FACTBOX-U.S. presidential candidates on environment, energy
May 12 (Reuters) - With crude oil prices hovering near a record $125 a barrel, energy and environmental issues like global warming have moved to the forefront of the U.S. presidential campaign.
Here is what the candidates are saying about energy and the environment:
* CLIMATE CHANGE
NEW YORK SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, DEMOCRAT - Cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 through a cap-and-trade system; require all publicly traded U.S. companies to file report on climate change risks with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
ILLINOIS SEN. BARACK OBAMA, DEMOCRAT - Cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050; reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020; require fuel suppliers to cut carbon content by 10 percent by 2020.
ARIZONA SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, REPUBLICAN - Favors a cap-and-trade CO2 approach; sponsored legislation in 2007 to cut emissions by 30 percent by 2050.
* GASOLINE PRICES
CLINTON - Investigate oil companies and energy traders to see if market manipulation is occurring; take pressure off pump prices by releasing emergency crude oil stockpiles; suspend 18.4-cents-per-gallon federal tax on gasoline during the summer.
OBAMA - Probe energy industry activities, stop filling emergency oil reserve.
MCCAIN - Suspend federal gasoline tax from May 22 to Sept. 1, suspend filling oil reserve.
* OIL USE
CLINTON - Cut foreign oil imports by two-thirds from 2030 projected levels, more than 10 million barrels per day.
OBAMA - Reduce overall oil consumption by at least 35 percent, or 10 million barrels per day, by 2030 to offset imports from OPEC nations.
MCCAIN - No specified targets. Has said he will unveil "a national energy strategy that will amount to a declaration of independence from the fear bred by our reliance on oil sheiks."
* VEHICLE FUEL ECONOMY
CLINTON - Boost corporate average fuel economy standards, or CAFE, to 55 miles per gallon (4.28 l/100 km) by 2030, offer $20 billion in "green vehicle bonds" to help U.S. automakers meet standards, invest in plug-in hybrid technology.
OBAMA - Double fuel economy standards in 18 years, give automakers tax credits to retool plants and invest in advanced lightweight materials and new engines.
MCCAIN - Has not specified CAFE targets. Voted against energy amendments in 2003 that would have boosted CAFE to 40 mpg (5.88 l/100 km) by 2015.
* BIOFUELS
CLINTON - Make 60 billion gallons (273 billion litres) of biofuels available for trucks and cars by 2030.
OBAMA - Boost renewable fuel standard to at least 60 billion gallons of advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol by 2030; build out ethanol distribution infrastructure; mandate that all new vehicles be "flexfuel" by the end of 2012; produce 2 billion gallons (9 billion litres) of "cellulosic" ethanol from non-corn sources like switchgrass by 2013.
MCCAIN - Favors ethanol incentives after opposing them in the past. Generally opposes subsidies and tariffs that distort marketplace.
Source: campaign Web sites, speeches (Reporting by Chris Baltimore)
