FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 6, 2004

CONTACT:
Christina Kreitzer, 415-977-5619


  SIERRA CLUB POLL PICKS TOP ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
                    SHOULD ADDRESS IN TOWN HALL DEBATE

Environmental voters are hoping the upcoming presidential debates provide a
forum for addressing some major differences between John Kerry and George
W. Bush, and they registered their concerns in a poll on what questions
should be asked.

Topping the online poll are questions about how the candidates propose to
curb global warming, whether they support transferring the burden of toxic
cleanup from polluters to taxpayers, and whether or not the government
should base energy policies on secret meetings with energy industry
representatives.

"Environmental issues can reveal a lot about the candidates' values and
priorities.  They definitely deserve a role in the debates," said Carl
Pope, Sierra Club executive director.  "Do the candidates respect or ignore
good science?  Do they believe polluters should clean up their own mess or
do they think the cost should be shifted to taxpayers?  Should government
protect the public or represent special interests?"

The Sierra Club polled subscribers of RAW, the organization's twice-weekly
electronic newsletter tracking the Bush administration's environmental
record, to find out what questions they would want to ask in the next
debate, which is slated for October 8.  That debate will be conducted in a
town hall format with unscripted questions coming from audience members.
While global warming, toxic waste cleanup and the nation's energy policy
topped the list of issues in the unscientific poll, many respondents also
were concerned with mercury pollution and opening up sensitive lands to oil
and gas drilling.

"Polls show that the American people overwhelmingly care about the
environment," wrote one RAW subscriber. "They care about clean air, safe
drinking water and the protection of endangered species. They want these
things protected."

To check the progress of the online poll, visit
http://www.sierracluborg/raw/debatesurvey.  The full list of survey
questions appears below:

1.    There is ample evidence that America's oldest and dirtiest power
plants continue to pollute dangerous levels of soot and smog, increasing
asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Why has this problem persisted for
so long and what will you do to ensure our air is safe?

2.    Scientists at the Food and Drug Administration and other research
bodies have recently concluded that mercury in fish is a more widespread
and dangerous problem than previously thought, yet the Bush administration
is proposing to delay mercury cleanup with a plan that was partially
drafted by power industry lobbyists. Do you think the current provisions of
the Clean Air Act should be enforced, and do you have any other suggestions
for the quickest and most effective ways to reduce mercury pollution?

3.    The National Academy of Science, Nuclear Waste Technical Review
Board, and the General Accounting Office have all raised major concerns
about the Department of Energy's current designs to store the nation's
nuclear waste at Nevada's Yucca Mountain. If that is the case, does it make
sense to move ahead with transporting the nuclear waste across the country
to Yucca Mountain?

4.    A year ago, the Superfund trust fund which pays for the cleanup of
toxic waste sites went bankrupt. Previously, the cost of cleaning up toxic
waste sites had been covered by the polluters themselves, but now the cost
has been shifted to the taxpayers. Do you think those who make the messes
should be covering the cost of cleanups?

5.    There are those who believe that any place that might have oil and
gas should be opened to drilling while others believe that there are some
natural treasures that are so special that they should be protected for
future generations. Do you believe that certain areas, such as the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge, should be off limits to oil and gas drilling?
Where do you think it would be appropriate to drill for oil and gas?

6.    The Russian government recently announced that it will put the
international global warming treaty into effect by ratifying the Kyoto
Protocol. The current administration has pulled the United States out of
the agreement, even though this country accounts for 25 percent of the
world’s global warming pollution. How will the United States do their part
to curb global warming and stabilize the global climate?

7.    According to Justice Department files, there has been a 23% drop in
the criminal prosecution of environmental lawmakers since 2001. How do we
ensure that our nation's environmental laws get adequately enforced?

8.    Recently, the Supreme Court heard a case about Vice President
Cheney's Energy Task Force to determine whether or not government should
base energy policies on secret meetings with energy industry
representatives. Do you feel there was a conflict of interest here and do
you think the White House should be forced to reveal who attended the
meetings and helped write energy policy?


Subscribe to the RAW newsletter:
http://www.sierraclub.org/raw/subscribe.asp

Find out which candidate for president shares your priorities for the
environment:
http://www.sierraclubvotes.org/issues/

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