Former Virginia Gov. George Allen (R) and U.S. Sen. Chuck Robb (D) are locking horns over environmental issues as both candidates for the U.S. Senate seat rush to lay claim to Virginia's improving environment.
A recent Virginia Commonwealth University study found that between 1985 and 1994, the quality of Virginia's environment drastically declined. But in recent years, the trend of deterioration has reversed.
The upswing in environmental quality, which coincided with the beginning of the Allen administration, encouraging Allen to take credit for the improvements. The Robb camp, however, insists federal Robb-supported programs, such as the Clean Air Act, were the sole reason for environmental rehabilitation.
The Robb camp points to the Clean Air Act, which set national air quality standards and motor vehicle emission requirements. According to the act, the emission levels of Virginia vehicles are inspected at a station in Northern Virginia. If a vehicle fails the standard emission requirements, owners need to go to another company to make the repairs in accordance with federal regulations.
The Allen administration tried to stop the enforcement of the Clean Air Act by suing the Environmental Protection Agency, said Mo Elleithee, Robb's press secretary. "Under George Allen the state set a course of action that would jeopardize the environment," Elleithee said.
But the Allen campaign said it believes Robb is trying to undermine the accomplishments of the Allen administration by ignoring key points of the Clean Air Act suit, which attacked the act's implementation, not the principles behind it, said Tim Murtaugh, press spokesman for the Allen campaign.
"Truth to the Robb campaign is like garlic to a vampire," Murtaugh said.
The Allen administration did not question the necessity of the Clean Air Act, but the way in which it was carried out, Murtaugh said.
"We want clean air but it is stupid to make all of these cars cram into the center in Northern Virginia," he said.
After the Allen administration brought the suit to court, the Environmental Protection Agency backed down, allowing Virginia drivers more stations and locations to check their vehicle's emission levels.
"It doesn't serve the Robb campaign's purpose to tell the truth about the environmental issues," said Murtaugh. "If they did they would sound like a 'George Allen for Senate' commercial."
Squabbling aside, the environment may prove to be a key issue in the Virginia senate race, some pundits say.
"Environmental groups have decided to spend major money on Robb's campaign," said Larry J. Sabato, professor of government and foreign affairs. "They are determined to beat George Allen."
The Sierra Club, an environmental interest group, has already formally endorsed Robb after an announcement at a Richmond news conference this past Saturday.
Despite the immense financial backing the Robb camp is receiving from environmental groups, other pundits do not forsee environmental issues playing a role in the campaign.
"It ranks way down on the list of things that people care about or vote about," said Scott Keeter, director of the center for public policy at George Mason University.
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