The US Department of Environmental Protection released their 2009 Fuel Economy Guide, and it is available both online and in print at the library.

The Guide is designed to inform consumers about how cars compare based on their fuel economy, to help car buyers make more energy- and cost-conscious buying decisions. It also provides an overview of the different types of alternative-fuel vehicles available (natural gas, hybrids, flex-fuel, etc), and gives driving tips to improve fuel efficiency.

To see the fuel economy ratings for 2009 and past years, you can:

• Explore online fuel ratings on the FuelEconomy.gov website
• Download a PDF version from the FuelEconomy.gov website
• Visit the library and pick up a copy. They are available next to the newspapers, and reference copies of the 2009 Guide and past years (in addition to other automobile information) are near the Reference Desk

More information about the Guide and EPA fuel economy rating information is available on their website, http://www.fueleconomy.gov.