UCSD Extension will help Obama launch Green Deal The powers that be at the University of San Diego, California (UCSD) Extension decided that it would behoove them to assist President Barack Obama to launch a Green New Deal. “UCSD is one of the most green-minded universities in the country, especially with the pioneering work coming out of Scripps Institution of Oceanography,” said Henry DeVries, director of communications for UC San Diego Extended Studies and Public Programs. “For the past year, UC San Diego Extension has added more and more sustainability courses, and we saw a need for a certificate to help people to transition into more sustainable business careers.” The Green Deal, which intends to reignite the floundering economy and battle the threat of global warming, features a plan to create 2.5 million jobs through green-based initiatives. “After the November election we knew the timing couldn’t be better when the president-elect, Barack Obama, reconfirmed his commitment to a growing green economy,” he said. For more information, see www.ucsd.edu. Navy to break ground on new fuel facility Naval Base Point Loma will officially break ground Friday, March 27 at Defense Fuel Support Point (DFSP) Point Loma, the site of the future state-of-the-art fuel storage facility. This five-year project to construct six 125,000-barrel fuel storage tanks, piping, facility pump house and a fuel oil reclamation facility will modernize the existing base’s fuel depot, according to Navy officials. DFSP Point Loma is the only defense fuel facility in the Southern California region, providing fleet assets and airfields annually with fuel valued at $500 million.  The entire project budget represents less than one-third the value of fuel processed in a single year.  The five-year construction program is required to replace aging fuel infrastructure that last year handled 7.7 million barrels of fuel in 1,278 fueling evolutions, making DFSP Point Loma the largest single fuel-handling facility in the Navy’s inventory, officials said.  The new project was awarded by Navy officials in 2008 at a cost of $139 million. The completed project will allow for the closure of 75 percent of existing aboveground and underground storage tanks and provide environmental mitigation and remediation of contaminated soil, naval officials said. The contract also includes options for two additional tanks, which would allow closure of the remaining 1950s-era tanks in Point Loma. Officials said the proj-ect also provides for a new site-control tower, truck loading facility and lubricating oil storage and distribution facility. n