Fuel Efficiency is Important, Republican Resistance Weakening
A Little Squeak from the EPA
| Here are parts of an interesting item from the Daily Item of Lynn, Massachusetts (U.S.). |
by David Liscio
Designing a light truck that gets 1.8 miles per gallon more than the current model doesn't sound like much improvement, but federal environmental officials claim the difference could amount to a lot of oil conserved over the next decade.The rule changes, first proposed last August, would require the auto industry to raise standards for light trucks beginning in 2008. All automakers would have to comply with the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) system by 2011, the most significant change to the program in three decades.
"The 1.8-mpg efficiency increase would be a lot of barrels, but that level of savings doesn't make a dent in what we use over all," said Rep. Douglas Petersen, a Marblehead Democrat and member of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.
Under the current system, automakers must maintain an average of 21.6 miles per gallon for 2006 model year light trucks, a number that grows to 22.2 mpg for 2007 vehicles. (Passenger cars, which would not even be covered by the new rules, need a 27.5 mpg average.)
Petersen noted that the rules would hail from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
According to Bush, the proposal issued last summer would lead to a projected fleet-wide average of 24 mpg by 2011, a total improvement of 1.8 mpg over four years. Automakers would need to meet fuel economy targets based on their mix of vehicles.
"I'm not sure how much of an improvement that is," said Petersen. "The Volvo SUV already gets 17-22 mph."
Meanwhile, environmental groups said a stronger plan could help the administration advance its claimed goal of reducing the nation's dependence on imported oil amid high gas prices and worries about energy security.
"This will be a real test about how serious he is about ending this addiction," said David Friedman, research director of the clean vehicles program for the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Bush, in a news conference this week, discussed energy but failed to mention fuel economy.
The plan would move away from a single standard for light trucks and create different mileage goals for six sizes of vehicles. In 2008, smaller SUVs like the Toyota RAV 4 would need to reach a target of 26.8 mpg while large vehicles such as the Chevrolet Silverado would have to hit 20.4 mpg.
The auto industry has fought against past attempts to raise fuel economy standards.
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Also see: Most Americans Say Fuel-Efficiency is Patriotic
Citizens Oppose War, Favor Energy Independence
Fuel Saving Tips Save Gasoline |
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