By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

Though he acknowledges that the state can have only a limited impact on gasoline prices, Jeff Harris said Thursday that he wants to see Missouri consumers protected from the costs of “hot fuel.”

The Democratic candidate for Missouri attorney general said he also would use the office to protect state residents from pollution by factory farms and to enforce stronger consumer-protection measures.

Harris made the comments during a gathering at Ewert Park in Joplin, as part of a campaign swing through Southwest Missouri. Nearly 50 local Democrats attended to hear from the candidate, and share a dinner of fried chicken and side dishes.

He said that because gasoline expands at higher temperatures, oil companies should be required to upgrade retail fuel pumps to adjust to higher temperatures, so that consumers “don’t lose energy and pay more at the pump.”

“Gas prices are hurting everyone and people should get what they pay for,” he said. “I’d put the oil companies on notice.”

As minority leader in the Missouri House of Representatives, Harris sponsored a bill that would have created a buffer to prevent confined-animal-feeding operations from locating close to state and national parks, and other natural areas. Harris said he still favors that limitation, and noted he opposed another law that would have taken away local controls on CAFOs in counties that wanted to impose health regulations and other limitations.

“I support family farms, but I think local residents should be able to decide whether or not a factory farm can locate in their county,” he said.

If elected attorney general, Harris said he also would enforce current environmental regulations and advocate new ones to further protect the state’s air and water.

He said he also would advocate consumer protection measures that would crack down on predatory lending practices from businesses such as payday lenders, would expand the state’s no-call list to include cell phones and to ban automated political calls.

Harris said his campaign is gaining support statewide and noted a recent poll that said he had a 10-point lead over his nearest competitor.

“We’re building a grass-roots network statewide; our support looks like the Democratic Party,” he said.

Harris, of Columbia, was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002. He previously was an assistant attorney general in the office of Jay Nixon. Also on the Democratic ballot for the office are Chris Koster, Belton, a former Republican state senator who changed parties before filing for the post; state Rep. Margaret Donnelley, St. Louis; and Molly Williams, a Kansas City attorney.