Bush Cuts Power Use in California
W A S H I N G T O N, May 3 -- With the onset of air-conditioner season raising fears of widespread blackouts in California, President Bush ordered federal agencies in the state to cut power usage during peak hours.
"This is a serious situation in the state of California," Bush said. "We'll work to helpCalifornia in any way we can. And the best way we can is to be goodcitizens."
The presidential directive comes as something of a surprise from a White House that had been telling California to solve its own energy problems.
Bush announced that federal employees in California will be forced to cut "peak-hour electricity use," and he's sending Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham to there immediately to start a training process for workers in federal agencies and on military bases. Federal offices and military bases are being told to turn down the air conditioning, turn off lighting and escalators.
Defense Department Perhaps the Biggest Consumer of Electricity in State
The Defense Department, perhaps the biggest consumer of electricity in the state, will cut its electricity usage by 10 percent "without harming military readiness," Bush said.
As for the rest of the country, all other federal agencies from coast to coast are being ordered to review their energy usage and come up with a conservation plan in 30 days.
The focus on conservation comes just three days after Vice President Dick Cheney, who sat across from Bush as he made the announcement today at the White House, downplayed the virtues of conservation.
"Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue," Cheney said in a speech Monday, "but it is not a sufficient basis all by itself, for sound, comprehensive energy policy. We also have to produce more."
"What the vice president was saying," Bush said today, "was that we cannot conserve our way to energy independence."
Until today, the Bush White House was adamantly refusing to put Americans through the same sacrifices they were asked to make during the energy shortages in the 1970s.
