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ARB Newsclips for December 19, 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

Polluting Is Getting Expensive in Europe Again: Carbon & Climate.
The surge in European carbon permit prices may just be beginning.
The price of emission rights will rise 61 percent by June 30,
according to the median of 16 trader and analyst estimates
compiled by Bloomberg. UBS Group AG says costs may more than
double in 2015. Carbon already jumped 44 percent this year, while
the 22-member Bloomberg Commodities Index (BCOM) slid 14 percent.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-19/polluting-is-getting-expensive-in-europe-again-carbon-climate.html


Calif. approves move toward adding first farming offset to cap
and trade. California's Air Resources Board yesterday gave
initial approval to a proposal that would let rice farmers reduce
their greenhouse gas emissions and sell credits in the state's
carbon cap-and-trade market. The agency board approved a staff
recommendation to take comments on an initial plan, address
environmental concerns and revise as needed.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010842/print 

AIR POLLUTION

EPA expected to treat coal ash waste like garbage.
Environmentalists and industry experts widely expect the first
federal standards for the waste generated from coal burned for
electricity to treat the ash like household garbage, rather than
a hazardous material. The Obama administration is under court
order to unveil the rule Friday, ending a six-year effort that
began after a massive spill at a Tennessee power plant in 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/epa-expected-to-treat-coal-ash-waste-like-garbage/2014/12/19/f4854af0-875a-11e4-abcf-5a3d7b3b20b8_story.html

http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4661358.html 

Global Emissions Hit New Record High. 2013 was another record
year for global CO2 emissions, a report has revealed. Emissions
reached a record high of 35.3 billion tonnes, with the biggest
increases seen in Brazil, India, China and Indonesia. Russia and
the EU countries were the only countries to decrease the amount
of CO2 emitted.
http://www.newsweek.com/2013-record-year-global-emissions-293256


14 areas in 6 states out of compliance with fine-particle limit –
EPA. U.S. EPA today designated 14 areas in six states as out of
compliance with the standard for fine particulate matter, a
classification that triggers pollution control plans under the
Clean Air Act. In a final decision posted this afternoon, the
agency said air monitoring data from 2011 to 2013 show that those
areas are contributing to a violation of the standard. The
decision finalizes a proposal from August.
http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060010817/print 

Republicans snub Senate hearing on ozone standard. Republicans
boycotted a Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee
hearing yesterday on the federal ozone standard, calling it
little more than a "last-stand press conference." Clean Air and
Nuclear Safety Subcommittee Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
led the hearing on U.S. EPA's recent proposal to tighten the 2008
standard that was crafted by the George W. Bush administration.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010781/print 

Sierra Club reaches settlement with Beyond Coal target. The
Sierra Club has withdrawn several lawsuits against the
financially troubled power company Luminant after reaching a
settlement over air quality concerns. The environmentalist group
has also agreed not to sue Luminant, a subsidiary of the bankrupt
Energy Future Holdings, for any air pollution that happened
before 2015.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060010828/print 

Supreme Court sets schedule for challenge to EPA mercury rule.
The Supreme Court yesterday set the briefing schedule for the
challenge to EPA's mercury and air toxics rules. Last month, the
justices agreed to consider a case brought by the Utility Air
Regulatory Group, National Mining Association, Michigan and other
states seeking to overturn EPA's mercury rule, or MATS, one of
the landmark regulations of President Obama's first term.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010797/print 

EPA proposes new standards for brick, ceramics industries. U.S.
EPA proposed new standards today for stemming hazardous air
emissions from the brick and clay ceramics industries. As
outlined in the Federal Register, the proposal would require
manufacturers of bricks and clay ceramics to install controls to
meet emission caps for mercury, non-mercury metals and acid
gases. http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010784/print 

CLIMATE CHANGE

NHL seeks to reduce its carbon footprint. The NHL has named
Constellation as its preferred energy provider as the league
seeks to offset its carbon footprint across all 30 team markets.
Its goal is to reduce the NHL's environmental impact, and
accelerate a greater movement toward a healthier planet. The NHL
announced its partnership with Constellation, a leading
competitive energy and services company, on Thursday.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HKN_NHL_CARBON_FOOTPRINT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010841/print 

White House Updates Draft Guidance on NEPA Greenhouse Gas
Evaluations. Federal agencies should consider the climate impact
of any action that would increase greenhouse gas emissions by the
equivalent of 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, the
White House Council on Environmental Quality said in updated
draft guidance.
http://www.bna.com/white-house-updates-n17179921170/ 

White House Proposes Vetting Projects for Climate Change. Move
Likely Would Affect Fossil-Fuel Operations the Most. The White
House is calling on federal agencies to consider the
climate-change impact of a wide range of energy projects that
require government approval. The draft guidelines, released
Thursday by the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality…
http://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-proposes-vetting-projects-for-climate-change-1418949685


Report suggests forest-cutting can have an immediate effect on
climate. The critical role that vast tropical forests like
Brazil’s Amazon play in suppressing climate change is well-known:
They store huge quantities of carbon, acting as “carbon sinks.”
But as a new report out this week argues, scientists are making
the case that cutting down these forests does more than simply
release carbon into the atmosphere…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/report-suggests-forest-cutting-can-have-an-immediate-effect-on-climate/2014/12/18/ba392600-86f6-11e4-abcf-5a3d7b3b20b8_story.html


EPA chief: Extreme weather boosting climate-change plan. Extreme
weather events from typhoons to heat waves are helping make the
case to Americans on the need to address climate change, the head
of the EPA says, although opposition from congressional
Republicans to the Obama administration's ambitious plan remains
unrelenting.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/18/usa-today-capital-download-epa-gina-mccarthy-climate-change/20548025/


A soft coral may withstand climate change, study shows.  As the
oceans absorb more carbon on a planet increasingly choked by
greenhouse gases, scientists worry its reefs - the great
storm-deflecting rampart for much of the tropics - will crumble
and fall. But a study by the University of Miami Rosenstiel
School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and a team of
international scientists has found that at least one soft coral,
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article4606663.html#storylink=cpy


Marin climate change program puts face on sea-level rise. Marin
project lets viewer assess flood risk from climate change. A
high-tech project aimed at engaging residents in climate change
issues by enabling them to visualize the changing landscape amid
rising seas was launched this week at Marin Civic Center.
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_27157794/marin-climate-change-program-puts-face-sea-level


Globe's CO2 emissions grow, but rate of growth falls while
economic activities rise – study. Carbon dioxide emissions grew
at a slower pace in 2013 than over the past decade, according to
a new report. In 2012, the growth rate was 2 percent, down from
the 3.8 percent average recorded over the past decade. The lower
growth rate occurred at a time the global economy grew by 3.1
percent.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060010840/print 

DROUGHT

Will the recent storms bust the drought? There is a 75 percent
probability of average or above-average precipitation between
January and the end of March for California, according to a new
report by federal scientists — the first time in five years such
a wet outlook has been predicted in the state during the first
three months of a year.
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_27167261/will-recent-storms-bust-drought


Big storms put dent in California drought. The drenching rain and
heavy snow that lashed California last week put a dent in the
state's historic drought, according to the weekly U.S. Drought
Monitor released Thursday. The percentage of the state in the
worst drought category — "exceptional" drought — dropped from 55%
of the state the previous week to 32% this week.
http://www.desertsun.com/story/weather/2014/12/18/california-drought/20580023/


Heavy rains make strides in parched Calif. The second consecutive
week of heavy rains in California did not solve the state's
entrenched drought, but it did made a major dent in the
hardest-hit parts of the state, according to the latest U.S.
Drought Monitor report released this morning. Fifty-five percent
of California registered in the worst category of drought last
week, with that number now standing at 32 percent -- a 40 percent
decrease.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060010788/print 

FUELS

Flare At Richmond’s Chevron Refinery Visible For Miles, Puts
Neighbors On Edge. A flare due to depressurizing equipment at the
Chevron refinery in Richmond lit up the sky Thursday evening,
causing a stir on social media. Chevron issued a statement
Thursday night saying that the flare was routing, saying, “We had
a process unit that needed to be depressurized, creating a
visible flare. 
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/12/18/flare-at-richmonds-chevron-refinery-causes-stir/


VEHICLES

California extends support for plug-in cars. California took new
action Thursday to speed up the spread of plug-in electric
vehicles, adding financial perks for car owners and inviting
regulated utilities to invest in car charging infrastructure. The
California Public Utilities Commission voted 5-0 on guidelines
for new incentives for car buyers and first-time utility
investments. In San Diego, the new electric-car incentive is
likely to take the form of an annual credit against utility bills
for customers who identify themselves as plug-in vehicle owners.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/18/california-extends-support-electric-cars/


Dutch car tax regime leaves Germany far behind in curbing CO2
emissions. The Netherlands had the lowest CO2 emissions from new
cars in the European Union last year, thanks to its tax regime
favouring fuel economy and low-carbon vehicles. Germany and
Poland are among the countries with the highest C02 emissions
from new cars and the weakest national tax policies, a report by
NGO Transport & Environment has found.
http://www.euractiv.com/sections/transport/dutch-car-tax-regime-leaves-germany-far-behind-curbing-co2-emissions-310964

 
GREEN ENERGY

Clean energy plan would bring new power lines to desert. For
nearly six years, officials debated the best places to build
renewable energy projects in the desert, culminating in a massive
draft document known as the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation
Plan. But it's still far from clear how that energy would be
transmitted from the desert to the urban centers that need it
most.
http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2014/12/18/desert-renewable-energy-plan-tranmission-lines/20587161/


Kenya to build Africa’s largest wind project. Kenya is planning
to build the largest wind project on the continent of Africa. If
the project delivers as promised, it would allow the country to
spend less in fuel costs each year and allow its population more
access to electricity. Kenya may soon be home to the largest wind
project on the continent of Africa. Danish wind company Vestas
won a contract to provide 365 turbines for a 310 megawatt wind
power project in Kenya.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/1218/Kenya-to-build-Africa-s-largest-wind-project


OPINIONS

Editorial: L.A.'s freeway-adjacent residents need more protection
from pollution. A growing body of research shows that living next
to a freeway can significantly increase the risk of asthma, heart
disease, pre-term births, reduced lung function in children and
premature death. Yet Los Angeles continues to approve residential
developments next to freeways without imposing strong measures to
protect the residents.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-freeway-adjacent-development-20141219-story.html


Op-Ed: Flood, drought risks must be managed, with or without
climate change. In one case a major metropolis was flooded within
hours, leaving thousands homeless, millions without power,
transportation and businesses shut down, and a mass human crisis.
In the other case, three years of sunshine and blue skies have
left water supplies at record lows, crops shriveled and, for the
most unfortunate, taps dry.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-1219-sobel-calif-drought-hurricane-sandy-20141219-story.html


Washington Post editorial: International climate agreement not
enough. Lack of restrictions on nations a start, but more is
needed. Ever since negotiators failed to agree on a climate
accord in Copenhagen five years ago, diplomats have been trying
for a big, international do-over. Talks in Lima, Peru, this month
put this effort on track to conclude an agreement in Paris next
year.
http://cjonline.com/opinion/2014-12-19/washington-post-editorial-international-climate-agreement-not-enough


Rain a ‘start’ for Calif., but drought entrenched. So there’s
good news and there’s bad news on the California drought. The
good news is that recent rain has finally started to chip away at
the severe precipitation deficits the state is facing. The bad
news is that most of California is still in a deep drought and
it’s going to take a long time to fully recover.
http://www.standard.net/National/2014/12/19/Rain-a-Start-for-Calif-But-Drought-Entrenched
 

BLOGS

U.S. Should Save Nuclear Industry From Fracking Peril: IEA. The
United States needs to develop clear policies to support its
ailing nuclear industry—which is prone to seeing old reactors
close rather than new reactors open largely because of the impact
on energy prices of cheap natural gas from fracking, the
International Energy Agency said in a report released today. “The
domestic nuclear industry is therefore at a critical juncture as
a consequence of its declining economic competitiveness…
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2014/12/18/u-s-should-save-nuclear-industry-from-fracking-peril-iea/


Local Efforts Help Battle Global Climate Problem. Justin Catanoso
explains to WFDD's Keri Brown how leaders around the world and in
North Carolina are finding ways to reduce carbon emissions and
fight global warming. In his column this week in the Triad
Business Journal, Justin Catanoso offers some surprising insights
about how cities can make a global impact when it comes to
climate change.
http://wfdd.org/post/local-efforts-help-battle-global-climate-problem


It’s time countries took climate-linked migration seriously.
Climate talks must take increased human mobility into account,
argues the head of the International Organization for Migration.
Key policy decisions on climate change must be considered as
important migration policy decisions.
http://www.rtcc.org/2014/12/19/its-time-countries-took-climate-linked-migration-seriously/#sthash.gQxktiPD.dpuf


Climate Change Could Cause 18 Percent Drop In Food Production By
2050, Study Says. Global warming could cause an 18 percent drop
in world food production by 2050, but investments in irrigation
and infrastructure, and moving food output to different regions,
could reduce the loss, a study published on Thursday said.
Globally, irrigation systems should be expanded by more than 25
percent to cope with changing rainfall patterns…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/18/climate-change-food-production_n_6349164.html
 

'Tipping points' for sea level rise related flooding determined. 
By 2050, a majority of U.S. coastal areas are likely to be
threatened by 30 or more days of flooding each year due to
dramatically accelerating impacts from sea level rise, according
to a new NOAA study, published today in the American Geophysical
Union's online peer-reviewed journal Earth's Future.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141218154554.htm 

BMW i3 REx: Road-Tripping With 72 Electric Miles, 1.9-Gallon Gas
Tank. There are drivers who view the limited range of an electric
car as a limitation--and those who view it as a challenge. Only
with the latter attitude would one BMW i3 owner think to travel
more than 400 miles in a car with 72 miles of electric range,
assisted by a small gasoline range extender fed by a tiny fuel
tank.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095982_bmw-i3-rex-road-tripping-with-72-electric-miles-1-9-gallon-gas-tank


2016 Toyota Mirai: First Drive Of Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Sedan. The
2016 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell car will get a huge amount
of promotion and attention from its maker, despite the very low
numbers that will be built in its first years. In that respect,
it's very similar to the first Toyota Prius hybrid back in
1997--a first sketch of what a future powertrain may promise.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095985_2016-toyota-mirai-first-drive-of-hydrogen-fuel-cell-sedan


California to award up to $4M for projects to advanced smart
charging and V2G technologies. The California Energy Commission
has issued a solicitation (PON-14-310, Driving the Integration of
Electric Vehicles to Maximize Benefits to the Grid) to fund
Applied Research and Development projects that will advance
technologies and strategies for smart and efficient charging and
vehicle-to-grid communication interfaces that will provide
maximum benefits to both the electricity grid and the plug-in
electric vehicle (PEV) market.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141219-cec.html 

California Urged To Stay The Course On Electric Cars, Help Owners
Charge Cheaper. Gas prices are falling: Michigan has signs
advertising regular at $1.99 per gallon. It's now below $3 a
gallon even in California, which continues to be the focal point
for electric-car adoption. Now an electric utility CEO has joined
with an environmental advocate to urge that Californians stay the
course in their adoption of plug-in electric vehicles.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1095983_california-urged-to-stay-the-course-on-electric-cars-help-owners-charge-cheaper


MHTL to partner with G2X, negotiate methanol offtake agreement
from G2X methanol-to-gasoline plant.  G2X Energy, Inc. and
Methanol Holdings Trinidad Limited (MHTL) announced that MHTL
intends to partner with G2X Energy to construct the world-scale
methanol-to-gasoline (MTG)-ready, methanol production facility
being developed by G2X Energy in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
(Earlier post.)
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/12/20141219-mhtl.html 




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