McCain Wants More
Eco-Action From GOP

CONCORD, N.H. —(AP)— Some conservation groups are challenging Republican presidential contender John McCain's record on the environment, even as McCain says his party should tackle the environmental issues it has long neglected.

``McCain has been a leader on certain Arizona issues, but that hasn't translated to the national level,'' said Lisa Wade, spokeswoman for the League of Conservation Voters.

In the last two years, McCain scored 29 percent and 0 percent, respectively, on the league's National Environmental Score Card. Congressmen are rated annually according to votes on issues such as mining, public lands and the storage of nuclear waste.

McCain has come under fire for trying to eliminate tax credits to ethanol and methanol producers. The tax credit program was designed two decades ago to promote a clean, homegrown alternative to imported oil.

McCain says the program is wasteful government spending.

He also has been criticized for writing legislation that re-authorized military use of a 2.7 million-acre bombing range in Arizona, and similar ranges in other states.

But during a recent trip to New Hampshire, McCain emphasized his environmental accomplishments. He helped place 3.5 million acres of Arizona land into ``pristine wilderness status,'' reduce the number of noisy flights over the Grand Canyon and regulate water flow from dams to protect the national treasure.

``Certainly in the Grand Canyon, John McCain has been a champion,'' said Rob Smith, Southwest staff director of the Sierra Club. ``But as a national senator, he certainly hasn't broken ranks with the anti-environmental Republican leadership of the current Congress.''

McCain acknowledged Friday that Republicans should do more for the environment.

``As a party, we need to get back to some of the environmental issues that we may not have paid as much attention to,'' he told members of the New Hampshire Republicans for Responsible Conservation.