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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 27, 2014.

Posted: 27 Mar 2014 14:05:42
ARB Newsclips for March 27, 2014. 

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

Enforcement seen key to success of China's new environmental
markets. China's plan for a market in air pollution permits
promises to help clean up its air cheaply, but the move could
prove just as useless as previous environmental policies unless
the government stamps out lax enforcement and spotty data. Smog
regularly blankets the country's major urban centers and kills
half a million people each year. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-china-environment-idUSBREA2Q0B220140327


China to move some facilities out of polluted capital to ease
congestion. China plans to move some administrative, research and
healthcare facilities out of its capital to a nearby city to ease
the burden on Beijing, which is often wreathed in heavy smog and
choked with traffic jams, state media reported on Thursday. The
environment has emerged as one of Beijing's key priorities amid
growing public disquiet about urban smog…Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-china-beijing-idUSBREA2Q0L420140327


Beijing Tells Residents to Stay Inside to Avoid Smog. Beijing
warned its 20 million residents to avoid going outside for a
fourth day because of unhealthy smog. The concentration of PM2.5
-- the small particles that pose the greatest risk to human
health -- was 90 micrograms per cubic meter in the capital as of
3 p.m., according to a U.S. Embassy monitor. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-27/beijing-tells-residents-to-stay-inside-to-avoid-smog.html
 

Air board, State Parks agree to settle lawsuit over dust rule.
The San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District and
California State Parks have reached a tentative agreement to
settle lawsuits over an air district rule intended to reduce dust
blowing onto the Nipomo Mesa from Oceano Dunes State Vehicular
Recreation Area. At its meeting Wednesday, the air district board
voted unanimously to accept the settlement agreement, called a
consent decree. Posted.
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/03/26/2991498/slo-county-air-board-state-parks.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy


‘Environmental Poisoning’ of Iraq Is Claimed.  An advocacy group
representing American military veterans and Iraqi civilians
arrived here on Wednesday armed with a message for the United
States government: Washington must do something for the thousands
of people suffering from what the group called the “environmental
poisoning” of Iraq during the war. The group, Right to Heal, says
that veterans and civilians continue to feel the effects of the
burn pits…Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/27/world/middleeast/environmental-poisoning-of-iraq-is-claimed.html?ref=earth
 

Wood burning in Valley to be discussed at air district meeting. 
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District will hold a
public meeting this evening to present and receive comments on
strategies to further reduce emissions from wood burning in the
Valley.The workshop will take place at 5:30 p.m today in the
Valley air district office in Fresno and will be
video-teleconferenced at the Bakersfield and Modesto district
offices. Posted.
http://www.modbee.com/2014/03/26/3261072/wood-burning-to-be-discussed-at.html#storylink=cpy
 

Oilseed in Livestock Feed Can Cut Emissions Up to 13%, Study
Finds. Using oilseed plant in livestock feed can cut methane and
carbon dioxide emissions by up to 13 percent, according to
preliminary findings of a study. The environmental monitoring
study, carried out by the Life-Seed Capital project and
co-founded by the European Commission’s Life+programme, found
that introducing rapeseed cake cuts methane emissions between 6
percent and 13…Posted.
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/03/27/oilseed-in-livestock-feed-can-cut-emissions-up-to-13-study-finds/

Vehicle and engine importer fined $630K for Clean Air Act
violations. California vehicle and engine importing company
American Lifan Industry Inc. has agreed to pay $630,000 in civil
penalties after U.S. EPA said it imported and sold thousands of
vehicles and engines made in China that did not meet clean air
standards. The company sells motorcycles, recreational vehicles
and engines…Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996850/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

CLIMATE CHANGE 

CORRECTED-Britain's greenhouse gas emissions down 1.9 pct in
2013: govt. Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell 1.9 percent
in 2013 due to a decline in fossil-fuel power generation,
preliminary government data showed on Thursday. Output of the
heat-trapping gases in Europe's second-largest emitter dipped to
569.9 million tonnes compared to 581.1 million tonnes in 2012,
data from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
showed. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/britain-carbon-idUSL5N0MO2G120140327


Climate changes put the freeze on elephant seal births. More ice
means fewer elephant seal pups, according to Australian
scientists studying breeding colonies on Macquarie Island near
Antarctica and atmospheric changes in the region that have
affected the feeding grounds. "When there's more sea ice the
population is likely to go down and in years when there's less
sea ice the population is likely to go up,"…Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-antarctic-seals-idUSBREA2Q0CQ20140327


Extracting carbon from nature can aid climate but will be costly:
U.N. A little-known technology that may be able to take the
equivalent of China's greenhouse gas emissions out of the carbon
cycle could be the radical policy shift needed to slow climate
change this century, a draft U.N. report shows. Using the
technology, power plants would burn biomass - wood, wood pellets,
or plant waste like from sugar cane - to generate electricity
while the carbon dioxide in the biomass is extracted…Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/26/us-climatechange-ccs-idUSBREA2P1LK20140326


Carbon Falls to 2-Month Low as U.K. Emissions Drop Cools Demand.
Carbon fell to a two-month low as a bigger-than-expected drop in
greenhouse-gas emissions from U.K. power stations signaled demand
for pollution permits may decline across Europe.
European Union carbon permits fell as much as 11 percent to their
lowest since Jan. 25, according to the ICE Futures Europe
exchange in London. Trading volume for the December 2014
benchmark contract more than tripled to a record. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-27/carbon-falls-to-2-month-low-as-u-k-emissions-drop-cools-demand.html


The Emerging Investor Language of “Carbon Asset Risk” Last
Thursday, ExxonMobil agreed to publish its plans to assess the
risks climate change pose to its business model, making it the
first oil and gas producer to do so. In exchange, a group of
shareholders led by Arjuna Capital, a sustainable wealth
management fund, and the advocacy organization As You Sow agreed
to withdraw a shareholder proposal on the issue. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/The-Emerging-Investor-Language-of-Carbon-Asset-5350514.php


RFS Proposal Would Increase Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Cuts in
biofuels this year would increase emissions of greenhouse gases
next year, according to a new white paper from the Biotechnology
Industry Organization (BIO). The Obama administration’s proposal
to reduce the 2014 renewable fuel standard (RFS) could reverse
progress on reducing climate-changing emissions from the US
transportation sector, according to the BIO. Posted.
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/03/27/rfs-proposal-would-increase-greenhouse-gas-emissions/


Bioenergy from Forest Litter Could ‘Negate’ Emissions Savings.
Bioenergy production from forest harvest residues can reduce the
carbon stock of forests and as such the process may negate
greenhouse gas savings obtained by using bioenergy, according to
research published in the journal GCB Bioenergy. As harvesting
from forest residues increases it decreases the amount of forest
litter – the detritus shed from plants…Posted.
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/03/27/bioenergy-from-forest-litter-could-negate-emissions-savings/


Climate change acidifying tropical Pacific Ocean more than
expected – study. The amount of carbon dioxide in the tropical
Pacific Ocean has increased surprisingly quickly over the past 14
years, according to new research from scientists at the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of
Washington. The reason for the rapid increase in carbon dioxide
concentrations is a combination of natural variability and
human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere…Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996806/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

DROUGHT

Faced with drought and climate change, desert animals cling to
existence. Under a canopy of gleaming stars, Janet Foley made her
way across a dab of marshlands surrounded by harsh Mojave Desert
terrain, her headlamp fixed on a live trap the size of a loaf of
bread. She peered inside, smiled and said, "Hi there, cutie." The
creature staring back at her was a federally endangered Amargosa
vole, one of the rarest mammals in North America. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/26/6269207/faced-with-drought-and-climate.html#storylink=cpy


Drought battle focuses on homeowner rules, meters. With
California in the grips of a prolonged dry spell, state lawmakers
are looking to grant members of homeowner associations the
freedom to plant drought-resistant landscaping without the fear
of fines. 
Moreover, the Legislature is moving closer toward forcing
developers to install meters in individual units when building a
new apartment complex or other multifamily housing projects…
Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/26/drought-battle-focuses-on-homeowner-rules-meters/


California drought spurs surge of neo-49ers as low Sierra water
levels bring gold hopes. There's gold in them dry hills! Or gold
seekers anyway. And they see a historic opportunity in
California's historic drought. Low water levels have led to a
mini gold rush in the same Sierra Nevada foothills that drew
legions of fortune seekers from around the world in the
mid-1800s, as amateur prospectors dig for riverbed riches in
spots that have been out of reach for decades. Posted.
http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2014/03/27/california-drought-spurs-mini-gold-rush-in-sierra


Growers of thirsty pot are under fire in drought-struck
California. In drought-hit California, marijuana growers are
feeling the heat, accused of using too much water for their
thirsty plants and of polluting streams and rivers with their
pesticides and fertilizers. State officials say a pot plant sucks
up an average of 6 gallons of water per day, worsening a shortage
caused by one of the biggest droughts on record. Posted.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/03/26/222487/growers-of-thirsty-pot-are-under.html#storylink=cpy


DIESEL EMISSIONS

Proposed changes to diesel standards would give truckers more
time. State air officials would give truckers more flexibility
and time to comply with new rules under proposed changes to
controversial diesel emission standards. The proposed amendments,
announced this month, come after a series of meetings the
California Air Resources Board had with stakeholders across the
state late last year, including one in Redding in December.
Posted. http://insurancenewsnet.com/print.aspx?id=480338 
	
Kenworth and Peterbilt introduce more fuel-efficient Class 8
trucks.  At the Mid-America Trucking show, PACCAR companies
Kenworth and Peterbilt introduced more fuel efficient version of
their heavy-duty models: the Kenworth T680 Advantage and the
Peterbilt Model 579 with EPIQ package.  Posted. 
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/03/20140327-paccar.html 

FUELS

Special Report: A Canadian family's 'Plan B' to pump tar sands
oil. Keystone XL, a pipeline proposal to pump Canadian oil sands
through the heart of America, has alarmed environmentalists and
become one of the most contentious issues of the Obama
presidency. But there is a "Plan B" to cut the United States out
of the picture, and it is championed by one of Canada's
wealthiest business dynasties. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-pipeline-irvings-special-report-idUSBREA2Q10A20140327


Greens debate impacts of LNG exports on global warming.
Environmentalists wary of plans to open the gates for U.S.
exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) might be missing an
opportunity to advance their primary goal, fighting global
warming. So say some advocates for climate change action who see
the wider distribution of natural gas leading to reduced
emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases as coal-burning power
plants are switched to gas. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996847/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Earthquake risks pushed as reason for frack moratorium.
Environmentalists behind a recent report on shale drilling and
seismic risks in earthquake-prone California are working to jolt
the political debate over whether to block unconventional oil
extraction. Center for Biological Diversity, Earthworks and Clean
Water Action advocates are underscoring their analysis, titled
"On Shaky Ground," as they push for a hydraulic fracturing
moratorium. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059996825/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

HIGH-SPEED RAIL

AM Alert: High-speed rail's 'potential for success' evaluated. 
California's drought has pushed high-speed rail out of the
headlines in recent months, but the controversial project isn't
forgotten. Republican legislators continue to introduce bills to
defund the project and, in February, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom pulled
his support, suggesting the state should instead reallocate
voter-approved rail bonds.  Posted. 
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/03/27/2992518/am-alert-high-speed-rails-potential.html


GREEN ENERGY

UPDATE 1-EU to probe French green tax caps for large energy
users. European Union antitrust regulators are investigating
whether green tax reductions granted by French authorities to
energy-intensive users give the companies an unfair advantage.
France, the world's most nuclear-reliant country, wants to boost
the share of renewable energy to 23 percent of its energy mix by
2020 from the current 15 percent. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/eu-france-energyprobe-idUSL5N0MO2RG20140327


Ukraine spotlights German priority: energy switch.  The crisis in
Ukraine has added an extra dose of uncertainty to German
Chancellor Angela Merkel's biggest domestic project: shifting the
country from nuclear to renewable energy sources. Merkel launched
the drive to transition the country away from nuclear after
Japan's 2011 Fukushima disaster. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/26/ukraine-spotlights-german-priority-energy-switch/


Wyo. wind could help Calif. meet goals at lower cost -- NREL
study. A new federal study estimates that ratepayers in
California could save as much as $1 billion a year in power
generation costs to meet renewable energy goals if transmission
lines are built that allow the Golden State to access
wind-generated electricity from Wyoming. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1059996790/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

German scientists bundle renewable energy sources to form a
'virtual' power plant. With the relaunch of its "Energiewende"
program earlier this year, the German government renewed its
commitment to the near phaseout of fossil fuels -- including a
transition to 80 percent renewable energy -- by 2050. Many
Germans, meanwhile, remain optimistic that a complete transition
to renewables could be possible by midcentury. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059996824/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Solar installations top wind for first time in 2013 – report.
Solar power is poised to overtake wind energy as the renewable
energy source with the most financing and installation, according
to a new report. Clean Edge Inc., a research advisory firm, said
more solar photovoltaic generating capacity than wind power was
installed worldwide for the first time last year. "This was the
crossover year," said Ron Pernick, the firm's managing director.
Pernick said that although wind generation still makes up a
market 2 ½ times the size of the solar market, trends are
favoring solar generation. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059996834/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

MISCELLANEOUS

No longer blowing smoke? E-cigarettes could surpass traditional
brands, experts say. When change has come for the tobacco
industry during its long history, it usually has arrived at a
leisurely pace. Not this time. The crop and products made from it
face something that has gutted or transformed many other
industries in recent years: a disruptive technology. Electronic
cigarettes are winning over smokers so quickly that some analysts
predict the battery-powered newcomer…Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/26/6269209/no-longer-blowing-smoke-e-cigarettes.html#storylink=cpy


OPINIONS

Climate change: While we fiddle, the world burns ... and floods
and parches. Here’s a statistic for you. Out of 10,855
peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals last year that
dealt with some aspect of global warming, all but two accepted
human behavior as the primary cause. Oddly, that represents a bit
of backsliding. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-global-warming-neil-de-grasse-tyron-cosmos-england-zadie-smith-20140326,0,3874109.story#ixzz2xB15kR00


BLOGS

Report: In Cutting Emissions, CAHSR Expensive Compared to Local
Upgrades. UCLA’s Lewis Center published a report yesterday
finding that California’s High-Speed Rail project is a relatively
expensive way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the
near-term, compared to upgrading local transit and bicycle
infrastructure. Comparing CAHSR to Los Angeles Metro’s Gold Line
light-rail and Orange Line bus rapid transit route and
bikeway…Posted.
http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/03/25/report-in-cutting-emissions-cahsr-expensive-compared-to-local-upgrades/

Here’s why B.C.’s carbon tax is super popular — and effective. 
Suppose that you live in Vancouver and you drive a car to work.
Naturally, you have to get gas regularly. When you stop at the
pump, you may see a notice like the one above, explaining that
part of the price you’re paying is, in effect, due to the cost of
carbon.  Posted. 
http://grist.org/climate-energy/heres-why-b-c-s-carbon-tax-is-super-popular-and-effective/


Honda Smart Home, NJ dealer show the power of solar. Car
dealerships are not usually thought of as "green" enterprises.
They sell, after all, the fossil fuel-powered vehicles that
account for about 18 percent of the CO2 emissions created in the
US each year. As demonstrated by Rossi Honda in Vineland, NJ
though, it doesn't have to be that way. Sure, the franchise still
sells cars - lots of them - but they power the entire operation
with sunlight in a way that provides ancillary benefits. Posted.
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/27/honda-smart-home-nj-dealer-show-the-power-of-solar/


WWF app paints China’s polluted sky blue. WWF China and OgilvyOne
Beijing have joined hands again this year to support Earth Hour
by creating a new “Blue Sky” iPhone app that allows users to turn
their photos of polluted gray skies into clear blue skies with a
simple finger wipe. Users can share the before and after pictures
on their WeChat Moments and Sina Weibo (Chinese microblog). In
addition, the app invites users to pledge against air pollution
by signing their phone screens and sending their
signatures…Posted.
http://www.marketing-interactive.com/wwf-new-app-tries-wipe-polluted-grey-sky-china/




California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.

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