Kerry
Talks Renewable Energy in Santa Fe
SANTA
FE— Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry
drew big applause from northern New Mexico supporters
Monday when he touted renewable energy and fuel-efficient
vehicles.
"My
plan will focus on finding new sources of energy,"
the Massachusetts senator said in a speech that focused
on energy issues. "We will make clean coal a real
part of our energy future. ... We will ensure that by
the year 2020, 20 percent of our electricity comes from
renewable sources like wind, solar, biomass or other
options."
Kerry's speech came as New Mexico turned into ground
zero of the presidential campaign, at least for a few
hours. President Bush spoke about two hours earlier
in Hobbs, in the southeastern part of the state, and
CNN broadcast political talk from the Santa Fe Plaza.
Kerry, who is in Santa Fe to prepare for Wednesday's
final presidential debate in Arizona, rallied hundreds
of people who waited an hour or more in the rain outside
the Sweeney Center before his speech. Once inside, organizers
estimated the crowd at 1,500. A rough count found about
half that many in the room.
Alternative energy is becoming a reality in New Mexico,
where a rule already requires that 10 percent of the
state's electricity come from renewable sources by 2011.
Gov. Bill Richardson, who introduced Kerry, has been
a driving force for renewable energy in New Mexico and
the West.
Kerry said his plan would make America independent of
Middle East oil in 10 years.
He said he would improve fuel efficiency for cars and
trucks, create a $20 billion energy trust fund with
royalties corporations now pay for the right to drill
on public lands, and create 500,000 new clean energy
jobs in the United States through the use of economic
incentives.
He said New Mexico's national labs would "play
a critical role."
"Here in New Mexico, in places like the new wind
farm in Quay County, you've seen how investments in
renewable energy protect the environment while they
also produce new jobs," Kerry said. "My friends,
none of this is pie in the sky, none of this is out
of reach."
Ronni Ashcroft, a Santa Fe Democrat who said she hadn't
decided yet whether to vote for Kerry or Bush, said
she was leaning a little more toward Kerry after his
speech.
"He
seemed easier in his skin, much more comfortable with
his own message than he has been," she said.
Steve Blumberg of Santa Fe said Kerry "laid out
plans that made sense, that are doable. The current
president wouldn't ever be able to make a speech like
this."
Taos Democrat Sandy Seth said it is a compliment to
Santa Fe and New Mexico that Kerry is here.
"It's exciting that he's here, here to prep for
the debates, and it's an extra plus that he's giving
this rally," said Seth's sister, Laurel Seth of
Santa Fe.
Kerry opened his speech with criticism of Bush, devoting
about one page of his 31/2 pages of prepared text to
criticism of the president's energy policies. He told
the crowd that Bush hasn't been able to get an energy
bill in place despite working with a Republican-controlled
Congress.
"Just
like with jobs, 1.6 million lost; health care, 5 million
people lost their health care; and education, millions
of children left behind; the president has more excuses
than results," he said.
"Year
after year, President Bush has proposed budgets that
shortchange investments in clean, renewable, domestic
sources of energy— like wind, solar, biomass.
He ignores real energy conservation. And when it comes
to developing a real energy policy, George Bush has
run out of gas."
Kerry said Bush's energy policy would give $15 billion
in tax breaks to the president's friends in the oil
and gas industry, exempt oil and gas drilling sites
from parts of the Clean Water Act, and open "sensitive
wildlife habitats like the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge ... and Otero Mesa here in your backyard to big
oil and big gas drillers."
Bush-Cheney '04 spokesman Danny Diaz responded later
Monday, accusing Kerry of trying to mislead New Mexico
voters about energy independence.
"But
they're not going to trust his false accusations after
his campaign advisers have called his own energy plan
'unrealistic' and 'misleading' and admitted his energy
attacks are 'irresponsible' and 'asinine,' '' Diaz said.
"Kerry obstructed President Bush's comprehensive
energy plan last year, which would reduce the cost of
fuel, and his scare tactics today won't be enough to
close his credibility gap among New Mexico voters."
By
Tania Soussan
|
