The U.S. secretary of interior said that coal and other fossil fuels will remain a part of the nation's energy future while reducing the carbon emissions that enter the atmosphere is a priority for the country.

"I don't want you to be scared, those of you here who are supportive of coal and oil and natural gas," said Secretary Ken Salazar during his address at the Great Plains Energy Expo and Showcase at the Bismarck Civic Center on Monday. "The fact remains that oil, gas and coal are a very important part of our energy portfolio and will remain a part of the energy portfolio in the future."

Salazar, who was appointed secretary by President Barack Obama in January, called North Dakota a leader in the country's "new energy frontier" with its potential for wind energy and its growing stature as a source of domestic oil. However, as a member of an administration that is promoting an energy plan that could increase taxes on big users of fossil fuels such as coal, he worked to make his energy goal palatable to utilities that rely on those energy sources.

"We must also not forget that we as a nation must deal with climate change," Salazar said. "We need to have the right incentives for industries that will be impacted."

Incentives he discussed included funding to improve carbon capture and storage and other strategies to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced in the burning of coal and other fuels.

"Some may say that the day for coal has come and gone," Salazar said. "I would argue that it has not."

Scientists blame carbon emissions for climate change. Utilities have criticized legislation that would reduce carbon in the atmosphere by capping emissions and making producers pay for the carbon they produce above the cap.

Though North Dakota is a major producer of oil and coal-generated power, Salazar said that it also can play a major role in the production of green energy, such as wind power. North Dakota is said to have the greatest potential of any state as a producer of wind power.

"North Dakota is at the point of the spear as we move forward to develop a comprehensive energy plan," Salazar said during a press conference Monday, where he and Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said they supported improved transmission infrastructure that would allow more wind-generated electricity to be sent to large population areas such as Chicago.

In response to Salazar's speech, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee said the climate legislation being debated in Washington would be costly to consumers and hurt the economy.

"Should this bill pass, North Dakota families and businesses will face higher energy costs every time they flip on a light switch, start a car or delivery truck, or manufacture a product," wrote LeRoy Coleman in an e-mailed statement. "With families struggling and the economy in shambles, Secretary Salazar should have to explain to North Dakotans why he wants to raise their taxes."

Dorgan organized the expo in collaboration with Bismarck State College and engineering firm Kadrmas, Lee and Jackson. It concludes today following presentations by Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and senior Department of Energy official Matt Rogers.

(Reach reporter Christopher Bjorke at 250-8261 or chris.bjorke@bismarcktribune.com.)