U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works

Boxer Statement on
the Bush Administration’s Fuels Plans

Washington, DC -- Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, released the following statement in response to today’s Bush Administration press conference regarding the renewable fuels standard and the Administration’s alternative fuels plan.   

Senator Boxer said, “Increasing our use of renewable fuels is an important part of the fight against global warming and also increases our energy independence.  Future plans to develop these fuels must ensure that we protect our air, our water and the global environment.”

Regarding the Administration’s discussion of its alternative fuels proposal, Senator Boxer said:

“The President still doesn’t seem to understand that just because a fuel is labeled ‘alternative’ doesn’t mean it is renewable or clean.  His fuels plan is constructed to encourage the use of coal-to-liquids, which generates almost twice as much global warming pollution as gasoline.  By continuing to push coal-to-liquids, the Administration makes it clear that they aren’t all that interested in reducing global warming pollution.”

###