-June 27,2019-
US Census announces a decline in durable goods orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in May decreased $3.3 billion or 1.3 percent to $243.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down three of the last four months, followed a 2.8 percent April decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.3 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.6 percent. Transportation equipment, also down three of the last four months, drove the decrease, $3.9 billion or 4.6 percent to $80.0 billion.
Atmospheric River events getting warmer
Warmer atmospheric rivers generally produce more rain than snow, potentially causing problems for the region, according to Katerina Gonzales, an atmospheric scientist at Stanford University and lead author of the new study. “The west coast relies on atmospheric rivers as a source of precipitation and for much of this region, it’s really important that this precipitation falls as snow, rather than rain,” she said.New research points to striking #AtmosphericRiver warming trend along U.S. West Coast in recent decades. ARs have already warmed by > 2°C (3.6°F) in some months–faster than previous #climate projections had suggested.
Air Force wants big solar farm in Kern Co
The Air Force wants to lease land to a developer for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a solar photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy project at Edwards AFB expected to be 600MW. The final scale of the Proposed Action is anticipated to be greater than 100 MW but not more than 750 MW, with the generated energy distributed to investor owned utilities, municipalities, other energy off-takers and/or Edwards AFB. The construction scale of such a proposed project would require a lease and development of up to 4,000 acres of non-excess land at Edwards AFB.
Target will go 100% renewables
Target Corporation goes for 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
Target Corporation has committed to source100 percent of the company’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030, in a statement this month. The company expects this domestic operations goal to help it power stores, distribution centers, and offices more sustainably. To get there, Target Corporation is ramping up energy savings efforts and increasing investments in renewable energy. Currently they source 22 percent of the electricity from renewables.
Nevada ice cream plant closing
Unilever P.L.C. has announced plans to close its manufacturing facility in Henderson, Nev., by the end of August. Unilever makes Popsicle, Breyers, Ben & Jerry’s, Klondike and Magnum brand products for distribution across the West coast at the plant. Unilever also operates ice cream plants in Sikeston, Mo.; Covington, Tenn.; and Waterbury and St. Albans, Vt.
“Ice cream production at the facility will cease effective Aug. 30 and will be relocated to Unilever’s other ice cream manufacturing locations in the United States,” the company said.
Unilever said there will be no impact to customers or consumers, “who will continue to receive the same great ice cream products they have come to expect from Unilever.”
The facility closing will affect approximately 300 employees.
California ice cream production has been trending down for the past few years according to CDFA.In2013 the state produced 127 million gallons of ice cream compared to 106 million gallons in 2017.
Transport Stats Down
Truck Tonnage Index Fell 6.1% in May
American Trucking Associations’ For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 6.1% in May after jumping 7% in April. In May, the index equaled 114 (2015=100) compared with 121.4 in April.
“As expected, tonnage corrected in May from the surprising surge in April,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The economy is still growing, but the recent volatility in truck tonnage fits with a broader economy that is showing more mixed signals. The good news is if you ignore recent highs and lows, tonnage appears to be leveling off, albeit at a high level.”
April’s reading was revised down compared with our May press release.Compared with May 2018, the SA index increased 0.9%, the smallest year-over-year gain since April 2017.
Rail Shipments down
