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California Air Resources Board News Clips for December 21, 2010.


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.

DIESEL EMISSIONS

Clean-Air Rules On Diesel Emissions May Be Helping California
Keep Its Cool. Soot, which comes from diesel engines and the
burning of biomass, accounts for 1.5 million deaths per year
globally. Clean-air rules on diesel trucks may be helping
California keep its cool New data show that two decades of
air-pollution regulations in California for trucks running on
diesel fuel have cut levels of black carbon, the main component
of soot, in half. New data show that two decades of air-pollution
regulations in California for trucks running on diesel fuel have
cut levels of black carbon, the main component of soot, in half.
Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/20/AR2010122004296.html

EPA Awards $5M Grant to Retrofit Trucks for Clean Diesel. The EPA
has awarded $5 million to the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
to help Southern truckers and businesses buy cleaner big rigs.
The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $5 million to the
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to help Southern truckers and
businesses buy cleaner big rigs. The Environmental Protection
Agency has awarded $5 million to the Southern Alliance for Clean
Energy to help Southern truckers and businesses buy cleaner big
rigs. Posted.
http://eponline.com/articles/2010/12/21/epa-awards-5m-grant-to-retrofit-trucks-for-clean-diesel.aspx

House Passes DERA - $500M Diesel Retrofit Program Headed to
President's Desk. Just a few moments ago, the House of
Representatives passed a bill that will help accelerate the
clean-up of America’s millions of dirty diesels.  This bill, the
Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2010 (S. 3973/ H.R. 6482) will
be on President Obama’s desk for his expected signature shortly.
As I wrote in greater detail last week, the bill authorizes $500
million in diesel clean-up funds over the next five years. 
Posted.
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/rkassel/house_passes_dera_-_500m_diese.html

Diesel Prices Keep Going Up, Up And Away. On-highway diesel
prices have risen 52.2 cents a gallon since this time last year.
Washington — "Up, Up and Away" is a 1967 song written by Jimmy
Webb and recorded by The 5th Dimension. The lyrics talk about
taking a trip in a beautiful balloon. Something else is going up,
up and away these days and there's nothing beautiful about it —
diesel prices. The average weekly retail on-highway diesel prices
jumped another 1.7 cents to $3.248 for the week ending Dec. 20,
according to the Energy Information Administration of the
Department of Energy. Posted.
http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2010/12/20/Dieselpriceskeepgoingupupandaway.aspx

CLIMATE CHANGE

California Approves Cap and Trade, But Toughest Decisions Lie
Ahead. What was left to do later is almost as revealing – and
important – as what was done. California’s environmental
bureaucracy took a series of huge, grinding steps forward last
week, approving several measures that make the state an
unquestioned world leader on climate policy. Exactly where that
path is leading, however, remains unclear. The state Air
Resources Board and the Public Utilities Commission voted last
Thursday and Friday to adopt a cap-and-trade system, approve a
subsidy program for energy efficiency by major utilities and
finalize regulations against diesel soot from trucks. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS335987064520101221

Study: Rivers Now a Source of Greenhouse Gases. Rivers may be a
significant source of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide,
scientists now find. Their calculation suggests that across the
globe the waterways contribute three times the amount of nitrous
oxide to the atmosphere as had been estimated by the
International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations
scientific body charged with reviewing climate change research.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-20026295-501465.html

Global Rivers Emit 3 Times IPCC Estimates of Greenhouse Gas
Nitrous Oxide. What goes in must come out, a truism that now may
be applied to global river networks. Human-caused nitrogen
loading to river networks is a potentially important source of
nitrous oxide emission to the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide is a
potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change and
stratospheric ozone destruction.
http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2010/12/21/global-rivers-emit-three-times-ipcc-estimates-of-greenhouse-gas-nitrous-oxide.html

EPA Delays Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rules. The Obama
administration, facing industry complaints about confidentiality,
is delaying a measure to force companies to disclose the amount
of fuel and solvents associated with their greenhouse-gas
emissions.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/12/epa-delays-greenhouse-gas-reporting-rules/1

CO2-Market Talks between EU, Switzerland to Start in Early 2011:
The European Union and Switzerland will seek to connect their
greenhouse-gas markets in a bid to step up the fight against
climate change. EU governments authorized the start of talks to
link the emissions-trading systems of the 27-nation bloc and
Switzerland. The EU system is the world’s biggest greenhouse-gas
market.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-20/co2-market-talks-between-eu-switzerland-to-start-in-early-2011.html

Biting Winters Driven By Global Warming: Scientists: Paris —
Counter-intuitive but true, say scientists: a string of freezing
European winters scattered over the last decade has been driven
in large part by global warming. The culprit, according to a new
study, is the Arctic's receding surface ice, which at current
rates of decline could to disappear entirely during summer months
by century's end.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hwIixVf3dEodLigiCqing9TAv-6A?docId=CNG.3b29b364e92472d3587fc96ce6d6698b.301

EPA Won't Delay Emission Rules, Jackson Tells Issa. U.S. EPA
won't reopen the public comment period for the guidance on its
new climate regulations or give businesses more time to prepare
for them, Administrator Lisa Jackson said yesterday in response
to an inquiry by the incoming chairman of the House Oversight and
Government Reform Committee. Starting on Jan. 2, 2011, the
developers of new power plants, refineries and other
high-emitting industrial facilities will need permits showing
that they are using the best technology available to limit their
greenhouse gas emissions. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2010/12/21/5

AIR POLLUTION

Shaky Science Plagues New Clean Air Laws. Diesel operators must
reduce their emissions, but have a little more flexibility in
doing so thanks to some changes to the state's clean air laws.
The reason for the change: The California Clean Air Board made a
"major miscalculation" regarding the pollution generated by
diesel. After the admission, diesel operators requested lenience,
and the board granted their request. That will save polluters
from spending billions on costly retrofits, but could in turn
increase asthma rates. The miscalculating is in part due to
reduced usage of heavy machinery. Posted.
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Shaky-Science-Plagues-New-Clean-Air-Laws-112199259.html

FUELS

Fuel Industry Challenge to EPA Rejected by Court. A federal
appeals court rejected an oil industry challenge to a new
Environmental Protection Agency rule requiring more biofuels in
gasoline and diesel, saying the agency properly carried out its
mandate on energy independence. The U.S. Court of Appeals in
Washington today turned down claims that regulations on fuel sold
in the U.S. were retroactive and that the EPA missed a crucial
deadline in setting up the regulation. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-21/fuel-industry-challenge-to-epa-rejected-by-court-update1-.html

Used Cooking Oil Converted to Bio Diesel Helps Vehicle Fleets
Reduce Emissions. New Leaf Biofuel is a San Diego based biodiesel
company focused on transforming the way companies fuel their
vehicle fleets. New Leaf BioFuel collects used cooking oil from
roughly 1,000 local restaurants and converts it to biodiesel
fuel. It sells the biodiesel to distributors who sell the fuel to
customers running green fleets of diesel trucks. Vehicles run
cleaner and quieter on biodiesel and the fleet emissions are much
better.  Posted.
http://www.fieldtechnologies.com/used-cooking-oil-converted-to-bio-diesel-helps-vehicle-fleets-reduce-emissions/

GREEN ENERGY

SF Shutting Down Power Plant Jan. 1. San Francisco's last fossil
fuel power plant will start the new year by shutting down. The
Potrero Hill plant, one of the dirtiest in California, will cease
operations on Jan. 1, state officials are expected to announce
today. The plant, operated by Houston-based GenOn Energy Inc.,
formerly Mirant Corp., could be fired up in the event of a
dramatic power emergency before being decommissioned permanently
on Feb. 28, officials said. "Cross your fingers," said Yakout
Mansour, president of the California Independent System Operator,
which oversees the state power grid. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/21/MN7G1GTAGE.DTL&type=printable

Fuel Cells Popping Up In California. An office park in Alhambra
is about to start drawing a quarter of its electricity from the
devices. It joins commercial properties in more than 40 cities
statewide. Behind a chain-link fence next to a parking structure
at an office park in the San Gabriel Valley sit five softly
humming gray boxes that could change the way homes and offices
are powered. On Tuesday, the boxes — each somewhat bigger than an
SUV — will begin generating enough electricity to power about a
quarter of the complex, saving the property owner about $500,000
a year in electricity bills. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fi-bloom-box-20101221,0,2576333.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews+%28L.A.+Times+-+Top+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Wind Energy Company Moving Headquarters To KC.  A
California-based wind turbine manufacturer is moving its
headquarters and production operations to a site in Kansas City
International Airport, where the company plans to create more
than 200 new jobs over the next six years. Missouri Gov. Jay
Nixon hailed Nordic Windpower USA as the type technology company
his administration has been working to bring to the state. His
administration approved $5.6 million in incentives for the
company to make the move. Posted.
http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California/MO_Wind_Energy_Missouri_Incentives_545711C.shtml

VEHICLES

Long-Gone Madera Co. Town Begins High-Speed Rail Line. Madera --
When the California High-Speed Rail Authority announced that it
wanted to start building its future 800-mile train system near
Borden, a cry arose across the state: "Where the heck is Borden?"
It's a fair question, said Fermin Huarte. "I think I'm probably
one of the few people around here who even realize where Borden
is," said Huarte, 77, who lives about a half-mile from where the
town once thrived -- west of Highway 99 and north of Avenue 12.
Posted.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/12/20/2205511/long-gone-madera-co-town-named.html

California To Spend Another $1.2 Billion To Extend First Leg Of
High-Speed Rail. After coming under attack for approving a
multibillion-dollar "train to nowhere," California will spend
another $1.2 billion to bring the line closer to "somewhere,"
that is, from the outskirts of Fresno to an area near
Bakersfield. The California High-Speed Rail Authority board voted
unanimously Monday to extend construction of the first segment of
track across as many as 120 miles in the Central Valley at a cost
of up to $5.5 billion. Posted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16908398?source=rss&nclick_check=1

GMC Shows Heavy-Duty Off-Road Pickup Concept. General Motors is
showcasing a new heavy-duty off-road concept pickup aimed at
commercial users and consumers alike who operate their vehicles
in rougher-than-normal terrain. The GMC Sierra All Terrain HD
concept is an exploration of heavy-duty truck capability combined
with greater off-road versatility, GM said. The concept features
a modified, production-based 4WD chassis and the Sierra’s Duramax
diesel/Allison 1000 six-speed powertrain. 
Posted.
http://fleetowner.com/management/news/gmc-heavy-duty-off-road-pickup-1221/

Next Jeep Compass Could Get Diesel Power. Jeep‘s entry-level
Compass model could get a diesel powerplant when the current
soft-roader is replaced with an all-new model in 2013. According
to officials at Chrysler, the replacement vehicle for both the
Compass and Patriot could get an oil-burner which would be
sourced from Chrysler’s new Italian owners at Fiat. Currently the
Compass is sold with a diesel engine in other markets, although
that powerplant is made by Mercedes-Benz, making 164-hp and 236
ft-lbs of torque while getting 43-mpg.
Posted.http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2010/12/next-jeep-compass-could-get-diesel-power.html

All-Electric Trash Truck Cleans Up a Dirty Job. The makers of a
new all-electric trash truck soon to be plying the streets of a
Paris suburb promise that the only fumes coming from the truck
will involve rotten fruit and expired cheese, not clouds of
diesel exhaust.
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/12/all-electric-trash-truck-cleans-up-a-dirty-job/

MISCELLANEOUS

Californians Continue To Kick The Cigarette Habit. The state's
percentage of smokers drops faster than the national average.
Gender, income and other factors affect results. The percentage
of California adults who smoke has continued to drop more than
the national average, according to new data released Monday by
state health officials. Still, deep disparities exist depending
on gender, education, income, ethnicity and region. Overall,
Californians remain significantly less likely to smoke than
people in the rest of the country, with 13.1% of adults surveyed
statewide saying they smoked last year compared with 21% of
adults nationwide. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-smoking-20101221,0,5647414.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Flocal+%28L.A.+Times+-+California+|+Local+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

OPINION

An Air Of Unfairness. Thumb down. Some trucking company operators
are fuming over the state Air Resources Board decision Friday to
delay by four years a $5.5 billion rule requiring the companies
to clean up their rigs. The recession, which hit truckers just as
hard as everybody else, is the reason for considering the delay.
But there are understandable complaints by some that the state
keeps changing the rules and that those who already have sunk
money into meeting the new standards and the current compliance
deadline are being put at a competitive disadvantage to the foot
draggers. Posted. 
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101221/A_OPINION01/12210306/-1/A_OPINION

Wallets To Get Leaner On Too Much CARB. The California Air
Resources Board did what Congress, the United Nations and
President Barack Obama failed to do: approve a cap-and-trade
scheme to curb greenhouse gas emissions that may well deliver a
near-lethal blow to commerce and economic freedoms. Even
advocates concede that, if fully implemented, the new Draconian
controls won't turn the global thermostat down a fraction of a
degree, which ostensibly is why they are needed. That's
especially true considering China and India alone plan to
increase emissions more than California will reduce. Posted.
http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/california-281056-emissions-new.html

Why Cancun Trumped Copenhagen: Warmer Relations On Rising
Temperatures. The climate change talks in Cancun, Mexico, didn’t
solve all the world’s climate problems. But they were hugely
successful. Through the Cancun Agreements, 194 countries reached
landmark consensus (even the US and China) to set emissions
targets and limit global temperature increases.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2010/1220/Why-Cancun-trumped-Copenhagen-Warmer-relations-on-rising-temperatures