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ARB Newsclips for August 9, 2013. 

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.

CAP AND TRADE

Cap-and-trade system issues new types of carbon credits. 
California’s controversial cap-and-trade system may be fighting
two different lawsuits, but the state is still forging ahead with
important changes to the program.  Earlier this week the American
Carbon Registry issued the state’s first compliance offset
credits to a company called Environmental Credit Corp. Each
offset credit counts toward one metric ton of carbon dioxide
removed from the atmosphere.  Posted. 
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2013/08/08/cap-and-trade-new-carbon-credits.html

AIR POLLUTION

Pa. county paying bounty for wood-burning boilers. The Allegheny
County Health Department is offering a "bounty" to residents of
Pittsburgh and surrounding towns who surrender wood-burning
stoves and outdoor boilers that don't meet new air pollution
rules. A county ordinance that took effect two months ago has
stricter emissions limits for wood-burning devices than a state
law passed in 2010. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Pa-county-paying-bounty-for-wood-burning-boilers-4720181.php
 http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/09/5636810/pa-county-paying-bounty-for-wood.html


Tribe files lawsuit over Vegas-area coal plant. Environmentalists
and Native Americans filed a lawsuit Thursday asking a federal
court to order utility company NV Energy Inc. to clean up land
and water they say has been contaminated by an aging coal-fired
power plant slated for closure outside Las Vegas. Sierra Club and
the Moapa Band of Paiutes officials said they want a judge to
declare that for years the publicly traded company endangered the
public health…Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Tribe-files-lawsuit-over-Vegas-area-coal-plant-4718803.php

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/08/5635432/tribe-files-lawsuit-over-vegas.html


Louisville air monitoring fails state audit. A state audit has
found serious flaws in how the Louisville Metro Air Pollution
Control District monitored soot, leading Mayor Greg Fischer to
order a review of the agency. The Courier-Journal
(http://cjky.it/11Ou4k7 ) reports the Kentucky Division for Air
Quality audit found issues with data handling, lab operations and
other procedures dating back to 2009. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/08/5634156/louisville-air-monitoring-fails.html#storylink=cpy


County hears from public on emissions.  A sparse crowd turned out
Thursday for a public hearing on Santa Maria Energy’s proposed
oil and gas drilling project in the Orcutt hills.  The hearing,
held by the Santa Barbara County Planning and Development
Department, focused on the recirculation of the air quality
section of the proposed final environmental impact report for
Santa Maria Energy’s oil and gas drilling and production plan for
its project on the Careaga Lease south of Orcutt.  Posted. 
http://santamariatimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/county-hears-from-public-on-emissions/article_994025a6-00bb-11e3-a4aa-001a4bcf887a.html
  

Power fire raising health concerns.  Smoke permeates the skies
over Calaveras as firefighters in Tuolumne County battle the
Power Fire that is roaring up the steep, brushy canyon near
Beardsley Reservoir. As of Thursday, it had scorched 881 acres
and was 32 percent contained.  “The terrain is pretty much just
straight up and straight down. We’re getting falling rocks and
falling trees on these guys,” said Jim Wilkins, U.S. Forest
Service spokesman.  Posted. 
http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/news/article_59065c3e-0107-11e3-a0db-0019bb2963f4.html
 

New technology uses fire to gain emission cuts, efficiency.
Utility, industrial and commercial companies are likely to spend
billions of dollars on technology over the next few years to meet
new U.S. EPA and state emission standards -- not even including
new greenhouse gas emission regulations. Despite the prize,
"criteria" air pollution technology has not changed much in the
past decade or so, staying focused on capturing pollution on the
back end with most research dollars going to greenhouse gas
emissions instead. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059985856/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon cycle gets more extreme as climate changes. Forests in
Earth's northern latitudes have been thickened by migrating plant
species and younger growth, driving a stronger gyration in the
amount of carbon that cycles between land and the atmosphere each
year, a new study suggests. The net rise in seasonal exchange of
carbon between land and air cannot be explained solely by
increased burning of fossil fuels…Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-forests-carbon-20130808,0,524320.story


Sen. Barbara Boxer on L.A.-area wildfires: Climate change to
blame. As wildfires rage across Southern California, Sen. Barbara
Boxer offered a solution: Address climate change and such
devastating fires won’t occur. “Open your eyes, breathe the air
and see what’s going on,” she said to climate-change deniers
during a press conference Thursday. She also lamented the limited
number of firefighters available to help combat fires — a
shortage she said is an effect of federal spending cuts. Posted.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/9/barbara-boxer-calif-wildfires-climate-change-blame/#ixzz2bV1gLV4q


State suffers from multiple symptoms of climate change – report.
California is experiencing many symptoms of climate change
already, according to a new state report that officials are using
to sound the alarm about economic, social and health effects. The
evidence presented includes decreasing spring snowmelt runoff,
rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers, increasing wildfires,
warming lake and ocean waters, and the gradual migration of many
plants and animals to higher elevations. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059985824/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Global warming 'drying up' Indian monsoon. Global warming has
"effected a drying up" of the Indian monsoon in the past few
decades but has anchored a rainfall increase over the tropical
western Pacific Ocean, according to new research from scientists
at the University of Hawaii, Indian Institute of Tropical
Meteorology and International Pacific Research Center (IPRC).
Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059985810/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

DIESEL EMISSIONS

California Energy Commission hears latest on clean-diesel
technology. The increasing market acceptance of advanced clean
diesel technology heavy-duty trucks and passenger vehicles will
play a major role in helping California achieve future fuel
savings and climate objectives, according to new research
presented by the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) to the California
Energy Commission.  "As California policymakers evaluate future
transportation fuels and technologies…Posted.
http://fleetowner.com/running-green/california-energy-commission-hears-latest-clean-diesel-technology


FUELS

Report says Keystone pipeline would not up U.S. greenhouse gas
emissions. A new study has backed an earlier finding by the U.S.
State Department that the proposed Keystone XL pipeline will have
"no material impact" on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, a crucial
factor the White House is expected to weigh when it decides
whether to approve the project. The report, produced by
consulting and research firm IHS CERA Inc, after consultation
with industry, policymakers and non-government
organizations…Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/08/us-usa-keystone-carbon-idUSBRE97716F20130808


Cut Emissions? Congress Itself Keeps Burning a Dirtier Fuel.  As
part of the climate change agenda he unveiled this year,
President Obama made a commitment to significantly reduce the
federal government’s dependence on fossil fuels. The government,
he said in a speech in June at Georgetown University, “must lead
by example.”  But just two miles from the White House stands the
Capitol Power Plant, the largest single source of carbon
emissions…Posted. 
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/us/politics/just-across-town-a-test-of-obamas-emissions-goals.html?_r=0


Natural gas vehicles' fleet success props open door to consumer
market. Natural gas is attempting to muscle its way into a sector
long considered out of reach: consumer vehicles. Several state
governments and private companies have championed natural gas
fuels as a cleaner-burning alternative to their oil-based
counterparts. But the road to widespread adoption has been
littered with obstacles, from a lack of refueling stations to
clunky fuel storage tanks and unconvincing economics. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059985825/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Climate scientists divided over Keystone XL. The proposed
Keystone XL pipeline, a 1,179-mile link between Alberta and Gulf
Coast refineries, has divided the scientific community. Climate
and energy researchers oppose what is by all accounts a dirty
source of petroleum: Emissions from extracting and burning oil
sands oil in the United States are 14 to 20 percent higher than
the country's average oil emissions. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059985812/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

GREEN ENERGY

Report says states and cities need more private investors to
scale up clean energy. Clean energy, especially solar, is a
swiftly growing part of both the U.S. and global energy
portfolio, but zero-emissions electricity still has a long way to
go before it becomes mainstream. According to the U.S. Energy
Information Administration, renewable energy made up 12 percent
of the nation's total electricity generation in 2012, and most of
this came from hydroelectric dams. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059985813/print  BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

MISCELLANEOUS

L.A. County liable for storm-water pollution, court rules. A
federal appeals court deals L.A. County a blow in a long-running
lawsuit after the U.S. Supreme Court sent the case back. A
federal appeals court dealt Los Angeles County a blow on Thursday
in a long-running lawsuit over storm-water pollution when it
issued an opinion that the county is liable for excessively high
levels. Environmental groups sued the county and its
flood-control district in 2008 over pollution in the Los Angeles
and San Gabriel rivers…Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-stormwater-20130809,0,170136.story


OPINIONS

Analysis: Obama's Keystone stand deepens impasse with Canada.
With his blunt assertion that Canada could do more to cut
emissions, President Barack Obama raised doubts about whether the
United States will approve the Keystone XL pipeline. The question
is: What exactly does Canada need to do? As Obama seeks to
revitalize his climate agenda, he has said he will evaluate
TransCanada Corp's oil pipeline project on whether it will
significantly raise greenhouse gas emissions. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/09/us-usa-keystone-canada-analysis-idUSBRE9780SH20130809


Don’t Leave Climate Change to a Partisan Congress. Re “A
Republican Case for Climate Action,” by William D. Ruckelshaus,
Lee M. Thomas, William K. Reilly and Christine Todd Whitman
(Op-Ed, Aug. 2): Americans don’t need to wait for partisan
consensus to start “dealing” with climate change. They can start
by taking action in their own homes. Twenty-two percent of our
energy consumption and 21 percent of our carbon dioxide emissions
are from heating, cooling and powering our homes. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/opinion/dont-leave-climate-change-to-a-partisan-congress.html?_r=0&pagewanted=print


Letters: What the drought is telling us  Re "A dry and desperate
state," Aug. 6 Thank you for the gripping article on the effects
of persistent drought in the Southwest, especially New Mexico.
This is a dramatic example of the types of extreme weather events
that are occurring much more frequently now than half a century
ago. Scientific evidence suggests that these events are a
consequence of the gradually rising global temperatures
which…Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/letters/la-le-0809-friday-southwest-drought-20130809,0,3880338.story


Action needs to be taken now to address air pollution - GUEST
OPINION. As Glenn Gilbert pointed out in the July 19 editorial,
Governor Snyder is to be commended for seeking input from various
groups in developing a bipartisan energy policy that will serve
Michigan residents now and in the future. As we move towards
broadening Michigan's renewable energy reach, it is imperative
that the need to rein in carbon pollution from coal-fired power
plants not be missed…Posted.
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/08/09/opinion/doc5202aeceb6b30998518703.txt


Taking a deep breath. Among the first impressions a visitor to
the North County might have is, with this much farming, there
must be pesticides in the air — along with the insistent aroma of
ripening broccoli. This is, after all, a relatively semi-arid
part of the country. Oh, we have that nagging marine layer to
contend with, but by and large our average daily humidity and
limited rainfall leave the air quite dry at times. The
near-perfect medium for air-borne pesticides. Posted.
http://santamariatimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/taking-a-deep-breath/article_2e4ffc8e-ffe5-11e2-a637-0019bb2963f4.html


BLOGS

Could Canada’s Foot-Dragging on New Greenhouse-Gas Rules Threaten
Keystone? In February, then-environment minister Peter Kent told
Canada’s parliament the Conservative government was “very close”
to unveiling new rules governing greenhouse-gas emissions from
oil and gas producers. Six months later, there’s a new
environment minister in Ottawa, and no sign that those
rules–first promised by the Conservatives back in 2008–are about
to emerge. Posted.
http://blogs.wsj.com/canadarealtime/2013/08/09/could-canadas-foot-dragging-on-new-greenhouse-gas-rules-threaten-keystone/


Cuomo primes the pump on alternative trucks. Yes, that’s a mixed
metaphor, but Gov. Cuomo is authorizing $19 million incentives
for truck users to switch to battery, compressed natural gas,
hybrid or low-pollution diesel technology. The incentives are for
all sizes of truck, from pickups to tractor-trailers. Much of the
incentives are based in New York City but there also is money for
western New York and the Capital Region, which are air pollution
trouble spots. Posted.
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/192890/cuomo-primes-the-pump-on-alternative-trucks/


California Cap And Trade Isn’t A Game – Except When It Is. 
California’s cap-and-trade market is serious business, with high
stakes for the future of our planet – it’s no game. Except when
it is.  Gamification is often used to simplify complex concepts
and make them easily understood, and that’s just what the San
Francisco Public Press has done with cap-and-trade.  Posted. 
http://cleantechnica.com/2013/08/08/california-cap-and-trade-isnt-a-game-except-when-it-is
/ 

Electric roads could make plugging in your EV a thing of the
past.  One major barrier to bringing electric vehicles to the
masses is range anxiety — not the fear that you left the stove on
at home, but the fear that your EV will run out of juice before
you can get to the next charging station. But creative solutions
are in the works. This week, South Korea debuted the world’s
first electric road, 15 miles of city streets with underground
cables that charge EVs parked or driving above — no plug-in
stations necessary.  Posted. 
http://grist.org/news/electric-roads-could-make-plugging-in-your-ev-a-thing-of-the-past/
  

The Third Carbon Age. Don’t for a Second Imagine We’re Heading
for an Era of Renewable Energy. When it comes to energy and
economics in the climate-change era, nothing is what it seems. 
Most of us believe (or want to believe) that the second carbon
era, the Age of Oil, will soon be superseded by the Age of
Renewables, just as oil had long since superseded the Age of
Coal.  President Obama offered exactly this vision in a
much-praised June address on climate change.  Posted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-t-klare/renewable-energy_b_3725777.html