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BUSH
www.georgewbush.com |
Natural resources
Gov. George W. Bush’s agenda to protect natural
resources encourages private stewardship of land. He would establish a
$50 million Landowner Incentive Program for private landowners who protect
rare species. The program would also create a tax incentive for those who
sell their land for conservation purposes. These tax credits may be more
relevant if the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) of 2000 passes
Congress this fall. CARA would authorize the federal government to use
outer-continental shelf oil revenues to purchase and protect land through
the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Bush also states that he will
fully fund the LWCF while giving half of the money to state and local efforts.
Energy
Following the Republican platform on energy
issues, Bush believes that the best way to decrease the nation’s dependence
on foreign oil sources is to open public lands to exploration and development.
Bush would dissolve restrictions on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
(ANWR) so that increased domestic oil production would help meet increasing
demand without increasing oil imports. He supports the moratorium against
new oil and gas leases off the California and Florida coast, but
would be open to a case-by-case authorization of older leases.
Environment
Bush’s environmental platform focuses on
transferring environmental management to the states, while maintaining
strict federal regulation. He supports the cleanup of abandoned and moderately
contaminated sites, known as Brownfields, and believes that redevelopers
who meet high state cleanup standards should have protection from federal
Superfund liability. Bush opposes the Kyoto Protocol on the grounds that
it unfairly exempts developing countries from compliance. On the topic
of Yucca Mountain, Gov. Bush has stated that “sound science, and not politics,
must prevail in the designation of any high-level nuclear waste repository.”
| GORE
www.algore2000.com |
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Natural resources
Vice President Al Gore’s platform will keep
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and southern Florida closed
to oil and gas drilling. He intends to increase protection of federal lands
through the designation of national monuments and would increase funding
for maintaining national parks.
Energy
Gore’s energy platform focuses on increasing
energy efficiency and on finding alternative energy sources in all sectors
so that the nation uses smaller volumes of imported oil. His National Energy
Security and Environment Trust Fund relies heavily on market mechanisms
such as tax credits to encourage energy efficiency increases in cars, SUVs,
trucks, homes and businesses. The fund would provide money to improve the
weatherization of low-income houses as well as tax credits to businesses
for using cleaner energy alternatives. The plan also nurtures state attempts
to decrease overall energy consumption. Gore supports the moratorium on
existing and new leases to drill for oil and gas from most of the outer
continental shelf surrounding the 50 states.
Environment
The National Energy Security and Environment
Trust Fund also addresses many of Gore’s environmental goals. Overall,
he advocates more stringent environmental protection standards. He would
attempt to get the Kyoto Protocol — an international plan to decrease greenhouse
gas emissions — ratified by Congress. Gore has promoted the Superfund Tax
Fund reauthorization to support the cleanup of seriously contaminated sites
around the country. He also supports the remediation of Brownfields by
making the fund’s tax incentive permanent. On the disposal of high-level
nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nev., Gore believes that the Environmental
Protection Agency should retain its regulatory authority to establish standards
for future exposure.
