WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain offered plans yesterday to develop more fuel-efficient cars and trucks, drawing a warm welcome from energy analysts but caution from environmentalists, who warned that new vehicles might trade one problem for another if they get off oil only to plug into coal-burning power plants.
The Republican presidential candidate's proposals to increase energy efficiency, which he rolled out in Fresno, Calif., came atop his proposal last week to boost supply by opening offshore sites to oil drilling and sought to match environmental concerns to energy anxiety.
Among his proposals: a $300 million bounty to anyone who develops a powerful, long-lasting car battery to leap past pending hybrid or plug-in cars; tougher enforcement of mileage standards for cars and light trucks; a quicker transition to flex-fuel vehicles that can use alcohol-based fuel rather than gas; and a $5,000 tax credit to consumers to spark development of a zero-emission car.
"In the quest for alternatives to oil, our government has thrown around enough money subsidizing special interests and excusing failure," McCain said. "From now on, we will encourage heroic efforts in engineering, and we will reward the greatest successes."
Julie Bovey, a spokeswoman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said it was "extremely positive" that McCain was discussing clean cars and seeking to extend car-battery power and life.
However, she said the environmental advocacy group had concerns about how the new battery-powered cars would be charged.
"The question is whether we are plugging it into a green grid or a grid powered by old-fashioned dirty coal plants or new nuclear plants," Bovey said. "If we plug it into green grids, then we've really got something."
While the country hasn't yet figured out what to do with nuclear waste, nuclear power doesn't create greenhouse-gas emissions as coal-burning power plants do.
Ed Kjaer, director of electric transportation for Southern California Edison, called McCain's ideas good news. The utility provides electricity for 11 counties and has more than 300 electric cars.
"The battery technology is maturing very rapidly," Kjaer said. ". . . Sen. McCain's challenge is in the right direction."
McCain's latest proposal reflects how rapidly gas prices have risen to a top issue in the presidential campaign.
His Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama, also proposes new energy-efficient technology, with a promise to spend $150 billion over 10 years to spark development.
McCain criticized America's research and development and incentives to wean itself from foreign oil as inadequate. "Right now we have a hodgepodge of incentives for the purchase of fuel-efficient cars," he said. "Different hybrids and natural-gas cars carry different incentives, ranging from a few hundred dollars to four grand."
Obama's campaign dismissed McCain's ideas as too little and too much of a shift from his record to be trusted.
"A bogus solution to a major problem," said Jason Furman, the economic policy director for Obama's campaign.
McCain Disavows Adviser's Remark
John McCain distanced himself yesterday from a top adviser who said that another terror attack on U.S. soil this year would benefit the GOP presidential candidate. Barack Obama's campaign called the comment, for which the adviser later apologized, a "complete disgrace."
Charlie Black, an adviser already in the spotlight for his past lobbying work, was quoted in the forthcoming issue of Fortune magazine as saying such an attack "certainly would be a big advantage to him."
Black was also quoted as saying that the "unfortunate event" of the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto "helped us."
Asked about Black's comments at a news conference, McCain said, "I cannot imagine why he would say it; it's not true."
Black later told reporters: "I deeply regret the comments. They were inappropriate."
- Associated Press
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