Gas Prices Drop in Time for End of Summer Travel, but New Poll Finds Americans Still Worried

ALEXANDRIA, VA - September 6, 2006: AAA says the summer of 2006 was the most expensive summer ever for driving costs, but as the summer's end approaches, drivers will be happy to find lower prices at the pump. However, a new poll suggests that most Americans remain less than confident about our energy future.

Gas prices remain at the mercy of Middle East tensions, and many consumers are concerned about our reliance on foreign oil. A recent Pew Research Center poll found only half of those surveyed believe the US can end its dependence on foreign oil within the next two decades. Some say high gas prices will force people to drastically alter driving habits; others say it's an opportunity to develop reliable and affordable alternative sources of fuel.

According to Steve Miller, President of Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC), "Projects like FutureGen will make it possible to use America's abundant coal reserves to create not only low-cost electricity with close to no pollution, but also is one of the many promising ways to produce a bridge to hydrogen that can be used to fuel cars and trucks."

The United States has more coal than any other country in the world, enough to last an estimated 250 years at current usage rates. Coal can produce clean hydrogen, and hydrogen vehicles are cleaner and produce fewer emissions. Debbi Smith, Vice President of National Hydrogen Association says, "Many people are surprised to learn that coal is one of the resources that actually can produce some of the ultimately clean hydrogen that we'll use to fuel our economy in the future. Experts predict will see hydrogen vehicles widely available by 2020 or perhaps even sooner."

About Americans for Balanced Energy Choices:

Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) is a non-profit, non-partisan group that promotes a dialogue with recognized community leaders across the nation to discuss balancing America's growing demand for electricity with the need to protect the environment. Because of its prominence in the nation's energy mix, electricity from coal is a major focus of the dialogue. For more information, go to www.balancedenergy.org.