Geology
300: Physical Geology
Geology
301: Physical Geology Lab
Geology
305: Earth Science
Geology
306: Earth Science Lab
Instructor: Arthur Reed
December 2017 Earth Sciences topics/events making news…
...with emphasis on California news
Remember the principles of the scientific method when evaluating
news stories!
·
(link to 2018 news articles)
·
(link to 2016
news articles)
·
(link to 2015
news articles)
·
(link to 2014
news articles)
·
(link to 2013
news articles)
·
(link to 2012
news articles)
·
(link to 2011
news articles)
·
(link to 2010
news articles)
·
(link to 2009
& older news articles)
Measure
Z: voters won’t get everything they hoped for
Monterey
County’s fracking ban stands, but voters won’t be getting all they
hoped for when they passed Measure Z last year. Late Thursday, Monterey County
Superior Court Judge Thomas Wills issued a split decision on the ballot
measure.
KAZU (Seaside NPR), 12-29-17
Monterey
Co. ruling on Measure Z expected to affect other counties with similar measures
A Monterey
County Superior Court judge announced his intended decision Thursday in
a challenge by several interests to Measure Z, the anti-fracking
initiative passed by county voters in 2016.
BenitoLink, 12-30-17
Parts
of Monterey County Fracking Ban Struck Down
A California
judge on Thursday let a voter-approved ban on fracking in Monterey County
stand, but struck down its prohibition on new drilling because it conflicts
with state and federal laws.
Courthouse News Service, 12-29-17
With the passage
of Measure Z in November 2016, Monterey County stood to be the first
oil-producing county in California to ban hydraulic fracturing, also known as
fracking, and the expansion of oil production procedures, but the oil-industry
quickly filed suit and on Thursday a decision was finally handed down.
Monterey
County Herald, 12-29-17
Monterey County judge strikes down parts
of Measure Z fracking ban
A Monterey County judge overturned portions of Measure Z this week in
response to a lawsuit filed by oil companies.
KSBW (Salinas
television), 12-29-17
Interior
Department repeals never-used regulations on hydraulic fracturing
The Obama
administration’s 2015 fracking rule was never actually implemented, thanks
to an ongoing court battle, and it apparently never will be.
Washington Times, 12-31-17
Trump administration rescinding rules for
oil, gas drilling
President Donald Trump's administration is rescinding proposed rules for
hydraulic fracturing and other oil- and gas-drilling practices on government
lands, government officials announced Thursday.
Associated
Press, 12-29-17
U.S.
Crude Ends Year Above $60 on Strong Global Oil Demand
U.S. oil prices closed
above $60 a barrel on the final trading day of the year, the first time since
mid-2015, as the commodity ended 2017 with a 12 percent gain spurred by strong
demand and declining global inventories.
Reuters, 12-28-17
LA
County leader urges state not to block natural gas connections to new customers
A Los Angeles
County Supervisor is calling on the state to reject an emergency moratorium on
new commercial and industrial natural-gas customer connections that is being
proposed because the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility is not fully
operational.
Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 12-30-17
The number of
rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. declined by two this week to
929. That exceeds the 658 rigs that were active this time a year ago.
Associated Press, 12-29-17
Preliminary 3.1-Magnitude Earthquake
Rattles Ontario
A 3.1-magnitude earthquake shook the Ontario area Sunday afternoon,
according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
KNBC (Los
Angeles television), 12-31-17
3.5
quake strikes off North Coast
A shallow
magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Saturday evening seven miles from
Petrolia, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred
at 9:28 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 12.4 miles.
Los Angeles Times, 12-30-17
3.2
quake strikes near Big Bear City
A shallow
magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Saturday morning two miles from Doble,
Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 4:15
a.m. Pacific time.
Los Angeles Times, 12-30-17
Magnitude
3.0 quake strikes near Paicines, Calif.
A shallow
magnitude 3.0 earthquake was reported Saturday morning five miles from
Paicines, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred
at 10:48 a.m. Pacific time at a depth of 3.1 miles.
Los Angeles Times, 12-30-17
December
fires leave little time for mudslide protection
Ventura County
officials warned residents Thursday that there’s very little time to
install protections as homes near recent fire lines face an elevated risk
of flash floods and mudslides that could follow the wildfires when it rains
this winter.
Southern California Public Radio, 12-28-17
Buildings
at three Sonoma County hospital campuses still require seismic upgrades
Were a major
earthquake to strike Sonoma County, 91 percent of the county’s 68
structures located on hospital campuses would probably remain standing and even
continue providing services, state officials said.
Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 12-1-17
GENERAL
Get
up to speed: 10 hot topics that will shape California campaigns in 2018
The 2018
elections are coming—and those of you who don’t spend your waking
hours monitoring the secretary of state’s website may have some
questions.
Daily News, 12-28-17
Lawsuits
threaten pension cuts for California state workers
For decades in
California, a sacrosanct rule has governed public employees' pensions: Benefits
promised can never be taken away.
Associated Press, 12-28-17
Mining headlines
in 2017 united the hardrock mining community of Northern Nevada, as readers
rallied around news of tragedies, growth, regulatory changes and giving. Here
is a look back at the top mining-related stories of the year.
Elko Daily Free Press, 12-28-17
Malakoff
Diggins State Park joins national movement with First Day Hikes
On the first day
of the New Year, retired State Park Geologist Syd Brown will lead a hike on the
Rim Trail at Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park, where a landscape with an
"awful beauty" is restoring itself from the environmental disaster of
1800s hydraulic gold mining.
The Union, 12-28-17
ALISO CANYON
Brief
Aliso Canyon leak leads to violation notice for SoCalGas
Air quality
managers issued a violation notice to Southern California Gas Company in
connection to a second leak at Aliso Canyon in Porter Ranch earlier this month
and after a legislator urged constituents to file complaints.
Santa Clarita Valley Signal, 12-27-17
Bay
Area earthquake cluster that took off Tuesday is still going
Almost 30 small quakes,
including one 3.9 temblor that rattled homes and residents, have been recorded
around the San Francisco Bay Area in recent days.
SFGate, 12-29-17
GENERAL
All
tweets belong in the Library of Congress (OPINION)
On Tuesday, the
Library of Congress announced it's
going to stop archiving all tweets. Instead, it will only record a selection of
them.
CNN, 12-27-17
America’s 25 thriving
industries include goat farming, breweries
Adding $18.6
trillion to the world’s economy in 2016, the U.S. is a behemoth without
equal. Massive as it is, it is not more than the sum of its parts — a
handful of underlying sectors that are composed of smaller sub-sectors, which
can be further broken down to a few hundred more specialized industries.
Visalia Times Delta, 12-26-17
CLIMATE CHANGE
Disasters,
drilling and the Paris climate withdrawal: The top environmental stories of
2017
President Donald Trump made his mark in the energy and
environment world during his first year in Washington. Many of his actions
aimed to undo work from the Obama era. Trump all but abandoned the nation's
efforts to combat climate change, and he shrank national monuments that
President Barack Obama had established or sought to preserve. Trump scaled back
regulations on the fossil fuel industry and pushed for more drilling on land
and at sea.
The Washington Post, 12-27-17
ALISO CANYON
Porter
Ranch residents criticize SoCal Gas' methane monitor outage
A website meant
to alert Porter Ranch residents to unusual levels of gas in the air was offline
around the time of a leak Dec. 18 from equipment at the Aliso Canyon
underground storage field, Southern California Gas said Tuesday.
Southern California Public Radio, 12-26-17
Porter
Ranch residents claim new leak near SoCal Gas facility
Porter Ranch
residents are expressing new frustrations with SoCal Gas, whose Aliso Canyon
facility was the site of the nation's largest methane gas leak in 2015 and '16.
ABC Channel 7, 12-27-17
California
Had 2 Earthquakes in Less Than 3 Hours
The U.S.
Geological Survey says a pair of minor earthquakes just a few hours apart
rattled the San Jose area in central California.
Associated Press, 12-27-17
Lori
Dengler: A day that changed the world of tsunami monitoring (OPINION)
This is the time
of year for holiday traditions and family gatherings. For me, it is also tied
to memories an earthquake 13 years ago that profoundly changed perceptions of
tsunami hazards. The Dec. 26, 2004 Andaman-Sumatra earthquake and ensuing
tsunami killed an estimated 230,000 people, impacting 13 Indian Ocean
countries. Tourists and travelers from 46 additional countries were among the
victims, including a man from McKinleyville, 59-year-old Brian King.
Times Standard, 12-27-17
GENERAL
State
Archives releases nearly 3,000 photos of early 20th Century California
The California
State Archives has completed one of its largest digitization projects ever --
nearly 3,000 photographs taken by native Californians William and Grace
McCarthy from approximately 1905 to 1938.
Central Valley Business Times, 12-26-17
Coast
Line: Land trust acquires development rights to orchard
The Land Trust
of Santa Cruz County has acquired an agricultural conservation easement on the
48-acre Pista apple orchard in the Pajaro Valley. The land is still privately
owned, but the easement precludes the land from being developed or subdivided.
Santa Cruz Sentinel, 12-26-17
What
will the Thomas Fire burn zone look like in the future?
What will the
massive area burned by the Thomas Fire look like in the future? Scientists say it
depends on two things: how much it rains, and how soon another wildfire sweeps
through.
Southern
California Public Radio, 12-26-17
California
Regulators Don't Like Smell of Aliso Gas Storage Release
Southern
California air quality regulators have issued a violation notice against the
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) Aliso Canyon underground natural gas
storage facility north of Los Angeles, alleging that a leak that lasted about
50 minutes last week at the 3,600-acre facility caused a public nuisance for
nearby Porter Ranch residents.
Natural Gas Intel, 12-26-17
GENERAL
The
most stunning science photos of 2017
The Arctic skies
light up in a blaze of blue and green when solar wind blasts the atmosphere
with charged particles. Storms and wildfires leave debris and ash in their
trails. And ecosystems and fellow animals are increasingly transformed by human
activity.
SFGate, 12-19-17
Video
shows the explosive birth of a new island in the remote South Pacific
The rare birth
of a new island in the remote South Pacific began with an underwater volcano
erupting in December 2014.
SGate, 12-20-17
Study
finds California's seaside cliffs crumbling without discernible pattern
Thinking about
building a new home on a bluff overlooking the sea? You may want to think
again.
Phys.org,
12-21-17
Hundreds
of California homes destroyed by record-setting wildfire
More than 8,526
firefighters have put their lives on their line to stop it, running up a cost
of roughly $124 million.
Express Newsline, 12-20-17
Woman
dies of shock after Iran earthquake
Iranian state
media says a woman died from shock and dozens of other people suffered minor
injuries after a 5.2-magnitude earthquake jolted a town near Tehran late
Wednesday.
The Washington Post, 12-21-17
(OPINION) Lori Dengler: Earthquake
early warning systems, dark fiber and MAMA
The 2017 annual meeting
of the American Geophysical Union just concluded. At over 62,000 members, AGU
is the largest organization of earth scientists in the world and the annual
meeting features cutting-edge presentations from many disciplines. I want to
highlight two that focused on recording earthquakes.
Eureka Times-Standard, 12-20-17
Last
day for public input on proposed Arroyo Grande aquifer exemption
The deadline
for public comment on a proposed expansion of oil drilling-related
operations in San Luis Obispo County’s Price Canyon is 5 p.m. Friday.
KCBX, 12-22-17
Surge
in U.S. shale hedging to boost drilling in 2018
When oil prices
rocketed towards $60 a barrel this fall, U.S. shale producers hedged more
barrels of oil during the quarter than in at least three years, which could
help propel the country to record crude production by next year.
Reuters, 12-20-17
Trump
administration halts study of offshore oil inspections
The Trump
administration has halted an independent scientific study of offshore oil
inspections by the federal safety agency created after the 2010 spill in the
Gulf of Mexico.
SFGate, 12-21-17
‘Cap
and invest’ bill takes shape (OREGON)
wo Democratic
lawmakers have released details of a carbon “cap and invest” bill
that their party has prioritized for approval during Oregon’s legislative
session in February.
Capital Ag
Press, 12-20-17
Westside
Farms caught up in local fight for more restrictions of vineyards
One of Sonoma
County’s most highly acclaimed vintners has found his vision for the
future at odds with citizens concerns over the impacts of commercial vineyards
and their events.
Sonoma West, 12-21-17
MINING
Mine
reclamation continually improves in Nevada
Mineral
exploration and mining operators have taken big steps to reclaim part of their
footprints as they work under state and federal regulations, and these days
they may even use drones to improve reclamation of disturbed land.
Elko Daily Free Press, 12-22-17
Trump
orders boost in production of critical minerals
President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered the government to
boost production of critical minerals used for manufacturing everything from
smartphones to wind turbines and cars, raising the prospect of more mining.
San Diego Union Tribune, 12-22-17
US
Portland and blended cement shipments up 5% in October
Total Portland
and blended cement shipments in the USA and Puerto Rico in October increased 4.9
per cent YoY in October 2017, according to data from the US Geological Survey
(USGS). Texas, California, Florida, Ohio and New York were the five largest
consuming states (in descending order) and accounted for around 37 per cent of
national demand.
International
Cement Review, 12-22-17
WATER
Department of
Water Resources director says awarding big contracts ‘has a nice ring to
it’
Sacramento News & Review, 12-21-17
California
is still dry and December is almost over. Is it too soon for the D-word?
Is California
back in drought? The unusually warm, dry start to this winter – along
with intense wildfires in Southern California – has many Californians
experiencing “drought deja vu.”
Sacramento Bee, 12-20-17
Jakarta
Is Sinking So Fast, It Could End Up Underwater
A tsunami of
human-made troubles in the Indonesian capital poses an imminent threat to the
city’s survival. And it has to deal with mounting threats from climate
change.
New York Times, 12-21-17
Induced seismicity provides insight into why
earthquake ruptures stop
The hazard posed by induced and triggered seismicity is a growing
concern, notably in the geoenergy industry, both fossil and renewable. If
viewed as large-scale experiments, anthropogenic earthquake sequences may also
provide opportunities to advance our understanding of earthquake processes.
Science
Advances, 12-20-17
Energy producer Venoco selling emissions
credits as it winds down
Oil producer Venoco LLC is seeking a court order allowing it to sell emissions
credits to the Regents of the University of California as part of its push to
sell assets and wind down its second bankruptcy.
Reuters,
12-19-17
Insidious Gas Leaks Are Casting Doubts
Over Shell's Clean Credentials
After spending $50 billion on the world’s biggest bet on natural
gas, Royal Dutch
Shell Plc is at
the forefront of Big Oil’s efforts to clean up its act. But what if the
constant, insidious leaks of gas into the atmosphere actually make the fuel
more polluting than coal?
Bloomberg
News, 12-19-17
Another
Gas Leak Reported at Aliso Canyon Facility
The Southern
California Gas Co. says a gas leak occurred at the Aliso Canyon Natural
Gas Storage Facility in Porter Ranch just before 5 p.m. Monday night. This
comes just two years after one of the nation’s largest accidental
gas leaks at the same facility.
KQED (San Francisco TV-radio), 12-20-17
Latest
Aliso Canyon gas leak followed by spike in reported symptoms
The latest leak
at the Aliso Canyon storage facility near Porter Ranch was followed by a spike
in reported health symptoms involving surrounding residents.
ABC 7, 12-19-17
Latest
Aliso Canyon leak blamed for nosebleeds, headaches
Southern
California Gas Co. this week reported a leak at the Aliso Canyon natural gas
storage facility during a routine operation to pressurize equipment after
maintenance.
Ventura County Star, 12-20-17
Leak
shut off at Los Angeles natural gas facility
Southern
California Gas Co. reported a gas leak at the Los Angeles natural gas storage
facility that was the site of a gigantic methane leak that forced thousands
from their homes two years ago.
Lompoc Record, 12-20-17
Porter
Ranch Residents Report Uptick In Health Problems After New Gas Leak
News of an
“unplanned leak” at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage
facility was confirmation to many Porter Ranch residents, who reported
experiencing headaches, nosebleeds, and other symptoms Monday.
KCBS Channel 2 Los Angeles, 12-20-2017
Farmers look to rebuild after
wildfire
As the Thomas
Fire continued to burn in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, farmers and
ranchers have been counting their losses—and their blessings.
Ag Alert, 12-20-17
MINING
Trump: Break Chinese, Russian stranglehold
over mineral supplies
President Trump ordered the U.S. military and the Interior Department to
take immediate action to "break" the nation's dependence on Russian
and Chinese supplies of critical minerals as a matter of national security.
Washington
Examiner, 12-20-19
WATER
Friant
Water Authority: Valley ‘in crisis’ from water imbalance
Friant Water
Authority (FWA) released recently a brochure summarizing the water imbalance
issue in the San Joaquin Valley, and it stated that even after a drought-ending
wet season last year, the combined effects of prolonged drought and increasing
regulations on water resources have placed the Valley in a severe state of
overdraft — meaning groundwater is being pumped out faster than it can be
replenished.
Porterville Recorder, 12-19-17
CLIMATE CHANGE
The
White House says climate change isn't a national security threat. The military
says it is.
The Trump
administration is backing away from calling climate change a national security
threat, a move that contradicts nearly three decades of military planning.
Vox, 12-18-17
Environmental
justice must be part of climate plan
As a coalition
of community organizations working in low-income communities of color most
impacted by pollution, we have been proud to support California’s
ambitious goals on climate change.
Sacramento Bee, 12-20-17
California
sues Trump administration over global-warming gas rules
California
Attorney General Xavier Becerra sued the Trump administration Tuesday for
suspending regulations meant to curb emissions of the greenhouse gas methane,
the latest front in the state’s battle with Washington over
climate-change rules for the oil and natural gas industries.
SFGate, 12-19-17
Magnitude
3.2 earthquake strikes near Ridgemark, CA
The United
States Geological Survey reports a preliminary magnitude 3.2 earthquake struck
near Ridgemark, CA on Tuesday. The quake hit at 4:57 AM local time at a depth
of 7 kilometers. It was centered 7.5 miles southwest of Hollister.
San Francisco Chronicle, 12-19-17
Report
analyzes workers comp and earthquake risk in California
Losses for a
100-year earthquake in California are expected to exceed $300 million with more
than 300 fatalities and a 250-year event may exceed $1.4 billion in losses with
more than 1,000 fatalities, according to a report released Monday by the
Oakland, California-based Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau.
Business Insurance, 12-19-17
California sues Trump, again. This time to
defend an Obama gas rule.
California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration Tuesday,
blasting federal regulators for suspending an Obama-era rule directing oil and
gas producers to curb methane flaring on federal lands.
Sacramento
Bee, 12-19-17
Valley
residents report burning eyes, headaches and more after 50-minute gas leak at
Aliso Canyon
Kyoko Hibino
received an email alert on Monday night from Southern California Gas Co.
reporting a new leak at the Aliso Canyon natural-gas storage facility. The news
came two years after the Porter Ranch resident was forced to evacuate her
house in 2015 after a massive leak released nearly 100,000 metric tons of
methane into the air near her neighborhood.
Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 12-19-17
Supes amend agritourism policy to favor
existing farms
Yolo County supervisors opted to take a large step backward during their
last board meeting to get a better look at the agritourism industry in the
county’s rural areas. Based on their discussion, it appears that county
staff have cut much of the tangled policy apart, bringing it back to basics.
Woodland Daily
Democrat, 12-19-17
CLIMATE CHANGE
California
sues Trump administration over global-warming gas leaks
California
Attorney General Xavier Becerra sued the Trump administration Tuesday for
suspending regulations meant to curb emissions of the greenhouse gas methane,
the latest front in the state’s battle with Washington over
climate-change rules for the oil and natural gas industries.
San Francisco Chronicle, 12-19-17
Trump drops climate change from US
national security strategy
The Trump administration has dropped climate change from a list of global
threats in a new national security strategy the president unveiled on Monday.
Instead, Trump’s NSS paper emphasized the need for the US to regain its
economic competitiveness in the world.
The Guardian,
12-18-17
What It’s Like Inside the Trump
Administration’s Regulatory Rollback at the EPA
Betsy Southerland knew something was wrong the moment she walked into her
office at the Environmental Protection Agency. It was 8 a.m. on a Thursday in
April and already, her team was waiting at her door, computer printouts in
hand.
ProPublica,
12-18-17
California's
new climate plan uses incentives to cut vehicle emissions
California has
the toughest air quality regulations of any state in the country. But they're
not tough enough to satisfy a new state law that requires California to double
the rate at which it cuts greenhouse gases.
NPR, 12-19-17
GENERAL
Study finds California's seaside cliffs
crumbling without discernible pattern
Thinking about
building a new home on a bluff overlooking the sea? You may want to think
again.
San Diego Union Tribune, 12-20-17
Residents
report nosebleeds and headaches after new leak at Aliso Canyon natural gas
facility
Southern
California Gas Co. late Monday reported a leak at the Aliso Canyon natural gas
storage facility during a routine operation to pressurize equipment after
maintenance.
Los Angeles Times, 12-18-17
Gas Leak Reported at Aliso Canyon During
Routine Operation
Southern California Gas Co. says there was a leak at the Aliso Canyon
natural gas storage facility during a routine operation to pressurize equipment
after maintenance.
City News
Service, 12-18-17
Another
gas leak reported at Aliso Canyon facility
The Southern
California Gas Company says a gas leak occurred at the Aliso Canyon
Natural Gas Storage Facility in Porter Ranch just before 5 p.m. Tuesday
night. This comes just two years after one of the nation's largest
accidental gas leaks at the same facility.
Southern California Public Radio, 12-19-17
Aliso Canyon sees hour-long gas leak after
equipment failure
A new gas leak was reported Monday night at the Southern California Gas
facility near Porter Ranch.
KABC-TV (Los
Angeles), 12-18-17
Leak
Shut off at Los Angeles Natural Gas Facility
Southern California Gas
Co. reported a gas leak at the Los Angeles natural gas storage facility that
was the site of a gigantic methane leak that forced thousands from their homes
two years ago.
Associated Press, 12-19-17
Businesses
Near Methane Leak Can’t Sue for Lost Profits
A California
appeals court has ruled that SoCalGas had no duty of care to businesses dealt a
crushing economic blow when thousands of families fled a Los Angeles suburb
after a massive methane gas leak.
Courthouse News Service, 12-18-17
More than two
years after a massive natural gas leak was detected near his northern San
Fernando Valley home, Andrew Krowne said he still gets “crazy headaches”
and blurry vision at times.
Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 12-18-17
Nearly
100 million pounds of toxic chemicals used in oil wells near homes, schools,
study says
About 98 million
pounds of cancer-causing chemicals and highly corrosive acids were used in
thousands of Los Angeles County oil wells over the past four years, potentially
exposing nearby residents to public health risks, according to a study released
last week by an anti-oil drilling coalition.
Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 12-18-17
Size
isn’t the only thing that matters during an earthquake
In the early
morning hours of October 16, 1999, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake rattled
California’s rural southeast, waking people in their sleep. The quake
derailed a passenger train, but no one was seriously injured. There were no
fatalities. The incident made the papers the next day but the quake’s
effects were minimal.
ScienceLine, 12-18-17
A shallow
magnitude 3.0 earthquake was reported Monday morning 39 miles from Avalon,
Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 5:23
a.m. PST at a depth of 3.1 miles.
Los Angeles Times, 12-18-17
Is
there such a thing as earthquake weather?
Is there such a
thing as earthquake weather? The short answer is no. The belief that there is
such a thing as earthquake weather has its origins in ancient times.
KGTV (San Diego), 12-19-17
3
killed in 6.5-magnitude Indonesia earthquake
At least three
people were killed and seven injured in a 6.5-magnitude earthquake that struck
the Indonesian island of Java damaging 950 buildings, officials said on
Saturday.
Indo Asian News Service, 12-16-17
3.5
quake strikes off Redwood Coast
A shallow
magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Thursday evening nine miles from
Capetown, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred
at 10:47 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 11.2 miles.
Los Angeles Times, 12-14-17
Together
We Can End Neighborhood Oil Drilling
Thank you for
your ongoing coverage of the Inglewood Oil Field. The good news for public
health and safety is that both the EIR and scientific studies give our city
council compelling evidence and legal grounds to adopt important safeguards
including: a fracking ban; a 2500 foot buffer from homes, schools and parks;
and no net new wells (i.e. an existing well must be safely closed for every new
well allowed).
Culver City Observer letter to the editor,
12-14-17
WATER
How dry is it? Scientist says California has only
slim chance of normal rainfall this winter
This is how dry it has been so far this season: California’s
chances of having a normal “water year” have fallen to around 33 percent
in much of the state, according to a federal scientist.
Sacramento
Bee, 12-15-17
Don’t force us to pay for Delta
tunnels, Valley farmers say
A large group of San Joaquin Valley farmers is challenging the Delta
tunnels project in court, saying they shouldn’t be forced to help foot
the $17.1-billion price tag.
Sacramento
Bee, 12-18-17
CLIMATE CHANGE
Here's
where U.S. residents will move to escape rising seas
As sea levels
rise and coastal flooding increases over the next several decades, millions of
Americans may need to move inland.
Yale Climate Connections, 12-11-17
If
California is serious about climate change, the car can't be king of our roads
For decades,
California's landmark environmental law has worked in a decidedly
un-environmental way. Enacted in 1970, the California Environmental Quality
Act, or CEQA, was supposed to create an environmental review process for
building projects and, in theory at least, ensure that new developments did a
minimum of harm to the communities where they were located.
Los Angeles Times editorial, 12-16-17
Sunny skies. Climate science. And a dry December
in Stanislaus County.
The Northern San Joaquin Valley is dry this month. While there is no
reason to panic about the dry conditions, water experts are paying attention to
the lack of rain.
Modesto Bee,
12-16-17
60 Environmental Rules on the Way Out
Under Trump
Since taking office in January, President Trump has made eliminating
federal regulations a priority. His administration — with help from
Republicans in Congress — has often targeted environmental rules it sees
as overly burdensome to the fossil fuel industry, including major Obama-era
policies aimed at fighting climate change.
New York Times, 12-15-17
How To Survive Climate Change? Clues Are
Buried In The Arctic
We're on the Bering Land Bridge, where woolly mammoths roamed 20,000
years ago. Today, the land is covered in bright green grass and miniature
shrubs. But there's something strange — bright white objects jutting out
of the ground.
NPR, 12-17-17
BUDGET
Few outside of
Sacramento realize that some of the most important state budget decisions
happen just before Christmas, in private meetings where the governor signs off
on the spending plan he will present to the Legislature in early January. While
we don't know what Gov. Jerry Brown has decided, here's a safe bet about the
budget debate of 2018: It will be resolved in some measure by spending
agreements that are less about "if" and more about "when."
Los Angeles Times, 12-17-17
New South County oil wells rejected by
Planning Commission
While Measure Z’s restrictions on Monterey County oil and gas
operations has been stayed due to a pending lawsuit, the county Planning
Commission appeared to send a message to the fossil fuel industry anyway on
Wednesday.
Monterey
County Herald, 12-13-17
Living
Near Fracking During Pregnancy Linked To Poorer Newborn Health
The closer
pregnant women live to fracking sites, the greater the potential health risks
may be to their developing fetus, suggests a new study published in Science
Advances December 13. But the study has enough limitations to tamp
down anxiety among expecting moms who live near fracking sites.
Forbes, 12-13-17
Investors pour cash into U.S. shale
despite questions on returns
Financiers keep pouring cash into the shale oil sector, providing
producers with a path to keep U.S. output rising through the middle of the next
decade.
Reuters, 12-13-17
Not
all earthquakes are natural — and it’s not just fracking
Last week I
highlighted an unusual east coast magnitude 4.1 earthquake. Since I then, two
more M 4 earthquakes have occurred in the lower 48 states — a 4.2 in
Oklahoma and a 4.0 east of San Diego. Both made an impression on the several
thousand people who felt each tremor but neither made much of a news blip.
Eureka Times-Standard column, 12-13-17
4.2
quake strikes near Fort Bragg
A shallow
magnitude 4.2 earthquake was reported Wednesday evening 13 miles from Fort
Bragg, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at
8:57 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 3.7 miles.
Los Angeles Times, 12-13-17
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Benefits of Wind and Solar
Outweigh Costs of ‘Hidden’ Emissions
Even low-carbon energy technologies like solar cells and wind power
plants have associated greenhouse gas emissions, but those impacts pale in
comparison with the emissions prevented by the displacement of fossil fuel
sources, a new study co-authored by a Yale researcher finds.
Yale News,
12-14-17
How to Get California’s Water
Infrastructure Ready for Climate Change
While researchers disagree on exactly how climate change will impact
future precipitation in California, there is little doubt that it will change
and that this will put increased pressure on the state’s water
infrastructure. In fact, much of California’s infrastructure is not ready
for the impacts of future climate change.
Water Deeply,
12-14-17
From this vantage point, the deck of a cargo ship skims by above, beyond
the fragile levee wall that holds back the mighty San Joaquin River. It passes
effortlessly through the wide flat river that, due to the levee and the perspective,
is completely out of view on a crisp winter morning.
Earth Island
Journal, 12-14-17
California
regulators sign off on the state's ambitious 2030 climate change plan
California
climate regulators on Thursday approved a detailed plan for the state to meet
its 2030 carbon reduction goals.
Los Angeles Times, 12-14-17
In
California’s wildfires, a looming threat to climate goals
Beyond the
devastation and personal tragedy of the fires that have ravaged California in
recent months, another disaster looms: an alarming uptick in unhealthy
air and the sudden release of the carbon dioxide that drives climate change.
CalMatters, 12-14-17
Chevron's new round of layoffs part of
larger reduction in region
The rollout of layoffs in Chevron’s San Joaquin Valley Business
Unit continued this week with Monday’s announcement of 122 layoffs from
offices stretched across Kern, Fresno and Monterey counties.
Bakersfield Californian, 12-13-17
DOGGR shrinks area in Price Canyon
proposed for aquifer exemption
You have until Dec. 22 to comment on the latest
application put
forward to exempt a larger portion of the Arroyo Grande oil field from the Safe
Drinking Water Act.
San Luis Obispo New Times, 12-14-17
3.0
quake strikes near Edgemont in Northern California
A shallow
magnitude 3.0 earthquake was reported Tuesday afternoon four miles from
Edgemont in California's Lassen County, according to the U.S. Geological
Survey. The temblor occurred at 5:26 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 4.3 miles.
Los Angeles
Times, 12-12-17
(OPINION) Lori
Dengler: Not all earthquakes are natural — and it’s not just
fracking
Last week I highlighted
an unusual east coast magnitude 4.1 earthquake. Since I then, two more M 4
earthquakes have occurred in the lower 48 states — a 4.2 in Oklahoma and
a 4.0 east of San Diego. Both made an impression on the several thousand people
who felt each tremor but neither made much of a news blip.
Times-Standard,
12-13-17
CLIMATE CHANGE
When he's
lecturing about climate change, Gov. Jerry Brown sounds like a street-corner
preacher shouting: "Repent. Change your ways. The end is near."
Los Angeles
Times column, 12-14-17
The
ironic cause of our greenhouse gas decline
Gov. Jerry Brown
hopped around Europe for two weeks last month, telling the world that to avoid
a climate change Armageddon, it should emulate what California is doing to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Record-Bee,
12-12-17
WATER
Water
loss caused Sierra Nevada to grow an inch during California drought,
researchers say
The Sierra
Nevada mountains grew nearly an inch taller during the recent drought and
shrank by half an inch when water and snow returned to the area, according to
new research from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada
Flintridge.
Los Angeles
Times, 12-13-17
Sierra
peaks an inch taller after California drought, NASA finds
California’s
already towering Sierra Nevada summits rose to new heights during the drought,
albeit by just a hair.
San Francisco
Chronicle, 12-13-17
Tiny tremors
caused by hydraulic fracturing of natural gas near the surface could be early
signs of stressful conditions deep underground that could destabilize faults
and trigger larger earthquakes.
Stanford News,
12-12-17
Rice
University advances asphalt-based filter to sequester greenhouse gas at
wellhead
Rice University
scientists have found a way to make their asphalt-based sorbents better at
capturing carbon dioxide from gas wells: Just add water.
EurekaAlert,
12-11-17
Nearly one
million Californians living within half-a-mile of the state’s 54,000
active oil and gas wells may face elevated health risks due to pollution from
those operations. But a report released
today by Environmental Defense Fund says a new wave of lower-cost digital
monitoring technology could give them new peace of mind by allowing companies
and regulators to keep a 24-hour lookout for leaks and other dangerous
emissions.
Environmental
Defense Fund, 12-13-17
Siskiyou
supervisors call on CDFW director to meet with local landowners
Siskiyou
County’s efforts to engage the California Department of Fish and Wildlife
on the agency’s potential purchase of land in the Shasta Valley continued
last week when the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors approved a letter to
CDFW Director Charlton Bonham.
Siskiyou Daily,
12-12-17
ALISO CANYON
Public
invited to give input on Aliso Canyon natural gas leak health study
A community
meeting will be held Thursday night to gather input from residents about what
should be included in a health study related to the 2015 Aliso Canyon natural
gas leak.
Daily News,
12-12-17
Southern
California Is Burning — Is Climate Change to Blame?
It’s
official: 2017 is the deadliest
and most destructive year on record for wildfires in California. Dry
conditions, high temperatures, roaring winds and bone-dry trees and brush are
all factors responsible for the devastation. But one underlying question is how
much of a role has climate change played?
KQED, 12-12-17
Ancient
weakening of Earth's crust explains unusual intraplate earthquakes
New research
reveals that mysterious pockets of earthquake activity in the middle of North
America all have one thing in common: Earth's crust in these zones underwent
significant deformation hundreds of millions of years ago, creating weak areas
that are more susceptible to earthquakes. These fracturing features could help
explain why some regions in central and eastern North America are more
seismically active than others.
Phys.org, 12-12-17
Precious
Gems Bear Messages From Earth’s Molten Heart
We may covet
gemstones for their beauty, but their real value lies in what they tell
scientists about the extreme forces at work deep underground.
The New York
Times, 12-11-17
Wildfires last
year in Kern County were followed this year by the Sonoma-Napa wildfires. Now
wildfires in Southern California are devastating homes, families and
businesses.
Bakersfield.com,
12-12-17
CLIMATE CHANGE
A
Landmark California Climate Program Is in Jeopardy
Gov. Jerry Brown
of California and lawmakers in Sacramento pulled off a huge political feat last
summer when they renewed one of the state’s premier climate programs. The
governor sought a two-thirds majority to insulate the program from legal
challenges, and he got there by winning support from eight Republican
lawmakers.
The New York
Times, 12-12-17
California's
cap-and-trade climate program could generate more than $8 billion by 2027,
report says
Although
California’s cap-and-trade program was designed to combat climate change,
a new analysis predicts it could also provide significant cash — as much
as $8 billion in a decade’s time — for state and
regional programs.
Los Angeles
Times, 12-12-17
Stanford geoscientists have devised a way of detecting thousands of
faint, previously missed earthquakes triggered by hydraulic fracturing, or
“fracking.”
Stanford News,
12-12-17
In the heart of the
West Texas oil patch, a new fracking frenzy is putting a strain on groundwater.
Charles Phillips
was in his pasture one day last year when he heard the sound. At 85, Phillips
doesn’t hear as well as he used to, but he had no problem picking up the
unmistakable squeal of a drill boring through rock. That’s odd, he
thought. Why would my neighbor be drilling a water well?
Texas Observer, 12-11-17
What would an earthquake-proof city look
like?
Between 1994 and 2013, nearly half a million people around the world died
due to earthquakes, with another 118.3 million affected. A further
250,000 deaths resulted from subsequent tsunamis – chiefly in 2004 in the
Indian Ocean – and more than 700 from ash fall.
The Guardian,
12-11-17
San Francisco Issues Rules for High-Rise
Foundations
In the wake of the settlement of San Francisco's 645-ft-tall Millennium
Tower, which sank at least 16 in. and tilted at least 2 in. to the northwest,
the city and county Dept. of Building Inspection issued interim guidelines
and procedures for structural, geotechnical and seismic-hazard engineering
design review for new buildings, 240 ft or taller.
Engineering
News Record, 12-11-17
There’s
no rain in sight. So why is Southern California bracing for floods, mudslides?
Even as charred
hillsides smoldered from a series of wildfires that tore through Los Angeles
County, state and local officials were planning last week to head into burn
areas to assess slopes and culverts, in an effort to prevent flash floods and
mudslides that can occur after a massive blaze.
Los Angeles
Newspaper Group, 12-11-17
Quake
could shut Golden Gate Bridge ‘for a long, long time.’ Here’s
the fix.
Caretakers of
the Golden Gate Bridge are rolling out plans for a five-year, $660 million
earthquake retrofit that includes installing more than three dozen custom-made
shock absorbers and replacing 8.5 million pounds of steel bracing.
San Francisco Chronicle column, 12-10-17
WATER
Second La Niña Winter Could Extend
Drought Across the West
Winter is off to a dry start across the West, raising the specter of
ongoing drought in many locations. The culprit could be La Niña –
a periodic cooling of Pacific Ocean waters near the equator that often brings
drought. And not just any La Niña, but a “double whammy”
effect, which latest research concludes may cause even worse
water shortages.
Water Deeply,
12-11-17
How California farmers can conserve water
and combat climate change
In January and February, no less than 125 million gallons of rain fell
upon my 200-acre farm, located off Highway 80 between Dixon and Davis. Our
soil, blanketed with an annual winter cover crop of mixed grass and legumes,
absorbed all of those 24 inches of rain. Not one single gallon left our
property.
Sacramento Bee
commentary, 12-9-17
Break the law, or let your cattle die? A
Los Banos dairy farmer had to make choice
Los Banos dairy farmer Dennis Areias said he was looking at two options
when rain waters flooded his farm and sickened his cattle: follow the law and
witness the deaths of dozens of heifers, or break some rules and save his cows
while mending the damage as much as possible.
Los Banos
Enterprise, 12-8-17
Supervisors Get Update on Good, Bad and
Future of Oil and Gas Operations in Santa Barbara County
Despite her best lobbying efforts, Santa Barbara County Second District Supervisor Janet Wolf couldn’t convince her colleagues that the
county should change how it defines a high-risk oil and gas operator.
Santa Barbara
Noozhawk, 12-10-17
Why oil
prices may have hit a sweet spot
There has been much debate on the environmental risks of fracking for
shale oil and gas. The fact remains, however, that it’s big business in
the US – and as the oil price climbs back up towards $60 a barrel,
it’s becoming increasingly profitable.
Capital.com, 12-10-17
Oil,
Gas Operators’ California Dreams Turn to Nightmare in SoCal Wildfire
A number of
small oilfields in Ventura County, CA, remained shut in Friday as the Thomas
Fire spread into Ojai and the unincorporated areas surrounding the
city of Ventura, with major producer Aera Energy LLC closing down all of its
operations.
NGI Shale Gas Daily, 12-8-17
Dirty
oil stains California’s climate leadership
After touting
California’s climate leadership to the world at the United Nations
climate conference in Germany, Gov. Jerry Brown addressed a home crowd last
week at the ClimateTECH conference in San Francisco.
San Francisco Examiner commentary,
12-10-17
3.3
quake strikes near Monte Nido
A shallow
magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported Friday morning one mile from Monte Nido,
Calif, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 12:44
a.m. PST at a depth of 9.3 miles.
Los Angeles Times, 12-8-17
3.2
quake strikes near Carlotta, Ca.
A shallow
magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Friday afternoon one mile from Carlotta,
Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 12:56
p.m. PST at a depth of 16.2 miles.
Los Angeles Times, 12-8-17
3.7
quake strikes near South Landing, Calif.
A shallow
magnitude 3.7 earthquake was reported Friday morning five miles from South
Landing, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred
at 9:06 a.m. PST at a depth of 1.9 miles.
Los Angeles Times, 12-8-17
Earthquake
strikes near Topanga and Malibu
A small earthquake
struck the Malibu-Topanga area early today, the U.S. Geological Survey
reported.
Los Angeles City News Service, 12-8-17
No tsunami threat to Guam from earthquakes
in Micronesia Friday
Two earthquakes above magnitude 6 hit Micronesia on Friday, Dec. 8.
Pacific Daily
News, 12-8-17
3.5
quake strikes near Cahuilla, Calif.
A shallow
magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Saturday afternoon four miles from
Cahuilla, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred
at 12:45 p.m. Pacific time at a depth of 3.1 miles.
Los Angeles Times, 12-9-17
Concrete
torched in Sonoma County fires being recycled for roadbeds
Marta May lives
in Bloomfield and is used to seeing trucks coming and going from the Stony
Point Rock Quarry west of Cotati.
Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 12-10-17
County and MALT preserve Furlong ranch,
restore fish habitat
The Board of Supervisors has approved over $1 million in Measure A funds
for the preservation of a Point Reyes Station ranch seen as a key piece in a
plan to restore steelhead trout habitat. The purchase of the conservation
easement by the county and the Marin Agricultural Land Trust—which each
paid half of the total $2.7 million purchase price—was the next step in a
major plan to restore the Millerton Gulch Creek watershed.
Point Reyes
Light, 12-7-17
CLIMATE CHANGE
Despite Jerry Brown’s claims,
here’s why California’s greenhouse gas level fell
Gov. Jerry Brown hopped around Europe for two weeks last month, telling
the world that to avoid a climate change Armageddon, it should emulate what
California is doing to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
CalMatters
column 12-10-17
Gov.
Jerry Brown says world must fight climate change in visit to Ventura
County’s Thomas fire
Gov. Jerry Brown
warned that the state’s fire seasons will continue to get longer and more
volatile, and called for a global fight against climate change after visiting
devastated parts of Ventura County on Saturday morning.
Los Angeles Newspaper Group, 12-9-17
Renewing his
criticism of President Trump’s stance on climate change as he traveled to
Paris for an international meeting, Gov. Jerry Brown said on Sunday that the
president’s agenda has a “reckless disregard” for the
seriousness of the problem.
Los Angeles Times, 12-10-17
GENERAL
State’s information technology
debacle continues
One of the great – and quite irksome – anomalies of
California is that while its economy is largely driven by Silicon
Valley’s digital innovation, its state government in Sacramento, just 100
miles northeast, has abysmally failed to use that technology effectively.
CalMatters,
12-11-17
Supervisors hear report on oil operations,
violations; Greka stands out
A report on the status of oil wells, pipelines and facilities, including
compliance with current regulations requested last March by the Board of Supervisors,
was delivered Tuesday, and one operator stood out for its track record of
violations.
Santa Maria
Times, 12-5-17
County
status report shows Greka responsible for majority of petroleum violations
Santa Barbara
County Planning and Development staff found that Greka Energy led the pack in terms
of violations and fines compared to other oil and gas producers in the county.
Santa Maria Sun, 12-6-17
Removal Process of Platform
Holly Begins
Three area government entities have begun the arduous process of removing
the offshore platform, onshore facility, and pipeline that recently belonged to
Venoco, the now-defunct oil company that went bankrupt.
Santa Barbara
Independent, 12-7-17
Fracking
Is a Huge American Money Pit
I learned
something new today. Every year, fracking operations in the United States
produce more than a billion barrels of oil and gas. And we’re basically
just giving it all away:
Mother Jones, 12-6-17
San Diego less vulnerable to, but not free
of, fracking
Fracking is hydraulic fracturing, or horizontal shooting of water, sand,
and chemicals into shale to bring up oil and gas. However, people complain of
loud equipment, stealing of water, and widespread pollution through use of
chemicals said to be dangerous.
San Diego
Reader, 12-6-17
A shallow
magnitude 3.0 earthquake was reported Wednesday morning seven miles from Coso,
Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor occurred at 10:44
a.m. PST near the surface.
Los Angeles Times, 12-6-17
West
coast earthquake early warning system continues progress toward public use
A decade after
beginning work on an earthquake early warning system, scientists and engineers
are fine-tuning a U.S. West Coast prototype that could be in limited public use
in 2018.
Phys.org, 12-6-17
Odd
series of small earthquakes jostle Julian area
A series of
small earthquakes broke Wednesday and early Thursday about eight miles
northeast of Julian, causing shaking that was felt across a wide area of the
county, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
San Diego Union Tribune, 12-7-17
4.2-magnitude
earthquake shakes Julian area
The Julian area
was shaken by a preliminary 4.2-magnitude earthquake late Wednesday.
KGTV (San Diego), 12-6-17
An innovative State program has committed nearly $34 million to fund projects
that achieve two important goals: protecting agricultural land from development
and reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Mariposa Sierra Sun Times, 12-6-17
CLIMATE CHANGE
Analysts
Worry Calif. Climate Change Program Is Doing Too Well
California is
swimming in $1.5 billion in new money for clean energy programs and the
high-speed rail project, after lawmakers extended the climate-change program,
cap-and-trade. But analysts suggest the current boom could ultimately undermine
the program’s purpose of cutting long-term emissions.
Capital Public Radio, 12-5-17
California
makes headway on cutting greenhouse gases, but policies get little recognition
As Gov. Jerry
Brown was making his way through Europe last month, striking an evangelical tone
about the global peril represented by climate change, California’s Air
Resources Board released good news about emissions reported by companies
covered under the state’s cap-and-trade system.
CalMatters, 12-7-17
Did Climate Change Worsen the Southern
California Fires?
Massive wildfires are raging across Southern California, threatening
thousands of homes and cultural landmarks like the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
Some of the largest fires were still barely contained by Wednesday afternoon.
The Atlantic,
12-6-17
The Most Accurate Climate Models Predict
Greater Warming, Study Shows
New research says we should pay more attention to climate models that
point to a hotter future and toss out projections that point to less
warming.
Inside Climate
News, 12-6-17
King
tides make a splash – show shoreline susceptible to sea level rise
Some of the
year's highest tides, known as “king tides,” hit the California
shoreline this week, providing a glimpse of what the state can expect as sea
levels rise in the coming years.
San Diego Community News Group, 12-6-17
Nevada’s
Ruby Mountains targeted for oil leasing and the locals don’t like it
When Lisa
Eriksen wants a break from town life she heads to the Ruby Mountains near Elko,
a range that’s been called
the Swiss Alps of Nevada.
Reno Gazette Journal, 12-5-17
Exploring
one of the last underground mining companies in California
California is
the Golden State. In 1849, thousands of miners rushed to the Sierra foothills
to strike it rich. Today, gold mining is a dying industry, but one gold
mining company has managed to stay in business.
ABC 10,
12-4-17
Mining
Industry Veteran Jeff Bryant Joins Alight Mining Solutions As Vice President Of
Professional Services
"I'm thrilled to welcome Jeff Bryant as Vice President of
Professional Services for Alight Mining Solutions," said Tom
Struttmann, Group Executive, Alight Mining Solutions. "Jeff's deep
understanding of the mining industry through direct experience in both
operations and consulting will provide the leadership required to meet the
demands of our rapidly growing customer base."
WorldNetDaily, 12-5-17
International
LiDAR Mapping Forum 2018 Conference Program Announced & Registration Open
he organizers
of International
LiDAR Mapping Forum (ILMF), the world’s leading technical
conference and expo covering the newest airborne, terrestrial and underwater
LiDAR as well as emerging remote-sensing and data collection tools and
technologies, announced the 2018 conference program.
The 18th annual edition of ILMF will take place alongside the ASPRS Annual Conference February 5-7,
2018 in Denver, Colorado.
SFGate, 12-4-17
ALISO CANYON
Surge
In Methane Levels Prompts Warning To Porter Ranch Residents
Two years ago,
the biggest methane gas leak in U.S. history happened at the Aliso Canyon
facility, and many residents reported negative health effects from the
incident.
California Healthline, 12-4-17
SoCalGas
Pipeline Losses Spur Curtailment Warnings
The loss of
three natural gas pipelines is creating major concerns about Southern
California’s gas and electricity supplies, with three state and local
regulators saying that Los Angeles-area electricity generators could experience
gas curtailments this winter.
RTO Insider, 12-3-17
SOLAR
Greener
Gasoline to Come from Solar-Powered Oil Wells in California
Crude oil from
Kern County's Belridge field will soon have a much lower life cycle carbon
intensity thanks to new solar technology used to extract hard-to-get oil. The
renewal of California's carbon cap-and-trade market made it possible.
Planetizan, 12-4-17
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