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ARB Newsclips for June 24, 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

Lawmakers urge change to carbon emissions plan.  As California
gas prices climb, a group of moderate and pro-business Democratic
lawmakers is voicing concerns about the cost to drivers of state
regulations to curb carbon emissions set to take effect next
year.  As part of a landmark law passed in 2006, motor vehicle
fuel will be subject to new price pressures starting in January,
and the change could add at least an estimated 15 cents to the
average price of regular unleaded gasoline.  Posted. 
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-prices-sacramento-20140625-story.html


CLIMATE CHANGE

Money men tally cost of climate change. Climate change is likely
to exact enormous costs on U.S. regional economies in the form of
lost property, reduced industrial output and more deaths,
according to a report backed by a trio of men with vast business
experience. The report, released Tuesday, is designed to convince
businesses to factor in the cost of climate change in their
long-term decisions and to push for reductions in emissions
blamed for heating the planet. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_COST_OF_CLIMATE_CHANGE_REPORT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/23/6506471/money-men-tally-cost-of-climate.html

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/jun/24/money-men-tally-cost-of-climate-change/#ixzz35ZnvHtKr
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/science/report-tallies-toll-on-economy-from-global-warming.html?_r=0
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/06/24/climate-change-poses-business-risks/11302761/
 
http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/11302761 
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/business-leaders-say-climate-change-threatens-economy/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/140624-bipartisan-report-risky-business-climate-change-science/#
 BY SUBSCRIPTION      

US mayors unanimously pass climate change ideas.  A bipartisan
group of mayors from across the country unanimously approved a
resolution Monday that calls on cities to use natural solutions
to fight the effects of climate change.  Attendees of the U.S.
Conference of Mayors voted in Dallas on the resolution that
encourages cities to use nature to "protect freshwater supplies,
defend the nation's coastlines, maintain a healthy tree and green
space cover and protect air quality…Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MAYORS_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Justices rap EPA, but uphold global warming rules. The Supreme
Court largely left intact Monday the Obama administration's only
existing program to limit power plant and factory emissions of
the gases blamed for global warming. But a divided court also
rebuked environmental regulators for taking too much authority
into their own hands without congressional approval. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPREME_COURT_GREENHOUSE_GASES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/A-climate-change-win-5573955.php


Billionaire Obama adviser: Punish companies that ignore climate
change. The climate change debate took a sharp left turn on
Tuesday when several former cabinet secretaries, former New York
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and a key Wall Street donor to
environmental causes said companies that don’t buy into global
warming should be punished and penalized. Posted.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/billionaire-obama-advisor-punish-companies-that-ignore-climate-change/article/2550111


NC scientists find that oyster reefs can grow faster than
sea-level rise. Climate scientists predict that by 2100, sea
level will be 2 to 3 feet higher than it is today, but it appears
that oyster reefs may adapt to the change. New research at the
University of North Carolina Marine Science Institute found that
oyster reefs grow fast enough to keep pace with rising seas.
Climate warming and sea-ice loss is causing sea levels to rise,
threatening to swamp coastal ecosystems in the process. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/24/6507070/nc-scientists-find-that-oyster.html#storylink=cpy


White House pushes climate change solutions this week. White
House officials are spending this week highlighting the public
health and economic consequences of climate change on the
one-year anniversary of President Barack Obama’s speech to combat
address the problem. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/23/6505922/white-house-pushes-climate-change.html#storylink=cpy


Climate Change becomes a battle ground of money wagers. The
proponents for and against climate change have 97 percent of the
scientists supporting that climate change has been increased by
the hand of man with fossil fuel burning while pitted against
staunch supporters in denial. Today, a physicist put up at wager
of $10,000 to anyone who could refute scientifically the claim of
climate change, posted online in Climateprogress. Posted.
http://www.examiner.com/article/climate-change-becomes-a-battle-ground-of-money-wagers


FUELS

Neste Agrees to Buy Algae Oil to Make Clean Transport Fuel. Neste
Oil Oyj (NES1V), a Finnish oil refiner, agreed to buy algae oil
from U.S.-based Renewable Algal Energy to turn into clean diesel.
The agreement secures access to industrial volumes of algae oil
and will require Renewable Algal to increase its production
capacity, Espoo-based Neste said today in a statement. The deal
is non-exclusive and Neste said it’s looking for other partners.
Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-24/neste-agrees-to-buy-algae-oil-to-make-clean-transport-fuel.html

Ohio college to stop investing in fossil fuels. The University of
Dayton says it will begin divesting coal and fossil fuels from
its $670 million investment pool, hoping to spark discussion
about how use of fossil fuels affects climate change. The private
Catholic university said in a statement Monday that university
trustees unanimously approved the new investment policy. The
school says that reflects its commitment to environmental
sustainability, human rights and its religious mission. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Ohio-college-to-stop-investing-in-fossil-fuels-5573230.php


Big News for Natural Gas Is Big News for This Industry. The media
is buzzing with natural gas news, ranging from the effects of
global warming initiatives on the industry to reports of Russia
cutting off their supply of natural gas to Ukraine. Meanwhile,
the fertilizer industry sits quietly behind the forefront of the
natural gas dominance, remaining highly dependent on both
domestic and international natural gas pricing. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Big-News-for-Natural-Gas-Is-Big-News-for-This-5575704.php
 

VEHICLES

California Puts Its Electric-Car Owner Survey Info Online. 
Plug-in electric cars are driving silently off showroom floors in
growing numbers--but who is buying them, and why?  Data on
electric-car owners can provide valuable insight for
policymakers, helping to show which strategies for increased
adoption are more likely to work.  Now, one such a resource is
available to the public.  Posted. 
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092900_california-puts-its-electric-car-owner-survey-info-online


Even Ferrari To Cut Carbon Emissions, With Hybrid V-12 & Turbo
V-8 Engines. The fastest, most expensive sports cars and
supercars must constantly boost performance to stay
competitive--and now they're also having to cut their carbon
emissions at the same time. Ferrari, possibly the best-known
among sought-after supercar brands, plans to cut average carbon
emissions across its fleet by 20 percent over the next seven
years. Posted.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092912_even-ferrari-to-cut-carbon-emissions-with-hybrid-v-12-turbo-v-8-engines


Hybrids vs Electric Vehicles vs Plug-in Hybrids (Infographic)
Looking for a quick crash course in the world of electric
vehicles in a single infographic? Well look no further. Fix.com
has put together a nifty infographic that explains the
differences between hybrids, electric vehicles, and plug-in
hybrids, and explains all the money-saving and environmental
benefits of electric vehicles. Posted.
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/06/23/infographic-shows-differences-hybrids-evs-phevs/


HIGH SPEED RAIL

Lawsuit contests high-speed rail air quality plans. A San
Rafael-based group that opposes California's high-speed rail
project filed a lawsuit Monday contesting the state's plan to
spend cap-and-trade pollution money on the $68 billion project,
arguing that building the bullet train would create more
pollution than it would reduce for at least a decade. Posted.
http://hosted2.ap.org/CAANR/703431ceb9e54ef59a493df79e81e2f3/Article_2014-06-23-CA--California%20High-Speed%20Rail/id-4128899fd7814ff2aa1284d2cfa343eb

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Lawsuit-counters-high-speed-rail-air-quality-plans-5573733.php

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/23/3992439/new-lawsuit-in-fresno-challenges.html?sp=/99/406/

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2014-06-24/lawsuit-contests-high-speed-rail-air-pollution-money-plan/1776425125465.html
http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20140623/lawsuit-filed-contesting-plans-to-pay-for-californias-high-speed-rail-project-with-cap-and-trade-funds
http://www.mercurynews.com/california-high-speed-rail/ci_26024041/lawsuit-contests-californias-high-speed-rail-air-quality

http://www.kesq.com/news/highspeed-rail-critics-sue-state-over-diversion-of-funds/26635874


GREEN ENERGY

2 universities in DC make deal to buy solar power. Two
universities in the nation's capital have agreed to a major
energy deal to buy more than half their power from three new
solar power farms that will be built in North Carolina, the
schools announced Monday night. George Washington University,
American University and the George Washington University Hospital
announced the 20-year agreement with Duke Energy Renewables to
reduce their carbon footprints by directly tapping solar energy.
Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_UNIVERSITIES_SOLAR_POWER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Rooftop Solar Leases Scaring Buyers When Homeowners Sell. Dorian
Bishopp blames the solar panels on his roof for costing him
almost 10 percent off the value of the home he sold in March.
That’s because instead of owning them he leased the panels from
SunPower Corp. (SPWR), requiring the new owner of the house to
assume a contract with almost 19 years remaining. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-06-23/rooftop-solar-leases-scaring-buyers-when-homeowners-sell.html


Can General Electric and Synthetic Biology De-Risk Nuclear
Energy? The average nuclear power plant generates 20 metric tons
of nuclear waste every year, while America's entire nuclear fleet
produces about 2,000 metric tons. That has added up to over
70,000 metric tons in the past 40 years. It's not a big volume,
relatively speaking, but the problem is usually associated with
the length of time it remains hazardous. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Can-General-Electric-and-Synthetic-Biology-5572954.php

DOE awards $100M in 2nd funding round for 32 Energy Frontier
Research Centers.  The US Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding
$100 million in the second round of funding for Energy Frontier
Research Centers (EFRCs); research supported by this initiative
will enable fundamental advances in energy production, storage,
and use.  The 32 projects receiving funding were competitively
selected from more than 200 proposals.  Posted. 
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/06/20140624-doe.html   

OPINIONS

On Balance, a Good Ruling on Emission. The Supreme Court
Correctly Affirms the E.P.A.’s Authority.  The Clean Air Act is a
complex and often confusing piece of legislation, especially when
it comes to confronting the challenges of global warming, which
were not fully understood when the original law was passed in
1970. At that time, the biggest risk to the environment and human
health was believed to come from more “conventional” air
pollutants, like sulfur dioxide and lead. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/opinion/the-supreme-court-correctly-affirms-the-epas-authority.html


Cap-and-trade is fueling California's economy. Re "Sticker shock
coming at the pump" (Viewpoints,¯ June 19): As California
business owners and residents, we take strong objection to Jay
McKeeman's assertions that fuels under the cap in 2015 will
result in a heavy economic burden on consumers. Since AB32 was
enacted in 2006, California's clean-tech job growth is 10 times
that of the state. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/23/6505270/cap-and-trade-is-fueling-californiaas.html#storylink=cpy


Lee Lane: Does climate science dictate energy policy?  In recent
remarks, while avoiding disputes about climate science, House
Speaker John Boehner has denounced the high costs of President
Barack Obama’s climate and energy policies. Obama has responded
by insisting that his own energy policies are based purely on
science. He maintains, as well, that concerns that environmental
controls will curtail economic growth reflect only the false
claims of special interests.  Posted. 
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/science-626869-climate-obama.html


BLOGS

Claim that global warming has “decelerated” is troubling,
misleading (Viewpoint). As a meteorologist, I am used to dealing
with uncertainty. The atmosphere is complex and our models always
paint an incomplete, but still useful picture of the weather. We
strive to be as confident in our conclusions as possible, but are
careful to avoid showing over-confidence by drawing conclusions
that are simply not justified by the data itself. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/06/23/claim-that-global-warming-has-decelerated-is-troubling-misleading-viewpoint/


Researcher develops portable device to monitor air quality.  Andy
Zhang, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical
Engineering Technology, and his students at City Tech designed a
portable device called AirCasting that monitors air quality and
transmits the data to a smartphone app. Zhang said there is
interest in the air monitors from institutions in California,
Colorado, and as far away as Poland, Hong Kong and China. 
Posted. 
http://phys.org/news/2014-06-portable-device-air-quality.html 

Cap-and-trade policy can help US reduce emissions. President
Obama has established new emission standards to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions into our atmosphere by 30 percent by 2030. The
success or failure of this regulation will rely - at least in
some states - on market economics and the allocation of resources
in the most efficient manner. There are some areas, of course,
where the market needs help. For instance, the market does not
factor future costs into the price consumers pay for a product or
service. Posted.
http://newsitem.com/opinion/letters/cap-and-trade-policy-can-help-us-reduce-emissions-1.1707704


AAA says Tesla Model S is the best green car available. AAA has
released its 2014 Green Car Guide (PDF), a 140-page document that
discusses what it means to be green, how to be a greener driver,
how to shop for green cars, what choices are available and what
green cars are on the horizon. Most importantly, the guide
evaluates and ranks 83 different green vehicles, from
high-mileage gasoline vehicles to battery electric cars, and
everything in between. Posted.
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/06/24/aaa-says-tesla-model-s-is-the-best-green-car-available/


Idling vehicle engines are big polluters. WHILE there is a lively
public discussion about the dangers of second-hand cigarette
smoke, I have been wondering why the danger to health caused by
idle vehicle engines is seldom addressed. Although the
Environmental Pollution Control regulations deem it an offence to
keep the engine running while a vehicle is stationary for reasons
other than traffic conditions... Posted.
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/idling-vehicle-engines-are-big-polluters-20140625#sthash.0YYJQ6pv.dpuf




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