Oct 27 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Kevin Spear The Orlando
Sentinel, Fla.
The Republican slogan "Drill, baby, drill" and the Democratic chant of
"Jobs, baby, jobs" go far in reflecting how John McCain and Barack Obama
would approach the nation's energy policy.
Among his positions, McCain, of Arizona, emphasizes domestic oil production
while calling for an aggressive return to building nuclear-power plants.
Obama, of Illinois, envisions a new economy sparked by solar, wind and other
renewable sources of energy that he says will create millions of jobs.
Overall, the two U.S. senators claim they will be more assertive than
President Bush in tackling global warming and other energy issues. But their
approaches will differ sharply in many cases, leaving voters a clear choice
at a very crucial time.
With the nation facing a perilous energy future, experts are at odds over
how to keep the lights on and cars running at affordable prices while not
rendering the environment miserable for people and wildlife.
The world's tightening oil supply remains prone to price shocks. The high
cost of nuclear power means its resurgence is far from certain. Coal has
fallen into disfavor -- again -- as too dirty. The technology of alternative
energy is struggling to grow out of its infancy.
Then there's global warming, threatening to be faster and more damaging than
anybody thought, according to a study released last week by the World
Wildlife Fund.
"We're confronting a planetary crisis," said Richard Moss, a top climate
expert at the environmental group. "The next president will face a really
daunting challenge."
Global warming
To the relief of scientists and environmentalists, McCain and Obama are
expected to launch the nation's long-awaited and comprehensive battle
against global warming.
McCain has scored kudos for sponsoring a bill early this decade to reduce
emissions of carbon dioxide, the key villain in accelerating global warming.
Today, McCain calls for a relatively cautious phasing in of limits on carbon
dioxide spewed from cars, power plants and businesses.
Obama's platform calls for strong and more immediate limits. His primary
target, an 80 percent reduction of carbon emissions by 2050, matches
recommendations by many climate scientists.
Drilling
Political opposition to offshore drilling long has been a no-brainer in
Florida, where residents opposed rigs that could mar the state's popular
beaches. But when gas climbed to $4 a gallon earlier this year, both
candidates took a second look at the need to drill.
McCain said that under the right circumstances he would encourage drilling
in the eastern third of the Gulf of Mexico, the portion carefully guarded by
Floridians. He gives expanded domestic oil drilling high priority. At the
same time, McCain -- as well as Obama -- has resisted pressure to drill in
Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Many Republicans, including
McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, want that conservation area
opened to rigs.
Obama also said he was open to drilling in Florida's offshore waters as long
as it was part of a progressive energy plan. Environmentalists said they
felt betrayed. Yet, for the most part, Obama would limit expansion of
drillable areas and encourage oil companies to get as much oil as possible
from areas and sources already available.
Atomic energy
About 20 percent of the nation's electricity comes from 104 nuclear
reactors. Yet few new plants have come on line since the meltdown at Three
Mile Island in 1979.
A comeback has been in the works, in part because nuclear plants emit little
pollution that causes global warming. But they could cost nearly $10 billion
apiece, bringing hikes in electric bills.
McCain wants to build 45 nuclear reactors by 2030 and thinks the worries
about radioactive waste can be solved without interrupting the industry's
rebirth.
Obama doesn't rule out new nuclear power but says concerns about radioactive
waste must be dealt with before construction starts. That's a big condition.
He opposes storage of waste at the proposed and controversial Yucca Mountain
national repository in Nevada.
Clean coal
Last year, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist led efforts to halt the building of
coal-fired power plants in the state, including one near Orlando. Crist's
action came as part of his mission to slow the growing rate of
carbon-dioxide emissions in Florida.
Killing coal plants left utilities with iffy nuclear and pricey natural-gas
options, as well as conservation programs and alternative energies not yet
proven on a large scale.
But few utility executives are forgetting that the nation is the Saudi
Arabia of coal, holding hundreds of years of the low-cost fossil fuel.
McCain and Obama say they support "clean coal," which means, in effect, that
any new coal plants are years away.
The term "clean coal" once described coal plants equipped to reduce
pollution that causes smog, acid rain and mercury contamination. Now it
means stripping out carbon dioxide as well. Theoretically, the gas can be
stored underground. Scientists are looking for safe and affordable
techniques.
New energy
McCain, a resident of one of the nation's most sun-drenched states, also
wants to boost development of solar, wind and other alternative energies.
However, he offers fewer specifics or incentives than Obama.
Obama wants to promote development of advanced-energy technology. To do
that, he will push for investments of $150 billion over a decade, which in
turn will help create 5 million jobs.
Big picture
Obama, predictably, has garnered endorsements from environmental groups such
as the Sierra Club.
McCain is hardly seen today as a maverick on environmental and energy
issues, falling somewhere between Obama and Bush in his approach.
That could explain why he hasn't sparked a lot of favor among conservatives
who want little government restriction in energy or environmental issues.
Tom Borelli, a senior fellow at the conservative National Center for Public
Policy Research in Washington, holds higher regard for Bush's energy
politics.
"I'd give McCain a C-plus and Obama an F," Borelli said.
Kevin Spear can be reached at kspear@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5062.
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