John
Kerry
Written by: Daniel Hazelton
In his run for the
presidency, John Kerry has outlined his stances and detailed his plans for
environmental activity if he were to be elected. In the past, he has been
a strong leader in the environment, working on issues such as cleaning up
toxic waste sites, clean air and water, preservation of wilderness areas
and more. He is fighting to work for alternative energy to end Americas
dependence on foreign oil, and in doing so aims to create half a million
new jobs. Nearly 65% of oil remains underneath the Persian Gulf, and
maintaining our current path we become more and more reliant on foreign
powers. Instead, Kerry aims to be at the forefront of alternative energy
technology to provide for a more independent America.
Kerry desires for Green and
Clean Communities, by reworking the Superfund process that works
to remove and eliminate toxic chemicals from our lands, improving
parks, and battling against traffic and urban sprawl. Kerry believes
in the importance of conservation in order for our Nation to continue
to improve. Kerry also aims to place stronger limits on factory
and automobile emissions, as well as working to clean up our nations
waters. He desires to bolster the laws and influence of the Environmental
Protection Agency, to enforce business to act more environmentally
conscious. Kerry wants to put the United States into a leadership
role in environmental progress in the global community, rather
than one that is lagging behind.
John Kerry, the Democratic National Candidate for the 2004 Presidential
election, has long shown a dedication to the environment, and
has regularly voted to enact laws and prevent the passage of bills
that would harm our planet. As a senator from Massachusetts, he
took many excellent stances to benefit the environment, a sampling
of his actions over the last few years are listed below.
President
Bush
written by: Blair Decembrele
President Bush believes that
preserving a good environment is a public value. Bush believes that
the environment and the US population can coexist, through the appropriate
measures. Utilizing Hydrogen Fuel, Natural gas resources and reducing
Global warming are key issues which Bush addresses.
President Bush is especially
interested in funding Hydrogen Fuel to replace the US’s dependence
on international oil reserves. Along with replacing the reliance on
international oil source, the Hydrogen fuel initiative will aid in developing
technology that will power cars, trucks, and homes.
A part of Bush’s initiative,
is the FreedomCAR partnership. Energy Secretary Abraham, describes The
FreedomCAR partnership as a partnership with automakers designed to
“advance high-technology research needed to produce practical,
affordable hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that American consumers will
want to buy and drive.”
In Bush’s 2003 State
of the Union address, he discusses the specifics of his plan. He called
for initial funding of 1.2 billion dollars, which will be increased
over a five year period by 720 million dollars. This initiative is intertwines
with Bush Clear Sky’s plan.
Bush also believes that it
is essential search for Natural gas internationally. In February 2001,
Bush stated “Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric
in nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods.”
Bush believes that we need to come together with Canada and Mexico in
order to locate the resources of Natural gas.
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The
Candidates: A Voting Comparison |
Kerry on:
Energy
& Oil
No nuclear waste dump in
Nevada's Yucca Mountain.
Raise CAFE standard to 36 mpg by 2015
Ban MBTE and sue companies who make it)
20% renewable energy by 2020
ANWR won't provide any oil for 20 years
Invent our way out of oil dependency-don't drill our way out
Invest in advancing secure forms of energy instead of oil. (Jun 2003)
Led effort to try to raise fuel efficiency standards
Create new energy sources to end Middle east dependency
Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010
Voted YES on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill
Voted NO on drilling ANWR on national security grounds
Voted NO on replacing CAFE standards within 15 months
Voted NO on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling
Voted YES on keeping CAFE fuel efficiency standard
Voted NO on defunding renewable and solar energy
Voted NO on approving a nuclear waste repository
Voted NO on do not require ethanol in gasoline
Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases
Environment
Make environmental justice
an EPA priority
Safeguard the environment and grow the economy
Voted NO on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior
Voted NO on more funding for forest roads and fish habitat
Voted NO on transportation demo projects
Voted YES on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests
Voted YES on continuing desert protection in California
Voted YES on requiring EPA risk assessments
Reduce liability for hazardous waste cleanup
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Bush on:
Energy &
Oil
• reducing oil imports
• Incentives for high-mileage cars
• more energy research
• Make Amtrak more efficient and competitive
• Search for Natural gas in the US
• Replenish energy supplies with new domestic coal & pipelines
• Use ANWR fees for alternative energy and home oil help
• Look for oil in US rather than tap into emergency reserves
• Remove federal impediments to states’ clean energy
• Explore ANWR; explore for gas; reduce foreign dependence
• Decrease dependency on electric deregulation & natural gas
Global
Warming
• $1.2 Billion to develop hydrogen fuel
• Reduce greenhouse gas intensity by 18% over next decade
• Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically
• Clear Skies Initiative improves air quality now
• Restrict wetland development
• Increase lead emission reporting requirements
• Provide Incentives for private land stewardship & conservation
• Conservation partnerships to protect lands & watersheds
• Provide tax break on conservation land
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Air Pollution
written by Blair Decembrele
Air pollution is an epidemic problem in the world. Air
pollution causes health, environmental, and economic problems. Most of
the air pollution is caused by using sources of fossil fuels, like coal,
oil, natural gas and gasoline. Within the past three decades much of the
air pollution in the United States has been cleaned up by environmental
provisions, of the Clean Air Act of 1970, however Americans still face
a deadly environmental problem.
Health Problems
Some chemicals found in air pollution have been linked to causing cancer,
birth defects, brain and nerve defects and long term lung issues. Along
causing many health problems in Americans, pollution can also affect the
environment. Pollutants harm the environment by thinning the protect ozone
layer above the earth. By affecting the environment, pollutants can cause
additional health implication to humans and animals. A weak ozone layer
has been linked to the rise in skin cancer and eye damage or cataracts.
Environmental Problems
Climate change on a global scale has been attributed to the emission of
Carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a green house gas. Continuous emission
of Co2 could have a devastating implication on the environment, could
possibly melt the polar ice caps, increase the sea level and cause harsher
sever weather events. This problem is known as Global Warming
Global Warming
Over the past century, the earth’s surface temperature has risen
over 1 degree Fahrenheit. Throughout the past fifty year, accelerated
warming has occurred which is being attributed to human behavior. Since
the industrial revolution, human activity has rapidly affected the mixture
of natural gas in the atmosphere. The combination of population growth,
fossil fuel burning and deforestation altered the chemical composition
in the atmosphere due to excess emissions of carbon dioxide, CO2.
The Cause
By using sources of transportation, electricity, and home fuels, American
all cause air pollution. Air pollution comes from both stationary and
mobile sources. The stationary sources include; factories, power plants
smelters, drycleaners and decreasing operations. Transportation like;
cars, buses, trucks, train and planes are all example of mobile source
that aid in the pollution problem. Natural occurrence like, dust storms
and volcanoes contribute to the problem.
The Past Solution : The Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act was a federal law initially established in 1970 to limit
the air emission of area, stationary and mobile sources. This law then
required the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create federal standards
to protect public health and the Environment. These standards are known
as National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
In 1990, the government addressed the problem that every state did not
meet the NAAQS, and revised the law. The Clean Air Act revision also included
the new problems contributing to a raise in pollution including; acid
rain, ground-level ozone, stratospheric ozone depletion, and air toxics.
The Bush administration has tried to implement new regulations, known
as the Clear Skies Act of 2002.
President Bush
President Bush has tackled the problem of air pollution, with his initiative,
Clear Skies. In his state of the Union address of 2003, Bush explained
that Clear Sky’s goal is to improve the nation’s air quality,
through cutting power plant emissions and work on climate change. Clear
Skies would cut 70 percent of power plant’s emission of sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen oxides, and mercury. The Bush administration claims that this
would cut 35 million more tons of reduction over the next decade then
the current Clean Air Act.
Link here to see a summary of the Clear Skies Act of 2002
http://www.epa.gov/clearskies/bill.pdf
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
written by Daniel Hazelton
Currently, the United States is heavily dependent upon
fossil fuels for energy, for use in automobiles, heat, etc. This forces
the US to be dependent upon foreign sources for oil, such as the Middle
East, as US drilling sites cannot provide adequate resources. Because
fossil fuels are a limited resource, and are harmful to the environment
when burned, we must find alternative sources for energy; including solar
and wind power, biomass, fuel cells, and other forms. Additionally, further
regulations must be made to limit pollution from fossil fuels and promote
research and technology in the field of alternative energy.
CANDIDATES
John
Kerry |
John
Kerry wants to make America independent of Middle East oil in 10
years by creating alternative fuels such as ethanol, and making
cars more efficient.
In this attempt, he says it will create half a million new jobs
here at home. Kerry supports updating CAFE standards to 36
miles per gallon by 2015, to reduce America's dependence on oil
by saving 2 million barrels of oil per day - almost as much as we
currently import from the Persian Gulf. It will reduce greenhouse
gas emissions, smog and ozone pollution.
Kerry believes that fuel efficiency can be significantly improved
through better use of technology, without limiting vehicle choice,
without harming safety and without injury to the industry. Kerry
thinks that we have to encourage the use of hybrid vehicles and
invest in research and development. If elected, he would set a goal
that by 2020, 20 percent of our energy will come from renewable
energy sources.
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John Edwards |
John Edwards is also in support for
real increases in CAFE standards. In addition he thinks the US must
also invest far more in fuel-efficiency technology, including the
use of ethanol to oil. These increases in environmental standards
will not only make our environment cleaner, they can help create
high-paying jobs of the future, Edwards has said.
Edwards wants to help set up biorefineries in rural
communities to transform farm wastes like cornhusks and crops like
switchgrass into energy that can be sold for profit. He also would
offer tax credits to reward investments in renewable fuels and accelerate
those technologies. He will require increased use of
renewable fuels for electricity.
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Howard Dean |
Howard Dean
wants to create a standard, that the United States will use 20%
renewable energy by 2020, and will drastically increase funding
for renewable energy research. Dean will require that every
gallon of the motor fuel in the US, on average, contain 10% American
biofuels like ethanol and soy-diesel. As with the renewable energy
requirement, Dean will implement a biofuels credit trading system
to allow the market to determine where biofuels can be most efficiently
used.
Dean believes we should tap the massive energy potential of the
plains through wind energy transmissions, working with state and
local governments to help improve the use of wind energy. Dean also
would create a Solar Power tax credit, and provide increased federal
support for research and development of solar technologies. Dean
will also expand the tax credit to cover more types of renewable
power generation including geothermal, solar and biomass.
Dean's economic plan calls for a $100 billion investment
in America over two years: the Fund to Restore America. Dean will
encourage states to dedicate a portion of the Fund to investments
in renewable generation and in supplemental transmission capability
needed to spark new renewable generation.
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