Judge blocks NYC’s efforts to switch to hybrid taxi fleet
A federal judge ruled today that NYC cannot require its fleet of 13,237 yellow cabs to use hybrid technology. This ruling will deal a major setback to other state and local governments that are trying to create an ad hoc patchwork of emissions and fuel standards in place of the void in leadership from Washington. READ MORE
Federal agency to sue California ports over emissions rules
The Federal Maritime Commission decided this week to seek an injunction against the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to block aspects of their Clean Trucks program. The Commission found the program would cause “unreasonable” increases in shipping costs.
The Clean Trucks program was implemented this year to address the massive amounts of pollution coming out of these two ports, which account for 40% of all US international trade. The program calls for a ban on all trucks built before 1989, which emit up to 90% more air pollution than modern rigs. If the injunction is granted, the port may have to wait until 2012, when federal emissions standards kick in, before this problem is addressed.
Global switch to CFLs could have enormous climate benefits
The Worldwatch Institute released a report this week indicating that worldwide adoption of CFL bulbs would reduce global lighting energy demand by 40%, which by 2030 would represent 16.6 billion tons of CO2 not emitted into the atmosphere. That is equivalent to twice the amount of total CO2 released each year by the United States.
Of course, a common concern with CFLs is that they have low levels of mercury in them that could pollute landfills and groundwater if not recycled properly. However, the report notes that the amount of mercury in CFLs is substantially less than that released by coal plants. Therefore, any mercury pollution from CFLs would be offset many times over by decreased mercury emissions from coal power plants.
With falling gas and increased driving, Ford plans to ramp up production of F-150 pickup line
While GM and Chrysler complain to the government that they can’t survive without merging, Ford says it will be just fine. So fine, in fact, that with plummeting gas prices and drivers getting back on the road, they are ramping back up production of their large sized F-150 pickup line.
McCain’s flippant comments on nuclear waste may cost him Nevada
Grist notes that McCain’s position on the safety of storing nuclear waste material at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, could be costing him that state, which was carried by George Bush last election.
In particular, Nevadans are upset that McCain was making light of the safety issues involved when he mocked Obama’s concerns on this issue while on a campaign stop in Iowa, saying, “We talked about nuclear power. Well, it has to be safe environment(ally), blah, blah, blah.” READ MORE
Brooks: we need a National Mobility Project, not an ineffective ’stimulus package’
NYT’s David Brooks proposes that instead of a sure-to-be-ineffective stimulus package, the next president should put forth a National Mobility Project. Brooks notes that the impending stimulus package (most money will be misdirected), plan to bail out the automakers (subsidizing bad management), plan to issue rebate checks (will be saved instead of spent), and one-time tax credits to small businesses that are hiring (which would go to healthy companies), are going to be ineffective at best, and distorting of the market at worst. READ MORE
Now, more than ever, is the time to approve CA high speed rail: Yes on Prop 1A
When Proposition 1A was placed on the ballot earlier this year, gas prices were sky high and the economy was relatively healthy. Unfortunately, as the vote on the measure approaches next week, Californians immediate pain from high gas prices has been replaced by an immediate fear of the deteriorating economy. Some speculate that this political environment might make it more difficult to pass Prop 1A next week.
If that turns out to be the case, California would be blowing the best opportunity to point the state in a radically new direction. We’ve discussed the vast benefits of an inter-city high speed rail system before, which include taking cars off the roads, increasing mobility, improving the economy, but most importantly, it would shift our culture from cars, traffic, and pollution to trains, mobility, and a cleaner and healthier environment. READ MORE
SoCal Santa Ana winds may be diminished by climate change
Global weirding may be affecting a well known weather phenomenon experienced in Southern California. Santa Anas, the hot easterly winds that whip down from the high desert areas into the coastal basins every Fall may actually be getting weaker as a result of climate change.
Palin’s ‘all of the above’ is really just ‘more of the same’
Sarah Palin gave an energy policy speech on Wednesday. While her audience at a solar technology start-up refrained from the zombie “drill, baby, drill” chant, that didn’t stop Palin from re-emphasizing that message. Unfortunately, even Palin’s “all of the above” policy is empty.
Without imposing a cap-and-trade or carbon tax on emissions, oil and coal will remain artificially cheap, leaving alternative energy start-ups on an uneven playing field to compete. This, of course, will result in more of the same old policy we’ve had for 30 years, which is over consumption of artificially cheap, dirty fuels. Palin said she disapproved of the Bush Administration and Congress’s energy policies, but her plan will also just lead to more of the same.
Scientific panel finds numerous flaws in FDA report on BPA
A scientific panel convened to review the FDA’s conclusion that BPA is not dangerous at current levels found substantial problems with the agency’s methods. While the panel did not address the fundamental question regarding BPA’s safety, it found numerous flaws in the FDA’s report, including that (via NYT’s Well): READ MORE
Audi announces a new plug-in hybrid, the A1 Sportback
· Audi announces a new plug-in hybrid, the A1 Sportback, which is said to run 60 miles on a single charge, after which it gets 72 mpg. As seems to be the case with most EVs, it is unclear when this concept car could be available.
Support for California’s high speed rail ballot measure, Prop 1A, grows on college campus.
· Support for California’s high speed rail ballot measure, Prop 1A, grows on college campus.
McCain adviser reaffirms Bush position that Clean Air Act shouldn’t be used to halt greenhouse gas emissions
· McCain’s senior policy adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin reaffirmed the Bush Administration position that the Clean Air Act should not be used to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Grist notes that Obama’s position is actually to see if Congress can put together climate legislation in the first 18 months, and if not, to then use the Clean Air Act, as the Supreme Court has held is appropriate.
e360 disagrees with even this position, urging that “Rather than wait for action by Congress, the next president should employ an existing tool for tackling climate change: using the Clean Air Act to control greenhouse gas emissions and to establish a national cap-and-trade program.”
Today’s Environment
· McCain’s senior policy adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin reaffirmed the Bush Administration position that the Clean Air Act should not be used to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Grist notes that Obama’s position is actually to see if Congress can put together climate legislation in the first 18 months, and if not, to then use the Clean Air Act, as the Supreme Court has held is appropriate.
· e360 disagrees with even this position, urging that “Rather than wait for action by Congress, the next president should employ an existing tool for tackling climate change: using the Clean Air Act to control greenhouse gas emissions and to establish a national cap-and-trade program.”
· Audi announces a new plug-in hybrid, the A1 Sportback, which is said to run 60 miles on a single charge, after which it gets 72 mpg. As seems to be the case with most EVs, it is unclear when this concept car could be available.
· Support for California’s high speed rail ballot measure, Prop 1A, grows on college campus.
US will see increased leverage resulting from lower oil prices
Tom Friedman notes in his column today that plummeting oil prices have created a radically new geopolitical situation in the world.
Have you seen the reports that Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is suffering from exhaustion? It’s probably because he is not sleeping at night. I know why. Watching oil prices fall from $147 a barrel to $57 is not like counting sheep. It’s the kind of thing that gives an Iranian autocrat bad dreams.
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Private Leaders
