Issues | Enviroment

As a farmer, I value conservation. Whether it is conservation of fiscal resources or conservation of environmental and natural resources, our responsibility to our children remains the same. They rightly expect to inherit a responsible government and a healthy environment.

In approaching issues of environmental policy, I believe we should pursue an achievable balance between environmental regulation and economic growth. A majority of the job creators I speak to in the 3rd District share concerns over the Environmental Protection Agency and its potential overreach.  I want to leave my two sons with air that is cleaner and water that is more drinkable. At the same time, I know that government regulations can reach a critical mass and overwhelm the people and businesses that drive our economy.

One regulatory threat that our economy faces is the promulgation of a cap and trade system.  My concern with these potential new regulations is that they will begin to regulate anthropogenic (man-made) climate change problems that the science community has not officially determined to exist. Building a complicated new regulatory infrastructure for the productive sectors of our country will likely have a negative impact on our global competitiveness. Unemployed Americans are not interested in the government potentially boxing with shadows; they are interested in getting back to work.

It is more important than ever as stewards of both taxpayer dollars and our environment to stand back and examine what real affects regulations and spending are having on the environment, individuals, businesses, and the economy as a whole. We owe it to future generations to be responsible with their financial and environmental resources.