U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson stopped in Lincoln Wednesday near the end of his two-day statewide tour to promote a new bipartisan energy plan he and nine other senators will try to push through Congress in September.

Calling themselves the “Gang of 10,” the five Republicans and five Democrats crafted a plan that focuses on getting more energy-efficient vehicles on the road, expanding conservation and promoting renewable energy projects and programs, and opening up more coastal areas for off-shore oil and gas drilling.

The plan includes giving drivers up to $7,500 to buy new advanced-fuel and fuel efficient vehicles; and $50,000 to gas station owners to install more E85 pumps (gas that contains 85 percent ethanol).

“Our balanced and bipartisan bill is the best proposal to bring Congress together on this critical issue,” Nelson said. “Nebraskans and all Americans are suffering from sky high energy prices and Congress needs to get in gear now.”

Nelson kicked off his eight-city tour in Omaha Tuesday. Other stops included: South Sioux City, Ainsworth, Chadron, Trenton, Hastings, Lincoln and Mead.

Along the way, he visited an E85 gas station, ethanol plant, wind farm, woodchip-powered energy plant, active oil wells and a switchgrass field.

Nelson told an audience at the University of Nebraska East Campus Student Union Wednesday he and the other senators believe the energy legislation has a chance of succeeding, despite partisan politics in Washington, and the bad timing of the presidential election in November.

“The American people are aware of the crisis that exists and they expect solutions,” Nelson said.

The plan advocates opening up areas of the Gulf of Mexico for more oil and gas leasing and getting Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia to approve drilling for oil and gas off their shores. Coastal environmental protection also would be part of the plan.

“Nobody expects us to drill our way out of this,” Nelson said, adding that any new supplies would be for domestic use only.

Total cost of the energy legislation is $84 billion. Nelson said most of the money would come from lease revenues paid by the oil and gas industries and eliminating their tax advantages.

Ken Cassman, director of the Nebraska Center for Energy Science Research, said the plan is “a positive step forward because it recognizes that there is no silver bullet to the challenges ahead.”

Cassman, who was part of a panel that commented on the plan, said ethanol production will soon be the largest industry in the state and will help reduce this country’s energy use by 10 percent. He also praised the proposed investments in hybrid car technology and development of second-generation biofuels like switchgrass.

State Climatologist Al Dutcher said wind energy technology has improved in recent years and Great Plains states like Nebraska now have “good to almost excellent” wind energy potential. Before, much of the state was considered marginal, he said.

Reach Algis J. Laukaitis at 402-473-7243 or alaukaitis@journalstar.com.