Bush energy policy: the domestic angle

Photo from "Deep Thoughts" blog.

Today's New York Times article "Bush to Offer A Proposal On Refineries" lists a number of proposed energy initiatives by the Bush Administration, which complement the current program to secure supplies in the Mideast as evidenced by the War in Iraq:

1. Build new oil refineries on closed military bases throughout the country, in an effort to ease long-term shortages of gasoline and other oil products.
2. Giving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission clear authority to rule on the siting of new terminals to receive liquified natural gas from overseas. (This would overrule local decision-making.)
3. Federal risk insurance for new nuclear power plants.

Apparently, Senate Democrats in preparing an energy bill are providing for tax incentives for renewable energy.

Frankly, I think that cities need to develop incentive programs of their own, comparable to some of the programs offered by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, which was discussed in another blog entry earlier in the week.

Energy use is a matter of local and national import, as well as an economic competitiveness issue.

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For another take on the issue, check out this article, "In Portland, living the green American dream: More young urban professionals are forgoing square footage for eco-friendly homes" from the Christian Science Monitor.