Despite continued record gas prices, the Bush administration's new proposal for fuel efficiency in minivans, SUVs and some sport utility vehicles will only demand that automakers make minor improvements in gas mileage.
The changes will begin to take effect with the 2008 model year and all automakers would have to fully comply by 2011.
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta claims that the plan 'will save gas and result in less pain at the pump for motorists without sacrificing safety.' Mineta said the program will save approximately 10 billion gallons of gasoline by 2011.
The plan does not apply at all to cars or to the largest SUVs such as the Hummer H2.
The requirements that do change will not change by very much. While full details were not released, Mineta gave an example at a news conference. Minivans which are presently required to average 21 miles per gallon will be required to average 23.3 miles per gallon by 2011, a difference of less than 10 percent.
Environmental groups were immediately critical of the new plan which they say will make almost no difference for Americans facing record gasoline prices and contains many loopholes that are friendly to oil companies and auto makers but very few benefits for consumers.
'At a time when Americans are paying record prices for gas, the Bush administration has sided with its cronies in the auto industry and rejected real solutions,' said Dan Becker, director of the Sierra Club's global warming program.
Eric Haxhuasen, an economist with Environmental Defense called the proposal 'woefully inadequate' in an interview with the 'Wall Street Journal.'
In order to take effect for the 2008 model year, the plan must be approved by April 1, 2006.
