What's New List Serve Post Display

California Air Resources Board News Clips for March 9, 2011. 
 
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 Levels Cut on Power Station Cleanup, CLP Says.  CLP
Holdings Ltd. (2), Hong Kong’s biggest electricity producer, said
it reduced levels of air pollutants last year after introducing
emission-cleaning equipment at its Castle Peak power station.
Sulfur dioxide emissions fell 58 percent from 2009 levels, while
nitrogen oxides and respirable suspended particulates in the
atmosphere both declined 32 percent, according to a CLP statement
released at a media briefing in Hong Kong today. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2011-03-09/air-pollution-levels-cut-on-power-station-cleanup-clp-says-1-.html


GRAY: Clean Air Act’s Past Successes, Potential Pitfalls.  The
Environmental Protection Agency last week released the second
prospective analysis of the costs and benefits of the 1990
Amendments to the Clean Air Act (“1990 CAAA”), ordered by
Congress as part of those amendments. The benefits are nothing
short of extraordinary, and deserve serious attention at a time
of equally serious questions about existing EPA authority with
respect to both carbon dioxide, or CO2, and health-related,
traditional pollution.  Posted. 
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/mar/8/gray-clean-air-act-past-success-potential-pitfalls/


TEMECULA: City Approves Resolution Opposing Liberty Quarry.  The
Temecula City Council took a formal stand Tuesday night against
Granite Construction's Liberty Quarry project.  After hearing
from area residents who fear the project could bring air
pollution and sap Southwest County's economic vitality, the
council voted 5-0 to approve a resolution opposing the quarry. 
Posted. 
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/temecula/article_c21a79b6-2645-5d8a-aaac-9524cadba312.html


CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Capture Projects Gain. The race to deploy carbon capture
and storage projects shifted to North America and away from
Europe last year, according to an annual report on the sector,
but industry watchers are keeping a close eye on China as well.
Carbon-capture technology pulls carbon dioxide from the
smokestacks of coal and other fossil-fuel plants, pressurizes the
gas and pumps it underground from permanent storage.  The
technology is seen by many governments and energy companies as a
key weapon in the battle against climate change. Posted.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704132204576190361206681144.html

Loss Of Satellite Is 'Serious Setback' For Earth Climate
Research. NASA's Glory satellite carried advanced equipment to
help scientists understand how solar irradiation, clouds and
other particles of matter in the atmosphere called aerosols
affect the climate. The loss of a sophisticated observation
satellite in the wake of a NASA rocket launch failure has dealt a
major blow to scientific efforts aimed at understanding how
humans may be affecting Earth's climate. A nine-story Taurus XL
rocket carrying the space agency's Glory satellite was launched
early Friday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara
County. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-climate-satellite-20110309,0,5481056,print.story

DIESEL EMISSIONS

TRU Rule Takes Effect; Enforcement On March 31. California’s
Office of Administrative Law (OAL) has approved the transport
refrigeration unit (TRU) rulemaking that was adopted November 18,
2010 by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This
rulemaking was filed with California Secretary of State, and due
to the request for an early effective date, the regulatory action
took effect March 7, 2011. Enforcement of in-use performance
standards for model year 2003 TRU engines begins March 31, 2011.
Posted.
http://refrigeratedtrans.com/refrigeration/equipment/tru_rulemaking_takes_effect_0309/

FUELS

AAA Survey Shows California Has Highest U.S. Gas Prices. The
steep increases in the monthly gas price survey released today by
AAA Northern California resembled year-end summaries of years
past. Statewide, the average price of unleaded regular was $3.91
a gallon, up 50 cents from the Feb. 8 AAA survey. In Northern
California, the month-to-month increase was 48 cents for an
average of 3.90 a gallon. Bay Area motorists were enduring an
average of $3.96 a gallon, also up 48 cents from last month. AAA
said California now has the highest average gas price among all
50 states. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/03/08/v-print/3459127/sacramento-area-gas-prices-jump.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/09/BUJI1I6OF0.DTL
http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_17567472?nclick_check=1

Save Fuel, Save Lives With These Proven Gas-Saving Tips. As fuel
prices zoom, the advice-givers emerge, unbidden, to tell us ways
to save fuel. The average price of unleaded gasoline is $3.517 a
gallon, AAA reported Tuesday, and that's up a stiff 39.3 cents in
a month and a heftier 76.4 cents the past year. That's an
average, so don't be surprised to find $4-plus gasoline some
places. A woman gets gas at a Shell station in San Francisco on
March 7, 2011. On thinks a lot of the fuel-saving suggestions
that make the rounds are half-baked and all-but-worthless. But
some are OK, and others wind up being good safety tips, never
mind whether they'd save much fuel. Posted.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/03/save-fuel-save-lives-try-these-two-fer-gas-saving-tips/1

GREEN ENERGY

When Energy Efficiency Sullies the Environment.  For the sake of
a cleaner planet, should Americans wear dirtier clothes?  This is
not a simple question, but then, nothing about dirty laundry is
simple anymore. We’ve come far since the carefree days of 1996,
when Consumer Reports tested some midpriced top-loaders and
reported that “any washing machine will get clothes clean.” 
Posted. 
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/science/08tier.html?scp=5&sq=fuels&st=cse


Snyder Signs Farm Environmental Program Bills.  LANSING, Mich.
(AP) - Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday signed his first two
bills into law, measures to expand a voluntary program to help
farmers be better environmental stewards and reward those that
meet certain standards with less state oversight and protection
from some legal liabilities.  Posted. 
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/mar/08/snyder-to-sign-farm-environmental-program/

Wash. Passes Calif. In Luring Private Renewable Energy
Investment. Washington state surpassed California last year as
the top state for venture capital and private equity flowing to
renewable power, according to a new report from a renewable
advocacy group. The Evergreen State was the home of nine
renewable deals from 2009-2010 worth $7.514 billion invested,
says the report from the American Council on Renewable Energy.
The group compiled existing data on renewables in every state in
the country. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2011/03/09/8

VEHICLES

Valley Congressman Rips High-Speed Rail Plan. Washington – House
Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday denounced California's
current high-speed rail plans, further clouding the political
future of an ambitious project running through his own Central
Valley hometown. The fourth-generation Bakersfield native said
California and the federal government would both be wise to avoid
spending billions of dollars on a train he predicted would become
a money sink. "In today's world, is that the best place to put
the money? The answer is no," McCarthy told reporters. "I don't
think it's a smart investment." Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/03/09/v-print/3460420/valley-congressman-rips-high-speed.html

Aerovironment's Profit Soars 76%. Monrovia-based AeroVironment's
earnings rise to $11.5 million, helped by an increase in sales of
drones to the U.S. military. Bolstered by an increase in sales of
drones to the U.S. military, Monrovia-based AeroVironment Inc.
posted a 76% profit gain in its fiscal third quarter. Earnings
for the quarter that ended Jan. 29 rose to $11.5 million, or 52
cents a share, compared with $6.5 million, or 30 cents, a year
earlier. Analysts on average had forecast a profit of 38 cents a
share. 
Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-aerovironment-earnings-20110309,0,6652742,print.story

Ford Has Another Car With 40 Mpg.  Just in time for $4-a-gallon
gasoline prices, the 2012 Ford Focus compact arrives as a
handsome new model with head-turning fuel mileage, comfortable
ride and luxury options not usually found in small cars.  Posted.
 http://www.modbee.com/2011/03/09/1590680/ford-has-another-car-with-40-mpg.html

http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/03/09/2302457/ford-has-another-car-with-40-mpg.html#storylink=misearch

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/09/AR2011030901965.html

OPINION

Help Keep Our Air Clean.  Keeping your readers abreast of factors
that affect the health of young and old is commendable and
appreciated. Mark Grossi's March 1 front-page article warns us,
yet again, that we are not "out of the woods" in attaining
consistently healthy levels of air quality.  Posted. 
http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/03/09/2301529/help-keep-our-air-clean.html#storylink=misearch


Keep Harmful Liberty Quarry Out Of Region.  With all due respect
to Cindy Roth, there is absolutely no shortage of aggregate
resources ("OK quarry; it will bring jobs, tax revenue," Feb.
26). Southern California is full of aggregate, though it may not
be permitted to be mined as of yet.  Posted. 
http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/localviews/stories/PE_OpEd_Opinion_D_op_quarry_loc_09.1d04dd0.html


BLOGS

On Our Radar: $2 Billion Carbon Bill for European Airlines. 
European airlines will spend nearly $2 billion on carbon dioxide
emissions permits next year as European Union rules on emissions
take effect, financial analysts estimate. Under the rules, the
number of free carbon permits allocated to airlines will shrink
considerably beginning in 2012. By 2020, the cost of permits to
the industry could climb to almost $10 billion annually.  Posted.
 http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/on-our-radar-2-billion-carbon-bill-for-european-airlines/


(Video) NPR Officers Compare Deniers Of Climate Change To
Birthers And Flat Earth Believers.  Senior Vice President of NPR
Ron Schiller met with individuals he believed to be potential
donors. However, undercover video was running during this
meeting. In the following clip, Mr. Schiller and his co-worker
Betsy Liley describe how NPR covers those who deny climate change
is happening.  Posted. 
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/mar/8/video-npr-sr-vp-climate-change-deniers-wont-be-cov/