Kerry Conservation Plan Would Strengthen Communities and the Economy
news.yahoo.com
NEW ORLEANS, April 21 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry today called for a new commitment to conservation in order to strengthen the local communities and economies that depend on America's precious natural resources. Following a tour where he witnessed firsthand the deterioration of Louisiana's coast, Kerry specifically focused in on a new series of steps he will take to protect America's coastlines and the economies that depend on them.
"Under my conservation plan, we will make the protection of our coastlines a national priority," Kerry said. "A secure coastline means security for the families who live here, the business owners who make a living here and the sportsmen who hunt and fish here. I believe that a good economy, strong communities and a healthy environment go hand-in-hand. When I'm President, that is exactly where I will lead this country."
Thousands of square miles of America's coast have disappeared, resulting in serious consequences for communities and sportsmen who depend on them. Despite this growing problem, George Bush has yet to offer any solutions. The Bush administration has cut funding for coastal programs, and in Louisiana, refused to release the results of a study that was to outline a comprehensive plan to address the rapidly depleting coastline.
"When it comes to protecting our coasts, we don't have a moment to lose," Kerry said. "Today in Louisiana, a piece of land the size of a football field sinks into the Gulf of Mexico an average of every half hour. And coastal erosion isn't just swallowing your beaches, it's drowning your economy. Fishermen risk seeing their nets come up empty, sportsmen are watching entire habitats disappear, and people living on the coast fear that their homes or their businesses may literally slip into the ocean."
Kerry today pledged a different direction and outlined his plan for coastal conservation. Where George Bush has provided an absence of leadership, Kerry said he will work to bring together state and local government with business and environmental leaders to find a fair and effective solution to protect our coastline for the future.
"We will conserve and protect natural resources all over America because we all have a stake in acting as stewards of our environment," Kerry said. "Protecting the environment is about protecting our economy, our health and the places we live. It's about the legacy we leave our children and the America we give them to grow up in. That is why I will fight for strong protections for natural resources like Louisiana's coast."
John Kerry has been a leader in the fight for basic protections that strengthen our economy and protect our environment, fighting to clean up toxic waste sites, to keep our air and water clean, and to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other pristine wilderness areas. Unlike the Bush-Cheney administration, where special interests rule and the environment suffers, a Kerry administration will protect our environment by balancing strong protections with smart strategies for economic growth.
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