Daily Green

In today’s news:

• Whitman sets U.S. record for candidate's donation to campaign;
• Governor ponders bill to rescue oil spill fund;
• Prop. 23 throwdown at the Sac Press Club!;
• Randy Rieland: “Welcome to the real climate war: Big Oil versus the Terminator”;
• More on the secret oil industry memo about Prop 23;
• Federal transportation money: What does it mean for California?;
• Graham Brownstein, Stuart Cohen: “Focusing on efficiency, SB 375 is vital to a stronger California economy”;
• More solar-power projects sprouting in the Valley; “From the Roof, to a Battery, to the Grid”;
• Sewer excavation project is a subject of San Bruno explosion probe;
• More on environmental hazards from San Bruno explosion;
• Local agencies can't limit train emissions, court rules;
• Another study about air pollution and pesticides;
• New air quality plan for Bay Area;
• Increase in shark-bitten otters on Calif. coast;
• Boeing, feds will pay Fresno settlement;
• Salton Sea Authority wants answer from state on dam construction;
• State politics (with more governor’s race news);
• National environmental news;
• David Allgood’s Cure for Insomnia is the goat cheese on your news cracker.

Top News

Multiple sources 9/16/10
“Whitman sets U.S. record for candidate's donation to campaign”
“The Republican hopeful breaks New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's record. Democratic foe Jerry Brown derides the donation and her refusal to pull an ad featuring Bill Clinton”
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/la-me-0916-whitman-20100916,0,7780311.story
http://www.contracostatimes.com/politics-government/ci_16086493

San Francisco Chronicle 9/16/10
“Governor ponders bill to rescue oil spill fund”
“California's oil-spill fund is headed for bankruptcy, leaving the state virtually unprepared for a Gulf of Mexico-like catastrophe if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger does not sign a ramped-up oil-spill prevention bill, said a Marin lawmaker and environmentalists Wednesday.”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/16/BAKE1FEKDT.DTL&type=green

San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento Bee 9/15/10
“Prop. 23 throwdown at the Sac Press Club!”
“The arguments over Prop. 23, the November ballot measure to suspend California's greenhouse gas emission law, were front and center at a debate at the Sacramento Press Club today. Assemblyman Dan Logue, R-Linda (Yuba County), who has spearheaded the effort, traded jabs over jobs, health and the economy with Tom Steyer, a San Francisco-based hedge fund founder, who is co-chairing the campaign to defeat it.”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=72437
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2010/09/proposition-23-luncheon.html

Grist 9/15/10
Randy Rieland: “Welcome to the real climate war: Big Oil versus the Terminator”
“The big news is the upset victory of Tea Partier and Republican Party reject Christine O'Donnell in Delaware's GOP Senate primary. It means that now all the Republican candidates for the Senate are climate change deniers. It also means Republicans have a much slimmer chance of winning back the Senate. (We hope.) But the real war over climate change is being waged in the states where Big Oil and Tea Partiers are so fanatical they're taking on the Terminator.”
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-09-15-climate-war-big-oil-versus-the-Terminator/

California Majority Report 9/15/10
Steven Maviglio: “Secret Out-of-State Oil Industry Memo: Prop. 23 About Their ‘Self-Interest’”
“The National Petroleum Refiners Association, led by Valero CEO Bill Klesse, is pressing more of its out-of-state oil companies to contribute millions to Prop. 23 for the industry’s ‘self-interest,’ according to an internal e-mail.”
http://www.camajorityreport.com/index.php?module=articles&func=display&aid=4512&ptid=9

State Environmental News

Capitol Weekly 9/16/10
“Federal transportation money: What does it mean for California?”
“The waiting game has begun. President Obama announced a plan over Labor Day weekend to pump $50 billion into nation-wide transportation projects.But with multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects in gridlock throughout California, government officials, agencies, and labor unions are waiting skeptically to see if the President’s plan can survive Congress, let alone make it into California.”
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=z4xjyx5s2n5iop&xid=z4vaa7w14exhfo&done=.z4xk24cpsitjht

Capitol Weekly (opinion) 9/16/10
Graham Brownstein, Stuart Cohen: “Focusing on efficiency, SB 375 is vital to a stronger California economy”
“SB 375 (Steinberg) was passed in 2008 under the rubric of climate protection. But there is a new, rather staggering realization: SB 375 may provide the critical boost our taxpayers, cities and regions need to grow their economies and reap savings from more vibrant and efficient communities. That’s because SB 375 focuses on efficiency; it will make it easier for people to drive less by spurring convenient communities, shorter commutes, and more transportation choices.”
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=z4xjyx5s2n5iop&xid=z4vowwkzp4tvh4&done=.z4xk5jovg9tkkc

Fresno Bee 9/16/10
“More solar-power projects sprouting in the Valley”
“Cities are continuing to latch onto solar power as a means of saving money on their energy bills. One of the latest installations is a spread of solar panels at the city of Madera's wastewater treatment plant. Construction on the plant began in January and it became operational on Aug. 25. Officials plan to dedicate the facility in the near future.”
http://fresnobeehive.com/news/2010/09/more_solar-power_projects_spro.html

Green (NY Times blog) 9/15/10
“From the Roof, to a Battery, to the Grid”
“In the garage of Peter Rive’s San Francisco home is a Tesla Motors battery pack. It is not connected to Mr. Rive’s electric Tesla Roadster sports car, but to the power grid. The California Public Utilities Commission has awarded $1.8 million to Mr. Rive’s company, SolarCity, a residential photovoltaic panel installer, to research the feasibility of storing electricity generated by rooftop solar arrays in batteries.”
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/from-the-roof-to-a-battery-to-the-grid/

Los Angeles Times 9/16/10
“Sewer excavation project is a subject of San Bruno explosion probe”
“Work on sewer lines near the explosion in 2008 used "pipe bursting" method known to carry risk to nearby pipes. Schwarzenegger calls for federal disaster relief as Obama proposes tighter oversight.”
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-san-bruno-pipeline-20100916,0,479547.story

Associated Press, San Mateo County Times 9/16/10
“Crews rush to remove tainted ash from San Bruno”
“Government agencies are rushing to remove contaminated ash from the explosion and fire that ripped through a San Francisco suburb to reduce health and environmental hazards.”
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/16/3034800/crews-rush-to-remove-tainted-ash.html
http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_16089214

Calitics 9/16/10
Robert Cruickshank: “Did PG&E Delay Pipeline Fix To Spend Money on Prop 16?”
“The SF Chronicle reports that PG&E planned to fix part of the pipeline that exploded in San Bruno - but last year delayed the fix to spend the money elsewhere. The big question is, did that delay happen so PG&E could spend $46 million to try and undermine local democracy in their attempt to pass Prop 16?”
http://www.calitics.com/diary/12518/did-pge-delay-pipeline-fix-to-spend-money-on-prop-16

Los Angeles Times 9/16/10
“Local agencies can't limit train emissions, court rules”
“U.S. 9th Circuit panel says Southern California air quality board can't impose restrictions that could interfere with interstate commerce.”
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-air-pollution-railroads-20100916,0,1629222.story

Fresno Bee 9/16/10
“Another study about air pollution and pesticides”
“There's another ominous study out about the chemical bombardment from air pollution and pesticides on the Sierra Nevada and other natural land in California.”
http://fresnobeehive.com/news/2010/09/another_ominous_study_about_ai.html

Contra Costa Times 9/15/10
“Clean Air Plan sets blueprint for healthier air”
“Homeowners with open hearth fireplaces could be required to upgrade to low-emitting fireplace inserts or stoves before selling their homes. A Bay Area version of a "Cash for Clunkers" program could be expanded to get polluting cars off the road.”
www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_16084472

Associated Press 9/16/10
“Increase in shark-bitten otters on Calif. coast”
“A record number of shark-bitten sea otters were found last month along the state's Central Coast, possibly because cooler ocean temperatures that create ideal conditions for sharks, according to the California Department of Fish and Game.”
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/16/3034350/increase-in-shark-bitten-otters.html

Fresno Bee 9/15/10
“Boeing, feds will pay Fresno settlement”
“Fresno city officials got a rare bit of good budget news Wednesday: A lawsuit settlement with the federal government and Boeing Corp. would mean millions for the city.”
www.fresnobee.com/2010/09/15/2080291/boeing-feds-will-pay-fresno-settlement.html

Inland Valley Press 9/16/10
“Salton Sea Authority wants answer from state on dam construction”
“Salton Sea Authority officials want to determine from the state the standard to which a proposed dam should be built as part of a slated $9 billion effort to restore the lake, a representative said Wednesday.”
www.ivpressonline.com/articles/2010/09/16/local_news/news05.txt

State Political News

Sacramento Bee 9/16/10
“Jerry Brown unveils start-from-scratch budget plan for California”
“Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown has released a budget plan that would start next year's spending plan from scratch.”
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/16/3033148/jerry-brown-unveils-start-from.html

Calitics 9/16/10
Robert Cruickshank: “Yelpers Call BS on Meg Whitman's Lies”
“Yesterday Whitman thought she'd use Yelp, the successful online reviewing site, as a prop to argue that the state needed to follow her reckless and damaging plan of destroying state government and further enriching the wealthy. But the Yelpers had other plans. They weren't about to be used as props, and instead showed that Californians aren't going to be fooled by Whitman's campaign lies.”
http://www.calitics.com/diary/12520/yelpers-call-bs-on-meg-whitmans-lies

Oakland Tribune 9/16/10
“Whitman visits Yelp, discusses record $119 million spending”
“Republican gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman has surpassed New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for the highest personal contribution in U.S. campaign history: $119 million from her own pocket.”
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16085985

San Francisco Chronicle 9/16/10
“Meg Whitman fields press questions in SF: (VIDEO) on campaign spending, Prop. 23, Tea Party.....and more spending”
“Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman hit the Democratic stronghold of San Francisco Wednesday on the day she hit the record books as the largest self-funded candidate ever.”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=72442

San Francisco Chronicle 9/15/10
“Comcast will air teachers union's re-lawyered anti-Meg Whitman ad Thursday”
“To follow up on something that we told you earlier would be happening, the California Teachers Association has lawyered up their Meg Whitman-bashing ad -- and the tweaks (roughly about four words)-- were enough to satisfy Comcast, which pulled the teachers' ad this week.”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=72448

Calbuzz 9/16/10
“eMeg: $203,767 Per Day; Brown’s Budget Record”
“As Governor Schwarz- muscle and the Legislature grow ever closer to California’s all-time Belated Budget Record, Jerry Brown keeps promising he can do better in getting a state spending plan approved in a timely fashion.”
http://www.calbuzz.com/2010/09/emeg-203767-per-day-browns-budget-record/

Los Angeles Times (column) 9/16/10
George Skelton: “Brown is lucky—and needs to be luckier”
“He'll need more good fortune to overcome Whitman's fact-bending by election day.”
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cap-20100916,0,5993387.column

Capitol Weekly 9/16/10
John Howard: “Brown on the run: Targets his own, as well as Whitman”
“He’s running against his own Democrats – the same party that already has given him $2.27 million, the same party he once headed, the same party he often shunned. He’s running against the Legislature, the budget morass and the Capitol’s ruling Democrats, distancing himself from the same people who came out to support him at a Land Park rally. He’s running against himself.”
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=z4xjyx5s2n5iop&xid=z4v9rxqh3q5czy&done=.z4xjyx5s2nuiop

Los Angeles Times 9/16/10
“Boxer TV ad condemns Fiorina's raises, layoffs at HP”
“The 30-second spot features clips from previous Fiorina interviews in which she discusses laying off 30,000 workers during her time as CEO.”
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/la-me-0916-boxer-20100916,0,3729762.story

Capital Notes (KQED blog) 9/16/10
“Budget +78: Back At It”
“Chances are that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's body clock is still many time zones ahead of ours -- in fact, it's already the 79th day of the state budget impasse in the countries where he spent most of the past week on a trade mission promoting California.”
http://blogs.kqed.org/capitalnotes/2010/09/16/budget-78-back-to-budget/

Los Angeles Times 9/16/10
“State Sen. Rod Wright indicted on voter fraud, perjury”
“A Los Angeles County Grand Jury on Thursday unsealed an eight-count felony indictment against state Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood), accusing him of filing a false declaration of candidacy, voter fraud and perjury beginning in 2007, when he changed his voter registration to run for the Legislature.”
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/09/state-sen-rod-wright-.html

National Environmental News

Los Angeles Times (opinion) 9/16/10
“This is how they treat their friends?”
“A meeting between students and Obama administration officials about solar panels on the roof of the White House leaves a sour taste.”
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-mckibben-solar-white-house-20100916,0,7330781.story

Politico 9/16/10
“W.H.: Gulf drilling jobs will return”
“The White House is fighting back against claims its offshore drilling moratorium will cause dramatic job loses along the Gulf Coast with a new report that says most jobs aren't gone forever.”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42266.html

Green (NY Times blog) 9/16/10
“Q. and A.: Hastening the Energy Revolution”
“The economist Nobuo Tanaka, the agency’s executive director since 2007, says a historic ‘energy revolution’ is needed both to ensure energy security and to prevent climate change… We spoke with Mr. Tanaka on Wednesday at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where he was giving a lecture. Following are excerpts, edited for brevity and clarity.”
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/q-and-a-hastening-the-energy-revolution/

Associated Press 9/16/10
“Coal miners rally against Obama administration”
“Hundreds of coal miners rallied on Capitol Hill Wednesday against the Obama administration's attempts to rein in mountaintop removal mining, accusing the Environmental Protection Agency of trying to wipe out the coal industry.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/15/AR2010091503307.html

Green (NY Times blog) 9/16/10
“Pipelines and Anxiety: What Next?”
“As anyone living in the Midwest can tell you, gasoline prices have been mighty high in recent days. Since a pipeline operated by the Canadian company Enbridge ruptured last week outside of Chicago, the second such incident concerning an Enbridge pipeline in the Midwest this summer, prices at the pump have spurted up as much as 30 cents a gallon around much of the region.”
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/pipelines-and-anxiety-what-next/

David Allgood’s Cure for Insomnia

The Big Spill Day 145:

Outgoing BP CEO defends safety record in front of Parliamentary committee.
www.aolnews.com/gulf-oil-spill/article/tony-hayward-defends-bps-safety-record/19634483

Tracking BP's oil after it hit the beaches.
www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0915/Gulf-oil-spill-After-it-hit-beaches-where-did-it-go

BP insists deep water North Sea drilling will go ahead.
www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/sep/15/bp-deepwater-drilling-north-sea

Scientists' work on catastrophic spill far from over.
www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/09/15/100645/noaa-head-scientists-work-on-gulf.html

Fossil Fuel Funtime:

Obama Administration calls for tougher federal oversight of gas pipelines.
www.presstelegram.com/breakingnews/ci_16085283

Shell, BP may reap "serious profits" pumping CO2 into wells to solve problem they played huge role in creating.
www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-15/shell-bp-may-reap-serious-profit-by-using-co2-in-oil-fields.html

TURN says PG&E knew of San Bruno pipeline risk.
www.montereyherald.com/news/ci_16090087?nclick_check=1

Louisiana has a love hate relationship with oil industry, addicted to the money.
www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oil-louisiana-20100915,0,6792878.story

Shipment of oversized oil equipment threatens scenic area of Idaho and Montana.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/

Lawsuit blames fracking for poisoning Pennsylvania wells.
www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/lawsuit_hydrofracking_fluid_ru.html

Science lab finds toxic chemicals from gas drilling in Dimrock, PA water supply.
http://thetimes-tribune.com/private-lab-finds-toxic-chemicals-in-dimock-water-1.1014476

News from the Homeland:

Study shows women more likely than men to accept climate science.
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/sep/15/climate-change-gender-divide-belief

Republican Senator threatens to hold up food safety bill.
www.thecalifornian.com/article/20100915/BUSINESS/100915019/Senator-pledges-to-hold-up-food-safety-bill

Federal court rules local agencies can’t regulation train emissions.
www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-air-pollution-railroads-20100916,0,1199313.story

Energy costs push or Producers Price Index.
www.nytimes.com/2010/09/17/business/economy/17econ.html?hpw

Frito-Lay rolls out first electric delivery trucks.
www.enn.com/business/article/41780

PA Governor apologizes for tracking environmental “extremists”.
www.propublica.org/blog/item/pa-govenor-apologizes-for-tracking-enviro-extremists-but-questions-remain

EPA fines 99cent stores for selling unregistered and mislabeled pesticides.
www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-99-cents-only-fine-20100916,0,3406710.story

Local News from the Golden State:

Blythe 1000 megawatt solar thermal plant gets state approval.
www.mydesert.com/article/20100916/BUSINESS05/9150383/Commission+OKs+Blythe+Solar+Project+project

LA port develops passion for green jobs.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/09/port-develops-a-passion-for-green-jobs.html

Sunrise Powerlink granted permits.
www.ivpressonline.com/articles/2010/09/16/local_news/news04.txt

Oxnard appeals decision to allow peaker power plant.
www.vcstar.com/news/2010/sep/15/oxnard-is-appealing-courts-decision-to-allow/

Cayuma residents fear local carrot farms are poisoning them.
www.independent.com/news/2010/sep/16/caught-carrot-crossfire/

News Of The World:

Tiger “clusters” seen as last hope for the species.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/59549

Arctic ice melts quickly in 2010.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11322310

Russia-Norway pact on exploiting Arctic resources puts pressure on US & Canada.
www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/russia-norway-pact-on-arctic-zone-puts-pressure-on-ottawa/article1709374/

Public awareness of biodiversity crisis is non-existent.
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/sep/16/public-awareness-biodiversity-crisis

Walruses flee ice sheets in warmest year on record.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/59544

Shutting down wind turbine blades on warm nights urged to save world’s bats.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/09/100915-energy-wind-bats/

News from the EU:

North Sea cod quota raised, herring quota lowered.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/59542

News from the Land of 1.4 Billion People:

China struggling to meet energy efficiency goals.
www.nytimes.com/2010/09/17/business/energy-environment/17energy.html?_r=1&hpw

News from the Damp Isles:

UK needs positive leadership on climate change.
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2010/sep/16/britain-leadership-climate-change

Proposed badger slaughter may worsen problem.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11303939

Climate committee urges government to prepare for climate impacts.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11322929

Green jobs will drive UK recovery.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11312340

Scotland considers tougher protection for raptors.
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/16/scotland-birds-of-prey

News From The Land Of the Four O’Clock Sun:

Leaked BC ministry memo raises concerns among environmentalists.
www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/leaked-bc-ministry-reorganization-memo-scares-enviros---103001329.html

Oil sands company says it is turning ugly duckling waste ponds into environmental swans.
www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/oilsands-giant-suncor-says-its-turning-ugly-oilsands-tailings-pond-into-swan-102996769.html

Plan to ship radioactive scrap could spark protest.
www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/mayor-says-bruce-powers-plan-to-ship-radioactive-scrap-could-spark-protest-103031134.html

News From the Rest of the World:

Egyptian fuel spill fouls Nile, threatens drinking water.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2010/09/egypt-water-purification-stations-blocked-to-face-nile-fuel-leakage.html

Japanese firms partner to recycle and reuse lithium batteries.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/59545

Ecuador seeks funding help to protect Amazon.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/59541

Frogs In The News:

Mountain yellow legged frog moves toward California endangered list.
www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2010/mountain-yellow-legged-frog-09-15-2010.html

Australian shire council tries to stay ahead of invasive chubby frog.
www.lakesmail.com.au/news/local/news/general/wyongs-leap-of-faith-to-beat-new-frog/1943587.aspx

Frog beats out weasel for California protection.
www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/09/15/100649/frog-1-weasel-0-as-california.html

Best Headlines Ever:

Amateur scientist discovers snails have homing instinct.
www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8004453/Snails-have-homing-instinct-amateur-scientist-discovers.html

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