Accessibility Statement

1. Our commitment

Propane heats homes, cooks meals, runs water heaters and keeps fireplaces and wall heaters going when the power goes out. People who rely on it should be able to learn about their service, ask for a delivery, open an account and read safety information without running into barriers on our website. Our family has served customers in the foothills since 1966, and we treat accessibility as part of good customer service, not as an afterthought.

We aim to design and maintain the Site so that people who are blind or have low vision, who are deaf or hard of hearing, who have mobility or dexterity limitations, or who have cognitive, learning, language or neurological disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate and interact with it. Whatever the Site can or cannot do, a person at our office can help you directly by telephone.

2. Our standard

We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Level AA. WCAG is published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) through its Web Accessibility Initiative, and it defines how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. Level AA is the level most commonly referenced for public-facing websites. WCAG is organized around four principles: content should be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. Version 2.2 builds on earlier versions and adds criteria that matter to many visitors, such as keeping the item that has keyboard focus visible and making controls large enough to use comfortably.

3. Conformance status

We believe the Site is partially conformant with WCAG 2.2 Level AA. "Partially conformant" means that most of the content meets the standard, but some parts may not fully conform. In our case, the parts most likely not to conform are content and components provided by third parties, such as the interactive service-area map, the My Account payment portal and other embedded services, which we describe in Sections 11 and 12. We are working toward full conformance for the content we control, and we correct issues as we learn about them.

This status is based on our own evaluation, described in Section 10. It is not a certification by any third party.

4. Measures we have taken

The Site was built with accessibility in mind from the start. The measures we have taken include the following.

Structure and navigation:

• Semantic HTML, so that headings, lists, buttons, links, forms and other elements are identified correctly to browsers and assistive technologies.
• Page landmarks, such as header, navigation, main content and footer regions, so that screen-reader users can move directly to each part of a page.
• A "Skip to content" link at the start of each page, so that keyboard and screen-reader users can bypass the navigation menu and go straight to the main content.
• A logical heading structure on each page, so that the organization of the content is clear and headings can be used to navigate.
• Breadcrumb links near the top of inner pages, which show where you are on the Site and let you move back up a level.
• A Site map page that lists every page on the Site as plain links.

Keyboard access and focus:

• Menus that can be operated with a keyboard. Dropdown menus have separate buttons that open and close each submenu and report whether the submenu is open, so that keyboard and screen-reader users do not have to rely on a mouse hover. On desktop computers, mouse users benefit from hover-intent behavior, which prevents menus from opening or closing accidentally when the pointer passes over them.
• The Escape key closes open menus, the mobile navigation menu, the chat window and pop-ups, and returns keyboard focus to a sensible place.
• Focus management in the mobile menu and pop-ups. When the mobile navigation menu or the before-you-go pop-up opens, keyboard focus moves into it and stays within it until it is closed, and the rest of the page is set aside so that it is not reached by accident. When a pop-up closes, focus returns to where you were on the page.
• A visible focus indicator, so that keyboard users can always see which link, button or field is selected.

Forms and messages:

• Labels for form fields, so that each field's purpose is announced by screen readers and is clear to everyone.
• Clear error handling. If a required field, such as your name or telephone number, is missing, the field is marked as invalid for assistive technologies, it is linked to a message that explains the problem, and focus moves to the field so that you can correct it.
• Status messages, such as confirmation that a request was sent or an explanation of a problem, that are announced to screen-reader users through ARIA live regions without moving focus.
• Short forms that ask only for the information we need to respond to you.
• On phones, the fixed bottom bar and floating buttons step out of the way while you are typing in a form field, so that they do not cover the field you are using.

Images, color and layout:

• Text alternatives (alt text) for meaningful images, and decorative icons hidden from screen readers so that they do not add clutter.
• Color contrast between text and backgrounds, and on buttons, that we have checked against WCAG AA.
• A responsive layout that adapts to phones, tablets and desktops, and that supports browser zoom without loss of content or function.
• Information that does not depend on color alone. For example, office-hours status and form messages are stated in words.

Motion:

• Respect for your device's reduced-motion setting. When your operating system or browser asks for reduced motion, animations, transitions and smooth scrolling are turned off, and moving strips of content are shown as a still list instead.

Language and alternative text formats:

• The language of each page is identified in the code (the lang attribute), so that screen readers use the correct pronunciation.
• Plain-text versions (Markdown twins) of every page, which can be easier to use with some assistive technologies, text-only browsers and reading tools.
• Text summaries of the Site in llms.txt files.
• A separate page for each town we serve, listed in the navigation menu, the footer and the Site map page, as a text alternative to the interactive service-area map.

Audio and video:

• The Site does not currently include video content, so captions and audio descriptions do not apply. If we add video in the future, we will aim to provide captions.

5. Plain-text versions of our pages

Each page on the Site has a plain-text Markdown twin that presents the same content without the page layout, images or scripts. You can reach it by adding index.md to the end of a page's address. For example, the plain-text version of our propane safety page is at americanrivergas.com/safety/index.md. This can be helpful if you use a screen reader, a braille display, a text-to-speech tool, a text-only browser or reading software, or if you simply prefer a simpler page.

The llms.txt files provide a short text summary of the Site, including our contact details, office hours, services, service area and key safety information, with links to the plain-text version of each page.

6. The accessibility toolbar

The Site includes an accessibility toolbar provided by ADAWebPro. It is available from the accessibility button in the lower left corner of every page. The toolbar lets you adjust how the Site looks and behaves to suit your needs. Its features include:

• Accessibility profiles, which apply a group of settings at once for common needs.
• Text size adjustment.
• Line height adjustment.
• Letter spacing adjustment.
• A dyslexia-friendly font.
• Contrast modes.
• Inverted colors.
• Color saturation adjustment and color-blind modes.
• Hiding images, which replaces them with their text alternatives.
• Stopping animations.
• A larger cursor and a choice of cursor color.
• A reading guide and a reading mask, which help you keep your place on the page.
• Read aloud (text-to-speech).
• A page headings navigator, which lists the headings on the page so that you can jump to a section.
• Form assistance.

Your settings stay in your browser. The settings you choose are saved only in your browser's local storage, so that they are applied on other pages and on later visits in the same browser. They are not sent to us. Clearing your browser's storage resets them. See our Privacy Policy for more information about browser storage.

Hiding and restoring the button. If the accessibility button is in your way, you can hide it with the small X next to it. It will stay hidden in that browser. You can bring it back at any time using its restore button, which appears at the bottom of the footer on every page. The chat button works the same way.

Your own tools come first. The accessibility toolbar is an optional convenience. It is not a substitute for the accessibility features built into the Site, and it is not required to use the Site. The Site is designed to work with the assistive technologies and browser settings you already use, such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, voice control, browser zoom and operating-system display settings.

7. Using the Site with a keyboard

You can use the Site without a mouse. Common keys include:

• Tab moves forward through links, buttons and form fields, and Shift+Tab moves backward.
• Enter activates a link or button, and the Space bar activates buttons and checkboxes.
• The buttons next to menu items open and close submenus.
• Escape closes an open menu, the chat window or a pop-up.
• The "Skip to content" link, at the start of each page, moves you past the navigation menu to the main content.
• In the chat window, Enter sends your message and Shift+Enter starts a new line.

8. The chat assistant

The Site offers a chat assistant named Scout, powered by YelloPost AI, that can answer general questions about propane, our services and our service area. We have built it to work with assistive technologies:

• The chat opens from a labeled button that reports whether the chat window is open or closed.
• The chat window is identified to assistive technologies as a dialog, and new messages are announced to screen-reader users through an ARIA live region.
• The Escape key closes the chat window and returns focus to where you were.
• When the chat window is closed, it is removed from the keyboard order so that it does not get in the way.
• You can hide the chat button with its X and restore it later from the bottom of the footer.

The chat assistant is optional. It gives general information only. It cannot place orders, see your account or respond to emergencies, and it can make mistakes. If the chat is hard to use, or if you would rather talk with a person, please call our office. Everything the chat assistant can help with, our office can help with too.

9. Safety information and emergencies

Propane safety information must be available to everyone. The steps to take if you smell gas appear on our Smell Gas page and our Safety page, in the alert strip at the top of the Site, and in the plain-text version of each of those pages. In short: leave the building first without making a spark (do not use flames, light switches, appliances or telephones in the area), close the tank valve only if it is safe to do so, and from outside call 911 and then our office at (530) 888-7438.

The Site, its forms and its chat assistant are not an emergency service. Please never rely on the Site for an emergency. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability, you can dial 711 to reach a telecommunications relay service for telephone calls to our office.

If you would like safety information in another format, such as read to you over the telephone or sent to you by email as plain text, please ask us. See Section 13.

10. How we evaluate accessibility

We evaluate the Site ourselves, with the help of our website provider, YelloPost. Our evaluation includes:

• Reviewing page structure, headings, landmarks, labels and text alternatives in the code.
• Operating menus, forms, pop-ups and the chat window with a keyboard alone.
• Checking color contrast for text and buttons.
• Viewing pages at different screen sizes and zoom levels, on phones, tablets and desktop computers.
• Checking behavior with the reduced-motion setting turned on.
• Using automated testing tools to find common problems.

Automated tools find only some kinds of problems, and no evaluation catches everything. That is why your feedback matters to us. See Section 15.

11. Known limitations

Despite our efforts, some parts of the Site may not be fully accessible. The limitations we know about include:

• Interactive service-area map. The map uses a third-party mapping library and map images from a third-party provider. Map images are pictures and can be hard to use with a screen reader or a keyboard. Every town shown on the map has its own text page, and our office can tell you by telephone whether we deliver to your address.
• My Account payment portal. The portal where customers view their account and pay online is operated by a third party on its own website. We do not control its design or accessibility. If the portal is hard to use, please call our office during office hours and we will help you with your account.
• Bot protection on forms. Our forms use Cloudflare Turnstile to help keep out automated spam. It usually runs without asking you to do anything, but in some cases it may ask you to complete a check. If a check prevents you from sending a form, please call or email us instead.
• Links to other websites. Pages we link to, such as our Google listing, our social media pages and safety organizations, are not controlled by us and may not meet the same standard.

We are working to reduce these limitations where we can. In every case, our office can provide the same information or service by telephone or email.

12. Third-party content and services

Some features of the Site are provided by third parties. They include the ADAWebPro accessibility toolbar, the chat assistant powered by YelloPost AI, Cloudflare Turnstile bot protection, the service-area map library and map images, fonts from Google Fonts, the My Account payment portal, and the websites we link to. We choose these tools with care and configure them as accessibly as we can, but we do not control how they are built and cannot guarantee their conformance. If a third-party component prevents you from using the Site, please tell us and we will help you directly and look for a solution.

13. Alternative formats and other ways to get information

If any information on the Site is not accessible to you, we will provide it in another way at no charge. For example, we can:

• Read the information to you over the telephone and answer your questions.
• Email you the information as plain text.
• Take your request to open an account, schedule a delivery or book service over the telephone, so that you do not need to use a form.
• Help you with your account and your payment options over the telephone, so that you do not need to use the online portal.

Tell us what you need and how you would like to receive it, and we will do our best to meet your request.

14. Accommodations when we serve you

Accessibility matters beyond the website, too. When you open an account, schedule a delivery or have work done at your property, such as a tank set, a gas line or a leak check, we welcome requests for reasonable accommodations. Examples include:

• Communicating in the way that works best for you, such as by telephone or by email.
• Scheduling appointments for tank work and leak checks with your needs in mind.
• Letting us know about anything our driver or technician should know before arriving, such as how to reach the tank or the best way to let you know we are there.
• A person at our office who can walk you through account paperwork, such as an application or a Budget Plan agreement, before you sign.

Please tell us about any accommodation you need when you call, when you send a request or when you schedule service, and we will work with you.

15. Feedback and requests for help

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of the Site. If you encounter a barrier, have trouble using any part of the Site, or have a suggestion, please contact us:

• Telephone: (530) 888-7438, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (closed noon to 1:00 PM). After hours, on weekends and on holidays, our answering service reaches a staff member.
• Email: info@americanrivergas.com.
• Mail: American River Gas Co., Inc., 10290 Ophir Rd, Newcastle, CA 95658 (mailing address: P.O. Box 4590).
• Fax: (530) 888-1901.

What to include. To help us understand and fix the problem, please tell us the address (URL) of the page, what you were trying to do, the problem you experienced, and, if you are comfortable sharing it, the browser, device and assistive technology you were using. Please also tell us how you would like us to respond. You do not need to provide all of this information to get help.

Response time. We aim to respond to accessibility feedback promptly, normally within a few business days. If you need help with a delivery, your account or anything time-sensitive, please call our office rather than emailing. If you smell gas, do not email or use the Site: leave the building and call 911 and our office from outside.

16. Formal complaints

If you are not satisfied with our response to an accessibility concern, you may escalate it to the owners of American River Gas by writing to American River Gas Co., Inc., Attn: Owners - Accessibility, at the mailing address in Section 19, or by emailing info@americanrivergas.com with the subject line "Accessibility Complaint - Attn: Owners." Please describe the issue and any steps you have already taken. We take complaints seriously and will review your concern and respond to you.

17. Legal framework

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by businesses that serve the public. In California, the Unruh Civil Rights Act (California Civil Code section 51) and other state laws also protect the right of people with disabilities to full and equal access to the goods and services of businesses. We refer to WCAG 2.2 Level AA as the technical standard that guides our efforts on the Site.

This Statement describes our goals and practices. It is not a legal opinion about the requirements of any law and does not create contractual obligations. Nothing in it limits any right you have under applicable law.

18. Ongoing effort and review of this Statement

Accessibility is an ongoing effort. Websites change, technologies change and standards evolve. We review the Site as it changes, correct issues as we find them or as they are reported, and update this Statement when our practices or the Site change. This Statement was last reviewed and updated on the effective date shown at the top of this page.

19. Contact

For accessibility help, feedback, alternative formats or accommodations, contact:

• American River Gas Co., Inc.
• Office and yard: 10290 Ophir Rd, Newcastle, CA 95658
• Mailing address: P.O. Box 4590
• Telephone: (530) 888-7438, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (closed noon to 1:00 PM); after hours, weekends and holidays, our answering service reaches a staff member
• Fax: (530) 888-1901
• Email: info@americanrivergas.com