Keene Mayor Michael J. Blastos vs. George W Bush on the Enviornment

    Here is what Keene Mayor Michael J. Blastos said in his 2006 State of the City Address:

These next two years are going to be a most critical period of time for Keene. Major decisions will be made B decisions that will have a direct bearing on our very being and our way of life. Decision as to how Keene will grow, can we grow and maintain our present life style. Is it time to revisit car policies? Is it time to begin purchasing alternative energy autos? I’m sure the time has arrived for us to become more active in global warming and to become even more involved with harmful emissions. We are the leaders in the state in many projects, but none with more importance than global warming and our dependence on fossil fuels. We must do more than what we are doing. We should be pursuing wind power. We could be generating enough electricity to light all our street lights and public buildings. This is doable and it can be financed with our savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars that we wouldn’t be paying to P.S.N.H. AND we would be reducing CO2 emissions and lessening our dependence on Fossil Fuels. This is doable! This can be accomplished! Harness the wind B help save the world from global warming!

 I can envision the Beach Hill Ridge with 20 or 30 tall, slender, beautiful windmills that would turn slowly and gracefully and generate enough electricity for the entire city B it can be done B it must be done! It can be financed by outside agencies that would build them, supply us with our electrical needs, (which we would pay for But less than what we are paying now) and sell any surplus. It is a clean, efficient and renewable source of energy, what a win-win-win situation. It is being done globally B we should be leading the way. We all want our great-great-great grand children to have clean air, drinkable water and renewable sources of energy. We can begin to accomplish that now!

  Here is what George Bush recommends for the Environmental Protection Agency in 2008:

                                         Environmental Protection Agency

 George Bush Proposed 2008 Budget

Program                                                        2006                           2007                            2008

Operating Program                                    4,273                          4,319                          4,208

Clean Water State Revolving Fund           831                             688                             688

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund      837                            842                             842

Brownfields  Cleanups                                  89                               89                                89

Clean Diesel Grants                                       7                                28                                35

Targeted Water Infrastructure                   274                              241                              26

Superfund                                                    1,235                         1,220                         1,245

Leaking Underground Storage Tanks        72                            69                            73

 Total, Discretionary Budget Authority   7,619                         7,494                          7,200