Energy Bill Kills CAFE Increase; Is Hydrogen Part "Bull

The new energy bill approved by the House of Representatives doesn't include provisions to boost the fuel economy of today's cars and trucks. But it does include a $2 billion provision to boost hydrogen-fueled vehicles - a provision that at least one Representative believes is "bull----." CNN reports that House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-California, whispered, "This is bull----" to House Majority Whip Roy Blunt as a fellow Congressman spoke about hydrogen-fueled vehicles at a Washington press conference. CNN asked Pombo about the comment in a post-conference interview, and Pombo said the House's $2 billion commitment didn't provide any short-term solutions to fuel economy; in fact, Pombo said hydrogen-powered vehicles are "multimillion-dollar prototypes that nobody's going to buy," with the caveat that in ten years they might be ready for prime time. The comments that Pombo reacted to were made by Rep. John Doolittle of California; Doolittle said the $2 billion would "turbocharge" development of fuel-cell vehicles in the U.S. The energy bill, which also approved drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), now gets taken up by the Senate for consideration.

Source: The Car Connection