The state water board is likely to ease its "once-through cooling" (OTC) policy to address charges aired this week by state lawmakers and the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) that it will cause residents' electricity rates to skyrocket. The board's forthcoming action was triggered by a new bill sought last week by LADWP that would delay much of the policy's requirements for Los Angeles-area power plants to replace their OTC systems.1091 words

A California air board spokesman said this week a decision by the state to implement a cap-and-trade system in 2012 on its own if several other Western states and Canadian provinces are not prepared to launch a regional program will depend on a "full assessment of the economic conditions in the state" at that time. 1100 words

The South Coast air district and oil industry are continuing to struggle to reach an agreement over the reduction of sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions from refineries under a pollution-trading rule, despite a recent district proposal to relax the mandate. The industry argues the latest plan will still cost nearly $3 billion to comply with, but district officials maintain costs will be significantly lower.953 words

Industry officials argue that a health hazard office draft plan for developing a "toxics information clearinghouse" to list hazard traits and toxicological data on chemicals appears flawed by the inclusion of certain chemical characteristics that are not actually hazard traits or result in harmful chemical "endpoints." Industry officials argue that certain characteristics of chemicals addressed in the plan may not actually lead to negative health impacts.687 words

A bill has emerged in the state legislature that is expected to carry the governor's proposal to streamline the permitting and siting of renewable power projects in the state, especially solar and wind facilities in the desert. The bill is likely to become a "companion" measure to legislation being advanced by leading Democrats to establish a 33% renewable portfolio standard in the state, according to sources.675 words

The air board is shelving proposed asbestos testing and control measures, following vehement industry complaints that the rules would significantly limit their operations and threaten more job losses in the struggling economy, according to sources. Board officials recently alerted industry groups they would not pursue the measures and will instead continue meeting with industry experts to study the issue, an industry source said.366 words

A leading Democratic senator has shelved a last-minute bill backed by the South Coast air district that would have allowed the agency to collect revenue generated by companies that develop emission-reduction technologies with the help of grant money doled out by the district.580 words

Industry officials, environmentalists and the toxics department are expected next year to begin negotiations on a regulatory fee to fund the department's green chemistry program, after a lawmaker's attempt to introduce a last-minute bill to implement such a fee recently stalled, sources said. Assemblyman Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) last week planned to introduce a bill to levy a green chemistry fee on manufacturers, but decided to shelve the plan, sources said.456 words

The California air board's recently launched environmental-impact assessment of the state's proposed cap-and-trade program is being described by regulators and stakeholders as a "daunting challenge" that raises a slew of new questions as the state attempts to finalize program rules by the end of November. The review is expected to include detailed assessments about air quality and other impacts that could result under varying cap-and-trade program designs, including the extent and type of offsets that can be used to comply and whether GHG allowances are auctioned. 1278 words

U.S. EPA continues to accept for investigation new petitions under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act alleging discrimination by state and local agencies that receive EPA funding, despite legal uncertainties about whether the agency could force changes if it finds the targeted action is discriminatory and despite a longstanding backlog of cases.1132 words

A state lawmaker has scaled back a proposed bill to set up a community benefits fund (CBF) under the state's greenhouse gas (GHG) cap-and-trade program, responding to concerns that the proposal sought too much money and was unlikely to advance. The revised bill -- which aims to ensure "disadvantaged" communities receive funding to lower GHGs and respond to potential negative health impacts from climate change -- reduces funding to the CBF from 30% of certain revenues collected under the cap-and-trade program to 10%.595 words

Concerns that an industry-backed bill in the California legislature would have slowed greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations has prompted a rejection of the measure during an 11th-hour committee hearing. The defeat of the bill, which was intended to clarify the rulemaking process, reflects high tension and debate over the advancement of climate change policies and regulations in California amid a heated battle over a referendum on the state's November ballot that would suspend many GHG rules.811 words