By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI News staff
ecoRI News profiled the six top-polling candidates running in
the Sept. 9 primary for governor. We encapsulate each candidate’s environmental
platform and share their responses to six targeted questions on specific
topics: fossil-fuel divestment, plastic bag ban, funding for environmental
compliance, renewable energy, the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council
(EC4) and open-space protection.
DEMOCRATS
Todd Giroux calls
for a revolving loan fund to upgrade Rhode Island’s aging housing stock and
make it more energy efficient. The Bristol contractor also supports a
Workers Progress Administration-style program for green jobs training. EDITOR’S
NOTE: Giroux plans to fund his loan fund by taking money from the state pension
funds. This is illegal.
He didn't respond to our specific questions.
Clay Pell has a lengthy environmental action plan.
He advocates for greater energy-efficiency programs and enhanced development of
brownfield sites, open-space protection and expanded recycling. He supports
many of the state’s existing energy-efficiency and renewable-energy programs.
He would continue the initiatives run by the state Office of Energy Resources.
New programs would target specific vehicle-emission reductions.
Other plans include greater use of low-impact development and
better management of stormwater runoff; a statewide organics recycling program
and enhanced residential composting; and development of a green infrastructure
design industry. He would keep the Renewable Energy Fund under the oversight of
the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation.
Environmental
enforcement: Funding and staffing should be “strategically focused” at the
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. “I know staff resources in
a number of divisions at RIDEM have been cut dramatically over the past
decade and many important environmental protection programs have suffered as a
result.”
Open
space: Supports the open-space bond referendum. He doesn’t offer a
novel approach to protecting land, but, he says, open space is good for
business. “I do not believe there is a decision point between the economy and
the environment.”
Renewable
energy: Supports all of Rhode Island’s existing renewable-energy
programs. He would expand training for green tech jobs.
Fossil-fuel
divestment: Supports a socially responsible investment strategy for the
University of Rhode Island Foundation and endowments at other higher education
institutions in Rhode Island.
Bag
ban: He is open to considering a ban on plastic shopping bags.
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| Beyond fist-bumps for banksters, Raimondo's got nothing |
Gina Raimondo’s
environmental platform centers on what she calls a “green
bank” to create green jobs and address climate change and renewable energy.
Her plan would relocate some of the state’s existing renewable-energy
programs to the green bank.
The new quasi-public entity would manage the
state’s Renewable Energy Fund and the revenue the fund receives through the
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the surcharge on electricity
bills. The green bank is capitalized through bond offerings. New York and
Connecticut have similar programs.
She didn't respond to our specific questions.
Angel Taveras’
term as mayor of Providence offers the strongest evidence on his environmental
record, which includes hiring the state’s first municipal sustainability
director. He also is the candidate with the most specific environmental
platform.
His plan consists of an ambitious goal of 40 percent renewable
energy by 2030; cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050;
promoting urban farms and community gardens; continuing the state’s highly
ranked energy-efficiency programs for homes, businesses and municipalities;
building on the success of compost hubs in Providence to create statewide
programs; and encourage businesses to make new products out of recyclable
materials.
EC4:
Taveras says he would maintain the Executive Climate Change Coordinating
Council.
Environmental
enforcement: Supports maintaining a full staff for enforcement and
compliance at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
Open
space: Says he would expand his urban and community farm program
statewide. Supports the open-space bonds, in particular funding for protecting
farmland. He would continue efforts by the Division of Planning that focus on a
balance between open space and managed development.
Renewable energy: Supports the expansion the General
Assembly made this year to the distributed-generation and net-metering
programs. He supports restoring the state tax credit for renewable energy.
Fossil-fuel
divestment: Says he was proud to sign the Providence City Council’s
resolution to divest the city from fossil fuels. Supports having the University
of Rhode Island divest its endowment from coal companies.
Bag
ban: Supports a statewide ban on single-use check-out bags or a fee
on plastic bags.
REPUBLICANS
Ken Block’s entire platform focuses on cutting taxes and reducing
spending. The Barrington resident is a software engineer. He didn't respond to
our specific questions.
Allan Fung doesn’t list the environment as
an issue on his on his website. The Cranston mayor didn't directly answer ecoRI
News' targeted questions, although he did reply to a question about restoring
staffing for environmental compliance and enforcement.
He wrote in an e-mail he would order a review of the state’s
regulatory framework before making staffing changes. "We must focus our
efforts on streamlining the regulatory process in all areas to allow businesses
to operate as efficiently as possible.”
He frames his environmental qualifications by his response, as
mayor, to the floods of March 2010, which included promoting solutions to
mitigate the impacts of future weather events. He also noted his advocacy for
agriculture and open-space preservation in rural areas.
He supports importing additional Canadian hydropower into the
state electricity mix. On renewable energy, Fund wrote, “I will watch the
progress of alternative energy proposals and carefully consider any impact
on Rhode Island ratepayers as well as the potential to promote greater reliance
upon alternative energy sources.”
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Don't forget
your photo ID. EDITOR’s NOTE: in Charlestown, the polls do not open until 9 AM.