Energy: Restricted federal land may be explored for oil
© Copyright 2000 USA TODAY
December 14, 2000
By Dina Temple-Raston
Issue: Fuel policy
Outlook: During the campaign, Bush proposed opening 8%, or 1.5 million acres, of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to possible oil drilling. Environmentalists complained, but Bush said the exploration could be done without leaving ''footprints.''
Under his $7.1 billion, 10-year energy plan, the royalties energy companies pay the government to draw the oil and gas from the Arctic would be funneled to environmental conservation programs. And the Arctic refuge may be the first of many federal refuges that could be subject to oil exploration. Bush said he would order a review of restricted federal land to see what might be opened to oil and gas exploration in a bid to decrease U.S. dependency on foreign oil.
Bush also said he would consider loosening regulations on oil refinery and pipeline construction in the USA in a bid to ease tight energy supplies that have driven up prices this winter. While Bush has advocated stepping up domestic fuel exploration, he has said he will extend the current moratorium on off-shore drilling off the coasts of Florida and California.
Clean coal technology will also get a boost from the new administration. Bush has said he would earmark federal money to fund research on new, cleaner uses of coal and would extend tax credits for electricity produced from alternative fuels.
Issue: Global warming
Outlook: Bush has said he believes the planet is warming, but he hasn't embraced any particular scientific theory on why or what it will do to the environment. He says the United States should develop technology to reduce greenhouse gases. And he wants to require mandatory emission reductions from old power plants. He opposes the Kyoto treaty to reduce global emissions because he believes it places an unfair burden regarding cleanup on the USA.