Shipping and water:
*California adopts stiff pollution rules for ships -- California regulators adopted the world's toughest pollution rules for oceangoing vessels Thursday, vowing to improve the health of coastal residents and opening a new front in a long battle with the international shipping industry. The rules, which take effect in 2009, would require ships within 24 nautical miles of California to burn low-sulfur diesel instead of the tar-like sludge known as bunker fuel. About 2,000 vessels would be affected, including container ships, oil tankers and cruise ships. LA Times 7/25/08
Ships docking in state must use cleaner fuel -- California air regulators on Thursday approved the nation's toughest rules to reduce harmful emissions from ocean-going ships using the state's ports. The regulations require domestic and foreign cargo ships, tankers and cruise vessels sailing in and out of California ports to use cleaner fuel to power their engines and boilers. SJ Mercury 7/25/08
Agencies practice oil spill skills -- Trainees from two dozen federal, state and local agencies converged at the mouth of Bolinas Lagoon on Thursday to test oil spill skills as they prepared for the next disaster. The emergency response drill coordinated by the Marin County Parks and Open Space Department capped several days of classroom training aimed at preparing participants for an oil spill. SJ Mercury 7/25/08
Emissions:
*Air board OKs toughest limits on ship exhausts -- The shipping association wants to wait for the matter to come before the International Maritime Organization, the body that regulates international shipping, said T.L. Garrett, the association's vice president. SF Chronicle 7/25/08
Boxer: Public needs to see EPA findings on threat of greenhouse gases -- The head of the Environmental Protection Agency told the White House in December that high levels of manmade heat-trapping gases are causing global warming and endanger the American people, Sen. Barbara Boxer said Thursday after she reviewed the EPA finding, which has not been made public. Boxer said the key excerpt was: "In sum, the administrator is proposing to find that elevated levels of greenhouse gas concentrations may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public welfare." Sacramento Bee 7/25/08
Transit and infrastructure:
*BART to begin modernizing of stations -- BART plans this year to begin a $400 million modernization of its stations over 10 years to make them more attractive and reliable. Crews will install new lighting, windows, walls, trash can enclosures, furniture and entrance signs in an effort to make the stations more appealing than their cold, warehouselike architectural style, BART managers told the transit board Thursday. CC Times 7/25/08
How Healthy Are Truckers? -- Members of the House of Representatives discussed the health of the nation's commercial truck drivers on Thursday. The congressional hearing comes after a government investigation identified several truckers who suffer from conditions that should have disqualified them from working on the road. How healthy do you have to be if you want to become a truck driver? Slate 7/24/08
Air travel:
JetBlue to halt Sacramento-to-New York flight in January -- etBlue will cancel its service from Sacramento to New York starting Jan. 5 until May, JetBlue CEO Dave Barger has announced. Debuting in 2004, it was the first carrier to fly nonstop from Sacramento to New York in airport history. The route would not be profitable for the company during the winter off-season because of gas prices. Sacramento Bee 7/25/08
*It saves to fly out of San Francisco -- While domestic airfares rose 4.4 percent nationwide over the past year, passengers flying out of San Francisco International Airport actually saved money, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation this week. Fares out of SFO dropped 6.2 percent from the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of this year, bringing the average domestic airfare ticket from $422 to $396. The numbers are based on a combination of round-trip and one-way tickets. Unusually high fees and trips taken with frequent flyer miles were excluded. Examiner 7/25/08
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