Senators push for tighter fuel economy standards

Right on the heels of the EPA announcement that the average fuel economy for 2006 was unchanged, a bi-partisan group of Senators is proposing a tightening of the corporate average fuel economy standards, calling for a improvement in fuel economy of about 1 mile per gallon annually. The bill, spearheaded by Illinois Senator Barack Obama, would save 1.3 million barrels of oil per day if it was held in place for 10 years. While the bill also includes incentives for companies and consumers to increase the market penetration of fuel efficient vehicles, it is clearly aimed at increasing the pressure on automakers to reduce the fuel consumption of the vehicles they produce. While NHTSA has set tougher mileage standards for pickups, sport-utility vehicles and vans for the 2008-11 model year, the standard for passenger cars has not been raised since 1986.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]