Amy Klobuchar Environmental Grade is awful

[LeftTurn3623]

https://centeractionfund.org/environmental-report-card/



Senator Amy Klobuchar
Overall Grade = D

Wildlife = F
Public Lands = D
Environmental Justice = D
Climate = D+

If elected president Senator Amy Klobuchar would be an unmitigated disaster for the environment. Since becoming a senator in 2007, Klobuchar has consistently taken positions that harm the environment. She has repeatedly introduced legislation that would prematurely remove protections for endangered gray wolves and supports mines that threaten waterways in her own home state. Klobuchar’s climate plan is the weakest of any major candidate running for president and mainly consists of developing market incentives and voluntary measures to achieve “net-zero” emissions by 2050, without a single interim benchmark as scientists recommend.

Wildlife (Grade: F) – As a senator Klobuchar has repeatedly undermined the scientific integrity of the Endangered Species Act by sponsoring legislation that would remove protections for endangered gray wolf populations in the western Great Lakes region.12 She also cosponsored legislation to exempt lead ammunition and sport fishing equipment from regulation despite the fact that lead is known to poison wildlife and people.13 Klobuchar’s website contains no information regarding the protection of endangered species or the extinction crisis.

Public Lands (Grade: D) – Senator Klobuchar has supported the continuation of mining for fossil fuels on public lands. She has openly supported controversial projects like Twin Metals and PolyMet mines, which would wipe out 1,000 acres of wetlands and threaten Minnesota waterways. She supported legislation that would have short-circuited judicial review of the PolyMet mine, which would also have undermined the public’s right to hold the government accountable. Senator Klobuchar voted in 2017 to allocate $25 billion to fund the border wall as a part of a deal to protect the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but has since stated that she opposes the administration’s border wall.14

Environmental Justice (Grade: D) – Klobuchar’s climate plan briefly notes that she would assist communities that are most directly experiencing the impacts of climate change through strong new environmental justice programs. But she fails to provide any detail on her specific policy proposals. Senator Klobuchar failed to cosponsor the Environmental Justice Act in 2007, 2008, 2017 and 2019.15 Further, she has repeatedly proposed legislation that would limit or short-circuit judicial review and access to the courts, which systemically undermines environmental justice. She was also absent from the first ever Presidential Forum on Environmental Justice held in November 2019, indicating that she would not make environmental justice issues a priority during her administration.

Climate (Grade: D+) – Klobuchar would not declare that the climate crisis is a national emergency and does not support the Green New Deal, stating that she views it as “aspirational” only.16 She would end new federal fossil fuel leasing on public lands and waters, but she would not phase out existing production of fossil fuels, nor would she ban fracking or end the export of fossil fuels. Klobuchar would not set a 100% carbon-free electricity goal by 2030 or a transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2030. Instead she has committed only to introducing legislation within the first 100 days with the goal of achieving “net-zero” emissions by 2050. She has promised to restore the clean power rules and gas mileage standards put into place by President Obama, but these modest measures are too limited and would not solve the climate crisis.17 Klobuchar’s plan is almost entirely incentive-driven, which would not be sufficient to make the emissions reductions necessary to effectively combat climate change. She continues to support dubious, unproven “clean coal” technologies.18

[MH1]

1. The "mitigation" is that she would be less evil than Trump on the environment.

It is a very low bar.

If she gets the nomination I will enthusiastically support her, and after her election double my contributions to organizations that fight the kind of bad policy she seems to support.

[bluewater]

2. Pete's grade is C-. Biden is C+, Warren's is A-, Sanders' is A

Thanks for the link to that!

https://centeractionfund.org/environmental-report-card/

I am glad that Warren was graded so highly on this existentially important issue.

[LeftTurn3623]

5. I was a little disappointed seeing Pete's grade that low

But Amy’s is really in the gutter.

Good job with Warren & Bernie. So many issues those 2 are good at!

[Fresh_Start]

3. Amy Klobuchar original cosponsor of Green New Deal

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-resolution/59/cosponsors?searchResultViewType=expanded&KWICView=false

maybe when she is freed from the constraints of representing the citizens of her state, she will be able to represent the citizens of the united states

[MoonlitKnight]

9. Maybe if she was a leader

She would have been leading on the issue already.

[squirecam]

4. Amy has a 95% rating with the League of Conservation Voters

https://politicalcharge.org/2019/02/22/amy-klobuchar-the-7-issues-guide/


Paris Climate Accord: Klobuchar has stated that she would have the U.S. rejoin the Paris Climate Accord. Source In November 2018, Klobuchar was one of 25 Democratic senators to cosponsor a resolution in response to findings of the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change report and National Climate Assessment. The resolution affirmed the senators’ acceptance of the findings and their support for bold action to address climate change. Source

Green New Deal: ““I think they are aspirations. I think we can get close. I don’t think we are going to get rid of entire industries in the US. This is put out there, as an aspiration, in that it’s something that we need to move toward. Do I think we could cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘i’ in 10 years? Actually, I think that would be very difficult to do.” Source

New Energy: “We must commit ourselves to protecting our environment and preserving our natural resources for generations to come. We also need to chart a new energy future – one that creates jobs, reduces our dependence on foreign oil, increases domestic energy production, keeps energy costs affordable for all Americans, and responds to the challenges of global climate change.” Source

Climate Legislation: Klobuchar was a lead sponsor of America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, an Act to provide for improvements to the rivers and harbors of the United States, to provide for the conservation and development of water and related resources, to provide for water pollution control activities, and for other purposes. Source

Carbon Reduction: In December 2014, Klobuchar was one of six Democratic senators to sign a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency urging the agency to give states more time to comply with its rule on power plants as the final rule “must provide adequate time for the design, permitting and construction of such large scale capital intensive infrastructure” and calling for an elimination of the 2020 targets in the final rule, a mandate that states take action by 2020 as part of the EPA’s goal to reach a 30 percent carbon cut by 2030. Source

Environmental Record: Klobuchar has a 95% rating from the League of Conservation Voters, based on her voting record.

[LeftTurn3623]

6. This is a general look

The other digs deep. I’m really upset how bad she is when it comes to protections to the wolves.

I have been giving money to help them. Who knew I was fighting a Democratic nominee

[Rilgin]

7. Add in support for Nuclear Power

No focus on changing to renewables. Facing a climate crisis, her proposals are all tinkering with the existing system thinking its sustainable if we just make it a little better. Even in talking tinkering to "improve" she adds no specifics and does not seem to set a goal towards moving to renewables. She seems to try to make carbon power clean which is just an impossibility.

[JudyM]

8. Thanks for posting this... I've been interested in reading where she stands on the specifics.

I haven’t gotten the sense from the debates how important environmental issues are to her... I've only heard her say basic things without really delving into any ideas, and I’m not picking up any genuine passion about it from her.

[krissey]

11. I bet she will be schooled and adjust. If she has not already. Wonderful character with our Dems,

They are fluid. Learn. Grow.

[Dietz]

12. Look at her score card - that's a completely different picture

http://scorecard.lcv.org/moc/amy-klobuchar

[krissey]

13. 100% score. and 96% lifetime certainly tells a different story. Man, that is just wrong.

I did not delve in and research. I was confident if Klobuchar did so poorly on this, she would be educated. That was good enough for me. Now, seeming like that was wrong. Interesting. I found the same with HRC. When I investigated, it was totally opposite of what was being said.

[squirecam]

16. People must do research and investigate

There is an incentive now to tear apart your opponents, with statements taken out of context.

Amy has a 95% rating from The league, a 95% rating with the AFL-CIO, and 100% with Planned Parenthood. But writers with an agenda won’t tell you that.

[krissey]

18. I found that to be incredibly true with HRC run.

[denem]

14. "would be an unmitigated disaster for the environment"

When you read a statement like that, you know what follows will be a polemic, not analysis.

[LeftTurn3623]

15. I think the writer is trying to say

The only person worse than her is Trump when it comes to environmental issues

[StevieM]

17. I liked Corey Booker on the environment.

Unfortunately, he is no longer in the race.

In any event, I think this is just one group with their own criteria, beliefs and preferences. I am sure that many of the candidates could and have done better under different ranking systems.