UPDATE 1-US carbon emissions fell record 7 pct in 2009 -EIA

* Biggest drop since records started in 1949

* Recession, fuel efficiency helped cut emissions
(Adds details, background)

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - U.S. energy-related emissions
of the main greenhouse gas fell a record 7 percent in 2009 due
to the recession and more efficient fuel use, the Energy
Information Administration said on Wednesday.

Carbon dioxide emissions from sources like coal, oil and
natural gas, which make up about 80 percent of the country's
output of gases blamed for warming the planet, fell more than
400 million tonnes last year, the EIA said.

"While emissions have declined in three out of the last
four years, 2009 was exceptional," the EIA, the statistics arm
of the Energy Department, said in an annual report.

The 2009 decline was the biggest annual drop since the
government started keeping such records more than 60 years ago.
From 2000 to 2009 the U.S. annual emissions decline averaged
0.9 percent, the EIA said.

The latest drop may help the United States get closer to a
short-term goal on emissions cutting. President Barack Obama
has said he wants the country to cut emissions of greenhouse
gases to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Scientists say emissions would have to be cut much more by
2050 in order to help prevent the droughts, floods and stronger
storms that are expected from climate change.

Senator John Kerry said on Wednesday he expected the U.S.
climate bill to be unveiled soon. The legislation has been
delayed for months amid opposition from lawmakers in coal and
oil states. Senator Lindsey Graham, the lone Republican who was
writing the bill, has dropped out of the effort, leading to
further delays.

As the economic recession hit, U.S. consumption of
petroleum-based fuels last year fell to 13.28 million barrels
per day, from 13.7 million bpd a year earlier, the EIA said.
Consumers also used less coal, which emits more carbon dioxide
per unit than any other fossil fuel.

The average fuel efficiency of U.S. vehicles rose slightly
last year to 28.5 miles per gallon, which also helped cut
emissions, the EIA said.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner and Tom Doggett; Editing by
Walter Bagley)