What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for May 25, 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

Study: Exposure to air pollution leads to accelerated buildup of
calcium in arteries. SEATTLE Scientists have known for years that
long-term exposure to air pollution raises the risk of heart
disease, but a highly anticipated study led by a University of
Washington environmental health expert finally explains why. In a
decadelong analysis involving more than 6,000 people in six
states…
http://www.latimes.com/nation/sns-tns-bc-med-pollution-heart-20160524-story.html

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/uw-led-study-pinpoints-how-air-pollution-harms-your-heart/
  
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/05/25/early-exposure-to-traffic-pollution-may-affect-lungs-later.html
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/24/air-pollution-could-increase-risk-of-stillbirth-study-suggests

http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-air-pollution-may-pose-numerous-health-hazards-new-study-2216488


ALISO CANYON

County to ask court for referee in SoCalGas Co. clash. The county
plans to request a court-ordered referee to help manage its
contentious relationship with Southern California Gas Co. as both
sides work to get Porter Ranch residents back into their homes,
the county’s lead lawyer said today. Supervisor Michael
Antonovich expressed frustration on behalf of residents who say
they aren’t being reimbursed…
http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20160524/county-to-ask-court-for-referee-in-socalgas-co-clash

CLIMATE CHANGE

Obama urges Vietnam youth to tackle climate change.  President
Obama urged young leaders in Vietnam to focus on the threat of
climate change, as he concluded his historic three-day trip to
the Southeast Asian country Wednesday. “Economic development and
the well-being and the health of your people and everyone around
the world is going to depend on how we deal with some of these
environmental issues…
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBAMA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/05/25/obama-vietnam-town-hall/84893936/


New cloud formation discovery may lessen warming forecast.  A new
discovery about how clouds form may scale back some of the more
dire predictions about temperature increases caused by man-made
global warming. That's because it implies that a key assumption
for making such predictions is a bit off.  
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_WARMING_CLOUDS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Trump unlikely to be able to renegotiate climate deal - UN
climate chief. Donald Trump would be "highly unlikely" to be able
to renegotiate the global accord on climate change if elected
U.S. president, the U.N.'s climate chief said on Wednesday, as
doing so would require the agreement of 195 countries.
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL5N18M32W  

White House to Push Companies for More Disclosure on Greenhouse
Gas Emissions. Shareholders also pushing oil giants for more
disclosure on impact of climate-change regulations. he White
House is set to propose a new rule Wednesday that would push
companies with federal contracts to publicly disclose more
information about their impact on climate change…
http://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-to-push-companies-for-more-disclosure-on-greenhouse-gas-emissions-1464184983

Rising Seas Push Too Much Salt Into The Florida Everglades. The
Florida Everglades is a swampy wilderness the size of Delaware.
In some places along the road in southern Florida, it looks like
tall saw grass to the horizon, a prairie punctuated with a few
twisted cypress trees. The sky is the palest blue. But beneath
the surface a different story is unfolding.
http://www.npr.org/2016/05/25/477014085/rising-seas-push-too-much-salt-into-the-florida-everglades?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=environment


Portland schools tried to change how they teach climate change —
and ignited a firestorm. This winter, a small group of advocates,
teachers, parents and students began meeting each week at a
church in Portland, Ore., to figure out how their schools could
do a better job of preparing the next generation to fight climate
change. Together, they wrote a resolution that, with some
changes, was unanimously adopted…
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-na-portland-schools-climate-change-20160524-snap-story.html

ExxonMobil tried to censor climate scientists to Congress during
Bush era. Exclusive: 2001 intervention adds to evidence that oil
company was aware of the science and its implications for
government policy and the energy industry. ExxonMobil moved to
squash a well-established congressional lecture series on climate
science just nine days after the…
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/25/exxonmobil-climate-change-scientists-congress-george-w-bush?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=65da357a7c-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-65da357a7c-327747457


State claims cap and trade is a bargain for suing businesses.
California regulators defended their landmark cap-and-trade
program yesterday in a closely watched case that could interfere
with the state's ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At
issue is whether the cap-and-trade program authorized by the 2006
state law A.B. 32 violates a state constitutional amendment known
as Proposition 13, which requires new taxes…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/05/25/stories/1060037839 

Exxon faces shareholder showdown today on climate change. For
years, Exxon Mobil Corp. has held its annual meeting here in a
cavernous symphony hall downtown, where shareholders today will
discuss the company's future and cast their ballots on more than
a dozen proposals. But while the location hasn't changed, the
mood outside Exxon has shifted dramatically -- particularly on
global warming.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/05/25/stories/1060037840 

Earliest snowmelt recorded in Barrow, Alaska. Snow is melting
sooner than it ever has in the most northern city in the United
States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. NOAA's Barrow Observatory recorded snowmelt this
year on May 13, 10 days earlier than the previous record set in
2002, the agency said.
"Everything is early.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/05/25/stories/1060037800 

World Bank seeks to harness private-sector climate investment.
The World Bank and partners offered a voluntary road map
yesterday for how governments, businesses and others can work to
mobilize money for global warming. The principles for
public-private dialogue were unveiled at the start of a two-day
World Bank Group event in Vienna.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/05/25/stories/1060037816 

White House rule would scrutinize contractor emissions. The White
House today proposed a rule to provide the administration with
greater understanding of the greenhouse gas emissions of federal
contractors and vendors. The rule would create a system to track
whether contractors and vendors publicly disclose heat-trapping
emissions, emissions reductions targets and risks associated with
climate change. 
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2016/05/25/stories/1060037861 

DROUGHT

'Welcome to California water wars': State's congressional
delegation debates water plans on the House floor.  House
Republicans are making another push for a bill addressing
California's drought, adding the text of a measure by Rep. David
Valadao (R-Hanford) to two pieces of legislation headed to the
Senate.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-essential-politics-welcome-to-california-water-w-1464139556-htmlstory.html


Yosemite waterfalls roaring following four years of drought. If
item number one on your summer to-do list is to witness the
booming waterfalls of Yosemite National Park, you're in for a
treat. Water levels appear to have rebounded from four years of
drought and we're now in a window of peak waterfall conditions. 
United States Geological Survey numbers indicate...
http://www.sfgate.com/outdoors/article/Peak-waterfall-season-arrives-at-Yosemite-7940515.php


Water district eases drought penalty fees. The Coachella Valley’s
largest water district is easing its drought rules and will stop
charging extra penalty fees when customers fail to meet
conservation goals. The Coachella Valley Water District’s board
approved the change Tuesday, following the lead of state water
regulators…
http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2016/05/25/water-district-eases-drought-penalty-fees/84886988/


House set to consider drought, renewables amendments.  Amendments
to the energy and water spending bill that would block a
Republican plan for combating the California drought and shuffle
energy research funding priorities are due for House votes today
or tomorrow. The $37.4 billion energy and water spending bill
(H.R. 5055) moved to the House floor last night and roll call
votes on amendments are due today.
http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2016/05/25/stories/1060037817 

DIESEL ACTIVITIES

California Zero-Emissions Project Includes Diesel Plug-In Hybrid
Trucks. New diesel technology will be part of a $23.6 million
zero-emission transportation test program in California for
emerging commercial vehicle technologies designed to reduce
greenhouse gases, smog, and petroleum usage in ports and rail
yards along busy freight corridors.
http://trailer-bodybuilders.com/chassis/california-zero-emissions-project-includes-diesel-plug-hybrid-trucks


FUELS

This Texas fight shows just how conflicted we still are about
‘clean coal’. On the path to a low-carbon economy, most experts
agree that a variety of strategies will be needed, from the
dramatic expansion of wind and solar power to electrification or
better biofuels for cars and planes. Some technologies remain
more controversial than others, however.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/05/25/this-texas-fight-shows-just-how-conflicted-we-still-are-about-clean-coal/


Drought Breathes Life Into Diesel in Asia as Farms Get Scorched.
After starving farms across Asia of rainfall, El Nino’s last
gasps have infused life into the battered market for diesel fuel
in the region. South Asian nations are using more diesel to run
irrigation pumps used by farmers in the absence of rainfall to
water crops and as dry weather depletes hydropower.
http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O7D6WW6JIJUO01-3LDGCMOVN1VLV98TQL174QDI2E


EPA Proposes Increase in Biodiesel for 2018. The Environmental
Protection Agency wants U.S. fuel distributors to move 2.1
billion gallons of biodiesel in 2018 as part of the continuing
increase in the nation’s renewable fuel standard, the agency
said. Biodiesel producers, represented by the National Biodiesel
Board, said EPA should have boosted the RFS volume requirement
even higher to 2.5 billion gallons in 2018…
http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=42076 

UC San Diego's Algae Biofuels Program Ranks Number 1 in U.S. This
is the fourth consecutive year UCSD was ranked number 1. The
University of California, San Diego’s Algae Biofuels Program was
ranked one of the best in the nation by the U.S. Department of
Energy. This is the fourth consecutive year UC San Diego has
retained the number one ranking for its algae program.
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/UC-San-Diegos-Algae-Biofuels-Program-

Five Nordic Countries Agree to “Drive Down” Oil and Gas Methane
Pollution Alongside the U.S. Last week’s White House announcement
marked an important step in the march toward global climate
action. The U.S.-Nordic Leader Summit Joint Statement, issued by
the United States, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden,
underscored the need for a broad climate strategy…
http://www.theenergycollective.com/edfenergyex/2379188/five-nordic-countries-agree-to-drive-down-oil-and-gas-methane-pollution-alongside-the-u-s-2

VEHICLES

German power firms to partner carmakers in electric future –RWE.
German utilities are likely to partner with automakers to tap
into a 1 billion euro ($1.1 billion) government incentive scheme
for electric cars, an RWE executive said. Driven by fear that
energy will be dominated by the likes of Google and Apple, both
of which have made forays into the sector…
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL5N1816AE 

Hyundai Plans Electric Car With 200 Miles of Range for 2018.
Joins list of auto makers rolling out longer-range electric cars
to attract consumers worried about running out of charge. Hyundai
Motor Co. said it will follow its new electric car due later this
year in the U.S. with another one in 2018 that has at least 200
miles of electric range. Hyundai is selling a hybrid and fully
electric version of a car called the Ioniq later this year.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/hyundai-plans-electric-car-with-200-miles-of-range-for-2018-1464116820
   

Automakers Befriend Start-Ups Like Uber, Girding Against a
Changing Car Culture. Automakers are looking toward a
technology-driven future, one where they increasingly acknowledge
that getting around may not require owning a car. On Tuesday, two
of the world’s largest automakers, Toyota and Volkswagen, said
they were stepping up to invest in technology start-ups…
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/25/technology/uber-gett-ridesharing-toyota-vw.html?_r=0


How Southern California Edison might help you charge your
electric car at work. Software giant QAD Inc.’s manager of North
America drove from Santa Barbara to an electric vehicle workshop
here. The location — amid the obscurity of an industrial section
of the San Gabriel Valley — may have been the perfect spot for
Doug McAlister to hide from his high-tech competitors known for
providing perks to employees.
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/environment-and-nature/20160524/how-southern-california-edison-might-help-you-charge-your-electric-car-at-work


Vallejo unveils plans for electric car plant at ex-shipyard. The
city of Vallejo, which emerged from bankruptcy five years ago, is
poised to get a big economic boost as plans to build a major
plant for electric cars are rolling forward, officials said
Tuesday. City leaders later this month will consider and vote on
an exclusive negotiating agreement…
http://napavalleyregister.com/ap/state/vallejo-unveils-plans-for-electric-car-plant-at-ex-shipyard/article_e482de06-c2c2-577c-a804-2281d00610c7.html


'Mild hybrids' could ease carmakers into electrification. A
low-cost electric drive system may soon become a popular feature
in new cars to boost fuel economy, industry analysts say. Federal
corporate average fuel economy standards will require auto
manufacturers to hit a target of 54.5 mpg, averaged across their
model-year offerings, by 2025.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/05/25/stories/1060037838 

VW RECALL

Judge: Substantial progress in Volkswagen emissions talks.
Volkswagen and attorneys for vehicle owners affected by the
company's emissions cheating scandal are on target to meet a June
deadline for a final settlement proposal, a federal judge said
Tuesday. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer said the
parties have made substantial progress in reaching a deal for
nearly half a million polluting Volkswagens in the U.S.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_VOLKSWAGEN_EMISSIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


VW ‘On Track’ to Meet Deadline for Diesel-Rigging Settlement (2).
The federal judge demanding Volkswagen AG fix 480,000
diesel-cheating vehicles in the U.S. or get them off the road
said the automaker is on pace to meet next month’s deadline to
reach a deal with car owners. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer
in San Francisco reiterated on Tuesday that buybacks, cash
compensation for consumers…
http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O7OTUG6VDKHT01-0E32E2GT0NHHU8A2QU48CTM6EV


GREEN ENERGY

Senegal to build West Africa's largest solar energy plant. French
development agency PROPARCO will provide an 18-year 35.5 million
euro ($39.54 million) loan to finance the construction and
operation of a solar energy plant in Senegal, which it says will
be the largest of its kind in West Africa.
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5N18M2Z2 

Foxconn says won't sell Sharp's solar power business. Taiwan's
Foxconn said on Wednesday it will not sell Sharp Corp's solar
power business, amid concerns from business partners over a
possible closure of the struggling division. "We want to let you
know that we are totally committed to this business," Foxconn
founder Terry Gou and Tai Jeng-wu, its vice chairman and the
newly-appointed CEO at Sharp…
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFT9N18A00Q 

Britain’s Supply of Electricity Is Getting Greener: Chart.
Renewables’s share of the U.K. electricity mix was a record 26.9
percent in the fourth quarter of 2015 as more solar and wind
power came online and warmer than usual temperatures suppressed
demand. Power prices may rise this winter if the La Nina weather
pattern replaces the ebbing El Nino…
http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O7ORNN6K50YS01-46N13UK51B0K76A741IM5UCGMG
 

'Wind is winning,' but leaders remain watchful.  Riding high on
last year's congressional extension of the production tax credit,
the U.S. wind energy sector must now focus on reducing costs to
remain competitive with other fuels like natural gas and solar,
industry leaders told a national meeting of wind power officials
gathered here this week.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/05/25/stories/1060037815 

MISCELLANEOUS

House Approves Bill to Regulate Toxic Chemicals. The House on
Tuesday easily approved a bipartisan bill that would for the
first time regulate tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in
everyday products from household cleaners to clothing and
furniture.
Supporters said the bill would clear up a hodgepodge of state
rules and update…
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/house-approves-bill-regulate-toxic-chemicals-39350761


OPINIONS

Ethanol a win-win. Your editorial, “When corn rules the road,”
(Web, May 22) overflows with misinformation propagated by oil
companies that just want to keep Americans hooked on petroleum,
with no regard for the environmental, energy-related or economic
consequences of that addiction. A little independent research
might have benefited your readers.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/24/letter-to-the-editor-ethanol-a-win-win/
  

Opinion: New York has a long way to go towards electric
vehicle-friendliness. America’s biggest and best – yes, we like
to think so – city leads the nation in many areas. Most pizza
joints per square mile, for example, or number of profanities
directed at other individuals per vehicle, perhaps. But when it
comes to making changes, unless it involves the interests of the
ultra-wealthy (i.e. skyscrapers in Brooklyn)…
http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/news/opinion-nyc-electric-vehicles-article-1.2648077


All oil-drilling neighbors deserve the same treatment as Porter
Ranch victims. When the four-month-long leak from the Aliso
Canyon natural gas storage field was finally plugged in February,
Los Angeles County health officials expected that Porter Ranch
residents would no longer suffer from the nausea, headaches,
nosebleeds and skin rashes that had forced thousands of people
from their homes.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-porter-ranch-contamination-20160524-snap-story.html


My father warned Exxon about climate change in the 1970s. They
didn't listen. Perhaps 2015 wouldn’t have broken all temperature
records had they acted then – but it’s not too late to do
something now. At Wednesday’s ExxonMobil shareholders meeting,
CEO Rex Tillerson will have to answer tough questions about the
company’s role in causing climate change, including one from my
family.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/25/exxon-climate-change-greenhouse-gasses


This Huge Solar Plant Caught on Fire. Even before part of it went
up in flames, the controversial Ivanpah project was losing solar
energy's civil war. Ivanpah, the world's largest solar plant, is
a glittering sea of mirrors, concentrating sunlight into three
glowing towers. It is a futuristic vision rising out of the
Mojave Desert.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2016/05/wired-ivanpah-solar-plant-huge-fire-huge-problems


Detonation - Diesel Jealousy - Diesel Power Editorial. While I
have owned many different tow rigs over the years, none of them
were diesel powered. Working with diesel engines definitely
showed me what their benefits are, but I ignored those plusses
(for reasons that are not quite clear to me today) and stayed
with the gasoline sector, whenever I purchased a vehicle that
would be used for pulling my trailers.
http://www.trucktrend.com/features/1605-detonation-jealousy-diesel-power-editorial/


BLOGS

California carbon market's latest auction results show continued
resilience. The results of California and Quebec’s latest carbon
auction show that an ongoing lawsuit challenging the
cap-and-trade program’s allowance auctions is likely impacting
market dynamics, but that California’s market is proving
resilient, in part due to the strength of its design. The May 18
auction, the second of 2016, offered
67,675,951…http://blogs.edf.org/climatetalks/2016/05/25/california-carbon-markets-latest-auction-results-show-continued-resilience/
 

A focus on climate change ignores energy poverty. The signing of
the Paris agreement on climate change has focused too much
attention on how individual countries will meet their
obligations. Lost in the pursuit of emissions reductions, which
involves either technology to reduce emissions from fossil fuel
use or less fossil fuel use, has been attention to what the
agreement means for the world's poor.
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/energy-environment/281164-a-focus-on-climate-change-ignores-energy-poverty


Poor Air Quality Diseases Are Everyone’s Responsibility.  When we
think about public health, we think in terms of things like
nutrition or exercise programs. Too often, we don’t think about
air quality, and the massive effect outdoor air pollution can
have on our health. In 2012, the last year we have data for,
outdoor air pollution caused 3.7 million…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-hughes/poor-air-quality-diseases_b_10108118.html
 

More Evidence That An Apple Car Is Coming. The tech company is
looking into charging stations for electric vehicles. Apple Inc
is investigating how to charge electric cars, talking to charging
station companies and hiring engineers with expertise in the
area, according to people familiar with the matter and a review
of LinkedIn profiles.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/apple-electric-car-charging_us_5745c0e5e4b03ede44136d55

Dungeness crabs threatened by, you guessed it, climate change.
When it comes to American culinary institutions, the Dungeness
crabs that are hauled ashore from California to Washington State
every winter season are the crustacean equivalents of apple pie.
The bountiful crab meat is a holiday staple in the San Francisco
Bay Area and beyond.
http://grist.org/climate-energy/dungeness-crabs-threatened-by-you-guessed-it-climate-change/
 

48-volt mild hybrids: A possible cure for diesel emissions
cheats?  Much cheaper than a full hybrid system, with 70 percent
of the benefits. It's clear that we need to make our passenger
vehicles a lot more efficient if we want to avoid some of the
very worst effects of climate change. And it's also becoming
increasingly clear that diesel…
http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/05/48-volt-mild-hybrids-a-possible-cure-for-diesel-emissions-cheats/




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