03.29.06

Cantwell: New SUV Fuel Efficiency Proposal Falls Short

WASHINGTON, DC – Wednesday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a member of the Senate Commerce and Energy Committees, released the following statement in response to new fuel economy rules for light trucks announced by the administration:

“While I was pleasantly surprised when the president acknowledged our nation’s oil addiction—something most Americans already knew—today’s proposal represents no more than a baby step on the way to recovery. This plan moves us less than 10 percent closer to the president’s stated goal of reducing our dependence on Middle East oil imports by 75 percent by 2025. To truly become energy independent, we need to implement existing fuel efficiency technologies now, while continuing to improve the fuel economy of tomorrow’s vehicles.”

###