Transportation for important Democrats:
(Paid for by unwashed masses)
Posted on 11/30/2007 7:10:45 PM PST by Graybeard58
WASHINGTON - Congressional Democrats reached a compromise late today to boost automobile fuel economy by 40 percent, clearing the way for a House vote probably next week on an energy bill that Democratic leaders would like to send to President Bush before Christmas.
The agreement came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reached an accord with Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., a longtime protector of the auto industry that dominates his home state, to ease the impact of the new fuel economy requirements.
"A compromise has been reached on automobile fuel efficiency standards," Dingell announced in a statement.
Automakers would be required to meet an industrywide average of 35 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks, including SUVs, by 2020, the first increase by Congress in car fuel efficiency in 32 years.
With oil prices hovering near $90 a barrel and gasoline above $3 a gallon, Democrats have been eager to sent Bush a package of new energy measures.
But Democratic leaders were stymied over disagreement on the auto fuel efficiency issues as Dingell, the longest-serving member of the House and chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, insisted on some provisions to ease the transition for automakers.
Under the agreement, the ability of carmakers to use production of so-called flex-fuel vehicles that run on 85 percent ethanol, would be extended to 2020 and more flexibility would be given in the ramp-up of fuel efficiency for SUVs and pickup trucks, although overall the industry must achieve 35 mpg average counting all vehicles.
VETO. Or pocket Veto.
Me? I say drill more, refine more!
a longtime protector of the auto industry...
How’s that working out for the auto industry in Michigan? I thought so.
It takes 32 years to change the fuel efficiency and then they extend it another 13 years. What a waste of time.
Typical elitists garbage.
35 mpg and you can carry it in your pocket. I assume we will see these Democrats and their families riding in the ‘flat little cars’, instead of Suburban and Learjets.
Can you see Kerry and Ms Heinz tucked into a 35 mpg car? How about submariner Kennedy?
Meanwhile our oil stays in the ground, no refineries and no nuclear plants. Starve the economy of energy, you starve the economy of growth.
President Bush should tell Congress that he’ll consider signing this bill after he has signed one authorizing full exploitation of the ANWR fields.
the energy bill must permit massive drilling for oil and gas in and about the US, streamline coal production and order the start of additional nuclear power plants. ALL OF THE ABOVE MUST BE PLACED ON AN EXPEDITE SCHEDULE.
Anything short of this is anti the interests of America.
The public needs to get in the act and make demands - like they did against immigration amnesty. Who’s going to take the lead?? FR??
I agree. If no ANWR & no coastal drilling it should be vetoed.
kind of makes ya wonder whose pocket the dems are in,, besides the terrorists, that is. Oh say OPEC perhaps? .. or others who stand to benefit most and seek to inflict whatever damage they can on the evil West and mainly the USA..
Is this going to be the trade off for passing the defense budget?
Gee.
Did you get this approved with Hillary and OwlGore?
Everybody else in the democrat congress wants a country-ruining 150% carbon tax.
Hmm, must read later, time to go home. :’)
I just know there are young Dimocratz having wet dreams awaiting the days after the combustion engine has been legislated out of existence. Then they will begin mandating that horses get more miles on fewer oats.
Automakers would be required to meet an industrywide average of 35 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks, including SUVs, by 2020, the first increase by Congress in car fuel efficiency in 32 years... Democratic leaders were stymied over disagreement on the auto fuel efficiency issues as Dingell, the longest-serving member of the House and chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, insisted on some provisions to ease the transition for automakers. Under the agreement, the ability of carmakers to use production of so-called flex-fuel vehicles that run on 85 percent ethanol, would be extended to 2020 and more flexibility would be given in the ramp-up of fuel efficiency for SUVs and pickup trucks, although overall the industry must achieve 35 mpg average counting all vehicles.Blam's topic about how China is hiring skilled looks more attractive all the time. :') Seriously, this will result in A) smaller vehicles, and B) more engineering jobs and technological innovation. Somewhere, in some country...
Researchers Succeed In Fueling UpThe principle behind fuel cells is not new-it was discovered in 1839... Basically, a fuel cell is a device-think of it as a high-tech battery-that converts the energy of a fuel (hydrogen, natural gas, etc.) and an oxidant (air or oxygen) into useable electricity... There are no moving parts and it produces little noise. Unlike traditional combustion engines that currently dominate the energy market, fuel cells do not produce any particulate matter, nitrogen or sulfur oxides; when fueled by pure hydrogen, they have only heat and water as by-products... To date, hydrogen has been the conventional fuel for a fuel cell. But practical generation and storage of hydrogen has been a problem-it's expensive and inefficient. The model developed by Gorte's team aims to get around this dilemma... Previous attempts to use hydrocarbon fuels to run a solid-oxide fuel cell failed because the electrochemical process that generates electricity caused a buildup of carbon, which ruined the cell. In a solid-oxide fuel cell, oxygen anions are transported through an oxide membrane and react with the fuel at the anode... The Penn researchers were looking for an anode material that did not result in fouling... Eventually, they settled on a composite of copper and ceria. Ceria is an important catalytic component of automotive catalysis, which is why the researchers focused on its properties... Says Gorte, "Running a car is a transient process and you've got to have a pretty big fuel cell to power it, something on the order of 50kw as opposed to a 5kw cell to power a house, for instance." ...At least one major automotive manufacturer is seriously studying this technology... Their work has generated a great deal of excitement and was touted in Nature magazine (3/16/00). Professor Gorte has been interviewed by MSNBC.
by Jane BrooksNeutralizing Diesel's Idle Threat
by John Gartner
02:00 AM Oct. 10, 2002 PT
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.