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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for February 4, 2015

Posted: 04 Feb 2015 13:10:27
ARB Newsclips for February 4, 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

Oil lobby leads list of top spenders in 2014.  California's oil
and gas industry kept its long-running title as the biggest
employer of lobbyists in California last year, according to
numbers released this week by the California Secretary of State.
The top spender for 2014 was the Western States Petroleum
Association. It spent $8.9 million on lobbying last year, almost
double what the organization spent the prior year.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2015/02/03/oil-lobby-leads-list-of-top-spenders-at-the.html?page=all

Oil industry doubled spending on lobbying in California last year

The oil industry nearly doubled its spending on lobbying in
California last year, as the Jan. 1, 2015 date approached for
gasoline to be included in the state’s cap-and-trade program. The
Western States Petroleum Association poured nearly $8.9 million
into lobbying California government in 2014, according to new
filings with the Secretary of State. That compares with almost
$4.7 million the group spent on the effort in 2013.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article9261986.html#storylink=cpy

Cap and trade repealed: Tomblin approves energy act repeal.  West
Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed a bill deleting a state
energy portfolio Tuesday, the first proposal to hit his desk from
the newly minted Republican Legislature. The Democratic governor
approved the repeal of the Alternative and Renewable Energy
Portfolio Standard after lawmakers overwhelmingly voted for it.
Previously, Tomblin said the law wouldn’t make a big difference,
one way or another.
http://www.bdtonline.com/news/cap-and-trade-repealed-tomblin-approves-energy-act-repeal/article_32b52ac6-ac26-11e4-9faf-8fb7ad7f5dc4.html

AIR POLLUTION

Clean Air Act overhaul likely to come up next year: --
Whitfield	...subcommittee said yesterday that it will likely take
up legislation to overhaul the Clean Air Act next year.	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20344615143&p=19f&v=1&x=_FungzUXOdFT1ELOWhDbdw

EPA proposal adds 25 staffers to review backlogged state
plans	...the administration's eagerness to clear backlogged state
plans for meeting Clean Air Act standards.	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20337066836&p=19f&v=1&x=gIP9x9CxsBlJtfEjbNhUtA

White House completes review of standards for home wood
stoves	The White House yesterday wrapped up a review of U.S.
EPA's final standards...
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20337066993&p=19f&v=1&x=EdV4laSQAUU_pj1wNq-Bfw

IID pays Imperial County $750,000 under QSA settlement agreement
...closed session was reported out on Tuesday. The county and the
Imperial County Air Pollution Control District will now dismiss
their pending appeal...	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20341924900&p=19f&v=1&x=QHEidHV8UYCN9KxaDXWw4Q

Burn ban in effect for Los Angeles area, Inland Empire
Wednesday	...ANGELES - A residential no-burn alert will be in
effect today in the South Coast Air Basin -- which includes the
greater Los Angeles area, Orange County...	
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/general-news/20150204/burn-ban-in-effect-for-los-angeles-area-inland-empire-wednesday

Energizer debuts recycled AA and AAA batteries	...decreases the
need to mine new materials, and mining is a big contributor to
greenhouse gas, which contributes to climate change,"...	
http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article9010307.html

Benicia will update crude-by-rail project's environmental
report	...states that the controversial project would have
"significant and unavoidable" air-quality impacts within the
Sacramento basin because of emissions...	
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20150204/benicia-will-update-crude-by-rail-projects-environmental-report

Wisconsin Democrats, Republicans spar over carbon
limits	...opposition, arguing during a legislative hearing that
the standards would help curb global warming, alleviate health
problems and create jobs.    Republicans...	
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Industry-reps-regulators-to-debate-Obama-carbon-6045598.php

Solving climate change will be difficult but worth
it	...obviously do not believe that. They're just quoting the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which says, in line
with the bulk of the literature,...	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20332766587&p=19f&v=1&x=cCo0o3SeUOZVgL-FrcmaRA

It's time for California to end risky fracking	...happening was
minimal.    Second, we know that more oil and gas fracking means
more pollution. That means more of the air pollution that has
already...	
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article9151343.html

Carmel considers beach fire changes	...fires permitted. The
impetus of the plan is to reduce environmental impacts on air
quality and degradation of the sand. The Forest and Beach
Commission...	
http://www.mercurynews.com/central-coast/ci_27448994/carmel-considers-beach-fire-changes

PSUSD flips switch on solar arrays	...Bunch Palms Elementary
School with a $3 million grant from the South Coast Air Quality
Management District, along with solar-covered parking...	
http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/education/2015/02/03/psusd-starts-solar-arrays/22825963/

Air quality monitored at San Ysidro.  On a rooftop overlooking
the nation’s busiest border crossing, environmental authorities
are making their first effort at measuring the effect of some
50,000 daily vehicle crossings on the region’s air quality. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the San Diego County Air
Pollution Control District on Tuesday unveiled a monitor at the
San Ysidro Port of Entry that offers real-time readings of the
level of fine particulate matter that can enter the lungs and
pose a hazard to human health.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/feb/03/air-quality-monitoring-san-ysidro/


CLIMATE CHANGE
	
How a Warming Climate Impacts Public Health. It may seem
counterintuitive to make a connection between a warming planet
and the huge snowfall totals that hit Buffalo, N.Y., in November,
but these dramatic storms are happening at least in part because
the world is warmer, scientists say. “There is an influx of
Arctic air into Buffalo because the Arctic is warm,” said John
Balbus, senior adviser for public health at the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. 
http://www.emergencymgmt.com/health/How-Warming-Climate-Impact-Public-Health.html

Farming Now Worse For Climate Than Deforestation	...of humanity's
few gains in its otherwise lackadaisical battle so far against
global warming. A gradual slowdown in chainsawing and
bulldozing,...	
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/farming-now-worse-for-climate-than-deforestation-18629

EPA asks State to reconsider pipeline's climate impacts	...is
urging the State Department to "revisit" its assessment of the
potential global warming impacts of TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone
XL oil pipeline...	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20337066749&p=19f&v=1&x=tGnoom6YehmUBJqMcWgnNg

India 'Walking the Talk' on Climate Change, Says Environment
Minister	India's government on Tuesday defended its efforts to
combat climate change after U.S. President Barack Obama urged the
country...	
http://insideclimatenews.org/todaysnews/20150203/india-walking-talk-climate-change-says-environment-minister

Vaccine controversy latest collision of politics and
science	...among Republicans.    A starker example of the
partisan divide over science is global warming.    A spring 2014
poll by Yale University found nearly...	
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-republicans-vaccine-analysis-20150203-story.html?track=rss

EPA: Keystone XL's climate impacts need to be revisited	...to
"revisit" how much of a toll the Keystone XL oil pipeline would
have on global warming.    The EPA suggests that lower oil prices
could make...	
http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/House-to-vote-next-week-on-Keystone-pipeline-6058894.php

EPA: Cheap oil raises Keystone’s climate impact The EPA gave
President Barack Obama a road map for rejecting the Keystone XL
on Tuesday, warning that the pipeline could drive up production
from Canada’s oil sands and worsen climate change. Obama, who is
set to veto a bill that would take the decision over the
Canada-to-Texas oil link away from the White House, has not
indicated whether he’ll ultimately give a green light to the
project after six years of study.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/epa-keystone-xl-climate-impact-114879.html#ixzz3Qnyc94gb

Study links decreasing range of California pikas to climate
change	By 
Samantha Clark, Santa Cruz Sentinel Climate change threatens the
heat-sensitive pika, a tiny rabbit-like...	
http://www.mercurynews.com/pets-animals/ci_27449769/study-links-decreasing-range-california-pikas-climate-change

Norway to cut climate pollution by 40 percent by 2030	STOCKHOLM
(AP) — Norway says it will cut its emissions of global warming
gases by 40 percent by 2030, aligning itself with...	
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_27456236/norway-cut-climate-pollution-by-40-percent-by
	
Atmospheric river poised to soak Sacramento	...across the
Pacific, an atmospheric river poised to drench a parched Northern
California and the Sacramento region as early as Thursday night.
A crack...	
http://www.sacbee.com/news/weather/article9180716.html

EPA gives Obama new reason to reject Keystone pipeline: low oil
prices	...says. And if the oil is never extracted, an EPA report
notes, a large amount of greenhouse gases will never be released.
   The shift in thinking,...
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-epa-keystone-pipeline-oil-prices-20150203-story.html

Wind Industry, Riding Tax-Credit Rollcoaster, Reports Year of
Growth	...it's still well below the expansion rates of just a few
years ago.    U.S. wind energy installations grew more than
four-fold in 2014, according...	
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20150203/wind-industry-riding-tax-credit-rollcoaster-reports-year-growth	

California Creates Most Clean Tech Jobs Paying Investors
Energy	California's bet on green energy is paying off, with clean
technology companies creating...	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20336937983&p=19f&v=1&x=Ti_j630IZ6ekdmxL7E88kg

Green energy creating more jobs, investments in
California	California's bet on green energy is paying off, with
clean technology companies creating...	
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27450581/california-creates-most-clean-tech-jobs-paying-investors


DROUGHT

Cooler temps, rainfall help state cut water use 22% in December,
but that rate of conservation may not last	Show caption    A
wetter, cooler December helped California to cut water use 22%
over the same month a year earlier. But...	
http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/02/03/49635/cooler-temps-rainfall-help-state-cut-water-use-22/

Satellite images show a greener California but a shrinking
snowpack	Recent satellite images revealed a much greener
California following a series of December storms that brought
much-needed...	
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-greener-california-shrinking-snowpack-20150203-story.html

ENVIRONMENT: State shows biggest water conservation gains so
far	Southern California finally meets 20 percent cutback goal
after December rains....	
http://www.pe.com/articles/water-759535-state-percent.html

Californians use 22 percent less water, but more cuts
loom	...water consumption, but more restrictions loom as the
state adapts to long-term drought conditions.    California is by
no means out of trouble,...	
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Water-agencies-report-use-as-California-drought-6058178.php
	
Californians achieve big water cuts — with a caveat	...can be
credited to continuing efforts to conserve amid the state's
crippling drought.    The State Water Resources Control Board,
which has been tracking...	
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Californians-achieve-big-water-cuts-with-a-6060152.php
	
California Drought: Wet December drives Californians to cut water
use 22 percent from prior year	...Resources Control Board
required the 411 largest cities and water districts in California
to issue monthly water use reports, residents of the Los
Angeles...	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20337500865&p=19f&v=1&x=JD6a6L-NC3PJCumg1U49Jw

Water Agencies Report Water Use As California Drought
Continues	...using and urging conservation as the state heads
into the fourth year of a drought. The State Water Resources
Control Board releases its monthly report...	
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/02/03/water-agencies-report-water-use-as-california-drought-continues/


FUELS

Senate Dems shrug off GOP protests, press for low-carbon fuel
standard	
Democrats in the Oregon state Senate kicked off arguments over a
low-carbon fuel standard yesterday, ignoring protests...	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20337066931&p=19f&v=1&x=_lE2SebRL6KX0DVl7Z7b8w

Oil surges again on signs companies slow production	...period of
low oil prices. In other futures trading in New York: — Wholesale
gasoline rose 5.67 cents to $1.601 a gallon — Heating oil jumped
8.9 cents...	
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingbusiness/ci_27450542/oil-surges-again-signs-companies-slow-production

Electric Car Sales Jump In Europe, But Likely To Stall
Soon	...early adopters and buyers in Norway, but may well have
peaked for a while as gasoline prices fall and ordinary consumers
shun them.    This doesn't...	
http://www.forbes.com/sites/neilwinton/2015/02/03/electric-car-sales-spurt-in-europe-but-likely-to-stall-soon/
		

GREEN ENERGY
	
California Has Largest Advanced Energy Industry In U.S. 
California is home to the largest advanced energy industry in the
country, according to the first-ever industry-wide survey
released by the Advanced Energy Economy Institute. Advanced
energy jobs grew 5 percent in the past year—more than double the
overall state job growth rate—and is on track to grow 17 percent
in the coming year, to more than 500,000 workers, based on
employer hiring plans.
http://businessfacilities.com/2015/02/california-has-largest-advanced-energy-industry-in-u-s/

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Startup aims to help businesses meet green
targets	...nearly two-thirds of Fortune 100 companies committed
to using certain levels of renewable energy.	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20337066940&p=19f&v=1&x=CU5hxRDlZakYSp_Lm7LV4w	

CLEAN TECH: Green energy focus pays off for Golden State
investors	California investors and employees are profiting from
the state's emphasis on green energy, with clean technology
companies creating more jobs...	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20337066970&p=19f&v=1&x=mkwzML0E4LfShLOZ1vKb-A

6 charts that show renewable energy is getting cheaper	Things are
changing very quickly in the world of renewable energy. The
conventional wisdom — that renewables are expensive,...	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20338656960&p=19f&v=1&x=OVR9rT4s31ftXqdqbbNGAw

Canadian Solar Eyes Power Plant Business with California
Acquisition	...business with the $265-million (U.S.) all-cash
acquisition of a California solar energy developer.	
http://insideclimatenews.org/content/canadian-solar-eyes-power-plant-business-california-acquisition

Burbank's WET made the Bellagio Fountains and other water
artworks you love	...is something other-worldly.)    Fuller says
recent projects have included a solar power component that uses
gray or undrinkable water and cleans...	
http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp/2015/02/03/41314/burbank-s-wet-made-the-bellagio-fountains-and-othe/	

Efrain Rojas: Solar is saving money for people today	...Fortune
250 companies like NRG putting a stake in our central valley
communities. Solar energy isn't the technology of tomorrow. It is
cost effective...	
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article9124691.html
	
Plug-In Electric Car Sales Continue Rise In 2014, To
118,500	...It's the third annual increase in full-year sales in
the U.S. since modern electric cars first went on sale in
December 2010; the 2013 total...	
http://news.vocus.com/?a=20333544014&p=19f&v=1&x=bI1yIxEWBC0pXQQmCpNjag


BLOGS

Wood Stove Smoke Is Killing Us ...phased in over five years. But
these improvements will do little to clean the air, because the
rules won't require people to get rid of their old
stoves....	http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cathy-shufro/wood-stove-smoke-is-killi_b_6587462.html?utm_hp_ref=green

Near Zero Solutions: A New Climate and Energy News Round-Up	This
is the first installment of Near Zero Solutions, a round-up of
climate and energy news, focusing on efforts...	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mason-inman/near-zero-solutions-a-new_b_6599202.html?utm_hp_ref=england

The DC Disconnect on Climate Change	Recently, the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Nobel
prize-winning international scientific...	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-silver/the-dc-disconnect_b_6572204.html?utm_hp_ref=green

EPA Comments Challenge State Department Conclusions On Keystone's
Climate Impacts	...development of the Canadian oil sands
“represents a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions"
compared to other types of oil.    The...	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/03/epa-keystone-xl-emissions_n_6606366.html

Central Valley Aquifers Tainted by Oil Companies	...Science |
February 3, 2015    As stream beds run dry and reservoirs shrink
under California's historic drought, the state's water reserves
face another...	
http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2015/02/03/central-valley-aquifers-tainted-by-oil-companies/

Californians Are Using Less Water, But More Restrictions
Likely	...water consumption, but more restrictions loom as the
state adapts to long-term drought conditions.    California is by
no means out of trouble,...	
http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2015/02/03/californians-are-using-less-water-but-more-restrictions-likely/

Look at how much greener California is	The first two weeks of
December brought heavy rain and snowfall to California — and we
could practically hear the state's massive sigh of...	
http://grist.org/news/look-at-how-much-greener-california-is/

Toyota raises forecast after quarterly profit up on weak
yen	...trillion yen ($17 billion) profit.    Toyota has held the
top spot in global vehicle sales for three years straight,
selling 10.23 million
vehicles...	http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20150204/as--japan-earns-toyota/?ir=world&utm_hp_ref=world

Business Renewables Center To Connect U.S. Companies With Clean
Energy	SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Companies struggling to
meet their renewable energy goals can now get help from a venture
that aims...	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/02/business-renewables-center_n_6594016.html?utm_hp_ref=green

Calif. Energy Commission to award nearly $1.3M to support efforts
for plug-ins and fuel cell vehicles	...2015 The California Energy
Commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle
Technology Program (ARFVTP) announced the availability of up
to...	
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/02/20150304-cec.html

Bikes Only: London Approves New Cyclist Superhighway Plan. London
Mayor Boris Johnson's ambitious plan to reshape how the city
handles cyclist traffic got final approval Wednesday, clearing
the way for the spread of segregated bike lanes and dedicated
traffic signals. Johnson plans to create a network for cyclists
that rivals the city's transit system.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/02/04/383789890/bikes-only-london-approves-new-cyclist-superhighway-plan


Government should fund EV charging stations, not tax
credits	...2015? Have more people buy electric vehicles, or
provide charging stations for EV drivers to plug into? Two
researchers believe the government could stimulate...	
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/02/04/government-should-fund-ev-charging-stations-not-tax-credits/
	
White House Budget Asks For $10K Electric-Car Credit, Natural-Gas
Cars Added	...green cars. President Barack Obama is once again
attempting to spur sales of electric cars and alternative-fuel
vehicles through increased incentives....	
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096601_white-house-budget-asks-for-10k-electric-car-credit-natural-gas-cars-added

Oakland prepares to march for real climate change policy on
Saturday  Blue and yellow paint have dominated the courtyard of
the Greenpeace Warehouse in Oakland every Sunday since January
25, when community members started to meet to do art with a very
specific purpose. 
http://blog.sfgate.com/inoakland/2015/02/03/oakland-prepares-to-march-for-real-climate-change-policy-on-saturday/

Was 2014 Really the Warmest Year? Here's Why It Doesn't
Matter.	...bit. It's a scientific fact that humans are warming
the planet by releasing greenhouse gases. This has already
resulted in "considerable costs,"...	
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/02/was-2014-really-warmest-year-nasa-noaa

California Met Governor's Water Consumption Goals Last Month,
Thanks To Rainy December	...water consumption, but more
restrictions loom as the state adapts to long-term drought
conditions.    California is by no means out of trouble,...	
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/03/california-water-consumption-goals_n_6606406.html?utm_hp_ref=green





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

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