Southwest
'Removing the shackles': Major proposal could lower gas prices in this state
A legislative proposal in Arizona hopes to lower gas prices amid a recent appeal to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.
Currently, federal ozone attainment standards have prompted parts of the state, especially heavily populated Maricopa County, to use a “boutique” blend of gasoline since 1997, and it is the only place in the country that has done so.
The legislative proposal would make it state law for other types of gasoline blends to be used aside from the specific winter and summer blends currently allowed, as it would be what is available in other states.
LOWER GAS PRICES AREN’T LUCK. TRUMP’S ENERGY POLICIES ARE FUELING AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE
The Biden administration got hit on social media for a post bragging about lowering gas prices. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Gas prices in the Grand Canyon State are currently among the highest in the country at $3.33 per gallon on average on Tuesday, according to AAA. In Maricopa County, that average is roughly 20 cents higher.
“Modeling shows that 80% of the ozone in Maricopa County travels here from outside the state. This includes wildfires, pollution from Mexico, and emissions from California,” President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope said in a statement. “Even if 4 million gas burning cars were removed from our roads, Arizona would still not attain the impossible ozone standards set by the EPA.”
Similar legislation was worked on in the legislature last year, but the renewed push on the issue comes as Senate President Warren Petersen recently met with Zeldin.
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Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
“Following that meeting, Administrator Zeldin publicly raised our concerns about being punished for emissions outside of our control, and he committed to ensuring air quality will be protected while allowing us to grow the economy,” Petersen said in a statement.
“HB 2300 is the first step in removing the shackles off Arizona and positions us to reduce gas prices quickly, in coordination with upcoming action from Administrator Zeldin on behalf of the Trump Administration. Providing multiple fuel options allows the market to compete during unexpected shortages and will help keep gas prices low for Arizona drivers.”
Some Democrats have argued the legislation would pose an environmental risk and “does nothing to lower gas prices.”
“House Bill 2300 weakens Arizona’s clean air protections by changing the rules for gasoline standards in certain areas. Here’s why that’s a problem: It could lead to more air pollution as this bill puts gas companies over public health,” State Sen. Rosanna Gabaldón said in a statement after the bill passed out of committee.
“Current fuel standards help keep our air cleaner, especially in cities with high traffic. Loosening these rules could make pollution worse. It would allow for more loopholes for gas suppliers. Instead of sticking to proven fuel standards, the bill opens the door for changes that may not meet strict environmental guidelines,” she continued.
SEN SHELDON WHITEHOUSE: THE EPA’S ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION ROLLBACK PUTS AMERICANS LAST
Arizona State Capitol Building in Phoenix. (dszc via Getty Images)
On March 12, Zeldin released a statement saying that there have been various complaints nationwide about communities being penalized for air quality regulations they can do little about. If the bill were to be signed into law by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, the EPA would still need to clear those blends through the State Implementation Plan, which Zeldin’s office says there’s a “backlog” of.
“The Biden Administration’s focus on ideological pursuits instead of the agency’s core mission and statutory duties resulted in a delay in air quality improvement. With more than 140 million Americans living in nonattainment areas around the country, cooperative federalism and clearing out the State Implementation Plan backlog will make significant strides to improving the air we breathe,” Zeldin said in a statement at the time.
The EPA did not respond in time for publication.
“We are still evaluating the legislation so nothing to share at the moment,” a spokesperson for Hobbs’ office told Fox News Digital.
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A man armed with a knife was shot by L.A. police officers responding to an assault with a deadly weapon call overnight, authorities said.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers with the Hollenbeck Division responded to an apartment complex in the 3000 block of Glenn Avenue in Boyle Heights at 1:45 a.m. Saturday after callers reported a male suspect was armed with a knife and had just assaulted someone in the complex.
Arriving officers found the suspect in front of the residence, but he did not comply with officers’ commands to drop the weapon. He then advanced toward the officers and an officer-involved shooting occurred, LAPD confirmed.
“The suspect was struck by gunfire and remained non-compliant,” the LAPD Public Information Officer said on X early Saturday morning. “Officers deployed a 40mm foam round and ultimately took the suspect into custody.”
Video obtained by KTLA shows the man being loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital; officials said he was transported in stable condition, adding that his knife was recovered at the scene and booked as evidence.
No officers or community members were injured during the incident. The man’s name was not released.
Dangerous rip currents and high surf are forecast for Los Angeles County beaches, including the Malibu Coast this weekend.
The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous beach statement, warning of the potentially deadly beach conditions. The dangerous conditions are forecast to last from Saturday evening to Monday morning.
“There is an increased risk of ocean drowning,” the NWS forecast reads. “Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Waves can wash people off beaches and rocks, and capsize small boats nearshore.”
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A guide to surviving rip currents from the National Weather Service (NWS)
Minor Beach erosion and coastal flooding is possible through the weekend. The flooding is most likely to occur during evening high tides from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Beachgoers are advised to stay out of the water and remain near lifeguard towers. Jetties and tidepools are also especially dangerous during the weekend forecast.
“Rock jetties can be deadly in such conditions, stay off the rocks,” the NWS forecast reads.
Similar hazardous beach conditions are also in the forecast for Santa Barbara County. A high surf advisory is also in effect for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties this weekend, where 10 to 15-foot waves will be possible.
If you live or want to live in Los Angeles, the city controller has released a new dashboard highlighting some of the city’s most notorious problem rental properties, a tool designed to help renters avoid future headaches.
“This project comes at a time when tenants are reporting harassment and illegal evictions violating the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance, Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance and Tenant Anti‑Harassment Ordinance, but very few of the complaints end up leading to strong enforcement or real accountability,” L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia said in a media release Thursday.
The new Top 100 Problem Rental Properties dashboard includes a searchable database of all residential addresses with reported housing violation cases within the city of Los Angeles, a ranked list of the 100 addresses with the most violations and an interactive map.
“There has never before been an uncomplicated way for anyone to look up years’ worth of violations by address,” Mejia said in the release.
Data for the dashboard was compiled from multiple sources, including the Los Angeles Housing Department, Los Angeles City Planning and the L.A. County Assessor’s Office, according to the controller’s office.
The release also identified the top three addresses with the highest number of reported housing violations:
1. 636 1/2 North Hill Place, Chinatown
192 housing violation cases
2. 11700 West Wilshire Boulevard, Sawtelle
166 housing violation cases
3. 6650 West Forest Lawn Drive, Hollywood Hills
113 housing violation cases
“Our new dashboard is an easy‑to‑understand public tool that we hope will help renters and organizers document patterns of harm, as well as put pressure on both landlords and the City to act,” Mejia said. “Everyone deserves safe, stable and dignified housing.”
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