Ronnie Greene, The Miami Herald's Urban Affairs Editor, is the author of Night Fire: Big Oil, Poison Air, And Margie Richard's Fight To Save Her Town (2008: HarperCollins/Amistad, $24.95). He will appear at the Book Fair on a panel with Dr. Jerry B. Brown, co-author of Freedom from Mid-East Oil (2007: World Business Academy, $24.95), to whom he posed this question:

Question:Freedom from Mid-East Oil envisions a world ''in which America has won its freedom from Mid-East oil . . . in which America is resolved to overcome the energy-climate change crisis that threatens its national security.'' One year after publication of your book, do you believe this country is closer to attaining those goals -- or further away?

Answer: Our book outlined a plan whereby America could save five million barrels of oil a day in 10 years -- equivalent to all Middle East imports -- primarily by increasing the federal fuel efficiency standards of new cars and light trucks to 40 mpg, along with the rapid commercialization of plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells, and all-electric vehicles. We concluded with an appeal for the leadership and political will ``to implement this plan as the capstone of America's energy policy.''

One year after publication, the United States is significantly closer to attaining this goal. Driven by soaring oil prices, which topped $130 per barrel and $4 per gallon at the pump in summer 2008, both the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates made breaking America's dependence on foreign oil a centerpiece of their campaigns. Senator Obama promised to put one million plug-in hybrid cars on the road by 2015 and Senator McCain proposed a $300 million prize to improve battery technology for plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles. With America's political will galvanized, achieving ''freedom from Mid-East oil'' within 10 years is attainable.

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