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A push for lower emissions from heavy-duty trucks, coupled with grants from state and localities in order to meet Southern California’s air-quality standards, are prompting interest in and sales of new trucks in the region, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported Monday.

The Senate passed a comprehensive energy bill late Thursday that raises average auto fuel efficiency standards, but the measure did not include a tax on oil companies that would have boosted alternative fuel development, Agence France-Press reported.

Class 8 truck makers said they are offering electronically controlled air disc brakes as an option in 2007 models, promoting them as safer and easier to maintain than the drum brakes most U.S. heavy trucks use.

A Senate committee approved $28 billion in tax breaks Tuesday to underwrite renewable fuels and “clean coal” technology, but the full Senate cut back provisions that would greatly expand diesel fuel made from coal, the New York Times reported.

Crude oil futures rose to a nine-month high Tuesday, closing at $69.10 a barrel, the highest New York Mercantile Exchange closing price since Sept. 1, Bloomberg reported.

WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats said steps need to be taken to ensure that U.S. consumers are not getting shortchanged by “hot” fuel, but representatives of the fuel retailing industry said adjusting sales by temperature was unnecessary and would hurt small businesses.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a change in his congestion pricing proposal, saying trucks meeting federal engine emission standards would be charged $7 to enter Manhattan at peak times, rather than $21.