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Vilsack Clears the Air

February 13, 2007 4:43 PM

ABC News' Matthew Zavala Reports: While speaking to the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, former Gov. Tom Vilsack, D-Iowa, called America's addiction to foreign oil a security threat as well as an opportunity to "expand the middle class" and "reclaim the moral high ground on climate change."

"Because of our reliance on foreign oil," said Vilsack, "we, as a nation, are funding both sides of the war on terrorism."

Vilsack outlined several changes he would make to America's energy policies if elected president. By 2010, he wants all fuel providers to reduce carbon production by one percent a year. He also called for a 25-cent per-gallon credit for ethanol production, cutting carbon emissions from coal-fired plants, and new incentives for consumers to purchase petroleum-free cars.

In a speech which lavished praise on former Vice President Gore for his "courage to confront the challenge of global climate change," Vilsack called for a 75% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 over 2000 levels.

On the contentious issue of fuel efficiency standards, Vilsack steered clear of speaking of specific C.A.F.E. standards.  Instead, he called for allowing U.S. automakers to "retool" and "once again take the lead in the world automobile market" while still making vehicles "50% more fuel efficient by 2030."

To demonstrate his commitment to "walk the walk," Vilsack pledged that his presidential campaign will monitor travel and electricity use and then send payments to help finance the construction of clean and renewable energy projects.

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