Markey Marks Time on Fuel Economy Standards
August 2nd, 2007 5:35 PM
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The Detroit Free Press reports Congress' strongest advocate of tougher corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards has thrown in the biodegradable towel. After meeting with House Leader Nancy Pelosi (friend of the UAW), Massachusetts Representative Edward Markey decided his 35 mpg by 2019 plan would slow down other bills the Democrats are trying to pass before the August recess. Markey now says he'll back the mileage increase passed by the Senate in June– which keeps the 35 mpg standard but extends the deadline to 2020. The debate in the House will resume in September, when Detroit Representative John Dingell will "address" fuel economy in his discussion of global warming.
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Well, the US car industry seems to be set on committing suicide. While the domestics do what they can to keep the benchmark low, the imports will focus on delivering 60-100mpg+ to customers over the same period of time.
In 2020 there will be an entirely different environmental crisis, gas will be cheaper than it is today, and the first super efficient ethanol-hydrogen-electric hybrid car will roll out of what is left of Detroit as Japanese sports cars and European monster trucks sell in droves.
I had to laugh - one year extension...for companies that can't seem to improve engine technology much.
http://www.autoalliance.org/ is running radio advertisements where I live, asking me to call my Representative and tell him to support the bill with the 2022 deadline.