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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




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