Bush administration releases some energy documents
By The Associated Press
03.26.02
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WASHINGTON — The Bush administration turned over thousands of documents yesterday related to Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force, including some showing industry's attempt to influence the direction of the administration's energy plan.
But most of the papers, released in response to court orders, were blanked out and provided little substantive information. This prompted critics to accuse the administration of continuing to hold back vital information surrounding development of President Bush's energy plan a year ago.
Among the papers, however, were documents from the Environmental Protection Agency revealing an oil industry push to ease state regulation of so-called "boutique" gasoline blends and auto industry pressure to ease federal fuel economy rules.
A document from the Energy Department showed that Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham held eight meetings with energy and business leaders on the energy plan, but none with environmental leaders or advocates for energy efficiency or renewable energy sources. His meetings from February through March included leaders of the National Association of Manufacturers, nuclear power industry, electric utilities, oil and gas industry, and coal companies.
The Cheney task force issued its report in May.
Nevertheless, Abraham in a statement said the documents — more than 11,000 page from his department — "will further confirm" that the administration sought out a wide range of views, including that of environmentalists.
Two federal judges ordered the release of the documents, including numerous copies of e-mails, as part of lawsuits brought by private groups trying to determine who influenced the crafting of the administration's energy plan.
The administration also faces a lawsuit by the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, which wants to learn the names of people who met with Cheney or his top aides leading up to the energy report's release. That lawsuit was not involved in yesterday's releases.
The disclosed papers stem from Freedom of Information lawsuits filed by Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group.
Among the papers released by the Energy Department were a list of 19 energy priorities from the NRDC, claiming nine of them ended up in Cheney's energy report, including one calling for raising auto fuel economy requirements and another strengthening efficiency standards for appliances.
However, the task force only called for a review of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy requirements and not an increase. As for appliance standards, it called for a much less stringent standard for air conditions than the NRDC and other environmentalists had argued for.
In addition to the DOE, the papers came from the EPA, the Agriculture Department and the White House Office of Management and Budget. The DOE withheld 15,000 pages, citing exemptions for information related to internal agency practices, deliberations and personnel.
Of the nearly 5,000 documents obtained by Judicial Watch, most of the internal communications were heavily redacted, often with only the names of the sender and recipient, and a subject heading, left readable, said Larry Klayman, the group's chairman.
"What we've seen so far, the Bush administration is withholding an inordinate amount of documents, suggesting they are obstructing these proceedings," said Klayman.
A few of the papers, however, provided some insight into the activities of interest groups seeking to influence the administration's internal energy debate prior to release of the Cheney task force report.
Among the papers turned over by the EPA was a three-page memo from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, dated March 22, 2001, declaring that the federal auto fuel economy rule, known as CAFE, "is an ineffective energy policy."
The alliance instead supported consumer tax credits for advanced technology vehicles and urged development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The task force report supported such tax benefits, refrained from urging higher fuel economy requirements and urged development of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
At least three major oil companies, according to papers released by EPA, urged the administration to take steps to eliminate the "boutique" gasoline required in many parts of the country.
One of the companies, Citco, urged the administration "to exercise federal authority to prevent states" from establishing separate fuel standards. The Cheney task force urged EPA to deal with the boutique fuels issue.
A group of Northeast utilities in another document urged the administration to embrace trading of environmental credits as a way to deal with power plant pollution. The Cheney report embraced such "market approaches" in dealing with smokestack emissions.
Previous
Second judge orders release of energy records
Six federal agencies must disclose details of their involvement in Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force.
03.06.02
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