The National Highway and Transportation Administration (NHTSA) recently proposed a new -- but unfortunately, weak -- fuel efficiency standard for light trucks and sports utility vehicles that will achieve minimal pollution reductions.

The proposal would increase fuel economy for such vehicles by a mere 1.5 miles per gallon (mpg), from 20.7 mpg today to 22.2 mpg by 2007 -- well below what is technologically feasible. Indeed, as Public Citizen points out, “Ford in 2000 said it would boost fuel economy of its light trucks by 25 percent by 2005, and General Motors and DaimlerChrysler have pledged to follow suit. In contrast, Bush’s proposal calls for a seven percent increase.”

Auto manufacturers have successfully resisted higher fuel efficiency standards for years. Over the last 15 years, NHSTA increased the combined Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) for light trucks by only 0.7 mpg. For the last six years, Congress has denied NHTSA funds to update its CAFE standards. This long history of inaction makes NHTSA’s weak proposal especially disappointing.

According to NHTSA, the proposal is expected to reduce nitrogen oxides by 600 tons and fine particulate matter by 500 tons over the 25-year life span of model year 2005-2007 light trucks -- which an agency official, quoted in BNA, characterized as “positive environmental benefits, but it’s a small positive.”