Energy/environmental groups release responses from eight presidential candidates to survey on energy policy issues.

The Sustainable Energy Coalition today released the results of a 30-question survey of the views of eight of the major presidential candidates on a cross-section of energy and related environmental policy issues. The survey includes responses received from General Wesley Clark, Governor Howard Dean, Senator John Edwards, Representative Richard Gephardt, Senator John Kerry, Representative Dennis Kucinich, Senator Joseph Lieberman, and Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun. (Responses were not received from either Rev. Al Sharpton or President George Bush.)

Significant policy differences among the candidates are reflected in their responses to the questions.

Issues addressed by the survey include budget and tax incentives for energy efficiency, renewable energy (i.e., solar, wind, geothermal, biomass/biofuels, hydropower), fossil fuels, and nuclear power; hydrogen R&D; auto fuel efficiency standards, hybrid vehicles, a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard, a federal Renewable Fuels Standard, a federal "wires charge" for energy efficiency; climate change and the Kyoto Protocol; oil development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; natural gas price increases and supply shortages; nuclear plant construction and relicensing; renewal of the Price Anderson Act; and the Yucca Mountain high-level nuclear waste repository.

The full text of the candidates' responses + an executive summary can be found on the following web pages:

American Solar Energy Society: http://www.ases.org/election2004/sec_candidates.htm

Environmental & Energy Study Institute:
http://www.eesi.org/publicationsPress%20Releases2004Candidate%20Position.htm

U.S. Public Interest Research Group: http://www.uspirg.org/reports/presidentialsurvey.pdf

Speakers at today's Washington DC news conference convened to release the study included:

Katherine Morrison, Staff Attorney - U.S. Public Interest Research Group (202-546-9707, x.318)

Bill Prindle, Deputy Director - American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (202-429-8873, x.710)

Scott Sklar, President - The Stella Group, Ltd. (202-347-2214)
Ken Bossong, Coordinator - Sustainable Energy Coalition (202-293-2898, x.201)

The Sustainable Energy Coalition is a coalition of over 70 national and state business, environmental, consumer, and energy policy organizations which collectively represent several thousand companies, municipal utilities, and community organizations. (A complete list of the member groups is available upon request.) Founded in 1992, the Sustainable Energy Coalition works to promote increased use of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies. The Sustainable Energy Coalition released surveys of the energy views of the major presidential candidates in 1992, 1996, and 2000.

Printed copies of a 36-page report, "Presidential Candidates' Views on Energy Policy and Related Environmental Issues," containing the complete responses from the candidates and an executive summary can be purchased for $20.00 (pre-paid).