ROSSLYN, Va. - The Associated Bulders and Contractors (ABC) recently voted to endorse President Bush's new energy policy, which calls for the construction of 1,300 to 1,900 new power plants in the next 20 years. The plan also calls for up to 300,000 miles of new gas pipelines and distribution lines.

"Clearly we are going to have to build more plants for fuel from ... conventional source -- coal, gas, nuclear energy," said vice president Dick Cheney at a recent White House briefing for ABC members.

ABC "wholeheartedly supports" the new energy policy, which it says will provide benefits for consumers as well as providing massive opportunity for the construction industry. According to the administration, 1,000 new construction jobs will be created for each new plant, while every 1,000 miles of pipeline will create 5,000 new jobs.

White House officials assured ABC that all new federally funded energy-related construction will be included under the administration's executive order prohibiting agencies from required union-only PLAs on federal and federally-assisted projects. This means that all new plants will be built under full and open competition.