WASHINGTON - September 26 - "In response to potential disruptions in gasoline supplies caused by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, President Bush today asked the American people to conserve energy by not driving unless it is necessary. It is important to ask Americans to do their part to conserve energy but at a time when the Bush administration is asking regular citizens to sacrifice, they are refusing to ask the same from the oil and automobile industries.

"The Republican leadership in Congress is already using the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina and Rita as an excuse to advance their narrow political agenda and renew calls for another polluting Energy Bill that would allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and our fragile coastlines. The fact is that the United States can never drill its way to energy independence. The United States is responsible for 25% of the world's oil consumption, and yet we have less than 3% of the world's oil supplies. Additionally, the Energy Information Administration has estimated the effect of oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge on the price of gasoline would be less than $0.01 per gallon in 2025 - that's about a penny 20 years from now.

"Our gasoline supplies are in critical condition because of the intentional action of oil companies - like ExxonMobil - to increase market power and profits by reducing refinery capacity. The current lack of oil refinery capacity is largely the result of a conscious decision by the oil industry in the 1990s to limit supply to increase profitability - in the 1990s, approximately 50 refineries were closed, and since 1995, over 20 refineries have been shut down. The oil industry succeeded in increasing their profitability -- Exxon is now the most profitable company in the world, making a record $7.84 billion dollars in earnings last quarter.

"Some environmental regulations may be temporarily waived in order to address immediate problems. Clearly common sense demands this be done. But for the most part, environmental laws were created to protect the health and safety of Americans. Now -- at a time when people's health and safety is the paramount concern -- is not the time to suspend or weaken these laws.

"The answer isn't on the supply side of the equation - it is on the demand side. The technology exists today to make all vehicles - from sedans, to SUVs to pickup trucks - go farther on a gallon of gas. By using more efficient engines, smarter transmissions, and better materials automakers can make all vehicles average 40 miles per gallon within ten years. This would save more oil than we currently import from the Persian Gulf or could ever get from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge combined. It would also save consumers money at the gas pump and curb the heat-trapping pollution that causes global warming."

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Ten Things You Can Do to Save Money at the Pump

1. Drive Smart! When you drive aggressively, you waste gas and put others at risk. Observe the speed limit, avoid rapid acceleration and braking, and maintain a constant speed on the road.
   
   
2. Keep Your Car In Shape. A well-tuned car burns less gasoline. So make sure that you get your oil and air filters changed regularly, and that your tires are always properly inflated.
   
   
3. Change Your Commute. When you sit in rush hour traffic, you are burning gas and going nowhere. If possible, try to adjust your work schedule so that you can avoid rush hour traffic. Even better, and if your employer allows it, think about telecommuting.
   
   
4. Use Public Transportation. Look into the public transportation options in your area, and use them as much as possible.
   
   
5. Try To Combine Your Errands. According to the Department of Energy, several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer, multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
   
   
6. Go for a Ride or Walk. Rather than drive your car to the corner store or a friend's house, walk or ride your bike there.
   
   
7. Car Pool. Carpool or use ride-share programs if you can. This might also enable you to shorten the time of your commute by using High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.
   
   
8. Pack Light. According to the Department of Energy, a loaded roof rack on your car can decrease fuel economy by approximately five percent. Also, every 100 pounds you carry in a car reduces a typical car's fuel economy by one to two percent. So, when you go on vacation or a long car trip, put everything you can in the truck, and pack light
   
   
9. Think Hybrid. The most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road today are hybrid-electric cars. A hybrid combines an electric motor with a conventional, but cleaner, gasoline-powered engine. Over its lifetime, a 50-mile per gallon hybrid Toyota Prius will use half as much gas, and release half as much global-warming pollution, as a 23-mpg Pontiac Grand Prix.
   
   
10. Consider Sharing. Rather than buy a new car, sign up for membership with a car-sharing program such as Flexcar or Zipcar. These programs allow you to reserve and drive cars by the hour -- and they cover the cost of the vehicle, insurance, gas, parking, and maintenance.

    Bonus: Write Your Leaders. Urge them to raise fuel economy standards to 40 miles per gallon. Modern technology can make our cars and trucks go farther on a gallon of gas. Taking this step would save nearly 4 million barrels of oil a day -- more oil than we currently import from the Persian Gulf or could ever extract from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge combined. And by saving on gas, you would save nearly $2,000 at the pump over the life of your car.

     

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