Friday, May 11, 2001 | 10:50 a.m.
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., on Thursday led early Democratic criticism of a much-awaited energy plan being drafted by Vice President Dick Cheney, which is set for release next week.
Reid stressed that the nation should increase energy supply while also protecting the environment, saying Cheney's task force did not focus enough on renewable energy.
Reid, joined at a press conference by Democratic Sens. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., Jeff Bingaman, N.M., and Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., also rapped Cheney for working in secret -- not with the Congress -- and relying on oil, gas, coal and nuclear utility company executives for input.
"We believe we shouldn't have to read about this in the paper -- it's been leaked out little by little," Reid said.
Bush early in his term directed Cheney to cobble together a comprehensive energy strategy for America. While it is still under wraps, some points have been openly discussed, a few publicly by Cheney himself.
Democrats generally have been critical of Bush energy plans, such as drilling for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. The Bush-Cheney energy strategy should put a stronger emphasis on conservation and fuel efficiency, such as more efficient cars and air conditioners, Reid said.
Cheney took fire from Democrats for saying that conservation is a "personal virtue" but not a cornerstone of a comprehensive energy strategy.
"We encourage the task force to ensure that its proposal is aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and improving air and water quality," Reid said in a follow-up letter to Bush dated Thursday. "Environmental quality and public health are not matters we can afford to set aside in pursuit of greater energy supplies."
Reid, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, also has said Cheney's public suggestions that the nation should increase nuclear power production is a problem, because officials have not dealt with the issue of nuclear waste. Congress' proposal to bury the waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, is not a viable solution, Nevada lawmakers have long said.
The Cheney plan will include some proposals that will require congressional approval, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said Thursday at a Senate hearing on the Department of Energy's budget. The DOE budget includes $445 million, a $54.6 million increase over last year, for projects at Yucca Mountain. Nevada lawmakers want to scale back that funding.
The proposed DOE budget also calls for major cuts in renewable energy spending, which Reid has criticized. Abraham defended those cuts today, saying renewable energy technology is fully developed already and little more research is needed.
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