What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for August 18, 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

CAP AND TRADE: California polluters go out of state to offset
emissions. California’s cap and trade system allows polluters to
pay other businesses to reduce emissions. So a Pennsylvania pig
farmer, among others around the nation, will earn thousands from
the program.  Gov. Jerry Brown's revised 2015-2016 budget pencils
in an additional $20 million for dairy digester systems.
http://www.pe.com/articles/california-777192-methane-farms.html 

AIR POLLUTION

EPA to Propose Rules Cutting Methane Emissions From Oil and Gas
Drilling
Agency to call for 40%-45% cut in methane emissions by 2025. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday will propose the
first-ever federal regulations to cut methane emissions from the
nation’s oil and natural-gas industry, according to people
familiar with the move, which is part of President Barack Obama’s
climate agenda.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/epa-to-propose-rules-cutting-methane-emissions-from-oil-and-gas-drilling-1439852519

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL1N10T03C20150818

http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NT97U96KLVRE01-1DO5JS4U60S06FFGUFUNK16J7S

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/08/18/us/politics/ap-us-obama-methane-emissions.html?_r=0

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2015/08/18/epa-tightens-landfill-methane-emissions-rules/

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/251368-epa-unveils-plan-to-slash-methane-emissions


Air quality remains bad remains bad, fires almost contained.
Smoke and haze from the wildfires in Trinity, Humboldt, Del
Norte, and other areas of northern California continued to affect
air quality along with reduced visibility throughout Mendocino
County Monday, according to the Mendocino County Air Quality
Management District.
http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/general-news/20150818/air-quality-remains-bad-remains-bad-fires-almost-contained


Air Pollutant Optimization Model Helps Reduce Health Impact of
Ozone and Fine Particulate Pollution. By combining information
about power plant operation with real-time air quality
predictions, researchers have created a new capability to
minimize the human health effects of air pollution resulting from
electric power generating facilities.
http://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=22335 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Islamic experts urge more Muslim action on climate change.   A
group of Islamic experts urged the world's 1.6 billion Muslims on
Tuesday to do more to fight global warming, in a new example of
religious efforts to galvanize action before a U.N. climate
summit in Paris in December. 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/18/us-climatechange-muslims-idUSKCN0QN1HI20150818

http://www.modbee.com/news/nation-world/article31376888.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.mintpressnews.com/new-declaration-presents-moral-case-for-muslims-to-mobilize-to-fight-global-warming/208730/


New Antarctic Research Ups Sea Level Rise Estimates. The West
Antarctic is one of the most remote places on the planet, but its
fate is intimately tied with hundreds of millions living along
the world’s coastlines. That’s because it’s frozen expanse
contains enough ice to raise sea levels by up to 13 feet. There
have been multiple warnings of growing instability across the…
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/west-antarctica-sea-level-estimates-19345?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+climatecentral%2FdjOO+Climate+Central+-+Full+Feed#sthash.Dxfe2XvX.dpuf


Climate change could bring twice as many big El Niños. Scientists
have long wondered whether rising global temperatures will lead
to an increase in intense El Niño events, like the one that could
bring major storms to Southern California this winter. According
to a groundbreaking study published Monday, the answer is a
resounding, “Yes.”
http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2015/08/17/climate-change-bring-twice-many-big-el-nios/31891371/


Cost of not acting on climate change $44 trillion: Citi. Up to
$44 trillion could be going up in smoke if the world does not act
on climate change, according to the latest piece of research from
U.S. banking giant Citigroup.  The report – Energy Darwinism II:
Why a Low Carbon Future Doesn't Have to Cost the Earth -- has
forecast that spending on energy will hit around $200 trillion in
the next 25 years.
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/18/cost-of-not-acting-on-climate-change-44-trillion-citi.html


New calculations of rising temperatures paint a dismal picture
for economies of poorer nations. Rising temperatures in the near
future could bring about some economic growth for richer
countries while hurting poor economies, concludes a new
historical analysis. The results, published in Nature Climate
Change yesterday, add to the body of research predicting that
developing countries will suffer more from climate change…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/08/18/stories/1060023580 

The quirky, complex business of calculating sea-level rise.
Scientists have figured out the worst that could happen if the
mammoth chuck of continental ice at the bottom of the world --
the West Antarctic Ice Sheet -- continues melting. By 2100, ice
sheet melt would raise sea levels by 7.9 inches, enough to pose a
risk to low-lying nations, according to a study published today
in The Cryosphere.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/08/18/stories/1060023577 

Oyster farmers join with scientists to fight ocean acidification.
Oyster farmers are teaming up with marine biologists to
understand the threat of climate change to the industry, as ocean
acidification continues killing off baby oysters. As carbon
emissions increase, the ocean's absorption of carbon dioxide also
increases.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/08/18/stories/1060023570 

DROUGHT

A Chinese Drought Weather Report Written on Cave Walls. Writings
on the walls of a cave in China record the effects of droughts
over the last 500 years, researchers have found. The inscriptions
are on the walls of Dayu Cave in the Qinling Mountains of central
China. They describe the impacts of seven droughts between 1520
and 1920.
One inscription, dated 1528, reads, “Drought occurred in the 7th
year…
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/18/science/a-chinese-drought-weather-report-written-on-cave-walls.html


California water prices set to rise next year: Fitch. Residents
of drought-ravaged California can expect to pay more for water
next year as utilities pass on the cost of mandatory conservation
measures to customers, a survey released by rating agency Fitch
on Tuesday said. Seventy-eight percent of the 46 retail water
utilities polled said rate increases would either begin next year
or have already begun.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/18/us-california-water-rates-idUSKCN0QN1PH20150818


California drought impact pegged at $2.7 billion. The drought is
carving $2.7 billion out of California’s economy, according to a
study by UC Davis. In their latest estimate of the drought’s
economic impact, university professors said the drought is
reducing seasonal farm employment by 10,100 this year. The
drought is leading to direct crop revenue losses of $900 million
and is costing dairy and livestock producers $350 million.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article31396805.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/08/18/drought-causing-$27-billion-economic-hit-in-california/


'Flash' drought scorches southern U.S. While most attention has
focused on the lingering drought in California, a "flash" drought
has spun up in the past few weeks across much of the South, from
Texas to the Carolinas. "A flash drought is one that develops
rapidly with impacts observed almost as quickly," such as
wildfires and stress on farming…
http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2015/08/17/flash-drought-scorches-southern-us/31863587/


Drought cost California agriculture $1.84B and 10,100 jobs in
2015. The drought is tightening its grip on California
agriculture, squeezing about 30 percent more workers and cropland
out of production than in 2014, according to the latest drought
impact report by the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. In
2015, the state’s agricultural economy will lose about $1.84
billion…
http://www.dailydemocrat.com/business/20150818/drought-cost-california-agriculture-184b-and-10100-jobs-in-2015


Drought panel visits Salinas but says little publicly. The
Governor’s Drought Task Force met with local government officials
and other stakeholder leaders in Salinas on Monday. All but the
final 20 minutes of the meeting were held behind closed doors in
a meeting room above…
http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/local/2015/08/17/drought-panel-visits-salinas-says-little-publicly/31888499/


DIESEL ACTIVITIES

Report Says Proposed GHG Rule Good for Bottom Line.  A report
released ahead of a public hearing Aug. 18 in Long Beach,
California, on proposed Phase 2 greenhouse-gas rules found 87% of
medium- and heavy-duty fleet operators surveyed earlier supported
increased fuel efficiency and fewer emissions because the changes
would also reduce what typically is trucking’s second-biggest
expense, fuel.
http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=39195 

FUELS

Environmental groups say go-ahead for Arctic drilling clashes
with global warming message. The Obama administration's approval
of drilling for oil in the Arctic Ocean clashes with the message
President Barack Obama will deliver when he visits Alaska to
emphasize the dangers of climate change, some environmental
groups say.
As much as the groups praise Obama for his overall body of work —
from stricter fuel-efficiency standards to regulations…
http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/08/18/approval-of-arctic-drilling-comes-just-before-obamas-visit


Approval of Arctic drilling comes just before Obama's visit. The
Obama administration's approval of the final permit to drill for
oil in the Arctic Ocean clashes with the message President Barack
Obama will deliver when he visits Alaska to emphasize the dangers
of climate change, some environmental groups say. As much as the
groups praise Obama for his overall body of work…
http://www.modbee.com/news/business/article31370414.html#storylink=cpy


Gas getting cheaper pretty much every day in Los Angeles County.
The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in
Los Angeles County dropped today for the 30th time in 33 days,
decreasing 2.6 cents to $3.808. The average price has dropped
49.4 cents over the past 33 days, including 1 cent on Monday,
according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information
Service.
http://www.dailynews.com/business/20150818/gas-getting-cheaper-pretty-much-every-day-in-los-angeles-county

Huge oil company gains a sign of gas price gouging. The days when
oil companies could easily deny they’ve gouged California
motorists through much of this year should have ended with the
second-quarter financial reports of Valero Energy Corp. and
Tesoro Corp., which together control about 40 percent of the
California gasoline market.
http://napavalleyregister.com/news/opinion/columnists/thomas_d_elias/huge-oil-company-gains-a-sign-of-gas-price-gouging/article_36d2b616-6db0-5eba-a3a6-910b099f281b.html


FCA approving use of E15 in MY 2016 vehicles. Fiat Chrysler
Automobiles (FCA) is approving the use of E15 (15% ethanol and
85% gasoline) in its model year (MY) 2016 Chrysler/Fiat, Jeep,
Dodge and Ram vehicles. The decision means that FCA joins General
Motors and Ford in covering E15 in its warranty statements; GM
started covering E15 with its MY 2012 vehicles, while Ford joined
a year later with its MY 2013 vehicles. 
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/08/20150818-fca.html#sthash.0hqbN842.dpuf


The fracking 'loophole' that just keeps growing. Like a fish
story, the "Halliburton loophole" grows a little with every
telling. It started 10 years ago as a narrow, little-known
exemption to a federal environmental law embedded in sweeping
energy legislation. In the intervening years, it has grown to be
an all-purpose bogeyman for environmentalists raging against
"fracking," or hydraulic fracturing.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2015/08/18/stories/1060023558 

Propel Fuels' Sales of Neste Renewable Diesel Jump 15x. West
Coast renewable fuel retailer says the launch of 100% drop-in
renewable diesel has spiked sales on a per-outlet basis — 5X jump
in renewable content, and 3X jump in gallons sold. In California,
Propel Fuels is reporting a 15X jump in per-outlet sales of
renewable fuel for diesel engines…
http://www.altenergystocks.com/archives/2015/08/propel_fuels_sales_of_neste_renewable_diesel_jump_15x.html


Poplars considered as new source of biofuel. Poplars may soon be
harvested as a new source of biofuels in the US Pacific
Northwest. The Advanced Hardwood Biofuels (AHB) Northwest Project
is hoping to build the world's first biorefinery for trees.
http://biofuels-news.com/display_news/9523/poplars_considered_as_new_source_of_biofuel/


Valero Energy Corporation Analyst Rating Update. Valero Energy
Corporation (NYSE:VLO) has received a short term rating of buy
from research analysts at Zacks with a rank of 2. The company has
been rated an average of 1.71 by 14 Wall Street Analysts. 9
analysts have added the shares in their list of strong buys. 2
stock experts have also rated a buy. 2 analysts have advised
hold. 1 has rated the company as strong sell.
http://www.moneyflowindex.org/valero-energy-corporation-analyst-rating-update/3106464/


VEHICLES

Nissan introduces hybrid version of Murano to China first. Nissan
announced that the all-new Murano, including the hybrid version
(earlier post), is officially available for sale from its joint
venture in China, Dongfeng Nissan Passenger vehicle company
(DFL-PV). As a key market in Nissan’s global business, China is
the first market to introduce the hybrid version of Murano.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/08/201508.html#sthash.uFehnkaz.dpuf


Aston aims to launch 800-hp, all-electric Rapide in 2 years.
Aston Martin is betting that even James Bond won’t mind an 800-hp
electric car. The longtime builder of British sports cars will
bring an all-electric version of its four-door Rapide to market
in two years, CEO Andy Palmer confirmed to Automotive News.
Speaking at Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance -- a
target-rich environment for a high-end brand such as Aston Martin
…
http://www.autonews.com/article/20150818/OEM04/150819871/aston-aims-to-launch-800-hp-all-electric-rapide-in-2-years


Should I Buy A Used Chevy Volt Electric Car? The Chevrolet Volt
range-extended electric car scores higher on owner satisfaction
than any other vehicle GM has sold since it began surveying its
buyers. It has attracted new buyers who'd never otherwise has
considered a Chevy. And GM data reveals that 80 percent of all
Volt trips…
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1099540_should-i-buy-a-used-chevy-volt-electric-car


GREEN ENERGY

Lawmakers seek oversight of California measure's green jobs,
energy savings. California lawmakers from both parties are
calling for more stringent oversight of a clean jobs initiative
after an Associated Press report found that a fraction of the
promised jobs have been created. The report also found that the
state has no comprehensive list to show how much work has been
done or energy…
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GREEN_ENERGY_PROMISES?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Indian Airport First in World to Be Completely Solar Powered.  An
airport in the south of India is the world’s first to run
completely on solar energy following commissioning of a
12-megawatt project overseen by Bosch Ltd. The undertaking, at
Cochin International Airport, is estimated to generate more than
50,000 units of electricity daily and will make CIAL grid-power
neutral…
http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NT9J9O6S972801-12MJGGI4KS62LB32HTJJ3A0220

UC Berkeley ranked one of the coolest, greenest schools. Once
again, UC Berkeley has made the list of the top 10 “Cool Schools”
for its commitment to the environment and sustainability.
Berkeley ranked 10th on Sierra magazine’s annual listing of
environmentally conscious colleges and universities, released
today.
http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/california-news/4841-uc-berkeley-ranked-one-of-the-coolest-greenest-schools.html


Calif. program subsidized more efficient energy use for both rich
and poor. Guess whose habits didn't change?  A 2005 subsidy to
encourage more efficient energy use in sunny California worked
remarkably well to reduce energy usage in lower-income
communities, a new study determined. But the program had little
effect on people's behavior in cooler and wealthier coastal
residences…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/08/18/stories/1060023582 

MISCELLANEOUS

Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc. hires chief compliance officer.
The stock price of Lumber Liquidators increased 7% to $15.12 per
share at the time of this writing around 11:09 AM in New York.
Jill Witter joined Lumber Liquidators as chief compliance officer
and legal counsel. She previously served as senior vice
president, general counsel, chief ethics and compliance officer
at Novation LLC.
http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/08/lumber-liquidators-hires-chief-compliance-officer/


OPINIONS

The breakthrough technologies needed to address climate change.
In his Aug. 14 op-ed column, “Looking for a climate change
miracle,” Michael Gerson drew an apt analogy between the need for
breakthrough technologies to get to the moon and those for
weaning mankind from reliance on fossil fuels.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-breakthrough-technologies-needed-to-address-climate-change/2015/08/17/85a8ed76-42d0-11e5-9f53-d1e3ddfd0cda_story.html


Curb pollution at the source. Regarding the Aug. 12 Metro article
“House GOP girds to fight EPA on climate change”: I wonder if
Virginia Republicans, when they vow to maintain the status quo
for power plant owners, take into account the cost to the economy
of illnesses, lost workdays and early death brought about by
breathing air laden with particulates, heavy metals and noxious
gases?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/curb-pollution-at-the-source/2015/08/17/f064a18a-41e7-11e5-9f53-d1e3ddfd0cda_story.html


Trust in short supply as Prop. 39 gets off to slow start. In
2012, Proposition 39’s promoters made bold promises: The
initiative would generate $1 billion a year by shutting a
corporate tax loophole, and earmark $500 million to combat
climate change and provide good blue-collar jobs. Several
newspaper editorial boards endorsed the measure, The Sacramento
Bee’s included, and voters overwhelmingly blessed it.
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article31345247.html#storylink=cpy


Keep the flood of water-saving policies coming. If the latest
predictions are correct, there’s a good chance that one of the
wettest, most powerful El Niños on record is headed straight for
California. When – or, we should say, if – that rain does arrive,
it will be a welcome reprieve from four years of drought.
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article31342946.html#storylink=cpy


Clean Energy Jobs Act proving to be full of hot air. "When we
launched Proposition 39,” said Tom Steyer, the hedge fund
billionaire who bankrolled the 2012 ballot measure, “we pledged
to California that it would improve public schools, create good,
clean-energy jobs and contribute to our state’s global leadership
in combating climate challenge.”
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/energy-678006-state-clean.html


Big money issues face a rough ride in Sacramento: Dan Walters.
The Legislature reconvened Monday after a month-long summer
recess and immediately focused on what most members like best:
spending money. The 2015-16 state budget was enacted in June, but
three big financial issues were postponed — raising and spending
billions of dollars on transportation…
http://www.dailynews.com/opinion/20150818/big-money-issues-face-a-rough-ride-in-sacramento-dan-walters


LETTER: Air pollution not 'free'. Thank you for the article
"Changes coming at plant," regarding Brunner Island's conversion
to a natural gas/coal fired power plant. The amount of carbon
pollution (the equivalent of 1.3 million cars annually) coming
from Brunner Island is staggering. It's no wonder our air quality
in York County consistently receives a failing grade from the
American Lung Association.
http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_28658780/letter-air-pollution-not-free


Are absolute or intensity targets better to curb your carbon
footprint? When it comes to cutting carbon emissions, people
frequently ask me which is better: setting an absolute emission
reduction target or an intensity reduction target? Absolute
reduction refers to the total quantity of greenhouse gas
emissions being emitted, whereas intensity compares the amount of
emissions to some unit of economic output.
http://www.greenbiz.com/article/are-absolute-or-intensity-targets-better-curb-your-carbon-footprint


Mass migration is no ‘crisis’: it’s the new normal as the climate
changes. What’s the common factor between the tragic deaths of
refugees in the Mediterranean and the Arab spring? Food shortages
driven by global warming. I’ve been interested in the way the
migrant crisis is being debated in politics and the media. It’s
that word – crisis – that is particularly striking.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/18/mass-migration-crisis-refugees-climate-change


BLOGS

Dirty air returns this week, but August has changed.
Schoolchildren breathe bad air outside on August afternoons in
the San Joaquin Valley. We’ve talked about it a lot in the last
five years, but something interesting has changed in the
back-to-school month.
The change since 2010 has not been postponing the start of school
until September or stopping children from riding bikes or walking
home in bad air.
http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/earth-log/article31387973.html#storylink=cpy


Builders warn of skyrocketing housing costs under climate-change
law. A builders trade group warns that a pending climate-change
bill could stifle home construction in California and drive up
the cost of new houses. Senate Bill 32, which would extend and
expand California’s pollution reduction targets into the year
2050, would likely create a mandate that all homes produce zero
net energy…
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/blog/morning-roundup/2015/08/builders-warn-of-skyrocketing-housing-costs-under.html?ana=e_sac_rdup&s=newsletter&ed=2015-08-18&u=48zidwXI73mCj+vn7gp6vA0acf0b37&t=1439912672


FEMA Trying to Catch Up to Impacts of Climate Change. The climate
is changing. Extreme storms and flooding are becoming more common
- especially in the Midwest and Northeast. That is because warmer
air and water temperatures exacerbate the frequency and severity
of extreme weather events. For coastal areas, there is the added
spectre of sea level rise.
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jscata/fema_trying_to_catch_up_to_imp.html


Four Powerhouse Bills to Help California get to 50 Percent
Renewable Energy.  California is deep into the dog days of
summer, and pressure is mounting on the state’s electric grid to
keep up with demand. Luckily, California’s legislature is working
to bring more clean energy resources to the grid, diversifying
how we power our homes and businesses while also improving the
resiliency, efficiency, and carbon footprint of our energy
system.
http://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/2015/08/18/four-powerhouse-bills-to-help-california-get-to-50-percent-renewable-energy/


How Bad Is Power Plant Pollution? Depends on the Weather. Making
coal-fired plants less dangerous to health could be as simple as
checking a special air quality forecast designed by Georgia
researchers.  Just how dirty is a coal-fired power plant? The
answer, it turns out, can change a lot from hour to hour.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/energy/2015/08/150817-power-plant-pollution-depends-on-the-weather/
 

Stop trashing the climate! EPA’s new plan would crack down on
landfills. Municipal solid waste — commonly known as trash,
garbage, or Ke$ha — is under fire. (Not literally, of course,
unless you live in Sacramento.) On Friday, the EPA released two
proposals for curbing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills,
with the goal of reducing methane emissions from garbage by one
third.
http://grist.org/news/stop-trashing-the-climate-epas-new-plan-would-crack-down-on-landfills/
 

What will happen when the floods hit drought-parched California? 
After four years of a near-biblical dry spell, it’s hard to think
of California ever getting wet again. The entire state is
scorching — literally, in the 118,000 acres engulfed in flames.
But just last week climatologists announced that the “Godzilla El
Niño” could drench California this winter. Droughts often end in
floods.
http://grist.org/article/what-will-happen-when-the-floods-hit-drought-parched-california/
 

Legislature Taking Up Climate Change and Social Change. The
Legislature is back in session after a summer recess. On the
agenda, according to sources inside the Capitol, nobody seems to
have any new issues circulating at this point. Some think that
Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, will still try to move
for something on low income housing or homeless housing, but
there are no specifics yet.
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2015/08/legislature-taking-up-climate-change-and-social-change/


Study Reveals Vast Unrecorded Oil and Gas Industry Methane
Emissions. A new study published today reveals that facilities
that collect and gather natural gas from well sites across the
United States emit about one hundred billion cubic feet of
natural gas a year, roughly eight times the previous estimates by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the segment.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-brownstein/study-reveals-vast-unreco_b_8003416.html


The California Drought Is So Bad, It Might Be Killing The Giant
Sequoia. Some of the trees are nearly 3,000 years old. A
full-grown giant sequoia is a thirsty tree. In the height of
summer, the millenia-old behemoths, some of which grow upwards of
30 stories tall, can guzzle 500 to 800 gallons of water per day.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/california-drought-giant-sequoia_55d1edcfe4b0ab468d9db8e7?kvcommref=mostpopular




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