Living on Earth looks into the crystal ball for U.S. energy policy

In a wide-ranging show on energy and environmental issues, the radio program Living on Earth analyzed the future of environmental policy after the voters chose Democrats to represent them in Congress last week. In one segment that got into green auto technologies, host Steve Curwood interviewed both John Podesta, former Chief of Staff for President Bill Clinton and current head of the Center for American Progress and Sherwood Boehlert, twelve-term Republican Representative from New York who is also currently chair of the House Science committee. Boehlert criticized Rep. John Dingell, who has repeatedly prevented any raise in the CAFE standards. Boehlert sounds nothing like a let-the-corporations-have-free-reign politician when he said, "If we sit back and wait for a voluntary program to trigger in [mandates to make more efficient vehicles] we'll probably wait throughout eternity." So Boehlert is in favor of greener cars, and Podesta agreed that action needs to be taken by elected officials. No kidding.
You can listen to the entire show here, or just the segment with Boehlert and Podesta here. Living on Earth last paid attention to biofuels a little under a month ago with a segment on biodiesel and American truckers.

Related:

• Living on biodiesel: truckers, Willie and satellite radio
• Opponent of raising CAFE standards, Rep. John Dingell, will be chairman of key House committee

[Source: Living on Earth, hat tip to Ann]