Transporation Daily News May 22

Infrastructure:

 

PPIC poll shows big property rights concern but indecision on Props 98, 99 -- The Public Policy Institute of California survey shows that 7 in 10 voters think the government's power of eminent domain needs some kind of reform after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling narrowed property rights in 2005. However, it also found that many voters remain wary of the initiatives. CC Times 5/22/08

 

Emissions:

 

*Senate panel approves California waiver on emissions -- In a showdown with the Bush administration, a Senate committee chaired by Barbara Boxer voted 10-9 Wednesday to approve her bill granting California and 14 other states the authority to enact a stringent tailpipe emissions standard. The bill would overturn the Environmental Protection Agency's decision in December denying California the waiver it sought to adopt limits on greenhouse gas emissions from new vehicles. SJ Mercury 5/21/08

 

*Up to 24,000 deaths a year in California are linked to air pollution -- As many as 24,000 deaths annually in California are linked to chronic exposure to fine particulate pollution, triple the previous official estimate of 8,200, according to research conducted by the California Air Resources Board. The studies have found rates of heart attacks, strokes and other serious disease increase exponentially after exposure to even slightly higher amounts of metal or dust. Californians exposed to high levels of fine particulates had their lives cut short on average by 10 years, the board staff found. LA Times 5/22/08

 

Air quality board to fine Bay Area polluters -- Jumping ahead of state and federal regulators, the Bay Area air quality district became the first in the nation on Wednesday to impose fees on businesses that pump some of the highest levels of carbon dioxide into the air each year. Representatives of local refineries, among the polluters whose bills would run an additional $200,000 each year, argued that the district has no legal authority to levy such fees and that the anticipated greenhouse gas emission inventory would overlap with similar efforts at the state level. SF Chronicle 5/22/08

 

Air travel:

 

*American to charge $15 for first checked bag -- American Airlines will start charging $15 for the first checked bag, cut domestic flights and lay off possibly thousands of workers as it grapples with record-high fuel prices. Washington Times 5/22/08

 

SFO expects holiday travel to jump 5% -- Even as the airline industry is being constricted by spiraling jet fuel prices, San Francisco International Airport said Wednesday it expects its Memorial Day weekend passenger count to jump 5 percent over last year. This refects new carriers that have launched service, largely the three new domestic carriers that set up shop at the airport in 2007 - Virgin America, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue. SF Chronicle 5/22/08

 

Mass-transit:

 

Bus rates spark rally -- AC Transit riders protested outside City Hall and packed the Oakland City Council chamber Wednesday to oppose a package of bus fare increases, focusing their primary energy against a plan to nearly double the cost of monthly youth passes. SJ Mercury 5/22/08