It is good news that President Bush is finally recognizing
what many have sensed for a long time; that we are dangerously reliant on oil
in ways that our economy and our environment can no longer tolerate. But this 11th hour conversion does
not square with his administration’s track record or the reality of his current
plan.
If President Bush is serious about moving us in a new
direction on energy he would be:
Committing to
renewable energy by following the lead of 20 states and the District of Columbia,
with minimum renewable energy requirements.
By 2017, these state renewable energy requirements will result in enough
renewable energy to power 20 million homes. Instead, the Bush Administration and their
allies in Congress have blocked a provision in the 2005 Energy Policy Act,
which would have required utilities to make at least 10% of their electricity
from renewables by 2020.
Committing to Cleaner
More Fuel Efficient Automobiles instead of standing in the way of at least
10 states (CA, WA, OR, NJ, NY, CT, MA, RI, ME and VT) that have adopted clean cars standards that
would put more hybrids and advanced technology cars on the road; which will
reduce pollution and reduce gasoline consumption by billions of gallons per
year.
Committing to Energy
Efficiency as the fastest and cheapest way to address our energy
needs. Ten states (WA, OR, CA, AZ, MD,
NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA); frustrated by federal in action, adopted energy efficiency
standards which will save consumers in those states billions of dollars. If the
Administration followed the lead of Massachusetts
and adopted the efficiency standard for furnaces and boilers the savings
nationally would be 4.5 billion dollars annually and equal 1% of today’s
natural gas consumption. Instead, the
administration has dragged its feet in adopting energy efficiency standards and
only responded when sued or pressured by the states.
Promoting Energy
Conservation. The American Council
for an Energy-Efficient Economy has found that a 2 percent reduction in
electricity and natural gas demand could trigger a 25 percent reduction in
wholesale natural gas prices within a single year. Instead the Administration has cut weatherization
programs and fuel assistance for low income Americans to balance the budget
while allowing the oil industry off the hook for millions of dollars in
royalties at a time of record profits.
Promoting Clean
Energy Sources which are cheaper and quicker to bring on line rather than
casting our lot with expensive and risky technology like nuclear power. The administration is choosing to ignore both
the costs and the risks associated with nuclear power; including the lack of a
safe disposal for nuclear waste, the heightened risk of proliferation of
nuclear materials into the hands of terrorists, and the extraordinary costs
associated with nuclear power.
