CALSTART President and CEO, John Boesel, Statement on President Obama’s March 30, 2011 Energy Speech at Georgetown University

March 30, 2011

We applaud the President’s decision to bring attention to the nation’s major energy challenges, and in particular, to the dangers of its dependence on oil for almost all of its transportation energy needs.

It is very important that government lead by action and it’s commendable that the President is calling for 100 percent of all new federal vehicles to be  hybrid or powered by clean, domestically produced fuels by 2015. This is a very obtainable goal and, in fact, could be reached even earlier with the appropriate policy support from Congress.  

Absent a clear and defined energy policy, this administration has nevertheless made significant progress by establishing new vehicle efficiency standards that will significantly cut oil dependence. When the first round of light-duty vehicle standards was announced by this administration, it was the first time in nearly three decades  that the federal government took action to increase vehicle efficiency. These standards are sending the right signals to our nation’s automotive manufacturers and suppliers about how to best apply their engineering talent. The next round of standards, affecting vehicles produced in the 2017-2025 timeframe, are also expected to have a significant impact that will ultimately enhance the nation’s energy independence and reduce fuel costs for Americans.

Relative to Europe and Japan, the cost of transportation fuel remains cheap. Until the full environmental, public health, and military costs of the nation’s dependence on oil are incorporated into the price at the pump, it will be critical for the federal government to continue to provide funding for clean and energy efficient transportation technologies. This administration is moving in the right direction, but more needs to be done. Bold action to reduce our dependence on oil will save lives and lead to significant new job creation in the United States.