It's no secret to West Virginians that rising gasoline prices are hard on families, school systems, police departments and business. The more it costs for daily shuttling, the less money both private and public-sector concerns have for expansion, innovation or savings.

So where do you suppose West Virginia, with its sparse population scattered over beautiful, rugged terrain, ranks in efforts to limit dependence on foreign oil and the volatile gas prices that come with it? Near the bottom, alas.

The Natural Resources Defense Council ranks West Virginia seventh-worst among states in this effort. And the state ranks 11th-highest in the percentage of annual income spent on gas by the average driver.

West Virginia has created no incentives to lure consumers into buying hybrid vehicles, no standards for vehicle greenhouse gas emissions and no idling restrictions, as other states have done.

West Virginia has sponsored no research on vehicle fuels, has no low-carbon fuel standard and no incentives for gas stations to offer cleaner fuels.

West Virginia ranks low in spending on public transportation. The state has no "smart growth" policies, such as a target for reducing vehicle-miles traveled.

It's easy to say, as Gov. Joe Manchin does, that these things need to be part of a national energy policy. No doubt they do. But until the feds get their act together, why shouldn't West Virginia do what it can to insulate state residents as much as possible from the worst of the oil market?

The Natural Resources Defense Council points out that as the federal government has failed to act, other states have started their own efforts to make rising gas prices less of a force. Certainly there are some ideas out there West Virginia could benefit from. In the Sunday Gazette-Mail, researchers from the Brookings Institution recommend tying vehicle insurance rates to miles driven. That way, as people conserved gas, emissions and money, they would pay less for insurance.

It was a popular gesture for the governor and Legislature to halt a scheduled increase in the state gasoline tax, but that's a tiny dent in high fuel costs - and industrialist Charlie Jones warns that losing fuel revenue will hinder West Virginia's efforts to repair roads and bridges.

Meanwhile, West Virginia's newest energy plan by the Manchin administration calls for costly coal-to-liquid plants to make alternative gasoline. This course raises question marks, because such plants actually increase greenhouse gas emissions, just as most nations are cracking down on them.

In contrast, former Vice President Al Gore wants to erase all burning of fossil fuels, using wind, solar and other environmentally friendly sources of power. But his plan's feasibility also is a question mark.

Seeking independence from foreign oil is not just a show of patriotism. When foreign oil prices cramp local economies and hurt people trying to drive to work, it influences decisions from local commerce to foreign policy.

The less influence those foreign powers have over American lives, the better. All the fuel-saving steps listed by the Natural Resources Defense Council should be considered here. West Virginia doesn't have to wait for the federal government for everything.

So where do you suppose West Virginia, with its sparse population scattered over beautiful, rugged terrain, ranks in efforts to limit dependence on foreign oil and the volatile gas prices that come with it? Near the bottom, alas.

The Natural Resources Defense Council ranks West Virginia seventh-worst among states in this effort. And the state ranks 11th-highest in the percentage of annual income spent on gas by the average driver.

West Virginia has created no incentives to lure consumers into buying hybrid vehicles, no standards for vehicle greenhouse gas emissions and no idling restrictions, as other states have done.

West Virginia has sponsored no research on vehicle fuels, has no low-carbon fuel standard and no incentives for gas stations to offer cleaner fuels.

West Virginia ranks low in spending on public transportation. The state has no "smart growth" policies, such as a target for reducing vehicle-miles traveled.

It's easy to say, as Gov. Joe Manchin does, that these things need to be part of a national energy policy. No doubt they do. But until the feds get their act together, why shouldn't West Virginia do what it can to insulate state residents as much as possible from the worst of the oil market?

The Natural Resources Defense Council points out that as the federal government has failed to act, other states have started their own efforts to make rising gas prices less of a force. Certainly there are some ideas out there West Virginia could benefit from. In the Sunday Gazette-Mail, researchers from the Brookings Institution recommend tying vehicle insurance rates to miles driven. That way, as people conserved gas, emissions and money, they would pay less for insurance.

It was a popular gesture for the governor and Legislature to halt a scheduled increase in the state gasoline tax, but that's a tiny dent in high fuel costs - and industrialist Charlie Jones warns that losing fuel revenue will hinder West Virginia's efforts to repair roads and bridges.

Meanwhile, West Virginia's newest energy plan by the Manchin administration calls for costly coal-to-liquid plants to make alternative gasoline. This course raises question marks, because such plants actually increase greenhouse gas emissions, just as most nations are cracking down on them.

In contrast, former Vice President Al Gore wants to erase all burning of fossil fuels, using wind, solar and other environmentally friendly sources of power. But his plan's feasibility also is a question mark.

Seeking independence from foreign oil is not just a show of patriotism. When foreign oil prices cramp local economies and hurt people trying to drive to work, it influences decisions from local commerce to foreign policy.

The less influence those foreign powers have over American lives, the better. All the fuel-saving steps listed by the Natural Resources Defense Council should be considered here. West Virginia doesn't have to wait for the federal government for everything.