Some of the biggest changes this election day came with regard to energy and the environment, two issues near and dear to my heart (I worked in these areas for 17 years). One of the greatest shifts on Tuesday came with the defeat of Republican Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA) at the hands of Democratic challenger Jerry McNerney. In the words of McNerney, who was strongly supported by the Sierra Club:
(Pombo) had devoted his career to fighting the Endangered Species Act, which many people considered to be the most important enviromental law in our country," McNerney said. "But it wasnt just that. He wanted to open the Farallon Islands, he wanted to drill off the coast, he wanted to drill in Alaska. He proposed selling off the national parks, and it was an endless stream of things. It almost seemed like he was doing it intentionally to provoke enviromentalists.
In stark contrast, McNerney is a scientist and an an expert on renewable energy issues.
Next, we have a gigantic flip on the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, from to Barbara Boxer (D-CA). According to the National Journal (subscription only), Boxer "will likely address global warming, and strengthen the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act." In contrast, current chairman James Inhofe (R-OK), received ZERO ratings in 2005 from the American Wilderness Coalition, the League of Conservation Voters and the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. On energy, Inhofe opposed an amendment aimed at reducing US oil import dependence by 40% by 2025, and also voted "no" on banning drilling for oil in the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Another huge change here.
Of course, here in Virginia we saw the defeat of a staunch anti-environment Senator, George Allen, with James Webb, who was endorsed by major environmental groups like the Sierra Club. In sum, according to the League of Conservation Voters:
Of the nine candidates LCV named to its list of "Environmental Champions", eight were reelected. And of the 13 active candidates on LCV's "Dirty Dozen" list (someone's got a bit of a counting problem), "we beat nine of them,"
Not a bad day for the environment. Now, it's time for action. I look forward to it, and hope that President Bush will not stand in the way. I would also remind President Bush, and his "brain" Karl Rove, of the growing, faith-based "creation care" movement within their conservative base. They might want to keep that in mind before they start vetoing legislation to preserve the planet.
So there's no more important or heartening outcome of last week's election than the changes in Congressional leadership on the environment. Thank you for highlighting it.