for Oct. 31 with 1.35 inches, according... http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-californias-first-rains-of-season-didnt-make-drought-dent-20141101-htmlstory.html Is fake grass good for Los Angeles during the drought? ...convince Angelenos to rip out their water-hogging lawns, the Department of Water and Power has offered one of the most generous grass-removal incentives in the state -- $3 per square foot of lawn replaced by a low-water landscape. The new yard can include drought-tolerant plants, gravel or artificial turf. I complained recently that some rules in L.A. made it too hard to get rid of the grass and that city leaders should make it as easy as possible for people to install lawn-alternatives, including synthetic... http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-fake-grass-drought-los-angeles-20141031-story.html Rain arrives in California, but more dry weather on the way. Southern and Central California got a much-needed dousing of rain overnight Friday, with as much as an inch falling in higher elevations in Los Angeles County. But the state will need a lot more precipitation to pull it out of the statewide drought, meteorologists... http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-rain-california-20141101-story.html Statewide ban on plastic grocery bags has broad support, poll shows. ...contentious issues in the Capitol this year, sparking intense lobbying. Environmentalists wanted the new law, saying plastic bags can pollute rivers and oceans, harming wildlife. Bag makers fought the measure, arguing that it would cause job losses. California, which has a long history of strict environmental regulation, is the first state to enact a statewide ban. According to the poll, a majority among all races and income levels would vote to uphold it. Among those who oppose it, most said... http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-poll-plastic-bags-20141101-story.html Switch in control of U.S. Senate could cut California's clout. Neither Sen. Barbara Boxer nor Sen. Dianne Feinstein is on the ballot Tuesday. But that doesn't mean that they, and California, don't have something to lose. If next week's elections give Republicans majority control, both California Democrats stand to lose their Senate committee chairmanships and the sway that comes with it. A Republican takeover would... http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/election/article3516167.html OPINION EDITORIAL: New wood-burning rules will save Valley lives. ...the San Joaquin Valley's new wood-burning regulations. The new rules are expected to shut down most wood burning in fireplaces, older stoves and inserts from Nov. 1 to Feb. 28. These fireplaces and older heaters create more than 90% of the Valley's soot pollution. The only exceptions during this time will be when a storm scours harmful pollution out of the air. We wish the rules — some say they are the toughest in the country — weren't necessary. But our Valley's unique pollution-retaining... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/02/4212747/editorial-new-wood-burning-rules.html?sp=%2f99%2f274%2f BLOG The Stealth Element: How Mercury Became a Global Environmental Problem. ...Minamata disease, this form of severe mercury poisoning is a debilitating neurological syndrome caused by the consumption of marine organisms heavily contaminated with mercury. Because it can be easily vaporized, mercury can be transported through the air over large distances far removed from its original source of emission. With a significant amount of mercury being emitted as a bi-product of industrial processes such as coal burning, along with metal and cement manufacturing, it has now reached even... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gustavo-a-b-da-fonseca/the-stealth-element-how-mercury-became-a-global-environmental-problem_b_6063108.html Running Clean Draws Support from Swing Voters. ...go before the midterm elections, you're probably a bit tired of seeing competing poll results. Head-to-head matchups between candidates have varied this entire election cycle, but one item we've been tracking has remained consistent--voters want action on climate change. In February, the NRDC Action Fund released our first polling of the 2014 cycle. It was conducted in 11 battleground states and showed that voters across the political spectrum were ready for the Environmental Protection Agency... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/heather-taylormiesle/running-clean-draws-suppo_b_6090548.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics After the Flood: Reflections on Climate and Corporate Control. ...March) are willing to advocate and hang their hopes on. Not only was it targeted, but Flood Wall Street was also BIG, demonstrating that ever more people are setting their sites on the root of the problem, not distracted by shiny baubles like "100 percent renewable energy" or "go vegan" or promises of miraculous new technofixes like climate geoengineering designed to perpetuate business as usual. Instead, they are clearly focussed on the economic system that serves corporations as if they were not... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-smolker/after-the-flood-reflectio_b_5895862.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Aging U.S. Icebreaker Fleet May Imperil Polar Science. ...in maritime or polar science circles think that will suffice. “I think the answer clearly is, ‘No,'” says Ted Scambos, lead scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado. He's logged months aboard icebreakers, doing research. Global warming, he says, means we need icebreakers more than ever. “Both poles are areas of the world that are changing rapidly,” he says. “They're responding a lot to global warming and that has lots of effects with ocean circulation... http://blogs.kqed.org/science/audio/aging-u-s-icebreaker-fleet-may-imperil-polar-science/ UN IPCC releases AR5 Synthesis Report on climate change, risks, adaptation and mitigation. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the Synthesis Report that distills and integrates the findings of the full IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) released over the past 13 months. The report expresses with greater certainty than in previous assessments... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141102-ipcc.html The Unbelievably Easy 2014 Midterm Election Voters Guide -- Climate Change. The Unbelievably Easy 2014 Midterm Election Voters Guide Issue 2: Climate Change Of course you should go and research the websites of every candidate running, for every office in this election. But you won't. And that's understandable. You have a life. And you'll probably be one of the over 130 MILLION... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-greene/climate-change-voter-guide_b_6089104.html?utm_hp_ref=republican-party UN Climate Change Report Delivers Stark Warnings. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Climate change is happening, it's almost entirely man's fault and limiting its impacts may require reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero this century, the U.N.'s panel on climate science said Sunday. The fourth and final... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/02/un-climate-change-report_n_6089392.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics Crazy Diamond Performance receives EPA approval on mono-fuel CNG Cruze and Sonic. ...—Michelle Fern, Executive Vice President CDP Inc. These vehicles provide flexibility for fleets looking to purchase a domestic small mono-fuel passenger sedan, but have not had an option until now. There are significant emissions benefits over its gasoline counterpart, with an average reduction in CO2of 25%. The Cruze and Sonic sedans feature 8.5 GGE fuel capacity for a highway range of nearly 300 miles (483 km). http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141101-cdp.html Emissions, combustion and performance with biodiesel as pilot fuel in dual-fuel engine. A team at Xi'an Jiaotong University reports on the combustion and the emissions (especially the ultrafine particle emissions) effects of using biodiesel as the pilot fuel in a natural-gas dual-fuel engine, as well as the effect of the pilot quantity on the performance, a paper in the Journal of Automobile Engineering. One means of using natural gas in transportation is for it to serve... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141103-xian.html Toyota expanding Aichi's test EV infrastructure in Japan. OK, now we're really confused. In the US, Toyota has been telling anyone who cares to listen that the future of advanced-powertrain technology is hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, not electric ones. In China, a Toyota joint venture is looking at EVs. Over in Japan? They've just decided to pony up a little more for testing electric-vehicle technology. Maybe something's lost in... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/02/toyota-expanding-aichis-test-ev-infrastructure-in-japan/ Plug-In Electric Car Sales In Oct: Leaf Record. With two months of sales still remaining in the year, the Nissan Leaf broke its own record for most electric cars sold in the U.S. in a single year. October saw deliveries of 2,589 Leafs, bringing the year-to-date total to 24,411--which exceeds the 2014 total of 22,610, the previous record. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095238_plug-in-electric-car-sales-in-oct-leaf-record DOE SBIR/STTR Release 2 topics includes fuel-cell hybrid trucks and QC devices for PEM fuel cells. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released the 2015 Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase I Release 2 topics, which include two hydrogen and fuel cell related topics: fuel cell-battery electric hybrid trucks and in-line quality control devices for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) aims to build on... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141101-doesbir.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2014 15:23:23 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 4, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for November 4, 2014. 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 Power producers to face shortage in S. Korea carbon market-Point Carbon. South Korea's emissions trading scheme, which launches on Jan. 1 next year, is likely to see power producers face a shortage of permits in the first three years even as the overall market is oversupplied, forecasting firm Point Carbon said on Tuesday. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/04/southkorea-carbontrading-idUSL4N0SU4A820141104?feedName=rbssEnergyNews&feedType=RSS Oil Price Rout to Impact Alberta Carbon Emissions Policy. Oil’s 25 percent slide since June will play a role in Alberta’s new climate and carbon regulations, Premier Jim Prentice said. The Canadian province will make a decision by the end of December on whether to raise its levy of C$15 ($13.29) a metric ton for large carbon emitters, while revisions on a broader range of climate policies may come at the same time, Prentice said. http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NEBX2L6JIJUO01-1CBE00CL37UFLLR5UHFM2P4MNU Sacramento neighborhoods could benefit from cap-and-trade dollars. Several census tracts in the region, including parts of downtown Sacramento, West Sacramento, Oak Park, North Highlands and south Sacramento, are eligible for more than $200 million in cap-and-trade dollars to address their economic disadvantages. That means those areas could get new affordable housing projects, transit upgrades and other improvements to help what the state defines… http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/11/03/sacramento-neighborhoods-could-benefit-from-cap.html Much of San Joaquin can apply for cap-and-trade funds. More than 287,000 residents of San Joaquin County face disproportionately high environmental health risks, the state has concluded. That finding will allow local communities to compete for hundreds of millions of dollars in proceeds from California’s new cap-and-trade climate change program — money that could then be reinvested in the most vulnerable neighborhoods. http://www.recordnet.com/article/20141103/NEWS/141109866/-1/A_NEWS06 Calif. designates regions to receive $83M in cap-and-trade cash. California has identified the residents who are eligible to receive proceeds intended for disadvantaged communities from its cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases. The California EPA on Friday released a map of the areas deemed most burdened by environmental or socioeconomic issues. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19447291851&p=19f&v=1&x=QeEx7JA-jPN3qeA3GHDezA AIR POLLUTION Smog-Heavy China Tops Clean-Tech Investment Rankings. ...China, according to a new analysis (PDF) by Climatescope, a collaborative research project whose partners include Bloomberg New Energy Finance and the U.K. Department for International Development. China is, paradoxically, both the world's top emitter of greenhouse gases and the largest investor in green energy. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-03/smog-heavy-china-tops-clean-tech-investment-rankings Enviros challenge Los Angeles smog plan. Environmental groups Friday launched a legal challenge against U.S. EPA's approval of a smog reduction plan for the Los Angeles region. The plan crafted by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and approved by EPA in September violates Clean Air Act requirements for National Ambient Air Quality Standards, according to the coalition of four environmental groups. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19451556710&p=19f&v=1&x=33qcl1DOMaSlXKNTYq8Ijg CLIMATE CHANGE Brisbane airport bans corruption ad ahead of G20. A day after saying a billboard advertisement highlighting climate change was too political for world leaders gathering in the Australian city of Brisbane for a major economic summit, local airport authorities said Tuesday that they had also rejected an ad highlighting corruption problems. Brisbane Airport... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Brisbane-airport-bans-corruption-ad-ahead-of-G20-5867727.php After 5 reports, future of UN climate body debated. Presenting a report on climate change, with from left, Minister of State for Envionment of Peru Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the IPCC Rajendra K. Pachauri and Secretary of the IPCC Renata Christ, present a comprehensive report by... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/03/4213930/after-5-reports-future-of-un-climate.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f557%2f DOJ asks court to dismiss lawsuit against EPA climate rule. Obama administration attorneys are calling a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency’s landmark climate rule “premature” and says it should be dismissed. The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has no jurisdiction over regulations that have not been finalized, so it cannot take the case, lawyers told the court in a brief filed late Monday. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/222780-doj-asks-court-to-dismiss-epa-climate-rule-lawsuit Lowering expectations for near-term U.S. - China joint climate effort. Climate change will be high on the agenda when President Obama meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing next week for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting and bilateral talks. But the once-intense buzz of a major joint announcement... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19447291183&p=19f&v=1&x=pKb9rH_qcknve_gLt03MVA World's climate experts lay out 'severe,' 'irreversible' alternatives to a global treaty cutting CO2 emissions. Pressure for a new global treaty on climate change grew yesterday after the completion of a landmark U.N. science report that warned of "severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts" unless global warming is tackled immediately. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19447291162&p=19f&v=1&x=B86CEWP7auGKzQqkygstvQ Ozone hole remains steady over Antarctica. The hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica has remained steady for another year as it reached its maximum area of roughly the size of North America in mid-September, according to federal scientists. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19447291838&p=19f&v=1&x=J79WUkjUFafdJoEiEAwzNA DROUGHT State to release per-capita water use numbers. Data to be released Tuesday will show per-capita water use in communities across California that are facing pressure, including the threat of fines, to cut back during the third year of a drought. The state agency tasked with monitoring conservation efforts will release per-person, per-day water use. The figures come as government... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/04/3330469/state-to-release-per-capita-water.html?sp=%2f99%2f177%2f348%2f%2f Forecasters Say More Above Average Rainfall Needed To Help With Drought. Forecasters say chances of above-average rainfall in November in northern California are about 30 percent. But the odds for below average are the same. October was close to average for precipitation in Northern California - about three-inches - based on numbers from weather monitoring stations. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/11/03/forecasters-say-more-above-average-rainfall-needed-to-help-with-drought/ FUELS Bay Area gas prices drop, for now. The holiday season is more than a month away, but some Bay Area consumers are getting an early present at the pump, with gas prices dipping to less than $3 a gallon in some cities for the first time in four years. Slumping gasoline demand, the conversion to cheaper winter-blend gas and booming U.S. oil production have contributed to the price drop, gas experts say. http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_26861518/bay-area-gas-prices-drop-now Fossil Fuel Caps Urged as Scientists Warn of Climate Woes. The world can only consume a fraction of the known deposits of fossil fuels if it's to avoid the most dangerous effects of climate change, according to the biggest assessment of the issue. Burning reserves of oil, natural gas and coal already identified by national governments and commodity companies would cause widespread droughts, more-violent storms and melting... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-03/fossil-fuel-caps-urged-as-scientists-warn-of-climate-woes Lower gas prices boost US SUV sales in October. ... GM, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan, Volkswagen and Honda all reported sales gains last month. Of major automakers, only Ford and Hyundai saw declines. Industry sales rose 6 percent over last October, according to Autodata. The national average price of gasoline fell 33 cents to end October at $3 a gallon, according to AAA. http://www.insidebayarea.com/business-headlines/ci_26858299/lower-gas-prices-boost-us-suv-sales-october Mystery of Oil Field Fugitives Closer to Being Solved. ...are has long been murky. The oil field fugitives aren't people, of course, but gases — methane, benzene, toluene, xylene and other volatile organic compounds. Some of them cause cancer. Methane, like carbon dioxide, is a greenhouse gas that meddles with the climate, forcing a lot of warming in the atmosphere. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/mystery-of-oil-field-leaks-methane-18270 Finally, Germany Makes Progress on Coal ...5% in 2014, compared to 2013, to the lowest level since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Coal consumption for the year is expected to be down more than 9%. Those declines are due mostly to the mild winter in 2013-2014, but clean energy is expanding as well: Renewable energy use grew by 1.6% over the first 9 months of 2014, compared to the previous year. http://www.forbes.com/sites/pikeresearch/2014/11/03/finally-germany-makes-progress-on-coal/ VEHICLES Hyundai, Kia Pay Fine, Lose Credits Over Mileage Claims. ...$350 million to settle claims that it overstated fuel economy on the window stickers consumers see at dealer showrooms. The Seoul-based affiliates, which share engines, model platforms and a chairman, will pay a $100 million fine, forfeit $200 million in greenhouse-gas emission credits and will be required to spend $50 million to set up independent tests to certify future mileage claims…http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-03/hyundai-kia-pay-fine-lose-credits-over-mileage-claims GREEN ENERGY Plastic-bag makers want you to overturn California's bag ban ...largest plastic-bag makers and the main provider of funds for Daniels' American Progressive Bag Alliance. Indeed, when he isn't defending "progressive" bags, which are more friendly sounding than plastic bags, Daniels is Hilex Poly's vice president of sustainability and environmental policy. California's ban, Daniels told me, is not about the environment. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20141104-column.html Tuskegee to host transportation, energy forum. Tuskegee University is gearing up for an event showcasing electric vehicles, toys and renewable energy for local students and teachers. University officials say hundreds of children and educators are expected on campus Thursday for Tuskegee University Electric Vehicle Transportation Day. School officials say the event will also feature guest lectures from Alabama Power Co., the University of Central Florida and the Florida Solar Energy Center. http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article3536130.html Energy Compromises With A Republican Senate. ...drilling in the Atlantic is another relatively easy issue, since in some states there is local political support, and the activity will take years to gear up. Next, Republicans are likely to seek to reduce the spending on renewables and electric vehicles. Electric vehicle rebates are absorbing approximately $500 million a year at current sales rates, which is almost completely wasted. http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellynch/2014/11/03/energy-compromises-with-a-republican-senate/ OPINIONS There's no drought of rebukes, lectures and guilt. ...that needs replenishing, but that doesn't diminish the glee I felt when I woke up in the middle of the night last weekend to the sound of rain pounding my roof and soaking my parched yard. I know it's just a drop in the bucket — a near-empty bucket in our drought-stricken state. But I wanted to celebrate: to run outside as I had as a kid, when we'd greet the season's first snowfall with heads back and mouths open, catching snowflakes on our tongues. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-1104-banks-rain-garden-20141104-column.html Vote for Fossil Fuels ...replaced by promising green companies like Solyndra—a “true engine of economic growth” that was “leading the way toward a brighter and more prosperous future.” An imminent “Peak Oil” disaster was viewed as a certainty. Democrats ran successfully on a platform of cap and trade, bolstered by the apocalyptic and unchallenged predictions of movies and media like Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. Things have certainly changed. http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexepstein/2014/11/04/vote-for-fossil-fuels/ BLOGS Oil Industry DOUBLES Spending on Lobbyists in California. When California’s secretary of state released the third-quarter lobbying spending numbers late Friday, Big Oil yet again emerged as a real “leader.” The oil industry almost doubled its spending on lobbyists from the second to third quarters of 2014, paying the equivalent of more than $3,000 per hour to advance the oil industry’s agenda in Sacramento between July and the end of September. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mborgeson/oil_industry_doubles_spending.html The cost of traffic jams. FEW things unite cultures more than the frustration of sitting in a line of stationary traffic, with no discernible reason for the blockage and no end in sight. From London to Los Angeles, Berlin to Bangalore, seething anger at standstills is a common emotion felt by all drivers. The causes of traffic jams are well understood (accidents; poor infrastructure; peak hour traffic; and variable traffic speeds on congested roads). http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/11/economist-explains-1 Midterm Elections, the Senate, and Republican Science Denial. Today is the midterm election for the United States, where many seats in the House and Senate will be determined. It seems pretty obvious that the House will remain in control of the Republicans. It seems likely the GOP will get a slight majority in the Senate today as well. What does this mean? Well, in the short term and for many issues, not a lot. http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/11/04/republicans_and_the_midterms_global_warming_deniers_could_have_their_dreams.html Bill imposing a carbon pollution fee to be introduced in U.S. Senate. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat from Rhode Island, is planning to introduce legislation next month that would impose a fee on carbon pollution from industrial sources, according to an article from The Hill. A carbon pollution fee requires polluters to pay a fee for each ton of pollution they release. The fee captures what is known as the external costs of carbon emissions, or the social cost of carbon. http://www.dwej.org/2014/11/bill-imposing-carbon-pollution-fee-introduced-u-s-senate/ 'Remarkable Opportunity' for Global Economy in Upcoming Climate Change Talks. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres is the UN's top climate change official. In this editorial, written exclusively for Bloomberg BNA, Figueres describes some of the most pressing near- and long-term challenges the world faces as the UN process enters the home stretch for a universal 2015 global climate agreement. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19451875716&p=19f&v=1&x=gNxwF_KJ_ePdS01qxayzrQ Fracking And Toxic Air. A new study, published this week in the journal Environmental Health, identifies potentially hazardous concentrations of air pollutants near some oil and gas operations in five states. The research shines a light on what some communities face as US oil and gas development accelerates. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/molly-rauch/fracking-and-toxic-air_b_6083488.html Staring Down the California Drought: Looking at Solutions to Our Water Crisis. The punishing California drought has become part of our national consciousness, with the bad news seeming to grow worse each week. Last year was the driest on record for much of the state, and in January of this year, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/forest-trends/staring-down-the-californ_b_6079464.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Mercedes Vision G-Code concept is one big solar panel. Mercedes-Benz is in the midst of overhauling its SUV and crossover lineup in both makeup and name, with a new GLC model slated to replace the GLK, a GLE to replace the GL and even a new G-Class to cap it all off. But it's not just the production utilities which Benz has been working on. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/03/mercedes-vision-g-code-concept-beijing/?icid=autoblog%7ccheck-these-out Toyota FCV rallies to the hydrogen cause as zero car. It's been two decades since Toyota dominated the World Rally Championship with its Celica Turbo 4WD. But this past weekend, Toyota hit the rally stage in a very different vehicle. That, as you can see, is the Japanese automaker's Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV), which is still in its prototype phase. We're still at least half a year away from seeing the FCV in production trim, but the model has... http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/03/toyota-fcv-rally-car-zero-official/?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000618 Fuels Emissions, combustion and performance with biodiesel as pilot fuel in dual-fuel engine. A team at Xi'an Jiaotong University reports on the combustion and the emissions (especially the ultrafine particle emissions) effects of using biodiesel as the pilot fuel in a natural-gas dual-fuel engine, as well as the effect of the pilot quantity on the performance, a paper in the Journal of Automobile Engineering. One means of using natural gas in transportation is for it to serve... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141103-xian.html A Third Of This Dealer's Sales Are Chevy Volt Electric Cars: How'd They Do It? ... plug-in electric car? Bourgeois Chevrolet of Rawdon, Quebec, achieved that remarkable level in its sales this year of the Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric car. Now the dealership has been honored for its accomplishment. At Canada's recent 2014 Electric Vehicle Conference, advocacy group Plug'n Drive… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095208_a-third-of-this-dealers-sales-are-chevy-volt-electric-cars-howd-they-do-it First 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf Delivery On Friday; Auction Proceeds To Charity. ...Auctioned For Charity. Not only is it the first e-Golf to be sold in the U.S., but it was auctioned off by VW to the highest bidder. And all sales proceeds went to benefit the environmental advocacy group Global Green USA, which advocates for solutions to climate change. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095267_first-2015-volkswagen-e-golf-delivery-on-friday-auction-proceeds-to-charity Why Fossil Fuels Are Dirty Politics as Well as Dirty Energy ...just aggravating him to death about it, he just wouldn't drop it. And then I knew they weren't friends anymore." What did Kelly agree to cover up for Hall: unresolved citations for dropping rocks on nearby homes; mining outside of permitted areas; water pollution; failing to obey regulations on blasting, reclamation and maintaining slurry ponds…http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-pope/why-fossil-fuels-are-dirt_b_6096224.html?utm_hp_ref=green Living With A Smoker Can Be Like Breathing In Air In A Polluted City. Living with a smoker can be like breathing the air in the world's most polluted cities, according to a new study from Scotland. "The message is pretty simple really - smoking in your home leads to really poor air quality and results in concentrations of fine particles, that you can't... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/03/smokers-homes-air-polluted-cities_n_6095360.html?ir=Health+News&utm_hp_ref=health-news Climate change poses 'immediate risks' to national security, US military says. Scientists warned climate change could lead to "irreversible impacts" unless drastic action is taken on a global scale. Changes could include rising oceans and more extreme weather. And it's not just scientists or environmentalists sounding the alarm these days.... http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2014/11/03/40141/climate-change-poses-immediate-risks-to-national-s/ IPCC Scientists Emphasize Immorality Of Inaction By Focusing On ‘Irreversible Impacts’. What is the biggest change in the new climate report by the world’s top scientists and governments compared to the one they released back in 2007? It can be summed up in one word: “Irreversible.” In the 2007 assessment of climate science by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)…http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/11/04/3587527/ipcc-irreversible-impacts/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2014 13:12:25 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 5, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for November 5, 2014. 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 AIR POLLUTION: Auto experts question ethanol emissions modeling.Auto experts question ethanol emissions modeling. Technical experts from the auto and engine industries are calling into question part of a new model developed by U.S. EPA to measure the transportation sector's air emissions. In a new study, experts from Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and AVL Powertrain Engineering Inc. take issue with the agency's method for determining the air pollution impact of adding ethanol to gasoline. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060008350/feed Smog-Heavy China Tops Clean-Tech Investment Rankings. The best developing country in which to invest in clean-tech? It's China, according to a new analysis by Climatescope, a collaborative research project whose partners include Bloomberg New Energy Finance and the U.K. Department for International Development. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/smog-heavy-china-tops-clean-tech-investment-rankings China's APEC summit measures leave Beijing with cleaner air. ...dust, have been shut down. Municipal officials have instituted traffic restrictions lasting 10 days, allowing personal cars on the road only every other day, based on whether the license plate ends in an odd or even number. To further reduce traffic and pollution, authorities have given six-day vacations to tens of thousands of civil servants and employees at state-owned enterprises as well as to teachers. Government workers as far away as Langfang (31 miles southeast) and Baoding (87 miles southwest)... http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-china-pollution-apec-20141104-story.html Air pollution levels dip at Los Angeles port. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Harbor officials say efforts to reduce air pollution at the Port of Los Angeles are working. Authorities on Monday say diesel particulate levels dropped 7 percent last year compared to 2012 — an 80 percent reduction since 2005. Nitrogen oxide levels also dipped 7 percent — a 57-percent... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Air-pollution-levels-dip-at-Los-Angeles-port-5868177.php Hyundai and Kia Could Pay Record $350 Million Climate-Related Penalty. ... Hyundai and Kia motor companies will pay as much as $350 million for overstating the fuel efficiency of their cars, as the Obama administration struck the biggest blow yet in its effort to enforce the regulations central to its strategy for combatting climate change. The Justice Department and the EPA on Monday announced that the two Korean automakers—both part of the Hyundai Motor Group—had agreed to pay a $100 million fine and forfeit another $200 million in emissions credits in the largest... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141104/hyundai-and-kia-could-pay-record-350-million-climate-related-penalty HIGH SPEED RAIL High Speed Rail Thinking About Bikes. Wednesday, November 05, 2014 | Sacramento, CA | Permalink Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. A rendering of California's high speed train. California High-Speed Rail High Speed Rail is slowly moving forward in California and the state is now studying how bicycles can be incorporated into the mix. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/11/05/high-speed-rail-thinking-about-bikes/ CLIMATE CHANGE CLIMATE: Coal company's suit 'one volley in a barrage of premature litigation.' -- EPA U.S. EPA urged a federal appeals court yesterday to reject a coal company's bid to prevent the agency from finalizing its high-profile greenhouse gas standards for power plants. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060008355/feed Can you be an environmentalist and a dog owner? Who are you people? I never see you, though you must exist, because I witness daily what you leave behind: fetid brown piles of feces, which I hope issued from your dog and not from you (I live in Venice Beach; you never know). What, were you staring at your iPhone, dragging the dog behind? Daydreaming? Or are you with Sydney, Jason Segel's character in "I Love You, Man," thinking that dog doo actually benefits the environment. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article3577831.html Kerry urges US-China cooperation on climate change. Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States and China must work together to stave off a global catastrophe from climate change. He appealed for greater cooperation between the… Click to Continue » http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/04/3331079_kerry-urges-us-china-cooperation.html?rh=1 Severe Drought Hastens Hydropower's Slow Decline. ...curtailments, the rising adoption of distributed generation, and emerging price parity for solar PV and wind – the dynamic changes impacting electricity grids worldwide are many. Now, with prolonged droughts affecting leading global economies, like Brazil and California (the world's seventh and eighth largest economies by gross domestic product [GDP], respectively), a slow decline in the prominence of hydropower is in the mix. Historically, hydropower has been the primary source of clean and... http://www.forbes.com/sites/pikeresearch/2014/11/04/severe-drought-hastens-hydropowers-slow-decline/ DROUGHT DECISION 2014: Prop. 1, $7.5 million water bond, approved. LOS ANGELES (AP) — California voters on Tuesday approved spending $7.5 billion to improve the state's outdated and undersized water storage and delivery system amid a historic drought. Proposition 1 calls for building two new reservoirs, investing in conservation... http://www.pe.com/articles/bond-753488-decision-million.html Voters Approve $7.5 Billion Water Bond Wednesday, November 05, 2014. | Sacramento, CA | Permalink Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. Photo / California Department of Water Resources The biggest cheerleader for Proposition One was California Governor Jerry Brown. Rather than campaigning for re-election, he spent his time and money advocating for the bond's passage. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/11/05/voters-approve-$75-billion-water-bond/ California exports grow despite sluggish global economies. • Up 4.6 percent in September, year over year • ?September was a very mixed bag for California exporters? One of the big engines of the California economy ? exports of goods ranging from computers to almonds ? is purring right along, despite increasingly adverse economic circumstances and geopolitical turmoil, according to a... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27075 Coastal California residents using far less water than their inland counterparts. Fenit Nirappil, Associated Press 8:45 p.m. PST November 4, 2014 TThe State Water Resources Control Board is collecting per-capita data to better target conservation efforts as farms go fallow and reservoirs dry up. Gov. Jerry Brown called on Californians to reduce water use by 20 percent when he declared a drought emergency in January. Californians are being asked to let their lawns go brown and take shorter showers as the likelihood of drought conditions worsening rises. The data released Tuesday shows big disparities in water habits. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/11/04/california-drought-water-use/18512243/ Rapid warming, blustery winds to create fire danger across Southland. A combination of heat, strong Santa Ana winds and extremely dry air will create “critical” fire danger Wednesday across Southern California, forecasters warned. A red-flag warning is in effect through 9 p.m. Wednesday from Ventura County's valleys to the Santa Monica Mountains, where winds could gust up to 50 mph as temperatures climb into the upper 80s or low 90s, according... http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-red-flag-drought-heat-winds-20141105-story.html S.F. residents praised for using least water in state. San Francisco consumes less water per person than any community in California, a new state survey shows — a behavior that stands up as exemplary during the prolonged and damaging drought, water experts say. The city, where residential customers used an average of 45.7 gallons of water per day in September, when... http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-residents-praised-for-using-least-water-in-5870159.php California to release per-capita water use numbers. By FENIT NIRAPPIL, Associated Press SACRAMENTO -- Data to be released Tuesday will show per-capita water use in communities across California that are facing pressure, including the threat of fines, to cut back during the third year of a drought. The state agency tasked with monitoring conservation efforts will release per-person, per-day water use. http://www.insidebayarea.com/drought/ci_26862781/california-release-per-capita-water-use-numbers FUELS BIOFUELS: Scientists find new way to break down woody wastes. Scientists have announced the discovery of new way to break down the woody waste left after the manufacture of plant-based fuels, opening the door for potential new products that could make biorefineries more profitable. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060008352/feed CARBON CAPTURE: Startup trumpets technology that turns CO2 into fish oil. An advanced biofuels startup announced yesterday that it's learned to produce omega-3 oils from recycled carbon dioxide, a breakthrough it claims might capture and recycle waste gases from industrial facilities. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060008349/feed Natural Gas' Early Adopters See Few Hiccups During Startup. ...to differentiate yourself from the competition," he noted. "We saw an opportunity to save money, but the distinction was the most important factor." When asked what would spur any of the panelists' fleets into 100% adoption of CNG, the answer was $4.50 diesel fuel. "When we began, diesel prices were higher than today and very unstable," said Fasnacht. "That's changed slightly today, with diesel trending downward and stabilizing. Natural gas has increased, but remained fairly stable relative... http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/natural-gas/news/story/2014/10/natural-gas-early-adopters-see-few-hiccups-during-start-up.aspx VEHICLES How Many Electric Cars Can We Expect to Be Built in 2020? Nov. 4 (Bloomberg) -- On “BWest Byte,” Bloomberg's Matt Miller examines the number of electric vehicles to be produced globally by 2020. He speaks on “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg) http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-11-04/how-many-electric-cars-can-we-expect-to-be-built-in-2020 GREEN ENERGY How the Governor's Race Could Unleash Solar Power in Florida. (Think Progress) How the Governor's Race Could Unleash Solar Power in Florida Florida, a state whose miles of low-lying coastline make it acutely vulnerable to rising seas, has been called "ground zero" for climate change in the U.S. It's a term that's stuck, becoming ingrained... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/how-governors-race-could-unleash-solar-power-florida Abegnoa Solar to pursue Palen solar project solo. Sammy Roth, The Desert Sun 12:18 p.m. PST November 4, 2014 This photo illustration depicts what BrightSource Energy's Palen solar project would look like from Interstate 10.(Photo: Submitted photo) Abengoa Solar says it will pursue the controversial Palen solar project, the latest twist in a saga that has seen the project rejected, approved and dropped by its developers in the last year. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2014/11/04/palen-solar-project-abegnoa/18473949/ Compromise reached on San Francisco's chain store limits. ...represents commercial property owners, told a supervisors committee last week that changes were unnecessary. “The current restrictions are working,” Cleaveland said. “Why do we need to make them even more restrictive?” Supporters of the changes, such as affordable-housing advocates, agree that the current law is working — and say the changes will further strengthen protections for small businesses. Peter Cohen, co-director of the Council of Community Housing Organizations, called the city's... http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Compromise-reached-on-San-Francisco-s-chain-5870444.php SMUD looking for biomass gasification developer. SACRAMENTO November 4, 2014 12:10pm • Project would generate both heat and power • Could generate 3 megawatts, perhaps more The Sacramento Municipal Utility District is looking for a developer for its proposed biomass gasification project for combined heat and power in Sacramento. The experienced project developer would have commercial technology that has a track record of successful implementation and operation, SMUD says. SMUD is targeting at least a 3-megawatt (MW) project size, using roughly 70 tons per day (about 24,000 tons per year) of clean wood waste. Larger projects may be possible, it says. Project size is contingent on site size constraints, feedstock availability and long-term supply, truck traffic impact, agreement with site host, and other limitations. SMUD says it has identified a potential host willing to provide the site for the project and potentially use the waste heat, dairy products maker HP Hood LLC, located in the city of Sacramento. Also, SMUD's feedstock availability assessment shows there's plenty of wood waste to sustain at least a 3-MW project. The site is strategically located in an area where the feedstock is abundant and accessible. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27071 The Hidden Cost Of Hydroelectric Power. ...to another country's fossil fuel supplies. Over six hundred hydroelectric dams are presently under construction and over 3,000 are planned for the near-future. Most of these sites are in Asia and Latin America (Vox.com). This would double the amount of hydropower in the world (see figure below). This amount of hydro will require about $3 trillion in investment and produce about 60 trillion kWhs of electricity by mid-century. It would provide irrigation water and sufficient power to raise almost a... http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/11/04/the-hidden-cost-of-hydroelectric-power/?ss=business Fremont seeking applicants for Citizens Advisory Committee. FREMONT -- The city committee that manages funds for affordable housing and other low-income programs is seeking applicants to fill an open seat. The Fremont Citizens Advisory Committee advises city staffers on the use of about $900,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds, which provide...http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_26864394/fremont-seeking-applicants-citizens-advisory-committee OPINION Heed the UN's climate alarm. The following editorial appeared in the Raleigh News & Observer on Tuesday, Nov. 4: On the eve of a midterm election that has focused on little of substance, a United Nations panel issued another grim warning about what matters most of all: climate change. The report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released Sunday said the burning of fossil fuels is causing atmospheric changes that will bring droughts, floods, rising seas and intense heat. That in turn will lead to the extinction of wildlife, loss of crops and social upheavals caused by shortages of food and rising numbers of refugees. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article3577790.html Environmental Issues Are Businesses Responsibility. Nov. 5 (Bloomberg) – Kering's Chief Sustainability Officer Marie-Claire Davue, talks about the importance of putting sustainability at the core of luxury brands. She speaks with Guy Johnson on Bloomberg Television's "The Pulse" stating that Kering's clients are conscious citizens.... http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-11-05/environmental-issues-are-businesses-responsibility BLOG The Number One Reason for Latinos to Vote. ...strictly to protect recreational space. The mountains provide one-third of Los Angeles County's clean drinking water, a county where 48.3 percent of residents are Latino, and are still having to cut down on water use due to drought conditions resulting from climate change. Latinos are standing up and speaking out, and it's happening here in Colorado too. I currently work with Conservation Colorado directing an effort called Protégete: Nuestro Aire, Nuestra Salud. I work with organizers and community... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dulce-saenz/making-our-voices-heard-n_b_6094384.html Fracking And Toxic Air. A new study, published this week in the journal Environmental Health, identifies potentially hazardous concentrations of air pollutants near some oil and gas operations in five states. The research shines a light on what some communities face as US oil and gas development accelerates. The United States is now the leading natural gas producer in the world. The number... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/molly-rauch/fracking-and-toxic-air_b_6083488.html?utm_hp_ref=green CA Smog Plan Approved By State & EPA Isn't Tough Enough: Lawsuit. Despite undeniable progress after decades of smog-abatement measures, the air quality in the Los Angeles Basin continues to be among the worst in the U.S. A new plan to clean the region's air still further was adopted by the local South Coast Air Quality Management District... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095287_ca-smog-plan-approved-by-state-epa-isnt-tough-enough-lawsuit Navigant forecasts modest global annual sales growth of e-bicycles, reaching 40.3M units in 2023. ...considered them in the past; Increasing quality and affordability of lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries; Continuing government support for sustainable transportation in key markets; Overall long-term increase of liquid fuel prices and air pollution concerns; and Rebounding economy in North America and, to a lesser degree, Europe. Demographically, e-bicycle riders have been shifting toward younger populations, the report says. While the e-bicycle was previously... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141105-navigant.html Which plants will survive climate change? This greenhouse could have the answers. In Durham, N.C., there's a biotechnology lab where scientists are figuring out who will win, and who will lose, in this climate change game — in the plant kingdom, that is. They do it by tightly controlling the climate inside each room of a high-tech greenhouse — we imagine this involves giant red buttons, levers shaped like lightning bolts, and maniacal laughter — and observing how different strains of various crops fare. http://grist.org/business-technology/which-plants-will-survive-climate-change-this-greenhouse-could-have-the-answers/ Muradel testing green crude production in South Australia. ...green environmentally, but black in color like its fossil crude equivalent.) Green2Black is an efficient closed-loop process that recycles its waste products. Muradel algae pond. Click to enlarge. Using microalgae produced on site, plant biomass and organic waste, Muradel's energy-efficient subcritical water reactor converts them in minutes to a crude oil that is functionally equivalent to fossil crude. The green crude is then refined in the same way as crude oil into gasoline,... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141105-muradel.html Ford F-150 Vs Chevy Volt Vs Tesla Model S: Which Is Most Important Vehicle Of The Decade? 2011 Chevrolet Volt and 2013 Tesla Model S [photo: David Noland] Enlarge Photo Now that the 2015 model year is fully upon us, the decade is half-over. And those kinds of milestones always lead writers to look back and assess how far we've come. In the case of automobiles, we see three different vehicles launched over the last five model years that have radically changed the landscape. Two are new models, one is a radically re-engineered continuation of tradition. Each has its own pros and cons, so we're going to list them alphabetically. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095266_ford-f-150-vs-chevy-volt-vs-tesla-model-s-which-is-most-important-vehicle-of-the-decade Hybrid Ownership Costs, CCS Fast Charging, 2015 VW Golf: you head off to the polls today, we've got a wide variety of stories on hybrids that cost less to own than gasoline cars, CCS fast-charging implementation, and the fifth and final nominee for our 2015 Best Car To Buy award, the 2015 Volkswagen Golf range. All this and more on Green Car Reports. We've got the latest sales numbers in our regularly-updated October plug-in electric car sales report. The first 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf electric car in the U.S. will be delivered this Friday. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095279_hybrid-ownership-costs-ccs-fast-charging-2015-vw-golf-todays-car-news Toyota Fuel Cell Sedan 'Featured' At Rally Course. In Japan The Toyota Fuel Cell Sedan doesn't go on sale until next year, but it's already made its motorsport debut. Sort of. DON'T MISS: Will The Toyota Fuel Cell Sedan Target The Tesla Model S? The hydrogen fuel-cell car was "featured" in the... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095253_toyota-fuel-cell-sedan-featured-at-rally-course-in-japan Why Green Teams Matter. As a sustainability coordinator, it's my job to inspire, engage and support salesforce.com employees who are passionate about environmental issues. I manage a program called earthforce, a group of volunteer employee champions dedicated to promoting and celebrating... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sunya-ojure/why-green-teams-matter_b_6096922.html?ir=Business&utm_hp_ref=business Researchers develop JP-8 enzymatic biofuel cell; electricity from alkanes under mild conditions. ...describe the use of a two-enzyme cascade in an enzymatic biofuel cell to oxidize hexane, octane and then JP-8, a jet fuel (C6-C16) comprising a mixture of alkanes. An enzymatic biofuel cell contains many of the same components as a hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell—i.e., anode, cathode, and separator. However, instead of metallic electrocatalysts at the anode and the cathode, the enzymatic biofuel cell uses enzymes as the catalysts. The enzyme cascade reported in this new work is efficient, sulfur-tolerant,... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141105-jp8.html Andromeda Interfaces introduces Electric Vehicle Interface Controller. Andromeda Interfaces has introduced its Electric Vehicle Interface Controller (EVIC), a fully integrated display device to monitor the operation and safety of electric vehicle major sub-systems. The display device connects to the CAN network and retrieves the following... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141105-ai.html Mercedes CEO: No One Will Make Money On Electric Cars In 'Reasonable Time.' With the first Mercedes-Benz electric car now on sale, its parent company Daimler joins the expanding ranks of global automakers offering plug-in electric vehicles in the U.S. But CEO Dieter Zetsche doesn't seem any too happy about it. DON'T MISS: 2014 Mercedes-Benz... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095285_mercedes-ceo-no-one-will-make-money-on-electric-cars-in-reasonable-time California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2014 13:11:46 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for November 6, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 California Greenhouse Gases Reduced Well Below Stringent "Cap” Individual facilities that emit greenhouse gases are required to report to the California Air Resources Board exactly how much they pollute. Those regulated under the state’s cap and trade program reduced their emissions by four percent in 2013. That reduction puts them 11-percent below the state’s cap on emissions, which is the maximum allowed. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/11/05/california-greenhouse-gases-reduced-well-below-stringent-cap/ Calif. regulators, N.Y. back greens in hazardous-emissions lawsuit California air quality regulators and the state of New York are seeking permission to argue in support of environmentalists in a lawsuit that calls into question how stringent U.S. EPA emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants must be. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060008423/feed AIR POLLUTION 670,000 smog-related deaths a year: the cost of China's reliance on coal Smog caused by coal consumption killed an estimated 670,000 people in China in 2012, according to a study by researchers that tries to put a price tag on the environmental and social costs of the heavy reliance on the fuel. http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1632163/670000-deaths-year-cost-chinas-reliance-coal China Will Limit Pollution from Steel and Cement The Chinese government for the first time has said publicly that it will cap carbon dioxide emissions from two major polluting industries, but its impact on the nation's overall climate change mitigation remains unclear. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/china-will-limit-pollution-from-steel-and-cement/ A town — in Texas, of all places — bans fracking Across the country, hydraulic fracturing — pumping water, sand and chemicals into shale to release oil and gas, also known as “fracking” — has been both highly lucrative and highly criticized. Opponents claim it is an environmental disaster that pollutes the air, contaminates the groundwater and can trigger earthquakes. Its boosters argue it’s the key to energy independence for America and creates jobs, millions of them. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/06/a-town-in-texas-of-all-places-bans-fracking/ Stockton pollution levels monitored as air quality goes online Stockton residents can now access live air pollution data from the suburb’s air quality monitor. The Stockton monitor is the last monitor in the Lower Hunter air quality monitoring network to go online. The network’s other monitors are located at Newcastle, Beresfield, Wallsend, Mayfield and Carrington. http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2680355/stockton-air-quality-goes-online/?cs=316 CA Smog Plan Approved By State & EPA Isn't Tough Enough: Lawsuit Despite undeniable progress after decades of smog-abatement measures, the air quality in the Los Angeles Basin continues to be among the worst in the U.S. A new plan to clean the region's air still further was adopted by the local South Coast Air Quality Management District... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095287_ca-smog-plan-approved-by-state-epa-isnt-tough-enough-lawsuit Spare the Air alerts begin for San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties The Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District will begin announcing wintertime Spare the Air alerts for Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. The air district will send out notifications by 3 p.m. each day when conditions warrant a "spare the air" alert. Most of these will specifically apply to the San Lorenzo Valley area. http://www.kionrightnow.com/news/local-news/spare-the-air-alerts-begin-for-san-benito-monterey-and-santa-cruz-counties/29566430 San Joaquin Valley air turns unhealthy San Joaquin Valley air turns unhealthyFresno BeeThey warned area school officials to keep an eye on the hourly pollution updates posted on the web page of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. If monitors show pollution is at Level 5 — the highest level — district officials urge ...and more http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/05/4219676/san-joaquin-valley-air-turns-unhealthy.html CLIMATE CHANGE Republican Sweep Highlights Climate Change Politics In Alaska On election night in a hotel ballroom in Anchorage, Alaska, Sen. Lisa Murkowski picked up a chair and waved it over her head. "I am the chairmaaaaaaaaaaan!" she shouted. The Republican takeover Tuesday night puts Murkowski in charge of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. http://www.npr.org/2014/11/06/361896179/republican-sweep-highlights-climate-change-politics-in-alaska Inslee Says He’s Undaunted And Optimistic About Climate Programs, Even After Election Undaunted and optimistic – that’s the attitude Gov. Jay Inslee says he has about working with the legislature after Tuesday’s elections. The governor says the state Supreme Court mandate to fund K-12 education under the McCleary decision should prod lawmakers to work together, even with the status quo of a Republican-controlled Senate. http://www.kplu.org/post/inslee-says-he-s-undaunted-and-optimistic-about-climate-programs-even-after-election DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB offers multiple free classes on California emissions compliance With a new year of emissions enforcement approaching, the California Air Resources Board is offering several free courses for anyone in the trucking industry who wants to learn more about complying with its regulations. At least three of CARB’s classes will be available online by webinar. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27926#.VFulbxamOa8 FUELS Coal’s Defender-in-Chief Tries to Shift Debate About Fuel Greg Boyce, who leads the world’s biggest publicly traded coal company, wants people to focus on the fuel’s virtues, not its warts. His pitch: cheap and abundant coal should be used to drive economic growth and help the world’s impoverished improve their lives. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-06/coal-s-defender-in-chief-tries-to-shift-debate-about-fuel.html The LCFS is Under Siege in California A pending overhaul of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard could mean lower ratings for natural gas vehicles as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – and hence less support for NGVs when it comes to grants and incentives and the emerging cap-and-trade market for GHGs. http://www.fleetsandfuels.com/fuels/cng/2014/11/lcfs-under-siege-in-california/ VEHICLES With 2015 e-Golf, VW hits the green When the 2015 Volkswagen Golf was nominated for 2015’s Green Car of the Year, the entity that offers the prestigious eco award didn’t specify which version, most likely because there are so many. There’s the lickety-split Golf turbo diesel that yields an impressive 45 mpg highway; the turbo gas model that gets a slightly less impressive 37 mpg; and, available at dealers now, VW’s first all-electric e-Golf, offering an eyeball-popping 126 mpg equivalent that should come stamped with an Al Gore approval on its front bumper. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/golf-641099-car-miles.html GREEN ENERGY Inslee lays out first clean-energy ideas Gov. Jay Inslee unveiled some alternative-energy boosting proposals Wednesday but left big potential pieces of environmental policy in the background. Wednesday's proposals addressed electric vehicles and solar power while Inslee's big ticket items — tackling carbon emissions and low-carbon fuels — are still in the brainstorming stages. http://crosscut.com/2014/11/05/under-the-dome/122695/inslee-lays-out-few-clean-energy-ideas/ MISCELLANEOUS Professor fuels trip on chicken fat, vegetable oil A Middle Tennessee State University professor is driving from Key West, Florida, to Seattle in a vehicle fueled by waste chicken fat and waste vegetable oil from school dining facilities. Alternatives fuels researcher Cliff Ricketts will begin his journey on Thursday, stopping at MTSU along the way and arriving in Seattle next week. The School of Agribusiness and Agriscience faculty member will be driving a 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit pickup truck on the 3,550-mile trek. Ricketts said in a news release from the school that his goal and passion is to keep the U.S. from using foreign oil. http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article3595348.html Household cleansers can foul up indoor air quality Love of My Life and I remembered quickly on our trip to the East Coast last month, how unused to forced air heating we are. As crisp, fall weather rushed in, rumbling came from the vents to make us comfortable (which it did). We slept with the windows open that we might not dry up like beef jerky. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/05/3334512_household-cleansers-indoor-air.html?rh=1 5 Greener Alternatives to Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Gas-powered leaf blowers are the scourge of neighborhoods, and with good reason. They’re so noisy, they can impair gardeners’ hearing and make people cranky from listening to all that racket. Most leaf blowers are powered by polluting 2-stroke engines. According to California’s Air Resources Board, 2-stroke engines emit several pounds of particulate matter into the air every hour they are used. http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-greener-alternatives-to-gas-powered-leaf-blowers.html BLOGS How to manage carbon prices — Lessons from the Northeast Recently, the U.S. Energy Information Administration posted a revealing graph that could be interpreted as suggesting that efforts to prevent high carbon prices in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) emissions trading market have failed. RGGI is a consortium of northeastern U.S. states that have agreed to limit the greenhouse gas emissions of carbon dioxide from electric power generation through a regional emissions trading (i.e., cap-and-trade) program. http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/energy-environment/223130-how-to-manage-carbon-prices-lessons-from-the-northeast Environmentalists Mostly Counting Election Losses Despite $85 Million Outlay Environmental groups watched in shock last night as many of the seats they considered shoo-ins fell to GOP control—leaving the movement examining its big-money midterm strategy and how to push climate action forward with a Republican Congress. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141105/environmentalists-mostly-counting-election-losses-despite-85-million-outlay Athens Passes Fracking Ban, Three Other Ohio Cities Don't The college town of Athens, Ohio voted by 78 percent to outlaw fracking and related activities on Tuesday, standing in stark contrast to three other towns in the state that failed to pass similar measures. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141106/athens-passes-fracking-ban-three-other-ohio-cities-dont California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2014 14:51:29 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 7, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for November 7, 2014. 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 Air Pollution Exide ordered to clean up homes tainted by battery plant. ...numerous residential yards in nearby Boyle Heights and Maywood. Under the directive, Exide must set up a $9-million trust fund to remove the contaminated soil and rid home interiors of lead-tainted dust. Incomplete test results from 104 homes sampled for lead pollution have determined that 62 require some level of cleanup. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-exide-20141107-story.html State regulators make tough demands of Vernon battery recycler Vernon-based battery manufacturer Exide Technologies is facing tough new orders from environmental regulators. It must immediately clean up soil and air pollution, pay penalties and costs and triple the amount of money it set aside to pay for cleanup in the event of its closure. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/11/06/47912/state-regulators-make-tough-demands-of-vernon-batt/ Air district: Don't burn, please limit driving. The valley air district urged people not to burn and to curtail their driving because of "abnormally high" levels of air pollution here. The high pollution levels are "dangerous to public health," Seyed Sadredin, executive director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, said in a news release. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1143262460/Air-district-Dont-burn-please-limit-driving Health groups use White House meeting to promote tighter ozone standard. Four public health groups met today with the White House to argue for a tighter ozone standard. Led by the American Lung Association, the advocates cited recent research showing high levels of ground-level ozone, a component of smog, harm respiratory systems and lead to increased mortality. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19483991403&p=19f&v=1&x=v9NnjhIfVKcTZ6OwTp8FnA Govt. reaches settlement with operator of fertilizer plants over emissions. Three subsidiaries of the world's largest fertilizer plant have agreed to take steps to reduce harmful emissions of air pollutants, U.S. EPA and the Department of Justice said today. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19483991372&p=19f&v=1&x=ojSJU3CuIBgyTWNs9U6C2A CLIMATE CHANGE Election Puts Obama Climate Pledge at Risk. President Barack Obama’s pledge to lead a global effort raising $100 billion a year to help poor nations combat climate change may be an early casualty of the Republican takeover of Congress. Lawmakers set to gain roles in setting policy, such as Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, have questioned spending U.S. dollars on the effort, a linchpin of efforts to win a global pact fight global warming. http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2014-11-07/election-puts-obama-climate-pledge-at-risk-on-summit-eve Why climate advocates fail to attract conservative support � and what they can do about it. Reading the political tealeaves, environmental groups ramped up multimillion dollar campaigns before the midterm elections to support environmentally friendly Republicans, yet, as the election results show, the effort was met with questionable success. Green groups' GOP outreach often focuses on a Teddy Roosevelt-esque conservation ethic, or an appeal to support candidates for growing green jobs in solar and wind. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article3616602.html#storylink=cpy Younger voters may make climate an issue in 2016. The millions of dollars spent in Iowa and other states for candidates who support action on climate change had little effect on voters' decisions Tuesday, experts say. "It's not a huge priority for a lot of voters," said Tim Hagle, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. The question is whether environmental activists can make it a pivotal issue in Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses in 2016. http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/politics/elections/2014/11/07/younger-voters-may-make-climate-an-issue/18633173/ Paris climate deal needs key pact: UNFCCC. A coalition of major emitters needs to establish a global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accounting system, an official with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said. "I don't think a consensus decision-making process will deliver that. So that has to be done initially... http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=943993&menu=yes China's planners aim to cap carbon emissions from steel, cement producers by 2020. The Chinese government for the first time has said publicly that it will cap carbon dioxide emissions from two major polluting industries, but its impact on the nation's overall climate change mitigation remains unclear. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19479516565&p=19f&v=1&x=8JCgyAo8JZNZnEMkZ6BvPw Norway leads global climate change adaptation; U.S. falls back in readiness. Norway is the country most equipped to adapt to climate change for the 18th year in a row, according to the 2013 Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19479516114&p=19f&v=1&x=O-z5bPNknlExa7EysHoWzg Conservatives tie PTC to Obama agenda in bid to sink lame-duck deals. Fearing a potential lame-duck compromise that would extend a key renewable energy tax credit, dozens of conservative groups are warning newly empowered Republicans that extending the credit would amount to an endorsement of President Obama's broader climate change agenda. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19482613174&p=19f&v=1&x=x8lhr5ELYx1F4aPK0YI33g DOE bid to overhaul Reagan-era furnace standards sparks industry protest. The Department of Energy's rewrite of a 1987 energy efficiency standard for residential furnaces has drawn opposition from the gas industry, which says the effort would spur a shift to electric heaters and drive up U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19482613211&p=19f&v=1&x=Ngf0yQd4i_ST8ktYsjLqbA DROUGHT Rain only slightly improves drought conditions. Recent rain throughout California made only a slight dent on a drought that has chugged along relentlessly for more than three years, according to federal scientists. And dry conditions are expected to return for the next two weeks. Rainfall drenched large portions... http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drought-monitor-report-20141106-story.html $14 million to fund 19 drought relief projects for Sacramento area water agencies. The California Department of Water Resources on Thursday announced it will fund $14million worth of water infrastructure projects throughout the Sacramento region. The department announced the awards to pay for construction of 19 projects during a news conference at the Sacramento River intake facility near Discovery Park. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article3607806.html#storylink=cpy California drought: Northern counties get soaked. It's amazing what a lot of rain can do. The low pressure system that swept through California last weekend brought much needed moisture to the state. It's amazing what a lot of rain can do. The low pressure system that swept through California last weekend brought much needed moisture to the state. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/11/06/california-drought-monitor-northern/15998620/ Drought Forces Dredging In Lake Tahoe. ... numerous problems for water managers. One of the biggest challenges is assuring boats can get into marinas. Because of low Tahoe water levels, the Lahontan Water Board has issued permits for moving buoys, extending piers and dredging at every marina on the California side of the lake. The work can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars at each of the four marinas. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/11/06/drought-forces-dredging-in-lake-tahoe/ Drought: Sacramento Region Receives Millions In Grants. The California Department of Water Resources has awarded more than 14-million dollars in grants for drought-related and water-related projects in the Sacramento region. The announcement was made at the Sacramento River intake facility on Jibboom Street. Gary Bardini with the Department of Water Resources says the grants will help the state achieve goals set in the California Water action plan. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/11/06/drought-sacramento-region-receives-millions-in-grants/ No Recovery, But a Sliver of Drought Gain for Calif. The phrase “abnormally dry” might conjure up a skin condition or your preferred type of martini. But it might just be the most positive words uttered in months about California's relentless drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday, a tiny sliver of the Golden State is no longer in drought, the first time that's happened since late April. “Abnormally dry” is what the... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/drought-improvement-california-18288 FUELS Pump prices still falling? a penny or more a day. For the first time in four years, this week the average U.S. gasoline price for regular dipped below $3 per gallon. And by Friday, Nov. 7, it had dropped to $2.947 according to price surveys. And that can mean a few more discretionary bucks to spend during the holidays. Last year, with U.S. gasoline... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27096 Will Cheap Gas Undermine Climate Change Efforts? ...unexpectedly cut its export prices to the United States, and follows a global trend that has seen oil prices drop 25 percent since June, according to Reuters. The price drop comes just days after the UN declared that fossil fuel emissions must drop to zero by the end of the century in order to keep global temperatures in check. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/11/climate-change-oil-crude-United-Nations-panel-report-gas-prices-fossil-fuel/382425/ VEHICLES BMW develops street lights with electric car-charging sockets. BMW has developed street lights equipped with sockets to charge electric cars, it said on Friday, and will run a pilot project in Munich next year that uses existing local authority lighting networks. BMW said it has made two prototype "Light and Charge" street lights which combine efficient Light Emitting... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/07/us-bmw-lighting-sockets-idUSKBN0IR14Q20141107 Caltrain electrification delayed, price rises. A much-touted project to modernize the Caltrain line with more efficient electrified trains is being delayed up to 18 months and the price is rising from $1.45 billion to a projected $1.7 billion to $1.76 billion, the transit agency announced Thursday. The cost for electrification now is projected to be between $1.47 billion and $1.5 billion. http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2014-11-07/caltrain-electrification-delayed-price-rises/1776425132945.html GREEN ENERGY Professor fuels trip on chicken fat, vegetable oil. A Middle Tennessee State University professor is driving from Key West, Florida, to Seattle in a vehicle fueled by waste chicken fat and waste vegetable oil from school dining facilities. Alternatives fuels researcher Cliff Ricketts will begin his journey on Thursday, stopping at MTSU along the way and arriving in Seattle next week. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article3595348.html#storylink=cpy USC hosts event on fuel cell technology. The University of South Carolina's solid oxide fuel cell center is hosting an open house at the Hollings Library. The event scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. features presentations from both students and faculty. Solid oxide fuel cells are a component of advanced clean energy systems, are considered high efficiency and emit no toxic by-products. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/technology/article3616064.html#storylink=cpy USC hosts event on fuel cell technology. The University of South Carolina's solid oxide fuel cell center is hosting an open house at the Hollings Library. The event scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. features presentations from both students and faculty. Solid oxide fuel cells are a component of advanced clean energy systems, are considered high efficiency and emit no toxic by-products. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/technology/article3616064.html China's Solar Power Push. As the world's largest emitter of carbon, China has decided that one of the best ways to clean up its polluted air is through solar power. The country has led the world in solar installations for the last two years and will likely do so again in 2015. It's on pace to reach 33 gigawatts of solar power capacity by the end of 2014, 42 times more than it had in... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-06/chinas-solar-power-push Here Comes the Sun: America's Solar Boom, in Charts. Last week, an energy analyst at Deutsche Bank came to a startling conclusion: By 2016, solar power will be as cheap or cheaper than electricity from the conventional grid in every state except three. That's without any changes to existing policy. In other words, we're only a few years away from the point where, in most of the United... http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/11/solar-energy-power-boom-charts Republican districts lead clean energy job growth in Q3 – report. A majority of the 18,000 jobs the clean energy industry added in the third quarter of 2014 materialized in Republican districts, and both parties would be hurt if Congress fails to renew expiring tax incentives for renewable energy, according to a report released today by an environmentally oriented business group. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19482613327&p=19f&v=1&x=7kPhLNe5_airKXt9YOMsgA Md. governor sees Chesapeake Bay work setting him apart from potential White House rivals. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley knows how to talk to environmentalists. In speeches to green groups, the Democrat decries what he calls a false dichotomy between jobs and the environment. He regularly name-checks the latest congressional battles over light bulb standards or water regulations. http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1060008548 OPINIONS Shipping oil by rail lowers energy costs. Chalk up a hollow victory for EarthJustice and the Sierra Club. The two environmental groups sued over InterState Oil Co.’s permit to unload oil trains at the former McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento County. The company plans to end operations there on Friday, after the regional air quality district said it issued the permit in error without doing a full environmental review. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article3605093.html#storylink=cpy Call the water police. Drain Lake Las Vegas. Re “A new day yawns” (California Traveler, Nov.2): The article about Lake Las Vegas is infuriating. Lake Las Vegas. What an oxymoron. A 380-acre lake in the middle of the desert in the middle of a drought. The article goes on to state that the lake is surrounded by 3,600 acres of luxury condos, hotels and golf courses using more precious water. Who benefits? http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article3608964.html#storylink=cpy Must do a better job on conserving water. It still is a puzzle to me why so many people are still abusing the use of water. We all know the state of California is deep trouble because of the lack of rain. Yet, I still see shopping malls keeping the shrubs and lawns green while so many of us have turned our water off. What is it going to take for all of us to understand to turn off such water supplies? http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_26884691/nov-7-letters-editor BLOGS China & US Making Progress on Climate Change, Now It's Time for More. When President Obama travels to China in two weeks to talk with President Xi Jinping, climate change is certain to be on the agenda. Both nations top the ranks of climate change polluters, and both nations are grappling with the consequences. California is in the grip of a prolonged and costly drought that scientists have linked to climate change. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/fbeinecke/china_us_making_progress_on_climate_change.html DOE Announces $16 Million for Cleaner Coal Tech. The Energy Department Thursday selected four projects to develop gasification systems to turn coal into syngas to produce power, chemicals and transportation fuel in processes that produce lower carbon dioxide emissions. “By partnering with industry on promising pathways for high-efficiency, low-pollution power generation and syngas production… http://blogs.rollcall.com/energy-xtra/doe-announces-16-million-for-cleaner-coal-tech/?dcz Carbon task force opens floor on carbon tax. The newly convened Presidential Carbon Charge Task Force held its first forum yesterday evening to engage students and faculty on the prospecting of implementing a carbon tax at Yale. The task force was held by University President Peter Salovey as part of a series of alternative initiatives aimed at tackling Yale’s greenhouse gas emissions, after the University released its decision not to divest from fossil fuel companies in August. http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2014/11/07/carbon-task-force-opens-floor-on-carbon-tax/ Poland rejects IPCC target of zero emissions by 2100. IPCC recommendation to phase out fossil fuels by end of century to avoid dangerous global warming is categorically rejected by Poland and other eastern European countries. Poland and other Eastern Europe countries have categorically rejected the target put forward by the world’s top climate scientists to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2100 to avoid dangerous global warming, leaked documents show. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/nov/07/poland-rejects-ipcc-target-of-zero-emissions-by-2100 Solar Investment Tax Credit: Does Republican Win Increase Uncertainty On Extension? ... taking control of the Senate, which was previously controlled by the Democratic Party, while strengthening its control of the House of Representatives. Many Republicans have largely been against using incentives and taxpayer funds to aid the development of renewable energy sources, instead favoring an approach that is market-based and cost-effective. http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/11/06/solar-investment-tax-credit-does-republican-win-increase-uncertainty-on-extension/ The Climate Post: Climate Change Risks, Impacts Focus of Reports. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Fifth Assessment Synthesis Report warning that greenhouse gas levels are at the highest they have been in 800,000 years. "We have little time before the window of opportunity to stay within the 2C... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-profeta/the-climate-post-climate_b_6117286.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change McConnell: Priority is to ‘get the EPA reined in’ Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says a top priority of his is “to try to do whatever I can to get the [Environmental Protection Agency] reined in.” In an interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader, McConnell said it wouldn’t be easy to block the carbon pollution regulations for existing power plants…http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/223298-mcconnell-priority-is-to-get-the-epa-reined-in Nissan Murano production fires up in America for first time [w/video] ... including the V-motion front end, LED boomerang lights and the unique floating roof. The breakthrough exterior design carries into the interior, which offers an engaging social lounge feel with a refined instrument panel, wide center console, NASA-inspired Zero Gravity front and outboard rear seating and the airy atmosphere created by the large windows and available oversized Power Panoramic Moonroof. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/07/nissan-murano-production-canton-official-video/?icid=autoblog%7ccheck-these-out Recharge Wrap-up: Chevy Volt's new, improved powertrain; Inabikari wants to build Tesla Model X fighter. We knew the 2016 Chevrolet Volt's new powertrain would provide more range, but we didn't know how much. According to GM's Executive Director Larry Nitz, it is about 12 percent more, overall.... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/06/2016-chevy-volt-improved-range-inabikari-ev-crowdfunding/ Car Emissions vs. Car Crashes: Which One's Deadlier? The ever-thought-provoking David Levinson posed a question at his Transportationist blog earlier this week that's worth a longer look: Are you more likely to die from being in a car crash or from breathing in car emissions? If your gut reaction is like mine, then you've already answered in favor of crashes. http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/11/car-emissions-vs-car-crashes-which-ones-deadlier/382461/ Your gym might have toxic air. Go the gym to stay healthy? Well, watch out, the air might be poisoning you. Researchers in Portugal and Holland found the air in the gyms they studied was really polluted. To find this, they put air-quality monitoring equipment in gyms throughout Lisbon. They covered weight rooms and aerobic areas, as well as smaller studio spaces. http://www.aol.com/article/2014/11/06/your-gym-might-have-toxic-air/20990007/ Here’s how one green group got its investments out of dirty energy. The Oregon Environmental Council had a problem. It was late last year, and the nonprofit’s board finance committee was reviewing the performance of its endowment fund, which was invested in various stocks and bonds and mutual funds. http://grist.org/business-technology/heres-how-one-green-group-got-its-investments-out-of-dirty-energy/ Here are the worst places to live in the U.S., and climate change isn’t helping. From wildfires and drought in the Southwest to hurricanes and floods on the Eastern seaboard, sometimes it seems like there’s nowhere left to hide from climate change. Well, we can’t (read: don’t want to) tell you where you should go, but at least now we can name the 50 places to live in the U.S. where you are MOST at risk for natural disaster — including the sorts of disasters climate change is expected to throw at us in the coming years. http://grist.org/news/here-are-the-worst-places-to-live-in-the-u-s-and-climate-change-isnt-helping/ Opinion: Debunking the myths Why fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are viable for the mass market. 2014 has been a year of rapid growth for the fuel cell market with positive progress being made globally, especially in markets such as US, UK, Germany, France and Japan. Public-private investment initiatives, government funding for infrastructure and consumer subsidies, falling production... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141107-winand.html Hybrid Sales: Searching For A Silver Lining In Flat Figures. Recent news articles have noted that sales of hybrid-electric vehicle are in a bit of a funk. Some analysts have started to speculate that sales of hybrids may have already reached a peak, and certainly falling gas prices are a disincentive to pay more for a higher-efficiency vehicle. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095243_hybrid-sales-searching-for-a-silver-lining-in-flat-figures Which Electric-Car Makers Are Serious? U.S. Sales Show Top Three. Two years ago, we pointed out that several electric cars now on sale were purely "compliance cars," built in minimal numbers purely to comply with California rules that require sales of zero-emission vehicles. But almost four years after the first Nissan Leaf went on sale in December 2010, it's become pretty clear which carmakers are serious about plug-in electric cars--and which aren't. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095314_which-electric-car-makers-are-serious-u-s-sales-show-top-four Could Gasoline Below $3 A Gallon Doom Rising Gas-Mileage Rules? By most accounts, the world is pretty much awash in oil these days. Increases in North American shale-oil production have boosted supply to the point where there's now discussion of the U.S. becoming a net oil exporter sometime in the next decade. Meanwhile, the vehicle fleet is slowly getting more efficient--and U.S. gasoline consumption peaked in 2006 and has fallen steadily since then. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095338_could-gasoline-below-3-a-gallon-doom-rising-gas-mileage-rules The End of the Big Oil and Gas Game Has Come. ...other countries around the world. Stansberry, whom Clark knows very well due to their working together on shared issues such as: the need for a "national energy plan"; the move off of "coal and oil dependency"; and therefore the "control and [reduction of] carbon and greenhouse gases." However, Stansberry, like his mentor, Robert Hefner III, saw natural gas as the "Major Bridge" as the energy source before wind, solar and a new "hydrogen-based economy." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/woodrow-clark/oil-and-ga-game-ends_b_6061194.html?ir=Business&utm_hp_ref=business California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 15:07:55 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 12, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for November 12, 2014. 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 'tax' will pump up California gas prices Jan. 1. When you head to the pump on Jan. 1, 2015, expect to pay more for gasoline in California. It's part of what some business groups call a hidden gas tax or carbon tax that was * not* approved with a public vote by Californians. In 2006, the Legislature and Gov. Schwarzenegger passed Assembly Bill 32 which is legislation that set an absolute statewide limit on greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.news10.net/story/news/local/sacramento/2014/11/11/carbon-tax-will-pump-up-california-gas-prices-january-1/16005672/ AIR POLLUTION What US, China agreed to do to limit emissions. The United States and China are pledging to move faster to reduce or limit emissions of heat-trapping gases blamed for global warming. China and the U.S. are the world's two largest polluters, and by taking action together, leaders from both countries hope to spur other nations to be equally aggressive as they work to finalize a worldwide climate treaty next year. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CLIMATE_CHANGE_GLANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/china-us-climatechange-idINKCN0IW21R20141112 http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-china-agree-to-curb-greenhouse-gas-emissions-1415763692 US pollution data on Beijing blocked on mobile app. All the sky-clearing measures plus cooperation from the weather kept Beijing relatively free of air pollution for most of a seven-day Asia-Pacific conference. Then, toward the end as top leaders met, the smog crept back. So, China went to Plan B: Censor the pollution monitors. Many Beijingers get up-to-the moment updates on pollution… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_APEC_BEIJING_POLLUTION?SITE=FLPLA&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT No-burn alert for Southern California continues. Southern California air quality regulators are banning wood burning for the third day in a row because of excessive air pollution. The South Coast Air Quality Management District is issuing a no-burn alert for Wednesday because a high concentration of fine particle air pollution is in the forecast. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/11/11/47993/no-burn-alert-for-southern-california-continues/ http://www.pe.com/articles/air-753923-fine-wood.html CLIMATE CHANGE US-China climate deal aims to prod others to act. A groundbreaking agreement struck Wednesday by the United States and China puts the world's two worst polluters on a faster track to curbing the heat-trapping gases blamed for global warming. With the clock ticking on a worldwide climate treaty, the two countries sought to move beyond their troubled history as environmental adversaries and spur other nations. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/china-usa-climatechange-idUSL3N0T21YK20141112 http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/11/12/148286/china_us_pledge_to_limit_greenhouse_gases?category=world&source=npr http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/11/4230229_us-china-unveil-new-climate-change.html?rh=1 http://www.capradio.org/news/npr/story?storyid=363467360 http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-12/china-s-move-with-u-dot-s-dot-on-pollution-spurs-work-on-climate-deal http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-obama-xi-climate-change-20141111-story.html#page=1 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/world/asia/climate-change-china-xi-jinping-obama-apec.html?_r=0 Nation's last big icebreaker endures despite age. The last U.S. icebreaker capable of crushing through the thickest ice of the Antarctic and Arctic resumed its mission after the latest repairs to postpone its already past-due retirement. Climate change makes the 38-year-old Polar Star Icebreaker's science and security missions ever more vital, according to scientists and other backers of rebuilding the country's dwindling ice fleet. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_LAST_POLAR_ICEBREAKER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT DIESEL EMISSIONS Port of Los Angeles touts 80 percent drop in diesel particulate matter. Emissions are down at the left coast’s largest port, but much of the improvement may not be due to port regulations. The Port of Los Angeles recently announced it had made major strides in addressing pollution from ships, trucks, trains and other sources. The port’s 2013 Inventory of Air Emissions said diesel particulate matter is down 80 percent, nitrogen oxides are down 57 percent… http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27959#.VGOsCRbSp5I DROUGHT Water conservation efforts pay off: U.S. usage lowest in decades. Americans recently passed a milestone when federal officials reported that water use across the nation had reached its lowest level in more than 45 years: good news for the environment, great news in times of drought and a major victory for conservation. What was surprising in the U.S. Geological Survey report released last week was how little of the 13% decline in national water usage was due to the public cutting back. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-water-20141112-story.html Drought-defying tomato harvest breaks California record. Defying the state’s devastating water shortage, California farmers produced a record tomato crop. The harvest came in at an estimated 14 million tons of processing tomatoes. Those are the type used to make sauce, salsa and other products, and represent about 96 percent of all the tomatoes grown in California. Water conservation efforts pay off: U.S. usage lowest in decades. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article3792494.html Orange growers assess drought impact on crop. This is one of those years that drives citrus farmers nuts, said Rod Radke, who grows navel oranges in Fresno County. Early harvest reports indicate good-quality oranges in terms of shape and sweetness, but the drought and lack of irrigation water are being blamed for slow and uneven fruit sizing. "It's hard to figure out how much crop is going to make it to market, because there are so many variables," Radke said. "It's not simple arithmetic." http://www.agalert.com/story/?id=7295 FUELS Missouri governor to help lead biofuels group. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is in line to serve as a leader of the Governors' Biofuels Coalition. Nixon's office said Monday that he will become vice chairman of the organization in 2015 and then could become chairman in 2016 when Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad's term ends. The coalition supports fuels such as ethanol made from corn. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MO_BIOFUELS_COALITION_NIXON_MOOL-?SITE=MOCAP&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Archer Daniels Sees Corn-Based Ethanol Business Staying Strong. ADM Profit Rises 60% as Low Corn Prices Boosted Margins. Archer Daniels Midland Co. expects its corn-based ethanol business to remain strong in the year ahead despite sliding energy prices that have cut into profit margins, executives said Tuesday. Strong demand over the summer for ethanol and low corn prices translated to the best profit margins in years for U.S. ethanol makers… http://online.wsj.com/articles/archer-daniels-midlands-profit-rises-60-1415104413 CARB fines Chevron $329,700 for selling 'over-oxygenated' fuel. The California Air Resources Board recently fined a major U.S. oil producer for selling fuel that didn’t meet California’s standards. In a news release, CARB announced it had reached a $329,700 settlement with Chevron Corp. after Chevron admitted to violating California’s reformulated gasoline regulations. Chevron admitted to supplying gasoline in violation of California state regulations at its terminals in Montebello and Richmond, Calif. … http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=27958#.VGOsaBbSp5I Will natural gas stall out as heavy-duty alternative? Just two years ago, natural gas power was forecast to fuel up to 20% of new heavy-duty trucks by the end of the decade. But now, thanks to everything from declining diesel prices to fleet concerns about natural-gas payback and fueling infrastructure, it appears those earlier predictions of the future strength of natural gas were too rosy. http://fleetowner.com/running-green/will-natural-gas-stall-out-heavy-duty-alternative CA Prepares for Updated CNG, LNG Fuel Tax Rules in Up Front. The California State Board of Equalization is readying the implementation of revisions to A.B.1907, which includes new use fuel tax rates for compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) that is used as a fuel in motor vehicles. Effective Jan. 1, 2015, the tax rate for CNG will be adjusted to $0.0887/gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE)… http://www.ngtnews.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10207#.VGOothbSp5I Ethanol market chasing U.S. as Canada’s fueling options flatline. Despite having capable vehicles, hurdles lay ahead if Canadian consumers are going to see alternative fuel infrastructure. For advocates of Canada’s biofuel industry, availability of ethanol at the pump is a discouraging statistic. In the United States, there are more than 3,000 fueling stations that meet the E85 ethanol standard, but in Canada… http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/regulation/ethanol-market-chasing-us-canadas-fueling-options-flatline-142054/ Buster Biofuels to employ Viesel Fuel enzymatic biodiesel process. A 5 MMgy plant under construction in San Diego, Buster Biofuels, will be producing biodiesel using the latest process technology of enzymatic production. Buster Halterman, CEO of Buster Biofuels, told Biodiesel Magazine that his company is working with Stuart, Fla.-based Viesel Fuel LLC to install Viesel Fuel’s unique adaptation of enzymatic biodiesel process… http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/235824/buster-biofuels-to-employ-viesel-fuel-enzymatic-biodiesel-process VEHICLES UPDATE 1-Hyundai, Kia to triple range of green cars by 2020. Hyundai Motor Co and affiliate Kia Motors Corp plan to triple their number of fuel-efficient cars by 2020, addressing concerns about the pair's green track record and competitiveness in fuel economy. Investors have voiced concern about Hyundai's latest Genesis and Kia's Soul having lower fuel mileage than their predecessors... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/hyundai-motor-kia-motors-environment-idUSL3N0T21J320141112 RPT-As gas prices slide, U.S. car buyers go for size, shun hybrids. It is the automotive equivalent of Pavlov's bell: when gasoline is expensive, U.S. car owners try to downsize, but once pump prices ring down, they salivate over big pickup trucks and SUVs. With gas prices dipping below $3 a gallon last month for the first time since December 2010, size is back in vogue. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/usa-gasoline-guzzlers-idUSL2N0T129Y20141112 US safety regulators probe Honda, Nissan vehicles for steering issues. U.S. safety regulators have opened separate investigations into potential steering issues in an estimated 374,000 Honda Accord sedans and an estimated 17,000 Infiniti EX35 compact crossover vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a preliminary evaluation into the failure of electric power steering in certain 2013… http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/11/honda-nissan-usprobes-idUSL2N0T11FR20141111 Kia's 'Soulful' first electric car. Finally, there is an all-electric car for people who thought they would never want one. The 2015 Kia Soul EV is a normal-looking Soul with a useful travel range of nearly 100 miles on a single charge, stable ride and handling, generous and flexible cargo space, comfortable seating and fast-charge capability. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Kia-s-Soulful-first-electric-car-5888060.php GREEN ENERGY Australian renewable energy target talks break down. Australia's opposition party said on Wednesday it quit talks with the government aimed at agreeing a renewable energy target, ending hopes of long-term certainty for potential investors in the burgeoning sector. Australia is one of the world's biggest carbon emitters on a per capita basis, but rising electricity bills and cheaper rooftop solar have driven down electricity use since a centre-left government first set the target in 2009. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/australia-renewables-idUSL3N0T201Z20141112 Germany plans tax relief to raise energy efficiency and cut emissions. Germany plans 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in tax concessions to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and lift sales of electric cars, in an action plan to help Europe's biggest economy meet CO2 emissions targets, a policy document showed. Despite a shift to renewables, Germany's CO2 emissions are rising partly due to a move away from nuclear power… http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/germany-energy-idUSL6N0T23OJ20141112 MISCELLANEOUS Fire retardant chemicals found in small group of Californians. A new study -- the first of its kind -- released Wednesday shows that a small group of people carry in their bodies traces of chemicals in flame retardants that for decades have been used in the manufacturing of furniture and children's products. The study, while small, offers the first glimpse of how these chemicals, which have been shown to cause cancer… http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_26917986/fire-retardant-chemicals-found-small-group-californians OPINIONS Column- Lester Snow is the answer man on the water bond. Californians, you just voted yourselves a $7-billion-plus water bond measure. What happens now? Lester Snow can draw you the map of water needs and detail the money being spent. He's navigated state waters for years in a multitude of jobs, among them head of the state's Department of Water Resources and other agencies. He's spent more time on water than Duke Kahanamoku. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-morrison-lester-snow-california-water-20141112-column.html#page=1 BLOGS Can Biofuels Make A Comeback? Len Rand, CEO of xF Technologies, says his company has come up with a material that can dramatically reduce particulate matter in diesel tailpipe emissions. It also fights corrosion. And it can be used as a food additive. “It can smell like almonds…anise,” he said. The Albuquerque-based company has developed an efficient two-step process that converts corn stover or other relatively low cost biomass into furoate ester… http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkanellos/2014/11/11/can-biofuels-make-a-comeback/ The Drive For All-Renewable Power Confronts Economic Reality. In Europe, economic reality is catching up with the renewable energy movement. Justin Gillis wrote recently in the New York Times about Denmark’s aggressive push to eliminate the burning of fossil fuels by 2050. The country is already well on its way to achieving that goal. Denmark generates more than 40 percent of its power from renewable sources… http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorensteffy/2014/11/12/the-drive-for-all-renewable-power-confronts-economic-reality/ Some Utilities Are Making it Cheaper to Drive Electric Cars. Some utility companies are starting to encourage consumers to make the switch to plug-in electric vehicles (EVs). JEA, a utility company in northeastern Florida, recently began offering to its nearly half a million household and business electricity customers a rebate of up to $1,000 for the purchase or lease of a plug-in electric vehicle. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-coplonnewfield/some-utilities-are-making_b_6142606.html Small solar bike path now open in Holland. There's just something appealing about the idea of a solar-powered road. Letting that ugly ribbon through the countryside generate power, interact smartly with cars, bikes and pedestrians and even charging up your electric car. It all just seems magical, doesn't it? Well, yes, which is why there are so many critics of a small (230 feet), $3.7 million solar bike path test space that was just installed in Holland. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/11/small-solar-bike-path-now-open-in-holland/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 12:58:04 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for November 13, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 California leads by example on climate change As the U.S. and China - the world's top two polluting nations - turn to implementing new rules aimed at curbing climate change, the countries can look to the most populous U.S. state as an example of the costs and challenges of fighting global warming. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CLIMATE_CHANGE_CALIFORNIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Road to China-US climate accord paved with California's emission-cutting efforts As the ink dries on an agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions between the United States and China, regulators and environmentalists say California's pioneering efforts to reduce carbon pollution helped bring about the deal. Big international deals don’t happen without a lot of smaller, lower-level talks. China and the United States embarked on its first national accords not long after President Barack Obama took office. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/11/12/48032/road-to-china-u-s-climate-accord-paved-with-califo/ A look at what the US-China climate deal means for the fight against global warming The world's outlook for reaching a global climate deal next year brightened Wednesday as China and the U.S. — the top two polluters — presented a joint plan to reduce emissions of the heat-trapping greenhouse gases that are blamed for warming the planet. The unexpected move was praised worldwide as a historic step in the fight against climate change, though some analysts said the targets aren't ambitious enough to prevent global warming from reaching dangerous levels. http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2014/11/12/what-the-us-china-climate-deal-means-to-the-world AIR POLLUTION Light rain anticipated for Thursday, pollution levels to remain ‘moderate’ …And while any rain is good news during a four-year drought, recent abnormal weather conditions have contributed to high pollution levels. Last week, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District officials announced that higher moisture levels brought on by recent rain were followed by unseasonably high temperatures. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/local/article3867980.html CLIMATE CHANGE China must change economy to meet climate targets Chinese leaders pledged for the first time to cap the country's decades-long growth of greenhouse gas emissions. Since China emits more carbon and other heat-trapping gases than any other country, the pledge boosted global efforts to prevent catastrophic climate change. http://www.insidebayarea.com/nation-world/ci_26929061/china-must-change-economy-meet-climate-targets DIESEL EMISSIONS Newer Trucks Serving Port of L.A. Contribute to Overall Emissions Decline Following the implementation of programs at the Port of Los Angeles to reduce emissions from trucks, ships, trains and other equipment, a new report shows the facility has made big strides in cutting back on air pollution. http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2014/11/newer-trucks-serving-port-of-l-a-contribute-to-overall-emissions-decline.aspx Port of San Diego reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 42% Greenhouse gas emissions caused by operations at the Port of San Diego dropped by 42 percent between 2006 and 2012, according to a report released Wednesday by the agency. Emissions of other harmful air pollutants were also significantly reduced, including nitrogen oxides by half, diesel particulate matter by 75 percent, and sulfur dioxide by 94 percent, according to the port. http://www.kusi.com/story/27370854/port-of-san-diego-reduces-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-42 FUELS Gas to average under $3 in 2015, government says The average price of gasoline will be below $3 a gallon in 2015, the Energy Department predicted Wednesday. If the sharply lower estimate holds true, U.S. consumers will save $61 billion on gas compared with this year. Economists say lower gasoline prices act like a tax cut, leaving more money for consumers to spend on other things. Consumer spending is 70 percent of the U.S. economy. http://www.times-standard.com/ci_26924387/gas-average-under-3-2015-government-says VEHICLES Alternative Fueled Vehicles: First Victim Of Low Gasoline Prices? Gasoline prices having dropped below $3 a gallon nationally, the future of automobile efficiency programs should be considered critically. For those of tender years, we have been here before: the price drop after 1986 saw the rise of minivans and SUVs,... http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellynch/2014/11/12/alternative-fueled-vehicles-first-victim-of-low-gasoline-prices/ OPINION One less excuse to ignore climate change Opponents of strong and necessary action on climate change like to say that it doesn't matter what we do because China is spewing greenhouse gases like there's no tomorrow. They'll have to flail around for another excuse now that the United States and China have reached a landmark agreement that will pressure other major carbon-emitting countries to join the effort as well. After too many years of too little action since the Kyoto accords in 1997, the timing of the historic pact announced Wednesday is critical to break the stalemate. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article3870371.html BLOGS What Comes After Gasoline? Anyone who believes battery-electric or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles don’t have a future greatly underestimates the bullheadedness of Californians. This special breed of American lives in a state wracked by drought, choked with traffic, and bisected by a fault zone. Yet Californians think there’s no better place to be. http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/are-hydrogen-cars-the-zero-emissions-future-17418995?click=pm_latest Do Green Power Certificates Boost Green Power? ...answer lies in the concept of Green Power Certificates. In many countries, for each megawatt hour, which a power plant feeds into the electricity grid, a certificate issued. There are many systems operating in the world, which manage the ecological benefits of green energy. In Europe, these are called „Guarantees of Origin" (GoO) and are mostly managed by the national grid companies. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/renat-heuberger/do-green-power-certificat_b_6138686.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 15:33:08 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 17, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for November 17, 2014. 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 Air Pollution May Be Linked to Higher Rates of Kidney Disease. - US News By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay Reporter SATURDAY, Nov. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Air pollution may be linked to higher rates of chronic kidney disease, new research suggests. A study from the University of Michigan found the prevalence of kidney disease was greater in areas of the United States that have worse air quality. "If air pollution is a risk factor for [kidney disease], the impact is likely to be even greater in countries where pollution levels are much higher than in the United States," study author Jennifer Bragg-Gresham, from the University of Michigan, said in an American Society of Nephrology news release. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/11/15/air-pollution-may-be-linked-to-higher-rates-of-kidney-disease Cal Fire lifts burn ban for Santa Cruz County. ...donation toward getting new lights, stop at the Aptos chamber office, 7605- A Old Dominion Court, Aptos. Lewis Tree Service will string the new lights on the tree for the Aptos Village Tree Lighting slated for Nov. 21. For information call 831-688-1467. Watsonville Christmas train rolls in The Train to Christmas Town will operate Nov. 28-Dec. 28 from the depot at 765 Ohlone Parkway. The one-hour excursion, presented by the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Railway, includes a visit from Santa Cruz, costumed characters, music and hot chocolate and cookies. For information, visit www.traintochristmastown.com or call 888-978-5562. Santa Cruz City looking to fill advisory bodies The Santa Cruz City Council looks to fill positions on a number of advisory bodies. http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_26950260/coast-lines-nov-17-2014 Lawsuit over fungus from whiskey vapors revived. ...a lawsuit claiming vapors from Jefferson County bourbon warehouses are causing a black fungus to form on nearby houses, businesses and vehicles. The Courier-Journal reports (http://cjky.it/1zr9XXG) a lower court dismissed the suit, finding the federal Clean Air Act does not allow the plaintiffs to sue in state court over air quality nuisance issues. On Friday, a three-judge appeals court panel unanimously overturned that decision, sending it back to the lower court for a resolution.... http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article3952401.html Richmond calls on air district to revoke permit, halt Bakken crude rail transfers. RICHMOND -- City Manager Bill Lindsay sent a letter to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District last week urging the agency to revoke a permit allowing Kinder Morgan to offload Bakken crude and Canadian tar sands oil at its Richmond rail yard. The letter, which the City Council directed Lindsay to send, comes in response to news reports that first revealed that Bakken crude oil was being transported by rail and truck within the city. Bakken crude, which is lighter and more volatile than conventional crudes, has been implicated in several derailments and explosions throughout North America in recent years as domestic oil production and rail transport has ramped up. http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_26940485/richmond-calls-air-district-revoke-permit-halt-bakken Tesoro refinery fined $260,000 for air quality violations. MARTINEZ -- Tesoro has been ordered to pay $260,000 in fines for air quality violations at its Martinez refinery, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced today. The oil company reached an agreement with the air district over 23 air quality violations at the refinery in 2011, district officials said. The violations included excessive nitrogen oxide emissions, sulfur dioxide emissions, tank leak violations, reporting and monitoring violations and an "overwhelming flare system" in May 2011 that caused odors and prompted numerous complaints from surrounding residents, according to air district officials. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_26945893/tesoro-refinery-fined-260-000-air-quality-violations Young Michigan scientists pursue medical research. ...method to detect music frequencies. Two other factors influenced Ilena's choice of project. "We've had a lot of smokers in our family. We had a death in the family due to lung disease. And I was also very interested in environmental issues, particularly air pollution," she said. Ilena hit upon her project idea when she came across an electronic stethoscope at Reddy's home. "He lent it to me to find out more about it," she said. Ilena connected the stethoscope to a computer that was installed... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/16/3347518/young-michigan-scientists-pursue.html Palm Oil Production Poses Problems for the Climate. ...All of the fires were almost certainly related to deforestation for timber operations and agriculture — predominantly oil palm cultivation. Palm oil is the largest driver of Indonesian deforestation, which destroys habitat and contributes to climate change. Credit: Ahmad Fuad Morad/flickr Palm oil — which appears in a dizzying amount of food and cosmetic products and is a feedstock for biofuel — poses many environmental problems. It's the largest driver of Indonesian... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/palm-oil-production-climate-18338 'Step by step by step' on climate change. ...and president, Preventive Medicine Research Institute Blend Images/John Lund/Stephanie Roeser via Getty Images When we realize that something as primal as the food that we choose to eat each day makes such an important difference in addressing both global warming and personal health, it empowers us and imbues these choices with meaning. We hope that citizens will use this tool to hold their elected officials accountable for managing fisheries sustainably and for enforcing fishing rules.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/green/ Success Record is Mixed For Global Climate Deals. ... SCOTT SIMON, HOST: This week, the United States and China agreed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Advocates for action on climate change hailed the agreement as a huge step, but the deal is voluntary and the cost of meeting the goals will be high, which leads us to wonder how sturdy these commitments may... http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/11/15/149052/success_record_is_mixed_for_global_climate_deals?category=world&source=npr Hillary, Please Lead on Climate Change. ...to wait on anyone else. Delay has a direct impact on the future my children will have - and that's not acceptable to me." -- Letha Tawney This week, by reaching an agreement on emissions with China, President Obama opened a door to seriously addressing climate change. The agreement was seen by pundits as Obama's act of defiance in the face of the new GOP Congress, rather than the sensible and long overdue agreement that it was. But as political energy and coverage shifts to the Presidential... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/morra-aaronsmele/hillary-please-lead-on-cl_b_6163772.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics 40% of Wisconsin 'frac sand' producers violated environmental rules, study says. ...apples" disregarding the law, said Bobby King, an organizer who contributed to the report by the Land Stewardship Project, an advocacy group. "It's an industry that's willing to routinely violate rules that are designed to protect communities, protect air quality, protect water quality," he said. Wisconsin is the nation's top producer of silica sand, a key ingredient used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The state is home to 135 active mines, processing and transport facilities. That's... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19573861998&p=19f&v=1&x=B5BrP4K45OCdu5Iecxo7Iw Barnidge: There's nothing easy about declaring a 'No Burn' day. Thirty times last winter the Bay Area Air Quality Management District declared a no-burn or Spare the Air day, making it illegal for residents to use their wood-burning fireplaces. But none was so unfavorably received as the one on Christmas Day. "I got accused... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19569899486&p=19f&v=1&x=X9lLEU4o7_8gK-j1iTnVsw China Hunger for Clean Energy to Leave No Rooftop Behind. ...nuclear reactors. Most of that came from massive solar farms in remote locations and policy makers are now promoting smaller systems closer to where they're needed. The push to promote wider use of rooftop solar comes amid growing health concerns tied to smog within its own population and from foreign companies. It also adds to the nation's push to be a leader within the global climate community. A Global Push to Save the Planet The figures show the changes. Coal made up 64 percent of China's electricity... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-12/china-hunger-for-clean-energy-to-leave-no-rooftop-behind CLIMATE CHANGE Amid doubts, Obama seeks to reinvigorate Asia ties. Closing out his Asia-Pacific tour, President Barack Obama called on Asian nations Saturday to join the United States in confronting the globe's biggest challenges, from climate change and poverty to violent extremism. Obama insisted that skeptics who discount his efforts to strengthen U.S. engagement in the region are overlooking his successes and underestimating the opportunities that remain during his final two years in office. http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article3949778.html Canada Breaks With Australia to Contribute to Green Climate Fund. ...Fund – now appears to have changed its mind, with Tony Abbott's close friend prime minister Stephen Harper saying he is preparing to make a contribution. Abbott has defied global pressure to commit to the fund, designed to help poor countries adapt to climate change, because Australia is already spending $2.5bn on its domestic Direct Action fund and providing $10bn in capital to a so-called "green bank" – which he is trying to abolish. World leaders forced Australia to include stronger language... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141117/canada-breaks-australia-contribute-green-climate-fund DOT Urges Transport Network Improvements to Counter Growing Effects of Climate Change. Making transportation infrastructure and systems more resilient to the symptoms of climate change is an increasingly significant aspect of planning at the U.S. Department of Transportation, according to a new report.... Only Transport Topics subscribers have exclusive access to this content. © 2014, Transport Topics Publishing Group. All rights reserved. http://www.ttnews.com/gateclient/premiumstorylogin.aspx?storyid=36607&t=DOT-Urges-Transport-Network-Improvements-to-Counter-Growing-Effects-of-Climate-Change G20 pledges lift Green Climate Fund towards $10 billion U.N. goal OSLO. (Reuters) - A promise by Japan on Sunday to give up to $1.5 billion to a U.N. fund to help poor nations cope with global warming puts the fund within sight of a $10 billion goal and brightens prospects for a U.N. climate pact next year. Japan's pledge, at the G20 meeting of world leaders in Australia, raises the total promised to the Green Climate Fund (GCF)... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/16/us-g20-summit-climatefund-japan-idUSKCN0J00UL20141116?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Georgia developer still trying to build coal plant. Deep in rural Georgia, a developer is betting he can build one of the last new coal-fired power plants in the United States as the rest of the country moves away from the fuel. The project, which is being developed by Allied Energy Services, is an outlier. If constructed, Plant Washington would be one of just two planned coal plants in the United States to dodge pending rules from President Barack Obama's administration severely restricting carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide is the chief greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. Still, analysts question whether the estimated $2 billion project, which will be built near Sandersville, Georgia, makes financial sense right now. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/15/3350659/georgia-developer-still-trying.html?sp=/99/102// Japan Confirms $1.5B Commitment for U.N. Climate Fund (AFP). Japan Confirms $1.5B Commitment for U.N. Climate Fund Japan on Sunday confirmed plans to contribute up to $1.5 billion to the U.N.-backed Green Climate Fund, joining a U.S. pledge of $3 billion to mitigate the impact of global warming on developing nations. The move was flagged by Japanese media ahead of a Group of 20 summit in Brisbane over the weekend, and was rubber-stamped in a statement by the White House after U.S. President Barack Obama met with Prime... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141117/japan-confirms-15b-commitment-un-climate-fund Obama gets glimpse of life as lame duck abroad. By JULIE PACE, AP White House Correspondent BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — President Barack Obama is getting his first glimpse of life as a lame-duck president traveling overseas. And so far, he has reason to like what he sees. Obama arrived in the Asia-Pacific region weakened by a cascade of crises that have put him on the defensive for much of this year, and politically damaged by Democrats' thrashing in last week's midterm elections. But during stops in China and Myanmar, there were few overt signs that Obama's troubles at home had followed him abroad. http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2014/11/14/obama-gets-glimpse-of-life-as-lame-duck-abroad Obama, in latest climate move, pledges $3 billion for global fund. BRISBANE Australia/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday pledged a $3 billion U.S. contribution to an international fund to help poor countries cope with the effects of climate change, putting the issue front and center of the G20 Leaders Summit in Australia. The large size of the contribution took climate policy watchers by surprise and doubles what other countries had previously pledged ahead of a Nov. 20... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/15/us-usa-climatechange-obama-idUSKCN0IY1LD20141115?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Obama: Past week was strong for US leadership. ...Associated PressNovember 15, 2014 Updated 42 minutes ago BRISBANE, Australia — President Barack Obama says the past week he spent in the Asia-Pacific region proved to be a "strong week for American leadership." Obama cites progress in the areas of trade, climate change and the fight against the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. He says that headway that was made will mean more jobs for Americans, steps toward a cleaner and healthier planet and progress toward saving lives not just in West Africa,... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/15/4237879/obama-past-week-was-strong-for.html U.S., EU override Australia to put climate change on G20 agenda. Photo / 9 Participants pose for the G20 Leaders' Summit family photo in Brisbane in this November 15, 2014 handout photo by G20 Australia. REUTERS/G20 Australia/Handout via Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/slideshow/idUSKCN0IZ03C20141116 White House Turns Climate Change Spotlight to U.S. Cities, Towns (Reuters) White House Turns Climate Change Spotlight to U.S. Cities, Towns After announcing a major deal with China to curb emissions and a $3 billion pledge into a fund to help poor countries fight climate change last week, the Obama administration will turn... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141117/white-house-turns-climate-change-spotlight-us-cities-towns After U.S.-China Pact, Will the World Pick a Peak Carbon Date? Last week, the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, accounting for 40% of global emissions, signed an accord on improving their polluting ways. The U.S. said it would reduce emissions by as much as 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, while China said its emissions would... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-17/after-u-dot-s-dot-china-climate-pact-will-world-pick-a-peak-carbon-date This Chart Shows Just How Much Humans Are Driving Global Warming. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that humans are responsible for climate change, debate still exists in the general public. In the United States alone, at least 15 states are currently governed by known climate deniers, and several states have taken measures to keep the best climate science out of public policy.... http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/This-Chart-Shows-Just-How-Much-Humans-Are-Driving-5880558.php DROUGHT Drought brings hard times to coastal California. HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — California's chronic drought is causing hardships for residents and farmers on the coast south of San Francisco. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday (http://bit.ly/1xLcHQz ) that many of the creeks and wells that provide water to small... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19575984565&p=19f&v=1&x=gVObcHxyYyaarFLdnfALZg Sacramento's salmon run in full swing, but drought still a worry ...Orangevale resident Kally Kedinger-Cecil. “I didn't realize these fish are so big, and they're right there in these urban creeks.” In the ocean, these fish are the basis of a wild-caught salmon market that supplies grocery stores and restaurants throughout California. And on the rivers, recreational fishermen have crowded the banks for decades in hopes of hooking a prize salmon. More recently, volunteers have begun to walk the smaller waterways each fall for another purpose: to restore salmon habitat... http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article3972980.html FUELS House votes in favor of Keystone oil pipeline. ...been touting their energy credentials in the oil and gas-producing state. Should the Senate send the bill to Obama for his signature, he would face a decision that pits some of his environmental concerns about the pipeline, mainly its consequences for global warming, against potentially helping a fellow Democrat making a longshot bid to retain her Senate seat. The House bill was supported by 221 Republicans, with not a single GOP lawmaker voting against it. Thirty-one Democrats backed the... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/15/3350536/house-votes-in-favor-of-keystone.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f102%2f American University: Rising for Fossil Fuel Divestment. ...sent each Board member a handwritten letter from a different student sharing their personal reason for urging them to vote yes to divest. I sent my own letter last week. The place I call my home, Miami, Florida, is set to be one of the major casualties of climate change in the coming years. The infrastructure of Miami and South Florida at large was not built to handle the rise in sea levels that have occurred in the last 50 years, and certainly not was is to come if we do not halt climate destruction.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julian-gomez/why-im-rising-with-americ_b_6162842.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Fossil fuels fight. ...that her cost of attending university will increase because there will not be as much investment income generated. Without fossil fuels there would be substantially less power generation so she will either be reading by candle light (oops, can?t do that global warming) be without her computer, I Pad, cell phone hair dryer or any other thing that utilizes electricity. Then she will be walking as the gas she puts in her car uses... She can forget about eating as the food she eats all use some type... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/15/4237171/fossil-fuels-fight.html Obama Would Probably Veto Keystone Bill, Senators Say. ...procedural move,” Durbin said. “I don't know how successful they've been.” The Senate is set to vote Nov. 18 on the pipeline, which would link Canada's oil sands with refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Environmental groups say the pipeline would increase greenhouse gas emissions; supporters say it would create thousands of jobs. The pipeline needs a permit from the U.S. State Department because it would cross an international border. The department has been reviewing the project for six years.... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-16/obama-would-probably-veto-keystone-bill-senators-say Cheap oil environmental aid? ...Not long ago a drop of that magnitude would have hit the environmental community like a gut-punch. The lower the price of fossil fuels, the argument went, the less incentive there would be to develop and use cleaner alternatives like batteries or advanced biofuels. But at around $75 a barrel, the price is high enough to keep investments flowing into alternatives, while giving energy companies less reason to pursue expensive and risky oil fields that also pose the greatest threat to the environment.... http://www.insidebayarea.com/science/ci_26940848/cheap-oil-environmental-aid VEHICLES Chevrolet supports grassland preservation program. ...atmosphere by Chevrolet's purchase of carbon credits equals the amount that would be reduced by taking 5,000 cars off the road," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. Grasslands store huge volumes of carbon dioxide, one of the gases most responsible for climate change. Tilling the soil for agriculture releases the gases into the atmosphere. Preserving grasslands keeps carbon bottled up and preserves habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. "The opportunity here is to create an incentive for... http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article3976616.html Are electric cars greener? Depends on where you live. Long thought a thing of the future, electric cars are becoming mainstream. Sales in the United States of plug-in, electric vehicles nearly doubled last year. Credible forecasts see the number rising within a decade to half a million vehicles per year, which would easily exceed sales... http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-1117-graff-electric-cars-policy-20141114-story.html Automakers launching more hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Concerned about slow sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids, automakers are increasingly betting the future of green cars on hydrogen fuel cell technology. Even Toyota Motor Corp., maker of the popular Prius gas-electric hybrid, will use hydrogen... http://www.latimes.com/chi-automakers-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicles-20141113-story.html Electric vehicles touted as way to cut Inland pollution. Residents get to learn about and test drive electric vehicles at an event that organizers hope will entice more people to make the switch. Brian Ballard, co-owner of Pedego Greater Long Beach, talks to an attendee about electric bikes at the Riverside Electric Vehicle Day event Sunday, Nov. 16. MELANIE C. JOHNSON, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Riverside resident Diana Howlett climbed into a Nissan Leaf and awaited the noise from the engine. She heard nothing like the usual roar that comes... http://www.pe.com/articles/electric-754388-vehicles-riverside.html More car-charging stations at Lake Tahoe. …eyed the agency charged with protecting Lake Tahoe's environment wants to expand the network of charging stations for electric cars around the lake. Click to Continue » http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/15/4237387/more-car-charging-stations-at.html#storylink=rss Honda's FCV Concept. Honda Motors Honda's FCV Concept made its world debut in Tokyo and is expected to be launched into the Japanese market by March 2016. The vehicle is designed to be driven by an electric motor powered by hydrogen. Honda's FCV Concept made its world debut... http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-honda-hydrogen-concept-car-20141114-001-photo.html?track=rss Toyota says Mirai is the future of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Toyota says its new 2015 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle will be called the Mirai -- which means the future in the language of its creators. Company president Akio Toyoda revealed the name of the vehicle, which will be sold in Japan later this year and arrive... http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-toyota-mirai-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-20141116-story.html Will the Mirai Be The Next Prius? Toyota Calls Its New Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle the 'Future' ...alternative fuels and the future. Take, for example, the closing remarks of President and CEO Akio Toyoda's speech during a press event in Newport Beach, Calif., leading up to the Los Angeles Auto Show, in which he announced the name of the company's new hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the Mirai. “We believe that behind the wheel of the Mirai, we can go places we have never been, to a world that is better, in a car that is better,” Toyoda said. “For us, this isn't just another car. This... http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewdepaula/2014/11/16/will-the-mirai-be-the-next-prius-toyota-calls-its-new-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-the-future/ GREEN ENERGY Wind Tax Credit Attacked as U.S. Debates Lapsed Breaks. The new era in Congress may mean trouble for some old tax breaks. The wind energy tax credit, championed by environmentalists, Democrats, a few Republicans and companies including General Electric Co. (GE:US) and Siemens AG, may be imperiled as its most important backers in Congress lose clout. The industry's tax... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-17/wind-tax-credit-attacked-as-u-dot-s-dot-debates-lapsed-breaks S.F. clean energy program could generate 8,100 jobs, report says. A renewable energy program in San Francisco could create more that 8,100 construction jobs by building $2.4 billion worth of proposed solar, wind and geothermal projects, a new report says. That refutes many criticisms made by Mayor Ed Lee when the... http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/S-F-clean-energy-program-could-generate-8-100-5897392.php Altamont Pass poised to usher in next 30 years of wind power. In what Alameda County officials are calling a historic milestone, the framework for the next 30 years of wind energy on the Altamont Pass has taken a step forward, with hopes it will help reduce deaths of birds, bats and other animals. A county planning board on Wednesday certified the final program environmental impact report for Alameda County's portion of the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area as well as conditional use permits for two of the largest repowering projects in the area's history. http://www.insidebayarea.com/crime-courts/ci_26940235/altamont-pass-poised-usher-next-30-years-wind?source=rss Construction to begin on massive solar panel field. A small town in New Hampshire is undertaking a big solar panel project. The Hillsborough County town of Peterborough will break ground Monday on what will be the largest solar power system in the state. The 944-kilowatt installation will be built on nearly five acres of former waste water lagoons at the site of the town's wastewater treatment plant. The town received a $1.2 million grant from the New Hampshire... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Construction-to-begin-on-massive-solar-panel-field-5896688.php In Minnesota, Community Solar Market Starting to Take Off. At a recent solar conference in suburban Minneapolis, a jam-packed ballroom of more than 100 people gathered for standing room-only presentations on community solar gardens. Perhaps no other renewable energy opportunity has gathered so much excitement so quickly, in part because no other state has so far taken the route Minnesota has. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/minnesota-community-solar-market-starting-take Peru to Unveil Plans for Renewable Power Auction During UN Talks (Bloomberg). Peru to Unveil Plans for Renewable Power Auction During UN Talks Peru's government is set to announce plans for a renewable-energy auction during a global climate conference to be held next month in Lima. The auction will be held in the first half of next year and will allow bids for solar, wind, biomass and geothermal energy projects,... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/peru-unveil-plans-renewable-power-auction-during-un-talks So Cal Edison electricity rates could help businesses. Thousands of solar panels have been installed in the parking lots at College of the Desert. A new electricity rate structure soon to be offered by Southern California Edison could make it easier for businesses and nonprofits to go solar. (Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun ) A new electricity rate structure soon to be offered by Southern California Edison could make it easier for businesses and nonprofits to go solar. http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2014/11/16/southern-california-edison-rates/19149831/ World Bank Commissions First Station of Renewable Energy Resource Network (PV Tech). World Bank Commissions First Station of Renewable Energy Resource Network The Wold Bank has commissioned the first of many data stations measuring renewable energy potential around the globe in an effort to open up new markets. The $22.5 million Renewable Energy... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/world-bank-commissions-first-station-renewable-energy-resource-network MISCELLANEOUS Millions poured into effort to bag the plastic-bag ban. ...will collect fees charged for bags. “We expect to qualify the referendum and are confident that California voters will repeal this bad law when they have the chance to vote on it in November 2016,” said Daniels, who is also Hilex Poly's vice president of sustainability and environmental policy. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Millions-poured-into-effort-to-bag-the-5895777.php OPINIONS Editorial: China-U.S. climate change agreement at least will change debate. Click photo to enlarge When it was announced at an Asian summit last week that the U.S. and China had reached agreement on the heretofore sticky wicket of reducing carbon emissions, the reactions were as predictable as the sunrise. Those who ascribe world-stage preeminence to the issue of global warming hailed it as "one of the most significant climate deals ever struck." Meanwhile, those skeptical of carbon-limiting efforts or the Chinese or both argued that it was all flourish with little substance. As with most things political — and this is most decidedly political — the truth lies somewhere in between. The devil will be in the details. And, believe us, there are plenty of details. Both the breathlessly exuberant and the cynically skeptical offer much to consider. But before doing so we must provide critical context. http://www.montereyherald.com/editorials/ci_26945790/editorial-china-u-s-climate-change-agreement-at We're going off a cliff. ...Bee commentary by Sarah Rose and Kathay Feng (Nov. 13) headlines the approaching Armageddon we have entered as a consequence of the disastrous Citizens United ruling that flooded elections with unlimited amounts of money from unanimous donors bankrolling climate-change deniers who will continue to ignore science and destroy the planet. As a young man living in Sanger, I remember riding my bike and looking to the east at the Sierra Nevada mountains and, while driving down from the mountains,... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19572152562&p=19f&v=1&x=m8gOXwcXGd6zcaqIScnn4A Paul Krugman: Week was good for planet, bad for climate change deniers. It's easy to be cynical about summit meetings. Often they're just photo ops, and the photos from the latest Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, which had world leaders looking remarkably like the cast of "Star Trek," were especially cringe-worthy. At best — almost always — they're just occasions to formally announce agreements already worked out by lower-level officials. Once in a while, however, something really important emerges. And this is one of those times: The agreement between China and the United States on carbon emissions is, in fact, a big deal. http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_26945768/paul-krugman-week-was-good-planet-bad-climate Renewable energy in Mojave. Renewable energy project would pollute the desert Re “Will renewable energy ruin an ‘irreplaceable' Mojave oasis?” (Capitol & California, Nov. 10): Installing wind turbines and solar panels in the Silurian Valley in the Mojave Desert is not just green energy run amok, it's insanity. We have traveled Highway 127 through this valley many times, and there is no place like it. Would the people stand for these galvanized towers in Yosemite? Well, we don't see the difference. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article3929799.html BLOGS State Dept. Keystone XL North Contractor ERM Approved Project Now Melting Glaciers. ...penchant for rubber-stamping projects that have had tragic environmental and public health legacies. For example, ERM formerly worked on behalf of the tobacco industry to pitch the safety of its deadly product. A January 2014 study about Keystone XL's climate change impacts published in the journal Nature Climate Change paints a drastically different picture than ERM Group's Keystone XL tar sands study. The Kumtor Gold Mine, owned by Centerra Gold/Cameco Corporation, was provided... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-horn/state-dept-keystone-xl-no_b_6168864.html This Republican Admits Rising Seas Are Swallowing His District. But Can He Say That in Washington? ...politicians-turned-lobbyists, Graves has a base of political support that would be the envy of many in his class. But that's not what makes him unique. Rather, what sets him apart is that he's one of the only incoming Republican congressmen to seriously grapple with the effects of climate change. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/garret-graves-louisiana-pragmatic-climate-denier 2016 Toyota Mirai Name For Fuel-Cell Sedan; Hydrogen Station Funds Coming For Northeast. The hydrogen fuel-cell sedan that goes on sale in North America roughly a year from now will be known as the 2016 Toyota Mirai, the company announced today. The model name--confirming a rumor that had circulated for several months--was announced by Toyota CEO... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095492_2016-toyota-mirai-name-for-fuel-cell-sedan-hydrogen-station-funds-coming-for-northeast Renewable Energy America's solar boom, in charts. - Last week, an energy analyst at Deutsche Bank came to a startling conclusion: By 2016, solar power will be as cheap or cheaper than electricity from the conventional grid in every state except thre... http://grist.org/climate-energy/americas-solar-boom-in-charts/ DoE Offers $1 Million Prize For Advances In Small-Scale Hydrogen Fueling For Homes. As automakers get more serious about hydrogen fuel-cell cars, the biggest impediment to adoption will a chicken-and-egg situation: low numbers of cars offered in limited areas due to a lack of public fueling infrastructure. Unlike home charging stations for battery-electric cars,... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095483_doe-offers-1-million-prize-for-advances-in-small-scale-hydrogen-fueling-for-homes Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell coming to US Northeast in 2016. Looks like someone was able to read the future back in July. That's when rumors first circulated that Toyota's upcoming fuel cell vehicle will be called the Mirai. Today, Toyota president Akio Toyoda confirmed the name alongside plans to build out a hydrogen refueling infrastructure in the US Northeast. In Japanese, mirai (æ?ªæ¥) means "future," which... http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/16/toyota-mirai-hydrogen-fuel-cell-name-official/?icid=autoblog%7ccheck-these-out California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 11:22:51 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for November 18, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 How China can tackle air pollution China and the U.S. recently announced a substantial policy down payment on tackling greenhouse gas emissions in Beijing. Related air pollution problems in China are literally breathtaking: My eyes watered and I was coughing all week during the APEC summit, even though the smog was less than usual because the government had ordered half the cars off the road and shut down some of the most polluting factories and power plants to "clear" the air for the Summit. http://www.cnbc.com/id/102195905?trknav=homestack:topnews:10 Claim: There is natural gas fracking in the Delta now Nicki Suard, owner of SnugHarbor Resort on Steamboat Slough in the California Delta and a retired attorney, contends there is fracking occurring in the Delta. “It is happening right now,” she said at a meeting of North Delta Community Area Residents for Environmental Stability of Clarksburg, better known by its acronym, North Delta CARES. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27155 CLIMATE CHANGE Australia, China agree on climate action policy Australia and China have signed an initial deal to co-operate on tackling the effects of climate change through advancing energy efficiency, low emissions technology co-operation and improving emissions data reporting. The Australia-China Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Climate Change Cooperation was signed by Australian... http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=949660&menu=yes EPA chief: Greenhouse gas cuts won't all come from power plants The ambitious reductions to greenhouse gases that President Obama pledged in China last week will not lead to deeper emissions cuts at power plants, according to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy. At a Beijing summit where China and the United States unveiled plans to address climate change, Obama said that by 2025, the United States would curb its heat-trapping emissions by 26% to 28% from 2005 levels. http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-na-mccarthy-power-plant-emissions-20141117-story.html After U.S.-China Pact, Will the World Pick a Peak Carbon Date? Last week, the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, accounting for 40% of global emissions, signed an accord on improving their polluting ways. The U.S. said it would reduce emissions by as much as 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, while China said its emissions would... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-17/after-u-dot-s-dot-china-climate-pact-will-world-pick-a-peak-carbon-date VEHICLES A Road Test of Alternative Fuel Visions Remember the hydrogen car? A decade ago, President George W. Bush espoused the environmental promise of cars running on hydrogen, the universe’s most abundant element. “The first car driven by a child born today,” he said in his 2003 State of the Union speech, “could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution-free.” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/science/earth/hydrogen-cars-join-electric-models-in-showrooms.html VW bringing fuel cell concept to LA Auto Show Surprise Entry Into The Show's Green Theme This Year Amid the flurry of hydrogen announcements from Toyota and Honda last night, Volkwagen has something to add: a new hydrogen fuel cell concept vehicle. This will be the first VW hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in many years – remember... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/17/vw-bringing-fuel-cell-concept-to-la-auto-show/ The Most Fuel-Efficient Cars For The Money Search the Environmental Protection Agency's fuel economy database as we have and you'll find that 18 out of the 20 cars with the highest fuel economy ratings for the 2015 model year are either costly plug-in hybrids or full-blown electric cars. At that, the remaining two models are hybrids that still command stiff price premiums over conventionally powered models. But what about good old-fashioned cars powered by internal combustion engines with nary an added kilowatt... http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2014/11/17/non-hybrid-cars-that-get-40-mpg-or-better/ GREEN ENERGY Huge solar plant lags in early production The largest solar power plant of its type in the world — once promoted as a turning point in green energy — isn't producing as much energy as planned. One of the reasons is as basic as it gets: The sun isn't shining as much as expected. Sprawling... http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article3981415.html BLOGS Peru Prepares to Host Climate Talks as its Indigenous Forest Defenders Die The nonprofit group Global Witness makes some valuable points in a new report offering Peru a path to cut the violence on its poorly governed resource frontier in the Amazon. The report, “Peru’s Deadly Environment,” is being released today at a Manhattan event organized with the Alexander Soros Foundation. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/peru-prepares-to-host-climate-talks-as-its-indigenous-forest-defenders-die/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=human%20rights&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body Obesity Is Tied to Pollutants Exposure to secondhand smoke and roadway traffic may be tied to increased body mass index in children and adolescents, a new study suggests. Researchers studied 3,318 children in 12 Southern California communities beginning at an average age of 10, and then followed them through age 18. Posted. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/obesity-is-tied-to-pollutants/?_r=0 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 10:44:00 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 19, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for November 19, 2014. **My apologies for posting clips late** 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 A Carbon Tax Could Bolster Green Energy. A couple of years ago, the smart money was on wind. In 2012, 13 gigawatts worth of wind-powered electricity generation capacity was installed in the United States, enough to meet the needs of roughly three million homes. That was some 40 percent of all the capacity added to the nation’s power grid that year, up from seven gigawatts added in 2011 and just over five in 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/business/economy/a-carbon-tax-could-bolster-wobbly-progress-in-renewable-energy.html?_r=0 Cap-and-Trade Market Quakes the First Time California Enforces Rules. Stakeholders in California’s cap-and-trade program, which compels local companies that pollute the air to invest in enterprises worldwide that reduce pollution, expressed distress and fretted about the future of the innovative marketplace after state officials voided some carbon offset credits for the first time. http://www.allgov.com/usa/ca/news/california-and-the-nation/cap-and-trade-market-quakes-the-first-time-california-enforces-rules-141118?news=854850 Carbon tax? Or cap-and-trade? State report gives advantages to both. A panel convened by Gov. Jay Inslee to study how to put a price on carbon pollution says there are advantages to two approaches - a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade program - but did not recommend a specific approach in a report presented to the governor on Monday. Inslee has been exploring a market-based system to limit heat-trapping greenhouse gases that are blamed for warming the planet… http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Carbon-cap-report-to-Inslee-may-spur-action-282982641.html Carbon Cap Report to Washington Governor May Spur Action. A panel convened by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to study how to put a price on carbon pollution says there are advantages to two approaches – a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade program – but did not recommend a specific approach in a report presented to the governor on Monday. Inslee has been exploring a market-based system to limit heat-trapping greenhouse gases that are blamed for warming the planet… http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2014/11/19/347522.htm PG&E CEO presses EPA to harmonize carbon rule with Calif. cap-and-trade program. The largest electric utility in Northern California is pressing U.S. EPA to harmonize its proposed power plant rule for curbing carbon emission with the state's cap-and-trade program, the top executive of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said in an interview yesterday. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060009171/print AIR POLLUTION Air Resources Board Conducts Surprise Inspections on Big Rigs. Inspectors with the Cal EPA and the Air Resources Board checked heavy duty trucks for compliance on clean air regulations Tuesday. The surprise inspection check point was set up off Highway 99 at North and Cedars Avenue. Inspectors checked 58 big rigs trucks and issued 9 citations. http://www.yourcentralvalley.com/story/d/story/air-resources-board-conducts-surprise-inspections/29995/oZnkRi2AoEC273TsQh1V2g http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/18/4242140_air-resource-board-truck-inspection.html?rh=1 http://www.kmjnow.com/common/page.php?pt=Surprise+Inspection+for+Dirty+Big+Rigs+in+Fresno&id=25112&is_corp=0 http://abc30.com/news/keeping-the-valley-air-clear-of-toxic-fumes/401483/ CLIMATE CHANGE UN: World not close to avoiding dangerous warming. The world still isn't close to preventing what leaders call a dangerous level of man-made warming, a new United Nations report says. That's despite some nations' recent pledges to cut back on carbon dioxide emissions. The report looks at the gap between what countries promise to do about carbon pollution and what scientists say needs to be done to prevent… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_CLIMATE_EMISSIONS_GAP?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT French and Australian leaders discuss climate. The French president told Australia's prime minister Wednesday that countries should make their own decisions on how to achieve any binding greenhouse gas reduction targets that emerge from a United Nations climate change conference in Paris next year. The Australian government has been widely criticized by green groups for repealing in July a two-year-old carbon tax levied on… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AUSTRALIA_FRANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT We Have Six Decades to Eliminate All CO2 Emissions: UN. The world must halt fossil-fuel emissions within the next six decades to stave off irreversible impacts that may stem from a warming planet, the United Nations said. Sometime between 2055 and 2070, any carbon dioxide produced as the result of burning oil, coal and natural gas should be compensated with measures that suck the gas out of the atmosphere…http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-11-19/un-urges-carbon-neutrality-to-stave-off-climate-impa.html Brazil carbon emissions rise for the first time since 2004 –report. Brazil's annual greenhouse gas emissions increased last year for the first time since 2004 after years of reductions as deforestation and the use of thermal power plants rose, a new study found. Latin America's largest economy generated 1.56 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2013, a 7.8 percent jump over the previous year, according to a report released Wednesday by the Climate Observatory, a network of civil society organizations. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/19/brazil-carbon-rising-idUSL6N0T93SL20141119 Australia stands firm against G20 pack on climate change. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday warned that next year's landmark climate change summit in Paris will fail if world leaders decide to put cutting carbon emissions ahead of economic growth. Just days after host Australia was embarrassed into addressing climate change at the Group of 20 Leaders Summit in Brisbane… http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/19/us-australia-france-climatechange-idUSKCN0J307K20141119?feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=11563 U.S Commits $3 Billion to Green Climate Fund. Last week signaled two potentially significant advances in the international effort to deal with climate change. On Wednesday China and the United States, the world’s two largest greenhouse gas emitters, announced a “historic” agreement to limit emissions. Then on Friday sources revealed the Obama administration’s intention to pledge $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as a “call to arms” focusing attention on climate change… http://theenergycollective.com/globalwarmingisreal/2158731/us-commits-3-billion-green-climate-fund Consumer group urges states to look for less expensive carbon cuts than EPA suggests. A new report commissioned by a national group of consumer advocates stresses that states looking at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector should consider compliance options beyond the rules U.S. EPA laid out in its draft rule in order to keep electric costs down. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/11/19/stories/1060009185 Efforts to save forests could doom other carbon-rich landscapes – study. Policies to save the world's tropical forests could come at the cost of carbon held in other land types like savannahs or wetlands, argues a study published this week in Nature Climate Change. It is estimated that deforestation accounts for about 10 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/11/19/stories/1060009166 DROUGHT Talks on drought bill underway on Capitol Hill. California’s water future is boiling below the surface this week. Only the chosen few have a clue about details. Bill documents, currently about 50 pages, are stamped “confidential draft language, do not distribute.” Capitol Hill doors are shut, congressional timetables are opaque and negotiators are strictly mum. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/19/4242760_talks-on-drought-bill-underway.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Dry San Diego to look to sewers as water source. Acknowledging California's parched new reality, the city of San Diego has embraced a once-toxic idea: turning sewer water into drinking water. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to advance a $2.5-billion plan to recycle wastewater, the latest example of how California cities are looking for new supplies amid a severe drought. http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_26967357/dry-san-diego-look-sewers-water-source Humboldt County, tribes receive 2,400 donated drought kits for low-income households. In an effort to address the drought on the household level, California has teamed up with The Home Depot to distribute kits to low-income residents, with about 2,000 being given to North Coast tribes last month and now 400 more for drought-stricken communities in Humboldt County. http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_26966986/humboldt-county-tribes-receive-2-400-donated-drought FUELS Republicans: Keystone pipeline down, but not out. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is promising the new Republican majority will quickly resurrect Keystone XL pipeline legislation killed by Democrats, potentially setting up an early 2015 veto confrontation with President Barack Obama. "I look forward to the new Republican majority taking up and passing the Keystone jobs bill early in the new year," the Kentucky Republican said Tuesday… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_KEYSTONE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT California cities consider gas-pump warning labels. Known for its liberal politics, Berkeley has racked up a long line of firsts over the years, from taxing sugary drinks to ditching Styrofoam takeout containers. City officials are now considering another novel plan: putting stickers on gas pumps citywide to warn consumers that burning fuel contributes to global warming. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAS_PUMPS_CLIMATE_CHANGE_LABELS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/California-cities-consider-gas-pump-warning-labels-5903039.php http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article3994444.html http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/19/3356766/california-cities-consider-gas.html?sp=/99/102// http://www.insidebayarea.com/california/ci_26967491/california-cities-consider-gas-pump-warning-labels http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20141119/california-cities-consider-gas-pump-warning-labels One source of Calif.'s fuel of the future will be sewage. The contents of your toilet could soon be powering your car and helping to cut down greenhouse gas emissions. In this suburb of Los Angeles, FuelCell Energy Inc. is operating the world's first "tri-generation" plant that converts sewage into electrical power for an industrial facility and renewable hydrogen for transportation fuel. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060009156/print What are Canada's remaining options to export oil? Keystone XL has become the battleground for a gathering array of stakeholders, including oil companies, politicians, activist groups and others. The debate has raged over everything from pipeline safety and the possibility of regional spills to the larger effect it may or may not have on global carbon emissions. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060009184/print FRACKING Some fracking to be permitted in national forest. Environmentalists and energy boosters alike welcomed a federal compromise announced Tuesday that will allow fracking in the largest national forest in the eastern United States, but make most of its woods off-limits to drilling. http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Some-fracking-to-be-permitted-in-national-forest-5901895.php VEHICLES A Road Test of Alternative Fuel Visions. Remember the hydrogen car? A decade ago, President George W. Bush espoused the environmental promise of cars running on hydrogen, the universe’s most abundant element. “The first car driven by a child born today,” he said in his 2003 State of the Union speech, “could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution-free.” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/science/earth/hydrogen-cars-join-electric-models-in-showrooms.html?mwrsm=Email 2016 Toyota Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle first drive. The future is going to be mighty futuristic, starting right now. What Is It? Having pioneered and legitimized the hybrid electric car with the Prius 20 years ago, Toyota is aiming to do the same with hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as it launches the 2016 Mirai (the word means “future” in Japanese). http://autoweek.com/article/green-cars/2016-toyota-mirai-fuel-cell-electric-vehicle-first-drive LA AUTO SHOW 10 must-see cars and trucks at the 2014 L.A. Auto Show! From the Ford Mustang GT350 to the ultra-luxurious Bentley Grand Convertible, there has never been a busier and more dazzling edition of the annual L.A. Auto Show. Amongst all the heavy-hitters in the horsepower wars are smaller, more frugal standouts like the VW Golf R Variant and hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai. Consider these 10 vehicles the automotive A-list celebrities of Los Angeles. http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/auto-shows/auto-show-10-must-see-cars-trucks-los-angeles-article-1.2015963 Electric Coda Sedan to phoenix at LA Auto Show as Mullen 700e. History sure likes to repeat itself. Case in point: the car formerly known as the Coda Sedan – and previously, the Miles Javlon XS 500, and before that, the XS 200 – was originally going to be announced at the 2007 LA Auto Show. Now, seven years later, it is set to "debut" at that same spectacle as the Mullen 700e. This time, for real. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/18/coda-sedan-ev-returns-la-auto-show-as-mullen-700e/ GREEN ENERGY China's energy plan reduces reliance on coal. Chinese officials announced limits Wednesday on growth in energy consumption aimed at making the country less dependent on coal. Under a development plan issued by China's Cabinet, energy consumption by 2020 must be no more than 28 percent higher than the 2013 level. For coal specifically, the increase would be limited to 16 percent. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_ENERGY_CAP?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article4010748.html http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_26967570/chinas-energy-plan-reduces-reliance-coal SOLAR ENERGY: Ivanpah plant falls short on sunshine. The technology used at Ivanpah is different from the familiar photovoltaic panels commonly used for rooftop solar installations. The plant's solar-thermal system – sometimes called concentrated-solar thermal – relies on nearly 350,000 computer-controlled mirrors at the site, each the size of a garage door. http://www.pe.com/articles/plant-754452-energy-gas.html Ikea buys second wind farm in U.S. The Ikea Group announced this week that it bought a second wind farm in the United States. The company purchased the 165-megawatt facility in Cameron County, Texas, as part of Ikea's goal to completely offset its energy use with renewables such as wind and solar power by 2020, according to Ikea U.S. acting President Rob Olson. The wind farm will produce enough electricity for 90,000 average homes in the United States. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060009165/print State regulators, electric power and gas industry officials voice concerns about a rapid shift to natural gas. A ramp-up of natural gas under U.S. EPA's plans for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the electric sector is causing concerns over how using more of the fuel would interplay with coal power and renewable energy and whether states can build new pipelines fast enough to accommodate the growth. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060009186/print MISCELLANEOUS Push underway for L.A. to tax itself again for a 'car light' future. The advocacy group that helped persuade Los Angeles County residents to tax themselves in order to fund new transit lines is launching a push for a sequel. It would bankroll additional "car-free" options. Move LA, a coalition of business, labor and environmental groups, is talking about "Measure R2." It would build on the success of Measure R, the half-cent sales tax that passed in 2008. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060009189/print OPINIONS column-Bottom line on climate change: It's costing you money. (This is the latest installment of Steven Brill's weekly column, "Stories I'd Like to See.") A recent Martin Wolf column in the "Financial Times," "An unethical bet in the climate casino," is a story I'm glad I saw. It prompted me to think about how to make reporting on a subject I usually find boring a lot more compelling. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/11/18/brill-climatechange-idUKL2N0T82Z920141118 The moral issue of climate change. The politics of selfishness was embraced enthusiastically last week by Sen. Mitch McConnell. In dismissing President Obama’s deal with China to reduce carbon emissions, the incoming Senate majority leader said “carbon emission regulations are creating havoc in my state and other states around the country” by undermining economic interests. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/david-ignatius-the-moral-issue-of-climate-change/2014/11/18/e660e61c-6f74-11e4-ad12-3734c461eab6_story.html?wpisrc=nl_opin&wpmm=1 Congress can lead green wave. Mitch McConnell is no defender of the coal miner or the coal miner's daughter ("McConnell signals a fight over US-China greenhouse gas pact," Nov. 13). He is standing up for mine owners, not the workers. It is true that Kentucky's economy will have to adjust to the coming carbon-free world, but this adjustment is good news for Kentuckians unless they own the mines. Miners can move from coal jobs to green ones. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/opinion/letters/x15404949/Congress-can-lead-green-wave?utm_source=widget_254&utm_medium=synapse US-China deal is historic. The agreement between China and the U.S. marks the beginning of international cooperation on reining in heat-trapping gases that are leading to global climate disruption. The U.S. has agreed to cut net greenhouse gas emissions 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. China "agreed" to stabilize emissions by 2030, possibly earlier, and increase the non-fossil fuel share of all energy to 20 percent by 2030. http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/opinion/letters/x15404941/US-China-deal-is-historic BLOGS WATCH: How Carbon Dioxide Travels Around The Globe. We're a few days late on this, but it's too cool not to share. Here's a NASA video made from a new model that shows how carbon dioxide moves throughout Earth: NASA explains what you just watched: "Plumes of carbon dioxide in the simulation swirl and shift as winds disperse the greenhouse gas away from its sources. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/11/19/365197982/watch-how-carbon-dioxide-travels-around-the-globe Incentives For Buying and Owning Electric Cars In Every State. Buying an electric car is not as scary as it might seem. Between the charging stations that are popping up across America and government incentives and perks, the benefits are pretty clear. Check out the infographic below, created in partnership with Nissan LEAF, to learn more about state-by-state incentives. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/19/ev-incentives-states_n_5696133.html#sthash.pYPPK7dx.dpuf The Emissions Gap Roadmap. Momentum on climate action is building: the major joint announcement from the United States and China last week, nearly $7.5 billion in pledges to the Green Climate Fund and commitments made at the UN Climate Summit in September in New York City, where more than 70 countries and 1,000 companies supported putting a price on carbon to encourage investment in a low-carbon future. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-andrew-steer/the-emissions-gap-roadmap_b_6182142.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics Fossil-Fueled Republicanism. The Grand Oil Party Takes Washington by Storm. Pop the Champagne corks in Washington! It’s party time for Big Energy. In the wake of the midterm elections, Republican energy hawks are ascendant, having taken the Senate and House by storm. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-t-klare/fossil-fueled-republicanism_b_6177694.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics Electric Vehicles Help Drive Climate Action. Yesterday at the White House, Energy Secretary Ernie Moniz and I got to see American innovation in action, as Pacific Gas & Electric demonstrated their new plug-in hybrid bucket truck — a utility vehicle with emissions nearly 80% lower than a conventional truck. Not only does PG&E’s plug-in hybrid utility vehicle run cleaner… http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/11/19/electric-vehicles-help-drive-climate-action MINI Hardtop 4-Door Appears At Los Angeles Auto Show. First shown over the summer, the new MINI five-door model will make its North American debut at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. Even though it's a five-door hatchback, this model will be known in the U.S. as the MINI Hardtop 4 Door when it goes on sale early next year. Based on the recently-redesigned MINI Cooper platform… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095548_mini-hardtop-4-door-appears-at-los-angeles-auto-show California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 14:24:34 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 21, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for November 21, 2014. 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 Whitehouse Sees Carbon Fee Bill Boosting Climate Discussion with Republicans. Carbon fee legislation introduced Nov. 19 will establish the baseline for productive bipartisan discussions on climate change in the next Congress, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said. Whitehouse and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced the American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act (no bill number available), which would require large greenhouse gas emitters to pay $42 for every ton of carbon pollution… http://www.bna.com/whitehouse-sees-carbon-n17179912118/ Ontario may join cap-and-trade carbon emission trade system. Ontario has not ruled out joining the Quebec-California cap-and-trade system to limit the emission of greenhouse gases. "We are just beginning our conversations and our discussions, a partnership with industries," Environment and Climate Change Minister Glen Murray said Thursday. http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2014/11/20141120-185243.html CLIMATE CHANGE NOAA: Globe sets 5th hottest-month record of 2014. Despite a bitter U.S. cold snap, the globe is rushing hell-bent toward its warmest year on record with last month setting the fifth monthly heat record of the year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that last month was the hottest October on record worldwide. The 58.43 degrees Fahrenheit (14.74 Celsius) beat out October 2003. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_RECORD_HOT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT UN climate fund falls short of $10 billion target. A U.N. fund that will help poor countries tackle climate change has fallen short, for now, of its target of collecting $10 billion, officials said Thursday. About 30 countries meeting in Berlin pledged a total of $9.3 billion toward the Green Climate Fund, according to Germany's development ministry, which co-hosted the conference. Last week, the U.S. pledged $3 billion, the biggest amount so far. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_CLIMATE_FUND?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT China Climate Pledge Needs 1,000 Nuclear Plant Effort. China, which does nothing in small doses, will need about 1,000 nuclear reactors, 500,000 wind turbines or 50,000 solar farms as it takes up the fight against climate change. Chinese President Xi Jinping agreement last week with President Barack Obama requires a radical environmental and economic makeover. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-21/latest-china-revolution-seeks-great-leap-for-clean-energy.html Car-Driving Dream Faces China’s Carbon Reality: Chart of the Day. China’s pledge to cap greenhouse gas output may curtail car-ownership dreams across the world’s most-populous nation, even as domestic auto sales are on pace to top a record 23 million vehicles in 2014. The CHART OF THE DAY tracks annual carbon emissions by the world’s two biggest economies, with China’s output almost doubling in the decade since U.S. levels began to fall, according to BP Plc statistics. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-20/car-driving-dream-faces-china-s-carbon-reality-chart-of-the-day.html The Magical Thought That's Assumed in Climate Studies. Residents exercising amid heavy smog on the Bund in Shanghai as local meteorological. Here's one way to phrase the basic climate change conundrum: There's a huge gap between the volume of pollution emitted every year and how much scientists say we can safely send aloft. This has a weird implication for potential fixes governments may need in the future. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-20/the-magical-thought-that-s-assumed-in-climate-studies.html U.N. Green Fund gets $9.3 billion in pledges at Berlin conference. The U.N. Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a major part of a plan agreed in 2009 whereby rich countries agreed to give $100 billion a year from both public and private sources from 2020 to help developing nations reduce carbon emissions and adapt to a changing global climate. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/20/us-climatechange-fund-idUSKCN0J41V020141120?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Garcetti proposes L.A. climate change summit of U.S., China mayors. Following up on last week's U.S.-China climate change agreement, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Friday he would invite leaders of Chinese and American cities to a summit in Los Angeles next year to kick-start efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions in both countries. http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-los-angeles-eric-garcetti-china-20141121-story.html http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article4046697.html 40% decline in polar bears in Alaska, western Canada heightens concern. The number of polar bears in eastern Alaska and western Canada has declined by 40%, according to a scientific study that raises more questions about the impact of global warming on the creature that has become the symbol of some of its worst effects. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-polar-bear-decline-20141117-story.html Climate change to increase flood, crop insurance losses. Climate change could substantially increase losses in taxpayer-backed flood and crop insurance programs in coming decades, according to a new government report. The Government Accountability Office found that exposure to losses for property insured under the two programs grew by 8% to $1.4 trillion over the past six years because of population growth and increased property values in hazard-prone areas. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/politics/2014/11/20/climate-change-flood-insurance-crop-insurance-losses/19271715/ Canada pledges $265m to Green Climate Fund. Harper government fulfils promise to help developing countries address climate impacts. The Canadian government has revealed it will give US$265m (C$300m) to a UN fund aimed at helping the world’s poorest countries invest in clean energy technologies and cope with the effects of climate change. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/11/21/canada-pledges-265m-to-green-climate-fund/#sthash.nUHT1fr5.dpuf Climate Investments ‘Falling Short’ of 2°C Goal. Staving off the worst impacts of climate change by investing in clean energy and smart climate adaptations makes economic sense, but a new report shows that investments are still lagging globally. At the same time, the dropping costs of clean energy, particularly solar, mean that companies are doing more with less. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-investments-2degrees-goal-18363 DROUGHT Capitol Hill talks on drought bill dry up, to resume next year. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California on Thursday pulled the plug on secret, high-stakes negotiations over a water bill for her drought-plagued state, saying she and fellow lawmakers will try again next year. Feinstein’s unexpected move ends, for now, what had become an increasingly contentious fight over ambitious drought-fighting legislation whose details few people have seen. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article4034913.html#storylink=cpy Feinstein bails on water effort – for now. Whatever the legislative sausage was, the legislation to address California’s drought issues never made it out of the machine in Washington. But its chief chef, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, plans to resume work in 2015 with a Republican-controlled Congress. Details of Ms. Feinstein’s water bill never leaked. But how it was being cobbled together irritated more than a few -- from environmental groups to Democratic congressmen. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27191 Fremont gardeners showcasing water-saving plants. As area lawns brown and lush plantings wither, resourceful gardeners everywhere are beginning to embrace a new normal and looking for ideas to create the next generation of water-wise California gardens. Coming to the rescue are a handful of community demonstration gardens staffed by master gardeners and dedicated to the proposition that a drought-tolerant … http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_26977442/fremont-gardeners-showcasing-water-saving-plants Secret California water deal left high and dry in D.C. A Congressional back room water deal has sprung a leak. After months of secret negotiations and without a single public hearing, a bill that would have built dams and reservoirs in California - and rolled back environmental laws - has been shelved. At least for now. California's record drought prompted both the House and Senate to pass their own version of water bills. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/11/20/48208/secret-california-water-deal-left-high-and-dry-in/ DIESEL EMISSIONS EPA to award up to $5M for projects to reduce diesel emissions at ports. EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) will award up to $5M combined for proposals (EPA-OAR-OTAQ-14-07) that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced by diesel engines and diesel emissions exposure, from fleets operating at marine and inland water ports located in areas of poor air quality. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141121-epaports.html FUELS EPA delays decision on ethanol in gas. The Obama administration is delaying a decision on whether to reduce the amount of ethanol in the nation's fuel supply. Last year the Environmental Protection Agency proposed to reduce the amount of ethanol in fuel for the first time. The decision angered corn growers and ethanol companies who have since lobbied the government to reverse the decision. The EPA said Friday it expects to make a final decision next year. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ETHANOL_IN_GASOLINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-21/renewable-fuels-proposal-for-2014-withdrawn-by-epa-after-delay.html http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article4046601.html Harvard sued over push for fossil fuels divestment. Seven Harvard University students have filed a lawsuit asking a judge to force the university's governing body to divest from fossil fuel companies. The lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges investment in those companies violates the university's duties as a public charity. The complaint asks the court to compel the Harvard Corporation, the governing body, to stop investing any of its $36.4 billion endowment in gas, coal and oil companies. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HARVARD_DIVESTMENT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Gulf Coast Embraces U.S. Coal Shippers Rejected by West. When it comes to exporting American coal, the West Coast’s loss is the Gulf Coast’s gain. While environmental opposition has stymied plans to build terminals in California and the Pacific Northwest, the Mississippi River town of Darrow, Louisiana, has a new $300 million export facility. It’s part of a regional expansion that will increase capacity by 66 percent to 119 million metric tons by 2017… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-21/gulf-coast-embraces-u-s-coal-shippers-rejected-by-west-freight.html VEHICLES Toyota recalls nearly 423K Lexuses for fuel leaks. Toyota is recalling nearly 423,000 Lexus luxury brand cars in the U.S. to fix fuel leaks that can cause fires. The recalls affect the 2006 to 2011 GS, 2007 to 2010 LS and the 2006 to 2011 IS models. Toyota says that the cars' fuel lines have nickel phosphate plating to protect against corrosion. Some lines could have been built with particles coming in contact with a gasket. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_LEXUS_RECALL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT High-speed rail officials say construction will be a net positive for the environment. State officials supporting California's high-speed rail project held an event in Fresno this week showcasing cleaner-burning diesel construction equipment. The goal: to demonstrate the agency's efforts to make the project a zero-net contributor to carbon emissions. The California High Speed Rail Authority says it will use a variety of steps to offset pollution it produces in building and eventually operating the train network. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/11/21/high-speed-rail-officials-say-construction-will-be.html?page=all LA Auto Show 2014: BMW's i3 named Green Car of the Year. MW's i8 has been named the LA Auto Show's 2015 Green Car of the Year. The all-electric plug-in vehicle is a high-performance sports car with a conscience. The $42,275 German runabout, which has an electric motor capable of producing the equivalent of 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, has a range of 80 to 100 miles. Introduced to American buyers in 2013, the car won the award in its second year of production. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-la-auto-show-green-car-year-20141119-story.html GREEN ENERGY China Shale Boom Fizzles as Clean Energy, Imports Take Lead. China has sharply cut its output target for shale, signaling the country’s drilling boom is fizzling out before it even gets going. The nation has reduced its goal for the end of the decade to a third of an earlier estimate, as difficult geology, lack of infrastructure and limited exploration rights conspire against shale-gas ambitions. Big gas import deals, a lower oil price and China’s commitment to clean energy are also weighing on shale’s promise. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-21/china-shale-boom-fizzles-as-clean-energy-imports-take-spotlight.html EU Risks Blackouts Without Clean-Coal Inducement, IEA Says. Europe faces power shortages in the next decade unless it balances its drive for low-carbon energy with investment in clean-coal and nuclear generation, according to the International Energy Agency. Policy makers must boost incentives for coal-fired power that includes carbon-capture technology and spur investment in new atomic plants to replace aging reactors… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-21/europe-risks-blackouts-without-clean-coal-inducement-iea-says.html Unclear If Congress Can Complete Tax Extenders Package This Year, Carper Says. Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, said Nov. 20 that discussions are ongoing, but it's “not at all clear” that Congress can complete work this year on a two-year, $85 billion package of tax extenders that includes dozens of renewable energy incentives. http://www.bna.com/unclear-congress-complete-n17179912430/ SolarCity inks deal with Wal-Mart; shares surge. Shares of SolarCity Corp. soared Friday morning after the company said it would provide Wal-Mart with solar power. The San Mateo, Calif.-based company’s stock rose as high as $56.94 a share, up 6% from Thursday's close. The solar power producer said it inked a four-year deal to install solar power projects for Wal-Mart at facilities in up to 36 states. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solarcity-stock-20141121-story.html http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4045455.html BLM rejectes application for Silurian Valley energy project. The Bureau of Land Management on Thursday denied a Spanish company's application to build a controversial renewable energy facility in the Mojave Desert's remote Silurian Valley, deciding the sprawling project “would not be in the public interest.” The closely watched decision is considered a bellwether for how the federal agency will handle future requests to develop renewable energy projects… http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-1121-silurian-rejection-20141121-story.html MISCELLANEOUS AT&T to pay California $52 million in hazardous waste disposal settlement. AT&T Inc (T.N) will pay $52 million in civil penalties and environmental compliance as part of a settlement with California over illegal dumping of hazardous waste but won't be required to clean up the resulting contamination, state officials said on Thursday. State officials said it marked the first enforcement action in California against a telecommunications company for mishandling of electronic waste. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/21/us-usa-at-t-california-idUSKCN0J50AG20141121?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews OPINONS The Term ‘Polar Vortex’ Goes Back to the Days of Dickens. Back in the news during the recent cold snap, the phrase ‘polar vortex’ goes back to the days of Dickens. As frigid winds and mammoth snowfall battered the U.S. this past week, a now-familiar item in our weather lexicon returned: the “polar vortex,” a large low-pressure zone that can push a mass of cold air down from the North Pole to more temperate climes. http://online.wsj.com/articles/the-term-polar-vortex-goes-back-to-the-days-of-dickens-1416586355?KEYWORDS=CLIMATE+CHANGE No matter where you plug in, electric cars are greener. Letters to the editorOpinionAutomotive Industry. To the editor: While I agree about the growing market for electric vehicles, I take issue with the authors' conclusions about the carbon emissions of EVs. ("Are electric cars greener? Depends on where you live," Op-Ed, Nov. 16). An updated analysis we recently completed at the Union of Concerned Scientists found that everywhere in the U.S., an EV produces lower carbon emissions… http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-1121-friday-electric-cars-20141121-story.html Keystone XL pipeline pumps out political nonsense. Like most debates in Congress, the fight over the Keystone XL pipeline is driven by posturing and partisanship rather than common sense. On Tuesday, this phenomenon was on full view as the Senate took a vote that fell short of overriding environmental concerns and giving the pipeline the go-ahead. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-keystone-xl-pipeline--20141119-story.html In a self-driving future, we may not even want to own cars. Personal transportation is on the cusp of its greatest transformation since the advent of the internal combustion engine. With the rise of self-driving vehicles, ride-sharing, traffic congestion and environmental regulation, we may not even own cars in the future, much less drive them. A glimpse of the coming revolution can be seen in the models debuting this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-1121-la-auto-show-future-of-driving-20141121-story.html#page=1 Our Voice: Cope with the drought by thinning forests. A U.S. Forest Service analysis of the 2013 Mountain Fire showed that controlled burns and other efforts to thin the forest were effective in some areas. However, the efforts have been paltry. Richard Minnich, a fire ecologist and UCR professor, calls prescribed burns that have been carried out in the past decade "postage stamps." Much more needs to be done. http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/editorials/2014/11/20/thin-forests/70033002/ CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: U.S.-China climate pact swindle. Historic. Such is the ubiquitous description of the climate agreement recently announced in Beijing between Barack Obama and Xi Jinping in which China promised for the first time to cap carbon emissions. If this were a real breakthrough, I’d be an enthusiastic supporter. I have long advocated for a tangible global agreement to curb carbon. http://www.pe.com/articles/china-754650-carbon-agreement.html CHRIS MOONEY: Winter weather doesn't refute global warming. If you live in the U.S., you have been feeling insanely cold lately. The area south of Buffalo got 5 feet of snow this week -- an extreme winter weather outburst that is being blamed for a tragic five deaths -- and the Weather Channel says that parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes region may experience "one of the longest sub-freezing spells on record for the month of November." http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/opinion/hot-topics/x1952131475/Winter-weather-doesnt-refute-global-warming Column recycles standard lies on global warming. Eugene Robinson's column, "Do-nothing politics hamstrings nation's development," began with a full paragraph of bogus global warming statements presented as facts. Still, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has raised the certainty of its global warming doomsday scenario from 90 to 95 percent based on computer projections that have utterly failed to predict… http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20141120/tri-valley-letters-coverage-lately-is-leaving-a-bit-to-be-desired BLOGS Clean Energy and Job Creation Go Hand-in-Hand in San Antonio. While many are prophesizing the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) as doomsday for the electricity sector, Texas utilities are telling a different story. The CPP will limit – for the first time ever – carbon emissions from existing power plants. One utility in particular, CPS Energy in San Antonio, “has already embraced a low-carbon strategy…http://www.forbes.com/sites/edfenergyexchange/2014/11/21/clean-energy-and-job-creation-go-hand-in-hand-in-san-antonio/ Oil And Gas Methane Rules Could Help U.S. Meet New Climate Targets, Report Says. The Environmental Protection Agency can cut methane emissions from oil and gas production in half with new national standards, a move that could help the United States meet new pollution cutting targets pledged in a climate deal with China last week, a new report recommends. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/20/oil-and-gas-methane-rules_n_6190754.html DOE reports progress on development of low-carbon and renewable sources of hydrogen production. The US Department of Energy (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Office’ (FCTO) 2014 Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program Annual Progress Report (earlier post)—an annual summary of results from projects funded by DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program—described progress in the field of hydrogen production. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141121-doeh2.html The public is wrong on climate, as it was on slavery, women’s rights. The latest public opinion study out of Yale’s Project on Climate Change Communication has all the usual hints of optimism we’ve seen in the Project’s many other climate reports. According to “Climate Change in the American Mind,” released this week, a majority of Americans support regulating carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants, funding research for renewable energy, yada, yada. http://grist.org/politics/the-public-is-wrong-on-climate-as-it-was-on-slavery-womens-rights/ Republicans were wrong about China’s climate commitment. Almost as soon as President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping announced their landmark climate deal last week, there was a torrent of criticism that the pact let China off the hook. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) complained that “the agreement requires the Chinese to do nothing at all for 16 years.” The argument goes like this: The U.S. committed to deeper, faster cuts than it had before — reducing carbon emissions 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. http://grist.org/politics/republicans-were-wrong-about-chinas-climate-commitment/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 12:08:56 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for November 24, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 The first Québec-California joint cap-and-trade auction will be held on November 25 The Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MDDELCC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announce that their joint auction, originally scheduled on November 19, will be re-run this coming Tuesday, from 1 to 4 p.m., Québec time. http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1450989/the-first-quebec-california-joint-cap-and-trade-auction-will-be-held-on-november-25 AIR POLLUTION What Does it Take for One Small City to Vanquish an Oil Giant? In this era of Citizens United and unlimited election spending, the outcome shocked everybody: on November 4, as voters across the country succumbed to the hard-right tug of dark money groups, the residents of Richmond, California triumphed over an oil giant. Chevron poured $3.1 million into this year’s municipal elections in Richmond, a Bay Area city of 107,000 where the company owns and operates a massive oil refinery. http://www.thenation.com/article/191129/what-does-it-take-one-small-city-vanquish-oil-giant With fuel prices falling, will airlines lose incentive to fly efficiently? As fuel costs drop for the nation’s airlines, so too will the incentive to fly more efficiently. That was the warning from a nonprofit environmental group that tracks fuel efficiency and air pollution among the world’s airlines. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-will-airlines-lose-incentive-to-fly-efficiently-20141121-story.html Bad chemistry took over in Valley’s terrible air siege An early November pollution siege left people coughing, sneezing, rubbing their eyes and scratching at rashes. Strangely, it started with the first real storm of autumn in the San Joaquin Valley, not a cloud of fireplace soot. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/22/4248373_bad-chemistry-took-over-in-valleys.html?rh=1 CLIMATE CHANGE LA to host climate summit with Chinese, US leaders Los Angeles will host a climate change summit next year to begin efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and China. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced plans for the meeting Friday while wrapping up the China leg of a 12-day trade mission to Asia. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/22/4248768/la-to-host-climate-summit-with.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f Climate Change Threatens to Strip the Identity of Glacier National Park What will they call this place once the glaciers are gone?A century ago, this sweep of mountains on the Canadian border boasted some 150 ice sheets, many of them scores of feet thick, plastered across summits and tucked into rocky fissures high above parabolic valleys. Today, perhaps 25 survive. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/us/climate-change-threatens-to-strip-the-identity-of-glacier-national-park.html?_r=0 Prospects rise for a 2015 U.N. climate deal, but likely to be weak A global deal to combat climate change in 2015 looks more likely after promises for action by China, the United States and the European Union, but any agreement will probably be too weak to halt rising temperatures. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/24/us-climatechange-lima-idUSKCN0J70ER20141124 As Snow Fades, California Ski Resorts Are Left High and Very Dry At ski areas up and down the jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada, where California’s drought has hit historic proportions and the broader threat of climate change hangs heavy over an industry built on optimism, the man-made snow is flying. A couple of resorts have managed to open a few runs. But beyond the occasional strip of white, the mountains remain mostly bare http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/24/sports/skiing/as-snow-fades-california-ski-resorts-face-a-brown-future.html DROUGHT California drought: S.F. wants to add groundwater to tap The recipe for San Francisco’s famously delicious tap water is, gulp, about to change. Most city spigots, which, since the 1930s, have gushed water from Yosemite’s pristine Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, will start delivering the Sierra supply blended with a splash of local groundwater — by many measures, a far inferior source. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-drought-S-F-wants-to-add-this-to-5913205.php DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB unanimously approves final touches on Truck and Bus Rule The California Air Resources Board moved Thursday to approve final changes to its most expensive in-use trucking regulation on the books. During its two-day monthly meeting Thursday, board members unanimously approved amendments to require small trucking fleets to have their second truck meet the Truck and Bus Regulation’s standards by January 2017. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=28091#.VHN46RamOa8 FUELS White House threatens to put brakes on alternative fuels As biotech masterminds and venture capitalists scramble to hatch a new generation of environmentally friendly fuels that can help power the average gasoline-burning car, they are confronting an unexpected obstacle: the White House. Yielding to pressure from oil companies, car manufacturers and even driving enthusiasts, the Obama administration is threatening to put the brakes on one of the federal government's most ambitious efforts to ease the nation's addiction to fossil fuels. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-fuel-fight-20141124-story.html Solar and Wind Energy Start to Win on Price vs. Conventional Fuels For the solar and wind industries in the United States, it has been a long-held dream: to produce energy at a cost equal to conventional sources like coal and natural gas. That day appears to be dawning. The cost of providing electricity from wind and solar power plants has plummeted over the last five years, so much so that in some markets renewable generation is now cheaper than coal or natural gas. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/24/business/energy-environment/solar-and-wind-energy-start-to-win-on-price-vs-conventional-fuels.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A5%22} MISCELLANEOUS Ask TBC: Why does it take so long to get a fireplace insert voucher? …We asked Jaime Holt, communications director for the valley air district, to respond. We also asked for more detail about the voucher program. She told us: We received the comments of Mr. Jim Darling about the Burn Cleaner program. We appreciate this opportunity to reach out to him and others in Kern County who may share similar sentiments… http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1952131894/Ask-TBC-Why-does-it-take-so-long-to-get-a-fireplace-insert-voucher OPINION Climate realities in light of the U.S.-China agreement The United States-China agreement on climate change is a huge political triumph, possibly “historic,” as its supporters say. Whether it much alters the world’s climate is a more open question. Recall the agreement’s outlines. By 2030, China pledges to reach peak emissions of global greenhouse gases and also to increase its reliance on non-fossil fuels to 20 percent of its total energy. For its part, the United States committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 by 26 percent to 28 percent from 2005 levels. Environmentalists correctly see three big gains. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/robert-j-samuelson-climate-realities-in-light-of-us-china-agreement/2014/11/23/e5fdc7fa-719d-11e4-893f-86bd390a3340_story.html BLOG Beijing Considers How to Harness the Wind to Blow Away Pollution When Beijing experiences bouts of pollution that blacken the skies and burn the lungs, residents often joke that the Chinese capital needs to build giant fans to clear out the toxic air. Mountains to the north and west help trap smog in the city, and a stiff breeze from Mongolia is the surest way to ensure somewhat cleaner air. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/24/beijing-considers-how-to-harness-the-wind-to-blow-away-pollution/?_r=0 Another Major Climate Breakthrough: China Will Cap its Coal Consumption by 2020 Hard on the heels of last week’s historic US-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change, in which China pledged for the first time to cap its CO2 emission by 2030, China’s State Council has just announced a new energy strategy action plan that includes, also for the first time, a cap on national coal consumption by 2020. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/bfinamore/another_major_climate_breakthr.html Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell coming to US Northeast in 2016 Looks like someone was able to read the future back in July. That's when rumors first circulated that Toyota's upcoming fuel cell vehicle will be called the Mirai. Today, Toyota president Akio Toyoda confirmed the name alongside plans to build out a hydrogen refueling infrastructure in the US Northeast. http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/16/toyota-mirai-hydrogen-fuel-cell-name-official/ LA to host climate summit with Chinese, US leaders Los Angeles will host a climate change summit next year to begin efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and China. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced plans for the meeting Friday while wrapping up the China leg of a 12-day trade mission... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/22/4248768/la-to-host-climate-summit-with.html?ihp=0&sp=%2f99%2f406%2f552%2f Is Climate Change Reversible? Can Regenerative Agriculture Farming Solve the Climate Crisis? How to deal with our carbon problem in lieu of climate change was the big question being asked on Monday September 22nd at the Rodale Institute. We heard from such speakers such as Dr. Vandana Shiva; Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association; Mark Smallwood, the head of the Rodale... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-reitman/is-climate-change-reversi_1_b_6187212.html California Utilities and Solar Companies Battle Over Electricity Prices ...bill would hit $300 during the summer. “We had the air conditioner running all thet time,” he says. With the panels, Williams pays a set amount for solar power and much less to PG&E. “I mean, my wife is just so happy!” He says she tells him, “‘Look how much we're paying this time. Our... http://blogs.kqed.org/science/audio/california-utilities-and-solar-companies-battle-over-electricity-prices/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 11:40:35 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for November 25, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 56 countries seek carbon capture incentives in next climate deal Fiscal incentives for carbon capture should be part of the global climate change agreement that replaces the Kyoto Protocol, 56 countries belonging to the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) said in a statement on Tuesday. The recommendation by the UNECE member states puts the issue formally on the table for a meeting of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in December 2015, which aims to agree a legally binding treaty to replace Kyoto. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/25/us-climatechange-lima-carboncapture-idUSKCN0J90UW20141125 AIR POLLUTION Air pollution costs EU up to $235 billion: EU agency Air pollution, chiefly from coal-fired power plants, cost society up to 189 billion euros ($235 billion) in 2012 - equal to the gross domestic product of Finland, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said in a report published on Tuesday. The agency provides research to guide EU policymakers, who are reconsidering proposals put forward last year by the European Commission, the EU executive, to tighten laws on air quality. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/25/us-eu-pollution-idUSKCN0J90XK20141125 EPA rejects a Texas clean-air plan, orders pollution upgrades on some big coal plants The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday rejected parts of a key Texas clean-air plan, setting up a conflict with deep implications both for the state's electricity mix and air quality across much of the country. The partial rejection of Texas' regional haze plan, a federally required strategy for reducing pollution that causes hazy skies, would require 15 coal-burning generating units at eight Texas power plants to install or improve controls that limit emissions of sulfur dioxide. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article4124706.html#storylink=cpy L’Oreal USA fined $146,500 for illegal, air polluting hair care products L'Oreal USA S/D Inc. has just paid a $146,500 fine for selling products that did not meet air quality regulations, according to an announcement by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) today. The explanation for the penalty is sure to support arguments made by many that California's regulatory climate is out of control and not friendly to business. http://www.examiner.com/article/l-oreal-usa-fined-146-500-for-illegal-air-polluting-hair-care-products Wood burning ban in effect Tuesday and possibly Thanksgiving Day Wood fires will be banned in the Bay Area Tuesday, and could be prohibited on Thanksgiving Day too as weather conditions create poor air quality this week. Bay Area air pollution regulators called a Spare the Air alert for Tuesday, and said it's... http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_27004315/wood-burning-ban-effect-tuesday-and-possibly-thanksgiving CLIMATE CHANGE GOP wants more electric reliability assurances for climate rule Republican lawmakers are calling on energy regulators to get more involved with the Obama administration’s climate rule for power plants. Top energy legislators in the House and Senate said they’re concerned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hasn’t done enough to protect electricity reliability in the proposed rule. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/225231-gop-wants-more-electric-reliability-assurances-for-climate-rule Neither rain nor snow nor heat sways views on climate science Think that people in upstate New York will more strongly believe climate change is upon us after an early November blizzard dumped 7 feet of snow, which then was turned to slush by spring-like temperatures? Think again. Freaky seasons and drastic weather anomalies do little to convince most people that climate change is real - political ideology does much more, according to a study published online Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-politics-bias-climate-change-20141124-story.html The Oil Lobby's Playbook Against California's Climate Law Created by the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), one of the most powerful oil and gas lobbies in the U.S., the slides and talking points comes from a Nov. 11 presentation to the Washington Research Council. The Powerpoint deck details a plan to throttle AB 32 (also known as the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006) and steps to thwart low carbon fuel standards (known as LCFS) in California, Oregon, and Washington State. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-25/revealed-the-oil-lobbys-playbook-against-californias-climate-law FUELS EPA Won’t Finalize Renewable Fuel Standard in 2014, Cites Lengthy Delays ...Precedent Avoided Though renewable fuels producers said further delay is only adding uncertainty that hampers new investment, particularly in advanced biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol, they viewed the EPA's action as a win because the agency hasn't yet set a precedent of using its Clean... http://www.bna.com/epa-wont-finalize-n17179912489/ Would ethanol help the environment? Obama administration can't decide As President Obama looks to take legacy-defining actions while facing a hostile Congress, one of his more challenging decisions involves what goes into the fuel tanks of America’s cars. For months, the administration has dismayed innovators and environmentalists with its skepticism of requirements that gasoline contain escalating amounts of ethanol. The untidy politics of ethanol -- an additive that has done a great deal to bolster the corn industry but has fallen short in delivering marketplace innovations -- have bedeviled the Environmental Protection Agency and put Obama at odds with longtime allies on the left. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pn-obama-ethanol-20141124-story.html OPINION Committed to Carbon Goals Since the early 1990s, the consensus view in the climate science community has been that if the world is going to escape the most catastrophic consequences of climate change, it needs to keep the average global temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius, compared with preindustrial levels. A few years ago, the Presidential Climate Action Project issued a report in which it estimated that to meet that goal, global carbon dioxide emissions would need to be reduced by 60 percent by 2050 — and the industrialized world would need to reduce its emissions by 80 percent. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/25/opinion/joe-nocera-committed-to-carbon-goals.html What the GOP Congress might mean for climate change In the aftermath of the Republican takeover of Congress, several events bear watching, especially as eyes turn toward 2016 and the presidential and senatorial races. To start off, there is the elevation of the Senate’s chief climate change denier, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, who's preparing to chair (for the second time) the committee that deals with global warming — the Environment and Public Works committee. http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-11-25/what-gop-congress-might-mean-climate-change BLOGS Beijing Considers How to Harness the Wind to Blow Away Pollution When Beijing experiences bouts of pollution that blacken the skies and burn the lungs, residents often joke that the Chinese capital needs to build giant fans to clear out the toxic air. Mountains to the north and west help trap smog in the city, and a stiff breeze from Mongolia is the surest way to ensure somewhat cleaner air. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/24/beijing-considers-how-to-harness-the-wind-to-blow-away-pollution/ What people think about climate change around the world, in one map This map, from Sophie Yeo at Responding to Climate Change, rounds up surveys and polls from around the world since 2009 that look at views on climate change from abroad. For example, some 84 percent of people in Argentina think climate change is caused by humans, according to a poll from marketing research firm Ipsos MORI. In Bangladesh, that percentage drops to 31%, with 46% believing it's caused by God or natural causes, according to The Asia Foundation's 2012 Climate Change Perception Study. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/11/24/what-people-think-about-climate-change-around-the-world-in-one-map/ Preparing for COP20 On December 1st, the 20th Conference of the Parties (COP20) will commence in Lima, Peru to continue attempts to draft a global treaty on climate change. It has been 25 years since the international community called for action on greenhouse gases, 26 since climate scientist... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-husic/preparing-for-cop20_b_6214020.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Renewable Energy Farms Spread Through California Deserts ...swatches of desert land in California that, combined, make up the largest wilderness area in the Lower 48. It's also about to become host to the biggest renewable-energy projects in the world. Already, 13 of them are built or on the way. There's the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm , under construction... http://www.newsweek.com/renewable-energy-farms-populate-california-286644 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 12:53:21 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 26, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for November 26, 2014. 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 Rescheduled California-Quebec carbon auction called “a success.” California’s latest auction of carbon emissions allowances proceeded smoothly Tuesday, about a week later than originally scheduled. The rescheduled auction went off as planned, said David Clegern, spokesman for the California Air Resources Board. The auction was supposed to take place last Wednesday but was postponed because of technical problems in the electronic auction platform. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4146989.html#storylink=cpy The country with the most cap-and-trade programs? China. Remember cap-and-trade? Above is a map of what parts of the world have these programs, also known as emissions trading schemes. In short, these programs limit the maximum amount of emissions that a company can produce, and then allow companies to buy, sell and trade extra emissions credits. The goal is to put a price on polluting, thereby disincentivizing it. http://knowmore.washingtonpost.com/2014/11/25/the-country-with-the-most-cap-and-trade-programs-china/ AIR POLLUTION EPA expected to propose stricter ozone limits. After years of inaction, the Obama administration is expected to propose tougher limits on smog Wednesday, according to people with knowledge of the rule-making effort. The new rule would be a major victory for public health groups, but it is sure to further stoke the partisan clashes between the president and Republicans poised to take control of Congress. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-epa-ozone-rule-20141126-story.html#page=1 EPA Proposes Stricter Ozone Air Pollution Standard. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday proposed lower limits for ground-level ozone, or smog, in the atmosphere, setting in motion the latest in a series of far reaching federal pollution restrictions. The EPA proposed limiting ozone between 65 and 70 parts per billion in the air and sought comment on a standard as strict as 60 parts per billion, all which is in line with what an independent scientific advisory panel had recommended earlier this year. The current level, established in 2008 by the George W. Bush administration, is set at 75 parts per billion. http://online.wsj.com/articles/epa-proposes-stricter-ozone-standard-1417012097?KEYWORDS=air+pollution Obama to Introduce Sweeping New Controls on Ozone Emissions. The Obama administration is expected to release on Wednesday a contentious and long-delayed environmental regulation to curb emissions of ozone, a smog-causing pollutant linked to asthma, heart disease and premature death. The sweeping regulation, which would aim at smog from power plants and factories across the country, particularly in the Midwest, would be the latest in a series of Environmental Protection Agency controls on air pollution that wafts from smokestacks and tailpipes. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/us/politics/obama-to-introduce-sweeping-new-controls-on-ozone-emissions.html?_r=0 E.P.A. Ozone Limits Divide Industry and Environmentalists. he Obama administration on Wednesday announced a long-delayed environmental regulation to curb emissions of ozone, a smog-causing pollutant linked to asthma, heart disease and premature death. The sweeping regulation, which would aim at smog caused by power plants and factories across the country, particularly in the Midwest, is the latest in a series of Environmental Protection Agency controls on air pollution that wafts from smokestacks and tailpipes. Such regulations, released under the authority of the Clean Air Act, have become a hallmark of President Obama’s administration. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/27/us/epa-ozone-limits-divide-industry-and-environmentalists.html AIR POLLUTION: Poll finds bipartisan support for tighter ozone standards. The majority of Americans want stricter standards for smog-forming pollutants, according to a new poll released today by public health groups. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19666198595&p=19f&v=1&x=lD14np7Q9EGy7O7S8mhPaQ EPA wants tougher anti-smog rules. • Says it will improve air quality • But what of the San Joaquin Valley, which cannot meet current requirements? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27229 Ozone standards. Priya Krishnakumar 185 counties in the United States do not meet the current EPA standard for ozone. 185 counties in the United States do not meet the current EPA standard for ozone. (Priya Krishnakumar) 185 counties in the United... http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-ozone-standards-image-20141125-photo.html?track=rss Rickshaw research reveals extreme Delhi pollution. The three-wheeled rickshaw lurched through New Delhi's commuter-clogged streets with an American scientist and several air pollution monitors in the back seat. Car horns blared. A scrappy scooter buzzed by belching black smoke from its tailpipe. One of the monitors spiked. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Rickshaw-research-reveals-extreme-Delhi-pollution-5918596.php China Moves to Bolster Air-Pollution-Control Law. China’s government took a step forward in strengthening its air-pollution-control law, adding new amendments aimed at increasing penalties for heavy polluters and giving local governments greater responsibilities to clean the skies. The State Council, China’s cabinet, approved the amendments Wednesday. http://online.wsj.com/articles/china-moves-to-bolster-air-pollution-control-law-1417011241?KEYWORDS=air+pollution China Promises Permanent APEC Blue In 2030. Blue Skies are ephemeral in China. Bouts of intense smog returned to Beijing as Chinese regulators relaxed the strict pollution-control measures they implemented before the Asia-Pacific Economic... http://www.forbes.com/sites/ywang/2014/11/25/china-promises-permanent-apec-blue-in-2030/ EPA Rejects a Texas Clean-Air Plan, Orders Pollution Upgrades on Some Big Coal. Plants The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday rejected parts of a key Texas clean-air plan, setting up a conflict with deep implications both for the state's electricity mix and air quality across much of... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141125/epa-rejects-texas-clean-air-plan-orders-pollution-upgrades-some-big-coal-plants Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Rules on Mercury From Power Plants. The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear a major challenge to the limits set by the Obama administration on emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants. It is the latest effort by industry groups to roll back regulations that would reduce emissions like mercury, soot, sulfur, smog and carbon dioxide. The case also threatens to undermine one of the administration’s most significant victories and chip away at President Obama’s legacy. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/us/politics/supreme-court-to-hear-case-on-costs-of-clean-air-act.html Bay Area air a little smoggier in 2014; heat blamed. The Bay Area had slightly smoggier air this year, and warmer temperatures were at least partly to blame, air pollution officials report. Bay Area concentrations of ozone,... http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_27010477/bay-area-air-little-smoggier-2014-heat-blamed Flames, smoke from Chevron Richmond came from unplanned flare, officials say. ...de-pressuring of equipment," Chevron spokesman Braden Reddall said. "There was no impact to the community, and fence line air monitors indicate no impact on air quality from the flaring." But a spokesman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which monitors the refinery's emissions,... http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_27014386/flames-smoke-from-chevron-richmond-came-from-unplanned CLIMATE CHANGE In Climate Talks, Spotlight Turns to India. "On a full moon night, if street lights are put off for two, three hours, will it not be service to the environment? Won't you enjoy the full moon night?" Narendra Modi said in September, adding: "We have forgotten to live with nature." He urged kids to switch off fans, lights, or appliances when not in use and turn off tap water when brushing teeth. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/11/141125-climate-talks-india-coal-carbon-emissions/ Efficiency And Tough Policies Figure in IEA Plan To Decarbonise Energy Sector. With the energy sector generating two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has laid out five actions taking the world to a low-carbon energy sector. These include immediate action to be taken by 2020, electricity decarbonisation, redirecting investments into clean energy, mobilising non-climate goals for energy decarbonisation and strengthening energy security. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/efficiency-tough-policies-figure-iea-plan-decarbonise-energy-sector-1476691 U.S. Treaty Envoy: Climate Deal Must Leave 'a Lot' of Fossil Fuels in the Ground. The world's fossil fuels will "obviously" have to stay in the ground in order to solve global warming, Barack Obama's climate change envoy said on Monday. In the clearest sign to date the administration sees no long-range... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141125/us-treaty-envoy-climate-deal-must-leave-lot-fossil-fuels-ground Talks to Phase Out a Potent Greenhouse Gas Include China, India, Other Developing Countries. International talks to deal with a particularly potent greenhouse gas took a cautious step forward on Wednesday, as India and a host of other countries agreed to "informal discussions." http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141124/talks-phase-out-potent-greenhouse-gas-include-china-india-other-developing-countries OIL AND GAS: Texas starts greenhouse gas permitting, taking over from EPA. After three years of refusing to do so, Texas' Commission on Environmental Quality took over greenhouse gas permitting from federal authorities this month. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19666198529&p=19f&v=1&x=2wxdl1u_pZukKNxsefoCmw Legislators want to outlaw pedestrian tolls on Golden Gate Bridge. ...citing the Golden Gate Bridge's world renown, said charging a sidewalk toll would send the wrong message about the Bay Area's commitment to combatting climate change. “It would be antithetical to everything California stands for,” he said. Priya Clemens, spokeswoman for the six-county... http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Legislators-want-to-outlaw-pedestrian-tolls-on-5917712.php Court rejects San Diego transportation plan. ...court on Monday rejected a San Diego agency's plan for more highways and public transportation, saying it wasn't properly evaluated for its impact on climate change. The 4th District Court of Appeal's 2-1 decision upheld a ruling against the 40-year plan adopted in 2011, which calls for 130... http://www.insidebayarea.com/california/ci_27007564/court-rejects-san-diego-transportation-plan Long list of species still awaiting federal rulings. ...that remains 257,000 square miles across 11 Western states is enormous. Those states and the industries thriving there, including oil, gas, solar and wind energy firms, are worried about having to steer their plans around protecting the grouse. The debate over what to do about the grouse... http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/sns-tns-bc-engangered-species-20141123-story.html U.S.-China Pledges Boost Optimism for 2015; Climate Deal Can be Reached, Stern Says. By Dean Scott Nov. 24 — Recent pledges by the U.S. and China to ramp up their actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions have sparked new optimism that a global climate accord can be reached in Paris in late 2015, the top U.S. climate negotiator... http://www.bna.com/uschina-pledges-boost-n17179912567/ Conservation plan could hurt windmill plan developments. Windmills dominate the landscape near the I-10 Interstate near Palm Springs, October 20, 2014.(Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun) For renewable energy advocates and environmental groups, few questions are more divisive than the impact of wind turbines on desert wildlife. Trade... http://www.desertsun.com/story/money/2014/11/24/drecp-hurt-windmill-developments/70059056/ FUELS Cellulosic Ethanol Exceeds Projections by EPA; Industry Fears Rule Changes. ...million gallons of the fuel as of Nov. 10, according to EPA data. That exceeds the 17 million gallons the EPA has proposed be blended into the nation's gasoline supply. But cellulosic ethanol producers fear an EPA proposal to reduce the overall renewable fuel blending requirements in 2014 could... http://www.bna.com/cellulosic-ethanol-exceeds-b17179912682/ State agencies that rarely work together do to prepare for EPA's power plant rule. Twenty years ago, the work of state air and utility regulators aligned about as often as Earth and Comet Hale-Bopp. But the historical separation between state agencies has eroded in recent years as U.S. EPA has sought to regulate power-sector emissions under the auspices of the Clean Air Act (CAA). http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060009605 Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Rules on Mercury From Power Plants. The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear a major challenge to the limits set by the Obama administration on emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants. It is the latest effort by industry groups to roll back regulations that would reduce emissions like mercury, soot, sulfur, smog and carbon dioxide. The case also threatens to undermine one of the administration’s most significant victories and chip away at President Obama’s legacy. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/us/politics/supreme-court-to-hear-case-on-costs-of-clean-air-act.html White House veto threat shelves possible tax plan. ...including breaks for race horse owners, manufacturers of electric motorcycles and improvements at NASCAR tracks. Other extenders include tax credits for biodiesel, for coal produced in Indian country, and breaks for energy-efficient homes and commercial buildings. Many of the breaks have been criticized... http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/White-House-veto-threat-shelves-possible-tax-plan-5918657.php VEHICLES Greener cars are insurance against risky oil dependence. As fuel prices fall below $3 per gallon in much of the country, it is tempting to think gasoline is so plentiful that we no longer need regulations to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles. We believe such thinking is unwise. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19674354682&p=19f&v=1&x=w2xPSKQORT4lkk1rJOrqDA Full Steam Ahead for Hyundai's Hydrogen-Fuelled Vehicles. ...revive the dream of a fleet of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles driving on Canadian highways as it becomes the first auto manufacturer to launch in Canada a fuel cell version of an existing car model. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/full-steam-ahead-hyundais-hydrogen-fuelled-vehicles GREEN ENERGY Santander to Sell Part of Nevada Solar-Project Stake to Canadian Pension Funds. Banco Santander S.A. is seeking regulatory approval to indirectly sell part of its stake in a large solar-energy project in Nevada to two big Canadian pension funds, according to a filing with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/santander-sell-part-nevada-solar-project-stake-canadian-pension-funds Clues Show How Green Electricity May Be in 2050. ...of the U.S. electric power grid, which is entering an era of rapid change as more renewables and rooftop solar installations come online. Credit: Tau Zero/flickr But even if the nation doesn't adapt to that degree, it is clear that the way Americans get their electricity and how it's generated will... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/clues-show-how-green-electricity-may-be-in-2050-18376 Can China Get 40% of Its Electricity From Renewables by 2040? (Greentech Media) Can China Get 40% of Its Electricity From Renewables by 2040? China could quadruple its share of modern renewable energy by 2030 with the right policies in place, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/can-china-get-40-its-electricity-renewables-2040 Conservative Group Targets GOP Members in Ads Against Wind Energy Credit. The conservative Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is publishing advertisements pushing individual Republicans to oppose tax credits for wind energy. The ads launched Monday in the hometown newspapers of 15 GOP representatives in eight states who have not given clear positions... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/conservative-group-targets-gop-members-ads-against-wind-energy-credit Renewable Energy Farms Spread Through California Deserts. Start near the Los Angeles International Airport and head due east on the Santa Monica Freeway, one of the busiest stretches of road on the globe, bumper... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/renewable-energy-farms-spread-through-california-deserts The Koch Brothers' Next Frontier: State, Local Renewable Energy Standards. It was spring 2014 in Kansas, and conservatives were running riot. Republicans had one of their own in the governor's office and supermajorities in both... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141125/koch-brothers-next-frontier-state-local-renewable-energy-standards RENEWABLE ENERGY: China needs $145B annual investment to meet 2030 targets. -- report China must invest $145 billion per year in technologies to increase its use of renewable energy to meet the goals laid out in the recent U.S.-China climate deal, according to a new report from the International Renewable... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19666198578&p=19f&v=1&x=KJkdQdUjSs_ytHbtMTXhXg Utility tries community solar projects. Solar energy intrigued Landy Comstock, but he wasn't ready to fork out $30,000 to install solar panels on the roof of his home in Valleyford.... http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article4140239.html OPINIONS Opinion Journal: Is Questioning Climate Change Illegal? ... by environmentalists and climate change skeptics but it sounds like ... I'm actually a battle of free speech the first Amendment rights ... it is of Hussman about lives have been called to the innocent of any well informed Jace ... and discussing with the lowland of Apple pulling to tweet you switch from treating me crawl sees ... it or actual temperature records ... and the andthe the size of fortnight that is required for when you disclose that ... much already fascinates me but it's essentially an argument ... I bough public policy ... and on time and is known to a pack climate scientists and matches the climate science ... activist who wants to influence ... public policy in the United States he's been seen in campaign commercials ... at the Terry McAuliffe governor's race in Virginia for example ... ISI essentially this is a way all ... of of of putting public policy ... http://www.wsj.com/video/opinion-journal-is-questioning-climate-change-illegal/C336402F-F428-4990-B1C0-8C0214DF21DD.html BLOGS Obama Threatens To Veto Corporate Tax Cut Deal For Locking Out Middle Class. ...overseas until they bring the money back into the country. The only corporate tax credit that would be allowed to expire under the reported deal is for wind energy, a program broadly supported by environmental groups. In exchange for the business perks, Senate Democrats secured a provision... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/25/corporate-tax-cuts_n_6220668.html Volkswagen Passat HyMotion Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle Prototype: Brief Drive. The 2016 Toyota Mirai may have been the biggest news in hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles at last week's Los Angeles Auto Show, but it wasn't alone. VW Group brought two fuel-cell prototypes... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095647_volkswagen-passat-hymotion-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-prototype-brief-drive Sustainable Communities Bureaucratic Hoops Make D.C. Affordable Housing Units Hard To Sell In Washington, D.C., a city with one of the highest costs of living in the nation, low-income residents are having trouble buying affordable housing — not because of a lack of it, but because of all the red tape. Nearly one in five D.C. residents lives at or below the... http://blogs.kqed.org/feeds/2014/11/25/bureaucratic-hoops-make-d-c-affordable-housing-units-hard-to-sell/ Cuomo's Regulatory Chief Sets Precedent for Protecting Environment and Ratepayers. ...conducted his own, independent study this past summer. He relied on NYISO data and additional factors that could affect future energy demand, including climate change, demographic trends in energy use and different scenarios for continued operation of the Indian Point nuclear facility in Westchester... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ned-sullivan/cuomos-regulatory-chief-s_b_6199498.html Better Than Disinvestment: A More Effective Move Against Climate Change. Students and alumni who want action against climate change are pressing universities to rid their endowment funds of the stocks of companies that produce fossil fuels. They look back to... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-r-bergmann/better-than-disinvestment_b_6220982.html?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green New Yorkers, Times Have Changed: Charge Your Car or Fill It Up? Electric vehicles are getting a lot more efficient and popular to drive in New York City. Did you know there are more than 150 commercial electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Manhattan, as listed in the online database PlugShare, compared with only 39 gas stations,... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maya-albanese/new-yorkers-times-have-changed-charge-your-car-or-fill-it-up_b_6220690.html?ir=Technology&utm_hp_ref=technology Report: EPA: 2014 renewable fuel standards 'significantly delayed.' Filed under: Biodiesel, Ethanol, Legislation and Policy, United States The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not going to decide just yet how much... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/26/epa-2014-renewable-fuel-standards-significantly-delayed/ Another Major Climate Breakthrough: China Will Cap Its Coal Consumption by 2020. Hard on the heels of last week's historic US-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change, in which China pledged for the first time to cap its CO2 emission by 2030, China's State Council has just announced a... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-a-finamore/another-major-climate-bre_b_6212518.html?utm_hp_ref=green China's Air Pollution Solution. China and the US announced a substantial policy down payment on tackling greenhouse gas emissions in Beijing. Related air pollution problems in China are literally breathtaking: my eyes watered and I was... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/terry-tamminen/chinas-air-pollution-solu_b_6152436.html?utm_hp_ref=green Global Warming As a Solvable Problem. ...planet to resist change - the Gaia hypothesis. For example, mushrooms and other fungi modulate their growth rate in response to temperature so as to resist global warming. Even if the pace of our response to the climate change challenge is far too slow, there are many reasons for... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nigel-barber/global-warming-as-a-solva_b_6213054.html?utm_hp_ref=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2014 13:33:19 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for December 1, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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. UN CLIMATE TALKS UN climate talks begin as global temperatures break records A key UN climate meeting in Peru has opened with negotiators attempting to advance a new global agreement. One hundred and ninety-five nations have committed to finalising a new climate pact in Paris by 2015's end. The process has been boosted by recent developments, including a joint announcement on cutting carbon by the US and China. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30225511 COP20 is a forum for regional green policies not just global climate targets The 2014 UN climate conference begins today in Latin America, a region where climate change is already having substantial impacts. The summit in Lima will not just be a chance to agree global climate targets, but will also present the opportunity to discuss regional green policies. http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2014/dec/01/cop20-lima-climate-targets-regional-programmes?CMP=share_btn_tw Optimism Greets New Round of UN Climate Talks Buoyed by new climate pledges from the United States, China, and Europe, diplomats from 195 countries will begin meeting in Lima, Peru, on Monday to draft a new accord to curb global warming. Organized by the United Nations, the conference aims to lay the groundwork for an agreement to be finalized by December 2015, when world leaders will meet in Paris. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/energy/2014/11/141130-lima-climate-change-conference-un-cop-20-science/ Clock ticking, UN climate talks resume in Lima Negotiators from more than 190 countries get together Monday in Lima for the last main stop of the U.N. climate negotiations on the road to a planned global warming deal in Paris next year. The slow-moving talks have gained momentum in the past two months with pledges from the world's top carbon polluters — China, the U.S. and the European Union — to limit their emissions in the next 10-15 years. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Clock-ticking-UN-climate-talks-resume-in-Lima-5926558.php CAP AND TRADE California Republicans seek cap-and-trade exemption for fuels Returning to an issue that has divided legislative Democrats and permeated campaigns, Republicans on Monday announced a pair of bills preventing California’s cap-and-trade program from expanding to cover oil and gas. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article4226376.html AIR POLLUTION Yuba-Sutter reaches standards for clean air After six years of writing new rules and working with state and federal agencies, Yuba-Sutter has reached federal standards for clean air, according to the local air quality district. "Hard work by local residents and businesses to reduce emissions has resulted in cleaner air for all of us," said Christopher Brown, air pollution control officer for the Feather River Air Quality Management District. http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/yuba-sutter-reaches-standards-for-clean-air/article_b5b45a20-7925-11e4-9827-9314db690fc4.html Pollution Is Making Us Stupider Air pollution: If you live in Los Angeles, it's part of the skyline; if you live anywhere else it's probably something you either don't think about or just accept as part of modern life. After all, smog doesn't seem to do much harm, really, aside from hanging there and blocking the view. http://www.sfgate.com/business/fool/article/Pollution-Is-Making-Us-Stupider-5924384.php CLIMATE CHANGE NASA airborne campaigns to tackle questions on climate Five new NASA airborne field campaigns will take to the skies next year to investigate how long-range air pollution, warming ocean waters, and fires in Africa affect our climate. These studies into several incompletely understood Earth system processes were competitively-selected as part of NASA's Earth Venture-class projects. Each project is funded at a total cost of no more than USD 30 million over five years. http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/nasa-airborne-campaigns-to-tackle-questions-on-climate-114120100670_1.html EPA's proposed ozone limit faces political, cost hurdles The Obama administration's long-awaited announcement Wednesday that it wants to toughen limits on smog-forming ozone immediately generated questions about whether the plan can survive the current political climate and how much its cost will factor in reaching the goal. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-epa-ozone-rule-20141127-story.html Scientists say climate change means sicker world for sea life The shellfish pathogen that hit California's Channel Islands in the 1980s began to quickly kill one of the tideland's most important animals black abalone. But what unnerved scientists was what they learned next: Whenever ocean waters grew warmer, the deadly infection known as withering syndrome spread and killed even more abalone. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/sns-tns-bc-sci-seastar-virus-20141130-story.html#page=1 Adjusting the Tune on Climate Change For a week in November, people across the United States were complaining bitterly about the cold. Record low temperatures were experienced in 43 states; in some northern regions, residents had to dig tunnels to get out of houses engulfed by as much as seven feet of snow. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/02/us/adjusting-the-tune-on-climate-change.html Climate funds for coal highlight lack of UN rules The sprawling power station that hums and coughs along this coast in Indonesia is labeled as a Japanese contribution to the global fight against climate change. But the Cirebon plant, built with Japanese financing two years ago, is not powered by the sun, the wind or any kind of renewable energy. It's fueled by the biggest source of carbon pollution in the energy system: Coal. http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Climate-funds-for-coal-highlight-lack-of-UN-rules-5926595.php Clean fuels standard: questions and answers Gov. Jay Inslee is exploring a mandate for cleaner transportation fuels — much like California's first-in-the-nation standard — as part of a broader effort to tackle climate change. He has said he could use his executive power to pass a rule, which has angered some Republican lawmakers. Some questions and answers about a low carbon fuel standard… http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Clean-fuels-standard-questions-and-answers-5925577.php DIESEL EMISSIONS Old buses turned into green machines An old Indianapolis bus looked more like a skeleton than a mass-transit workhorse as it sat in the workshop of a Riverside bus re-manufacturing company. Gone were the seats, windows, floorboards as well as the diesel engine. http://www.pe.com/articles/bus-755333-buses-electric.html GREEN ENERGY Energy Efficiency May Be the Key to Saving Trillions Compared with eye-catching renewable power technologies like wind turbines and solar panels, energy efficiency is nearly invisible. But advocates say doing more with less power may be an even more critical weapon in the fight against climate change and offers big economic benefits, too. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/01/business/energy-environment/energy-efficiency-may-be-the-key-to-saving-trillions.html?_r=0 OPINION Time for a Real Debate on the Cost of Climate Programs Finally, it’s here. A spirited, inclusive, and extremely critical debate over the true costs of California’s climate programs to our economy, small businesses, and working families. On the heels of an abysmal voter turnout in this month’s election, the emergence of a growing chorus of diverse voices on a vital public policy issue should be welcomed news. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/12/time-real-debate-cost-climate-programs/ BLOGS A realistic approach to linking carbon markets Three weeks ago, the U.S. and China announced a landmark bilateral agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Secretary of State John Kerry heralded the agreement as a key step toward reinvigorating international negotiations on climate change. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/12/01/a-realistic-approach-to-linking-carbon-markets/ World’s Most Polluted City Urged To Close Schools On Bad Air Days While the smog-shrouded skyline of Beijing has received considerable attention in recent years, the rapidly worsening air quality in the Indian capital of Delhi has officials calling for drastic measures to address the growing public health emergency. In a new report submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday, the country’s Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority urged the court to order all schools in Delhi closed on days when air pollution levels pose a threat to public health. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/11/30/3597632/delhi-air-pollution/ United Nations Climate Talks Resume In Lima As Pressure For International Agreement Mounts Negotiators from more than 190 countries get together Monday in Lima for the last main stop of the U.N. climate negotiations on the road to a planned global warming deal in Paris next year. The slow-moving talks have gained momentum in the past two months with pledges from the world's top carbon polluters — China, the U.S. and the European Union — to limit their emissions in the next 10-15 years. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/01/united-nations-climate-lima_n_6245912.html?utm_hp_ref=green Let's Clear The Air When someone mentions the phrase “air pollution,” visions of traffic jams and smog advisories probably spring to mind. But have you ever thought about the air pollution right inside your home? The folks at Berkeley Lab have given it quite a lot of thought. Researchers there helped to bring awareness to the issue of “sick buildings,” and have done much to warn people about the danger of radon exposure. Their current focus is on the hazards found in your kitchen. http://www.popsci.com/lets-clear-air Everyone Likes to Breathe This past week, at President Obama's direction, the EPA continued to use its extensive powers under the Clean Air Act (thank you, 1970 U.S. Congress) and announced a new, tighter regulation on ozone pollution. As one might expect, these rules are being described by some in the new Republican Congress as anti-business, job-killing regulation. They are in fact pro-business and job-creating rules, as are most regulations that make our way of life safer and healthier. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/everyone-likes-to-breathe_b_6247780.html?utm_hp_ref=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2014 16:45:47 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 2, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 2, 2014. 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 FOSSIL FUELS: Chinese researchers urge their country to cap its coal consumption by 2020. BEIJING -- With China promising to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, researchers here have called for tightening a valve on the growth of the country's largest source of carbon emissions --... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19720818973&p=19f&v=1&x=cML6JUNUqCKV7Bpl4SVqZw CALIFORNIA: Legislation offered to block cap and trade's expansion to cover gasoline. Two Republican lawmakers today will offer a bill that aims to block the Golden State's carbon market from expanding as scheduled in January. That expansion will wrap in motor fuels, forcing fuel suppliers to secure environmental permits covering the greenhouse gas pollution tied to all California gasoline and diesel sales. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/12/01/stories/1060009637 http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/01/4264411/patterson-vidak-look-to-blunt.html http://www.auburnjournal.com/article/12/02/14/legislation-could-curb-gasoline-price-hike http://www.kcra.com/news/legislators-celebrate-then-take-on-tuition-hikes-gas-tax/30010124 http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/12/01/republican-lawmakers-want-to-prevent-gas-tax/ AIR POLLUTION China's Plan to Export Pollution. China's Airpocalypse, the lung-choking pollution that regularly blankets the country's north, including Beijing and the port city of Tianjin, has an obvious source: emissions from the belching... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-27/chinas-pollution-solution-move-factories-abroad Supreme Court won't review Iowa emissions case, cleanup disputes. The Supreme Court today declined to review whether the Clean Air Act forecloses landowners from suing local polluters under state common law. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19726846316&p=19f&v=1&x=oKlIYnEXY0-d28Fx1jqexw Oil Sands Study Confirms Link between Tailings Ponds and Air Pollution. Oil Sands Study Confirms Link between Tailings Ponds and Air Pollution New federal government research has confirmed that oilsands tailings ponds are releasing toxic and potentially cancer-causing... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141201/oil-sands-study-confirms-link-between-tailings-ponds-and-air-pollution Eleven EU nations call for cleaner air, less waste. ...Ministers from 11 EU member states, including France and Germany, have written to the European Commission calling on it to press ahead with a tougher air quality law and new rules on cutting waste, according to a letter seen by Reuters. As it seeks to cut down on red tape and counter Euroscepticism,... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/01/us-eu-environment-idUSKCN0JF2OH20141201?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Homeowners near Detroit refinery feel neglected. ...environmental engineer with the state Department of Environmental Quality. The increases, however, are all within the levels permitted under the federal Clean Air Act. 12/01/2014 5:26 AM http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4219750.html China's carbon goal a tough sell in coal country. ...they see change coming as Chinese leaders pledge to cut back on the kind of rampant coal use that has made this country the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. Already, Beijing and other Chinese cities have been phasing out coal burning in an attempt to rein in clouds of toxic smog.... http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_27048445/chinas-carbon-goal-tough-sell-coal-country The Great Energy Debate: Pa. Weighs its Carbon Future. ...generated the most power – about 37 percent of the state's energy mix – followed by coal (32 percent), natural gas (28 percent), renewables (2 percent) and hydropower (0.8 percent). As in other states, though, that landscape is shifting, from nuclear and coal to comparatively cheaper natural gas and,... http://www.usnews.com/news/special-reports/energy-of-tomorrow/articles/2014/12/01/the-great-energy-debate-pennsylvania-weighs-its-carbon-future China nears "peak coal" as carbon and clean growth policies bite. ...earlier than previously forecast as slower economic growth cuts power demand and the government clamps down on energy-intensive industries to meet its emissions reduction goals. Organisations such as the government-affiliated Energy Research Institute (ERI) and the U.S.-based Natural Resources... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/28/china-coal-idUSL3N0TF38420141128?feedName=rbssEnergyNews&feedType=RSS The Biggest Hurdles Plaguing a Global Climate Accord, Explained. ...Paris next year. Rather, the leaders of the talks are simply asserting that failure is not an option, as they confront the reality that significant global warming is already locked in and this year's record-breaking temperatures are bound to be exceeded again and again. "El mundo nos... http://insideclimatenews.org/carbon-copy/20141202/biggest-hurdles-plaguing-global-climate-accord-explained Fire or no fire: Rodeo refinery says what resident saw was really just a light shining through steam. ...Contra Costa County Sheriff's deputy showed up, Rieser said "When I saw a cop car come up, the first thing I said to him was, I just called the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to report what seems to be a serious incident at the refinery with the very same cell phone that I took the... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19727223975&p=19f&v=1&x=o7B2PH3UICvsSm_vFw9gOg Supreme Court rejects grain company's appeal in Iowa pollution lawsuit. ...chemicals. A lower court threw out the case, but the state supreme court said claims of nuisance, negligence and trespass are not barred by the federal Clean Air Act or related state rules governing air emissions. Environmental groups backed the lawsuit, but business groups said... http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2014/12/01/high-court-rejects-appeal-in-iowa-pollution-case China takes "zero tolerance" approach to regional polluters: Cabinet. BEIJING Nov 27 (Reuters) - China will take a "zero tolerance" approach to a wide range of environmental violations and has promised stronger action against regional governments that protect polluters... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/27/china-environment-idUSL3N0TH1GS20141127?feedName=rbssEnergyNews&feedType=RSS CLIMATE CHANGE Hotter, weirder: How climate has changed Earth. ...been so record warm. (AP Photo/Channi Anand, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — In the more than two decades since world leaders first got together to try to solve global warming, life on Earth has changed, not just the climate. It's gotten hotter, more polluted with heat-trapping gases, more crowded and... http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_27049063/hotter-weirder-how-climate-has-changed-earth How climate has changed Earth in 20 years. In the more than two decades since world leaders first got together to try to solve global warming, life on Earth has changed, not just the climate. It's gotten hotter, more polluted with heat-trapping gases, more crowded and... http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_27050337/how-climate-has-changed-earth-20-years At climate talks, UN calls fossil fuels 'high risk' investment. ...of fossil fuel investments compared with renewable energies, the U.N.'s climate chief said on Monday at the start of 190-nation talks on a deal to slow global warming. The Dec. 1-12 meeting in Lima opened with hopes that a U.N. deal to slow climate change is in reach for 2015,... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/02/us-climatechange-lima-idUSKCN0JF37320141202?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Hottest Year Ever Adds Urgency to Drive for Climate Steps. With 2014 on track to be the world's hottest on record, United Nations officials pressed for urgent action to prevent the most damaging impacts of climate change at the opening of an annual summit on global warming in Lima. “There has never been so much scientific evidence... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-01/hottest-year-ever-adds-urgency-to-drive-for-climate-steps CLIMATE: Greens counter industry on power plant rule, urge deeper GHG cuts. Environmentalists hit back this afternoon against industry claims that U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan would be disruptive and costly, saying proposed reductions of greenhouse gas emissions don't go far enough. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19726097892&p=19f&v=1&x=3v9SSuIyO6zgrqaNR6PGlQ CLIMATE: Clean Power Plan opponents lead daylong push as comment period closes. As the clock winds down to tonight's public comment witching hour, supporters and opponents of U.S. EPA's proposed greenhouse gas rule for power plants jockeyed for attention. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19726846278&p=19f&v=1&x=V2LZXH2T2_4ST2qibTGqNg Energy Efficiency May Be the Key to Saving Trillions. ...solar panels, energy efficiency is nearly invisible. But advocates say doing more with less power may be an even more critical weapon in the fight against climate change and offers big economic benefits, too. Worldwide, governments, companies and families could be saving trillions of dollars... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/energy-efficiency-may-be-key-saving-trillions Testing the Limits of European Ambitions on Emissions. The European Union has long been a world leader on climate change, and its new agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2030 keeps it at the forefront... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141201/testing-limits-european-ambitions-emissions New sensor offers local view of ocean acidification. ...Starting Monday, local researchers can now get real time data on how the chemistry of near-shore ocean water in Southern California is changing because of greenhouse gas emissions. An ocean chemistry monitoring station is scheduled to go online at the Carlsbad Aquafarm, an oyster farm off the... http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/12/01/48335/new-sensor-offers-local-view-of-ocean-acidificatio/ Proposed environmental rules could help cities reduce car use. ...motorists can drive faster, they are more likely to drive more often and for longer distances, avoiding alternative modes of transportation and creating more greenhouse gases. The goal shouldn't be to slow traffic to a crawl, but to encourage more travel options. By contrast, if you're measuring... http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-ceqa-traffic-mitigations-20141202-story.html US sees voluntary emissions cuts as key to a climate change accord. The United States is championing a new international approach to cutting greenhouse gases that offers the best chance of prompting countries to take action to avert the worst effects of global warming,... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19727305704&p=19f&v=1&x=uKcEtx0tpeEPKmzj4exuaw Diplomats Race the Clock in U.N. Climate Talks. ...Monday in Lima, Peru. By Casey Leins Dec. 1, 2014 | 5:09 p.m. EST + More Negotiators from 190 countries met in Lima, Peru, on Monday to discuss global warming in preparation for a U.N. climate treaty planned for Paris next year. Over the past two months, negotiations have shown promising... http://www.usnews.com/news/newsgram/articles/2014/12/01/diplomats-in-lima-race-the-clock-for-un-climate-talks Water, budget concerns persist in California. ...in November, but that doesn't mean they are now any less concerned, according to a recent statewide poll by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. The survey shows that these issues remain a focus of concern. Water or drought is named by 23 percent of Californians as the... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27253 Climate change impacts heat up UN talks in Lima. With 2014 on track to become the warmest year on record and time running short, more than 190 nations began talks on a new worldwide deal to limit greenhouse gas emissions and keep global warming from causing irreversible damage. New targets for fossil fuel use were announced... http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article4238492.html Are We Missing the Big Picture on Climate Change? The human hands in blue medical gloves spread out the swallow’s wings. The brown feathers jut out like spikes, their tips frizzled and scorched. These wings are no longer graceful fans capable of cupping and pushing off against the air. The left one is worse than the right, and the tail is a pitiful cluster of sticks. This is the wreckage of a bird, the ruin of it. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/magazine/are-we-missing-the-big-picture-on-climate-change.html?_r=0 DROUGHT State projects 10 percent of full water deliveries. Cracks spread across the dry bed of percolation pond one, a sign of California's drought, as seen at the Whitewater Groundwater Replenishment Facility on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 near Palm Springs, Calif.(Photo:... http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/12/01/california-water-drought/19766071/ Rain brings hopes, fears to drought-hit California. A Pacific storm has moved into drought-dry California, bringing hopes for much-needed moisture but fears of mudflows on wildfire-scarred hillsides. Light rain began falling... http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/12/02/48407/rain-brings-hopes-fears-to-drought-hit-california/ California's West Nile virus deaths highest this year compared to nation. In the shadow of the Ebola scares and Enterovirus D68 cases, West Nile virus left its mark across California this year, killing 29 people, nearly twice as many as last year. California reported the most deaths and the most cases compared... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19727086804&p=19f&v=1&x=cb-CgDOZyJILyUHH5LOVvg Calif. drought could wipe out southernmost coho salmon group. n" vocusinstance="0">(Reuters) - California's three-year drought threatens to wipe out the last of the Muir Woods coho salmon that make their way each year from the Pacific... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/02/us-usa-california-salmon-idUSKCN0JG02D20141202?feedName=environmentNews&feedType=RSS California releasing new figures on water saving. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Drought-stricken California is releasing new figures to show how well residents are complying with a statewide water-saving target. The state... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/California-releasing-new-figures-on-water-saving-5928847.php Santa Cruz County residents beat water savings pledge goal. ...West Cliff Villas homeowners association, represents 36 condos at 200 W. Cliff Drive. He says residents have made substantial water savings during the drought. (Dan Coyro -- Santa Cruz Sentinel) West Cliff Villas Homeowners Association Board President Pete Pearson said his association needed help... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20141201/santa-cruz-county-residents-beat-water-savings-pledge-goal Storm expected to pound Santa Cruz County for two days. ...Service SANTA CRUZ >> A storm expected to arrive Tuesday is predicted to bring two days of significant rain that will nudge Santa Cruz closer to toward drought recovery. The Santa Cruz Water Department reported Monday there have been 6.68 inches of rain in the watershed since Oct. 1, which is the... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20141201/storm-expected-to-pound-santa-cruz-county-for-two-days FUELS FRANCE: Nation to phase out diesel, reduce pollution. In an effort to phase out diesel fuel, France will begin ranking cars by the amount of pollution they release. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19726846368&p=19f&v=1&x=xGrcVGp6mTNebgLmOvJP5Q Lower oil prices will help U.S. economy, two top Fed officials say. ...though the drop adds to concerns about low inflation. As the cost of energy tumbles -- the average nationwide price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is below $3 -- consumers will have more money to spend, said William Dudley, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Lower... http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-federal-reserve-oil-dudley-fischer-economy-20141201-story.html Diesel Falls 2.3¢ After Plunge in Crude Oil Prices. Welcome Guest Gasoline Falls to Four-Year Low $2.778 Joe Shlabotnik/Flickr Diesel's national average pump price declined 2.3 cents to $3.605 a gallon, the... http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=36720&t=Diesel-Falls-23%ef%bf%bd-After-Plunge-in-Crude-Oil-Prices CFTC to reopen position limits comment period. ...Commission (CFTC) plans to reopen the comment period on a proposed rule setting position limits for 28 core commodities, including crude, natural gas, gasoline and fuel oil. The CFTC is reopening the comment period in anticipation of a 9 December Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting focusing... http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=956501&menu=yes Toyota Highlander Hybrid Review. ...reviewers appreciate its first-rate cabin and quiet ride, but some dislike how much more expensive it is than the non-hybrid model. With its standard V6 gasoline engine, three electric motors and automatic transmission, most reviewers say the 2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has strong acceleration from... http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Toyota_Highlander-Hybrid/ VEHICLES Fed Leak Tipped Traders to Historic Stimulus Move, Prompted Secret Inquiry. ... Few Fed watchers said the Fed would quickly adopt what became known as “thresholds,” conditional pledges to keep the benchmark interest rate between zero and 0.25 percent until certain targets for inflation and unemployment were met. The idea behind thresholds was to give investors a way to predict... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-01/fed-leak-handed-traders-profitable-tip-prompted-secret-inquiry In fighting Ebola, Canadian credited with energizing WHO response. ...that the world will ease up on its push against the disease. “We've reached an important milestone along the way, but that is not going to get you to zero” new cases, Aylward said. Only at zero can the world be assured that the outbreak has been beaten. And zero, he argued, will... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19725813980&p=19f&v=1&x=0Si9ygP2WHaGaoRo_d68Pw Plug-In Electric Car Sales In Nov: Leaf Grows, Volt Wanes. Sales of plug-in electric cars continued at a steady pace in November, reflecting continued strong vehicle sales of all types in the U.S. market. The Nissan... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095711_plug-in-electric-car-sales-in-nov-leaf-grows-volt-wanes Experts warn Germany will miss electric car target. Germany looks set to fail in its ambitious plan to put a million electric cars on the road by 2020. An expert panel has warned that only half the target number will be achieved unless the government spends... http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article4239808.html L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl wants 'every child' to be safe. ...Backed by labor groups, Kuehl beat Bobby Shriver in the Nov. 4 election, winning with about 53 percent of the vote. She replaces termed-out supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. During a 20-minute speech, Kuehl repeatedly compared herself to the fictional movie character “Forrest Gump,” and recounted the... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19725880772&p=19f&v=1&x=reQYd_V4Ry9l0dLr4ajZLQ GREEN ENERGY Multiple projects show that 'hybrid' renewable energy and battery storage systems may become the power plants of the future. As independent energy sources, the sun, wind and geothermal heat represent some of the most promising solutions for generating carbon-free electricity. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19720819628&p=19f&v=1&x=TRLwrGkd-4jk2mjjh6JtHA Solar power breaks the ice in the frozen north. Not a subscriber? T The Premier Information Source for Professionals Who Track Environmental and Energy Policy. © 1996-2014 E&E Publishing, LLC Privacy... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19724697725&p=19f&v=1&x=GfCgCGmdhJem4a3UQ5Prpg Renewable energy revolution powers split-up of German utility E.ON. ...Duesseldorf, Germany Monday Dec. 1, 2014. German utility company E.ON SE says it plans to spin off its nuclear, oil, coal and gas operations to focus on renewable energy and power distribution. E.ON said in a statement late Sunday that the new strategy will see it quit conventional power generation,... http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2014/12/01/german-eons-spinoff-marks-energy-business-change Company rebuilds buses to run on zero-emission, clean technology. An old bus that was destined for the scrap yard will soon be hauling commuters to and from their destinations again. Complete Coach Works, a Riverside company that rebuilds and rehabilitates old buses, recently received a $12 million contract from the Indianapolis Transportation Agency to convert 21 diesel buses into non-emission electric vehicles. http://abc7.com/technology/company-rebuilds-buses-to-run-on-zero-emission-clean-technology/417882/ OPINIONS EPA's $10 Carbon Tax. ...but don't tell the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Yesterday ended the comment period for EPA's Clean Power Plan (CPP) that aims to reduce carbon emissions from the electricity sector by 13 percent in 2020 and 17 percent in 2030, from 2012 levels. If Congress wanted to achieve similar reductions... http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisprandoni/2014/12/02/epas-10-carbon-tax/ New air standard nationwide, but Valley still heart of ozone harm in U.S. I didn’t have the space to say this last week when I wrote about a new federal standard for a nasty, corrosive gas called ozone. So I’ll say it here: People in the San Joaquin Valley have breathed unhealthy levels of ozone on more days than any place in the country – more than Southern California in the South Coast Air Basin. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/02/4265212_new-air-standard-nationwide-but.html?sp=/99/406/263/&rh=1 BLOGS 8 Million Comments in Support of EPA Limits on Climate Change Pollution. ...the past few months, Detroit got flooded by unusually heavy rains. Washington State wrapped up one of its most destructive fires seasons on record. And California remains in the grip of extreme drought, with major reservoirs holding just 43 percent of normal levels. Joe Muzzi, a California... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frances-beinecke/8-million-comments-in-sup_b_6248728.html?utm_hp_ref=green Carbon Intensity: The Foundation of Climate Diplomacy. ...partial, global climate accord. Many of the Indians had expected China to abandon their common front- but China's agreement to a date -- 2030 -- to cap its emissions was the big jolt. The Indians, correctly, felt that by making an agreement with the US China had set up India as a major global... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-pope/carbon-intensity-the-foun_b_6251244.html For Paris 2015: A Climate Trust Not a Treaty. The international negotiators meeting in Lima, Peru for the 20th United Nations convention on climate change have all but given up on a new legally enforceable climate treaty to replace the outdated Kyoto Protocol. In preparations for... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-sandler/for-paris-2015-a-climate-_b_6245858.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Exposed: Oil Industry's Astroturf Tactics Against CA Cap-and-Trade. The Western States Petroleum Association extols its campaigns against cap-and-trade purporting to represent “consumer concerns.” Source: WSPA It's no surprise that the oil industry is fighting California's... http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/12/01/oil-industry-anti-regulatory-astroturf-tactics-exposed/ Nissan CEO Ghosn: Climate Change Must Be Corporate Humanitarian Cause. There are many reasons that automakers sell electric cars. Cars that plug in to travel on batteries charged from the electric grid respond to perceived customer demand for more-efficient... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095699_nissan-ceo-ghosn-climate-change-must-be-corporate-humanitarian-cause The Solution to Climate Change Isn't Difficult -- It's Delicious. Solution aversion. That's what Duke University researchers call our society's collective refusal to address climate change. Their recent study found that people don't deny a warming earth on scientific grounds -- they deny it because they just don't... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-runkle/the-solution-to-climate-c_b_6245322.html?ir=Business&utm_hp_ref=business United Nations Climate Talks Resume In Lima As Pressure For International Agreement Mounts. LIMA, Peru (AP) — With this year on track to become the warmest on record, more than 190 nations began talks Monday on new limits for the greenhouse gases that are causing billions of dollars in damage and making life harder to sustain around the world. New targets for limiting... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/01/united-nations-climate-lima_n_6245912.html?utm_hp_ref=green Louisiana Wood Pellet Plants Will Cater to Europe's Energy Needs. Louisiana, an oil-and-gas state, is half covered by timber, making forest products a big business. Companies including Drax Biomass, Biomass Secure Power and German Pellets GmbH plan to churn out wood pellets from new plants here to meet Europe's need for electricity... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-buchanan/louisiana-wood-pellet-pla_b_6245666.html?utm_hp_ref=green Washington State To Give Electric Cars Tax Breaks, Carpool-Lane Access? ...most enthusiastic proponents of incentives, and they may soon be joined by their neighbor to the north. RELATED: Washington State Follows CA, Imposes Low-Carbon Fuel Standard Washington state is considering a similarly robust array of incentives to promote electric cars,... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095708_washington-state-to-give-electric-cars-tax-breaks-carpool-lane-access Why this U.N. climate summit is especially important. Thousands of diplomats from around the world are gathering today in Lima, Peru, in the latest round of wrangling to hammer out a deal to address climate change. This two-week conference is the COP20 — meaning, it is the 20th conference of parties to 1992's U.N. Framework Convention on... http://grist.org/news/why-this-u-n-climate-summit-is-especially-important/ Climate Meeting in Lima: Setting Key Direction for New International Agreement. ...international climate agreement that will require much deeper action by all countries. For the next two weeks, countries are beginning another round of climate change negotiations in Lima, Peru. This is the last high-level round of negotiations before Paris, although there will be several preparatory... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jake-schmidt/climate-meeting-in-lima-s_b_6249588.html Climate Is As Hot (a Subject) As Ever. ...current time, at least the most popular one - and in several cases, in the wrong way. I had a friend contact me because she had to write a paper about climate change for a college class. The interesting part was not that she had to write the paper, it's that the instructions were to take a... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/astrid-caldas/climate-is-as-hot-a-subje_b_6249972.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Eco-Motive gets patent for CNG-gas hybrid H-Motor. ...looks more like a greeble from a Star Wars spaceship than a block engine, Eco-Motive has your answer. The just-announced dual-fuel "H" engine can burn gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG). Eco-Motive has been awarded a patent for the engine (number 8807098), which is described this way: ... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/25/eco-motive-gets-patent-for-cng-gas-hybrid-h-motor/?icid=autobloggrn%7ctrend%7ccng-hybrid-motor BMW planning plug-in hybrid versions of core models. ...plug-in hybrid versions of the core-brand models. In Miramas, France, it will present a BMW 3 Series plug-in hybrid prototype and a new generation of hybrid vehicle concepts incorporating technology already used in BMW i models. Long term, the BMW Group is planning to offer plug-in hybrid versions of all... http://www.autoblog.com/2014/12/01/bmw-plug-in-hybrid-versions-core-models/ Report: Toyota has 200 orders for 2016 Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car. Filed under: Hydrogen, Manufacturing/Plants, Toyota, Japan Toyota built 500 Lexus LFA supercars between 2010 and 2012 in what Automotive News has called... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/12/01/200-orders-for-2016-toyota-mirai-hydrogen-fuel-cell-car/ DOE awarding $4.4M to advance hydropower manufacturing for “low-head” sites. ...awarding a total of $4.4 million for two projects to support the use of advanced materials and manufacturing techniques in the development of new “low-head” hydropower technologies. Low-head sites, which operate with a change in elevation between 2 and 20 meters, include waterways at existing non-powered... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141202-lowhead.html Global Climate Change Talks Kick Off in Lima. A high-level conference on global climate change kicked off in Lima this week in a military base where delegates from around the world started negotiations trying to reach an agreement to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for rising temperatures. http://blogs.wsj.com/dispatch/2014/12/02/global-climate-change-talks-kick-off-in-lima/?KEYWORDS=lima California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2014 14:25:05 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 3, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 3, 2014. 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 First California-Quebec Carbon Auction Sells Out at $12.10 Each. California and the Canadian province of Quebec, which together run North America’s biggest carbon market, sold greenhouse-gas allowances for $12.10 each in their first joint auction last week. The two governments received 1.73 bids for every allowance that was on sale Nov. 25, the California Air Resources Board said in a notice on its website today. Units of companies including BP Plc (BP/), Exxon Mobil Corp. and PG&E Corp. (PCG:US) qualified to participate in the auction. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-03/first-california-quebec-carbon-auction-sells-out-at-12-dot-10-each Oil industry document reveals plans to fight clean-energy initiatives. The West's leading trade group for the oil industry has collaborated with, and in some cases funded, an array of groups to combat what it calls "aggressive anti-oil initiatives," according to a presentation obtained by climate activists and shared with this newspaper. http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_27052731/oil-industry-power-point-reveals-plans-respond-aggressive State's gasoline use is on the rise. Gasoline consumption in California is on the rise after nearly a decade of steady declines. Consumers bought 14.57 billion gallons of gasoline in the fiscal year ending June 30, up 0.9 percent from the 14.44 billion gallons the previous fiscal year, the State Board of Equalization announced Tuesday. It was the first annual increase since the 2005-2006 fiscal year. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/02/california-burns-more-gasoline/ Bills, oaths and receptions mark California Legislature's first day. ...funding plan that she believes prevents tuition from rising. She said on Monday that the University of California's budget would be subject this year to “zero-based budgeting,” in which officials must justify each item in their budget. The University of California last year derived about 40 percent... http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article4237300.html AIR POLLUTION New air standard nationwide, but Valley still heart of ozone harm in U.S. Yes, the rest of the country will see an impact from the new ozone standard, but nothing like the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Click to Continue » http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/02/4265212/new-air-standard-nationwide-but.html#storylink=rss New bike share program debuts in Bishop Ranch in San Ramon. ...Pleasanton to Pleasant Hill, and says Bishop Ranch may provide a good model. "You're going to see bike sharing programs taking off," Hudson said. Regional air pollution and transportation agencies have funded a pilot bike-sharing program still going on in San Francisco, San Jose, Palo Alto and... http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_27053632/new-bike-share-program-debuts-bishop-ranch-san JURUPA VALLEY: City to discuss keeping trucks from homes. ...former Sam's Western Wear building, 8930 Limonite Ave., Jurupa Valley Keeping big rigs away from homes in the Mira Loma area of Jurupa Valley, which air quality officials say has some of the nation's worst air, is possible but would bring legal and financial hurdles for the city. ... http://www.pe.com/articles/study-755444-city-truck.html New air standard forces more Valley cleanup. The Fresno BeeNovember 26, 2014 To achieve a new federal ozone standard, the San Joaquin Valley would have to eliminate fossil-fuel combustion emissions, says Seyed Sadredin, executive director of the local... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/26/4256395_new-air-standard-would-force-faster.html?rh=1 CLIMATE CHANGE Ambitions Meets Wariness as U.N. Climate Change Talks Begin in Lima. The U.S., Europe and China are about to confront the gulf between their carbon-cutting ambitions and those of less industrialized countries. President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping surprised many observers last month by jointly unveiling long-range plans to curb carbon dioxide emissions. The move followed a pledge by the other big carbon-emitting economy, the European Union, to reduce greenhouse gases as part of a new round of United Nations-led climate negotiations. http://online.wsj.com/articles/ambitions-meet-wariness-as-u-n-climate-change-talks-begin-in-lima-1417622504?KEYWORDS=climate+change Boxer makes one last push for climate-change agenda. Sen. Barbara Boxer opened a push Tuesday for a bipartisan bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the handful of days before she forfeits the gavel of the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee to a Republican... http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Boxer-makes-one-last-push-for-climate-change-5930786.php The Biggest Hurdles Plaguing a Global Climate Accord, Explained. ...Paris next year. Rather, the leaders of the talks are simply asserting that failure is not an option, as they confront the reality that significant global warming is already locked in and this year's record-breaking temperatures are bound to be exceeded again and again. "El mundo nos... http://insideclimatenews.org/carbon-copy/20141202/biggest-hurdles-plaguing-global-climate-accord-explained At climate talks, UN calls fossil fuels 'high risk' investment. ...of fossil fuel investments compared with renewable energies, the U.N.'s climate chief said on Monday at the start of 190-nation talks on a deal to slow global warming. The Dec. 1-12 meeting in Lima opened with hopes that a U.N. deal to slow climate change is in reach for 2015,... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/02/us-climatechange-lima-idUSKCN0JF37320141202?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 India May Set Bigger Climate Change Targets before U.S. President Obama's 2015. Visit (Business Standard) In what could push the country into the same league as the U.S. and China, India is likely to announce new, bigger and more effective climate change targets by the time U.S. President Barack Obama comes here as chief guest for the Republic Day parade in January next year. The... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141202/india-may-set-bigger-climate-change-targets-us-president-obamas-2015-visit Some Nebraska Politicians Were Trying To Block This Climate Data >From Entering The State Senate. Nebraska state Sen. Ken Haar (D) introduced a bill last year calling for a study of projected climate change impacts in the state that would be presented to the legislature. But the bill took an unexpected detour when state Sen. Beau... http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Some-Nebraska-Politicians-Were-Trying-To-Block-5930903.php Federal agency proposes vast critical-habitat area off Alaska for threatened ringed seals. ...habitat features that are essential for sustaining Arctic ringed seals — a species that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future due to climate change," said James Balsinger, NOAA Fisheries Alaska regional administrator, in the announcement. The public will have 90 days to... http://www.usnews.com/news/science/news/articles/2014/12/02/agency-proposes-critical-habitat-for-ringed-seals Atmospheric River, Heavy Rain Roar Into California. For the second time in a week, heavy rain is making an appearance in drought-weary California. This round comes courtesy of the tropics via an appropriately named “atmospheric river” that is sending precipitation... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/atmospheric-river-rain-california-18390 Germany boosts funding to cut greenhouse gases. Germany announced on Wednesday a cash boost for measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions, in a bid to meet its ambitious climate target for 2020. Germany has pledged to reduce its carbon dioxide output by... http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article4256049.html Jay Ambrose: Using art to fix climate change. ...He has since painted up a storm, thought up a storm and is now collaborating with a scientist to give us a new boundless energy supply that could end global warming fears. This is a big, big deal that Siler is pushing for as a relatively recent part of his decades-long, multi-disciplinary... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/03/4266857/jay-ambrose-using-art-to-fix-climate.html?sp=%2f99%2f274%2f644%2f Could Uruguay's renewable energy surge be a model for climate change action? Nations from around the world are meeting in Lima, Peru this week in the latest gathering on climate change. Their aim is to come up with a plan that could pave the way for next year's UN-backed conference in Paris. The challenges... http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2014/12/02/40564/could-uruguay-s-renewable-energy-surge-be-a-model/ Bullock: Both coal, wind needed in climate plan. Montana. Gov. Steve Bullock said the Obama administration needs to spend more money to improve coal plant technologies and clear the way for more wind power if it's serious about countering climate change. The Obama administration wants states to cut climate-changing emissions... http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article4242124.html Climate change impacts heat up UN talks in Lima. With 2014 on track to become the warmest year on record and time running short, more than 190 nations began talks on a new worldwide deal to limit greenhouse gas emissions and keep global warming from causing irreversible damage. New targets for fossil fuel use were announced... http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article4238492.html DROUGHT State and local water conservation efforts dry up. ...approximately 276,000 acre-feet of water, which is enough water to supply 1.2 million Californians for an entire year," Rafael Maestu, an economist for the California State Water Resources Control Board, told board members. Consumers used less water in October than they had in September -- but they also... http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1952135317/State-and-local-water-conservation-efforts-dry-up House Republicans, Costa join for last-ditch shot at California water bill. Bee Washington BureauDecember 2, 2014 Updated 2 hours ago The new House California water bill includes language designed to boost water exports south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, seen in this file aerial photo.... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/02/4266202/house-republicans-costa-join-for.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f263%2f California falls short of water conservation goals. ...2014 Updated 18 minutes ago FILE - In this July 29, 2014 file photo, a water conservation sign is displayed outside of City Hall in Santa Cruz, Calif. Drought-stricken California is releasing new figures to show how well residents are complying with a statewide water-saving target. The state... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/03/4266627/california-falls-short-of-water.html?sp=%2f99%2f170%2f Drought: Monterey County water conservation holds steady. ...indicate residents have begun slacking in their conservation efforts. State officials warn that rainy weather this week won't put much of a dent in the drought. "Recent rains are no reason to let up on our conservation efforts," said the board's chairwoman, Felicia Marcus. "It will take many sustained... http://www.insidebayarea.com/bay-area-news/ci_27054580/county-water-conservation-holds-steady Will this rain finally end Southern California's prolonged fire season? Show caption Droplets splashing off a rain barrel. Photo by J. Michael Darby via Flickr Creative Commons Southern California is getting a much needed soak, but will it be enough to end a prolonged wildfire season? According to CAL FIRE's Mike Mohler, the area... http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/12/02/48419/will-this-rain-finally-end-southern-california-s-p/ Downpours Expected to Bring Several Inches of Rain to SoCal. Heavy downpours Tuesday were expected to bring several inches of rain to drought-stricken Southern California. Heavy downpours Tuesday were expected to bring several inches of rain to drought-stricken Southern... http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-me-ln-downpours-expected-to-bring-several-inches-of-rain-to-socal-20141202-embeddedvideo.html Storm drenches California, but it's only a drop in state's drought. The first major Pacific storm of the season drenched much of California on Tuesday, slaking a parched and dusty region, but still leaving the state deep in a historic drought. The stream of subtropical... http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-1203-california-rain-20141203-story.html Southern California storm not a drought-buster, not El Niño. ...(Photo by Gene Blevins/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News) Water managers are not calling the storm that dropped several inches of rain onto Southern California Tuesday a drought-buster, and climate scientists are not labeling it an El Niño event. Instead, they say it will take at least... http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/general-news/20141202/southern-california-storm-not-a-drought-buster-not-el-nixf1o STORM: What will the rain mean for the drought? The rain will help, but the Northern California reservoirs and Sierra snowpack that provide much of the state's water remain far short of what they should be. LOS ANGELES (AP) — A... http://www.pe.com/articles/rain-755409-storm-angeles.html Downpours fall for hours on thirsty California. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hours of downpours brought California a dose of relief from a three-year drought with few of the negative consequences the long-awaited storm had threatened, at least... http://www.sfgate.com/news/us/article/Downpours-fall-for-hours-on-thirsty-California-5931508.php Report: California drought threatens groundwater. The Associated PressDecember 2, 2014 Updated 2 hours ago SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Three years of drought have taken a heavy toll on California groundwater supplies, with hundreds more wells being dug this year, one of the driest on record,... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/12/02/3378497/report-california-drought-threatens.html?sp=%2f99%2f177%2f348%2f A drop in L.A.'s water needs bucket. ...exacerbating the hazards in areas already burned). A drop in the bucket, but a very welcome one. As much as we need the rain, though, what Southern California and the rest of the state really need is to refill our biggest reservoir — the Sierra snowpack — because that's where most of our water... http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-rain-drought-california-20141203-story.html New Residential Water Use Numbers Indicate Conservation Backslide. ...Brown/AFP/Getty Images) The latest year-over-year residential water use numbers are out, offering a glimpse at how much of the wet stuff larger cities throughout California are using and how much they're conserving. The broad view for October's water conservation efforts isn't good, but the gloomy news comes... http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/12/02/new-residential-water-use-numbers-indicate-conservation-backslide/ Statewide, water conservation falls short. Gov. Jerry Brown enters a meeting of the Western Governors' Association last month, where a panel met to discuss the drought that has gripped California for the past three years. State officials on Tuesday decried a “disappointing” 6.7 percent drop in water... http://www.pe.com/articles/water-755459-conservation-use.html Drought; Regulatory California slips on water conservation California's commitment to water conservation in the face of epic drought appears to have waned with the end of summer: Statewide, water use... http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article4252656.html FUELS Tesla May Run Slow on Cheap Gas. Falling gasoline prices don't mean that the Tesla Motors story can't come true. But the tale may take longer to unfold than the market has patience for. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/tesla-may-run-slow-cheap-gas ECONOMY: State gas use up first time in 8 years. ...nearly 1 percent in the last fiscal year, the first increase in eight years, according to the state Board of Equalization Californians increased their gasoline use by nearly 1 percent in the past fiscal year, one sign that the economy is recovering, the state Board of Equalization said. California's... http://www.pe.com/articles/fiscal-755491-billion-year.html House Republicans seek to extend energy tax breaks. Republicans in the US House of Representatives are championing a short-term, $44.7bn package that would extend tax breaks for wind power, biofuels and mine safety equipment. Stepping back from a confrontation with the White House over a broader $400bn package... http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=957193&menu=yes GREEN ENERGY George Shultz Gone Solar. Now That's a Sign of Thawing in the U.S. Climate Debate ...faced off against Muammar Qaddafi, the Soviet Union and Chinese communists. His latest cause, though, is one few fellow Republicans support: fighting climate change. Two years ago, Shultz was alarmed when a retired Navy admiral showed him a video of vanishing Arctic sea ice and explained... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-01/reagan-statesman-s-sunshine-power-hint-of-thaw-in-climate-debate OPINIONS Tom Lowery: Silicon Valley companies should understand their energy use. In today's highly competitive economic environment, it's surprising to learn that that California's commercial buildings are wasting 80 percent of the energy that they consume. This wasted energy not only costs all of us money - money... http://www.times-standard.com/opinion/20141126/tom-lowery-silicon-valley-companies-should-understand-their-energy-use BLOGS Not Just Turbocharging: Exhaust Gases Can Generate Electricity, Too. The exhaust gases shooting out the tailpipes of internal-combustion cars aren't just a form of pollution, they also represent wasted energy. One way to use some of that energy has been turbocharging: An exhaust-driven turbine runs a compressor... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095725_not-just-turbocharging-exhaust-gases-can-generate-electricity-too India may be the next big polluter to announce a climate plan. ...another bit of good news that makes a 2015 global climate agreement look just a little more likely. Up until now, India, the third-largest annual emitter of greenhouse gases, has been resistant to calls for limiting emissions. But when the U.S. and China, the two largest climate polluters, announced... http://grist.org/news/india-may-be-the-next-big-polluter-to-announce-a-climate-plan/ Businesses: EPA Clean Power Plan Is Good for Economy, Environment. If you want to know what American businesses think about the Environmental Protection Agency's new carbon pollution standards and what they'll do to our economy, ask somebody who has built a business. On Monday, more than 350 entrepreneurs, CEOs,... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-keefe/businesses-epa-clean-powe_b_6256204.html?ir=Business&utm_hp_ref=business Rise of Walking for Fun & Fitness as a Social Trend. ...America's untrendiest trend" in its February 2014 cover story. A month later Builder magazine (a construction trade journal) announced on its cover, "Walkability. Why we care...and why you should too." This sheer pleasure of walking is highlighted in one of the year's top music videos, "Happy"... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jay-walljasper/rise-of-walking-for-fun-f_b_6255930.html The Externalities of Climate Change. ...our unthinking consequence -- be it plastic, or chemicals, or micro-particles -- and succumbing to the greatest externality of them all: accelerating climate change that is already magnifying and amplifying the threat to every nurturing part of our ocean world. I recently attended a conference... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-neill/the-externalities-of-clim_b_6255698.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change The Forest That Fights Climate Change. ...Guyana. © Pete Oxford/ILCP This post was originally published on Conservation International's blog, Human Nature. When we think about causes of climate change, we think smokestacks and tailpipes. Google "solutions for climate change" and you might get recommendations to change... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/will-turner/the-forest-that-fights-climate-change_b_6257922.html The Next Big Climate Question: Will India Follow China? For more than 20 years, international climate talks have been dominated by a schism between those who created the problem of climate change (largely the United States and nations of the European Union) and those who would greatly contribute to it moving forward (largely... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/02/the-next-big-climate-ques_n_6259228.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Eating Less Meat Essential To Curb Climate Change, Says Report. Curbing the world's huge and increasing appetite for meat is essential to avoid devastating climate change, according to a new report. But governments and green campaigners are doing nothing to tackle the issue due to fears of a consumer... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/03/eating-less-meat-essentia_n_6261116.html Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle Tax Credit Expires This Month: Will It Be Renewed? First 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell delivered to lessee at Tustin Hyundai, June 2014 Enlarge Photo Financial and other incentives are widely viewed as a good way to kickstart... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095734_hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-tax-credit-expires-this-month-will-it-be-renewed Plug-In Electric Car Sales In Nov: Leaf Grows, Volt Wanes. Sales of plug-in electric cars continued at a steady pace in November, reflecting continued strong vehicle sales of all types in the U.S. market. The Nissan... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095711_plug-in-electric-car-sales-in-nov-leaf-grows-volt-wanes Climate Change in Tokyo? City’s Weather Observation Station Relocates. If you find the temperature shown in Tokyo’s weather report to be a bit lower than what you feel today, you are not mistaken. Japan Meteorological Agency on Tuesday began operating its new weather observation station in Tokyo which was relocated for the first time since 1964. http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2014/12/02/climate-change-in-tokyo-citys-weather-observation-station-relocates/?KEYWORDS=climate+change A realistic approach to linking carbon markets. Three weeks ago, the U.S. and China announced a landmark bilateral agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Secretary of State John Kerry heralded the agreement as a key step toward reinvigorating international negotiations on climate change. His theory will be tested this week, when diplomats will converge on Lima, Peru to negotiate the next steps of the climate change regime. Although there is some optimism, the prospects remains highly uncertain. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/12/01/a-realistic-approach-to-linking-carbon-markets/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2014 14:27:07 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 4, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 4, 2014. 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 California, Quebec Carbon Auction Raises $407M. All 33.8 million carbon allowance sold out at California and Quebec’s first joint carbon auction, held Nov. 25, which raised about $407 million. The cap-and-trade auction sold all 23.1 million allowances to release carbon emissions this year, with companies paying 12.10 a ton for the 2014 carbon credits. California and Quebec also sold all 10.8 million allowances offered to release emissions in 2017. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/12/04/california-quebec-carbon-auction-raises-407m/#ixzz3Kxmlf7tw First joint Calif.-Quebec cap-and-trade auction sells out of carbon permits. The first joint auction linking California and Quebec's cap-and-trade markets sold out of permits for greenhouse gas emissions, the Golden State said yesterday. Bidders grabbed all of the 23.07 million available allowances that can be used to cover emissions from this year. Those went at a price of $12.10 per carbon ton, above the $11.34 per ton price floor. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/12/04/stories/1060009923 Valley legislators take aim at gas prices. State Senator Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) and Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) introduced a set of bills this week aimed at stopping the state's cap-and-trade regulation for fuel producers. Beginning Jan. 1, companies that either make or sell transportation fuel would have to comply with California's cap-and-trade program… http://mail.thebusinessjournal.com/news/government-and-politics/14992-valley-legislators-take-aim-at-gas-prices China's carbon trading markets hold promise, but need major revisions – study. Pilot carbon trading programs in seven Chinese provinces got off the ground with remarkable speed and are curbing billions of tons of CO2 annually, but they need to see dramatic improvements before the government can impose a national cap-and-trade system, a major new study finds. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/12/04/stories/1060009921 AIR POLLUTION San Joaquin Valley struggling with conforming to new EPA guidelines. The San Joaquin Valley may have quite possibly the worst levels of ozone in all of the U.S., being considerably worse than much of southern California, according to a report. The statistics speak for themselves, as posted by the California Air Resources Board website, with nearly 2,000 bad days since the end of the 20th century. http://www.sciencerecorder.com/news/san-joaquin-valley-struggling-with-conforming-to-new-epa-guidelines/ EPA battles 3-front legal assault on chrome plating standards. U.S. EPA was forced to play a complicated defense today in federal court as environmental groups, two states and a trade association challenged its air standards for chrome plating facilities. The 2012 standards apply to about 1,300 facilities that dip products as large as airplane components and bumpers and as small as gardening tools in chromium baths, adding a coating that prevents corrosion. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060009857/feed CLIMATE CHANGE EPA Clean Power Plan to Cut Reliability, Cost Billions of Dollars, FERC’s Philip Moeller Says. A federal energy regulator issued a harsh critique of the Environmental Protection Agency's clean power plan, predicting it will threaten electric grid reliability and cost billions of dollars to implement. http://www.bna.com/epa-clean-power-n17179917922/ Lima Climate Talks Begin With Optimism, Fresh Challenges Facing World Leaders. The newest round of United Nations climate talks got under way Dec. 1 in the Peruvian capital with pleas for action from organizers, delegation heads and environmental groups and a promise from the president of the negotiations that it would produce a significant draft agreement. http://www.bna.com/lima-climate-talks-n17179917937/ 2014 set to be hottest year on record, U.N. climate agency reports. This year is on track to be the hottest on record, with rising sea surface temperatures linked to the spread of extreme weather events around the globe, the United Nations climate agency reported Wednesday. The global average air and sea temperatures for the first 10 months of 2014 were 1.03 degrees Fahrenheit over the 1961-1990… http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-world-climate-20141203-story.html http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/03/4266993/un-weather-agency-2014-on-track.html##storylink=cpy http://www.climatecentral.org/news/wmo-warns-lima-delegates-2014-may-be-hottest-year-18392#sthash.yWc6VY8F.dpuf Green groups urge climate fund to exclude fossils. Environmental groups are demanding tighter rules on climate finance for poor nations after an Associated Press investigation showed Japan bankrolled coal-fired power plants with money earmarked for fighting global warming. http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article4261426.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Green-groups-urge-climate-fund-to-exclude-fossils-5932945.php White House says 16 cities leading US on climate. The White House is singling out Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and 13 other cities for leading their peers in efforts to address climate change. The winners of the competition for cities will receive additional government resources to deal with global warming's impacts, including data tools and a dedicated coordinator to help cities access federal funding. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/03/4267086/white-house-says-16-cities-leading.html##storylink=cpy CO2 Takes Just 10 Years to Reach Planet’s Peak Heat. In a study that could have important ramifications on estimating the impacts, costs and benefits of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, new research shows that CO2 brings peak heat within a decade of being emitted, with the effects then lingering 100 years or more into the future. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/co2-emissions-peak-heat-18394#sthash.XW7QW8yP.dpuf World Climate Talks In Lima Aim To Move Beyond Kyoto Treaty. Every year the United Nations invites environmental experts and diplomats from around the world to negotiate ways to slow global warming. This year's meeting runs this week and next in Lima, Peru. Some say these conferences are a warming planet's best hope. Some say they're a United Nations jamboree. Most agree that recent sessions have seen mixed success at best. http://www.capradio.org/news/npr/story?storyid=368315203 DROUGHT It's official: California storm didn't cure the drought. Despite a “respectable” amount of rain this week across all of California, it wasn’t enough for federal agencies to improve the state’s drought picture, new data released Thursday show. In a report that likely surprises very few, the U.S. Drought Monitor said of the storm that hovered over California since Monday: “More than this is needed to offset the accumulated deficits.” http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-rain-drought-monitor-20141204-story.html http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/03/4266627_california-falls-short-of-water.html?sp=/99/170/&rh=1#storylink=cpy Latest California drought bill causes new dust-up. A new California water bill slated to hit the House floor next week would boost irrigation deliveries to farms south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, nudge along planning for new dams and capture more storm runoff for human use. It would not authorize dam construction, repeal an ambitious San Joaquin River restoration plan or last longer than the state’s current drought. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/04/4268566/latest-california-drought-bill.html?sp=%2f99%2f406%2f557%2f#storylink=cpy House GOP Offers New California Drought Relief Bill. After the collapse of secret negotiations to send more water to Central Valley farmers, California’s Republican lawmakers have come up with a completely new water bill. It’s an early sign of the GOP’s rising power after last month’s election. The newest drought bill will bring more water to Central Valley farmers over the next 18 months. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/12/03/house-gop-offers-new-california-drought-relief-bill/ http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27276 DIESEL EMISSIONS Company rebuilds buses to run on zero-emission, clean technology. An old bus that was destined for the scrap yard will soon be hauling commuters to and from their destinations again. Complete Coach Works, a Riverside company that rebuilds and rehabilitates old buses, recently received a $12 million contract from the Indianapolis Transportation Agency to convert 21 diesel buses into non-emission electric vehicles. http://abc7.com/technology/company-rebuilds-buses-to-run-on-zero-emission-clean-technology/417882/ FUELS Average fuel economy for new cars in US in November unchanged from October. The average fuel economy (window-sticker value) of new vehicles sold in the US in November was 25.3 mpg (9.3 l/100 km)—unchanged from the value in October, according to the monthly report from Dr. Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141204-umtri.html DOE awarding up to $7M to two projects to develop advanced logistics for bioenergy feedstocks. The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award up to $7 million for two projects aimed at developing and demonstrating ways to reduce the cost of delivering bioenergy feedstocks to biorefineries. Examples of bioenergy feedstocks include corn stover, switchgrass, and woody biomass. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141204-doe.html Low Gas Prices Won't Affect Loyal Owners As 2016 Toyota Prius Hybrid Looms. In the auto industry, it's generally assumed that as gas prices drop, so do sales of green cars. Most consumers consider switching to more fuel-efficient, hybrid, or plug-in electric cars because of their anticipated lower fuel costs--but if gas is already inexpensive, the math doesn't look as good. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095746_low-gas-prices-wont-affect-loyal-owners-as-2016-toyota-prius-hybrid-looms Asian firms team up for Sacramento LNG project. Two publicly traded Australian companies and one privately held investment group with ties to Indonesia have announced plans to pursue a liquefied natural gas project on California's coastline. Controlling partner Australian Oil Co. (AOC) has formed a joint venture dubbed Cal LNG to pursue projects on the U.S. West Coast, with an initial focus on the Sacramento basin, the company said this week. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2014/12/04/stories/1060009904 VEHICLES Californians Now Buy A Plug-In Electric Car For Every 2 Hybrids. The difference between electric cars and "electrified" cars has tripped up numerous reporters, carmakers, and analysts over the years. Electric cars plug into the wall and power their wheels, partly or fully, with an electric motor running on energy from a battery pack. "Electrified cars," on the other hand, include not only electric cars but any vehicle that has an electric motor providing any torque in its powertrain--which is to say, hybrids as well. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095742_californians-now-buy-a-plug-in-electric-car-for-every-2-hybrids Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle Tax Credit Expires This Month: Will It Be Renewed? Financial and other incentives are widely viewed as a good way to kickstart the adoption of new green vehicles, largely to compensate for their higher prices against conventional gasoline cars. But just as Toyota is building up to next fall's launch of its 2016 Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle in the U.S. market… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095734_hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-tax-credit-expires-this-month-will-it-be-renewed GREEN ENERGY NextEra Energy to Buy Most of Hawaiian Electric for $2.6 Billion. Company Says Deal Will Bring Cleaner, Renewable Energy to Hawaii. NextEra Energy Inc. agreed to acquire most of Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. for about $2.6 billion, a deal it said would bring cleaner, renewable energy to Hawaii. Hawaiian Electric supplies power to about 450,000 customers, or 95% of Hawaii’s population… http://online.wsj.com/articles/nextera-energy-to-buy-most-of-hawaiian-electric-for-2-6-billion-1417646396 http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-04/nextera-buys-hawaii-s-biggest-utility-in-green-energy-test-case House Approves Tax Bill With One-Year Extension of Wind, Energy Incentives. The House voted Dec. 3 to pass tax legislation that would only extend the wind production tax credit and other energy incentives through the end of 2014, a move that clean energy advocates said would result in lost jobs and halt new projects. The $42 billion bill (H.R. 5771) also would retroactively extend other energy tax credits that expired at the end of 2013… http://www.bna.com/house-approves-tax-n17179917975/ Landmark wind turbine to be back in full operation. A northern Michigan wind turbine that repeatedly broke down after being in service for nearly two decades is expected to be back in full operation within a month. WPBN-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1wxeDxb ) Traverse City Light & Power signed over ownership and operations of the 160-foot turbine Wednesday to Heritage Sustainable Energy LLC. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4271628.html#storylink=cpy Next legislative session could be end for Kansas’ renewable energy standard. Republicans may have gained enough seats in the Kansas House to end the state’s renewable energy standard, and activists on both sides of the issue are preparing for a fight in the next legislative session. The policy, known as the renewable portfolio standard, requires utility companies to get 20 percent of their power… http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article4202126.html#storylink=cpy Solar power expected to triple by 2020, pushed by developing countries. A sustained push toward clean energy solutions in emerging economies of Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East and Africa will push solar photovoltaic capacity worldwide to nearly 414 gigawatts by 2020, a three-fold increase from current levels, according to new figures released by GlobalData. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/12/04/stories/1060009922 CO2 key to new, cheaper material for electric cars, wind turbines – study. Researchers have developed a way to use carbon emissions to produce a green, low-cost energy storage device that can provide a rapid charge or discharge of power important for electric vehicles and wind turbines. The presence of CO2 is key to a new process developed by Oregon State University to create nanoporous graphene that is strong…http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060009860/feed OPINIONS The Scientist Who Gave a Name to Global Warming. 1988 James Hansen, then director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, introduces the idea of “global warming” to the public at a Senate hearing in Washington. I had testified several times during the 1980s without much effect, the immediately preceding testimony being in late 1987. After that, I met with the staffer who had arranged it and expressed the opinion that “global warming” … http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-12-04/global-warming-james-hansen-on-introducing-it-to-the-public Our Voice: Make rooftop solar power easy to obtain. All options should be on the table to encourage rooftop solar in the Coachella Valley. When the Coachella Valley Association of Governments launched its Clean Energy CV Upgrade last year, it opted to go with the Ygrene Energy Fund, which is based in Santa Rosa. It opted not to go with the Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) program, which is based in San Diego. http://www.desertsun.com/story/opinion/2014/12/02/make-rooftop-solar-easy/19806795/ Giving Climate Pact Legal Teeth Could Make It Toothless. As negotiators gather in Peru for a critical round of climate talks, U.S. delegates are straining to explain what they call a “counterintuitive” reality: For next year’s global climate agreement to be effective, commitments made under it must not be legally binding. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-pact-with-legal-teeth-could-be-toothless-18396#sthash.EfiAWW5y.dpuf ‘Nuff Said: CO2 Emissions Plan Moves to Next Step. The coal industry calls it a devastating volley in a “war on coal,” while the Obama administration considers it major progress in its fight against climate change. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan comes with a dry name, but it’s one of the most significant ways the federal government is trying to curtail carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. to combat global warming. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/co2-emissions-plan-moves-forward-18397#sthash.Ge9Htjvs.dpuf BLOGS On Smaller Farms, Including Organic Farms, Technology and Tradition Meet. I spent yesterday morning at a remarkable meeting of young farmers meshing tradition and technology to sustain healthy soils and produce bountiful crops in a changing economy and climate. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/04/on-smaller-farms-including-organic-farms-technology-and-tradition-meet/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Agriculture&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body Vive La Linkage: California and Quebec Working Together to Fight Climate Change. The holiday season is often considered a time to stop and take stock of the things that we are thankful for, and to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year. Today, California and Quebec have one more thing to celebrate: the successful completion of their first-ever joint cap-and-trade auction, which marks the last of many steps to fully harmonize the two carbon markets. http://blogs.edf.org/californiadream/2014/12/03/vive-la-linkage-california-and-quebec-working-together-to-fight-climate-change/ Dear U.N.: Coal plants don’t count as climate-friendly projects. One of the ways the U.N. hopes to help developing countries prepare for climate change is through a mechanism called the Green Climate Fund (GCF). In 2009, rich countries pledged to come up with $100 billion a year, by 2020, to help poorer parts of the world get ready to face a problem that they, by and large, didn’t cause. So far, rich nations have pledged about $10 billion. http://grist.org/news/dear-u-n-coal-plants-dont-count-as-climate-friendly-projects/ Tesla goes Down Under December 9th. Not too long after Tesla stepped in to scoop up some of the engineers left behind as Ford, GM and Toyota announced shuttering production Down Under, the California-based EV company will start selling its Model S in Australia. Beginning Tuesday, December 9, sales will begin in Sydney, bringing a California-style plug-in change to the country's automotive landscape. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/12/04/tesla-goes-down-under-december-9th/ DOE's EV Everywhere workplace charging program is working. One US Department of Energy plug-in vehicle charging-station program is geared to turn this country into ... Norway? Not literally, but the DOE's EV Everywhere Workplace Charging Challenge was launched early last year to get more companies to install on-site charging stations in order to increase plug-in vehicle adoption. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/12/04/doe-ev-everywhere-workplace-charging-program-working/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2014 11:38:49 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for December 5, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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. UN CLIMATE TALKS Sen. Kevin De León leading delegation to Peru on climate change State Senate leader Kevin De León (D-Los Angeles) will head a delegation of California officials attending a weeklong conference on climate change starting Sunday in Lima, Peru. De León will be accompanied to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by members of the Brown administration including Matt Rodriquez, the secretary for environmental protection. Brown himself is not attending the conference. http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-sen-de-leon-leading-delegation-to-peru-on-climate-change-20141204-story.html UN: climate change costs to poor underestimated The cost to poor countries of adjusting to ever-hotter temperatures will be twice or even three times higher than previously thought, the U.N.'s environment agency said Friday — and that assumes a best-case scenario in which greenhouse gas emissions are dramatically reduced. "If you don't cut emissions, we're just going to have to ask for more money because the damage is going to be worse," Ronald Jumeau of the Seychelles said at U.N. climate talks. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/UN-climate-change-costs-to-poor-underestimated-5937562.php AP Interview: Australia won't pay to climate fund Australia will continue to directly pay for climate change adaptation in vulnerable South Pacific island nations through its aid budget rather than donate to a U.N. Green Climate Fund designed for the same purpose, the foreign minister said Friday ahead of traveling to climate talks in Peru. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/AP-Interview-Australia-won-t-pay-to-climate-fund-5936807.php Climate Activists Showing Their Colors in Lima ...latest United Nations climate talks, activists were already taking to the streets of Lima to demand that world leaders take aggressive action against global warming. Hundreds of climate activists and faith leaders gathered in Lima Sunday night for a candlelight vigil. Joining them were... http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141204/climate-activists-showing-their-colors-lima AIR POLLUTION Cutting carbon pollution is the key to curbing global warming Not all greenhouse gases are created equal. If we want to limit the temperature rise of the Earth, we really need to focus on the long-lasting greenhouse gases. They’re the ones that matter, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Joeri Rogelj and his colleagues. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2014/dec/05/cutting-carbon-pollution-key-to-curbing-global-warming CLIMATE CHANGE Cutting carbon pollution is the key to curbing global warming Not all greenhouse gases are created equal. If we want to limit the temperature rise of the Earth, we really need to focus on the long-lasting greenhouse gases. They’re the ones that matter, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Joeri Rogelj and his colleagues. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2014/dec/05/cutting-carbon-pollution-key-to-curbing-global-warming Obama Wants Kids to Learn About Global Warming Perhaps unable to convince older Americans of the severity of global warming, President Barack Obama is hoping to have better luck with the next generation by turning to the classroom. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on Wednesday announced it will launch a new initiative aimed at climate education and literacy that will distribute science-based information – in line with the administration's position on the issue – to students, teachers and the broader public. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/12/03/obama-administration-to-launch-global-warming-education-initiative Climate Projects Reap $650 Billion a Year as Aid to Poor Rises Finance for projects aimed at limiting global warming has reached at least $650 billion. That will need to double to protect the planet from overheating, a United Nations agency said.... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-03/climate-projects-reap-650-billion-a-year-as-aid-to-poor-rises The Scientist Who Gave a Name to Global Warming ...Resources/Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images 1988 James Hansen, then director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, introduces the idea of “global warming” to the public at a Senate hearing in Washington. I had testified several times during the 1980s without much effect, the... http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-12-04/global-warming-james-hansen-on-introducing-it-to-the-public DROUGHT California drought the worst in 1,200 years, new study says The last three years of drought were the most severe that California has experienced in at least 1,200 years, according to a new scientific study published Thursday. The study provides the state with breathtaking new historical context for its low reservoirs and sinking water tables, even as California celebrated its first good soaking of the season. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_27070897/california-drought-worst-1-200-years-new-study HIGH-SPEED RAIL Caltrain takes big step toward $1.5 billion electrification ...electrify its railway, unveiling the final environmental impact report on an ambitious undertaking that will allow the agency to boost ridership, reduce air pollution and prepare for the arrival of high-speed rail. The agency debuted the report in a presentation to its board of directors, which... http://www.insidebayarea.com/crime-courts/ci_27068142/caltrain-takes-big-step-toward-1-5-billion?source=rss FUELS Double Whammy for State Fuel Suppliers The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is poised to readopt the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) regulation in early 2015. With its readoption, CARB hopes to put to rest challenges that required a redo of the environmental analysis supporting the LCFS regulation. If all goes as planned, transportation fuel suppliers operating in California will face a regulatory environment in 2015 that is at once both more certain — with legal challenges to the LCFS largely resolved — and more daunting, as transportation fuels come under the “cap” on greenhouse gas emissions imposed by California’s cap-and-trade program. http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/double-whammy-for-state-fuel-suppliers-88836/ California lawmakers try again to thwart increased fuel costs A group of California state lawmakers are renewing their fight against an impending fuel tax increase. Republicans in the state Assembly and Senate are concerned about a program in place since 2006 through passage of AB32 – the California Global Warming Solutions Act. The program allows the California Air Resources Board to cap greenhouse gas emissions and require companies to buy permits to exceed those caps. http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=28143#.VIHt5RamOa8 GREEN ENERGY Engineer Reimagines Solar Energy With Stick-On Panels The catalyst for Xiaolin Zheng's groundbreaking work in solar energy began with an offhand comment her father made years ago at her parents' apartment, a 13-story complex in the northeast China city of Anshan. “In China, the rooftops of many buildings are packed with solar energy devices,” says Zheng. “One day my father mentioned how great it would be if a building’s entire surface could be used for solar power, not just the roof, but also walls and windows.” http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141203-xiaolin-zheng-emerging-explorer-solar/ RENEWABLE ENERGY: Solar power expected to triple by 2020, pushed by developing countries A sustained push toward clean energy solutions in emerging economies of Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East and Africa will push solar photovoltaic... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19756786922&p=19f&v=1&x=AL0ZxxufWd3GJjHMJ095QQ BLOGS 1 in 5 Australian Households Have Gone Solar Between taking in a kangaroo boxing match and surfing in shark-infested waters, it turns out a lot of Australians are also going solar. According to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in five Australian households, or 19 percent, now use solar energy for electricity or hot water. That’s up from about 5 percent in 2011, when the bureau first started publishing statistics on solar. http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/one-in-five-australian-households-have-gone-solar California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2014 10:55:29 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for December 8, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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. UN CLIMATE TALKS: LIMA Kerry Plans to Attend Climate Talks In a sign of the importance that the Obama administration has placed on the outcome of United Nations climate change negotiations taking place here this week, Secretary of State John Kerry will arrive on Thursday to strongly urge negotiators to reach a deal, according to sources familiar with Mr. Kerry’s plans but unauthorized to speak to the media. Typically, the secretary of state would not join diplomatic negotiations at this level, but Mr. Kerry has made climate change a priority of his tenure. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/us/politics/kerry-plans-to-attend-climate-talks.html?_r=0 Goal to end fossil fuels by 2050 surfaces in Lima UN climate documents It’s a rare thing when you can point to paragraphs in a United Nations climate negotiating text and feel they more or less match what most of the science says should become a reality. Yet in Lima on Monday, it happened. Our little revolutionary moment comes in a document with the memorable title “ADP 2-7 agenda item 3 Elements for a draft negotiating text” with its climate-busting section D (paragraph 13.2) outlining several possible long-term goals for a new climate change agreement. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/planet-oz/2014/dec/08/goal-to-end-fossil-fuels-by-2050-surfaces-in-lima-un-climate-documents Washington takes heat at UN talks over targets Washington is on track to meet its targets for reducing emissions in heat-trapping greenhouse gases despite an uptick last year, U.S. officials insisted at climate talks Monday. Quizzed by rich and poor countries about its efforts against global warming, President Barack Obama's envoys sought to explain how exactly the U.S. plans to cut emissions 17 percent by 2020 based on 2005 levels. http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Washington-takes-heat-at-UN-talks-over-targets-5943860.php Lima climate talks set for record carbon footprint The current U.N. climate talks will be the first to neutralize all the greenhouse gas pollution they generate, offset by host country Peru's protection of forest at three different reserves, organizers say. Now the bad news: The Lima conference is expected to have the biggest carbon footprint of any U.N. climate meeting measured to date. http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Lima-climate-talks-set-for-record-carbon-footprint-5945183.php In Lima, Calif. and 3 Canadian provinces call for cooperation Officials from California and three Canadian provinces yesterday called for cooperation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions at international climate change talks taking place this week in Peru. Environmental officials from California, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec attending the U.N. climate negotiations in Lima, Peru, said they were hoping to make progress toward an international climate deal to be signed in Paris in 2015. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/12/09/stories/1060010174 Lost in Lima: Why climate finance figures can’t be trusted Sorting out the complicated world of climate finance has long been talked of as a key goal for the UN climate talks currently taking place in Lima, Peru. One problem is that not enough money is flowing to developing countries, making it harder for them to invest in greener forms of energy and prepare for the worst impacts of climate change, such as floods, heatwaves and rising sea levels. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/12/07/lost-in-lima-why-climate-finance-figures-cant-be-trusted/ CAP AND TRADE East valley could get cap-and-trade funds for housing Several low-income communities in the east valley will be eligible for funds generated by California’s cap-and-trade program, giving hope to affordable housing advocates in the region. Thanks to a recent decision by the California Environmental Protection Agency, several areas with high poverty rates and poor air quality or water quality — including Mecca, much of Thermal and parts of Coachella and Indio — will be eligible for funds. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/12/08/coachella-valley-cap-trade-funds/20125057/ AIR POLLUTION Philippines Pushes Developing Countries to Cut Their Emissions As the torrential rains of Typhoon Hagupit flood the Philippines, driving millions of people from their homes, the Philippine government arrived at a United Nations climate change summit meeting on Monday to push hard for a new international deal requiring all nations, including developing countries, to cut their use of fossil fuels. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/world/americas/philippines-pushes-developing-countries-to-cut-their-emissions-.html?_r=0 China’s Coal Burning Is Main Culprit for Pollution, Daily Says China’s excessive use of unclean energy such as coal is the biggest contributor to its smog, China Youth Daily reported. Vehicle emissions came in second, the newspaper said on its website yesterday, citing Zhang Xiaoye, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-09/china-s-coal-burning-is-main-culprit-for-pollution-daily-says.html As US cleans up, it's exporting more pollution Heat-trapping pollution released into the atmosphere from rising exports of U.S. gasoline and diesel dwarfs the cuts made from fuel efficiency standards and other efforts to reduce global warming in the United States,... http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4367399.html Smoke in downtown L.A. awful? No advisory, but some are uncomfortable No air quality advisories have been issued in downtown Los Angeles after Monday morning's massive fire, but some area employers were handing out masks to make breathing more comfortable for workers. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-smoke-air-quality-fire-20141208-story.html CLIMATE CHANGE Climate isn't culprit in drought -- NOAA Rising greenhouse gases causing climate change are not the main driver of California's ongoing drought, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today. In a study out today, scientists with NOAA said the dry conditions over the last three years in the Golden State largely were caused by lower ocean temperatures and a high-pressure ridge off the West Coast, which blocked winter storms. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2014/12/08/stories/1060010145 Global Warming Isn't Causing California Drought? Report Triggers Storm Natural conditions, not human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases, are the driving force behind California's three-year dry spell, scientists on a federal task force concluded Monday. But the report came under fire from some experts who said it downplayed other factors that have humanity's fingerprints on them. http://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/global-warming-isnt-causing-california-drought-report-triggers-storm-n263941 Obama: Keystone XL could contribute to ‘disastrous’ climate change President Obama spoke in dismissive terms of the Keystone XL pipeline Monday during an interview on "The Colbert Report Monday, saying its modest benefits need to be weighed against its contribution to climate change, "which could be disastrous." http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/12/09/obama-criticizes-keystone-xl-on-the-colbert-report/ Looking to Mars to Help Understand Changing Climates. Ever since the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli thought he spied lines that he called “canali” on Mars in 1877, earthlings’ romantic thoughts about our nearest cosmic neighbor have revolved around water and its possible consequence, Life as We Know It. We haven’t found life on Mars, but decades of robotic exploration have indeed strengthened astronomers’ convictions that rivers and perhaps even oceans once flowed on the red planet. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/science/looking-to-mars-to-help-understand-changing-climates.html What universities really can do to fight climate change: A new proposal The movement to force university endowments to divest their holdings in fossil fuel companies -- coal, oil and gas -- has some obvious shortcomings: For one thing, the effort is relatively painless, since it's unlikely that the endowment returns will be materially affected by taking these volatile companies out of their portfolios (or that the companies will care); for another, it's hypocritical, since university communities remain heavy consumers of the very same energy sources. http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-what-can-universities-really-do-20141208-column.html FUELS Japan Promotes Home Fuel Cell on Path to Hydrogen Society Japan is working on doing for the hydrogen fuel cell what it accomplished with computer chips and cars in the last century, slashing costs to make them more appealing to consumers. As fuel-cell technology finds its way into factories and commercial buildings, Japanese manufacturers including Panasonic Corp. (6752) are working to make them small and cheap enough for the home. The country has set a goal of installing them in 5.3 million homes by 2030, about 10 percent of all households. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-09/japan-promotes-home-fuel-cell-on-path-to-hydrogen-society.html GREEN ENERGY Copenhagen Lighting the Way to Greener, More Efficient Cities On a busy road in the center of town here, a string of green lights embedded in the bike path — the “Green Wave” — flashes on, helping cyclists avoid red traffic lights. On a main artery into the city, truck drivers can see on smartphones when the next light will change. And in a nearby suburb, new LED streetlights brighten only as vehicles approach, dimming once they pass. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/business/energy-environment/copenhagen-lighting-the-way-to-greener-more-effecient-cities.html L.A. mayor calls for solar-powered wi-fi, retrofitted buildings in ambitious earthquake plan Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) released an earthquake-preparedness plan Monday, unprecedented in its scope, calling on the city to retrofit thousands of buildings and reinforce its water supply and telecommunications network. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/12/08/l-a-mayor-calls-for-solar-powered-wi-fi-retrofitted-buildings-in-ambitious-earthquake-plan/ BLOGS At Climate Meeting, China Balks at Verifying Cuts in Carbon Emissions Last week, climate change negotiators from around the world converged on Lima, Peru, with a new sense of momentum. One driver of that attitude was the fact that just last month, President Obama and President Xi Jinping of China made a joint announcement in Beijing in which each pledged to try to limit or reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the coming years. http://query.nytimes.com/search/sitesearch/?action=click&contentCollection®ion=TopBar&WT.nav=searchWidget&module=SearchSubmit&pgtype=Homepage#/climate+change/since1851/allresults/1/allauthors/newest/ Q&A: What’s Up With the Climate Talks in Lima? What’s up with the climate talks in Lima? Nearly two hundred countries are coming together to talk about what they can do together to curb emissions of carbon dioxide and take other measures to prevent climate change. The Lima gathering kicked off last week, with higher-level talks starting today. The talks are organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2014/12/09/qa-whats-up-with-the-climate-talks-in-lima/?KEYWORDS=climate+change Solar Technique Achieves Record-High 40% Efficiency Researchers in Australia have reached a record high in solar conversion efficiency, converting more than 40 percent of the sunlight that hits solar panels into electricity. In outdoor tests in Sydney and the U.S., University of New South Wales researchers achieved the record efficiency partially by splitting sunlight into four different cells. Traditionally, solar power works by using just one solar cell, a method that can convert up to 33 percent of sunlight into electricity. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/12/08/3600599/record-high-solar-conversion-efficiency/ Small Business: The 'Neglected Middle' of Climate Change ...wrong. His response was speaking solely to the financial feasibility of the firm, but it reflects a larger misconception regarding small businesses and climate change. Individually, a small business might use less energy than a 50-story office building. But cumulatively, small businesses... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel_hill/small-business-the-neglec_b_6289210.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:37:43 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for December 11, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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. UN CLIMATE TALKS: LIMA At Lima Climate Talks, a Rare Air of Optimism The air was sticky in Lima Wednesday morning, but at least the 15,000 demonstrators who marched through the streets here demanding climate action could feel a tepid breeze. Not so inside the stuffy white carnival tent where delegates at the United Nations talks spent hours fiddling with text meant to map out the route to Paris. It is there where a global climate treaty is supposed to be adopted one year from now. http://insideclimatenews.org/carbon-copy/20141211/lima-climate-talks-rare-air-optimism?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=670d3e0867-InsideClimate_News12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-670d3e0867-327749509 As Lima Talks Enter Second Week, Delegates Turn to Text for 2015 Global Climate Pact Negotiations began Dec. 8 in Lima on the first draft of the text for the 2015 global climate change agreement, including discussion of emissions reduction targets for all countries and long-term financial targets starting in... http://www.bna.com/lima-talks-enter-b17179918742/ Lima marchers, experts want climate deal to respect rights ...marched shoulder to shoulder with climate activists from around the world on the traffic-choked streets of Lima. They called for urgent action to tackle climate change and the environmental problems affecting communities dependent on natural resources for their survival. Danitza, whose Quechua... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/11/us-climatechange-rights-idUSKBN0JP00320141211?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 A climate idea comes of age — zero emissions Pulling a worn, yellowed copy of the 1992 U.N. climate change convention from her handbag, Farhana Yamin points to the paragraph that states its goal: To stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous warming. It doesn’t provide any guidance on how to do that. http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/A-climate-idea-comes-of-age-zero-emissions-5948872.php CAP AND TRADE Change of heart: Abbott government commits $200m to Green Climate Fund The Abbott government has bowed to international pressure and will commit to a global fund to help developing nations deal with climate change. The government has also revealed the first detail of how it will review Australia's post-2020 emissions reduction targets, with a taskforce to be established in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/change-of-heart-abbott-government-commits-200m-to-green-climate-fund-20141210-123x0u.html Greenhouse gas solutions available to steer Canada toward 2020 emissions target Canada's carbon pollution target for 2020 could have been nearly met if the country had widely implemented some successful regional policies starting six years ago, a report by the David Suzuki Foundation suggests, adding that "serious headway" is still possible. http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/greenhouse-gas-solutions-available-to-steer-canada-toward-2020-emissions-target-1.2866022 Delaying cap-and-trade now a tougher sell California's oil industry gained attention this summer by funding groups with names like Fed Up At The Pump that staged a campaign against a 'hidden gas tax' that would spike fuel costs up to 76 cents per gallon as a result of California's cap-and-trade program. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/12/11/oil-industry-delaying-cap-and-trade-now-a-tougher.html San Diego Students Want Cap-And-Trade Dollars For Free Youth Bus Passes Students marched from San Diego High School to the Metropolitan Transit System offices Wednesday to persuade the transit agency to invest in a program that has given free bus passes to students at four area schools. City Heights nonprofit Mid-City CAN organized the students. The group wants MTS to kick in new cap-and-trade dollars to sustain and expand the bus pass program. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/dec/10/san-diego-students-want-cap-and-trade-dollars-free/ AIR POLLUTION DENISE, MAY BE PUT THE OTHER DIESEL STORIES WITH THIS ONE Air Pollution Down Thanks to California’s Regulation of Diesel Trucks Ever wonder what’s in the black cloud that emits from some semi trucks that you pass on the freeway? Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) scientist Thomas Kirchstetter knows very precisely what’s in there, having conducted detailed measurements of thousands of heavy-duty trucks over months at a time at two San Francisco Bay Area locations. http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2014/12/11/air-pollution-down-thanks-to-californias-regulation-of-diesel-trucks/ CLIMATE CHANGE Climate-Change Negotiators Say Hitting 2-Degree Goal Unlikely Nations negotiating a climate-change deal are unlikely to agree on cutting carbon-dioxide emissions deeply enough to prevent the earth from warming by 2 degrees Celsius, the stated goal of the talks, participants say. Officials from nearly 200 countries spent a torrid Peruvian day arguing over a framework for cutting enough greenhouse-gas emissions in coming decades to limit temperature gains that leading scientific models predict will occur. http://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-change-negotiators-say-reaching-2-degree-goal-unlikely-1418243184?KEYWORDS=climate+change ‘It’s a Matter of Doing Our Job.’ As President Obama has amped up his climate rhetoric in his second term, Gina McCarthy, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, has been responsible for translating his lofty aspirations into thousands of pages of complex regulations. The EPA has until next summer to finalize its Clean Power Plan limiting carbon emissions from power plants, especially coal plants; it is also pushing tougher restrictions on ozone and mercury pollution, which will hit the coal industry as well, and on methane, an issue for oil and gas drilling. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/12/gina-mccarthy-epa-interview-113481.html#.VInZORamOa8 As Japan burns more coal, climate policies under pressure Once at the forefront of the fight again global warming, Japan is now facing calls from other big economies such as China to set fresh emissions targets as Tokyo increases its use of dirty coal energy to replace nuclear. Japan is the world's fifth-biggest emitter of CO2, but has watered down emissions targets due to the shutdown of its nuclear plants after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, with utilities burning a record amount of coal for power generation. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/11/us-climatechange-japan-idUSKBN0JP0O520141211 Climate change won't dry up Southern California, study finds Overall rainfall amounts in the Los Angeles region will remain the same in coming decades, according to a new study that examined the effects of a warming climate on Southern California precipitation. The third in a series of UCLA studies on the impact of climate change on Los Angeles, the report is good news for the city’s efforts to develop more local water supplies. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-change-precipitation-southern-california-20141211-story.html HYDROGEN STATION First Retail Hydrogen Refueling Station In Northern California Opening In West Sacramento The first retail hydrogen refueling station in Northern California is set to open in our region this week. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the station will happen Wednesday morning at Ramos Oil on South River Road in West Sacramento, according to a statement Monday from the California Energy Commission. This will be the 10th hydrogen station in California, but the first in our region. Station tours and rides in fuel cell cars are being offered to the public between 11 -12 a.m. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/12/08/first-retail-hydrogen-refueling-station-in-northern-california-opening-in-west-sacramento/ Northern California Opens First Hydrogen Station New gas stations come and go all the time, but one new location is garnering an unusual amount of attention today, including ribbon-cutting and a half-dozen dignitaries in attendance. Ramos Oil will become the first retail hydrogen refueling station in Northern California when it officially turns on the pumps this morning. http://www.nacsonline.com/News/Daily/Pages/ND1210143.aspx#.VInZTTHF9Mo New hydrogen car fueling station commissioned in West Sacramento Hydrogen fueling for cars at the Ramos Oil Company multi-fueling station in West Sacramento, California, has been commissioned. The hydrogen station is equipped with state-of-the-art technology developed by Linde North America, a major producer of hydrogen covering the entire technology spectrum required to successfully use hydrogen as a transportation fuel. To mark completion of its retail hydrogen fueling station, Ramos held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site and hosted representatives of Linde and local and state dignitaries -- including Cliff Caldwell, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Bulk Markets at Linde, Nitin Natesan, Business Development manager for Linde Hydrogen Fueling, Mark Johannessen, Mayor Pro Tem City of West Sacramento, Bill Elrick, California Fuel Cell Partnership, Commissioner Janea Scott, California Energy Commission, Phil Serna, California Air Resources Board, Fred Joseck, Department of Energy. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-hydrogen-car-fueling-station-commissioned-in-west-sacramento-300007897.html DIESEL EMISSIONS Act quickly to extend reefer compliance deadline Applications to extend the California Air Resources Board deadline for compliance to its new TRU rules must be submitted by Dec. 31. This applies to owners of transport refrigeration units who ordered compliance technology for model year 2007 TRUs by the purchase order deadline, but will not be able to have it delivered or installed by the Dec. 31 deadline. http://www.todaystrucking.com/act-quickly-to-extend-reefer-compliance-deadline Calif. finalizes some exemptions, compliance alternatives to emissions regulations The California Air Resources Board has finalized the compliance alternatives and extension amendments it proposed earlier this year, effectively allowing the owner-operators and small fleet owners who qualify some delays in complying with the state’s emissions regulations. http://www.overdriveonline.com/calif-finalizes-some-exemptions-compliance-alternatives-to-emissions-regulations/ VEHICLES EIA: California home to almost half of US plug-in electric vehicles Total US sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs)—battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric—have increased in recent years, but still represent only about 0.7% of new vehicle sales in 2014 so far, up from 0.6% in 2013 and 0.4% in 2012. California is home to almost half of all of the nation’s PEVs, but even in California, only about 5 out of every 1,000 registered vehicles are PEVs, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141210-eia.html GREEN ENERGY Where Will You Be When the Lights Go Out? Pushback against the Obama administration’s complex Clean Power Plan—which would reduce carbon emissions from power plants by 30% in 2030 from 2005 levels—has mostly focused on its staggering cost. NERA Economic Consulting, for instance, estimates the plan will increase the nationwide average price of electricity 12% to 17% over 15 years. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kevin-cramer-where-will-you-be-when-the-lights-go-out-1418259829?KEYWORDS=climate+change MISCELLANEOUS Valley students’ art featured in 2015 air district calendar The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District featured the artwork of Valley elementary school students in its 2015 Healthy Air Living Kids Calendar. The district printed 20,000 copies of the free publication, which features monthly messages advocating keeping air pollution to a minimum. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/11/4280499_valley-students-art-featured-in.html?sp=/99/406/&rh=1 OPINION Where Will You Be When the Lights Go Out? Pushback against the Obama administration’s complex Clean Power Plan—which would reduce carbon emissions from power plants by 30% in 2030 from 2005 levels—has mostly focused on its staggering cost. NERA Economic Consulting, for instance, estimates the plan will increase the nationwide average price of electricity 12% to 17% over 15 years. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kevin-cramer-where-will-you-be-when-the-lights-go-out-1418259829 BLOGS New Studies Close in on Methane Leaks and Bolster Calls for Strong E.P.A. Rules A new peer-reviewed analysis of sources of leaks in natural gas drilling and well operations strongly bolsters growing calls for the Environmental Protection Agency to settle on regulations cutting wasteful, harmful emissions of methane from both new and existing oil and natural gas wells. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/new-studies-close-in-on-methane-leaks-and-bolster-calls-for-strong-e-p-a-rules/?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1&assetType=opinion Australia Commits To Green Climate Fund After Prime Minister Abbott Changes Mind Australia will contribute A$200 million over four years into a U.N. fund to help poor nations cope with global warming, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday, a major policy reversal for the embattled former climate-change skeptic.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/10/australia-green-climate-fund_n_6298802.html?utm_hp_ref=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:47:21 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ADDENDUM: Newsclips for December 11, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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. UN CLIMATE TALKS: LIMA At Lima Climate Talks, a Rare Air of Optimism The air was sticky in Lima Wednesday morning, but at least the 15,000 demonstrators who marched through the streets here demanding climate action could feel a tepid breeze. Not so inside the stuffy white carnival tent where delegates at the United Nations talks spent hours fiddling with text meant to map out the route to Paris. It is there where a global climate treaty is supposed to be adopted one year from now. http://insideclimatenews.org/carbon-copy/20141211/lima-climate-talks-rare-air-optimism?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=670d3e0867-InsideClimate_News12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-670d3e0867-327749509 As Lima Talks Enter Second Week, Delegates Turn to Text for 2015 Global Climate Pact Negotiations began Dec. 8 in Lima on the first draft of the text for the 2015 global climate change agreement, including discussion of emissions reduction targets for all countries and long-term financial targets starting in... http://www.bna.com/lima-talks-enter-b17179918742/ Lima marchers, experts want climate deal to respect rights ...marched shoulder to shoulder with climate activists from around the world on the traffic-choked streets of Lima. They called for urgent action to tackle climate change and the environmental problems affecting communities dependent on natural resources for their survival. Danitza, whose Quechua... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/11/us-climatechange-rights-idUSKBN0JP00320141211?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 A climate idea comes of age — zero emissions Pulling a worn, yellowed copy of the 1992 U.N. climate change convention from her handbag, Farhana Yamin points to the paragraph that states its goal: To stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous warming. It doesn’t provide any guidance on how to do that. http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/A-climate-idea-comes-of-age-zero-emissions-5948872.php CAP AND TRADE Change of heart: Abbott government commits $200m to Green Climate Fund The Abbott government has bowed to international pressure and will commit to a global fund to help developing nations deal with climate change. The government has also revealed the first detail of how it will review Australia's post-2020 emissions reduction targets, with a taskforce to be established in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/change-of-heart-abbott-government-commits-200m-to-green-climate-fund-20141210-123x0u.html Greenhouse gas solutions available to steer Canada toward 2020 emissions target Canada's carbon pollution target for 2020 could have been nearly met if the country had widely implemented some successful regional policies starting six years ago, a report by the David Suzuki Foundation suggests, adding that "serious headway" is still possible. http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/greenhouse-gas-solutions-available-to-steer-canada-toward-2020-emissions-target-1.2866022 Delaying cap-and-trade now a tougher sell California's oil industry gained attention this summer by funding groups with names like Fed Up At The Pump that staged a campaign against a 'hidden gas tax' that would spike fuel costs up to 76 cents per gallon as a result of California's cap-and-trade program. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/12/11/oil-industry-delaying-cap-and-trade-now-a-tougher.html San Diego Students Want Cap-And-Trade Dollars For Free Youth Bus Passes Students marched from San Diego High School to the Metropolitan Transit System offices Wednesday to persuade the transit agency to invest in a program that has given free bus passes to students at four area schools. City Heights nonprofit Mid-City CAN organized the students. The group wants MTS to kick in new cap-and-trade dollars to sustain and expand the bus pass program. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/dec/10/san-diego-students-want-cap-and-trade-dollars-free/ CLIMATE CHANGE Climate-Change Negotiators Say Hitting 2-Degree Goal Unlikely Nations negotiating a climate-change deal are unlikely to agree on cutting carbon-dioxide emissions deeply enough to prevent the earth from warming by 2 degrees Celsius, the stated goal of the talks, participants say. Officials from nearly 200 countries spent a torrid Peruvian day arguing over a framework for cutting enough greenhouse-gas emissions in coming decades to limit temperature gains that leading scientific models predict will occur. http://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-change-negotiators-say-reaching-2-degree-goal-unlikely-1418243184?KEYWORDS=climate+change It’s a Matter of Doing Our Job. As President Obama has amped up his climate rhetoric in his second term, Gina McCarthy, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, has been responsible for translating his lofty aspirations into thousands of pages of complex regulations. The EPA has until next summer to finalize its Clean Power Plan limiting carbon emissions from power plants, especially coal plants; it is also pushing tougher restrictions on ozone and mercury pollution, which will hit the coal industry as well, and on methane, an issue for oil and gas drilling. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/12/gina-mccarthy-epa-interview-113481.html#.VInZORamOa8 As Japan burns more coal, climate policies under pressure Once at the forefront of the fight again global warming, Japan is now facing calls from other big economies such as China to set fresh emissions targets as Tokyo increases its use of dirty coal energy to replace nuclear. Japan is the world's fifth-biggest emitter of CO2, but has watered down emissions targets due to the shutdown of its nuclear plants after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, with utilities burning a record amount of coal for power generation. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/11/us-climatechange-japan-idUSKBN0JP0O520141211 Climate change won't dry up Southern California, study finds Overall rainfall amounts in the Los Angeles region will remain the same in coming decades, according to a new study that examined the effects of a warming climate on Southern California precipitation. The third in a series of UCLA studies on the impact of climate change on Los Angeles, the report is good news for the city’s efforts to develop more local water supplies. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-change-precipitation-southern-california-20141211-story.html HYDROGEN STATION First Retail Hydrogen Refueling Station In Northern California Opening In West Sacramento The first retail hydrogen refueling station in Northern California is set to open in our region this week. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the station will happen Wednesday morning at Ramos Oil on South River Road in West Sacramento, according to a statement Monday from the California Energy Commission. This will be the 10th hydrogen station in California, but the first in our region. Station tours and rides in fuel cell cars are being offered to the public between 11 -12 a.m. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/12/08/first-retail-hydrogen-refueling-station-in-northern-california-opening-in-west-sacramento/ Northern California Opens First Hydrogen Station New gas stations come and go all the time, but one new location is garnering an unusual amount of attention today, including ribbon-cutting and a half-dozen dignitaries in attendance. Ramos Oil will become the first retail hydrogen refueling station in Northern California when it officially turns on the pumps this morning. http://www.nacsonline.com/News/Daily/Pages/ND1210143.aspx#.VInZTTHF9Mo New hydrogen car fueling station commissioned in West Sacramento Hydrogen fueling for cars at the Ramos Oil Company multi-fueling station in West Sacramento, California, has been commissioned. The hydrogen station is equipped with state-of-the-art technology developed by Linde North America, a major producer of hydrogen covering the entire technology spectrum required to successfully use hydrogen as a transportation fuel. To mark completion of its retail hydrogen fueling station, Ramos held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site and hosted representatives of Linde and local and state dignitaries -- including Cliff Caldwell, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Bulk Markets at Linde, Nitin Natesan, Business Development manager for Linde Hydrogen Fueling, Mark Johannessen, Mayor Pro Tem City of West Sacramento, Bill Elrick, California Fuel Cell Partnership, Commissioner Janea Scott, California Energy Commission, Phil Serna, California Air Resources Board, Fred Joseck, Department of Energy. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-hydrogen-car-fueling-station-commissioned-in-west-sacramento-300007897.html DIESEL EMISSIONS Act quickly to extend reefer compliance deadline Applications to extend the California Air Resources Board deadline for compliance to its new TRU rules must be submitted by Dec. 31. This applies to owners of transport refrigeration units who ordered compliance technology for model year 2007 TRUs by the purchase order deadline, but will not be able to have it delivered or installed by the Dec. 31 deadline. http://www.todaystrucking.com/act-quickly-to-extend-reefer-compliance-deadline Calif. finalizes some exemptions, compliance alternatives to emissions regulations The California Air Resources Board has finalized the compliance alternatives and extension amendments it proposed earlier this year, effectively allowing the owner-operators and small fleet owners who qualify some delays in complying with the state’s emissions regulations. http://www.overdriveonline.com/calif-finalizes-some-exemptions-compliance-alternatives-to-emissions-regulations/ Air Pollution Down Thanks to California’s Regulation of Diesel Trucks Ever wonder what’s in the black cloud that emits from some semi trucks that you pass on the freeway? Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) scientist Thomas Kirchstetter knows very precisely what’s in there, having conducted detailed measurements of thousands of heavy-duty trucks over months at a time at two San Francisco Bay Area locations. http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2014/12/11/air-pollution-down-thanks-to-californias-regulation-of-diesel-trucks/ VEHICLES EIA: California home to almost half of US plug-in electric vehicles Total US sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs)—battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric—have increased in recent years, but still represent only about 0.7% of new vehicle sales in 2014 so far, up from 0.6% in 2013 and 0.4% in 2012. California is home to almost half of all of the nation’s PEVs, but even in California, only about 5 out of every 1,000 registered vehicles are PEVs, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141210-eia.html GREEN ENERGY Where Will You Be When the Lights Go Out? Pushback against the Obama administration’s complex Clean Power Plan—which would reduce carbon emissions from power plants by 30% in 2030 from 2005 levels—has mostly focused on its staggering cost. NERA Economic Consulting, for instance, estimates the plan will increase the nationwide average price of electricity 12% to 17% over 15 years. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kevin-cramer-where-will-you-be-when-the-lights-go-out-1418259829?KEYWORDS=climate+change MISCELLANEOUS Valley students’ art featured in 2015 air district calendar The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District featured the artwork of Valley elementary school students in its 2015 Healthy Air Living Kids Calendar. The district printed 20,000 copies of the free publication, which features monthly messages advocating keeping air pollution to a minimum. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/11/4280499_valley-students-art-featured-in.html?sp=/99/406/&rh=1 OPINION Where Will You Be When the Lights Go Out? Pushback against the Obama administration’s complex Clean Power Plan—which would reduce carbon emissions from power plants by 30% in 2030 from 2005 levels—has mostly focused on its staggering cost. NERA Economic Consulting, for instance, estimates the plan will increase the nationwide average price of electricity 12% to 17% over 15 years. http://www.wsj.com/articles/kevin-cramer-where-will-you-be-when-the-lights-go-out-1418259829 BLOGS New Studies Close in on Methane Leaks and Bolster Calls for Strong E.P.A. Rules A new peer-reviewed analysis of sources of leaks in natural gas drilling and well operations strongly bolsters growing calls for the Environmental Protection Agency to settle on regulations cutting wasteful, harmful emissions of methane from both new and existing oil and natural gas wells. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/new-studies-close-in-on-methane-leaks-and-bolster-calls-for-strong-e-p-a-rules/?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1&assetType=opinion Australia Commits To Green Climate Fund After Prime Minister Abbott Changes Mind Australia will contribute A$200 million over four years into a U.N. fund to help poor nations cope with global warming, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday, a major policy reversal for the embattled former climate-change skeptic.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/10/australia-green-climate-fund_n_6298802.html?utm_hp_ref=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 15:36:35 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 12, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 12, 2014. 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 Poll: Half of Republicans back limits on carbon. When Republicans take control of Congress next month, top on their agenda will be undoing environmental regulations they claim will harm the economy, chief among them President Barack Obama's plans to limit heat-trapping carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AP_POLL_ENVIRONMENT_DISCONNECT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-12-12-04-01-00 http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Poll-Half-of-Republicans-back-limits-on-carbon-5952251.php Pollution Plan Pits U.S. Against China at Divided Talks. Envoys at the United Nations climate talks enter their final day in Lima divided on how to put teeth into a deal that the biggest polluters have turned into a package of mostly voluntary measures. Developing countries led by China and India want to pin down industrial nations on how they’ll meet a pledge for $100 billion a year in climate-related aid by 2020. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-12/pollution-plan-pits-u-s-against-china-at-divided-talks.html Port of Oakland truck pollution drops 76 percent in black carbon. Lung-damaging diesel air pollution at the Port of Oakland is down dramatically since a state law forced truckers to use cleaner burning engines starting in 2010, according to new data from a team of UC Berkeley researchers. And the gains in clean air likely are even greater because the law's emission limits became more stringent at the beginning of the year… http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_27120295/port-oakland-truck-pollution-drops-76-percent-black California Air Pollution Regulations Lead to Reduction in Air Pollution. Ever wonder what’s in the black cloud that emits from some semi-trucks that you pass on the freeway? Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) scientist Thomas Kirchstetter knows very precisely what’s in there, having conducted detailed measurements of thousands of heavy-duty trucks over months at a time at two San Francisco Bay Area locations. http://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=21162 CLIMATE CHANGE Kerry feels heat on Keystone oil pipeline at U.N. climate talks. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday urged countries at U.N. climate talks in Lima to move away from using fossil fuels while demonstrators gathered outside the meeting urged him to reject the Keystone oil pipeline. "Coal and oil may be cheap ways to power an economy today... but I urge nations around the world: Look further down the road," he said. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/12/us-climatechange-lima-keystone-idUSKBN0JQ02520141212 U.S. says no China-style climate deal in works for India. The United States on Wednesday played down prospects for a wide-ranging deal with India to curb greenhouse gas emissions next year along the lines of a plan agreed to with China last month. President Barack Obama will visit India in January at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/11/us-climatechange-lima-india-idUSKBN0JO2IK20141211?feedName=globalEnergyNews&feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=14230 Cutting carbon a good business opportunity, private sector told. Whatever the global climate agreement reached next year in Paris looks like, the private sector will need to dramatically step up efforts to cut global carbon emissions, negotiators and analysts said at U.N. climate talks in Lima Thursday. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/12/us-climatechange-talks-idUSKBN0JQ00B20141212 Kerry prods diplomats as climate talks appear to falter. Secretary of State John F. Kerry gave a rhetorical shove to diplomats struggling to negotiate an international climate treaty Thursday, saying far greater urgency is needed in tackling a problem that could soon affect everyone on the planet. Kerry added his personal diplomacy to the talks in Lima…http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/kerry-prods-diplomats-as-climate-talks-appear-to-falter/2014/12/11/75d66f50-8182-11e4-81fd-8c4814dfa9d7_story.html Strange Climate Event: Warmth Toward U.S. When it comes to global warming, the United States has long been viewed as one of the world’s worst actors. American officials have been booed and hissed during international climate talks, bestowed with mock “Fossil of the Day” awards for resisting treaties, and widely condemned for demanding that other nations cut their fossil fuel emissions while refusing… http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/12/world/strange-climate-event-warmth-toward-the-us.html?_r=0 In global climate talks, some major polluters drag their feet. Recent commitments by the world's major polluters to cut emissions have added fresh momentum to international climate talks, but foot-dragging persists among the next tier of polluters, including India, Brazil, Canada and Australia. http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-climate-spoilers-20141212-story.html#page=1 http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article4437556.html Would-Be Coders Are Studying India’s Glaciers to Learn About Climate Change. The Himalayas include the world’s tallest mountains, constitute its third-largest storehouse of ice, and are the source of rivers that sustain about 800 million people from China to Pakistan. The range is also among the least observed icy watersheds on earth, which means no one knows how a warming climate will change river flows… http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-12-11/students-study-india-s-glaciers-to-learn-about-climate-change Climate Sticking Point: Who Cuts And By How Much? U.N. talks on global warming are wrapping up in Peru, but a divide between rich and poor countries and how to divvy up targets to reduce greenhouse gases is a key sticking point that has remained unresolved. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has acknowledged that the issue is "hard fought and ... complex,"… http://www.capradio.org/news/npr/story?storyid=370315032 Lawyers gird for fight against EPA's Clean Power Plan based on states' rights. One thing is certain: There will be no shortage of legal arguments from states and businesses against U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. If the regulation eventually reaches the Supreme Court, opponents will have to coalesce around a few choice arguments, limited by word restrictions for legal briefs. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010446/print Warming waters 'reshuffling' species along the West Coast. Fights over salmon have raged for decades in the Pacific Northwest. Overfishing in the late 19th century, the proliferation of dams in Oregon and Washington in the 20th, and more recent ecological shifts have set tribes, conservationists and the fishing industry head to head over the diminishing resource. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010462/print DROUGHT California Would Need Five More Super Storms to Quell Drought. A slow-moving storm causing flooding and power outages in northern California would need to be replicated at least five more times for meteorologists to declare an end to the state’s historic drought. The wind and rain, dubbed #hellastorm on Twitter, produced widespread flash flooding, closed schools and canceled flights in the San Francisco Bay Area… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-11/california-would-need-five-more-deluges-to-ease-record-drought.html Climate change won't dry up Southern California, study finds. Overall rainfall amounts in the Los Angeles region will remain the same in coming decades, according to a new study that examined the effects of a warming climate on Southern California precipitation. The third in a series of UCLA studies on the impact of climate change on Los Angeles, the report is good news for the city’s efforts to develop more local water supplies. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-change-precipitation-southern-california-20141211-story.html Gardeners, nurseries struggle to adapt as drought cuts their business. Wet weather kept Alberto Ortega from working most of last week — and he couldn't have been more pleased. "This rain is a blessing I was beginning to think I'd never see," the gardener said. In four decades of tending people's yards, this year has been Ortega's roughest: http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-gardeners-drought-20141211-story.html California drought: Winter storms finally starting to boost storage levels in key reservoirs. After three years of relentlessly bad news about California's historic drought, the drenching storm that barreled in Thursday from Hawaii finally delivered the state some desperately needed good news. One storm does not end a drought as severe as this one, meteorologists and water managers emphasized again Thursday. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_27120528/california-drought-winter-storms-finally-starting-boost-storage California lawmakers look to 2015 for drought legislation. California lawmakers’ failure to pass water legislation this Congress raises questions about strategy, tactics and the ability to learn from falling short. It also sets the stage for next year when – wait for it – the whole anti-drought drama returns for an encore. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/12/11/249794_california-lawmakers-look-to-2015.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy California drought: Despite rain, dryness remains. Despite last week's rains, California remains mired in a drought that one recent study described as the most severe in 1,200 years. Last week's storm brought heavy precipitation – up to six inches in some spots – to large swaths of Northern California. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/12/11/california-us-drought-monitor-map-update/20259185/ Greenhouse gas solutions available to steer Canada toward 2020 emissions target. Canada pledged to reduce greenhouse gases 17% below 2005 levels under Copenhagen Accord. Canada's carbon pollution target for 2020 could have been nearly met if the country had widely implemented some successful regional policies starting six years ago, a report by the David Suzuki Foundation suggests, adding that "serious headway" is still possible. http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/greenhouse-gas-solutions-available-to-steer-canada-toward-2020-emissions-target-1.2866022 Storms could make dent in state drought as climate debate continues. Major rainstorms this week along the California coast could help ease the state's historic drought, but much more precipitation is needed to declare an end to dry conditions, experts say. A storm system that hit the coast Wednesday night has dumped as much as 15 inches of rain in the northern part of the state… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010464/print FUELS The Relentless Production of Shale Oil Is Breaking OPEC’s Neck. The world’s biggest oil companies faced ruin in the summer of 1931. Crude prices had plummeted. Wildcatters were selling oil from the bonanza East Texas field for a nickel a barrel, cheaper than a bowl of chili. On Aug. 17, Governor Ross Sterling declared a state of insurrection in four counties and sent 1,100 National Guard troops to shut down the fields and bring order to the market. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-12-11/shale-oils-relentless-production-is-breaking-opecs-neck Major Nebraska ruling on Keystone coming tomorrow? The Nebraska Supreme Court could rule as soon as Friday on a legal challenge to Keystone XL’s proposed route through the state, potentially putting the issue back in the hands of President Barack Obama. There are no guarantees that the top Nebraska court will rule Friday on whether the state’s process to approve the route was handled properly, and the decision could still slip well into 2015. http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/nebraska-court-keystone-ruling-113500.html#ixzz3LhXOn7Kf Despite RFS delay, industry has 'amazing potential' – Vilsack. Biofuel exports, high ethanol blends at U.S. gas pumps and military procurement are boosting the country's biofuel economy, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today. Speaking at the Farm Journal Forum in Washington, D.C., Vilsack defended biofuels, calling for their promotion in global trade and framing the recent downturn in gasoline prices as a potential boon for plant-based fuels. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060010435/print VEHICLES New fueling station on Calif.'s 'hydrogen highway' aims to serve more fuel-cell cars. California officials yesterday opened the newest stop in their network of hydrogen fueling stations and another chapter in the state's long-running pursuit of hydrogen-fueled vehicles. The hydrogen station in West Sacramento, just across the Sacramento River from the state Capitol, is aimed at enabling the public to buy hydrogen-fueled cars…http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010376/print GREEN ENERGY DOE updates resource maps to reflect advances in turbine technology. The Department of Energy has drawn new maps of the country's wind power capacity to keep up with advances in turbine technology. Updated maps released today show how taller wind turbines with higher nacelles and longer blades can harness significant amounts of wind power in areas where shorter turbines would be still. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010404/print States with most robust solar power programs are ones that did their homework – study. States that have deployed net metering and other policies that allow for the clear integration of home-based solar systems to the electricity grid tend to have much higher success in developing solar-based renewable energy portfolios than those that don't, according to Energy Department research released yesterday. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010447/print . OPINIONS Op-Ed A Pacific Coast model for addressing climate change. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Lima, Peru, is wrapping up Friday after 12 days of negotiations on global carbon emissions. Yet, even as we work through the complexities of an international agreement, it would be a mistake to miss the extensive change that's already taking place here on North America's Pacific Coast. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-1212-brown-west-coast-climate-change-plan-20141212-story.html Opinion: Once again, water plan stalemated. As the most severe winter storm in at least a half-decade bore down on California on Tuesday, 3,000 miles away in Washington, the House voted, largely along party lines, for a California drought relief bill. It was immediately declared dead on arrival in the Senate, and President Barack Obama threatened to veto it. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/dan-walters/article4435284.html#storylink=cpy California must push ahead with electric vehicles despite low gas prices: Guest commentary. You can almost hear the sighs of relief across California and around the nation as gasoline prices descend from their lofty levels. The national average for a gallon of regular is down to $2.68. Here in California, it’s at $2.98, down from $4.25 last spring. But what if we could regularly be paying just a fraction of that while keeping ourselves and the environment healthy? http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/opinion/20141211/california-must-push-ahead-with-electric-vehicles-despite-low-gas-prices-guest-commentary EDITORIAL: A solar bailout for Ivanpah? When it was first announced, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in the Mojave Desert sounded like a noble investment. So noble, the market couldn’t take the risk of building the solar energy plant without taxpayer assistance. In 2010, President Barack Obama touted the “revolutionary” solar plant as a means to ensure America’s “claim to continued leadership in the new global economy.” http://www.pe.com/articles/energy-756044-government-plant.html Editorial: Drought: Rain, rain don’t go away — yet Is it over? We’re not talking about the storm that hit Northern California and the Central Coast Thursday, inspiring apocalyptic media coverage and leading to store shelves being stripped of flashlight batteries and tarps. (Note to frightened residents: Storms of Thursday’s intensity — and it didn’t exactly live up to the hype in the Monterey Bay region — were once a regular companion to living here.) http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/20141211/LOCAL1/141219918 BLOGS Delegates in Lima Work on Defining ‘Differentiation' in 2015 Climate Pact. At the Lima climate talks Dec. 9, delegates at the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) negotiating track grappled with determining how countries in various stages of economic development will be divided and how their responsibilities will differ in the global agreement set to be finalized next year in Paris. http://www.bna.com/delegates-lima-work-b17179918773/ Electric Cars: A Review Of 2014. Every year, approximately 88 million trucks, buses and passenger cars are produced worldwide. While the vast majority of these vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine, the power source of choice for autos for the past 100 years, there has been much speculation about the role that electric vehicles might play over the next 100. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jackperkowski/2014/12/12/electric-cars-a-review-of-2014/ Recharge Wrap-up: First EV to attempt Dakar Rally, Mazda makes bioplastic parts. Toyota Uses Landfill Gas To Make Cars; Zap And Jonway At Peru Auto Show; California Still Leads In EVs. Zap and Jonway Auto brought their Urbee EV and their new Falcon A-380 SUV to the Peru Motor Show in Lima. Jonway sells its SUV and minivan in Lima through Dai-Ichi Motors, which displayed the cars at the show. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/12/11/first-ev-attempt-dakar-rally-mazda-makes-bioplastic/ California makes first investments in $100M energy research & development program; also biogas and H2. The California Energy Commission approved its first $10 million to fund Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) research and development (R&D) projects during its monthly business meeting today. The Commission also approved grants for the operation of a hydrogen fueling station, biofuel production, geothermal exploration and rooftop solar for schools. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141211-cec.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. 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You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. UN CLIMATE TALKS: LIMA Paris climate summit faces tougher job after modest Lima deal A Paris summit in 2015 will face a tougher task to agree a U.N. deal to slow climate change after the hopes of many that cooperation between Washington and Beijing would be a magic key to end global gridlock dissolved in chaotic preparatory talks in Lima. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/15/us-climatechange-lima-idUSKBN0JT0G320141215 Climate Talks Yield Plan to Spread Burden of Emission Cuts The U.S. and other wealthy countries persuaded their developing-nation peers to advance a framework that for the first time would spread the burden of economically painful emission cuts across all nations. The compromise reached at early Sunday at climate talks in Lima—part of negotiations aimed at reaching a final, comprehensive climate pact next year in Paris—would require every country to submit plans for cutting their carbon footprints in the coming months. http://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-talks-notch-progress-with-plan-for-emission-cuts-1418542019?KEYWORDS=air+pollution A Climate Accord Based on Global Peer Pressure Shortly before 2 a.m. on Sunday, after more than 36 straight hours of negotiations, top officials from nearly 200 nations agreed to the first deal committing every country in the world to reducing the fossil fuel emissions that cause global warming. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/world/americas/lima-climate-deal.html&assetType=nyt_now Climate negotiators in Peru 'did the bare minimum,' one critic says International negotiators in Peru agreed early Sunday on some essential building blocks for a global accord to address climate change, most notably an unprecedented agreement that all countries commit to cutting heat-trapping emissions. http://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-peru-climate-deal-20141213-story.html Deal reached at U.N. climate change talks in Peru ...countries who accused rich nations of shirking their responsibilities to fight global warming and pay for its impacts. Peru's environment minister... http://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-peru-climate-deal-20141213-story.html Gaps Between Rich and Poor Slow Race to a Climate Deal The path to a climate deal in Paris next year is littered with obstacles, foremost being how to differentiate between what rich nations must do to cut pollution and what commitments will be accepted by developing countries, such as India and Brazil. Last week, envoys from some 190 countries gathered in Lima took a first step toward the goal of binding all nations to greenhouse-gas limits. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-15/-monsters-divide-rich-and-poor-on-road-to-climate-deal.html Lima conference in danger of missing the rainforest for the trees I applaud the Guardian for taking the lead in covering the UN's climate change conference in Lima, and for tackling some of its inherent contradictions. For example, your article Lima climate talks on track for record carbon footprint (theguardian.com, 10 December) highlights the conference of the parties' (Cop) surprisingly negative environmental impact this year. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/dec/14/lima-cop-20-danger-missing-rainforest-for-the-trees-european-union1 'Weak’ deal salvaged at U.N. climate summit in Peru Climate negotiators salvaged a compromise deal in Lima early Sunday that sets the stage for a global pact in Paris next year, but rejected a rigorous review of greenhouse gas emissions limits. More than 30 hours behind schedule, delegates from more than 190 countries agreed on what information should go into the pledges that countries submit for the expected Paris pact. http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Weak-deal-salvaged-at-U-N-climate-summit-in-5956815.php At UN climate talks, a crack in rich-poor barrier ...Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the Climate Change Conference COP20 in Lima Peru, Friday, Dec. 12, 2014.... http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_27134704/deal-reached-at-un-climate-talks-peru Climate change deal talks head into overtime Negotiators from around the globe haggled Saturday over the final elements of a draft climate change deal that would, for the first time in history, commit every nation to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions — yet... http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Climate-change-deal-talks-head-into-overtime-5955361.php After 30 hours of overtime haggling, diplomats agree on a new approach to deal with climate change A battle over how the world will tackle climate change dragged into more than 30 hours of overtime ending early today with a thin agreement that puts governments on a path to a new global warming accord in 2015 but does little to ensure it is ambitious enough to avoid the most dangerous impacts. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010528/print CAP AND TRADE New Campaign Shows How CA Climate Change Laws Help Disadvantaged Communities Today The Greenlining Institute launched a new campaign to highlight how California's climate change and clean energy laws bring jobs and consumer savings to communities of color and low-income neighborhoods across California even as they fight smog and promote health. Centerpiece of the new campaign is a just-launched website, UpLiftCA.org, with the tagline, "Our Air. Our Jobs. Our Neighborhoods." http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2398991 AIR POLLUTION In Navajo country, coal gives life — and takes it, some say rom her bedroom window, Cynthia Dixon watches the cloud of soot rise from the coal mine near her sheep spread. Down the road, a hulking coal-fired electrical plant spews a yellow plume that stains the horizon. Many days, she finds a layer of black dust coating the inside of her trailer home. Farmers who have worked the land for decades say fouled air from the mine and nearby Four Corners coal-fired power plant has shriveled fruits and vegetables in the field. And there are fewer eagles and jack rabbits, which once thrived on the Navajo Reservation, they add. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-new-mexico-coal-20141215-story.html#page=1 China’s Coal Addiction Brings Scourge of Black Lung When the shortness of breath he suffered for months became so labored that it fractured his sleep, coal miner Ruan Fayou knew he needed help. It took another year, multiple hospital visits and repeated shunting between bureaucracies for Mr. Ruan to determine he was suffering from pneumoconiosis, a disease commonly known by its most vivid symptom: black lung. http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-coal-addiction-brings-scourge-of-black-lung-1418593741 Coal demand growth will slow through 2019, says International Energy Agency. Growth in demand for coal will slow over the next five years as the United States and Europe reduce consumption and China implements air pollution policies, according to the International Energy Agency. The Paris-based group said China will still account for three-fifths of global coal growth… http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/coal-demand-growth-will-slow-through-2019-says-international-energy-agency/article/2557388?custom_click=rss Richmond hosts first forum on Brown's refinery safety task force In the first of what they hope will be a series of public information meetings in Richmond and across the state in communities near California's 13 oil refineries, state and county officials on Thursday outlined the rapidly changing petroleum industry's impact in the area and the regulatory framework that is trying to catch up. "It takes great cooperation from a range of agencies and the public to be effective," said county Supervisor John Gioia, of Richmond, who is also a member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. http://www.contracostatimes.com/west-county-times/ci_27121827/richmond-hosts-first-public-meeting-governors-refinery-safety CLIMATE CHANGE Poll: Half of Republicans back limits on carbon ...will be undoing environmental regulations they claim will harm the economy, chief among them President Barack Obama's plans to limit heat-trapping carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants. The results of a new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and Yale University... http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article4443102.html Capturing Carbon as a Byproduct of Running a Fuel Cell The more that engineers look, the more they find unexpected ways to capture carbon dioxide, a gas that scientists say threatens global climate stability. Until now, most efforts to capture carbon have been expensive, in dollars and in energy. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/business/capturing-carbon-as-a-byproduct-of-running-a-fuel-cell.html?_r=0 Climate Change Takes A Village It's a Wednesday morning in late August, the first day of classes at the Shishmaref School. The doors of the pale blue building haven't opened yet, and the new principal is hurriedly buttering toast in the kitchen for the students’ breakfasts. Teachers are scrambling to make last-minute adjustments to their classrooms, while anxious kids, ranging from pre-K students through high schoolers, wait on the porch, their jackets zipped against the chill of the early-morning air. It's all so incredibly normal, you might not know that, just a few years ago, no one thought Shishmaref would be here anymore. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/14/shishmaref-alaska-climate-change-relocation_n_6296516.html Study: Hotter days in US mean less cold cash Hotter days mean less cold cash for Americans, according to a new study matching 40 years of temperatures to economics. Days that averaged about 77 degrees ended up reducing people's income by about $5 a day when compared with days that were about 20 degrees cooler. A county's average economic productivity decreases by nearly 1 percent for every degree Fahrenheit that the average daily temperature is above 59… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_HOT_DAY_ECONOMICS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Is a Two-Degree Limit on Global Warming Off Target? After two weeks of grinding meetings in Lima, Peru, the world’s climate negotiators emerged this weekend with a deal. They settled on preliminary language, to be finalized a year from now in Paris, meant to help keep the long-term warming of the planet below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/science/earth/is-a-two-degree-limit-on-global-warming-off-target.html&assetType=nyt_now&_r=0 Bill Nye Wants To Call Climate Skeptics "Deniers" But Really, We Should Just Call Them Wrong ...scientific case that human activity is changing the climate. Inhofe's belief that global warming is “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American... http://www.forbes.com/sites/fayeflam/2014/12/15/bill-nye-the-science-guy-says-we-should-call-self-described-climate-skeptics-deniers-but-really-we-should-just-call-them-wrong/ DIESEL EMISSIONS CARB Finalizes Changes The California Air Resources Board has finalized changes to its truck regulations. The changes will allow some owner-operators and small fleet owners extensions for complying with emissions regulations. The changes are expected to be effective by the end of the year. http://www.gobytrucknews.com/carb-finalizes-changes/123 FUELS Will cheap oil kill Keystone? Greens who want President Barack Obama to kill the Keystone XL pipeline are adding a new weapon to their arsenal of protests and lawsuits — the world’s glut of cheap oil. The same collapse in oil prices that is pumping dollars into motorists’ wallets also risks undermining the case for building the 1,179-mile pipeline in two crucial ways: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/oil-keystone-xl-113551.html#ixzz3Lz4wOi54 California report emphasizes need for renewable gas standard The nonprofit Bioenergy Association of California published a report in November detailing why California needs a renewable gas standard (RGS). The report concludes that the biogas sector needs an effective regulatory framework and greater long-term certainty to reach the level of market penetration that will drive down costs and enable biogas to compete with the historically low cost of natural gas. http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/11313/california-report-emphasizes-need-for-renewable-gas-standard Hydrogen Fueling Arrives in Sacramento, CA The Ramos Oil Company located in West Sacramento, California is now offering drivers the ability to fuel their hydrogen powered vehicles. The new hydrogen station is equipped with state-of-the-art technology developed by Linde North America. http://domesticfuel.com/2014/12/12/hydrogen-fueling-arrives-in-sacramento-ca/ VEHICLES Hybrids A Better, More Cost-Effective Way To Cut Carbon Today, Study Says The hydrogen fuel-cell cars being promoted as the future of zero-emission... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095694_hybrids-a-better-more-cost-effective-way-to-cut-carbon-today-study-says GREEN ENERGY Coal-heavy electric cooperatives take hard line on EPA Clean Power Plan The nation's electric cooperatives have choice words for U.S. EPA and its proposed rule to curb greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants. In nearly 200 pages of provocative comments, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association takes EPA to task for what it sees as unlawfully usurping the states' proper role in regulating the electric sector. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060010539/print Native Americans challenge construction of Mojave Desert solar plant A federally recognized Indian tribe has filed a lawsuit to block construction of a solar energy facility that will replace 4,000 acres of ancestral homelands in the Mojave Desert with reflective photovoltaic panels. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-native-americans-solar-20141212-story.html Batteries That Will Save the Planet ...to make.” This in spite of the recent launch of the Tesla S, the Nissan LEAF, the Chevrolet Volt and the announcement of a slew of new hybrid and pure-electric cars across the automotive spectrum, from econoboxes to two Porsche luxury hybrids. The problem Manjoo and others foresaw was several-fold:... http://www.newsweek.com/batteries-will-save-planet-291528 MISCELLANEOUS AM Alert: Tom Steyer, legislative leaders discuss California’s climate future California’s legislative leadership joins billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer for a forum on climate change in Oakland today, hosted by his political advocacy group NextGen Climate America. The California Climate Leadership Forum, starting at 1 p.m. at the Kaiser Center, will focus on the state’s climate policy and its impact on local communities, as well as new approaches to addressing climate change. State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins will deliver keynote addresses, as will Steyer, a big political player who spent $30 million in 2012 to help pass an energy conservation measure, Proposition 39. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article4457312.html#storylink=cpy Grant to let scientists monitor global warming at UC reserves Scientists at UC Santa Cruz are creating a statewide “climate change observatory” where researchers and students will monitor the impact of global warming on plant and animal life throughout the university’s statewide network of protected natural reserves — nearly 40 areas set aside for study in widely varied environments. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Grant-to-let-scientists-monitor-global-warming-at-5956914.php At 83, Georgian still leading clean air efforts Four years after he left office, former Houston County Commission Chairman Ned Sanders is still performing an important civic duty. The commission recently reappointed Sanders to another term on the Middle Georgia Clean Air Coalition, which has a mission of keeping the region in compliance with federal clean air standards. That is critically important to Robins Air Force Base and the prospects of bringing new industry to the area. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/At-83-Georgian-still-leading-clean-air-efforts-5956314.php OPINION The truth about that “hidden gas tax” The video begins with a white van pulling into a gas station on Jan. 1, 2015. “Oh, come on, this is ridiculous,” the driver declares as he looks at the price on the pump. “There goes the college fund,” he grumbles. “I tried to tell him,” his young daughter lectures in a video that has drawn 220,000 YouTube views. A “hidden gas tax” is about to raise prices from 16 to 76 cents a gallon, she warns, citing a 2010 estimate from the California Air Resources Board. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/diaz/article/The-truth-about-that-hidden-gas-tax-5953730.php Why you should love paying 10 cents more per gallon California drivers have been delighted to see gasoline prices dropping lately, down more than a dollar a gallon since early summer. It's no mystery what's causing it: Crude oil prices have fallen steeply, lowering the cost for refiners that process crude into gasoline. In the competitive refining business, when costs change, prices quickly follow. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-borenstein-gas-prices-emissions-20141214-story.html China’s Double-Edged Pact Whether China is a climate hero or a climate villain is a matter of polarized debate. At one extreme, the world’s biggest carbon-emitter is portrayed as a wasteful bogeyman that obstructs efforts to halt global warming and “steals” clean-tech jobs through unfair practices. At the other extreme, people see Beijing’s policies as the planet’s best hope: With its aggressive plans to green its economy… http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/opinion/chinas-double-edged-pact.html?_r=0 BLOGS At Climate Talks in Lima, Not ‘Same as it Ever Was’? Longtime readers will recall how I’ve cited the Talking Heads lyric “same as it ever was” quite often over the years in assessing negotiations aimed at forging a new global agreement on slowing global warming and limiting its impacts. Some observers at the latest round of negotiations, which ran overtime and ended this morning in Lima, Peru, insist things are no longer the way they were, and that a new theme song may be in order. I was not at the talks this year, so I’m drawing on input from a variety of contacts who were. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/at-climate-talks-in-lima-not-same-as-it-ever-was/?src=twr&gwh=261C0960A42638C1627A539C4D9998DF&gwt=pay&assetType=opinion Keep talking about climate change, Democrats Yale University has funded an interesting new Associated Press poll that goes deep into Americans’ attitudes towards climate change. Hopefully, its findings will encourage Democrats to talk as much as possible about the issue. The key findings are that Americans believe by 56-20 that global warming is happening; 72 percent are very or moderately worried about it; and 50 percent say human activity is a key cause. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/12/12/keep-talking-about-climate-change-democrats/ Black Lung: The Experience in Other Jurisdictions China is only the latest country to grapple with black lung. The U.S. and Britain, among others, dealt with legions of cases decades ago. In the U.S., the proportion of coal workers afflicted with black lung reached 7.7% in the 1968-1980 period, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/12/15/black-lung-the-experience-in-other-jurisdictions/?KEYWORDS=air+pollution Carbon Markets Link In $500 Million Clean Energy Investment North America’s carbon markets have raised over $500 million for clean energy projects and successfully completed the first linked international auction in the past month, highlighting the potential for expansion and international system linkages to fight climate change. California’s cap-and-trade market held its first joint auction with Quebec’s system, raising $407 million and demonstrating carbon pricing works across international borders, while the Northeast United States’ Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) generated $94 million in its 26th auction. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/12/15/carbon-markets-link-in-500-million-clean-energy-investment/ New York’s air in decent shape, says EPA, but you need a Ph.D to figure that out Thanks goodness the Environmental Protection Agency cut to the chase Monday when it came to New York State’s air. Sort of. In a proposed rule filed in the Federal Register, the bible of government proposals and findings, it informs us of what seems vaguely understandable in the English most of us speak… http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/epa-good-news-n-y-air-blog-entry-1.2045603 At COP 20 in Lima, tracing a path to cap greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions from coal and oil in China The COP 20 negotiations in Lima, Peru have entered the final push, with negotiating parties seeking a deal out of Lima that sets a clear path for reaching an agreement in Paris next year that puts the globe on a path to rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. China and the US, through their joint climate announcement in Beijing last month, have given the talks new momentum (see here for the backstory on how they reached a deal), adding to the EU’s 2030 climate commitment to reduce its emissions by 40% by 2030. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/alin/at_cop_20_in_lima_tracing_a_pa.html New Studies Close in on Methane Leaks and Bolster Calls for Strong E.P.A. Rules A new peer-reviewed analysis of sources of leaks in natural gas drilling and well operations strongly bolsters growing calls for the Environmental Protection Agency to settle on regulations cutting wasteful, harmful emissions of methane from both new and existing oil and natural gas wells. Methane is the main constituent of natural gas but also a powerful heat-trapping gas that is often accompanied by other pollutants that can worsen local air pollution. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/new-studies-close-in-on-methane-leaks-and-bolster-calls-for-strong-e-p-a-rules/?emc=edit_tnt_20141215&nlid=46426900&tntemail0=y&assetType=opinion Climate change is threatening the existence of the world’s most amazing bird "Moonbird," they call him. Or sometimes, just "B95" -- the number from the band on his leg. Moonbird is the most famous, charismatic member of a group of mid-sized shorebirds called Rufa red knots, whose numbers have plummeted so dramatically in the past several decades that they just became the first bird ever listed under the Endangered Species Act with climate change cited as a "primary threat." http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/12/15/climate-change-is-threatening-the-existence-of-the-worlds-most-amazing-bird/ 3 Climate Lessons From Lima This post was co-authored with Romina Picolotti and V. Ramanathan. Climate change cannot be solved without leadership from heads of... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/durwood-zaelke/three-climate-lessons-fro_b_6318156.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 14:34:36 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 16, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 16, 2014. 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 Yurok tribe hopes California's cap-and-trade can save a way of life. This winter, Yurok tribe forestry crews will be four-wheeling down muddy fire roads, hiking through steep, slippery brush and trekking across more than 20,000 acres of forest to count and measure trees. Instead of preparing to sell lumber, as it has in the past, the state's largest Indian tribe is taking stock of its firs, redwoods and tanoaks to make money in California's cap-and-trade program. http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-carbon-forest-20141216-story.html#page=1 AIR POLLUTION Fascinating New Ways of Depicting the Motions of the Air and the Seas. ...that's what brings us the rains and snows (on ascent) or what clears out the smog after the passage of a cold front (the descent of clean air... http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/12/fluid-flows-in-the-air-and-on-the-seas/383787/ Senate panel in waning days of session to tackle proposed ozone standard. ...environmental panel will meet tomorrow to review EPA's recent proposed national air standard for smog-causing ozone. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19872369573&p=19f&v=1&x=_7vbyCDFRr1OgArC0i06mQ Remembering the genius who got BPA out of your water bottles, and so much more. ...Congressional Fellow and then as an analyst, researching industrial emissions and ozone for the Clean Air Act. When those projects ended,... http://grist.org/business-technology/remembering-the-genius-who-got-bpa-out-of-your-water-bottles-and-so-much-more/ Kathryn McKenzie, Living Green: Monterey company wants to trash our paper towel habit ...up with paper towels and it's hard to visualize an alternative, other than air dryers (and we all know how well those work). But now, a local company... http://www.montereyherald.com/lifestyle/20141211/kathryn-mckenzie-living-green-monterey-company-wants-to-trash-our-paper-towel-habit Alternatives to gasoline can be worse on air WASHINGTON — People who own all-electric cars where coal generates the power may think they are helping... http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Alternatives-to-gasoline-can-be-worse-on-air-5958540.php Is fracking polluting the air? Toxic air pollution from fracking causes a wide spectrum of health problems for Americans across the country, an environmental group charged in a report released Tuesday. "The health risks from fracking are not limited to what's in our drinking water -— oil and gas operations are also poisoning the air we breathe,"… http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/16/fracking-air-pollution-health-nrdc/20451639/ Wide state variations in methane leaks found from similar oil and gas fields. Oil and gas fields in Wyoming are emitting much less methane than fields in neighboring Utah and Colorado, according to preliminary findings presented yesterday at the American Geophysical Union meeting here. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010595/print CLIMATE CHANGE Using time to track rapid melting of the world’s most stunning glaciers. On Dec. 3, the World Meteorological Organization said that 2014 is on track to be one of the warmest years on record. On Dec. 4, a new study by the journal Science reported that warmer water pushing against glaciers in Antarctica was accelerating the rate at which glaciers were melting from deep beneath the water. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2014/12/15/using-time-to-track-rapid-melting-of-the-worlds-most-stunning-glaciers/ Greenland ice loss more 'local' than thought, climate study says. When it comes to melting ice on Greenland, climate change experts got everything right but the present. That means Greenland’s contribution to sea level rise this century remains roughly the same – three inches – but where it comes from and how it gets to the ocean are now more clear, according to a new study that crunched 20 years of NASA data. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-greenland-ice-20141215-story.html A Plan to Limit Cars in Paris Collides With French Politics. When the mayor here detailed plans to ban diesel and other vehicles from the center of Paris by 2020, she framed the measures as a public health imperative in a country that has grown increasingly worried about the quality of its air. But if passed by the City Council after debate in February, the proposals could also bring about what few other big cities have been able to accomplish: keeping a large portion of vehicles out of parts of the city center. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/world/europe/a-plan-to-limit-cars-in-paris-collides-with-french-politics-.html?_r=0 Summit on climate change held in Oakland. California's political leaders came to Oakland on Monday for a summit on climate change. And with new rules taking effect Jan. 1, some say the biggest battle right now is information versus misinformation. Governor Jerry Brown began his address to hundreds of climate change experts by talking about the weather. http://abc7news.com/science/summit-on-climate-change-held-in-oakland/438104/ California leaders vow to continue climate change action. California's political leaders pledged Monday to advance the state's landmark laws on climate change and fend off challenges from opponents such as oil companies. "We're just at the beginning," Gov. Jerry Brown said. "There's still lots of skeptics and lots of deniers." Brown and top lawmakers spoke at a conference hosted by Tom Steyer, a major Democratic donor who has wielded his financial clout to urge action on climate change, and the event was a mix of wonky policy discussions and pep rally speeches. http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-brown-climate-20141216-story.html Australian emissions can climb 26%, still meet Kyoto pledge – watchdog. Australia may be able to raise its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 26 percent before 2020 and still meet goals set under the Kyoto protocol, thanks to a series of advantageous accounting deals regarding carbon levels and land use. The country secured several agreements over how land use and greenhouse gas emissions are measured under carbon accounting rules, according to the Climate Action Tracker, or CAT, organization. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010525/feed Researchers find that as CO2 grows, trees don't. Trees are definitely our allies when it comes to taking in greenhouse gases and thus aiding in the fight against climate change. But new research suggests that forests might not be quite as helpful as we'd hoped. Computer models that predict how climate change will play out assume that as greenhouse gas concentrations go up… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010602/print Obama admin urges hospitals to prepare for climate change. Climate change poses a "double threat" to the nation's health systems as damaging impacts increasingly harm people and threaten the hospitals that are supposed to treat them, according to a government report released yesterday. The 80-page document provides a list of suggestions to make hospitals and smaller health care facilities safer from extreme weather as storms and floods add stress to their operations. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010618/print TECHNOLOGY: Is nuclear power poised for a revival? ...energy resurgence may be on the horizon, spurred by the imminent threat of a changing climate. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19864177295&p=19f&v=1&x=uNwzmneSD-hPWSwVo4P2tg NUCLEAR: Third Way's Freed says government support essential to commercializing advanced nuclear technology What role could advanced nuclear technology play as part of the solution to climate change? During today's OnPoint, Joshua Freed, director of... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19872370393&p=19f&v=1&x=IKgYqp-3kMcBrXBl47lWTw COAL: Fuel use 'unsustainable' in current form -- IEA chief ...growth "unsustainable" without the faster deployment of technologies to lower greenhouse gas emissions. http://news.vocus.com/?a=19865727368&p=19f&v=1&x=RUwLHoy04O6AEc91Vr8MGQ U.S. and India to Announce Joint Climate Change Action During Obama Visit (Guardian) U.S. and India to Announce Joint Climate Change Action During Obama Visit America and India will... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141216/us-and-india-announce-joint-climate-change-action-during-obama-visit White House to Healthcare Providers: Prepare for Climate Impacts (The Hill) ...healthcare providers to get serious about bulking up their defenses against climate change. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141216/white-house-healthcare-providers-prepare-climate-impacts Nebraska Landowners Sit at the Heart of Keystone XL Pipeline Controversy The Keystone XL pipeline has created a heated debate over climate change and energy independence. We visit York County, Neb.,... http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141216/nebraska-landowners-sit-heart-keystone-xl-pipeline-controversy De Leon calls for climate divestment, seeks to pull coal investments from CALPERS, CALSTRS ...group founded by billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer to raise the profile of climate change among issues in the U.S. political debate. ... http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2014/12/15/17685/de-leon-calls-for-climate-divestment-seeks-to-pull/ Denmark claims North Pole via Greenland ridge link ...would be dealt with bilaterally. Interest in the Arctic is intensifying as global warming shrinks the polar ice, opening up possible resource... http://www.modbee.com/news/nation-world/article4481348.html Arcata Council to vote on support for future watershed funding ...area, like the Klamath River basin, as well as for combating the effects of sea level rise and extreme weather. As for the grant applications,... http://www.times-standard.com/general-news/20141215/arcata-council-to-vote-on-support-for-future-watershed-funding California Senate leader calls for state funds to pull out of coal ...the California Energy Commission. De León's proposal came at a conference on climate change in Oakland and was met by a sympathetic audience.... http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article4502845.html Heidi Zamzow: Solar energy potential gains traction locally ...nonprofit whose mission is to “meet the challenge of declining resources and climate change by helping communities transition to sustainable practices.”... http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/20141212/heidi-zamzow-solar-energy-potential-gains-traction-locally Over 190 Nations Sign Draft Climate Change Accord Rich and poor countries alike agreed to take steps to rein in greenhouse gas emissions. Christiana Figueres, executive secretary... http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/12/15/over-190-nations-sign-draft-climate-change-accord Global 2-Degree Temperature Limit Lives On, but Concerns Mount That Goal Is Unrealis... By Dean Scott Dec. 12—As two weeks of talks toward a 2015 global climate change accord neared their end Dec. 12, environmental groups... http://www.bna.com/global-2degree-temperature-n17179918944/ Unfinished Climate Business: What to Do About the Rich/Poor Divide ...developed and developing alike, to rapidly reduce emissions. They're alarmed global warming will boost sea levels and swamp their atolls. “The... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-14/rich-poor-climate-divide-threatens-prospects-for-new-deal Greenland's Ice Sheet Shifts Could Speed Melt ...much more rapidly than the lower latitudes of the globe and the effects of climate change are generally much more pronounced throughout the... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/greenland-ice-sheet-shifts-melt-18448 DROUGHT Gardeners, nurseries struggle to adapt as drought dries up business ...let their yards go altogether, costing him thousands of dollars. As one of California's worst droughts continues, gardeners across the region have... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19872796245&p=19f&v=1&x=efonxkhPeJvp7K9rxmK_qQ Earthquake could imperil L.A.'s water supply ...aqueducts, cutting off the water supply for more than 22 million people in Southern California. L.A. officials are for the first time taking concrete steps... http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-quake-water-20141216-story.html Storm-whipped winds make waves in South Lake Tahoe ...snow accumulating at elevations above 7,000 feet. The sheriff's office in California's El Dorado County posted a notice that South Tahoe and Mount... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20141211/storm-whipped-winds-make-waves-in-south-lake-tahoe FUELS Oil Sands Output Rises as Canadian Crude Falls Below $40. Canadian heavy crude traded below $40 a barrel for the first time in five years just as surge of new projects are scheduled to start operation. A total of 14 new oil sands projects are scheduled to start next year with a combined capacity of 266,240 barrels a day, according to data published by Oilsands Review. That’s 36 percent more than was started in 2014. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-12-15/oil-sands-output-rises-as-canadian-crude-falls-below-40.html In Navajo country, coal gives life — and takes it, some say. From her bedroom window, Cynthia Dixon watches the cloud of soot rise from the coal mine near her sheep spread. Down the road, a hulking coal-fired electrical plant spews a yellow plume that stains the horizon. Many days, she finds a layer of black dust coating the inside of her trailer home. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-new-mexico-coal-20141215-story.html#page=1 Lower prices open door to US gasoline tax hikes. Plunging US retail gasoline prices could ease the passage of politically unpopular gasoline tax increases in states like Michigan and New Jersey. State and federal legislators are loath to increase fuel taxes for fear of reprisals from voters. But growing shortfalls in state transportation funding are creating pressure to increase fuel tax rates. http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=963545&menu=yes Lower prices open door to US gasoline tax hikes Houston, 15 December (Argus) — Plunging US retail gasoline prices could ease the passage of politically unpopular gasoline... http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=963545&menu=yes Gasoline Prices Tumble: Why Is Demand Waning? ...takes a look at the drop in oil prices and why U.S. citizens are using less gasoline. http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-12-12/gasoline-prices-tumble-why-is-demand-waning Why oil is down by half, what it means for you ...more fuel-efficient cars and changing demographics mean demand for oil and gasoline is not increasing. The Energy Department predicts a slight decrease... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/15/4287023/why-oil-is-down-by-half-what-it.html Are Diesels Cheaper To Own Than Gas Cars? Varies By Model, Study Says ...translate into cash savings. Diesel vehicles typically cost more than comparable gasoline models, and their fuel costs more per gallon than gasoline... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095926_are-diesels-cheaper-to-own-than-gas-cars-varies-by-model-study-says More Relief at the Pump ...relief at the pump is for diesel consumers, it pales in comparison to the retail gasoline average, which DOE said last week sat at $2.679. Gasoline... http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=36832&t=More-Relief-at-the-Pump Fed Seen Looking Past Low Inflation to Drop ‘Considerable Time' ...will look past low inflation and drop a pledge to keep interest rates near zero for a “considerable time” as it seeks an exit from the loosest monetary... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-16/fed-seen-looking-past-low-inflation-to-drop-considerable-time VEHICLES Electric Cars a Mixed Bag For Health, Climate ...climate impacts may be small compared to all the cars on the road running on gasoline. But driving an electric car could be worse for both the climate... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/electric-cars-mixed-bag-for-climate-18447 Here's How Electric Cars Could Be Cheaper Than Gas Guzzlers Within a Decade ...confounding the much-delayed electric car revolution is that its antagonist—the gasoline engine—is a moving target. Under dogged pressure from electric... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/heres-how-electric-cars-could-be-cheaper-gas-guzzlers-within-decade GREEN ENERGY Betting on the Need, Scientists Work on Lighter, Cleaner Nuclear Energy. Filled with pits, seams and fissures, the images that Darin J. Tallman examined in a secure laboratory here looked like the surface of Mars. But they were extreme magnifications of slivers of an odd new material — half metal, half ceramic — that tolerates high heat with ease, and that several companies hope might form the basis of a new reactor technology. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/16/business/energy-environment/betting-on-the-need-scientists-work-on-lighter-cleaner-nuclear-energy.html?_r=0 New members for Senate Energy, Environment panels announced. One of the new GOP senators joining the energy committee is Cory Gardner of Colorado. (AP Photo) Republicans and Democrats filled out assignments for the Senate committees on Energy and Natural Resources and for Environment and Public Works. New GOP senators joining the energy committee… http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2557413 Study: Green Buildings Deliver Climate Benefits. The UC Berkeley study evaluated 100 LEED-certified commercial buildings throughout California. It found that on average the buildings cut greenhouse gas emissions from water consumption in half and reduced waste-related emissions by 48 percent. Courtney Smith is with the California Air Resources Board which funded the study. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/12/16/study-green-buildings-deliver-climate-benefits/ http://eaglecountryonline.com/feed-article/study-shows-green-buildings-deliver-climate-benefits/ The Race Is On For Solar Companies To Woo Utilities ...solar company is licensing Tendril's software for analyzing its customers' solar energy production and overall home energy use. The solar company... http://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2014/12/15/the-race-is-on-for-solar-companies-to-woo-utilities/ Watch these experts use design to push renewable energy forward ...we're streaming an hour-long discussion about the intersection of design and renewable energy. The event is part of OpenIDEO 's collaboration... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19871079895&p=19f&v=1&x=JjY5JJ2Xz1A9d5FfHUyjgA SEIA Board Facing Call to Resign Over Stance on U.S.-China Trade Spat (PV Tech) ...to Resign Over Stance on U.S.-China Trade Spat The CEO and board of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) must resign over its position... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/seia-board-facing-call-resign-over-stance-us-china-trade-spat Thailand's Wind Energy CEO Steps Down Amid Probe Wind Energy Holding, one of Thailand's largest renewable-energy... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/thailand%E2%80%99s-wind-energy-ceo-steps-down-amid-probe Vermont Hopes to Promote Renewables and Spare Ratepayers (Vermont Public Radio) ...administration wants to change the way Vermont encourages and accounts for renewable energy projects, but it's trying to do so in a way that... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/vermont-hopes-promote-renewables-and-spare-ratepayers Roundup: Botched restoration, Nazca Lines damage, auction house turmoil ...archaeological site after they entered the protected grounds to install a massive pro-renewable-energy sign that could be seen from the air. — Over... http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/miranda/la-et-cam-roundup-botched-restoration-nazca-lines-damage-auction-house-turmoil-20141215-column.html OPINIONS Rice farms could provide offsets in carbon market. Sometimes it takes a crisis like climate change to reveal a golden opportunity. Our rice farmers in Northern California have long been exemplary stewards of their land, both in terms of providing habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife and for their ongoing efforts to work with environmental and research organizations to improve their farming practices. Now, in response to climate change, they stand ready to take the next step. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article4453841.html#storylink=cpy Can our brains accept the reality of climate change? To the editor: David Lazarus' column on the negative effects of low gas prices ties in beautifully with Caryl Rivers' Op-Ed article in the same paper about how our brains work when presented with information that doesn't fit with what we believe we can expect. ("Low gas prices can be problem," Dec. 11) http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-1216-tuesday-climate-change-20141216-story.html George Skelton: California government is being a drip on the drought. One is that the downpours are routinely dismissed by bureaucrats and water professionals as not very important. It would have to rain buckets for 40 days and 40 nights to be meaningful, we're invariably told. Comments like this: "It takes a long time to get out of a drought this severe. ... It will take at least months of above-normal rain." http://www.insidebayarea.com/opinion/ci_27140353/george-skelton-california-government-is-being-drip-drought BLOGS Congress wants you to know that food has nothing (nothing!) to do with the environment ...require — plus, beef cattle produce massive amounts (up to 200 liters a day) of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. The advisory committee... http://grist.org/list/congress-wants-you-to-know-that-food-has-nothing-nothing-to-do-with-the-environment/ New PBS Special 'Extreme Realities' Explores Security Threat From Climate Change What kind of new realities will climate change bring this century? The latest episode in the PBS... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/15/pbs-extreme-realities_n_6316526.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics 'Lima Call for Climate Action' Falls Short of What Science Urges and People Demand ...of historical responsibility -- developed economies have spewed most of the greenhouse gases into our atmosphere -- versus the loss and damage... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/keith-peterman/lima-call-for-climate-act_b_6323186.html?utm_hp_ref=green It's Time to Deploy This Special Weapon on Climate Change ...that we feel needs to be told: there is a special weapon in the fight against climate change. Information and communications technology (ICT) solutions... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christiana-figueres/its-time-to-deploy-this-s_b_6328984.html?utm_hp_ref=green Good news from Lima: Climate Deal 2014 ...news. Why the early call? Negotiators had stayed up all night at the global climate change conference in Lima, and just reached an agreement.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-thornton/good-news-from-lima-clima_b_6323500.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Warmer Temperatures Are Bad For The Economy, Study Finds ...the study's authors predict, if the world continues on its current path of greenhouse gas emissions, even warmer temperatures later this century... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/15/warmer-temperatures-economy_n_6325906.html?utm_hp_ref=green How One Jewish Environmental Activist Found Inspiration In The Hanukkah Miracle ...last for eight days. As helpful as a miraculous solution to the challenges of climate change would be, we can create our own miracle by reducing... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/15/hanukkah-environmental-activism_n_6317830.html?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green Nations Agree To Deal To Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions KQED Science | December 15, 2014 Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.... http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/12/15/nations-agree-to-deal-to-cut-greenhouse-gas-emissions/ Fujitsu launches hydrogen station data management service to support spread of fuel-cell vehicles In conjunction with the start of sales of Toyota's Mirai fuel cell vehicle in Japan (earlier post), Fujitsu launched... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141216-fujitsu.html Hybrids A Better, More Cost-Effective Way To Cut Carbon Today, Study Says The hydrogen fuel-cell cars being promoted as the future of zero-emission... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095694_hybrids-a-better-more-cost-effective-way-to-cut-carbon-today-study-says Frackers can now frack faster on some public lands. As Congress moves to wrap up its year, a lot of important, must-pass legislation is moving quickly through the chambers. That creates the opportunity for politicians to sneak their pet projects into massive bills that most members don’t want to hold up or oppose. http://grist.org/news/frackers-can-now-frack-faster-on-some-public-lands/ Study: conventional traffic pollution modeling may underestimate emissions in congested areas by up to 60%. Traditional methods of modeling traffic pollution could be under-estimating emissions by as much as 60%, particularly in areas where congestion occurs for a large part of the day, according to a study by a team at Newcastle University (UK). Previously, traffic emissions models have used standard factors taking into account details of vehicle fleet composition… http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141215-newcastle.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 07:42:28 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 17, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 17, 2014. 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 Consumers Union cautions of possible oil market price manipulation. California’s regulators need to keep a close eye on oil markets for possible price manipulation starting in January, says Consumers Union, the policy arm of Consumer Reports. Oil companies may spike gasoline prices next month, blaming the increases on California’s cap-and-trade law, which they have spent millions of dollars opposing through lobbyists and a failed ballot initiative, CU warns. http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27360 Inslee wants carbon tax to fund transportation. Overlooking the state Route 520 floating bridge project, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday unveiled a proposal he said would address the state's most pressing transportation needs — fixing bridges and roads and boosting the ferry system while cleaning the air and water. Inslee hopes to fund the $12 billion plan with bonds, fees and a carbon charge on the state's industrial polluters. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/12/16/3401680_inslee-wants-carbon-tax-to-fund.html?sp=/99/102//&rh=1#storylink=cpy CLIMATE CHANGE Wash. Gov. Inslee proposes carbon fee to pay for transportation projects. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) wants to rebuild his state's transportation infrastructure and plans to charge carbon emitters in order to come up with the funds. The governor is rolling out a proposed state budget in stages this week and is expected to speak to the design and implementation of a state carbon fee today. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010674/print DROUGHT California Needs 11 Trillion Gallons of Water To End Drought. For the first time, scientists used data from satellites to calculate what it takes to end a drought. For California, it’s a sobering statistic: 11 trillion gallons or about 30 million acre feet. The finding was released at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.Water scientist Jay Famiglietti with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory says the new research can be used to inform water management decisions in the state. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/12/16/california-needs-11-trillion-gallons-of-water-to-end-drought Drought: 4 things Southern California is doing to capture stormwater, and 1 we're not. Billions of gallons of water have fallen on Los Angeles County since last week. And much of that kept right on going — out into storm drains, lost to the sea. Couldn’t we actually use that water? Yes, and we do. Southern California water managers want to use more of it. http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/12/17/48734/drought-four-things-southern-california-is-doing-t/ Drought has left state 11T gallons drier, NASA finds. The current drought in California has accelerated losses from the state's main water hub, NASA scientists announced yesterday. The Sacramento-San Joaquin River basins, which supply 25 million Californians and 3 million acres of farmland with water, are 11 trillion gallons below normal levels -- an amount that would fill the country's largest reservoir, Lake Mead, 1.5 times. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010690/print Jackson's proudest moment: triggering climate rules. Lisa Jackson left U.S. EPA almost two years ago, but she can still take credit -- or blame -- for big new climate rules. In late 2009, the then-EPA administrator issued a long-awaited document determining that greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health, setting in motion a slew of rules to curb heat-trapping emissions that are still being crafted by the Obama administration. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010720/print FUELS Keystone pipeline to top Senate agenda next year. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell declared Tuesday that approving the Keystone XL pipeline will top the Senate agenda in January, potentially setting up an early veto confrontation with President Barack Obama. Congressional Republicans have been pushing for approval of the pipeline for years. Obama has resisted because of environmental concerns. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MCCONNELL_KEYSTONE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT U.S. to unveil plan to curb oil and gas sector methane soon: sources. The Obama administration as soon as Wednesday will announce its plans for curbing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, which the United States must do to meet its 2020 target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, people familiar with the issue said Tuesday. The government reaffirmed that goal last week at U.N. climate talks in Lima. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/16/us-climatechange-epa-methane-idUSKBN0JU2LS20141216 Cuomo to Ban Fracking in New York State, Citing Health Risks. The Cuomo administration announced Wednesday that it would ban hydraulic fracturing in New York State, ending years of uncertainty by concluding that the controversial method of extracting gas from deep underground could contaminate the state’s air and water and pose inestimable public-health risks. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/nyregion/cuomo-to-ban-fracking-in-new-york-state-citing-health-risks.html?_r=1 Methane spike on Mars? Curiosity rover reignites mystery. Methane is making a comeback on Mars. NASA’s Curiosity rover has detected a tenfold spike in the gas that lasted for several weeks, scientists announced Tuesday. On Earth, most methane is produced by living things, and a healthy dose of this organic molecule on Mars may give scientists new hope of finding signs of life there. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-mars-methane-curiosity-20141216-story.html Rain could spell trouble for Calif. water conservation. After California's driest three years on record, there have been few sounds as disturbing to water conservationists as the whisk-whisk-whisk of automatic lawn sprinklers kicking on directly behind TV reporters covering some of the state's first heavy downpours in years. Recent storms eased the drought somewhat, but there's a long way to go. http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article4523609.html#storylink=cpy Falling Gas Prices Benefit Drivers, Businesses. California gas prices are down about 75 cents a gallon compared to this time last year. Allison Mac is an analyst with GasBuddy.com. She says lower worldwide demand and higher supplies have resulted in lower prices across the board. Mac expects California to see an average price around $2.80 a gallon next year. She says lower prices are translating into profits for gas stations. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/12/16/falling-gas-prices-benefit-drivers,-businesses/ Master limited partnerships pricing suffers inordinately from unanticipated oil plunge. While the global oil markets have experienced the most dramatic plunge of oil prices in years, derivatives such as petrochemicals and many end-use products such as gasoline, heating oil, jet fuel, diesel, etc. have benefitted from this price drop in a relatively short period of time. http://www.desertsun.com/story/morrisbeschlosseconomics/2014/12/16/morris-beschloss-oil-prices-gasoline-derivatives/20509313/ Senate leader plans bill to force state pension funds to divest from coal. The head of California's Senate plans to introduce legislation to require the state's public pension funds to get rid of their investments in coal equities. State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D) said yesterday that he would introduce a bill next month targeting the state's pension funds… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010619/print Ethanol groups, oil industry pan RFS 'middle ground’ A team of biofuel experts has released recommendations on how to reform the contentious federal renewable fuel standard, after years of turmoil between vested interests. The report by the Bipartisan Policy Center, titled "Options for Reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard," lays out 40 recommendations, with pros and cons, for updating the RFS and promoting biofuels generally. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060010663/print GREEN ENERGY Boeing 737 factory to move to clean energy. Boeing said Tuesday it plans to buy renewable energy credits to replace fossil-fuel power at the factory in Washington state where it assembles its 737 commercial airplanes. The aerospace company and the utility, Puget Sound Energy, said the plan will move the Renton factory near Seattle toward an all-renewable energy mix. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BOEING_ENERGY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT No More Faking It: Companies Ditch Green Credits, Clean Up Instead. It has been a near-magical tool allowing corporations to claim massive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions for very little cost. For years, thousands of companies have purchased renewable energy credits, known as RECs, to say they use green power and to shrink their carbon footprints. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-12-17/renewable-energy-credits-losing-luster-with-mcdonalds-whole-foods-pepsico Congress extends wind tax credit, but only for 2 weeks. Congress revived a key tax credit for wind energy Tuesday — but only for two weeks. Wind advocates had urged legislators to pass a multi-year extension of the tax credit, which expired at the end of last year. Under the bill passed overwhelmingly by the Senate late Tuesday… http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2014/12/16/congress-wind-tax-credit-extension/20509777/ Solar prices fall, but researchers find puzzling price variations. While prices for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems have fallen over the last two years, there remains a wide disparity in what U.S. consumers are paying for solar based on geography and other market factors, according to new findings from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and several research universities. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010594/print Baffled by how to invest in clean energy abroad? Here's a road map. As investment targets, the world's emerging markets -- often represented by the BRIC acronym and its constituent nations of Brazil, Russia, India and China -- have played significant roles in global finance in recent years. Simultaneously, demand for renewable energy has increased… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010691/print GOP lawmakers draft ways to attack EPA's Clean Power Plan. Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee settled on the strategy yesterday for bitter congressional fights over U.S. EPA's proposal to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. A report prepared by GOP staff charges that the administration's Clean Power Plan oversteps federal authority, sets unrealistic requirements and would provide no measurable climate benefits. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010688/print MISCELLANEOUS Urban Miners Drill Under London to Keep Your Tesla Going. London’s cluttered network of subways, sewers and secret passages is getting two more tunnels to meet electricity use growing faster than in Paris and New York. Demand for power in the British capital will climb more than 5 percent by the end of this decade, versus 2 percent in Paris and a drop of 1 percent in New York. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-17/urban-miners-drill-under-london-to-keep-your-tesla-going.html OPINIONS Re-thinking how we talk about California's drought. To the editor: George Skelton rightfully harangues California officials for their framing of the water issues facing the state. ("Government is being a drip on the drought," Dec. 14). Perhaps a more uplifting approach by those writing about and dealing with the drought would be to look at the reservoirs, long described as perilously growing more and more empty… http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-1217-wednesday-drought-20141217-story.html Plastic bags, chemicals, climate change, torture. Why charge 10 cents for paper bag? Re “A sea of plastic bags upon an ocean of trash” (Editorials, Dec. 12): Remember that California’s plastic bag ban requires grocers to charge 10 cents per paper bag if you forget your reusable bags. I know a couple who store their reusable bags in their car. When I asked if they ever sanitized them, their answer was no. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article4503022.html#storylink=cpy Cheap gas is not good news for those who worry about climate change. It seems as though low gas prices should be good news. When the cost of a gallon of gas dips well below $3 in most of the country, everybody smiles, right? Not necessarily. Wall Street is frowning. Frackers are fuming. Electric-car manufacturers are fretting. And environmentalists are freaking out. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-cheap-gas-not-good-news-20141216-story.html Dana Milbank: Energy industry says carbon is good for us. For years, the fossil-fuel industries have been telling us that global warming is a hoax based on junk science. But now these industries are floating an intriguing new argument: They’re admitting that human use of coal, oil and gas is causing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to rise – but they’re saying this is a good thing. We need more CO2 in our lives, not less. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article4527403.html#storylink=cpy Gas price decline has a side benefit. Plunging gas prices are a gift in more ways than one. They mean more cash in people’s pockets during the holiday shopping season, so hopefully local retail will get a boost. They will soften the blow next month for any price spike when fuels come under California’s cap-and-trade system to combat climate change. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article4532145.html#storylink=cpy Fracking undercuts climate change, water advances. Gov. Jerry Brown and the other West Coast leaders – Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and British Columbia Premier Christy Clark – who have pledged to solve global warming deserve a heartfelt “thank you” from the people of California and around the world, especially as Congress stalls on climate change. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article4530609.html#storylink=cpy BLOGS HBO’s Saving My Tomorrow Is Too Boring & Gloomy To Instill Global Warming Alarmism in Kids. Monday night marked the debut of Saving My Tomorrow, a new HBO documentary described thusly in promotional materials*: From the children who will inherit the planet comes a collection of songs, activism and heartfelt tips for protecting the earth … http://www.globalwarming.org/2014/12/17/hbos-saving-my-tomorrow-is-too-boring-gloomy-to-instill-global-warming-alarmism-in-kids/ Climate change: the Readers' Choice winner. A still from a video that said global warming is a hoax. We rated the statement Pants on Fire. Climate change was in the news this year, starting with the polar vortex at the beginning of 2014 and continuing with the Keystone XL pipeline and proposed carbon-cutting regulations on power plants. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2014/dec/17/climate-change-year-fact-checking/ Inslee announces slate of proposals to curb pollution, transition Washington to cleaner sources of energy. Gov. Jay Inslee today announced a set of proposals to transition Washington to cleaner sources of energy and meet carbon pollution limits adopted by the state Legislature in 2008. The proposals build on a comprehensive executive order issued by the governor in April. http://www.governor.wa.gov/ These Cities Might Be Seeing More Power Outages, Thanks To Climate Change. How likely is it that climate change will leave your city in the dark? Researchers at Johns Hopkins University asked just this question, analyzing which cities will be more likely to suffer from hurricane-related power outages in the future. Using historical data and a range of potential future storm scenarios… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/16/power-outages-climate-change_n_6335280.html California Officials Ready to Spank Oil Companies. I have been watching oil companies get away with price gouging for so many years that it was refreshing to see California's top political leaders let the oil companies know that they're going to be on the hot seat if they try to undermine California's landmark environmental laws taking effect in January. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-court/california-officials-read_b_6335140.html?utm_hp_ref=green EIA: US household gasoline expenditures in 2015 tracking to be lowest in 11 years. The average US household will spend about $550 less on gasoline in 2015 compared with 2014, as annual motor fuel expenditures are on track to fall to their lowest level in 11 years, according to projections by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141217-eia.html Are Diesels Cheaper To Own Than Gas Cars? Varies By Model, Study Says. People buy green cars for many reasons: to save money and/or to save the planet. But fuel savings don't automatically translate into cash savings. Diesel vehicles typically cost more than comparable gasoline models, and their fuel costs more per gallon than gasoline in most North American locations. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095926_are-diesels-cheaper-to-own-than-gas-cars-varies-by-model-study-says New Study Doesn't Say 'Electric Cars Aren't Green' (Headlines To The Contrary). Brace yourself, electric-car fans and advocates. It may be a bumpy ride for the next few days. Yesterday afternoon, the Associated Press covered a new study put out by the University of Minnesota that calculates the environmental impact of manufacturing and refueling vehicles with various powerplants. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095936_new-study-doesnt-say-electric-cars-arent-green-headlines-to-the-contrary Here’s how electric cars could be cheaper than gas guzzlers within a decade. One thing confounding the much-delayed electric car revolution is that its antagonist—the gasoline engine—is a moving target. Under dogged pressure from electric competitors and government emissions standards, the combustion engine keeps becoming more efficient, making it harder for electrics to compete on price. http://qz.com/313162/heres-how-electric-cars-could-be-cheaper-than-gas-guzzlers-within-a-decade/# Electric Cars a Mixed Bag For Health, Climate. Plug a new electric Nissan Leaf into a charging station, and it’s easy to feel good that the vehicle’s environmental and climate impacts may be small compared to all the cars on the road running on gasoline. But driving an electric car could be worse for both the climate and public health if the electricity that runs it was generated at a coal-fired power plant. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/electric-cars-mixed-bag-for-climate-18447 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 12:19:37 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 18, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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. STATE OF WASHINGTON CAP-AND-TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT Washington governor proposes carbon pollution cap Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday proposed an ambitious cap-and-trade program to require the state's largest industrial polluters to pay for every ton of carbon they release. The proposal was part of a broader package that the Democrat said would help the state meet a 2008 mandate to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_INSLEE_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014/12/17/us/ap-us-inslee-climate-change.html?_r=3 Washington governor unveils carbon cap-and-trade plan Washington Governor Jay Inslee on Wednesday laid out a plan for a carbon cap-and-trade program aimed at fighting global warming and raising $1 billion a year for state schools and public transportation initiatives, but he will first need the support of a divided state legislature. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/18/washington-carbon-policy-idUSL1N0U202G20141218 Washington Governor Proposes Carbon Market, Fuel Standard Washington Governor Jay Inslee proposed a carbon market, a statewide fuel standard and $60 million dedicated to clean energy projects and technologies in an effort to help curb global warming. The carbon market, similar to ones run by California and a group of states in the eastern U.S., would generate about $1 billion annually, according to an overview of the plan posted on the governor’s website. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-17/washington-governor-proposes-carbon-market-clean-fuel-standard.html Inslee targets polluters with billion-dollar cap-and-trade plan Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday laid out an ambitious plan for cutting Washington’s carbon emissions that would vault the state to the forefront of global efforts to combat climate change. http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2025255218_insleeclimate1xml.html CAP AND TRADE Calif. looks at allowing first farming offsets for cap and trade Rice farmers across the country could start earning money next year by changing their practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, under a proposal California's Air Resources Board is expected to consider today. The Golden State, which has an economywide cap-and-trade program for carbon emissions, is looking at adding a rice farming protocol… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/12/18/stories/1060010757 AIR POLLUTION EPA punts decision on methane regs The Environmental Protection Agency is punting a decision on whether to pursue regulations on methane emissions from industrial sources until after the holidays. An EPA official told The Hill on Wednesday that the agency is holding off on its decision until after the holidays despite consistent statements by Administrator Gina McCarthy that the EPA would make a call this fall. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/227489-epa-punts-decision-on-methane-regs Officials Stress Importance of Carbon Monoxide Detectors It's important to make sure carbon monoxide detection devices are working in homes, especially in the winter months. That's according to the California Air Resources Board, which says at this time of year, danger's especially high for carbon monoxide poisoning. "It's very important this time of year because we have many combustion sources in our homes and really any one of them can cause a problem, for example heaters can crack," said, Peggy Jenkins, manager of the Indoor Air Quality Program for the California Air Resources Board. State law requires every home with an attached garage or fossil fuel source appliance to have a functioning carbon monoxide detector or alarm installed. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. http://www.kfbk.com/articles/kfbk-news-461777/officials-stress-importance-of-carbon-monoxide-13079588/#ixzz3MH8A3CeQ Air Pollution Exposure in Pregnancy Linked to Autism in Study Women who are exposed to high levels of air pollution during their third trimester of pregnancy may be twice as likely to have an autistic child, a study found. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found the risk of autism rises in parallel with exposure to fine particulate matter… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-18/air-pollution-exposure-in-pregnancy-linked-to-autism-in-study.html?hootPostID=73e99b5ae1e1a3bb6db052bceb9858e9 http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/18/us-autism-idUSKBN0JW0B020141218 Bay Area Air Quality Management District approves plan to cut pollution at oil refineries Regional air pollution regulators on Wednesday approved a far-reaching blueprint to cut Bay Area oil refinery emissions by 20 percent. Under the plan, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District board will consider a package of air pollution rules in 2015 to reduce emissions from five refineries. http://www.contracostatimes.com/contra-costa-times/ci_27158619/air-board-approves-plan-cut-pollution-at-oil CLIMATE CHANGE Green bonds sell big in 2014 as finance bids to help climate A "green" bond market has taken root this year, with municipalities and corporations issuing new environmentally-focused bonds and money managers jumping in to buy them. But it's too soon to tell whether all the new activity - less than a sliver of the $91 trillion worldwide bond market - will send much new money to projects like efficient buildings and better water systems. Instead, the new bonds reflect the complexities of using finance to address issues like climate change. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/18/us-bonds-green-junk-insight-idUSKBN0JW0CP20141218 Tropical deforestation threatens global food production – TRFN Tropical deforestation in the southern hemisphere is accelerating global warming and threatening world food production by distorting rainfall patterns across Europe, China and the U.S. Midwest, a study released on Thursday said. By 2050, deforestation could lead to a 15 percent drop in rainfall in tropical regions including the South American Amazon, Southeast Asia and Central Africa… http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/18/food-climatechange-forests-idUSL6N0U147220141218 Harper Says Alberta Carbon Levy Model May be Worth Broadening Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Alberta’s model for regulating greenhouse gas emissions may be worth broadening as the country seeks a “continental response” to energy rules. Harper, speaking in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, said Alberta’s model, which imposes a carbon levy of C$15 ($13.25) a metric ton on large emitters… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-12-17/harper-says-alberta-carbon-levy-model-may-be-worth-broadening.html Snow Is Down and Heat Is Up in the Arctic, Report Says The Arctic continues to warm faster than the rest of the globe, and with greater repercussions, scientists are reporting. The new findings appear in the Arctic Report Card, first published in 2006 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and updated annually. The report card catalogs the wide-ranging changes caused by the rising temperatures, in large part driven by emissions of greenhouse gases. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/science/snow-is-down-and-heat-is-up-in-the-arctic-report-says.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As%2C{%221%22%3A%22RI%3A10%22}&_r=0 Arctic has steep rise in warming this year, with many ripple effects -- NOAA report Rising sea surface temperatures. Snow disappearing three to four weeks earlier in locations like western Alaska. A record low for reflectivity of the Greenland ice sheet. A tundra that is 20 percent greener than it was in 1982. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010761/print 5 Awesome Things About New York That Will Be Ruined By Climate Change ...could've picked a better location. New York City is poised to bear the brunt of climate change's effects — from rising seas to shifting temperatures... http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/5-Awesome-Things-About-New-York-That-Will-Be-5963692.php DROUGHT Researchers say Calif.'s droughts are caused by absence of very large storms Researchers believe they've found a link between California's recurrent droughts and the absence of very large storms, according to a study presented here at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union. The linkage is apparent only in California, which has a unique and rather simple hydroclimate system compared to other states. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010756/print California Drought Continues To Concern Ranchers And Farmers Paula Getzelman says recent rain brings a deep sigh of relief. She and her husband run Tre Gatti Vineyards in Monterey County. "We were extremely nervous in 2014. The harvest was a real nail biter," saysGetzelman. Production at Tre Gatti was down twenty percent. Getzelman says she feels luckier than some of her neighbors who were down thirty percent. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/12/18/california-drought-continues-to-concern-ranchers-and-farmers/ FUELS TransCanada’s Keystone Fight Turns to Exports on Oil Glut Russ Girling’s Keystone XL saga is taking a new twist with a global glut of cheap oil. Americans, including President Barack Obama, are increasingly questioning whether the pipeline is needed or if it will just be a corridor for Canadian oil-sands crude to reach China. Girling’s answer is that the U.S. isn’t weaning itself off foreign oil anytime soon and that Gulf Coast refineries will be the buyers, not Asia. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-12-18/transcanada-s-keystone-fight-turns-to-exports-on-oil-glut.html Exxon Mobil Shows Why U.S. Oil Output Rises as Prices Plunge Crude oil production from U.S. wells is poised to approach a 42-year record next year as drillers ignore the recent decline in price pointing them in the opposite direction. U.S. energy producers plan to pump more crude in 2015 as declining equipment costs and enhanced drilling techniques more than offset the collapse in oil markets… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-18/exxon-mobil-shows-why-u-s-oil-output-rises-as-prices-plummet.html Enbridge Shuts Oil Pipeline to U.S. After Spill in Canada Canadian oil supplies to the U.S. Midwest were disrupted after Enbridge Inc. (ENB) shut a pipeline because of a leak. The company isolated its Line 4 pipe at the Regina terminal in Saskatchewan yesterday after about 1,350 barrels of oil were released within an on-site pumping station, according to a statement. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-12-18/enbridge-shuts-oil-pipeline-to-u-s-after-spill-in-canada.html VEHICLES California adds new electric-vehicle perk California’s plug-in electric vehicle drivers are about to get new financial perks. Members of the California Public Utilities Commission are scheduled to sign off today on guidelines for an annual credit against utility bills or a one-time vehicle rebate. The commission will let individual utilities decide which incentive to offer. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/18/electric-vehicles-get-new-perk/ Honda's hydrogen fuel car to make U.S. debut at Detroit auto show Joining an increasingly crowded field of automakers producing zero-emissions alternative fuel vehicles, Honda's FCV hydrogen-powered concept car is to make its U.S. debut at the January North American International Auto Show in Detroit. http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-honda-fuel-cell-car-detroit-20141217-story.html GREEN ENERGY Japan Toughens Rules for Renewable Energy Incentive Payments Japan’s trade ministry is setting stricter rules for production and sales of renewable energy in what it says is a drive to speed up development of projects and ensure stable power supply. Japan introduced a renewable energy incentive program in July 2012 after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, offering some of the highest rates for solar-produced electricity in the world. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-12-18/japan-toughens-rules-for-renewable-energy-incentive-payments.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/18/japan-renewables-power-idUSL3N0U22K520141218 Solar Paired With Batteries to Reach $1 Billion in U.S. by 2018 Demand for rooftop solar paired with energy storage systems will reach $1 billion in the U.S. within four years, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. About 318 megawatts of solar-storage capacity will be in operation in the U.S. by 2018, the Washington-based industry group said today in a report produced with GTM Research. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-12-18/solar-paired-with-batteries-to-reach-1-billion-in-u-s-by-2018.html Calif. releases handbook to speed rooftop solar installations California is trying to reduce the installation costs of residential solar with the release of a guidebook that aims to streamline local government permits. The guidelines target a longtime bugaboo of residential solar: the "soft costs" of installations, both for photovoltaic and solar thermal systems. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010759/print Falling Oil Prices Don’t Give Clean-Energy Stocks the All-Clear These are dark days for investors in Big Oil. That doesn’t mean clear skies for investors in clean energy. The sharp plunge in oil prices has dragged down the share prices of many global energy giants. But a number of companies that provide alternatives to fossil fuel have taken a similar hit. U.S. oil prices have fallen 15% this month through Wednesday, and the $10.6 billion Vanguard Energy Fund, a mutual fund that holds shares in large oil and gas producers, has fallen 4.9%. In the same period, the New Alternatives Fund, one of the largest mutual funds focused on alternative energy, is down 6.2%. http://www.wsj.com/articles/falling-oil-prices-dont-give-clean-energy-stocks-the-all-clear-1418925990?KEYWORDS=green+energy OPINIONS A truly global summit on climate change Regarding the Dec. 15 news article, “After 11 days of talks, a climate agreement”: Delegates from more than 190 countries worked for two weeks in Lima, Peru, to produce the framework of a climate-change accord to be signed by world leaders in Paris next year. Regrettably, Taiwan was excluded from this discussion and related mechanisms… http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-truly-global-summit-on-climate-change/2014/12/17/e10960b6-84ac-11e4-abcf-5a3d7b3b20b8_story.html Global-warming true believers are in denial I have a theory as to why Americans don’t worry all that much about global warming: High-profile purveyors of climate change don’t push for reductions in greenhouse gases so much as focus on berating people who do not agree with their opinions. They call themselves champions of “the science” — yet focus on ideology more than tangible results.Their language is downright evangelical. http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/saunders/article/Global-warming-true-believers-are-in-denial-5964057.php Fracking undercuts climate change, water advances Gov. Jerry Brown and the other West Coast leaders – Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and British Columbia Premier Christy Clark – who have pledged to solve global warming deserve a heartfelt “thank you” from the people of California and around the world, especially as Congress stalls on climate change. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article4530609.html Earley: Think bigger on electric vehicles Of all history’s surprises in recent years, few have been as unexpected — or as uplifting — as the incredible about-face in our country’s energy outlook. In just the last decade, breakthroughs in areas from natural gas extraction to renewable power have suddenly put the U.S. in the driver’s seat when it comes to building a cleaner, more secure energy future for our kids and grandkids. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2014/12/17/tony-earley-electric-vehicles/20499145/ BLOGS LED Lights The simple lightbulb is likely to play as big a role in fighting global warming as windmills, solar panels or electric cars. The light-emitting diode or LED light has created an energy revolution, producing a crisp white glow with up to 80 percent less power than traditional incandescent lamps. The inventors of the LED were awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in October for creating the blue light needed to complete the color spectrum, which spawned a new industry in 1997. http://www.bloombergview.com/quicktake/led-lights New cooking method turns manure, corn husks into biofuels Cooking farm waste - especially 'wet' waste such as corn husks, tomato vines and manure - can turn it into biofuels to produce energy, researchers led by an Indian-origin scientist have found. Dry farm waste, such as wood chips or sawdust, is easier to use for generating power. Scientists have struggled to find uses for wet and green waste. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/auto/news/auto-technology/new-cooking-method-turns-manure-corn-husks-into-biofuels/articleshow/45561658.cms Mercedes B-Class Electric Car Cuts Lifetime Carbon Emissions Up To 64 Percent The environmental impact of plug-in electric cars continues to be the subject of significant discussion and debate among those less familiar with the technology and its impacts. Virtually all studies conclude that they use less energy on a well-to-wheels basis than internal-combustion vehicles--especially when recharged from low-carbon or renewable sources. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095968_mercedes-b-class-electric-car-cuts-lifetime-carbon-emissions-up-to-64-percent Electric Cars Get Cleaner, 2016 Chevy Volt On-Demand Regen, 2015 Audi A3 TDI Driven: Today's Car News In just one year, electric cars have gotten cleaner. Here's how they did that. The 2016 Chevrolet Volt will add on-demand regenerative braking, allowing the driver to change the degree of regeneration in different conditions. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095977_electric-cars-get-cleaner-2016-chevy-volt-on-demand-regen-2015-audi-a3-tdi-driven-todays-car-news California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 12:24:19 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 19, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 19, 2014. 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 Polluting Is Getting Expensive in Europe Again: Carbon & Climate. The surge in European carbon permit prices may just be beginning. The price of emission rights will rise 61 percent by June 30, according to the median of 16 trader and analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. UBS Group AG says costs may more than double in 2015. Carbon already jumped 44 percent this year, while the 22-member Bloomberg Commodities Index (BCOM) slid 14 percent. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-19/polluting-is-getting-expensive-in-europe-again-carbon-climate.html Calif. approves move toward adding first farming offset to cap and trade. California's Air Resources Board yesterday gave initial approval to a proposal that would let rice farmers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and sell credits in the state's carbon cap-and-trade market. The agency board approved a staff recommendation to take comments on an initial plan, address environmental concerns and revise as needed. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010842/print AIR POLLUTION EPA expected to treat coal ash waste like garbage. Environmentalists and industry experts widely expect the first federal standards for the waste generated from coal burned for electricity to treat the ash like household garbage, rather than a hazardous material. The Obama administration is under court order to unveil the rule Friday, ending a six-year effort that began after a massive spill at a Tennessee power plant in 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/epa-expected-to-treat-coal-ash-waste-like-garbage/2014/12/19/f4854af0-875a-11e4-abcf-5a3d7b3b20b8_story.html http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4661358.html Global Emissions Hit New Record High. 2013 was another record year for global CO2 emissions, a report has revealed. Emissions reached a record high of 35.3 billion tonnes, with the biggest increases seen in Brazil, India, China and Indonesia. Russia and the EU countries were the only countries to decrease the amount of CO2 emitted. http://www.newsweek.com/2013-record-year-global-emissions-293256 14 areas in 6 states out of compliance with fine-particle limit – EPA. U.S. EPA today designated 14 areas in six states as out of compliance with the standard for fine particulate matter, a classification that triggers pollution control plans under the Clean Air Act. In a final decision posted this afternoon, the agency said air monitoring data from 2011 to 2013 show that those areas are contributing to a violation of the standard. The decision finalizes a proposal from August. http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060010817/print Republicans snub Senate hearing on ozone standard. Republicans boycotted a Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee hearing yesterday on the federal ozone standard, calling it little more than a "last-stand press conference." Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) led the hearing on U.S. EPA's recent proposal to tighten the 2008 standard that was crafted by the George W. Bush administration. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010781/print Sierra Club reaches settlement with Beyond Coal target. The Sierra Club has withdrawn several lawsuits against the financially troubled power company Luminant after reaching a settlement over air quality concerns. The environmentalist group has also agreed not to sue Luminant, a subsidiary of the bankrupt Energy Future Holdings, for any air pollution that happened before 2015. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060010828/print Supreme Court sets schedule for challenge to EPA mercury rule. The Supreme Court yesterday set the briefing schedule for the challenge to EPA's mercury and air toxics rules. Last month, the justices agreed to consider a case brought by the Utility Air Regulatory Group, National Mining Association, Michigan and other states seeking to overturn EPA's mercury rule, or MATS, one of the landmark regulations of President Obama's first term. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010797/print EPA proposes new standards for brick, ceramics industries. U.S. EPA proposed new standards today for stemming hazardous air emissions from the brick and clay ceramics industries. As outlined in the Federal Register, the proposal would require manufacturers of bricks and clay ceramics to install controls to meet emission caps for mercury, non-mercury metals and acid gases. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010784/print CLIMATE CHANGE NHL seeks to reduce its carbon footprint. The NHL has named Constellation as its preferred energy provider as the league seeks to offset its carbon footprint across all 30 team markets. Its goal is to reduce the NHL's environmental impact, and accelerate a greater movement toward a healthier planet. The NHL announced its partnership with Constellation, a leading competitive energy and services company, on Thursday. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HKN_NHL_CARBON_FOOTPRINT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010841/print White House Updates Draft Guidance on NEPA Greenhouse Gas Evaluations. Federal agencies should consider the climate impact of any action that would increase greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, the White House Council on Environmental Quality said in updated draft guidance. http://www.bna.com/white-house-updates-n17179921170/ White House Proposes Vetting Projects for Climate Change. Move Likely Would Affect Fossil-Fuel Operations the Most. The White House is calling on federal agencies to consider the climate-change impact of a wide range of energy projects that require government approval. The draft guidelines, released Thursday by the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality… http://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-proposes-vetting-projects-for-climate-change-1418949685 Report suggests forest-cutting can have an immediate effect on climate. The critical role that vast tropical forests like Brazil’s Amazon play in suppressing climate change is well-known: They store huge quantities of carbon, acting as “carbon sinks.” But as a new report out this week argues, scientists are making the case that cutting down these forests does more than simply release carbon into the atmosphere… http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/report-suggests-forest-cutting-can-have-an-immediate-effect-on-climate/2014/12/18/ba392600-86f6-11e4-abcf-5a3d7b3b20b8_story.html EPA chief: Extreme weather boosting climate-change plan. Extreme weather events from typhoons to heat waves are helping make the case to Americans on the need to address climate change, the head of the EPA says, although opposition from congressional Republicans to the Obama administration's ambitious plan remains unrelenting. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/18/usa-today-capital-download-epa-gina-mccarthy-climate-change/20548025/ A soft coral may withstand climate change, study shows. As the oceans absorb more carbon on a planet increasingly choked by greenhouse gases, scientists worry its reefs - the great storm-deflecting rampart for much of the tropics - will crumble and fall. But a study by the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and a team of international scientists has found that at least one soft coral, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article4606663.html#storylink=cpy Marin climate change program puts face on sea-level rise. Marin project lets viewer assess flood risk from climate change. A high-tech project aimed at engaging residents in climate change issues by enabling them to visualize the changing landscape amid rising seas was launched this week at Marin Civic Center. http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_27157794/marin-climate-change-program-puts-face-sea-level Globe's CO2 emissions grow, but rate of growth falls while economic activities rise – study. Carbon dioxide emissions grew at a slower pace in 2013 than over the past decade, according to a new report. In 2012, the growth rate was 2 percent, down from the 3.8 percent average recorded over the past decade. The lower growth rate occurred at a time the global economy grew by 3.1 percent. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010840/print DROUGHT Will the recent storms bust the drought? There is a 75 percent probability of average or above-average precipitation between January and the end of March for California, according to a new report by federal scientists — the first time in five years such a wet outlook has been predicted in the state during the first three months of a year. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_27167261/will-recent-storms-bust-drought Big storms put dent in California drought. The drenching rain and heavy snow that lashed California last week put a dent in the state's historic drought, according to the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday. The percentage of the state in the worst drought category — "exceptional" drought — dropped from 55% of the state the previous week to 32% this week. http://www.desertsun.com/story/weather/2014/12/18/california-drought/20580023/ Heavy rains make strides in parched Calif. The second consecutive week of heavy rains in California did not solve the state's entrenched drought, but it did made a major dent in the hardest-hit parts of the state, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report released this morning. Fifty-five percent of California registered in the worst category of drought last week, with that number now standing at 32 percent -- a 40 percent decrease. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010788/print FUELS Flare At Richmond’s Chevron Refinery Visible For Miles, Puts Neighbors On Edge. A flare due to depressurizing equipment at the Chevron refinery in Richmond lit up the sky Thursday evening, causing a stir on social media. Chevron issued a statement Thursday night saying that the flare was routing, saying, “We had a process unit that needed to be depressurized, creating a visible flare. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/12/18/flare-at-richmonds-chevron-refinery-causes-stir/ VEHICLES California extends support for plug-in cars. California took new action Thursday to speed up the spread of plug-in electric vehicles, adding financial perks for car owners and inviting regulated utilities to invest in car charging infrastructure. The California Public Utilities Commission voted 5-0 on guidelines for new incentives for car buyers and first-time utility investments. In San Diego, the new electric-car incentive is likely to take the form of an annual credit against utility bills for customers who identify themselves as plug-in vehicle owners. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/18/california-extends-support-electric-cars/ Dutch car tax regime leaves Germany far behind in curbing CO2 emissions. The Netherlands had the lowest CO2 emissions from new cars in the European Union last year, thanks to its tax regime favouring fuel economy and low-carbon vehicles. Germany and Poland are among the countries with the highest C02 emissions from new cars and the weakest national tax policies, a report by NGO Transport & Environment has found. http://www.euractiv.com/sections/transport/dutch-car-tax-regime-leaves-germany-far-behind-curbing-co2-emissions-310964 GREEN ENERGY Clean energy plan would bring new power lines to desert. For nearly six years, officials debated the best places to build renewable energy projects in the desert, culminating in a massive draft document known as the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. But it's still far from clear how that energy would be transmitted from the desert to the urban centers that need it most. http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2014/12/18/desert-renewable-energy-plan-tranmission-lines/20587161/ Kenya to build Africa’s largest wind project. Kenya is planning to build the largest wind project on the continent of Africa. If the project delivers as promised, it would allow the country to spend less in fuel costs each year and allow its population more access to electricity. Kenya may soon be home to the largest wind project on the continent of Africa. Danish wind company Vestas won a contract to provide 365 turbines for a 310 megawatt wind power project in Kenya. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/1218/Kenya-to-build-Africa-s-largest-wind-project OPINIONS Editorial: L.A.'s freeway-adjacent residents need more protection from pollution. A growing body of research shows that living next to a freeway can significantly increase the risk of asthma, heart disease, pre-term births, reduced lung function in children and premature death. Yet Los Angeles continues to approve residential developments next to freeways without imposing strong measures to protect the residents. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-freeway-adjacent-development-20141219-story.html Op-Ed: Flood, drought risks must be managed, with or without climate change. In one case a major metropolis was flooded within hours, leaving thousands homeless, millions without power, transportation and businesses shut down, and a mass human crisis. In the other case, three years of sunshine and blue skies have left water supplies at record lows, crops shriveled and, for the most unfortunate, taps dry. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-1219-sobel-calif-drought-hurricane-sandy-20141219-story.html Washington Post editorial: International climate agreement not enough. Lack of restrictions on nations a start, but more is needed. Ever since negotiators failed to agree on a climate accord in Copenhagen five years ago, diplomats have been trying for a big, international do-over. Talks in Lima, Peru, this month put this effort on track to conclude an agreement in Paris next year. http://cjonline.com/opinion/2014-12-19/washington-post-editorial-international-climate-agreement-not-enough Rain a ‘start’ for Calif., but drought entrenched. So there’s good news and there’s bad news on the California drought. The good news is that recent rain has finally started to chip away at the severe precipitation deficits the state is facing. The bad news is that most of California is still in a deep drought and it’s going to take a long time to fully recover. http://www.standard.net/National/2014/12/19/Rain-a-Start-for-Calif-But-Drought-Entrenched BLOGS U.S. Should Save Nuclear Industry From Fracking Peril: IEA. The United States needs to develop clear policies to support its ailing nuclear industry—which is prone to seeing old reactors close rather than new reactors open largely because of the impact on energy prices of cheap natural gas from fracking, the International Energy Agency said in a report released today. “The domestic nuclear industry is therefore at a critical juncture as a consequence of its declining economic competitiveness… http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2014/12/18/u-s-should-save-nuclear-industry-from-fracking-peril-iea/ Local Efforts Help Battle Global Climate Problem. Justin Catanoso explains to WFDD's Keri Brown how leaders around the world and in North Carolina are finding ways to reduce carbon emissions and fight global warming. In his column this week in the Triad Business Journal, Justin Catanoso offers some surprising insights about how cities can make a global impact when it comes to climate change. http://wfdd.org/post/local-efforts-help-battle-global-climate-problem It’s time countries took climate-linked migration seriously. Climate talks must take increased human mobility into account, argues the head of the International Organization for Migration. Key policy decisions on climate change must be considered as important migration policy decisions. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/12/19/its-time-countries-took-climate-linked-migration-seriously/#sthash.gQxktiPD.dpuf Climate Change Could Cause 18 Percent Drop In Food Production By 2050, Study Says. Global warming could cause an 18 percent drop in world food production by 2050, but investments in irrigation and infrastructure, and moving food output to different regions, could reduce the loss, a study published on Thursday said. Globally, irrigation systems should be expanded by more than 25 percent to cope with changing rainfall patterns… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/18/climate-change-food-production_n_6349164.html 'Tipping points' for sea level rise related flooding determined. By 2050, a majority of U.S. coastal areas are likely to be threatened by 30 or more days of flooding each year due to dramatically accelerating impacts from sea level rise, according to a new NOAA study, published today in the American Geophysical Union's online peer-reviewed journal Earth's Future. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141218154554.htm BMW i3 REx: Road-Tripping With 72 Electric Miles, 1.9-Gallon Gas Tank. There are drivers who view the limited range of an electric car as a limitation--and those who view it as a challenge. Only with the latter attitude would one BMW i3 owner think to travel more than 400 miles in a car with 72 miles of electric range, assisted by a small gasoline range extender fed by a tiny fuel tank. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095982_bmw-i3-rex-road-tripping-with-72-electric-miles-1-9-gallon-gas-tank 2016 Toyota Mirai: First Drive Of Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Sedan. The 2016 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell car will get a huge amount of promotion and attention from its maker, despite the very low numbers that will be built in its first years. In that respect, it's very similar to the first Toyota Prius hybrid back in 1997--a first sketch of what a future powertrain may promise. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095985_2016-toyota-mirai-first-drive-of-hydrogen-fuel-cell-sedan California to award up to $4M for projects to advanced smart charging and V2G technologies. The California Energy Commission has issued a solicitation (PON-14-310, Driving the Integration of Electric Vehicles to Maximize Benefits to the Grid) to fund Applied Research and Development projects that will advance technologies and strategies for smart and efficient charging and vehicle-to-grid communication interfaces that will provide maximum benefits to both the electricity grid and the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141219-cec.html California Urged To Stay The Course On Electric Cars, Help Owners Charge Cheaper. Gas prices are falling: Michigan has signs advertising regular at $1.99 per gallon. It's now below $3 a gallon even in California, which continues to be the focal point for electric-car adoption. Now an electric utility CEO has joined with an environmental advocate to urge that Californians stay the course in their adoption of plug-in electric vehicles. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095983_california-urged-to-stay-the-course-on-electric-cars-help-owners-charge-cheaper MHTL to partner with G2X, negotiate methanol offtake agreement from G2X methanol-to-gasoline plant. G2X Energy, Inc. and Methanol Holdings Trinidad Limited (MHTL) announced that MHTL intends to partner with G2X Energy to construct the world-scale methanol-to-gasoline (MTG)-ready, methanol production facility being developed by G2X Energy in Lake Charles, Louisiana. (Earlier post.) http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141219-mhtl.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 14:30:59 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 22, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 22, 2014. 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 Candlestick’s possible implosion raises dust plume health fears in Bayview. The shell of Candlestick Park may still loom over the shoreline on The City’s southeast edge, yet it’s no secret that the old stadium will be brought to its knees soon. However, the nature of that execution has some people in the Bayview-Hunters Point worried about health impacts. http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/candlesticks-possible-implosion-raises-dust-plume-health-fears-in-bayview/Content?oid=2914933 Fish poisoning: Spanish mackerel case a 'wake-up call' for spread of deadly toxins. Heidi Hollis was working at an RSL Club in Evans Head on the northern NSW coast back in February when she and several colleagues tucked into a lunch of Spanish mackerel. What followed was months of pain as food poisoning-like symptoms initially sent her to hospital for several days and left her with persistent nerve damage. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/fish-poisoning-spanish-mackerel-case-a-wakeup-call-for-spread-of-deadly-toxins-20141221-12ajhy.html CLIMATE CHANGE Weird weather lingers in Alaska's largest city. A week before Christmas, Alaska's largest city should look like a postcard wonderland, and the last place you'd expect to see equipment making snow. "We want Santa to bring snow, soon," Terry Goodwin said as she hit a ski trail in Anchorage on Thursday near snowmaking machines churning out the white stuff. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ALASKA_WEIRD_WEATHER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-12-19-03-02-13 Wheat yields to fall more than expected in warmer world. Global warming will cut average wheat yields by six percent for every degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) of temperature rise in a bigger-than-expected brake on food production in a hotter world, a study said on Monday. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/12/22/climatechange-wheat-idINL6N0U617O20141222 In Jakarta, that sinking feeling is all too real. The Ciliwung River flows from a volcano south of the Indonesian capital, through the heart of one of the world’s most densely populated cities and almost into Jakarta Bay. Almost, because for the final mile or so of its course, the river would have to flow uphill to reach the bay. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/12/22/uk-sealevel-subsidence-jakarta-idINKBN0K016O20141222 New climate change culprit: Beavers. We were just trying to help. Turns out the efforts of humankind to save beavers from extinction over the past century have had an eco-unfriendly side effect: The animals, whose population has rebounded, are contributing to climate change… http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/21/climate-change-beavers/20728405/ Lawmakers press Obama to rescind climate rule. A group of bipartisan lawmakers is urging President Obama to withdraw the administration’s climate regulation on carbon pollution from existing power plants. In a letter sent to Obama on Friday, 102 members of Congress argue the proposal would “dramatically” change the way “we generate, transmit and consume electricity in the United States.” http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/227742-lawmakers-press-obama-to-rescind-climate-rule Falling Oil Prices and the Climate Change Agenda. The latest falling oil prices to $55.96 (West Texas Intermediate), dropping from a high of $105 per barrel in June 2014, as a result of increased domestic oil production from fracking, is making the price of $150 per barrel of renewables look ridiculously expensive, not counting the wasted government subsidies in bankrupt solar power companies. http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/68501 Alberta punts on new climate regulations as Obama slams Keystone XL. The province overseeing the Canadian oil sands is delaying a decision about its carbon regulations until the middle of next year, deferring a chance to shift its existing climate policies before the U.S. Congress reconsiders Keystone XL. Previously, Alberta had been set to update its existing carbon policies this month. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010910/print Could climate change be the Grinch that steals Christmas? The winter holidays are a time to gather together, celebrate, stuff ourselves with figgy pudding and otherwise forget all about the travails of the outside world. But much like a certain nasty green fellow who lives in the vicinity of Whoville, climate change doesn't show much respect for hallowed holiday traditions. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010904/print Scientists discuss lessons learned during a 20-year fight with climate change deniers. Two decades ago, Benjamin Santer chose 12 words that changed his life forever: "The balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate." That statement was part of the 1995 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report, and it was the first time the international scientific organization had linked human activity to climate change. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010911/print DROUGHT Beavers could help California fight effects of drought. Three punishing years of drought have parched California streams, rivers and wetlands. One animal has the potential to restore these dry landscapes. With their industrial-strength buck teeth and flat tails, beavers and their dams offer a defense against drought. The rodents are known as ecosystem engineers. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article4767285.html#storylink=cpy Drought: December rainfall breaks records but California needs more. Record December rainfall has shaken the dust off California’s four-year drought by piling up snowpack in the Sierras and returning flows to near-empty reservoirs. But a forecast of dry, sunny weather for the next 10 days has left drought-watchers concerned that the old weather pattern…http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/general-news/20141220/drought-december-rainfall-breaks-records-but-california-needs-more Drought, then deluge pits neighbor against neighbor over water rates in Santa Cruz Mountains. All this rain is causing a revolt in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It's a little one, in a little neighborhood of 118 households. But the tensions are deeper than the slowly rising Lexington Reservoir just below, and as turbulent as Los Gatos Creek after a month of storms. http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_27178451/drought-then-deluge-pits-neighbor-against-neighbor-over?source=rss California needs 11 trillion gallons of rain to end drought, JPL says. Although December storms have provided the Southland with above-average rainfall, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists said it will still take about 11 trillion gallons of water — about 1.5 times the volume of America’s largest reservoir — to recover from California’s long-standing drought. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_27179359/california-needs-11-trillion-gallons-rain-end-drought DIESEL EMISSIONS Royal Caribbean to cut emissions on 19 ships. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will use new pollution-reducing scrubbers to "meet or exceed" environmental standards, officials said. The company announced plans to retrofit 13 Royal Caribbean and six Celebrity Cruises ships with scrubber technology, each installation to take about eight months. http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2014/12/22/royal-caribbean-to-cut-emissions-on-19-ships/20763529/ FUELS NY farmers lament lost opportunity for gas riches. While environmental groups are doing a victory dance over New York's decision to ban fracking, farmers such as apple grower David Johnson are grieving for dashed hopes and dreams. "I'm devastated," Johnson said after Gov. Andrew Cuomo's health and environmental commissioners announced Wednesday that they were recommending a fracking ban. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAS_DRILLING_DASHED_HOPES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT West Sacramento says no to ethanol trains. The city of West Sacramento and a Texas-based gasoline company are battling over whether it’s riskier to ship large amounts of ethanol through city streets on trains or on tanker trucks – a dispute that last week spilled into court. Every day, six train cars full of the fuel additive arrive at a mixing terminal on West Sacramento’s riverfront south of Highway 50. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article4779009.html#storylink=cpy Officials OK perks for Iowa vegetable oil plant. State and local officials have approved $3.1 million in incentives for an Omaha, Nebraska, soybean processor to build a $90 million vegetable oil refinery in northwestern Iowa. An agreement approved Friday by the Woodbury County Board will exempt Ag Processing Inc. from $2.1 million in county property taxes through 2024… http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4737102.html#storylink=cpy Coming in 2015: A gas price increase that consumers may or may not notice. Drivers across the central San Joaquin Valley are enjoying an ongoing drop in the cost of gasoline, with fuel prices hitting levels not seen since 2009. In a few weeks, however, the price will go up — guaranteed. It’s all part of California’s effort to combat global climate change. http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/20/4296341_coming-in-2015-a-gas-price-increase.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Oil’s 50% Drop From 2014 High Stokes Faith in Rally. The slump in oil that drove U.S. prices down as much as 50 percent from this year’s high is spurring the most bullish bet by hedge funds in four months. Speculators expanded their net-long position in West Texas Intermediate crude by 14 percent in the week ended Dec. 16, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data show. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-21/oil-s-50-percent-drop-from-high-of-2014-stokes-faith-in-a-rally-energy Santa Comes Early at Pump With Gasoline's Drop to Lowest Since 2009. The average price of regular gasoline at U.S. pumps slid to the lowest level since May 15, 2009, dropping 24.68 cents in the two weeks ended Dec. 19 to $2.4713 a gallon, according to Lundberg Survey Inc. Prices are 79.05 cents lower than a year ago, according to the survey… http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-21/u-dot-s-dot-gasoline-falls-to-2-dot-4713-a-gallon-in-lundberg-survey Obama Says Keystone Pipeline Will Have Little Impact on U.S. Gas Prices. The President's comments come as Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said his party's first act in the new Senate would be to pass a bill fast-tracking approval of the $8 billion project. U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to transport crude oil from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast…http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/obama-says-keystone-pipeline-will-have-little-impact-on-u-s-gas-prices/ Fracking Fumes: Where There's a Well, All is Not Well. Emissions from oil-and-gas production pose a significant threat to human health, and immediate steps must be taken to reduce exposure to the toxic pollution, according to an analysis of scientific studies by the Natural Resources Defense Council. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141222/fracking-fumes-where-theres-well-all-not-well?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=2fee720a14-InsideClimate_News12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-2fee720a14-327749509 VEHICLES Tesla to Install First Battery Swap Facility. Battery Swaps Would Be Faster Than Charging But Come With Cost. Tesla Motors Inc. said Friday in a corporate blog post that it will install its first battery swap facility in California and invite some owners of the Model S electric sedan to participate at a “cost slightly less than a full tank of gasoline for a premium sedan.” http://www.wsj.com/articles/tesla-to-install-first-battery-swap-facility-1419020657 Researchers look beyond tailpipes to check emissions of green vehicles. Alternative passenger vehicles like electric or biofuel-powered cars are thought to be less environmentally harmful than their gasoline-guzzling counterparts. But their fuel still can have significant impacts on carbon emission levels as well as on human health. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010899/print GREEN ENERGY Energy-Storage Plans Gain Ground in California. In an unusual competition in California, proposals for energy storage systems beat out hundreds of bids to construct new power plants as a way to meet peak power needs. Southern California Edison has retired its San Onofre nuclear reactors and is planning to retire natural gas units with environmentally troublesome cooling systems. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/business/energy-environment/california-picks-energy-storage-over-some-new-power-plant-bids.html?_r=2 Californians pay for Bay Bridge flaws, but wind farm recoups costs from same contractor. This is a tale of two projects. One – the $6.5 billion San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge – is the largest public works project in state history. (More specifically, its $2 billion suspension-span segment.) The other – the $1.8 billion Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm in the North Sea off Suffolk, England – is one of the world’s biggest wind-energy projects. http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/bay-bridge/article4748610.html#storylink=cpy Sunflower Floating Solar Power Plant In Korea. South Korean PV module manufacturer SolarPark Korea has supplied modules to the first floating solar PV power plant in the country, the prototype Sunflower Solar Power Plant, which uses a tracking and rotating system. According to SolarPark Korea, the tracking system rotates the PV plant so that the modules face the most sun throughout the day. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/12/21/sunflower-floating-solar-power-plant-korea/ Changing human behavior could go a long way in curbing building emissions, researchers say. An LED light bulb won't save much energy if it's left on all night. And an airtight home won't cut your heating bill if someone leaves a window open. Without changes in behavior, even the most energy-efficient technologies will have a negligible impact on utility bills and greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010907/print OPINIONS An upside of high-speed rail? It's more traveler friendly than flying. In the holiday spirit, here's something cheerful to say about the California bullet train if Gov. Jerry Brown ever gets it assembled: It would be a whole lot more passenger-friendly than demeaning air travel. No torturous, long security lines. No stripping off your belts and shoes. No pat-downs or X-rays. No inhuman stares. No re-dressing. Instead, Welcome Aboard. http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-cap-bullet-train-20141222-column.html Amid climate change, what's more important: Protecting money or people? At the latest round of international climate talks this month in Lima, Peru, melting glaciers in the Andes and recent droughts provided a fitting backdrop for the negotiators' recognition that it is too late to prevent climate change, no matter how fast we ultimately act to limit it. They now confront an issue that many had hoped to avoid: adaptation. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-1222-boyce-climate-change-adaptation-costs-20141218-story.html The answer on human-caused climate change is in. As our planet warms, scientists and the general public are increasingly asking if human-caused climate change influences the extreme weather events we see all around us. Until recently, the answer was always “we don’t know yet.” Today, the answer is increasingly “yes.” Earth is in a remarkable transition from a world in which human influence on climate… http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article4703142.html#storylink=cpy OTHER VIEWS: A slight deal is better than no deal on climate. Ever since negotiators failed to agree on a climate accord in Copenhagen five years ago, diplomats have been trying for a big, international do-over. Talks in Lima, Peru, this month put this effort on track to conclude an agreement in Paris next year. The trade-off is that the accord will be insufficiently ambitious and difficult to enforce… http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/opinion/national-voices/x34742063/A-slight-deal-is-better-than-no-deal-on-climate Guest commentary: Southern California and conservation: Respecting water's limits. This paper recently questioned Southern California's commitment to water conservation based on a single month ("Southern California's Sad Conservation Record" -- Dec. 13). Had the editorial examined roughly 50 years of Southern California's conservation performance -- success over the past generation and plans for no additional supplies from Northern California… http://www.insidebayarea.com/opinion/ci_27166097/guest-commentary-southern-california-and-conservation-respecting-waters Harper’s ‘green shift’ leaves us guessing: Editorial. When Parliament resumes the opposition should try to pin Stephen Harper down on just what he’s prepared to propose to our major trading partners, to fight climate change. Putting a price on Canada’s carbon emissions to help save the planet? Prime Minister Stephen Harper has always shot down the idea of a “job-killing carbon tax.” http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2014/12/22/harpers_green_shift_leaves_us_guessing_editorial.html Our View: That old familiar refrain: Rain is nice, but it’s not enough. This rain is helping a lot, but the fact that it's helping a lot isn't really helping us cope with the drought. Twisted thinking, yes, but true. It's a common refrain every time a storm system moves over the area and drops a good deal of moisture and we do a news report about the weather phenomenon: "It's a nice rain, but the drought is not over." http://www.appeal-democrat.com/opinion/our-view-that-old-familiar-refrain-rain-is-nice-but/article_ca6e60a8-88e0-11e4-9a6c-c3446e1b40b1.html CEQA Reform Should Separate Legit Complaints from Project Haters. The response I hear most often when the subject of reforming the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) comes up is a heavy sigh. Everyone thinks it should happen, but no one’s especially confident that it will. That’s unfortunate, because while California was ahead of the curve when it passed CEQA in 1970… http://voiceofsandiego.org/2014/12/19/ceqa-reform-should-separate-legit-complaints-from-project-haters/ BLOGS We need strong national methane rules. Here's how we get there. New York’s statewide ban on fracking is a vindication for communities around the country that have been hit hard by unconventional natural gas production, writes Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund’s president, in a Dec. 22 op-ed piece in The Washington Post. It demonstrates what can happen when oil and gas producers erode public trust by brushing aside legitimate questions… http://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/2014/12/22/we-need-strong-national-methane-rules-heres-how-we-get-there/ Climate change by the numbers: The cold data that drove a record-hot year. Is it hot enough yet? Will 2015 finally be the year we do something? 2014 was hot. Almost certainly the hottest year on record, and the latest point on a graph that’s been trending upward since we first began pumping heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. http://www.salon.com/2014/12/22/climate_change_by_the_numbers_the_cold_data_that_drove_a_record_hot_year/ Why Climate Change Isn’t a Sputnik Moment. Military technology can’t innovate us out of this one. Here we go again. Another year, another inconclusive climate change summit. The grim reality haunting the talks that recently wrapped up in Lima, Peru, is that any targets, goals, or agreements will ultimately depend on a transformation of the world energy system. http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/12/climate_change_isn_t_a_sputnik_moment_why.html This is the kind of climate bill Congress should pass (but won’t). The Senate’s two leading climate hawks, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Brian Schatz of Hawaii, are pushing a bill that would make the U.S.’s climate policy rational and coherent. The climate-denying Republicans controlling Congress won’t pass it, of course, but it’s important to keep the conversation going. http://grist.org/climate-energy/this-is-the-kind-of-climate-bill-congress-should-pass-but-wont/ Pacific winds change the speed of global warming, says new study. The strength of the trade winds that cross the Pacific can affect how quickly the planet warns, new research suggests. By analyzing the chemical makeup of corals in the tropical Pacific, researchers have found that changing wind patterns affected how quickly the Earth warmed during the last century. http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2014/12/pacific-winds-change-the-speed-of-global-warming-says-new-study/ The 10 Worst Environment And Climate Media Fails Of 2014. This year was a big one for environment and climate news. America moved to limit greenhouse gas emissions from coal plants for the first time. China entered into a historic climate deal with the U.S., and 100 governments signed off on the most comprehensive report on climate science yet. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/12/22/3603714/climate-media-fails-2014/ Tesla Battery Swapping, EPA Carbon Regulations, Another 2016 Chevy Volt Teaser: Today's Car News. Today we've got news of a pilot program for Tesla Model S electric-car battery swapping, a delay for EPA regulations that would limit carbon emissions from power plants, and yet another teaser for the 2016 Chevrolet Volt electric car. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096021_tesla-battery-swapping-epa-carbon-regulations-another-2016-chevy-volt-teaser-todays-car-news Siemens unveils first series production EV with RACE architecture and system. Siemens has unveiled the first electric series production vehicle with the central electronics and software architecture RACE. (Earlier post.) This technology, developed in the research project of the same name, replaces the entire control system with standard hardware and a kind of “operating system for automobiles.” http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141222-siemens.html Toyota Mirai Test Drive, Tesla Drag Race, Cleaner Electric Cars: The Week In Reverse (Video). Which promise made by electric-car maker Tesla Motors took 18 months to come to fruition? And what's the 2016 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle really like to drive? Friday, we had a brief exclusive on the first Tesla battery-swapping station, which will open next week in Harris Ranch, California. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095981_toyota-mirai-test-drive-tesla-drag-race-cleaner-electric-cars-the-week-in-reverse-video ETH team develops catalytic process to make lactic acid from glycerol biodiesel byproduct; 20% lower CO2 than fermentation pathway. Researchers at ETH Zürich developed an eco-friendly cascade process to make large amounts of lactic acid from glycerol, a waste by-product in the production of biodiesel. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a promising alternative for making plastics, as it is biodegradable and made from renewable resources. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141222-eth.html 2014-2015 Mercedes Diesel Models Recalled For Possible Oil Leak. Mercedes-Benz is recalling certain 2014 and 2015 BlueTec diesel vehicles to address an issue that could potentially lead to hazardous oil leaks. The recall of 4,871 E 250 BlueTec sedans and GLK 250 and ML 250 BlueTec SUVs is meant to repair a loose chain-tensioner gasket. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096010_2014-2015-mercedes-diesel-models-recalled-for-possible-oil-leak California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 11:30:35 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 23, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 Will state gas prices soar in protest of 2015 environmental law? Jamie Court calls it the “January surprise.” Court, president of the Consumer Watchdog nonprofit, is convinced oil companies may try to artificially inflate California’s gasoline prices in January. The reason? Come the new year, California’s cap-and-trade system for reining in the greenhouse gases behind global warming will expand to cover transportation fuels sold in the state. http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Will-state-gas-prices-soar-in-protest-of-2015-5974297.php California State Senator Andy Vidak Says Stop the Hidden Gas Tax Immediately following taking the Oath of Office, I introduced Senate Bill 5, which would stop the hidden gas tax, which is going into effect on January 1, 2015. To read the bill, click here. Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R–Fresno) introduced a companion measure, Assembly Bill 23, as well. http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/1831-california-state-senator-andy-vidak-says-stop-the-hidden-gas-tax California Regulators Bump Rice Offsets, Forestry Updates To 2015 The California Air Resources Board (ARB) delayed the potential adoption of a new rice cultivation protocol – the first crop-based methodology considered by the ARB – as well as proposed updates to the forestry protocol to 2015 amid controversy about the planned revisions. The rice cultivation protocol promotes eligible practices that reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation, such as switching from wet seeding to dry seeding and early drainage in preparation for the harvest in California. http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10716§ion=news_articles&eod=1 AIR POLLUTION China drafts new law to fight air pollution: Xinhua China plans tougher pollution limits and heavier penalties in a revision of its air pollution law, state-run news agency Xinhua said, as the government battles to reduce smog that takes hundreds of thousands of lives each year. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/23/us-china-environment-idUSKBN0K105D20141223 As US cleans up, it's exporting more pollution Heat-trapping pollution released into the atmosphere from rising exports of U.S. gasoline and diesel dwarfs the cuts made from fuel efficiency standards... http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article4816128.html CLIMATE CHANGE Top firms' greenhouse gas emissions rise, despite call for cuts Greenhouse gas emissions by the world's top 500 companies rose 3.1 percent from 2010 to 2013, far off the cuts urged by the United Nations to limit global warming, a study showed on Monday. The top 500 firms by capitalization accounted for 13.8 percent of world greenhouse gas emissions and 28 percent of gross domestic product in 2013, according to the report, drawn up by the information provider Thomson Reuters and BSD Consulting, a global sustainability consultancy. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/22/us-climatechange-companies-idUSKBN0K01MX20141222 Miami’s climate catch-22: Building waterfront condos to pay for protection against the rising sea In one of cities most vulnerable to climate change, a high-stakes bet to out-build the sea. Argentine developer Alan Faena recently listed the most expensive condo in this city’s history at $55 million. The Mid Beach penthouse features a private elevator, an infinity pool, an uninterrupted view of the Atlantic. The catch: The tower stands on what scientists call one of America’s most vulnerable floodplains. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2014/12/22/miamis-climate-catch-22-building-luxury-condos-to-pay-for-protection-against-the-rising-sea/ Another threat from climate change: bad-tasting shrimp Some of the consequences of climate change are obvious -- shrinking polar ice caps, rising sea levels, more damaging floods -- and some are subtle. Among the latter, we can now add bad-tasting seafood. So concludes a team of researchers led by Sam Dupont of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, recently published in the Journal of Shellfish Research. http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-badtasting-shrimp-20141222-column.html FUELS Nuclear: Carbon Free, but Not Free of Unease Next week, if all goes as planned, the 42-year-old nuclear reactor at the Vermont Yankee generating station will be shut down for the last time. The steam turbine at the plant, which at its peak could make enough electricity for about half a million homes with virtually no greenhouse gas emissions, will grind to a halt. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/science/nuclear-carbon-free-but-not-free-of-unease-.html?ref=science Natural Gas: Abundance of Supply and Debate Natural gas is the Rorschach test of energy policy. Depending on one’s point of view, it can be either an essential tool for meeting the challenge of climate change or another dirty fossil fuel that will speed the planet down the path to calamitous warming. President Obama is in the first camp. He sang the praises of natural gas in his State of the Union address in January, saying, “If extracted safely, it’s the bridge fuel that can power our economy with less of the carbon pollution that causes climate change.” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/science/natural-gas-abundance-of-supply-and-debate-.html?_r=0 Biggest Arctic Gas Project Seeks Route Around U.S. Sanctions Total SA (FP) and its partners will use a record 16 ice-breaking tankers to smash through floes en route to and from the Arctic’s biggest liquefied natural-gas development. They’re still looking for a way around a freeze in U.S. financing. With 22 wells drilled, and a runway and harbor built for the $27 billion project in Russia’s Yamal Peninsula, where temperatures can reach 50 degrees below zero Celsius, Total, OAO Novatek (NVTK) and China National Petroleum Corp. have little choice but to push ahead. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-22/biggest-arctic-gas-project-seeking-route-around-u-s-sanctions.html Natural Gas Glut Isn’t Deterring Southwestern Energy Across the giant Fayetteville shale gas field here, country roads that were clogged by truck traffic just a few years ago are empty again. Once aglow at night from the bright lights twinkling on drilling rigs, the roads are now dark under the starry Arkansas sky. Virtually all of the few remaining rig and frack crews belong to one survivor: Southwestern Energy, a stubborn believer in the future profitability of natural gas. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/business/energy-environment/natural-gas-glut-isnt-deterring-southwestern-energy.html?_r= VEHICLES Electric Cars Hurt Most Among Renewables on Oil's Slump Electric cars are likely to be hurt the most by lower oil prices within the renewable energy industry, according to a report that predicts a limited impact on wind-and solar-power companies. The 45 percent plunge in Brent crude oil prices since the end of June also will slow the shift away from fossil fuels in oil producing nations such as Saudi Arabia and drive up the cost of natural gas in the U.S., Bloomberg New Energy Finance said. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-22/electric-cars-hurt-most-in-renewables-industry-from-oil-s-slump.html 'World's first' hybrid aircraft take flight Hybrid cars and trucks are now a common sight on UK streets, but researchers are now taking the technology to greater heights than ever before. A team from the University of Cambridge claims to have successfully built and tested the first aircraft powered by a parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system, where an electric motor and petrol engine work together to drive the propeller. http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2387965/worlds-first-hybrid-aircraft-take-flight GREEN ENERGY Nicaragua’s latest revolution: Becoming a green energy powerhouse How quickly can a nation wean itself from fossil fuels and move toward reliance on renewable energy? In the case of Nicaragua, it can move very, very fast. http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/article2607467.html CEC awards grants for biogas and wind power, including $1 million to UC Davis The California Energy Commission awarded two grants this month for biogas and wind power projects, including $1 million to UC Davis. The UCD... http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4819719.html OPINION Steve Hansen: California’s Christmas gift — new tax on gasoline Our California legislature has a holiday greeting for you. Beginning in January, you will be paying a minimum of $1 to $2 more per tank full of gas. Apparently having the second-highest gasoline tax in the nation is not good enough for the majority of folks we put into political office. And it may not stop there. Some experts say these new fees could eventually tack on as much as an additional 76 cents per gallon! http://www.lodinews.com/opinion/columnists/steve_hansen/article_85c6200f-186e-5cc3-90ac-7be39ebc4476.html BLOGS 2014: A Year in Review on Climate and Trade ...fossil fuels. India's national solar program aims to bring 100 gigawatts of solar power to India by 2022--much of it home-grown. "Buy-local"... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-solomon/2014-a-year-in-review-on_b_6366200.html Coal Ash and Fracking Fluid: Two More Victories for Environmental Protection ...into landfills and waste ponds. We have been living with a variety of forms of pollution from coal for a very long time. America's environmental regulators... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/coal-ash-and-fracking-flu_b_6365904.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 11:40:10 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 24, 2014. From: gmassey@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 24, 2014. 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 Court rejects 2 ozone regulations. In a victory for environmental groups, a federal appeals court rejected two Environmental Protection Agency regulations that loosened requirements for achieving compliance with more protective ozone standards. In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said EPA cannot increase the amount of compliance time by an additional year and cannot revoke ozone. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EPA_OZONE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article4862163.html#storylink=cpy http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Court-throws-out-2-ozone-regulations-5975685.php http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060011013/print EPA’s tougher smog rules to get Sacramento airing. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold three public hearings – one in Sacramento -- on its proposed updates to the national air quality standards for ground-level ozone, also known as smog. EPA wants to strengthen the standards to a level within a range of 65 to 70 parts per billion to, as it puts it, “better protect health and the environment.” http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27419 CLIMATE CHANGE Restored Forests Breathe Life Into Efforts Against Climate Change. Over just a few decades in the mid-20th century, this small country chopped down a majority of its ancient forests. But after a huge conservation push and a wave of forest regrowth, trees now blanket more than half of Costa Rica. Far to the south, the Amazon forest was once being quickly cleared to make way for farming… http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/24/science/earth/restored-forests-are-making-inroads-against-climate-change-.html?_r=0 Industry groups wary of Clean Power Plan precedent. Manufacturers and oil refiners are paving the way for a hard-fought battle over U.S. EPA's greenhouse gas standards for the power sector, fearing the agency could use similar tactics to write climate regulations for their industries. The Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the American Petroleum Institute… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010975/feed Do voters support carbon pricing? Depends who's asking. When Washington Gov. Jay Inslee unveiled a new cap-and-trade proposal last week, both business and environmental interest groups were quick to distribute polls that either boosted or shot down the Democrat's effort to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Voters would reject anything that leads to higher energy and transportation costs, industry warned. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010966/print In 2014, U.S. Climate Movement Grew in Grassroots Might But Lost Ground in Congress. People's Climate March drew 1,000 diverse groups together, before voters sent a climate-denying majority to Congress. Hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets of New York City in September demanding that world leaders act on global warming in the largest climate demonstration yet. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141223/2014-us-climate-movement-grew-grassroots-might-lost-ground-congress Climate change could cause more blackouts in major U.S. cities – study. New York City will be increasingly susceptible to hurricane-triggered blackouts in coming decades, despite the mitigation efforts put into action since Superstorm Sandy slammed into the East Coast two years ago, a new study has found. While the direct impacts of hurricanes, such as loss of life, flooding, slowed or lost wages and infrastructure damage… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010978/print Republican urges Va. to join cap-and-trade program. A Republican lawmaker in Virginia wants to charge utilities for emitting greenhouse gases and use some of the money for projects against floods caused by climate change. State Del. Ron Villanueva, whose coastal district includes parts of Virginia Beach, announced legislation yesterday that would make the commonwealth the 10th member of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010967/print E.U. carbon price could double next year as Parliament weighs measures. Carbon prices could climb as high as €15 per metric ton next year from €7 currently as the European Union debates measures to support the market, an analyst at Swiss bank UBS said. The likelihood of this price is 40 percent in an optimistic policy scenario, Patrick Hummel, an analyst at UBS Investment Bank, wrote in a note to clients. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010982/print Global agricultural production to sink due to climate change – study. Climate change could reduce future agricultural production in some parts of the world by as much as 18 percent, new research finds. Researchers at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria used a combination of computer models known as impact assessment modeling frameworks to predict how likely climate change will impact… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010963/print Managers weigh maintaining access against preserving habitats. National park managers are struggling to figure out how much they should intervene as climate change alters the natural landscape. The parks were initially intended as places where wildlife and their habitats could be maintained relatively untouched by human intervention. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010974/print VEHICLES Navigant: gasoline and diesel stop-start vehicles to represent 58% of all new vehicles sold in 2025. In a new report analyzing the emerging global market for technologies that improve fuel economy, Navigant Research forecasts that sales of gasoline and diesel stop-start vehicles (SSVs) will reach 63 million annually by 2025, representing 58% of all vehicles sold in that year. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141223-navigant.html GREEN ENERGY Gov. Brown names Commissioner Michael Picker president of PUC. Moving to limit fallout from a growing scandal at the California Public Utilities Commission, Gov. Jerry Brown named his former renewable energy advisor, Michael Picker, as the new president of the powerful regulatory agency. The governor also chose Liane Randolph, 49, general counsel at the California Natural Resources Agency, to fill Picker's former seat on the five-member PUC… http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-puc-appointments-20141224-story.html Renewable Energy Companies Use New Clout in Statehouses. Earlier this year, Ohio became the first state to freeze a scheduled increase in the amount of electricity that must be generated by wind, solar and other renewable sources. The move gave advocates of repealing states' mandatory green energy standards a rare victory after defeats the last two years. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article4911933.html#storylink=cpy Solar energy storage market to grow tenfold by 2018 – study. The global market for storage solutions for grid-connected residential photovoltaic energy installations will grow tenfold to reach more than 900 megawatts by 2018, a study by IHS Technology showed. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010965/print BLOGS If Oil Really Is Headed For $20 Then Now's The Time For A Carbon Tax. What the oil price is going to be in a few month’s time is an interesting piece of speculation. And it does largely depend upon what Opec decides to do. Will they cut production in order to maintain prices? Or maintain production in order to defend market share? http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2014/12/23/if-oil-really-is-headed-for-20-then-nows-the-time-for-a-carbon-tax/ 2014 Tesla Model S P85D Driven, Fuel-Cell Tax Credit, 2016 Toyota Prius Styling: Today's Car News. Today we've got a first drive of the 2014 Tesla Model S P85D electric car, news that the Federal income-tax credit for hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles will be allowed to expire, and a report on sporty styling for the 2016 Toyota Prius hybrid. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096040_2014-tesla-model-s-p85d-driven-fuel-cell-tax-credit-2016-toyota-prius-styling-todays-car-news Tax Credit For Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicles Expires As Congress Adjourns. Tax incentives have proven to be an important way to encourage adoption of new green vehicles, offsetting some of the typically-higher purchase costs compared to conventional costs. Yet just as Toyota prepares to launch its 2016 Mirai fuel-cell car, a tax credit for hydrogen vehicles… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096032_tax-credit-for-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicles-expires-as-congress-adjourns Lexus To Launch Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Powered LS Sedan: Report. Toyota and its Lexus luxury brand share underlying architectures, powertrain, and numerous other components across a number of their models. That's why there have been several Lexus hybrid models over the last 10 years--including the brand's current flagship, the LS 600h L sedan. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096044_lexus-to-launch-hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered-ls-sedan-report DOE to award up to $2M to 3 projects for hydrogen and fuel cell supply chain and manufacturing analysis. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected three projects to receive up to $2 million in new funding for analysis of the hydrogen and fuel cells domestic supply chain and manufacturing competitiveness. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141224-doeh2.html UK launches $39M competition for advanced biofuels demonstration plants; targeting min. 60% GHG reduction vs. fossil fuels. The Department for Transport (DfT) recently launched a £25-million (US$39-million) competition to support the development of a domestic biofuels industry in the UK. The competition will provide capital funding for three demonstration-scale advanced biofuel plants. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141223-ukbiofuel.html Mexico proposes new heavy-duty vehicle emission standards aligned with Euro VI and EPA 2010. Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) has proposed new heavy-duty vehicle emissions standards, aligned with current standards in place in the rest of North America and in the European Union. The current limit values in Mexico are equivalent to Euro IV or EPA 2004 standards. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141223-mexico.html Cambridge team successfully tests hybrid light aircraft; 30% fuel savings. Researchers from the University of Cambridge, in association with Boeing, have successfully tested a light aircraft powered by a parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system, in which an electric motor and gasoline engine work together to drive the propeller. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141223-cam.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 12:17:14 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 26, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 26, 2014. 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 Coming in 2015: A gas price increase consumers may or may not notice Drivers across the San Joaquin Valley are enjoying an ongoing drop in the cost of gasoline, with fuel prices hitting levels not seen since 2009. In a few weeks, however, the price will go up – guaranteed. It’s all part of California’s effort to combat global climate change. The question for drivers here and across the state is how much more they will pay at the pump, not just next month, but over the next five years. And, given the almost daily volatility of gas prices, whether they will notice when they fill up. http://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/article4988409.html HIGH SPEED RAIL California carbon funds are an uncertain benefit for high-speed rail It was a major lift for high-speed rail when Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature this summer pledged future proceeds from California’s carbon-reduction program to help underwrite the state’s $68 billion project. The bill included not only one-time funding of $250 million, a relatively small sum, but also 25 percent of future revenue from California’s cap-and-trade program, the money industries pay to offset their air emissions. Long-term funding, rail officials said, could be leveraged to secure private investment in the project. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article4956447.html http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/12/25/4301618_california-carbon-funds-an-uncertain.html?rh=1 AIR POLLUTION Extension of 2008 Ozone Compliance Deadline Unlawful, D.C. Circuit Tells EPA December 24 Extension of 2008 Ozone Compliance Deadline Unlawful, D.C. Circuit Tells EPA By Andrew Childers... http://www.bna.com/extension-2008-ozone-n17179921739/ CLIMATE CHANGE Kansas State tower project studies climate change ...free to the public. The Kansas State University tower will gather data on climate change, land use change and invasive species. Crews in... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Kansas-State-tower-project-studies-climate-change-5979402.php DROUGHT California drought brings smaller harvests, more hunger among farmworkers DUCOR -- Here in the produce basket of the nation, the drought so dried out the farm economy that farmworkers depend on charity... http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_27209134/grim-reaper-drought-brings-smaller-harvests-more-hunger FUELS Vitruivan crowd-sourcing funding for novel biofuel from sewage treatment bio-solids ...soot emissions, similar to how ethanol reduces emissions when blended with gasoline. EEB can also be blended with gasoline or burned to produce... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141225-vitruvian.html Gas Cars Parked In One Electric-Car Spot Earn Raleigh $27,000 A Year The problem of gasoline cars parking in spaces reserved for plug-in electric cars... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19956294172&p=19f&v=1&x=cGVdqbYCbNLIdsEBarBhnw VEHICLES DMV delays rules for driverless cars as it seeks more input on safety ...professor who researched driverless cars as part of a project studying traffic and air pollution. "Most of the accidents are caused by human error."... http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-driverless-cars-20141226-story.html Tesla Model X has one Southern Calfornia woman waiting in (and for) the wings ...flight school manager Gabrielle Adelman and her husband, Kenneth, are huge electric vehicle advocates who already own a Roadster, a Model S... http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/business/20141225/tesla-model-x-has-one-southern-calfornia-woman-waiting-in-and-for-the-wings Roadshow: Why many runners prefer streets to sidewalks ...are running on. A cement sidewalk is probably the worst place to run, having zero give. Monte Hoskins Q When I walk in the streets, this is what... http://www.mercurynews.com/mr-roadshow/ci_27195262/roadshow-why-many-runners-prefer-streets-sidewalks?source=pkg Gas Stations: Hazardous To Your Health In Many Ways It turns out that--in addition to their environmental benefit--electric cars can help improve the health of the people who drive... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096053_gas-stations-hazardous-to-your-health-in-many-ways GREEN ENERGY Whole Foods Latest Grocer to Push for Sustainable Practices Among Its Seafood Suppliers ...are taking the efforts has turned into more of a company-driven commitment to sustainability.” “There is an increase of consumer awareness about these... http://www.bna.com/whole-foods-latest-b12884908762v2/ Renewable energy plan would protect desert off-roading One of the biggest winners in a controversial renewable energy plan could be a surprising group: off-road vehicle... http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2014/12/25/renewable-energy-plan-desert-roading/20903749/ China offers to help electricity-starved Nepal ...provide funding and human resources to train Nepalese professionals in the hydropower sector. Wang spoke to reporters Friday during his three-day... http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4994142.html MISCELLANEOUS Beauty Products Aim To Protect Skin From Damage Of Pollution Car and truck fumes, planes and power plants, there is air pollution almost everywhere you look. Aicha Ried recently started worrying what it could be doing to her skin. “When I’m walking by a bus and then all of a sudden there’s just like this thick, black smoke just wafting into my face and I’m like, ‘my pores,’” Ried said. Dermatologist Dr. Amy Derick says new research suggests reason for that concern. http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/12/24/beauty-products-aim-to-protect-skin-from-damage-of-pollution/ OPINION Fracking ban: New York decision puts pressure on California California's movement to ban fracking and other dangerous oil extraction techniques just got a huge boost from the other side of the country. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced a fracking ban in New York. Cuomo's decision follows a report from the state's Department of Health that found fracking poses an unacceptable public health risk http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_27190899/fracking-ban-new-york-decision-puts-pressure-california BLOGS Can Electric Vehicles Be 'Environmental Villains'? Researchers from the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) found in a new study assessing the life cycle air quality impacts on human health of 10 alternatives to conventional gasoline vehicles “that electric vehicles (EVs) powered by electricity from natural gas or wind, water, or solar power are best for improving air quality, whereas vehicles powered by corn ethanol and EVs powered by coal are the worst.” http://theenergycollective.com/roman-kilisek/2175321/can-electric-vehicles-be-environmental-villains Average US Car Now Older, Resulting In More Air Pollution Researchers at the University of Denver found that the US on-road freeway fleet age increased due to the global recession from 2008–2010. To put it simply, because consumers had less money available to purchase new vehicles, they hung on to the ones they owned, thus increasing the average age of vehicles being driven today. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/12/26/average-us-car-now-older-resulting-air-pollution/ Silently Rises the Sea ...country around 300 square kilometers, is in the global spotlight for potential climate change impacts especially from sea level rise,... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jayanta-basu/silently-rises-the-sea_b_6373220.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 13:16:32 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 29, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 Washington State Offers Ambitious Cap-and-Trade Plan If Washington’s governor gets his legislative holiday wish, the Evergreen State in 18 months will launch one of the world’s most sophisticated and all-encompassing climate-pollution pricing programs. Draft legislation released last week by the office of Gov. Jay Inslee (D) would — if sufficient support can be mustered from state lawmakers — raise an estimated $1 billion a year through a new levee on greenhouse gas pollution. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/washington-state-ambitious-cap-and-trade-plan-18493 California fuel prices going up as its green-house gas controls hit gasoline, diesel sales After months of seeing gas prices sink ever lower, Californians will ring in 2015 by paying more at the pump as a result of the state's landmark greenhouse-gas emissions law. But how much more we'll pay, and whether it's worth it, remains bitterly debated among oil companies, some state lawmakers and environmentalists. http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_27218752/california-fuel-prices-going-up-its-green-house New fuel policy will lead to 10-cent increase California’s long-disputed and often-misrepresented cap-and-trade policy for gasoline and diesel fuel goes into effect Jan. 1, and it will show up quickly as a roughly 10 cent-per-gallon increase at the pump. That follows months of market actions in the United States and around the world that have dropped the global price of crude more than $50 a barrel since June and created the longest recorded consecutive-days fall of fuel prices. http://www.pe.com/articles/trade-756971-cap-gallon.html AIR POLLUTION Power-hungry cell towers poisoning air, says study A day without your smartphone can be demanding. But a new study has thrown up some interesting finds about how energy-guzzling the telecom industry is. Scientists at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and Forschungszentrum Julich in Germany have revealed that the Indian telecom sector could be consuming up to 7.5 billion litres of diesel annually to run its mobile towers. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/power-hungry-cell-towers-poisoning-air-says-study/articleshow/45674502.cms Winter Spare the Air alert issued for Monday A cold-weather spell that has kept dirty air low in the atmosphere will bring with it another Spare the Air day on Monday. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued the alert Sunday afternoon, extending an alert that already was in effect, which bans wood burning throughout the Bay Area. It is the fifth of winter season, which runs from November to February. http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_27219169/winter-spare-air-alert-issued-monday Contractor accused of violating air pollution laws A Sacramento-based contractor is accused of violating air pollution control laws for the unpermitted emission of toxic air contaminants from equipment operated in Yuba City prune and peach orchards. Howe Operations, owned by Gary Howe, operated a tub grinder and a large Caterpillar diesel engine in Sutter County without a permit for several years beyond a 2011 compliance deadline, according to a complaint filed in Sutter County Superior Court on Wednesday on behalf of the Feather River Air Quality Management District. http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/contractor-accused-of-violating-air-pollution-laws/article_0e5d9832-8f22-11e4-ab33-3feb7ee4e31d.html Despite cold, air board bars wood fires The calm after the storm has brought holiday sunshine and cold, frosty nights — seemingly perfect conditions for a family gathering with hot cider and eggnog by a warm, toasty fire. Not now it isn’t — not if the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has anything to do with it. The district has called a Winter Spare the Air day for Sunday, the season’s fifth alert of the winter season. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Despite-cold-air-board-bars-wood-fires-5981261.php CLIMATE CHANGE Lost California rangeland is said to pose greenhouse gas risk A comprehensive inventory of Central Valley, Sierra foothills and Central Coast rangelands between 1984 and 2008 found that almost half a million acres of rangeland has vanished from California’s landscape. The disappearance of rangelands – the large and open lands synonymous with the West – will make it harder for the state to reach its greenhouse gas emissions goals and may imperil endangered species, scientists say. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article5058240.html FUELS For Energy Policy Makers, Tough Lessons in Downside of Cheap Gas The sharp drop in fuel prices is undermining government policies that bet expensive gasoline would prod Americans to find alternatives to gas-guzzling automobiles. In recent years, the federal government required passenger cars and trucks to become much more fuel-efficient, with a goal to more than double average miles per gallon by 2025. http://www.wsj.com/articles/for-energy-policy-makers-tough-lessons-in-downside-of-cheap-gas-1419873527?KEYWORDS=climate+change VEHICLES Transportation, not environment, tops Inhofe's priorities for 2015 The world comes to an end on Jan. 5. That’s the way many people concerned about climate change and the environment see it, anyway. That’s because on Jan. 5, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe is expected to become chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/transportation-not-environment-tops-inhofe-s-priorities-for/article_129d9551-4686-5357-a40a-6ab55d999ab2.html Metro takes extra-long electric bus for test drive on the Orange Line With a faint hum about as loud as a Toyota Prius, 60 feet of transportation history rounds a corner in a Lancaster parking lot. Fresh from a test run on Los Angeles' Metro Orange Line last week, it is the country's first electric articulated bus. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-electric-bus-20141227-story.html MISCELLANEOUS Mary Nichols has 'rock star' influence as top air quality regulator A meeting with Gov. Jerry Brown and Chevron executives was ending when an oil company official turned to Mary Nichols, California's top regulator for air pollution. There was only so much Chevron could do to meet the state's rules, he told her. "I know we've told you before that we couldn't do things that you wanted us to do, and then we've turned around and succeeded," he said. "But this time we really mean it." http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-pol-adv-mary-nichols-20141228-story.html#page=1 Pope Francis’s edict on climate change will anger deniers and US churches He has been called the “superman pope”, and it would be hard to deny that Pope Francis has had a good December. Cited by President Barack Obama as a key player in the thawing relations between the US and Cuba, the Argentinian pontiff followed that by lecturing his cardinals on the need to clean up Vatican politics. But can Francis achieve a feat that has so far eluded secular powers and inspire decisive action on climate change? http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/27/pope-francis-edict-climate-change-us-rightwing?CMP=share_btn_fb Proposed ballot measure means California plastic bag ban likely on hold Plastic bag manufacturers stand to sell 9 billion additional plastic bags simply by gathering enough signatures for a ballot measure to repeal the state’s plastic bag ban, which is scheduled to take effect July 1. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/plastic-646531-bags-ban.html Other related articles: http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article5122236.html BLOGS 2014: The Year Climate Change Undeniably Arrived It was January, and tennis players at the Australian Open were suffering through the scorcher that would be the year 2014. They threw up and they fainted from the record-setting heat. They put on ice vests. The soles of their sneakers and the bottoms of their water bottles softened as the mercury marked 109 degrees Fahrenheit. They were knocked flat by the longest Melbourne heat wave in a century. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141229/2014-year-climate-change-undeniably-arrived US Outlook: California unlikely to see radical price movement Despite rising prices on the secondary market, California carbon allowances are unlikely to move significantly off the floor in 2015 as the programme expands to include natural gas and fuel suppliers, traders and brokers said. California’s economy-wide programme will expand to include suppliers who deliver natural gas, gasoline and diesel to end users in 2015. The expansion is expected to increase liquidity in the market, because fuel suppliers will not be freely allocated allowances. http://www.icis.com/resources/news/2014/12/29/9849686/us-outlook-california-unlikely-to-see-radical-price-movement/ All The Electric-Car Charging Connectors In One Great Big Poster Now there's a handy way to keep track of all the different standards, and where they're used globally. The EV Institute recently published an updated version of its "Plug-In Around the EV World" poster of electric-car charging connectors, color-keyed to the regions that use them. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096058_all-the-electric-car-charging-connectors-in-one-great-big-poster The Energy Buzzwords People Misuse & Misunderstand You’ve likely heard them all: “clean energy,” “energy independence,” “the war on coal,” and even “sustainable.” But what do these words really mean? We asked a group of energy insiders to name the energy buzzword they loathe most, and let us know why. Their choices are below. This discussion relates to the latest Energy Report and formed the basis of a discussion on The Experts blog in November. http://blogs.wsj.com/briefly/2014/12/29/the-energy-buzzwords-people-misuse-and-misunderstand/?KEYWORDS=air+pollution California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 12:43:21 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for December 30, 2014 From: aleaks@arb.ca.gov ARB Newsclips for December 30, 2014. 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 California gas prices going up in 2015 ...last-minute battle is being waged over bringing gas and diesel under California's cap-and-trade is starting Thursday. http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_27218752/california-fuel-prices-going-up-its-green-house?source=rss_viewed Vermont's sole nuclear power plant ends operations ...Wholesale Commodities, said economic factors, especially related to the natural gas market in the Northeast, were the primary reasons for the shutdown. The... http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_27222907/vermonts-sole-nuclear-power-plant-ends-operations Sacramento Valley’s powerhouse rice crop one step closer to cap and trade. California environmental regulators are exploring how rice farmers can reduce carbon emissions, paving the way for crops to become part of the state’s greenhouse gas reduction program and affecting one of the Sacramento Valley’s powerhouse agricultural industries. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article5151954.html AIR POLLUTION Canadian study finds commuters may be exposed to increased levels of traffic-related pollution A study by researchers led by a team from the Air Health Science Division of Health Canada (the Federal department responsible... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141230-utes.html Chevron agrees to oversight in Richmond refinery flaring investigation ...formed," Sawyer said. Sawyer added that while there was "definitely an impact to air quality to some degree," the flaring most likely burned "pretty... http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_27224735/chevron-agrees-oversight-richmond-refinery-flaring-investigation PETA gives award for canceling New Year fireworks ...found. Authorities have said they canceled the display over concerns about air quality. Fireworks release particulates into the air, adding... http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/PETA-gives-award-for-canceling-New-Year-fireworks-5984840.php Pollution Plagues Annual Pilgrimage to Mecca Air quality worsens at Saudi Arabian city, study finds http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/12/29/pollution-plagues-annual-pilgrimage-to-mecca Utah's air quality improved this year Utah's air quality improved this year, driven by more-frequent storms and... http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/health-fitness/article5131248.html How environmental justice fared in 2014 — and the outlook for 2015 ...world order says we must deal with melting polar caps, ocean acidification, rising sea levels, and dying polar bears — so that justice... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19994268755&p=19f&v=1&x=NeUhoJXFk6XSeihvUOK-Bg Attention Turns to Fracking's Impact on Air Quality New science and media coverage highlight air pollution from fracking, long overshadowed by concerns over water... http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141230/attention-turns-frackings-impact-air-quality Inhofe: GOP Senate to push against regulations ...Inhofe, one of Congress' most vocal deniers of the scientific consensus of climate change, wrote in a 2012 book that global warming... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Inhofe-GOP-Senate-to-push-against-regulations-5983572.php Last train load of coal marks end of era at Univ. of Georgia ...administrators for years to shut down the coal boiler, responsible for tons of ozone-forming pollution each year. In recent years, workers have... http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Last-train-load-of-coal-marks-end-of-era-at-Univ-5983071.php An old plant, tainted land, and worried homeowners ...that neighboring residents might be exposed to toxic chemicals through the air and water. Neither firm drilled test wells to sample the groundwater... http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_27220735/an-old-plant-tainted-land-and-worried-homeowners CLIMATE CHANGE 2014: The Year Climate Change Undeniably Arrived ...scientific review published by several U.S. government agencies declared in May: "Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has... http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141229/2014-year-climate-change-undeniably-arrived Fate of Earth's Ice Comes Further Into Focus ...some of the fastest warming parts of the planet as human activity drives up greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, altering the global climate.... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/fate-of-earths-ice-comes-into-focus-18469 Judge: No proof gas well contaminated well water ...Siragusa in Rochester decided the homeowners had failed to prove the silt and methane that befouled their wells was caused by the gas well drilled a... http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article5124720.html King tides to hit Monterey Bay shores ...the natural coastal rhythm around the solstices, king tides are not caused by climate change. They happen when the sun and moon align, which pulls... http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/environment-and-nature/20141229/king-tides-to-hit-monterey-bay-shores Leaders: Evolving in a changing world. ...impact. I know one of the things definitely on the minds of industry leaders is climate change. What do you see as the impact of climate change... http://www.trucknews.com/features/leaders-evolving-changing-world Makers of plastic bags gather signatures to overturn ban. ...brothers, spent millions on Proposition 23, an initiative that would have suspended AB32, California's Global Warming Solutions Act,” Murray said.... http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Makers-of-plastic-bags-gather-signatures-to-5984107.php New Mexico water project comes up short. ...Federal officials had warned last year that shortages might be possible and that climate change would mean less reliable supplies from the project... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/12/29/3418463/new-mexico-water-project-comes.html Ocean Warming: Probing a Blue Abyss ...be an abysmal recipe for the blues. For every 10 joules of energy that our greenhouse gas pollution traps here on Earth, about 9 of them end... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/2014-in-review-ocean-warming-18417 Pope Francis to Call on UN to Combat Climate Change in 2015 ...a feat that has so far eluded secular powers and inspire decisive action on climate change? It looks as if he will give it a go. In 2015,... http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141229/pope-francis-call-un-combat-climate-change-2015 The Pope Thinks Climate Change Is a Major Threat So Do American Catholics. ...backroom player in the thawing of US-Cuba relations. Next on his list? Climate change. Over the weekend, the Guardian reported that... http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/12/pope-francis-climate-change DROUGHT STATE AGENDA 2015: It's all about water -- and a few other things ...students," Vidak says. He's watching to see how the courts rule on pending high-speed rail lawsuits, and says there may be a legislative... http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/politics/local/x1494740130/STATE-AGENDA-2015-Its-all-about-water-and-a-few-other-things "Designer Water" Repurposes Wastewater for Multiple Uses ...“designer water.” That may sound like a frivolous use of H20 in the middle of a drought. But it's something parched California needs more of. read... http://blogs.kqed.org/feeds/2014/12/29/designer-water-repurposes-wastewater-for-multiple-uses/ Drought watch: First manual reading of snow levels happening tomorrow ...of winter storms, things are looking a little bit better, but officials say California still need a lot more rain to really put a dent on the drought.... http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/2014/12/29/40902/drought-watch-first-manual-reading-of-snow-levels/ Lodi OKs program to help residents save energy, water ...Opportunity” program, making the Central Valley city the 228th jurisdiction in California to participate. The program provides long-term financing... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19987990999&p=19f&v=1&x=PhustO5CAiQ5YffcEQspRQ FUELS Diesel Ends 2014 at Lowest Price in 4 Years ...week, to a high of $3.365 in New England, 6 cents less than a week ago. Gasoline also continued a similar decline, with regular grade falling 10.4... http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2014/12/diesel-ends-year-at-3-213-lowest-in-4-years.aspx Economic Watch: Consumer Sentiment Soars, New Home Sales Drop ...renewed job growth, larger anticipated wage gains, and the steep decline in gasoline prices,” said Richard Curtain, survey director. “Importantly,... http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/fleet-management/news/story/2014/12/economic-watch-consumer-sentiment-soars-new-home-sales-drop.aspx Obama Signs Nat Gas Tax-Extenders Legislation | Transport Topics Online ...those who build natural-gas fueling facilities, a $1 per barrel credit for biodiesel producers and a 50-cent-per-gallon tax credit for those who fill... http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=36919&t=Obama-Signs-Nat-Gas-Tax-Extenders-Legislation WSU team generates significant amounts of gasoline-range hydrocarbons from microwave-assisted pyrolysis of polyethylene ...using ZSM-5 as a catalyst to generate significant amounts (74.73–88.49%) of gasoline-range hydrocarbons. This marks the first time that plastic was... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141230-wsu.html Loan program that funded Solyndra finds success in Tesla and many others ...led to hearings over the Barack Obama administration's backing of unproven green-energy projects. But in Hugoton, which Leonard describes as... http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27222386/loan-program-that-funded-solyndra-finds-success-tesla Program that backed Solyndra now showing successes ...led to hearings over the Barack Obama administration's backing of unproven green-energy projects. But in Hugoton, which Leonard describes... http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article5112573.html Why the U.S. will power the world economy in 2015 ...Prices have been cut roughly in half since summer. In some areas of the country, gasoline prices have slipped below $2 a gallon. The drop, along with more... http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27225145/why-us-will-power-world-economy-2015?source=rss Will the Electric Car Initiative Prove to be a Fiasco? Morris R. Beschloss.(Photo: Desert Sun file photo) Tags Not long ago, electric cars were all the rage, as the Administration and its advisors... http://www.desertsun.com/story/morrisbeschlosseconomics/2014/12/29/morris-beschloss-electric-cars/21006667/ VEHICLES German Electric-Car Charging Station Plans Accelerate As Grid Gets Greener ...with more aggressive plans to encourage its companies and citizens to drive electric cars. The country currently offers few electric-car incentives,... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19986681121&p=19f&v=1&x=uIxGYZI7THcFtACh-Pf9Tg Tesla Tries To Jump-Start China Sales Bottom line: Tesla and other EV makers is likely to face an uphill road in China for the next year,... http://www.forbes.com/sites/dougyoung/2014/12/29/tesla-tries-to-jump-start-china-sales/?ss=going-global GREEN ENERGY Pair's off-grid power re-energizes their budget. ...energy for when it's needed. The battery pack allows the Poswall home to use solar power at night and wind on a calm, cloudy day. "It really... http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/home-garden/article5105205.html Imperial Irrigation District planning $68 million battery ...reasons. First off, the battery will help bring at least 50 megawatts of new solar power onto the grid. Most solar plants can only generate energy... http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2014/12/28/imperial-irrigation-district-battery/20982139/ JPMorgan Unit to Invest $75 Million in SunEdison Solar Projects ...agreed to buy First Wind Holdings Inc. for $2.4 billion to expand into the U.S. wind-power market. To contact the reporter on this story: Ehren... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-23/jpmorgan-unit-to-invest-75-million-in-sunedison-solar-projects Kings County solar farm changes hands ...purchase of the CID Solar Project near Corcoran, in King's County, from EDF Renewable Energy. The companies announced the purchase and sale... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19990021180&p=19f&v=1&x=EkiUAZn27f7DxW0IYuEITQ Outlook: Brazil biomass sales seen up in 2015 Sao Paulo , 29 December (Argus) — Brazilian biomass thermoelectric plants will see smaller returns from spot market... http://www.argusmedia.com/pages/NewsBody.aspx?id=969555&menu=yes Texans Discover Oil Grows on Olive Trees ...next ghost town,” Tunstall said. He is pushing everything from spinach to geothermal energy to wildlife photography. And olives. “Olive... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-29/texans-discover-oil-growing-on-olive-trees-as-crude-drop-deepens Spider's Web Is Blueprint For Elastic Mobile Phones ...“Increasing efficiency of solar cells is a critical component in the quest for renewable energy sources, a major sustainability and ecological... http://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2014/12/29/spiders-web-is-blueprint-for-elastic-mobile-phones/ Graphene May Double Solar Cell Power, Harvest Hydrogen From Air ...emissions standards put more pressure on carmakers to produce larger numbers of zero-emission vehicles, the race is on to improve systems of electricity... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096080_graphene-may-double-solar-cell-power-harvest-hydrogen-from-air MISCELLANEOUS San Jose's foam food container ban hitting nearly all the restaurants now ...you how much litter was out there to begin with," Romanow said. But the California Restaurant Association, the main opponent to the initial legislation,... http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_27224549/san-joses-foam-food-container-ban-hitting-nearly BLOGS 2014 in Review: Reflecting on California's Drought, Disappearing Water Sources ...to the bodies of water we've lost -- or are in danger of losing -- here in California as the drought was clearly the dominant story of 2014.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-milne/reflecting-on-californias_b_6389084.html?utm_hp_ref=green The Growing Level of Environmental Awareness ...economic growth... Eighty-three percent of respondents said their cities have smog, and about one-third said that smog is serious. In seven cities... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/the-growing-level-of-envi_b_6390054.html A New Paradigm: Saving Our Way to Cleaner Air ...down, the auto industry is booming and we have the most environmentally clean vehicle fleet ever. In fact, if we'd been listening to industry over the... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/margo-t-oge/a-new-paradigm-saving-our_b_6335342.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics San Francisco Bay Area Ending the Year Very Cold, Very Windy. Leave it to California to simultaneously suffer widespread flooding and a drought. http://blogs.kqed.org/feeds/2014/12/29/san-francisco-bay-area-ending-the-year-very-cold-very-windy/ Attention Turns to Fracking's Impact on Air Quality Fracking's impacts on air quality took the spotlight this year, fueled by new research and broad media coverage. The modern shale boom has created a massive influx of oil-and-gas wells, compressor stations and other infrastructure that spew toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases into the air. The consequences for public health and climate change are increasingly recognized as serious issues, on par with the water contamination concerns that once dominated debates over the pros and cons of fracking. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141230/attention-turns-frackings-impact-air-quality?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=bc20dc5a0e-InsideClimate_News12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-bc20dc5a0e-327749509 OPINION Fuel-Economy Rules Likely To Stay Put Through Midterm Review: Consensus ...Transportation Research Institute, as quoted in the Ward's piece. ALSO SEE: Could Gasoline Below $3 A Gallon Doom Rising Gas-Mileage Rules? Changing those... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096062_fuel-economy-rules-likely-to-stay-put-through-midterm-review-opinion Pollution Around the World: A Matter of Choices A few weeks ago, I wrote about China and India’s challenges with high particulate matter pollution — widely believed to be the most harmful form of air pollution. A chart comparing air pollution levels caught many eyes because it showed the severity of the problem in China, and even more in India. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/upshot/pollution-around-the-world-a-matter-of-choices.html?abt=0002&abg=0 What do you get if you map coming climate disasters? Hello, Pacific Northwest. ...different when you see it coming. Especially if it's coming toward you. California is in the midst of the worst drought in five centuries.... http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-sarasohn-californian-migration-northwest-20141225-story.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ====================================================================== Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 11:10:00 -0800 Subject: newsclips -- Newsclips for December 31, 2014 From: dchelini@arb.ca.gov 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 Prices set to rise around 10 cents in Pennsylvania, California in 2015 Two states are poised for about a 10-cent-per-gallon (CPG) increase in gas prices as the calendar opens on 2015. http://www.cspnet.com/fuels-news-prices-analysis/fuels-news/articles/dime-time-gas-prices AIR POLLUTION Chinese Court Orders 6 Companies to Pay $26 Million for Polluting A court in eastern China has ordered six companies to pay fines totaling about $26 million for discharging waste acid into two waterways, according to the court’s microblog account. The fine, 160 million renminbi, is the biggest of any Chinese environmental pollution case and seems to signal that officials are trying to crack down on companies that have steadily degraded much of China’s land, water and air. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/01/world/asia/chinese-court-orders-6-companies-to-pay-26-million-for-polluting.html?_r=0&gwh=8F77852F15F4520FED55FF4922F324A1&gwt=pay In China, app aims to shame polluters by showing who is fouling air Sitting at a desk in his small office here, Ma Jun, one of China's best-known environmental advocates, shows off his latest tool in the fight against the nation's crippling air pollution: a computer app. Displayed on a tablet, the app shows a map of northeastern China covered with large orange circles, each representing one of the country's major polluters, reporting its emissions in real time. http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-china-bad-air-20141230-story.html#page=1 CLIMATE CHANGE French Climate Envoy Sees Hope in Low Oil Prices Low oil prices could paradoxically help the world reach an international agreement to fight global warming, according to the French ambassador charged with organizing a key climate conference in Paris. France is spending the next 11 months trying to cajole more than 190 countries into overcoming disagreements about acceptable greenhouse gas emissions levels and who should pay to achieve them to produce a binding accord to limit emissions. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/french-climate-envoy-sees-hope-low-oil-prices-27925435 Paris 2015 is climate’s burning deadline Agreements on climate change — to paraphrase what the 19th century German statesman Otto von Bismarck said about lawmaking — are like sausages. It is best not to know how they are made. On Dec. 11 this coming year, 195 states are scheduled to strike a deal in Paris to curb the fossil-fuel gases imperiling Earth’s climate system. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/12/31/world/science-health-world/paris-2015-is-climates-burning-deadline/#.VKRF5xamOa8 Global agriculture equipment market set to adopt electric machinery to combat carbon emissions The global agriculture equipment market has experienced high growth figures in recent years, as the global population increases and therefore more people need to be fed. However, countries such as India that are seeing their agriculture industry grow rapidly are also increasing their carbon footprint. There is now a growing feeling in the global agriculture equipment market that the adoption of electronically powered machinery can help reduce the levels of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. http://www.companiesandmarkets.com/News/Agriculture-Farming-Raw-Materials/Global-agriculture-equipment-market-set-to-adopt-electric-machinery-to-combat-carbon-emissions/NI9909 Alaska is Ground Zero for Global Warming Studies To the untrained eye, Bonanza Creek forest is breathtaking, a vibrant place alive with butterflies and birds, with evidence of moose and bear at every turn. But look through forest ecologist Glenn Juday’s eyes, and you see a dying landscape. Since the 1970s, climate change has doubled the growing season in some places and raised state temperatures 6 degrees in the winter and 3.5 on average annually since 1950, says Juday, a professor at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. Drought is stressing and killing spruce, aspen and birch trees. http://alaskatrekker.com/2014/12/alaska-ground-zero-global-warming-studies/ FUELS Voices and Votes Against Fracking Rang Out and Racked Up in 2014 Burch Muldrow was absolutely fed up with Lewis Petroleum. The oil company was bulldozing dirt over a pit full of black, oily sludge on the ranch where he worked as caretaker. Recalling a dramatic incident that happened two years ago, Muldrow said recently that he couldn't just stand by and watch. So he grabbed an empty one-gallon plastic milk jug from the bed of his pickup. http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141231/voices-and-votes-against-fracking-rang-out-and-racked-2014?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=7e308a28d0-InsideClimate_News12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-7e308a28d0-327749509 GREEN ENERGY In California, At Least, The Case For Energy Efficiency Is Building Commercial building owners and managers will invest close to $960 billion globally between now and 2023 to retrofit existing facilities with more energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning, windows, lighting, plumbing fixtures, and other key technologies. http://www.forbes.com/sites/heatherclancy/2014/12/30/in-california-at-least-the-case-for-energy-efficiency-is-building/ 10 Energy Breakthroughs of 2014 That Could Change Your Life >From a new kind of light bulb to a carbon-removing power plant, a dazzling array of new technologies that promise to save energy and help fight global warming debuted this year. They're not just gee-whiz hoverboards—levitating skateboards once considered Hollywood lore that California-based tech firm Hendo has actually managed to build. The developments include practical products for the home, as well as potentially huge advances in how we produce energy and get around. (See related story: "Four 2015 Energy Ideas "Back to the Future" (Almost) Got Right.") http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/12/141231-2014-cool-energy-ideas/ In New Year, Cleaner Fuel Offshore Means Cleaner Air Onshore A key component of one of the most significant health protection measures adopted in the past several years will take effect in the New Year – and Texas is positioned to reap significant benefits. Large ocean-going ships, like container vessels, tankers, and cruise ships are often called floating smokestacks because they have historically burned fuel hundreds to thousands of times dirtier than all other mobile sources, including cars, trucks, trains and construction equipment. http://blogs.edf.org/texascleanairmatters/2014/12/30/in-new-year-cleaner-fuel-offshore-means-cleaner-air-on-land/ Top five stories: Energy and environment It was a busy year on the energy and environment front, from another delay in the review of the Keystone XL pipeline to President Obama unveiling his controversial climate regulations for power plants. Despite being accused of a “war on coal” by Republicans in their successful campaign to win control of the Senate, Obama shifted his climate agenda into high gear after the elections by revealing a deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions with China. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/227928-top-five-stories-energy-and-environment BLOGS CARB Chairman Nichols Discusses Climate, Air Policies with Bloomberg BNA Mary D. Nichols, chairman of the California Air Resources Board, spoke with Bloomberg BNA correspondent Carolyn Whetzel in Los Angeles Dec. 16 about the agency's air quality and climate policies. In this exclusive interview, Nichols discusses what's ahead in the ongoing implementation of the state's landmark Global Warming Solutions Act (A.B. 32) and for the nation's first economywide greenhouse gas emissions cap-and-trade program—now linked with Quebec's carbon market. This interview has been edited for clarity. http://www.bna.com/carb-chairman-nichols-b17179921775/ While Much of the U.S. Shivers, Alaskan Fourth Graders Bemoan a Warm, Snowless December on YouTube While most of the lower 48 states are shivering their way into 2015, in much of Alaska the concern is persistent warmth. Fourth graders at the Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat school in Quinhagak recently caught the attention of some news outlets and climate scientists with a clever video bemoaning a warm and snowless December. The town of about 660 residents, mostly Yup’ik Eskimos, is a mile from the Bering Sea coast. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/while-much-of-the-u-s-shivers-alaskan-fourth-graders-bemoan-a-warm-snowless-december-on-youtube/?_r=0&assetType=opinion Marketing California's "Climate Credit for Cars" to Everyone Starting in January 2015, California's cap and trade program is expanding to include transportation fuels. Gasoline refiners will be required to purchase allowances for the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their product, and at $12 a ton for carbon dioxide, this will raise the price of California gas for consumers by 10 cents a gallon, according to UC Berkeley Professor Severin Borenstein. Consumers will likely not notice the change, given the decrease in the price of oil over the past year and the overall volatility in gas prices. But the funds raised will be substantial. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-sandler/marketing-californias-cli_b_6398554.html California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips. ====================================================================== You are subscribed to the newsclips mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: Please go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv.php and enter your email address and click on the button "Display Email Lists." To unsubscribe, please click inside the appropriate box to uncheck it and go to the bottom of the screen to submit your request. You will receive an automatic email message confirming that you have successfully unsubscribed. Also, please read our listserve disclaimer at http://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/disclaim.htm . The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website at www.arb.ca.gov. ======================================================================