Weekly Green: November 19, 2012

In recent headlines:

• California's first cap-and-trade auction a success;
• Poll: Voters divided over easing state's environmental laws;
• Wildlife habitat patterns changing;
• California bullet train moves forward;
• Marines create a haven for threatened desert tortoise;
• And much more.

Top of the Ticket

California's first cap-and-trade auction sells out, deemed 'a success'
State regulators celebrated the results of California's first-ever auction of greenhouse gas emission permits Monday, saying the long-awaited kickoff to the nation's first carbon marketplace was a success.
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_22028077/californias-first-cap-and-trade-auction-sells-out

Cap and trade may be plum for homeowners
California residents would see no net increase in their monthly utility bills as a result of the state's new cap-and-trade system to fight global warming, under a proposal issued Friday by state regulators.
http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Cap-and-trade-may-be-plum-for-homeowners-4045628.php

State's first cap-and-trade auction in the history books
It was kind of like eBay. For three hours on Wednesday, millions of dollars worth of pollution credits were expected to be sold to scores of companies at California's first auction under the state's 2006 law to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=1105d9eigjl9sw8&xid=1105aavdyyfh60f&done=.1105d9eigjlfsw8

Jerry Brown: Act now on climate change
California Gov. Jerry Brown urged thousands of entrepreneurs attending a green-building convention in San Francisco on Friday to push for more national action on climate change.
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Jerry-Brown-Act-now-on-climate-change-4045481.php

California Environment

Poll: Voters divided over easing state's environmental laws
California voters are divided over whether the state should overhaul its environmental laws, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/11/poll-voters-divided-over-easing-states-environmental-laws.html

In state Senate, only 2 Republicans can surf
By now it's been widely reported that this election year was not a good one for Republicans in the California state Senate. Between redistricting and election outcomes, they lost three seats, which gives Democrats a 28-12 advantage, and two-thirds majority control with a seat to spare. But what's not been remarked upon is that while Republicans lost ground all over, they nearly surrendered the coast.
http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/therdt/archives/2012/11/in-state-senate.html

Wildlife habitat patterns changing
Landmark changes in wildlife behavior in the past 25 years, caused by a variety of reasons, are transforming the scope of the outdoors in California. These changes seem to reach everywhere and touch everything. In some cases, it's as if new strains of species are evolving:
http://www.sfgate.com/outdoors/article/Wildlife-habitat-patterns-changing-4046806.php

California bullet train moves forward, judge denies farmers' plea to halt project
California's $69 billion bullet train will continue zooming toward a groundbreaking next year after a judge on Friday denied a last-ditch request from Central Valley opponents to halt all work on the state's high speed rail project.
http://www.mercurynews.com/california-high-speed-rail/ci_22014189/california-bullet-train-moves-forward-judge-denies-farmers

Bullet-train planners face huge engineering challenge
A plan as audacious in the 21st century as Hood's was in the 19th century is taking shape on the drawing boards of California's bullet train planners. The crossing of not only the Tehachapi Mountains but the San Gabriel Mountains is seizing the imagination of engineers who see it as the greatest design challenge of the $68-billion project.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bullet-mountains-20121113,0,4082877.story

State cites waste dump for 72 violations in spills
A Central California hazardous waste dump that has been targeted by fines and claims by nearby residents involving birth defects has another headache: The state has issued 72 violations alleging small spills went unreported during the past four years.
http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/State-cites-waste-dump-for-72-violations-in-spills-4042558.php

What if a superstorm strikes Sacramento? Flooding danger puts the capital at risk of a disaster worse than Sandy
Superstorm Sandy made one thing clear to millions in the New York metro area: Despite modern transportation and communication systems, and extensive water and electricity services, nature is still in control.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/18/4994108/what-if-a-superstorm-strikes-sacramento.html

PG&E plan to conduct underwater seismic tests is shot down
The California Coastal Commission cites potentially deadly harm to threatened and endangered marine animals in denying PG&E a permit to conduct the tests near the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1115-sonic-20121115,0,6017541.story

What Are Richmond Residents Breathing?
On August 6th, a fire broke out at the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, hobbling refinery operations, contributing to a statewide spike in gas prices, and sending 15 thousand people to nearby hospitals, complaining of headaches, dizziness and other ailments.
http://science.kqed.org/quest/audio/what-are-richmond-residents-breathing/

O.C. bird die-off raising concerns among experts
In the last two weeks nearly three dozen dead and dying water fowl have been found in several areas across Orange County, including Lake Forest and Santa Ana. More than a dozen were found at the Village Pond in Lake Forest. At least 16 dead and dying ducks have been found at Carl Thornton Park near South Coast Plaza in Santa Ana. Most have been migratory birds such as the American wigeon, American coots and some mallards.
http://www.ocregister.com/news/birds-377977-dead-bird.html

Lawsuit could threaten SD water supplies
A Sacramento Superior Court judge heard final arguments Wednesday in a complex lawsuit with far-reaching consequences for future water supplies and rates in San Diego County.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/nov/14/lawsuit-could-threaten-sd-water-supplies/

Petroglyph thefts near Bishop stun federal authorities, Paiutes
At least four ancient petroglyphs were cut from cliffs at the Volcanic Tableland and dozens of others damaged in 'the worst act of vandalism ever seen' on federal lands in the area.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-petroglyphs-theft-20121119,0,6886011.story

Marines create a haven for threatened desert tortoise
About 500 hatchlings are being protected from predators at a 5-acre site on the Twentynine Palms base under a partnership between the Marine Corps and UCLA.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-adv-marines-tortoise-20121120,0,2620353.story

National & International News

For BP, restoring its image is a bigger task than paying billions
BP can easily afford a $4.5-billion settlement, but it could take time for it to rebuild its reputation after the fatal oil rig explosion and oil spill in 2010.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bp-ahead-20121116,0,7503040.story

Climate change may explain Maya rise and fall, study says
Evidence of abundant rainfall early in the Maya civilization and drought later could explain its fate, scientists suggest.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-maya-climate-change-20121117,0,3474592.story

Scientists think a third of sea species unknown
The world's oceans are teeming with as many as a million different species - from microscopic plankton to monster whales - and possibly a third of them are still unknown to science, according to the first full-scale register of the seas' diversity.
http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Scientists-think-a-third-of-sea-species-unknown-4042627.php

China's 'Gridlock' May Slow Conversion to Clean Energy
As recent events on the East Coast have graphically shown, the "grid" that provides our electricity can be a fragile thing. Building a modern, more resilient version will cost hundreds of billions of dollars-but most agree it's essential to a cleaner, more energy-efficient future. It's a challenge confronting California and the nation-as well as other nations-notably China, where the aging grid is already proving to be an obstacle to "greening" that nation's energy production.
http://science.kqed.org/quest/2012/11/16/china's-'gridlock'-may-slow-conversion-to-clean-energy/

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