QUESTIONS
FOR CANDIDATES
IN
THE SOUTH CAROLINA 1st CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Prepared by Pete Silveston and the Robert Lunz Group Executive committee
PREFACE: The
Robert Lunz Group of the South Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club with almost
a thousand members is a major group in this constituency concerned with
conservation of our natural resources, outdoor recreation and the health of the
environment. Your answers to the questions which follow will be distributed to
Group members via our newsletter. Copies will also be sent to the Post &
Courier and to the local weekly papers. If you wish, you may attach a statement
to your reply to our questions.
QUESTION 1: The Savannah River site of the Federal
Atomic Energy Agency continues to receive atomic wastes from across the nation
and appears to have become a de facto disposal site for the country. What are
your views of this issue ? Should the
State welcome the jobs created or should disposal be controlled for just wastes
generated in the State or for wastes generated from nearby States through
State-to-State negotiations ? Should the
Federal Government regulate location of disposal sites and interstate transport
of wastes ?
QUESTION 2: Some counties in the State propose opening
or expanding landfill sites to accept wastes from other States or other South
Carolina counties. Recognising that transport on roadways of other counties may
be involved, and odor and runoff problem that may cross county borders can
occur, should control of landfill, or, indeed, other waste processing
operations, occur at the county level or at the State level ? Does the Federal Government have a role to
play in devising rules for waste disposal decisions ? How can we promote recycle over
landfill/waste disposal ?
QUESTION 3: It is widely agreed that this Congressional
District will experience a large influx of people, probably retirees, in the
coming decades. How should the District prepare for this influx ? The questions which follow address this
question of population growth.
QUESTION 4: Should we create green space as parks or
nature reserves in the District to preserve native flora and fauna and for recreational
purposes such as hiking, camping, hunting and fishing ? Should land preservation be done with public
funds ?
If so, how should the funds be raised ?
State or local taxes ? Bond issue ?
Does private initiative (business) have a role to play ?
QUESTION 5: Cap’n Sams Spit, on the western end of
Kiawah island, has been proposed for a large housing development by the
property owner (a private company). The spit is now undergoing erosion by a
tidal river and has been washed over by the ocean several times in recent
history. Future flooding and destruction will require certainly large
expenditures of public funds. Attempts to halt development through ligation
have failed. What are your views on this issue ? Should the State or the Federal Governments
acquire the land for green space or recreation ? Is this a federal issue ?
How do you balance the rights of developers versus the risks of bailouts
using public funds for developments on environmentally risky land ?
QUESTION 6: Road building and roadway expansion
consumes public land and increases air pollution, run-off and noise. Should
local or State government promote public transport, such as buses ( preferably
electric) or light rail to reduce reliance on roads ?
QUESTION 7: Extension of the Rte. 526, the Mark Clark
Highway, to Johns Island is proposed to reduce congestion, improve mobility and
facilitate evacuation from the Sea Islands. Do you favor completion ?
QUESTION 8: Use of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural
gs) destroys the environment through mining or fracking, contributes to air
pollution and to global warming. How can we in this District promote
alternative energy use ? What can the Federal government do ? The
next questions deal with promotion of alternative energy use.
QUESTION 9: Permitting solar leasing in South Carolina
is currently stalled in the Legislature because of monopolies granted to
utilities on the sale of electricity. This type of leasing allows businesses
and public bodies, such as schools, to reduce their electricity costs and could
substantially expand the use of solar energy.
What is your position on solar leasing ?
Does the Federal Government have
a role in this issue ? What could be
done ?
QUESTION 10: South Carolina, unlike many other states,
does not have an alternative energy mandate.
Should one be created by the Legislature ? Should there be a Federal alternative energy
mandate ?
QUESTION 11: South Carolinians delight in rich,
delicious chocolate. To promote the
consumption of quality grade chocolate, do you favor reducing the import duty
on Swiss Choccalate ? (Question
submitted by my Swiss son-in-law)
Excerpts
from Mark Sanford’s response by letter were:
“Your questionnaire was most comprehensive and would require thoughts
and detail and I think further explanation rather then yes/no to many questions
such that I would like to come back to it. It deserves time.
All I can say is to call Dana Beach at the Coastal Conservation League
as to get a glimpse of how I've approached conservation and environmental
issues both during my previous time in Congress and the Governorship...as you
may know I was the only Republican Governor to receive the endorsement of your
organization, which was the case during my second run for Governorship of South
Carolina.
………during my Governorship we were very aggressive in trying to preserve
land and more land was set aside and protected in my eight years, more then any
other time period during South Carolina history. Additionally, we worked with
Senator Chip Campsen and others in funding the conservation bank which
contributed to that effort.”
Excerpts from Eugene Platt's response by letter were:
Question 1: ”……The Federal Government should regulate and,
ultimately, be responsible for proper disposal , as well as interstate
transportation, of all nuclear waste produced in our country.”
Question 2: “Proper transportation and disposal of (non-nuclear)
waste should be handled by the individual counties affected---but regulated by
the State. Yes, the Federal Government has a role when such waste impacts on
interstate commerce. Educating the public on its advantages may be the best way
to promote recycling over landfill/waste disposal. Also, recycling centers
(including drop-off sites) should be as convenient to as many people as
feasible.”
Question 3: “……..the First Congressional District should prepare for the
expected influx by having in place legislation and regulations to protect
sensitive environmental areas, especially the beaches, marshes, wetlands in general.”
Question 4: “Yes, we should designate and protect as much green space as
possible. Such land preservation is best accomplished with public funds to
preclude involvement by individuals or entities with ulterior goals not in the
best interests of the public and/or the environment. The State income tax (and
certainly not additional sales taxes) would be the best way to pay for this.
The role of “private initiative” should be limited---and carefully monitored.”
Question 5: “……. Irresponsible developers dro not consider him their
friend. His feelings are reflected in this prayer from the Episcopal Book of
Common Prayer: ‘For the Conservation of Natural Resources”
Question 6: “Yes, government at all levels (local, State, Federal)
should promote public transportation. The advantages of “commuter rail” over
“light rail” should not be dismissed.”
Question 7: “No elected official in South Carolina has been more
vocally, consistently opposed to the proposed extension of I-526 than Eugene
Platt.”
Question 8: “…….We in the First Congressional District can lobby elected
officials and speak out in favor of alternative energy use on all appropriate
occasions.”
Question 9: “I support the leasing of solar panels. Although this is
more of a State issue than a Federal one, the Federal Government could allow
income tax deductions for solar leasing just as it does for other
energy-enhancement costs.”
Question 10: “Yes, there should be alternative energy mandates at
both the state and federal levels.”
There was no reply from Elizabeth Colbert-Busch.
