By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

U.S. Sen. Jim Talent contrasted his stance with that of Democratic challenger Claire McCaskill on energy, federal surveillance activities and a variety of other issues in a campaign stop Wednesday in Joplin.

Speaking on the sidewalk outside Joplin City Hall, Talent said the Renewable Fuels Standard, a provision he added to the energy bill last year, will help farmers in the Midwest who produce grains used for ethanol production and will reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil. The measure requires oil companies to buy 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol and diesel by 2012.

"Every senator from the Midwest supported it, Republican and Democrat," he said. "There are 100 new biodiesel plants under construction, including three in western Missouri. I'd a lot rather depend on our farmers for energy independence."

The gathering attracted about 20 local supporters, plus Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and state Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, who also spoke on Talent's behalf.

Talent said McCaskill, who currently is state auditor, opposed the energy bill and also opposes oil explorations in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which he supports. He said an estimated 10 million barrels of oil are available in the refuge that could be "accessed in an environmentally sensitive way, while helping reduce gas prices and home heating costs over the long term."

Adrianne Marsh, communications director with the McCaskill campaign, called Talent's support of ethanol "an election-year conversion."

She said Talent voted against measures to support ethanol production several times, and as early as 1988 when he and McCaskill both were in the Missouri House. McCaskill voted for the bill, Marsh said.

McCaskill would have opposed the energy bill, Marsh said, because it "gives a steak dinner to big oil and saltine crackers to ethanol."

She said McCaskill opposes exploration in the Arctic refuge because no benefits would be realized for at least 10 years.

Talent said he supports the government's terrorist surveillance program. He said surveillance was one of the reasons the British were able stop a plot to blow up international flights.

"She (McCaskill) doesn't understand the threat," said Talent, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"We're fighting people who have embraced a fanatical version of Islam but understand information technology. We must be committed to fighting and winning that war, and we can't do it without the intelligence."

Marsh disagreed with Talent's characterization, saying McCaskill would support giving the president "the tools he needs to fight terrorists, if it can be done within the law or by changing the law."