Whew – updated gas mileage standards at last
Previously posted on September 11 at: http://spaces.msn.com/members/evandodds/Blog/cns!1phaOgcvNsBxzvBN9Zpx1vbQ!196.entry
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In an effort to reduce our national dependence on foreign oil, the Bush administration took powerful steps the other week to implement new and effective higher-fuel-efficiency requirements for all road vehicles produced for sale in the US. The largest “guzzlers” will require dramatic improvements (a 0 mpg required improvement by 2011!!), and overall passenger cars will also see significant increases in efficiency (also 0 mpg improvement required by 2011!!). As if this wasn’t enough, our resplendent and sensible leaders propose to ensure the light-truck/mini-van market will improve an astounding and unbelievable 1.8mpg by 2011!!!! Is this even technologically possible? I have a hard time believe it can even be done within the bounds of hard science.
Read the CAFE reform propsal at the NHTSA site for more of these wonderful and glorious details. This speeds up the minor and incremental increases in efficiency we’ve seen over the past few years. We’re finally taking action to solve this looming and real problem.
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Ok, enough of that. It’s disgusting how little we’re doing here. Perhaps we will see $4 and $5/gallon before things start to get fixed, although I wouldn’t have believed it a year or two ago. We can and should require better efficiency in our vehicles! We can and should invest more in mass transit solutions, realizing that it’s going to get worse before it can possibly get better. Article from MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9051613/, Sierra Club press release: http://www.sierraclub.com/pressroom/releases/pr2005-08-23.asp
