Daily Green

Good afternoon, all. In the news today:

• We're No. 1: California leads in clean energy policy;
• Flame retardants found in butter;
• BPA found on paper money;
• Gov.-elect Brown holds discussion of the state's budget crisis;
• Allgood's Cure for Insomnia: The bitter pill you need? And more.

Top News

Climate Watch 12/8/10
California Leads Clean Energy Derby
KQED http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2010/12/07/california-leads-clean-energy-derby/

San Francisco Chronicle 12/8/10
California No. 1 in clean energy policy, firm says
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/08/BUGP1GN45I.DTL&type=green

California Watch 12/8/10
Flame retardants found in butter
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/flame-retardants-found-butter-7288

San Francisco Chronicle 12/8/10
Controversial chemical BPA found on paper money
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/08/MN8H1GN4FQ.DTL

State Government

HealthyCal.org 12/8/10
Brown hears experts lay out scope of budget problem
http://www.healthycal.org/brown-hears-experts-lay-out-scope-of-budget-problem.html

KQED Capitol Notes 12/8/10
Jerry, Meet Gridlock; Gridlock, Jerry.
http://blogs.kqed.org/capitalnotes/2010/12/08/jerry-meet-gridlock-gridlock-jerry/

Ventura Star 12/8/10
Herdt: Why California incumbents are trembling
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/dec/07/why-california-incumbents-are-trembling/

More Environmental News

Los Angeles Times 12/7/10
Supreme Court to decide Wal-Mart and power plant cases
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-supreme-court-20101207,0,6372088.story

Los Angeles Times 12/8/10
Renewable energy advocates push for extension of federal Treasury grant program
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/12/renewable-energy-advocates-push-for-extension-of-federal-treasury-grant-program.html

Fresno Bee 12/8/10
Environmental water group agrees with Westlands -- a little
http://fresnobeehive.com/news/2010/12/environmental_water_group_agre.html

Sacramento Bee 12/8/10
What's at stake in fight over sewage?
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/08/3241279/boardsrevised-sewage-rules-on.html

Sacramento Bee 12/8/10
Editorial: How to balance science, dollars in sewage flap
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/08/3240943/how-to-balance-science-dollars.html

Sacramento Bee 12/8/10
'Bubble curtain' planned for slough to steer salmon to safety
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/07/3238428/bubble-curtain-planned-for-slough.html

Bloomberg 12/8/10
San Francisco completes massive solar project
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-08/san-francisco-completes-massive-solar-project.html

New York Times 12/8/10
Report Finds Oil-Drilling Inspectors in Disarray
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/science/earth/08spill.html

LA Daily News  (column) 12/6/10
Kerry Cavanaugh: County's plastic bag ban will be confusing
http://www.dailynews.com/columnists/ci_16790846

San Francisco Chronicle (editorial) 12/6/10
A risky development
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/06/EDN31GLIB1.DTL

David Allgood's Cure for Insomnia

FOSSIL FUEL FUNTIME:

Officials face more questions about fatal PGE pipeline blast.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_16803557

Report finds oil drilling inspectors in disarray.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/science/earth/08spill.html

Oil spill inspectors say access to data is being blocked.
http://www.propublica.org/blog/item/oil-spill-investigators-say-access-to-data-is-being-blocked

Drilling company refuses to cooperate with BP spill investigators.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B624720101207

Industry drafted law erases New York land owners rights to block drilling.
http://dcbureau.org/201012071284/Natural-Resources-News-Service/marcellus-shale-the-real-price-of-compulsory-integration-in-new-york.html

EPA says Texas oil, gas driller contaminated wells.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703921204576006143738482306.html

NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND:

Signs of life for greenhouse gas controls.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/tentative-signs-of-life-for-greenhouse-gas-controls/

Clean energy sector scrambles to save incentives.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/clean-energy-sector-scrambles-to-save-incentives/

Study finds half of all receipts and most of currency tainted with BPA.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/12/receipts-dollar-bills-are-tainted-with-bisphenol-a.html

Negotiations to remove wolves from protected status fail.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/on-our-radar-negotiations-on-wolf-protections-fail/

Ford begins electric van shipments.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60496

Arguing infringement of state's rights, Florida sues EPA over new water pollution controls.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B66YB20101207

EPA, bowing to corporate complaints, seeks to delay boiler pollution rules.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/12/07/07greenwire-epa-seeks-to-delay-controversial-air-pollution-54821.html

States pursue radon limits in drinking water as EPA fails to act.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/12/07/07greenwire-states-pursue-radon-limits-in-drinking-water-a-78542.html

Cat parasite threatens Hawaiian monk seals.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/hawaiian-monk-seals

LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GOLDEN STATE:

Research firm says California leads all states in clean energy policy.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/08/BUGP1GN45I.DTL

CA Energy Commission approves ground squirrel study for solar site.
http://www.ridgecrestca.com/newsnow/x1790524723/CEC-okays-squirrel-study-plan

Despite lawsuit, Solargen expects to begin construction in 2011 near Hollister.
http://www.freelancenews.com/news/270940-despite-lawsuit-solargen-expects-2011-construction

Long Beach City Council votes to ban plastic bags.
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_16803250

Marin County set to ban plastic bags.
http://www.marinij.com/business/ci_16800216

Gilroy approves high speed rail funding.
http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/270928-gilroy-oks-150k-high-speed-rail-funding

Lake County launches Energy Watch program.
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/17310/919/

Attorney General Brown brokers Altamont settlement to save birds & get more efficient wind turbines.
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/17298/919/

Pasadena moves toward more renewable energy.
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_16798979

Redding revisits privatizing city parks.
http://www.redding.com/news/2010/dec/08/redding-will-give-parks-privatization-second-look/

NEWS OF THE WORLD:

Countries at climate summit are warned that time is running out.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11939768

UN Sec. General urges climate deal even if short of perfect.
http://www.enn.com/business/article/42091

US warns Kyoto impasse could torpedo climate talks.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/americas/kyoto-impasse-could-torpedo-climate-talks-us-warns/article1829183/

China takes more positive approach at climate talks, may reach compromise.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/07/cancun-climate-change-summit-china

World Bank chief launches carbon fund.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B65EN20101208

Global investment in renewables to reach $1.7 trillion by 2020.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/08/global-investment-renewables

Inadequate carbon reduction would doom coral reefs.
http://www.startribune.com/science/111461199.html?elr=KArks:DCiUo3PD:3D_V_qD3L:c7cQKUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUoD3aPc:_2yc:a_ncyD_MDCiU

Coral reefs may disappear in our children's lifetime.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/07/coral-reefs-disappear-lifetime

Melting glaciers threaten floods in Himalayas, Andes.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60502

NEWS FROM THE EU:

European ministers agree on better food labeling.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11946669

EU issues warning to emissions traders.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B64FB20101207

NEWS FROM THE LAND OF 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE:

Abandoned factories leave lethal legacy.
http://china.globaltimes.cn/society/2010-12/599785.html

Chinese tycoon adopts green ethics.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/business/global/08tycoon.html?src=busln

NEWS FROM THE DAMP ISLES:

Activists hail recycling revolution as plastic collection soars.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/06/mixed-plastic-recycling-soars

Concern that biofuels companies could snap up privatized forests.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/08/forests-sell-off-energy-companies

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

Watchdog says Canada unable to handle major oil spill.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60503

Report says Ottawa lax on climate change.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-lax-on-climate-change-issues-report-says/article1828178/

BC House of Commons passes permanent ban on oil tankers off coast.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/opposition-mps-pass-motion-on-oil-tanker-ban-off-bc-coast/article1829110/

Alberta bans home construction on abandoned gas wells.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/prairies/alberta-to-ensure-houses-arent-built-on-abandoned-gas-wells/article1828053/

Australia honors Quebec Premier Charest's climate leadership by naming urban forest for him.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec/charests-climate-zeal-honoured-with-an-australian-forest/article1829306/

Government laboratory not testing for oilsands chemicals.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/12/07/f-weston-oilsands.html

NEWS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:

Census finds mountain gorilla numbers have increased.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9265000/9265917.stm

FROGS IN THE NEWS:

Frogs show ability to "pee out" foreign objects.
http://sify.com/news/frogs-can-pee-out-foreign-objects-news-international-kmipawahaaf.html

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