What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for March 13, 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

California carbon market nets $1 billion for clean energy. The
linked Quebec–California carbon market has passed another
significant milestone en route to demonstrating how effectively
cap-and-trade systems can cut emissions and generate clean energy
investments. Just under a month ago, the system held its second
linked carbon dioxide auction, selling 100% of available
allowances and generating $1.02 billion dollars for clean energy
and emissions reduction projects…
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/california-carbon-market-nets-1-billion-for-clean-energy-94649


RGGI auction sets new high clearing price. The first Regional
Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) CO2 allowance auction of 2014
cleared at $5.41/short ton, the highest price of any auction to
date. The 11 March auction sold all 15.3mn allowances offered,
generating more than $82mn for the nine northeast states
participating in the cap-and-trade program for power sector CO2
emissions, RGGI said today.
http://www.argusmedia.com/News/Article?id=1007335 

AIR POLLUTION

Study: Carbon emissions stabilize despite growing economy. Global
energy emissions stayed stable last year even though the economy
grew, according to data released Friday that could boost chances
for a landmark climate accord later this year. The rising use of
renewable energy, particularly in China, played a role in keeping
emissions from the energy sector to 32.3 billion tons of carbon
dioxide last year, the same as in 2013, the International Energy
Agency said.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-13/emissions-stall-amid-growth-for-first-time-in-40-years

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-13/china-s-carbon-emissions-drop-for-the-first-time-since-2001
http://www.sfgate.com/business/technology/article/Study-Carbon-emissions-stabilize-despite-growing-6132230.php

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/co2-emissions-stabilized-in-2014-18777

http://www.windpowerengineering.com/uncategorized/unprecedented-stall-of-global-energy-related-emissions-of-carbon-dioxide-in-2014/
   

EPA Proposes Implementation Rule for Fine Particulate Matter
Standards. The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a
proposed rule outlining how states will implement the current
national ambient air quality standards for fine particulate
matter. The proposed implementation rule (RIN 2060-AQ48), signed
by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy March 10, would establish
attainment planning requirements that state air agencies must
meet for moderate and serious nonattainment areas.
http://www.bna.com/epa-proposes-implementation-n17179923978/ 

Backyard BBQ 'emissions' targeted in EPA project. The
Environmental Protection Agency has its eyes on pollution from
backyard barbecues. The agency announced that it is funding a
University of California project to limit emissions resulting in
grease drippings with a special tray to catch them and a
"catalytic" filtration system. The $15,000 project has the
"potential for global application," said the school.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/backyard-bbq-emissions-targeted-in-epa-project/article/2561474
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/backyard-burger-and-wiener-roasts-targeted-by-epa/article/2561474


CLIMATE CHANGE

China needs CO2 cap to meet climate pledges: legislator. China
needs to impose a nationwide carbon cap if it is to fulfill a
pledge made last year to bring emissions to a peak by around
2030, a legislator said in a proposal submitted to parliament
this week.
Wang Yi, a member of the China Academy of Sciences and adviser to
China's climate negotiation team, said the country should include
an absolute CO2 cap of around 10 billion tonnes for 2020 in its
five-year plan covering the 2016-2020 period.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/12/us-china-parliament-carbon-idUSKBN0M80ET20150312


Chinese, U.S. power firms top inefficient coal plants list.
Chinese and U.S. firms generate the most electricity from
inefficient coal-fired power plants that pump out more greenhouse
gases and use more water than newer power stations, a study said
on Friday. "There is a strong case for investors to evaluate the
risk of companies exposed to the least efficient coal plants,"
said Ben Caldecott…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/13/energy-coal-idUSL5N0WE4TV20150313


Kerry Urges States, Cities to Offer Pledges in Run-up to
End-of-Year Paris Negotiations. Secretary of State John Kerry
March 12 urged U.S. states as well as private industry and local
governments around the world to offer their own pledges to cut
greenhouse gas emissions ahead of December talks in Paris that
are expected to conclude with a global climate accord.
http://www.bna.com/kerry-urges-states-n17179923977/ 

Kerry Speaks Out on Florida's 'Climate Change' Ban. Secretary of
State John Kerry said Thursday that elected officials who ban the
words "climate change" are unwilling to face the facts, a
non-so-subtle dig at Florida Gov. Rick Scott's administration.
Kerry, a longtime champion of combatting climate change, said the
officials were ignoring the scientific facts.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/03/12/us/politics/ap-us-kerry-climate.html


Starving Sea Lions Washing Ashore by the Hundreds in California.
By the time Wendy Leeds reached him, the sea lion pup had little
hope of surviving. Like more than 1,450 other sea lions that have
washed up on California beaches this year, in what animal experts
call a growing crisis for the animal, this 8-month-old pup was
starving, stranded and hundreds of miles from a mother who still
needed to nurse him and teach him to hunt and feed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/us/starving-sea-lions-washing-ashore-by-the-hundreds-in-california.html
 

Not all oil is created equal. Why that matters for climate
change. A new report documents the climate impacts of various
types of oil. As governments address climate-warming greenhouse
gases, that information could help policymakers and industry
prioritize oils based on their emissions. “Oil” is a deceptively
simple word. For most, those three letters conjure up images of a
viscous, black liquid gushing from Texan oil wells.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy/2015/0313/Not-all-oil-is-created-equal.-Why-that-matters-for-climate-change


Calif. Supreme Court takes up 'historic' environmental docket.
California's landmark environmental law faces new scrutiny from
the state's Supreme Court, not just once, but in nine different
pending cases, part of a docket packed with environmental
litigation. The state's high court has agreed to decide multiple
lawsuits involving the California Environmental Quality Act, or
CEQA. That statute requires an intense look into how projects
will affect land, water, air and species.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060015021/print 

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS/FORMALDEHYDE

Lumber Liquidators Offers Flooring Customers Free Air Tests for
Formaldehyde. Lumber Liquidators said on Thursday that it would
provide free air testing to consumers after a report that accused
the company of selling laminate flooring from China that
contained high levels of formaldehyde. Consumers can request free
indoor air quality test kits that will be analyzed by accredited
laboratories. Results will be emailed within a week to 10 days.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/13/us-lumber-flooring-research-idUSKBN0M91QC20150313?virtualBrandChannel=11563

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/business/lumber-liquidators-offers-free-tests-of-flooring-for-formaldehyde.html


Lumber Liquidators Defense Not Convincing Enough: Analysts.
Shares of Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc's fell 8 percent on
Friday, reversing some gains from a day earlier, after brokerages
cut price targets, saying the hardwood flooring retailer's
defense of its products left some questions unanswered.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/03/13/business/13reuters-lumber-flooring-research.html


Goldman Sachs didn't like what it heard from Lumber Liquidators.
Goldman Sachs has downgraded Lumber Liquidators to "Neutral" from
"Buy," and cut its price target to $35 from $40. Lumber
Liquidators hosted a conference call on Thursday to address the
concerns that were raised in the "60 Minutes" report earlier in
March. Through tests, the reporters found that Lumber
Liquidators' laminate flooring sourced from China contained…
http://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-downgrades-lumber-liquidators-to-neutral-2015-3#ixzz3UHaRJFNh


Lumber Liquidators is tanking. Earlier Friday, Goldman Sachs
downgraded the firm to "Neutral" from "Buy" on concerns that it
has not adequately answered questions about the testing procedure
for its laminate flooring, and this could dent sales. Lumber
Liquidators held a conference call on Thursday to address the
fallout of a "60 Minutes" episode that aired March 1.
http://www.businessinsider.com/lumber-liquidators-is-tanking-2015-3#ixzz3UIPUgKAJ


Experts On Lumber Liquidators Call: First Admission Of Guilt?
Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc LL 15.24% conducted a conference
call on Thursday in which it defended the safety of its products
and also offered free testing kits to consumers. However, class
action lawsuit attorney against Lumber Liquidators…
http://www.benzinga.com/media/cnbc/15/03/5324549/experts-on-lumber-liquidators-call-first-admission-of-guilt#ixzz3UIWsxJD8


OTHER MEDIA INKS (LUMBER LIQUIDATORS)
http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000361296 
https://us.vocuspr.com/Main.aspx?Entity=Home&LanguageID=1033
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lumber-liquidators-ceo-admits-tests-showed-high-formaldehyde-levels/

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/03/12/lumber-liquidators-will-pay-for-air-tests-for-concerned-customers/


DROUGHT

Drought needn't mean that spring skips your garden. For Southern
California gardeners, March is a month of wistful promise. A
little rain falls, and the possibilities for brilliant spring and
summer planting — exploding colors, bountiful edibles — seem
limitless. But you might want to stop daydreaming. The state's
four-year drought has not ebbed, and that likely will mean
continued watering restrictions and, worst case, water rationing.
http://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-spring-planting-20150314-story.html


3,200 People Risk Running Out of Water In Drought. The Lake Don
Pedro community is operating in emergency mode.  For the last
several weeks, work crews have drilled well after well, hoping to
find groundwater. “We’re on our sixth test hole, and none of the
other test holes yet have produced enough to be worthwhile to
develop into permanent groundwater sources… 
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/03/13/3,200-people-risk-running-out-of-water-in-drought/


As drought worsens, L.A. water agency offers cash to Sacramento
Valley farmers. 
With the drought stretching into its fourth year, a heavyweight
water agency from Los Angeles has come calling on Sacramento
Valley rice farmers, offering up to $71 million for some of their
water. The price being offered is so high, some farmers can make
more from selling water than from growing their rice.
http://www.redding.com/news/as-drought-worsens-la-water-agency-offers-cash-to-sacramento-valley-farmers


Pacific Northwest braces for drought because of record-low
snowpack. Nobody is calling it a drought -- at least not yet. But
as the warmest winter in Oregon and Washington state since the
Dust Bowl era gives way to spring, officials in both states will
soon decide whether or not to declare water emergencies. In
Washington, representatives from a range of government agencies
convened this week to review watershed forecasts and lay the case
for the announcement of a drought.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060014995/print 

DIESEL ACTIVITIES

“Scrubbers” to cut cruise ship air pollution. Cruise lines that
sail Alaska waters are installing new pollution-control
equipment. It’s aimed at clearing the air — and meeting new
regulations. But it’s also dodging some stronger, more expensive
measures. The stuff that comes out of cruise ship smokestacks can
cloud the air, leaving a haze over port cities, and plumes along
their routes. But it’s more than unsightly. Sulfur dioxide, ash…
http://www.krbd.org/2015/03/12/scrubbers-to-cut-cruise-ship-air-pollution/
 

FUELS

IEA sees renewed pressure on oil prices as glut worsens. Oil
prices might have stabilized only temporarily because the global
oil glut is worsening and U.S. production shows no sign of
slowing, the International Energy Agency said on Friday. The
West's energy watchdog said the United States may soon run out of
spare capacity to store crude, which would put additional
downward pressure on prices.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/13/us-iea-oil-idUSKBN0M90S020150313


U.S. LNG projects hit by energy price slide. Sinking oil and gas
prices have put the brakes on the development of the U.S.
liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry, with planned projects being
delayed or even scrapped altogether. U.S. natural gas production
has soared to record levels in recent years due to advanced
drilling techniques, including hydraulic fracturing, or fracking,
triggering a new LNG export market.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/13/usa-lng-cutbacks-idUSL5N0WE59N20150313


A Palm Oil King Develops a Green Conscience. Wilmar
International’s chairman is cleaning up the industry that made
him a billionaire. The sprawling palm oil industry has long been
a destroyer of rain forests and tormentor of endangered species
across Southeast Asia, to hear environmental groups tell it.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-12/wilmar-chairman-pushes-palm-oil-industry-to-clean-up


Gasoline price spike sputters. The longest streak of daily price
increases since 2011 has ended in the U.S. – and even in
California, according to price surveys Friday. During this
period, average gas prices around the country increased by 43
cents per gallon – and by more than a buck a gallon in California
-- but now have fallen by nearly two cents, week-over-week
nationally. California, where prices shot up higher and faster
than anywhere else…
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=27945 

Refinery deal struck, gasoline prices set to fall. Shell Oil and
the United Steelworkers have reached a tentative agreement on a
national contract, a deal that eventually could push gasoline
prices lower and pave the way to end a walkout at several fuel
factories, including the Tesoro Golden Eagle Refinery in
Martinez, union and industry analysts said Thursday.
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27700551/refinery-deal-struck-gasoline-pri00001789ces-set-fall


Ore. Gov. Brown signs clean fuel standard law. Oregon Gov. Kate
Brown (D) signed off on Oregon's low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS)
yesterday, paving the way for the program to go into effect next
year. S.B. 324 removes the Dec. 31, 2015, sunset date from
Oregon's Clean Fuels Program, which has been in place since 2009.
Under the program, the carbon content of fuel burned in the state
must be cut 10 percent by 2025, with the first cuts beginning
next year.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/03/13/stories/1060014994 


Shipping LNG by rail? Alaska railroad wants to make it happen. At
a time when Alaska state officials are eager to provide low-cost
fuel to the energy-hungry Fairbanks region, the Alaska Railroad
Corp. is seeking to become the first U.S. company to ship
liquefied natural gas by rail. The Alaska railroad and three
other companies -- Union Pacific, BNSF Railway and Florida East
Coast Railway Co. -- have applied for Federal Railroad
Administration permits to ship LNG on their rail lines.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2015/03/13/stories/1060014956 

Canada steps ahead of U.S. with rules for hauling crude by rail.
Canadian regulators have upgraded standards for tank cars hauling
crude oil and ethanol, pulling ahead of parallel rules under
consideration in the United States.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060014970/print 

VEHICLES

GM recalls Chevrolet Volt over carbon monoxide. General Motors is
recalling 50,249 of its Chevrolet Volt plug-in cars to make a
software fix that will ensure that drivers and passengers don't
accidentally subject themselves to carbon monoxide poisoning
through a mix-up about whether the car's engine is running. The
problem involves an issue that dogs many hybrid cars today:
Drivers can't easily tell when the engine is running or when the
car is running on battery power alone.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2015/03/12/gm-chevrolet-volt-carbon-monoxide/70238228/

http://www.autonews.com/article/20150312/OEM11/150319938/gm-recalls-64000-volts-over-carbon-monoxide-risk


Toyota drives onto Olympic stage in record sponsorship deal. The
world’s biggest automaker is driving onto the world’s biggest
sports stage. Toyota Motor Corp. signed on as a global Olympic
sponsor Friday in a landmark deal reportedly worth nearly $1
billion, becoming the first car company to join the IOC’s
top-tier marketing program. 
The eight-year deal underlines Asia’s growing influence in the
Olympics…
http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/03/13/4425136_toyota-drives-onto-olympic-stage.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy


GREEN ENERGY

Sweden, Norway Increase Renewable Target Amid Power Glut Concern.
Sweden and Norway agreed to boost their target for renewable
energy production amid concerns the additional capacity will
exacerbate a power glut and strain the region’s electricity grid.
The subsidized joint energy program will be increased by 2
terawatt hours, or the annual use of about 80,000 Swedish
households, to 28.4 terawatt hours by 2020 from 2012 levels, the
countries said today in Stockholm.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-13/sweden-norway-increase-renewable-target-amid-power-glut-concern


MISCELLANEOUS

AM Alert: What’s next for CEQA?  Among the most intractable
debates of California politics is what to do about the California
Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, the 1970 law regulating the
environmental impacts of development projects. Defenders hold it
up as a crucial protection, while business interests and local
governments are exacerbated by what they see as overly burdensome
requirements and abuses of the process to block construction.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article13924475.html
  

Sunnyvale leaf blowers: 'Education' preferable to ban, commission
says.  The Sunnyvale Parks and Recreation Commission thinks there
needs to be 'educational resources' for leaf blower users in the
city rather than bannings or further restrictions. The advisory
commission voted 4-1 on March 11 to recommend to the Sunnyvale
City Council that providing educational resources rather than a
city-wide ban on the sometimes noisy devices would be a
preferable way of dealing with resident concerns.
http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_27701910/sunnyvale-commission-recommends-education-not-restrictions-leaf-blower


Ted Cruz, NASA chief spar over space agency's mission. Sen. Ted
Cruz, R-Texas, and NASA chief Charles Bolden sparred Thursday
over a fundamental question: Why does the space agency exist? The
junior senator, who chairs the Senate Space, Science and
Competitiveness Subcommittee, feels NASA is losing its focus on
space exploration and spending too much of its budget on “Earth
sciences.”
http://www.chron.com/news/politics/article/Ted-Cruz-NASA-chief-spar-over-the-future-of-6132362.php
 

OPINIONS

Best State for Business? Yes, California. There are plenty of
reasons to presume that California must be a bad place to do
business. The Tax Foundation says the state's tax structure is
the third worst for business in the U.S. Forbes ranks
California's business costs fifth highest among the 50 states and
its regulatory environment the eighth most burdensome. Why then
does the market, where buyers and sellers determine relative
value, show otherwise?
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-03-12/best-state-for-business-yes-california

Shocks of Climate Change. To the Editor: Re “Researchers Link
Syrian Conflict to a Drought Made Worse by Climate Change” (news
article, March 3): Individual food and economic stability, and
environmental stability, are prerequisites for a stable society.
There are several areas where we see countries, sometimes even
entire regions, on the brink — or as in the case of Syria, pushed
past their breaking point…
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/opinion/shocks-of-climate-change.html?_r=0


The Southwestern Water Wars. How Drought Is Producing Tensions in
Texas. “WE don’t want you here,” warned the county commissioner,
pointing an accusatory finger at the drilling company executives
as 600 local residents rose to their feet. “We want you to leave
Hays County.” Normally, my small town is a placid place nestled
in the Texas Hill Country, far from controversy, a peaceful
hour’s drive west of Austin.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/opinion/the-southwestern-water-wars.html?ref=opinion


How was Exide allowed to pollute for so long and endanger so many
people? Just weeks before battery recycler Exide Technologies
planned to reopen its troubled Vernon plant, the company agreed
Wednesday to permanently shut it down rather than face federal
criminal prosecution for decades of environmental crimes. The
deal with the U.S. attorney's office requires Exide to close and
demolish the plant and decontaminate the site, as well as fund
the cleanup in surrounding neighborhoods.
http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-83044660/ 

Surprise! Economy speeds up, pollution stalls. Here's a surprise:
The world economy sped up last year but the volume of dirty gases
pumped into the air didn't budge. Global emissions of carbon
dioxide stalled in 2014, according to the International Energy
Association, marking the first time in four decades that economic
growth has not resulted in more greenhouse gases.
http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/13/news/economy/greenhouse-gas-emissions-economy/index.html


EDITORIAL: Stop complaining about gas prices and hunt bargains.
California drivers have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay
for fuel than most anywhere else in the nation. This is because
our state has the country’s highest gas taxes. It has special
fuel blends intended to lower air pollution that cost more to
make. This year the cap-and-trade carbon emissions mandate was
widened to include transportation fuels, which has added about 10
cents a gallon to the cost, according to industry experts.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/03/12/4423892_editorial-stop-complaining-about.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy


BLOGS

Inhofe’s misleading statements on carbon emissions rule. Inhofe,
chairman of the Senate Environment Committee, is a vocal skeptic
of scientific research that climate change is man-made. He also
has been critical of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, which proposes
new regulations to limit coal-plant carbon emissions. Proponents
of the Clean Power Plan…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2015/03/13/inhofes-misleading-statements-on-carbon-emissions-rule/


The Political Art of Not Being a Scientist. Florida Gov. Rick
Scott is one of many prominent Republican politicians who prefer
to say “I’m not a scientist” as they avoid specific policy
positions on climate change and global warming. Even so, the
allegedly unwritten policy of his administration for the past
four years has been a ban on the use of those very terms —
“climate change” and “global warming” — by state environmental
officials…
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/12/the-political-art-of-not-being-a-scientist/

Cap-and-Trade: Not Just Smokestacks, But a Broader Tax Based on
Energy Consumption. In promoting his cap-and-trade proposal
around Washington state and in the Legislature, Gov. Jay Inslee
has frequently relied on a “make polluters pay” mantra – charging
the state’s top sources of carbon emissions to get about $1
billion annually to pay for schools, bridges, affordable housing
and tax rebates for the poor.
http://washingtonstatewire.com/blog/cap-trade-just-smokestacks-broader-tax-based-energy-consumption/

 
Will California de-salt the Pacific to alleviate its drought? As
California enters its fourth year of drought, several cities are
considering a drastic solution: Huntington Beach, Monterey, and
others are thinking about building desalination plants to turn
the Pacific Ocean into potable water, the Los Angeles Times
reports. Getting water from the ocean may seem like an obvious
idea, but nature and physics drive a hard bargain here.
http://theweek.com/articles/543275/california-desalt-pacific-alleviate-drought


Detroit-Area Residents Demand Clean Air. On Wednesday night I was
proud to join hundreds of residents from River Rouge and other
Michigan communities in speaking out for cleaner air in Detroit.
For decades, the residents of River Rouge and surrounding
communities have been living with severe air pollution from
nearby coal plants, and together…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-anne-hitt/detroit-area-residents-de_b_6863462.html


Can Utilities Survive the 21st-Century Energy Market? The
electric utility is at a crossroads. Facing flat electricity
demand and a sudden insurgent campaign from rooftop solar, the
large, centralized utility company is entering a new era. Largely
unchanged for a century, utility companies have made their money
by building power plants and transmission lines and selling
electricity at a regulated price.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-stafford/can-utilities-survive-21s_b_6857484.html?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green


Why High Gas Prices Are a Good Thing. I know it sounds
counterintuitive to say that high gas prices are a good thing.
Why would high prices on anything be good? The reason is simple:
Prices help shape consumer behavior in lots of areas, including
clothing, food and housing. Is there any doubt that high real
estate prices are partially responsible for the tiny house
movement?
It's the same story for automobiles.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-moody/why-high-gas-prices-are-a_b_6855142.html?ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green


In Historic Turn, CO2 Emissions Flatline in 2014, Even as Global
Economy Grows. A key stumbling block in the effort to combat
global warming has been the intimate link between greenhouse gas
emissions and economic growth. When times are good and industries
are thriving, global energy use traditionally increases and
energy-related carbon dioxide emissions also go up. Only when
economies stumble and businesses
shutter…http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomzeller/2015/03/13/in-historic-turn-co2-emissions-flatline-in-2014-evan-as-global-economy-grows/


California Is Drilling for Water That Fell to Earth 20,000 Years
Ago. We're using so much groundwater that it's contributing to
sea level rise. By now, the impacts of California's unchecked
groundwater pumping are well-known: the dropping water levels,
dried-up wells and slowly sinking farmland in parts of the
Central Valley. But another consequence gets less attention, one
measured not by acre-feet or gallons-per-minute but the long
march of time.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/03/california-pumping-water-fell-earth-20000-years-ago


What Happens When an Eclipse Hits the World's Most Solar-Powered
Country? Germany is gearing up for an unusual challenge to its
clean-energy revolution. On March 20, Europe will experience a
total solar eclipse for a few hours in the morning. The last time
an eclipse of this scale happened in Europe was in 1999. Back
then, Germany got less than 1 percent of its power from solar
energy.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/03/solar-eclipse-germany-power


The Pollution Exposé That Took China By Storm Was Banned For
Excessive Popularity. Over the course of a weekend in early
March, more than 175 million people in China tuned into a highly
personalized and unprecedentedly science-driven documentary about
the country’s debilitating smog problem. Produced by former
Chinese news anchor and environmental reporter Chai Jing, the
104-minute “Under the Dome” caught the Chinese public at a moment
of intense focus…
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/03/13/3633355/china-smog-documentay-banned-after-going-viral/


What Would Happen If Wind Power Got The Same Tax Breaks As The
Fossil Fuel Industry. After two years of research, the Department
of Energy released a report on Thursday estimating how much
energy the U.S. could get from wind in the next 35 years. The
results were extremely optimistic: under an “ambitious but
credible” scenario, America could get 10 percent of its power
from wind by 2020; 20 percent by 2030; and 35 percent by 2050,
the report said.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/03/13/3632999/wind-can-grow-but-it-probably-wont/
  

Ethanol In Marine Fuels: Why It Makes Boat Owners So Angry. Few
topics get our commenters more riled up than ethanol. Both sides
weigh in with fervor and passion, debating energy security versus
agricultural policies and costs, comparing studies on
wells-to-wheels carbon dioxide profile versus the impact on older
engines, and more.
But marine users in particular seem to view ethanol as a hot
button.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1097234_ethanol-in-marine-fuels-why-it-makes-boat-owners-so-angry


US installs 6.2 GW of solar PV in 2014, up 30% over 2013. Newly
installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the US in 2014
reached a record 6,201 MW, growing 30% over 2013’s total,
according to the new US Solar Market Insight 2014 Year in Review
report released by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries
Association (SEIA). An additional 767 MW of concentrating solar
power (CSP) came on-line in the same period.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/03/20150313-pv.html 
 



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