As her party’s nominee for the Vice Presidency, too little is known about Governor Palin’s views and plans to protect the environment, stop global warming, end America’s addiction to oil and create a clean, renewable energy future.  We fear that her inclusion on the ticket may represent a step backwards for environmental protection and a clean energy future.

Unfortunately, with her support for drilling in the Arctic Refuge and off our coasts, it seems likely that Governor Palin will continue the failed policies of the Bush-Cheney Administration and their Big Oil friends – policies that could make us even more dependent on foreign oil.  She characterized McCain’s flip-flop on drilling offshore as a positive step and has implored McCain to change his position against drilling in the Arctic – something she will have plenty of opportunities to pursue as his running mate.

In addition to supporting backward-looking energy policies, Governor Palin has also opposed a crucial clean water initiative, sued the federal government for listing polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, and opposed other important wildlife protection measures.

With all of this in mind, the League of Conservation Voters believes that Governor Palin owes voters answers to five key questions about America’s future.

Question 1: As Governor of Alaska, you have done nothing to make cars cleaner and save consumers hundreds of dollars per year in fuel costs.  California and 14 other states have adopted higher clean car standards; Alaska has not.  With gasoline prices at $4/gallon, do you support a national increase in fuel efficiency standards?

Question 2:  Though you told CNBC that “renewables are not yet proven to be economic nor reliable,” 26 states have adopted renewable electricity standards to boost production of renewable energy.  Do you support a national renewable electricity standard, requiring utilities to get at least 20 percent of their power from wind, solar and other clean sources?

Question 3: Given the oil industry’s record profits, do you support cutting the more than $13 billion in taxpayer subsidies they receive?

Question 4: On January 15, 2008, you proposed a windfall profits tax on oil companies to give more money to Alaskans, and you used some of that money to invest in renewable energy.  Barack Obama proposes a similar plan. John McCain opposes it. Will you support McCain’s energy plan or stand by a good policy?

Question 5: On Friday, August 29, 2008, you said “A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I’m not one though who would attribute it to being man-made.” The Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that global warming is the result of human activity and that we must act now to avoid its worst effects.   John McCain agrees, though his proposals fall far short of the IPCC’s pollution reduction goals. Though you admit global warming is a threat and other states have taken action, Alaska has not set emission reduction goals or joined as a participant with states of the Western Climate Initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

If elected, would you continue to ignore the advice of the world’s best scientists or will you accept that global warming is caused by human activity and work to protect the American people from economic and national security threats of global warming by cutting emissions by 80% by 2050, the target set by the IPCC?

This entry was posted on Friday, September 5th, 2008 at 9:04 am and is filed under Uncategorized .