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By Ashley Killough, CNN

updated 11:32 PM EST, Fri November 14, 2014

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, says the rhetoric in the climate change debate can be exaggerated.

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(CNN) -- Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican who hails from Kentucky coal country, tried to find some "middle ground" with HBO host Bill Maher on climate change, saying Friday night that he supports deregulating alternative sources of energy.

"We need more energy, and maybe cleaner energy will supplant less clean energy over time--and it already is--but I don't think that shutting down dramatically one form of energy is a good idea for an economy," the first-term senator said on "Real Time."

Bill Maher: I had drinks with Rand Paul

While saying he's not against some regulations, such as on carbon emissions and clean water, Paul said he plans on introducing legislation "in the next month or so" that would cut regulation of alternative fuels.

"I'm for trying to get the government out of the way of converting your trucks from diesel to natural gas, or from gasoline to ethanol," he said. "And try to let the marketplace take care of this, because some of these fuels are actually cheaper, too, and if they're cheaper then people will go for a cheaper alternative that also is cleaner for the environment."

His comments come as Paul, who's planning a presidential run but says he hasn't made a final decision yet, has blasted President Obama and other Democrats for supporting policies that would negatively affect the coal industry in his home state.

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Rand Paul talks climate change with Bill Maher - CNN.com