CAFE

And one more compromise appears to have been struck as Congress sought to close the books on 2007. From the New York Times:

The bill, which passed on a bipartisan vote of 314 to 100, sets higher fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks for the first time in 22 years and requires the annual production of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022, a fivefold increase from current ethanol production levels.

The measure, the Energy Independence and Security Act, also establishes new efficiency requirements for household appliances and government buildings, and aims to phase out the incandescent light bulb within the next decade.

Its passage is one of the largest steps on energy the nation has taken since the oil crises of the 1970s. But its full costs will not be known for years. Critics say it will make cars and trucks less safe and more expensive, divert farmland to costly production of feedstock for ethanol and other synthetic fuels, and raise the price of food because of competition for corn and grain between food producers and fuel refiners.

I love seeing conservation being pressed in new building design…especially in government building design, since “leading by example” can be a potent tool in changing how we think of energy consumption. However, I’m still disappointed that folks in Washington are listening too much to the corporate farm lobby to be aware of the downsides of ethanol production. (For example, the amount of water required to distill ethanol in parts of the country where a declining water table is an issue.)

Seen in the New York Times:

The Senate passed a trimmed-back energy bill that would bring higher-gas mileage cars and SUVs into showrooms in the coming decade and fill their tanks with ethanol.

The measure was approved Thursday with strong bipartisan support 86-8 after Democrats abandoned efforts to impose billions of dollars in new taxes on the biggest oil companies, unable by one vote to overcome a Republican filibuster against the new taxes.

The bill now goes to the House, where a vote is expected next week. The White House issued a statement saying President Bush will sign the legislation if it reaches his desk, as is expected. Bush had promised a veto if the oil industry taxes were not removed.[...]

The car companies will have to achieve an industrywide average 35 mile per gallon for cars, small trucks and SUVs over the next 13 years, an increase of 10 mpg over what the entire fleet averages today. And it would boost use of ethanol to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022, a nearly sixfold increase, and impose an array of new requirements to promote efficiency in appliances, lighting and buildings.

While I’m not happy with the ethanol requirement (production of ethanol is draining on resources in other ways), at least the Senate seemed to finally realize that it’d be better to make some progress, rather than killing the entire concept due to political bickering.

It’s not a perfect bill, but those imperfections can be debated, and hopefully fixed or improved, on their own, without delaying progress on CAFE further.

Hopefully Pelosi and crew will think the same way in the House.

Seen on the AP wire:

An agreement among congressional Democrats — including those from auto industry states — to support a 40 percent increase in vehicle fuel efficiency is likely to be the tonic needed to push energy legislation through Congress before Christmas.[...]

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.[...]

Dingell said the tougher standards are “both aggressive and attainable” and include provisions that give manufacturers the needed flexibility to bring SUVs and small trucks under compliance and to avoid job losses.

I’m kind of curious and skeptical about singling out SUVs and small trucks for special treatment, but I suppose that at this point, any progress on the matter is good progress.

The wire story mentions that the bill includes a significant mandate to use ethanol, suggesting that some farm belt politicians are doing a very good job of playing the “see/hear/speak no evil” routine when it comes to concerns raised about the sustainability of ethanol production.

And, there’s naturally some partisan squabbling to be expected in the Senate.

But, at least it’s some progress.