What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for October 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

China to shut factories during APEC to curb Beijing pollution:
Xinhua. SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli
ordered a temporary shutdown of factories to ensure air quality
during a meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in Beijing next month,
the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Friday.    It is
the strongest measure yet to curb pollution for the Nov. 7-11
meeting in the capital, which has been...	
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/25/us-china-pollution-idUSKCN0IE02L20141025?feedName=worldNews&feedType=RSS&rpc=69


Penn study seeks to track Ambler's asbestos legacy.	...excavation
at the second site, BoRit, was ruled out as too dangerous and too
costly. One calculation held that removing all the waste would
require a truckload every 25 minutes for 10 years, Emmett said.
And what about the safety concerns, the noise, the diesel
emissions?    Not everyone is appeased. Borough council member
Sharon McCormick, who got into politics because of her objection
to what was happening at the sites, insists: "It's not dangerous
to remove it. It's dangerous here. . . . EPA...	
http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/health-fitness/article3196432.html


COOL CALIFORNIA CITY CHALLENGE

Arcata earns prize money to spend on solar panels in statewide
energy challenge.  Arcata and nine other cities across California
prevented more than 800,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from being
released in a greenhouse gas reduction challenge, receiving cash
prizes. During the six-month Cool California City Challenge,
cities and teams within them competed to save energy by cutting
electricity use, changing light bulbs, commuting by bike and
other tactics for carbon emissions reduction, said Melanie
Turner, public information officer with the California Air
Resources Board. 
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_26797539/arcata-earns-prize-money-spend-solar-panels-statewide


Riverside's simply the coolest. To reduce his contribution to
global warming, Taher Bhaigee started taking a bus from his home
in Riverside’s Canyon Crest neighborhood to his job downtown. “I
bought a monthly pass, and that really reduced my driving,” said
Bhaigee, 23, a recent UC Riverside graduate who works as an
intern in the mayor’s office. Bhaigee effort helped confirm his
city’s coolness. 
http://www.pe.com/articles/riverside-752623-bhaigee-energy.html 

CAP AND TRADE

Carbon Trading Edges Closer as U.N. Brokers Deal (The
Independent). Carbon Trading Edges Closer as U.N. Brokers Deal   
The world is on the brink of enlisting market forces in the fight
against climate change on a truly global scale for the first
time, United Nations officials have claimed.	
http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141027/carbon-trading-edges-closer-un-brokers-deal


Monterey Shale Dreams Clash With Public Policy Drives. 
…Billionaire climate change activist Tom Steyer has given up on a
statewide ban on fracking, but he is shifting to taxes on the
industry, and that is part of where the focus will be next year,
according to Hull, who outlined attacks geared to imposing a
severance tax on oil, and an added hit at the gasoline pump
expected next year from the expansion of the state climate
change-driven cap-and-trade market for greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions .
http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/100190-monterey-shale-dreams-clash-with-public-policy-drives


CLIMATE CHANGE

Arctic Ice Melt Seen Doubling Risk of Harsh Winter in
EU.	...twice as likely atmospheric circulations that suck cold
Arctic air to Europe and Asia, a group of Japanese researchers
led by the University of Tokyo's Masato Mori said in a study
published today in Nature Geoscience.    “This counterintuitive
effect of the global warming that led to the sea ice decline in
the first place makes some people think that global warming has
stopped. It has not,” Colin Summerhayes, emeritus associate of
the Scott Polar Research Institute, said in a statement...	
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-26/arctic-ice-melt-seen-doubling-risk-of-harsh-winter-in-eu


Climate Panel Sees Risk of 'Serious, Pervasive & Irreversible'
Warming.	Climate change may have "serious, pervasive and
irreversible" impacts on human society and nature, according to a
draft U.N. report due for approval this week that says
governments still have time to avert the worst.    Delegates from
more than...	
http://insideclimatenews.org/breaking-news/20141027/climate-panel-sees-risk-serious-pervasive-irreversible-warming


Cold Winters in Europe, Asia Linked to Sea Ice Decline.	...to
last winter as the polar vortex) over North America, Europe and
Asia are not uncommon.        RELATED Arctic Sea Ice to Reach
Sixth Lowest Extent on Record    Winter Unlikely to See Repeat of
Frigid Polar Vortex   Polar Vortex in U.S. May be Example of
Global Warming        But in the past decade or so, frigid
winters have been happening with a regularity that defies the
projections of climate models, which said that winter would be
the fastest-warming season. While some scientists have
chalked...	
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/cold-winters-in-europe-asia-linked-to-arctic-sea-ice-decline-18239


Dangerous jellyfish found in Manasquan River	...water.    But
it's unlikely that box jellyfish will become established in
Barnegat Bay, said Bologna, adding that he's never seen a box
jelly in these parts.    "I don't think these are anything we
need to worry about," he said, but as the water warms with
climate change, we might begin seeing them farther north.    Over
the last five years, Bologna and others have collected probably
seven or eight different species with toxins or venom in Barnegat
Bay that "can give you a pretty good sting," he said....	
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Dangerous-jellyfish-found-in-Manasquan-River-5849022.php


EU Agrees to Cut Greenhouse Gases by 2030 Oct. 24 (Bloomberg). --
European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss Energy
security, Ebola, the crisis in Ukraine and climate change. The
members have already agreed to cut greenhouse gases by at least
40% from 1990 levels by 2030. Bloomberg's Hans Nichols reports on
"Countdown." (Source: Bloomberg)	
http://www.businessweek.com/videos/2014-10-24/eu-agrees-to-cut-greenhouse-gases-by-2030


GOP candidates straddle the climate change issue.	...government
offices and schools closed before the first flake of snow, but
there were signs Tuesday that significant winter weather was
moving into the mid-Atlantic region as heavy snow began falling.
Republicans in competitive races are treading gingerly around
climate change this campaign season. Many say they are not in a
good position to make a judgment about the issue, then voice
concern for the environment, the economy or both. PABLO MARTINEZ
MONSIVAIS, FILE — AP Photo    WASHINGTON — Republicans...	
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/25/4197574/gop-candidates-straddle-the-climate.html

	
Squabble Over $100B Aid Stalls Global Warming Deal
(Bloomberg)	Squabble Over $100B Aid Stalls Global Warming Deal.  
A dispute about how to link greenhouse-gas emissions cuts to a
promise from the wealthiest nations for $100 billion a year in
climate aid emerged as a major stumbling block at U.N. talks on
global
warming....	http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141027/squabble-over-100b-aid-stalls-global-warming-deal
	

U.N. climate change draft sees risks of irreversible damage OSLO
Oct 26 (Reuters). - Climate change may have "serious, pervasive
and irreversible" impacts on human society and nature, according
to a draft U.N. report due for approval this week that says
governments still have time to avert the worst.    Delegates from
more than...	
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/26/us-climatechange-report-idUSKBN0IF0C720141026


U.S. Outlines Strategy for Arctic Council, Puts Climate on Top
(The Hill).	U.S. Outlines Strategy for Arctic Council, Puts
Climate on Top    A senior Arctic official for the U.S. unveiled
the nation's priorities this week as it readies to take over the
chairmanship of the Arctic Council next year, and climate change
is on top.    Julie Gourley laid out Secretary of State John
Kerry's priorities, which put climate change in the top three
objectives for the U.S.	
http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141027/us-outlines-strategy-arctic-council-puts-climate-top
	

UN envoy: Keep up hope amid climate change battle.	The head of
the U.N.'s panel on climate change has urged world governments
not to be overcome by hopelessness as they negotiate a new
agreement to fight global warming.    Click to Continue »	
http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/10/27/4200431/un-envoy-keep-up-hope-amid-climate.html#storylink=rss


How Low Oil Prices May Impact GHG Emissions.	How Low Oil Prices
May Impact GHG Emissions Published: October 25th, 2014 Print
Permalink RSS By Bobby Magill Follow @bobbymagill Pull your car
into a New Jersey filling station, and the low prices might give
you a shock at the pump. Gasoline was less than $2.90 per gallon
at...	
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/gao-exporting-u.s.-oil-could-mean-ghg-spike-18212


DROUGHT 
	
Counting every drop: Los Angeles-area company helps Peninsula
customers save water.	...Angeles-area garage. Today, the firm is
bringing innovative water conservation methods to the Monterey
Peninsula.    When Monterey-area organizations want to decrease
their water use, many get a free "water audit" from a
WaterWise-certified conservation specialist. California American
Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District have
used the Glendora-based firm since 2009 as a water auditor for
local schools, churches, restaurants, businesses, community
centers and other organizations.    "There's...	
http://www.montereyherald.com/localnews/ci_26799791/counting-every-drop-los-angeles-area-company-helps


Drought Watch: A dry winter could mean tougher restrictions.	What
will happen with water restrictions if California doesn't get
significant rain and snow this winter?    The Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California, which provides the Southland
with imported supplies from Northern California and the Colorado
River, would probably ration...	
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-drought-explainer-20141025-story.html


Dry spell nearing a record but winter rains look more
promising.	...record of 5.41 inches set in 1939.    The remnants
of Hurricane Norbert produced 3.3 inches of precipitation in one
single day in late September at Sky Harbor Airport. The Phoenix
area usually receives about 2.7 inches annually.    Closer to
home, Northern California has seen a series of low pressure
systems and associated cold fronts that produced much needed rain
in Northern California.    “However, the state will need
significantly more precipitation this rain season to start to
relieve the current...	
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/10/25/3314482/dry-spell-nearing-a-record-but.html?sp=%2f99%2f177%2f183%2f


Drought could bring diseases to bird refuges.	...these birds face
every year as they fly south from frigid Canada and Alaska.   
But this year, predators may be the least of the worries for
these birds. Starvation, avian cholera and botulism may be bigger
killers than usual. It's another dark twist from California's
destructive drought.    When the birds make their annual arrival
this fall and winter after flying thousands of miles from the
north, they will find drought-depleted wetlands on the west side
of the San Joaquin Valley. Authorities...	
http://www.modbee.com/2014/10/26/3612238/drought-could-bring-diseases-to.html?sp=%2f99%2f1623%2f


FUELS

As gas prices fall, can station owners fuel sales growth?	
According to industry data from Sageworks, a financial
information company,privately held gasoline stations (NAICS 4471)
are barely growing revenues (0.9 percent increase based on
financial statements filed over the 12 months ended Oct. 6), and
they are generating average net profit margins of 1.7 percent.
Relative to the average private company,...	
http://www.forbes.com/sites/sageworks/2014/10/26/gasoline-prices-falling-impact-gas-stations/


Average gasoline price tumbles to lowest level in almost four
years.	The average price of regular gasoline at U.S. pumps slid
to the lowest level in almost four years, dropping 18.2 cents in
the two weeks that ended Friday to $3.08 a gallon, according to
Lundberg Survey Inc.    Prices are 28.69 cents lower than a year
earlier, according to the survey,...	
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gasoline-prices-20141027-story.html


Diesel Costs Continue Falling as Oil Prices Keep Sliding. 
...$3.589 in the Gulf Coast region, down 4.8 cents from last
week, to a high of $3.835 in the West Coast region, a 5.6-cent
drop during the same time. Compared to a year ago the regions are
down at least 21 cents per gallon.    The average cost of regular
grade gasoline posted an even bigger decline over the past week,
falling 8.7 cents to $3.12 per gallon. Compared to this time last
year the price is 24 cents less.    Regionally, prices are down
by at least 5.6 cents over the past week and are at least
17.6...	
http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/clean-diesel/news/story/2014/10/diesel-costs-continue-falling-as-oil-prices-keep-sliding.aspx


Plummeting Fuel Prices Spark New Debate on How States Can Protect
Tax Revenues.	Welcome Guest    While lower gasoline and diesel
prices are providing U.S. commuters and truckers money to spend
elsewhere, state officials said it is forcing them to cope with
lower revenues. ...    Only Transport Topics subscribers have
exclusive access to this content.    Subscriber...	
http://www.ttnews.com/gateclient/premiumstorylogin.aspx?storyid=36409&t=Plummeting-Fuel-Prices-Spark-New-Debate-on-How-States-Can-Protect-Tax-Revenues


U.S. Gasoline Falls to Lowest Since 2010, Lundberg Says.	The
average price of regular gasoline at U.S. pumps slid to the
lowest level in almost four years, dropping 18.18 cents in the
two weeks ended Oct. 24 to $3.0759 a gallon, according to
Lundberg Survey Inc.    Prices are 28.69 cents lower than a year
ago, according to the survey,...	
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-26/pump-prices-in-u-dot-s-dot-decline-to-3-dot-0759-a-gallon-lundberg-says


GREEN ENERGY	
Xcel Energy signs deal for 3 large solar projects.	MINNEAPOLIS
(AP) — Xcel Energy Inc. has signed deals with three energy
developers to build up to three giant solar arrays to help it
comply with Minnesota's renewable energy mandates.    Xcel said
in regulatory filings Friday that it definitely wants to proceed
with at least two of the projects, a 62-megawatt system near
Marshall proposed by NextEra Energy Resources of Juno Beach,
Florida, and a 25-megawatt...	
http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/Xcel-Energy-signs-deal-for-3-large-solar-projects-5847448.php


RIVERSIDE: Cleanup program applauded, but could get new
operator.	...launched by the city. Officials are putting existing
recycling events, graffiti and litter removal and community
cleanups under one umbrella and plan to add new elements, such as
“adopt a street” and community beautification awards, said Julie
Reyes, the city's sustainability and intergovernmental program
manager.    Reyes did not have figures on how much the various
existing programs cost the city. If Keep Moreno Valley Beautiful
grows, she said, the city may seek to hand it over to an outside
group that could...	
http://www.pe.com/articles/program-752795-city-riverside.html 

New York's "Green Bank" makes first investments.	...initiative
designed to help finance clean energy and green technology
projects that might otherwise go unfunded.    Gov. Andrew Cuomo
announced the bank's first investments last week. They include
energy efficiency projects in New York City and a small-scale
solar energy project near Buffalo. Combined, the projects
represent investments of more than $800 million.    The Green
Bank works with banks and other private-sector lenders to secure
financing for the projects. Cuomo says that by working with...	
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/New-York-s-Green-Bank-makes-first-investments-5847219.php


Next steps for desert renewable energy planning: public
meetings.	...Thursday, May 29, 2014. Photo taken at Boy Scout
Trail head. Richard Lui/The Desert Sun    Last month, state and
federal officials released a plan to carve out more than
31-hundred square miles of desert for projects like solar arrays
and wind farms. The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
also seeks to designate another chunk of scrubland as nature
preserves.    Now there's public comment – and public meetings.
Officials have scheduled a series of presentations in the
counties affected by the Plan....	
http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/10/27/47631/next-steps-for-desert-renewable-energy-planning-pu/


SunEdison Closes Financing on 26-Megawatt California
Project.	...in a statement. Terms of the financing underwritten
by Deutsche Bank AG weren't disclosed. The plant will generate
enough electricity for more than 3,500 homes.    SunEdison in the
last 15 months has committed to developing 158 megawatts of
utility-scale solar power in California. The company said today
it completed a 1.7-megawatt roof-mounted project in Hesperia,
which will sell electricity to Edison International's Southern
California Edison under a 20-year contract.    SunEdison gained
2.5 percent...	
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-23/sunedison-closes-financing-on-26-megawatt-california-solar-plant


SolarCity's New Bonds: Solar Funding For The Rest Of Us.	You
might call it solar funding for the rest of us.    Or, perhaps,
solar crowdfunding, with a lower-case c.    Recently, solar power
installer SolarCity SolarCity filed a registration statement with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue up to $200
million in the first public offering of what it calls solar
bonds. It also launched a new online investment...	
http://www.forbes.com/sites/annefield/2014/10/26/solarcitys-new-bonds-solar-funding-for-the-rest-of-us/


VEHICLES	

Carmakers Prepare to Shift to Hydrogen Fuel Cells.	Concerned
about slow sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids, automakers
are increasingly betting the future of green cars on hydrogen
fuel cell technology.	
http://insideclimatenews.org/content/carmakers-prepare-shift-hydrogen-fuel-cells
	

OPINION

CARB Members Do the Right Thing—Listen to the People about the
Hidden Gas Tax. Last week, I was proud to deliver 115,000 signed
petitions on behalf of my fellow Californians on the
controversial “fuels under the cap” regulation at the California
Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Diamond Bar board meeting. I was
joined by dozens of community and educational leaders, elected
officials, business organizations and concerned drivers as we
gathered outside the California Air Resources Board (CARB)
meeting in Diamond Bar to urge the Board to listen to the voices
of its constituents and delay its regulation scheduled to take
effect next January.
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2014/10/carb-members-right-thing-listen-people-hidden-gas-tax/


BLOG

REG begins production and sales of renewable diesel from Geismar
biorefinery.	Renewable Energy Group, Inc. announced that
commercial-scale quantities of renewable hydrocarbon diesel (RHD)
produced at the company's Geismar, Louisiana biorefinery are now
available for sale.         The first truckloads of REG-9000/RHD
produced...	
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141027-reg.html 

Enerkem in partnerships to build waste-to-biofuels facilities in
China	Canada-based waste-to-biofuels company.  Enerkem has signed
a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Shanghai Environmental
Group Co. Ltd., a municipal solid waste management company and a
subsidiary of Shanghai Chengtou Holding Co. Ltd., to develop a
project partnership to...	
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141027-enerkem.html 

Environmentalists don't like Europe's new climate plan.   Can
Obama do better?	Environmental groups are warning that a new
European agreement to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 40
percent by 2030 sets the bar far too low. The pact — which was
reached early Friday in Brussels — makes the European Union the
first major bloc of countries to commit to emissions targets
ahead of next year's crucial...	
http://grist.org/climate-energy/environmentalists-dont-like-europes-new-climate-plan-can-obama-do-better/?utm_source=syndication&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed


The Symbolic Politics of Climate Diplomacy.	...advocates believed
the agreement:    ...amounted to a weak compromise reflecting the
complexity of managing a bloc of 28 member nations with widely
varying energy systems. Elements of the deal were watered down to
account for countries like Poland that rely on carbon-heavy coal,
and for countries like Britain that were unwilling to accept
binding targets on such other measures as the percentage of
energy that comes from renewable sources and energy efficiency.  
 As diverse as Europe might be, they are quite...	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-cohen/the-symbolic-politics-of_b_6053620.html


GMOs Expose Dangerous Science Disconnect in Agriculture.	...clout
with conservative and rural lawmakers. They also influence
farmers' decisions. But, ironically, they are AWOL when it comes
to publicly communicating the consensus on the science behind the
single greatest threat to agriculture, which is human-induced
climate change.    What's the result of this willful ignorance?  
 A U.S Department of Agriculture survey released this year
revealed that a scant 7.8 percent of corn belt farmers believe
that human activity causes climate change. Compare...	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donald-carr/gmos-expose-dangerous-sci_b_6044950.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics


These 8 states helped sell quarter-million electric vehicles in
US.  Counting the cars that go across the Brooklyn and Golden
Gate Bridges every day doesn't exactly sound like fun. But when
we're talking about the Multi-State ZEV Action Plan that eight US
states are using to boost zero-emission vehicle adoption, though,
we can think of it as a positive thing. That's because a quarter
million vehicles cross those iconic bridges every day, and that's
how many zero-emission vehicles have been sold in the US. Posted.

http://green.autoblog.com/2014/10/26/these-8-states-helped-sell-quarter-million-electric-vehicles/

http://www.msn.com/en-ph/autos/other/these-8-states-helped-sell-quarter-million-electric-vehicles-in-us/ar-BBbkVDK




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