The Natural Resources Defense Council has a new list, based on three years of research, showing the 10 states working hardest to cut dependence on oil, and the 10 states most vulnerable to gas price spikes.

To read the executive summary on the method to the rankings, go to the continuation of this entry (click on continue reading below).

Washington is No. 6 on the list of working hardest to get free of oil dependence. The ranking is:

1)  California
2)  Oregon
3)  Massachusetts
4)  New York
5)  Connecticut
6)  Washington
7)  Pennsylvania
8)  Minnesota
9)  New Mexico

10)  Hawaii

The states most susceptible, according to the survey:

50)  Alaska
49)  Wyoming
48)  Nebraska
47)  Ohio
46)  West Virginia
45)  Oklahoma
44)  Mississippi
43)  Kansas
42)  Alabama
41)  North Dakota

 

From the study, found at: http://www.nrdc.org/media/2010/101104.asp, these observations summarize the issue of oil-price dependence:

• Oil dependence affects all states, but some states’ drivers are hit harder economically than others.

• Drivers in 2009 spent a markedly lower percentage of their income on gasoline than they did in 2008, and drivers in all but five states actually spent a lower percentage than they did in 2006. This is largely due to the fact that gas prices went down, dropping from the record high prices we saw in 2008. This is a notable change in the trend of the past few years, which saw increasing vulnera

• While some states are pioneering solutions and many are taking some action, a fair number of states are still taking few (if any) of the steps listed in this report to reduce their oil dependence.

The rankings are based on measures the states are taking to offset oil reliance.

The overview statement is:

State Solutions Rankings: Who’s Getting It Right? NRDC’s rankings of states’ solutions are determined by the range of key actions states can take to reduce oil dependence, particularly those that result in a considerable impact on oil dependence and can be replicated by other states. Unlike in previous years, states did not receive credit for having vehicle GHG emission standards, as the federal government has largely taken the lead. The rankings also consider the level of priority being given to public transit, as compared to highways.

 

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