http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/09/politics/09CHEN.html
May 9, 2001 Cheney Is Backing Plan to Expand Cleaner Sources of Energy By JOSEPH KAHN WASHINGTON, May 8 - The Bush administration will encourage the widespread use of agricultural, animal and human waste to produce energy as part of an effort to expand environmentally friendly energy supplies along with fossil fuels, administration officials said today. The so-called biomass refining effort would be modeled on a government-industry partnership that produces ethanol from corn, a program that is popular in farm communities and is seen by some as a relatively clean source of energy that reduces reliance on imported oil. The effort would seek to refine organic waste, like corn fiber, manure, even saw dust, into a new kind of ethanol. It would require hundreds of millions of dollars in government tax incentives and research spending but could rival corn-based ethanol as a source of energy within a decade, industry lobbyists said. Vice President Dick Cheney has backed the plan as one of the most promising renewable sources of energy, and it is expected to feature prominently in the final report the administration's task force issues this month, officials confirmed. Mr. Cheney, speaking on television today, also sought to show that his task force had put a balanced emphasis on increasing energy efficiency as well as expanding supplies of oil, coal and natural gas. http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0105/08/se.01.html CNN.com - Transcripts In a surprise, Mr. Cheney said the administration had not ruled out raising government-mandated fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks. But he said the administration would not make a final decision until a scientific study on the matter was completed this summer. Some Democrats and environmentalists have urged the administration to raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. They have not been increased since the 1980's, and the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks has declined in recent years with the rise of minivans and sport utility vehicles. The automobile industry has tended to oppose any change in government mandates for fuel economy, arguing that tax incentives for highly fuel efficient vehicles work better. "We think they have made a significant contribution over the years, improve the efficiency, if you will, the mileage of our automobiles," Mr. Cheney said of the standards in an interview with CNN. He said that when the National Academy of Sciences completed a study of the subject, the administration would decide "whether or not to go forward" with a change in standards. Mr. Cheney also suggested that the administration would seek powers of eminent domain for electrical transmission lines, and President Bush, speaking to an electronics group tonight, indicated that was a priority. "We need more electricity wires carrying product across the country," Mr. Bush said, warning that the nation "can't conserve our way to energy independence." Mr. Cheney also said his energy report would recommend financial incentives for energy conservation, renewable energy and efficiency programs. Environmentalists and some scientists have criticized the administration as for playing down the potential of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The vice president said, however, that renewable sources like solar, wind, biomass and geothermal were unlikely to account for more than 6 percent of total energy supplies by 2020, meaning that it was still necessary to drill for more oil and gas and ease regulatory barriers for the coal and nuclear power industries. The energy report, Mr. Cheney said, would instruct Christie Whitman, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to review regulatory requirements on coal- fired power plant companies. Many coal-using utilities have complained that the agency's regulations, which were designed to make sure that old coal-fired power plants adopt pollution controls, made it difficult for them to upgrade old plants. In biomass production, enzymes break down organic waste into sugars that can be fermented into ethanol. But while the process of turning corn into ethanol is well established, development of a refinery system that can use waste products is considered less advanced. Administration officials have indicated that they plan to increase Department of Energy spending on biomass greatly in the 2003 fiscal year. In the 2002 fiscal year, President Bush's first budget, the administration sharply cut spending for renewable energy. Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
