Mass transit:
*Transbay plan would sprout new S.F. skyline -- A cluster of skyscrapers rivaling the Transamerica Pyramid would rise around the West Coast's tallest tower under an ambitious proposal that would shift the heart of San Francisco's downtown south of Market Street. The city's zoning plan, unveiled Wednesday at a packed public meeting, would allow as many as seven new skyscrapers to surpass the current 550-foot height limits in an area surrounding the planned Transbay tower - a high-rise of roughly 1,000 feet adjacent to a new Transbay Terminal at First and Mission streets. SF Chronicle 5/1/08
Emissions:
*New clean-air rules for trucks set off battle between enviros, industry -- As the nation focuses on greenhouse gas regulations set into motion by landmark legislation in 2006, state regulators are set to pass a less-publicized, wide-reaching rule on emissions from diesel busses and trucks that business groups say could cost billions of dollars to implement. Environmentalists hailed the state Air Resources Board after its staff released a draft of the new regulations earlier this year-the first such rules in the nation. But following a public hearing last Friday, the regulations were modified in the wake of howls of protest from business groups-a move that immediately kindled environmentalists' suspicions. Capitol Weekly 5/1/08
State's drivers reduce gas use -- Californians used 4.5 percent less gasoline in January this year than they did a year ago, according to statistics released Wednesday by the Board of Equalization. Sacramento Bee 5/1/08
Soaring fuel prices nudge more commuters to pump bike pedals, not gas -- On the first day of this year's "May is Bike Month" campaign, bicycle advocates hope to exploit the high cost at the pump – any reason, really – to get more folks pumping on their bicycle pedals. The price of diesel fuel is reaching new heights, and any day now, regular grade gasoline also could surpass $4 a gallon. For McCarty and others, that's a persuasive incentive to abandon the modern convenience of driving an automobile in favor of pedaling a bicycle. Sacramento Bee 5/1/08
Ports:
Dockworkers take May Day off, idling all West Coast ports -- Thousands of dockworkers at 29 West Coast ports, including Los Angeles and Long Beach, took the day off work today in what their union called a protest of the war in Iraq, effectively shutting down operations at the busy complexes. The show of force by the union came two months before the contract expires between the dockworkers, represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the Pacific Maritime Assn., which represents port operators and large shippers, many of them foreign-owned. At the Port of Los Angeles this morning, however, there were no anti-war activities. The dockworkers' action also affected ports in Oakland. LA Times 5/1/08
Air Travel:
*California Assembly OKs airline passenger bill of rights -- Airlines must provide passengers on severely delayed flights with food, water and other necessities under legislation approved Thursday by the Assembly. The measure, Assembly Bill 1943, passed by a vote of 54-16. Opponents argued that federal law specifically prohibits a state from regulating airline service or safety. AB 1943 now goes to the Senate. Sacramento Bee 5/1/08
Tourism:
'Little towns' crack assailed -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday it's good for state legislators from "little towns" to globe-trot and see worldly things like "an airport," "a highway that maybe has 10 lanes" or even "a highway on top of a highway." The governor at an infrastructure conference said he has benefited by riding high-speed trains in France and China, which gave him more inspiration to support similar projects in California. Schwarzenegger defended legislators who take trips financed by donors. His own trade missions are financed by corporations who give to a nonprofit set up to pay for his travel. Sacramento Bee 5/1/08
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