The Nation - News from May 18, 1989

U.S. auto makers will have to improve fuel economy to 27.5 miles a gallon on 1990 passenger models, Transportation Secretary Samuel K. Skinner said. “I’m hopeful this will be an incentive to (auto makers) to explore better ways to develop better engines and get better mileage,” Skinner said at a news conference after a speech to the Chicago Assn. of Commerce and Industry. “We’ve got to get beyond where we are today, in miles per gallon, if we’re going to deal with this energy crisis.” He said the United States is importing more than 8 million barrels of oil a day for the first time since the 1970s. The new standard will be 1 mile per gallon more efficient than the current 26.5 mile-per-gallon level for 1989 models set by the Department of Transportation and 1.5 miles per gallon higher than the standard in the three previous model years, the department said in a news release.