More On the Fuel Standards Bill

Ford's CEO says they can handle it, although Bush will probably veto it. And I'm sticking with what I said last Saturday.

Now, the twist. Emphasis mine:

Ford Motor Co. will meet the tougher federal fuel economy regulations Congress wants to impose by 2020 without having to abandon any of its lower-mileage truck or sport utility vehicle lines, Chief Executive Alan Mulally promised on Monday.

As I said, this bill, as "historic" as it may be, is but a very tiny step over a long period of time. And apparently, even this small step may not escape getting Bushwhacked.

Environmental groups and many lawmakers hailed the deal as historic. But the White House is bothered that the bill lacks strong incentives to boost use of renewable motor fuels like ethanol and would require electric utilities to generate more power from renewable sources like solar energy and wind.

"In fact, it appears Congress may intend to produce a bill the President cannot sign," Allan Hubbard, the top White House economic advisor, warned on Monday in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

It's not that he "cannot" sign it; it's that he won't sign it. This is baffling. Solar and wind require no resources such as farmland, equipment for harvesting, fertilizers, and... {ahem}.. fuel to power the equipment to harvest and then convert crops to fuel.

And never mind how the large scale production of crops for ethanol rather than food might impact prices in our food supply, and not just corn. With farmers potentially shifting away from other food crops, the ripple effects could be enormous.

Crossposted at Big Brass Blog