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DETROIT — The number of people killed on U.S. roadways fell slightly from April through June, the first decline in two years as pandemic-era reckless driving appeared to ease. But the government says the number of deaths remains at a crisis level. Estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that 20,175 people died in crashes from January through June, a 0.5% increase over the same period last year. Yet the second-quarter decline ended a string of seven straight quarterly increases that began in the summer of 2020 with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The agency estimated that 10,590 people died this year on roadways from April to June, nearly 5% fewer than the same period a year ago. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said while deaths may be declining, they are still at levels that require urgent action. “These deaths are preventable, not inevitable, and we should act accordingly,” he said in a statement. NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson told a group of state safety officials Monday that she hopes the recent decline is the beginning of a downward trend, but that the number of deaths remains unacceptable. “That is not the new normal we want,” she told the Governors Highway Safety Association. Fatalities began to rise two years ago when roads were largely empty due to stay-at-home orders in many states. With less traffic, speeds increased as did reckless and impaired driving, leading to a record spike in deaths last year. Many people weren’t wearing seat belts, the government said. Carlson said that because the estimates for this year are early, the agency doesn’t have specifics about why fatalities dropped. Agency estimates are typically close to actual numbers, which won’t be released until later in the year. There also was a small second-quarter drop in the traffic death rate per 100 million miles driven, from 1.34 in the second quarter of 2021, to 1.27 this year, Carlson said. Auto safety advocates welcomed the dip but said there is more the Biden administration can be doing to reduce traffic fatalities. For many months now, crashes have declined even as deaths have surged, suggesting reckless driving that could now be declining as offices reopen and more cars return to the road, said Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety. “What it may be is that we’re seeing an easing of some of the issues that were caused by the pandemic — speeding, open roads, risky driving issues,” Brooks said. “Traffic is returning to normal, the roads aren’t as empty as they were.” “The fact is the fatality rate is still very, very high,” he said. “There is a lot that remains to be done.” Buttigieg earlier this year unveiled a national strategy aimed at reversing the trend of rising deaths, including new federal guidance and billions in grants under President Joe Biden’s infrastructure law over the next two years to spur states and localities to lower speed limits and embrace safer road design. But auto safety groups say the Biden administration has remained slow to act in other areas, such as rulemaking to mandate automatic emergency braking in all passenger vehicles as required under the 2021 infrastructure law. “I think it’s premature to be hopeful about the slight dip in fatalities especially considering the tremendous loss that we’ve experienced over the last couple years,” said Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. “We do know good safety systems, if implemented, will prevent many crashes,” she said. Nearly 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads last year, the highest number in 16 years as Americans returned to the roads. The 10.5% jump over 2020 numbers was the largest percentage increase since NHTSA began its fatality data collection system in 1975.

OMAHA, Neb.  — Freight railroads and their unions are facing increasing pressure from business groups and the White House to settle their contract dispute before Friday’s looming strike deadline. The pressure stems from concerns that halting railroad deliveries of raw materials and finished products that so many companies rely on would be, in the words of the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an “economic disaster.” The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is among the groups calling on Congress to help resolve ongoing labor negotiations. The trucking industry is freight rail’s largest customer, and in a letter sent to Capitol Hill on Sept. 9, ATA is warning of dire consequences for the U.S. supply chain if a strike were to go into effect. “Idling all 7,000 long distance daily freight trains in the U.S. would require more than 460,000 additional long-haul trucks every day, which is not possible based on equipment availability and an existing shortage of 80,000 drivers,” ATA President and CEO Chris Spear said in the letter. “As such, any rail service disruption will create havoc in the supply chain and fuel inflationary pressures across the board.” The letter urges Congress to help implement a contract patterned on the recommendations outlined by the Presidential Emergency Board and cautions against merely extending the negotiation timeline further, which would push a potential strike deeper into the holiday season when the supply chain is already under added pressure. “Merely delaying a possible strike through congressional action will simply exacerbate the concerns of consumers and industry. A possible strike or lockout in October or November is arguably worse than one next week — although any disruption will cost the nation billions of dollars of lost productivity,” Spear said. A White House official said President Joe Biden and members of his cabinet were in touch with the unions and railroads Monday as part of their efforts to avert a strike. And for the second time in the past week, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh sat down at the negotiating table Sunday to urge the parties to reach a deal. Walsh postponed a planned to trip to Ireland this week to remain close to the talks. A Labor Department spokesperson said Monday that it’s crucial that the parties remain at the negotiating table and come to an agreement because “a shutdown of our freight rail system is an unacceptable outcome for our economy and the American people.” Suzanne Clark, the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said Monday that “a national rail strike would be an economic disaster — freezing the flow of goods, emptying shelves, shuttering workplaces and raising prices for families and businesses alike.” The chamber joined a number of other business groups, including a coalition of 31 agricultural shipping trade groups, in sending letters to Congress urging lawmakers to be prepared to step in and block a strike if the two sides can’t reach an agreement by the end of the week. The chamber said if it comes to that, Congress should impose the terms recommended by a Presidential Emergency Board that Biden appointed this summer. The Association of American Railroads trade group put out a report last week estimating that shutting down the railroads would cost the economy $2 billion a day. The coalition negotiating on behalf of the nation’s biggest freight railroads — including Union Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern, BNSF and Kansas City Southern — has announced eight of the 13 tentative agreements needed to avert a strike by some 115,000 rail workers. The deals that have been announced so far have closely followed the Presidential Emergency Board’s recommendations that called for 24% raises over five years, $5,000 in bonuses and one additional paid leave day a year. But the two biggest unions representing conductors and engineers have been holding out because they want the railroads to go beyond those recommendations and address some of their concerns about strict attendance policies and working conditions. The railroads have said they would begin curtailing shipments of hazardous materials and some other goods Monday in advance of a possible work stoppage at the end of the week. That would ensure that containers of those dangerous goods aren’t left stranded along the tracks. The heads of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division union that represents conductors, and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union that represents engineers, criticized that decision as a move to increase pressure on shippers and Congress to intervene. The federal law governing railroad contract talks won’t allow a strike or lockout before Friday. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (Sept. 11-17), several companies are saluting America’s truck drivers. Some are even offering drivers rewards and discounts throughout the week. America recognizes National Truck Driver Appreciation Week during the second week in September. It’s a time to honor all professional truck drivers for their work in one of the nation’s most demanding and vital jobs, one that keeps the nation going by delivering goods safely, securely and on time. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are 1 million professional men and women classified as light delivery or heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. “National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is a wonderful opportunity to recognize our country’s professional trucks drivers, who truly deserve our appreciation every day for moving America forward — and all with an unwavering commitment to safety on the road,” said Fred Andersky, director of demos, sales and service training at Bendix. “Everyone at Bendix extends their sincere gratitude to these drivers. We’re proudly committed to supporting their hard work by developing systems that help provide safer trucks — and training and education that help safe drivers perform even more safely. After all, ensuring everyone arrives home safely is the most important delivery of all.” Several businesses that cater to truck drivers around the country will also be making special offers during the week as well as the month of September: AMBEST AMBEST will be marking National Truck Driver Appreciation Week by giving truckers some free swag in select locations. Participating locations are: Abbyland Truck Stop, Curtiss, Wisconsin; Arrowhead Travel Plaza, Pendleton, Oregon; Black Mesa Travel Center, San Felipe Pueblo, New Mexico; Bosselman Travel Center, Garden City, Kansas; Casey’s General Store #2792, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Creek Travel Plaza, Atmore, Alabama; Cubbies Travel Center, Mt. Pleasant, Texas; Davis Travel Center, Stony Creek, Virginia; Florida 595 Truck Stop, Davie, Florida; Friendly Gus #24, Dublin, Georgia; Fuel Maxx #37, Waller, Texas; Hat Six Travel Center, Evansville, Wyoming; Oasis Travel Center, Robertsdale, Alabama; Quicklee’s Travel Center, Avon, New York; Russell’s Endee Truck & Travel Center, Glenrio, New Mexico; Shoemaker’s Truck Station, Lincoln, Nebraska; Sky City Travel Center, Acoma, New Mexico; Travelers’ Oasis, Eden, Idaho; and Workman’s Travel Center, Ozark, Arkansas. AMBEST will also be offering prizes to followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In addition to $50 AMBUCK$ gift cards, prizes will include items such as a cordless vacuum, a cup holder tray and phone holder, an electric lunch box, a back and shoulder massager, and a set of noise-canceling earbuds. Plus, each day we’ll also give away two $50 AMBUCK$ gift cards. Love’s Love’s is also offering drivers rewards for Trucker Appreciation Week. Each time drivers swipe their My Love Rewards card in September, they’ll be entered for a chance to instantly win 1,000 or 2,000 My Love Rewards points. They’ll also be entered for a chance to win weekly My Love Rewards points and a grand prize of 1 million My Love Rewards points at the end of the month.. Love’s is also offering: Free Love’s sandwich or salad with any oil change at Speedco or Love’s Truck Care (Sept. 12-16); Fresh food and drink specials (Sept. 12-16); Discounts on Amarillo Supply Co. products through Oct. 31; and Free Amarillo Supply Co. hat with the purchase of a three-pack of gloves for $9.99 or any of the discounted Amarillo Supply Co. products below (while supplies last). Pilot Flying J Pilot Flying J is offering free drinks and bonus points on its app. “This Driver Appreciation month, Pilot Flying J is celebrating the hard work of professional drivers. Head on to the myRewards Plus app for free drinks, bonus points, and more exclusive offers,” Pilot said on its website. “Pro drivers go further for America, so we’re going further for them.” Pilot is gifting pro drivers free drinks from brands each week, throughout September. Drivers can check the myRewards Plus app weekly for rotating free drink choices. There’s also a time-limited challenge to earn bonus points. Drivers can get 500 bonus points by completing two out of the three following tasks: mobile fueling, reserve a shower, or activate PushForPoints up to 2.5 ppg. Pilot will also offer discounts of 50% off deli food items during Driver Appreciation Week. Plus, military and veteran pro drivers get free snacks the whole month. TravelCenters of America “Everyone on the TravelCenters of America team looks forward to showing our appreciation for professional drivers during each year’s National Driver Appreciation Week, and this year is no exception,” TA stated on its website. “We’re celebrating with a Week of Winning that begins on Sept. 12!” For a shot at a prize, visit ta-petro.com starting, click the “Play Now” banner and then enter your email address to access the game. Prizes include: $5 off a $20 purchase at TA’s full-service or quick-serve restaurants; 50 cents off beverages at full-service or quick-serve restaurants; 50% off a meal (up to $8 value) at full-service or quick-serve restaurants; Buy one meal get a second meal to go for 50% off (up to $8 value); 50 cent fountain drinks; 50 cent coffee; 50 cent roller grill items; Free BlueParrot headphones; $50 off two Steer Tires at TA Truck Service; $50 off a tractor DOT at TA Truck Service; $15 off any mudflap at TA Truck Service; and $50 off Ultimate PM at TA Truck Service.      

WASHINGTON — Each ton of carbon dioxide that exits a smokestack or tailpipe, including big rigs, is doing far more damage than what governments take into account, researchers conclude in a scientific paper published Sept. 1. Major hurricanes pack more rain, while extremes of wildfire, drought and downpours are all happening more often and with more intensity due to climate change, causing loss of communities, homes and lives all over the world. But what is the actual cost in dollar terms of the carbon emissions driving climactic change? That’s what researchers from a variety of fields — science, economics, medicine — are trying to figure out through a metric called the social cost of carbon, a price that represents the total climate damage caused to society through carbon emissions. It’s been used in the past to justify tougher limits on carbon emissions and more spending on climate solutions, like transitioning to renewable energy and natural flood protection. Currently, the United States government uses a price of $51 per ton of carbon dioxide emitted, but the researchers wrote in the journal Nature that the price should be $185 per ton — 3.6 times higher than the current U.S. standard. “Our results suggest that we are vastly underestimating the harm from each additional ton of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,” said Kevin Rennert, a study author and director of the federal climate policy initiative at Resources for the Future, an environmental nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. “And the implication is that the benefits of government policies and other actions that reduce global warming pollution are greater than has been estimated.” Rennert and colleagues created an updated model to measure the societal cost of emitting carbon that includes several measures excluded in previous research. They say key additions include a better accounting of the uncertainty of future climate policy, economic growth and environmental phenomena like sea level rise. They also include damages to ecosystems, biodiversity and human health, which previously weren’t accounted for. The changes come in response to a 2017 report from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine that said current carbon pricing calculations were inadequate and gave several recommendations for bringing the outdated models up to speed. Researchers began calculating damages from carbon emissions in the 1980s and before 2017, the last updates to the modelling were in the early to mid-1990s, “when the Counting Crows were still at the top of the charts,” said Max Auffhammer, an author of the 2017 report and professor of international sustainable development at the University of California, Berkeley. Auffhammer, who was not involved in the Nature study, praised the updated model. “A lot of science has happened,” he said. “A lot of amazing datasets have come online for us to study how environmental change translates into outcomes we care about. So, that’s in there now.” But not all the authors of the 2017 report think the updated model presented in Nature is ready for use on the federal level. “I found it to be …. an interesting academic piece. It offers a lot of food for thought,” said Steven Rose, another author of the 2017 report and a senior research economist at the Electric Power Research Institute. “However, I also thought it’s a long way from what the current administration needs,” he said, noting the new research relied on limited prior damage studies. In the U.S. federal officials began applying the cost estimate to new regulations more than a decade ago after environmentalists successfully sued the government for not taking greenhouse gas emissions into account when setting vehicle mileage standards. The $51 per ton estimate under Biden restored a figure used during the Obama administration. The Trump administration had reduced the figure to about $7 or less per ton. The lowered estimate counted only damages felt in the U.S. Republicans have fought against using estimated future climate damages to steer policy, and officials in 23 states last year joined together on a pair of lawsuits claiming the Biden administration’s use of the social cost of carbon was illegal. Led by the attorneys general of Louisiana and Missouri, the states allege the Biden administration wants to use the future costs to justify stringent curbs on energy companies and other polluting industries. The GOP states won a temporary victory in February when a judge in Louisiana blocked the administration’s use of the $51-per-ton value. That was reversed in March by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said the states had not shown any specific harm caused by the administration’s consideration of climate damages. The states are still pressing the lawsuits and in June argued before the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seeking to again block the administration. At the core of the legal dispute is how much effect the social cost of carbon will have on industry. That’s likely to be much greater at a higher value of $185 per ton, because as potential future damages become more costly, the benefits from avoiding those damages through more stringent rules grow accordingly. “It suggests there are many more actions we can take to curb carbon emissions that are going to be on the table that were not on the table before,” said Stanford University economist Marshall Burke. While the social cost of carbon has been considered in more than a dozen actions under Biden – including tougher fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks and new oil and gas lease sales on public lands – federal officials have said in court briefings that so far it has not been a deciding factor. The Biden administration was due to release an updated estimate in January, but that was delayed in part by the litigation from states. The White House said it is still reviewing the best way to price climate damages when making policy decisions. But officials already have determined that the interim price of $51 per ton is too low. In an analysis of the new climate law published last week by the White House Office of Management and Budget, officials wrote that “the interim social cost of carbon estimates are currently significantly underestimated because they do not account for many important climate damage categories, such as ocean acidification.” An agency spokesperson declined to give a timeline for a new cost estimate. “This Administration remains committed to accounting for the costs of greenhouse gas emissions as accurately as possible, and we continue to assess how best to account for these costs in regulatory and budgetary contexts in the future,” the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement to The Associated Press.

JACKSON, Miss. — Over the next few days, more than 108 semi-trucks of water are coming into Jackson and seven mega distribution sites will have 36 truckloads of water a day for the public to be able to retrieve, according to Lt. Col. Stephen McCraney, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency director. Mississippi’s capital city is grappling with multiple water problems — there’s been too much on the ground after heavy rainfall in the past week, and not enough safe water coming through the pipes for people to use. Parts of Jackson were without running water earlier this week because flooding exacerbated longstanding problems in one of two water-treatment plants. The city of 150,000 had already been under a boil-water notice for a month because the Health Department found cloudy water that could cause digestive problems. Long lines have formed each day for limited supplies of bottled water at distribution sites. Restaurant owner Derek Emerson told The Associated Press on Tuesday that water problems “are making it impossible for us to do business in Jackson, Mississippi.” Emerson and his wife, Jennifer, own the upscale Walker’s Drive-In, and he said they have been spending $300 a day for ice and bottled water in the past month. “I love doing business in Jackson, and I like the people of Jackson,” Emerson said. “I just — I hate dealing with the problems.” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said late Monday that he’s declaring a state of emergency for Jackson’s water system, and he issued the proclamation Tuesday. The state will try to help resolve problems by hiring contractors to work at the treatment plant, which was operating at diminished capacity with backup pumps after the main pumps failed “some time ago,” Reeves said. Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said Jackson’s water system is troubled by short staffing and “decades of deferred maintenance.” He said the influx of water from torrential rain changed the chemical composition needed for treatment, which slowed the process of pushing water out to customers. Lumumba is Democrat and was not invited to the Republican governor’s Monday night news conference. Although the two politicians are often at odds, Lumumba said Tuesday that he’s having productive discussions with the Health Department and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and he’s grateful for the state’s help. Like many cities, Jackson faces water system problems it can’t afford to fix. Its tax base has eroded the past few decades as the population decreased — the result of mostly white flight to suburbs that began after public schools integrated in 1970. The city’s population is now more than 80% Black, with about 25% of its residents living in poverty. Low water pressure left some people unable to take showers or flush toilets and officials said the low pressure caused concern for firefighting. Those who did have water flowing from the tap were told to boil it to kill bacteria that could make them sick. Jackson schools held classes online Tuesday, and some restaurants closed. Jackson State University brought in temporary restrooms for students, and Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders said the water crisis left his players without air conditioning or ice at their practice facility. In a video that one of his sons posted to social media, Sanders — also known as Coach Prime — said he wanted to move players into a hotel so they could shower. “We’re going to find somewhere to practice, find somewhere that can accommodate every durn thing that we need and desire to be who we desire to be, and that’s dominate,” Sanders said. “The devil is a lie. He ain’t going to get us today, baby.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday that the federal government is prepared to help Mississippi respond to the water crisis. She said the state had not asked FEMA for help with trucking in drinking water, and declined to say why. Jean-Pierre said White House officials have been in contact with local officials and the state Health Department. President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration request for the state of Mississippi, directing his team to surge federal assistance to the region, Jean-Pierre tweeted late Tuesday. “We are committed to helping the people of Jackson and the state of Mississippi during this urgent time of need,” she said. The problems at the water treatment plant came after the city appeared to largely avoid widespread flooding from a Pearl River swollen by days of heavy rain. One home was flooded Monday but the mayor said the water did not rise as high as expected. Earlier projections showed about 100 to 150 buildings in the Jackson area faced possible flooding. The National Weather Service said the Pearl River crested Monday short of the major flood stage level of 36 feet (10.97 meters). Parts of Jackson flooded in 2020 after the river topped that level. Jackson has two water-treatment plants, and the larger one is near a reservoir that provides most of the city’s water supply. The reservoir also has a role in flood control. The mayor said Monday that low water pressure could last a few days, but by Tuesday he said some customers were regaining service. “We have seen steady improvements in the system,” Lumumba said. Jackson has longstanding problems with its water system. A cold snap in 2021 left a significant number of people without running water after pipes froze. Similar problems happened again early this year, on a smaller scale. Lumumba said last week that fixing Jackson’s water system could cost $200 million, but Tuesday he said the cost could run to “quite possibly the billions of dollars.” Mississippi is receiving $75 million to address water problems as part of a bipartisan infrastructure bill. Jackson resident Bernard Smith said he filled containers with water Monday night in case his home lost service. He bought bottled water Tuesday and said he hopes Jackson is on track to solve its water woes. “Sometimes you’ve to go through the hardship to get back to the good ship,” Smith said. The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved Thursday, Aug. 25, the Advanced Clean Cars II rule that sets California on a path to rapidly growing the zero-emission car, pickup truck and SUV market and deliver cleaner air and massive reductions in climate-warming pollution. The rule establishes a year-by-year roadmap so that by 2035, 100% of new cars and light trucks sold in California will be zero-emission vehicles, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The regulation realizes and codifies the light-duty vehicle goals set out in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-79-20. “Once again California is leading the nation and the world with a regulation that sets ambitious but achievable targets for ZEV sales. Rapidly accelerating the number of ZEVs on our roads and highways will deliver substantial emission and pollution reductions to all Californians, especially for those who live near roadways and suffer from persistent air pollution,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “The regulation includes ground-breaking strategies to bring ZEVs to more communities and is supported by the Governor’s ZEV budget which provides incentives to make ZEVs available to the widest number of economic groups in California, including low- and moderate-income consumers.” Many states and nations have set targets and goals to phase out the sale of internal combustion cars. California’s is the most aggressive regulation to establish a definitive mechanism to meet required zero-emission vehicle sales that ramp up year over year, culminating in 100% ZEV sales in 2035. The timeline is ambitious but achievable: by the time a child born this year is ready to enter middle school, only zero-emission vehicles or a limited number of plug-in hybrids will be offered for sale new in California. The regulation also includes provisions that enhance equity in the transition to zero-emission vehicles and provides consumers certainty about the long-term emission benefits, quality, and durability of these clean cars and trucks and the batteries they run on. Clean Air and Climate Benefits Transportation is the single largest source of global warming emissions and air pollution in the state. This nation-leading regulation slashes emissions from cars and light trucks. By 2037, the regulation delivers a 25% reduction in smog-causing pollution from light-duty vehicles to meet federal air quality standards. This benefits all Californians but especially the state’s most environmentally and economically burdened communities along freeways and other heavily traveled thoroughfares. From 2026 through 2040 the regulation will result in cumulative avoided health impacts worth nearly $13 billion including 1,290 fewer cardiopulmonary deaths, 460 fewer hospital admissions for cardiovascular or respiratory illness, and 650 fewer emergency room visits for asthma. The regulation delivers multiple benefits that grow year by year. By 2030, there will be 2.9 million fewer new gas-powered vehicles sold, rising to 9.5 million fewer conventional vehicles by 2035. In 2040, greenhouse gas emissions from cars, pickups, and SUVs are cut in half, and from 2026 through 2040 the regulation cuts climate warming pollution from those vehicles a cumulative total of 395 million metric tons. That is equivalent to avoiding the greenhouse gases produced from the combustion of 915 million barrels of petroleum. General requirements The new regulation accelerates requirements that automakers deliver an increasing number of zero-emission light-duty vehicles each year beginning in model year 2026. Sales of new ZEVs and PHEVs will start with 35% that year, build to 68% in 2030, and reach 100% in 2035. Eligibility and Credits The regulation applies to automakers (not dealers) and covers only new vehicle sales. It does not impact existing vehicles on the road today, which will still be legal to own and drive. Plug-in hybrid, full battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles count toward an automaker’s requirement. PHEVs must have an all-electric range of at least 50 miles under real-world driving conditions. In addition, automakers will be allowed to meet no more than 20% of their overall ZEV requirement with PHEVs. Battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles will need a minimum range of 150 miles to qualify under the program, include fast-charging ability and come equipped with a charging cord to facilitate charging, and meet new warranty and durability requirements. Enhanced Durability and Warranty Requirements The new regulation also takes regulatory steps to assure that ZEVs can be full replacements to gasoline vehicles, hold their market value for owners, and that used car buyers are getting a quality vehicle that will not pollute. By model year 2030, the rules require the vehicle to maintain at least 80% of electric range for 10 years or 150,000 miles. (Phased in from 70% for 2026 through 2029 model year vehicles.) By model year 2031, individual vehicle battery packs are warranted to maintain 75% of their energy for eight years or 100,000 miles. (Phased in from 70% for 2026 through 2030 model years.) ZEV powertrain components are warranted for at least three years or 50,000 miles. Environmental Justice As noted, the regulation delivers substantial emission reductions to all Californians, with particular benefits to those who live near roadways and suffer from persistent air pollution. The durability and warranty requirements in the regulation will help establish a viable and dependable used ZEV market to ensure the emission benefits are permanent, and the regulation includes an approach that provides credits to automakers for certain actions that increase access to ZEVs by low-income households and people living in disadvantaged communities. Increasing Access to Zero-Emission Vehicles for all Californians Governor Newsom proposed, and the Legislature has approved, $2.7 billion in fiscal year 2022-23, and $3.9 billion over three years, for investment in ZEV adoption, as well as clean mobility options for California’s most environmentally and economically burdened communities. These programs support the new regulation by increasing access to ZEVs for all Californians, including moderate- and low-income consumers. They include: Clean Cars 4 All provides up to $9,500 to low-income drivers who scrap their older vehicles and want to purchase something that runs cleaner. The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) provides up to $7,000 for income-qualified drivers to buy or lease a ZEV. The Clean Vehicle Assistance Program provides low-income car buyers with special financing and up to $5,000 in down-payment assistance. The Governor’s ZEV budget includes $400 million over three years for the statewide expansion of Clean Cars 4 All and for a suite of clean transportation equity projects. The budget also includes $525 million for the Clean Vehicles Rebate Project (CVRP). In addition, there is $300 million for more charging infrastructure, especially for those consumers who may not have a garage where they can charge their EV. Consumer Savings Drivers of full battery-electric vehicles already save money on operation and maintenance compared to cars with internal combustion engines. That’s the result of cheaper fuel — charging at home costs about half as much as gasoline for the same number of miles driven — and battery-electric vehicles can save drivers 40% in maintenance costs. CARB analysis indicates that battery-electric vehicles are likely to reach cost parity with conventional vehicles by 2030. By 2035, consumers are likely to realize as much as $7,900 in maintenance and operational savings over the first 10 years of ownership. Owners will also see 10-year savings from 2026 model year battery-electric vehicles, though not quite as much. Stringent Standards for Conventional Cars As with the original Advanced Clean Cars rules, ACC II includes updated regulations for light- and medium-duty internal combustion engine vehicles as well, to mitigate the air quality impacts from conventional vehicles. These low-emission vehicle standards help deliver real-world emission benefits that complement more significant emission reductions gained by wider ZEV deployment. This will prevent potential emission backsliding by removing ZEVs from the emissions baseline used to calculate new vehicle fleet-average emissions. The regulation also reduces the allowable exhaust emissions under more real-world driving conditions and emissions caused by evaporation. Background Transportation is responsible for approximately 50% of greenhouse gas emissions (when accounting for fuel production emissions) and 80% of air pollutants in California. The ACC II regulation is phase two of the Advanced Clean Cars Program, originally adopted by CARB in 2012. The regulation was designed to bring together CARB’s passenger vehicle requirements to meet federal air quality standards and support California’s AB 32 statute to develop and implement programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions back down to 1990 levels by 2020, a goal achieved in 2016 because of numerous greenhouse gas emissions mitigation programs. The ACC II regulation is a major tool in the effort to reach the SB 32 target of reducing greenhouse gases an additional 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, while also achieving Governor Newsom’s 2035 target for ending sales of new internal-combustion engine passenger vehicles. Ending sales of vehicles powered by fossil fuels is a critical element in the state’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 or sooner. Other States States that currently follow California’s vehicle rules are expected to adopt these regulations through their own rulemakings, gaining the clean air and climate benefits the regulation delivers. These states constitute about 40% of the nation’s new car sales.  

OAKLAND, Calif.  — Truckers protesting a state labor law have effectively shut down cargo operations at the Port of Oakland, it was announced Wednesday. “The shutdown will further exacerbate the congestion of containers” and port officials are urging operations at shipping terminals to resume, a port statement said. The protest that began Monday involves hundreds of independent big-rig truckers that have blocked the movement of cargo in and out of terminals at the port, which is one of the 10 busiest container ports in the country, according to its website. There was no immediate word on when the protest might end but it’s exacerbating supply-chain issues that already have led to cargo ship traffic jams at major ports and stockpiled goods on the dock. The protest comes as toymakers and other industries enter their peak season for imports as retailers stockpile goods for the fall holidays and back-to-school items. The truckers are protesting Assembly Bill 5, a gig economy law passed in 2019 that made it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees, who are entitled to minimum wage and benefits such as workers compensation, overtime and sick pay. A federal appeals court ruled last year that the law applies to some 70,000 truck drivers who can be classified as employees of companies that hire them instead of independent contractors. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters called it a “massive victory” for exploited truckers. But the California Trucking Association, which sued over the law, had argued the law could make it harder for independent drivers who own their own trucks and operate on their own hours to make a living by forcing them to be classified as employees. The legal battle stalled enforcement of the law but last month the U.S. Supreme Court decided it wouldn’t review the decision. Truckers are now asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to meet and discuss the issue. Meanwhile, there’s been no word on when the state might begin enforcing the law, which is still being contested in lower courts. Messages seeking comment from the governor’s office and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development weren’t immediately returned Wednesday evening. The director of the business and economic development office, Dee Dee Myers, emailed CNBC that “it’s time to move forward, comply with the law and work together to create a fairer and more sustainable industry for all.” Ports already have been struggling to handle container traffic, much of it from Asia. After the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold in 2020, cargo traffic to ports slumped drastically. But then it recovered and has been booming since. “We understand the frustration expressed by the protestors at California ports,” Port of Oakland Executive Director Danny Wan said in the port statement. “But, prolonged stoppage of port operations in California for any reason will damage all the businesses operating at the ports and cause California ports to further suffer market share losses to competing ports.” While the port handles many different types of cargo, it is an important distribution point for California’s agricultural products. “The supply chain already is in crisis. This is a huge disruption,” Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition told the Wall Street Journal.