Climate debate in Washington state

Rockefeller, Lord Differ on State's Role in Halting Climate Change : Politics : Kitsap Sun

The Republican challenger for the 23rd District state Senate seat questioned Tuesday whether legislation can make a difference in global climate change.

"I think it's very arrogant at the taxpayers' cost to think that the state of Washington can make any kind of difference in global warming," said Connie Lord, a Poulsbo city councilwoman seeking to unseat state Sen. Phil Rockefeller, D-Bainbridge Island.

Global warming was one of many issues brought up during a wide-ranging debate as part of the Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce's Eggs & Issues series at the Cloverleaf Sports Bar & Grill.

Lord's comment came after she said the science is still out on the global warming issue and that even Kyoto Protocol standards proposed nearly a decade ago would have little impact. The eight-year Poulsbo council member said it is good for people to conserve energy and that the state should be encouraging private companies to come up with solutions to reduce carbon emissions.

Rockefeller, who was state representative for six years until winning his Senate seat in 2004, said the state is working with private companies. He took issue with Lord's statement about the science.

"The science is not still out. It is overwhelmingly clear that we are having an impact and it's not a good one," said Rockefeller, who has led an effort in the Senate to put limits on greenhouse gases.