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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for March 17, 2016.
Posted: 17 Mar 2016 12:39:45
ARB Newsclips for March 17, 2016. 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 Air Pollution Reduction Program Ruled Illegal. A controversial program to give local refineries and major manufacturers more flexibility in reducing air pollution has been ruled illegal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, officials disclosed late Wednesday. The federal agency said the program fails to meet national clean air standards. http://labusinessjournal.com/news/2016/mar/16/air-pollution-reduction-program-ruled-illegal/ http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2016/03/17/stories/1060034209 http://www.pe.com/articles/air-797290-board-aqmd.html Clean Bay Area air: $90 million in grants, incentives available. Air quality regulators will have $90 million -- $30 million more than this year -- to give away in grants in the next fiscal year to reduce motor vehicle air pollution in the Bay Area. Aided by an increase in state money, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced how much it will have for grants and incentives for businesses, people… http://www.insidebayarea.com/bay-area-news/ci_29648264/clean-air-90-million-grants-incentives-available Methane Emissions Are Spiking, But It Might Be More Cow Than Car. Since 2006, atmospheric levels of methane — a greenhouse gas 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period — have steadily been on the rise. For years, scientists weren’t sure what was behind the rising levels of methane, but they had a few ideas: namely an increase in fossil fuel-related emissions. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/03/17/3760811/rising-methane-due-to-agriculture/ Barrasso touts 'better way' on methane. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) yesterday took to the Senate floor to both slam the Obama administration's plan to regulate oil and gas methane emissions and to promote legislation that would expedite the permitting of natural gas lines on federal lands. Last week, President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that both nations would begin regulating emissions of methane… http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2016/03/17/stories/1060034164 CLIMATE CHANGE Beyond record hot, February was 'astronomical' and 'strange'. Earth got so hot last month that federal scientists struggled to find words, describing temperatures as "astronomical," ''staggering" and "strange." They warned that the climate may have moved into a new and hotter neighborhood. This was not just another of the drumbeat of 10 straight broken monthly global heat records, triggered by a super El Nino… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_GLOBAL_SUPER_HEAT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Al Gore urges world leaders to sign Paris climate deal. World leaders must show their commitment to tackling global warming by signing the Paris climate agreement at a ceremony in April at the United Nations, climate change activist and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore said. Gore said there was a “tremendous push” for heads of government to formally ink the accord… http://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-climatechange-un-idUSKCN0WJ1FR?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews Osborne's Budget Criticized for Neglecting Climate Change Goals. U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s statement on Wednesday that his new budget “puts the next generation first” isn’t enough to protect subsequent generations from the consequences of climate change, critics said. Just three months after the U.K. joined 195 other countries in a climate deal in a bid to restrain rising global temperatures by curbing emissions… http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O459SX6VDKHS01-1OOHDUFU8S5KRS6RMN19IOTRIG In this tiny Arctic town, dramatic warmth threatens everything. It may sound strange to someone from the Lower 48, but in interior Alaska, 2 degrees Fahrenheit in early March is balmy. This winter’s record-setting warm temperatures are just the latest in an ongoing string of environmental changes for the indigenous Gwich’in village of Fort Yukon… https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/03/16/in-this-tiny-arctic-town-dramatic-warmth-threatens-everything/?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=ecd51520be-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-ecd51520be-327747457 Climate change warms boring budget hearing. Fortunately the House hearing was not what it might have been. The Republican committee chairman had subpoenaed agency documents. The Obama administration official at the witness table has not provided everything the chairman wants. In too many cases, that would have generated a highly partisan session where real governing was shortchanged. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/03/17/climate-change-warms-boring-budget-hearing/ Trees Deal With Climate Change Better Than Expected. The bend-don’t-break adaptability of trees extends to handling climate change, according to a new study that says forests may be able to deal with hotter temperatures and contribute less carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than scientists previously thought. In addition to taking in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis… http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/science/global-warming-climate-change-trees-carbon-dioxide.html?_r=0 GOP chairman stepping up crusade against climate change study. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) is stepping up his crusade against a federal climate change study that challenges a key talking point of climate skeptics. Smith, chairman of the House Science Committee, faced off on Wednesday with the head of the agency that produced last summer's study. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/273282-gop-chairman-continues-crusade-against-climate-change-study?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=ecd51520be-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-ecd51520be-327747457 How the World Has Changed Since the Paris Agreement on Global Warming. A list of progress and failures in the wake of the historic agreement to combat climate change. National leaders have yet to sign a new United Nations climate pact, but developments during the three months since the Paris Agreement was finalized have been feverish. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-world-has-changed-since-the-paris-agreement-on-global-warming/ Plants may contribute less to warming than previously thought. Plants may not be the oversized contributors to climate change they were once predicted to be, according to a new study. Research published yesterday in the journal Nature finds that although trees in the boreal and temperate regions do release more carbon dioxide through natural processes as temperatures increase… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/03/17/stories/1060034157 Energy-sector CO2 flat while economy grows – again. Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions held steady for the second year in a row while the economy grew, according to the International Energy Agency. In a simple, two-column spreadsheet released yesterday, IEA showed that the world's energy sector produced 32.14 metric gigatons of carbon dioxide in 2015, up slightly from 32.13 metric… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/03/17/stories/1060034181 DROUGHT Dramatic images show El Niño beginning to rescue California from its drought. No, California's drought isn't over. But this week, the state came to terms with the fact that the series of El Niño influenced storms has made a dent. State officials say it's far too early to declare the drought over — especially given that the rains seem to have focused on Northern California… http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-el-nino-california-drought-rescue-20160317-htmlstory.html Drought and rising temperatures 'leaves 36m people across Africa facing hunger'. More than 36 million people face hunger across southern and eastern Africa, the United Nations has warned, as swaths of the continent grapple with the worst drought in decades at a time of record high temperatures. The immediate cause of the drought which has crippled countries from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe is one of the strongest El Niño events ever recorded. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/16/drought-high-temperatures-el-nino-36m-people-africa-hunger?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=ecd51520be-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-ecd51520be-327747457 Extreme And Severe Drought Decline In California. The 'Miracle March' storms have reduced the severity of drought in California. The most significant is a 10 percent decline in severe drought. But reservoir levels did not improve in many parts of the state and groundwater has not recovered after years of drought. "A westerly flow of Pacific weather systems pummeled the west coast this week... http://www.capradio.org/articles/2016/03/17/extreme-and-severe-drought-decline-in-california/ March storms brighten future of winter-run Chinook salmon. Seasonal storms that have raised the region’s reservoir water levels to their highest points in the last two years could bolster this year’s run of Chinook salmon, water and wildlife officials said Wednesday. The recent drought has hurt the endangered species’ numbers as… http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/environment/article66570277.html#storylink=cpy FUELS NREL updates Survey of Advanced Biofuel Producers in the United States. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) updated its annual survey of US non-starch ethanol and renewable hydrocarbon biofuels producers. The 2015 Survey of Non-Starch Ethanol and Renewable Hydrocarbon Biofuels Producers provides an inventory of the domestic advanced biofuels production industry… http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/03/my-entry.html VEHICLES Small-town Indiana Chevy dealer is big on electric cars. It's often said that franchised auto dealers are one of the bigger impediments to sales of plug-in electric cars. Vehicles with plugs require more explanation, the financial calculations are often more complicated, and home and public charging stations add a further layer of complication. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1102879_small-town-indiana-chevy-dealer-is-big-on-electric-cars Hydrogen for fuel-cell vehicles made from wind energy in Japanese test. One of the big questions surrounding hydrogen fuel-cell cars is how to produce the hydrogen used to power them. Mass adoption of fuel-cell vehicles would not only require much more hydrogen than is currently available, but hydrogen that is generated with minimal carbon emissions. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1102909_hydrogen-for-fuel-cell-vehicles-made-from-wind-energy-in-japanese-test ClipperCreek introduces 24 Amp Level 2 charging station for $499. ClipperCreek, Inc. has introduced a new 24 Amp Level 2 LCS-30 electric vehicle charging station to its line-up. The LCS-30 offers 5.8kW of power for up to 4 times faster charging than the standard 120V cordsets delivered with most vehicles. The LCS-30 is available for both hardwired and plug in installations; the hardwired 240 Volt charging station is $499… http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/03/20160317-clippercreek.html VW RECALL VW seeks comprehensive deal on emissions with U.S. regulators – source. Volkswagen aims to agree a deal with U.S. authorities that resolves as many issues related to its emissions cheating scandal as possible at once, a senior manager at the German carmaker told Reuters. "It must be our goal to negotiate a comprehensive solution, which could also include the lion's share of expected penalties," the person… http://www.reuters.com/article/volkswagen-emissions-regulator-idUSL2N16P16I VW Said in Talks With U.S. Over Two Funds to Pay for Pollution. Volkswagen AG is in talks with U.S. authorities to establish a national remediation fund and a separate one for California as punishment for pollution from its cars after the automaker cheated on diesel-emissions tests, said people familiar with the matter. One fund would be administered by the Environmental Protection Agency and used to promote clean transportation throughout the U.S… http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O44Q8L6S972A01-7SU7Q3FGQHG33L5SJ8L7JGRB9V HIGH-SPEED RAIL San Fernando mayor happier about latest bullet train alternatives, not so conservationists. The High Speed Rail Authority's latest options unveiled this week for the Burbank to Palmdale segment of the bullet train tracks drew a more positive reaction from the San Fernando mayor than it has previously. Conservationists, however, remain opposed to two of the latest route choices because they would still travel through the Angeles National Forest. http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/03/16/58630/san-fernando-mayor-happier-about-latest-bullet-tra/ GREEN ENERGY China wasted 20 percent of wind power generated in 2015. Energy wastage on wind farms in China worsened in 2015, as plunging utilization rates kept 33.9 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) from being delivered to the grid, the energy regulator said, the equivalent of a fifth of total generated wind power. Average utilization rates last year fell 165 hours from 2014, the regulator said, calling for tougher measures to cut wastage… http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-power-renewables-idUSKCN0WJ124?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews EUROPE POWER-German spot down on more wind, France up. European prompt power prices for next day delivery were mixed on Thursday with Germany down on more wind and weaker demand ahead of the weekend and France a bit firmer due to tighter supply. "But France will be able to import, and solar output is also high in the region, that limits its price upside," one trader said. http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL5N16P45R Doubling renewables could boost global economy $4.2T. A worldwide doubling of renewable energy -- from 18 to 36 percent -- would save $4.2 trillion annually by shifting spending away from traditional energy systems and driving down the costs of health and environmental crises, new findings from the International Renewable Energy Agency show. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/03/17/stories/1060034176 MISCELLANEOUS RIVERSIDE: Boosters push for state air test facilities. Inland civic leaders want state Air Resources Board facilities with 400 employees to locate at UC Riverside. Riverside boosters are pushing hard to convince the California Air Resources Board that UCR is the best place to locate a $350 million office and laboratory facility that will have as many as 400 well-paid state employees. http://www.pe.com/articles/riverside-797282-air-board.html Tribune Publishing buys Orange County Register. Chicago-based Tribune Publishing, which already owns the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune as well as the Chicago Tribune, has purchased the Orange County Register in a winning bankruptcy bid. The Register's parent, Freedom Communications, has been reorganizing under a Chapter 11 filing in… http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160317/NEWS07/160319826/tribune-publishing-buys-orange-county-register OPINIONS The Water Data Drought. AS a nation, we have become disciples of data. We interview 60,000 families a month to determine the unemployment rate, we monitor how much energy we use every seven days, Amazon ranks sales of every book it sells every hour. Then there is water. Water may be the most important item in our lives, our economy and our landscape about which we know the least. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/17/opinion/the-water-data-drought.html BLOGS Car2go kills all-EV fleet in San Diego, replaces it with gas cars. Car sharing group blames the lack of charging infrastructure for the change. The all-electric car sharing Car2go fleet started with a bang in 2011. The mood was positively sunny, with then-CEO of Car2go North America Nick Cole telling me that these small, short-term rental EVs were, "a realistic alternative to traditional car ownership." http://www.autoblog.com/2016/03/17/car2go-kills-all-ev-fleet-san-diego-gas-cars/ California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.