Daily Green

Hello and good afternoon all. The Daily Green returns to a daily schedule today. In the news:

Top News

Los Angeles Times (Greenspace blog) 9/8/10

“Gulf oil spill: BP report spreads blame for Deepwater Horizon disaster”

“BP blamed a series of mechanical and human failures by its own crews and its contractors for the April 20 oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, escalating a blame game that is likely headed to the courts. The oil company, releasing its long-awaited internal investigation into the gulf disaster Wednesday, accepted a share of the responsibility but also took aim at failures on the part of contractors Transocean and Halliburton for shortcomings such as a "bad cement job" and a failure to spot problems.”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/09/gulf-oilispill-bp-report-spreads-blame-for-deepwater-horizon-disaster.html

KQED (Climate Watch) 9/7/10

“Republican Candidates Ambivalent About Prop 23”

“The e-mail from the Fiorina campaign Friday didn't exactly sound like a ringing endorsement.... The problem for a Republican candidate -- as the Los Angeles Times puts it -- is the split between some party loyalists who like the idea of suspending AB 32, and the hordes of independent voters in this state who support environmental measures.”

http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2010/09/07/republican-candidates-ambivalent-about-prop-23/

San Jose Mercury News 9/7/10

“Chevron may be seeking exemption from state environmental laws for its refinery rebuilding project”

“One of Northern California's largest polluters may be trying to orchestrate a last-minute deal with Sacramento lawmakers to evade state environmental laws, potentially increasing its toxic emissions and skirting two court rulings.”

http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_16002145

California Progress Report 9/8/10

“Billionaire Polluters Pay a Million to Foul California’s Air – Who’s Behind Prop 23?” (by CLCV Board Member Ann Notthoff)

“Of one thing you can be certain: when the Koch Brothers ride into town, dirty money follows. This is particularly bad news for California as the Koch Brothers arrived last week to join other out of state polluters paying big bucks to sully the air of the Golden State.”

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=node/8140

State Environmental News: Elections

San Francisco Chronicle 9/7/10

“Barbara Boxer backs green jobs at Solazyme”

“Boxer appeared briefly in South San Francisco Tuesday at Solazyme, a 100-employee company that is pioneering a technology that extracts oil from algae. There she stressed her opposition to Proposition 23, a measure on the November ballot that would badly damage AB32, the state's landmark climate-change law.”

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/07/BA5S1FA4A5.DTL

Associated Press 9/6/10

“Debate Sought Over Merits Of Calif. Climate Law”

“Supporters of California's global warming law want a debate with the oil companies that are trying to undermine it on this November's ballot. San Francisco investment banker Thomas Steyer said in a letter sent Tuesday to Valero Energy Corp. Chairman and CEO William Klesse that the two should argue the merits of suspending AB32. The 2006 law seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide to 1990 levels over the next decade.”

http://cbs13.com/wireapnewsca/Supporter.of.California.2.1900377.html

California Majority Report 9/8/10

“What's Valero Afraid Of? Mouthpiece Says Debate on Prop 23 Would Be 'Diversionary'”

“What is Valero's CEO Bill Klesse, who has testified numerous times on Capitol Hill against climate change legislation and spearheaded the companies massive investments in federal lobbying and campaigns (see http://www.dirtyenergymoney.com/) so afraid of?”

http://www.camajorityreport.com/index.php?module=articles&func=display&aid=4498&ptid=9

Appeal Democrat 9/8/10

“Logue calls Prop. 23 debate offer 'bizarre'”

“Assemblyman Dan Logue, who wrote the November ballot measure that would suspend AB32 until state unemployment drops by more than half and remains there for a year, said the challenge was political posturing. "It's so bizarre it's hard to comment on," said Logue, R-Linda, a former Yuba County supervisor. "The real issue at stake here is a million jobs on the line."”

http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/ab32-98856-logue-ballot.html

Multiple Sources 9/6/10

“Oil company owned by Tea Party's billionaire brothers gives $1 million to fight California's climate change law”

“An oil company headed by conservative billionaires David and Charles Koch has contributed $1 million to the campaign to suspend the state's landmark climate change law.”

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_15993066

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hKPBv6ryL27OX8lhnZ0QgZWhXl7QD9I192J00

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prop-23-koch-20100904,0,969078.story

http://www.grist.org/article/koch-brothers-jump-into-prop-23-fight/

ClimateBiz 9/8/10

“An Open Letter to Texas: Don't Mess with California”

“It has come to my attention that two of your homegrown companies are attempting to change the laws in our fine state. They want to suspend AB-32, a job-creating act that looks towards the future and helps develop new ways to meet our energy and economic needs.”

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2010/09/08/open-letter-texas-dont-mess-california

California Watch 9/8/10

“Out-of-state polluters pump up effort to kill climate law”

“Industrial polluters from outside of California, including Koch Industries, are stepping up the pressure to kill AB 32, California’s landmark climate change law, by flooding millions of dollars into the campaign set to derail the landmark legislation.”

http://californiawatch.org/watchblog/out-state-polluters-pump-effort-kill-climate-law-4541

Los Angeles Times 9/8/10

“Global warming bill a lose-lose issue for GOP candidates”

“Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina have wavered on Proposition 23, trying to appease their conservative base without alienating independent voters. Fiorina finally came out in favor of it last week.”

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0908-gop-global-20100908,0,7403132.story

Press Democrat (Editorial) 9/8/10

“No on 23”

“This is no time to go back on California's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and trying to limit the impacts of global climate change. Gubernatorial candidates Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman don't agree on much, but they both oppose Proposition 23. And on this issue, they're both right.”

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100908/OPINION/100909640?Title=PD-Editorial-No-on-23

Daily Democrat (Editorial) 9/8/10

“Vote against suspension of climate law”

“Supporters of Proposition 23 are right about one thing: Job creation is absolutely essential to California's future. Which is precisely why voters should reject the measure -- it would kill the state's primary economic engine, now and for years to come.”

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/editorial/ci_16019521

The Union 9/8/10

“Prop 23: A bad idea for Nevada County”

“The status quo (dirty air) is hazardous to human health, specifically in Nevada County. The Republican party representing Nevada County has embraced that status quo by doing the bidding of sources of the dirty air, the oil and gas industry, with apparent disregard for the health and welfare of their constituents, via Proposition 23. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be. Vote No on Proposition 23.”

http://www.theunion.com/article/20100908/NEWS/100909789/1024

Grist 9/7/10

“California's Prop 23 is bad news for Latino families”

“The upcoming November election contains a ballot initiative that will threaten all Californians' health and safety. But the Latino community will suffer disproportionate harm.”

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-09-07-californias-prop-23-is-bad-news-for-latino-families/

Salon 9/6/10

“The Koch brothers invade California”

“Through one of their many subsidiaries, Flint Hills Resources, a Kansas petrochemical company, the Kochs just donated $1 million to Proposition 23, the California ballot initiative designed to sabotage the state's global warming law, AB 32.”

http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/2010/09/03/koch_brothers_and_prop_23/index.html

Southern California Public Radio 9/6/10

“Koch Brothers Money Goes to Prop 23”

“Tea Party activists are planning a rally in California on Sept. 12th in support of Prop 23.”

http://www.scpr.org/blogs/brand-new-day-madeleine-brand/2010/09/04/koch-brothers-money-goes-prop-23/

The Reporter 9/7/10

“Money is the driving force”

“California's landmark global warming law, in fact, would help put us on the right path, though it is threatened by the oil-industry-funded Proposition 23 on this year's ballot.”

http://www.thereporter.com/opinion/ci_16009898

Oakland Tribune 9/6/10

“Voters should endorse cleaner energy by rejecting Proposition 23”

“Backers of Prop. 23 are relying on voter fears of economic hardship under AB32. However, should there be some problems in implementing AB32, the governor can suspend parts or all of the law for up to a year at a time. With this safety valve there is no cause to suspend the entire law for many years and undermine the most progressive clean-energy effort in the nation.”

http://www.insidebayarea.com/opinion/ci_15985512

Los Angeles Times 9/6/10

“California's Prop. 23, backed by oil giants with a lot to lose, needs to go down in flames”

“But compliance would cost energy companies a few bucks. And so they came up with Prop. 23, which would delay implementation of California's landmark legislation until unemployment drops to 5.5%. I'm not a betting man, but I'm not sure that will happen before the polar ice caps melt and Seal Beach and Oxnard, among other coastal locales, are under water.”

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0905-lopezcolumn-20100905-29,0,1573926.column

Desert Sun 9/6/10

“Don't give up on green dreams”

“As California struggles to emerge from the recession, Proposition 23 makes a tempting argument: Suspend the state's goal of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 level by 2020.”

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20100905/OPINION01/9050307/Don-t-give-up-on-green-dreams

Desert Sun 9/6/10

“No: Green energy can stimulate our economy”

“Californians know we can have both a strong economy and a clean environment.”

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20100905/COLUMNS26/9050306/No-Green-energy-can-stimulate-our-economy

More State Environmental News

Half Moon Bay Review (Editorial) 9/8/10

“Proposed CEQA changes mark a positive step for all of us”

“SB 1456 would allow anyone filing a lawsuit to contest an Environmental Impact Report to first seek mediation both with the government agency reviewing the project as well as the developer.... [I]t’s worth noting that the bill has the support of the California League of Conservation Voters and a Silicon Valley real estate association.”

http://www.hmbreview.com/articles/2010/09/08/opinion/editorials/doc4c87db3ca6d5e365884349.txt

San Jose Mercury News 9/6/10

“Bay Area energy leaders discuss the key role green policies play in economic growth”

[Transcript of August 10 panel discussion "Electric Bills & Oil Spills: Will California Continue to be a Clean Energy Leader?" featuring Mary Nichols, Vinod Khosla, and others]

http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_15979741

Natural Resource Report 9/8/10

“California Legislature Fails to Pass 33% Renewable Portfolio Standard”

“Despite his concern about limits on out-of-state generation, Governor Schwarzenegger supports increasing California’s RPS to 33%. Following his veto of the legislation last year, he issued an executive order directing the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to develop regulations to implement a 33% RPS under authority the ARB had under AB 32, California’s Global Warming Solutions Act. Pursuant to the executive order, the ARB was to enact those regulations by July 2010.”

http://naturalresourcereport.com/2010/09/ca-fails-to-pass-energy-bill/

McClatchy 9/8/10

“Red fox sighting may spur federal protection”

“The rarely seen Sierra Nevada red fox could be the next candidate for federal protection – and perhaps controversy – now that one has been photographed prowling near Sonora Pass.”

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/08/3012009/red-fox-sighting-may-spur-federal.html

Sacramento Bee 9/8/10

“Meetings will help draft economic plan for Delta”

“Delta residents are invited to a series of meetings starting Monday to help prepare an economic sustainability plan for their region.... The goal is to help the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region thrive economically amid significant environmental and political change.... The first meeting is planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Courtland Auditorium, 146 Primasing Ave., Courtland. Additional meetings will follow in Discovery Bay, Rio Vista, Lodi and Antioch.”

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/08/3012201/meetings-will-help-draft-economic.html

Sacramento Bee 9/4/10

“State board wants Sacramento to reduce sewage in river”

“Sacramento may not be able to rely on nature to wash away its sewage problems much longer. Instead, residents might have to pay for treatment system upgrades that could add $40 to a monthly utility bill.”

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/04/3005002/state-board-wants-sacramento-to.html

Associated Press 9/4/10

“Chevron settles bay contamination case”

“Chevron has agreed to pay $2.85 million for the restoration of 200-plus acres of San Francisco Bay wetlands as part of a settlement over contamination from its refinery.”

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/04/BUKF1F8KE0.DTL

Chico Enterprise Record 9/8/10

“Chico City Council approves creation of city Climate Action Plan”

“The Chico City Council made progress toward its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions Tuesday, directing the creation of a citywide Climate Action Plan and approving initial actions that could help the city reach its ultimate target emissions level. In 2006, AB 32 was signed into law, mandating that Californian cities reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.”

http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_16018943

San Francisco Chronicle 9/7/10

“S.F. proposes using recycled water at parks”

“Today, San Francisco's water utility will unveil a proposal for the city's first large-scale water recycling project, an arc-shaped facility near Ocean Beach that would filter and disinfect 2 million gallons of sewer and storm water each day for use on 1,000 acres of San Francisco land.”

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/07/BALU1F6JHN.DTL

Los Angeles Times (Greenspace blog) 9/7/10

“Garbage-to-energy? California has second thoughts”

“While so-called biorefineries have blossomed abroad, concerns that the technique would undermine recycling efforts and worsen air pollution stalled efforts in California. With space for garbage dumps dwindling, proponents of a new breed of the technology hope to win over detractors.”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/09/garbage-incinerators-waste-to-energy-california.html

National and International Environmental News

China Dialogue 9/7/10

“China may cap-and-trade before US”

“Just when leaders in the United States Senate admitted to abandoning their plan of issuing a federal climate bill by the end of this year, top Chinese officials were discussing how to launch carbon-trading programmes under their country's next (12th) Five-Year Plan (2011-2015).”

http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/3804-China-may-cap-and-trade-before-US

San Francisco Chronicle 9/7/10

“Chevron keeps up pressure in Ecuador suit”

“Mired in a $27 billion environmental lawsuit in Ecuador, Chevron Corp. has taken the unusual step of trying to subpoena the other side's lead lawyer, arguing that he has committed fraud upon the court.”

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/07/BULP1F8H6E.DTL

Los Angeles Times (Greenspace blog) 9/7/10

“Gulf oil spill: Oxygen dropped near oil plumes”

“Oxygen levels fell significantly in deep-sea areas of the Gulf of Mexico contaminated by oil plumes from the BP spill. But although researchers found a 20% decline in dissolved oxygen, the drop was not steep enough to create biological "dead zones" that some scientists feared might form in the wake of the BP disaster.”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/09/gulf-oil-spill-oxygen-dropped-near-oil-plumes.html

Los Angeles Times (Greenspace blog) 9/7/10

“Are Energy Star ratings too lax?”

“Energy Star standards, which rate the energy efficiency of buildings and products, need an update, according to Consumer Reports. On the heels of criticism of Energy Star last week from a New York congresswoman, the magazine said the ratings program needed to raise the bar on qualifying products and develop better testing standards.”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/09/energy-star-consumer-reports.html

Los Angeles Times 9/4/10

“Oil dispersant effects remain a mystery”

“In the wake of the BP oil spill, gaping questions remain about a key tool used during cleanup: the nearly 2 million gallons of chemical dispersants sprayed over the water or onto the gushing wellhead on the seafloor. Do the chemicals help recovery, hinder it -- or neither?”

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-dispersants-20100905,0,6506539.story

David Allgood's Cure for Insomnia:

The Big Spill, Day 141:

Microbes said to be eating BP oil without using up oxygen.

http://www.modbee.com/2010/09/07/1327500/microbes-munch-oil-havent-robbed.html

Oxygen levels dropped near BP oil plumes.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/09/gulf-oil-spill-oxygen-dropped-near-oil-plumes.html

Documents fill in gaps in narrative about BP rig’s fatal explosion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/us/08rig.html

BP spreads blame for BP's Gulf disaster.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/sep/08/bp-oil-spill-report-live

BP will accept some blame for BP's Gulf catastrophe.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/07/bp-to-accept-some-blame-f_n_708029.html

BP set to release results of internal probe into catastrophe.

http://www.aolnews.com/gulf-oil-spill/article/bp-to-release-report-on-gulf-oil-spill/19624833

World's smallest seahorses face extinction due to BP spill.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/07/seahorse-extinction-bp-oil-spill

US will use BP money to study health impacts.

http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE68647A20100907

Fossil Fuel Funtime:

Senator Reid says no carbon pricing law this year.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-08/u-s-won-t-pass-carbon-price-law-for-power-generators-this-year-reid-says.html

Old or abandoned oil wells are a key source of ground water pollution.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/09/05/2447041/old-or-abandoned-wells-are-key.html

Marine scientists seek standards for spill research.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129703546

News from the Homeland:

Advocacy groups find little to like in Interior Department’s new scientific policy.

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/09/07/07greenwire-advocacy-groups-find-little-to-like-in-interio-25210.html

Green Building: A real estate revolution?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129699450

The twisted history of the wily Mississippi.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/inside/2010/07/14/128511984/twisted-history-the-wily-mississippi-cuts-new-paths

Potomac River cleanest in decades.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/07/AR2010090703555.html

Carnivorous plants losing ground in US.

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-carni-plants-20100908,0,6635285.story

New Jersey set to ban many lawn care products.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/102412694_No_Title_-_FERTILIZER0908_TR.html

Yakima Valley wells contaminated with nitrates.

http://news.opb.org/article/12625-yakima-valley-wells-still-contaminated-nitrates/

Children’s products may contain hazardous metals.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/09/07/metal.childrens.products/

Local News from the Golden State:

Delta water talks move behind closed doors.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_16014714

Rediscovery of "extinct" red fox could trigger endangered species battle.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/09/07/100212/spotting-of-red-fox-could-ignite.html

Environmentalists sue over Delta.

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_16019308

Captive twelve year old killer whale dies at Sea World.

http://www.dailybreeze.com/latestnews/ci_16015361

Study finds dairy antibiotics in groundwater.

http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/article_3930fa96-b78f-11df-a270-001cc4c03286.html

South bay salt pond restoration celebrated.

http://cbs5.com/local/salt.pond.marsh.2.1901339.html

La Niña expected to bring drier winter.

http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/article_7888c13a-bb11-11df-b0db-001cc4c03286.html

Marin County urged to protect coho salmon.

http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_16015338

Salmon season a disaster for San Mateo County commercial fisher folk.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16017611

Heal the Bay mobilizes for beach clean-up.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/09/heal-the-bay-mobilizes-for-beach-cleanup.html

AG candidate Kamala Harris calls on opponent to return contributions from people he is investigating.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/09/harris-calls-on-cooley-to-return-campaign-contributions.html

News Of The World:

Pollination in a downward spiral and no one knows why.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727770.301-bees-and-climate-change-cleared-in-pollination-mystery.html

Profile of eight of the world’s most toxic energy projects.

http://www.fastcompany.com/1687376/8-of-the-most-toxic-energy-projects-on-the-planet

World’s low carbon energy market to treble by 2020.

http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/59444

How to save the world’s reefs.

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/41747

News from the EU:

Carbon market at two-month high.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-08/eu-carbon-advances-to-near-two-month-high-as-german-electricity-gains.html

News from the Damp Isles:

Heat pumps fail as "green" devices.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/08/heat-pumps-green-heating

Royal Mail goes green.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/sep/07/royal-mail-green-hebrides-hydrogen

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

Oil sands to dominate Speaker Pelosi's Canadian visit.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/oil-sands-to-dominate-agenda-on-nancy-pelosis-visit-to-canada/article1699241/

Study shows oil sands killing birds at thirty times the reported rate.

http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/environment/article/857638--birds-dying-in-oilsands-at-30-times-the-rate-reported-says-study

Preservation of BC farmland threatened.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/preservation-of-bc-farmland-threatened-auditor-general-says/article1699256/

News from the Rest of the World:

New Australian gov’t more likely to deal with climate change.

http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/59450

Fatal blast at Mexican oil refinery.

http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/59447

Ecuador’s tallest waterfall to be destroyed by dam.

http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/41748

Frogs In The News:

A new reason to kiss the frog.

http://www.cavalierdaily.com/2010/09/08/a-new-reason-to-kiss-the-frog/

Frogs are fun and helpful in the garden.

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2010/09/07/frogs-can-be-fun-and-help-your-garden/

Best Headlines Ever:

Bird blamed for power outage, fire and sewage spill.

http://www.record-bee.com/ci_16017891

Bobcat blamed for brush fire.

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/sep/06/bobcat-climbing-power-pole-leads-to-brush-fire/

Bird flu jumps to pigs.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19414-bird-flu-jumps-to-pigs.html

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