An emerging House proposal for a multi-year transportation bill, highlighted at a press conference today by Speaker John Boehner, is already raising strong concerns due to the stated intent to fund the massive shortfall in gas tax revenues for transportation through controversial increases in oil drilling and speculative energy exploration. It’s encouraging to hear House leaders [...]

America’s reliance on oil, particularly by our thirsty transportation system, comes with numerous costs that do not always show up at the pump, as well as the heavy dependence on foreign sources to sell us most of the oil we need to keep things moving each day.

While certainly not the lone culprit for the tragic Gulf oil spill itself, our demand for oil is one reason we have thousands of holes poked in the earth’s crust in delicate places like the Gulf of Mexico. As we’ve pointed out here before, 70 percent of the oil we consume goes into our transportation system to get us and our goods from A to B each day. One thing is certain: if we’re ever going to prevent disasters like this in the future and rid ourselves of our dependence on oil, we’re going to have to use less of the stuff. But how can we do such a thing?

Our nation’s petroleum reliance comes with definite risk, a point that is on our minds and atop headlines as oil keeps gushing off the Gulf Coast. Often forgotten, however, is the degree to which transportation drives that dependence – 70 percent of the oil we use is consumed for motoring around. The American Power Act, [...]

There isn’t a state in the union that doesn’t depend on oil for transportation. But states have varying levels of dependence, making some far more vulnerable to dramatic economic impacts as the price of oil goes up or down. This new report from the National Resources Defense Council analyzes the vulnerability of each of the 50 states to changes in oil prices.

Boston’s Metropolitan Area Planning Council unveils a new plan for smarter development. (Boston Globe) Gas prices reach an eight-month high. (USA Today) The Energy Information Administration projects a steep drop in oil output around the world. (Grist) Transportation and housing costs for families can’t be disentangled. (Arizona Daily Star)

In their third and final presidential debate, Barack Obama and John McCain batted their plans back and forth on environmental issues like oil dependence and climate change, but didn’t offer too many new ideas. (Grist — Kate Sheppard)

An editorial in the Minneapolis Star Tribune looks at a key factor behind this fall’s downward shift in fuel prices — the changing of Americans’ consumption habits.

U.S. Representative James Oberstar, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, answers questions from the Kansas City Star about the challenges facing our transportation system and the role of transit in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and oil dependence.

Reduced demand and the worldwide stock market dive have sunk gas prices, but many Americans are finding few good reasons to start logging more miles on the road. (Wall Street Journal — Ana Campoy)