Reid raps Bush over change in stance on carbon dioxide

Wednesday, March 14, 2001 | 10 a.m.

Reversing his campaign pledge to cut carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming, President Bush brought criticism from Nevada's top Democrat and praise from conservatives and energy companies.

Burning coal and oil to generate power produces carbon dioxide, a major source of warming, scientists said in a report earlier this year to the United Nations. The Clinton administration backed U.S. efforts to reduce its production of carbon dioxide 22 percent, but the protocol had not been ratified by the Senate.

Bush wrote a two-page letter Tuesday to conservative Sens. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., Larry Craig, R-Idaho, Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Jesse Helms, R-N.C., saying California's energy crisis and rising fuel prices prompted the change in his stance on cutting the gas.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he was disappointed that Bush abandoned his pledge to limit carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.

"Last year on the campaign trail, President Bush pledged his support for limiting carbon dioxide emissions, and I am disappointed that the administration has chosen not to honor this commitment to the American people," said Reid, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ranking member.

Reid said he had hoped Bush would begin a "constructive discussion" on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but apparently Congress will have to pursue the goal on its own.

"This decision is nearsighted energy and environmental policy, plain and simple," Reid said.

Moderate Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island said the Bush shift bothered him, because it sacrificed long-term goals for short-term energy problems.

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., was ill today and had not had a chance to review the president's letter, spokeswoman Traci Scott said.

The Bush change on the global warming gas contradicted his Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Todd Whitman, who publicly supported limiting carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and mercury as late as last week. Carbon dioxide is the only one of the four that is not regulated under the current Clean Air Act.