Weekly Green: December 28, 2012

Good morning, all. Environmental news & opinions of the past week:

• EPA chief Lisa Jackson to step down after inauguration;
• West Antarctica warming fast, sea level rise may quicken;
• "Frankenfish" one step closer to approval;
• Will John Kerry elevate climate issues at State Department?
• California news, stick-on solar cells, voters' bad decisions, and much more.

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Top News

EPA chief Lisa Jackson resigns after tenure marked by friction with GOP
The most prominent member of Barack Obama's environmental team announced she was stepping down on Thursday, after four years of running battles with industry and Republicans in Congress opposed to stricter pollution controls.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/dec/27/epa-lisa-jackson-steps-down

West Antarctica warming fast, may quicken sea level rise - study
Annual average temperatures at the Byrd research station in West Antarctica had risen 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3F) since the 1950s, one of the fastest gains on the planet and three times the global average in a changing climate, it said. The unexpectedly big increase adds to fears the ice sheet is vulnerable to thawing.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/12/23/climate-antarctica-idINDEE8BM05D20121223

FDA closer to approving biotech salmon, critics furious
A controversial genetically engineered salmon has moved a step closer to the consumer's dining table after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday the fish didn't appear likely to pose a threat to the environment or to humans who eat it.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/21/us-usa-fish-gmo-idUSBRE8BK16O20121221

Senior EU official, lawmakers hope Kerry elevates climate at State
From Europe to Capitol Hill, proponents of stronger action to fight climate change are hopeful that Secretary of State nominee Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) will put global warming on the front burner at Foggy Bottom.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/274429-senior-eu-official-lawmakers-hope-kerry-elevates-climate-at-state-dept

California Politics & Government

Labor beat Prop. 32 via social media
Fusing a sophisticated data-mining operation with messages sent through social media platforms such as Facebook, the unions changed how they were singling out voters younger than 40 who don't watch TV. Within weeks, they saw support for their position among younger voters climb from 40 percent to 60 percent.
http://www.sfgate.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/Labor-beat-Prop-32-via-social-media-4145607.php

Prop. 13 revision efforts pick up steam
Analysts believe there is a window of opportunity to take on issues related to Prop. 13. Not only are Democrats - who control two-thirds of the Legislature - talking about other measures designed to chip away at some of Prop. 13's related provisions, but over the next few months, a group of liberals, union leaders and tax activists are meeting to figure out how to talk about curbing part of the measure's power. "I want to stress that nobody -- nobody -- wants to talk about" changing Prop. 13's provisions regarding residential property, said Steve Smith, a spokesman for the 2.1 million- member California Labor Federation.
http://www.sfgate.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/Prop-13-revision-efforts-pick-up-steam-4144515.php

California Environmental News

Regulators ask Edison questions about San Onofre restart plan
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission wants to know whether the plant would meet standards for tube integrity if one reactor unit were operated at 100% power.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-san-onofre-20121227,0,2654679.story

Climate change could cut Western water runoff by 10%
Another climate change study is projecting declines in runoff in many parts of the West, a scenario that would put more pressure on the region's water supplies.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-climate-change-water-supplies-20121226,0,5925540.story

New Lake Tahoe plan to allow higher density development
New regional plan was devised under pressure from Nevada, which has threatened to pull out of a 1969 compact with California that set strict controls in the area.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lake-tahoe-20121225,0,1292195.story

Alarming Radiation Levels Found on Treasure Island
Navy officials have repeatedly downplayed the risks of radiation exposure to current and former residents on Treasure Island. But data from the US Navy shows that measurements taken in former residential areas of the island revealed pockets of alarmingly high radiation levels.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/alarming-radiation-levels-found-on-treasure-island/Content?oid=3422163

Municipal Railway celebrates 100 years
The San Francisco Municipal Railway is celebrating its 100th birthday Friday by giving its customers a present – free rides for one and all.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Municipal-Railway-celebrates-100-years-4150766.php

More Environmental News

On a Wyoming Ranch, Feds Sacrifice Tomorrow’s Water to Mine Uranium Today
A roiling conflict between state and federal regulators over whether to allow more mining at Christensen Ranch — and the damage that comes with it — has pitted the feverish drive for domestic energy against the need to protect water resources for the future. The outcome could have far-reaching implications, setting a precedent for similar battles sparked by the resurgence of uranium mining in Texas, South Dakota, New Mexico and elsewhere.
http://www.propublica.org/article/on-a-wyoming-ranch-feds-sacrifice-tomorrows-water-to-mine-uranium-today

Stick-On Solar Cells Power Your Device
Solar cells are getting better at harvesting energy from the sun and turning that into electricity. But because they're made from plastic or glass, solar cells are bulky and stiff, which limits where they can be used. That's about to change. A group at Stanford University has made a photovoltaic cell that can be peeled off of a backing like a sticker and attached to any surface.
http://news.discovery.com/tech/stick-on-solar-cells-121227.html

And finally...

Study: Voters' ill-informed decision making
"Our results suggest severe limitations in humans' ability to accurately and impartially judge the performance of politicians," said Gregory Huber, co-author of the study and a political science professor at Yale University.
http://totalbuzz.ocregister.com/2012/12/26/study-voters-ill-informed-decision-making/90051/

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