91ÊÓƵ

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Aug. 13 sent their proposed standards for heavy- and medium-duty trucks to the White House for review by the Office of Management and Budget.

In the face of record-setting petroleum stockpiles, the U.S. retail diesel price average dipped 1.2 cents to $2.979 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported.

A truck replacement program designed to cut diesel emissions has been included as part of a legal settlement between the South Carolina State Ports Authority and an environmental group over expansion at the Port of Charleston.

New legislation aimed at giving ports more authority to set environmental regulations is expanding the battle over the Port of Los Angeles’ controversial employees-only clean trucks plan from the courts to Congress.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has proposed a rule that would eliminate requirements for special permits to haul some hazmats, ranging from liquefied petroleum gas to anhydrous ammonia fertilizers.

Oil prices fell near $77 Wednesday after a report showed that crude supplies jumped last week, the Associated Press reported.

WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood rejected raising fuel taxes to pay for highway improvements and said that, despite pessimism about the prospects for a long-term highway bill, the administration was focused on completing a bill this year.

President Obama signed into law a financial reform bill that includes provisions aimed at reducing speculative trading in commodities such as crude oil and diesel fuel and limiting the fees that credit-card companies can charge merchants for their services.

The U.S. trade deficit widened 4.8% in May to the highest level in a year and a half, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

Massachusetts has indefinitely suspended a 2% biodiesel mandate for fuel and heating oil that was to take effect this month, saying that without the federal tax credit for the producers, the cost of biodiesel would be too high for consumers.