WASHINGTON (Reuters):

U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday directed his cabinet to complete action by the end of 2008 on a plan to cut U.S. gasoline use by 20 per cent by 2017.

In his State of the Union speech in January, Bush floated a proposal to raise U.S. biofuels production five times current levels by 2017 and raise automobile fuel economy standards by four per cent a year through 2017.

"I have directed members of my administration to complete the process by the end of 2008," Bush said, speaking to reporters at the White House.

Bush said the new time frameis "the first steps toward regulations that would cut gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles using my ... plan as a starting point."