Remarks by the President on Energy

Virginia BioDiesel Refinery West Point, Virginia

May 16, 2005 11:25 A.M. EDT

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050516.html

"...The final step toward making America less dependent on foreign oil is to develop new alternatives to gasoline and diesel...Biodiesel can be used in any vehicle that runs on regular diesel, and delivers critical environmental and economic benefits.

"Biodiesel burns more completely and produces less air pollution than gasoline or regular diesel. Biodiesel also reduces engine wear, and produces almost no sulfur emissions, which makes it a good choice for cities and states working to meet strict air quality standards. And every time we use home-grown biodiesel, we support American farmers, not foreign oil producers.

"More Americans are realizing the benefits of biodiesel every year. In 1999, biodiesel producers sold about 500,000 gallons of fuel for the year. Last year, biodiesel sales totaled 30 million gallons. That's a sixty fold increase in five years.  More than 500 operators of major vehicle fleets now use biodiesel, including the Department of Defense and the National Park Service and James Madison University. The County of Arlington, Virginia, has converted its fleet of school buses to biodiesel. And Harrisonburg is using biodiesel in its city transit buses.

"In the past three years, more than 300 public fueling stations have started offering biodiesel. You're beginning to see a new industry evolve.  And as more Americans choose biodiesel over petroleum fuel, they can be proud in knowing they're helping to make this country less dependent on foreign oil...

"A recent study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory projected that biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, could provide about a fifth of America's transportation fuel within 25 years. And that would be good for our kids and our grandkids..."

- President George W. Bush