Phil Steck Statement on Anniversary of Earth Day

Statement

Phil Steck Statement on Anniversary of Earth Day

Democratic congressional candidate Phil Steck issued the following statement on the anniversary of Earth Day, observed on April 22:

"In 1970, the price of oil stood at $3.00, with an OPEC-induced crisis about to begin. That same year, four students at Kent State were killed and nine were wounded while protesting against U.S action in Cambodia. On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated and in December the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began operations.

Today, our nation faces eerily similar moral and economic challenges. We are mired in a war in Iraq that we ought not to have started. The price of oil has skyrocketed to well over $100 per barrel. We are faced with one of the greatest challenges of our generation, global climate change.

We have a serious duty to right the wrongs of unchecked environmental abuse.

My family and I have taken a few small steps, acting locally in our personal life, long before I decided I was a candidate for Congress. My wife Tricia and I drive hybrid vehicles. We have also chosen wind as the source of electricity generation for our home. But, we know these acts are far from enough.

One of the great mistakes is that many focus only on what individuals can do and not what government can do. Many Americans lack the economic means to make the changes my wife and I have made.

We need leadership in Washington willing to fully admit openly and honestly that global warming is a threat. We need a Congress and President committed to developing a real energy policy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil, and greatly enhances the role of renewable energy sources like hydroelectric, wind, and solar. We need to pass stringent standards for emissions to ensure development of cleaner, more efficient cars. The United States needs to play a leadership role in the international community in developing comprehensive climate change treaties.

On the local level, we need a public transportation system that is sensitive to the environment, and includes and encourages non-automobile modes of transportation. We need to support sustainable planning and the development of green buildings that meet and exceed LEED standards. We need more money to clean superfund sites and to encourage redevelopment of brownfields. Finally, we need to closely monitor the Hudson River PCB cleanup, and hold other industrial polluters accountable."

Source