State of North Dakota Archives: on Environment


Heidi Heitkamp: Farm bill is needed and is blocked by partisanship

Democratic Senate candidate Heidi Heitkamp questioned Rep. Rick Berg's ability to fulfill a promise to help break Washington gridlock, noting he failed to get Republican leaders to hold a pre-election vote on farm legislation crucial to North Dakota. Heitkamp criticized what she said was Berg's ineffectiveness in advocating for a new five-year farm bill.

"When we talk about gridlock, the gridlock we got was within the Republican Party," Heitkamp said. "You cannot look at any kind of activity that you had on the farm bill and claim any amount of success."

Berg said he has pushed repeatedly for a pre-election vote, including supporting a "discharge petition" that would compel a floor vote on the legislation. House Republican leaders have promised to have a vote on the farm bill by year's end, Berg added.

The farm bill includes money for a host of agricultural programs ranging from crop insurance to soil conservation, but the largest chunk of money, roughly 80%, is for food stamps

Source: Bismarck Tribune on 2012 N.D. Senate debate Oct 15, 2012

Rick Berg: We will getwt the Farm Bill by year's end

Democratic Senate candidate Heidi Heitkamp questioned Rep. Rick Berg's ability to fulfill a promise to help break Washington gridlock, noting he failed to get Republican leaders to hold a pre-election vote on farm legislation crucial to North Dakota. Heitkamp criticized what she said was Berg's ineffectiveness in advocating for a new five-year farm bill.

"When we talk about gridlock, the gridlock we got was within the Republican Party," Heitkamp said. "You cannot look at any kind of activity that you had on the farm bill and claim any amount of success."

Berg said he has pushed repeatedly for a pre-election vote, including supporting a "discharge petition" that would compel a floor vote on the legislation. House Republican leaders have promised to have a vote on the farm bill by year's end, Berg added.

The farm bill includes money for a host of agricultural programs ranging from crop insurance to soil conservation, but the largest chunk of money, roughly 80%, is for food stamps

Source: Bismarck Tribune on 2012 N.D. Senate debate Oct 15, 2012

Rick Berg: Bring checks and balances to the EPA

Heitkamp stressed the importance for a long term policy that uses all resources and addressed the need for energy transmission. She said she believes President Obama has not done the right thing for the country by denying a permit for the Keystone pipeline and argued that she would stand up to him if elected.

Her opponent Rick Berg claims the problem lies in the senate and says he would work with both chambers of congress if elected to bring checks and balances to the EPA.

Source: KFYR-TV-5 Bismarck on 2012 N.D. Senate debates Oct 11, 2012

Heidi Heitkamp: Protect North Dakota farm subsidies from Washington insiders

Political organizations such as American Crossroads (Republican) and Majority PAC (Democratic) have spent more than $3 million on advertising in the North Dakota race. That's close to $6 for every North Dakotan of voting age. The state's last competitive Senate race was in 1986. Berg and Heitkamp are on pace to wage the most expensive Senate election in North Dakota history. Much of the money is being channeled into television spots.

In most ads, Heitkamp is hammered as a stooge for President Barack Obama and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who are portrayed as enemies of oil exploration and coal mining, which are significant industries in North Dakota.

Anti-Berg ads accuse him of wanting to cut spending on Medicare and farm subsidies, and claim that Berg has "gone Washington," a gibe the incumbent Republican congressman himself used against Earl Pomeroy in 2010.

Source: Austin Stateman on 2012 N.D. Senate debate ad review Sep 15, 2012

Heidi Heitkamp: Make responsible cuts in farm bill, except crop insurance

Q: Where do you see the government subsidy on crop insurance going in the future and do you support such a subsidy?

Heitkamp: "When I travel around the state talking to farmers and commodity groups, what I hear is that people understand it's time to make some responsible cuts in the farm bill, but that crop insurance is a key part of the safety net we need to protect and preserve. I will work to protect and preserve the crop insurance program that our farm community depends on."

Berg: "Crop insurance is the No. 1 priority for our farm program. Agriculture is a bright spot in our country right now, one that is creating jobs and new revenue. As a policy-making body, we need to encourage agriculture rather than put up barriers for its growth."

Source: The Jamestown Sun joint 2012 N.D. Senate Debate interviews Apr 17, 2012

Rick Berg: Crop insurance is the No. 1 priority for our farm program

Q: Where do you see the government subsidy on crop insurance going in the future and do you support such a subsidy?

Berg: "Crop insurance is the No. 1 priority for our farm program. Agriculture is a bright spot in our country right now, one that is creating jobs and new revenue. As a policy-making body, we need to encourage agriculture rather than put up barriers for its growth."

Heitkamp: "When I travel around the state talking to farmers and commodity groups, what I hear is that people understand it's time to make some responsible cuts in the farm bill, but that crop insurance is a key part of the safety net we need to protect and preserve. I will work to protect and preserve the crop insurance program that our farm community depends on."

Source: The Jamestown Sun joint 2012 N.D. Senate Debate interviews Apr 17, 2012

Jack Dalrymple: Follow Clean Air Act at EPA, but leave air control to ND

EPA should drop its plan to take over the state's authority to regulate air quality.

The EPA should abide by the CAA which allows the state to regulate its own industries. The state has a long and proven history of operating its Clean Air Permit program, but the EPA now proposes requiring the state's coal plants & other industries to install equipment that is not proven to work and is extremely expensive. The mandate would ultimately drive up consumers' energy costs and harm the state's economy.

Source: N.D. 2011 gubernatorial press release, "Tell EPA" Oct 13, 2011

Jack Dalrymple: Water should be available for no cost; drop storage fee plan

I oppose the Corps' water fee plan. The US Army Corps of Engineers is considering plans to charge businesses, farmers and other water users a "storage fee" based on the amount of water they draw from Lake Sakakawea.

We have a legal right to that water, using its easements to block ND's access to its own rightful water supplies is an attempt to achieve monetary gain where none is justified. The Missouri River is valuable to the state and is a resource that should be available to access without cost.

Source: N.D. 2011 gubernatorial press release, "Water Rights" May 13, 2011

  • The above quotations are from State of North Dakota Politicians: Archives.
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2020 Presidential contenders on Environment:
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Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
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CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
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Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

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Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
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Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
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Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

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Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
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Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
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