Roy Carter´s Statement on the Dangers Facing the Mountain Environment:

[claypool4prez]

Roy Carter´s Statement on the Dangers Facing the Mountain Environment:


"I am pleased to be standing here at beautiful Canyons Restaurant today with the gorgeous Globe Forest as our back drop. It is breathtaking, isn’t it? It is hard to believe that any individual or corporation would want to see this area victimized by clear cutting.


It is difficult to fathom, as we look at the future home of the Grandfather National Scenic area, that our planet indeed faces great danger. Our skies are being polluted, our rivers poisoned and our mountains and forests leveled.


Fortunately, we are in a position to make changes, to reverse the effects of the very real problem of Global Warming. The citizens of North Carolina’s 5th congressional district are standing up for their environment, and I am proud to stand with them. Like the 1,800 citizens of Blowing Rock, NC who have taken action against the United States Forest Service and have proactively sought to preserve their environment.


As a child growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, my father taught me to respect the earth and its wonders. If we are to hand our children a world worth living in, it is vital that we begin to view and protect the Earth with the respect that it deserves.


Our chief concern must be to put an end to the pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline. As your Congressman I will fight to increase the fuel efficiency standards for our cars, saving Americans money while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. I will put an end to subsidies for big oil companies and instead promote the development of alternative energy resources that will power America for generations to come.


My opponent was given the opportunity to take action when the "Energy Independence and Security Act" came before the House of Representatives. This act raised fuel efficiency standards in cars, led the way towards a future powered by alternative fuels and repealed billions of dollars in federal subsidies for oil companies. Despite large, bipartisan support, Virginia Foxx voted against the bill. Instead of voting the will of her constituents, once again, she sided with oil companies and their record breaking profits; companies that she is personally invested in. This is irresponsible representation, and I pledge that when I am in Washington I will represent the needs of my constituents and not the needs of large subsidized oil companies.


Developing alternative fuel sources is just the beginning. We must deal, head on, with Global Warming and its devastating effects. I will lead this charge in Washington by enhancing and renewing legislation that requires all government buildings be built to green standards and by making my own office carbon-neutral. We must give incentives to businesses in order to promote the creation of green jobs, jobs that are needed here in the 5th District, jobs that will heal both our environment and our economy. These measures are only a beginning in the fight against Global Warming, but are necessary in recognizing the reality of the situation. Acknowledging the problem is the first step, a step my opponent has been unwilling to take.


Finally, we must protect and conserve the beauty of Western North Carolina. It is our great heritage and our responsibility to be its caretakers so that we may pass it on to the next generation of Americans. The 5th District possesses incredible natural beauty in its rivers and mountains, but these wonders are in danger of being destroyed. Our forests are being clear cut, our mountains strip mined and our rivers polluted by mining debris.


I am happy to join the people of North Carolina who have stepped up to protect these wonders so inseparable from the personality of the 5th District. Groups such as the Globe project, which has fought to save land from clear cutting, and the Grandfather National Scenic Area, which works to preserve 25,500 acres of the Pisgah National Forest, and has pushed to help conserve our country's natural heritage. Unfortunately, their work has not been supported by Virginia Foxx in Washington. Instead she has sided with the big corporations while beautiful Western North Carolina suffers.


As your congressman, I will continue to stand up for the environment. I will support the efforts of local groups to preserve our mountain heritage, lending them my voice and vote. I will draft legislation that puts an end to the mountaintop removal and strip mining currently plaguing the central Appalachians. North Carolinians deserve a representative in Congress that cherishes the environment as much as they do. I will continue to fight to protect the natural beauty of North Carolina for our children, and our children's children."


www.roycarterforcongress.com