Congressional hopeful: Climate is in crisis

Democratic congressional hopeful Bill Foster on Monday outlined his energy policy ideas, calling global warming "the most serious environmental challenge facing us today."

The Geneva scientist and businessman released a six-page statement arguing that corporate tax breaks promoting oil drilling should be dumped in favor of investing in solar power, geothermal power, wind energy and biofuels. Foster also wants policymakers to take another look at nuclear power.

"We must aggressively combat climate change, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and promote cleaner and more economical sources of energy," Foster said at a news conference.

A solid energy policy impacts everything from gas prices to Middle East turmoil, said Foster, a former Fermilab physicist for whom science and the environment are pet issues.

Foster will face John Laesch, Jotham Stein and Joe Serra in the Feb. 5 primary for the 14th Congressional District.

Laesch's campaign platform includes a plan to create tax breaks for homeowners who purchase energy efficient windows, insulation and appliances. He also wants to allocate more federal transportation funding to public transit systems.

"I would like to see us invest heavily in renewable energy sources and I would do it at the consumer end," said Laesch, a Newark carpenter and Navy veteran who unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert a year ago. "A lot of the technology already exists. But the thing is they're so expensive, nobody can afford them."

Stein's campaign Web site includes a 10-point issue statement on global warming and energy independence. One of his ideas is to tax consumers who purchase low-mileage "gas guzzlers" and reallocate those funds as rebates to consumers who buy fuel-efficient cars.

"The only way we're going to fix global warming is to reduce the emissions from cars and from commercial smokestacks," said Stein, a St. Charles attorney.

Serra said he favors investigating alternative energy sources.

"I really honestly believe we need to get off of petroleum as an energy source," said Serra of Geneva. "I don't have a definite policy right now on the use of coal. I'm still on the fence about that quite frankly."

Competing on the GOP side are state Sen. Chris Lauzen, dairy tycoon Jim Oberweis, Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns and Michael Dilger of Evanston.