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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2002

Tribal leaders aren't the only group snubbed by the Bush administration as shown by the development of the president's national energy policy.

According to review of heavily redacted government documents, Department of Energy officials never met face-to-face with environmental groups prior to the release of the plan. A section regarding conservation measures was added to the policy in late March, only after after environmentalists raised concerns.

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham held 109 meetings with representatives of the energy industry from February to May, when the policy was released. Of these meetings, 36 were specifically held to address the task force work, according to The New York Times.

Campaign contributors also had significant input, according to the Associated Press. At least 20 of Abraham's meetings were with companies that gave more than $3 million to Republican interests from 1999 through 2001.

Vice President Dick Cheney chaired the energy task force, which included Secretary of Interior Gale Norton.

Get the Story:
GOP bankrollers' advice welcomed by Bush energy plan drafters, documents show (AP 3/26)
GOP donors who scored energy plan meetings with Abraham (AP 3/26)
Energy Task Force Belatedly Consulted Environmentalists (The Washington Post 3/27)
Documents Show Energy Official Met Only With Industry Leaders (The New York Times 3/27)
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Related Documents:
DOE Press Release | DOE Letter 1 | DOE Letter 2

Get the Policy:
Reliable, Affordable, and Environmentally Sound Energy for America’s Future (The White House 5/17)
ERRATA: Corrections (The White House 5/17)

Only on Indianz.Com:
Inside the Bush energy policy (5/18)

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