Harkin Urges Cheney to Consider Farm-Based Energy

May 2, 2001

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), relying on information from recent news articles, has told Vice President Dick Cheney to rely more on farm-based energy sources to solve the nation's energy problems rather than focus on fossil fuels. He also called on President Bush to make renewable energy a major part of any Bush administration energy plan. In recent press reports, Vice President Cheney has stressed greater use of oil and coal with less emphasis on renewable energy.

"The Administration's statements are bad news for ethanol, soy-based biodiesel and other renewable farm-based energy sources including wind power," said Harkin. "Farm-based renewable energy has made great progress and shows tremendous promise for the future. The Administration has dealt a real setback to its growth and development both with their recent budget request and their focus on fossil fuels."

Harkin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, stressed that Iowa, which relies on sources outside the state for 98% of its energy needs, would be especially hurt by the administration's plans to put renewable energy on the back burner. In recent years the state has been making progress toward changing that with renewable fuels, biomass and wind energy. However, cutting back on renewable energy development and refocusing on fossil fuels "would consign the state of Iowa to a dead-end energy future," according to Harkin.

The vice president, who heads a task force on energy, also commented in news reports that there were no "quick fixes" to the energy problem. Harkin said, "Quick fixes are unrealistic, but equally misguided is the pursuit of short-sighted policies that forsake energy possibilities for the future. Yet the Administration seems wedded to a short-sighted quick fix that can only leave our nation even more heavily dependent on fossil fuels than we now are."