 Act (CEQA) in adopting its scoping plan to implement AB 32 (the state’s climate change legislation). As I reported last week, CARB has won an order from the appeals court allowing the state to go forward in implementing its challenged cap and trade program. But to hedge its bets, the staff of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) today released an analysis that is meant to bring CARB into compliance with the judge’s ruling while supporting CARB’s decision to adopt a cap and trade program. Posted. http://legalplanet.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/air-resources-board-releases-new-environmental-assessment-of-cap-and-trade-to-comply-with-judges-order/ Global warming’s cause, effect and solution. Leave it to the esteemed President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to put his finger on the global warming problem. “The main factor behind the destruction of the environment is the greed and ceaseless avaraice and insatiable hunger of the world’s capitalists.” There you have it, authoritatively. Well, sort of authoritatively. The Iranian nutcase has laid the blame for global warming squarely at the door of capitalism. We’re shocked. What to do? How about suing? Posted. http://orangepunch.ocregister.com/2011/06/13/global-warmings-cause-effect-and-solution/45751/ U.S. (finally) Labels Formaldehyde "Known Human Carcinogen." After decades of debate, the Obama administration last week classified formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen, a label that is likely to advance regulatory steps to restrict this widely used hazardous chemical. The move came as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the long-awaited 12th Report on Carcinogens, a Congressionally mandated report assembled by the National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health. Posted. http://www.enviroblog.org/2011/06/formaldehyde-finally-labeled-known-human-carcinogen.html Triple Threat: New Generator Harnesses Energy from Sun, Wind and Rain. One thing that's known for sure about the future of renewable energy is that it will take all types to fulfill our energy needs. The wind isn't always blowing and the sun isn't always shining, but if wind, solar, geothermal, wave/tidal and any other type of renewable energy generation are all utilized and all feeding the grid, then we'll be more than covered. But what about devices that can harness more than one of these renewable energy sources at once? Posted. http://www.ecogeek.org/component/content/article/3529 GM Boss Wants Gasoline Tax Hike – Is This Good Policy To Meet Fuel Efficiency Goals? The Detroit News reported last week that General Motors CEO, Dan Akerson, would like to see the federal gasoline tax boosted by as much as $1 per gallon in order to encourage drivers to choose more fuel efficient vehicles. If you are a politician in office today, it’s of course anathema to talk about raising fuel taxes – unless of course you harbor some sort of political suicide agenda – and it’s at least mildly surprising that a Republican CEO would be a proponent of raising taxes on a product which directly, and potentially adversely, impacts the company he is running. Posted. http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/06/gm-boss-gas-tax-hike-good-policy-meet-fuel-efficiency/