At their last debate, Scott Brown blasted his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Martha Coakley, for supporting cap-and-trade: "You're in favor of cap and trade, which is a national energy tax," Brown said to Coakley.
"It's not a tax,"
Coakley replied.
"It's a tax," Brown insisted.
Senate Democrats support cap and trade. I asked Brown about his opposition to it last month, at a campaign stop in Medfield. "If we don't use cap and trade, how do we reduce emissions?"
I wondered.
"You can reduce by conservation, wind, solar, hydroelectric, nuclear," Brown told me. "You can provide a total package and let people have different avenues and different ways to heat and light their businesses.
How does government enforce that? They have their hands in pretty much everything. I'm sure there'll be a role for government--and at some point, government needs to get out of the way, as well."
Source: WBUR article on 2010 MA Senate debate
Jan 18, 2010
Opposes cap-and-trade system, but renewables OK
Does not believe climate change is entirely man-made.
Opposes a cap-and-trade program, feeling it would create higher costs for families and businesses, but backs what he calls "reasonable and appropriate" development of wind, solar, nuclear, geothermal energy.
Source: Nancy Reardon, Quincy Patriot-Ledger: 2010 MA Senate debate
Jan 14, 2010
Promote increased use of alternative fuel technology
Rep. Brown indicated he supports the following principles regarding the environment and energy.
Promote increased use of alternative fuel technology.
Use state funds to clean up former industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated,
unused or abandoned.
Q: Do you support state funding for open space preservation? A: Yes.
Q: Should state environmental regulations be stricter than federal law? A: No.
Source: Massachusetts State Legislative Election 2002 NPAT
Nov 1, 2002
