New York Gov. Pataki says to 'jumpstart' renewable fuels campaign

New York (Platts)--4Jan2006

New York Gov. George Pataki, the lame duck chief executive of one of
the US' largest states who is believed to have national political ambitions,
on Wednesday said he would propose a major new initiative to "jumpstart a new
era of statewide availability and use of renewable fuels," which would propel
the state into the front of the country's efforts to reduce its dependence on
foreign energy sources.

     Pataki, during his final "State of the State" address to the New York
State legislature, repeatedly referred to the looming energy crisis in the US,
and cited the potentially key role of biofuels in alleviating foreign oil
dependency. Pataki is in his 12th year as governor of New York, and has
already said he will not run for a fourth four-year term. He has increasingly
been engaged in political trips to other states, which observers have viewed
as a possible prelude to a presidential run in 2008. Pataki's address was
broadcast live in New York, and his speech was available on his website.

     In the speech, Pataki said: "We don't have to look far for evidence that
the time to transition away from foreign oil is now -- it is right there on
the gas pumps and in our home heating bills. Not just here in New York, but
across the nation, our reliance on foreign oil is hampering the financial
freedom of our working families and their employers; it is hurting our
economy, damaging our environment and enriching regimes that support, harbor
and encourage the terrorists who threaten our national security."

     Citing what he said was his record as a national leader in the areas of
environmental protection and pollution reduction, Pataki called on legislators
to "continue to build on that record of accomplishment by making New York
State the leader in reducing dependence on imported energy."

     "The entire world is now grappling with the question 'where will we get
the energy to power the global economy of the 21st century without causing
irreparable damage to our natural environment?' Let's make New York the place
where that defining question is answered."

     Pataki proposed making "the entire state a tax free zone" for attracting
companies involved in developing "the clean, renewable energy sources of the
future."

     He said that later in the current legislative session, "I will propose a
plan to jumpstart a new era of statewide availability and use of renewable
fuels -- ensuring that more of our energy dollars stay right here in New York.
It begins with an initiative to make renewable fuels available at service
stations all across the state, starting with the New York State Thruway. And
then, it goes a step further, by making that renewable fuel tax-free
throughout the entire State of New York."

     Pakati said his plan, "will also provide for the establishment of
refineries that make ethanol out of agricultural products from our farms and
wood products from our northern forests." And, he said his plan "will create
shovel-ready sites and help finance advanced clean coal power plants that will
burn our most abundant fuel without the pollution of yesterday's dirty
plants."

		--Robert DiNardo, robert_dinardo@platts.com

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