T. Boone Pickens at Today's Alt Fuel Conference: "U.S. Energy Policy: Time is Running Out" - VIDEO ENHANCED

“Listen to OPEC...they are telling the world that they need oil at $75 per barrel and it will soon be at that price level”

ORLANDO, FL – April 20, 2009: T. Boone Pickens, the billionaire oil man who has found new religion in “green energy” sources and technologies was once again the key keynote speaker at the annual Alternative Fuel and Vehicle Institute (AFVI) conference. Bob Gordon, President and Co-Publisher of The Auto Channel, is at the conference in Disneyworld.

“Time is running out,” Pickens said, “because after 40 years there is still no plan for America's energy needs in the U.S.”

Last week a new bill HR1835, the Natural Gas Bill, was presented for congressional approval. The new bill calls for the government to supplement the cost of Natural Gas as a fuel for cars and trucks. Talking about this bill, Pickens said, “…within the next 6 months we will see what's really going to happen...the details as enacted will be know soon...but hey it has to happen.”

It was at AFVI’s conference last May that T. Boone introduced the nucleus of what has become formally known at the The Pickens Plan. This proposal calls for the use of compressed natural gas as the interim step to the sustainable transportation fuel future. In today’s update on the plan he remarked that “We need to have the big rigs that move around our country make CNG their fuel of choice because each truck that replaces diesel with natural gas will have the same economic and ecological effect as 325 CNG passenger cars.”

Click PLAY to watch T. Boone Pickens complete presentation at last May's AFVI event

Mr. Pickens is also predicting a fourth wave, a patriotic movement here in the United States, “Where no one will want to be associated with any vehicle that uses foreign oil and all that that means.”

Reflecting on a meeting with Al Gore, he recounted Mr. Gore's observation that there are times where “America reaches a tipping point.” As an example, he told of a peaceful civil rights march in Alabama was where the marchers were bombarded by water cannons, this he said, “Was the tipping point for the civil rights movement...after that incident changes were made...after high gasoline prices and the political policies of the oil producers, we are at the same tipping point...in the next three to five years we will change into an entirely different country.”

Boone also alluded to a statement by media mogul Ted Turner, who said that when the billions of dollars going to oil producers stays here in the U.S. it will have a major positive impact on the American economy, “Just imagine when the money stays here…”

As for natural gas, Boone said that “We are lucky that the new natural reserves were not discovered until the technology was in place that allowed us to crack natural gas and make it into a high energy fuel.”

On the subject of China, Boone predicts that they will “stop buying our debt.” “China imports about 40%of its oil...we import 70%...a large part of the U.S. downturn is from the world not understanding that even though we live like we have our own oil, we use 25% of the worlds oil but have only 3% of its reserves.” He added, “We also have an important natural resource to build our economy...natural gas.”

In a pre-speech session with a few members of the press, Boone was asked why the he is taking the Pickens Plan directly to the public. He replied that although he can get to meet with anyone he wants to, top down change doesn't work...and responding to the question, “How can a man your age keep up with your travel schedule, he replied ”We must do everything we can do, we have no choice...I get pumped up...what the hell, someone has to step up and do the right thing...I'll grind it out until it gets done. This hasn't been easy and it’s still not easy, but it’s right for our country...and we’ll get it done!

Well, Mr. Pickens, The Auto Channel hopes you keep on a'grinding, and we thank you for what you are doing for our country, our children and our grandchildren.

For more about T. Boone Pickens' Plan CLICK HERE.