The oil industry and environmental groups have agreed on a plan to provide cleaner-burning automobile fuels in cities with the worst air pollution problems.

During the war, troop movements and restrictions on automobile fuel generated a sixfold increase in passenger traffic from the low point of the Depression.

Wary of high petroleum prices, the generals asked, why not use sugar, so abundant in Brazil, to produce alcohol for use as an automobile fuel?

Today, Brazil gets more than 30% of its automobile fuels from sugar cane-based ethanol.

Domestically, we should accelerate the use of natural gas as automobile fuel, and be more realistic about drilling for oil offshore and in Alaska.

It has also been mandated for use in all standard automobile fuel in the state of Florida by the end of 2010.

Brazil has embraced the use of gasohol - an automobile fuel made from gasoline and alcohol - like no other country.

Analysts said Brazil might halt exports to divert more sugar cane into production of alcohol for automobile fuel.

And, if necessary, the engines will operate on high-octane automobile fuel with only a slight loss of power.

Thus, after rent or mortgage, only $11,000 can go toward utilities and automobile fuel.