For Immediate Release
September, 2001

During recent debate on the Bush administration’s national energy policy, Congress considered an amendment that would have substantially increased the fuel efficiency standard for sport-utility vehicles and light trucks. 

Today, passenger cars must get an average of 27.5 miles per gallon, whereas SUVs, minivans and light trucks must meet a requirement of only 20.7 mpg. This standard has not been significantly altered in nearly 20 years.  Unfortunately, the House rejected the amendment that would have required the combined passenger and light truck fleet to achieve an average of 26 mpg by 2005 and 27.5 mpg by 2007.

Opponents to this sensible, and long overdue measure charged that the tougher standard would force automakers to develop smaller, lighter SUVs and trucks that would be less safe and more expensive than existing, popular models. 

But this doesn’t have to be the case.  In fact, a competition recently sponsored by General Motors and the Department of Energy proves otherwise. Various engineering schools across the country competed to increase the fuel efficiency of one of the larger SUV'S, a Chevrolet Suburban. The winner - the University of Wisconsin - increased the fuel efficiency of this vehicle from the stock vehicle’s 17.3 mpg to 28.05 mpg, a 62% improvement, while maintaining the structural integrity and protections that vehicle affords.

U.S. automakers themselves have stated that current technology exists to increase the fuel economy of their products, and plan to implement those improvements in the somewhat nebulous ‘near future’.  The lack of a firm timeline to implement these changes by the automakers is not surprising when current consumer demand for SUVs and light trucks continues to rise.  Clearly, many buyers seek these vehicles for either safety, convenience or performance reasons.  But while current demand is apparent, equally evident is the public’s support for improved fuel economy for these vehicles.

Unfortunately, the watered down measure the House passed only asks the automakers to improve the fuel efficiency of all cars and light trucks by 1.3 mpg over the next ten years, or by only about 6% over today’s standards.  The result from this very meek improvement will mean a decrease in gasoline use by 5 billion gallons between the year 2004 and 2010.  However, the amendment that failed would have created a savings of 40 billion gallons of gasoline over that same period.

America’s long term energy needs would be better served with an energy policy that places greater emphasis on energy conservation and renewable fuel technologies.  It’s unfortunate some of my colleagues in the House missed an opportunity to implement a reasonable (and by the UW’s efforts, clearly attainable) measure that holds the greatest potential to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and emissions of harmful global greenhouse gases.  As the senior Democratic Member on the Energy Subcommittee, I’m going to continue to push for the bar to be placed higher for automakers to achieve better fuel efficiency standards that meet both the needs of consumers and the environment, as well as reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

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