Vilsack hopes Bush makes announcement favoring ethanol

Governor Tom Vilsack hopes President Bush uses his Thursday trip to Iowa to announce a pro-ethanol policy. California’s asking for a waiver for Clean Air Act rules which call for the use of pollution-reducing fuel additives like ethanol. Vilsack guesses Bush could announce his decision in Nevada because E-P-A Administrator Christie Todd Whitman may be there, too.Vilsack says he’s had 13 different conversations with either Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney or Whitman about the ethanol issue. He says Whitman told him recently he would be pleased with the decision the administration is going to make. Vilsack says the administration has been very supportive of ethanol.While Vilsack, who’s a democrat, praises Bush’s stance on energy issues, the Democratic National Committee is gearing up to criticize Bush’s priorities.