"The House of Representatives on Thursday passed an energy bill that would boost vehicle fuel economy requirements by 40 percent by 2020, raise ethanol use by five-fold by 2022 and impose $13 billion in new taxes on big energy companies.
But the Energy Independence and Security Act... failed a key procedural hurdle in the Senate...
Majority Leader Harry Reid has agreed to modify the $21 billion tax package and drop a plan to require utilities to get 15 percent of their power from renewable sources like wind and solar by 2020, a Democratic Senate aide said."
To me this is really disappointing in terms of making steps towards a better environment. Hopefully, there will be some measure passed to start to combat global warming. I just feel really frustrated with Senate(ah, mostly the Republicans) for not passing this. What do you think? Is it too soon for such a bill? How long will it take for something like this to get passed?
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN0734139220071207?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1207/p25s09-uspo.html
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3 comments:
I agree that it is disappointing that we aren't taking a bigger stand against global warming. We definitely have the technology to use renewable resources, but I think car companies should take the initiative to increase the fuel efficiency of the cars they manufacture. This would help the environment and attract buyers because gas is so expensive now people are looking for the most fuel efficient cars.
If it was my way, I would make that have to be in action by 2010. But I guess the fear might be, ten years from now will it be realistic to alter all of these companies business styles? Oddly enough, I wonder what would happen if the government made it so we had to decrease our use of fossil fuels to next to nothing. Are they allowed to put the coal mines out of business just cause they feel it will help out the world? Cause if that is the case should we slaughter every cow out there? Anyways, sucks that the regulation was not passed, but that does not mean everyone else can not make steps for the better. My biggest theory is that if enough people change then it will not matter what the required regulations are.
Yes, it may be disappointing that there isn't as big of a stand against our environmental problems, but to me it seem that a goal to raise fuel economy by 40% is a bit much. Maybe by 2020 if research goes quickly and companies can create models, but most like i don't think this is feasible. Even if they raised our fuel standards, how much money would have to be spend by consumers to use these new vechiles? The bill seems more to me like a goal rather than a definite result. 12 yars is too ambitious of a goal. Especially considering the fact that electric cars were available around 2003, but were not released to the public because of the problems instigated by general motors and other companies worried about their sales. In my opinon, a more realistic goal would be to inscrease the fuel economy by 15-20% by either 2015-18. Then again, im more of a realist than an optimist.
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