House May Accept Higher MPG In Exchange For Lots & Lots Of Drilling - ENN

[hatrack]

WASHINGTON — The House could accept a Senate proposal to boost vehicle mileage requirements as part of legislation to open more offshore areas to oil and natural gas drilling, a key House lawmaker said Tuesday.

The Senate will debate legislation this week to open a small area off the coast of Florida to drilling while preventing energy exploration within 125 miles of the state's coastline through 2022.

Some senators may try to add an amendment to the bill to nudge up the mileage requirement for U.S. vehicles by about one mile per gallon a year. It has been more than 20 years since Congress raised fuel efficiency standards, although the White House recently ordered automakers to boost mileage slightly in some vehicles.

Republican Rep. Richard Pombo, who chairs the House Resources Committee, said such higher fuel standards could be accepted in the House if that allowed Congress to pass compromise legislation including language from a House-passed drilling bill to also open areas on the West and East Coasts to energy exploration. "I believe that kind of an amendment does not kill the (compromise drilling) bill in the House," Pombo told reporters, referring to the proposal to increase vehicle fuel efficiency.

EDIT

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=10941

[ananda]

1. What a devil's bargain that is...

No, not acceptable.

How about higher MPG for development of alternative energy vehicles?

Yes.

Sue

[msongs]

2. how bout higher MPG because its the PATRIOTIC thing to do

to benefit the USA and our future?


Msongs
www.msongs.com/howarddean2008.htm

[NotGivingUp]

3. Screw 'em! Let's all refuse to buy a car until they put the electric car

on the market at a reasonable price.

[liberal N proud]

4. OK so I will be able to drive to the beach on one less tank of gas

But what will I see when I get there? OIL RIGS, thousands of OIL RIGS

[megatherium]

5. Who's going to go to the beach when it's covered in black goo? nt