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newsclips -- CARB Newsclips for September 14, 2017.
Posted: 14 Sep 2017 14:47:34
CARB Newsclips for September 14, 2017. 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. CARB BUSINESS The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) will conduct a public meeting at the time and place noted below to consider updates to CARB’s Enforcement Policy. DATE: September 28, 2017 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: California Environmental Protection Agency California Air Resources Board Byron Sher Auditorium, 2nd Floor 1001 I Street Sacramento, California 95814 The draft Enforcement Policy may also be obtained from CARB’s website at: https://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/policy2017.htm ____________________________________ The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) will conduct a public hearing at the time and place noted below to consider approving for adoption the proposed amendments to California Evaluation Procedures for New Aftermarket Catalytic Converters. DATE: September 28, 2017 TIME: 9:00 A.M. LOCATION: California Environmental Protection Agency California Air Resources Board Byron Sher Auditorium 1001 I Street Sacramento, California 95814 Electronic submittal: http://www.arb.ca.gov/lispub/comm/bclist.php ________________________________________________________ CAP AND TRADE Hearing on cap-and-trade spending deal gets testy. Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders may have reached a deal on spending $1.5 billion in cap-and-trade revenue, but some Democrats still have concerns. Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) wondered during a budget hearing on Wednesday how much of the appropriations "were designed to meet certain expectations" of different interest groups… http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-cap-and-trade-funding-1505321233-htmlstory.html AIR POLLUTION Air Pollution From Industry Plagues Houston In Harvey's Wake. On the first sunny day in Houston after about 50 inches of rain, residents in the east Houston community of Manchester emerged from their homes and gave thanks that their neighborhood had been spared in the floods. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/09/14/550472740/air-pollution-from-industry-plagues-houston-in-harveys-wake Bay Area air regulators cite Russian diplomats for mysterious smoke over now-shuttered consular office. Russian diplomats were cited this week for violating Bay Area burning restrictions after smoke was seen billowing from their consular office in San Francisco, a day before it was closed under federal order. Regulators with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District do not know what diplomats were burning that produced the thick, black smoke… http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-smoke-russian-consulate-san-francisco-20170913-story.html Pruitt endorses bid to ease regs for some industries. U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is offering broad-brush support for a legislative package that would undercut existing air quality requirements for a select few industries. The four bills — which got a hearing yesterday from the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment — would carve out exemptions or extend compliance deadlines from… https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2017/09/14/stories/1060060627 CLIMATE CHANGE Monster Storms Change Coastlines, Not Minds on Climate Change. Back-to-back hurricanes fueled by warm Atlantic waters may have altered the coasts of Texas and Florida, but there’s no indication they are shifting the politics of climate change. “We cannot ignore that carbon emissions are causing our ocean temperatures to get warmer, which is fueling more powerful hurricanes,"… https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-14/monster-storms-change-coastlines-not-minds-on-climate-change New York City to Require Big Buildings to Cut Carbon Emissions. New York City will require large buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as part of the city’s goal of cutting total emissions 80 percent by 2050. Mayor Bill de Blasio is calling on owners to reduce their use of fossil fuels and boost energy-efficiency… https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-14/new-york-city-to-require-big-buildings-to-cut-carbon-emissions Some good news about global warming for once — plants are speeding up their use of carbon. As carbon dioxide continues to build in the atmosphere — thanks to the burning of fossil fuels — scientists are busy figuring out how life on earth is adapting to its effects. And now, new research reinforces the idea that the world’s plant life is adjusting in a subtle, but deeply significant, way. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/09/14/some-good-news-about-global-warming-for-once-plants-are-speeding-up-their-use-of-carbon/?utm_term=.aca2ab7b20a0 McCain resumes his quest for climate change action. The senator bucks his party on climate change, after years of silence. On Sunday, Sen. John McCain said it’s time to sit down again and figure out some “common-sense solutions” to climate change. The Arizona Republican made his cautious remarks on CNN when asked why others in his party act as if climate change is not real. http://www.hcn.org/articles/sen-john-mccain-resumes-his-quest-for-action-on-climate-change Exxon's Records Refusal Rejected on Appeal in Climate Probe. Exxon Mobil Corp. can’t refuse to turn over accounting records sought by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who is probing whether investors were misled about the possible impact of climate change on the company’s business, the state’s top court ruled. http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/exxons-records-refusal-rejected-on-appeal-in-climate-probe/ar-AArPWqM Island leaders say Irma devastation shows costs of warming. The monster hurricane that ripped through the Caribbean last weekend is stirring up old divisions about compensation for poor countries that bear the brunt of climate-driven damage. Hurricane Irma struck the region as a Category 5 storm, killing at least 37 people and decimating small islands like St. Martin, Barbuda, and Turks and Caicos. https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2017/09/14/stories/1060060649 DIESEL ACTIVITIES Renewable diesel use in California moves to fast track. Renewable diesel sounds like a contradiction in terms. But planners for the Capitol Corridor trains, which run between the Bay Area and the Sacramento region, see it as a way to slash climate-warming emissions. “It’s pretty exciting for our industry,” said Jim Allison, manager of planning for the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority. http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Renewable-diesel-use-in-California-moves-to-fast-12195892.php FUELS Computing more efficient biofuel production. A new computational method to rapidly screen the effects of point mutations in bacteria has the potential to make biofuel production more efficient. The conversion of fibrous plant waste such as corn stalks and wood shavings into fermentable simple sugars is a basic requirement of biofuel production, but the process is far from simple. Bacteria must break down tough leaves, stems and other cellulosic matter resistant to degradation to turn them into usable fuel. http://biofuels-news.com/display_news/12879/computing_more_efficient_biofuel_production/ Methane leak bill passes, seeks renewables, storage, efficiency. Clean energy and power storage won boosts yesterday in a bill passed by California's Legislature, one triggered by the massive methane leak at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage site. S.B. 801 from state Sen. Henry Stern (D) orders the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to maximize energy efficiency, renewable energy and conservation. https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2017/09/14/stories/1060060643 VEHICLES As German Election Looms, Politicians Face Voters’ Wrath for Ties to Carmakers. Sometimes it is hard to tell where the German government ends and the auto industry begins. Daimler and Volkswagen’s top lobbyists were once close aides to Chancellor Angela Merkel. The foreign minister, Sigmar Gabriel, used to sit on Volkswagen’s supervisory board. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/business/germany-diesel-election.html Would you buy an electric car if you could use the carpool lane alone? How can California convince more drivers to go electric? Perhaps by letting them take the carpool lane. Assembly Bill 544, which was sent to the governor’s desk on Wednesday, would extend through 2025 a decal program that allows low-emission cars into high-occupancy vehicle lanes, even when the driver is riding solo. It passed the Assembly on a 51-10 vote. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article173208651.html#storylink=cpy GREEN ENERGY California clean energy proposals face demise as opposition fails to yield. California has grown accustomed to setting benchmark after benchmark on environmental policies, but ambitious efforts to spread renewable energy around the state and the region could grind to a halt this week. One proposal, Senate Bill 100 from Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), would phase out fossil fuels for… http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-california-clean-energy-stall-20170914-story.html California’s clean-energy bill is in trouble. A major clean-energy bill championed by California’s Senate leader is languishing in the state Assembly and may not get a vote in the final days of this year’s legislative session. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León’s SB 100, a commitment to generating 100 percent of the state’s electricity from clean-energy sources by the end of 2045… http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/13/californias-clean-energy-bill-is-in-trouble/ . World's largest brewer to buy wind farm's electricity. Anheuser-Busch InBev, the parent company of Budweiser and the world's largest brewer, has agreed to purchase electricity from a wind farm in Oklahoma. The brewer struck the deal with Enel Green Power, which is constructing the 298-megawatt Thunder Ranch wind farm in the northern part of the state. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/09/14/stories/1060060685 MISCELLANEOUS Smoking pot or tobacco at California beaches could soon be illegal under bills headed to Gov. Brown. California parks and beaches would be off-limits to those smoking tobacco or marijuana, or using electronic cigarettes, under legislation sent to Gov. Jerry Brown by state lawmakers Wednesday. The Legislature approved similar bills by “… http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-smoking-including-pot-would-be-barred-1505343548-htmlstory.html OPINIONS GOP denies climate change, America pays the price. The frequency, intensity and duration of weather-related events is in fact rising. To deny what's already occurred is the highest form of ignorance. Let’s check in with two of America’s foremost experts on climate change. It’s a hoax, President Trump has said, invented by the Chinese. It’s a plot by the media and retailers to gin up fear… https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/09/14/trump-limbaugh-scott-pruitt-deny-climate-change-america-pays-price-paul-brandus-column/663405001/ Climate change hurts our low-income communities. There are few places as close to the roots of climate change as my hometown, Richmond, Calif. Trapped next to the Chevron Refinery, I see plumes of pollution streaming into the air each time I look out my window. In fact, it wasn’t until college that I realized that the city’s alarm-system, tested routinely every month, was unique to my upbringing. http://www.sfexaminer.com/climate-change-hurts-low-income-communities/ Scott Pruitt criticizes Obama as 'environmental savior,' moves EPA away from climate change. Few Trump administration agency chiefs have moved as decisively to implement an agenda as Scott Pruitt, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and he's quite clear about what he wants to do. He calls it a "back to the basics" agenda… http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/scott-pruitt-criticizes-obama-as-environmental-savior-moves-epa-away-from-climate-change/article/2634253 Clean energy crucial for California. Look around lately and it’s hard to ignore evidence of chaos fueled by our changing climate. From the barrage of hurricanes in the Atlantic to the raging wildfires and heat waves throughout the West, climate change is here already and it refuses to be ignored. In the last week, everyone from Miami’s Republican mayor to Pope Francis has affirmed the need for swift action. http://capitolweekly.net/clean-energy-california/ Invest cap-and-trade funds in Gold Line light-rail extension: Guest commentary. California lawmakers should support the recent request made by state Senators Anthony Portantino and Connie Leyva and Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez to utilize cap-and-trade program funds to complete the Foothill Gold Line light-rail project from Glendora to Montclair. It would a wise investment with guaranteed dividends. http://www.sgvtribune.com/opinion/20170914/invest-cap-and-trade-funds-in-gold-line-light-rail-extension-guest-commentary Democratic priorities collide, as legislators side with unions over high-tech companies that are driving California’s economy. In a Meet the Press interview in March, Gov. Jerry Brown blasted the Trump administration’s threat to cut off funds to California if it becomes a “sanctuary state” for illegal immigrants. “We’re the innovation capital, high-tech, agriculture, $40 to $50 billion industry. https://spectator.org/unions-threaten-states-one-economic-bright-spot/ Clean Energy Leads to Clean Air for California. The Los Angeles region is home to some of the worst air quality in the country. During the long, hot days of summer, Angelenos face continued unhealthy air days. It’s not just a problem for our region. Ninety percent of Californians live in areas that experience poor air quality at some point during the year. That cannot continue. The American Lung Association’s State of the Air Report 2017 showed that California cities are among the most polluted in the country. http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2017/09/clean-energy-leads-clean-air-california/ BLOGS Ethanol to Gasoline Switch Raises Nanoparticles in Air. Using ethanol instead of gasoline as a car fuel can reduce emissions of ultrafine particles by a third, which benefits human health and the environment, according to a new study. The research, carried out in Sao Paulo, Brazil, found that environmental concentrations of particles with a diameter of 7-100 nanometers (nm) increase by 30 per cent when higher prices of ethanol forces… http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/52503 Harvey and Irma aren’t natural disasters. They’re climate change disasters. If you’re like me, you can’t stop yourself from watching the weather these days. And if you’re like me, you can’t help but think: Holy shit, it’s here. Back-to-back hurricane catastrophes have plunged the United States into a state of national crisis. We’ve already seen one worst-case scenario in Texas:… http://www.salon.com/2017/09/14/harvey-and-irma-arent-natural-disasters-they-are-climate-change-disasters_partner/ If Halting Climate Change Means Slowing The Economy, So Be It. If GDP goes down while other measures of well-being increase, what have we truly lost? What does climate change have to do with economic growth? Canada's prime minister and premiers signed a deal in December to "grow our economy, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and build resilience to the impacts of a changing climate." http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/david-suzuki/if-halting-climate-change-means-slowing-the-economy-so-be-it_a_23206631/ California Is Going To Use Cap And Trade Revenue To Fund Clean Buses, Trucks, And Cars. California Governor Jerry Brown is serious about climate change. He is the picking up the slack that President Trump left behind when he got out of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Brown is hosting his own climate change summit in California in 2017, and several political leaders and environmentalists… http://norcal.news/news/24023-california-going-use-cap-and-trade-revenue-fund-clean-buses-trucks-and-cars County Reduces Emissions Equal to Removing 6.500 Cars From Roads. County staff, residents and businesses have made strides reducing global warming pollution, as called for in the County’s Energy and Climate Action Plan. Working together, the County and community have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 30,605 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent. https://www.edhat.com/news/county-reduces-emissions-equal-to-removing-6500-cars-from-roads California to Take Up Crucial Clean Energy Reform in January. California’s legislature made significant clean energy progress in 2017, but one box will remain unchecked as it moves to September recess—enhancement and integration of the Western electric grid. By not authorizing changes in how the grid is managed, this session, lawmakers are delaying a prime opportunity to reduce utility bills… https://www.nrdc.org/experts/ralph-cavanagh/california-take-crucial-clean-energy-reform-january