February 6, 2003
Bush Budget Slashes Funds for Renewable Energy Sources
Days After Call for Energy Independence, Cuts Hinder Plan for Clean Hydrogen Future WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 - President Bush's proposed federal budget slashes funding for numerous clean energy and energy efficiency programs, including funding for bioenergy, wind and geothermal electricity sources. The cuts were announced less than a week after the President announced his goal of energy independence in the State of the Union address. Ironically, the cuts in funding for renewable sources that can generate hydrogen could also impede the President's highly touted plan for bringing clean hydrogen fuel cell cars and trucks to the road. "We are disappointed that the Bush administration cut funds for homegrown, clean energy sources," said Alan Nogee, Director of the Clean Energy Program at UCS. "These budget cuts hurt renewable energy sources like wind and geothermal power just as they are ready to take off." The FY 2004 budget plan for the Department of Energy reduces funding for bioenergy and biorefinery systems by over $16 million as compared with the previous year's budget - a cut of almost 19 percent. Funding for wind power, which brought 410 megawatts of electricity online in 2002, was cut by 5.5 percent. Geothermal technology also received a 3.8 percent funding hit. And over at the Department of Agriculture, the Bush administration's budget virtually eliminates $23 million that was to provide grants and loans to farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses for the development of renewable energy projects and energy efficiency improvements. "These budget cuts reduce the chance that the Bush administration's hydrogen plan will deliver on its promise," said David Friedman, engineer and UCS Senior Analyst. "We need a shift in budget priorities toward renewable energy sources and away from fossil fuels if we want to have a clean, homegrown hydrogen future." "We know renewable electricity sources are popular because they benefit farmers and save consumers money," Nogee said. "Congress should restore these budgets and put us back on the path to true energy security." ### | 
