Against the Tide, by Lincoln Chafee: on Energy & Oil


Christie Todd Whitman: Prepared EPA for regulating carbon dioxide

Once in office the president named Christie Todd Whitman, former Republican governor of NJ, to head the EPA. In her new role as administrator, Whitman made many public pronouncements on the coming effort to regulate carbon dioxide emissions. It seemed Republicans, often accused of being in league with polluters, might finally challenge the popular notion that only Democrats care about the air we breathe. After all, it was President Nixon who had signed into law the nation's first clean air legislation.

When President Bush recanted on regulating carbon dioxide, I was witness to EPA administrator Whitman's humiliation on this point.

Source: Against the Tide, by Sen. Lincoln Chafee, p.104-105 Apr 1, 2008

Dick Cheney: 2000: No intention to keep campaign promise to regulate CO2

I thought back to how EPA administrator Christie Todd Whitman had made the mistake of taking Pres. Bush at his world. In her public appearances, she often repeated his campaign pledge on regulating greenhouse gases. I think she believed him. But remember that just weeks into the new administration, V.P. Cheney delighted the Republican caucus by announcing that the president had no intention of honoring that pledge. A senator shouted, "Somebody better tell Christie!" as the caucus erupted with cheers.
Source: Against the Tide, by Sen. Lincoln Chafee, p.237 Apr 1, 2008

Dwight Eisenhower: Signed ANWR into existence as a wildlife refuge

If we open up ANWR to drilling, there are bound to be conflicts between the crews bringing out the oil and bears that want to get in among the mobile homes.

I thought, "Let's leave just one place off limits." A Republican president, Dwight Eisenhower, had signed ANWR into existence; I was not about to be a part of undoing his vision.

If ANWR is a wildlife refuge, wildlife should find sanctuary there, by definition. Letting in the oil companies while still calling it a refuge struck me as dishonest.

Source: Against the Tide, by Sen. Lincoln Chafee, p.109 Apr 1, 2008

George W. Bush: OpEd: Recanted on campaign promise of regulating CO2

Once in office the president named Christie Todd Whitman, former Republican governor of NJ, to head the EPA. In her new role as administrator, Whitman made many public pronouncements on the coming effort to regulate carbon dioxide emissions. It seemed Republicans, often accused of being in league with polluters, might finally challenge the popular notion that only Democrats care about the air we breathe. After all, it was President Nixon who had signed into law the nation's first clean air legislation.

When President Bush recanted on regulating carbon dioxide, I was witness to EPA administrator Whitman's humiliation on this point.

Source: Against the Tide, by Sen. Lincoln Chafee, p.104-105 Apr 1, 2008

Lincoln Chafee: ANWR: Let's leave just one place off limits

If we open up ANWR to drilling, there are bound to be conflicts between the crews bringing out the oil and bears that want to get in among the mobile homes.

I thought, "Let's leave just one place off limits." A Republican president, Dwight Eisenhower, had signed ANWR into existence; I was not about to be a part of undoing his vision.

If ANWR is a wildlife refuge, wildlife should find sanctuary there, by definition. Letting in the oil companies while still calling it a refuge struck me as dishonest.

Source: Against the Tide, by Sen. Lincoln Chafee, p.109 Apr 1, 2008

Lincoln Chafee: Close the SUV loophole and raise mileage standards overall

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules were enacted in 1975, after the shock of the Arab oil embargo of 2 years earlier. In my tenure in Washington, there were frequent votes on raising the mileage standards as well as closing the loophole that exempts sport utility vehicles from the CAFE standards. The loophole was designed to help the American Motors Corporation, which was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy at the time.

On vote after vote, we failed to close the SUV loophole and raise mileage standards overall. Unfortunately, American carmakers fight these efforts to mandate fuel-efficient vehicles and, predictably, foreigners are beating us in the marketplace just as they did in the 1970s. The industry has a history of fighting innovation.

Source: Against the Tide, by Sen. Lincoln Chafee, p.110 Apr 1, 2008

  • The above quotations are from Against the Tide
    How a Compliant Congress Empowered a Reckless President
    by Lincoln Chafee.
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