What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for April 17, 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.

CAP AND TRADE

Using Cap and Trade Funds for Housing and Transit.  State Senate
President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg is proposing a new plan for
cap-and-trade proceeds that are collected from the state's
biggest polluters.  Steinberg, D-Sacramento, wants the majority
of those revenues to go toward providing a permanent source of
funding for sustainable affordable housing and mass transit, like
high-speed rail.  Posted. 
http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2014-04-16/climate-change-air-quality/using-cap-and-trade-funds-for-housing-and-transit/a38802-1


Can Oregon and Washington Price Carbon Pollution? Sick and tired
of waiting for the US and Canadian federal governments to lead on
climate issues, the US states of California, Oregon and
Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia decided
last year to reinvigorate a regional partnership aimed at
tackling the climate challenge. Posted.
http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=10303§ion=news_articles&eod=1

 
AIR POLLUTION

Beijing's bid to move polluting firms watched warily in nearby
regions. China's capital has ordered more than 50 companies to
shut down this year in an effort to cut pollution but pushing
factories out could raise objections in surrounding areas
reluctant to host Beijing's polluters. Smog-shrouded Beijing and
the surrounding province of Hebei have become a front in a "war
against pollution" declared by Premier Li Keqiang last month.
Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/17/china-pollution-beijing-idUSL3N0N91RD20140417
 
 
Beijing says one third of its pollution comes from outside the
city. About a third of the air pollution in China's smog-hit
capital comes from outside the city, official media reported on
Wednesday, citing a pollution watchdog. Chen Tian, chief of the
Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, said that about 28-36
percent of hazardous airborne particles known as PM2.5 came from
surrounding provinces like Hebei…Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/16/china-pollution-beijing-idUSL3N0N814420140416
 

Shanghai Warns Children to Stay Indoors on Heavy Pollution.
Shanghai warned children and the elderly to stay indoors as haze
covered the city and levels of PM2.5 rose to more than eight
times the World Health Organization recommended range. Smog
levels started rising around noon today with the air quality
index reaching 254 as of 5 p.m., signaling “heavy pollution,” the
third worst in a six-tier warning system, according to the
website of the city’s environmental monitoring center. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-17/shanghai-warns-children-to-stay-indoors-on-heavy-pollution.html


Measuring Africa’s Air Pollution. When Jenny Linden, an air
quality scientist, tried to measure the pollution in Burkina
Faso’s capital city, one of her instruments clogged up. It was
designed for road dust in Arizona, but the dust in Ouagadougou
far exceeded the machine’s limit, and it had to be sent to the
United States for repair. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/17/business/energy-environment/measuring-africas-air-pollution.html


Sriracha sauce maker considers relocation. Huy Fong Foods owner
says he's made no decision to move but faces uncertainty in
Irwindale. Texas, other states have made pitches. After a
months-long battle with the city of Irwindale over complaints
about a spicy odor, Sriracha sauce creator David Tran said
Wednesday that he is now seriously considering moving his factory
to another location. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-sriracha-20140417,0,6897133.story#ixzz2zAPlmb8u


Environmental groups slam Pa. smog proposal as lax. 
Environmental groups say Pennsylvania's federally mandated plan
to reduce smog would allow coal-fired power plants to emit more
pollution than they do now. The state has been working on a
proposal to curb ground-level ozone in 17 counties where the
federal government says smog levels remain too high and pose a
health risk to the young, the elderly, people with asthma and
others. Posted.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/apr/16/environmental-groups-slam-pa-smog-proposal-as/#ixzz2zA5Fc632


Study outlines minorities' dramatically higher exposure to NO2.
Americans of color are exposed to 38 percent more nitrogen
dioxide (NO2) outdoor air pollution than white people, according
to a new study that finds the differences persist even among
income levels. Exposure to sustained amounts of NO2 can bring
serious health effects, like asthma attacks, and can help cause
heart attacks. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998080/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

CLIMATE CHANGE

Drunken Trees: Dramatic Signs of Climate Change.  As the
permafrost melts in the north, forests no longer grow straight.
Sarah James, an Alaska Native elder, says global warming is
radically changing her homeland. Even the forests no longer grow
straight. Melting ground has caused trees to tilt or fall.
"Because permafrost melts, it causes a lot of erosion," says
James, who lives in Arctic Village, a small Native American
village in northeastern Alaska. "A lot of trees can't stand up
straight. If the erosion gets worse, everything goes with it."
Permafrost is permanently frozen ground. But climate change has
caused much of that ground to melt at an unprecedented rate.
Posted.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140417-drunken-trees-melting-permafrost-global-warming-science/


Frigid Eastern winters and warm Western ones nothing new -- blame
the jet stream. A new study has found that the wavy jet stream
pattern that tends to bring warm winter weather to the U.S. West
and cold weather to the East was set in place 4,000 years ago.
The research, published in the journal Nature Communications,
also suggests that climate change may help keep the wavy pattern
in place. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998032/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Fossil fuels states band together on existing power plant rule.
Fossil fuels states met yesterday and today in Bismarck, N.D., to
swap ideas about how to protect their states' economic and energy
interests from what they fear could be the harmful effects of
U.S. EPA's upcoming existing power plant carbon dioxide rule. The
meeting comes six weeks before the federal agency is set to
release its proposed guidance for the rule, and regulators have
been tight-lipped about what it will look like. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998084/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

FUELS

Industry group says large U.S. reserves can support exports.
Natural gas reserves are likely to grow and support the United
States' move toward exporting domestic gas, according to a report
the American Gas Association released today, as the topic heats
up on Capitol Hill and beyond. The industry group's study found
domestic reserves will likely increase, based on a sampling of
some of the country's 30 largest reserve holders. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998070/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Ethanol plant gets key EPA permit for carbon sequestration. U.S.
EPA issued a draft "Class VI" permit for the underground
injection of carbon dioxide to the second-ever project this week,
marking a milestone in regulations of capture and storage of the
greenhouse gas. The draft permit under the Class VI program for
the Archer Daniels Midland Co. project in Decatur, Ill. -- which
aims to capture 1.1 million metric tons of CO2 annually over five
years from an ethanol plant… Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998037/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

VEHICLES

Clean Slate. Big vehicles need not have a big impact on the
environment. Green technology is hotter than ever, and nowhere
does that technology make more sense — and have a bigger impact —
than beneath the hoods of sport-utilities and pickups. After all,
Americans love spacious, versatile rides as well as fuel economy.
Some of us even factor in environmental concern. And green
technology delivers it all in a big way — literally.  Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/shopping/la-ss-trucksandsuvs-cleanslate-10122011,0,4354281.story#ixzz2zABTc9d2


Mercedes-Benz’ anticipatory energy management system for hybrids.
 Mercedes-Benz has developed an intelligent energy management
system for hybrid vehicles that assesses the road ahead and takes
it into account. The objectives of the “Intelligent HYBRID”
system are to maximize the benefit of recuperation energy and to
provide driving pleasure through the boost effect of the electric
motor.  Posted. 
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140417-mb.html 

A tiny additive may give durability to a more powerful new
electric car battery. Adding tiny particles to lithium-sulfur
batteries may extend the range of electric vehicles, overcome
range anxiety and unlock the full potential of renewable energy.
Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
have developed a unique, powdery nanomaterial called a metal
organic framework, or MOF…Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998042/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Zero-emission engine preparing for its debut. It appears the
"zero emission" engine is ready for prime time. Daimler AG,
Mercedes-Benz's parent corporation, plans to start selling
hydrogen-fueled cars to the public by 2017 with assistance from
government spending and joint efforts by Nissan Motor Co. and
Ford Motor Co. If they're successful, wind energy, not the car
industry, would be impacted. According to experts, a large
commercial market could compel green energy producers to make
clean hydrogen instead of storing electricity in expensive
batteries. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998034/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

GREEN ENERGY

Tiny power plants hold promise for nuclear energy. Small
underground nuclear power plants that could be cheaper to build
than their behemoth counterparts may herald the future for an
energy industry under intense scrutiny since the Fukushima
disaster, the incoming head of the Nuclear Energy Agency told The
Associated Press. Size is relative - the modular plants could be
about as big as a couple of semi-trailers - easily fitting on the
dimensions of coal plants they're ultimately intended to replace
in the U.S. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_SMALL_NUCLEAR_REACTORS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Private Sector Driving U.S. Wind Market Forward. Hydropower
increasingly important in Scotland.  French Utility Reports
$13Billion Loss over Solar, Wind Subsidies. The onshore wind
energy sector is booming in the United States, where there's
enough of the renewable resource on hand to meet the annual
demands for 15 million homes. It may take one of the biggest
retailers in the world, however, to usher in the necessary change
in energy consumption. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Private-Sector-Driving-U-S-Wind-Market-Forward-5409951.php


MOJAVE DESERT: Huge solar project questioned.  Worries about
possible environmental damage from another large-scale solar
project proposed for the Southern California desert has prompted
the federal government to give people more time to submit
comments on the proposal. The Silurian Valley solar project would
go on 11-square miles of public land in San Bernardino County,
about 10 miles north of Baker, between Death Valley National Park
and the Mojave National Preserve. Posted.
http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20140416-mojave-desert-huge-solar-project-questioned.ece


Scientists develop a way to see how energy moves in potential
solar cell materials. With a new imaging technique, researchers
can now watch how energy moves through materials, paving the way
for more efficient solar cells and better light-emitting diodes.
Understanding how electrons move through substances like silicon
is a key to unlocking higher efficiencies in many electronic
devices, circumventing some of the engineering limits in clean
energy technologies like photovoltaic panels… Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059998039/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

White House highlights industry growth, pledges additional
assistance. The White House this morning convened a summit
designed to tout the dramatic growth in solar energy deployments
and reductions in the technology's costs in the United States
over the last several years, pledging additional government
assistance to further expand the industry. The most substantial
policy announcement from this morning's summit was a $15 million
pledge from the Energy Department to aid community efforts to
expand solar panel installations…Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059998064/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

MISCELLANEOUS

Scholarship winners rewarded for environmental savvy.  A student
team from a middle school in Michigan and another student team
from a high school in New Jersey each earned $30,000 grand prizes
in scholarships and grants for their innovative ideas to improve
the environment. The scholarship competition encourages students
nationwide to make the world a better place through environmental
initiatives. Posted. 
http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/17/3296661/scholarship-winners-rewarded-for.html#storylink=cpy


OPINIONS

Political Roadblocks to Action on Climate Change. “Climate
Efforts Falling Short, U.N. Panel Says” (front page, April 13)
correctly points out the dire nature of the situation that
threatens the very future of our planet. The article blamed
“congressional opposition” for thwarting President Obama’s effort
to adopt “aggressive climate policies.” While many
environmentalists have serious concerns about how “aggressive”
the president has really been in this area, what is absolutely
clear is that it is not “congressional opposition” that is
blocking progress. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/17/opinion/political-roadblocks-to-action-on-climate-change.html?_r=1


Column: Fuel-careful F1 less of a guilty pleasure. As Earth's
atmosphere warms alarmingly and fills with heat-trapping gases,
and the writing on the wall — "People, we're in trouble!" — looms
ever larger, Formula One has steadily become a guilty pleasure,
the motorsport equivalent of blue whale burger or wearing panda
fur. All that precious fuel going up in smoke, speed, and
outrageous noise. Unsustainable and increasingly unjustifiable.
Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Column-Fuel-careful-F1-less-of-a-guilty-pleasure-5409089.php


The real polluters of Barrio Logan.  A major argument used by
supporters of the controversial community plan for Barrio Logan,
just across from San Diego’s downtown shipyards, is that the plan
will protect families, particularly children, from the
neighborhood businesses that serve the shipyards and that spew
“toxic, flammable chemicals, carcinogens” and other pollutants
throughout the community. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/17/tp-the-real-polluters-of-barrio-logan/
  

Berkeley boost for electric-vehicle charging options.  Making
electric vehicles an everyday sight on Berkeley's streets is a
core component of the city's ambitious plan to tackle global
warming. As part of the its Climate Action Plan to cut greenhouse
gas emissions by one-third by 2020, Berkeley is dedicated to
promoting the use of vehicles that run on renewable sources or
low-carbon fuels.  Posted.  
http://www.contracostatimes.com/News/ci_25579223/Guest-opinion:-Berkeley-boost-for-electricvehicle
 
http://www.insidebayarea.com/News/ci_25579223/Guest-opinion:-Berkeley-boost-for-electricvehicle


BLOGS

Here’s what fracking can do to your health.  If you know one
thing about fracking, it might be that the wells have been linked
to explosive tap water. Of course, a tendency toward combustion
isn’t the biggest problem with gas-infused water; it’s what could
happen to you when you drink it.  Posted. 
http://grist.org/business-technology/heres-what-fracking-can-do-to-your-health/


Toyota Europe boss says 'reasonable number' of fuel cell vehicles
on the way. We know that Toyota is gung-ho about delivering its
first hydrogen fuel cell sedan to early-adopter markets like
southern California and part of Japan next year. The Japanese
automaker's European H2 plans have long been part of the mix, but
a new press release shows just how committed Toyota is to
hydrogen all around the world. Posted.
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/04/17/toyota-europe-boss-says-reasonable-number-fuel-cell-vehicles/






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