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California Air Resources Board News Clips for November 29, 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

EPA Said to Give Power Companies Options to Delay Pollution Rule.
The Environmental Protection Agency would let power plants apply
for more time to comply with new pollution standards under a rule
sent to the White House for review, according to people familiar
with the process. The EPA stopped short of granting an
across-the-board delay in implementing the rules, as sought by
companies such as American Electric Power Co. (AEP) and Southern
Co. (SO), …Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-29/epa-proposal-said-to-give-power-companies-option-to-delay-pollution-rules.html

CLIMATE CHANGE

Japan Aims to Start Bilateral Carbon Offset Program in 2013.
Japan aims to start a program to work with companies to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries in 2013,
according to a new set of action plans to be introduced at the
climate talks in Durban today. The government has been preparing
the bilateral offset credit mechanism program to cut emissions by
establishing energy management systems and forest protection
projects with Japanese companies such as Toshiba Corp. (6502) and
Marubeni Corp. (8002) in developing countries. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-29/japan-aims-to-start-bilateral-carbon-offset-program-in-2013.html

China: Kyoto Dispute Puts UN Talks in Peril. China said the
debate on whether to extend the Kyoto Protocol’s limits on
greenhouse gases risks destroying the international response to
global warming, raising the chance this year’s talks in South
Africa will fail. Su Wei, the lead negotiator from Beijing, said
it’s essential for industrial nations to sign up to another round
of emissions reductions under the pact, whose limits expire next
year. Japan, Canada and Russia already have rejected extending
the treaty. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-29/kyoto-treaty-dispute-puts-un-s-global-warming-talks-in-peril-china-says.html

Financing battle emerges at climate change talks. International
climate negotiators were at odds Tuesday on how to raise billions
of dollars to help poor countries cope with global warming. A
major shipping group is willing to help, endorsing a proposal for
a carbon tax on vessels carrying the world's trade. Details of
the tussle over the funding emerged as the U.N.'s weather agency
reported that 2011 was tied as the 10th hottest year since
records began in 1850. Arctic sea ice, a barometer for the entire
planet, had shrunk to a record low volume, said the World
Meteorological Organization. Posted.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hUSEGKJg9ZgOzwrbhnE_QptC5eyQ?docId=cdc3bd8ce82a4615ad32197137ce8f49
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/11/29/international/i091455S64.DTL
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_19430690?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_19430690?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/story/2011-11-29/global-temperatures-rising-climate-change-conference-durban/51464574/1
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/28/climate-conference-durban_n_1116043.html

LG Electronics USA Announces Industry-leading Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Commitment. LG Electronics USA today announced it will
voluntarily reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50
percent by the end of 2020, compared with a 2007 baseline. Like
most companies, LG's energy use represents the vast majority of
its GHG emissions.  LG Electronics USA, the principal North
American subsidiary of global leader LG Electronics, has
operations in a dozen states with facilities using about 19.4
million kilowatt hours annually. Posted.
http://pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=980734&Itemid=30

DIESEL EMISSIONS

Tulare board likely to OK reverting nine garbage trucks back to
diesel.  It's back to diesel-powered engines for nine of Tulare's
33 garbage trucks.  Tulare Board of Public Utilities
commissioners are likely to approve Thursday a $132,000 contract
to revert to diesel the nine trucks that run on liquefied natural
gas and install soot filters, following a mandate from the
California Air Resources Board.  Porterville's E.M. Tharp
submitted the lowest bid for the contract, winning it over three
Fresno companies.  Posted. 
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20111129/NEWS01/111290306

FUELS

Renewable Power Trumps Fossils for First Time as UN Talks Stall. 
Renewable energy is surpassing fossil fuels for the first time in
new power-plant investments, shaking off setbacks from the
financial crisis and an impasse at the United Nations global
warming talks.  Electricity from the wind, sun, waves and biomass
drew $187 billion last year compared with $157 billion for
natural gas, oil and coal, according to calculations by Bloomberg
New Energy Finance using the latest data.Posted. 
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-25/fossil-fuels-beaten-by-renewables-for-first-time-as-climate-talks-founder.html

VEHICLES

Toyota taking orders in Japan for Prius Plug-in.  Toyota began
taking orders Tuesday for the plug-in version of its hit Prius
hybrid, announcing efficient mileage and a relatively affordable
starting price of 3.2 million yen ($41,000), which comes down
with green vehicle subsidies.  Toyota is targeting Prius Plug-in
sales of 35,000 to 40,000 a year in Japan, and 60,000 globally.
The car is set for delivery in Japan in January. With subsidies
the cost comes down to 2.75 million yen ($35,200). It starts at
$32,000 in the U.S. and 37,000 euros in Europe, according to
Toyota.  Posted. 
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_19430637?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com

EU project to train EV & charging stations personnel starts.  The
ELEVTRA project, funded by the European Life Long Learning
programme, has kicked off to develop e-learning and hands-on
practice courses for electronics technicians involved in
maintaining and repairing electric vehicles and charging
stations. cars21.com will play an active role in building a
cluster of OEMs, engineers and training institutes to validate
the quality of developed modules.  Posted. 
http://www.cars21.com/content/articles/70320111129.php

GREEN ENERGY

Chinese solar power companies say US trade complaint will hurt
American jobs, consumers.  Leaders of China’s solar power
industry rejected a U.S. trade complaint that they receive unfair
government support and said Tuesday possible sanctions would hurt
American consumers and development of clean energy.  Solar and
other renewable energy technology has emerged as an irritant in
U.S.-Chinese trade. Posted. 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/chinese-solar-power-companies-say-us-trade-complaint-will-hurt-american-jobs-consumers/2011/11/29/gIQA5ZcZ7N_story.html
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/29/chinese-solar-companies-reject-us-trade/

OPINIONS

Energy Subsidies Stymie Wind, Solar Innovation: Nathan Myhrvold.
This month, the U.S. Department of Commerce launched a formal
investigation into complaints, lodged by the U.S. solar-cell
manufacturers, that the government of China is funneling loan
guarantees, grants and subsidies to its solar-cell companies.
Apparently, the Commerce Department is shocked, shocked to learn
that a government would subsidize the solar industry. Posted.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-11-28/energy-subsidies-stymie-wind-solar-innovation-nathan-myhrvold.html
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/capitol/without_subsidies_solar_and_wind_G2jkVjIuK7yFA5qe3o26cO

Democrats need to get real about U.S. energy policy. The former
generation of Democratic legislators would have embraced the
energy opportunities before the U.S. now. Whoever is president in
2013 will have a rare chance to transform the energy picture. Let
me say upfront that I have always been a Democrat. However, I
also vote my conscience and have supported independent
candidates. Today, energy policy is one area where I think my
party is wrong. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ebinger-energy-20111128,0,5467217.story

Thomas Elias: Climate change doubts behind attack on smog board.
Climate change skepticism by one congressman among California's
53 ordinarily doesn't matter much. But coming from Darrell Issa,
the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, it's now leading to one of the most significant attacks
ever on California's lead smog-fighting agency, the state Air
Resources Board (ARB). Issa, representing a conservative north
San Diego County district, does not dispute that the globe has
warmed. Posted.
http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20111129/OPINION04/111290302/Thomas-Elias-Climate-change-doubts-behind-attack-smog-board
http://www.nctimes.com/news/opinion/columnists/elias/elias-climate-change-doubts-behind-attack-on-smog-board/article_30e5156f-d024-5e3e-8a85-22b01f029873.html
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_19397374

BLOGS

Straight Talk on Climate Progress in California and Beyond. With
the latest round of contentious international climate treaty
negotiations getting under way in Durban, South Africa, it’s
worth revisiting what would be required to meet ambitious targets
set for greenhouse gases in California, a state that already has
pledged meaningful action. There’s a new peer-reviewed study of
California’s plans, published in the current issue of Science
that largely echoes points made in a study by the California
Council on Science and Technology …Posted.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/real-world-paths-to-climate-progress-in-california-and-beyond/?src=twrhp

Qatar, Greenhouse Gas Titan, Will Host Next U.N. Climate Summit. 
The Persian Gulf nation of Qatar has been selected as the site of
next year’s United Nations climate change meeting, edging out
South Korea. The announcement came as this year’s meeting opened
in Durban, South Africa, with delegates from 194 nations facing
growing concerns about rising global temperatures and more
frequent climate-related catastrophes.  Posted. 
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/qatar-greenhouse-gas-titan-will-host-next-u-n-climate-summit/

Will the Lights Stay On in Texas and New England? Texas and New
England may soon run short of the generating capacity they need
to reliably meet peak loads, largely because old plants will be
retired rather than retrofitted to meet new pollution rules, the
North American Electric Reliability Corporation reported on
Monday. The reliability corporation, assigned by the federal
government to enforce rules on the power grid, issued a 10-year
forecast that conveys a greater level of uncertainty than
previous predictions. Posted.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/28/will-the-lights-stay-on-in-texas-and-new-england/

2011: A year of extreme weather, and the 10th-hottest on record.
Reporting From Johannesburg, South Africa -- The last 15 years
have been the hottest on record and included all 10 of the
warmest years, the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization
announced Tuesday as 20,000 delegates from more than 190
countries met in South Africa to try to hash out a way forward to
halt climate change. Posted.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/11/2011-a-year-of-extreme-weather-and-the-10th-hottest-on-record.html

How California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard Can Help Move America
Beyond Oil.  This year, California began quietly implementing the
Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) that will result in production of
clean, safe and renewable forms of energy to fuel our cars and
trucks. The LCFS is one of the state's biggest measures to reduce
our oil dependency, spur much-needed investment, and creating
clean fuel jobs that will aid California's economic recovery. 
Posted. 
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/smui/california_begins_moving_beyon.html