President Bush’s January 2007 State of the Union Address included broad initiatives to enhance and increase the use of alternative fuels in the United States. The following is a summary of one of these proposals, the President’s Twenty in Ten plan in which gasoline usage in the United States will be reduced by 20 percent in 10 years:
- Increase the supply of renewable and alternative fuels by setting a mandatory fuel standard to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017
- Reform and modernize corporate average fuel economy (CAFÉ) standards for cars, plus extend the current light truck rule
- Confront climate change by stopping the projected growth of carbon dioxide emissions from cars, trucks and SUVs
The plan to strengthen America’s energy security also includes:
- Step up domestic oil production in environmentally sensitive ways
- Double the current capacity of the strategic petroleum reserve
- Reduce gasoline consumption through the use of alternative fuel sources
Expansion of the current renewable fuel standards includes the following:
- Utilize American technology and innovation to help energy security
- Global production of alternative fuels
- Enable America to lead the world to energy security
Reducing gasoline consumption through increased vehicle efficiency includes the following:
- Congress must reform the CAFÉ standards for passenger cars
- Congress should not legislate a particular numeric fuel standard
- The United States Department of Transportation will work with states and cities to reduce traffic congestion and reduce commute times
- Redirect U.S. Department of Transportation funds for a $175 million highway congestion initiative
Energy security will be further enhanced by the following:
- Increase transportation energy diversity
- Increase the supply of oil alternatives
- Reduce oil demand
Additional initiatives to address climate change and improve air quality include:
- The Asian-Pacific partnership on clean development and climate
- Work with G-8 leaders
- Form international technology partnerships
- Cooperate with private industry
- Advance lower carbon, clean coal technologies
- Clean air interstate and clean air mercury rules
- Continue Clear Skies initiative
- New source review