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Sprawl & Transportation:
Fuel Economy Reform Act

Our Position: support, with concerns
Bill Number: S3694
Sponsor: Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), and Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE)
Legislative Session: 2006

The Obama-Lugar-Biden Fuel Economy Reform Act sets an annual four percent increase target for fleet fuel economy in addition to providing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with broad authority to reform the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards.  Unfortunately, these provisions also allow NHTSA not to act if the agency doesn’t want to – and since NHTSA has never advocated for stronger CAFE standards, it is likely that this bill will not do much to raise CAFE.  This bill clarifies that NHTSA can raise the fuel economy for cars, and that it forces NHTSA to explain why it is not exercising this authority.

Status

Contact

Brendan Bell                                                    

Associate Washington Representative,

Global Warming, Fuel Economy, Cool Cities

brendan.bell@sierraclub.org

202-675-7913