The REAL reason Bush wants US Bases closed in a time of war.
---IT'S OIL, ofcourse...---
Bush wants refineries at former bases
Sees need for new nuclear power plants, 'risk insurance.'
NATION/WORLD
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush is offering to make closed military bases available for new oil refineries and will ask Congress to provide a "risk insurance" to the nuclear industry against regulatory delays to spur construction of new nuclear power plants, senior administration officials said Tuesday.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the president will outline his proposals in a speech today in which he intends to emphasize how new technologies can be used to ease the energy supply crunch.
The White House acknowledged that none of the initiatives was expected to provide any short-term relief from soaring gasoline and oil prices. It is Bush's second speech on energy within a week, reflecting the growing concern within the White House over the political fallout over high energy prices.
The officials said the president believes the country needs a diverse supply of energy, including expansion of aggressive nuclear power. There has not been a new commercial nuclear reactor ordered in the United States since 1973.
Some utilities have indicated they may be interested in building a new reactor, perhaps as early as 2010, but industry officials say they need assurance of a smooth regulatory process to get financing. Nuclear power accounts for about 20 percent of the country's electricity.
Bush will call on the Energy Department to develop a proposal for a federal "risk insurance" plan that would kick in if there were lengthy delays in licensing of a new commercial power reactor. The officials acknowledged that such a program would need congressional action. They said they could not speculate on its cost.
The president also will outline a proposal to work with local communities to build refineries on closed military sites, hoping that will encourage construction of new refineries and ease the shortage of U.S. oil refining capacity.
There has not been a new refinery built in the United States in nearly three decades, although numerous refineries have been expanded to increase capacity. A shortage of U.S. refining capacity has been cited -- including this week by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdulla at a meeting with Bush at his Texas ranch -- for high gasoline prices.
The president also will call on Congress to provide a tax credit for gas-electric hybrid automobiles and for use of clean diesel. The hybrid tax break was included in Bush's budget earlier this year but left out of the energy bill passed by the House last week.
Such a credit would provide $2.5 billion in tax incentives over 10 years, the White House officials said. Consumers would get a credit, up to $4,000, depending on the level of a vehicle's fuel efficiency, if they purchase a hybrid or clean-diesel vehicle.
The president's speech was described by White House officials as a way to emphasize how technology can be applied to expand the supply of energy. While the proposals include some new initiatives such as the ones to spur the expansion of nuclear power and refinery capacity, others have been proposed previously.
http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/thisday/nation.20050427-sbt-MICH-A10-Bush_wants_refinerie.sto
Bush wants refineries at former bases
Sees need for new nuclear power plants, 'risk insurance.'
NATION/WORLD
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush is offering to make closed military bases available for new oil refineries and will ask Congress to provide a "risk insurance" to the nuclear industry against regulatory delays to spur construction of new nuclear power plants, senior administration officials said Tuesday.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the president will outline his proposals in a speech today in which he intends to emphasize how new technologies can be used to ease the energy supply crunch.
The White House acknowledged that none of the initiatives was expected to provide any short-term relief from soaring gasoline and oil prices. It is Bush's second speech on energy within a week, reflecting the growing concern within the White House over the political fallout over high energy prices.
The officials said the president believes the country needs a diverse supply of energy, including expansion of aggressive nuclear power. There has not been a new commercial nuclear reactor ordered in the United States since 1973.
Some utilities have indicated they may be interested in building a new reactor, perhaps as early as 2010, but industry officials say they need assurance of a smooth regulatory process to get financing. Nuclear power accounts for about 20 percent of the country's electricity.
Bush will call on the Energy Department to develop a proposal for a federal "risk insurance" plan that would kick in if there were lengthy delays in licensing of a new commercial power reactor. The officials acknowledged that such a program would need congressional action. They said they could not speculate on its cost.
The president also will outline a proposal to work with local communities to build refineries on closed military sites, hoping that will encourage construction of new refineries and ease the shortage of U.S. oil refining capacity.
There has not been a new refinery built in the United States in nearly three decades, although numerous refineries have been expanded to increase capacity. A shortage of U.S. refining capacity has been cited -- including this week by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdulla at a meeting with Bush at his Texas ranch -- for high gasoline prices.
The president also will call on Congress to provide a tax credit for gas-electric hybrid automobiles and for use of clean diesel. The hybrid tax break was included in Bush's budget earlier this year but left out of the energy bill passed by the House last week.
Such a credit would provide $2.5 billion in tax incentives over 10 years, the White House officials said. Consumers would get a credit, up to $4,000, depending on the level of a vehicle's fuel efficiency, if they purchase a hybrid or clean-diesel vehicle.
The president's speech was described by White House officials as a way to emphasize how technology can be applied to expand the supply of energy. While the proposals include some new initiatives such as the ones to spur the expansion of nuclear power and refinery capacity, others have been proposed previously.
http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/thisday/nation.20050427-sbt-MICH-A10-Bush_wants_refinerie.sto
posted by Christy at 12:20 PM
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