Al Gore  

George W. Bush

Clean Air

Strengthened soot and smog clean-air health-standards, and is fighting legal
challenges to those protections.

Adopted strictest ever emissions standards for cars, SUVs and light trucks.

Required elimination of 90% of sulfur from gasoline.

Called on power plants to cut their air pollution and global warming emissions.

Proposed slashing sulfur levels in diesel fuel.

Texas leads the U.S. in toxic industrial air pollution, but Bush chose not to require outdated facilities to clean up. Instead, he established a voluntary clean up program that few facilities have enrolled in.

Texas state officials sought to weaken the Clean Air Act’s enforcement provisions. Houston passed Los Angeles last year as America’s smoggiest city.

When he came to office in 1995, Bush cancelled auto emissions testing program in Houston, costing TX taxpayers $140 million for broken contracts.

Clean Water

Wild Lands

Called for an end to all timber sales on unspoiled lands and immediate protection for the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.

Enacted the California Desert Protection Act, largest public lands protection bill ever in the lower 48 states.

Opposes drilling for oil in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge. Supports wilderness designation for the Arctic.

Created or expanded 10 new National Monuments to protect treasured places. Reduced logging in National Forests by 80% since 1993.

Extended offshore oil leasing moratorium in
California and Florida for 10 years.

Proposed Lands Legacy Initiative. Supports expanding the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Would allow oil companies to drill in Arctic Refuge.

Aims to reverse President Clinton’s plan to protect wild, roadless National Forest areas.

Opposes newly created National Monuments.

Supports full funding for the Land and Water  Conservation Fund.

Campaign Finance Reform