Democrats believe that job creation and sound environmental stewardship can -
as the last 8 years have shown - go hand in hand. During the Clinton
Administration, Democrats helped to promote the cleanest environment in decades
- with cleaner air, cleaner water and a safer food supply. A record number of
toxic waste dumps were cleaned up and new smog and soot standards were
implemented to combat asthma in children and the elderly. From the Redwood
forests to the Florida Everglades, Democrats protected almost 60 million acres
of national forests and have continued to fight for these priorities,
safeguarding and preserving our environment for future generations.
President Bush and Republicans, on the other hand, have begun an assault on our
nation's environment and natural resources. In less than two years, Bush has
started to undo the great accomplishments Democrats achieved in eight years. In
March 2001, Bush broke a campaign promise to reduce harmful carbon dioxide
emissions after encountering strong resistance from the coal and oil industries.
That same month, EPA Administrator Christie Whitman said that the Administration
considered the Kyoto protocol — an international treaty aimed at reducing
global warming — "dead." Several months later, many countries
reached an agreement on reducing global warming without United States
participation. Republicans have also proposed opening up our protected national
monuments and parks to destructive development and drilling.