Protecting the environment and building a strong economy should not be competing goals. America can produce more energy, create good-paying jobs, modernize its infrastructure, reduce pollution, protect natural resources, and develop the technologies that will power the future.
As part of the New American Clean-up, I would support a Green Initiative focused on practical results rather than political slogans. The objective should be to make our communities cleaner, our energy system more resilient, our industries more competitive, and our country less dependent on foreign supply chains.
Environmental policy should improve people’s lives while recognizing the economic realities facing families, workers, farmers, and businesses.
Build an All-of-the-Above Clean Energy Strategy
America will require enormous amounts of reliable electricity as our population grows and technologies such as artificial intelligence, data centers, advanced manufacturing, electric transportation, and robotics expand.
We should prepare for that demand now.
I would support investment in a diverse energy portfolio that includes solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric power, nuclear energy, energy storage, and other emerging technologies while maintaining the reliability necessary to keep homes and businesses powered.
Instead of choosing energy sources based on political ideology, we should ask three questions: Is it reliable? Is it affordable? Can we make it cleaner?
Modernize America’s Electrical Grid
Producing additional energy accomplishes little if our electrical infrastructure cannot efficiently deliver it.
Much of America’s energy future will depend on modernizing transmission and distribution systems, improving grid resilience, expanding energy storage, and protecting critical infrastructure from cyberattacks and extreme weather.
As senator, I would support federal investment and public-private partnerships that help modernize the electrical grid while requiring accountability for taxpayer dollars.
A twenty-first-century economy requires a twenty-first-century power system.
Make America a Leader in Nuclear Energy
Nuclear power should be part of the conversation about America’s clean-energy future.
Modern nuclear technology has the potential to provide large quantities of reliable electricity with very low operational carbon emissions. Advanced reactors and small modular reactor technologies could eventually expand the range of communities and industries capable of using nuclear power.
Congress can support research, improve appropriate permitting processes, strengthen domestic nuclear supply chains, and invest in the scientific workforce necessary to keep America competitive in this field.
Clean energy policy should be willing to embrace technology that works.
Bring Clean-Energy Manufacturing Home
The transition toward cleaner technologies represents an enormous economic opportunity.
Solar components, batteries, electrical equipment, advanced nuclear technologies, semiconductors, charging equipment, grid components, and other technologies will require massive manufacturing capacity.
America should manufacture more of these products domestically.
Federal incentives should prioritize American production, American workers, domestic supply chains, and technologies that can eventually compete without permanent government subsidies.
Our environmental policies should create American factories—not simply increase our dependence on overseas manufacturing.
Invest in Cleaner Transportation
Transportation is essential to American life and commerce. Environmental policy should improve transportation rather than make it less convenient.
Congress should support research and infrastructure for electric vehicles, alternative fuels, efficient public transportation, high-speed rail where economically practical, and emerging transportation technologies.
At the same time, consumers should maintain meaningful choices.
Instead of simply telling Americans what vehicles they cannot purchase, government should encourage competition to produce vehicles that are cleaner, more affordable, more reliable, and more convenient.
Technology should make people want cleaner transportation.
Clean Up America’s Water
Environmental policy is about much more than carbon emissions.
Every American deserves access to safe drinking water.
A national Green Initiative should help communities replace aging water infrastructure, address dangerous contaminants, modernize wastewater systems, reduce industrial pollution, and improve monitoring of drinking-water quality.
Congress can provide targeted infrastructure funding while requiring transparency so taxpayers can see where environmental dollars are being spent and whether projects are producing measurable improvements.
Clean water should be one of America’s most basic environmental priorities.
Clean Up Contaminated Communities
Old industrial sites, abandoned properties, illegal dumping areas, and contaminated land can remain problems for communities for decades.
Federal environmental programs should help communities clean and redevelop contaminated properties while aggressively pursuing responsible parties when pollution resulted from unlawful conduct.
Cleaning these properties can accomplish two objectives simultaneously: protecting public health and returning unusable land to productive economic use.
Former industrial sites can become housing, parks, commercial developments, manufacturing facilities, or community spaces instead of remaining abandoned.
Reduce Plastic and Waste
America generates an enormous amount of waste.
We should invest in better recycling technologies, modern waste-management facilities, composting programs where appropriate, materials research, and innovative methods for reducing unnecessary packaging.
Manufacturers should also be encouraged to design products that are easier to repair, reuse, recycle, or responsibly dispose of.
The goal should be a more circular economy in which fewer valuable materials are simply buried in landfills.
Plant Trees and Restore Natural Areas
Some environmental solutions are remarkably straightforward.
Trees reduce heat, improve neighborhoods, provide wildlife habitat, help manage stormwater, and improve air quality. Urban areas with limited tree coverage can experience substantially higher temperatures during the summer.
Federal grants can help communities expand tree coverage, restore parks, protect wetlands, improve watersheds, and rehabilitate damaged natural areas.
Environmental investment should produce improvements people can actually see in their communities.
Protect America’s Wildlife
Economic development should coexist with responsible conservation.
America’s wildlife, forests, rivers, coastlines, wetlands, and public lands are part of our national heritage.
Federal policy should support habitat conservation, wildlife management, restoration projects, and enforcement against serious environmental crimes such as illegal dumping and wildlife trafficking.
Conservation should also involve farmers, ranchers, landowners, hunters, anglers, scientists, and local communities who understand the land and have a direct interest in protecting it.
Help Farmers Adopt New Technology
American agriculture can be an important part of environmental innovation.
Precision agriculture, advanced irrigation, soil monitoring, satellite technology, robotics, improved fertilizers, methane-reduction technologies, and water-conservation systems can potentially help farmers increase productivity while reducing waste.
Rather than imposing one-size-fits-all mandates, government should help farmers voluntarily adopt technologies that make both environmental and economic sense.
A successful green initiative should strengthen American agriculture, not weaken it.
Create a New Generation of Green Jobs
Environmental investment can create opportunities across the skilled trades.
Electricians will be needed to modernize the grid. Construction workers will retrofit buildings. Engineers will design energy systems. Technicians will maintain solar installations and advanced equipment. Nuclear facilities will require highly trained professionals. Plumbers and utility workers will modernize water systems.
Congress should connect environmental investment with apprenticeships, community colleges, technical schools, and workforce-development programs.
Young Americans should be able to see environmental technology not simply as a political issue, but as a potential career.
Demand Corporate Environmental Accountability
Responsible environmental policy should hold polluters accountable without treating every business as an enemy.
Companies that follow environmental laws and invest in cleaner operations should have predictable rules that allow them to plan for the future.
Companies that knowingly contaminate communities, illegally dump hazardous materials, falsify environmental records, or repeatedly violate pollution laws should face serious consequences.
Taxpayers should not routinely be expected to pay to clean up pollution created through corporate misconduct.
Encourage Innovation Instead of Endless Regulation
Some of America’s greatest environmental achievements will come from technologies that have not yet reached their full potential.
Carbon capture, advanced batteries, next-generation nuclear reactors, sustainable aviation fuels, geothermal technology, improved recycling, alternative materials, cleaner industrial processes, and technologies we have not yet imagined could dramatically change our environmental footprint.
Government should fund appropriate basic research and create an environment where private companies can turn promising ideas into commercially viable technologies.
The ultimate objective should be making cleaner technology better and cheaper than the technology it replaces.
A Cleaner America Can Also Be a More Prosperous America
Environmental responsibility does not require abandoning economic growth.
It requires smarter growth.
As senator, I would support a Green Initiative that expands American energy production, modernizes our electrical grid, encourages nuclear and renewable energy, protects clean water, restores contaminated land, supports conservation, reduces waste, creates skilled jobs, and encourages American companies to develop the next generation of environmental technology.
I do not believe Americans should have to choose between affordable energy and a cleaner environment. We should pursue both.
- We can build factories and reduce pollution.
- We can create jobs and protect wildlife.
- We can produce more energy while developing cleaner technology.
- We can protect our environment without abandoning the industries and workers that keep America running.
A successful Green Initiative should leave the next generation with cleaner communities, stronger infrastructure, greater energy independence, new industries, and an economy prepared for the future.
That is environmental progress worth fighting for.
