Senator John Edwards (D)

NATURAL HERITAGE

Oceans: Marine Life [click here to read question nineteen]

"Our objective should be to develop sustainable fisheries. We must prevent fish stocks from crashing in the first place and rebuild fish populations that have become severely depleted. We must assure the fishing industry of a sustainable harvest over time. We should develop and use better technology to get better and more accurate data on fish stocks. And when regulatory decisions bring about sudden economic harm, we should ensure that economic assistance is there to help those in need. Our goal, however, should be to stop fish stocks from getting to the point where drastic measures are necessary. We have a responsibility to future generations to ensure that species do not go extinct due to overfishing and that resources available today are still abundant in future years. It is also important to make sure that any resolution of this issue be global in nature. One other tool to rebuild fish populations is to create more marine protected areas. Our goal should be to develop sustainable fisheries for the betterment of species and fishermen alike."

Oceans: Offshore Drilling [click here to read question twenty]

"I have fought to keep our environment clean now and for generations to come. While in the Senate, I voted to provide a six-month moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and voted against leasing land in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration and production. As president, I will renegotiate the sweetheart leases for offshore oil drilling.

Our focus should be on moving toward renewable energies. I have set a goal to produce 65 billion gallons of ethanol by 2025. I will require oil companies to install ethanol pumps at 25 percent of their gas stations and require all new cars sold after 2010 to be 'flex fuel' cars running on either gasoline or biofuel. I will also require power companies to generate 25 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2025."

Endangered Species Act [click here to read question twenty-one]

"The Endangered Species Act has been critically important to the recovery of many important species of plants and wildlife. One of our nation’s greatest symbols, the bald eagle, has seen its numbers increase because of the ESA’s protections. We have more to do, however, because increasing human activity will continue to put pressure on the critical habitat of species that are on the brink of being threatened with extinction. Preserving habitat is crucial to preserving the population of threatened and endangered species.

Many habitats of endangered species are on private land, and the government should work in partnership with private landowners to preserve vital land. This should include the type of cooperative partnerships that protect the environment while at the same time bringing landowners into the process. North Carolina has been a leader in Safe Harbor agreements between the government and landowners, which have protected endangered species such as the red-cockaded woodpecker. These agreements that seek to find common ground among all interested parties are beneficial to everyone. Habitat Conservation Plans can also be an important tool in public-private cooperation, but these plans must contain adequate safeguards, must allow for public input, and must be used in conjunction with other protective measures devoted to habitat protection."

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge [click here to read question twenty-two]

"As a senator, I consistently cosponsored legislation to designate the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge s a wilderness area to put it permanently off-limits to development. As president, I will pass it."

National Forest Roadless Areas [click here to read question twenty-three]

"I have written in support of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. I believe we need to protect our national parks and wilderness through a variety of efforts, including restoring funding so that they can maintain their beauty."

Mining [click here to read question twenty-four]

"The Mining Law is out of date. The royalties on minerals on public lands are too low and need to be updated. These resources will give taxpayers a fair return on their assets and help clean up abandoned mines and restore the land to its natural condition. Although the mining industry brings much-needed jobs to the rural West, the U.S. and state governments, the mining industry, environmentalists, and other citizens need to work together to improve the Mining Law."