Issue Position: Environment

Issue Position

Environmental concerns, here in the commonwealth of Virginia, range from the local to the global, yet Republicans like Robert Hurt have voted against environmental legislation seeking to address everything from climate change to the pollution of the Dan River, the safety of our farms and the cleanliness of our clam and oyster fisheries. As your representative, I will fight to reverse this kind of disregard for our precious and beautiful resources here in Virginia.

My opponent and his Republican allies have voted against bills such as the Agricultural Conservation Practices amendment to H.R. 1947 and the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, which would help ensure that Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds are used to achieve greater conservation of our natural resources. Not only do we need to address significant environmental issues, but we need to protect local farming jobs by providing for a cleaner, safer environment for us and for future generation of Virginians.

Environmental policy should not be determined by energy corporations. The position that my opponent, Hurt, has taken against regulation has not only harmed our natural resources, but it has cost jobs from Danville to Warrenton. My opponent's single greatest cause as a freshman congressman has been fighting regulations of every kind. He is against the type of strict regulations that would have prevented the Duke energy spill from endangering the livelihood and ongoing revitalization of the city of Danville. When big industry or power corporations hurt our environment, it can have a devastating effect on our local economy. As your congressional representative, I would vote for sensible regulations. I would side with the people and not with crony capitalism. I would make sure we enforce regulations that will keep your community clean and prosperous.

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