Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Bush Emphasizes Conservation Aspect of His Energy Plan

Aired May 13, 2001 - 09:09   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is set to unveil his energy plan this week to help provide relief from record high gas prices. At the center of his plan, what he is calling a new kind of conservation; but critics argue it's nothing but a public relations ploy.

Joining us with details on the president's plan, CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace.

Good morning, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

Well, Miles, faced with criticism that the administration is too focused on increasing the supply of energy and not enough on conserving it, President Bush appears lately to be emphasizing the conservation side of his plan. The White House said that, later this week, Mr. Bush would propose tax incentives to encourage consumers to buy more fuel-efficient cars and companies to use more efficient generators.

Conservation, in fact, was the focus of the president's entire radio address yesterday, and this appeared to be the opening sales pitch for his energy plan.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Twenty-first century conservation harnesses new technology to squeeze as much out of a barrel of oil as we have learned to squeeze out of a computer chip. We can raise our standard of living wisely, and in harmony with our environment.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WALLACE: And according to a recent CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll, more Americans believe the United States should emphasize conservation over production to deal with the energy situation in the United States.

Now, as for environmentalists and Democrats, they still believe that the administration's report will be mainly focused on drilling for oil and gas on federal lands and building more power plants. They say the president's emphasis on conservation lately is symbolism over substance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID HAWKINS, NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL: Saying you're in favor of conservation or efficiency isn't enough. Just last month, the secretary of energy reversed a decision that would have required air conditioners to be more efficient and replaced it with a much weaker rule, a rule that will result in much more pollution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And environmentalists also point to what they also say is another contradiction: the fact that the President's budget included a 40 percent cut when it comes to funding for research to develop more energy-efficient buildings and automobiles. Well, the White House says its budget does include about $1 billion for research into alternative energies.

So the stage is set for this energy debate. Mr. Bush hits the road later the week -- later in the week to say he has the right mix of conservation and production. The big question is just whether this plan softens any anxieties Americans are feeling about the energy situation in the U.S. -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Well, Kelly, what about short-term for folks who are having to get a second mortgage on their home to fill up their SUVs? What are we going to do about gas prices in the short term? What does the White House have planned?

WALLACE: Well, the White House says it has no short-term solution, saying there is no quick fix, saying it has no magic wand to deal with that situation. The president saying the only solution is a long-term one -- to build more oil refineries, to increase the supply of oil, and that that will bring the prices down.

He also says, though, that lawmakers can help consumers dealing with higher costs at the pump by passing a tax cut as quickly possible. Miles, though, many Democrats in the Congress believe the president should be doing something. They think he should be looking into it to make sure there's no price gouging, or just putting together some type of committee to look at what exactly is going on here.

The White House, though, says that is not the answer.

Back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right; Kelly Wallace. Looks like they could install a windmill at the White House today and harness that. All right, we'll see you later.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com