Tom Conroy for State Representative

Our reliance on foreign oil, and fossil fuels in general, is unsustainable.  It’s also damaging to our environment, and undeniably affecting our foreign policy. 

As the father of four young daughters, Tom believes it is our responsibility to begin to reverse the damage we have done to our environment in order to leave the world cleaner and more sustainable for our children. 

Our Goal:  Diversify our energy supply while preserving our environment

By investing in renewable energy, the United States can diversify our energy supply, stimulate the economy with new jobs, and enhance our national security.  Wind, solar, and hydro power can be cornerstones of American produced energy that is sustainable and affordable.  We must recognize and accept the fact that other nations are subsidizing these industries, and the United States is falling behind.  Our challenge involves making renewable energy design, management, and production a top priority for government investment until the output pricing is competitive with other forms of energy.  At that stage, capital from private industry can begin to replace government investment. 

How Tom will Make a Difference

With his public and private sector experience, Tom sees many opportunities for win-win public-private partnerships in clean energy innovation and improving energy efficiency.  Many such partnerships have already been initiated in Massachusetts and around the country, and their continued support and expansion will be vital to ensuring our future energy independence.  These programs include energy efficient appliance rebates, the cash for clunkers program, and Massachusetts’ Green Jobs Act of 2008, which Tom strongly supported. 

At the same time, in 2008, Exxon Mobil banked $45.2 billion in profits.  Clearly, this is not a company that needs tax subsidies.  It’s not right that the hard-earned money of Americans who are struggling to pay taxes and rising gas and heating oil bills bolsters this company’s profits.  Tom will work to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies.

Instead of providing tax subsidies to big oil, our government’s role should be to regulate and oversee private industry and utility operators to prevent environmental catastrophes.  The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could have been prevented, and government and industry could have worked better together after the disaster to clean it up.

Our environment is what sustains and makes possible our lives and livelihoods. From cities and towns to state and national parks and forests, to our lakes, rivers, and oceans, we must conserve the quality of air, water, and land nationally and globally. While regulations should never be so burdensome as to stifle innovation or our economy, it is the federal government, through the EPA, that must monitor and, where necessary, preserve the health of our environment. 

Additionally, every American has a responsibility to do his or her part to conserve our natural resources.  Whether this involves reducing our carbon footprint by carpooling or buying a more energy efficient vehicle, planting your own garden or buying local, organic produce, or recycling and being a more responsible consumer, we all have our part in preserving our environment for our children. 

Tom will be an outspoken advocate for our natural resources and for our responsibility to be accountable stewards of our natural world.  Tom will support addition research and concrete actions to control harmful climate change. Tom will add his voice and the voices of the people of Massachusetts to policies that reduce harmful emissions, that promote collaboration with other governments on trans-national environmental issues, provide leadership on land conservation and on reducing air pollution, preventing oil spills, and achieving a sustainable energy policy.

This will require a worldwide commitment from all governments to support climate and energy technology research, investment in renewable energy, limitations on carbon gas emissions. Our energy policies must minimize our impact on the environment and maximize our conservation and sustainability efforts. 

Tom believes the scientific evidence for the human impact on accelerated climate change is undeniable.  He believes that our government has a responsibility to support the continued efforts of scientists to monitor the effects of climate change on our environment as well as the potential of various interventions to reduce or reverse society’s damage to our environment.  The longer we ignore the problems associated with climate change, the more damage our children will be have to undo.