Exxon Oil Spill and Higher Gas Prices

Murkowski’s column says “don’t shut Alaska’s oil spigot.” It almost seems that the senator knows nothing about automobile fuel consumption, that he is not aware that the Republican Administration decreased fuel economy standards, and that there are numerous comfortable fast automobiles that get much better mileage than the current standards. I get up to 40 miles per gallon in my late-model car, which performs enough to get a ticket for going 75 miles per hour when I passed some slower moving vehicles. It comfortably carries five people.

The solution is technically simple, but politically very difficult. Simply impose an environmental risk fee on all oil companies sufficient to maintain an adequate independent standby cleanup task force.

One only has to think a few moments of why the senator seems more concerned with the interests of the oil company than the interests of Alaska citizens and small businesses like those involved in the fishing industry.

RICHARD FOY

Redondo Beach