Congress OKs Auto Fuel Economy Increase

Energy Bill Boosts Mileage By 40 Percent To 35 MPH, Requires More Ethanol Use

(CBS/AP)  Congress by a wide margin approved the first increase in automobile fuel economy in 32 years Tuesday, and President Bush plans to quickly sign the legislation, accepting the mandates on the auto industry.

The energy bill, boosting mileage by 40 percent to 35 miles per gallon, passed the House 314-100 and now goes to the White House, following the Senate's approval last week.

In a statement, the White House said Bush will sign the legislation at the Energy Department on Wednesday.

In a dramatic shift to spur increased demand for nonfossil fuels, the bill also requires a six-fold increase in ethanol use to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022, a boon to farmers. And it requires new energy efficiency standards for an array of appliances, lighting and commercial and government buildings.

"This is a choice between yesterday and tomorrow" on energy policy, declared House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who was closely involved in crafting the legislation. "It's groundbreaking in what it will do."

While some GOP lawmakers criticized the bill for failing to address the need for more domestic oil and natural gas production, 95 GOP lawmakers joined Democrats in support of the bill.

Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada acknowledged that they didn't get all they wanted - unable to push through a tax package that would have rolled back $13.5 billion in tax breaks for oil companies and used the money to help spur wind, solar and biomass energy development and conservation programs.

The House passed the tax provisions, but the Senate fell one vote short of getting it through under threat of a presidential veto and a GOP filibuster. "Were going to be back and get the vote quicker than you think," Reid said at a news conference with Pelosi.

But Democrats said those shortcomings shouldn't take away from the importance of the approved bill.

"This legislation is a historic turning point in energy policy," said Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland because it will cut demand for foreign oil and promote nonfossil fuels that will cut greenhouse gases linked to global warming.

In addition to vehicles, the bill sets standards for things we use in the home - like light bulbs, reports CBS Radio News' John Hartge. Say goodbye to the old incandescent bulb.

It increases energy efficiency "from light bulbs to light trucks," said Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., a longtime protector of the auto industry who was key to a compromise on vehicle efficiency increases.

Many Republicans denounced the Democratic-crafted bill for failing to push for more domestic production of fossil fuels and for mandates some GOP lawmakers warned will not be possible.

"What we have here is a mandatory conservation bill," said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas. He argued that the auto fuel efficiency requirements and the huge increase in ethanol use may not prove to be technologically or economically possible.

Democrats disagreed. The legislation takes measured and concrete steps that are achievable, said Dingell.

The Senate passed the bill last week after discarding billions of dollars in higher taxes on oil companies and a solar and wind power mandate that opponents said would raise electric rates in the Southeast. President Bush and Senate Republicans opposed those measures.

The centerpiece of the bill remained the requirement for automakers to increase their industrywide vehicle fuel efficiency by 40 percent to an industry average of 35 mpg by 2020 compared to today's 25 mpg when including passenger cars as well as SUVs and small trucks.

Congress has not changed the auto mileage requirement since it was first enacted in 1975.

Democrats said the fuel economy requirements - when the fleet of gas-miser vehicles are widely on the road - eventually will save motorists $700 to $1,000 a year in fuel costs. They maintain the overall bill, including more ethanol use and various efficiency requirements and incentives, will reduce U.S. oil demand by 4 million barrels a day by 2030, more than twice the daily imports from the volatile Persian Gulf.

The automakers have repeatedly fought an increase in the federal fuel standard, known as CAFE, maintaining it would limit the range of vehicles consumers will have available in showrooms and threaten auto industry jobs. Bush also has argued against an arbitrary, numerical increase in the fuel efficiency requirement, preferring instead legislation to streamline the federal requirements and market incentives to get rid of gas guzzling vehicles.

But the automakers have accepted the political shift toward a tougher requirement. After the Senate approved the legislation last week, the White House immediately said Bush would sign it once it reaches his desk.

"While the president's alternative fuel standard and CAFE proposal would have gone farther and faster, we are pleased that Congress has worked together on a bipartisan way that provides the chance for the president to sign a bill that does not include tax increases." said White House press secretary Dana Perino.

The bill requires a massive increase in the production of ethanol for motor fuels, outlining a rampup of ethanol use from the roughly 6 billion gallons this year to 36 billion gallons by 2022. After 2015, the emphasis would be on expanded use of cellulosic ethanol, made from such feedstock as switchgrass and wood chips, with two thirds of the ethanol - 21 billion gallons a year - from such non-corn sources.

However, commercially viable production of cellulosic ethanol has yet to be proven and some Republicans have argued that the new requirements could be impossible to meet and may raise corn prices and food supplies.

The bill allows for a waiver if producers are unable to meet the federal requirement for cellulosic ethanol, which rises dramatically after 2015. "We have every confidence that we can meet the target," said Matt Hartwig, a spokesman for the Renewable Fuels Association, which represents ethanol producers.

The bill requires improved efficiency standards for lighting, commercial and government buildings, and appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers and freezers. It also tells the Energy Department to issue efficiency standards more quickly. Light bulb efficiency will have to increase 70 percent over today's most widely used bulbs by 2020.

Environmentalist widely hailed passage of the legislation, especially the first increase in auto fuel economy since 1975, although expressing disappointment that the oil taxes and a proposal to require utilities to use renewable fuels did not pass.

"Just two years ago 62 members of the Senate opposed any increase in fuel efficiency," noted Phyllis Cuttino, director of the Pew Charitable Trusts Campaign for Fuel Efficiency, adding that not long ago "this achievement (was) unimaginable."

[runningralph]

toolmangler,
How would deforestation affect the ozone layer? I''m not saying you''re wrong. Maybe there''s some new info I haven''t heard about yet. Could you enlighten me please?

[toolmangler-2009]

In order to grow enough corn to handle the USAs fuel needs the remaining forested lands will have to be turned under by the plow, this will cause another change in the already damaged ''Ozone layer'' and not for the better either. People need to think on this and prove me wrong (just for my peace of mind)...

[toolmangler-2009]

The same amount that it takes to turn oil into fuel. The difference is that, the money stays here in America NOT supporting terrorist living governments. Exhaust emissions are cut drastically. Don''''t try to use twisted logic to support your failed argument.

Posted by hungry1968 at 09:34 AM : Dec 19, 2007



Here is what we face if Biofuels become common, It is here now and growing enough ''corn'' to fuel just The USA can push it over the edge.



"Dealing with the ''dead zone''"

"Nutrients from fertilizers create water-quality problems in the river itself and contribute to an annual oxygen-deficient %u201Cdead zone%u201D in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
The zone grew this summer to 7,900 square miles %u2014 one of the three largest since measurements began in 1985.
Centered at the end of the Mississippi River system, the zone is one of the largest areas of oxygen-depleted coastal waters in the world."Low oxygen, or hypoxia, can be caused by pollution from farm fertilizer, soil erosion and discharge from sewage treatment plants, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Excess nutrients can spur the growth of algae, and when the algae die, their decay consumes oxygen faster than it can be brought down from the surface. As a result, fish, shrimp and crabs can be forced to move or die.

[scottyusa]

I am still uncomfortable using our food for fuel. Prepare to open your wallets at the grocery stores. A lot of crops that also feed cattle and such are going to get more expensive so just about everything is going to steadily climb in the food department. I hope it doesn''t truely come down to "do you want to drive or eat?"

[jowand]

What is Limbaugh gonna do now that he can''''t buy a Hummer anymore? Whine. It''''s what he does best.
Posted by ontheleft at 12:43 AM : Dec 19, 2007

Eat your heart out your just jealous, but you''ll get over it. Big Al Gore is the energy top-hog, outlaw private jets everyone should fly commercial jets.

[navyretired2]

Let''s recap:

$13.5B in tax breaks stay with big oil.

MPG is raised to 35 avg required, yet the real issue regarding vehicle fuel use is the "type" not the amount. Whether it''s fossil fuel or hydrogen, MPG doesn''t matter in the end game. Hydrogen''s the current best answer, not MPG.

This bill continued the waste of billions to big oil and didn''t help out America one bit. Any politician who voted for this bill should be ashamed....if they in fact feel the emotion.

I wonder how many companies these politicians are in bed with will profit by these changes in energy requirements as well....sickening.

[infidel_us]

not = now (from previous post)

[infidel_us]

The same amount that it takes to turn oil into fuel. Posted by hungry1968 at 09:34 AM : Dec 19, 2007

That''s not exactly true. It takes more energy to produce and ''additive'' than it returns in benefit. Also, there''s not an 8000 square mile ''dead zone'' at the mouth of the Mississippi river from fertilizer run off.

That''s right....all the farmers growing corn. The laws of thermodynamics apply to everything....you cannot ''create'' energy, and you can''t get something for nothing.

[infidel_us]

Ah, the good old ''do nothing'' congress. Approve funding for Afgagastan but not Iraq, tried to sneak in a withdrawal date.......

I swear, democrats are literally invested in the defeat of America; both from within and outside.

[hungry1968]

It may be a boon to farmers but it won''''t do much for the energy crisis. Does anyone remember how much energy it takes, per gallon, to turn corn into fuel?

Posted by oleander8 at 08:38 AM : Dec 19, 2007



The same amount that it takes to turn oil into fuel. The difference is that, the money stays here in America NOT supporting terrorist living governments. Exhaust emissions are cut drastically. Don''t try to use twisted logic to support your failed argument.

[oleander8]

"...the bill also requires a six-fold increase in ethanol use to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022, a boon to farmers..."

It may be a boon to farmers but it won''t do much for the energy crisis. Does anyone remember how much energy it takes, per gallon, to turn corn into fuel?

[afmca]

The Repubs got what they really wanted ... they kept BILLIONS of taxpayer welfare subsidies to Big Oil. They could give a royal hoot to fuel economy. Remember to thank them when we see $4 a gallon gas and the next Big Oil exec who retires get $500 Million to retire on.

[omega39-2009]

Gee, it seems like just two short years ago we were allowing people to write off almost half the cost of their over 6000 pound vehicle (read Hummer) while offering only a 2k tax break for hybrids. Getting rid of the "Republicans" in Congress is already paying dividends.

[farmerbb]

Improving fuel economy is not the only way to reduce energy consumption. A really good way is to install electricity meters that chart WHEN you use it. That way we can all save our own money by running things like the dishwasher and laundry overnight, when usage is normally low, and rates are as well, if we could only SEE what the savings would be. Second, industry has a role to play here, especially something like professional sports. I remember during the big oil crisis many years ago, NASCAR published a survey that showed that pro basketball used the most fuel of ANY sport, flying teams all over the place.

[ontheleft]

What is Limbaugh gonna do now that he can''t buy a Hummer anymore? Whine. It''s what he does best.

[mcv57]

please replace the word "Just" with "After"

[mcv57]

Keep dreaming Pensacola88, the government is consumed and controlled by greed.

Can we bring back the dead U.S. Presidents who gave their lives in preserving the U.S. Constitution - Lincoln or Kennedy; otherwise, the Kings of Kings got to make his return. I am not kidding, you only know a fraction of the corruption in the White House. Just the era of Kennedy, it has been nothing more important than money. What the media is allowed to give the public. Its is as insane greedy tribunal of money mongals ... it is a system that murders its own President for the sake of money and power, nothing more.

[usayesterday]

"Its driving me further past insanity."

Posted by Marine2171 at 09:41 PM : Dec 18, 2007
.............

Just a couple of questions:

How many MPH (or MPG) are you getting while driving?

And, was "insanity" the last stop for gas?



(just kidding)

:-)

[marine2171]

"By 40 Percent To 35 MPH,"

Perhaps its been said, but could someone please fix this to read MPG instead. Its driving me further past insanity. Thanks

[likeitis5050]

Will someone please TRANSLATE EXACTLY what this means in simple laymen language....like is our electric bill going to go UP?...ETC, PLEASE
-------

Posted by im2pid2

I''m not sure myself....does it mean outsourcing has just gotten more expensive than making the stuff back at home? Or are these regulations only required for stuff made here in the first place meaning all the cr.ap we get from other countries due to outsourcing are off limits and just go directly to the lists of recalled products due to health risks?