Bush says conservation alone is not sound energy policy

May 4, 2001
President George W. Bush told reporters Thursday that America's energy woes cannot be solved by conservation alone. He said the American people need to understand that US energy supplies are depleting. The administration is due to send Congress its energy policy proposals in mid-May.


By Maureen Lorenzetti
OGJ Online

WASHINGTON, DC, May 4 -- President George W. Bush told reporters Thursday that America's energy woes cannot be solved by conservation alone.

Bush's remarks came after a meeting with energy advisors, and after environmental groups criticized Vice-Pres. Dick Cheney for signaling last month that an upcoming energy policy task force report will seek to boost domestic fossil fuel supplies (OGJ Online, Apr. 19, 2001).

Green groups have said Cheney's remarks indicate that the White House wants to "drill its way" out of higher energy costs. The task force report is expected in mid-May.

Over the past 2 months Cheney and his staff have met with dozens of energy trade groups, environmentalists, scientists, and congressmen.

In his latest comments on energy, Bush took issue with the premise that his administration wants to just blindly follow supply options without trying to reduce domestic demand.

"Oh, I think conservation has got to be an integral part of making sure we've got a reasonable energy policy. But what the vice president was saying is we can't conserve our way to energy independence; nor can we conserve our way to having enough energy available. So we've got to do both. We must conserve, but we've also got to find new sources of energy," Bush told reporters.

Bush said he could not comment on specific details of the task force report because "I haven't seen" it yet. He said the paper will offer a "balanced" approach.

"But what people need to hear, loud and clear, is that we're running out of energy in America. And it is so important for this nation to improve its infrastructure so we cannot only deliver supplies, but we need to go find new supply. And I strongly believe we can do so in an environmentally friendly way, " Bush said.

"This nation is confronted with a major problem. And this administration is going to be honest with the American people about the nature of the problem and we're going to come up with some solutions. And it's going to take a lot of political will for people to buck some of the trends that somehow believe -- who believe that without finding additional supplies of energy, this nation is going to be okay."

Energy policy also was discussed later Thursday afternoon after a visit from Mexican Pres. Vincente Fox, according to a senior administration official.

"The energy situation in California and the energy situation in the US and beyond the US in general did come up in terms of energy needs and the energy market. And they talked about � the market studies that Mexicans are making with regard to their energy strategy, and the vice president, as I indicated, talked about the work that is being done by the National Energy Policy Development Group that is currently underway," the official said.

The spokesman indicated however, that the discussions were "general" in nature and did not outline specific plans for Mexico to play a large role in supplying the strained western US electric power market.

Contact Maureen Lorenzetti at [email protected].