Looks like I picked a good week to go on vacation and give the ol’ brain a rest from Virginia politics. So little happened while I was gone that the main preoccupation of Bacon’s Rebellion bloggers was the Valley Blue Dog. Is he a hypocrite, a fool, a closet Republican? C’mon guys, let’s focus on more important things….
Like last week’s unveiling of Jerry Kilgore’s environmental plan. Lisa Guthrie, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, which has already declared for Tim Kaine, characterized the plan as “very fuzzy.” And I have to agree. Kilgore declares his support for such worth goals as clean water and clean air without providing a lot of specifics on how he would achieve those goals. It’s as if his campaign staff was checking off another box on the issues list. The environment? Yeah, sure, we’ve got an environmental plan.
The lead plank in Kilgore’s plan calls for “a stewardship based model for governing Virginia’s natural resources and environmental assets.” It’s not clear what exactly Kilgore means by a “stewardship based model,” but his press release implies that it entails consulting with “all involved parties” from government, landowners, corporations and advocacy groups. C’mon, people now… let’s get together and love one another… right now… The press release also alludes to “science-based policies.” Sounds good. But, as a practical matter, what does that mean?
Praising Republican legislators for allocating $50 million this year to modernize sewage treatment plans, Kilgore also says that he “will honor this historic commitment to the Chesapeake Bay.” He will honor the commitment… What does that mean? That he won’t renege on the deal? That he won’t ask for the money back after it’s already been spent? If Kilgore proposes to actually do something, it’s not clear what that is.
Additionally, Kilore says he would extend the nutrient credit trading system for point source pollution (like factories and waste treatment palnts), to non-point sources (like farms and parking lot run-off). The idea of creating market mechanisms for reducing pollution is an interesting one. But, again, let’s see details.
Finally, I would observe that there is one nugget worthy of everyone’s attention. Kilgore would reverse previous funding cuts to the Department of Environmental Quality’s pollution prevention program. By disseminating best management practices across the private sector, DEQ’s pollution prevention programs “help businesses reduce costs by advising them on initiatives like materials substitution, inventory control, preventive maintenance, and office waste reduction.” By appealing to the profit motive, pollution prevention induces companies to conserve water, reduce discharges and cut back on waste — often in excess of state and federal standards. Virginia gets a tremendous bang for the buck with this program. Nothing vague about Kilgore’s recommendation on this issue. Let’s hope he can move it forward.
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