Copyright 2000 The Washington Post
The Washington
Post
April 17, 2000, Monday, Final Edition
SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. A20
LENGTH: 325 words
HEADLINE:
Saving Gas, and the Planet
BODY:
IN THE
NEXT few weeks Congress will have a chance to combat both global warming and
U.S. dependence on foreign oil. For each of the past five years, in funding the
Transportation Department, Congress has blocked any change in regulations that
hold SUVs, minivans and pickup trucks to a lower standard of fuel
efficiency than passenger cars. It's time to get rid of that
restriction.
In 1975 Congress passed a law requiring new vehicles sold
in the United States to meet fuel efficiency standards. At the
time light trucks were a small portion of the market, and standards for them
were set lower than those for passenger vehicles. But now SUVs, minivans and
other light trucks account for nearly half the new vehicles sold. As they claim
a larger and larger share of the market, while still being held to a lower
standard, the average fuel efficiency of the
new-car fleet declines. Last year it hit its lowest point since 1980.
In
December the EPA issued new rules requiring light trucks to meet the same tight
emissions standards as cars. These regulations will sharply reduce
smog-producing pollutants. But the emissions standards don't affect carbon
dioxide, a major contributor to global warming. One fifth of the total U.S.
carbon dioxide output comes from car and light truck emissions, and the way to
reduce it is to reduce the amount of fuel burned--that is, to increase
efficiency.
Auto makers argue that the best way to do so is to rely on
advanced technology--hybrid gas, electric cars--that manufacturers are already
developing and, in some cases, beginning to sell. Those cars should eventually
offer big gains, but in the meantime, according to the EPA, efficient technology
that has already been added to the light truck fleet is being used to support
more weight and higher acceleration instead of more miles per gallon. It's time
now for Congress to take the handcuffs off and allow appropriate new standards.
LOAD-DATE: April 17, 2000
