Climate and Energy Debates Are Still Missing the Point
In a last-minute compromise to prevent a government shut-down, the Republicans won deep budget reductions for the Environmental Protection Agency. Cutting the EPA’s budget by 16% is simply a reflection of many policy goals, both on the federal and state levels.
Several Tea Party candidates across the country have begun following suit, signing extensive budget reduction and deregulatory environmental policies, aimed at reducing both the size of government and improve the business and economic climates of their states.
In New Jersey, for example, Gov. Chris Christie, another favorite among Tea Party loyalists, has said the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, which preserves more than 800,000 acres of open land that supplies drinking water to more than half of New Jersey’s residents, is an infringement on property rights. Mr. Christie has moved to shift power from planning boards and government agencies to administrative judges, political appointees who, environmentalists say, tend to rule more often in favor of developers’ interests.
Environmentalists counter with arguments that these actions overstep the bounds of legislators and set a precedent that government, rather than scientists, dictate environmental concerns. Opponents of the budget cuts also claim that the Democrats managed to maintain clean energy investment potential.
Daniel J. Weiss, director of climate strategy at the Center for American Progress, a liberal Washington policy group, said that by his calculation the Republicans had sought nearly $10 billion in cuts related to efficiency and renewable energy but got less than $3.7 billion. “The Democrats successfully defended investments in clean energy,” Mr. Weiss said.
What these arguments seem to overlook, however, is how securing our energy sources for future generations falls within the scope of either political ideology and should be a part of the debate about the direction of both our environmental and economic policies. Looking at today’s political discourse, achieving our energy security has not taken a primary role in discussions about environmental policy, but is a critical aspect of shifting toward clean energy as well as economic and budgetary debates currently on the table.
