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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