Austin Business Journal
Published: 08-11-08
Drivers in Texas spend nearly 6 percent of their income on gasoline twice as much as what drivers in some states spend according to a report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The report highlights two areas: state-by-state vulnerability to high oil prices and implementation by states of alternatives and solutions.
Texas is the 16th most vulnerable state when it comes to gas prices. The average Texas motorist spent $2174 on gasoline in 2007 or about 5.85 percent of income the report shows.
Motorists in Mississippi which ranks at the top of the list spend an average of more than 8 percent of their income on gasoline while drivers in Connecticut the least vulnerable state spend 3.17 percent of income on fuel.
The states in which drivers are most at risk to high gas price increases are Mississippi South Carolina Georgia Louisiana Kentucky New Mexico Indiana Arkansas Oklahoma and Iowa.
States doing the most to promote energy-saving policies to reduce oil dependency and protect residents from oil price spikes include California New York Connecticut Washington Pennsylvania New Jersey Rhode Island New Mexico Colorado and Maryland.
Despite a growing focus on alternative energy Texas where the petroleum industry remains a large part of the economy has a long way to go to wean itself from oil dependency. The report ranks the Lone Star State 36th on the solutions list.
