Statement of Daniel Becker, Director of the Sierra Club's Global Warming and
Energy Program, on President Bush's announcement of hydrogen car program:

"Fuel cells are an important part of a clean energy future, but the
President's rhetoric does not match the reality.  President Bush's
FreedomCAR program is built on the flawed Partnership for A New Generation
of Vehicles (PNGV), which squandered billions of taxpayer dollars in
research and development but did not bring a single hybrid vehicle to the
marketplace.  Similarly, the FreedomCAR program funnels millions to Detroit
without requiring that they produce a single fuel cell vehicle for the
public to purchase.

"The auto industry is using the promise of future fuel cells as a shield
against using existing technology to dramatically cut our oil dependence,
and pollution, today.  This technology is sitting on the shelf while Detroit
dithers.  Honda and Toyota are producing hybrid vehicles today, the big
three are not. Honda has stated that it is using the electric motor of its
hybrid as the basis for the fuel cell cars which it is beginning to produce.
Meanwhile, FreedomCAR is re-inventing the wheel.  Refusing to demand that
the Big Three use modern, gas-saving technology is irresponsible.

"The biggest single step we can take to curb global warming and cut our
dependence on oil is to make our cars and light trucks go farther on a
gallon of gas.  If the vehicles on the road today averaged 40 mpg, we would
save over 3 million barrels of oil a day, more than we currently import from
the Persian Gulf.

"The President seems to be comfortable with the auto industry's approach:
'Don't make us do anything today.  Twenty years from now, we may develop
fuel cells.  America can wait.'  We cannot wait, and Americans want and
deserve better."

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