Environmental Stances of the Presidential Candidates
The environment will be an important issue in the 2008 election, particularly because of increased public concern over global warming and dependence on foreign oil. Here is a quick look at the candidates and their environmental positions.*
Democratic Candidates:
Joe Biden cites energy security as a fundamental reason to invest in alternative fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, as well as climate change research. He sees the cap and trade method of pollution reduction as the best tool for reducing the rate of climate change. www.joebiden.com.
Hillary Clinton stresses the importance of renewable energy in the fight to reduce dependence on foreign oil and global warming. She introduced a plan to congress for a Strategic Energy Fund that would donate $50 billion to the research and development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean coal technology, and biofuels. She has proposed that no taxes be put toward the fund, but that instead oil companies be forced to choose between contributing to the fund and investing in renewable energy on their own. www.hillaryclinton.com
Chris Dodd's chief environmental focus is energy, as demonstrated by his “Dodd Energy Plan,” which he believes could reduce 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, eliminate our dependence on Middle East oil by 2015, and strengthen the economy. The extensive 14-point-plan includes a strict cap and trade system, a corporate carbon tax that would be used to fund alternative energy development, raising automobile fuel efficiency standards, increasing renewable electricity standards, increasing investment in biofuels, and improving mass transit systems. www.chrisdodd.com
John Edwards is primarily concerned with the issues of global warming and energy efficiency. He has created a plan that he believes will allow the U.S.to produce 65 billion gallons of biofuels a year, generate 25 percent of electricity from renewable sources, and produce more than 2 billion fewer tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year. His plan includes a nation-wide cap on greenhouse gases, a “New Energy Economy Fund” that would put an extra $13 billion toward renewable energy, a requirement for power companies to use renewable electricity, a mandate that all new vehicles sold after 2010 be "flex fuel" (capable or running on gasoline or biofuel), and a carbon-neutral White House. www.johnedwards.com
Mike Gravel’s environmental focus is primarily on global warming, which he views as a significant risk to national security. He supports a cap and trade system to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, as well as policies to decrease deforestation. He also promises to make the U.S. a leader in the global endeavor to reduce climate change. www.gravel2008.us
Dennis Kucinich has addressed a wide variety of environmental issues, including clean air, clean water, electronic waste, energy, genetically engineered food, nuclear safety, organic farming, and even hemp. Indeed, though not a mainstream issue, Kucinich has pushed the importance of legalizing industrial hemp production, which he cites as an environmentally-friendly alternative to lumber and cotton, as well as a viable food source. His goals also include restoring the effectiveness of the Clean Air Act, halting the privatization of water systems, implementing a “closed loop” system for waste producers, and reducing mining on public lands. http://kucinich.us
Barack Obama has received some criticism from environmental groups for his support of legislation that would further stimulate the coal industry, with the idea that coal could potentially operate as an alternative fuel to oil. He has since retracted support of the idea, clarifying that he will not back such legislation unless a coal-based fuel emitted significantly less carbon than conventional fuel. Despite the recent controversy, Obama has outlined several promising environmental goals, which primarily focus on global climate change and oil use reduction. His plan as president includes a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard requiring all transportation fuels sold in the U.S. to reduce carbon 5% by 2015 and 10% by 2020. This would reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 180 million tons in 2020. www.barakobama.com
Bill Richardson has summarized several general environmental goals, including restoring the Clean Air and Clean Water acts, regulating industrial pollution reporting, preserving national parks, enforcing the Endangered Species Act, establishing a nation-wide recycling goal, and prohibiting logging of undeveloped areas. His energy plan aims to reduce oil imports 50% by 2020, double CAFÉ standards, reduce carbon emissions from fuels by 30%, push renewable electricity, and to make the U.S. a leader in the world-wide effort to curb global warming by reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions 90% by 2050. He has proposed that the budget for these changes come from such activities as selling carbon permits and eliminating unnecessary tax subsidies, as well as saved money from reduced oil imports. www.richardsonforpresident.com
Republican Candidates:
Sam Brownback sponsored the Dependence Reduction through Innovation in Vehicles and Energy (DRIVE) Act, which promises to reduce oil consumption by 2.5 barrels per day in ten years through investments in renewable energy and efficient technology. While he has accepted global warming as an important issue, he does not support a nation-wide carbon cap. www.brownback.com
Jim Gilmore's presidential plans include a project called American Energy Freedom, which aims to free the country from oil dependence within 25 years. This goal would be partly accomplished by investment in alternative fuels and hybrid vehicles, though he also proposes expanding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. While he says he is “open to” the issue of global warming, he is not convinced of a link between greenhouse gas emission and climate change. www.gilmoreforpresident.com
Newt Gingrich has a unique environmental perspective. While he supports cleaning up urban areas, protecting biodiversity, and investing in low-carbon technology, he is not convinced of the severity of global climate change. He argues, “This point is politically incorrect but the history and science of climate change is far more complex and uncertain than the politically driven mass hysteria of scientists who sign on to ads about a topic for which they have no scientific proof.” www.newt.org
Rudy Giuliani has stated that he has no doubt that global warming exists and need to be addressed. He supports the use of liquid coal as an alternative to conventional fuel. www.joinrudy2008.com
Chuck Hagel acknowledges global climate change as an important issue, but has not taken any further environmental stance. http://hagel.senate.gov
Mike Huckabee’s primary goal is to address energy independence, which he aims to fully achieve by his second term in office. In order to attain this goal, he supports investment in alternative energy research and development, which would be sponsored by a mixture of government and private funding. Though not acknowledging that evidence directly proves humans are responsible for global climate change, he has stated, “The earth belongs to God. I have no right to destroy it,” adding that investing in alternative energy is an important step in conserving the earth’s resources. http://explorehuckabee.com
Duncan Hunter opposed a 33 mile per gallon fuel efficiency goal in 2005. www.gohunter08.com
John McCain supports preservation of the national park system and sustainable resource use. He is also focused on the issue of global warming, which he has proposed to fight by investing in alternative energies, particularly nuclear energy. While he stands by his belief that the U.S. was right not to sign Kyoto protocol, he has stated he would support such a treaty if countries such as China and India signed on. www.johnmccain.com
Ron Paul has stated, "Fear is constantly generated by politicians to rally the support of the people. Environmentalists go back and forth, from warning about a coming ice age to arguing the grave dangers of global warming." www.ronpaul2008.com
Mitt Romney supports investment in biodiesel, nuclear energy, ethanol, and coal gasification in order to achieve energy independence. While he is not convinced that global warming is a true phenomenon, he has stated that actions toward reducing pollution are beneficial regardless of the climate change debate. www.mittromney.com
Tom Tancredo www.teamtancredo.org
Tommy Thompson supports further development of alternative energy, such as ethanol. He also believes “We must come together to deal with our changing climate.” www.tommy2008.com
Fred Thompson http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/t000457/
For more information about candidates and their positions on global warming, check out www.heatison.org.
*Because of the numerous candidates currently in the race, Third Party and Independent candidates have not been included in this list. The EAC does not endorse any candidate.*
If you were to ask some of the millions of people that have visited Las Vegas over the years what they remembered about the glitzy casino-ridden town, you’d probably hear many of the same answers: concerts and shows, world-renowned food, and of course, gambling. But all of these luxuries come with an environmental price. Although Las Vegas seems to have an endless supply of water, Southern Nevada is one of the most arid areas of the country. Where does all of Vegas's water come from?
Miles upon miles of pipelines pump water from the irrigated valleys of Northern Nevada down to Southern Nevada. Farmers and ranchers that have relied on these reservoirs for generations are finding themselves with diminishing supplies of water for their cattle and crops. While there are some restrictions in Las Vegas on water usage, the farmers contend that if more pipelines are built, the city will literally suck the state dry. Their fears are not unjustified; there is currently a plan by the Southern Nevada Water Authority to build a 300 mile pipeline that would move 65 billion gallons of water annually. Slowly yet surely, this agency has been buying up the rights to water north of the Las Vegas Valley. Authorities rationalize the pipelines by saying that Nevada is now an urban economy and its resources should be used in this manner.
The Nevada State Engineer must now decide if Las Vegas should be granted access to northern water. So far, he has only given the city one fifth of its requested supply, asserting that the environment must be monitored. He has said that pumping will be reduced if springs and wells start running dry. However, the struggle for water will continue as long as Las Vegas continues to grow. The environment cannot indefinitely sustain such a water-hungry town. Will Northern Nevada have to eventually change its way of life to prolong the razzle-dazzle of Las Vegas? Or will people just have to find a new place to gamble?
While this issue may seem to be someone else’s problem, far out in the west, it is relevant to our lives here in Central Illinois. This situation could easily affect us. Our main sources of water, Lake Bloomington and the Mahomet aquifer, may not be running dry just yet, but with continuing to development and the expansion of the Bloomington/Normal area, the future of our water could become an issue. Between the vast amounts being used in agriculture and in city and suburban lifestyles, water conservation is becoming absolutely necessary. What can you do to help? Check out these water saving tips on the EAC’s website.
EAC Activities for Cleaner Water
The Ecology Action Center is always looking for ways to reduce non-point source water pollution as part of the Stormwater Management Programs in Bloomington and Normal. We specifically hope to reduce stormwater runoff and protect water quality. Below are some of our planned activities.
Stormdrain Stenciling events raise public awareness of the connection between the street and their yards, storm drains, and the storm sewer system. 
We hope to promote practices that will reduce sources of water pollution coming from the land. Our stencils read “Drains to Stream, Keep it Clean” and “Dump No Waste, Drains to Rivers.” During the stenciling events, we also place informative door hangers on each residence. Volunteers are encouraged! Please call the EAC or simply show up. Upcoming storm drain stenciling dates are:
July 28th, 10am-12pm, Brookridge Subdivision, Bloomington
August 25th, 10am-12pm, Park Place Subdivision, Normal
September 8th, 10am-12pm, Fell Park Neighborhood, North Normal
September 29th, 10am-12pm, Fox Creek Subdivision, Bloomington
October 20th, 10am-12pm, Pleasant Hills Neighborhood, Normal
On Stream Cleanup days volunteers meet at local schools and centers near streams to learn about water quality while cleaning up the neighborhood. You can help make this program a success by joining us for one of these upcoming dates:
June 30th, 10am-12pm, Bloomington Junior High School
July 7th, 10am-12pm, Unity Center, Orlando Ave, Normal
August 11th, 10am-12pm, Chiddix Junior High, Normal
September 15th, 10am-12pm, Oakdale Elementary, Normal
The Yard Smart Program promotes sustainable, healthy ways to maintain your lawn and garden. Yard Smart helps homeowners work with nature to use fewer synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to have a beautiful and safer environment for people, pets, and wildlife. The Yard Smart Program has three events this summer:
Yard Smart Tour: June 23 rd, 9am-12pm, with lunch, beginning and ending at the ISU Horticulture Center. This is included in the community education course above. To reserve your spot for the Yard Smart Tour, please call 454-3169 or email us.
Make Your Own Rain-barrel Workshops on June 27th and July 25th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. To check for openings at the rain-barrel workshops, please call 454-3169 or email us.
Working to Reduce Pollution Levels at Area Lakes 
Area Evergreen Lake and Lake Bloomington are important parts of our watersheds. Both lakes, though, are experiencing increased phosphorus levels and increased sediment, as well as other issues.
The Ecology Action Center is involved with helping improve water quality in these lakes. We are helping meet the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for pollutants as set by the Environmental Protection Agency. The TMDL is the EPA’s way of addressing water quality impairments in lakes and streams by setting a goal level a pollutant should be reduced to.
The Ecology Action Center has two programs which directly help to reach the TMDL for Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake. The Yard Smart program encourages area residents to reduce runoff and prevent pollution from entering the water. This is possible by using fewer chemicals or fossil fuels, integrating native plants, and conserving water. The Lake Smart program specifically encourages lake residents to use more natural methods of lawn and yard care.
Watershed planning requires local input and participation. More information about area watershed management can be found at http://mcleantmdl.com.