Obama May Support Single National Standard for Vehicle Efficiency
While early indications appeared that the Obama Administration was going to grant California its waiver to independently regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, it now looks like they are considering a single national standard. On Sunday, Obama’s assistant for energy and climate, Carol Browner said “The hope across the administration is that we can have a unified national policy when it comes to cleaner vehicles.”
The impact of such a policy shift would depend entirely on how strict any national standard is crafted. Historically, car companies and anti-environmentalists have supported national emissions standards because Congressional legislation is invariably weaker and more watered down than legislation that comes out of liberal states like California. And if federal pre-emption is followed, states are locked out of creating their own standards.
While federal standards, in theory, could be just as strong, if not stronger than state laws, this is never the case. Current federal law aims to have a national average of 35 mpg by 2020, while California’s proposed rule would be 42 mpg. It seems unlikely, especially having seen the extreme partisanship with the stimulus package, that Obama would have the political capital and votes in Congress to buck this historic trend and push-through a meaningful national standard.
Chu: Climate Change Could Wipe Out California Agriculture (and Maybe Cities)
Energy Secretary Steven Chu warned this week that climate change could wipe out all agriculture in California by the end of the century and also put that state’s cities in peril. The changing climate is increasing California’s temperatures, prolonging droughts, and melting the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Chu noted that 90% of that essential snowpack could disappear by century’s end.
Chu warned that this changing climate and loss of water resources could end California’s entire agricultural industry and make the viability of life in the already arid region tenuous.
“I don’t think the American public has gripped in its gut what could happen,” Chu told the LA Times. “We’re looking at a scenario where there’s no more agriculture in California,” adding, “I don’t actually see how they can keep their cities going” either. READ MORE
Obama: Will Grant California a Waiver to Increase Emissions Regulations
President Obama will announced on Monday that he will be directing the EPA to grant California its long sought after waiver to more strictly regulate vehicle emissions than current federal standards.
Former President Bush had previously sided with automakers and refused to grant this waiver, leading to a conflict between the state and federal government. Once the EPA grants California this waiver under the Clean Air Act, the state will implement a more stringent emissions regime. Thirteen other states have also adopted the California rules, and will similarly be permitted to follow suit under the waiver.
It was also reported that Obama will announce that he is directing federal agencies to substantially increase the energy efficiency of their buildings. These measures are aimed at saving as much as $2 billion a year in energy costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Finally, Obama will also direct the Department of Transportation to begin drafting increased fuel efficiency regulations in order to comply with a law passed in December 2007. Bush had delayed implementing these regulations until the expiration of his term.
Obama Administration Likely to Grant California Emissions Waiver for Cars
One of the most immediate environmental impacts the incoming Obama administration is expected to make is to grant California a waiver to impose their own greenhouse gas emission standards on vehicles.
The EPA under Bush has refused to grant this waiver, which has sparked a round of litigation between the state and federal government. Without the waiver, carmakers have only been required to meet the relatively lax federal CAFE standards. However, once the waiver is granted and California, along with more than a dozen other states expected to adopt the California standards, carmakers will be held to materially higher efficiency requirements. This could result in an average of 3 miles more per gallon by 2015, and 7 more by 2020.
The LA Times notes that Lisa Jackson, Obama’s nominee to head the EPA has stated, “If I am confirmed, I will immediately revisit the waiver.”
And GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, who is stuck between the need to keep ornery politicians happy and getting the most federal money possible, noted, “we can meet the law, but it’s going to take a lot of money.”
Bush Administration: Open California Coast to Offshore Drilling
In a parting gift to the oil industry, the Bush administration has officially proposed opening up 130 million acres of the California coast to oil and natural gas drilling. The proposal was made by the Interior Department, and also includes areas of Alaska’s Bristol Bay.
Offshore drilling in the U.S. has been back on the table ever since Congress foolishly allowed the moratorium to expire last year amid high gas prices and election-season pressures. READ MORE
Oil Falls and Gas Shoots up
Despite the precipitous drop in oil on Wednesday, the average nationwide price of regular gasoline at the pump increased 3.9 cents to $1.727 per gallon. According to AAA, this was the biggest single day price increase since September.
This comes on the heels of recent price spikes in California.
According to the Energy Department, fuel consumption in the U.S. is down nearly 3% from this time last year.
Vermont Adopts CA Environmental Labels Requirement for New Cars
As often occurs, California’s recent regulation requiring environmental impact labels on new cars, has been adopted beyond that state’s borders. The first state in New England to adopt this rule is Vermont. Similar to California, the rule requires the label to indicate both a “global warming” and a “smog” score for each every new car.
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Jonathan Wood explains, “These new labels will make it easy for Vermonters to choose cleaner vehicles while comparing fuel efficiency. Vermont is still the greenest state in the country but our largest output of greenhouse gas emissions comes from transportation.”
All New Cars in CA Have Environmental Impact Labels
As of January 1, every 2009 model year and newer car sold in California now carries a label that ranks that vehicle’s environmental impact. The label can be found under the hood on the emissions control information label. There are two rankings (global warming score and smog score) on a scale from 1 to 10, with five being the average score in the state. The more environmentally friendly a car is, the higher the ranking.
Check out this link to see the top 10 cleanest cars.
California’s Mini-Price Spike for Gasoline Continues
California, which traditionally has some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation, is continuing to see a mini-price spike that began a few weeks ago. On Friday, the average price per gallon of gas in San Diego County rose to $1.865. This marks the 16th day out of the last 18 that the price of gas has increased in that region. In comparison, the national average price is at $1.626 per gallon.
Although California prices are still way below record highs seen during the summer (San Diego peaked at $4.63), the recent volatility is a reminder of the continuing vulnerability we have as a society to this finite and polluting resource. Maybe this little price spike will act as a reminder that we cannot enter another phase of complacency.
California Beaches Threatened By Climate Changes and Human Activity
A combination of rising sea levels and human activity have caused many of California’s iconic beaches to come under duress. In the last century, sea levels rose 8 inches along California’s coasts, which increased erosion of beach sands. Current predictions of a 2-3 foot rise in ocean levels this century will dramatically expand this erosion.
Additionally, in some cases, human built structures like breakwaters have acted to disrupt the national migration of sand up and down the coast, which can exacerbate the problem.
Despite Recent Protests, Farm Industry’s Best Interest is to Regulate Emissions
While we understand why most businesses are automatically opposed to an emissions tax for financial reasons, there are certain industries that really should think twice about their opposition. We’ve previously identified the skiing industry as a business sector that has a direct interest in fighting climate change. Another sector, which is only slightly less obvious, is the farming industry.
A recent study by Stanford researchers found that global warming will likely put an enormous strain on California’s agricultural industry. More frequent heat waves, rising temperatures and a drier climate, will put extreme strains on the state’s water supplies and energy systems, both of which are essential to growing.
The study, which used climate scenarios developed by the IPCC, predicted that in the second half of this century, average temperatures will increase approximately 4 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit. READ MORE
Ethanol stations coming online as gas prices sit well below E85
By the end of February, there will be 29 new E85 ethanol stations open near Sacramento, CA. These stations are part of a $3.5 million project by the state to make the relatively scarce alternative fuel more available to drivers. The intent of the plan was to create an “ethanol island” where enough E85 would be regionally available to encourage drivers to use flex-fuel cars and fill up with E85.
However, now that these E85 pumps are opening, the price of gas has plummeted below ethanol and station owners are concerned that drivers will opt for the less expensive choice. With ethanol nearly twice as expensive as gas right now, it is unlikely drivers will choose to fill their flex-fuel cars with E85.
The original intent of the government program was to help reduce greenhouse gases and dependency on foreign oil. Of course, even under ideal price conditions, the former is debatable and the latter is unrealistic– since it is unclear whether ethanol is actually good for the environment, and without advancements in cellulosic techniques, we’re replacing one unsustainable situation with another.
Australia announces target emissions cuts
Coming out of the Poznan Conference, Australian Climate Change Minister Penny Wong has announced that her country will aim to reduce carbon emissions by 5% to 15% from 2000 levels by 2020. This would be a move forward for that country’s goal of reducing emissions by 60% by 2050.
However, Australia’s planned cuts are relatively smaller in comparison to the EU, which targets cuts of 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, as well as California which aims to hit 1990 levels by 2020, and Obama’s proposal, which aims for the same as California.
However, unlike the U.S., Australia has (albeit belatedly) ratified the Kyoto Protocol, which was done the first day Prime Minister Kevin Rudd took office last November.
California to implement strictest emissions standards in U.S.
On Thursday, the California Air Resources Board in a unanimous vote, passed the largest greenhouse emissions plan in the United States. The plan will result in a 15% decrease in emissions over the next 12 years, with the goal to lower them to 1990 levels.
California, which is the world’s eight largest economy and accounts for 1.5% of global emissions, will be implementing widespread regulation of sectors including transportation, building efficiency, landfills, and electricity generation. Among other requirements, one-third of all electricity will be required to be generated from renewable sources, such as wind, solar, and geothermal. READ MORE
NASA: Reducing smog and soot can have immediate impact on climate change
A study indicating that cutting smog and soot has an immediate effect on climate change was released this week by NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Sciences. The study comes at an interesting time, since the California Air Resources Board is voting today to dramatically regulate the soot emissions from heavy diesel trucks in the state.
According to the NASA study, cutting soot emissions will not only improve human health, but it will make an immediate impact on reducing climate change. READ MORE
