Calculating Energy Bill’s Real Figures (NYT)

[jpak]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/washington/04fuel.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 — Gas mileage would go up under the compromise reached by Congressional leaders last week, but not as high as the trumpeted numbers. And despite the tougher 35 m.p.g. standard, a growing population of drivers would push up total fuel use, as well as greenhouse gas emissions — but not as rapidly as would occur without the legislation.

Those are some of the conclusions of auto policy experts, who were still struggling on Monday to determine exactly what the proposal would do, even as President Bush threatened to veto the energy legislation, still under negotiation, that includes these provisions.

The fleet average for vehicles in the 2020 model year would be set at 35 miles per gallon, versus about 25 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks today. Both numbers, though, come with a familiar caveat: actual mileage may vary.

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On another issue separate from the auto mileage rule, Mr. Hubbard said that Mr. Bush could not accept a mandate that electric utilities generate 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020. At the same time, Mr. Hubbard complained that the bill’s provision for production of alternative fuels like ethanol do not go as far or as fast as the White House wants.

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[robinlynne]

1. as per the last sentence; of course not. Jeb Bush owns the ethanol import company

which signed up to import from Brazil, the worlds largest ethanol producer. Every single law signed by buhs is either to steal power, rights, or money.