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.
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
CA Public Utilities Commission to vote on Sunrise Powerlink
The future of the contentious Sunrise Powerlink project could be decided today (Thursday) by the California Public Utilities Commission. The proposal by utility company, SDG&E would run a 100 mile $1.9 billion high-voltage transmission line to San Diego from the eastern deserts of neighboring Imperial County. Proponents, which include Gov. Schwarzenegger and the PUC president, argue that this is exactly the type of project that is necessary to grow our nation’s renewable energy production. Since most large-scale renewable resources lie away from urban centers, the electricity generated in these locations must use a new generation of transmission lines to bring the power to cities. This is the purpose of the Sunrise Powerlink project, according to SDG&E and other supporters. READ MORE
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
Ban on lobbying should be a part of any Detroit bailout
If anyone is wondering how the Big Three automakers got themselves into their current predicament, it is illustrative to take a look back to 2004. That year, the state of California was in the process of implementing a law that would permit alternative fuel vehicles that achieved a minimum of 45 miles per gallon to use the state’s carpool lanes regardless of occupants.
However, only foreign cars could meet these objective standards. As a result, William C. Ford, Jr., the chairman of Ford (both then and now), wrote to California Gov. Schwarzenegger complaining that the law was basically a “Buy Japanese” campaign. At the time, Ford was about to release a hybrid SUV (the Escape) that would achieve only 31 miles per gallon. Unintentionally highlighting the fundamental core of Detroit’s problems, Ford, Jr., complained that this law would create a “competitive disadvantage precisely when Ford is entering the hybrid market with a family-oriented, no compromise S.U.V.” (emphasis added). READ MORE
Initial plan released to reduce California emissions by 25% by 2020
An initial plan to accomplish California’s goal of rolling back greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 was released by the state’s Air Resources Board on Thursday. The plan, which would result in a 25% reduction from current emissions levels, targets businesses and citizens, alike.
Some of the key proposals include: a statewide cap-and-trade system, an increase in fees on water usage, stricter tailpipe emissions standards, and a mandate that utilities generate 1/3 of their electricity from renewable sources. READ MORE
A California wind renaissance?
The Tehachapi Wind Farm, one of three major wind plants in California, is slated to get a new transmission line that will permit it to grow an additional 4,500 MW.
Anyone who has driven up highway 14 north of Los Angeles is familiar with the thousands of iconic windmills dotting the landscape off to the west side of the road. This wind farm was originally built in the early 1980’s and previously had 5,500 wind turbines. However, due to technology advances, only 3,500 turbines are required to do the same job today. READ MORE
Obama delivers powerful video message to Schwarzenegger’s Governors Global Climate Summit
Whoa. No seriously, whoa.
Obama’s video recorded message delivered to Schwarzenegger’s Governors Global Climate Summit on Tuesday was incredible. It was short, right on point, and incredibly well articulated.
In the three and a half minute video, Obama started out by simply declaring, “too often Washington has failed to show leadership. That will change when I take office.”
He then laid out a few of the key policies that will be a part of his climate change strategy. He wants a federal cap-and-trade system, he wants to return emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and then another 80% reduction by 2050. He wants to develop solar, wind, next generation biofuels. And he wants to look at nuclear and clean coal.
Obama then underlined the importance of the upcoming summit in Poznan, Poland, where negotiations will begin over how to replace the Kyoto Protocol. Obama made it clear that, unlike with the current administration, the country under his leadership will be an integral part of the international approach to climate change.
“Delay is no longer an option, denial is no longer an acceptable response,” Obama noted, adding, “the stakes are too high.”
Obama’s video message to Schwarzenegger’s ‘Governors Global Climate Summit’
The AP misses the point with carbon footprint analysis of Schwarzenegger’s Global Climate Summit
Last week the Associated Press ran a story about how the air travel to California Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Global Climate Summit, which is being held this week in LA, would “discharge more than 2,554 metric tons of carbon dioxide-a so-called carbon footprint equivalent to that produced from 424 cars driven for a year” [link may expire].
Now, if the point of the AP article had been to illustrate the surprising amount of pollution that is generated from air travel, that would be one thing. But the point of the article was instead to illustrate that Schwarzenegger’s “conference, announced six weeks ago, itself will be a sizable source of the gases blamed for contributing to global climate change.” READ MORE
Schwarzenegger’s Global Climate Summit to help prepare for replacement to Kyoto Protocol
California Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Global Climate Summit is this Tuesday and Wednesday. The summit, which is in Beverly Hills, is expected to have 700 participants ranging from governmental leaders, scientists, environmentalists, and industry representatives, from around the US and the globe.
Schwarzenegger has called the conference in order to help create a framework for UN negotiators to use when the meet Poznan, Poland two weeks, in hopes of crafting a replacement to the Kyoto Protocol. READ MORE
Berkeley study finds vast economic benefits from climate laws
A UC Berkeley report delivered to the California state legislators last week found that The Global Warming Solutions Act (passed in 2006), which aims to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, could grow the annual Gross State Product by $74 billion and create 89,000 new jobs by 2020. READ MORE
405 to get carpool lane from I-10 to Hwy 101
Gov. Schwarzenegger announced that $730 million will be allocated towards adding a carpool lane on the northbound I-405 between I-10 and Highway 101. The project is projected to take four years and should end in the Summer of 2013. Additionally, the already existing lanes on that 10 mile stretch will be widened from 11 to 12 feet to meet federal standards.
Has the US become too big to be governable?
Gov. Schwarzenegger recently announced that he would be organizing a summit of local leaders from around the globe to discuss how to best fight climate change. Schwarzenegger, who has regularly come into conflict with his party and the Bush administration over environmental policy, is admirably filling the leadership vacuum, along with other local officials like Mayor Bloomberg in New York, that our federal government has created from its inaction on climate policy. As Schwarzenegger puts it, the federal government has been “asleep at the wheel.” Either that, or as a commenter in the above linked Grist article wondered: Has the US really become too big to implement an intelligent and comprehensive policy?
The goal of Schwarzenegger’s conference is to “form a broad international alliance, so that when the Kyoto negotiators start their work in Poland this December they will have our summit as a framework.” The Governors Global Climate Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 18 and 19. This is one month before the UN is scheduled to hold meetings in Poland to discuss what agreement will replace the Kyoto Protocol, set to expire at the end of 2012.
Ballot Measure R would fund widespread transportation improvements in Los Angeles
Another transit oriented measure will now be on the ballot this November in Los Angeles County. Yesterday Gov. Schwarzenegger signed a bill that will allow Measure R to go forward on the ballot. Measure R, if passed by two-thirds of voters, will increase sales tax by half-a-cent. The revenue generated, estimated to be around $40 billion over the 30 year lifespan of the tax, will be directed towards improving transportation in the County. Specific projects that could be funded include the Expo Line extension from Culver City to Santa Monica, extending the Gold Line in the San Gabriel Valley, building the “Subway to the Sea” as far as Westwood, as well as road improvements.
Although Los Angeles’ sales tax is already a whopping 8.25%, anyone who lives here knows the complete failure of our transportation system. While much of the tax revenue derived from our sales taxes is wasted, this is one chunk that would be put to good use.
