Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Only Clay Pell and Taveras have actual plans on the environment

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.

EC4: Pell says executive action is necessary to tackle climate change and therefore backs Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council. “Politics at the federal level have led to inaction that has significantly harmed our ability to address the major energy and environmental challenges facing our nation,” Pell wrote in an e-mail to ecoRI News.

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.

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.