The Environmental Appointments: Obama Means What He Says

President-elect Obama's choices for top environment posts reveal something very important: they tell us that Obama means what he says. He means it when he says he wants to protect the planet and tackle global warming.

Plenty of politicians say they want to save the environment. Even President Bush campaigned on a promise to cut global warming pollution. But then his environmental appointments and Cheney's Energy Task Force told us the real story: Bush had no intention of honoring his commitments.

But Obama is putting his words into action. The people he has tapped don't come from the fossil fuel industry or military and defense sector like so many past appointees. They come from the fields they will be leading: energy and the environment. They are people who believe that science and data tell the truth about the environment, not politics and financial gain.

And they have a vision for a cleaner future. The Bush years had us stuck in a dirty haze of 19th century coal technology and 20th century petroleum addiction. Our economy, our competitive advantage, and our environment can't sustain that any longer, and Obama knows its. He knows America can shift to high tech solutions like smart grids and plug-in hybrid cars that will create jobs at home, end our dependence on oil, and bolster our national security.

Obama is launching us in this bold new direction. The proof is in his team.

Carol Browner, "Energy Czar:" When I met with Browner a few weeks ago and handed over the environmental community's proposal for Obama's green transition, I knew I was putting our recommendations in the best of hands. Browner was an inspiring leader and an aggressive regulator who took seriously her responsibility as head of the Clinton EPA to enforce the nation's environmental laws. She then became a leader in the nonprofit community as head of Audubon's board.

Obama's decision to create a new energy and climate position housed in the White House reveals just how serious he is about carrying out his clean energy mandate. Browner will be a great standard bearer.

Dr. Steven Chu, Head of Department of Energy: It will be enormously gratifying to have a Nobel-winning scientist leading the nation's energy labs. Not only does Chu recognize the grave threat of global warming, but he has devoted himself to developing clean, renewable energy technologies to combat it. He is especially versed in both the big picture value and the technical details of energy efficiency.

As the head of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory--home to the nation's best and brightest analysts of efficiency and energy policy--Chu has developed a deep understanding of the critical importance of good DOE decisions in protecting the environment and restoring America's economic health. He will enter the job with more thorough efficiency and energy expertise than any other nominee in the DOE's over-30 year history.

Lisa Jackson, Head of EPA: As a proven leader on energy and climate issues, Jackson is a great choice for the Obama EPA. Many of my NRDC colleagues found her to be a thoughtful and pragmatic leader when they worked closely with her to establish the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the first mandatory, market-based effort to reduce carbon emission from power plants in 10 Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.

But Jackson didn't stop there. As commissioner of the NJ EPA, she helped New Jersey adopt economy-wide limits on global warming pollution, making it second only to California in its efforts to address climate change. She pushed the governor to support an economic stimulus plan that included about $500 million for energy efficiency investments. She also shaped the state's Energy Master Plan, which requires New Jersey to cut energy use by 20 percent by 2020 and meet 30 percent of demand through renewables by 2020.

Nancy Sutley, Head of Council for Environmental Quality: Sutley will do an excellent job in this position. She is an expert on climate, energy, and water policy, and has practical experience at all levels of government. She is especially adept at translating policy into action on the ground.

NRDC has had an office in Los Angeles for 20 years, and on several critical issues, Sutley has been an indispensable ally in our efforts to improve the region's air and water quality. We have worked with her at the federal, state, and local levers on clean fuels, climate, air pollution, and water policy. As LA Mayor Villaraigosa's deputy major and point person on environment and energy issues, for instance, she was recently instrumental in helping us persuade the Port of LA to enact the most progressive clean truck rules of any port in the world.

Bill Richardson, Head of Department of Commerce: I am thrilled to see this former NRDC trustee appointed to this position. As head of Commerce, Richardson will oversee the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is responsible for our nation's ocean fisheries, marine sanctuaries, and coastal zone management programs.

Richardson is a skilled negotiator who can position the US as a leader on international ocean issues. But his expertise on energy and climate will be especially critical. He can ensure that when the Obama administration and Congress address energy and climate issues there will be a strong voice for ocean conservation in these discussions.

The challenges ahead are great, but with Obama's commitment and the team he has assembled, we are hopeful that we can shift dramatically towards a clean, green future that will create long term environmental gains and sustain the economy and human well being at the same time. We at NRDC are poised to help realize that future.

This post originally appeared on NRDC's Switchboard blog.

Comments

[fmattca]

1. What ever happened to Robert Kennedy Jr,
2. If the EPA had not been dismantled by Bush,trillions of dollars of damage to the earth on our kids bill would have not been generated.
3.Republicans think the EPA holds back the economy. The EPA holds back on the Big Business genocide of our soils,food and those that partake from them.
4. I am very worried about Obama's appointment that was the best at hiding GMO labeling from our food.
5. Obama's Farm appointment is very important. If that appointment does not throttle back Big Ag Chem,then our food will still be unsafe,our soils will continue to be devastated,Daschle will have more and more sick every year. The Farm appointment will make or break all other environmental appoinyments potential for success.
6. Universal Healthcare is definitely a environmental issue that will only be successful if US farm soil
is reclaimed organically.

[Photofarm]

So it appears the Obama administration will try to jump start the economy, use taxpayer money to put their foot on the gas, then turn around and use the EPA to put the brakes on the economy. It also appears they are going to try and ruin Agriculture and food production in this country, so we can import all our food just like we import most of our energy.

[coupeditor]

With the George W. Bush presidency, hopefully the journalism­-bordering­-on-propag­anda that led to mea culpa from the NY Times—is over. Yet whenever Carol M. Browner's name hits the news, it's with glowing praise, as the Washington Post referred to her as "the obvious choice" for Energy Czar.
What about the Press here? The protections provided the Press are to guarantee the benefit of the general—not corporate—welfare. The founders knew that power needs a watchful, eye trained on it to promote general welfare. 
The 1st Amendment is a whistleblower amendment, giving to the Press the capacity to follow a story. How do we explain, beyond journalistic hubris, mediocrity, or just laziness, reporters' sitting in press rooms while officials spin away?
Coleman-Adebayo v. Carol Browner training is mandated by the No FEAR Act for all Federal employees—required every 2 years in fact—for the abject lesson it teaches in bureaucratic mismanagement, malfeasance, and arrogance. The case exposes the way Carol Browner, as EPA Administra­tor—denied employees' civil rights and discriminated against them based on sex and race.
If President-elect Johnson named Lester Maddox to lead the Civil Rights Act, would reporters have noticed? Despite Ms. Browner's poweful friends editors must expect journalists to perform at least a perfunctory check—especially in this case, without Congressional oversight. Ms. Browner's appointment would have chilling effect on whistleblowers.
Reporters feeling guilt for the media's performance during the Iraq tragedy, here's a simple recompense:  Google . Report what you find.

[elizaconnors]

Well, they have a lot of work to do. I just received an email alert from the EPA this morning saying that they are considering dropping the TRI reporting requirement for farms to report air emissions from livestock.

Their reasoning? We don't plan to do anything about it anyway so why burden the farm owners with reporting.

This has to stop.

[elizaconnors]

Update. According to CNN, it is a done deal.

[AngieMom57]

When are American's going to wake up? That's the question...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rz481L5yPI&feature=channel_page

[nkc46]

hope you are rght about obamas environmental policy but i have my doubts. his suppourt of bio-ethanol was highly irresponsible as it stopped using farmable land to produce food to produce fuel instead. as the amount of farmable land worldwide decreases and the planets starving population grows larger,obamas decision to benefit corn producers in his home state seems out of sync with his environmental message

[Photofarm]

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong, bio fuels doesn't take land out of food production, and it helps to lower fuel imports. I'm so tired of the idiots that don't have a clue about agriculture acting like experts.

Nebraska Farmer and Land steward

[Chicagowill]

Actually, it's right, right, right. In an article this week, I think in the WSJ, the CEO of Kraft said the amount of corn going to ethanol was substantially raising the costs of their products. Also, at my local farmers' market last year. many of the farmers talked about diverting land from vegetables to corn because of the price of ethanol. Ethanol does not take land out of food production only if (1) bu/acre rises (not likely) or (2) marginal erosion prone land is farmed, or (3) you're wrong.

[JohnnyBoyyy]

Your words flowed like butter as I read them, Ms. Beinecke!

I feel good knowing that you are giving such a distinguished seal of approval to our next President's Environmental appointments. Mr. Obama woke me up during his long fought drive to become the leader of our hope and newfound pride. As our great nation faces these dark times and we all recommit to the principles that our founding fathers setout for us, his work will be long and hard. YES WE CAN!

You’re a beautiful mind, and I wanted you to know that this "newbie" thanks you for all your work to make our world a better place for man (and woman) and beast.

Barack Hussein Obama II
President-Elect
United States of America