Daily Green

Hello and good afternoon all. In today’s news:

• Environmentalists celebrate John Laird’s appointment to Natural Resources Agency;
• More on Governor Brown’s appointments;
• Climate change threatens Sierra, delta;
• Barbara Boxer takes shot at GOP agenda;
• And more.

Top of the Ticket

Contra Costa Times, Los Angeles Times 1/6/11

Brown fills cabinet posts

http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_17019167

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-jerry-brown-20110106,0,6997355.story

Groundswell 1/6/11 (cross-posted on California Progress Report andCalitics)

Warner Chabot:John Laird Appointed as Secretary for Natural Resources

http://www.ecovote.org/blog/governor-jerry-brown-appoints-john-laird-secretary-natural-resources

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=node/8542

http://www.calitics.com/diary/13008/its-official-john-laird-appointed-california-secretary-for-natural-resources

MediaNews (San Jose Mercury News, Oakland Tribune) 1/6/11

John Laird's appointment to state's top environmental post draws praise, ire

http://www.insidebayarea.com/california/ci_17017418

Monterey Herald (editorial) 1/4/11

Laird well-qualified for resources post

http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_17005731

MediaNews (San Jose Mercury News, Oakland Tribune)  1/1/11

Report: Former Santa Cruz legislator John Laird named to the top natural resources post by Jerry Brown

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_16988723

State Environmental News

Multiple sources 1/6/11

Climate change threatens Sierra, delta, group says

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/06/MNEG1H4M3H.DTL

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/endangered-ecosystems-climate-change.html

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/06/3302970/coalition-declares-sierra-delta.html

Climate Watch 1/6/11

Mapping California's Worldbeating Cleantech Boom

http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2011/01/05/mapping-californias-worldbeating-cleantech-boom

Reuters 1/5/11

Special Report: With solar power, it's Green vs. Green

www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7042ZR20110105

Reuters 1/5/11

Exclusive: Sierra Club sues over California solar plant

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70432N20110105

Hanford Sentinel 1/5/11

Final Kettleman birth defect report out

http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/article_dfbd1204-1834-11e0-8194-001cc4c03286.html

Pasadena Star-News 1/6/11

Bill to protect San Gabriel Mountains applauded by environmentalists

www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17019964

Fresno Bee 1/6/11

Ag group wants Florez for public utilities panel

http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/01/05/2221641/ag-group-wants-dean-florez-for.html

Associated Press 1/6/11

US approval brings LA's westside light rail closer

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/05/3302769/us-approval-brings-las-westside.html

Associated Press 1/6/11

Tortoises relocated for SoCal solar plant sick

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/05/3302055/tortoises-relocated-for-socal.html

State Politics

Capitol Weekly 1/6/11

Greg Lucas: The new regime: Brains are in, bald is beautiful and no more smoking tent

http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_c=zegqdntrjbdczz&xid=zeeed7a3cp9st2&done=.zegqdntrjbzczz

Sacramento Bee 1/6/11

Jerry Brown appoints wife as 'special counsel,' names two executive secretaries

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/06/3303106/jerry-brown-appoints-wife-as-special.html

San Jose Mercury News 1/6/11

Jerry Brown's talk of ending redevelopment sparks fears, cheers around California

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_17020904

Capitol Alert 1/5/11

Grover Norquist group: Putting taxes on ballot violates no-tax pledge

http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/americans-for-tax-reform-placi.html

Calitics 1/5/11

Brian Leubitz: Norquistians Put Ideological Fealty Above Democracy and the Middle Class

http://www.calitics.com/diary/13009/norquistians-put-ideological-fealty-above-democracy-and-the-middle-class

Sacramento Bee (column) 1/6/11

Dan Morain: High-flying Harris must return to Earth

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/06/3302628/high-flying-harris-must-return.html

California Progress Report 1/6/11

Caitlin Vega: Anti-Union Measures Harm ALL Workers

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=node/8545

Associated Press 1/6/11

Justice Moreno stepping down from Calif high court

http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California/CA_California_Supreme_Court_Moreno_548273C.shtml

Capitol Alert 1/6/11

Study: Other Western states have budget problems, too

http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/other-western-states-have-budg.html

Capitol Alert 1/5/11

Recommended reading: Cal Facts

http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/recommended-reading-cal-facts.html

National Environmental News

Reuters 1/6/11

Analysis: Obama under pressure to delay EPA carbon rules

www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7043VX20110105

Politico 1/6/11

Barbara Boxer takes shot at GOP agenda

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/47155.html

Los Angeles Times 1/6/11

Panel blames industry and government for BP oil spill

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oil-spill-commission-20110106,0,7682703.story

Greenspace 1/5/11

New Mexico threatens a U-turn on environmental regulations

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/cap-and-trade-new-mexico-global-warming-climate-change.html

San Francisco Chronicle 1/6/11

Greenpeace ranks tech products on eco-soundness

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/06/BUAL1H4PLS.DTL&type=green

David Allgood’s Insomnia Corner

FOSSIL FUEL FUNTIME:

Presidential commission determines massive oil spill could still happen.

www.aolnews.com/2011/01/05/panel-massive-oil-spill-could-happen-again/

BP cost cutting caused Gulf disaster.

www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/06/bp-oil-spill-deepwater-horizon

Investigation finds industry-wide problems in the wake of BP spill.

www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/01/05/106271/panel-industry-wide-blunders-led.html

Report says bad management led to BP catastrophe.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12124830

Blunders abounded before fatal explosion.

www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/science/earth/06spill.html?_r=1&hp

Illnesses linked to BP oil catastrophe.

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2010/12/20101230105158700342.html

Land market coal mine safety enforcement settled against Massey Energy.

www.npr.org/2011/01/05/132675452/landmark-coal-mine-safety-enforcement-case-settled

PG&E faces more lawsuit over fatal gas pipeline explosion.

www.modbee.com/2011/01/05/1499409/pge-facing-more-lawsuits-over.html

Pennsylvania gas drilling waste being release into streams.

www.propublica.org/article/pennsylvanias-drilling-wastewater-released-to-streams-some-unaccounted-for

Congress may force Obama to expand oil drilling.

http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60775

Lawmakers protect natural gas from new drilling regulations.

http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60772

NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND:

Study linking vaccine to autism found to be fraud.

www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/01/05/health/AP-EU-MED-Autism-Fraud.html?ref=u

Mysterious bird deaths defy explanation.

www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2011/0105/Mystery-bird-deaths-Blame-it-on-harsh-winter-fireworks-or-avicide

Colorado uranium mill approved.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/uranium-mill-approved.html

Poor security at nuclear facilities called "flirting with disaster.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7045E320110105

New Jersey enacts nation's toughest fertilizer law.

www.app.com/article/20110105/NEWS03/110105058/NJ-enacts-toughest-US-rules-on-fertilizer-

LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GOLDEN STATE:

PG&E to ignore Marin County ban on smart meters.

www.thecalifornian.com/article/20110106/NEWS06/101060312/PG&E+to+ignore+Marin+Co.+moratorium+on+SmartMeters

Trash fiasco in San Mateo County!

www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county/ci_17022376

State tells Peninsula that if it wants underground rail lines, it has to find the money.

www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county/ci_17021744

San Mateo fishers sue over program designed to protect fish.

www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county/ci_17012740

DC Court of Appeals will not hear Hoopa trout suit.

www.siskiyoudaily.com/highlight/x2135347027/D-C-Court-of-Appeals-will-not-hear-Hoopa-trout-suit

NEWS OF THE WORLD:

Climate movement in desperate need of renewal.

www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2011/jan/05/climate-movement-renewal-ratcliffe

Atmospheric bulge lead to cold winter despite global warming.

www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/01/05/05climatewire-a-bulge-in-atmospheric-pressure-gives-us-a-s-70646.html

Lakes are disappearing.

www.newsweek.com/2011/01/01/lakes-disappearing-after-glacial-outburst-floods.html

Taxing carbon is seen as only way to save the planet.

www.independent.co.uk/environment/tax-on-carbon-the-only-way-to-save-our-planet-2175130.html

Soaring global food prices spark fears of unrest.

www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/soaring-global-food-prices-spark-fears-of-social-unrest/article1859417/

World food prices enter "danger territory.”

www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jan/05/world-food-prices-danger-record-high-un

Food production shrinks, demand grows.

www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/food-production-is-down-hunger-is-up-and-prices-are-rising/article1859420/

Blood sucking lampreys have a taste for whale.

news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9281000/9281424.stm

NEWS FROM THE EU:

3 million chemical slated to European listing as hazardous.

www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2011/2011-01-05-01.html

Dioxin contamination in Germany greater than feared.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12120321

Call for creating a North Sea oil spill plan, no call for a moratorium.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-12121292

Sloppy seed sorting leads to escape of genetically modified crops.

www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/21/seed-sorting-gm-crop-escapes

NEWS FROM THE LAND OF 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE:

Battery factory sickens children in Anhui Province.

www.npr.org/2011/01/06/132700495/battery-factory-sickens-24-children-in-china

China makes five year energy cut targets.

www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7051OE20110106

China looks to green energy market for growth.

www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7041FS20110105

China moves toward greener transit.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/news/energy/2011/01/010511-china-traffic-greener-transit/

NEWS FROM THE DAMP ISLES:

MPs say keep drilling despite risk of disaster.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mps-say-keep-drilling-despite-risk-from-oil-spill-2177226.html

Sustainable fish customers duped by the Marine Stewardship Council.

www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/06/fish-marine-stewardship-council

Rules ease to create more electric car charging spots.

www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/02/electric-cars-charging-points

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

Government challenged to deal with climate change.

www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/follow-the-leader-mr-kent-112924399.html

NEWS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:

South Korea increases support for renewables.

www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7050M420110106

Indonesia divided of forest moratorium.

http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60781

Arsenic laden water linked to TB risk in Chile.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7045E320110105

FROGS IN THE NEWS:

Climate change threatens yellow legged frog.

www.examiner.com/environmental-policy-in-national/new-study-reveals-climate-change-threatens-key-u-s-systems

Obama doesn't care about Oregon spotted frog.

http://motherjones.com/environment/2011/01/obama-endangered-species-act

BEST HEADLINES EVER:

Pack of coyotes attack ostriches.

www.vvdailypress.com/news/grande-25193-oro-ostrich.html

It's raining birds, frogs, worms, fish and crabs. Why?

www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/its-raining-birds-and-frogs-animal-phenomena-are-surprisingly-common-but-why-do-they-happen-2177017.html

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