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New Video Showcases Grassroots Support For Obama As Best Candidate For The Environment And Our Energy Future

CONCORD, NH – Environment New Hampshire today endorsed Barack Obama for President, citing his clear and bold solutions to our current energy woes and strong commitment to the protection of our environment. “Senator Obama has publicly committed to fully addressing the pressing problem of global warming and moving the United States toward a new energy future.  He has made clean energy one of the top issues of his campaign and as a public servant at the state and federal levels has a long and consistent record of supporting the environment,” said Erika Staaf, Advocate for Environment New Hampshire.

Environment New Hampshire’s endorsement was coordinated with Environment America and the federation of 25 other state environmental organizations with more than 750,000 members and activists nationally.  Environment New Hampshire has received significant support from members sent in comments in response to our endorsement decision over the last few weeks, including;

• “He is a man in tune with the times and he knows our environment is at risk. He doesn’t make photo ops in the Everglades; he goes to Detroit and tells the automakers to revise their standards,” from Kate M. a member of Environment New Hampshire in Meredith, New Hampshire.
• “He completely understands that our energy and economic crisis is intricately involved in our environmental crisis. None of these problems can be solved without considering the impact on the others,” a member from Janet B, in Hooksett, New Hampshire.
• “Barack has a broadness of perspective and an honest way of looking at the long-range issues, without engaging in political pandering. I trust him to bring the best ideas and people together to protect the environment, regardless of political persuasion,” from M.J. of Durham, NH.

As a part of its endorsement, Environment New Hampshire released a video of a sampling of members across the country making the case for Senator Obama as the next environmental president in their own words.  The video can be viewed at http://www.environmentamerica.org/issues/election-2008.

Over his career as a U.S. Senator, Obama has voted with Environment New Hampshire 86% of the time, including achieving a 90% on the 2008 Environment America Congressional scorecard.  His one vote missed in our 2008 scorecard was an absence rather than a vote in opposition. 

By comparison, Senator McCain has an extremely disappointing lifetime voting score of 30 percent for votes scored by Environment New Hampshire.  John McCain has voted against requiring polluters to pay for clean-up of toxic waste sites; he voted against the public’s right to know about pollution in their communities; and Senator McCain has voted to weaken safe drinking water protections.  “Despite his willingness to buck his party on the existence of global warming which we very much appreciate, John McCain just isn’t the president we need to reverse eight years of the anti-environmental Bush Administration” noted Staaf.

Environment New Hampshire’s national federation has prepared a report on the environmental records of both candidates, including their lifetime environmental voting records which is available at

http://www.environmentnewhampshire.org/reports/other-issues/more-issues/americas-congressional-scorecard-2008

Environment New Hampshire is committed to working with our federation of state organizations to mount an aggressive effort to secure a victory for Barack Obama including grassroots outreach to our members and the public.

“Barack Obama is clearly the best choice for protecting New Hampshire’s environment and breaking through Washington’s addiction to oil and the polluter lobby,” said Staaf.

Environment New Hampshire is a state-based environmental organization that advocates clean air, clean water and open space.