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May 15, 2000
Ms.
Betsy Loyless
Political Director
League of Conservation
Voters
1920 L Street, N.W.
Suite 800
Washington, D.C.
20036
Dear Betsy,
Thank you for the opportunity to
share my views on environmental policy with you. I look forward to a
continued dialogue on the important environmental issues of our
day.
As Governor of Texas and during the course of this
campaign, I have outlined my views on a wide range of environmental
issues. I have also set forth my philosophy of protecting the
environment in a statement I made on Earth Day, which is
attached.
Texas Record: With a quarter of the United States'
oil refineries and two-thirds of its chemical industries, Texas
faces unique environmental challenges. Since I became Governor in
1995, Texas has made good progress on a number of environmental
fronts, such as:
- Since 1994, industrial air emissions in Texas have fallen by
11%;
- Since 1995, Texas has led the country in reducing the release
and disposal of toxic pollution by 43 million pounds;
- In 1999, I signed two pieces of landmark clean air legislation
that will result in reduced industrial emissions from
grandfathered industries by more than 250,000 tons each year.
Texas is only the 33rd state in the nation to require nitrogen
oxide reductions of 50% and sulfur dioxide reductions of 25% by
2003 from grandfathered electric utilities. Environmental Defense
calls this Texas clean air law the "strongest in the nation." And
since 1997, already 124 grandfathered plants have voluntarily been
permitted under the Clean Air Act;
- Since the creation of the Texas Voluntary Cleanup Program in
1995, 451 brownfield sites have been cleaned up in Texas;
- Since 1995, state funding for natural resources protection and
conservation has increased 28%, and in 1999, state funding for
parks increased by $10 million;
- More than 96% of Texas public drinking water meets all
standards, up from 88% in 1995, and Texas is in the third year of
an aggressive 10-year plan to assess and improve the water
segments that do not meet certain water quality standards; and
- Texas has submitted to the United States Environmental
Protection Agency one of the country's most aggressive plans to
reduce industrial pollution in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth by
nearly 90%, and throughout the eastern half of the state by
50%.
General Philosophy: As I discussed in my
Earth Day statement, the United States is entering a new era of
environmental policy that requires a new philosophy of public
stewardship and personal responsibility. Our current regulatory
system dates back to the first Earth Day thirty years ago. That
system has produced immense benefits, but experience has taught that
it has serious shortcomings as well. It encourages Americans to do
just the bare minimum, often breeding wasteful litigation and
failing to reward innovation and real results.
Economic
prosperity and environmental protection can and must go
hand-in-hand. Further environmental progress will require better
policies that build on experience - producing a new era in which
high federal standards are based on the best science, and
market-based incentives and private innovation produce results that
meet and exceed those standards.
To date, I have taken
positions on several specific issues, including:
Federal
Facilities: As President, I will expect the federal government -
today considered the nation's worst polluter - to lead by example.
It is time to end the double standard that has the federal
government acting as enforcer of the nation's environmental laws,
while at the same time causing pollution that violates those laws.
That's why I've pledged to require federal facilities to meet all
environmental standards that apply to private facilities, and I will
hold those federal facilities accountable for any action that
violates environmental protection laws.
Brownfields: I
have unveiled a detailed plan to spur greater brownfield cleanups
and redevelopment across the country, in an effort to return
abandoned industrial facilities to productive use and relieve
pressure to develop on pristine greenfields. My brownfield plan is
based upon my belief that the federal government should set high
standards and give states and local communities the flexibility to
develop new solutions to environmental challenges, and then hold
them accountable for results.
Land and Water Conservation
Fund: I support reinvesting in America's natural resources by
fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund and guaranteeing
a 50% share of the LWCF for state and local conservation. I believe
land management decisions are best made at the local level, and, as
President, I will rely on states, local communities and private
entities to lead conservation initiatives. I believe there should be
full public participation in the process of land conservation and
that public land management decisions should be based on a balanced
approach to responsible land stewardship that encourages multiple
use. I have spoken to the need for building cooperative conservation
partnerships between federal and state governments, local
communities and private landowners. As you know, leading
environmental organizations are effectively pursuing such
partnerships.
Global Warming: Efforts to improve our
environment must be based on sound science. Scientific data show
average temperatures have increased slightly during this century,
but both the causes and the impact of this slight warning are
uncertain. Changes in the Earth's atmosphere are serious and require
much more extensive scientific analysis. I oppose the Kyoto
Protocol; it is ineffective, inadequate and unfair to America
because it exempts 80 percent of the world, including major
population centers such as China and India, from compliance. America
must work with businesses and other nations todevelop new
technologies to reduce harmful emissions.
Energy
Efficiency: I believe the current CAFE standards are reasonable
and represent a good balance between automobile safety concerns and
environmental concerns. America's home to some of the best research
and development minds in the world. Over the past twenty years,
tremendous progress has been made under the current CAFE standards
that has increased fuel economy for both cars and light trucks. I
look forward to the private sector's continued development of
technology that results in safer cars that are also more
fuel-efficient.
Clean Air: I support the new Tier 11
standards that will require lower sulfur, cleaner-burning gasoline
and cleaner cars. I've also asked my environmental commissioners in
Texas to consider adopting stricter low-emission vehicle standards
to encourage the development of a new generation of cleaner vehicles
and fuels. As you know, in 1999, 1became the first Texas Governor to
do something about the air emissions from grandfathered industry. I
signed two pieces of landmark clean air legislation that will result
in reduced industrial emissions from grandfathered industries by
more than 250,000 tons each year - the equivalent of removing 5.5
million cars from Texas roads.
Offshore Drilling: I
support the current moratorium banning any new leases for drilling
off the coasts of California and Texas. As Governor of Texas, I
understand the importance of listening to state concerns. I'll work
with California and Florida state leaders and the local communities
to determine on a case-by-case basis whether or not the drilling
ought to go forward on the leases in place
now.
Sprawl: I believe the challenges of urban growth
are best handled by local and state governments. There are some
federal policies, like the estate tax, that encourage sprawl, often
compelling land-rich but cash-poor families to sell farmland to pay
their taxes. I believe we should eliminate the estate tax to allow
farms, ranches and other small businesses to be passed, intact, from
one generation to the next. The challenges of urban sprawl highlight
the need to revitalize our inner cities, and the best way to
revitalize our inner cities is to improve the public schools,
encourage more brownfield cleanups and redevelopments, continue the
reduction in urban crime rates and provide a strong, healthy
economic environment that supports job
creation.
Trade: In most countries, trade and higher
living standards result in more, not less, support for environmental
protection. As people move beyond a struggle for survival, a clean
environment and other aspects of life become a priority and the
wealth and resources needed to attack environmental problems are
generated. The WTO already authorizes measures to protect food
safety and promote resource conservation, as long as such measures
are based on sound science and are not disguised forms of
protectionism. Instead of trade sanctions, we should work with other
countries outside of trade negotiations to forge multilateral
environmental policies based on the best science.
Food
Safety: I support the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). I
recognize, however, that the FQPA presents many challenges and
believe that several key concerns need to be addressed in its
implementation. The Environmental Protection Agency and other
agencies should proceed to implement the new law in a manner that
does not disrupt farmers' access to safe crop protection products.
Also, new requirements under the FQPA should not be implemented in a
manner that restricts the use of valuable crop protection tools
unless viable alternatives are available.
Nuclear
Waste: I believe the best science must prevail in the
designation of any high-level nuclear waste repository. As
President, I would not sign legislation that would send nuclear
waste to any proposed site unless it has been deemed scientifically
safe. I also believe the federal government must work with the local
and state governments that will be affected to address safety and
transportation issues.
A successful 21st century
environmental policy will require a leader who can reach across
partisan lines and bridge political differences. The environmental
challenges facing us are complex issues that will require strong
leadership. As President, I will be committed to improving the
quality of our environment, and I will work with both Republicans
and Democrats to achieve our environmental goals.
Again,
thank you for the opportunity to share my views with you. I look
forward to continuing the healthy dialogue on how best to protect
the environment for our generation and for future
generations.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush
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