Excuse my cynicism. There was plenty of evidence during the Clinton terms-- when Carol Browner was the nation's top environmental spokesperson-- for the need for tougher laws to protect the environment. Clinton's famous triangulation toward the center, led by now-Republican Dick Morris his then political advisor, was the precursor disaster. This is along the same line as my criticism of former DEP staffer Pam McVety, who had a powerful position with Florida's environmental agency. Now she rails against the Florida legislature on the evisceration of environmental protection laws, but when she had the chance to be a strong regulator-- serving a Democratic administration-- she was not. Browner was silent, when she had the chance to be heard. History on these points is very, very clear. (Click, 'read more', for the Browner article that appeared in the Gainseville Sun.)
Environmental ‘disaster' looms for Florida, Browner warns
By Cindy Swirko
Staff writer, Gainesville Sun
Published: Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:21 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:21 p.m.
Florida as we know it — beaches, fresh drinking water, the Everglades — will disappear unless action is taken to curb climate change, national environmental leader Carol Browner said at a dinner Friday night.
"Doing nothing simply spells disaster," said Browner, a University of Florida law graduate, Miami native and former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. "We have to get started. Further delay will only make it more difficult and more expensive."
Browner spoke at a dinner Friday night as part of the UF Levin College of Law's annual environmental conference, which this year was titled "Fishable? Swimmable? 40 Years of Water Law in Florida and the United States."
Browner is the former secretary of Florida Department of Environmental Protection and most recently was director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy. She also served as President Bill Clinton's EPA administrator.
Browner said the National Academy of Scientists estimates that 98 percent of scientists believe climate change is real, man-made and under way.
If it continues, Florida stands to lose its beaches from a rise in sea levels, salt water intrusion will reduce fresh water, severe storms will increase and other damage will occur, Browner predicted.
"It kind of begins to sound like a disaster movie, but unfortunately, it's not. It's reality," Browner said.
Conversely, spurring industries such as solar and wind power to combat climate change will create new businesses and lead to economic growth, she said. The U.S. is already a leading exporter of such technology to Europe and China, Browner said.
The U.S. must be willing to set strong anti-pollution standards, even if it is not known how the country will meet those standards, she said.
American innovation and ingenuity must be used to solve environmental challenges, and the nation should be prepared to accept the costs of protecting American lives by stemming pollution, Browner added.
"The benefits to society will outweigh the costs," Browner said. "I believe we will rise to the challenge."
The conference began Thursday night and continues through Saturday. Other speakers include law professors from UF and other universities, and authors of books on water issues, including Gainesville's Cynthia Barnett.
Panel discussions were held on themes of "Water+Quality," "Water+Quantity" and "Water+Change."
Saturday's sessions will be devoted to the current practice of water law and on the future of Florida's water resources, including a forum led by the newly established Florida Conservation Coalition and a jobs session for Florida's future environmental and land-use lawyers.
Environmental ‘disaster' looms for Florida, Browner warns
By Cindy Swirko
Staff writer, Gainesville Sun
Published: Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:21 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:21 p.m.
Florida as we know it — beaches, fresh drinking water, the Everglades — will disappear unless action is taken to curb climate change, national environmental leader Carol Browner said at a dinner Friday night.
"Doing nothing simply spells disaster," said Browner, a University of Florida law graduate, Miami native and former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. "We have to get started. Further delay will only make it more difficult and more expensive."
Browner spoke at a dinner Friday night as part of the UF Levin College of Law's annual environmental conference, which this year was titled "Fishable? Swimmable? 40 Years of Water Law in Florida and the United States."
Browner is the former secretary of Florida Department of Environmental Protection and most recently was director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy. She also served as President Bill Clinton's EPA administrator.
Browner said the National Academy of Scientists estimates that 98 percent of scientists believe climate change is real, man-made and under way.
If it continues, Florida stands to lose its beaches from a rise in sea levels, salt water intrusion will reduce fresh water, severe storms will increase and other damage will occur, Browner predicted.
"It kind of begins to sound like a disaster movie, but unfortunately, it's not. It's reality," Browner said.
Conversely, spurring industries such as solar and wind power to combat climate change will create new businesses and lead to economic growth, she said. The U.S. is already a leading exporter of such technology to Europe and China, Browner said.
The U.S. must be willing to set strong anti-pollution standards, even if it is not known how the country will meet those standards, she said.
American innovation and ingenuity must be used to solve environmental challenges, and the nation should be prepared to accept the costs of protecting American lives by stemming pollution, Browner added.
"The benefits to society will outweigh the costs," Browner said. "I believe we will rise to the challenge."
The conference began Thursday night and continues through Saturday. Other speakers include law professors from UF and other universities, and authors of books on water issues, including Gainesville's Cynthia Barnett.
Panel discussions were held on themes of "Water+Quality," "Water+Quantity" and "Water+Change."
Saturday's sessions will be devoted to the current practice of water law and on the future of Florida's water resources, including a forum led by the newly established Florida Conservation Coalition and a jobs session for Florida's future environmental and land-use lawyers.
3 comments:
Forget climate change. Florida will be long gone very soon. The environmental disaster in Florida is happening now with the Florida legislature and local governments like Miami dade county eviscerating laws that protect the environment in favor special interests and polluting industries. Maybe carol browner could make amends and speak out about the travesty that is happening now to her beloved Florida.
With yesterday's WH welcome of a renewed Keystone pipeline, with Senator Nelson's statement that "I support the Keystone pipeline" [with the other-worldly caveats that a safe route must be found and the oil not be exported], with Congressman West railing against Castro for drilling and Obama for not drilling everywhere yet voting against the Republican House transportation bill which mandated oil exploration on every available acre and Keystone too, it is a bewildering scene.
Yet I also find myself once again insisting that there is a real difference between the two parties. It is the difference between a poison and a placebo.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/magazine/02design.html
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