The questionnaire below was submitted to candidates by the Sustainable Energy Coalition. The Coalition represents over 70 national and state business, environmental, consumer, and energy policy organizations whose members collectively represent several thousand companies, municipal utilities, and community organizations.
The questionnaire was submitted to all of the declared presidential candidates and President George Bush. Neither President Bush nor Rev. Al Sharpton responded to the Coalition's questionnaire.
We have included below the responses from the two remaining candidates for the Democratic nomination that responded to the questionnaire, Senator John Kerry and Congressman Dennis Kucinich. To read the whole report including the executive summary,go to www.sustainableenergy.org
To view the candidates platforms on energy, please see their web sites:
President George Bush: www.georgebush.com
Senator John Kerry: www.johnkerry.com
Congressman Dennis Kucinich: www.kucinich.com
Ralph Nader: www.votenader.org
Questions and Responses
I. ENERGY EFFICIENCY/RENEWABLE ENERGY - BUDGET & TAX POLICY:
1.) Do you support increasing, maintaining, or reducing the funding levels for the U.S. Department of Energy's energy efficiency and renewable energy programs (likely to be funded at approximately $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2004)?
Kerry: INCREASE - Federal investment in energy efficiency is both an investment in a cleaner environment and an investment in our economy. Short-changing energy efficiency is simply shortsighted. We need to do more.
Kucinich: INCREASE - I strongly believe that energy efficiency and renewable energy are the only solutions for a sustainable future.
2.) Do you support federal tax incentives to encourage consumers to purchase products such as cars, homes, appliances, and heating & cooling systems that are very energy efficient but which might otherwise be more expensive?
Kerry: YES - Empowering people to make choices that are good for them and good for the environment is a cost-effective way to help consumers, relieve pressure on our electricity grid, improve our energy security, and improve the environment.
Kucinich: YES - I have proposed significant tax credits for fuel-efficient American-made vehicles in legislation.
3.) Do you support federal tax incentives to expand the use of hybrid cars in this country?
Kerry: YES - See above.
Kucinich: YES
4.) Do you support continuation of the federal tax incentives for ethanol?
Kerry: YES - We need to make the production of clean and domestic renewable energy sources a national priority and my energy plan, with its Energy Security Trust Fund, does just that. We need to provide the support and tax incentives necessary to help make renewable energy options and technologies competitive with dirtier and more risky alternatives.
Kucinich: YES
5.) Do you support increasing, decreasing, or maintaining the current level of federal tax incentives and/or federal budget outlays to promote the use of solar energy technologies?
Kerry: INCREASE - See above.
Kucinich: INCREASE
6.) Do you support increasing, decreasing, or maintaining the current level of federal tax incentives and/or federal budget outlays to promote the use of wind energy technologies?
Kerry: INCREASE - See above.
Kucinich: INCREASE
7.) Do you support increasing, decreasing, or maintaining the current level of federal tax incentives and/or federal budget outlays to promote the use of biomass/biofuels energy technologies?
Kerry: INCREASE - See above.
Kucinich: INCREASE
8.) Do you support increasing, decreasing, or maintaining the current level of federal tax incentives and/or federal budget outlays to promote the use of geothermal energy technologies?
Kerry: INCREASE - See above.
Kucinich: INCREASE
9.) Do you support increasing, decreasing, or maintaining the current level of federal tax incentives and/or federal budget outlays to promote the use of hydropower energy technologies?
Kerry: MAINTAIN - Hydro power is our most mature renewable energy source. I support incentives that assist in making the installed base of hydropower projects more environmentally acceptable, including incentives for the purchase and installation of more efficient turbines that are designed to reduce fish-related losses.
Kucinich: INCREASE - but with the focus on small hydro power generation.
10.) As the federal government expands its hydrogen development program, questions have been raised as to which fuel sources should be relied upon to produce the hydrogen. As a percentage of funding, how should the federal government allocate its resources among the potential hydrogen production sources:
Kerry: 80% RENEWABLES; 10% FOSSIL FUELS; 10% NUCLEAR POWER - My energy plan calls for the establishment of a Hydrogen Institute that will bring together the leading scientists and policy advisors in the nation to make sure that we do what is necessary to fully exploit the potential of hydrogen. I will rely on these experts in designing a real hydrogen program that will deliver a cleaner and brighter energy future.
Kucinich: All hydrogen production should be from renewable forms of energy. Hydrogen production from nuclear or other polluting sources is just a continuation of our current dirty energy practices.
II. ENERGY EFFICIENCY/RENEWABLE ENERGY - REGULATORY POLICY:
1.) Do you support, in federal energy legislation, a Renewable Portfolio Standard (aka renewable energy standard) that would require the federal government and the states to ensure that electricity generators provide a portion of their power from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, incremental hydropower, and biomass (e.g., 20% by 2020) ?
Kerry: YES
Kucinich: YES - I am the only candidate that will demand a Renewable Portfolio Standard of 20% by 2010. It can be done and needs to be done.
2.) Do you support, in federal energy legislation, a Renewable Fuels Standard for transportation fuels that would require the federal government and states to ensure that a percentage of transportation fuels is provided by renewable energy sources such as ethanol (e.g., 5% by 2010)?
Kerry: YES
Kucinich: YES
3.) Do you support, in federal energy legislation, a small wire charge on everyone's electric bill (e.g., 2-3%), as previously included in most utility rate bases, to maintain funding of energy efficiency, low-income weatherization and energy assistance, and renewable energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment programs?
Kerry: YES - As described above, we must maintain our commitment to investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. My Energy Security Trust Fund will help ensure that we have the resources we need. Whether additional mechanisms will be required beyond this remains to be seen.
Kucinich: YES - I have introduced legislation to maintain these programs in a deregulated electricity environment.
4.) Do you support increasing, decreasing, or maintaining the current level of federal purchases of green electricity and/or decentralized renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures?
Kerry: INCREASE - These investments pay for themselves in cost savings, performance improvement, and security benefits.
Kucinich: INCREASE
5.) Do you support mandatory federal policies to enable distributed generation technologies such as fuel cells and renewable energy to connect to the electricity grid?
Kerry: YES - We need to ensure that clean distributed generation resources have access to the grid. Whether that comes from a federal mandate or other mechanism, I will ensure that it happens.
Kucinich: YES
6.) Do you support raising the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for new cars, Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), and other light trucks to a combined fleet average of at least 40 mpg by the year 2010?
Kerry: I have fought for significant increases in fuel economy standards, including authoring legislation with Senator John McCain that would increase standards to 36mpg by 2015. The Kerry-McCain proposal closed the SUV loophole, and I voted against expanding this loophole further through a new "pickup" exemption last Congress.
Kucinich: YES
III. CLIMATE CHANGE:
1.) Do you believe the current level of scientific evidence that human activity (i.e., the combustion of fossil fuels and the production of "greenhouse gases") is causing global warming and warrants immediate precautionary actions?
Kerry: YES - We know with more than enough certainty that we must take action. I believe that this action is not just "precautionary" but also an opportunity. Measures we take now to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions will also produce efficiency gains and economic opportunities that will make our economy stronger.
Kucinich: YES
2.) Do you believe the United States has shown adequate international leadership on global warming?
Kerry: NO - No public official has taken a more proactive stand in supporting our engagement in the international process than me. I participated in the initial international conference on climate change at Rio, and I have remained active in the issue ever since. My Administration will retake a leadership role in the world on this issue.
Kucinich: NO - And to reverse this course, I will sign the Kyoto Treaty, showing the world that a Kucinich Administration will lead the world in sustainable energy efforts.
3.) Do you support ratification of the Kyoto Protocol to curb greenhouse gas emissions?
Kerry: NO - Again, no one has taken a stronger leadership role on the Kyoto process than me. Having said that, because of the Bush Administration's inaction the binding targets set in the Kyoto Protocol are no longer achievable. We need to immediately reengage the international process, perfect Kyoto, maintain strict, binding targets, and increase developing nation participation so that we can ratify a strong, effective, and meaningful international agreement.
Kucinich: YES - The Kyoto Climate Change Protocol is an essential first step towards curbing global warming.
4.) What binding CO2 emissions reductions measures, if any, will you support in your Presidency?
Kerry: The Kerry Administration will make climate change a true national priority. We will develop policies that will significantly reduce our emissions while growing our economy and creating jobs. I support, for example, capping carbon pollution from power plants, increasing automobile efficiency, and ratifying a legally binding international agreement to cut carbon emission.
Kucinich: CO2 emission reduction is a great priority to my campaign. I am supportive of legislation aimed at curbing these emissions (i.e., fuel efficiency standards, energy [efficiency], renewables.)
IV. FOSSIL FUELS:
1.) Do you support increasing, reducing, or maintaining the current level of tax incentives available to the domestic coal, oil, and natural gas industries?
Kerry: DECREASE - We need an energy policy that is balanced and effective. We need to find cleaner ways to use our domestic fossil resources in a responsible manner while we place a higher priority on using safe, renewable energy resources. My administration will eliminate unneeded corporate welfare while supporting policies that make us more secure and which will create opportunity through new technologies.
Kucinich: DECREASE - I support a large decrease in these subsidies.
2.) Do you support permanently protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) from oil exploration and drilling?
Kerry: YES
Kucinich: YES - This spectacular region is an important part of our natural heritage, serving many essential ecological functions, and must be preserved. It is in no way a solution to our energy needs
3.) Do you support federal regulation of carbon dioxide emissions by fossil fueled power plants and/or other sources?
Kerry: YES - CO2 is a harmful emission and I believe that the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to take action.
Kucinich: YES
4.) The U.S. Senate recently passed a bill committing the nation to reduce oil consumption by 1 million barrels per day by 2013. If you support this legislation, what actions will you take by the end of your first term to achieve these, or additional, savings?
Kerry: My energy plan, with its emphasis on both efficiency improvements and the development of alternative fuels will get us to this goal and well beyond.
Kucinich: Because we use most of our oil in transportation, we need to create sustainable transportation systems to significantly reduce oil consumption. A combination of mass transit systems, vehicles with double or triple the efficiency, and smart growth communities will reduce our oil consumption.
5.) What actions would you take during your first term to address the projected natural gas supply shortages and price increases?
Kerry: We need to work with our neighbors in Canada and Mexico to increase out natural gas supplies; we need to increase the efficiency with which we burn natural gas and use electricity; and we need to support environmentally responsible new production to increase our supplies of natural gas. My energy plan details how this balanced approach will improve our economy, enhance our security, and protect the environment.
Kucinich: We can stretch out our gas supplies with a national effort to improve the efficiency of our homes. Tax credits to insulate homes can save homeowners significant amounts of money and reduce the use of natural gas.
V. NUCLEAR POWER:
1.) Do you support the construction of new nuclear power plants?
Kerry: NO
Kucinich: NO - Alternative energy must substitute this need for more power.
2.) Do you support the relicensing of existing nuclear plants in the United States?
Kerry: YES
Kucinich: NO - We need to transition to sustainable energy technologies.
3.) Do you support the U.S. Senate proposal to extend federal loan guarantees, estimated to be worth $30 billion to the nuclear industry, for the construction of new nuclear power plants?
Kerry: NO
Kucinich: NO
4.) Do you support protection of the nuclear power industry from the full cost of liabilities due to accidents (e.g., as would be provided for by extension of the Price-Anderson Act) or as the result of a terrorist attack?
Kerry: NO
Kucinich: NO
5.) Do you support establishment of a high-level nuclear waste storage facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada?
Kerry: NO
Kucinich: NO - It is unacceptable to risk the health and livelihood of the local population and environment for an irresponsible solution to our waste problem. Furthermore, the transportation of this dangerous waste presents risks that are unnecessary at this time.