Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Southgate, used his conference call with Kentucky reporters Tuesday to criticize Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, on alternative fuel issues.

Bunning and Obama previously co-sponsored legislation on coal-to-liquid fuels, which would have provided federal subsidies for plant construction and money for research into carbon sequestration. But Bunning said Tuesday – the morning after Obama had a campaign rally in Louisville attended by several thousand – that Obama’s position on coal-to-liquid fuels changes from state to state.

“It depends on what state he’s campaigning in,” Bunning said. “He may or may not be supporting our bill. My question for the senator from Illinois is: ‘Where have you been?’ It’s a shame presidential politics and special interests trump the needs of the American people.”

Illinois, like Kentucky, produces coal and has sought to lure companies to convert coal to liquid fuels or natural gas. Obama has said he supports such alternative fuels, but he’s made it clear he thinks the threat of climate change from carbon and other polluting emissions is real and must be addressed.

Bunning has been a consistent and outspoken proponent of coal-to-liquid fuels. He has sponsored legislation that would subsidize construction of such facilities, support the price of the fuel and require its use by the federal government. It would require production of about 6 billion barrels by the year 2022. Kentucky’s other senator, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Leader, included Bunning’s legislation in energy legislation he filed earlier this month.

Bunning said it’s time for action.

“The American people are watching gas prices go through the roof and this summer’s electrical rates will do the same thing,” Bunning said Tuesday.

Bunning said he supports suspending purchases of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the federal stockpiling of oil in case of a national emergency.

“I don’t think we need to be putting oil into the reserve at $120 a barrel when we have a three-month supply,” Bunning said.

Bunning was asked in light of his criticism of Obama what he made of likely Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain’s remarks Monday in which he said he would take climate change more seriously than the Bush administration.

“Everybody already knew where Sen. McCain was on climate change,” Bunning said. “All three presidential candidates are in about the same place on climate change.” Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, remains a candidate for the Democratic nomination.

Bunning said any global agreement on climate change and limiting emissions must somehow include China and India and other developing countries. He said he could support such a treaty if those countries were included and abided by its requirements.

Changing subjects, Bunning predicted Bruce Lunsford is likely to win the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Kentucky on May 20. He said McConnell will poll in the 90 percentile or better in the Republican primary and Hillary Clinton will win the Kentucky presidential Democratic primary by 20 points.

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.