Gas

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Calls for Evaluation of Rising Food Prices, Expansion of New Feedstocks

May 5, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should uphold the ethanol standards passed by the energy bill with an expansion of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Earlier today, 23 Senate Republicans urged the agency to halt ethanol production expansion.    » read more »

April 29, 2008 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today directed all Executive Branch agencies to immediately begin cutting back on the use of state-owned vehicles, saying the staggering increases in the price of gasoline that are forcing Connecticut families to cut back on their driving are having the same impact on state government.

Toyota Camry mileage: Photo by Ted Kau (CC)    » read more »

"This isn't an idea designed to get you through the summer, it's designed to get them through an election."

April 29, 2008 -- **Prepared remarks provided below**

Winston-Salem, NC - Speaking in Winston-Salem today, Senator Barack Obama said that the federal gas tax holiday proposed by his opponents is a gimmick that stands in stark relief to the substantive proposals he's made to bring relief to hardworking Americans.

Barack Obama: Photo by Barack Obama campaign    » read more »

Excerpt Attached

April 22, 2008 -- LOS ANGELES -- California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today attacked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new fuel economy rules, calling them “a covert assault” on California’s landmark tailpipe greenhouse gas regulations.

Old car exhausts: Photo by frumbert (CC)

“This fuel economy plan, while attractive on the surface, is a shameful and unlawful assault on California’s landmark vehicle emissions standards,” Attorney General Brown said.    » read more »

New Survey shows Dramatic Increase in “Great Concern” over Gas Prices and Middle East Imports; New Quarterly Report Shows Rising Gas Prices Not Enough to Suppress Oil Consumption

April 21, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) released its first quarterly report tracking U.S. gasoline consumption, expenditures, oil imports and consumer attitudes as part of the organization’s ongoing effort to decrease the nation’s consumption of oil.

Sunset over oil derricks: Galveston, Texas. Photo by Alex Watson (CC)    » read more »

At $3.50 a Gallon, Typical Savings Can Be Up to 35 cents a Gallon

Americans can take steps to reduce the nation's oil import dependence by maintaining their vehicles and driving them more economically. Below are CFA's top ten gas-saving tips with savings updated for April 2008 gas prices.

Toyota Prius gas mileage indicator: Photo by Andrew Huff (CC)

1. Check Your Air Filter: A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%, and nearly one in four cars needs an air filter replacement. Changing a dirty air filter can save the equivalent of 35 cents a gallon or carry you 23 more miles on a typical tank of gas.    » read more »

Proper Implementation Could Mean A 50+ MPG Fleet Average By 2030, According To UCS Analysis

WASHINGTON -- April 18, 2008 -- The federal agency writing regulations for vehicle fuel economy standards could lay the groundwork for a new vehicle fleetwide average of more than 50 miles per gallon by 2030, according to a new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

Old gasoline sign: Photo by Tim Morgan (CC)

The regulations mark the first phase of implementing new standards passed by Congress in the energy bill last December.    » read more »

Standard Estimated to Save Missourians $285 Million in Gas Costs

April 21, 2008 -- JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today highlighted a study that shows Missouri’s 10 percent ethanol standard (E-10) is helping Missouri drivers save nearly 10 cents per gallon when they fill up their vehicles at Missouri gas stations.

Ethanol E-10: Photo by Jeff Maki (CC)    » read more »

As prices rise, state officials are stepping up inspection efforts

April 16, 2008 -- LANSING - Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Don Koivisto today outlined continued efforts to protect consumers' pocket books at the pump as unleaded gas prices climb toward the $4 mark.

Michigan gas pump: Photo by Pavel Trebukov (CC)    » read more »

April 16, 2008 -- If winter is the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” as the popular song implies, it may not be too much of a surprise that gasoline consumers find the spring and summer anything but wonderful, when it comes to prices. This year’s upcoming spring and summer are expected to see retail gasoline prices rise even further from current high levels.

Seasonal increases in gasoline demand    » read more »

Where Have All the Drivers Gone?

Does it seem like there are fewer cars on the highway this year? The recent trend in motor gasoline consumption would appear to indicate so. Gasoline consumption has been declining for at least six months. Households may be thinking twice about jumping in the family car as a slowing economy and rising prices are stressing pocketbooks from Maine to Hawaii.    » read more »

April 7, 2008 -- Lincoln, Neb. -- Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman released the following statement regarding the Legislature’s vote today to raise the gas tax.

Gov. Heineman said, “Today the Legislature raised taxes on every working family in Nebraska by increasing the gas tax. I am very disappointed in their action. With gas and diesel prices at record highs and predicted to go even higher, food costs increasing and healthcare costs soaring, now is not the time to increase the gas tax on Nebraska families.”

Old Nebraska gas pumps: Photo by Sara Morishige (CC)    » read more »

Winter Fuels Wrap-Up

April 2, 2008 - Despite what may have appeared as a harsh winter in some regions, actual temperatures across the Nation remained close to normal over most of the 2007-08 winter heating season. The variation in temperatures over portions of the key heating regions in the Midwest and East Coast, with some periods of mild weather and others of more severe weather, contributed to moderate overall heating fuels demand last winter.

Gas pump nozzle: Photo by Brian Herbst (CC)

In contrast, past winters have shown that prolonged periods of extremely cold temperatures often caused significant supply disruptions.    » read more »

Lincoln, Neb. - Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman today signed two legislative bills necessary to help maintain a balanced budget in the remaining year of the biennium.

While signing LB 959, the 2008 budget bill, the Governor included one line-item reduction, which was to eliminate the gas tax increase. The veto of the gas tax increase represents a $14.5 million savings for the state.

“I want to applaud the hard work and leadership of Senator Heidemann, members of the Appropriations Committee, and the Legislature as a whole for delivering a budget bill package that represents a responsible revision to our state budget,” Gov. Heineman said. “I particularly want to thank state senators for helping maintain a strong cash reserve and continuing to exercise restraint in spending.    » read more »

Washington, D.C.—Oil prices have skyrocketed despite the fact that world oil demand grew just 1 percent in 2007, according to the latest Vital Sign Update from the Worldwatch Institute. Contrary to published reports, the new era of $100-plus oil is not caused by soaring demand for the energy source, but by inadequate global supply.

Oil prices nearly doubled during 2007, from just above $50 a barrel in January to nearly $100 at year's end. Meanwhile, world crude oil production actually fell from 73.8 million barrels per day in 2005 to 73.2 million barrels per day in the first 10 months of 2007.    » read more »