"Fighting Oil Addiction: Ranking States' Oil Vulnerability and Solutions for Change" by the Natural Resources Defense Council is our site of the day

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has released today a 20 page report, "Fighting Oil Addiction: Ranking States' Oil Vulnerability and Solutions for Change," that shows California at or near the top of the list of the 50 states in doing the most to promote energy-saving policies to reduce oil dependency and protect our residents from oil price spikes.

There is also a 2 page fact sheet, but most followers of California public policy will want to read or at least look at the full report which is available on line.

While California is lauded for our “clean car standards” and low-carbon fuel standards where the report says we lead the nation, the report also indicates we have room for improvement in the areas of smart growth and public transit. And we rank 27th out of the 50 states on the “Oil Vulnerability Rankings” based on the percent of income (5.37%) spent on gasoline by the average driver, amounting to $2,234.33 per year based on 2007 information.

"This report shows that when oil prices go up, families in some states are hit much harder than others because they are paying a greater percentage of their income at the gas pump," says Deron Lovaas, Transportation Policy Director at NRDC. "The good news is that some states are enacting policies that give consumers vehicle and transportation choices. But more states need to do the same and federal policymakers must follow suit, by boosting fuel economy standards, supporting a firm limit on global warming pollution and investing in more efficient transportation alternatives like commuter rail."

The report is a reminder to Californians that our policies on greenhouse gas reduction not only help with global warming, but they also protect us economically and will serve us well in the future.

Here’s a little of what the report has to say about California that will make you swell with pride:

“Eighteen states have or are adopting “clean car” standards. California led the way in 2002, passing the nation’s first law to require that all new cars, pickup trucks, sport-utility vehicles, and minivans sold in the state meet global warming pollution limits, starting with the 2009 model year. Under the federal Clean Air Act, states have the option of adopting California’s pollution standards if the Environmental Protection Agency grants California a waiver; EPA denied California’s waiver request, but that denial has been widely criticized and is being challenged….

“California is the only state that has adopted a low-carbon fuel standard. In 2007, Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger announced an executive order calling for the adoption of a low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) for fuels sold in the state.”

Fighting Oil Addiction: Ranking States' Oil Vulnerability and Solutions for Change underscores that what we drive, how often we drive, and what energy we use are at the core of America's 21-million-barrel-per-day oil habit. America's addiction to oil continues to threaten our economic viability, national security and global environmental health.

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists, served from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing.