WASHINGTON - PRESIDENT BUSH on OIL  USA: May 20, 2004

HOME    SITE INDEX   CATAMARAN HULL    SOLAR PANELS    ELECTRIC MOTORS    BATTERIES   CREW    EXPEDITION    SPONSORS  GOODIES

 

Bush clashes with Democrats over Oil Politics

 

Faced with the rapid rise in gasoline prices President Bush refused to consider use of Strategic Petroleum Reserves, a national emergency stockpile, to give motorists relief at the pump.  So too were calls for the halt of shipments to the reserve.  Bush said. "The idea of emptying the Strategic Petroleum Reserve ... would put America in a dangerous position in the war on terror," 

 

President Bush

 

Following a Cabinet meeting, Bush explained to reporters:  "We must not put ourselves in a worse position in this war. And playing politics with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve would do just that."  But Bush's rival, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, accused Bush of dodging issues and blaming others:  "Once again, the president is making excuses instead of coming up with a plan to deal with gasoline price rises that are roiling the economy," said Kerry spokesman Phil Singer.

 

U.S. retail petrol prices have now topped $2 per gallon.  Yesterday, the New York Mercantile Exchange traded as high as $1.45 a gallon - a new record - amid supply fears ahead of the U.S. summer holiday season.   Bush did not list any new initiatives to relieve the situation, instead trying to 'pass the buck' to Democrats for blocking his energy bill.

 

Reserve Stockpile

 

Roughly 660 million barrels of oil is stored in salt caverns at four underground sites in Texas and Louisiana.  The Bush administration wants to raise the reserves to 700 million barrels in the next 6 months.   In a similar situation, Former President Bill Clinton released 30 million barrels of oil from the reserve when gasoline prices soared in the summer and fall of 2000.

 

Presidential hopeful and likely challenger at the November election, John Kerry, said that he would not tap the reserve now.  But he said continuing to fill the stockpile is helping to push up prices.  Some Democratic lawmakers want the Bush administration to release up to 60 million barrels of crude.  In reply, Bush blames Senate Democrats for blocking a broad energy bill that he says could have secured more supplies.   The legislation is controversial and some Democrats view it as a giveaway to energy companies and also dislike aspects of it that would open some protected lands for drilling.  Bush cited one such provision yesterday, saying that if his plan to allow drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge had passed, it would be having a "positive impact" for U.S. consumers.  Oil industry executives have said that even if ANWR was opened to drilling, it would be about 10 years before a significant amount of oil would get to the market.

 

Senator Byron Dorgan, a Democrat from North Dakota, said: Bush needs to hold to his campaign promise to put pressure on OPEC cartel members.  The president remains tight lipped at a time when the OPEC countries have announced they want to cut supply.

 

GREEN LINKS:

 

E Magazine Weekly News
  
EarthTalk Q&A Column
  
Links Directory
  
Eco-Products
   

 

Partner With E
  
Green Living
  
Young Environmentalists
  
Subscriber Services

 

Reprints & Permissions
  
Event Calendar
  
Archives
  
Classifieds
  
About Us
 
 
Contact Us

 

Reuters Daily World Environment News. Check out their Real Audio welcome messages from Pierce Brosnan (28kbps or 56kbps) and John McEnroe.

 

While you're there, you can also check out our Reuters Environment News Pictures and search their environmental news archive.

 

Planet Ark shows people how to help the environment in their daily lives - at home, at school and within their local community.  As with supporting Solar navigator, you can join their challenges.

LATEST PLANET ARK INFORMATION
Click here to see fact sheets, media releases, info & pics on issues where Planet Ark is currently campaigning

REUTERS DAILY WORLD ENVIRONMENT NEWS
Check out today's World Environment News from the Reuters news agency.

REUTERS ENVIRONMENT NEWS PICTURES
Unique to the Planet Ark website, view the latest Environment News Pictures from Reuters.

DAILY WORLD ENVIRONMENT NEWS - FREE SUBSCRIPTION
Join our daily mailing list to receive each day's World Environment News headlines free of charge.

PLANET ARK NEWS ARCHIVE SEARCH ENGINE
Search our entire archive of Reuters Environment News stories.

ENVIRONMENTAL SOFTWARE
Free Planet Ark educational software for your PC and Macintosh computers.

WHO ARE PLANET ARK?
Find out about Planet Ark, who we are and what we’re up to!

WORK FOR PLANET ARK
Find out about current ‘green’ situations vacant.

 

 

Global Warming  |  Waste Recycling  |  Climate Change

MORE ON AGENDA 21     MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT A-Z     HOUSE OF LORDS A-Z     COUNCIL'S AGENDA 21

CONTACT:  nelson@solarnavigator.net  07905 147709 (UK)

 

  Councils A-B Councils C-D Councils E-H Councils I-L Councils M-O Councils P-R Councils  S Councils T-Z
 

This website is Copyright © 1999 & 2004  NJK.   The bird logo and name Solar Navigator are trademarks. All rights reserved.  All other trademarks are hereby acknowledged.       www.maxenergy.org  is an environmental educational charity.

SPEED ACE  INDEX   SOLAR CARS   TORPEDO  LEAD-WEDGE  SILVER-EAGLE  BATTERY-BOX  BE1  LIGHTNING-ROD  BE2  W-LIGHTNING  BUCKEYE BULLET EMOTION BE3

PARRY THOMAS  HENRY SEAGRAVE  JOHN COBB  MALCOLM CAMPBELL  DONALD CAMPBELL  CRAIG BREEDLOVE  KEN WARBY  RICHARD NOBLE   DON VESCO