NEW: Warren Slams Brown on Environmental Stance

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Ashley Palumbo, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Elizabeth Warren is calling out Senator Scott Brown for a “long record of siding with polluters and big oil to vote against important environmental protections.” On Wednesday, Brown said he had “consistently supported” Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations of harmful and toxic pollutants. But Warren’s camp claims “Brown has consistently voted the opposite.”

“Once again, Republican Scott Brown has tried to mislead voters about his record on issues that matter to Massachusetts families,” said Mindy Myers, campaign manager for Elizabeth Warren for Massachusetts. “Brown’s position on environmental protection is clear: he has sided with polluters and big oil, to weaken critical environmental protections and allow the emission of harmful pollutants.”

Brown has voted against the EPA four times in the last two years. When asked about Brown’s record, local environmentalists said they were not necessarily surprised, just disappointed. As a state senator, Brown was much more supportive of environmental issues.

“It’s a big change, but we saw the same change in Governor Romney. Since going to Washington, they’ve moved away from supporting the science,” said Jack Clarke, director of public policy and government relations for Mass Audubon. “He does need to step up to the plate when it comes to climate change legislation.”

“We know that 70% of Massachusetts voters not only think climate change is real, but they also think the government should be spending resources to do something about it,” said Ben Wright, an advocate with Environment Massachusetts. “When he does stuff like this that’s so out of step with where the people of Massachusetts are we hold him accountable.”

While Wright believes Brown is failing his constituents when it comes to regulations of greenhouse gases, he is pleased with the senator’s vote on Wednesday to block Senate Joint Resolution 37, which would have reversed the EPA's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards.

“It was upheld and I’m very happy Senator Brown did the right thing,” said Wright.

Brown’s camp refused to answer specific questions about the senator’s voting record, but alleged it is Warren who is being dishonest.

“Elizabeth Warren and her supporters are once again not being honest. Having misled voters about her false claims to be an American Indian, Professor Warren is now attempting to deceive people about Scott Brown’s environmental record. The real question this week is why Professor Warren won’t meet with real members of the Cherokee nation who want to explain why it is offensive for her to misappropriate a background and history that does not belong to her,” said spokesperson Alleigh Marre.