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Home > News & Policies > January 2007

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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 24, 2007

Fact Sheet: Strengthening America's Energy Security and Improving the Environment

White House News

      President Bush Discusses Energy Initiative
      In Focus: Energy

Today, President Bush Toured The DuPont Experimental Station In Wilmington, Delaware, And Discussed His Initiatives To Strengthen America's Energy Security And Improve The Environment. Thanks to researchers like those at the DuPont Experimental Station, America is on the path to greater energy security. The DuPont Experimental Station was one of the first industrial research and development facilities in the United States. Researchers there are now working on ways to produce cellulosic ethanol from the stalk and leaves that are left in the field after farmers harvest their crop, and the President participated in a tour focusing on this research.

This Morning, President Bush Signed An Executive Order To Support Alternative Fuel Use And Help The Federal Government Reduce Oil Use. The Order requires Federal Agencies to lead by example in advancing the Nation's energy security and environmental performance through effective environmental, energy, and transportation management.

In The State Of The Union Address, President Bush Announced His "Twenty In Ten" Plan To Reduce U.S. Gasoline Usage By 20 Percent In The Next Ten Years. President Bush called on Congress and all Americans to join him in pursuing the goal of reducing U.S. gasoline usage, which will help increase our Nation's energy security by reducing our dependence on oil. Achieving this goal will also help address climate change concerns by potentially stopping the projected growth of carbon dioxide emissions from cars, light trucks, and SUVs within 10 years.

America Will Reach The President's Twenty In Ten Goal By:

1. Increasing The Supply Of Renewable And Alternative Fuels By Setting A Mandatory Fuels Standard To Require 35 Billion Gallons Of Renewable And Alternative Fuels In 2017 – Nearly Five Times The 2012 Target Now In Law. In 2017, this will displace 15 percent of projected annual gasoline use.

• The President's FY 2008 Budget Will Request $2.7 Billion For The Advanced Energy Initiative – An Increase Of 26 Percent Above The 2007 Request And 53 Percent Above 2006. President Bush has called for increased Federal investment in hydrogen fuel technology research, so we can move closer to the day when the vehicles we drive use no gasoline and produce no pollution. He has also called for increased investment in advanced batteries for hybrids and plug-in hybrids, bio-diesel fuels, and new methods of producing ethanol and other biofuels.

• Under The New Farm Bill Proposal, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns Will Announce Significant Efforts At USDA To Advance Alternative And Renewable Fuels Research. The Administration’s Farm Bill proposal will include more than $1.6 billion of new funding over ten years for energy innovation, including bio-energy research, energy efficiency grants, and $2 billion in loans for cellulosic ethanol plants.

2. Reforming And Modernizing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards For Cars And Extending The Current Light Truck Rule. In 2017, this will reduce projected annual gasoline use by up to 8.5 billion gallons, a further 5 percent reduction that, in combination with increasing the supply of renewable and alternative fuels, will bring the total reduction in projected annual gasoline use to 20 percent.

To Help Meet The President's Twenty In Ten Goal, The Federal Government Will Contribute To The National Effort To Reduce Oil Use And Improve Environmental And Energy Performance

The Executive Order President Bush Signed This Morning Directs The Federal Government To:

• Reduce Oil Consumption In Fleet Vehicles. The President has set the goal of reducing petroleum consumption in fleet vehicles by two percent annually through 2015. In addition, the President has directed Federal agencies to purchase plug-in hybrid vehicles when commercially available.

• Increase Use Of Renewable And Alternative Fuels. The President has directed Federal agencies to increase their alternative fuel consumption by at least 10 percent annually.

• Use More New Renewable Power. The Executive Order stipulates that at least 50 percent of agencies' current renewable energy purchase requirement must come from new renewable sources, such as wind, solar, biomass, landfill gas, or geothermal.

• Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The President has directed Federal agencies to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by cutting back on energy intensity – how much energy is used per square foot of building space – by 3 percent annually or 30 percent by 2015. This new goal seeks to achieve in 10 years the same level of improvement Federal agencies achieved in the last 20 years, and is 50 percent stronger than the goal called for in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

• Acquire Environmentally Sound Products. The Executive Order requires increases in the purchase of environmentally sound products, including biobased and more efficient electronic products, and the development of high performance buildings that are healthier and consume less energy.

Requiring The Federal Government To Invest In New Sources Of Energy Will Help Diversify America's Energy Supply. The Federal government is the largest purchaser and user of energy in the world. The requirements of the Executive Order will help protect our environment and confront the serious challenge of global climate change.

Strengthening America's Energy Security

The President's Plan To Strengthen America's Energy Security Also Includes:

• Stepping Up Domestic Oil Production In Environmentally Sensitive Ways.

• Doubling The Current Capacity Of The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) To 1.5 Billion Barrels By 2027. Doubling the SPR alone will provide approximately 97 days of net oil import protection, enhancing America's ability to respond to potential oil disruptions.

More Information On The President's State Of The Union Proposal For Strengthening America's Energy Security Is Available At: /stateoftheunion/2007/initiatives/energy.html.

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