I am very concerned about the environment. I have the pleasure of working in an industry that has contributed greatly to public health and the increasing life span of humanity. However, many of our ecosystems are stressed or degraded. Combined sewer overflows is still an expensive problem, as well as getting electric power generators to upgrade their air pollution equipment when they undertake major capital efforts. We also face the encroachment of development onto areas inhabited by protected wildlife, in addition to the threat caused by invasive species. More importantly, we are beginning to see the effects of global warming, regardless of its cause. Global warming is denied by those who care for nothing but themselves and what they can get for themselves before they leave this world.

Protecting the Environment

It is the duty of the Environmental Protection Agency to protect the environment. It has done a poor job under the Bush administration, where industry insiders were writing the rules to govern themselves. That will change. My philosophy on the environment is that we need to protect it because it is one of the sources of our county’s greatness. If you want to see into future under Republican rule, look at China. Our environment, and its long-term viability, is one of our competitive advantages in the global economy.

Interior Department

The Interior Department has many important duties which it has forsaken under its current leadership. One important item that needs to be addressed at the Interior Department is the Mining Law of 1872 and the divestiture of some federal land in the West. Where the environmental impact is minimal, some federal land needs to be turned over to private interests. Federal land is allowed to be used by ranching interests at significant discounts to what they would pay for private land. The land will still be governed by environmental laws, but it will remove some of the local hostility to the level of federal ownership of lands in the West. Finally, it is obvious that, to protect the long-term health of the economy, that on those federal lands we do maintain, we need to significantly increase the planting of trees.

Air Quality

The U.S. has made significant gains in air quality, but still has a long way to go. The competitive era of deregulation has really failed to reduce energy bills. It lead to market manipulation and profiteering. While that experiment has not succeeded, we still need to address air quality concerns. If necessary, I would sponsor or co-sponsor a bill that would help the EPA properly enforce the New Source Review construction permitting program. There is no reason for these changes not to be made.

Water Quality

The Clean Water Act has been one of the best environmental laws passed in the modern political era. We have made significant efforts to clean up many bodies of water across the country. The days of easy federal money to build facilities are gone and with the current construction environment, would only make construction costs rise; we still need to provide more funding for rural and struggling systems.

Superfund

I believe that we need to restore the funding source for Superfund clean up. The job is not done. Our environment must be sustained for future generations and we must maintain practices that encourage companies to avoid damaging the environment.

Invasive Species

An increasingly troubling issue that we are facing are the rise of invasive plant and animal species. I believe that it is worth funding to try to mitigate and, where possible, eradicate those threats to our natural ecosystems. A recent example would be the introduction of Burmese pythons to the Everglades, where they are fighting alligators for supremacy. These snakes are problems for just about every living thing in the park, including humans, as they can grow to up to 20 feet in length. These are not pest pollutions, but biological pollution that needs to be treated as gravely as it is. I will sponsor or cosponsor legislation that strengthens the Endangered Species Act to allow the total ban on those species whose introduction to the natural environment poses a threat to native species. This would apply especially to invasive aquatic species. I recognize that this would impact the international pet trade, but the damage done greatly exceeds the economic benefit and, in too many cases, the damage is irreversible.

The Search For Renewable Fuel

Many of the recent conflicts that our nation is addressing around the world stems from our dependence on oil. Finding new sources of energy, especially the renewable variety, is not an option. It's vital to our long-term national interest! Don't let oil companies and their hired politicians tell you that it's not possible.


There was a time when no one thought that America would be the first to send a man to the moon. Some even "derided the dream as lunacy." [Man on the moon: Kennedy speech ignited the dream, http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TECH/space/05/25/kennedy.moon/, May 25, 2001]. It only took strong leadership and vision to inspire the country to meet the challenge. Let's inspire investors, inventors and scientists to again to reach for the moon and find real solutions to our energy problems!