Let's make California COLDER!
Posted on 01/24/2007 11:39:24 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - California's environmental activists criticized President George W. Bush's global warming proposals Tuesday as lukewarm, half-measures if compared with the state's tough laws reducing the emission of greenhouse gases.
While advocates praised the president for highlighting global warming in his State of the Union address, they said they are skeptical of his plan to increase the supply of alternative fuels to 35 billion gallons and set new fuel economy standards.
Many compared Bush's vow to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 18 percent through 2012 with California's target of reducing emissions 25 percent by 2020.
"As usual, California sets stricter standards and gets there more quickly than Washington," said Hal Harvey, environmental program director with the William and Flora Hewitt Foundation in Menlo Park, Calif.
"California is far beyond what this proposal would do," added Eli Hopson of the Union of Concerned Scientists. "California is clearly leading here."
As part of his plan to wean the U.S. off its dependency on foreign oil, Bush called on Congress to "diversify America's energy supply."
His vow to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels by 2017 is about five times the current target of 7.5 billion gallons by 2012.
The administration predicted that that would displace 15 percent of the country's projected annual gasoline use.
The other reductions would come from new fuel economy standards for cars.
That plan, the White House said, would reduce gas consumption by up to 8.5 billion gallons a year in 2017 - a 5 percent reduction in that year's projected consumption.
"We think this is a very important set of proposals," said Paul Bledsoe, spokesman for the National Commission on Energy Policy, a bipartisan panel of industry experts in D.C.
"This is the first time a president has proposed fuel standards in 20 years," Bledsoe said.
Others, however, poked holes in the president's outline, particularly when compared with legislation that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed earlier this year.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein noted that Bush specifically aims to block Congress from setting the new fuel standards. Legislation that Feinstein recently introduced would raise standards by 10 miles per gallon over 10 years, an amount her staff estimates would reduce carbon emissions by 18 percent.
"The president has had the ability to make changes to fuel efficiency with regard to light trucks for six years and he hasn't made substantial increases. Why should we trust him now?" she said.
By calling for an increase in alternative fuels - not simply renewable fuels - the administration opens the door to beefed-up production of coal to liquid fuel and other fuels that could increase gas emissions, said Roland Hwang, vehicles policy director of the Natural Resources Defense Council in California.
"It's potentially a Trojan horse for highly polluting fossil fuels," Hwang said.
"It's potentially a Trojan horse for highly polluting fossil fuels," Hwang said.
---
Was it just me or didn't the dems candidate in 2004 and a speaker or two call for more use of coal? they being Kerry and ed rendell.
and as to Trojan Horse, California has one as a Gubinor.
wait until the state's economy folds like a cheap tent as he and his cohorts implement thier own monstrosity of a plan.. one that doesn't even exist for the most part.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Geez. Pot, kettle, black.
I double-dog dare them to go to Mars and say that!! Or Pluto, Saturn, Titan, or . . . .
On the other hand, "half-baked", when used in conjunction with the GW crowd, should be a good thing!!! LOL!!!!!
Let's make California COLDER!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.