Daily Green

Good afternoon, all. In the news today and over the long weekend:

• Obama administration has given out $2 billion in NEPA-exempt stimulus money to polluters;
• Lake Tahoe warming rapidly;
• More lead found in children's products;
• David Allgood's insomnia cure, and more.

Top News

Washington Post 11/29/10
Obama administration gives billions in stimulus money without environmental safeguards
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/28/AR2010112804379.html

San Francisco Chronicle 11/26/10
Lake Tahoe warming rapidly, satellites find
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/26/BAVP1GGLE2.DTL

California Watch 11/29/10
More lead found in children's products
http://californiawatch.org/watchblog/more-lead-found-childrens-products-6965

State Environmental News

San Francisco Chronicle 11/26/10
Scientists look to redwoods for answers on warming
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/25/MNOM1GFRRT.DTL

Sacramento Bee 11/28/10
California looks for a way to save the delta, quench residents' thirst
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/29/3218363/california-looks-for-a-way-to.html

Sacramento Bee 11/28/10
Editorial: Don't allow bullying to derail science in bay, Delta
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/28/3214068/dont-allow-bullying-to-derail.html

Sacramento Bee 11/29/10
Walters: California may build train to nowhere
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/29/3217737/dan-walters-california-may-build.html

Oakland Tribune 11/29/10
What lurks beneath: Bay Area's battle with invasive species in ballast water
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_16729395

Sacramento Bee 11/28/10
California recyclers find market for toxic trash
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/28/3216070/california-recyclers-find-market.html

San Gabriel Tribune 11/29/10
Plastic bag ban likely to face court challenges
http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_16725985

Los Angeles Times 11/25/10
Charging network a goal as electric vehicles come on line
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-ev-stations-20101126,0,3678144.story

San Jose Mercury News 11/29/10
New locally made electric vehicle getting ready to hit the streets
http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_16693879

Bloomberg Businessweek 11/24/10
Arnold Schwarzenegger On Climate Control
http://www.businessweek.com/print/technology/content/nov2010/tc20101123_080958.htm

KPCC 11/28/10
California's year in climate action
http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2010/11/28/californias-year-climate-action/

Grist 11/24/10
Cities, States Start To Adopt Climate Change Survival Strategies
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-11-24-cities-states-start-to-adopt-climate-change-survival-strategies

National & International Environmental News

AP 11/28/10
Rapid thaw of permafrost concerns climate experts
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/28/MNAN1GCV8F.DTL

Los Angeles Times 11/25/10
'Things look pretty bleak for the polar bear'
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-polar-bears-20101125,0,5731619.story

San Diego Union-Tribune 11/28/10
Editorial: World Must Act On Global Warming
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/28/world-must-act-on-global-warming/

USA Today (Green House blog) 11/28/10
Obama's climate agenda shifts as GOP takes over House
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/11/obama-gop-house-climate-policy/1

David Allgood's Cure for Insomnia

LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GOLDEN STATE:

Sacramento Delta ecological decline breathes new life into bypass proposals.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-water-delta-20101125,0,1440560.story

Most toxic e-waste shipped overseas.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/11/28/104396/wheres-most-of-that-toxic-e-waste.html

Power lines slated to bring renewables to urban users faces opposition.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/science/earth/28transmission.html?ref=business

Central Valley Republican, Rep. McCarthy, supports bill to slash $2 billion in federal funding for Central Valley high speed rail.
http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x1263266804/McCarthy-backs-bill-to-slash-rail-project

Napa County adopts new rules for wind energy.
http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/article_18028a16-f9e7-11df-a34a-001cc4c002e0.html

Effort to protect California's southern sea otters a failure, new rules to be set.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/25/the-sea-otters-fate-in-california/

More mountain lions straying into urban areas.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/28/INF91GAE32.DTL

Plan needed for living with mountain lions.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/28/INQT1GEPOI.DTL

New iPhone app allows tracking of rare Mojave desert tortoise.
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20101128/NEWS07/11280305/New+app+allows+tracking+of+rare+Mojave+Desert+Tortoise

Bay Area battles invasive species in ballast water.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_16730188?nclick_check=1

Sacramento region leads state in clean tech job growth.
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/29/3217524/capital-region-leads-state-in.html

Environmentalists, farm workers urge Governor-elect Brown to halt approval of strawberry pesticide.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/11/methyl-iodide-pesticide-cancer-california.html

FOSSIL FUEL FUNTIME:

Sections of Gulf closed to shrimping due to BP tar balls.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/25/gulf-of-mexico-tar-balls

Cleaning up coal key to stabilizing the climate.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/12/dirty-coal-clean-future/8307/

Water contamination from gas drilling pits neighbor against neighbor.
http://www.stargazette.com/article/20101127/NEWS01/11270324/1113/Natural-gas-debate--Proposed-water-pipeline-pits-neighbor-against-neighbor-in-Dimock

NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND:

“Plagiarized” GOP commissioned climate change report laid groundwork for “Climate Gate”.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/plagiarized_gop-commissioned_climate_change_report.php

187,000 square mile critical habitat set aside for polar bears.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/25/polar-bear-alaska-critical-habitat

Senate set to vote on rigorous food safety bill.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/28/MN6P1GGGAH.DTL&ao=all

New GOP Chair of House Oversight Committee seeks unprecedented power to be used to derail Obama's agenda.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/us/politics/28oversight.html?_r=1&hp

Critics say Obama lagging on endangered species.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g9rBe3ACBE-uzxSENaBq8-wycrsg?docId=2631f35a8b64485eb2f38af535c9fab6

Scientists worry that North Pacific salmon will run out of food.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/11/25/104263/scientists-worry-north-pacific.html

Foes of genetically engineered salmon raise specter of the "Trojan gene".
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/11/ge-salmon-foes-cite-trojan-gene.html

A greener way to make plastic.
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/11/a-greener-way-to-make-plastic.html

US experiencing a mass die-off of bats.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/12/bat-crash/quammen-text

Rollback of environmental rules feared in New Mexico with election of Republican Governor.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/nov/27/environmental-rules-could-be-rolled-back-nm/

Rare sea turtles rescued on Cape Cod.
http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/42049

NEWS OF THE WORLD:

Somber mood at UN climate talks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11847084

World warmer, short term trends need study.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60382

Crop failures, droughts expected with projected 4 degree C climate warming.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/crop-failures-and-drought-within-our-childrens-lifetimes-2146236.html

UN says Asia needs to spend more on climate related disaster risks.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60385

Oil companies, banks will profit from UN forest protection scheme.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/28/redd-forest-protection-banks-oil

To fight climate change, clean the air.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/opinion/28victor.html?ref=opinion

On climate change, start small.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/opinion/28usher.html?ref=opinion

Earth is warming quicker than previously thought, TeaBaggers deny existence of thought.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/26/global-warming-met-office

Rapid thaw of permafrost concerns scientists.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/28/MNAN1GCV8F.DTL

Climate change threatens homes of 1 billion people.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/28/cancun-climate-summit-weather

UN report says earth on path for dangerous climate change in coming century.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/un-issues-severe-climate-warning-ahead-of-summit-2142094.html

UN issues 20 million tons of carbon offsets.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AQ0Y120101127

No climate bailout for the earth, "yesterday's fad".
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-there-wont-be-a-bailout-for-the-earth-2143876.html

2010 on track to be record warm year.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/25/2010-joint-hottest-year-global-warming

Modest hope for climate panel as global warming gases increase.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11834518

48 nations meet in Paris to protect sharks.
http://www.orovillemr.com/news/ci_16722996

NEWS FROM THE EU:

Europe bans use of BPA in baby bottles.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11843820

Inaction on climate change frustrates young people.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/political-inaction-on-climate-change-frustrate-young-people-ahead-of-un-summit--110647299.html

Spain set to build world's largest offshore wind turbine.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/24/world-largest-offshore-wind-turbine

EU criticized over barely reduced blue fin tuna quotas.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11855010

Italy may face fines over Naples trash.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60384

Italy leads on carbon permits.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60380

NEWS FROM THE LAND OF 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE:

China launches hourly air quality index.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/china-launches-hourly-air-quality-data-index-2144492.html

Businesses eye opportunity in rollout of smart grid.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AP0YE20101126

NEWS FROM THE DAMP ISLES:

Science panel says food from cloned animals safe to eat.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11844141

Scottish plans to trap and imprison beavers has activist up in arms.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/25/beavers-scotland-conservation

Probe launched into rising energy profits.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/probe-launched-into-rising-energy-profits-2144307.html

NEWS FROM THE LAND OF THE 4 O’CLOCK SUN:

Canada to match US emissions standards.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-to-match-us-emissions-standards/article1816467/

Canada won't match US emissions standards. [? -Ed.]
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/canada-wont-follow-new-us-plan-to-slash-industrial-greenhouse-gases-baird-110929824.html

Alberta conservatives pull parks legislation after firestorm of opposition from public, environmental groups.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/alberta-tories-pull-controversial-parks-legislation-for-more-consultation-110678184.html

Science journal, "Nature", calls on scientists to speak out against oilsands exploitation.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/journal-calls-on-scientists-to-speak-out-against-oilsands-and-other-ventures-110640239.html

Doubts cast on feasibility of Alberta to Pacific oilsands pipeline.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/doubts-cast-on-feasibility-of-west-coast-pipelines/article1815684/

NEWS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:

In Australian politics, climate change equals grief.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/in-australian-politics-climate-change-equals-grief/article1813974/

Congo urged to ban oil drilling in gorilla preserve.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AP3KA20101126

Mexico eyes climate funds for local forests.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60367

Mexican cement manufacturer sees increased profits from environmental regulations.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60363

Mexico seeks leading role in climate policy.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/28/AR2010112802975.html

Indonesia's billion dollar forest deal at risk.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/world/asia/29iht-indo.html

FROGS IN THE NEWS:

Feds create sanctuary for endangered California red legged frog.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/11/26/2174510/threatened-red-legged-frog-gets.html

Chiricahua leopard frogs making a comeback.
http://www.paysonroundup.com/news/2010/nov/26/leopard-frogs-making-comeback-rim-country-streams/

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