As reported by the Financial Times today, the United States appears to have made inroads in the fight against its own “addiction” to foreign oil. According to the Department of Energy, the past year marks the first time since 1977 that the U.S. share of oil imports has declined significantly.

“The 1970s is the last time we saw any significant decline in net import dependency in the U.S.,” said Guy Caruso, head of the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “It shows that markets do work, policy changes do work, technology does work.”

According to the EIA, the country’s foreign oil dependency is expected to fall from its present roughly 60 percent to 50 percent by 2015.

Experts cite rising gasoline prices, the increasing availability and popularity of fuel efficient automobiles, increased reliance on biofuels, and growing environmental awareness amongst American consumers as driving forces behind the shift.