GEORGE W. BUSH Environment and Energy
Bush believes the rising price of gasoline must be fought with more exploration of domestic energy sources. His energy plan has been stalled in Congress because of its provision to allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It would cut regulations and offer tax credits to encourage energy companies to seek more sources of energy. Bush's Interior Department has allowed energy producers easier access to public lands. Bush has proposed a hydrogen fuel initiative which would offer research money to develop environmentally clean fuel cells. His Clear Skies Initiative, also waiting passage in Congress, would replace the Clean Air Act with an emissions trading system where companies who cut air pollution emissions could sell credits to companies exceeding the limit. The goal of the Initiative is to reduce sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury emissions by 70% by 2015. Bush exempted carbon dioxide from the plan for now. Bush also issued a Healthy Forests Initiative, which allows more aggressive forest management to prevent forest fires. Environmental groups complain it allows paper companies to cut old growth forests instead of more fire-prone brush.
