Ag & Envir Subcommittee
From JC Democratic Platform Wiki
Numbered positions are actual planks of the platform. Paragraphs beneath each numbered point are annotated explanations of the plank. (263 words in planks).
Platform Planks to Present for Saturday: 1. We must double CAFE standards. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standard should be raised to 50 mpg by 2020 for all vehicles. And we will set a life-cycle low-carbon fuel standard that reduces the carbon impact of our liquid fuels by 30% by 2020. 2. Increase electrical efficiency of all devices.
Increase electrical energy efficiencies to 30% by 2020 and 50% by 2040 will reduce demand for electricity, create incentives to develop new cost effective technologies, and save consumers in utilites. 3. Invest in Renewable energy Renewable energy promises a new future for rural America. A powerful renewable fuels industry will bring new vitality to our rural economy and add value to our crops. These new, high-paying jobs in renewable industries will mean cleaner air and water and will be the engine toward energy independence for our nation. 4. We support the preservation of the commons The commons are resources we all share; air, water (streams, rivers, lakes, all aquafers and oceans), public lands, national and state parks, and wild life. Resourses residing within public lands should be defined as part of the commons.
5. Commons may not be exploited for private or commercial gains.
This includes but is not limited to the banning of clear-cutting on public lands as well pubically subsidized logging, mining, and grazing. Banning of oil drilling in sensitive areas. 6. Oppose government subsidy of nuclear power We oppose the development of new nuclear power until the problem of waste storage can be solved (which it won’t). We support the moratorium on development. We do favor the support of current regulations and current nuclear infrastructure. 7. We oppose undercutting the viability of the family farm 8. We oppose subsidies for commodities on land owned or contracted to a publicly traded corporation. 9. We support a federal ban on meat-packer ownership of livestock 10. We support state wide land-use planning to restrict urban sprawl and to prevent conversion of agricultural land to other uses. 11. Directing subsidies to benefit small, family farms 12. Practicing environmentally responsible agriculture This is defined as healthy crop rotations and soil and water conservation practices, including land stewardship grants. Support further research to find new agricultural chemicals with reduced toxicity and carryover 13. Organic farming, crop diversification and environmentally responsible agricultural alternatives. 14. Allocating a portion of state funding to local soil conservation districts. 15. Stabilize prices for farmers and consumers. 16. Discourage absentee corporate agriculture. 17. Expand overseas markets for U.S. agricultural commodities. 18. Renegotiate international trade rules to halt export dumping of commodities below their cost of production. 19. The design and construction of new development and building financed with public money shall be certified to meet accepted benchmarks for sustainable site and high performance green building.
20. Establish grants and rebates to provide significant economic incentive to private development and building designed, constructed, and certified to meet accepted benchmarks for sustainable site and high performance green building. 21. To reduce greenhouse gasses we support a carbon tax and a cap and trade system. 22. We support the implementation toward a carbon based economy and the adoption of carbon efficiency such as carbon cap a dn trade as well as a carbon tax. 23. We support local strict regulation of siting CAFOs. Support legislation of to give counties the power to regulate concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). This will lead to cleaner air, water, and other resources. This will reduce the likelihood of raw waste having a negative impact on people’s quality of life, health, and local economy. This includes the announcement of reading of zoning ordinances of CAFOs in the community. Increase ordinances and regulation to keep waste within the land/property and not spread neighbors or the area.
