Candidates discuss positions on environmental issues

The Kansan spoke with local State Senate and State House candidates, asking them to share their positions on environmental issues.

By Ramsey Cox (Contact)

Originally published 12:00 a.m., July 8th, 2008
Updated 03:45 p.m., July 10th, 2008

Candidates running for State Senate in the 2nd and 3rd Districts 2 and State House in the 10th, 44th, 45th and 46th Districts, which represent parts of Lawrence, were asked to share their positions on environmental issues. Here are the responses:

State Senate,

2nd District

Incumbent Marci Francisco, Democrat

“I support research on perennial crops and sustainable agricultural practices, establishment of conservation easements for farm and ranchland, networks for local food, and food labeling that includes information about production,” Francisco said.

Francisco said she supported the construction of green buildings and renewable energy production.

“I support the implementation of the state water plan, conservation of water efforts, state purchases of water rights using funds from the Colorado water settlement, and increased maintenance of our reservoirs,” Francisco said. “I support state funds for transportation to be allocated for a variety of transportation modes including bicycles, busses and expansion of Amtrak service.”

Scott Morgan, Republican

“Whether you believe global warming is real, sort-of-real or a bunch of bunk, it is still clear that we need to reduce the stuff our machines are belching into the air,” Morgan said.

“If it were easy, it would have already been done. In truth, it will take tough choices and leadership. It means developing an actual energy policy that recognizes our basic need to turn on the lights but also reduces our use of carbon-based fuels. It means less time being spent on political gamesmanship and more time reaching across political divides to find consensus. It means increasing the use of wind, solar and other renewable energy sources. It means encouraging conservation and it means making fossil fuels such as coal better reflect their actual cost,” Morgan said.

State Senate,

3rd District

Tom Holland, Democrat, did not respond.

Incumbent Roger Pine, Republican

“As a lifelong farmer, I have raised my family on the land and make my living from its bounty. I believe our earth is precious and that we have an obligation to be good stewards of the environment as we pass this planet along to the next generation,” Pine said.

Pine said he thought everyone should take part in environmental protection.

“Globally, this is a huge issue — it’s a reason that the environment often is under greatest assault in impoverished countries where meeting urgent human needs tends to trump a long-term commitment to the environment. That’s one reason I also believe strongly that we must develop a long-term energy policy for Kansas that not only is green in and of itself but that also provides affordable energy and power to all Kansans so that all can afford to participate more fully in protecting our precious environment.”

Patrick Wilbur, Libertarian

“We need to explore all avenues of energy options — especially those that are renewable and cost effective. In Kansas, we are lucky to have many options. As State Senator I would encourage an expansion of wind power, including the Flint Hills. I also believe we need to look at expanding nuclear power options, whether that be through new plants or expanding the capabilities of Wolf Creek. I would propose that we expand tax credits for solar energy upgrades to homes and businesses.”

Wilbur also said people should be careful relying on the government to solve environmental problems. “The Federal Government is the largest polluter in the United States,” Wilbur said. “Do we really want the fox guarding the henhouse?”

House,

10th District

John Coen, Republican, did not respond.

Tony Brown, Democrat

“A change that is a bit more difficult is to provide economic incentives to individual persons to reduce energy consumption or install alternative energy sources in their homes. There currently are some modest tax breaks for these kinds of homeowner initiatives, but Kansas has not passed a net-metering law to allow persons to sell solar or wind energy back to energy companies. My wife and I installed solar panels on a home addition we are currently building. The energy produced by these panels goes directly into the electrical grid and excess energy is fed back into the Baldwin City system, so our electrical meter runs forward and backward,” Brown said.

He too said he would not have voted for the Holcomb coal power plant.

“We have got to step up our efforts to explore and develop renewable energy sources like wind, solar and geothermal energies. There are huge opportunities in these energy areas and we are missing out on them currently,” Brown said.

William Stewart-Starks, Libertarian

“If I were to throw a bag of garbage behind the counter of a downtown establishment, the patrons may not take action against me but the owner surely would. Now consider a public park, I am far more likely to get away with such an abuse because those using the park may not feel that they have any true ownership or incentive to keep it clean. We must eliminate the commons in our community and stop relying on government to police them,” Stewart-Starks said.

Like his fellow Libertarian Wilbur, Stewart-Starks said he does not think the public should trust the government to handle environmental issues.

“We must remember that the U.S. Government is the number one polluter in the country and often colludes with big corporations by allowing them to continue polluting with things such as green taxes and carbon credits,” Stewart-Starks said.

House, 44th District

Barbara Ballard, Democrat

Ballard said the state needs to develop a comprehensive plan with solar, wind, nuclear and water.

“I don’t know that everyone is taking recycling seriously,” Ballard said. “We should emphasize energy use in our schools. It would be advantageous for us to teach first through third graders to conserve energy.”

Ballard said her views on a commuter rail system have changed with the recent rise in gas prices.

“I thought people will always rather use cars that rail, but now with gas prices so high, I’ve seen people using bikes instead,” Ballard said. “If gas prices stay high, which it looks like they will, more people would be looking at rail as an option. I would consider that for commuters between Lawrence and Topeka. But the question is how do you fund that, it might need to come from federal funding.”

House, 45th District

Incumbent, Tom Sloan, Republican

Sloan said he has supported renewable energy production and that he initiated most legal incentives to develop wind energy. “It is necessary to have a balanced energy generation mix to ensure service reliability, manage costs to consumers, protect the environment and facilitate the growth of our economy.

“I am the only state legislator in the U.S. serving on the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Electricity Advisory Committee that is to make policy recommendations to the next Administration,” Sloan said. “I am a member of the Kansas Energy Council and have organized five Kansas Electric Transmission Summits involving federal and state policy-makers, Kansas and regional utility executives, state regulators, and wind energy developers to promote the construction of high voltage transmission lines to move wind power from western Kansas to markets in eastern Kansas and other states.”

Sloan said he also had concerns about water.

“Reservoirs like Clinton Lake were constructed with 100-year productive life expectancies; they are now approximately 50 years old. I believe that we need to change our management and funding priorities so that the drinking water supplies, flood control, drought protection and recreational opportunities are sustained well beyond the next 50 years,” Sloan said.

John Wilson, Democrat

Wilson said one difference between him and Sloan is that he would not have supported the Holcomb coal power plant.

“I believe Kansas is a strategic place for renewable energies like wind and solar. I think we should be bold and look for a comprehensive plan. This is the 21st century. Why not think big? We’re going to lose out if we don’t,” Wilson said.

Wilson said the University could play a big role in making Kansas greener, since building are some of the biggest polluters.

“You could install occupancy censors that change the lights and temperatures depending on if someone is in the room,” Wilson said. “Everyone needs to do their part, with the macro-level of the government and on the individual level.”

House, 46th District

Representative Paul Davis, Democrat, did not respond.

Davis is running unopposed

— Edited by Rustin Dodd

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