DEARBORN,
Michigan--General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Rick Wagoner called on the
U.S. government to promote development of alternative fuels such as ethanol,
hydrogen fuel cells and advanced battery technology by using tax credits
or fuel subsidies.
His comments _ made while oil prices
are at a 19-month low _ came at an auto industry conference Tuesday.
Wagoner is happy the price of oil
has dropped below $52 a barrel, but he also does not think it will last.
"We run the risk of reverting back
to our traditional energy policy," he told the Automotive News World Congress.
"That is, relying on the lowest-cost energy available on world markets
(including imported oil) without providing adequate support for developing
alternative sources."
Wagoner said automakers need to lead
the way, but government and other industries such as oil, electric utilities,
battery companies and research laboratories must play a role.
He said marketplace reality will
require the government to step in and promote U.S. energy security and
diversity "regardless of what happens to the price of oil in the short
term."

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