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California Air Resources Board News Clips for May 12, 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

Sacramento Region Likely To Pass One-Hour Ozone Standard, EPA
Says. It’s taken years, but the Sacramento region is on the verge
of meeting a key federal clean air hurdle. U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency officials say they likely will rule next month
that Sacramento has met the Clean Air Act's critical one-hour
ozone standard, nearly six years after the original federal
deadline. The region, long troubled by hazy skies, has struggled
to meet U.S. standards, in part because of local topography. Air
pressure traps pollution in the Valley at the edge of the
foothills for extended periods.  Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/12/3620923/sacramento-region-likely-to-pass.html
http://www.modbee.com/2011/05/12/1684916/sacramento-region-likely-to-pass.html

S.J. Adds 4th Air Monitor Station. Manteca - Students gasping for
air as they run the track at Sierra High School can now get
hour-by-hour information about exactly how clean - or how dirty -
that air is. Air quality officials have constructed San Joaquin
County's fourth air monitoring station, a high-tech and unmanned
system of machines in a nondescript building tucked into a corner
of the south county campus. Posted.
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110512/A_NEWS/105120323/-1/NEWSMAP&template=printart
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/article/23363/
http://www.kcra.com/news/27854594/detail.html

Yolo County, Sacramento Getting More Fresh Air - But Not Fresh
Enough. Improvements are outpacing population growth, report
says. Take a deep breath. Chances are you're breathing cleaner
air than Yolo County or Sacramento residents have inhaled in
decades -- and it looks like it's getting better, thanks to state
regulations. But the air is still shy of the EPA requirements --
and local officials are traveling as far as Washington to lobby
against possible changes to transportation funds that could
follow after years of air quality violations. Posted.
http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_18048011

SAN BERNARDINO: Rail Yard Pollution Is More Toxic Than In Other
Areas. Research by UCLA scientists is finding more bad news about
the air near the busy BNSF rail yard in southwest San Bernardino.
Compared to areas next to two other major Southern California
rail yards, the air near the San Bernardino yard is more toxic,
said John Froines, a UCLA environmental health sciences professor
and nationally known expert in fine-particle pollution. Froines
announced his findings Wednesday to members of an Inland task
force dedicated to solving environmental problems. Posted.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_railair12.3ed5560.html

EPA Agrees To Rethink Parts Of New Cement Kiln. U.S. EPA
announced yesterday that it will reconsider some aspects of its
new standards on hazardous air pollution from cement plants, but
it won't delay the regulations as the cement industry had asked.

Both cement companies and environmental groups had filed
petitions asking EPA to take another look at the regulations,
which will limit the amount of toxic emissions that cement kilns
are allowed to release into the air. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2011/05/12/2

CLIMATE CHANGE

Sierra Club Challenges Governor On Cap-And-Trade. A leading
environmental group has called on Gov. Jerry Brown to take
another look at the cap-and-trade rule adopted by the Air
Resources Board late last year, saying it doesn't go far enough
to meet standards set by the state to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. In a letter sent Monday, Sierra Club Director Bill
Magavern says the rule change approved at the end of former Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's term "has some serious flaws that will
limit its effectiveness in reducing emissions and gen- erating
green jobs…Posted. 
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/12/v-print/3620885/sierra-club-challenges-governor.html

Public Doubts on Climate Change Delay Urgent Action, Report Says.
Public misconceptions of climate change have thwarted urgently
needed U.S. efforts to reduce emissions blamed for global
warming, according to a report from the National Research Council
of the National Academies. The media sometimes present aspects of
climate change that are well-established as if they were “matters
of serious debate,” according to the report released today in
Washington. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2011-05-12/public-doubts-on-climate-change-delay-urgent-action-report-says.html

Panel Says US Must Act Now To Curb Global Warming. Washington --
An expert panel asked by Congress to recommend ways to deal with
global warming said Thursday that the U.S. should not wait to
reduce the pollution responsible and any efforts to delay action
would be shortsighted. But that's exactly what Republicans and
some Democrats in Congress are trying to do. With a majority in
the House and many freshman lawmakers skeptical of the science
behind climate change, Republicans are pushing measures to block
the federal government from controlling greenhouse gases. 
Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/12/3622297/panel-says-us-must-act-now-to.html

FUELS

AE Biofuels Re-Starts 55 Million Gallon Per Year Ethanol
Production Facility In Keyes, California.  CUPERTINO, CalifAE
Biofuels, Inc. (OTC:AEBF), a global advanced biofuels company,
today announced its wholly owned ethanol subsidiary AE Advanced
Fuels Keyes, Inc. (AE Keyes) has restarted operations at the 55
million gallon per year ethanol production facility located in
Keyes, California. Approximately 50 full time employees have been
hired at the AE Keyes facility.  Posted. 
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110512005506/en/AE-Biofuels-Re-Starts-55-Million-Gallon-Year

Federal Subsidies Have Limited Impact On Record Corn Prices –
Study. New economic modeling shows that ethanol isn't responsible
for huge run-ups in corn prices over the past several years,
according to researchers who instead point to weather, the
recession and general commodity price increases as major cost
drivers. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2011/05/12/6

GREEN ENERGY

Eight North Bay Small Businesses Recognized As ‘Climate-Smart’. 
Eight North Bay companies were among 23 small businesses the
California Air Resources Board recognized Tuesday at its second
CoolCalifornia.org Small Business Award ceremony for
“climate-smart actions.”  The award-winners were selected from 85
applicants.  Criteria were actions taken to save money and
improve operations, facilities and practices while reducing
greenhouse-gas emissions.  Posted. 
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/33761/eight-north-bay-small-businesses-recognized-as-climate-smart/?tc=ar

Small Businesses Honored For Keeping California Cool.  Cool
California honored two small businesses in San Diego for taking
green actions that reduce their business' impact on the climate.
The Small Business Awards were given to 23 companies that do
business in cities throughout California on Tuesday, May 3. 
Recon Recycling LLC in the city and Telework Research Network in
Carlsbad were given two of the nine certificates of recognition
awarded at the California Environmental Protection Agency
headquarters in Sacramento.  Posted. 
http://www.examiner.com/public-policy-in-san-diego/small-businesses-awarded-for-keeping-california-cool

Lafitte Cork & Capsule, Silverado Brewing Company win awards. 
The California Air Resources Board awarded Lafitte Cork & Capsule
a CoolCalifornia Small Business Award at a ceremony recently held
in Sacramento. The company installed efficient lighting and
Energy Star appliances. Lafitte Cork & Capsule, a supplier of
premium cork, sells to wineries across North America.  Posted. 
http://napavalleyregister.com/business/article_601ae3c8-7a9a-11e0-83d7-001cc4c002e0.html

Small Businesses Recognized for Climate-Smart-Efforts....23 top
small businesses saved money, cut climate impact.  The 23 award
winners were selected from 85 competitive applicants,
representing a variety of business sectors. These businesses took
an array of actions to save money and improve their operations,
facilities and practices while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Steps taken include installation of compact fluorescent lights,
solar panels and energy-efficient computer servers; elimination
of toxins and solvents; use of eco-friendly products; and, adding
automated thermostats and lighting fixtures.  Posted. 
http://thepinetree.net/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=24554

Sustainability award to NatureWorks.  Tamalpais NatureWorks was
recognized as a Cool California 2010 small business by the
California Air Resources Board on May 3, in Sacramento.  A
certificate of recognition was awarded for the company’s efforts
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including recycling, natural
resource conservation, zero-waste initiatives and the production
of sustainable furniture, using wood salvaged from new
construction sites, building deconstruction projects and felled
trees.  Posted. 
http://marinscope.com/articles/2011/05/11/news_pointer/news/community/doc4dcb2751e4c87757512665.txt

California's Installed Renewable Energy Numbers May Surprise You.
 If asked what type of renewable energy is most prevalent in
California, most would choose solar or wind, but in reality,
those two forms of renewable energy aren't even close. Instead,
the current California champion for renewable energy is
geothermal, followed by small hydro. Say what?  As an example, on
Wednesday May 4, 2011, geothermal energy production in California
was 23,980 MWh, followed by small hydro with 13,210, then wind at
10,166.  Posted. 
http://caivn.org/article/2011/05/12/californias-installed-renewable-energy-numbers-may-surprise-you

MISCELLANEOUS

New Precedent: Pollution Permits For Fireworks. Regional
pollution regulators have drawn up rules for fireworks shot over
waterways in an attempt to satisfy the Clean Water Act. Regional
pollution regulators have drawn up rules for fireworks shot over
waterways in an attempt to satisfy the Clean Water Act. San Diego
regional regulators on Wednesday became the first in the country
to require a pollution permit for all fireworks shot over water,
and federal officials signaled their intent to consider similar
rules nationwide. Posted.
http://signonsandiego.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=New+precedent%3A+Pollution+permits+for+fireworks+-+SignOnSanDiego.com&urlID=452713172&action=cpt&partnerID=86541&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.signonsandiego.com%2Fnews%2F2011%2Fmay%2F11%2Ffireworks-under-fire-across-county%2F

LAPD Receives Two Electric Hybrid Bicycles For Street Patrols.
The Los Angeles Police Department is now the proud owner of two
hybrid electric bicycles that officers can use on bike patrol.
Chatsworth-based Currie Technologies has donated two electric
hybrid bicycles to the Los Angeles Police Department. "The
biggest thing that these electric bikes do on the street for the
officers is afford them the power to stay with conventional road
bikes," said Sgt. Matthew Bygum, ...Posted.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/05/11/ebikes-lapd/

OPINION

Dan Morain: Pious Prius Owner Can't Give Up Life In Fast Lane.
John Burton has left fingerprints everywhere in the Capitol.
Maybe, they're his tread marks. The California Democratic Party
chairman and former state Senate leader loves his old blue Prius.
It gets 45 miles to a gallon on the ride from his home in San
Francisco to Sacramento. More to the point, his Prius, like those
driven by many of his friends and donors, has a yellow sticker,
the coveted decal issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles that
permits him to cruise in carpool lanes while the rest of us stop,
go and get stuck in traffic. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/12/3620609/pious-prius-owner-cant-give-up.html#mi_rss=Opinion

BLOGS

Sierra Club Asks Jerry Brown To Reassess Cap-And-Trade Rule. A
leading environmental group has called on Gov. Jerry Brown to
take another look at the cap-and-trade rule adopted by the Air
Resources Board late last year, saying the regulation doesn't go
far enough to meet the standards set by the state's 2006
greenhouse gas emission reduction law. Posted.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/05/sierra-club-jerry-brown-cap-and-trade.html#ixzz1M9guWUzu
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/05/california-cap-and-trade-sierra-club.html
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2011/05/11/sierra-club-challenges-governor-on-cap-trade/

CalSTRS Weighs Risk on Investment in Methyl Iodide Manufacturer.
When California State Teachers’ Retirement System Chief
Investment Officer Christopher Ailman meets with representatives
from Permira IV in New York next week, he’ll be talking about the
unrest among teachers when it comes to investments in the fund
that’s paid for developing the controversial fumigant methyl
iodide. “They are aware there’s a growing concern,” he says.
“Concern” doesn’t necessarily mean divesting or hedging against
the nearly $1 billion CalSTRS has committed to the private equity
fund …Posted.
http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/weblogs/news-blog/2011/may/11/calstrs-weighs-risk-on-investment-in-methyl-iodide/