A True Win! Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA

The federal appeals court ruled unanimously on Tuesday in favor of the EPA in Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA. The decision allows the EPA to continue working under the Clean Air Act to limit carbon pollution from industry, new power plants and cars.

Get all of the details at: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ddoniger/climate_smack-down_court_uphol.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+switchboard_all+%28Switchboard%3A+Blogs+from+NRDC%27s+Environmental+Experts%29

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Heat Waves, Forest Fires and Climate Change

The New York Times Green Blog takes a look at the link between forest fires and climate change, using the recent blaze in Colorado as an example. According to Heat Waves and Climate Change, a new report from Climate Communication, “as of June 18 there have been nearly 10 times as many high-temperature records this year as low-temperature records.”

Read the whole article at: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/28/pondering-a-link-between-forest-fires-and-climate-change/?smid=tw-share

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Sea Level Rise Update

A new report, released Friday, updates predictions of seal level rise along the Pacific coast. Find out what the repercussions could look like and what the update means about past assumptions regarding the drivers of sea level rise.

The “key findings” here are particularly helpful: http://dels.nas.edu/Report/Level-Rise-Coasts/13389

A second, longer version of the story: http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/06/sea_level_on_west_coast_rising.html

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Denial in Virginia

Thank you Nel Ward for passing this on:

“Sea level rise” is a “left-wing” term, according to one Virginian lawmaker. Thus the results of a state-commissioned $50,000 study on economic impacts of Virginia’s coastal flooding will use the term “recurrent flooding” and eliminate the terms “climate change” and “sea level rise” when it states that the sea level will go up over 5 feet by the end of the century. Virginia has the highest level of advancing sea water on the East Coast.

Coastal Virginia cities are spending millions of dollars because of advancing seas. Norfolk alone pays $6 million every year because of the flooding in up to 10% of the city’s low-lying neighborhoods. The federal government is also spending hundreds of millions of dollars to replace piers at the Norfolk naval base. To stop negative economic impacts on Virginia’s coastal areas from regulations, a state senate committee has approved a bill that stops state agencies from draft development rules using estimates of advancing sea levels.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/chris-stolle-virginia-gop-climate-change_n_1586128.html

http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120526/NEWS01/120526001/VA-SHORE-Area-s-sea-level-rise-has-fastest-rate-East-Coast

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17915958

http://outerbanksvoice.com/2012/06/08/bill-limiting-definition-of-sea-level-rise-advances/

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Tragic Irony

Hillary Clinton’s visit to the Arctic is highlighted as a prospecting trip to view how climate change is opening up access to vast oil reserves- not just a little bit ironic. Read on to learn about the potential “great game” building around the geopolitics of seabed extraction.

http://is.gd/yQkLLD

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Berkeley Scientists Join Forces to Improve Climate Change Science

Concerned that the global tipping point for environmental disaster is approaching, a group of scientists at UC Berkeley have joined forces to improve our understanding of climate change and future trajectories. Read on to find out who is involved, how they are funded, and what they aim to do: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606132308.htm

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California Cities Plan To Retreat

Sea level has risen 7 inches in California over the last Century and is predicted to almost double by 2050. Until now, California’s answer to keeping the ocean at bay was to build sea walls and other structures. Some communities are now considering another option- retreat. Cities are choosing to tear up power lines and structures to make way for rising waters. Read on to find out what Oregon’s coastal communities might learn from “planned retreat” options for cities like San Francisco, Pacifica and Ventura.

This is a very informative article. Thanks to Nel Ward for passing it on!

http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/06/some_california_towns_are_cons.html

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