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Skriven 2005-04-27 23:33:14 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0504279) for Wed, 2005 Apr 27
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Fact Sheet: Promoting Energy Independence and Security
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 27, 2005

Fact Sheet: Promoting Energy Independence and Security



Promoting Energy Independence And Security

Today's Presidential Action

Today, President Bush Delivered Remarks On Energy Policy At The Small
Business Administration's National Small Business Week Conference In
Washington, D.C. The President stressed the need to promote greater energy
independence by harnessing the power of technology to create new sources of
energy and make more efficient use of existing resources. The President
outlined his broad vision for moving America toward greater energy
independence and announced five new energy policy initiatives:

  þ The Department of Energy (DOE) will work to reduce uncertainty in the
licensing process for new nuclear power plants and to provide Federal risk
insurance to mitigate the additional cost of unforeseen delays.

  þ The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will simplify regulations to
encourage the expansion of refining capacity, and Federal agencies will
work with States and local communities to encourage the construction of new
refineries on closed military sites.

  þ The President will call on Congress to make clear federal authority over
siting of new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals to increase supply and
reduce prices.

  þ The President will support the extension of his proposed tax credits for
energy-efficient hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles to include clean-diesel
vehicles.

  þ The President will encourage the deployment of new and clean energy
technologies in the developing world at the G-8 Summit in July.

Background: Our Growing Economy Requires Affordable, Reliable, And Secure
Supplies Of Energy

Use Technology To Boost Domestic Energy Production. Over the past decade,
America's energy consumption has increased by more than 12 percent, yet
domestic production has increased by less than 0.5 percent.

  þ Nuclear Power Can Provide For Tomorrow's Needs. Technology has made nuclear
power safer, cleaner, and more efficient, but America has not ordered a new
nuclear power plant since the 1970s.

  þ The President will encourage construction of new nuclear power plants.
    DOE will work on ways to reduce the risk of unforeseen delays in the
    nuclear plant licensing process by modifying existing law, and will
    also work to offer Federal risk insurance to partially cover the cost
    of unforeseen delays.

  þ The President has launched the Nuclear Power 2010 Initiative, a
    seven-year effort by government and industry to design and license the
    first new nuclear plants.

  þ The Bush Administration is also working with 11 other nations on the
    Generation IV Initiative to develop a safer, more cost-effective, and
    more proliferation-resistant source of nuclear electricity and
    hydrogen.

  þ Expanding Refining Capacity. Demand for gasoline is growing 3« times faster
than the rate of refinery production, and there have been no new oil
refineries built in the United States since 1976. The President will direct
the EPA to simplify the regulations governing expansion of refining
capacity at existing sites, in compliance with environmental laws. The
President will also encourage the construction of new refineries on closed
military sites, which will create jobs in these communities while producing
cleaner fuels with advanced technologies.

  þ Domestic Production Of Oil From ANWR. Technology now makes it possible to
reach energy resources in places such as the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge (ANWR) by drilling on just a 2,000-acre section of 19-million acres
of land _ less than one percent of ANWR's total area. Production in this
one small section of ANWR could eventually yield up to one million barrels
of oil a day.

  þ Natural Gas Offers New Opportunities. Technology makes it possible to cool
natural gas into a liquid form so it can be transported on tankers and
stored more easily. President Bush will call upon Congress to make clear
Federal authority over siting of new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals
to increase our supply of natural gas and reduce prices for farmers and
manufacturers, helping them to create jobs and keep the economy growing.

  þ Make Clean Use Of Our Coal Supply. America has enough coal for 250 years,
and the President's Coal Research Initiative will develop and deploy new
technologies that can remove virtually all pollutants from coal-fired power
plants. Also, the President's Clear Skies initiative will result in more
than 52 billion dollars in investment in clean coal technologies.

Employ Technology To Create New Sources Of Energy. President Bush supports
diversifying the nation's energy supply to promote energy independence,
including renewable resources such as wind, solar, and geothermal energy.

  þ Hydrogen And Fuel Cells. Two years ago, the President launched his Hydrogen
Fuel Initiative to develop hydrogen-powered fuel cells that can power a
car, emitting pure water instead of exhaust fumes. With investment now, it
will be possible for today's children to take their driver's tests in
completely pollution-free cars in the future. The President's Nuclear
Hydrogen Initiative is developing advanced technologies that will work with
Generation IV reactors to produce the hydrogen fuel these cars of the
future will need.

  þ Renewable Ethanol And Biodiesel. President Bush has consistently supported
a flexible national Renewable Fuel Standard that will expand the use of
ethanol and biodiesel, creating new markets for farm products and greater
energy security. Advanced technologies under development will make it
possible to produce renewable ethanol from agricultural and industrial
waste at a cost competitive with today's gas prices.

  þ Renewable Electricity Sources. President Bush has proposed $1.9 billion
over 10 years for renewable-energy tax incentives, including incentives for
renewable electricity from wind, biomass, and residential solar energy
systems.

Use Technology To Improve Conservation And Efficiency. Technological
advances provide products that offer consumers better performance at lower
costs while using less energy.

  þ Promote Residential Efficiency. The average American family used half as
much energy to heat a home in 2001 as it did in 1978, and technology offers
the possibility of a >zero-energy_ home. President Bush will remain
committed to research promoting advances in energy efficiency.

  þ Extend Tax Incentives For Energy-Efficient Vehicles. President Bush has
already proposed $2.5 billion over 10 years in incentives for
energy-efficient hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles. Building on the success of
his Administration's efforts to reduce emissions from diesel engines and
fuels, the President will support a new generation of modern, clean-diesel
cars by making these vehicles eligible for his proposed tax credits.

Use Technology To Reduce Stress On Energy Markets. The market for energy is
a global one, and America is not the only consumer. Today's energy price
increases directly result from the fact that both U.S. and foreign demand
is growing at a faster rate than the global supply of energy.

  þ Help Foreign Partners Become More Energy Self-Sufficient. The President
will discuss how to encourage the use of new energy technologies in the
developing world at the G-8 Summit in July. By forming partnerships with
other countries to develop new sources of energy, and by encouraging wider
use of technologies like clean coal and nuclear power, the United States
can assist other countries in becoming more energy self-sufficient,
resulting in lower prices and larger energy supplies for everyone.
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