Senate Near Deal on Fuel Economy

Breaking News:

Senate lawmakers neared a compromise on Thursday to sharply increase automobile fuel efficiency….

The emerging compromise would preserve much of the lead Senate proposal that would require all vehicles to average 35 miles per gallon by 2020….

However, negotiators agreed to strip other mandates out of the bill, including one that would require specific efficiency gains after 2020.

Much better than nothing — and does not preclude revisiting post-2020 fuel efficiency as concern about peak oil and climate change grows in the coming years. Now the House must step up to the plate.