We are now learning more and more about Sarah Palin’s record on the environment during her two years as governor of Alaska.
Two days ago, the Seattle Pi published a compelling article on Palin’s environmental record. Here are some highlights.
Climate change. Palin does not believe climate change is human-induced or cause for alarm. She refuses to take action on the matter.
Polar bears. Palin sued the Bush administration over the federal listing of polar bears as a threatened species. She claimed her opposition was based on a “comprehensive scientific review” but refused to release the scientific review. The review, which was later obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, showed that Alaskan marine mammal scientists in fact agreed that polar bears were facing habitat loss and ultimately the threat of extinction.
Endangered species. Palin is opposed to the Endangered Species Act.
Predator control. Palin approves of aerial hunting of wolves.
Pebble mine. Palin refuses to limit mining when it threatens the environment. She has approved every mining proposal that has come her way, including the Pebble Mine proposal, which puts at risk the largest sockeye salmon population in the world.
Oil and gas drilling. Palin supports oil and gas drilling anywhere in Alaska, including in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), the central Arctic, the entire Arctic Ocean, and in fish-rich Bristol Bay and Cook Inlet.
Exxon Valdez oil spill damages. Palin has refused to take action against Exxon.
Trans Pacific shipping. Despite repeated requests from coastal residents and organizations, Palin has done nothing to to enhance the safety of merchant shipping through Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.
Palin’s record on the environment has also been a focus of a recent CNN report (Anderson Cooper 360, 09/09/08).
VIDEO
The conclusion reached in this report is the same as in the Seattle Pi article.
Randy Kaye (CNN Reporter): “In a word if you could sum up Sarah Palin’s record on the environment here, what would it be?”
Rick Steiner (University of Alaska Biologist): “Abysmal.”
Sarah Palin’s record of utter disregard for the environment and unrestrained support for energy exploration seems to conflict with claims by the McCain campaign that Palin shares McCain’s concerns over climate change and the environment. The apparent contradiction should be taken as yet another sign of the McCain campaign’s attempts to ‘reinvent’ Sarah Palin.
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