Gas Mileage Update

In my November 14, 2005 post entitled "Eat Here and Get Gas," I wrote that "Americans are addicted to oil." In order to try to stem this addiction, I joined many others in calling upon Congress to make modest increases in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for cars and light trucks (SUVs), since these standards have been stuck in place for years while fuel efficiency technology has improved. I also called for Congress to close the crazy loophole that gives tax breaks to owners of the largest, heaviest, most gas-guzzling SUVs.

Since then, President Bush declared in his January 31, 2006 State of the Union address, "Americans are addicted to oil." I am happy to report that, last week, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, part of the Transportation Department, announced a modest increase in CAFE standards for SUVs, from 22.5 mpg to 24 mpg, by 2011. While this is a very small increase over 5 years, at least it's a step in the right direction. Whether our federal government officials are seeing the light, or whether they are merely seeing an upcoming election day, at least they are doing something, finally, to attack our nation's oil addiction from the consumption side. Perhaps they recognize at long last that it will be impossible simply to drill our way to energy independence.