WASHINGTON (November 4, 2010) – Mississippi drivers spent nearly
two and a half times more of their income for gasoline compared to
their Connecticut counterparts, based on an income analysis released
by the Natural Resources Defense Council today.
The 2010 edition of the annual report, "Fighting
Oil Addiction: Ranking States' Oil Vulnerability and Solutions for
Change,” provides a detailed look at how oil prices affect
consumers and ways in which smart policies can help break states’–
and the country’s – addiction to oil.
“State lines shouldn’t lead to greater pain at the pump,” said
Deron Lovaas, NRDC’s federal transportation policy director. “Smart
transportation polices can reduce gas bills for all drivers, no
matter where they live.”
The report calculates vulnerability to oil prices: how heavily
each state’s drivers are affected by increases in oil prices. It
also ranks states on their adoption of solutions to reduce their oil
dependence – measures they are taking to lessen their vulnerability
and to bolster America’s security.
According to the report, the 10 states most vulnerable to oil
price increases are: #1 Mississippi, #2 Montana, #3 Louisiana, #4
Oklahoma, #5 South Carolina, #6 Texas, #7 Kentucky, #8 Utah, #9
Idaho, and #10 Arkansas.
The 10 states that are doing the most to promote clean energy
technologies and reduce their dependence on oil are: #1
California, #2 Oregon, #3 Massachusetts, #4 New York , #5
Connecticut, #6 Washington, #7 Pennsylvania, #8 Minnesota , #9 New
Mexico, and #10 Hawaii.
Meanwhile, the 10 states doing the least to reduce their oil
dependence are: #50 Alaska, # 49 Wyoming, #48 Nebraska, #47 Ohio,
#46 West Virginia, #45 Oklahoma, #44 Mississippi, #43 Kansas, #42
Alabama, and #41 North Dakota.
States that take steps for better transportation policies not
only help reduce the country’s dependence on oil but also reduce
their drivers’ vulnerability to oil price fluctuations.
“Looking at the trends from 2006 until now, we see some states
pioneering solutions and taking action,” said Elizabeth Hogan, an
analyst at David Gardiner and Associates who co-authored the report.
“However, many states are still taking few, if any, of the steps
listed in this report to reduce their oil dependence. States, and
the federal government, must lead America out of our onerous oil
addiction.”
Drivers in every state spent a lowerpercentage of their income on
gasoline in 2009 than they did in 2008, largely related to the rise
in unemployment and the economic meltdown. Regardless, some states
remain much more vulnerable to increases in oil prices than others.
"We shouldn’t have to wait for the economy to tank before we feel
relief at the gas pump,” Lovaas said. “State and federal leaders,
including new ones swept into office by the election this week,
should adopt commonsense policies to get us off the oil-price
rollercoaster for good.”
The report recommends that states take a proactive approach to
transportation policies and that Congress enact “a fuel-saving
transportation law without delay, one which fundamentally reforms
federal transportation policy so it supports smart, transit-oriented
development; assists states and regions in saving oil; and provides
ample funding for energy-efficient transportation alternatives
including rail and bus lines, bike paths, and sidewalks.”
“The Obama administration is on the right track with the new
proposed fuel economy standards,” Lovaas said. “These should be set
as high as possible and there are many other steps the
administration, Congress, and the states can take to reduce the
country’s oil use.”
The full report is available
here.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international
nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.3 million
members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists,
and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the
world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC
has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Chicago, Livingston, Montana, and Beijing. Visit us at
www.nrdc.org
The mission of David Gardiner & Associates (DGA) is to help
organizations and decision-makers solve energy and climate
challenges. By marshalling technology, policy, and finance, DGA
helps its clients build consensus and advance workable solutions.
DGA creates strategic advantages for its clients by helping them
understand climate and energy issues and by providing advice,
analysis, and strategies tailored to their needs. For more
information, visit www.dgardiner.com.
To subscribe or visit go to:
http://www.nrdc.org