Tom Steyer on Environment Democratic Presidential Challenger; CEO

Environmental justice means clean air & water

We're going to make this work the old-fashioned way: We're going to have a government that puts in rules starting day one. We call our climate plan a justice-based climate plan. We can make this work. We can be better paid. We can more just. We can be cleaner and healthier, particularly in black and brown communities, which are bearing the brunt of our pollution.

If there's a big problem, the American government will solve it. And somewhere around 14 or 15 years ago, I thought, this doesn't seem to be working. There's this huge unintended consequence of having a fossil fuel economy, which is climate change. So what I finally decided was, this is a political problem. ]\

Environmental justice, not managed retreat

Mayor Pete BUTTIGIEG: We are going to have to use federal funds to make sure that we are supporting those whose lives will inevitably be impacted. That disproportionately happens to black and brown Americans, which is why equity and environmental justice have to be at the core of our climate plan going forward.

STEYER: Look, what you're talking about is what's called managed retreat. It's basically saying we're going to have to move things because this crisis is out of control. And it's unbelievably expensive. And of course we'll come to the rescue of Americans who are in trouble. But this is why climate is my number one priority. I would do it from the standpoint of environmental justice and make sure we go to the black and brown communities where you can't breathe the air or drink the water that comes out of the tap safely.

Nuclear energy is risky & not cost competitive

Corporate profits matter more than keeping people alive

Residents in Flint, Michigan, are 54% African-American and nearly 42% live below the poverty line. They were exposed to dangerous, lead-filled water when Republicans running the state decided to switch the city's water supply to the polluted Flint River, because it was cheaper than clean water from Lake Huron.

In Fresno, California, where over 49% of the people are Latino and nearly 3 in 10 are poor, soot pollution makes air quality among the worst in the country, thanks to dirty power plants coughing out chemicals that cause sickeningly high asthma rates.

For big businesses--and way too many politicians--driving corporate profits up matters more than keeping people alive and well. Cheap beats safe.

Stand up to corporate polluters who poison our air & water

Ban single-use plastic bags

Report on Steyer's stance and spending on ballot initiatives:
• California Proposition 67, Plastic Bag Ban Veto Referendum (2016)
• Steyer Supported; Steyer spent $50,000; outcome: Approved
• The California Plastic Bag Ban Veto Referendum, also known as Proposition 67, was on the November 8, 2016, ballot in California as a veto referendum. It was approved.
• A "yes" vote supported upholding the contested legislation banning certain plastic bags that was enacted by the California State Legislature as Senate Bill 270.
• A "no" vote opposed banning certain plastic bags and enacting Senate Bill 270.
• The American Progressive Bag Alliance, an opponent of the measure, led the "No" campaign to repeal SB 270.
• Yes on 67, a coalition of environmental groups, grocers, and others, led the "Yes" campaign to uphold SB 270.

Regulate confinement of farm animals more humanely

Report on Steyer's stance and spending on ballot initiatives:
• California Proposition 2, Standards for Confining Farm Animals (2008)
• Steyer Supported; Steyer spent $25,000; outcome: Approved
• Proposition 2 created a new state statute that prohibits the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs. The law was set to go into full effect on January 1, 2015.