John McCain has a long history of opposition to environmental safeguards essential to New Jersey. He opposed communities’ right to know about industrial toxic emissions, strong drinking water standards, the Superfund toxic waste site clean up program, and other environmental programs vital to New Jersey.
Environmental Advocates Give McCain Failing Grades on the Environment
· McCain has a Dismal 24% Lifetime Rating From the League of Conservation Voters. The League of Conservation Votes is an independent voice for the environment. LCV’s mission is to advocate sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will support such policies. They grade members of the House and Senate every year on their voting record. In 2007, John McCain received a 0% rating from the League because he missed every crucial vote. He has a dismal 24% lifetime rating during his time in Congress. [League of Conservation Voters Presidential Candidates Accessed 5/7/8]
McCain OPPOSED New Jersey’s Right to Know About Toxic Pollution In Their Community
· McCain Voted Opposed Public’s “Right to Know” About Local Pollution. McCain voted to keep Americans in the dark about cancer causing and toxic pollution produced in their back yard. The vote was on an amendment by Reps. Bob Edgar (D-PA) and Gerry Sikorski (D-MN) to require polluters to publicly report any significant emission of cancer causing and other extremely hazardous chemicals. This includes exposure to dioxin, lead, mercury, benzene and hundreds of other toxic chemicals. The amendment passed 212-211 [League of Conservation Voters, HR 2817 Vote#408 12/10/85]
McCain OPPOSED Protection for New Jersey’s Drinking Water
· McCain Voted Against ‘Right to Know’ on Drinking Water Contamination. In 1995, McCain voted to kill an amendment that would require each community water system serving over 10,000 people to annually report on the level of contaminants in the system’s drinking water. The amendment would allow states to opt out of the requirement provided they inform customers about the reasons for the decision. The motion to kill the amendment passed 59-40. [S. 1316, Vote #587, 11/29/1995]
· McCain Voted To Weaken Protections from Contaminated Drinking Water. In 1995, McCain voted to kill an amendment that would have exempted rules proposed by the EPA to control health risks from water-borne microbes in drinking water from the risk-assessment and cost-benefit analysis requirements in the underlying bill. These requirements would have made it very difficult to improve safeguards against contaminated drinking water. The motion to kill the amendment passed 50-48. [S. 343, Vote #303, 7/12/1995]
McCain SUPPORTED EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, Who Blocked NJ Clean Car Program
· McCain Voted for Stephen L. Johnson’s Nomination to Head EPA. In 2005, McCain voted to invoke cloture and move forward President Bush’s nomination of Stephen L. Johnson to be Administrator of the EPA. The motion to move the nomination forward passed 61-37. On December 19, 2007, Administrator Johnson blocked New Jersey’s adoption of California’s program to reduce global warming pollution from motor vehicles. Johnson has been compared to Alberto Gonzales for a politically motivated firing and political interference in the agency’s work. [A.P.T. 328, Vote #115, 4/29/2005; Wonk Room blog, 5/2/08; Union of Concerned Scientists, 4/23/08]
McCain Voted AGAINST Clean Up of Brownfields And Toxic Waste Sites.
· McCain Voted Against Brownfield Program. In 2004, McCain voted against an amendment to authorize $2 billion in tax-exempt bonds for brownfield clean up demonstration program for qualified green buildings and sustainable development projects. The amendment passed 76-23. [S. 1637, Vote #84, 5/5/2004]
· McCain Voted Against Funding for Cleanup of Brownfield Sites. In 2003, McCain voted to kill an amendment that would provide $100 million from the Superfund trust fund for the cleanup of brownfield sites so that they could be redeveloped. The motion to kill the amendment passed 53-45. [H.J.R. 2, Vote #27, 1/23/2003]
· McCain Voted Against Making Polluters Pay to Clean Up of Toxic Sites. In 2003, McCain voted against an amendment to reinstate the Superfund corporate environmental tax and the Superfund excise taxes on petroleum and various industrial chemicals. These funds from polluters would have been used to clean up toxic waste sites. The amendment failed 43-56. [S.C.R. 23, Vote #97, 3/25/2003]
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