Bush Even Cuts "Clean Coal" Funding - Western Senators Pissed

[hatrack]

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Craig Thomas questioned Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman on Thursday over funding cuts to "clean" coal technologies in President Bush's proposed 2007 budget. Other Western lawmakers also criticized the cuts and vowed to restore funding.

At a Senate Energy Committee hearing on the department's budget, Thomas pressed Bodman about the proposed reductions in Bush's budget for coal-to-gas conversion, clean coal technologies and research and development funds.

Thomas, R-Wyo., said the budget focuses on long-term projects he supports but does not address short-term energy issues facing the country. He told Bodman that private interests in Wyoming have real opportunities to implement coal-to-gas conversion technologies, but that they need some federal assistance.

EDIT

Thomas also questioned Bodman on clean coal technologies. "We talk constantly about the need for coal, we talk constantly about global warming and so on, and here's one of the things we need to do, and I notice in the energy bill that it's zeroed out," Thomas said. Bodman said money put into the program in past years has not been spent. "The various winners of these projects have not been able to spend the money effectively," he said. "That is what caused the reduction, that we would pause a year and work on getting the backlog worked out and get either progress made or make a determination that some of these things weren't going to work and get the money back."

EDIT

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/02/10/news/wyoming/370a975b5b463150872571110005a4ab.txt

[Zambero]

1. Do these western GOP Senators really "get it"?

This group wants all the goodies for their respective home states, yet they continue to support Bush's skewed tax cut policies. Now these Senators can begin to see the direct repercussions of Bush's tax and budget policies -- the same ones they speak so highly of. If legislators see a pressing need for these programs, they had better take a different approach when it comes to generating revenues to pay for them and the rest of the federal budget including entitlements and defense. Or else not complain too bitterly when another one of their state's "high priority" programs bites the dust.

[rodeodance]

2. the piggy bank is BROKE--get it Congress and the WH spent the money

[Oerdin]

3. If we're going to use coal

the coal gasification is the way to go though turning coal into natural gas isn't the best thing for the environment. It's much cleaner then burning coal the old fashioned way and it would help reduce energy imports but in the long run we're going to have to go with a nuclear and hydro solution which is supplimented with some wind and solar for peak power usage times. Wind is most promising when teamed up with hydro because during windy periods the wind turbines can be run at full efficency while the hydro plants slow down or stop in order to allow water to build up in the reservoir.