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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for January 12, 2015

Posted: 12 Jan 2015 12:23:10
ARB Newsclips for January 12, 2015. 

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

South Korea Launches World’s Second-Largest Carbon Trading
Market. South Korea launched its cap-and-trade system Monday, an
act that makes the country home to the world’s second-largest
carbon trading market.  The cap-and-trade system, which was
approved by the country’s National Assembly in 2012, will cap the
emissions of 525 of the biggest companies in the country.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/01/12/3610553/south-korea-cap-and-trade/


Cap-and-trade fund grows to $1B; groups say it could reach $2B.
California will spend $1 billion to combat climate change under a
new budget proposal from Gov. Jerry Brown. But some argue it will
reach $2 billion. The money in the Democrat's draft fiscal
2015-16 budget comes from the state's cap-and-trade program for
carbon emissions, which requires some businesses to account for
their greenhouse gas pollution.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060011472/print 

AIR POLLUTION

EU should curb mercury emissions from cremations, campaigners
say. Environment campaigners are calling for curbs on mercury
emissions from human cremations as part of pollution controls
that EU authorities will debate this month. Increased cremation
as shortage of land makes burial expensive has coincided with a
rise in emissions of the toxic metal from fillings in teeth.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/12/us-eu-air-cremation-idUSKBN0KL0YH20150112


CLIMATE CHANGE

Oil Plunge Seen Eroding Emissions Ambition: Carbon & Climate.
While the falling price of crude oil is giving consumers cheaper
energy, it’s threatening long-term global pollution-control
efforts. Reduced national income from energy taxes and “a
low-growth economic environment” might spur countries to curtail
their emissions-curbing pledges for after 2020, leading to more
emissions of carbon for a longer time…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-08/oil-plunge-seen-eroding-emissions-ambition-carbon-climate.html


NASA’s year of climate change research kicks off, with a little
help from Washington companies. NASA has its head in the clouds
this year. Literally. The space agency is kicking off five global
projects designed to study how the earth’s atmosphere influences
climate change. One of those projects is a study of greenhouse
gases over the eastern part of the United States, with a little
help from Washington-area contractors. Scientists think they
understand what causes the emission of greenhouse gases such as
carbon dioxide and methane…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/nasas-year-of-climate-change-research-kicks-off-with-a-little-help-from-washington-companies/2015/01/09/a31d54b0-95c3-11e4-8005-1924ede3e54a_story.html


Climate Change Messing with Mother Nature’s Timetable. In nature,
timing is everything. From the mass migration of monarch
butterflies to the simultaneous seminal release of corals to the
collective deaths of salmon and cicadas, many species stick to
schedules so strict, their habits could be used to mark the
seasons. Unfortunately, more and more evidence suggests that
climate change has already begun to cuss up these timetables.
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-nature-schedule-18525


Arctic's 'Penguins of the North' Find Workaround to Climate
Change. New study finds that little auks are adjusting their food
supply, raising questions of adaptation. What's New: The latest
research on little auks, sometimes called "penguins of the
north," reveals a surprising response to a rapidly warming
Arctic: The birds make up for food lost to the effects of climate
change by catching prey…
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150112-little-auks-global-warming-climate-change-environment/


Could forests help states offset coal plant emissions under EPA
rule? Probably not. A funny thing happens when states are told to
cut greenhouse gas emissions or shut down their coal plants: They
start looking for solutions in unexpected places, like forests.
U.S. EPA's draft rule to cut power sector carbon emissions
suggests states could reach their targets by making coal plants
more efficient, using more natural gas and renewable energy, and
reducing power consumption.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060011462/print 

Growing competition, tougher rules haunt U.S. coal market –
study. The new year will bring continued difficulties for
coal-fired electric utilities as new regulations targeting power
plant emissions squeeze existing facilities and economics
continue to favor inexpensive natural gas over coal for new
fossil power generation.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060011455/print 

U.S. lab scientists find small volcanoes have slowed recent
global warming. Small volcanoes spewing climate-cooling aerosol
particles into the atmosphere could have partly contributed to
the slowed global temperature rise since 1998, according to a
study published this week in Geophysical Research Letters. The
study reinforces the findings of an earlier study that also
pointed to small volcanic eruptions in the 2000s as one of the
triggers of the "hiatus" in global warming …
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/01/12/stories/1060011458 

Methane blueprint expected this week, ahead of State of the
Union. The White House is likely to roll out its strategy to curb
methane emissions from the oil and natural gas sector this week
ahead of next week's State of the Union address, and
environmentalists are watching to see if it includes U.S. EPA's
commitment to regulate new and existing sources of the potent
greenhouse gas.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/01/12/stories/1060011506 

Spreading awareness on climate change. Climate change comprises
one of the 21st century’s main obstacles to the development
around the world. In the current scenario, global warming and
climate change have become issues of global significance. It is
evidenced by the plethora of campaigns, conferences, researches
and reports on the subject matter.
http://www.brecorder.com/pakistan/general-news/216659-spreading-awareness-on-climate-change.html
 

DROUGHT

Businesses get fat rebate checks for water-saving turf
replacement.  A tractor rumbled over 2 acres of green turf last
month at the MillerCoors brewery, its mechanical rake leaving
wide swaths of thirsty grass chomped up in its wake. The
once-lush knoll, by springtime, will feature a pathway of
decomposed granite, a bed of river rocks and a sign encouraging
water conservation.

For its water-saving efforts, the beer company is scheduled to
receive a check for about $187,000 from the Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California through the agency's turf
replacement rebate program.

DIESEL ACTIVITIES

Diesel exhaust and other pollutants heat up planet with darker
snow – study. Agriculture is playing a significant role in
darkening swaths of northwest American snow, which in turn can
speed up its melt, according to a new study funded by U.S. EPA.
In what is termed the first large-scale survey of North American
snow impurities, researchers from the University of Washington
set out to find out what was happening in areas…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/01/12/stories/1060011471 

FUELS

Is Keystone still necessary as oil, gasoline prices dip? A
50-percent plunge in the price of crude oil, resulting from
abundant global oil supplies and cheaper gasoline at the pump,
raise critical questions about whether the Keystone XL oil
pipeline is still needed or even makes financial sense. Oil
prices always have been volatile, and both the pipeline company
and the oil refiners…
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_KEYSTONE_STILL_NEEDED_QA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Oil could drive down ethanol profits, but industry shielded.
Roughly 100 grain trucks a day filled with corn continued to flow
into the Green Plains ethanol plant in southwest Iowa this week -
even as crude oil prices continued to collapse. Oil prices may
have dipped below $50 a barrel for the first time since April
2009, but ethanol plants across…
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FOOD_AND_FARM_OIL_COLLAPSE_ETHANOL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


U.S. Drivers Start 2015 With Cheapest Gas in Six Years.
Bloomberg’s Isaac Arnsdorf and Scarlet Fu examine the oil price
projection from Goldman Sachs. They speak in "On The Markets" on
"In The Loop.” Drivers paid an average of $2.2021 a gallon for
regular gasoline at U.S. pumps last week, the lowest level for
this time of year since 2009, according to Lundberg Survey Inc.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-11/u-s-gasoline-plunges-to-2-2021-a-gallon-in-lundberg-survey.html


TransCanada Swaps Show Keystone Serves as Oil Drop Buffer. Bonds
of TransCanada Corp. are outperforming those of larger rival
Enbridge Inc. (ENB) as a court decision boosts speculation it
will succeed in building the controversial Keystone XL pipeline
from Alberta’s oil sands to the Gulf Coast. Nebraska’s highest
court cleared Keystone’s path through the state last week,
sending the matter back to the U.S. State Department…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2015-01-12/transcanada-swaps-show-keystone-buffers-oil-drop-canada-credit.html


Oil Prices Tumble to Fresh Lows on Oversupply Fears. Major Banks
Cut Oil Price Forecasts Further. Oil prices tumbled to fresh lows
as major banks continued to slash their forecasts for this year,
saying lower prices are needed to reduce global supplies. 
U.S. oil for February delivery traded down $1.92, or 4%, at
$46.44 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent, the
global benchmark, dropped $2.37, or 4.7%, to $47.74 a barrel on
ICE Futures Europe.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/brent-crude-falls-below-50-in-asian-trading-1421039495?autologin=y


New French biodiesel limit could split EU fuels market: oil, car
lobbies. France's increased limit on food-based biofuels in
transport fuel could raise logistic and supply costs as it
threatens to split the European single market for fuels, lobby
groups for the car and oil industries said on Monday. The French
energy ministry issued a decree on Dec. 31 that raised the
maximum level of biofuels in diesel sold at services stations…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/12/us-france-biodiesel-idUSKBN0KL1P720150112

Pacific Ethanol’s Stockton plant to install cogeneration
technology.  A 3.5-megawatt cogeneration system is to be added to
the Stockton ethanol manufacturing plant owned by Pacific Ethanol
Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX) of Sacramento. The $12 million cogeneration
system will displace purchased electricity by using Ener-Core
Inc.'s (OTCBB: ENCR) gradual oxidizer technology to convert waste
gas from ethanol production and natural gas into electricity and
steam.
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27524 

USDA trims corn crop size in WASDE report, though still a record.
USDA lowers its estimation for corn yield in the January
supply/demand report by 2.4 bushels per acre, for a national
average of 171.0 bushels per acre. A slight increase in harvested
acres gains some of that back, but total corn production was
dialed back by 191 million bushels – still a record at 14.216
billion bushels from 90.6 million planted acres.
http://ethanolproducer.com/articles/11820/usda-trims-corn-crop-size-in-wasde-report-though-still-a-record


VEHICLES

Volvo to sell Chinese-made cars in US. Volvo Cars, the
Chinese-owned Swedish automaker, said Monday it will export cars
made in China to the United States, a step forward for Beijing's
ambitions to extend the global reach of its auto manufacturing
industry. The cars would be exported from Volvo's factories in
China, said a Volvo public relations manager, Chen Yu. She said
she had no details on when shipments would start or a sales
target.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_US_VOLVO?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Nissan introduces new Titan pickup with diesel engine. Over the
last two years, all three of the nation's best-selling full-size
pickups - the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500 - have
gotten big redesigns. Now it's the Nissan Titan's turn. The Titan
is a tiny player in this space. Last year, Nissan sold 12,527
Titans in the U.S.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AUTO_SHOW_HOT_WHEELS_NISSAN_TITAN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


AP Source: GM plans affordable 200-mile electric car in 2017.
General Motors plans to start selling an affordable electric car
in 2017 that will be able to go 200 miles on a single charge. A
person briefed on the matter told The Associated Press that GM
plans to start selling a $30,000 battery powered family car
called the Chevrolet Bolt sometime in 2017.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GENERAL_MOTORS_ELECTRIC_CAR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


Lake Charles gets new station for electric cars. Electric car
company Tesla Motors has opened a new station in western
Louisiana where its clients can charge up their vehicles. WWNO
radio reports (http://bit.ly/1I8P6ND ) that the company says its
new location in Lake Charles will enable drivers of its Model S
vehicles to replenish a half charge in 20 minutes.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/01/10/4323630_lake-charles-gets-new-station.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy


GREEN ENERGY

UPDATE 1-Debt-laden RWE cuts spend on renewable business.
Germany's No.2 utility RWE is cutting back investments in its
renewable energy business, under pressure from a crisis in the
power sector that has swelled its debt pile to 31 billion euros
($36.7 billion). Having spent 1 billion euros annually on RWE
Innogy between 2008 and 2014, RWE said it would invest just 1
billion euros over 2015-2017.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/01/12/rwe-renewables-idINL6N0UR2O320150112


Why 2015 is the Year for Clean Energy in the U.S. and China. With
a new year comes new promises and new opportunities – and that
also goes for the United States and China, the world’s biggest
climate polluters. The good news is both nations appear ready to
embrace solar and other renewables, investments that will cement
their recent, bilateral agreement to tackle climate change.
http://theenergycollective.com/edfenergyex/2179576/why-2015-year-clean-energy-us-and-china


MISCELLANEOUS

California governor plans big budget with downturn in mind. Ever
mindful that the next economic downturn could be right around the
corner, Gov. Jerry Brown released a record $113 billion
California spending plan on Friday that resists calls for
expanding social services and instead dedicates billions for
paying down debt and saving for a rainy day.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CALIFORNIA_BUDGET?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


California Arts Council holds drought awareness contest. The
California Arts Council is inviting all fourth and fifth grade
students in California to participate in a contest that aims to
raise awareness of water conservation practices and educate
students about the issue of California's drought.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/01/10/4324324/california-arts-council-holds.html##storylink=cpy


OPINIONS

America's Going to Lose the Oil Price War. The financial debacle
that has befallen Russia as the price of Brent crude dropped 50
percent in the last four months has overshadowed the one that
potentially awaits the U.S. shale industry in 2015. It's time to
heed it, because Saudi Arabia and other major Middle Eastern oil
producers are unlikely to blink and cut output, and the price is
now approaching a level where U.S. production will begin shutting
down.
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-01-12/americas-going-to-lose-the-oil-price-war


Will take a lot to divert SLV from burning wood. The San Lorenzo
Valley has the worst air in the state? Seriously? Worse than the
Central Valley? Improving the air quality in the San Lorenzo
Valley is going to take much more than simple legal edicts from
bureaucrats residing 90 miles away; many homes in SLV were either
built when electricity was inexpensive or outside the natural gas
delivery infrastructure.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/20150110/LOCAL1/150119993


BLOGS

Linking Carbon Markets To Climate Change. By the end of the
century 1,400 cities and towns could be submerged due to rising
sea levels caused by climate change, according to a recent study.
The impact of climate change is becoming more severe: ice caps
are melting, water is becoming scarce in some places, many fish
and animal species face extinction, and heat waves are becoming
the norm.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/statoil/2015/01/12/linking-carbon-markets-to-climate-change/


BREAKING: Chevrolet 'Bolt' Concept 200-Mile Electric Car To
Target Tesla: UPDATED. On Monday, General Motors will unveil a
concept version of a $30,000 battery-electric vehicle with 200
miles of electric range that will arrive on the market before the
planned Tesla Model 3, according to reports. Called the Chevrolet
Bolt, the concept is a compact five-door hatchback that uses
lithium-ion cells from LG Chem, GM's established battery partner.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096226_breaking-chevrolet-bolt-concept-200-mile-electric-car-to-target-tesla-reports



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

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