Weekly Green: July 9, 2013

Good morning, all. In the news in the past week:

• Sarah Rose at CLCV awards: Why it matters that 2020 is almost here;
• California plans to cut toxic waste in half by 2025;
• Toxic hotspots revealed on state map;
• Climate, Keystone, coal, and much more!

» Welcome to another edition of the Weekly Green, a no-frills news roundup provided free of charge by the California League of Conservation Voters. If you're not a regular subscriber, sign up today! Get your free subscription here: http://ecovote.org/wg

Above the Fold

Why it Matters that 2020 is Almost Here
CLCV Chief Executive Officer Sarah Rose addresses the attendees of the June 27 CLCV Environmental Leadership Awards in San Francisco.
http://www.ecovote.org/blog/why-it-matters-2020-almost-here

Coastal Commissioner Steve Blank resigns position
Steve Blank, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur [and CLCV Board member] who was viewed as a strong environmental voice on the California Coastal Commission, has resigned his position, saying that the commission’s role was weakened by the death of long-time executive director Peter Douglas, and other factors.
http://capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=11jp6lyvi5dhvda&xid=11jp5vslmbhplh8&done=.11jp6rqade6lxua

California Environmental News

California plans to cut toxic waste in half by 2025
California dumps a million tons of hazardous waste in landfills each year. Now the head of the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control says she wants to cut that amount in half within a dozen years.
http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2013/07/03/14166/california-plans-to-cut-toxic-waste-in-half-by-202/

Toxic hotspots revealed on state map
Barrio Logan, a port community at the intersection of freeways and industry, is the crossroads of pollution risk for San Diego County, according to CalEnviroscreen, a new state program that ranks communities by their environmental health.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jul/07/environment-pollution-hotspots-calepa-barrio-logan/

Calenviroscreen: http://oehha.ca.gov/ej/ces042313.html

New Los Angeles 'health atlas' shows alarming disparities between neighborhoods
Residents in North Hollywood, San Pedro and even Silver Lake die younger than those who reside just a few miles away in Sherman Oaks, Bel-Air and Westwood, according to key findings that, for the first time, will be included in the city of Los Angeles' general plan.
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_23610152/new-los-angeles-health-atlas-shows-alarming-disparities

Mapping California’s Biggest Polluters
Carbon dioxide, as everyone knows, is invisible. But with a little mapmaking magic, the greenhouse gas comes into sharp view in a rainbow of colors, and shows clearly how and where California contributes to global warming.
http://sfpublicpress.org/news/2013-07/mapping-californias-biggest-polluters

Walters: California oil could boom again
When the Legislature's 2013 session began, one of its hottest topics – as indicated by the number of bills – was hydraulic fracturing, a technique to extract oil from shale thousands of feet below the earth's surface with high-pressure injection of water and chemicals.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/08/5550761/dan-walters-california-oil-could.html

2014 water bond talks begin with 'proposed principles'
Public discussions of a revised state water bond for the 2014 ballot were launched Tuesday with release of "proposed principles" by the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/07/2014-water-bond-talks-begin-with-proposed-principles.html

Walters: Water bond, tunnels provide new test for Jerry Brown
When Jerry Brown pushed a major water plan through the Legislature during his first governorship, he violated one of the cardinal – albeit unspoken – rules of Capitol politics.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/07/5549704/dan-walters-water-bond-tunnels.html

Opponents take aim on bill that would ban lead ammunition
For the second time in six years, a battle is unfolding in the Legislature over the question of whether hunters should be prohibited from using traditional, lead ammunition and be required instead to fire at deer and other game animals with bullets made of less toxic metals such as copper.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/jul/06/opponents-take-aim-on-bill-that-would-ban-non/

Ex-Marine confirmed as state parks chief
The state Senate on Monday confirmed retired Marine General Anthony Jackson of Fallbrook as state parks chief, easily overriding complaints from some Republicans that he sidestepped controversies involving a proposed toll road and protections for the popular Trestles surfing spot near San Onofre State Beach.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jul/01/senate-dismisses-gop-complaints-oks-fallbrookss/

Low-cost compound saves crops water
Plants use less water when given an inexpensive chemical discovered by a UC Riverside researcher, according to a new study. Products developed from this research could help farmers cope with an increasingly strained water supply, in California and worldwide.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jul/01/cutler-quinabactin-water/

Study Of Tree Rings Reveals Climate Change’s Role In El Niño
Wildfires may be wreaking havoc in the Southwest right now, but it's only a matter of time until El Niño returns. And Jinbao Li of the University of Hong Kong thinks the flooding it often causes in Southern California will only get worse.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2013/jul/01/global-warming-aggravating-el-nino/

Sonar may pose risk for feeding blue whales
Scientists have already linked Navy sonar, commonly used in training exercises, to several mass dolphin and whale strandings around the world. But the reaction of nontoothed whales to such noises had not been examined until researchers performed a study that was released this week.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_23607593/sonar-may-pose-risk-feeding-blue-whales-researchers

Another day, another giant SolarCity project
SolarCity said this week it will build another huge solar project on a military base, this time in New Mexico. The project, which will equip some 600 homes with solar, is the San Mateo-based company's first foray into the Land of Enchantment.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2013/07/another-day-another-giant-solarcity.html

Another Large Solar Power Project Canceled in California
The Rio Mesa Solar Electric Generating System, which would have put two 750-foot-tall power towers on a bluff in view of the Colorado River, had attracted criticism for its effect on fossil resurces and wildlife, as well as the cost of the power it would have generated.
http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/concentrating-solar/rio-mesa-solar-project-canceled.html

State Wants More Info On Solar Project's Effects
Staff of the California Energy Commission (CEC) say they need a lot more information from the builder on a project's impacts to wildlife, archaeology, and other resources before they can sign off on it. The proposed Palen Solar Electric Generating System would be built a quarter miles from Interstate 10 halfway between Indio and Blythe in Riverside County.
http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/concentrating-solar/state-wants-more-info-on-solar-projects-effects.html

Port of Long Beach: Harbor leaders to fund demonstration of pollution-curbing technology
Harbor leaders voted Monday to pay $2 million to test new technology that would essentially vacuum up ship-generated pollution.
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_23578129/port-long-beach-harbor-leaders-fund-demonstration-pollution

Cities, environmental groups fight for larger recreation area in Angeles forest
Backers of a larger, more comprehensive National Recreation Area that would include most of the Angeles National Forest plus the San Gabriel River and the Puente-Chino Hills are asking 31 local cities to join their fight.
http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_23596542/cities-environmental-groups-fight-larger-recreation-area-angeles

Cash for Grass: DWP increases rebate to pique interest
It's real green for actual grass that you rip up and replace with California-friendly landscaping under a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power rebate program that was recently sweetened. The water conservation effort has been in place since 2009, and the utility recently raised the rebate amount from $1.50 to $2 per square foot to generate more interest.
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_23600794/cash-grass-dwp-increases-rebate-pique-interest

Bobcats face deadly diseases, weakened immune systems from exposure to household rat poison
Caught between the green lawns and the brown hills of Southern California is the North American bobcat, Lynx rufus. While not technically endangered, scientists as recently as June have watched healthy bobcats die of severe mange, a common skin disease caused by parasitic mites normally afflicting canines.
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_23622867

BART service resumes; August strike threat remains
BART trains began rolling again Friday, ending a 4 1/2 day strike -- for now. But the only thing the two sides appear to agree on is just how far apart they are from settling a labor dispute that could soon cripple the Bay Area commute once again.
http://www.mercurynews.com/traffic/ci_23605404/bart-service-resuming-strike-threatened-by-workers-early

California Politics

Walters: Legislative edge hinges on election
A relative handful of voters in the San Joaquin Valley may be deciding - whether they know it or not - effective control of the state Senate.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/08/5552880/dan-walters-legislative-edge-hinges.html

Gov. Jerry Brown is raising a whole lot of money
Though he hasn't publicly announced his candidacy for re-election in 2014, California Gov. Jerry Brown sure is taking in campaign contributions at a rapid clip.
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2013/07/05/gov-jerry-brown-is-raising-a-whole-lot-of-money/

Businesses Among Top Recent Brown Donors
California Governor Jerry Brown hasn't officially said he’s running for re-election, but a burgeoning campaign account suggests it’s likely. And the list of donors may surprise you.
http://www.capradio.org/6409

L.A. City Council a hot destination for former state legislators
Six new L.A. City Council members took office Monday, four of whom served in Sacramento. Skeptics worry that the council is becoming too uniform.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-new-council-20130705,0,2030400.story

Brown schedules special elections to replace Blumenfield, Price
The special elections to replace former Los Angeles legislators Sen. Curren Price and Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield will be held on Nov. 19. The primary elections will be held on September 17.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/07/brown-schedules-special-elections-to-replace-blumenfield-price.html

California legislators consider Saturday voting
Nearly two months after Los Angeles’ election saw dismal voter turnout, state lawmakers have advanced a bill that would allow voters the convenience of being able to cast their ballots on the weekend.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/political/la-me-pc-saturday-voting-proposed-20130702,0,5334866.story

National & Int'l Environmental News

EPA sends climate rule to White House
The agency sent the White House a new draft of its proposed greenhouse gas rule for future power plants, less than a week after Obama announced he was ordering the Environmental Protection Agency to undertake a huge effort to throttle carbon pollution from the power industry.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/epa-climate-rules-white-house-93612.html

Senate leans toward Gina McCarthy confirmation for EPA
The Senate seems likely to confirm Gina McCarthy as head of the Environmental Protection Agency in July despite warnings that President Barack Obama’s new climate agenda could torpedo her nomination.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/senate-leans-toward-mccarthy-confirmation-for-epa-93599.html

Deadly Derailment in Quebec Underlines Oil Debate
The derailment and explosions, which took place around 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, underscored a debate in the effort to transport North America’s oil across long distances: is it safer and less environmentally destructive to move huge quantities of crude oil by train or by pipeline? [How about using less oil? - Ed.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/08/world/americas/deadly-derailment-in-quebec-underlines-oil-debate.html

Utility 2.0: Can Political Activism and Microtargeting Boost Clean Energy?
Meet Ethical Electric and Faraday Energy, the new generation of politically aware energy companies.
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/utility-2.0-data-analytics-and-political-activism-to-meets-clean-energy

Feds give solar plants priority over mining on public lands
The federal Bureau of Land Management withdrew more than 300,000 acres of federal land in six Western states from eligibility for new mining claims in an effort to preserve the land for commercial-scale solar energy development.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-solar-priority-20130705,0,1296985.story

Green group: Climate change will hurt GOP appeal to young voters
Navin Nayak, the League of Conservation Voters's senior vice president of campaigns, likened the challenge Republicans face with young voters to the challenge they face with Hispanics.
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/309353-lcv-climate-change-will-hurt-gop-appeal-to-young-voters

Voting Scorecards Help Campaigns Get Out the Vote on the Cheap
The special election took place on a hot summer day, and only 27 percent of registered voters cast ballots. With a turnout as low as that, anything could have happened. In order to get potential Markey supporters to the polls, LCV used a strategy that is becoming more common: They sent out voter report cards. It resonates because it’s personalized.
http://www.wgbhnews.org/post/voting-scorecards-help-campaigns-get-out-vote-cheap

Why the ‘War on Coal’ Campaign Will Likely Fall Flat - Again
Within hours of President Obama's sweeping climate speech last week, Republican campaign committees reignited the charge that the president has declared "War on Coal." The "War on Coal campaign" failed to unseat Obama in the 2012 presidential campaign. And despite the potency of the rhetorical attack, it's unlikely to have much impact on the 2014 races.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/daily/why-the-war-on-coal-campaign-will-likely-fall-flat-again-20130702

How Obama Could Approve Keystone
Gazing into my columnist's crystal ball on a steamy summer day when many in the Obama administration have climate change on their minds, I see a decision coming on the Keystone XL pipeline on a cold December day when most people have holiday shopping on their minds.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/columns/power-play/how-obama-could-approve-keystone-20130630

The Coal Industry Knows That Enviros Are Winning
In May, the American Coal Council—an industry group whose membership includes the biggest coal producers and consumers in the US—hosted a webinar called "What Environmental Activists Are Planning for Coal in 2013."
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/07/coal-industry-knows-enviros-are-winning

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