Energy and Environment
From its earliest days, Pennsylvania has been distinguished by the richness, beauty and diversity of our natural environment. As a public official, I have worked to preserve that heritage. And as a Senator from Pennsylvania, I am committed to protecting the environment, preserving our national treasures, and safeguarding the health of our families.
In recent years, our environmental laws have been weakened. Regulation of toxic emissions has been rolled back and polluters have been let off the hook and no longer have to pay to clean up their environmental mess.
On global warming, I am taking a comprehensive approach that not only calls for mandatory reductions in global warming pollution, including carbon dioxide, but also puts pressure on other countries to reduce their emissions. Furthermore, in light of the importance that coal plays to Pennsylvania in the form of jobs and low-cost electricity, I am also supporting legislation that would accelerate the development and deployment of technologies to capture and store carbon dioxide from power plants and other industrial sources.
The United States needs an energy policy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil and that invests in renewable resources. Unfortunately, our energy policy has been too focused on giving taxpayer subsidies to oil companies rather than making new investments that can increase our economic, energy, and environmental security.
I have introduced legislation that would repeal these oil industry tax breaks and reinvest them in alternative fuel research.