RICHARDSON URGES BUSH TO PASS ENERGY PLAN

Albuquerque Journal ^ | August 18, 2003 | Loie Fecteau

[JesseHousman]

SANTA FE— Gov. Bill Richardson on Sunday said the Bush administration and Congress must move quickly to pass an energy plan to upgrade the nation's electrical grid.

"The president has to make it a major priority to get the Congress off the dime to pass mandatory reliability standards," Richardson said on "Face the Nation" on CBS. "The Bush administration and the Congress should strip out those provisions (in the energy bill) that are controversial, nuclear and coal subsidies, the drilling in Alaska."

In calling for passage of a stripped down energy bill, Richardson, who served as Energy secretary under former President Clinton, disagreed with Spencer Abraham, the current Energy secretary, who also appeared on "Face the Nation."

Abraham said it would be a mistake to take out controversial provisions, such as allowing oil drilling in the Arctic.

Richardson said the U.S. needs to enact mandatory reliability standards because utility companies can overload transmission lines without fear of penalties.

"Secondly, we've got to build some new transmission lines," said Richardson, who was interviewed on CBS from the state Capitol.

Richardson agreed with Abraham that consumers will bear much of the costs of updating the country's power grid, which some have put at $50 billion.

"The ratepayers will pay the bill because they're the ones who benefit," Abraham said. Richardson said: "The utilities should pay for it, but eventually it's going to be passed down to the consumer."

Richardson defended his tenure as Energy secretary when host Bob Schieffer asked him why the Clinton administration had not acted five years ago when experts warned of a possible energy crisis, such as last week's blackout, which affected seven states and left 50 million people without power.

"Why were you unable to get anything done back then? That was on your watch," Schieffer said to Richardson.

Richardson said he had hosted electricity summits around the country while Energy secretary "warning that this could happen." "We, the Clinton administration, pushed this, mandatory standards, in the Congress," Richardson said. "The Republican Congress did not respond. They did not want to move in this direction."

Richardson said the blackout showed it would be "very easy" for a terrorist to attack the nation's electricity grid.

Richardson said the Bush administration needs "to perform a threat assessment and see how we can get some kind of federal support in the security of our nuclear power plants, of our electricity grid."

Richardson said the grid "has been shown to be enormously vulnerable, yet it is enormously valuable because we are all dependent on it."

After taping "Face the Nation," Richardson flew to Indianapolis to attend the summer meeting of the National Governors Association. Richardson spokesman Billy Sparks said it was likely the nation's governors would discuss the energy situation.

"There's a great deal of concern among the governors about getting that energy bill passed by Congress," Sparks said in a telephone interview.

Richardson has appeared on numerous national television news shows since the blackout and wrote an opinion piece on it that appeared in The New York Times on Saturday. He is scheduled to be interviewed today on "The Early Show" on CBS and is expected to return to New Mexico tonight.

[JesseHousman]

For two years this socialist had the opportunity to do something about our nation's energy inadequacies, but did nothing. He was too busy planning his next move into politics and the goal was surprising simple: run for governor of New Mexico

He knew what was happening to the generating and transmission facilites: they were sold to a foreign corporation. He also knew what was happening to the big chunk of the utility bills that went to the government. This non-generating and transmission portion of your utility bill is almost half of your monthly cost.

The Los Alamos Laboratories scandal was another inept chapter in the life of this globalist.

If he wasn't the governor of New Mexico chances are he'd be tapped by Arnold as part of his Kalifornica team.

[Semper Paratus]

nuclear and coal subsidies, the drilling in Alaska.

Why are these unecessary items in an "energy" bill?

[fishtank]

Richardson said: "The utilities should pay for it, but eventually it's going to be passed down to the consumer."

Another bit of wisdom from Richardson the dope.

[Gabrielle Reilly]

ping.

[b4its2late]

This bozos' boss had 8 years to address it and nothing was done. The whole reason for Mrs. Clinton blasting Bush within hours after the blackout is clear indication they wanted to deflect their 8 years of errors and incompetence.

Presently, has she voted to accept the bill in the Senate that the current adminstration put together, or is she stonewalling?

The legacy continues.

[So Cal Rocket]

nuclear and coal subsidies, the drilling in Alaska.

Why are these unecessary items in an "energy" bill?

I'm hoping you forgot to put your (/sarcasm> tag on your response.

[arichtaxpayer]

This Administration has to get out there and be seen--fight back and point out the faults of the previous administration. They seem to just sit back and take it!

[So Cal Rocket]

And also point out that it is the Dems in Congress that have been delaying the Energy Bill with parliamentary tactics.

[Semper Paratus]

I'm hoping you forgot to put your (/sarcasm> tag on your response.

That was scarcasm? (/scarcasm>

[Doctor Stochastic]

When I moved to NM in 1980 there was an ongoing plan to build a power line from the Four Corners to the Santa Fe area. After more than 20 years of lawsuits against building the line, the power company gave up. Richardson was EngSec during this time. He gave no support to building such lines.

Perhaps "Power Line Infrastucture" is important enough that some bureaucrat will invoke the Patriot Act and force these lines to be allowed. It's for The Children.

[Dante3]

The incompetent Richards has no credibility. He is responsible for more than one mess. I just wish the media would stop hanging on to his every word.

[taxed2death]

I say we do absolutely nothing to the grid.

As a conservative Republican, it's much more important that Bush piss away 15 BILLION dollars on Africa / AIDS.

[biblewonk]

I sure the energy bill includes the PTC for windmills.

[ConservativeMan55]

I completely agree. They should defend themselves.

[Sangria]

I agree. He and his Boss, Clinton, were in the White House for 8 years and didn't do anything, so he can just shut the heck up as far as I am concerned.

[ken5050]

You forget, He spent much of his time helping Monica with career advice..

[ken5050]

You forget, He spent much of his time helping Monica with career advice..

[ken5050]

You forget, He spent much of his time helping Monica with career advice..

[ken5050]

You forget, He spent much of his time helping Monica with career advice..

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

These Clinton admin hacks sure know how to talk. Talk, talk, talk. Yep, talking is their strong point allright. Good thing the adults are in charge now, because they will actually DO SOMETHING about our problems.