[img_assist|nid=1556|title=Congressional candidate Charlie Brown (D-Roseville)|desc=Campaign photo|link=none|align=right|width=171|height=188]Congressional candidate Charlie Brown released a six-point energy plan Tuesday that involves the government switching to alternative energy sources, tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and both closing tax loopholes for oil companies and creating tax credits for consumers who invest in renewable energy products.

Brown, a Democrat from Roseville, released the plan in acknowledgment of record high oil and gas prices that have already hampered the U.S. economy, he said in a press release.

"Solving our energy problems does not require additional federal spending, but it does require new priorities and a willingness to act," Brown said in the release.

The centerpiece of Brown's plan was a $100 billion push based on the Apollo project to make the federal government switch to using alternative energy sources wherever possible.

Doing so would set an example and show businesses and consumers what possibilities exist, Brown said in the release.

The government should also build more gasoline refineries, tap the federal oil reserve immediately to help lower prices, drill for oil on lands already approved for oil exploration and make the aforementioned changes to tax policy to encourage alternative energy investment, according to Brown.

In addition to closing tax loopholes for oil companies, Brown proposed making permanent tax credits for research and development related to renewable energy sources.

Brown opposed drilling for oil in areas where it isn't already allowed, such as off the coasts of many states, including California. President Bush lifted an executive moratorium on such drilling last week. Congress would have to do the same for drilling to start in those spots.

"Any patriotic American would drill for oil on the White House lawn if it would solve our energy problems," Brown wrote in the release. "But the hard truth is that we can't drill our way out of this problem."

He noted that both the workers and ships needed for new drilling are in short supply, making it illogical to push for new drilling when even existing areas approved for drilling still haven't been fully tapped.

Brown is running in California's 4th Congressional District against State Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) to replace U.S. Rep. John Doolittle (R-Roseville).

Though the district is heavily conservative, Brown narrowly lost to Doolittle in 2006 and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee committed this week to spending money on the race this fall.