Survey: Westerners want 'green' policies, less oil dependence, Salt Lake Tribune, July 30, 2008. A poll commissioned by the Union of Concerned Scientists shows overwhelming support in seven Western states for U.S.oil independence, more fuel-efficient cars, and cleaner fuels.

Energy: Upgrading the grid, Nature, July 30, 2008. An in-depth look at how electric transmission grids operate and the improvements in store through “smart grid” technology.

Western governors offer emissions plan, Associated Press, July 24, 2008. The Western Climate Initiative releases its latest draft of design recommendations for an economy-wide regional cap and trade system. Several critical decisions, such as the ratio between auctioned and free allowances for covered entities and whether to phase in coverage of transportation fuels, will need to be made for the final set of recommendations due in September.

Few volunteering to cut greenhouse gases, Associated Press, July 24, 2008. A report from EPA’s Inspector General’s Office finds that federal voluntary programs for industries to reduce the less well known greenhouse gases (those other than carbon dioxide) have limited potential to get beyond a 20% reduction.

Governor Ritter calls for CO2 plans from all utilities, Denver Post, July 19, 2008. The Governor’s Energy Office invites unregulated electric utilities (municipal and rural electric associations) to discuss whether they will help meet the Governor’s Climate Action Plan goal to cut emissions from all electric utilities 20% by 2020.

As required by a U.S. Supreme Court decision that heat-trapping gases can be regulated as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency acts on petitions that it regulate those pollutants – by kicking the can down the road to the next administration:  

• EPA won't act on emissions this year. Washington Post, July 11, 2008. EPA publishes an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit public input on the effects of climate change and what the Clean Air Act’s role should be in relation to emissions.

Warming is major threat to humans, EPA warns, Washington Post, July 18. 2008. A week later, an EPA report for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program is released with the finding that it is “very likely" that more people will die during extremely hot periods in future years, with the elderly, the poor and those in inner cities at the highest risk. Other possible dangers are graphed in the report, including more powerful hurricanes, shrinking water supplies in the West, and the increased spread of diseases. Cited in the report is RMCO’s Losing Ground: Western National Parks Endangered by Climate Disruption as the source for one effect on recreation: “Some recreation areas that are already hot during the summer recreation season will see decreases in use. For example, the Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and Mesa Verde National Park are all projected to be “intolerably hot” reducing visitation.” 

California air board announces emissions reduction plan, Los Angeles Times, June 26, 2008. California continues to raise the state climate action plan bar with the release of a Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan of possible actions to meet the state’s goal of reducing emissions of heat-trapping gases to 1990 levels by 2020. To achieve the 30% reduction from a business as usual emissions trajectory, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) outline relies chiefly on a cap-and-trade system, vehicle emissions standards, energy efficiency programs, and a Renewable Portfolio Standard increase to 33% of electric utility sources. Highly recommended!

More California news:

• The state presses its case for the EPA waiver needed to implement its vehicle emissions standards: Judge rejects automakers' effort to delay California emissions rules, Los Angeles Times, June 26, 2008; and White House invokes executive privilege in EPA inquiry, Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2008.
• Scientists praise California car label law, United Press International, June 24, 2008. The CARB will require new cars to display labels indicating how much smog-forming and global warming pollutants they will emit compared with other vehicles.

At the Western Governors Association annual meeting in Jackson Hole June 29 – July 1, climate policies dominate the agenda:

• Climate change, growth will add to Western water planning challenges, Press release, June 30, 2008. The governors discuss needs to seek out new sources of water, increase efficiency, and recycle water. Brad Udall of the Western Water Assessment observes, “Water has long been a zero sum game in the West. Climate change introduces the possibility that it will become a negative sum game.”
• Governors launch wildlife plan , Denver Post, June 30, 2008. WGA’s Wildlife Corridors Initiative report is released, and the governors create the Western Wildlife Council to create a regionwide decision support system for habitat issues (including climate change).
• A Near-zero technologies for Coal workshop covers the latest sequestration and coal-burning technologies.
• The Western Renewable Energy Zones project engages utilities and the federal government in expediting development of the ransmission infrastructure for renewable resource-rich areas.

Adaptation strategies for public lands, Science Daily, June 24, 2008. The U.S. Climate Change Science Program publishes Review of Adaptation Options for Climate-Sensitive Ecosystems and Resources . Lead authors Include Colorado-based Jill Baron (USGS and CSU Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory) and Linda Joyce (USDA Rocky Mountain Research Station).

Science academies urge 50 percent CO2 cuts by 2050, Reuters, June 11, 2008.  The science academies of 13 nations say industrialized nations should aim to halve world emissions of heat-trapping gases by 2050, work out ways to bury gases, prepare for the impacts of climate change, and accelerate a shift towards a "low carbon society."

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