Letter: Energized?

Editor, Daily News:

President Bush "discovered" that the United States is addicted to imported oil. Imported oil is a significant component of the unsustainable U.S. trade deficit, and it supports "schools" that teach hatred of the U.S. and encourages terrorism. Unfortunately, the Bush administration only talks about reducing imported oil.

What should it do? Auto mileage standards should be significantly increased, especially for SUVs and light trucks. The Bush administration makes only minor increases and still excludes some the largest vehicles. We should urgently increase the efficient U.S. production of ethanol to replace oil in gasoline. Using ethanol would produce U.S. jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lessen our dependence on foreign oil and reduce the trade deficit.

What is this administration doing? We should use U.S. coal resources to generate more electricity using the cleanest possible processes. Although coal is a "dirty" fuel, using existing clean processes would minimize new pollution. Coal can substitute for imported natural gas and would be a reasonable interim step.

What is this administration doing? Of course we should be investing resources in cleaner, renewable energy such as wind, solar and geothermal. We should also be developing much more efficient and cleaner vehicles.

What is this administration doing? The energy problem is a major risk to our economy and to our national security. The Bush administration is spending $1 billion a week on the war in Iraq.

What is it doing to solve the energy problem?

Aaron Knott , Naples