Daily Green

Good afternoon, all. In the news today:

• Mercury in tuna, swordfish secretly tested;
• Coastal Commission looking very green;
• Delta water overseer wants to reinforce farm water conservation;
• David Allgood's Cure for Insomnia, and much more.

Top of the Ticket

San Francisco Chronicle 1/18/11
Group secretly tests mercury in tuna, swordfish
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/MN6H1H8NRN.DTL

San Diego Union-Tribune 1/18/11
Coastal Commission looking very green
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/18/coastal-commission-looking-very-green/

Contra Costa Times 1/17/11
Delta water overseer wants to reinforce farm water conservation
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_17099414

Los Angeles Times 1/18/11
Green builders find that location matters
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-fi-green-buildings-20110118,0,7923093.story

CA Environmental News & Opinion

Contra Costa Times 1/18/11
California won't raid public transit funds this year
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_17121465

Riverside Press Enterprise 1/16/11
Transportation officials seek gas tax swap -- again
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_fuelswap16.1049dc0.html

Oakland Tribune 1/17/11
State's transportation revenue could shrink by 30 percent
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_17121332

Los Angeles Times 1/18/11
Questions raised over MTA inspector general's ability to do its job
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mta-inspector-general-20110118,0,3401038.story

Associated Press, Sacramento Bee 1/18/11
Feds optimistic Calif. farms will get more water
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/18/3333126/feds-optimistic-calif-farms-will.html
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/18/3332939/big-snowpack-means-communities.html

Delta data distorted, 2 Bay Area utilities say
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/15/MNEG1H5DVB.DTL&type=green

Sacramento Bee 1/18/11
Davis, Woodland seek right to divert Sacramento River water
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/18/3330965/davis-woodland-seek-right-to-divert.html

Reuters 1/18/11
Conservation group sues to stop California solar plant
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70G0V420110118

California Watch 1/18/11
Rare-earth mine opens in Calif., while Toyota looks to magnet motors
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/rare-earth-mine-opens-calif-while-toyota-looks-magnet-motors-8073

Greenspace (LA Times blog) 1/18/11
An Electric Commuter on Two Wheels
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/zero-ds-an-electric-commuter-on-two-wheels.html

Sacramento Bee 1/18/11
SMUD will build green facility that makes more energy than it uses
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/18/3330997/smud-will-build-green-facility.html

San Diego Union-Tribune 1/17/11
Navigating state parks just got easier
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/17/navigating-state-parks-just-got-easier/

Fresno Bee 1/16/11
Chinese high-speed rail officials visit Fresno
http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/01/15/2234468/chinese-rail-officials-visit-fresno.html

Riverside Press Enterprise 1/16/11
Unfettered vistas restored in remote valley
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_rewild16.104a1ef.html

KQED Climate Watch 1/15/11
Planning for the Other "Big One"
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2011/01/14/planning-for-the-other-big-one

Los Angeles Times 1/16/11
In Ventura, a retreat in the face of a rising sea
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-surfers-point-20110116,0,3583641.story

Santa Rosa Press 1/15/11
Feds downsize tiger salamander protection area
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110114/articles/110119652

Sacramento Bee 1/15/11
Auburn dam back in play as McClintock takes over House panel
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/15/3325467/auburn-dam-back-in-play-as-mcclintock.html

Associated Press 1/15/11
New questions about December sewage spill at Tahoe
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/15/3326486/new-questions-about-december-sewage.html

Oakland Tribune 1/15/11
Cal State East Bay to host new power source
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_17098769

San Jose Mercury News, Associated Press 1/15/11
Former Hewlett Packard retreat added to Big Basin Redwoods State Park
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_17100657
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/15/3326391/calif-state-parks-buy-new-535.html

Los Angeles Times 1/15/11
Fool's gold catches eye of solar energy researchers
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solar-gold-20110115,0,5856702.story

State Politics

California Progress Report 1/17/11
Speaker John Pérez: Ensuring Opportunity Honors Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=node/8573

Calbuzz 1/17/11
Looming Battle: ‘Extending’ vs. ‘Increasing’ Taxes
http://www.calbuzz.com/2011/01/looming-battle-extending-vs-increasing-taxes/

Prop Zero blog 1/18/11
Earth to Sen. Berryhill: No One Owns the Budget
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/blogs/prop-zero/Earth-to-Sen-Berryhill-No-One-Owns-the-Budget-113900089.html

Associated Press 1/17/11
Brown taps deep political skills to sell budget
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/17/3329938/brown-taps-deep-political-skills.html

Los Angeles Times 1/15/11
Jerry Brown's bid to kill redevelopment agencies sets stage for fierce battle
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-local-budget-20110115,0,4106863.story

Sacramento Bee (column) 1/17/11
Dan Walters: Jerry Brown's plan would hit two subsidies
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/17/3328869/dan-walters-jerry-browns-plan.html

Calitics 1/17/11
Robert Cruickshank: The Redevelopment Debate
http://www.calitics.com/diary/13042/the-redevelopment-debate

California Progress Report 1/15/11
Peter Schrag: A Budget for the GOP: How to Erase the Deficit Without Taxes
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=node/8577

Fox and Hounds 1/15/11
Tony Quinn: Let's have a Clear Election on Taxes
http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/blog/tony-quinn/8478-lets-have-a-clear-election-taxes

National Environmental News & Opinion

Associated Press 1/18/11
Obama orders review of rules to boost economy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/18/AR2011011803338.html

Greenspace (LA Times blog) 1/15/11
National parks: A missed deadline to curb haze
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/national-parks-haze-pollution-grand-canyon.html

San Francisco Chronicle (opinion) 1/15/11
S. Julio Friedmann, Orville Schell: Obama, Hu Jintao have clean energy opportunity
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/16/IN4E1H7JE3.DTL&type=green

Green (NY Times blog) 1/18/11
For devotees of wind power, a new product label
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/for-devotees-of-wind-power-a-new-product-label/

David Allgood’s Cure for Insomnia

FOSSIL FUEL FUNTIME:

BP targets unspoiled Arctic wilderness.  
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/bp-targets-one-of-the-worlds-last-unspoilt-wildernesses-after-deal-2185821.html

New deep water drilling permits expected soon.
http://www.planetark.com/enviro-news/item/60888

Cost of Michigan oil spill rises to $550 million.
http://www.planetark.com/enviro-news/item/60885

Congressional opponents of fracking disclosure take big money from gas industry.
http://www.propublica.org/article/opponents-to-fracking-disclosure-take-big-money-from-industry

NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND:

Green jobs fueling US economic recovery.
http://www.enn.com/business/article/42242  

Buffalo allowed to run free in Montana.
http://www.planetark.com/enviro-news/item/60892

Arizona fails to regulate reopened uranium mine.
http://www.azdailysun.com/news/local/article_ed01285c-c990-5f0a-b126-8e6155e4b4ae.html

Rising sea level threatens North Carolina coast.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/01/16/1983784/rising-waters-threaten-nc-coast.html

State budget woes threaten environmental programs in Washington state.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_legislature_environment.html

Filtered and bottled water may exacerbate tooth decay.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/17/AR2011011702905.html

EPA's proposal to deal with dioxin pollution through landscaping draws fire.
http://michiganmessenger.com/45684/epa-proposes-landscaping-as-dioxin-solution

LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GOLDEN STATE:

Solar industry running out of subsidies.
http://www.nctimes.com/business/article_68999a60-477a-5adb-95c8-bc9e82b456f4.html

Farmers, some politicians push for bond to finance increased surface water storage.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/01/17/2236423/bond-urged-to-boost-valley-water.html

Glendale schools use 18% less energy.
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-energy-20110118,0,3265083.story

Feds seek public comment on Imperial Valley solar plan.
http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/ivp-news-local-government-solar-energy-plan-20110118,0,3709138.story

NEWS OF THE WORLD:

Thawing ice caps speeding global warming.
http://www.planetark.com/enviro-news/item/60890

Melting Arctic having bigger than expected impact on climate.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/global-warming-arctic-sea-ice.html

Oil refiners reluctant to produce cleaner fuels to reduce pollution from shipping.
http://www.planetark.com/enviro-news/item/60908

NEWS FROM THE EU:

EU urges Britain to abandon shale gas tests until environmental impacts are known.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12190810

EU blocks landing of Icelandic mackerel fishing boats,
http://www.planetark.com/enviro-news/item/60894

Europe’s flawed carbon credits.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2011/jan/17/europe-carbon-credits?intcmp=122

Scandinavian sea may get too warm for cod.
http://www.planetark.com/enviro-news/item/60905

NEWS FROM THE DAMP ISLES:

Plastic bag use on the rise.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/17/plastic-bag-use

Sales of sustainable seafood soar.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/17/sustainable-seafood-supermarkets-fish-fight

Labour Party finally takes aim at Conservative's plan to sell off public lands.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/jan/17/labour-english-forests

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

Beavers enlisted to save lake. 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/stephen-quinn/beavering-away-to-save-a-lake/article1871405/

Green groups accuse Canada of undermining NAFTA environmental watchdog.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/green-groups-accuse-canada-of-undermining-nafta-environment-watchdog-113898434.html

Canada set to ban phthalates in children's products.
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Feds%20toxic%20chemical%20additive%20plastic%20children%20products/4121918/story.html

NEWS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:

Rare fish threatened by Yangtze dam.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/18/fish-reserve-yangtze-dam?intcmp=122

India has warmest year on record.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/on-our-radar-indias-warmest-year-on-record/

Drinking water in Vietnam laden with arsenic.
http://www.planetark.com/enviro-news/item/60907

FROGS IN THE NEWS:

Moses Lake halts construction to protect northern leopard frog.
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_b5fa903a-2005-11e0-b1d2-001cc4c002e0.html

Logging plan endangers red legged frog.
http://www.westcoaster.ca/news/vancouver_island/10739-Politicians-Criticize-Logging-Plans-Mount-Arrowsmith-Biosphere-Reserve.html

Haiti's long lost frogs found.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/photogalleries/110112-endangered-new-frogs-haiti-earthquake-pictures/

BEST HEADLINES EVER:

Stolen tortoises returned after low speed chase.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/jan/17/stolen-tortoises-back-home-snug-and-warm/

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