News Archive

PG&E to Buy Wave Power

12/19

The utility Pacific Gas & Electric this week became the first power company in the United States to sign a deal agreeing to purchase electricity generated by wave power. The wave-power farm that would generate said electricity is still years from completion -- not to mention government approval -- but securing a power buyer is seen as an important step. In the first phase of the project, slated for completion by 2012, eight specially equipped buoys located two and a half miles off the coast of Northern California will together generate up to two megawatts of power. If all goes as planned and the project is granted the necessary approvals, it could be expanded to produce up to 100 megawatts. In other renewables news, the largest photovoltaic solar array in the U.S. opened this week at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nev. The 140-acre farm is expected to generate up to 30,000 megawatt-hours of electricity a year, or about 25 percent of the base's power use. link

Japan Limits Whale Hunt

12/26

Under pressure from, well, most of the world to stop targeting humpback whales, Japan has announced it will hold off on its hunt for the imperiled humpback -- at least for now. "Japan has decided not to catch humpback whales for one year or two, but there will be no change in our stance on research whaling," said spokesguy Nobutaka Machimura. The decision was in large part a compromise with the head of the International Whaling Commission who is attempting to calm debate at the IWC and focus on managing whaling instead of acting to largely discourage or ban it. Japan was also under heavy pressure from European countries, the United States, and Australia, among others, to curtail the planned humpback hunt. Australia had recently dispatched a ship to tail the whalers and has been conducting flyovers of the whaling fleet to collect evidence of wrongdoing to present to an international court. Japan still intends to hunt two other whale species this season, aiming to land over 900 of them in what could be the country's largest hunt. link

The New Kyoto Protocol Meeting in Bali
12/4	{{{3}}}

US Senator Markey was negotiating energy bill here, so attended virtually via Second Life

Australia Ratifies the Kyoto Protocol
12/3	On his very first official day in office today, new Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd ratified the Kyoto Protocol, committing his country to deep emissions cuts and putting ever more peer pressure on the United States -- the only industrialized nation still holding out on Kyoto ratification. link

New 35 MPG Standards for Cars

12/4

Democratic leaders in the U.S. House reached a deal late Friday night to raise fuel-economy standards for cars and light trucks to an average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 -- a 40 percent increase from today's standard of 27.5 mpg for cars and 22.2 mpg for SUVs and pickups. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who's been pushing for an increase, came to agreement with House Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.), a longtime defender of automakers in his state. Dingell called the new standards "both aggressive and attainable." link

12/15 update

OIL SPILL IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY
11/9	A Cosco freighter collided with a bridge, spilling 58, 000 gallons of crude oil; 8,000 have been cleaned up Volunteer to help birds here newspaper account Info on latest count of birds affected Channel 4 has good coverageincludes video NPR radio show Forum (audio) audio and images A much larger spill threatens dolphins Russian spill

UCSC Treesit Protest
11/8-	Students protesting the Long Range Development Plan have established a presence on Science Hill as well as a website with activities.

Newspaper account written in part by Paul Rogers, who will speak at the Plenary in a few weeks. Here is the City on a Hill article on event and one on Chancellor's response

Congress Passes Water Bill over Presidential Veto
11-12/16/	34 Republicans (led by Inhofe, who was instrumental in delaying awareness and action of Global Warming) passes a bill which would include coastal wetlands restoration ENN

California Sues Feds to Allow Cleaner Air
11/8	ENN Update: CA beats Bush Administration on gas mileage standards, which means a dozen or so states will adopt our stricter standard, and it sets a precedent that we have the right to protect ourselves. Update: Washington Post story on how the Bush Administration is trying to quash CA efforts. Sept. 25, 2007 see Website

Progress on Fuel Cells for Cars
11/8	"The average price for all types of gasoline is holding steady around $2_95 per gallon nationwide, but the pain at the pump might be short-lived as research from the University of Houston may eliminate one of the biggest hurdles to the wide-scale production of fuel cell-powered vehicles."ENN

Australian Scientists Decode Whale Sounds
11/8	"Australian scientists studying humpback whales sounds say they have begun to decode the whale's mysterious communication system, identifying male pick-up lines and motherly warnings."ENN

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