Bush pledge to cut oil imports meets with hope, skepticism

Washington (Platts)--1Feb2006

President George Bush's pledge to cut US dependence on Middle East oil by
75% by 2025 was met with deep skepticism among Democrats and hope by
Republicans, who pointed to major boosts in ethanol production as having the
potential to displace oil imports. 
     Bush laid out several new energy intitiatives in Tuesday's State of the
Union address, including a plan to increase spending on clean energy research
by 22% and a pledge to commercialize ethanol from waste plants and switch
grass by 2012. 
     Senator Pete Domenici (Republican-New Mexico), who chairs the Senate
energy committee, said in the years ahead, the country will increase ethanol
production by three times, which would put a dent on imports. "A very large
piece of it is going to come from ethanol, there is no doubt," Domenici said.
He also said the advent of more advanced hybrid cars will cut oil demand.
     The president has opposed past legislative efforts to increase automobile
fuel economy standards or mandate oil savings. And he indicated Tuesday that
technological breakthroughs, and not new mandates, will help the country meet
his goal to cut imports. 
     Representative David Hobson (Republican-Ohio), who chairs the House
Appropriations subcommittee on energy and water, was skeptical that the
country could meet the president's target, but he said it is a laudable goal.
"We cannot be held hostage by these countries," Hobson said, "We have to move
toward lessening our reliance on fossil fuel."
     Democrats said the president's past actions don't match his rhetoric. "He
was against conservation last year, but now all of a sudden, he's for
conservation," said Senator Maria Cantwell (Democrat-Washington). "You've got
to do more than talk about it in a State of the Union address."
     Senator Richard Durbin (Democrat-Illinois) said the president's speech
amounts to an admission that last year's Energy Policy Act is a failure.
"Isn't it amazing that he signed the energy bill just last August and now we
are going to rewrite energy policy. That shows you what a disaster the last
energy bill was," Durbin said.

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