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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 15, 2014.
Posted: 15 Oct 2014 11:54:58
ARB Newsclips for October 15, 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 California's Carbon Trading Program May Give You Money Soon. California households who get their electricity from the state's privately owned utilities will be getting a bit of a present in their electric bills this fall, thanks to the state's greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program. Most California residents' electric bills will be credited an average of $35 in October or November through the state's Climate Credit program. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/utilities/californias-carbon-trading-program-may-give-you-money-soon.html Californians To Receive Credit On October-November Electricity Bills. The California Air Resources Board says nearly 11 million households in the state will get a credit averaging $35 on their electric bills. The credit comes from California’s cap-and-trade program to fight climate change. It's a result of payments power plants and industries make when they buy carbon emission permits. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2014/10/15/californians-to-receive-credit-on-october-november-electricity-bills/ AIR POLLUTION Wind Power Is Cheapest Energy, E.U. Analysis Finds. Wind Power Is Cheapest Energy, E.U. Analysis Finds Onshore wind is cheaper than coal, gas or nuclear energy when the costs of 'external' factors like air quality, human toxicity and climate change are taken into account... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/wind-power-cheapest-energy-eu-analysis-finds Did The Most Expensive Regulation Ever Just Arrive At The White House? Look out! Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just sent what could be the most expensive regulation ever to the Office of Management and Budget for final review. We don't know what the ozone rule will look like, but an EPA advisory board is pushing for standards that would, under EPA's own estimates, cost about $100 billion to comply with every year. http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisprandoni/2014/10/14/did-the-most-expensive-regulation-ever-just-arrive-at-the-white-house/ CLIMATE CHANGE Carbon-Free U.K. ‘Utterly Implausible,’ Ex-Minister Says. Former U.K. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson will say government targets to reduce the emission of gases linked to climate change are “utterly implausible,” in a speech that puts him on a collision course with his party leader, Prime Minister David Cameron. In a speech in London today to the Global Warming Policy Foundation, which is opposed to much of U.K. government policy aimed at tackling climate change… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-14/carbon-free-u-k-utterly-implausible-ex-minister-says.html U.S. considers climate change plan that would mandate emission cuts. The United States is considering a proposal to combat climate change that would require countries to offer plans for curtailing greenhouse gas emissions on a certain schedule but would leave it to individual nations to determine how deep their cuts would be, said Todd Stern, the nation's... http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-climate-change-proposal-20141015-story.html Pentagon finds a new enemy: Mother Nature. From rising sea levels to the melting Arctic ice sheet to political unrest that feeds on starving populations, the U.S. military must rethink how it protects the nation, says a new report from the Department... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26931 Exxon, Shell Carbon Emissions Rise Though Pumping Drops. Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC are emitting more carbon dioxide despite tapping less oil and natural gas. For every barrel they pump, the two biggest Western oil companies generated 10 percent more in greenhouse gases each last year than they did in 2011, according to company data. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141015/exxon-shell-carbon-emissions-rise-though-pumping-drops Climate action a fiscal imperative: Obama's budget director. The director of the White House's Office of Management and Budget said action to combat climate change is imperative for fiscal reasons, not just moral reasons, given the mounting costs of climate events on the federal budget. Shaun Donovan, who took the reins at OMB in August, said the Obama administration's pragmatic approach... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/14/us-climatechange-summit-donovan-idUSKCN0I32S520141014 Study: EPA study proves plug-in vehicles making their mark Filed under: EV/Plug-in, MPG, USA. Talk about a report both green-car advocates and gearheads can celebrate. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put out its annual Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends report.... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/14/epa-study-proves-plug-in-vehicles-making-their-mark/ DROUGHT The Risks of Cheap Water. This summer, California’s water authority declared that wasting water — hosing a sidewalk, for example — was a crime. Next door, in Nevada, Las Vegas has paid out $200 million over the last decade for homes and businesses to pull out their lawns. It will get worse. As climate change and population growth further stress the water supply from the drought-plagued West to the seemingly bottomless Great Lakes…. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/15/business/economy/the-price-of-water-is-too-low.html?_r=0 Amid drought, Mayor Garcetti directs L.A. to cut water use 20% by 2017 ...water use by 20% over the next 21/2 years and warned of new water restrictions if conservation targets aren't met. In announcing the plan, Garcetti said the city's already significant reductions in water use were inadequate given the seriousness of the drought. "The ongoing drought has created a water crisis second to none. http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-city-water-20141015-story.html Calif. Heads for Warmest Year As Drought Hangs On. Heavy precipitation fell across parts of the West in September, and while some locations saw top-10 wettest Septembers, much of the region is still mired in deep drought. Part of that is due to the excess heat that's afflicted the region this year, including what's been the warmest year to date in California according to U.S. temperature data released on Tuesday. In a role reversal, the normally... http://www.climatecentral.org/news/california-warmest-year-drought-18178 DIESEL EMISSIONS Futher Crackdowns On Diesel Emissions Only A Matter Of Time? Both the U.S. and Europe have implemented tighter emissions or fuel-economy standards for gasoline-powered vehicles, but Europe's legion of diesel cars and trucks may get even closer scrutiny. As concerns over urban air quality grow, European analysts see diesel-exhaust emissions as the next major target of regulation.... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094943_futher-crackdowns-on-diesel-emissions-only-a-matter-of-time FUELS Exxon, Shell Carbon Emissions Rise Though Pumping Drops. Greenhouse-Gas Increase Reflects Difficulty in Tapping New Sources of Energy. For every barrel they pump, the two biggest Western oil companies generated 10% more in greenhouse gases each last year than they did in 2011, according to company data. The rise in such emissions, which trap heat in the atmosphere, in part stems from the mounting difficulty of getting oil and gas out of the ground. http://online.wsj.com/articles/exxon-shell-carbon-emissions-rise-though-pumping-drops-1413329329 Oil prices plunge as production rises, fueling concern in OPEC. The roller-coaster ride of oil prices is speeding downward, carrying with it bickering members of OPEC, anxious U.S. shale oil producers and a Russia that relies heavily on petroleum revenue. With a weak global economy, the customary swing producer of oil — Saudi Arabia — has cut prices instead of cutting production, setting off a scramble on world markets. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/oil-prices-plunge-as-production-rises-fueling-concern-in-opec/2014/10/14/9bfd877c-53c9-11e4-892e-602188e70e9c_story.html Valley critics want to kill state proposal that could increase gas prices. With a new proposal to lower greenhouse gases due to kick in Jan. 1, opponents are calling on Gov. Jerry Brown and the state Air Resources Board to kill the plan because they say it will significantly increase gas prices. That price increase — which by some estimates could range from 13 cents to as much as 76 cents per gallon — will mean the potential loss of more than 18,000 jobs and a $3 billion loss in economic output next year… http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/10/14/3902181_valley-critics-continue-calls.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy Progress reported on cellulosic ethanol prospects. The potential for producing cost-effective cellulosic ethanol that uses plentiful and sustainable cellulosic plant biomass continues to grow, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Its Agricultural Research Service scientists at the Bioenergy Research Unit in Peoria, Ill., have recently completed studies on multiple approaches that could help streamline cellulosic... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=26933 U.S. diesel average falls 3.5 cents in biggest drop in year and a half. ...Administration. That's the largest week-to-week drop since the week ended April 29, 2013, when diesel fell 3.6 cents, according to DOE data. Related Cheaper crude driving down diesel prices; price drop expected to continue The country's average price for a gallon of diesel fuel should continue to fall this year and next, according to the Department of Energy, who ... http://www.overdriveonline.com/u-s-diesel-average-falls-3-5-cents-in-biggest-drop-in-year-and-a-half/ VEHICLES Volkswagen: Plug-In Hybrids A 'Bridge' To Pure Electric Cars In Future. It's often said that plug-in hybrids are the "gateway drug" to pure battery-electric vehicles, exposing drivers to the electric-car experience without looming range anxiety. Now it appears that a member of the powerful board of global automaker Volkswagen Group agrees.http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094919_volkswagen-plug-in-hybrids-a-bridge-to-pure-electric-cars-in-future GREEN ENERGY Germany set for dip in renewable energy subsidy. The cost to Germans of subsidizing renewable energy is set to decline next year for the first time, though the impact on their electricity bills will be only slight. Chancellor Angela Merkel's... http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Germany-set-for-dip-in-renewable-energy-subsidy-5823836.php Scientists: EPA Underestimating Renewables Potential ...and more climate-friendly than the Obama administration expects it to be through 2030, researchers at the Union of Concerned Scientists said in an analysis released Tuesday. The report says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set each state's renewable energy production targets far too low in the proposed Clean Power Plan, the Obama Administration's effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal-fired power plants. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/scientists-epa-underestimating-u.s.-renewables-potential-18176 MISCELLANEOUS Richmond storage company settles suit over bay pollution. San Francisco Bay Keeper, an environmental group, reached an agreement last week with a storage company it sued two years ago for allegedly polluting San Francisco Bay, violating the Clean Water Act and endangering the health of wildlife and neighboring communities. Bay Keeper and the company in question, Levin-Richmond Terminal Corp., reached a settlement that requires the Richmond-based firm to better manage and clean up pollutants… http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_26732718/richmond-storage-company-settles-suit-over-bay-pollution OPINIONS Guest commentary: Hidden tax is about to hit low-income people again. Over the summer, citing a recent Standard & Poor's report, Gov. Jerry Brown addressed income inequality as a critical issue facing our state that needs to be addressed, recognizing that if consumers are in debt, the economy doesn't go forward. California Air Resources Board's plan to raise gas taxes on Californians anywhere from 16 to 70 cents per gallon in the name of cap-and-trade will only compound the struggle already facing our residents. http://www.contracostatimes.com/opinion/ci_26725898/guest-commentary-hidden-tax-is-about-hit-low BLOGS Gas prices could fall by 30 cents by the holiday season. Good news, commuters, analysts predict that gas prices could fall by as much as 30 cents per gallon before the end of the year. As of Wednesday, the state average stood at $3.589, but some stations were selling the product for 20 to 30 cents below that -- a far cry from the midsummer high in July of about $4.09, according to GasBuddy. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/blog/morning-roundup/2014/10/gas-prices-could-fall-by-30-cents-by-the-holiday.html Why clean energy might be cheaper than you think. Wind and solar power often get a bad rap for being more expensive than energy produced from fossil fuels. But what happens when you factor in, say, the health costs of people breathing smoggy air? Or the financial impact of climate change's effect... http://grist.org/article/why-clean-energy-might-be-cheaper-than-you-think Toyota giving away its first hydrogen car in US. ...Tickets Available Through Bidding For Good California isn't Nevada, but Golden State residents are nonetheless being given a chance to make a small bet on what may be a large prize, courtesy of Toyota. The Japanese automaker will start selling its first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles on the West Coast late next year, and before that, Toyota would like to pick up some positive publicity by giving America's first one away to one lucky Californian. http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/09/toyota-will-give-away-first-hydrogen-car-in-us/?icid=autobloggrn%7ctrend%7chydrogen-car-giveaway Global Climate Deal Shouldn't Be Legally Binding, Top State Department Official Says. WASHINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - The United States wants to broker a global agreement on climate change that would contain some legal elements but would stop short of being legally binding on an international level, the country's top diplomat on climate change issues said. Todd Stern, the State Department climate... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/15/global-climate-deal-_n_5987252.html?utm_hp_ref=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.