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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 7, 2012.
Posted: 07 Nov 2012 14:12:11
ARB Newsclips for November 7, 2012. 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 LIBERTY QUARRY: Fast tracking approved. Riverside County supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday, Nov. 6, to approve a “fast-track” review process for the revamped gravel mine planned on 414 acres south of Temecula. Supervisors John Benoit, Marion Ashley and John Tavaglione voted for fast tracking. Jeff Stone, who represents the area, and Bob Buster voted no. The decision came after more than two hours of testimony, mostly by Temecula-area residents and civic leaders who said that the blasting, air pollution, truck traffic and …Posted. http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20121106-liberty-quarry-fast-tracking-approved.ece All eyes on EPA reg writers for Obama's second term. President Obama's re-election last night has environmentalists and public health advocates already looking ahead to a second term and wondering whether U.S. EPA will pursue an aggressive air pollution regulatory effort. At the top of the agenda, they hope, will be stricter limits on ozone emissions as well as on sulfur in gasoline, which allows fuel to burn more cleanly. The agency also must finalize a host of regulations, including standards for boilers and cement makers. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2012/11/07/4 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY FUELS Obama could put heat on drillers but stall gas exports. Barack Obama could toughen regulations on producing and burning natural gas, coal and oil early in his second term, raising some costs for energy companies, analysts said. The president likely will take far longer to decide whether the United States should export its newfound shale oil and gas bounty. Opponents warn that exports would spike fuel costs for consumers and undermine a domestic manufacturing recovery. Obama slowed regulation of fossil fuels during his campaign against Republican challenger Mitt Romney…Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/07/usa-campaign-energy-idUSL1E8M5BXP20121107 Ethanol powerhouse Brazil dabbles in biodiesel. International firms are investing in biodiesel production in Brazil, a country on the verge of becoming the world's top grower of soybeans, the main source of the biofuel. They are betting on increasing domestic demand, rather than export potential, in an emerging power that uses more diesel than gasoline. Many also believe Brazil's government soon will raise the amount of biodiesel required in diesel blends. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/07/brazil-biodiesel-idUSL1E8LPF7P20121107 Oil jumps as US picks a president. The price of oil jumped the most in a month Tuesday as investors, along with voters across the country, awaited the results of the U.S. presidential election. Benchmark crude rose $3.06, or 3.5 percent, to finish at $88.71 in New York. But it's still a far cry from the rise in oil the last time U.S. presidential ballots were cast in the midst of the financial crisis. Crude gained more than 10 percent on Nov. 4, 2008, as the Dow Jones industrial average rallied 305 points. On election day in 2000, the most hotly contested election in U.S. history, oil gained a more modest 1.6 percent. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/nov/06/oil-jumps-as-us-picks-a-president/ US crude oil supplies grew by 1.8 million barrels. The nation's crude oil supplies rose last week, the government said Wednesday. Crude supplies grew by 1.8 million barrels, or 0.5 percent, to 374.8 million barrels, which is 10.9 percent above year-ago levels, the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration said in its weekly report. Analysts expected an increase of 1 million barrels for the week ended Nov. 2, according to Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos. Gasoline supplies grew by 2.9 million barrels, or 1.4 percent, to 202.4 million barrels. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/11/07/3057359/us-crude-oil-supplies-grew-by.html#storylink=misearch VEHICLES Fuel economy of cars sold in October at record level. Americans continue to look for fuel-efficient vehicles when they go car shopping. The average fuel economy -- what is on the window sticker of a new car -- of new vehicles sold in the U.S. in October was 24.1 miles per gallon, the highest level yet. It was up 4 mpg, or 20 percent, from October 2007, according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. The 24.1 mpg is up from 23 mpg in October a year ago and from 22.3 mpg in the same month in 2010. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/cars/ci_21943178/fuel-economy-cars-sold-october-at-record-level?source=autofeed# Ford has prettiest, affordable hybrid car. Who says that fuel-thrifty gasoline-electric hybrid cars have to be snub-nosed, rounded and ho-hum to look at? Not designers at Ford Motor Co., whose 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid is arguably the prettiest hybrid car in the U.S. market. Most people won't recognize this new, curvaceous model as a relative of last year's Ford Fusion. Some sports car enthusiasts thought the test 2013 Fusion Hybrid had styling cues from an Aston Martin luxury sedan. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/11/07/3057501/ford-has-prettiest-affordable.html#storylink=misearch FERC approval paves the way for Calif. charging stations. Federal regulators have approved a settlement between California and NRG Energy Inc. that paves the way for the construction of more than 10,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the Sunshine State. EVgo, a subsidiary of New Jersey-based NRG Energy, will pay the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) $102.5 million to install the "freedom stations," according to the pact that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2012/11/07/20 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY GREEN ENERGY Harsher energy regulations coming in Obama's second term. Energy companies likely will see more regulation during President Barack Obama's second term, with less access to federal lands and water even as the administration promotes energy independence. With a pledge to cut oil imports by half by 2020, Obama advocated during the campaign for what he called an "all of the above" approach to developing a range of domestic energy sources. He said, however, that he would roll back subsidies for oil companies and reduce the nation's reliance on oil by mandating production of more fuel-efficient vehicles. Posted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/07/us-usa-campaign-energy-companies-obama-idUSBRE8A60N920121107 Trade panel upholds U.S. solar sanctions against China. A federal trade panel found China responsible Wednesday for harming the U.S. solar panel industry, clearing the final hurdle for U.S. attempts to impose steep tariffs on Chinese solar companies. The U.S. International Trade Commission voted unanimously that Chinese companies have materially injured U.S. manufacturers, affirming its 2011 vote that launched a yearlong inquiry into low-cost Chinese products that U.S manufacturers blame for putting them on the brink of collapse. Posted. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_21948288/trade-panel-upholds-u-s-solar-sanctions-against http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/11/07/3057379/us-trade-panel-finds-harm-from.html#storylink=misearch Calif. approves billions for clean power, rejects limiting green energy lobby. California voters yesterday passed a ballot measure that would generate as much as $2.75 billion for clean energy projects and rejected one that would have hobbled a green power ally. With 81 percent of ballots counted, the Golden State by a vote of 60 to 40 percent approved Proposition 39, which changes how multi-state businesses are taxed. It is expected to generate $1.1 billion annually in new revenue, money for the general fund and green energy. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/print/2012/11/07/4 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Enviros claim election results boost green issues. Environmentalists joined President Obama this morning in taking a victory lap after winning the vast majority of races they targeted yesterday. Green groups were quick to point out that they were significantly outspent by oil and other energy interests, but nevertheless prevailed in many high-profile contests. The results, they contested, show that clean energy and environmental issues resonate with voters and should be on the top of lawmakers'…Posted. http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2012/11/07/7 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY MISCELLANEOUS Airships of the future take shape in Tustin. Imagine a blimp that works like a submarine. To go up, the pilot releases compressed helium, filling the hull and making the craft lighter than air. To go down, the skipper takes on air as ballast, making the ship heavy enough to land. Airships may sound like a pipe dream, a fanciful vision from a bygone era. But a real-life submarine of the sky is taking shape right now at one of the World War II-era blimp hangars in Tustin. Posted. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cargo-376922-airships-airship.html More retailers offer customers alternative e-receipts. The “paper or plastic” mantra at store checkouts is getting a digital twin: “Paper or email?” As smartphones proliferate, more stores and banks are offering to email shoppers receipts rather than giving them a printed copy. These electronic or digital receipts, touted as green for saving paper and convenient for saving time, enable retailers to market directly to customers. “It’s a growing trend,” said John Talbott at Indiana University’s Center for Education and Research in Retailing. He said companies are rushing to mimic what Apple started in 2005. Posted. http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012311060017 Voters OK tax hike to spare enviro programs. California voters yesterday approved Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) proposed tax increases, saving about $30 million in state-run environmental programs from the chopping block. Proposition 30 sought to raise the sales tax by one-quarter cent and boost income taxes for people making more than $250,000 per year, a move primarily aimed at raising $6 billion annually for education. Voters approved it 54 percent to 46 percent. Posted. http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/print/2012/11/07/10 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY OPINIONS EDITORIAL: Climate-change crybabies. Liberals are hot under the collar, but this has more to do with the election than the planet warming up. The presidential candidates didn’t say a word about global warming during the debates, so advocates of that theory are looking for a bit of attention. Late last month, Penn State climate professor Michael Mann turned to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to sue several individuals who dared satirize his work. Mr. Mann became famous three years ago when leaked Climategate emails referenced Mr. Mann’s “trick” used to “hide the decline” in global temperatures, inspiring countless parodies and scathing commentary. Posted. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/nov/6/climate-change-crybabies/ Air rule foes all fired up. So, now, before you and your loved one can cozy up at home beside a romantic fire, you have to say, "Excuse me, darling. I have to call the air board." The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District imposed a few no-burn days on home fireplaces years ago. New rules may ratchet up the days to 47. One out of three winter days. You find out if it's OK to have a fire by calling (800) BIGBROTHER or by visiting the air board's website, www.reallyintrusive.com. Posted. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121107/A_NEWS0803/211070313&cid=sitesearch Basu: Climate shift cost harder to deny. Even those who don't believe in global warming are now forced to acknowledge its power. For the first time, it became the decisive issue in a high-profile presidential endorsement. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg last week endorsed President Barack Obama, saying that Superstorm Sandy had reshaped his thinking about the race and that climate change was the main reason. The mayor, a Republican turned independent, referred to efforts Obama has made to curb greenhouse gases. Posted. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/nov/06/basu-climate-shift-cost-harder-to-deny/ Earth log: New bad-air time arrives in Valley. Ready for some weather whiplash? You probably know forecasters say San Joaquin Valley days should edge into the mid-80s this week and then back down by the weekend. By Saturday morning, the Valley may see its first widespread frost. That's what private meteorologist Steve Johnson wrote in his forecast. He said the lowest of the low temperatures don't appear headed much below 30 degrees. I'm interested in the whiplash mostly because of air quality -- the possibility of both ozone and particle pollution in the same week. Posted. http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/11/06/3056892/new-bad-air-time-arrives-in-valley.html#storylink=misearch BLOGS A New Approach to Military Nuclear Waste. The United States has many pressing nuclear waste problems, but the worst may be the leftovers from the manufacturing of nuclear weapons. Unlike the wastes from civilian reactors, the military wastes are liquids and sludges stored in underground tanks in environmentally sensitive areas. Scores of tanks have leaked some of the material into the dirt. And there is no debate about how the wastes might be repurposed; they have already been scavenged for useful materials like uranium and plutonium. Posted. http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/06/a-new-approach-to-military-nuclear-waste/ Why Climate Disasters Might Not Boost Public Engagement on Climate Change. There has been an intense rush to use Hurricane Sandy as a teachable moment to focus the public (and politicians) on the risks of an unabated buildup of greenhouse gases and resulting global warming. The climate campaigner Dan Miller epitomized that approach in a discussion here last week. But it’s important, always, to consider the other contexts to events, however dramatic, in judging whether they provide a real opportunity for engagement on the momentous challenge of getting the carbon out of the world’s energy system. Posted. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/06/why-climate-disasters-might-not-boost-public-engagement-on-climate-change/ Hyundai’s Fuel Economy Admission Leaves Some Car Owners Cold. Last Friday, following an investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency, Hyundai Motor Group admitted it had overstated the fuel economy of 900,000 vehicles sold in the United States over the last two years. But for many Hyundai and Kia owners, the company was merely stating the obvious. There had been grumbling in online forums, like Edmunds.com and others, that Hyundai was playing games with the E.P.A. testing cycle. One reads: “Bought 2012 Elantra based on 33 m.p.g. average. Posted. http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/07/hyundais-fuel-economy-admission-leaves-some-car-owners-cold/ Obama finally talks climate change. Now what will he do about it? “We want our kids to grow up in an America… that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet.” That was the president in his acceptance speech Tuesday night. Now that Obama has won reelection, apparently, he feels free to talk about climate change — a topic notably absent during the campaign. Now what does he actually plan to do about it? Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/11/07/obama-finally-talks-climate-change-but-what-will-he-do-about-it/ Voters reject green energy, other issues. Same-sex marriage and marijuana ruled the day, but voters fielded a range of ballot issues Tuesday — some of them less probable than others. Missourians narrowly voted against a measure to raise the state’s cigarette tax, which pitted the American Cancer Society against cigarette manufacturers in the lead-up to Election Day. The state’s cigarette taxes are the lowest in the country, according to St. Louis’s KSDK News; the measure would have raised them from 17 to 90 cents per pack. Posted. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/wp/2012/11/07/voters-reject-green-energy-other-issues/ California voters approve corporate tax hike for budget, clean energy. California voters approved a complex corporate tax change that would result in out-of-state firms paying an estimated $1 billion more annually for the state budget and clean energy programs. The initiative was leading 59 percent to 41 percent late Tuesday with 43 percent of the vote counted. Proposition 39 was backed almost entirely by billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer, who spent $32 million on the campaign. Posted. http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/11/voters-approve-corporate-tax-hike-for-budget-clean-energy.html#storylink=cpy