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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for November 10, 2014
Posted: 10 Nov 2014 12:52:59
ARB Newsclips for November 10, 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 How Air Quality Can Sink Student Test Scores. American 8-year-olds are paralyzed with anxiety over the standardized tests that have become increasingly common: To implement more uniform, quality education, students in the U.S. are being tested to often more rigorous national standards. Join the club. Other countries have relied on high-stakes testing for years. Until the 1970s, the 11+ exam in the U.K. determined whether an 11-year-old was college material. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-10/sat-and-other-college-entrance-tests-air-quality-can-sink-scores Cloud-like smog greets fans at Fresno State's homecoming game. At times you could hardly see the other side of Bulldog Stadium Saturday night. Cloud-like smog sat dense in the stands, but that didn't stop fans from celebrating a Fresno State homecoming. "There's paramedics on the side to make sure that everyone's in good health and standing, so we should be alright," said Audree Girnus, a Fresno State cheerleader. http://abc30.com/weather/smog-greets-fans-at-fresno-states-homecoming-game/386998/ Unhealthy air forecasts continue for central San Joaquin Valley, murky air continues to hover. Fresno's unhealthy air quality will continue Sunday as stagnant weather is expected to continue hovering over the region. Click to Continue » http://news.vocus.com/?a=19503410468&p=19f&v=1&x=9Ptza8zx2DzxNOUz2-fdig Building industry trade show draws more than 1,700. ...interest rates tick up in 2015. “We're making progress,” BIA of Southern California CEO Mark Knorringa said. “We are a bit more optimistic about the future, and it shows by the turnout.” The show featured educational workshops on such issues as indoor air quality, alternatives to big bank project funding, best practice approaches to deal with water allocation, and water supply in 2015 and beyond. Randy Anderson, senior vice president of Chicago Title's subdivision in Southern California, said... http://www.pe.com/articles/industry-753857-building-california.html No-burn alert issued for Southern California. The Associated PressNovember 10, 2014 LOS ANGELES — Southern California air quality regulators are issuing a no-burn alert for Monday, advising residents not to burn wood or fire logs because of excessive air pollution. The South Coast Air Quality Management District says a high concentration... http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/10/4227458/no-burn-alert-issued-for-southern.html Forget Ebola, consider air quality. As a practicing physician, over the last few months, my inbox has been flooded with reports regarding Ebola, my hospitals policy changes, equipment I might need to wear and most… Click to Continue » http://news.vocus.com/?a=19510385470&p=19f&v=1&x=Ngk7Ne7X9xflFbjfJQmsdA Clovis and Bakersfield, with dirtiest of dirty air, complicate Valley's pollution battle . As tougher federal standards approach, Valley authorities talk about getting control of the worst pockets of bad air. Click to Continue » http://news.vocus.com/?a=19501794403&p=19f&v=1&x=gshE59AEPf7OvgonoYL9gQ China's Long Road to Superpower Status. ...States has been a world leader in quality of life, with more than 60 percent of the population owning their own homes and over 90 percent owning cars. By contrast, with 50 percent of the population still living in dire conditions in the countryside and massive air, water and soil pollution killing 1.2 million people a year, Chinese quality of life is quite poor. A recent poll showed that more than 60 percent of the wealthiest Chinese want to leave the country. Finally, in a world increasingly dominated... http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/world-report/2014/11/10/china-is-not-the-next-global-superpower China says APEC pollution curbs not being implemented. BEIJING (Reuters) - Several regions in China have failed to take steps to cut smog during a major meeting of global leaders set to start this week in Beijing, the environment ministry said. To ensure clean air during a prestigious Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, China said it would thin traffic and... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/06/us-china-environment-apec-idUSKBN0IQ0BA20141106?__ots__=1415285469581&__step__=1&__surl__=IgHBt&feedName=environmentNews&feedType=RSS&utm_campaign=Climate&utm_medium=post&utm_source=twitter&utm_term=china+smog Cancel football due to awful air: right or wrong? Dangerously high levels of air pollution descended on Bakersfield this week, prompting an environmental group to call for the cancellation of all school sporting events. But postponing Friday night football -- even when vigorous outdoor activity is not advised -- may be a tall order in football-crazy towns like Bakersfield and other valley communities. Dolores Weller, interim director of the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition, put the onus on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District for not being more forceful in its advisories this week regarding the unseasonable spike in particulate pollution. "Based on previous nights this week, air quality will be in the (highest) purple level at about kick-off time, 7 p.m.," Weller said in a news release. "At those levels, children are normally kept indoors at schools from recess and P.E. Schools have done a pretty good job of monitoring the Valley Air District's monitoring tool online, but what about at after-school sporting activities?" Weller said school districts don't have the expertise to make that call. But the air district does, and should be more vocal in protecting the health of young athletes. But Seyed Sadredin, the eight-county air district's executive director, said school districts are well aware of the outdoor activity risk guidelines, and school officials must decide when sporting events are postponed. "The air district does not have... http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1143262862/Cancel-football-due-to-awful-air-right-or-wrong Beijing summit shows Xi in charge as trouble lurks. ...based on services, and the government needs to generate enough high-quality jobs or risk losing support from the burgeoning ranks of college graduates. Urbanization and industrialization have meanwhile produced massive environmental woes, including choking air pollution in Beijing and other cities. Fixing the problem will take decades. — WHAT ABOUT THE PARTY'S POLITICAL OPPONENTS? Xi has significantly tightened the screws on China's embattled dissident community and on people and groups operating... http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_26905879/beijing-summit-shows-xi-charge-trouble-lurks Asia trip tests Obama's postelection global clout. ...after Obama's spy chief made a secret mission to Pyongyang to secure their release. In his meetings with Xi, Obama plans to address human rights issues, officials said, including the treatment of journalists as well as pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Climate change, a big concern in smog-filled Beijing, and China's aggressive behavior toward its neighbors are also on Obama's agenda. Douglas Paal, who headed Asia policy under President George W. Bush at the National Security Council,... http://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/Asia-trip-tests-Obama-s-postelection-global-clout-5881464.php GOP ready to clash with Obama over environment, climate change. WASHINGTON — Despite postelection nods toward cooperation, Republicans who will hold the majority in Congress next year appear ready to clash with President Obama over energy and environmental issues, including the Keystone XL pipeline and rules addressing climate change, smog and water pollution. Congressional Republicans have long argued that environmental regulations kill jobs and that fossil fuel development, especially on federal lands, should be expanded. Now they are in a position... http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/GOP-ready-to-clash-with-Obama-over-environment-5880859.php CLIMATE CHANGE Study: Global warming worsening watery dead zones. WASHINGTON (AP) — A new study says global warming is likely playing a bigger role than previously thought in dead zones in waterways around the world and it's only going to get worse. Dead zones occur in oceans, lakes and rivers when fertilizer runoff clogs waterways with nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous. That leads to an explosion of microbes that consumes oxygen and leaves the water depleted of oxygen, harming marine life. Smithsonian Institution researchers found about two dozen different ways that climate change worsens the oxygen depletion in a study Monday in the journal Global Change Biology. The researchers looked at 476 dead zones worldwide. They used computer models to forecast that those dead zones will increase by about 4 degrees from the 1980s to the end of this century. Posted: 11/10/2014 07:11:46 AM PST http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_26906675/study-global-warming-worsening-watery-dead-zones Obama has one more chance to ‘pivot' to Asia. ...wants to focus on topics where it has a better chance of agreement with Beijing. In a briefing Friday, national security adviser Susan Rice said Obama will be in Beijing “talking about some of the global challenges that we all share.” One of those is climate change. For the last year, Secretary of State John Kerry and his counterparts in China have been discussing a commitment to reduce greenhouse gases. In 2013, China and United States struck a bilateral agreement to reduce hydrofluorocarbons.... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/08/3339424/obama-has-one-more-chance-to-pivot.html?sp=%2f99%2f177%2f507%2f%2f Ignorant ignore climate. Will Americans ever take climate change seriously? I'm losing hope. The longer we wait to take action, the harder it will be to fix the problem. Click to Continue » http://news.vocus.com/?a=19501867288&p=19f&v=1&x=oaarf2VhgfBnQspR0ILCJA Health law faces higher bar in 2nd sign-up season. ...simple, but for others you'll have to mail in an application and supporting documents. Melissa Dresler of Lexington, Kentucky, said she's lucky that she got covered, but she also learned some lessons that should make her a better shopper this year. The climate change researcher unexpectedly found herself in need of a delicate operation. She woke up one day and something was wrong with her right eye. It turned out to be a detached retina. Her surgery cost well into five figures, and she paid... http://www.sfgate.com/news/medical/article/Health-law-faces-higher-bar-in-2nd-sign-up-season-5882458.php Former U.S. President Bill Clinton: Latest Climate Science Report Is 'Urgent Wake-Up Call' (Business Green). Former U.S. President Bill Clinton: Latest Climate Science Report Is 'Urgent Wake-Up Call' Former United States President Bill Clinton has issued a rallying call for countries to agree to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the century, backing the findings of a landmark climate science report issued earlier this month. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141110/former-us-president-bill-clinton-latest-climate-science-report-urgent-wake-call Faculty backing fossil fuel divestment movement. ...Boston College, Tufts University, and Brandeis University have written open letters, formed groups, or joined student movements to call on administrators at their respective institutions to divest from companies that produce coal, oil and gas, blamed for climate change. The professors are holding educational talks about climate change or participating in other events designed to raise awareness. Julian Agyeman, a professor of urban and environmental policy and planning at Tufts,... http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Faculty-backing-fossil-fuel-divestment-movement-5882781.php Climate Institute to Australia: Aim for 40% Cut in Greenhouse Gases by 2025. (Guardian) Climate Institute to Australia: Aim for 40% Cut in Greenhouse Gases by 2025 Australia needs to tell the world how it will calculate its medium-term greenhouse target for release early next year and should be looking at a 40 percent reduction by 2025, the Climate Institute think tank says. http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20141110/climate-institute-australia-aim-40-cut-greenhouse-gases-2025 Climate Change Disrupts Bee's Pollination of Flowers. By Damian Carrington, The Guardian Sexual deceit, pressed flowers and Victorian bee collectors are combined in new scientific research which demonstrates for the first time that climate change threatens flower pollination, which underpins much of the world's food production. The early spider orchid and miner bee, that depend on each other for reproduction, have become increasingly out of sync as spring temperatures rise, research has shown. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-bees-pollination-18292 Billionaire climate activist undaunted after losses in Tuesday's election. Shortly after winning a U.S. Senate seat in South Dakota last week, Republican Mike Rounds declared there would be “enough votes to actually get the Keystone XL pipeline released from captivity.” Sen. John Hoeven, his Republican neighbor from the other Dakota, chimed in: “I think we have the 60 votes we need to approve it.” http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/dan-morain/article3652605.html Bay Area teens debate world issues at mock U.N. conference. PLEASANT HILL -- While a beautiful weekend morning beckoned teens elsewhere to enjoy carefree time outdoors, hundreds were cloistered in Pleasant Hill classrooms on Saturday debating weighty world issues. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_26898850/bay-area-teens-debate-world-issues-at-mock Amid strains, Obama puts bright face on China ties. ...which a visitor is permitted to enter the country. So a Chinese citizen who visits the U.S. every few years would be able to use the same visa for a decade, rather than having to reapply for a new visa every year. At the same time, other signs pointed to a heightened sense of competition that have rankled relations between the world's two largest economies. Only hours earlier, Obama was at the U.S. Embassy hosting heads of state from the 11 other countries — excluding China — that are pursuing a long-delayed trade pact. Finalizing the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a cornerstone of Obama's much-touted effort to expand U.S. influence and economic presence in Asia, but China has responded by pushing its own regional trade deal with many of the same nations. The U.S. plans to start issuing the new visas Wednesday. Officials said the agreement had been in the works for months ahead of Obama's visit. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/10/3341685/us-china-agree-to-extend-length.html?rh=1 Act now on climate San Luis ObispoNovember 8, 2014. Two reports in the Nov. 2 edition of The Tribune have hit me like a one-two punch. First, the report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announcing ?conclusive evidence? of irreversible climate disruption from the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, with the costs of mitigation growing exponentially each year. Second, scientists from the Scripps... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/08/3339612/act-now-on-climate.html?sp=%2f99%2f181%2f ‘Nobody Is Truly Ready' For Rise of Seas. Abandon Seaside! Globe is Flooding! Invest in Arks! So might scream tabloid headlines had news of projections for rising seas, which were contained in a bumper climate report published a week ago by the United Nations, been, well, new. They weren't. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/ipcc-sea-level-rise-2-18305 In new GOP-led Congress, will Californians in both parties make nice? ...Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Rep. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. California will have clout in the new Congress. The question is what will come of it? With the number two House Republican and the top House Democrat both hailing from the Golden State, and key committees seats potentially going to other Californians,... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/09/3340531/in-new-gop-led-congress-will-californians.html California Drought and Climate Fears Spur Approval of Prop. 1. The water crisis bond that was approved last week could be a model for other states needing to plan for drought and other climate impacts. Californians' overwhelming approval for a bond that authorized $7.5 billion for badly needed water projects was largely driven by the state's current drought and by fears that unpredictable weather patterns... http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141110/california-drought-and-climate-fears-spur-approval-prop-1 Voters put climate change policy in the hands of climate change denier. People who voted for the GOP in the congressional elections this week may be surprised to learn they chose a militant climate change denier to oversee federal efforts to deal with climate change. The widespread expectation is that, when Republicans take charge of the Senate in January, Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe, a vehement foe of those who believe human... http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-climate-change-denier-20141106-story.html Ahead of Global Talks, All Eyes on U.S. Contribution to Climate Fund. 'It's like dominos. This is the first domino, and in order to get everything to fall in the right place, you have to start here.' Next month's climate talks in Peru are a pivotal point in the push for global action on climate change. But it's a far less publicized gathering in Berlin that holds the key to whether the Lima negotiations succeed—and whether a useful climate treaty might be possible in the end. That's because the Berlin meeting, set for Nov. 20,... http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141110/ahead-global-talks-all-eyes-us-contribution-climate-fund Climate change talk scarce at science institutions. Visitors to Pittsburgh science-education facilities can experience an earthquake, look down the gullet of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and wander through a distant rain forest. But learning about climate change — which scientists warn poses a serious global threat — may take a bit more imagination. The Carnegie Science Center's exhibits make no mention of climate change. http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article3556889.html DROUGHT The future of California's drought by Gene Beley Delta Correspondent. SACRAMENTO November 9, 2014 9:05pm • Measuring the pain and suffering for the drought • “Floods, droughts, and lawsuits test the system” • WITH VIDEO Droughts are what test both Californians and the state's vast engineered water system, Jay Lund, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of California, Davis, told the California State Board of Food and Agriculture last week. “We just had a test,” he said of the drought, noting that no one knows if this winter might see enough rain and snow to finally end three years of drought. “Floods also test us. Lawsuits also test us. In our book on water management in California, we have a chapter on history called floods, droughts and lawsuits. It is built around the idea that if you look at major changes in California's water system, it all comes from floods, droughts and lawsuits,” Mr. Lund told the board. “The construction of reservoirs that we all rely on today came after several droughts. Droughts are necessary to focus our attention. We have a lot of other things in our lives. This drought is very painful, but is also helping to improve our system.” He said that the Sacramento Valley precipitation index showed 2014 was the eighth driest year in 106 years of records. “This was a severe drought but it was not a millennium drought. We have had droughts much, much worse in ancient times,” he said. “Thirteen percent of all the dry years are critically dry years. The probability that next year will be... http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27104 State tracking water guzzlers. After three years of drought, it's tough to believe anyone hasn't heard how imperative it is to conserve water. Apparently, some folks simply aren't listening. Now we know where the water guzzlers live. State water officials this week released city-by-city statistics... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19503082972&p=19f&v=1&x=_jUKfz-N5AAWuRudBnfoDw Soquel vineyard cuts water use through dry farming. ... It's not just wine. Most fruit and nut orchards also can be dry farmed, and dry farmed early girl tomatoes from growers such as Dirty Girl Farms in Santa Cruz are the toast of the farmers market set. Dry farming is sometimes touted as a solution for drought-stricken California agriculture. Others caution that it could end up making some farmers even more vulnerable to drought. "It's not for everybody all the time," said Prudy Foxx, a viticulture consultant for 35 vineyards in the Santa... http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_26899111/soquel-vineyard-cuts-water-use-through-dry-farming Drought causing an animal baby boom. ...as president for our small, strictly in-home wildlife rehabilitation group, Injured and Orphaned Wildlife. Our group's volunteers give one-on-one care in private homes throughout the Valley to wildlife, both birds and mammals. This year, because of the drought there has been a large increase in the number of animals and birds brought into rehabilitation centers up and down California, not just in the Bay Area. You would think just the opposite would happen -- less water, less food, fewer babies,... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19508179387&p=19f&v=1&x=f6PmyZ9-tc7N1utc98iBew Cambria CSD: Water treatment plant just days away. ...Community Services District plan to flip the switch Nov. 15 on a $9 million desalination plant that will provide the community with a desperately needed new supply of drinking water. When that happens, Cambria will join an elite group of coastal communities in California that rely on purified seawater as an important part of their domestic needs. Sand City in Monterey County, Avalon on Catalina Island and Orange County are the only other communities in the state that regularly use desalinated water. Construction... http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/08/3339786/cambria-csd-water-treatment-plant.html?ihp=1&sp=%2f99%2f100%2f California State Water Resources Board shares water usage by each city. ...from community to community, according to September data collected from nearly 400 retail water agencies representing 37 million residents. The per capita data is viewed as a more accurate way to assess water conservation in a state suffering from a severe drought now entering a fourth year. Water retailers can take this data and implement a tiered pricing approach, charging higher rates for higher volumes. This is already done in many areas. Or agencies can print per capita comparisons with nearby cities... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19510756054&p=19f&v=1&x=YfMH6dPebEMcdDs98jzf0g California hydrants become target of water thieves. Contra Costa County officials are looking at raising the fine for stealing water from $25 to $250 after residents reported seeing people tapping into fire hydrants late at night, a crime that appears to be on the rise amid California's drought. The Contra Costa Times reports (http://bit.ly/13VCfj1 ) the Contra Costa Water District board also is considering installing security cameras to monitor hydrants and deter water thieves. District spokeswoman Jennifer... http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article3667753.html Water board members get a free pass in election. ...directors because no one bothered to run against them. And in the one race, Urias faced a challenger who would not come out of the shadows. Folks, water is extremely important, especially these days. The state is experiencing the fourth year of a stubborn drought. Record low rainfall and snowmelt has nearly cut our supplies from Northern California to zero. Lakes are shrinking. The Main San Gabriel Basin and the Raymond Basin aquifers have dropped to record-low levels. This is serious. ... http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/government-and-politics/20141109/water-board-members-get-a-free-pass-in-election Some San Fernando Valley officials increased water use during the worst drought year. L.A. City Councilman Bob Blumenfield replaced most of the front lawn at his Woodland Hills home with drought-tolerant plants to reduce water usage. Michael Owen Baker — staff photographer and Mike Reicher, Los Angeles Daily News Some San Fernando Valley officials who set the city's water policy consume more than twice the water as the average Angeleno... http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/environment-and-nature/20141108/some-san-fernando-valley-officials-increased-water-use-during-the-worst-drought-year FUELS Price of gas makes outdoors that much more affordable. ...down to $2.75 a gallon Sunday at Sam's Club in Sacramento. It was $2.83 at the Costco in San Jose, $3.01 at the Costco in South San Francisco, and $3.09 at the Econo in Berkeley. Nobody is putting his or her life on hold anymore because of the price of gasoline. Every price rise or drop of 50 cents per gallon is equivalent to spending or saving, respectively, about $3.50 per 100 miles, depending on what you drive. What does that mean for you? Here are the distances and costs, calculated from... http://www.sfgate.com/outdoors/article/Price-of-gas-makes-outdoors-that-much-more-5882122.php Fuel Prices Continue to Decline as Oil Drops Below $80 a Barrel. | Transport Topics Online Diesel's national average pump price continued to drop last week, falling 1.2 cents to $3.623 a gallon, while retail gasoline slid below the $3 mark for the first time in almost four years, the Department of Energy reported.... Only Transport Topics subscribers have exclusive access to this content. © 2014, Transport Topics Publishing Group. All rights reserved. http://www.ttnews.com/gateclient/premiumstorylogin.aspx?storyid=36547&t=Fuel-Prices-Continue-to-Decline-as-Oil-Drops-Below-%2480-a-Barrel VEHICLES Alaska storm brings frigid weather to US. ...combination of really cold temperatures and really breezy conditions,” he said. Highs, which are typically in the low 40s for the Great Falls area this time of year, are forecast to dip to 7 degrees early this week and stay below freezing into the weekend. Sub-zero lows are also expected. Further east, Delta Air Lines issued a winter weather waiver that allows travelers to avoid change fees if they rescheduled flights set for Monday to and from Minneapolis; Rochester, Minnesota; Sioux Falls, South Dakota;... http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/general-news/20141109/alaska-storm-brings-frigid-weather-to-us GREEN ENERGY Solar industry is heating up again after stumbling during recession. Northern California companies are part of the energy surge The solar power industry, viewed more than a decade ago as a game-changing, jobs-producing juggernaut in California, took its lumps during the recession. But now it's coming back with a vengeance, both here and globally. Some California solar... http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article3608349.html Solar Firms Consider Subsidy Appeal in the U.K. (The Courier). Solar Firms Consider Subsidy Appeal in the U.K. Four solar power companies are considering an appeal after losing a High Court battle to stop the Government ending a solar farm subsidy scheme early. http://insideclimatenews.org/content/solar-firms-consider-subsidy-appeal-uk Solar development a boom for landowners, a bust for tenant farmers. Solar energy development is pushing some Imperial Valley farmers off the land. Not long ago, John Kubler was growing forage and vegetable crops on more than 2,000 acres in the Calexico area. Most of those acres are now fenced off and covered... http://news.vocus.com/?a=19504490298&p=19f&v=1&x=4EutIk4e0Uc6yjv3l9JM0g PNM installs panels at Meadow Lake solar center. New Mexico's largest electric provider says work on its newest solar-powered generating station is expected to be done by the end of the year. PNM officials say solar panels are now being installed at the Meadow Lake Solar Energy Center in Valencia County. Once complete, the 9.1-megawatt solar farm will have an estimated 122,850 panels capable of generating enough electricity for 3,500 average residential customers. Utility officials also say the solar farm will provide an estimated $200,000 in new tax revenue for the county next year. The Meadow Lake array is one of three solar centers PNM is constructing this year. The other two are located in Sandoval and Cibola counties. PNM already has eight solar centers in operation and has proposed to build four more next year. http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article3684818.html HEMET: Group to discuss clean and renewable energy. Larry Straight is set to discuss clean and renewable energy at the next SAGE Society of Hemet meeting on Nov. 11. Larry Straight is set to discuss clean and renewable energy at the next SAGE Society of Hemet meeting at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Straight has been involved with... http://www.pe.com/articles/energy-753843-renewable-hemet.html Benefits of Texas Wind Energy Estimated to Exceed $3.3 Annually. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has just come out with an analysis highlighting the value of wind energy to the state of Texas, indicating that the overall societal benefits of the wind resource add up to about $3.3 billion annually.... http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterdetwiler/2014/11/10/benefits-of-texas-wind-energy-estimated-to-exceed-3-3-annually/ Australia's Renewable Power Investment Dropped 70% in Past Year (Guardian). Australia's Renewable Power Investment Dropped 70% in Past Year Investment in renewable energy has dropped by 70 percent as Australia loses green business overseas, a report by the Climate Council has found. "Investment that could be coming to Australia is instead going overseas to countries that are moving to a renewables... http://insideclimatenews.org/content/australias-renewable-power-investment-dropped-70-past-year BLOG Next PUC chief must be independent advocate for clean energy. Gov. Jerry Brown will soon appoint a new president of the California Public Utilities Commission to replace Michael Peevey, who announced last month he wouldn't seek reappointment in the wake of a tsunami of scandal stemming from his cozy relationship with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Brown should seek a... http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article3652061.html Ensyn begins generation & sale of cellulosic biofuel RINs under RFS2. ...definition of Heating Oil under RFS2, which became effective in December 2013. Ensyn believes it is now the leading producer of cellulosic D7 RINs in 2014. D7 RINs are generated by Ensyn by displacing petroleum heating fuels (including #6, #4 or #2 diesel fuel oil) in customers' boilers with Ensyn's RFO (Renewable Fuel Oil) produced via Ensyn's RTP (Rapid Thermal Processing) fast pyrolysis technology. (Earlier post.) RFO is a cellulosic biofuel produced from non-food solid biomass including... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141109-ensyn.html The Ecosystem That Is Disappearing Faster Than Any Other on Earth. ...productive, complex, and beneficial natural wonders of our planet. They act as filters for our water supply, reduce erosion, serve as nurseries for commercial fisheries, provide opportunities for recreation, nurture vital marine biodiversity, and can act as "carbon sinks," which reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The destruction and degradation of these natural systems--because of factors such as climate change, development, tourism, wood extraction, and non-sustainable farming--bring... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/forest-trends/the-ecosystem-that-is-dis_b_6114596.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change Could Gasoline Below $3 A Gallon Doom Rising Gas-Mileage Rules? According to a memo obtained by The Detroit News, Ford is starting a pilot "Volume Growth Bonus Program" to encourage sales of the C-Max, Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, and Escape. Together these... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095353_as-gas-gets-cheaper-ford-ups-incentives-on-smaller-more-efficient-cars Honda beginning sales of Legend with 3-motor Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system in January; V6 with cylinder deactivation. ...TMU. Click to enlarge. TMU motor structure (left side). Click to enlarge. Sport Hybrid SH-AWD features three distinct driving modes, in which the hybrid system automatically controls the engine and three motors for optimal performance. In EV Drive, the two rear electric motors power the vehicle. In Hybrid Drive, the gasoline engine powers the front wheels while the two rear motors power the rear wheels. In Engine Drive, the gasoline engine provides power to... http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/20141110-legend.html 2015 Volkswagen Golf: Green Car Reports' Best Car To Buy 2015. [embedded content] Our Best Car To Buy award can go one of several ways here on Green Car Reports. Sometimes it goes to a moonshot car, like the first Nissan Leaf (in 2011) or the Tesla Model S (in 2013). Those are cars that radically redefined what green transportation could be, changing the auto industry forever. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095116_2015-volkswagen-golf-green-car-reports-best-car-to-buy-2015 Honda making hydrogen from solar power in UK. Honda is going to launch a hydrogen-powered production vehicle (its second, really) next year, but the all-important H2 infrastructure question hasn't been fully answered yet. One possible solution is being tested over in the United Kingdom, where Honda is turning solar... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/10/honda-making-hydrogen-from-solar-power-in-uk/ Want $24,800 In Incentives To Drive Electric Cars? Head For Korea. Electric-car incentives are nothing new, but the city of Seoul has taken an unusual and more aggressive approach as it tries to get more of its residents into zero-emission vehicles. The South Korean capital will offer residents up to 20 million won (about $18,245 at current exchange rates) if they purchase an electric car--but only from one of... http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095365_want-24800-in-incentives-to-drive-electric-cars-head-for-korea Tesla Model X Delay, Hero Volt Dealer, Best Car To Buy: The Week In Reverse. (Video) [embedded content] What did Tesla announce in this week's third-quarter financial results? And, which of five new cars should win our Best Car To Buy award for 2015? This is our video look back at the Week In Reverse--right here at Green Car Reports--for the week ending on Friday, November 7, 2014. Our Friday story featured a map that shows where you can buy a Tesla electric car (in blue), and which states have made that illegal (in red!). Thursday, we wrote about the news that the Tesla Model X has been delayed--again. The all-electric crossover utility vehicle now won't arrive until the third quarter of 2015. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095336_tesla-model-x-delay-hero-volt-dealer-best-car-to-buy-the-week-in-reverse-video Street Lights With Electric-Car Charging Sockets: Why Didn't We Think Of This? Sometimes, without realizing it, the solution to a problem can literally be right in front of you. Carmakers are working to increase the number of public electric-car charging stations, but there's already plenty of existing electricity infrastructure. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095364_street-lights-with-electric-car-charging-sockets-why-didnt-we-think-of-this Freezing Cold Weather Poised To Hit U.S. Following Alaska Storm. ...combination of really cold temperatures and really breezy conditions," he said. Highs, which are typically in the low 40s for the Great Falls area this time of year, are forecast to dip to 7 degrees early this week and stay below freezing into the weekend. Sub-zero lows are also expected. Further east, Delta Air Lines issued a winter weather waiver that allows travelers to avoid change fees if they rescheduled flights set for Monday to and from Minneapolis; Rochester, Minnesota; Sioux Falls, South Dakota;... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/09/us-cold-weather_n_6129836.html Time Running Out, Global Carbon Emission Must Fall To Zero: UN Panel. While mankind has been pumping carbon into the atmosphere since the discovery of fire, the modern era of carbon emissions began roughly 250 years ago. Now a new report by global scientists goes further than any before: Carbon emissions must ultimately be cut to levels so low that they approach zero. If they are not, effects that are already being felt will become yet more extreme. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095155_time-running-out-global-carbon-emission-must-fall-to-zero-un-panel Bagrut Scores Air Pollution. Students taking standardized tests should hope there are not high levels of pollution in the air on testing day. A new working paper released by t... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/bagrut-scores-air-pollution/ Air Pollution Standardized Test Scores. Students taking standardized tests should hope there are not high levels of pollution in the air on testing day. A new working paper released by t... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/air-pollution-standardized-test-scores/ Standardized Tests Air Pollution. Students taking standardized tests should hope there are not high levels of pollution in the air on testing day. A new working paper released by t... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/standardized-tests-air-pollution/ ETC: Mercedes named top cheater on Europe's fuel economy test. ...to get the results optimized. T&E claims that "modern engine management systems are even able to detect when a test is being carried out to deliver better fuel-efficiency results - a technique known as 'cycle beating' that was first used to cheat tests for air pollution." The automakers also use tricks like applying tape to cracks around doors and overinflating tires. We've asked Mercedes for a comment on all of this, but have yet to get a response. Thankfully, future numbers could be more realistic.... http://green.autoblog.com/2014/11/09/mercedes-named-number-1-cheat-on-europes-fuel-economy-test/ EPA to award up to $4M to support community-scale monitoring of air toxics. ...and need support to analyze and interpret their results via existing tools or developing new tools. The objectives of a data analysis project should be consistent with those listed under Community-Scale Monitoring: supporting health assessments, evaluating air quality models, or characterizing community exposures. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/11/201421110-epa.html Colbert Calls Out Republicans' 'I'm Not A Scientist' Excuse On Climate Change. "You don't have to worry about global warming anymore, because the Senate sure won't," Stephen Colbert quipped on Thursday's "The Colbert Report." Colbert slammed many Republicans' position on climate change after they gained a majority in the U.S. Senate in Tuesday's... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/colbert-republicans-climate-change_n_6122130.html Conservatives Don't Hate Climate Change, They Hate The Proposed Solutions: Study. Conservatives who reject the science of climate change aren't necessarily reacting to the science, according to a new study from researchers at Duke University. They're reacting to the fact that they don't like proposed solutions more strongly identified with liberals. The paper looks... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/climate-change-conservatives_n_6124028.html?ir=Politics&utm_hp_ref=politics California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.