Read the Report.
Philadelphia, PA—A new report by PennEnvironment finds that the automobile fuel economy provision in the U.S. Senate energy bill would save Pennsylvania consumers $979 million dollars at the gas pump in 2020, reduce oil consumption by 44,450 barrels per day and would be the equivalent of taking 537,688 cars off the road.
“Rising energy prices are gobbling up consumer savings this Thanksgiving season,” said Nathan Willcox, Energy & Clean Air Advocate for PennEnvironment. “With oil approaching $100 a barrel, it is past time for Congress to take action by passing an energy bill that increases gas mileage standards to save Pennsylvanians money at the pump.”
PennEnvironment’s new report, “Driving Towards a New Energy Future”, shows that in 2020 alone, Pennsylvanians would save $979 million dollars at the pump and reduce oil consumption by 44,450 barrels of oil a day.
The savings from the Senate bill’s corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) provision would be even more significant nationwide. Specifically, the Senate bill would:
• reduce oil consumption by 1.2 million barrels per day nationally in 2020;
• save American consumers $26.5 billion dollars; and
• reduce as much global warming pollution as would be cut by taking 14 million cars off the road.
This summer the Senate passed the first new CAFE legislation in more than 30 years. Unfortunately, the House energy bill did not contain the same provision. As Congress works to come up with a final energy bill, the CAFE provisions and a renewable electricity standard must be combined with efficiency provisions to create a bill that would put America on the path toward a new, clean energy future.
“It is time for the auto industry to make our cars go farther on a gallon of gas instead of making the same tired excuses about how they can’t do it,” said Willcox. “We have the technology to get to 35 mpg by 2020. It’s time for Congress to pass a strong energy bill.”
