Congressman Engel Questions Secretary of Energy Bodman about various issues. (WATCH VIDEO)

Mr. ENGEL: The President mentioned it in his State of the Union last year, albeit briefly, and then mentioned it more extensively this year. I spoke to the President after the State of the Union about our bill when he was coming off and last week at the Democratic retreat I spoke with the President about it again and I think that this is something that we really can make a difference in.

It is modest but it is something I think that is really doable, and last year frankly some of us went to the White House to speak with the President and some of his aides. They told both me and Congressman Kingston that there would be follow-up, and there really wasn't.

So I am hoping that don't fall into that this year. We believe that our bill would save 2.5 million barrels of oil a day by 2015 and 5 million barrels by 2025, which is right in line with what the President said in his State of the Union, and what our bill does, it helps U.S. automakers manufacture more-efficient vehicles and provides the same performance consumers expect, so it breaks both for the industry and for consumers in terms of encouraging people to buy these cars.

Secretary BODMAN: How does it do it, sir? What does the bill provide?

Mr. ENGEL: Well, the bill provides tax incentives and tax breaks for people who purchase these cars, for the industry to make these cars. It mandates incentives for cellulosic biofuels, creates an alternative fueling infrastructure, funds for installation of alternative-fuel pumps and thinks like that, and it provides incentives, tax-break to purchase these things.

We don't think it is an end-all and a be-all and obviously we have got to build from there but we think it is a great start, and we think it is a great bipartisan start and it is a modest start and I really think this would be a great thing.

Another thing that is done in the bill is we talk about plug-in hybrid vehicles. It incentivizes the rapid commercialization of it, and I am wondering if DOE has formulated plans to do that. Batteries of plug-in vehicles are very expensive, and we want to see if we can bring down the cost of batteries.

So I am wondering if you an talk about that, and I was a bit disturbed when I saw that the DOE cut its funding request for vehicles efficiency research by $8 million. That disturbed me a bit. I mean, $8 million isn't a lot of money but it is sort of an indication of what is important and what is not. So I am wondering if you can----

Secretary BODMAN: Everybody has different comparisons they are using with either the year before or 2 years before. My number on vehicle technology is $176 million, up from $166 million, $10 million more than the 2006 request. It is true that it was $182 million in 2006, so depending on what on e compares it with, it is up. Battery technology is up some $15 million according to within that, up some $27 million, so we are working to expand our efforts, research efforts with respect to batteries.

Mr. ENGEL: OK. I would like to obviously have more discussions with you and your staff about this. I have one final question, which is a somewhat parochial question. Indian Point nuclear power plant in New York-and by the way, in your opening remarks I listened very carefully. You said that the administration looks at nuclear power as an important component

Secretary BODMAN: Yes, it is.

Mr. ENGEL: I agree with that, and I never uttered a word about Indian Point until after the September 11 attacks in 2001 when we learned that one of the planes that hit the World Trade Center flew directly over the Indian Point Nuclear power plant which is less than a 50 mile radius from Manhattan, and of all the power plants in the country, that is the plant that is closest to any major metropolitan area, and of course, it is not just any metropolitan are, it is the New York City metropolitan area.

So we are concerned and they are up for re-licensing and I am very unhappy with NRC rubberstamping, what I regard as rubberstamping all these things. It may be approved. I know my time is up and I just wanted to ask you quickly, you mentioned Yucca Mountain in your opening remarks, and what is the plan, since Yucca Mountain, if it is ever built, is so far away and keeps getting pushed back. What happens with the spent fuel at all these plants across the country, that really have no place to go?

Secretary BODMAN: Your question is, what happens if I get Yucca Mountain open?

Mr. ENGEL: well, I think Yucca Mountain is not going to open for a long time.

Secretary BODMAN: Well, we have it at 10 years out and the status quo would be unless Congress decides something other than that would be the way it is situated the way it is now. Once we get a license, under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, we are given permission to discuss interim storage but I am precluded from doing interim storage until I get a license.

That is just the way it is written and so assuming I file and we get a license in a reasonable period of time, you will be talking to a new secretary. I won't be here but the secretary would then be in a position to deal with this matter at that point in time, would deal with interim storage and you start setting this up. I sure wouldn't create 30 different sites the way one of the bills that was around last year suggested. It has to be a smaller number.