Mohave Daily News: State

SPARKS, Nev. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Tuesday that the nation's 136-year-old mining law needs to be updated, but that doesn't mean he favors an increase in fees paid by mining companies that acquire mineral-rich public lands.

McCain, speaking with reporters after a town hall meeting, reiterated his support for a nuclear waste dump at Nevada's Yucca Mountain - a project opposed by many Nevadans - but added that reprocessing nuclear waste needs to be a part of the nation's energy policies.

While he supports more development of alternative energy, McCain also said that ‘‘clean coal technology'' must be part of a broad effort to increase the nation's energy resources.

He also favors construction of dozens of nuclear power plants around the country in coming years.

The Arizona Republican also said Nevada again will be a battleground state in the fall election, and his strategy will be to stress his knowledge and understanding of Western issues, including mining, public lands and water.

‘‘I'm a Western senator. I understand these issues, (public) land, water, Native American issues, mining, many of the issues that are important to the West,'' McCain told reporters.

‘‘Nevada is a swing state and I will win it,'' he told about 1,250 people who showed up for the town hall meeting.

Discussing the federal Mining Law of 1872, McCain told reporters, ‘‘Any law that was passed in 1872 is going to have to be updated. Hello, times have changed, duh.''

McCain said he favors a comprehensive review of the law and how it's utilized by mining corporations, but added, ‘‘I'm not saying I would automatically have them pay more, but certainly it's an antiquated law.''

Any changes in the mining law are of concern in Nevada, the largest gold-producing state in the nation.

Commenting on Nevada's flagging economy, McCain touted his proposal to have the Federal Housing Administration back new, cheaper mortgages for distressed homeowners.

Regarding the proposed high-level radioactive waste dump at Nevada's Yucca Mountain, McCain said he supports the costly project that has been opposed for years by this state's political leaders - and he also wants to see development of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.