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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for July 28, 2015.
Posted: 28 Jul 2015 16:09:16
ARB Newsclips for July 28, 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. AIR POLLUTION Beijing Bid Faces Same Old Questions Ahead of 2022 IOC Vote. Two of China's most storied winter Olympic athletes faced tough questions about Beijing's bid for the 2022 Winter Games — namely about air pollution and a lack of snow. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OLY_IOC_MEETINGS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/07/28/sports/olympics/ap-oly-ioc-meetings.html Walker Says EPA Should Be Limited 'Umbrella Organization'. Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker said Monday he would shift most of the responsibilities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to state-based regulators, leaving the EPA to serve as an "umbrella organization" that would resolve disputes between them. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOP_2016_WALKER_EPA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/07/27/us/politics/ap-us-gop-2016-walker-epa.html U.S. appeals court upholds bulk of Obama air pollution rule. A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday mostly upheld a major federal environmental regulation requiring some states to limit pollution that contributes to unhealthy air in neighboring states. The U.S. Court of appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected several broad challenges to the regulation. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/28/us-usa-court-airpollution-idUSKCN0Q21P020150728 http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/07/28/us/28reuters-usa-court-airpollution.html http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2015/07/28/court-orders-epa-to-redo-air-pollution-limits-in-13-states http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/07/28/stories/1060022546 An 'F' in air quality: California national parks top the list for worst pollution. Millions of vacationers escape to national parks each summer to take in the fresh air and scenic vistas. But a report released Tuesday by a conservation group finds that some of the nation’s most treasured landscapes are plagued with polluted air and hazy skies — and remain decades behind schedule in restoring visibility. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-parks-air-quality-20150727-story.html Hot weather triggers summer’s first “Spare the Air Day”. A high-pressure weather system building over Northern California will catapult temperatures into triple digits for much of the coming week, prompting officials to call a “Spare the Air” day for Tuesday. Things are going to get very hot, said Steve Anderson, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, especially for those living inland. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Hot-weather-triggers-summer-s-first-Spare-6408571.php http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/4262939-181/spare-the-air-day-declared http://kron4.com/2015/07/27/1st-spare-the-air-day-of-the-season-called-amid-heat/ CLIMATE CHANGE Worldwide strengthening El Nino giveth and taketh away. In California, they're counting on it to end an historic drought; in Peru, they've already declared a pre-emptive emergency to prepare for devastating flooding. It's both an economic stimulus and a recession-maker. And it's likely to increase the price of coffee, chocolate and sugar. It's El Nino - most likely, the largest in well over a decade, forecasters say. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_EL_NINO?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT NASA launches mission to Greenland. Ship and planes will probe water–ice interface in fjords. When the retired fishing trawler MV Cape Race sets off along Greenland’s west coast this week, it will start hauling in a scientific catch that promises to improve projections of how the ice-covered island will fare in a warming world. The ship’s cruise is the initial phase of a six-year air and sea campaign to probe interactions… http://www.nature.com/news/nasa-launches-mission-to-greenland-1.18085 Largest US Companies Pledge $140bn to Cut Carbon Footprint. Apple, Coca-Cola, Walmart and PepsiCo are among the 13 of the largest companies in the US that have signed the American Business Act on Climate Pledge. The companies have announced a combined total of $140 billion in new low-carbon investments, in addition to ambitious, company-specific goals to cut emissions as much as 50 percent… http://www.environmentalleader.com/2015/07/28/largest-us-companies-pledge-140bn-to-cut-carbon-footprint/#ixzz3hCsucj6r http://www.ibtimes.com/climate-change-apple-microsoft-google-among-us-companies-pledge-140b-cut-carbon-2025224 U.S. Private Sector Vows To Ante Up On Climate Finance. Some of the biggest U.S. corporate names have offered their support - and billions of dollars in green financing pledges - to buttress the Obama administration's quest for a global agreement on combating climate change. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/private-sector-climate-finance-19286 Giant air-sucking machines could be the solution to Earth's scary carbon dioxide problem. This company wants to solve global warming using giant fans. Canadian company Carbon Engineering is building machines that suck carbon dioxide out of the air by pulling it through a fluid, where it can either be discarded or recycled to be used as fuel. http://www.businessinsider.com/giant-fans-could-trap-carbon-dioxide-2015-7#ixzz3hCs5YPm8 Lack Of Innovation Could Doom Battle To Trim Carbon Emissions. Representatives of world governments will meet in Paris this December to discuss a global strategy for combating climate change. But the outlook doesn't appear promising, according to a recent assessment by the International Energy Agency. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1099300_lack-of-innovation-could-doom-battle-to-trim-carbon-emissions Calif. power producers warned that actions must quickly follow ambitious climate plans. Call it "adaptation," "resilience" or "readiness," but California's utilities must move past planning for the future impacts of climate change and work more collaboratively to start taking action, utility commissioners and other energy-sector stakeholders said yesterday at a climate adaptation workshop. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/07/28/stories/1060022511 DROUGHT Squeezed By Drought, California Farmers Switch To Less Thirsty Crops. Water scarcity is driving California farmers to plant different crops. Growers are switching to more profitable, less-thirsty fruits, vegetables and nuts. Nowhere is this truer than San Diego County, where water prices are some of the highest in the state. Grapefruit trees shade the entrance to Triple B Ranches winery in northern San Diego County. http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/07/28/426886645/squeezed-by-drought-california-farmers-switch-to-less-thirsty-crops Drought cutbacks challenge SoCal water officials at home. Two summers ago, Beverly Hills City Council member Nancy Krasne's household was consuming more than 1,800 gallons of water a day — far higher than the average single-family home in her city. In preparation for California's mandatory water cutbacks, Krasne went straight to the source of her water consumption, her thirsty landscaping. http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/07/28/53143/drought-cutbacks-challenge-socal-water-officials-a/ Emergency drought funding gives Calif.'s Conservation Corps a chance to cut forest fire risks. The whine of chain saws fills Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, located just a few miles north of Santa Cruz, Calif., a beach town best known for its surfing. From atop the wooden observation deck, perched on the rare and unique Santa Cruz sandhills -- an area of the park that 10 million years ago was part of the Pacific Ocean… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/07/28/stories/1060022488 FUELS China accepts group's case against ConocoPhillips, CNOOC. A Chinese court says it has accepted a case brought by a social organization against oil giants ConocoPhillips China and China National Offshore Oil Corp. over oil spills in northern China in 2011. It is the first case brought by a social organization over maritime pollution since China changed its law to allow registered non-government organizations who have been dealing with environmental issues… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_ENVIRONMENTAL_CASE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Cnooc Oil-Sands Spill Worsens Outlook for Canada Pipeline Plans. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to get oil-sands pipeline projects off the ground, and Alberta’s worst spill since 1980 will probably make it tougher. A rupture in a line operated by Nexen, a unit of China’s Cnooc Ltd., spewed 31,500 barrels of bitumen, waste water and sand into the bog-like muskeg of the province’s north this month. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-28/cnooc-oil-sands-spill-worsens-outlook-for-canada-pipeline-plans Big Oil and Big Corn blitz EPA on biofuels plan. U.S. farmers, biofuel makers, and oil companies have mounted last-ditch efforts to push regulators to overhaul a controversial plan for biofuel use, homing in on the price Americans pay for gasoline mixed with such fuels as ethanol. In thousands of filings ahead of a midnight deadline for comment on the plan… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/28/us-usa-biofuels-idUSKCN0Q21W720150728 BP Reports Second-Quarter Loss as Oil Spill Settlement Takes Toll. The British oil giant BP said on Tuesday that it had lost $5.8 billion in the second quarter, reflecting a huge settlement over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The roughly 40 percent fall in oil prices since last year is also sharply cutting into profits at BP and at other oil companies. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/29/business/international/bp-earnings-q2.html?ref=energy-environment&_r=1 Los Angeles County gas prices streak continues with 12 days of declines. The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County dropped today for the 12th consecutive day, decreasing 1.2 cents to $4.15. The average price has dropped 15.2 cents over the past 12 days, including a half-cent on Monday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/business/20150728/los-angeles-county-gas-prices-streak-continues-with-12-days-of-declines Sandia Labs partnering with Red and White Fleet to develop high-speed H2 fuel cell passenger ferry and world’s largest H2 refueling station. Sandia National Laboratories and San Francisco’s Red and White Fleet are partnering in a project—SF-BREEZE (San Francisco Bay Renewable Energy Electric vessel with Zero Emissions)—to develop a high-speed, hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered passenger ferry and refueling station. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/07/20150728-sandia.html http://www.ecnmag.com/news/2015/07/developing-hydrogen-fuel-cell-ferry-worlds-largest-refueling-station Can U.S. Canadian Oil Sands Imports be Nearly Carbon Neutral? The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory recently published a study that determined the production and consumption or ‘Well-to-Wheel’ (WTW) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Canadian Oil Sand crude imports are 20% greater than ‘conventional’ U.S. domestic crudes. http://www.theenergycollective.com/jemillerep/2253576/can-us-canadian-oil-sands-imports-be-nearly-carbon-neutral Export premiums for US ethanol to Asia to remain under pressure: sources. Premiums built into replacement costs for US ethanol exports out to Asia are expected to remain under downward pressure for the rest of the year as a burgeoning surplus forces sellers to be more competitive, market sources said this week. Exporters of US ethanol out to Asia typically bundle a series of conversion costs for exports… http://www.platts.com/latest-news/agriculture/singapore/export-premiums-for-us-ethanol-to-asia-to-remain-26160619 $1 million fund to develop algae biofuels. A research team from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a multi-program US security laboratory, has received an additional $1 million (appr. €907,000) to protect algal crops by developing ‘probiotic’ bacteria to combat pond infestation and increase ecosystem function and resilience. Algal biomass can be converted to advanced biofuels that offer promising alternatives to petroleum… http://biofuels-news.com/display_news/9437/1_million_fund_to_develop_algae_biofuels/ VEHICLES New electric car quick-charging station opens in Portland. The largest lineup of electric car quick-charging stations in downtown Portland is open for business. The project by Portland General Electric features six charging stations, including four universal quick chargers that can recharge a typical electric vehicle in 30 minutes. Dubbed Electric Avenue, the charging facility is outside PGE's headquarters in the World Trade Center building… http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/New-electric-car-quick-charging-station-opens-in-6410154.php Why Do Fuel-Cell Vehicles Make Electric-Car Advocates So Crazy? Last Thursday, Green Car Reports published a story noting that the several dozen drivers of Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell vehicles had expressed deep frustration with the unreliability of Southern California's current hydrogen fueling stations. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1099288_who-do-fuel-cell-vehicles-make-electric-car-advocates-so-crazy Fiat Chrysler CTO: Fuel Cells Are The Future, Batteries Are Not. Several companies have expressed enthusiasm about battery-electric cars, but Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) isn't one of them. Six years after killing its pre-bankruptcy ENVI project that showed a variety of plug-in concept cars, FCA still doesn't offer any mainstream plug-in models. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1099303_fiat-chrysler-cto-fuel-cells-are-the-future-batteries-are-not Volkswagen's Lineup Of Electric, Plug-In Hybrid Models To Expand. Volkswagen will soon expand its lineup of electric cars and plug-in hybrids, according to reports in German media, with new entries on both the high and low ends of its range. But the rumored new models likely won’t be sold in the U.S. They will, however, help VW meet tighter European emissions standards, as well as electric-car adoption… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1099306_volkswagens-lineup-of-electric-plug-in-hybrid-models-to-expand Level the Playing Field for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles. Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) are likely to be a major market sector of future automobiles, due to international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve local air quality, and reduce reliance on oil. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are the only two commercialized ZEVs available to consumers today. http://www.theenergycollective.com/mmarkowitz/2253524/level-playing-field-fuel-cell-electric-vehicles GREEN ENERGY SolarCity launches plan to bring solar power to small and midsize firms. SolarCity Corp. wants to deck the rooftops of small and midsize businesses with solar panels by offering a new financing strategy to a market that the company says has largely gone untapped. Companies that lease the solar panels from SolarCity would be able to save 5% to 25% compared with their current electric bills… http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solarcity-20150728-story.html Sacramento’s Greenleaf Power finalizes Connecticut plant purchase. Sacramento-based Greenleaf Power, an owner and operator of renewable energy power plants, said Monday it has finalized its purchase of the Connecticut-based Plainfield Renewable Energy plant. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article29084128.html#storylink=cpy Habitat For Humanity Builds Solar Powered Homes. Habitat for Humanity is installing solar panels on the rooftops of homes it's building from Chico to Fresno. Almost 80 homes will have the solar installations because of a million dollar donation from Pacific Gas and Electric. Frank Meyer is Director of Habitat for Humanity in Calaveras County. http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/07/28/habitat-for-humanity-builds-solar-powered-homes/s Report presents case for Wyoming wind power to California. A new study presents a case for California regulators to turn to Wyoming wind power to help offset the natural ups and downs of wind and solar power generated in their state. The report released Monday by the University of Wyoming Wind Energy Research Center says Wyoming wind could help California save water - over a billion gallons a year. http://www.vcstar.com/news/national/report-presents-case-for-wyoming-wind-power-to-california_17088085 Clinton aims high in energy plan she likens to moonshot, still no position on Keystone XL. Calling climate change one of the "most urgent threats of our time," Hillary Rodham Clinton laid out elements of a sweeping plan Monday that would see every U.S. home powered by renewable energy by 2027, even as she declined to take a position on the Keystone XL oil pipeline opposed by environmental activists. http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/07/26/in-iowa-clinton-says-climate-plan-will-promote-renewables For those without electricity solar is shining brighter. Some 1.3 billion people worldwide live without electricity, affecting health, lowering incomes, and making education difficult. Low-cost solar energy programs are beginning to meet the need. In rural Uganda, light streams from the Ssenyonjo family’s windows through the night. The children inside sleep soundly, free from worry of snakes and thieves. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/Change-Agent/2015/0728/For-those-without-electricity-solar-is-shining-brighter LA’s Solar Energy Initiative Delays Are Unnecessary, Threaten Long-Term Growth. The growth of the Los Angeles solar energy sector is being hampered by unnecessary delays in the application and installation stages, potentially interfering with the achievement of its goal to be coal-free by 2025, according to new research commissioned by the Los Angeles Business Council Institute. http://cleantechnica.com/2015/07/27/las-solar-energy-initiative-delays-unnecessary-threaten-long-term-growth/ OPINIONS Can China Stand on Its Own? China’s economy is, by one measure, bigger than that of the United States. As the ”China Factor” series in The Times makes clear, its global ambitions and power are enormous. But by per capita income it isn’t in the top 100 countries, as many as 200 million Chinese may live below international standards of poverty, and the sickening plunge in its stock market indicates that its gains may be fragile. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/07/27/can-china-stand-on-its-own Drought weary? 5 things you need to understand about El Niño. There are two words on most every tongue in drought-plagued California these days: El Niño. Media reports over the past two weeks have informed us all that El Niño is here. And that it’s a strong one. And that it will end the drought, or it could, or it may. Depending on how optimistic or flamboyant the journalist is feeling that day. Don’t bet on it. http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/Drought-weary-5-things-you-need-to-understand-6400440.php Editorial: Will El Niño be the excuse that derails water saving? It’ll be interesting to see what the state’s water conservation numbers look like for July, because this is the month that we think a lot of people figured the drought is over. This is the month when the possibility of a strong El Niño this winter became a pretty safe bet, and most people know just enough about that to be dangerous. http://www.chicoer.com/opinion/20150728/editorial-will-el-nixf1o-be-the-excuse-that-derails-water-saving Keep your front yard pretty and drought resistant. Hundreds of hardy succulents morph into Seuss-ian shapes like the leggy “Irish rose,” the appetizing “blue curls” and the bulbous “living rock.” Mark Anthony Ramirez’s yard is arguably the best looking in his Oakland, California neighborhood, and he’s not growing a single blade of grass, according to the blog at earthjustice.org. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20150727/letters-july-28-2015-keep-your-front-yard-pretty-and-drought-resistant Viewpoint: LCFS market gains more certainty. California Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) market participants will gain some regulatory certainty in the coming months as the state finalizes rules that will govern the program for the next several years. How the market will respond to those rules, and ultimately how the state will reduce the carbon intensity of its transportation fuels a further nine percentage points by 2020, remains to be seen. http://www.argusmedia.com/News/Article?id=1077380 BLOGS Why a ‘super El Niño’ could still be a bust for California drought relief. A powerhouse El Niño has been brewing in the tropical Pacific, already showing signs of influencing global weather patterns. A forecast for a strong El Niño — which has the chance to spread copious tropical moisture up the West Coast — is exactly what California needs. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/07/27/why-a-super-el-nino-could-still-be-a-bust-for-california-drought-relief/ Bad News for Climate-Change Deniers. Republican presidential candidates have generally refused to acknowledge the reality of climate change. New polls and a report issued last week show they aren’t helping themselves with business or voters. First, a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit puts climate change in terms of cold, hard cash… http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/27/bad-news-for-climate-change-deniers/ Why Hillary Clinton could be the solar industry's new best friend. The presidential candidate is calling for huge growth in the solar sector, and that would require some big federal help. Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton released an ambitious plan to boost U.S. clean energy and fight climate change. The vision, which also lacked details, called for more than a half billion solar panels… http://fortune.com/2015/07/27/hillary-clinton-solar-industry/ Clinton aide: Campaign will offset carbon emissions. Hillary Clinton’s campaign will offset all of its carbon emissions after facing criticism from Republicans for flying a private jet back from a climate change event, a campaign aide told CNN. While the aide said that the entire campaign, including its travel, will become carbon neutral… http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/249466-clinton-aide-campaign-will-offset-carbon-emissions Wiggling Wind Power. You've heard all the gripes about wind turbines: they're ugly, they're expensive to build and maintain, they make weird noises, and they kill birds. Might there be another way to capture the power of the wind without relying on traditional windmill designs that have their roots in the ninth century? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/x-prize-foundation/wiggling-wind-power_b_7888602.html Melting Mummies Are on Thin Ice, Thanks to Climate Change. Glacial archaeologists scramble to save long-preserved specimens thawing out of vanishing ice before they are lost forever. The world’s greatest archeologist may not be human, but it is human-made. Global warming, the explorer in question, has melted glaciers that have preserved and hidden many past lives. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/melting-mummies-are-on-thin-ice-thanks-to-climate-change/ Zero Emission Vehicles Pollute. A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research, "Environmental Benefits from Driving Electric Vehicles?" shows the moniker ‘zero emission vehicle,’ attached to electric cars is misplaced. In a finding that may surprise some, Stephen Holland, of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and his coauthors discovered, depending upon one’s location, purchasing a zero emission car can reduce pollution locally…http://spectator.org/blog/63603/zero-emission-vehicles-pollute California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.