The pilot of the container ship that spilled 53,000 gallons of fuel oil into San Francisco Bay is expected to be slapped with two new felony charges, his attorney said in a court filing Monday. In his latest court filing, Cota's lawyer, Jeff Bornstein, said he expects two felony false statement charges to be filed as early Tuesday. CC Times 4/22/08
Automakers would have to meet a fuel economy standard of 31.6 miles per gallon for cars and trucks by 2015, under a proposal that federal regulators are set to unveil Tuesday. The standards for vehicles built from 2011 to 2015 are more aggressive than some observers expected, and raise the possibility that the government could require U.S. automakers to meet the 35 mpg target they agreed to last year ahead of the 2020 deadline. What's not clear is whether the federal standard will be in competition with those set by states such as California, which has attempted to set greenhouse gas limits on vehicles that would result in even tougher mileage standards. USA Today 4/22/08
Short-term exposure to smog, or ozone, is clearly linked to premature deaths that should be taken into account when measuring the health benefits of reducing air pollution, a National Academy of Sciences report concluded Tuesday. SF Chronicle 4/22/08
Despite numerous efforts to green San Francisco’s vehicle fleet — which this year is expected to guzzle more than $20 million in fuel — less than 30 percent used by city departments are running on alternative fuels, according to City Administrator’s Office data. Since becoming mayor, Gavin Newsom has emphasized greening The City’s fleet. In September 2005, he issued an executive directive establishing requirements for city fleets to purchase vehicles using alternative fuels. Departments, however, continue to purchase unleaded-fuel vehicles. SF Examiner 4/22/08
There are signs that some drivers are abandoning their cars for the rails and busses as gas prices rise. In San Francisco the average cost of a gallon of gas was $3.47 in January. It now sits at about $4 dollars. That's a 17 percent increase. During that same time VTA ridership has increased 10 percent in the last four months. BART has seen a 4.5 percent rise in riders. Caltrain also reports more passengers, about 10 percent over this time last year. ABC 4/22/08
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