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A Question of resolve. [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-11-06  

On January 2, 1974, President Richard Nixon signed legislation setting the national speed limit at 55mph. The bill was called the National Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, and was a response to the OPEC oil embargo. The rationale was that lowering the speed limit would decrease fuel consumption, and subsequently demand. It did make a small but statistically significant difference in fleet fuel consumption. US consumption of automobile fuel was approximately 100 billion gallons in 1975. One percent of 100 billion gallons is a lot of gas. The 55mph limit also significantly reduced highway fatalities.

So a lower national speed limit would also result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. A very small dent, to be sure, but there is no big red magic button to push to fix everything back. It is going to take 10,000 solutions at every scale to chip away at our emissions, but here I propose one of that 10,000. Something on a national scale, and something that will cause no real pain, just inconvenience.

I propose a National 65 mph speed limit. No federal highway or infrastructure funds for states that don’t comply.

My fear however, is that slight inconvenience may be a bridge too far.

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