RISING FUEL COSTS—The energy bill passed by Congress over the summer failed to increase fuel efficiency standards in order to save consumers money at the gas pump and make the country less reliant on oil.

As the price of oil passed the $60 per barrel mark for the first time ever and gas prices soared, Congress debated major changes to the nation’s energy policy.

While lawmakers considered hundreds of proposals, their decision boiled down to which vision of the nation’s future they embraced.

One vision would have us seek out more oil and gas from scant domestic supplies—not enough to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and only at considerable cost to our health and environment.

Another vision offers the opportunity to transition to an economy powered by more diverse, cleaner, renewable sources of energy and increased energy efficiency.

Despite the best efforts of Georgia PIRG and others, Congress made the wrong choice on July 29 when it passed the president’s energy bill.

Congressional leaders excluded two Georgia PIRG-backed, Senate approved provisions—a goal of 10 percent clean energy by 2020 and a goal of reducing oil dependence by one million barrels a day.

“Washington’s failure to make the right energy choices only emphasizes the importance of leadership and action in the states,” said Georgia PIRG Advocate Jill Johnson.

In Georgia, state legislators passed a bill to create a sales tax holiday for energy-efficient appliances in October.

State researchers are also studying offshore wind power opportunities.

“The national energy bill is a major setback, no doubt,” said Johnson. “But the larger debate over the nation’s energy future is far from over.”