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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for October 6, 2015.
Posted: 06 Oct 2015 15:43:01
ARB Newsclips for October 6, 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 UPDATE 2-Choking Delhi vows pollution tax, car-free days to improve air. India's polluted capital, New Delhi, will within two months impose a tax on commercial vehicles entering the city and prohibit the use of cars on certain busy routes once every month, its transport minister said on Tuesday. High pollution levels have worried environmentalists… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/06/india-pollution-idUSL3N1262DW20151006 U.K. Said to Consider Closing All Coal-Fired Plants by 2023. The U.K. is considering whether to close all of its 12 coal-fired power plants by 2023 as part of its effort to reduce the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, an official with knowledge of the discussions said. Europe’s second-biggest polluter is also considering whether to make the announcement before Nov. 30… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-06/u-k-said-to-consider-closing-all-coal-fired-plants-by-2023 Coal emits twice the climate pollution of LNG -- industry study. Exporting U.S.-sourced natural gas to distant markets to produce electricity is environmentally preferable to burning coal in those same countries, according to an industry-backed study that considered a wide range of technology and resource scenarios to reach its sweeping conclusion. http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2015/10/06/stories/1060025889 CLIMATE CHANGE UN releases a draft for potential agreement on climate. The United Nations on Monday released a first draft of the negotiating text for the major conference on climate taking place in Paris in December. The document is a step forward for the talks, slimming down the text from more than 90 pages earlier this year to just 20. Negotiators from 195 countries are to gather for a new session of talks… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT France urges more climate pledges ahead of UN talks in Paris. France is urging holdout countries to submit their pledges to curb greenhouse gas pollution ahead of a major U.N. climate conference in Paris. A total of 146 nations accounting for 87 percent of global carbon emissions submitted their pledges by a U.N. deadline last week. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CLIMATE_TARGETS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT UPDATE 1-India leads Asia's dash for coal as emissions blow east. Deep in the thickly forested hills in its east, India last month started production at what it hopes will in five years be Asia's biggest coal mine. At the open-cast mine, which involves the clearing of more than 18,000 hectares (44,500 acres) of land, noisy excavators are busy digging for coal… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/06/asia-coal-climatechange-pix-graphic-tv-u-idUSL3N12616220151006 Green beer cuts Tanzanian brewery's costs and carbon emissions. Green beer may not sound too appealing, but in Mwanza, it's going down a treat. A locally produced "greener" brew not only slakes thirst but is reducing the carbon footprint of the country's second largest city. Tanzania Breweries Limited is tapping biomass energy to produce more sustainable beer while cutting its fuel costs. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/06/tanzania-climatechange-beer-idUSL8N12529620151006 Millions face hunger due to climate change, "super El Nino" – Oxfam. At least 10 million poor people face hunger this year and next because of droughts and erratic rains linked to record global temperatures and an expected "super" version of the evolving El Nino weather pattern, aid charity Oxfam has warned. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/05/us-climatechange-aid-hunger-idUSKCN0RZ21120151005 Philippines aims to cut carbon by 70 percent by 2030, if it gets help. The Philippines aims to cut its carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030 but only if it gets financial and technical help to meet that target at international climate change talks this year, a presidential aide said on Friday. Countries have submitted plans to limit greenhouse gases this week, in advance of a summit… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/05/uk-climatechange-summit-philippines-idUSKCN0RZ1W720151005 Citigroup, Citing Climate Change, Will Reduce Coal Financing. Citigroup Inc., the third-biggest U.S. bank, said it will cut back on financing for coal mining projects, in the latest blow to the industry that’s viewed as a key contributor to global warming. Citigroup said its credit exposure to coal mining had “declined materially" since 2011 and that the trend would continue into the future. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-05/citigroup-citing-climate-change-will-reduce-financing-for-coal What the historic South Carolina floods can — and can’t — tell us about climate change. In 2013, after some controversy, South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources released a report on risks the state could face due to climate change. One of those risks? “A predicted result of climate change is the increase in intense storm events causing greater water inputs in shorter periods of time… http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/10/05/what-the-historic-south-carolina-floods-can-and-cant-tell-us-about-climate-change/ E.P.A. Strategist Is Appointed to Fine-Tune Global Warming Agenda. As President Obama doubles down on climate change as a legacy issue, the White House has appointed Thomas Reynolds, a top communications strategist at the Environmental Protection Agency and a seasoned political operative, to a new position dedicated solely to messaging Mr. Obama’s global warming agenda. http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/10/06/e-p-a-strategist-is-appointed-to-fine-tune-global-warming-agenda/ El Nino expected to bring warmer US winter. El Niño conditions likely will result in a warmer-than-average winter in the US, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today. US heating degree days, a measure of heating demand, in December 2015-February 2016 should be 1.6pc below the average in 1981-2010. That measure should also be 6pc lower than it was last winter, said Michael Halpert, deputy director at the federal agency's Climate Prediction Center. http://www.argusmedia.com/News/Article?id=1114615 How volcanoes can hurt the world's largest rivers. Scientists have long known the enormous climatic effects of giant volcanoes, but are only now discovering implications for the world's largest rivers. Volcanic eruptions can reduce flow in some of the world’s largest rivers, which millions depend upon for clean drinking water, say researchers from the University of Edinburgh. How it works: during a volcanic eruption, erupted ash is flung into the atmosphere… http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/1006/How-volcanoes-can-hurt-the-world-s-largest-rivers New Research Shows How Climate Change Will Influence Infant Health. The world has learned much in recent years about the harmful health effects of climate change, such as heat-related deaths, respiratory and heart problems caused by air pollution, and emotional disorders that result from the consequences of extreme weather. Now researchers have found that it poses a surprising new danger: low birth weight. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/10/06/3709407/low-birth-weight-climate/ Ice Loss in Antarctica Filchner-Ronne Region Directly Linked to Ocean Warming. The more ice is melted of the Antarctic Filchner-Ronne shelf, the more ice flows into the ocean and the more the region contributes to global sea-level rise. While this might seem obvious, it is no matter of course for the huge ice masses of Antarctica: parts of the ice continent are characterized by instabilities that, once triggered, can lead to persistent ice discharge… http://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=22574 China is working to reach its emissions peak before 2030 deadline, analyst says. Qi Ye, director of public policy centre in Beijing, says China is showing ‘global leadership’ on climate change and it will look to clean energy technologies. China may aim for an earlier greenhouse gas emissions peak before its 2030 deadline, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/06/china-is-working-to-reach-its-emissions-peak-before-2030-deadline-analyst-says DROUGHT Water and Power: What the last drought taught California. Conservation figures: Californians saved water in August, though not as much as they had in the months immediately following the governor’s call for a 25% cut in usage. Water officials blame the heat and a lack of rain for the slight uptick in use. “We can’t roll the dice when we’re still in the worst drought we’ve seen,” said Felicia Marcus… http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-water-power-html-20151006-htmlstory.html Could lake water from Alaska be shipped to L.A., Long Beach ports? California needs water. Blue Lake in Sitka, Alaska, has a lot. So a company that holds the rights to up to 9 billion gallons of the lake’s water is pitching an idea that would send some of it — via tanker ship — to the Golden State as it endures the fourth year of severe drought. http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/environment-and-nature/20151005/could-lake-water-from-alaska-be-shipped-to-la-long-beach-ports Rancho Cucamonga reduces water use by 40 percent. Saving water doesn’t always translate to financial savings as city staff have learned while trying to meet state mandates for reduction. When the governor declared mandatory water restrictions, Rancho Cucamonga was tasked with reducing its consumption at city parks, greenways and facilities by 32 percent based on 2013 levels, said Bill Wittkopf, Public Works Services director. http://www.dailybulletin.com/article/20151005/NEWS/151009708 City to eateries: Use paper plates in California drought. A California city has ordered restaurants to cut back on dishwashing by using disposable plates, cutlery and cups as a way to save water during the fourth year of drought in the state. Officials in declared a water emergency after a river the provides the coastal town's drinking water got so low that ocean water seeped into city pipes… http://www.redding.com/news/wire-news/fort-bragg-orders-eateries-to-use-paper-plates FUELS U.S. motorists opt for larger vehicles, lower fuel economy: Kemp. U.S. motorists are opting for larger, more powerful cars with worse fuel economy in response to the sharp drop in gasoline prices. The average fuel economy for vehicles sold in the United States in September was 25.2 miles per gallon, down by 0.6 mpg since August 2014, according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/06/us-usa-autos-fueleconomy-kemp-idUSKCN0RZ24X20151006 Biofuel from whisky byproducts better than ethanol, says maker. A Scottish company has developed a commercial scale method of producing biofuel capable of fuelling cars from the unwanted residue of the whisky fermentation process. Edinburgh-based Celtic Renewables developed its process of producing biobutanol at industrial scale in Belgium… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/05/us-biofuel-whisky-idUSKCN0RZ12420151005 Shell CEO `Pulling Out All the Stops' to Safeguard Dividends. Royal Dutch Shell Plc is “pulling out all the stops” to safeguard its dividend in a world where oil prices remain “lower for longer,” Chief Executive Officer Ben Van Beurden said. Europe’s biggest oil company is also protecting a plan to buy back shares and keeping its investment program “steady for the future,” … http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-05/shell-ceo-doing-all-to-safeguard-dividends-amid-low-oil-prices Obama doubles down on Arctic drilling regs. The Obama administration still plans to issue regulations for oil and natural gas drilling in the Arctic Ocean despite Royal Dutch Shell's decision to abandon its drilling efforts “for the foreseeable future.” Brian Salerno, director of the Interior Department’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), said regulators are moving forward with their rules… http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/255934-obama-still-moving-forward-on-arctic-drilling-regs National Diesel Average Rises 1.6¢ to $2.492 a Gallon. The average price of diesel fuel in the United States rose 1.6 cents a gallon to $2.492, the Department of Energy reported Oct. 5. The national average for trucking’s main fuel was cheaper by $1.241 a gallon from a year ago, DOE’s Energy Information Administration said after its weekly survey of fueling stations. http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=39631 VEHICLES Plug-in Electric Car Sales In Canada, September 2015: Triple-Triple. With a "double-double" being Canadian shorthand for a coffee with two creams and two sugars, we might call September a "triple-triple": Three plug-in electric car models hit the 100-sales mark last month. Chevy sold 126 first-generation Volts in Canada in September… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100353_plug-in-electric-car-sales-in-canada-september-2015-triple-triple CWI ISL G Near Zero natural gas engine certified to near zero NOx; 90% below current standard. Cummins Westport Inc. (CWI) announced that its new ISL G Near Zero (NZ) natural gas engine is the first mid-range engine in North America to receive emission certifications from both US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Air Resources Board (ARB) in California that meet the 0.02 g/bhp-hr optional… http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/10/201510-6-wi.html VW RECALL VW chief warns workers of 'pain' to come because of scandal. Volkswagen's new CEO has told more than 20,000 workers that overcoming its emissions-rigging scandal will "not happen without pain" and that the company will have to review its investment plans. Matthias Mueller vowed Tuesday that "we will overcome this crisis" but said that the company would have to be more careful about costs. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VOLKSWAGEN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT For Volkswagen, costs of scandal will be piling up. For Volkswagen, the cost of its cheating on emissions tests in the U.S. is likely to run into the tens of billions of dollars and prematurely end its long-sought status as the world's biggest carmaker. As well as fines from governments, Volkswagen faces the massive expense of recalling up to 11 million cars globally. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_VOLKSWAGEN_THE_RECKONING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT VW pollution test site under scrutiny amid cheating scandal. When Volkswagen opened its gleaming pollution testing center near the California coast, a top executive from the German automaker helped snip the blue ribbon and joined a tour of a lab so advanced that VW would brag the air inside was cleaner than in the surrounding strawberry fields. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_VOLKSWAGEN_EMISSION_TESTING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT VW under pressure for answers as emissions scandal deadlines loom. Hans Dieter Poetsch's first board meeting as chairman of Volkswagen on Wednesday could turn out to be his most important, coming just hours before a deadline set by German regulators and testimony by the company's top U.S. executive in Congress. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/06/volkswagen-emissions-idUSL8N1262DI20151006 EU seeks to harness VW outrage in diesel testing push. The European Commission sought on Tuesday to increase pressure on carmakers to agree to faster, deeper diesel emissions cuts, counting on public anger over Volkswagen's test-rigging to help its case. In an unprecedented test of its political heft - and of European regulatory enforcement - the industry is resisting a push by Brussels to crack down on nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions… http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/06/volkswagen-emissions-eu-testing-idUSL8N1252GP20151006 UPDATE 2-New VW CEO tells staff to brace for "massive cutbacks". New Volkswagen Chief Executive Matthias Mueller warned staff on Tuesday to brace for "massive cutbacks" in response to the diesel emissions scandal that has hammered the company's stock and reputation. Speaking to employees at VW headquarters in Wolfsburg, Mueller, who replaced longtime… http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL8N1261MI20151006 U.S. House Panel Prepares to Grill VW on Cheating Timeline. Volkswagen AG waited two months after acknowledging a software abnormality in its cars to tell regulators the algorithm was designed to cheat emissions tests, according to a staff memo prepared for lawmakers investigating the automaker. The Energy and Commerce Committee, which will hold a hearing on Thursday in Washington, also wants further details on how and why the German-based automaker… http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-06/u-s-house-panel-prepares-grill-volkswagen-on-cheating-timeline VW’s Emissions Scandal Has Its German Hometown Facing an Uneasy Future. This sturdy, workaday city in northern Germany has long been known as the birthplace of the “people’s car” — the Volkswagen. But even though the Volkswagen Group’s hulking plant and headquarters still dominate the skyline and local economy, city planners in recent years have tried to forge a more modern identity for Wolfsburg and its 125,000 inhabitants. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/business/international/volkswagen-wolfsburg-diesel-emissions-scandal.html House Dems want new VW cheating investigation. House Democrats on Monday urged the Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to hold a hearing into Volkswagen AG’s admitted cheating in 11 million diesel cars. Reps. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J. and Brendan Boyle, D-Pa. — all members of the Transportation and Public Assets Subcommittee… http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2015/10/05/house-dems-vw-cheating-investigation/73405586/ EPA officials to testify on VW; West Virginia sues. Washington — Two Environmental Protection Agency officials will testify Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on the government’s investigation into cheating by Volkswagen AG in 482,000 diesel cars in the United States. The testimony comes as the state of West Virginia filed suit against VW late Monday demanding refunds for the premium prices consumers paid for the diesel cars. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2015/10/06/vw-epa/73444566/ VW Diesel Emission Scandal: Five Possible Long-Range Effects. Thus far, it's a been a quiet start to the third week of the Volkswagen diesel-emission cheating scandal. Eight years' worth of VW TDI models, both new and used, have been taken off sale at the company's North American dealerships. We surmise its engineers are working around the clock at their Wolfsburg headquarters… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1100346_vw-diesel-emission-scandal-five-possible-long-range-effects VW considers diesel fixes ranging from upgrade to new car, report says. Volkswagen Group is exploring options from a simple software upgrade to outright replacing cars as a deadline approaches to present a fix for up to 11 million rigged diesel vehicles. Swapping out the affected models for new ones is the most extreme in a range of options the carmaker is discussing ahead of talks… http://europe.autonews.com/article/20151006/ANE/151009905/vw-considers-diesel-fixes-ranging-from-upgrade-to-new-car-report-says Attorney general files suit against Volkswagen. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey filed a lawsuit Monday against Volkswagen of America Inc., alleging the automotive company violated the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act. Morrisey said the company engineered certain vehicles to cheat on U.S. emissions tests. http://www.register-herald.com/news/attorney-general-files-suit-against-volkswagen/article_3fdca59f-a467-5412-bd8e-7ca5958f4ed2.html Volkswagen Fire Sale: Update 1. Summary •VW's staff have "acted criminally" per VW Board Member Olaf Lies. •Initial spin seeks to separate individual actions from the company's actions. •CEO Martin Winterkorn has been forced to resign. •Volkswagen estimates approximately 11 millions vehicles may be affected. This is the first update in the Volkswagen Fire Sale series, the first article is here. http://seekingalpha.com/article/3551146-volkswagen-fire-sale-update-1 GREEN ENERGY US forecast calls for lower heating bills this winter. Heating bills should drop this winter for most U.S. households thanks to a combination of lower energy prices and warmer weather across most of the country, the U.S. Energy Department said Tuesday. The Energy Department's annual prediction calls for lower heating bills across the board but with the biggest savings for those who use propane or oil to heat their homes. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WINTER_HEATING_COSTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.latimes.com/nation/sns-bc-us--winter-heating-costs-20151006-story.html Renewables to struggle to replace fossil fuels - Shell CEO. Clean renewable energy will struggle to replace fossil fuels as heavy industries will only gradually wean themselves off coal, oil and gas, Royal Dutch Shell Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden is set to say on Tuesday. In a speech he will make to the annual Oil and Money conference in London, van Beurden will again urge… http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/10/06/uk-shell-renewables-idUKKCN0S000120151006 California Leads a Quiet Revolution. California is cruising toward its 2020 goal for increasing renewable energy and is setting far more ambitious targets for the future. Its large-scale solar arrays produced more energy in 2014 than those in all other states combined. Half the nation’s solar home rooftops are in the state… http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/business/energy-environment/california-leads-a-quiet-revolution.html?ref=energy-environment&_r=2 BNEF: wind and solar boost cost-competitiveness versus fossil fuels. This year has brought a significant shift in the generating cost comparison between renewable energy and fossil fuels, according to detailed analysis by technology and region, published this week by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The levelized cost of electricity analysis for H2 2015 shows onshore wind to be fully competitive against gas and coal in some parts of the world, while solar is closing the gap. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/10/20151006-bnef.html OPINIONS The EPA’s new smog limits may be late, but they are a start. YOU’VE PROBABLY seen the ominous TV ads: The Obama administration is recklessly upsetting federal regulations on ozone — a primary component of smog — that are working fine already. All the nation has to do is sit back and keep improving its air under current rules, the commercials argue. “Common sense,” a concerned narrator frets in one spot, “does it exist in our nation’s capital?” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-epas-new-smog-limits-may-be-late-but-they-are-a-start/2015/10/05/0ee01242-6949-11e5-9223-70cb36460919_story.html Jim Inhofe: Obama's ozone overreach. With unrealistic ozone standards that will push counties into nonattainment, Obama risks national welfare for his political legacy. On Thursday, the Obama administration finalized a new national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for ozone as part of the president’s legacy of addressing the environment through regulatory overreach. http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/10/05/jim-inhofe-obamas-ozone-overreach-harms-economic-welfare-column/73401920/ The Union’s weekly columnist: an ideologue but not informative. In his weekly column today, dissing California’s “green revolution,” The Union’s weekly George Boardman wrote: “State Senator Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, proposed earlier this year to eliminate state tax credits for cars costing more than $40,000. ‘It’s hard for the average Californian to understand why someone buying a $100,000 car should get a rebate,’ he said. http://sierrafoothillsreport.com/2015/10/05/the-unions-weekly-columnist-an-ideologue-but-not-informative/ 3.3 Million Lives Taken By Horrific Polluted Air… Every Year. You know that smog that you hate breathing when you’re stuck in traffic? Yeah, it’s killing you. I suppose that’s something that most of us know in the back of our heads, but it probably doesn’t come to the forefront all that often. New research published in the journal Nature might change that, though, as the numbers are pretty clear… http://cleantechnica.com/2015/10/06/3-3-million-lives-taken-by-horrific-polluted-air-every-year/ Climate Change Is Not Our Fault. It's time to change the way we talk about climate change. Political leaders have acknowledged human-driven (or "anthropogenic") global warming since 1964 (when President Lyndon Johnson mentioned it in a speech to Congress). Since then, however, we've done almost nothing to address its dangers. As everyone knows, the problem is the political polarization of an issue that is… http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2015/10/06/446109168/climate-change-is-not-our-fault BLOGS VW: Restraining order bid is just maneuver by class action firm. Can hundreds of class action lawyers be wrong? Every day brings another clutch of filings against Volkswagen by clean diesel car owners who claim the automaker lied about their cars’ noxious emissions. Plaintiffs’ lawyers seem to regard the litigation against VW as a sure thing, thanks in no small part to the company’s own admissions. http://blogs.reuters.com/alison-frankel/2015/10/06/vw-restraining-order-bid-is-just-maneuver-by-class-action-firm/ A Top Task for the New Chair of the U.N. Climate Panel – a Communication Reboot. The new chairman* of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is scheduled to be elected shortly at a large gathering of climate scientists and government representatives in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Yet, after years of complaints from both inside and out, there’s a troubling opacity to the panel’s operations and there’s been no public view of the meeting so far. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/a-top-task-for-the-new-chair-of-the-u-n-climate-panel-a-communication-reboot/?ref=international&_r=0 http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/a-top-task-for-the-new-chair-of-the-u-n-climate-panel-a-communication-reboot/?ref=international&_r=0 Lumber Liquidators Stock Fell Another 13% Last Month: Time to Buy or Time to Bail? It's been an ugly year. Let's take a closer look at what's happening. It may be time to buy. Or maybe not... What: According to S&P Capital IQ, shares of specialty flooring retailer Lumber Liquidators (NYSE:LL) fell 13% in September. This is especially disappointing for investors who saw the stock shoot up as much as 37% from early August through mid-September… http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/10/06/lumber-liquidators-stock-fell-another-13-last-mont.aspx 2015 Has Been A Year Of Record-Breaking U.S. Weather Events. Floods, droughts, hurricanes, fires -- and it's not over. Catastrophic flooding in South Carolina since last week shattered state rainfall records and shocked longtime residents and officials, who said they've never seen rain so powerful. But it's hardly the first extreme, record-breaking weather event in the U.S. this year. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/record-breaking-weather-events_5612d0e8e4b0dd85030ce995?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green§ion=green California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.