Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, 2016/Natural resources
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 Bernie Sanders |
U.S. Senator (Assumed office: 2007) U.S. Representative (1991-2007) |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
| CANDIDATE SUMMARY | |
Energy development
- Bernie Sanders called for a nationwide ban on fracking during a rally in Binghamton, New York, on April 11, 2016. “In my view, if we are serious about safe and clean drinking water, if we are serious about clean air. If we are serious about combating climate change, we need to put an end to fracking not only in New York and Vermont, but all over this country,” he said.[2][3]
- Calling for the closure of the nuclear power plant Indian Point in New York, Sanders said in a statement on April 4, 2016, "I am very concerned that the Indian Power nuclear power reactor is more than ever before a catastrophe waiting to happen. In my view, we cannot sit idly by and hope that the unthinkable will never happen. We must take action to shut this plant down in a safe and responsible way. It makes no sense to me to continue to operate a decaying nuclear reactor within 25 miles of New York City where nearly 10 million people live."[4]
- On November 29, 2015, Sanders said he opposed the Northeast Energy Direct pipeline, a natural gas pipeline cutting through New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Karthik Ganapathy, Sanders’ New Hampshire communications director, explained the candidate’s opposition. “The truth is: there are lots of reasons to oppose this pipeline. There are justified concerns around abuse of eminent domain to seize private property, the route would go through historic towns and conservation sites and as with all pipelines, there could be leaks or spills,” he said.[5]
- Sanders introduced the Keep It in the Ground Act on November 4, 2015, aiming to prohibit offshore drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic, to stop new leases, and to end nonproducing leases for offshore drilling in the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico regions.[6]
- On November 2, 2015, Sanders reiterated his opposition to the Keystone XL Pipeline. Sanders tweeted, "I have always opposed Keystone XL. It isn't a distraction — it's a fundamental litmus test of your commitment to battle climate change." He also tweeted, "If we are serious about combating climate change we have to do all we can to prevent the excavation of the dirtiest fossil fuels #KeystoneXL." His tweets came after TransCanada, the company building the pipeline, asked the state department for a pause in its pipeline review, potentially until a new president is in office. Despite the request, on November 2, 2015, President Obama said he would make a decision on the pipeline before he leaves office.[7][8]
- In 2014, Bernie Sanders voted against S.2280, a bill to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.[9]
- In 2006, Sanders voted for H.Amdt.856 to H.R.5386, which proposed prohibiting the "use of funds in the bill to conduct activities in violation of the moratorium on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf."[10]
- In 2001, Sanders voted for H.Amdt.298 to H.R.4, which proposed maintaining "protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by striking language in the bill that repeals the prohibition against energy development in ANWR."[11]
Climate change
- While campaigning in West Virginia on May 5, 2016, Bernie Sanders said that he would work to assist coal-dependent communities impacted by his environmental policies. “While I strongly believe we need to combat climate change to make our planet habitable for our children and our grandchildren, let me be clear: We cannot abandon communities that have been dependent on coal and other fossil fuels. In my view, we have got to invest $41 billion rebuilding coal mining communities and making sure that Americans in McDowell County and all over this country receive the job training they need for the clean energy jobs of the future,” he said.[12]
- On February 8, 2016, Sanders signed a pledge to power at least half of the nation's energy needs with renewable sources by 2030. The pledge was devised by NextGen Climate, a San Francisco-based environmental advocacy organization that was founded by philanthropist, environmental activist, and Democratic donor Tom Steyer in 2013. The group is affiliated with NextGen Climate Action, a super PAC.[13]
- On January 20, 2016, Sanders discussed climate change “after the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that 2015 was the hottest year on record,” according to CNN. Sanders said, "This planet and its people are in trouble. Unless we get our act together, we will see in years to come more droughts, more floods and more extreme weather disturbances. … It is absolutely vital that we act boldly to move our energy system away from fossil fuels. That's why I have proposed a comprehensive plan to put people before polluters and reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050 by putting a tax on carbon and making aggressive investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency."[14]
- In a press release on December 12, 2015, Sanders said the Paris Agreement on climate change “goes nowhere near far enough” to address carbon emissions. “The planet is in crisis. We need bold action in the very near future and this does not provide that. In the United States we have a Republican Party which is much more interested in contributions from the fossil fuel industry than they care about the future of the planet. That is true all over the globe. We’ve got to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and fight for national and international legislation that transforms our energy system away from fossil fuel as quickly as possible,” said Sanders.[15]
- On December 10, 2015, Sanders introduced the Climate Protection Justice Act “to establish a price on carbon pollution” and “cut total emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, fund historic investments in energy efficiency and sustainable energy technologies, return billions of dollars to working families and protect the most vulnerable communities.”[16][17]
- On December 7, 2015, Sanders unveiled a wide-ranging plan to address climate change designed to reduce carbon pollution by 40 percent by 2030 and by over 80 percent by 2050. Under the proposal, Sanders would impose a tax on carbon emissions, repeal subsidies for fossil fuel production, and make investments in energy efficiency and clean, sustainable energy such as wind and solar power. Those investments would create a "Clean-Energy Workforce of 10 million good-paying jobs by creating a 100% clean energy system," the plan said. As president, Sanders also would ban fossil fuels lobbyists from working in the White House; create a national environmental and climate justice plan that would recognize the heightened public health risks faced by low-income and minority communities; investigate polluters, such larges-scale fossil fuel developers; and fight to overturn Citizens United, a move Sanders believes would reduce the political influence of wealthy interests—such as fossil fuel developers—that have elected politicians who refuse to address climate change.[18][19]
- On November 14, 2015, at the second Democratic primary debate, Sanders said that there was a connection between climate change and terrorism. He said "In fact, climate change is directly related to the growth of terrorism. And if we do not get our act together and listen to what the scientists say, you're going to see countries all over the world -- this is what the CIA says -- they're going to be struggling over limited amounts of water, limited amounts of land to grow their crops ask [sic] you're going to see all kinds of international conflict. But, of course, international terrorism is a major issue that we have got to address today."[20]
- On October 20, 2015, Sanders wrote a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch demanding that ExxonMobil be investigated for corporate fraud and knowingly hiding information about the connection between fossil fuels and climate change.[21]
- In a July 2014 op-ed, Sanders argued for a carbon tax. He wrote, "Global warming is the greatest environmental threat facing the planet and averting a planetary disaster will require a major reduction in the burning of coal, oil and other fossil fuels. ... A carbon tax must be a central part of our strategy for dramatically reducing carbon pollution."[22]
Environmental Protection Agency
- Bernie Sanders co-sponsored S.2905 - the Carbon Pollution Transparency Act of 2014, which proposed requiring "the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to calculate a carbon score for legislation. Requires the score to include projected net greenhouse gas emissions that would result from enactment and implementation of a bill or resolution and the appropriation of any amounts authorized in the legislation. Directs CBO to include the carbon score when carrying out provisions of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requiring a cost estimate for each bill or resolution reported by any congressional committee except the appropriations committees."[23]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Bernie + Sanders + Natural + Resources
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ VPR, "Bernie Sanders Is Streaming His Presidential Announcement On Periscope," April 30, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Bernie Sanders Proposes Fracking Ban and Attacks Hillary Clinton on the Environment," April 11, 2016
- ↑ ABC News, "Bernie Sanders Proposes National Ban on Fracking," April 11, 2016
- ↑ NBC News, "Bernie Sanders Calls For Shutting Down New York Nuke Plant," April 4, 2016
- ↑ Boston.com, "Bernie Sanders is the first presidential candidate to oppose the Kinder Morgan pipeline," November 30, 2015
- ↑ Bernie Sanders Senate website, "Sanders, Merkley, Leahy Introduce Bill to Ban New Drilling on Public Land," November 4, 2015
- ↑ Fortune, "Only One Candidate is Talking About Keystone XL on Twitter," November 3, 2015
- ↑ The Sacramento Bee, "Only One Candidate is Talking About Keystone XL on Twitter," November 3, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2280," accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.Amdt.856 to H.R.5386," accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.Amdt.298 to H.R.4," accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Bernie Sanders Pledges to Keep Jobs in Coal Mining Areas," May 5, 2016
- ↑ NextGen Climate, "Huge news: Bernie Sanders joins Hillary Clinton in Endorsing #50BY30," February 9, 2016
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Sanders spotlights new climate data: 'The debate is over,'" January 20, 2016
- ↑ Bernie 2016, "Paris Climate Accord ‘Goes Nowhere Near Far Enough,’ Sanders Says," accessed December 14, 2015
- ↑ Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator for Vermont, "Sanders Introduces Bill to Cut Carbon Emissions 80 Percent," accessed December 10, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Sanders wants to put price on carbon pollution," December 10, 2015
- ↑ Bernie 2016, "Combating Climate Change to Save the Planet," accessed December 7, 2015
- ↑ NBC News, "Bernie Sanders Unveils Climate Plan," December 7, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The CBS Democratic debate transcript, annotated," November 15, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Bernie Sanders Wants DOJ To Investigate 'Potential Fraud' By Exxon Over Climate Research," October 20, 2015
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Why We Need a Carbon Tax," September 8, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2905 - Carbon Pollution Transparency Act of 2014," accessed December 23, 2014
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