Transporation Daily News 12/6

Under a plan by the Port of Oakland, a dozen more locomotives -- some pulling more than a mile's worth of freight cars -- will run right through neighborhoods in Richmond and San Pablo. Building more rail lines and increasing the length of trains would cut down on congestion at the nation's fourth-busiest container port, but neighborhoods along the tracks would pay a price. The $300 million project is far from a done deal. In January, the port plans to ask the state for a share of the $20 billion bond measure approved by voters last year for infrastructure improvements. If approved, construction could be three to five years away. CC Times 12/6/07

 

The names of dock workers and other employees at the nation's ports will be checked against the government's list of terrorists in a move the Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday will make the country safer. The move, to begin immediately, is a prelude to more intensive criminal background checks expected later this year. Oakland Tribune 12-6-07

 

Democrats turned back repeated efforts by Republican senators to soften the economic impact of a global warming bill before advancing it out of a Senate committee Wednesday. The bill, which calls for the United States to cut carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by 2050 from electric power plants, manufacturing and transportation, was defended against Republican amendments one after the other, most by an 11-8 vote -- the Democrats, two independents and Warner voting in unison. CC Times 12/6/07

 

Less than a month after the worst oil spill in San Francisco Bay in more than a decade, a high-tech system that ship captains and pilots use to reduce the risk of accidents is in danger of being shut down next summer for lack of money. The system, known as PORTS - for Physical Oceanographic Real Time System - is made up of seven reporting stations located along piers, docks and other shoreline locations from Redwood City to San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond and Martinez, and requires about $250,000 a year to operate. State funding expires June 30 and there's no plan to renew it. SJ Mercury 12/6/07

 

The state commission that licenses bar pilots said Wednesday it was preparing to file a formal accusation of "pilot negligence" against the bar pilot who was guiding the Cosco Busan when it hit the Bay Bridge last month. SJ Mercury 12/6/07

 

 

Agriculture Daily News 12/5

As one warm storm leaves the Bay Area, a colder and longer one is expected to bring more rain to the region and more snow to the Sierra on Thursday and Friday.  No flooding is expected on Bay Area creeks or rivers, but the new storm may bring one to two feet of snow above 7,000 feet in the central and southern Sierra. Last year was dry, and this season also has been dry so far in Bay Area cities and in the Sierra, where the moisture in winter snow determines how much spring and summer runoff will be captured for drinking and irrigation water in summer and fall. CC Times 12/5/07

 

An expected vote on legislation overhauling California's $170 billion health care system has been postponed indefinitely, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders disagree on elements of the plan from tax subsidies to insurance reform. SF Gate 12/5/07

 

The Department of Homeland Security told the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that it planned to appeal a decision by a federal judge in San Francisco that temporarily blocked efforts to target workers with inconsistent Social Security data -- a linchpin in the government's efforts to stem illegal immigration.  Expected soon are new rules making it easier to bring foreign farmworkers into the country. LA Times 12/5/07

 

State water quality officials on Tuesday approved spending $600,000 to start a refuge population of Delta smelt, in case the fish goes extinct in the wild. The program will be created at the University of California, Davis, Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory, near the State Water Project Delta export pumps in Byron. Sacramento Bee 12/5/07

 

St. George Spirits of Alameda, recently sold the first bottle of absinthe to be distilled in the US since 1912. After a protracted application process they overturned a ban on the alcohol and have begun producing it. SF Chronicle 12/5/07

 

 

Transporation Daily News 12/5

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chaired by Sen. Boxer, D-Calif., begins work today. By midday Tuesday, Republicans had filed more than 150 possible amendments to the bill dealing with limiting carbon dioxide production. CC Times 12/5/07

 

A gasoline tanker that rolled over and burst into flames on the MacArthur Maze in Oakland in April is prompting talks about how to prevent similar accidents. Major trucking companies gathered in Oakland Tuesday, joined by representatives of oil companies and hazardous materials experts to consider a few options. Chief among them are high-tech systems that sense when the tanker is about to go out of control and automatically throttle down and apply anti-lock brakes on certain wheels to put the rig back on track. CC Times 12/5/07

 

A fatal accident that killed a man at the Port of Oakland Monday night is the second in as many months and has longshoremen worried about speed outweighing safety on the docks. The Pacific Maritime Association held closed meetings after the accident but refused to comment on what was discussed during the meeting, or whether any actions will be taken regarding port workers' safety. SJ Mercury 12/5/07

 

Sen. Barbara Boxer has released two bills in Washington aimed at preventing future oil spills like the one in the San Francisco bay last month. One of the bills would give more authority to the U.S. Coast Guard to control ships entering and exiting ports during emergency or hazardous conditions. The bill would also authorize 20 million dollars to upgrade the Coast Guard's vessel traffic service. The other piece of legislation would raise the liability limit for cargo ships. The bills have not yet been formally introduced.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency invites the public to provide oral comments at a public hearing tonight on a proposed air permit for the construction of a clean fuels project at the Big West of California, Bakersfield refinery. EPA 12/4/07

 

Special Brown Section:

 

Attorney General Jerry Brown - declaring instant victory on a tobacco suit Tuesday - plans to file a complaint today demanding that U.S. regulators force airliners and other aircraft to spew less greenhouse gases. Brown says in his complaint that the EPA must "adopt regulations to control greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft on the shortest possible timeline" using "emission limitations and operational practices." SJ Mercury 12/5/07

 

Brown and the other petitioners want the EPA to start imposing tough limits on plane emissions within six months. The federal government now does not regulate greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft or any other vehicles, including cars and trucks. Aircraft account for up to 12 percent of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the U.S. transportation sector, according to the EPA. By 2025, U.S. air traffic is expected to rise by 60 percent, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. SF Chronicle 12/5/07

 

California is asking the EPA to:

• Make an explicit finding that greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health and welfare

• Adopt regulations to control greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft

The EPA has six months to respond to the petition.

Central Valley Business Times 12/5/07

 

 

 

Transporation Daily News 12/4

The Coast Guard would gain new authority to order ships to reduce speed or shift course during emergencies or hazardous conditions under new legislation that California Sen. Barbara Boxer is introducing this week. The bill could increase the responsibilities of the Coast Guard's Vessel Traffic Service, which helps guide ships in U.S. harbors. The measure would give it powers akin to those of air traffic controllers, who issue step-by-step directions to airplane pilots. SF Chronicle 12/4/07

 

Truck drivers hauling cargo from the Port of Oakland face even greater cancer risks than residents of pollution-choked neighborhoods near the port, according to a study to be released this morning.  The study is the latest salvo in a campaign by the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, and the Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports, which includes environmental, labor, health and community groups, to clean the air around California's ports. SF Chronicle 12/4/07

 

Claiming it now has the largest green fleet in the nation, the city of San Francisco this week completed a yearlong project to convert its entire array of diesel vehicles — from ambulances to street sweepers — to biodiesel, a clean-burning and renewable fuel that holds promise for helping to reduce greenhouse gases. The city's diesel vehicles now all used a fuel known as B20, a mix of 20 percent soy-based biofuel and 80 percent petroleum diesel fuel, which reduces toxic emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and other pollutants that lead to global warming. NY Times 12/2/07

 

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board voted last week to take the first step toward installing 275 ticket gates on the entire 17.4-mile subway and at many light-rail stations. Up until now the system has been run on the 'honor system', where riders were expected to buy tickets but those tickets were not checked. A study given to the board in October found that some 5 percent of people who rode the subway, light rail and a new rapid bus line on weekdays did so without paying the fare, robbing the system of $5.5 million annually. A similar system has been considered for San Francisco, where critics claim ensuring riders have tickets is more costly to the system than simply trusting them. NY Times 12/3/07

 

A new report analyzing international air cargo transport trends outlines several reasons to expect growth in California airborne agricultural exports. At the same time, authors of the report caution that rising fuel costs and world terrorism have the potential to ground some export flights. California airborne food export trade was 24.5 percent higher in 2006 than it had been 10 years earlier, despite recent declines. Fresh Plaza 12/4/07

 

 

Agriculture Daily News 12/4

Pacific Ethanol didn't exist five years ago and began producing fuel only last year when it posted its first profit of $3.8 million. Now that company is an ethanol empire its founder and former Secretary of State BillJones is the most influential champion for the fuel in the state. It is the largest producer and marketer of ethanol in California and is poised, with the proposed addition of two new plants, to remain one of the biggest producers for some time to come. Contra Costa Times 12/4/07

 

About 20 nutritionists from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties met Monday  to discuss ways to launch a Bay Area-wide "Soda Free Summer" in 2008. The Center for Weight and Health at UC Berkeley states that sugared beverage consumption has increased 500 percent during the past five decades -- at a rate that roughly corresponds with the increase in the number of overweight children. Nutritionist cite that soda is the No. 1 source of sugar in the American diet. CC Times 12/4/07

 

Farmers and food specialists are heated over a USDA ruling requiring nearly all almonds grown in the United States to be pasteurized before sale to consumers. After salmonella outbreaks in 2001 and 2004 were traced to almonds from California farms, the Almond Board of California, the marketing agency for California's largest tree crop, decided to seek the regulation. Small growers, though, say the new rule is an added burden on their industry, which they say is already overregulated. Critics also say the use of propylene oxide is a form of fumigation, not pasteurization, and is unsafe. CC Times 12/4/07

 

Sen. Barbara Boxer said Monday she will support reforms in the farm bill now stalled in the Senate, provided they benefit California consumers and specialty crop growers. That marks a significant change in the California Democrat's position from last summer, when Boxer cited California's subsidized cotton and rice growers as a priority. SF Chronicle 12/4/07

 

Acting USDA Secretary Chuck Conner has announced the names of members of the new Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. The advisory committee advises the secretary of agriculture on issues affecting the fruit and vegetable industry. In May 2007, USDA approved a new two-year charter for this committee. The Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 provides for the establishment and operation of advisory committees within the executive branch of the federal government. Five new members are from California. Delta Farm Press 12/4/07

 

The practice of drinking orange juice for breakfast was popularized in America at the beginning of the 20th century as a response to an orange surplus, according to a new book, ‘Citrus: A History.’

In the aftermath of the 1918-19 worldwide flu pandemic, consumers were developing a heightened awareness of healthful foods, and orange juice was known to contain two hot nutritional properties, calcium and vitamin C. Baltimore Sun 12/4/07

 

A University of Minnesota study shows that when it's available, students will choose healthful foods for lunches. The study also found that it is not more expensive to serve nutritious foods. Times Herald 12/4/07

 

A study, conducted by a panel of external advisers but commissioned by the FDA, says the nation's health is at risk because the FDA does not have the funding, equipment or scientific capacity to fulfill its mission.  San Diego Union Tribune 12/4/07

 

 

Agriculture Daily News 12/3

New housing development should be discouraged in the Delta region and more funding is needed to increase the state's ability to store and move water, according to an independent commission charged with creating a new vision for the troubled Delta. The committee did not outline any concrete plan on how to move water through or around the Delta, and says it plans to present more detail recommendations next year.   CC Times 12/1/07

A state advisory panel called Friday for a new system of delivering water to urban users from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, but stopped short of backing an updated version of the peripheral canal proposed in 1982.  The panel said any new facilities aimed at fixing delivery issues must be built in concert with measures that restore the delta's ecosystem. SF Chronicle 12/1/07

 

Development of by the Port of San Francisco piers has been slowed by state laws, local waterfront plans and, in some cases, neighborhood opposition.  The piers have deteriorated to a state where it will cost $1.4 billion to rehabilitate them. SF Chronicle 12/3/07

 

A proposal to regulate indoor wood fires in the Bay Area for the first time has put the region's air pollution agency in a hot spot: balancing public health with public desire to enjoy warm, cozy fires. After months of talks and seven public workshops, air pollution board members and administrators say they will look into revising, but not dropping, the proposed rule. Wood smoke in winter accounts for as much as a third of the region's fine particle air pollution, the district estimates. CC Times 12/3/07

 

Hundreds of dead or injured seabirds have washed up on the shores of Monterey Bay in recent weeks, and scientists believe a red tide of marine algae is to blame. About 600 birds have been found stranded on beaches in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties since a large rust-colored algal bloom first began circulating in the bay about three weeks ago, scientists say. Fish and marine mammals do not appear to be affected. CC Times 12/1/07

 

The Humane Society of the United States says caged chickens suffer -- and it's gathering signatures to put a measure on the November 2008 ballot that would make California the first state to ban barns where chickens are not given adequate space. The proposal, which would take effect in 2015, would still allow California grocers to sell low-priced conventional eggs produced in other states. Critics cite that cage-free hens die at more than twice the rate of caged hens, likely the result of increased exposure to one another, and to their own manure. CC Times 12/2/07

 

Crab boats remained docked yesterday after the National Weather Service issued a small craft advisory for the California coast, according to a Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations spokesman. SJ Mercury 12/2/07

 

Organic wines are one of the hottest trends in restaurants today, according to a report last week from the National Restaurant Association. Confusing terms on labels like, “100 percent organic”, “made with organic grapes.’, “sustainable” and “biodynamic.'’  , however, have made purchasing organic wines a hassle for many customers. On top of this, organic label requires wine makers to adhere to a strict set of rules that may not always result in the best-tasting wine. NY Times 12/3/07

 

Big-name U.S. food companies are teaming up with cheese importers, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, New Zealand and the European Union in trying to block the expansion of dairy promotion assessments beyond the 48 contiguous United States. These assessments represent a fee waged on dairy products to pay for promotional programs and advertisement, but currently the program is not enforced. Big dairy producers like California and Wisconsin are pushing for enforcement, to stop what they call “free-loading”. AP 12/3/07

 

Most presidential candidates have avoided speaking in much detail about agricultural policy during campaigns this season. When farming has come up on the campaign trail, candidates have talked about ethanol — a topic that goes over well with Iowa corn growers — but most have avoided going into great detail about farm subsidies, conservation and other agriculture-related programs.  In part, candidates are keeping a lid on farming rhetoric because it’s still possible that the Senate will pass its version of the measure before the end of 2007, making agriculture a moot point next year, say lobbyists and political analysts. CQ Today 12/3/07

 

The California Agricultural Technology Institute will host a conference, "Row-crop Farming and Climate Change: What the Future Holds," from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the California State University, Fresno Satellite Student Union. Conference participants will examine how new climate-change legislation and air-quality requirements will affect businesses, says Joe Bezerra, director of CATI, an independent nonprofit, educational institution at Fresno State dedicated to improving California agriculture. California Farmer 11/29/07

 

Some experts believe the immigration dilemma could be better understood — and perhaps resolved — if more attention was paid to the economic circumstances that bring people here. According to analysts, millions of immigrant farmers are the casualties of a tide of multinational circumstance: NAFTA, the U.S. Farm Bill and a dearth of effective economic initiatives in Mexico. The combination, which allows for the consolidation of markets, has made it easier for large corporations and farm operations to expand their reach but almost impossible for small producers to survive. These subsistence farmers in turn have abandoned their land in search of better opportunities. Monterey Herald 12/2/07

 

From a Q&A on the 2007 Farm Bill:

Question: Does the farm bill matter if you're not a farmer?
Answer: The Food and Energy Security Act of 2007, this year's farm bill, sets the country's agriculture policy but it also has consequences for the environment, international trade, food safety, rural development and food assistance for poor families. LA Times 12/2/07

 

As a result of an investigative report by India-West on alleged safety and labor code violations at several Indian American-owned orchards in the Sacramento River valley ( I-W, June 1), the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board plans to launch an outreach and education effort in the Indian American agricultural labor force. According to micro-data samples from the 2000 census, there are about 2,000 Punjabi farm laborers living in Sutter and neighboring Yuba County, and most of them spend at least a few months each year working in Punjabi-owned orchards. New American Media  12/3/07

Transporation Daily News 12/3

As California lawmakers take up task of implementing the law which calls for the state to reverse emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, they are haggling over what the 1990 benchmark even is and who will be asked to make emission cuts. No one really knows how much that reduction needs to be, although air regulators estimate emissions will have to be reduced by 174 million metric tons, the equivalent of the annual emissions from 43 coal-fired plants. Contra Costa Times 12/3/07

 

The federal and state governments moved separately Friday to recover damage costs from the owners of the Chinese cargo ship that spilled a huge amount of thick oil when it hit the Bay Bridge last month. SJ Mercury 12/1/07

 

Environmental watchdogs say marine spill responders must react more like local firefighters, who roll on every call. Instead, state law foists cleanup responsibilities on shipping companies, who need to be at the site of the spill within six hours with equipment adequate to "address the ... vessel's reasonable worst case spill volume."  Critics of current policy assert that had first responders arrived with adequate containment boom, the modest 58,000-gallon spill would never have had the impact it did. CC Times 12/2/07

 

Next week, Contra Costa County Supervisor Liz Kniss plans to ask the county health department to come up with a new rule requiring all fast-food chain restaurants in the county to display prominently how many calories are in each menu item. The rule, which Kniss plans to model after one in New York City, would likely dictate that chains with 15 or more outlets put the calorie count next to the prices on their menus. CC Times 12/2/07

 

Government pressure tightened dramatically Friday against the sailors and shipping company involved in the Nov. 7 San Francisco Bay oil spill, as state regulators suspended the license of the ship's pilot and federal prosecutors threatened to confiscate and sell the huge vessel to pay spill cleanup costs. Government pressure tightened dramatically Friday against the sailors and shipping company involved in the Nov. 7 San Francisco Bay oil spill, as state regulators suspended the license of the ship's pilot and federal prosecutors threatened to confiscate and sell the huge vessel to pay spill cleanup costs. Capt. John Cota of Petaluma  spoke publicly for the first time about the incident, saying the investigation is not over yet, and noting that nobody had spoken with the crew of the ship yet about the accident. SJ Mercury 12/2/07

 

A portrait of the craftsmen who create new cable cars for the city of San Francisco reveals that a new car should be released sometime next year and that the lifetime of the cars are 100 years. SF Chronicle 12/2/07

 

Amtrak is reporting impressive ridership gains as oil is pushing $100 a barrel and airport delays hit an all-time high last summer. Rail freight demands, meanwhile, are rising fast, suggesting joint improvements with passenger rail.  Amidst a context of public support for a nationally subsidized railway network, in California, a $2 billion rail bond issue that voters approved in 1990 sparked work on three major corridors (Central Valley, San Diego-Los Angeles-Santa Barbara and Sacramento-San Jose). Hartford Courant 12/2/07

 

A brief overview of the status of Muni buses in SF depicts them as slow, late, and unreliable, but economically friendly. Wired 12/3/07

 

The U.S. Coast Guard starting tomorrow will launch its second annual Sea Guardian exercise. Three crews will participate in maritime law enforcement training and exercises. The Coast Guard's Deployable Pacific Area Training Team from Alameda, California will facilitate a mock law enforcement at sea boarding and hold courtroom trials. KUAM News 12/3/07