Daily Green

Good afternoon, all. In today's news:

• San Jose bans plastic bags;
• Gov.-elect Brown wants to fast-track budget—60 days;
• State redistricting commission complete;
• Judge says Delta pumping rules too restrictive;
• David Allgood's lack of sleep is your gain (in the form of useful enviro news);
• And much more.

Top News

San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle 12/15/10
San Jose bans plastic bags
http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_16859889
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/15/BAKO1GQKPN.DTL

Office of the Assembly Speaker 12/15/10
Assembly Speaker Pérez announces leadership committee assignments
http://asmdc.org/speaker/news-room/press-releases/item/2547-speaker-pérez-names-assembly-leadership-team-and-committees

Sacramento Bee 12/15/10
Final six members selected for state's redistricting commission
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2010/12/final-six-members-selected-for.html

Contra Costa Times 12/15/10
Brown promises austere budget at forum focused on education
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_16858378

Ventura County Star 12/14/10
Herdt: Only 69 sunsets in Brown's "first 100 days"
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/dec/14/only-69-sunsets-in-browns-first-100-days/

Los Angeles Times 12/15/10
Brown wants to fast-track budget agreement within 60 days
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/la-me-1215-brown-education-20101215,0,5085356.story

Sacramento Bee 12/15/10
Dan Walters: Brown's doomsday strategy very risky
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/15/3258160/dan-walters-browns-doomsday-strategy.html

State Environmental News

Multiple sources 12/15/10
Judge says Delta pumping rules, meant to protect fish, are too restrictive
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16859592
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-water-smelt-20101215,0,4288709.story
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/14/BAKO1GQMTH.DTL

New York Times 12/15/10
Effort falters on San Francisco Bay Delta
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/science/earth/15delta.html

California Watch 12/15/10
Timber companies stand to benefit from new climate law
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/timber-companies-stand-benefit-new-climate-law-7469

KQED Climate Watch 12/15/10
Carbon Storage Could Be Shaky Proposition
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2010/12/14/carbon-storage-could-be-shaky-proposition/

National Environmental News

Los Angeles Times 12/15/10
Renewable-energy program has chance of extension
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solar-grants-20101215,0,1265824.story

Los Angeles Times 12/15/10
Justice Department sues BP, 8 other companies in gulf oil spill
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/sc-dc-1216-oil-spill-suit-web-20101215,0,612645.story

Politics

California Watch 12/15/10
FEC shoots down cell phone campaign donations
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/fec-shoots-down-cell-phone-campaign-donations-7474

David Allgood's Cure for Insomnia

LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GOLDEN STATE:

Except for bullet train project, economic optimism scarce at "Next Five Years" conference.
http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x692504380/Optimism-scarce-at-Next-Five-Years-event

Norco studies manure-to-energy project.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_wmanure15.3ad545f.html

Smart meter opponents protest in San Rafael fueled by allegations of PG&E spying.
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_16859428

Timber conservation, community forest plan moves forward in Humboldt County.
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_16863377

FOSSIL FUEL FUNTIME:

NTSB finds no external corrosion in PG&E gas pipeline that caused fatal blast.
http://sanbruno.patch.com/articles/preliminary-ntsb-report-no-external-corrosion-damage-from-excavation-found-in-line-132

Judge narrows Alaska's case against BP for North Slope oil spills.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/12/15/105292/alaska-judge-narrows-states-case.html

Gulf spill paymaster acknowledges transparency problems.
http://www.propublica.org/article/gulf-spill-paymaster-acknowledges-transparency-problems-and-outlines-fixes

Feds. expected to file civil case in BP disaster.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BD5O420101214

Sierra Club sues Exxon over Baytown refinery pollution.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60580

Obama wants study but still backs fracking.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/12/14/14greenwire-obama-admin-wants-study-but-backs-northeast-sh-25319.html

Permit hearings put spotlight on EPA mining crackdown.
http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/201012140965

Calls for stiffer penalties for coal mining water pollution.
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20101214/NEWS01/312140049/1008/

Aging oil rigs, pipelines expose Gulf to accidents.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704584804575644463302701660.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories

NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND:

Weak climate deal in Cancun lauded as consistent with US objectives.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/dec2010/2010-12-14-02.html

US says financing key to Cancun climate deal.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BD5SC20101214

US livestock eat 29 million pounds of antibiotics annually.
http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/drugs/la-heb-antibiotics-121410,0,4660198.story

Montana set to deport 40 sage grouse to Alberta.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/montana-proposes-to-relocate-some-sage-grouse-to-alberta--111861154.html

Federal probe of toxic Chinese drywall falls short.
http://www.propublica.org/article/federal-probe-of-chinese-drywall-falls-short

Wind and terrain play role in transport pollution.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10349/1109207-114.stm

Group wants US to recycle, not sink, old warships.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/dec2010/2010-12-14-092.html

Toxic algae warning for Texas coast.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/dec2010/2010-12-14-091.html

NEWS FROM THE EU:

EU may block Iceland fishing fleet.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60577

German opposition backs new cuts to solar subsidies.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60574

NEWS FROM THE LAND OF 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE:

Does China face a "peak coal" threat?
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/does-china-face-a-peak-coal-threat/

NEWS FROM THE DAMP ISLES:

Invasive species cost £1.7 billion/year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11996801

Rabbits are most costly invasive species.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/15/rabbits-invasive-species-cost

Environment Secretary says green bank to be scaled back.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/15/chris-huhne-on-green-energy-plans

London Mayor slammed for lax air pollution targets.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/14/london-black-cabs-electric

Subsidies jump-start green car revolution.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/subsidies-to-jump-start-uk-green-car-revolution-2160580.html

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

Scientists say oilsands don't deserve all criticisms, call for tougher oversight.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/oilsands-dont-deserve-all-criticism-but-oversight-must-improve-scientists-111907469.html

Oilsands report criticizes all stakeholders.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/oil-sands-report-criticizes-all-stakeholders/article1838315/

Tough product safety rules will put bite on importers, manufacturers.
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Tough%20product%20safety%20rules%20will%20bite%20importers%20manufacturers/3975945/story.html

NEWS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:

Conservationists lose fight to protect Moscow forest from road.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/14/conservation-moscow-forest-road

Conservationist tracks rare bird species struggling to survive.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/conservationist-tracks-bird-family-struggling-to-survive-2160191.html

UN talks up pressure on Aussie climate targets.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60572

FROGS IN THE NEWS:

Cannibal tadpoles call out before attacking kin.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40660018/ns/technology_and_science-science/

Group charges Bay Area golf course kills endangered frogs.
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/San-Francisco-Golf-Course-Kills-Threatened-Frogs-111804349.html

BEST HEADLINES EVER:

Beauty sleep concept not a myth.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11993944

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