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Bloomberg outlines national energy plan in Houston

By SARA KUGLER
Associated Press


NEW YORK — Despite constant denials that he is running for president, Mayor Michael Bloomberg laid out a national energy plan today in a speech in Houston and took veiled jabs at his potential opponents, accusing them of "politics as usual."

The Republican billionaire outlined an energy plan that proposes creating profit motives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building new wind farms and nuclear plants, phasing out the incandescent light bulb and setting early deadlines to accomplish these goals.

Bloomberg, who recently launched an effort to drastically reduce pollution by 2030 in New York City, suggested that those who set later deadlines like 2050 and 2070 are afraid to do the work and make the commitments now. A number of presidential candidates, including Democrats John Edwards, Barack Obama and Chris Dodd, and Republican John McCain, have their own proposals with a 2050 endpoint, or support plans with that deadline.

"When an elected official makes a promise to achieve something in the far-off distant future, but refuses to take the steps now that would allow us to begin making progress, that's not leadership. It's passing the buck. And unfortunately, it's politics as usual," Bloomberg said, according to a copy of his prepared remarks.

The Democrat-turned-Republican says repeatedly he will not enter the race and promises to serve his full second term as mayor, which ends December 31, 2009. The former CEO of a financial information company, whose wealth was recently estimated at more than $13 billion by Fortune magazine, says he then plans to focus full-time on philanthropy.

But just this week, Bloomberg relaunched the Web site that he used for his mayoral campaigns in 2001 and 2005, saying he wanted a place where people could learn all about him and his passions.

So the speculation persists that he will enter the 2008 race as a self-financed independent candidate. The mayor and his supporters don't exactly throw water on the buzz, and actually help fuel it with coy remarks as well as a greater focus on national issues and travel outside New York.

Bloomberg's Houston speech also ridiculed the idea of taxing sugar-based ethanol imports while subsidizing corn-based ethanol; both policies are intended to help U.S. corn growers. But the inconsistent approach to the two cleaner-burning fuels is "nothing more than pork-barrel politics," the mayor said.

Corn-based ethanol is a topic of great interest among Iowa voters, but observers say Bloomberg doesn't have to court them like other candidates do because he would likely not enter the race until after the first few primaries and caucuses.

The moderate Republican often parts with his party, supporting abortion rights, gay marriage, stem cell research and gun control, but took the rare moment in Houston on Friday to praise President Bush more than once.

He applauded Bush for forming an alliance with Brazil to promote ethanol trade as an alternative to costly foreign oil, but went on to say that "politically-driven policies are costing taxpayers billions while providing only marginal carbon reductions."

He also said government that wants to encourage private investment in clean energy sources can "begin by learning a lesson" from Bush, who signed a law when he was Texas governor that helped create a major market for renewable energy in the state.

Bloomberg proposed expanding access to natural gas sites, with more natural gas pipelines, and building new nuclear plants and wind farms. But many people, he said, aren't willing to do what it takes by allowing wind farms in the water off the coast.

"You've heard of 'Not in my backyard?' This is what you call 'Not near my beach house,'" he said.

Bloomberg unveiled his long-term sustainability plan for New York City last month on Earth Day. The plan calls for reducing carbon emissions through greener buildings, hybrid vehicles and greater fuel efficiency standards, among other initiatives.