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Tim Kaine on Environment
Democratic Senate Challenger; previously Governor
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Always work to protect our air, water and land
Tim is an avid outdoorsman who will always work to protect our air, water and land. In the Senate, Tim has been a strong supporter of efforts to reduce the carbon pollution responsible for climate change and ensure our energy production is cleaner
tomorrow than it is today. From his opposition to the Keystone pipeline to his support for the President's historic Clean Power Plan, Tim has advocated policies that will protect our planet and strengthen our economy.
He has become a leader on the issue of combating sea level rise, which is already impacting our defense community and Virginians' daily lives through flooded roads and skyrocketing flood insurance costs. Despite the unfortunate partisanship on climate
change issues, Tim was able to break through the gridlock and organize a forum on sea level rise with Democratic and Republican members of Congress and local leaders alongside scientists at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.
Source: Virginia 2012 Senate campaign website KaineForVA.com
, Feb 29, 2012
Historic investments in water quality & open space
Together we've made historic investments in water quality and adjusted the state's conservation tax credit. As a result, Virginia is accelerating its efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, and we are well on our way to preserving 400,000 acres
of open space by the end of the decade.Together, we've embraced innovative management practices like the Council on Virginia's Future and the new Virginia Performs website.
As a result, we've cemented our reputation as the best managed state in America and continued to win accolades for our financial management and service to citizens.
Together, we changed the way we think about transportation and land use in Virginia.
Last year's traffic impact statement legislation was a turning point in connecting state transportation planning with local land use planning. As a result, we are beginning to make better decisions in managing Virginia's growth.
Source: 2007 State of the State address to Virginia Assembly
, Jan 10, 2007
Invest in ongoing work to clean up rivers & Chesapeake Bay
Virginia's citizens enjoy an impressive array of natural resources that we are bound to protect. In fact, Virginia's Constitution only mentions two of the many functional areas of government as mandatory. responsibilities--education and protection of
the environment. That commitment has never been more important. This year, we must make an historic investment in the ongoing work to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and to improve the quality of Virginia's rivers. The introduced budget contains a
$232 million allocation for water clean-up. Together with recently approved regulations concerning waste treatment plants, this investment will pay dividends in protection of future generations' ability to enjoy our waterways and have clean drinking
water. I will also submit a budget amendment to dedicate special revenue to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries that can be used for wildlife management, land conservation, recreation, and critical habitat protection.
Source: State of the State 2006 address to Virginia Assembly
, Jan 16, 2006
Voted YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems.
Whitehouse Amdt. No. 803 to S.Amdt. 799 to S. 601 (Water Resources Development Act of 2013): To create the National Endowment for the Oceans to promote the protection and conservation of United States ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems.Proponent's Argument for voting Yes: Mr. WHITEHOUSE: This measure was part of the RESTORE Act, [but] this piece of it fell out of the bargain. If you supported the RESTORE Act, you have already supported this bill. If you believe that deals should be deals in the Senate, then you should support this bill. It is very important that we as a body support this bill. It does not create a single extra bureaucracy or person. It works within the existing government, and it adds no funding.
MississippiRiverDelta.org Summary of RESTORE Act: The Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act) dedicates 80% of all
Clean Water Act penalties paid by those responsible for the 2010 gulf oil disaster to Gulf Coast restoration.
Proponent's press release supporting Yes vote: The National Endowment for the Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes Act would provide steady funding that universities, non-profit organizations, and government agencies can count on every year to support research and restoration projects. It would be funded primarily by dedicating 12.5% of revenues from offshore energy development, including oil, gas, and renewable energy. Revenue is generated through offshore lease sales and production based royalty payments. Funds from the Endowment would be distributed through a competitive grant program to fund projects to restore habitat, manage fisheries, plan for sustainable coastal development, enhance ocean monitoring and research activities, acquire coastal properties for preservation, and relocate critical coastal infrastructure.
Reference: National Endowment for the Oceans;
Bill S.Amdt. 803
; vote number 13-SV116
on May 8, 2013
Page last updated: Jul 08, 2016