Gov. John Hoeven, newly named chairman of "Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission," has identified the problem -- our heavy and growing dependence on imported, especially OPEC oil -- but he has the wrong solution.
As reported recently in The Forum (Associated Press) Hoeven's only answer seems to be to increase domestic oil production. While some, but not much, additional American oil might be found, it will be done at increasing cost and increasing damage to the environment. The least expensive, most secure, and most readily available "new" oil supply will be found in the tanks in the increasingly wasteful mix of vehicles now found on American roads.
American drivers favor these huge SUV's and so-called "light trucks," in spite of their profligate waste of motor fuels, dangerous handling characteristics and the threat they pose to those who drive smaller, fuel efficient cars. They are able to do so because the federal government has lacked the courage to impose financial penalties for driving them -- even though their wasteful characteristics pose a clear threat to national security.
Two steps need to be taken without delay: 1) impose much tougher mileage standards on these vehicles in order to discourage their use as every day family transport. 2) sharply increase the federal gasoline tax at the pump. This can be done in stages, but needs to be a significant increase -- not a few pennies.
We can no longer permit extravagantly wasteful consumption patterns to threaten the national well-being. We need to show the oil exporters, some of whom do not wish us well, that Americans can apply enough self discipline to ensure their own survival.
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R.D. Olsen
Fargo
