Statement of Senator Dianne Feinstein

On the National Academy of Sciences Report on the Effectiveness and Impact of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards

July 30, 2001

"Overall this is a positive report:

• It debunks the myth that closing the SUV loophole would jeopardize safety. Rather, it indicates that eliminating this loophole would most likely increase safety.
  
  
• It establishes that the technology is available to improve fuel efficiency. The only question is the length of time required to implement that technology.
  
  
• It refutes the argument that increasing fuel efficiency will make U.S. workers less competitive.
  
  
• It recognizes the critical role that transportation plays in reducing greenhouse gases and foreign imports.
  

I view this report as a big step forward in the march to increase fuel efficiency and in particular to close the SUV loophole so that sport utility vehicles and light trucks have the same efficiency standards as sedans. Taking this reasonable and realistic step would:

• save one million barrels of oil per day;
• reduce oil imports by 10 percent; and
• prevent 240 million tons of carbon dioxide -- the number one contributor to global warming -- from entering the atmosphere each year.
  
  
  

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