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Rising oil prices and growing distillate demand pushed the U.S. national diesel average 7.3 cents higher to $2.09 last week, the first increase in more than two months, the Department of Energy reported.

WASHINGTON — Members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee criticized Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the Obama administration for refusing to consider an increase in the federal fuel tax.

A federal appeals court has thrown out the Port of Los Angeles’ ban on owner-operators and questioned the legality of concession requirements at the adjacent Long Beach port for drayage operators to file financial statements and give hiring preferences to experienced port drivers.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States is “working very hard to achieve a resolution” to a trade dispute that led to Mexico imposing tariffs on U.S. goods valued at more than $2 billion after President Obama signed a law ending a cross-border trucking plan.

China passed the United States last year to become the world’s second largest auto-producing nation behind Japan, according to a California research firm.

The private sector has plenty to worry about at the moment. On a global scale, there are the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and Iran’s nuclear issues.

A House bill would freeze the truck size and weight limits of 53 feet for trailers and 80,000 pounds for the entire national highway system.

Alabama Gov. Bob Riley (R) signed into law a measure requiring truck drivers transporting steel coils to be properly trained so that coils are tied down securely, according to the governor’s Web site.

The Environmental Protection Agency may seek to limit greenhouse gas emissions, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.