The 23rd Congressional District of New York is BIG. It is surrounded by water on three sides, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence Seaway and Lake Champlain. The candidate that gets my vote will stand firm on protection of these waters through support of initiatives to reduce and in some cases eliminate the use of phosphorus in fertilizers, especially the fertilizers sold to consumers for use on lawns.
What are other federal initiatives that will help protect our three borders?
Not everyone lives by the water, but everyone does live in a watershed! WATERSHED Education and Protection is vital!
New Jersey has great programs within their DEP called Watershed Managament and Watershed Ambassadors. Employees and volunteers test streams and rivers all throughout the watershed to see how the water is affected by land-use practices. They then work with AmeriCorps volunteers to educatate the public (from kindergarten to senior homes) about watershed protection.
This is a great program that would greatly enhance NY state!
This year, there is only ONE US Congressional office on the ballot. Right here in the North Country. Here below are the bullet pointed list of Sustainability and Environmental Issues that I think are important to the district:
1) Small Diverse Farms: Encouragement of small diverse farms instead of monoculture factory farms through the Farm Bill and other agricultural funding at a federal level.
2) Freedom from Oil: It is important to me that whoever holds the office from the 23rd district understand that international stability and our own nation's security, not to mention the global environment depends on our ability to become free from the grip of oil.
3) Higher Speed Rail: Transportation Infrastructure spending on higher speed rail transport from Montreal to Albany and study of feasibility of higher speed rail projects instead of a "backbone" freeway across the North Country. Encouragement for connecting to improved speed rail service through out the northeast.
4) Protection of the Adirondacks: Continued federal cooperation for the protection and sustained growth of the wilds of the Adirondack Park.
5) Micro and Mini Hydro Power Support: In 23rd district, there are ample opportunities for development of no-dam micro and mini hydro power development. These initiatives should be supported through tax incentives and infrastructure grants.
I hope to see position statements from each of the three candidates that lay out thier stance on these issues and present specific initiatives they would support to show movement on the issues. I'm not expecting any one of the three candidates to stand-out as a national environmental leader, but the candidate I vote for will have to fall near my thinking on the first two.
As a result of living in polluted and well-populated areas, I have seen the local and state government make efforts in creating jobs concerning Environmental Protection and Education.
Fortunately, we live in a less-polluted area, however, that may not always be the case. We have already seen our streams polluted with raw sewage from failed septic tanks, many residents are not allowed to drink water from their tap for risk of fecal coliforms and heavy metals, and our lake is already stricken with zebra mussels and Eastern Milfoil. What will our new Congressperson do to prevent further damage to our area? What green jobs will be created as a result of this? How will these initiatives be effective for the low, middle, and upper classes? How will all of these people be educated about the potential environmental hazards and preventing them? Will formal educators be supported for their green initiatives in their classroom?
surrounded by big water...
The 23rd Congressional District of New York is BIG. It is surrounded by water on three sides, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence Seaway and Lake Champlain. The candidate that gets my vote will stand firm on protection of these waters through support of initiatives to reduce and in some cases eliminate the use of phosphorus in fertilizers, especially the fertilizers sold to consumers for use on lawns.
What are other federal initiatives that will help protect our three borders?
Watershed Protection
Not everyone lives by the water, but everyone does live in a watershed! WATERSHED Education and Protection is vital!
New Jersey has great programs within their DEP called Watershed Managament and Watershed Ambassadors. Employees and volunteers test streams and rivers all throughout the watershed to see how the water is affected by land-use practices. They then work with AmeriCorps volunteers to educatate the public (from kindergarten to senior homes) about watershed protection.
This is a great program that would greatly enhance NY state!
Link to NJDEP's Division of Watershed Management: http://www.nj.gov/dep/watershedmgt/
Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship
This year, there is only ONE US Congressional office on the ballot. Right here in the North Country. Here below are the bullet pointed list of Sustainability and Environmental Issues that I think are important to the district:
1) Small Diverse Farms: Encouragement of small diverse farms instead of monoculture factory farms through the Farm Bill and other agricultural funding at a federal level.
2) Freedom from Oil: It is important to me that whoever holds the office from the 23rd district understand that international stability and our own nation's security, not to mention the global environment depends on our ability to become free from the grip of oil.
3) Higher Speed Rail: Transportation Infrastructure spending on higher speed rail transport from Montreal to Albany and study of feasibility of higher speed rail projects instead of a "backbone" freeway across the North Country. Encouragement for connecting to improved speed rail service through out the northeast.
4) Protection of the Adirondacks: Continued federal cooperation for the protection and sustained growth of the wilds of the Adirondack Park.
5) Micro and Mini Hydro Power Support: In 23rd district, there are ample opportunities for development of no-dam micro and mini hydro power development. These initiatives should be supported through tax incentives and infrastructure grants.
I hope to see position statements from each of the three candidates that lay out thier stance on these issues and present specific initiatives they would support to show movement on the issues. I'm not expecting any one of the three candidates to stand-out as a national environmental leader, but the candidate I vote for will have to fall near my thinking on the first two.
Doug
Green Jobs
As a result of living in polluted and well-populated areas, I have seen the local and state government make efforts in creating jobs concerning Environmental Protection and Education.
Fortunately, we live in a less-polluted area, however, that may not always be the case. We have already seen our streams polluted with raw sewage from failed septic tanks, many residents are not allowed to drink water from their tap for risk of fecal coliforms and heavy metals, and our lake is already stricken with zebra mussels and Eastern Milfoil. What will our new Congressperson do to prevent further damage to our area? What green jobs will be created as a result of this? How will these initiatives be effective for the low, middle, and upper classes? How will all of these people be educated about the potential environmental hazards and preventing them? Will formal educators be supported for their green initiatives in their classroom?