What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for September 7, 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

Toxic air pollution particles found in human brains. Detection of
‘abundant’ magnetite particles raises concerns because of
suggested links to Alzheimer’s disease. Toxic nanoparticles from
air pollution have been discovered in human brains in “abundant”
quantities, a newly published study reveals. The detection of the
particles, in brain tissue from 37 people, raises concerns
because recent research…
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/05/toxic-air-pollution-particles-found-in-human-brains-links-alzheimers
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/09/07/study-suggests-link-between-air-pollution-alzheimers.html
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/06/health/air-pollution-inside-the-brain/index.html
 

Methane bill includes some safeguards for Calif. dairies. A bill
to reduce methane emissions from California’s dairies and
livestock operations is headed to the governor following its
passage on the final day of the state Legislature’s regular
session. SB 1383 would require the state Air Resources Board to
begin implementing a strategy to reduce methane emissions 40
percent below 2013 levels by 2030.
http://www.capitalpress.com/California/20160906/methane-bill-includes-some-safeguards-for-calif-dairies


EPA issues final version of Cross-State rule. U.S. EPA today
rolled out the final version of its updated Cross-State Air
Pollution Rule, geared to cutting summertime emissions of
nitrogen oxides from power plants in 22 states that contribute to
downwind ozone problems. EPA unveiled its initial proposal in
November following a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia Circuit…
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2016/09/07/stories/1060042449 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Study: Climate change made the deadly Louisiana flood far more
likely. On Aug. 10, it started raining in Louisiana and didn’t
stop for seven days. In that time, as much as 30 inches of water
fell from the sky — around 7.1 trillion gallons, which is three
times what fell during Hurricane Katrina. Thirteen people died in
the resulting flood. Rescuers saved and relocated 30,000
residents.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/09/07/study-climate-change-made-the-deadly-louisiana-flood-far-more-likely/

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/science/global-warming-louisiana-flooding.html?_r=0

http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2016/09/07/climate-change-louisiana-floods/89954074/


Jerry Brown to sign climate change legislation Thursday. Gov.
Jerry Brown will sign into law two sweeping measures on climate
change Thursday in Los Angeles, his office announced. The event
is scheduled for 11 a.m. in Vista Hermosa Natural Park. The
legislation sets a tougher target for reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, increases legislative oversight of climate programs…
http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-sac-essential-politics-updates-jerry-brown-to-sign-climate-change-1473275592-htmlstory.html


As US Ratifies Paris Climate Deal, Pressure Mounts on Oil & Gas
to Shrink Carbon. The oil and gas industry is in a transitional
phase. The sector is under increasing pressure in the US and
abroad to reduce its carbon footprint. It’s also facing
significant cost pressure as low energy prices persist. Shell’s
chief energy adviser Wim Thomas recently said the global oil
oversupply…
https://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/09/07/as-us-ratifies-paris-climate-deal-pressure-mounts-on-oil-gas-to-shrink-carbon-footprint/


Groundbreaking Stanford Study Shows Plants Suffering From Raised
CO2. In the course of a 17-year experiment on more than 1 million
plants, scientists put future global warming to a real world test
— growing California flowers and grasslands with extra heat,
carbon dioxide and nitrogen to mimic a not-so-distant, hotter
future.
The results, simulating a post-2050 world, aren’t pretty.
https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2016/09/06/groundbreaking-stanford-study-shows-plants-suffering-from-raised-co2/


DROUGHT

Californians still saving water in drought, but not as much.
Californians are still saving water despite the recent lifting of
mandatory statewide conservation, but not as much as they were
last year at the peak of the drought, water officials said
Wednesday. Monthly figures showed water conservation in cities
and towns statewide dropped 1 percent in July from the previous
month.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/water-728191-use-drought.html


The Latest: Californians’ water use creeps up in drought.
Californians’ water use kept creeping back up in July after the
lifting of mandatory statewide conservation orders for the
drought. The state Water Resources Control Board said Wednesday
that California households saved 20 percent on water use in July
compared to the benchmark 2013 water-use rates.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/7/the-latest-californians-water-use-creeps-up-in-dro/

California's water conservation dips in July — are eased rules to
blame? Urban water conservation across California dipped slightly
during the second month that less stringent conservation
requirements have been in place, state regulators said Wednesday.
More alarming to some, the 20% water-use reduction in July,
compared with the same month in 2013…
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-water-conservation-20160907-snap-story.html


VEHICLES

Volkswagen in Talks to Make Electric Cars in China. German auto
maker plans joint venture with state-run China Anhui Jianghuai
Automobile. Volkswagen AG is exploring a joint venture to make
electric cars in China with a state-run company, part of its
aggressive push into electric-vehicle production as the auto
maker works to resolve its emissions cheating scandal.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-nears-deal-to-make-electric-cars-in-china-1473229192

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-china-jac-motor-idUSKCN11D0D4

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2016/09/07/vw-talks-china-automaker-make-electric-cars/89961406/


Catalytic converter thefts still smoking hot. Thefts of
automobile catalytic converters are rising in the U.S., and
California drivers are the top victims. Thefts of the
antipollution devices, which reduce harmful emissions in
passenger cars, SUVs and trucks, rose substantially between 2008
and 2015, according to new data from the National Insurance Crime
Bureau.
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-catalytic-converters-20160907-snap-story.html


This may be the most horrifying Tesla Model S electric car in the
world. When it comes to modifying cars, the sky's the limit.
Given enough cash, car modifiers will go to extraordinary lengths
to improve the performance of stock vehicles, or customize
styling to make a mass-produced vehicle unique. But just because
you can do something, that doesn't always mean you should.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1105929_this-may-be-the-most-horrifying-tesla-model-s-electric-car-in-the-world


VW RECALL

Bosch Allegedly Sought VW Legal Cover for Defeat Device. Robert
Bosch GmbH asked Volkswagen AG eight years ago to indemnify it
for using the emissions-cheating defeat device the supplier
helped the automaker create for its diesel engines, U.S. car
owners said in a new version of their lawsuit against both
companies. Bosch is accused in the lawsuit of conspiring with VW
to develop technology that enabled diesel vehicles…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-06/bosch-allegedly-sought-vw-legal-cover-for-defeat-device-in-2008
 

Volkswagen Scandal Pushes French Rival to Cut Back on Diesel.
Renault sees diesel disappearing from most cars by 2020. Renault
expects diesel engines to disappear from most of its European
cars, company sources told Reuters, after the French automaker
reviewed the costs of meeting tighter emissions standards
following the Volkswagen scandal. The sober reassessment was
delivered at an internal meeting before the summer break.
http://fortune.com/2016/09/06/renault-diesel-engines/ 

GREEN ENERGY

A Primer on Zero Energy vs Zero Emissions. On the surface, it may
seem that Net Zero Energy is the most responsible approach to
building construction, but we may be missing the point… The U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) released its findings in September
2015, “A Common Definition for Zero Energy Buildings,” which
states that a Zero Energy Building is “an energy-efficient
building where…
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/09/a-primer-on-zero-energy-vs-zero-emissions.html


OPINIONS

China, U.S. join sweeping climate deal. To the editor:  The
agreement to make significant reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions that President Obama signed with Chinese President Xi
Jinping is an important step in motivating other nations to make
similar commitments in order to reduce global warming and
destructive climate change.
(“China, U.S. ratify climate accord,” Sept. 3. The emissions
reductions agreed to are a step in the right direction.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-ol-le-greenhouse-20160907-snap-story.html


Let's put priority on our air, and our environment. Since most of
the “dirty” industries remaining in the Los Angeles area are
located cheek-to-jowl in sections populated by lower income
families, the refusal to incorporate board members with a higher
sense of concern for the environment leaves those citizens — as
usual — very poorly represented on all fronts.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-ol-le-captrade-20160906-snap-story.html


Spending cap-and-trade money points to just one problem with
cap-and-trade. The Legislature tries to fairly balance
expenditures between groups while also trying to slow global
warming. It’s a Herculean task. (“Lawmakers reach deal on
cap-trade spending,” Sept. 1) Using cap-and-trade to address acid
rain and ozone hole problems was completely different.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-ol-le-captrade-20160906-snap-story.html


Two lessons learned from California's cap and trade law. First,
it is not about climate change but it is about a political agenda
to develop a new source of tax revenue to be distributed by
politicians. Second, there is zero fiscal discipline in
California government with no incentive or desire to refund money
or reduce taxes but just a continuing propensity to spend.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-ol-le-captrade-20160906-snap-story.html


To the editor: As a way to determine the success of this effort,
every five years or so taxpayers should get a very simple report
card: How much carbon/methane has been scrubbed from the air and
how much temperature reduction has been achieved? In other words
a cost/benefit analysis.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-ol-le-captrade-20160906-snap-story.html




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