State of Tennessee Archives: on Energy & Oil


Marquita Bradshaw: First Senate candidate in TN to sign Green New Deal Pledge

I Support the Green New Deal. ?I was the first candidate running for the United States Senate in TN to sign the Green New Deal Pledge. Our current leadership has failed Tennessee and has sought to turn Tennessee into a landfill for nuclear waste. I am proud to stand as someone who sees the unending benefits of this deal, not only for our Planet's health but for the future of our state's economy. Tennessee has an opportunity to invest heavily in new jobs, infrastructure, and more with this deal.
Source: 2020 Tennessee Senate campaign website MarquitaBradshaw.com Aug 26, 2020

Bill Hagerty: Fight socialist fracking bans, repeal fuel standards

Bill will do everything in his power to stop the Green New Deal and fight socialist attempts to ban fracking. He will support the exploration and development of fossil fuels. Bill will work to repeal renewable fuels standards and scale back excessive environmental regulations on the development of new resources.
Source: 2020 Tennessee Senate campaign website TeamHagerty.com Dec 24, 2019

Karl Dean: Pledged to work toward reducing greenhouse gases

Q: Consider climate change a serious crisis?

Karl Dean (D): Yes. Signed US Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, pledging to work toward reducing greenhouse gases.

Bill Lee (R): Unknown.

Q: Climate Change: Limit or tax production of greenhouse gases? Support US participation in Paris Climate Accord despite President Trump's withdrawal? Support participation in interstate initiatives to limit levels of greenhouse gases?

Karl Dean (D): Yes. Supported national emission trading system through Climate Protection Agreement. Worked to lower Nashville's greenhouse gases as Mayor. "We can be pro- business and pro-environment...[will] work with businesses to reduce their carbon footprint."

Bill Lee (R): Unknown.

Q: Support government subsidies for renewable energy?

Karl Dean (D): Yes. "We need to focus more on incentivizing the use of solar."

Bill Lee (R): Unknown.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Tennessee Governor race Oct 9, 2018

Marsha Blackburn: Climate change isn't settled; withdraw from Paris Accord

Q: Consider climate change a critical threat? Limit or tax production of greenhouse gases?

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. "The science around it is not a settled science." Applauded withdrawal from Paris Climate agreement.

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. "It's a serious issue." Supported US moving toward 25% renewable energy by 2025, although thought Obama's Clean Energy Plan should have been passed by Congress, not regulation.

Q: Support government subsidies for renewable energy?

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. Has voted no on related bills. Considers it inappropriate intervention in the economy.

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. Early advocate of developing this sector. "It seems beyond dispute that `green energy' will be an area of vast importance and growth."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Tennessee Senate race Oct 9, 2018

Phil Bredesen: Green energy will be of vast importance and growth

Q: Consider climate change a critical threat? Limit or tax production of greenhouse gases?

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. "The science around it is not a settled science." Applauded withdrawal from Paris Climate agreement.

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. "It's a serious issue." Supported US moving toward 25% renewable energy by 2025, although thought Obama's Clean Energy Plan should have been passed by Congress, not regulation.

Q: Support government subsidies for renewable energy?

Marsha Blackburn (R): No. Has voted no on related bills. Considers it inappropriate intervention in the economy.

Phil Bredesen (D): Yes. Early advocate of developing this sector. "It seems beyond dispute that `green energy' will be an area of vast importance and growth."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Tennessee Senate race Oct 9, 2018

Diane Black: Rejects Paris climate change agreement

"I applaud President Trump's decisive action to reject the Paris climate change agreement, which was a bad deal for American families and businesses. Yet again, President Obama gave away the farm for a photo-op with Europe's most liberal leaders, signing a terrible agreement where most of the costs fell to the U.S. It's past time for an America-first energy policy to strengthen our security and grow our vibrant energy economy."
Source: 2018 Tennessee Gubernatorial website black.house.gov Aug 31, 2017

Gordon Ball: Transition from dirty fossil fuels to clean renewables

The choice is simple. Will we continue to subsidize dirty fossil fuels, or will we transition to 21st century clean, renewable energy? If we invest now in a 21st century energy system, we can lower the costs of production for all of our businesses. We know that we can generate power with alternative energy sources--wind, solar, and hydro-power--and that we can make energy usage far more efficient. We must commit ourselves to clean energy and energy efficiency now.

The energy challenges facing Americ are so critical that a concentrated investment in energy research and development should be undertaken. We send well over a billion dollars every day out of our country to buy oil and energy from other countries. I agree with experts who have proposed that we create a new "Manhattan Project" or Apollo-type initiative on energy to initiate breakthroughs in energy technology. Moving away from an oil economy and finding a real solution to our energy crisis will require a sustained commitment by America.

Source: 2014 Tennessee Senate campaign website, GordonBallSenate.com Aug 7, 2014

Gordon Ball: Commercial solar & wind, and also clean coal

My own analysis of dozens of other energy plans proposed over the past five years guides me to propose a ten-year national energy plan to:
Source: 2014 Tennessee Senate campaign website, GordonBallSenate.com Aug 7, 2014

Gordon Ball: Supports construction of the Keystone pipeline

They differ on two issues that Adams has tried to underscore--Ball's support for the construction of the Keystone pipeline and his proposal for a flat tax that Ball says would simplify and streamline the tax code and that Adams says would raise taxes for working people and the middle class and lower them for "millionaires like himself."
Source: Memphis Flyer on 2014 Tennessee Senate race Aug 6, 2014

Phil Bredesen: Green energy growth: develop a Solar Institute

In the area of clean energy technology, while no one knows exactly which specific technologies will ultimately prevail, it seems beyond dispute that "green energy" will be an area of vast importance and growth in the decades ahead. There is great opportunity even in traditional businesses, like auto manufacturing, and we have companies here in Tennessee that are world leaders in automotive innovation, from the development of electric vehicles to clean fuels.

We are extraordinarily well-positioned here and in the next couple of years, I want to wrap this up even tighter. Here's an idea about how we might go about that: develop a Solar Institute that is the basic research leader in making solar power practical.

Solar power today is a tiny part of the power equation. It remains far too expensive, and it's ripe for breakthroughs. There's a lot of basic science to be done. We have the pieces--the building blocks--here in Tennessee to be major players in this area.

Source: 2009 State of the State address to Tennessee legislature Feb 9, 2009

Bob Tuke: Dependence on foreign oil hurts security & climate

Our nation is facing an energy crisis. Soaring gas and diesel prices are forcing law enforcement to cut back on patrols and choking productivity for our farmers and freight transportation workers. And as our nation grows increasingly dependent on foreign oil from nations that are enemies of America, our citizens are forced to fund both sides of the war on terror while filling our atmosphere with climate change pollution.
Source: 2008 Senate campaign website, tukefortennessee.com, “Issues” Jun 3, 2008

Bob Corker: Promote fuel cells & alternatives to reduce oil dependence

Source: Campaign materials, “Blueprint for Tennessee” Oct 1, 2006

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2020 Presidential contenders on Energy & Oil:
  Democrats running for President:
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)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
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)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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