Environment
Public lands, parks and wilderness areas in Rhode Island and across the United States are national treasures warranting our steadfast protection. It is Congress' responsibility to make certain that we remain responsible stewards of our environment. Whether it is the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in Woonsocket, RI, or the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, David is fighting to protect America's public parks, lands and wilderness, so that our beautiful natural landscape will be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.
Public lands, parks and wilderness areas in Rhode Island and across the United States are national treasures warranting our steadfast protection. It is Congress' responsibility to make certain that we remain responsible stewards of our environment. Whether it is the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in Woonsocket, RI, or the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, David is fighting to protect America's public parks, lands and wilderness, so that our beautiful natural landscape will be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.
Unfortunately, many members in the 112th Congress are leading a concerted attempt to dismantle some of our nation’s most fundamental environmental protections. David will continue to strongly oppose these efforts while working proactively to protect Rhode Island’s natural beauty and improve the quality of our air and water.
In May, the Republican majority brought a series of oil drilling bills to the floor, one of which would force the U.S. Department of Interior to open up offshore areas for drilling along the entire Northeast coast, including Rhode Island. During budget deliberations for both Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012 David spoke out against dangerous cuts and policies that threatened the health of Rhode Islanders and our environment. According to Rhode Island Clean Water Action, Rhode Island has the fifth highest rate of childhood asthma in the nation, and annually the state spends $360 million providing care for health problems attributed to particle pollution (such as smoke and soot from power plants and automobiles). Drastic anti-environment policies and spending reductions threaten not only our air and water quality, but would have real and negative economic consequences for Rhode Islanders, increasing healthcare costs, generating additional lost days of work, and creating long-term health and development issues for our children.
Again, in October 2011, the House Republican leadership held a vote on the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act, H.R. 2273, a bill that would eliminate federal safety standards for coal ash storage and disposal. David spoke in opposition to this bill and proposed a commonsense amendment designed to strengthen public safety and protect against catastrophic environmental disasters – such as occurred in the 2008 coal ash impoundment failure in Kingston, Tennessee.
David has also been working to protect and preserve our many natural treasures in Rhode Island. He was proud to introduce legislation in the House that will create a new national park unit within the Blackstone River Valley, ensuring the protection and promotion of this vital historical and environmental resource. David has also co-sponsored the No Child Left Inside Act, H.R. 2547, which would require states to develop environmental literacy plans and also to direct the Secretary of Education to award Environmental Education Professional Development Grants.