Washington • Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman ventured Thursday into a place that many of his rival Republican presidential candidates might fear: a dinner of environmental activists.

Blocks from the U.S. Capitol, Huntsman faced members of Republicans for Environmental Protection, sidestepping his previous support for a cap-and-trade carbon emission law and touting his record as governor on the environmental initiatives. He said he was proud of his efforts to retool the state's vehicle fleet to alternative fuels and boost scientific research on energy.

"Conservation is conservative," Huntsman declared, mimicking the group's motto. "I'm not ashamed to be a conservationist. I also believe that science should be driving our decisions on climate change."

Huntsman steered clear of mentioning that he supported a regional carbon market as governor, and that he and a few fellow governors urged then-President-Elect Barack Obama to institute a national system.

Instead, Huntsman heralded the work of Republican President Theodore Roosevelt, for whom Thursday night's dinner was named.

"Thank you for being where you are and for embracing the Theodore Roosevelt legacy," Huntsman said, noting the importance of being good environmental stewards for the health of Americans, their quality of life and the legacy they leave behind for future generations.

If there were a group of Republicans that Huntsman could attract to his side, this was it. Though many in the room didn't know much about him beyond his recent job as the U.S. ambassador to China. That, however, was a big positive for one pro-environment Republican in the room.

James Kahrs, an Athens, Ga., native who lived in China until recently, said that former role may actually help Huntsman's position on the environment, given China's own troubles with pollution.

"He's got a great understanding of what potentially could happen if you don't take care of the environment," Kahrs said.

Huntsman, whose campaign plans to take a more aggressive tone to rise out of dismal polling numbers, also took time in his address to fire a shot at his fellow White House contenders and the president.

"None of my opponents have supported a plan that would allow us to avoid default," Huntsman said, referring to proposed deals to raise the nation's borrowing authority and make significant spending cuts. "This is not a time, ladies and gentlemen, to be playing politics."

Huntsman added, seconds later, "The president is a good man but on the most important issue of our time, that of expanding our economy and creating jobs, he has failed us."

Huntsman, who is also slated to address a national convention of college Republicans Friday night, spent most of his speech talking up his record in Utah to push natural gas as a way to wean America off of foreign oil. During his tenure, Huntsman worked to deploy natural-gas refilling stations up and down the Interstate 15 corridor.

But Huntsman's strength on the environment may not extend too far, according to those who worked with the former governor on the issue.

Huntsman tapped his then-lieutenant governor, Gary Herbert, to head up energy and environment issues in the state, though Huntsman did step in on occasion.

How is his record regarded? Depends on whom you ask.

"We certainly did not always agree with the governor," says Scott Groene, the executive director of the environmental group Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. "But he showed a willingness to try to reach balance on environmental issues that we had not seen before or since here in Utah."

That willingness also earned Huntsman the scorn of some of Utah's more conservative Republicans who wanted to see more of the federal land in Utah opened up for ATV riders and oil and gas exploration.

"I was definitely at odds with him," says Rep. Mike Noel, a Kanab Republican who has fought restrictions on federal land and joined lawsuits to overturn protection designations. "He was on one side of the equation and I was on the other. He's definitely a lot more green than I would want my president to be."

Noel, who has endorsed rival presidential candidate Mitt Romney, says he believes Huntsman to be fiscally conservative and strong on other Republican issues.

tburr@sltrib.com