Intellectual Property Law

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the dueling Democratic senators and presidential candidates who are vying for their party's nomination votes in Pennsylvania today, marked Earth Day by publicizing their environmental policies.

Photo: Aussiegall

Meanwhile, the Bush administration on Tuesday announced a goal of mandating 31.6 miles per gallon for new fleets of cars and trucks by 2015.

The announcement is a little more aggressive than was expected by the transportation industry, according to  the Associated Press.

There are already 113 kinds of automobiles that get a combined 40 mpg -- but the majority of them are sold outside of the United States, according to the Civil Society Institute, a non-profit think tank. And the generally smaller cars, which run on more expensively-priced fuel, in Europe already achieve an average of 40 mpg.

The League of Conservation Voters has published a summarized guide to the the presidential candidates' environmental policies.

According to the group, Arizona senator and Republican presidential candidate John McCain supports a fuel efficiency increase, but hasn't announced any specifics.

The LCV supports a at least a 40 mpg standard for all automobiles in the next decade. Clinton is for 40 mpg by 2020. Obama is for 52 mpg by 2026. 

The LCV has also scored the candidates on their environmental policy stances.

McCain received a 24% percent "lifetime score," and a zero percent score for 2007 that lined up with the group's goals.

Clinton beat Obama on both counts: She received a 87 percent LCV lifetime score and a 73 percent 2007 score. Obama  received a an 86 percent lifetime score and a 67 percent for 2007.

The voting guide doesn't make it clear why the group has come out with a higher approval rating of Clinton's environmental policies over Obama's.