Opinion
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California Slow-Walks Compensation for Farmers, Ranchers
Opinion -environment-climate-news -California landowners who had their land seized years ago through eminent domain for the state’s high-speed rail project are still waiting to be paid for the expenses owed them, for land the state might never even get around to using. -
Ohio Court Blocks State’s Restrictions on Red-Light Cameras
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Under the law, cities using automated traffic-enforcement cameras are required to report to the state any revenues generated by the fines from the cameras. -
Justice Department Appeals Court Ruling Rejecting Road Through Alaskan Wildlife Refuge
Opinion -environment-climate-news -The U.S. Justice Department is appealing a decision by the Federal District Court of Alaska blocking the federal government from exchanging land with the state and an Alaskan Native Corporation to build a road through the Izembek Wildlife Refuge. -
Proposed Texas High-Speed Rail Project Faces Legislative Opposition
Opinion -budget-tax-news -A privately financed, high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas -
Michigan Governor Proposes Raising Gas Tax to Nation’s Highest
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Whitmer proposes to raise the gas tax from 26 cents per gallon to 71 cents per gallon. -
Federal Court Rejects Northeastern States Bid to Expand Ozone Regulations to Other States
Opinion -environment-climate-news -The District of Columbia Appeals Court rejected North East states efforts to force the Environmental Protection Agency to include more states in a regional ozone organization. -
Tesla Posts Big Losses as Government Subsidies Wane
Opinion -environment-climate-news -Tesla reported losses of $702 million during the first quarter of 2019, breaking a streak of two straight quarters posting a profit. -
Midwestern Governors Push Major Gas Tax Hikes
Opinion -environment-climate-news -Citing pressing transportation needs, three Midwestern governors – two Democrats and one Republican – are calling for significant gas tax hikes in their states. -
North Dakota to Charge Electric Vehicle Owners for Highway Maintenance
Opinion -environment-climate-news -North Dakota joined 20 other states imposing fees on electric vehicles, on April 11. -
Ohio Governor Proposes Big Gas Tax Hike
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The state’s tax on gasoline would rise 18 cents to pay for roads and bridges. -
Ballooning Costs, Missed Deadlines Derail California High-Speed Rail Project
Opinion -environment-climate-news -California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he is pulling the plug on the state’s high-speed rail project due to massive cost overruns and repeatedly missed deadline. -
Minnesota Governor Proposes Big Gas Tax Hike
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Gov. Tim Walz is calling for a nearly 70 percent increase in the state’s tax on gasoline -
Court Rules California’s Carbon-Dioxide Emissions Mandate Constitutional
Opinion -environment-climate-news -The Federal Appeals Court dismissed a challenge brought by industry groups to the constitutionality of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), requiring fuel producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the use of their products. -
Commentary: Autonomous Vehicles — Is the Consumer Bloom Off the Rose?
Opinion -budget-tax-news -The automotive industry thought that 2018 would be the “breakthrough” year for consumer acceptance of autonomous vehicles. -
Report: California Rail Project Mismanaged, Underfunded, Behind Schedule
Opinion -budget-tax-news -California State Auditor Elaine M. Howle says mismanagement by the California High-Speed Rail Authority is responsible for cost overruns. -
Virginia Uses Volkswagen Payout to Buy Electric Buses
Opinion -environment-climate-news -Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced the Commonwealth will use some of the money it received as part of a $93 million settlement from Volkswagen to help local transit authorities switch out aging fossil fuel powered public buses for electric buses. -
Cuomo Doubles Down on NY Electric Vehicle Charging Station Subsidies
Opinion -environment-climate-news -Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York is giving building owners in New York State who install electric vehicle charging stations state subsidies covering up to the 80 percent of the cost. -
San Francisco Voters to Consider Taxing Uber
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Voters in San Francisco, California in November 2019 will consider a ballot question that would add a 3.25 percent tax on rides by peer-to-peer transportation network companies (TNC) such as Lyft and Uber, two popular services. -
New Jersey Gas Tax Goes Up Again
Opinion -budget-tax-news -New Jersey drivers are paying even more at the pump as the state’s gasoline tax went up yet again in October. -
New York City Imposes Freeze, New Regulations on Ridesharing
Opinion -budget-tax-news -New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio approved a package of eight bills targeting Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing companies doing business in the city. -
Trump Administration Proposes Freezing Fuel Economy Mandates
Opinion -environment-climate-news -The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration formally proposed freezing automobile fuel mileage mandates at 2020 levels through 2026. -
Domino’s Pizza Delivers Infrastructure Grant for Fitchburg, MA
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Domino’s Pizza is donating $5,000 to the City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts to fund pothole and road infrastructure repairs in the city. -
Tesla Shutters a Dozen Solar Facilities
Opinion -environment-climate-news -Tesla announced it is laying off 9 percent of its solar workforce and shuttering a dozen U.S. installation facilities. -
A Captivating Chronicle of the New Space Trailblazers
Opinion -budget-tax-news -Review of The Space Barons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos, by Christian Davenport (PublicAffairs, 2018), 320 pages, ISBN-13 978-1610398299, $20.80 on Amazon.com.