McCain leads environmental talk, takes rainy walk near North Bend

Republican presidential candidate John McCain led an environmental discussion with local business and political leaders today before going on a short — and rainy — nature walk.

Nine panelists offered their perspectives on subsidies, nuclear power, environmentally friendly business practices and global warming during an hourlong discussion at the Cedar River Watershed Education Center outside of North Bend.

Seattle gets 70 percent of its drinking water from the Cedar River watershed.

McCain told the room of about 100 people, including press, that promoting "green" business practices would be good for the economy because it will encourage ingenuity and new products.

"I just firmly and steadfastly reject the notion that this is going to be something that's harmful to our economy," he said.

He said a wind-turbine company he visited in Portland on Monday is employing thousands of people and is "contributing to probably as clean a technology as you'll ever find."

He seemed particularly interested in hearing from Sally Jewell, chief executive officer of REI. He asked her questions about how offering recycled products has affected the outdoor gear cooperative's business. At one point, he asked her bluntly: "What do you want me to do?"

She told him he should offer incentives for businesses to be more environmentally responsible. That's essentially what McCain announced support for this week in Oregon in his "cap-and-trade" proposal to reduce carbon emissions that are linked to global warming.

During the panel, he said government can also play a bigger role in researching new products — like a better battery for electric cars — and said he would support a national education program to encourage people to recycle.

"I'm a little wary of — I have to give you straight talk — about government subsidies," he said. "We just saw the impact, I think, of the subsidies for ethanol. I opposed the subsidies for ethanol because I thought it would distort the market. ... When government jumps in and distorts the market, then there are unintended consequences as well as intended consequences."

Bruce Williams, chairman and CEO of HomeStreet Bank, questioned McCain's call for more nuclear energy as a way to wean the nation from carbon producing fossil fuels. Williams noted that Washington state is still dealing with nuclear-waste issues at Hanford.

"We'd like to see that taken care of before we make more of it," said Williams, who also is vice chairman of Cascade Land Conservancy.

McCain said he understands the controversy over nuclear waste at Hanford and knows there is much more to be done there.

"All I'm saying is, if other countries are able to make use of nuclear power and address the issue of spent nuclear fuel, then I don't know why the United States of America can't," he said.

He added that if new nuclear-power plants are built then new coal-fired plants won't be needed. "I'm all for clean coal," he said, but added that the technology is still too expensive to be viable.

Emily Heffter: 206-464-8246 or eheffter@seattletimes.com