WASHINGTON - The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) commends the decision by the U.S. Senate to mandate the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Academy of Sciences to study and recommend stronger Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. In recognizing that the agreement falls short of actually implementing stronger CAFE standards, LCV called this action a step in the right direction for the American consumer and the efforts to reduce pollutants.

"The Senate realized that by using existing technology, we can cost-effectively raise fuel economy standards to improve air quality and protect public health and the environment," says Deb Callahan, LCV president. "With Americans paying more at the pumps and with pollution on the rise, this agreement moves the process of studying fuel economy standards forward and could save Americans money while curbing global warming pollution."

The current CAFE standards save more than 3 million barrels of oil every day, while saving the average new car owner about $3,000 a year at the pumps. These standards reduce pollution by eliminating 500,000 tons per year of cancer-causing emissions and by keeping millions of tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, out of the atmosphere. In 1975, Congress passed the CAFE standards law to conserve oil and improve the nation's gas mileage following the oil crisis of the 1970's. It is the one of the most successful energy-saving laws ever enacted.

The Senate agreement came after it appeared that a resolution offered by Senators Gorton (R-WA), Feinstein (D-CA), and Bryan (D-NV) that would remove a House rider to prevent Congress from raising fuel efficiency standards had enough votes to pass. Once finalized by both houses of Congress, this new agreement will remove a House version of the transportation bill that would place a freeze on studying fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks. However, it will delay any changes to the CAFE standards until the next Congress.

"Congress and the auto industry can encourage modern technologies that would have a tremendous impact on our environment. We hope that the administration and the next Congress will act responsibly by taking full advantage of this opportunity to strengthen the CAFE standards," says Callahan.

The League of Conservation Voters is the political voice for the national environmental and conservation community. LCV has produces the National Environmental Scorecard that annually rates U.S. Representatives and Senators on key environmental votes. For more information, visit the LCV Web site http://www.lcv.org/.