Clean Start: April 9, 2012

Welcome to Clean Start, ThinkProgress Green’s morning round-up of the latest in climate and clean energy. Here is what we’re reading. What are you?

Temperatures in the lower 48 states were 6 degrees higher than average for the first three months of the year, according to calculations by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That far exceeds the old records. [AP]

James E. Hansen, the longtime climate scientist who has turned increasingly to activism in recent years, has updated his analysis of how the buildup of human-generated greenhouse gases is loading the climate “dice” so that hotter extremes are ever more likely. [Dot Earth Blog]

The April 27, 2011, tornado was the catalyst for the “rebirth” of Tuscaloosa’s Habitat for Humanity, the Tuscaloosa affiliate’s executive director said. [Tuscaloosa News]

What is the connection between President Obama and the Volt? There is none. The car was the brainchild of Bob Lutz, a legendary auto executive who is about as liberal as the Koch brothers. [NYT]

At the White House, much of API President Jack Gerard’s rhetoric has been dismissed as political noise. Bill Daley, as Obama’s chief of staff, says that he didn’t have any contact with API during his stint. [Washington Post]

More than $14 million in federal disaster assistance has been approved for Kentucky homeowners, businesses and others affected by tornadoes and other storms between Feb. 29 and March 3. [Courier Journal]

Environmentalists are giddy over the news that Matt Damon is starring in an anti-fracking film. Damon’s agency confirmed to Politico that the actor is slated to star in “The Promised Land,” an “anti-fracking movie.” [Huffington Post]

There continues to be large partisan differences on the topic of energy policies. Fully 89% of Republicans favor allowing more offshore oil and gas drilling while only half of Democrats agree — a gap of 39 points. A majority of independents (64%) support an increase in offshore drilling. [Pew]