Reply #3: Edwards major record on Environmental issues [View All]

[SangamonTaylor]

Preserving Clean Air Laws and Fighting the Administration’s Roll Back of the Clean Air Act

Senator Edwards led the fight against increased air pollution from factories with the administration’s rollback of the Clean Air Act.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moved to change the “New Source Review” provisions of the Clean Air Act to make it much easier for old factories and power plants to increase their pollution levels without having to add state-of-the-art clean-air technology. Edwards chaired a Senate hearing to expose the new rule’s real effects, during which former EPA Administrator Carol Browner said the rules would “allow the air to become dirtier.” Edwards also led a bipartisan group of 44 Senators in a letter urging the administration to postpone their planned changes and “conduct a rigorous analysis of the air pollution and public health impacts of the proposed rule changes.” - Edwards floor speech, 1/21/03; AP, 9/3/02; Washington Post, 8/2/02


Edwards Led Effort to Pass Amendment to Delay Administration’s Rule Change Allowing More Pollution.

Edwards led the effort to delay the roll back of the Clean Air Act and offered legislation to delay the rule change until a study was completed on its effect on human health and pollution levels. While the amendment did not pass, environmental leaders underscored the importance of the vote for demonstrating that clean air was a bipartisan issue and that the Senate could aggressively counter administration efforts to weaken public health safeguards. - Edwards release, “Senate Votes To Let EPA Roll Back Clean Air Rules,” 1/22/03; Washington Post, 1/23/03


Reducing Polluting Smokestack Emissions That Cause Acid Rain, Toxic Contamination, Global Warming.

Edwards co-sponsored the Clean Power Act of 2002, which would drastically reduce powerplant emissions of four major pollutants which cause smog, acid rain, mercury contamination and global warming. The bill, authored by independent Senator Jim Jeffords, would tighten controls on sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury. It would also for the first time regulate the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide - the prime suspect causing global warming. This tri-partisan legislation was much stronger in cracking down on harmful emissions to protect the environment and the health of Americans than the administration’s “Clear Skies” proposal. Edwards has also co-sponsored the Clear Power Act of 2003 in the current session of Congress. S.556, 7/17/02; National Journal's CongressDaily, 9/3/02; Gannett News Service, 6/27/02; S.366, 2/12/03


Limiting Logging In National Forests.

Senator Edwards voted to support limits to logging in National Forests. In 2000, Edwards voted for legislation to cut the government’s timber sale program by $30 million, and instead spend the money to increase support for wildfire prevention and decrease the federal debt. Edwards also called for the Senate to defeat anti-environmental efforts to end public and judicial oversight over the Tongass National Forest. CQ, Vote 207, S.Amdt.3883, 7/18/00; Las Vegas Review-Journal, 7/19/00; Letter to Senate conferees, 2/6/03


Working For Tougher Standards On Arsenic In Drinking Water.

After the Bush Administration shelved Clinton administration rules regarding acceptable levels of arsenic in drinking water, Edwards voted to require the administration to immediately issue new standards for arsenic in drinking water. Herald Sun, 8/5/01


Fighting to Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge From Exploration and Drilling.

Edwards voted against leasing land in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil exploration and production. ANWR is one of America’s natural treasures and is an important part of the Earth’s ecosystem. In addition to environmental impacts, drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge will do little or nothing to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, recoverable oil under the Arctic Refuge would only provide a few months of oil for the U.S. and wouldn’t even be accessible for years to come. Vote 58, 4/6/00; Vote 344, 12/3/01; Vote 71, 4/18/02; World Wildlife Federation, “Arctic National Wildlife Refuge”


Increasing Fuel Efficiency Standards.

Edwards voted in favor of a proposal in 2002 to have the Transportation Department issue rules that would have reduced the growth in consumption of oil by passenger vehicles by one million barrels a day by 2015. Edwards also voted against a proposal to scrap fuel efficiency standards (CAFE standards) and replace them with a requirement for the Secretary of Transportation to issue new regulations to increase CAFE standards based on the maximum feasible average fuel economy levels that can be achieved for automobiles and light trucks. CQ, Vote 90, 4/25/02; New York Times, 4/26/02; CQ, Vote 47, 3/13/02