The Progress Report:

ENERGY

A Cleaner Ride

With gas prices averaging $3.00 per gallon and greenhouse emissions passing the most extreme predictions, the United States needs a drastic shift in energy policies in order to aid families, combat global warming, and reduce reliance on oil. The New York Times writes today on a National Petroleum Council report that "energy consumption globally is expected to rise by more than 50 percent over the next 25 years. But finding supplies to match that growth is going to be increasingly tough." Congress is engaged in debate to tackle these issues, working toward increasing fuel economy and the use of alternative energy. "When it comes to energy, we must think big and lead the future. We must be bold; we must declare independence from yesterday's thinking and invest in energy solutions of tomorrow," stated House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). In light of the debate in Congress, today, the Center for American Progress Action Fund is launching Clean My Ride, a campaign featuring webisodes of actors and activists urging the adoption of provisions "increasing gas mileage requirements and mandating the availability of e85 for flexible-fuel cars that can use either gasoline or ethanol." Watch the first webisode HERE.

EFFICIENCY AT THE PUMP: In June, the Senate passed an energy bill that would raise the minimum mileage of average cars and light trucks to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, the first increase in over two decades. Subsequently, Pelosi said "she supported the fuel economy boost contained in the Senate legislation" and may bring such legislation to a vote in the House as early as next week. At least 150 lawmakers have signed onto legislation proposed by Reps. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Todd Platts (R-PA), which would require a combined average of 35 mpg by 2018. While automakers have vigorously opposed these efforts, better fuel standards may be a boon for both them and drivers. "Increasing the average fuel economy of America's new autos to 35 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2018 would save consumers $61 billion at the gas pump and increase U.S. employment by 241,000 jobs in the year 2020, including 23,900 in the auto industry," according to a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists, as stricter fuel economy would force large automakers to invest in new, cleaner technologies and machinery. Already, the debate in Congress is helping the environment, as Chrysler announced it would "scrap plans for a luxury sedan that would have represented a bigger, heavier and less-fuel-efficient version of its Chrysler 300C," partly in response to the threat of tougher fuel economy standards.

POLLUTING PROPOSALS: Some lawmakers have signed onto automaker-backed legislation proposed by Reps. Baron Hill (D-IN) and Lee Terry (R-NE) that calls for a "softer increase" than what Pelosi has called for, requiring "companies to increase fuel economy to at least 32 miles per gallon by 2022 for cars and trucks combined." With the goal of buying automakers more time to comply with fuel standards, the Hill-Terry legislation would only achieve a saving of 1.1 millions of barrels of oil per day by 2030, in contrast to the Markey and Senate legislation, which would save between 2.5 and 4.3 millions of barrels of oil per day -- amounting to a reduction in the rate of carbon emissions by 18 percent by 2030. The Hill-Terry proposal would also effectively overturn the Supreme Court decision Massachusetts v. EPA, which gives the EPA the authority to reduce auto emissions of carbon dioxide.

A RENEWABLE FUTURE: The increased use of "flex-fuel vehicles" designed to run on cleaner fuels, would greatly relieve U.S. dependence on foreign oil and decreasing harmful emissions. But E85 pumps, which run on a combination of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, are scarce across the country. "The only concern I've had is we don't have enough outlets for [flex-fuel vehicles]," said Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). "And if we don't have outlets for it, people don't want to buy flex vehicle-automobiles." The Wall Street Journal reported that oil companies establish road blocks for E85 pumps, with some prohibiting E85 pumps alongside traditional pumps and listing E85 prices with other prices. The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition reports that...only one out of every 170 stations sells E85 fuel. For instance, California drivers have 257,318 flex-fuel vehicles but the state has only two public stations with E85. New Jersey has none. Subsequently, "more than 99 percent of the flex-fuel cars run on regular gasoline because E85 is rarely available to the everyday driving public." As Center for American Progress Senior Fellow Daniel J. Weiss notes, the solution for this problem is "immediate and forceful measures to increase the availability of the fuel." Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) has proposed legislation "requiring carmakers to make nearly all vehicles capable of using E85 within 10 years."