The Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) released a report this month outlining which states are most vulnerable to the rising price of oil, and which are doing the most to ween themselves off oil dependence. All told, the news is encouraging for Illinois, though there is plenty of room for improvement.
The NRDC finds that the Prairie State is better off than 35 other states in terms how hard it has been hit by skyrocketing crude costs. These rankings are determined by pinpointing the percentage of an average citizen's annual income devoted to fuel costs. Generally, people spend more on gas in rural states, states with more farming, and states with less public transportation. Poorer states are also among the hardest hit, as residents generally spend a greater proportion of their incomes on oil.
According to the report, the average Illinois resident spends $1933.79 a year on gas, approximately 4.8 percent of their annual income. Below is a list of the ten worst hit states and how they ranked last year. Two of our neighboring states, Indiana and Iowa have found themselves in much worse shape as prices have gone up:
1) Mississippi (also #1 last year)
2) South Carolina (also #2 last year)
3) Georgia (also #3 last year)
4) Louisiana (up from #8)
5) Kentucky (down from #4)
6) New Mexico (down from #5)
7) Indiana (up from #12)
8) Arkansas (up from #9)
9) Oklahoma (down from #6)
10) Iowa (up from #17)
In judging which states are doing the best job weening themselves from oil dependence the NRDC looked at four general factors:
1) Whether the states employ GHG emission standards and encourage "clean cars."
2) Which states encourage biofuels "from sustainably grown nonfood sources."
3) How much a state funds alternative energy development.
4) How much a state encourages public transportation.
Taking all this into account Illinois was ranked the 19th most proactive state in terms of its commitment to reducing oil dependency. It would be nice to be in the top ten; maybe if we do the right thing and pass the Illinois Clean Cars Act that could happen. In the meantime, Prairie Staters can find some consolation in the fact that we ranked 34th in last year's NRDC report.
While these types of studies are useful, we should keep in mind that states have been left to their own devices to solve our national energy crisis precisely because our federal government has not come forth with a comprehensive plan. Until it does we'll be left with a patchwork of different approaches -- some better than others.
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