The announcement by British Petroleum (BP) that it will shut down the Prudhoe Bay oil field due to corrosion in a pipeline comes at a time when Americans are already feeling the sting of high gasoline prices at the pump. Though the company has said it may not have to cut output by as much as originally announced, any slowdown in production is hard news for consumers to hear, especially with global demand increasing.
BP does not know how long production will be slowed, and it is unclear what impact this will have on prices. On September 7, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which I chair, will hold a hearing on the shutdown of the BP pipeline. This hearing will focus on the company's management of its corrosion control in its oil-transit lines.
Unfortunately there is no “magic solution” or “quick fix” to lower the price of gasoline tomorrow. If there were, I, along with the rest of Congress, would be quick to implement it. There are, however, several steps that drivers can take right away to save money by conserving gasoline. Following are recommendations by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on how you can stretch a gallon of gasoline—and your dollar.
Curb your need for speed. Speeding doesn’t just jeopardize safety, it also has a negative effect on fuel economy. Gas mileage begins to decrease rapidly at speeds over 60 miles per hour. Driving 55 MPH versus 60 MPH and above can save drivers between $0.20 and $0.67 per gallon. Using cruise control and overdrive gearing can also help save gas.
Don’t make your car a storage facility. Cleaning out the car can also play a role in improving fuel efficiency. All of those small items in the trunk or back seat can add up to higher costs at the pump. An extra 100 pounds in a vehicle can reduce Miles Per Gallon (MPG) by up to two percent. By removing extraneous items, drivers can save between $0.03 and $0.06 per gallon.
Keep your tires properly inflated. Under-inflated tires can lower your gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every one pound per square inch (psi) drop in pressure of all four tires. Keeping your tires properly inflated can increase your gas mileage by up to three percent, potentially saving up to $0.09 per gallon.
Replace old air filters. Air filters protect your engine from damage by impurities. Replacing clogged filters can make a significant difference in the fuel mileage of your car, improving fuel economy by up to 10 percent and saving up to $0.29 per gallon.
Ensure your engine is properly tuned. If an engine is out of tune, having it fixed can improve fuel economy by one mile per gallon, and can save $0.12 per gallon.
Plan ahead and combine short trips into one. If you have several errands to run, plan to take care of them all in one trip, rather than several. Coordinate trips with other family members to minimize car travel, and avoid driving during rush hour or peak traffic times. Refraining from unnecessary speedups, slowdowns and stops when behind the wheel can also help improve your fuel economy. Rapid acceleration and braking can lower gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and five percent in town.
These are just some of the steps you can take today to improve your fuel economy. While we may not be able to bring prices down in the short-term, how we form our driving habits in light of higher prices is something we can control. Making a series of small changes in your driving habits can add up to savings at the pump.
## END ## |