Baldacci, Allen denounce Bush energy measure

WASHINGTON – President Bush’s sweeping national energy plan will go to a full vote in the House this week, but so far it looks as though he won’t be getting much support from Maine’s two U.S. representatives.

Called the Securing America’s Future Energy Act, the measure seeks to expand the nation’s domestic energy supply with more aggressive development of oil, gas, nuclear power and alternatives fuels.

The legislation also calls for opening up federal lands to new exploration and drilling and would create billions of dollars in new tax credits to encourage the development of alternative energy and “clean coal” technology.

Topping the list of more controversial proposals, the legislation would allow oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an untouched wilderness that is home to the largest wild caribou herd in the world.

Lawmakers may vote on the bill as early as Wednesday.

Maine’s two House members, Tom Allen and John Baldacci, who both are Democrats, say they would like to see the legislation make a bigger push for fuel efficiency and conservation. They also oppose the opening of ANWR to oil and gas development.

“It’s off balance and looks toward the past rather than the future,” Allen said of the legislation as it now stands.

House Democrats plan to propose substitute legislation as well as seven major amendments to the GOP version that will include a proposal to ban oil and gas drilling in ANWR.

Other Democratic amendments will seek to increase fuel mileage requirements for autos and sport utility vehicles, make home appliances such as air conditioners more efficient, and further encourage the development of renewable energy sources, Allen said.

Baldacci hopes to offer an amendment that would allow a maximum $2,000 tax credit for the winterization and insulation of homes and small businesses.

“We need to get more out of the energy we are using,” Baldacci said. “I think we slacked off a little when oil was at $10 a barrel.”

Baldacci said he also would like to see greater attention to making pipelines and transmission lines for electricity made more efficient.

Because of the GOP proposals for tax incentives, Democrats also will be pushing for a measure to offset that cost to the federal budget. The most likely source would be a rollback on the recent $1.35 trillion tax cut passed last spring.

“Most of that tax cut involves the wealthiest people in the country,” Allen said. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see an offset to delay some of that.”