States Oil Dependence: Ranking Vulnerable Areas
Rising gas prices are hitting drivers all across the country, but states with smart transportation policies can help their drivers feel less pain at the pump, according to a new report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
In the 2011 edition of “Fighting Oil Addiction: Ranking States’ Gasoline Price Vulnerability and Solutions for Change,” NRDC and David Gardiner & Associates analyze state policies that help drivers, including tele-commuting options, transit spending, efforts to reduce sprawl, and other options.
“There is no immediate solution to high gas prices, but smart transportation polices can reduce gas bills for all drivers, no matter where they live,” said Deron Lovaas, NRDC’s federal transportation policy director. “Better state policies that give residents transportation options, such as transit assistance and telecommuting options, can provide relief. Federal action — such as increasing vehicle fuel efficiency standards to 60 miles per gallon — would reduce oil price vulnerability across the board. We know we can’t drill our way toward lower gas prices, so policies like these deliver.”
