Summer Driving Season Begins and Gas Prices Scorching N.D. Wallets
Friday, June 8, 2007
With the summer driving season officially underway, and gas prices in North Dakota near all-time highs, the stage would seem set for public support for higher fuel economy standards. In 1975, Congress set the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard for passenger vehicles at 27 miles per gallon. The president is suggesting Congress raise that standard by just over one mile per gallon over three years. Wayde Schafer with the Dakotah Chapter of the Sierra Club would like to see a much higher standard, and he says the need is painfully obvious.
“Raising the fuel economy standard is probably the single most important thing we can do to not only curb the global warming pollution, but also to help people save money at the gas pump.”
In North Dakota, the average price for a gallon of regular is $3.18, according to AAA, which is five cents higher than the national average. Only a few states have a higher average price for gas.
Schafer notes that technology already exists to make big improvements in gas mileage.
“We have the capability, the technology and, I think, the political will from the people to raise those standards.”
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