T. Boone Pickens Praises Reid For Promotion Of Natural Gas

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T. Boone Pickens praised comments from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, Tuesday, stating that he commends Reid for his promotion of natural gas as an alternative energy source.

Pickens is widely known as a billionaire oilman from Texas who is now pushing to create energy independence for the United States through the use of natural gas and wind power. Reid promoted the use of natural gas in his comments in a conference call Monday.

In the call, Reid highlighted natural gas as a domestic alternative to foreign oil/diesel in heavy duty fleet applications, a key element of "The Pickens Plan." His remarks called for government leadership and support in making that happen.

"If we're going to convert these big trucks into natural gas, there needs to be some big kick in the rear to get it done; it can't be done in the private sector alone, and this is something that we need to take a look at," Reid said.

"We need to see incentives, grants, planning dollars and some serious effort put into public-private partnerships to accelerate the deployment of heavy-duty natural gas vehicles and other clean-fuel vehicles and infrastructure," Reid later wrote Dow Jones in an email.

"Hopefully, the economic recovery package, the next energy bill and maybe even the climate bill will expedite this shift away from greater dependence on oil," he said.

In an e-mail to the New Energy Army, Pickens praised Reid, stating that leadership is needed moving forward.

"I think it's important to commend Senator Reid for his remarks and urge his leadership and involvement going forward to make sure our abundant, domestic supply of clean burning natural gas becomes a cornerstone transportation fuel in heavy duty vehicles as Congress continues to advance energy legislation," Pickens said.

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