The Environment
Addressing global climate change is the most important environmental issue facing our nation today. In addition, our reliance on foreign oil has a direct, negative impact on both our economy and national security. While we’re importing millions of barrels of oil a day from the Middle East, countries like Germany and Japan are beating us in the race to develop new, clean sustainable sources of energy. All too often in America, environmental and economic interests have been seen as hopelessly at odds with each other. It doesn’t have to be that way. As environmental attorney with over 30 years of experience, I have crafted workable solutions to such conflicts, and I will bring that experience to Congress.
As your Representative I will support for programs that create green collar jobs and bring renewable energy manufacturing facilities to Western New York, while leaving our children the legacy of a clean and livable environment. My plan for addressing our energy needs and the climate change crisis includes:
- Creating a national infrastructure for renewable energy. While New York has set benchmarks requiring the use of renewable energy, a comparable federal policy does not yet exist. I will work to establish a federal policy that provides consistent support for renewable energy and sets a target of 20 percent of our energy production coming from renewable sources by 2020.
We need to end subsidies to the oil industry, and instead use that money to support innovation in the energy sector. To that end, I support creating a national energy fund that will invest in developing domestic sources of energy.
I will work to bring research money for these new sources of energy to the universities and colleges in the 26th district, and I will work with the local business community to bring new clean, renewable energy manufacturing facilities to our region. Rural areas in Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming counties have excellent opportunities to benefit from renewable energy projects as well, both as locations for power production or as producers of biofuel. - Support measures that reward conservation and efficiency. We must move to new sources of energy as part of the solution to our energy problem, but a large part of the solution must be conservation as well. In Congress, I will support federal measures that encourage the construction of new green buildings and the weatherizing of older homes – thereby reducing heating costs for Western New Yorkers and creating green collar jobs within the district. I also support more robust energy efficiency standards for appliances and lighting, saving consumers money in the process.
- Protecting the Great Lakes and our National Parks. Although our district does not border the Great Lakes directly, it does sit within their watersheds. Keeping our water clean and free of industrial pollutants and chemicals is vital to keeping our region livable. Across the country national parks are an integral part of our national landscape, yet they are in danger of being damaged beyond repair due to increased usage and reduced maintenance funding. Reinvestment in these resources will be a priority of mine in Congress, so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy these national treasures for years to come.
