Senate Oil Savings’ Greatest Hits The Best Provisions to Cut Our
Consumption SOURCE: AP/Mark Humphrey Oil, oil, everywhere, but
not a drop for fuel. This is the stark view of Gulf Coast
residents who see a 24,500 square mile oil slick menacing their
shores. The devastating BP oil disaster has clearly increased
the urgency to dramatically reduce America’s oil consumption;
and cutting our consumption would save consumers money, reduce
foreign oil imports, help our economy, increase national
security, and reduce global warming pollution. Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has indicated that oil use reduction
(or “oil savings”) provisions would be a central element of the
clean energy legislation he plans to bring to the Senate floor
in mid July. And a number of other senators have introduced
legislation that would either reduce oil use from many sources
or focus on a specific sector. By selecting the best provisions
from each bill it’s possible to craft a program that would
reduce oil use by one-third or m