Key policy debates will undoubtedly occur in the next Congress. Many of them involve environmental issues. And both candidates in New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District are trying to position themselves as the environment’s best friend. NHPR’s Dan Gorenstein has the story.
The US House of Representatives debated a national energy plan last year. One of the plan’s more widely talked about and controversial measures was oil drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge. Charlie Bass split with his party to vote against the bill. He says that’s because it differed from a plan formulated in the 1970’s. The original plan, Sass says, was a bargain struck among many different interest.
3:45 … I don’t think that b/c we have a war with Iraq, or anywhere else in the world, that these kind of agreements that have been entered into, are subject to change. I would almost expect that situation to occur. And I think it is my responsibility to resist that kind of pressure, and go back and look at what the whole plan was to begin with.
It’s votes like those that convince the New Hampshire Forest Society’s Charlie Neebling, whose organization neither endorses nor opposes any political candidate, that the Congressman can advocate for the environment and still stand on firm political ground in the Granite State.
2:23 as a US Congressman, early in his term he was very dutiful in following the leadership, the Newt Gingrich revolution that came in in ’94. But as we have seen as he has gained some seniority, gained some tenure in Congress, he has become a much more independent thinker. And I think much more willing to be assertive and visible leader on environmental isseus even at times when he finds himself at odds with his leadership.
Neebling has worked with Bass on a number of land conservation projects. And he credits him with helping secure federal funds to purchase easements on 171 thousand acres of land in the North Country.
:33 he’s a good man to be our representative on that project in Washington b/c he understands the importance of that project in NH, he understands why it came together the way it did, the balance of economic and environmental interests…he can speak that language very well to his colleagues in Congress. And you need someone who is really knowledgeable and intimately familiar with these projects to pursuade colleagues to support them.
2:45 the environment isn’t just about land protection.
Nancy Girard of the Conservation Law Foundation acknowledges Bass has done some good things.
6:30 But when the emphasis is taken off of some of the more insidious environmental issues, air quality, people can’t see it, don’t deal with it. People don’t understand what happens when roads widen. So when you have that type fo situation occur, you don’t see politicians rolling up their sleeves and saying I am going to get down to the bottom of this. Buying land, and preserving it, is a finite action. Fighting to improve air quality, fighting to improve and get a better transportation system, is not a one shot action. You have to stay at it, you have to stay in the trenches.
Girard says she isn’t seeing that trench work from Bass. In particular, a number of environmental organizations in the state, including CLF and the Forest Society, have criticized Bass’s position on fuel economy standards.
He voted against a move that would have required SUVs, minivans, and light trucks to increase their average miles-per-gallon. Proponents say this would have saved 1 million barrels of oil daily.
Bass argues supporting the new standards may have done more harm than good.
Track 12
:38 I don’t want to put the auto industry out of business by proposing a standard that isn’t reasonable. The reason I didn’t support CAFÉ standards is b/c it wouldn’t necessarily lead ot the conclusion that the sponsors said it would.
BASS HAS ALSO TANGLED WITH ENVIRONMENTALISTS ON CARBON DIOXIDE OR CO-2. MANY SCIENTISTS BELIEVE CO-2 CONTRIBUTES TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE. BASS CRITICIZED PRESIDENT BUSH LAST YEAR FOR BREAKING A CAMPAIGN PLEDGE TO REDUCE CO-2 EMISSIONS FROM POWER PLANTS. But while HE OPPOSES THE PRESIDENT’S PLAN, HE ALSO HASN’T SIGNED ON TO A BIPARTISAN ALTERNATIVE, THE WAXMAN BOELERT PLAN.
9:15 in general there needs to be a debate and a resolution to the C02 issue. Do I support the president’s plan that doesn’t attend to it at all? No. I think there should be more attention. Do I support the Waxman-Boelert approach which sets these arbitrary standards, I haven’t been convinced
BUT DANIEL LASHOV OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL DENIES THE ALTERNATIVE BILL IS ARBITRARY. LASHOV SAYS THE BILL CONTAINS WELL-THOUGHT-OUT LIMITS ON A RANGE OF POLLUTANTS.
It sets realistic but significant reduction limits for carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and mercury. They are achievable…there is a whole variety of technology to be used to meet those emission reductions…the standards in that bill can be achieved…
LASHOV SAYS THE BILL IS DESIGNED TO MEET U-S OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE RIO CLIMATE TREATY, WHICH BUSH’S FATHER SIGNED IN 1992.
THUS, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER BASS’S RECORD OF BRINGING HOME MONEY FOR CONSERVATION AND OF VOTING THEIR WAY ON CERTAIN KEY ISSUES - OUTWEIGHS THEIR DISAGREEMENTS WITH HIM ON THINGS LIKE CARBON DIOXIDE. MEANWHILE, MANY ARE STILL UNSURE WHAT TO MAKE OF HIS DEMOCRATIC OPPONENT. KATRINA SWETT HAS NEVER HELD POLITICAL OFFICE, SO SHE HAS NO RECORD ON THE ENVIRONMENT. BUT SHE PROMISES TO FIGHT FOR THE ISSUES PRO-ENVIRONMENT GROUPS CARE ABOUT.
8:15 I just know I am going to be a very effective advocate here in NH. When you talk about getting funding for projects, or land a cquisitons, I know I am going to be very good at. I am also going to look to the environmental community we have here for guidance and direction. Partnership, relationship. Hearing what their needs are. What they would like to see their Congresswoman do.
THE SIERRA CLUB HAS ALREADY ENDORSED SWETT. THE CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION AND THE FOREST SOCIETY DON’T GIVE ENDORSEMENTS. BUT CLF’S NANCY GIRARD DOES MENTION THAT HER GROUP HASN’T HEARD FROM SWETT.
Many situations candidates come to us, and ask us what they see as the most pressing issues in the state. Usually what that does, is they have an interest in the environment and they are concerned, not just about lip service, to it, but actually knowing what the issues are.
A Swett spokesperson says the campaign has been talking with environmentalists in New Hampshire. And she adds Swett is happy to meet with any organization. For NHPR News, I’m DG
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