Army:
What a day in San Antonio! I spent most of the day there, and it was worth it. I flew in convinced we are gaining some traction in Washington, D.C, (where I was yesterday), and I flew out of San Antonio convinced that we are seeing some real leadership at the local level.
Let me explain:
I was in San Antonio to help local leaders cut the ribbon on a new natural gas fueling center for the City of San Antonio’s expanding fleet of natural gas refuse trucks.
I’ve long said one of the main reasons we’ve failed to finally get serious about escalating foreign oil imports are cheap gasoline and diesel prices, and a lack of leadership.
That’s why it was an honor sharing the podium with San Antonio’s Mayor, Phil Hardberger. He’s gaining a lot of respect locally and throughout state government circles for his commitment – and accomplishments – in the environmental field, and showing what can be done in that regard to reduce our foreign oil (and that means foreign diesel) dependency.
San Antonio has joined a growing number of local governments and transit authorities that are exerting that leadership, and making a difference. Remember, refuse trucks are the least efficient vehicles. They get only about three miles per gallon of diesel fuel. If half of the garbage trucks in America currently chugging on diesel switched to natural gas, we would save 15 million barrels of oil each year.
After that, it was on to a town hall-like meeting at the San Antonio Rotary Club. It shattered an attendance record, I was told, with more than 600 listening. Normal attendance at such events: 200.
A standing ovation to start it all off reminded me once again how much our message is resonating with the public.
Oh, I had an op-ed published in the San Antonio paper talking about all this. If you want to read it just click HERE.
I ended the day with a small, late luncheon of some of the city’s civic and community leaders. More interest in the plan, and I’m hopeful they will get involved.
Tomorrow: Austin.
I have a meeting scheduled with the newly elected speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, and I want to make sure the Pickens Plan is on his radar screen. While my focus is squarely on the nation’s capital, and what we must accomplish in the first 100 days of the new Administration, I don’t want to lose site of the important gains that can be made at the state level as well.
— Boone