Published: September 06, 2008 11:41 pm            

Pickens tries to pitch book

• But press conference turns into discussion of his alternative energy plan

Boone Pickens held a Friday press conference to discuss his new book, “The First Billion is the Hardest,” but the discussion soon turned to his alternative energy plan.

The press conference, held in the Conoco Phillips OSU Alumni Center, allowed Pickens to have a conversation with local and state media. Though several questions concerned Pickens’ book, most involved his comprehensive energy plan, known as “Pickens Plan,” and how it would be implemented.

He mentioned that he discussed the plan in chapters 7 and 13, but his book is not about energy, rather about his life. Not so much an autobiography, he said, but reflections on his life. Though he had help with a writer, he stressed it was still his book.

“Call it what you want to, but it’s me,” he said. “You’ll see it’s my voice.”

Most of the questions that followed dealt with the Pickens Plan, which he said is more for “you and your children.” To get the message of his plan out to the public, he has been holding town hall meeting across the state, conducting advertising campaigns on television and newspapers, and operating a Web site that boasts more than 5 million visitors since its creation earlier this year. He has also spoken with presidential candidates Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain.

Part of his plan incorporates wind power. There are two large wind corridors in the United States, he said, one from Texas to Canada and the other from Texas to California. Part of his plan is to harness the wind in west Texas with a massive wind farm in Pampa, which could begin operating by the end of 2010.

He also sees hope in natural gas-powered cars, which would have a definite impact on oil consumption in the United States.

With his plan, Pickens hopes to reduce U.S. dependence on oil imports by as much as 20 percent in five years, he said.

“You’ve got to have a plan,” he said. “If you have a better plan, I’ll adopt your plan and we’ll do it together, but it’s all about a plan.”

Pickens has donated approximately $400 million to OSU. In May, he donated $100 million to serve as a matching fund for other donations with a potential impact of $200 million.

        

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