US: April 28, 2008
WASHINGTON - US environmental groups joined forces on Thursday to target
Senate candidates in Colorado, New Hampshire and New Mexico, aiming to elect
a 60-vote majority to deal with global warming.
Environmental measures have failed to clear Congress by "a handful of votes
in the Senate" in recent years, the groups' leaders said, noting the
legislation to fight climate change is set for debate by the full Senate
this year.
"This issue is too great for half-measures," said Ivan Frishberg of
Environment America in a telephone briefing. "We need a Senate that will
make the short-term carbon reductions without handouts to major polluters."
The bill headed for debate is the first that proposes mandatory limits on
emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, which is produced by
petroleum-fuelled vehicles and coal-fired power plants among other sources.
The groups are seeking 60 seats because that is the number needed to
overcome a procedural hurdle that can block Senate action on bills.
The coalition of environmental groups is supporting Rep. Mark Udall, a
Colorado Democrat, for that state's open Senate seat, against former Rep.
Bob Schaffer; Udall's cousin, Rep. Tom Udall, a New Mexico Democrat, for an
open Senate seat; and Former Democratic New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen
for in a Senate race against incumbent Republican Sen. John Sununu.
In all three cases, the coalition said, there is a clear choice for voters
who want to protect the environment. They noted that all three of their
choices are Democrats but said they have supported pro-environment
Republicans in the past and may yet do so this year.
The coalition consists of the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, the League
of Conservation Voters, Clean Water Action and Environment America, which is
a federation of state environmental action organizations.
This group united in 2006 to help defeat California Republican. Rep. Richard
Pombo for his anti-environmental stands as chairman of the House (of
Representatives) Resource Committee, in favor of Democrat Jerry McNerney.
The coalition spent more than $1.7 million in that contest and expects to
spend "a significant amount of money" in each of the three targeted Senate
races this year.
This year's efforts will include statewide polling and research,
door-to-door canvassing, grassroots organising, paid media buys on
television, radio and online.
(Editing by David Wiessler)
Story by Deborah Zabarenko,
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
