BARD CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY HOSTS NOVEMBER 2 ELECTION DIALOGUE ON ENVIRONMENT AND POLITICS Open Forum Series Continues with "Environment and Politics: What Kind of Environmental Protection Do You Get with Your Vote?"
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.— The Bard Center for Environmental Policy Open Forum Series is presenting a special program on Thursday, November 2, devoted to exploring the positions of different political parties on a range of local, national, and international environmental issues. With the elections only a few days away, a panel of politicians, advocates, and policy analysts will explore the topic,"Environment and Politics: What Kind of Environmental Protection Do You Get with Your Vote?" The forum is free and open to the public and takes place at 7:30 p.m. in the Bertelsmann Campus Center Multipurpose Room. Refreshments will be served.
Among panelists for the forum are Marcia Bystryn, executive director of the New York League of Conservation Voters, New York State Assemblyman Patrick Manning, and assembly candidate Joseph Ruggiero. "This Open Forum ‘Election Special’ aims to provide Hudson Valley residents with the chance to engage specialists and politicians about their environmental and economic interests, concerns, and questions," said Joanne Fox-Przeworski, director of the Bard Center for Environmental Policy. The forum will examine efforts to reconcile environmental concerns with economic growth, initiatives for pollution control, and specific issues ranging from PCBs in the Hudson River to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. Each panelist will have several minutes to present their views, after which the bulk of the forum will be devoted to audience questions.
About the panelists:
Marcia Bystryn, who will serve as moderator for the forum, is the executive director of the New York League of Conservation Voters. She is the former senior business manager for economic development and senior corporate policy manager for the environment at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She is also the former assistant commissioner for recycling at New York City's Department of Sanitation.
Christopher C. Horner is an adjunct policy analyst for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a nonprofit public policy organization dedicated to the principles of free enterprise and limited government. He is counsel for the Cooler Heads Coalition, a subgroup of CEI that studies global warming issues. He has made numerous television appearances on MSNBC, Fox News Channel and Court TV as a legal and political commentator.
John Klotz is the chair of the Sierra Club New York City Group and counsel for the Croton Watershed Clean Water Coalition in its efforts to prevent uncontrolled urban sprawl from polluting New York City’s water supply.
Joel Kovel is professor of social studies at Bard College. He was the Green Party’s candidate for U.S. Senate in New York in 1998, and ran as a candidate for the party’s presidential nomination.
Patrick Manning, is the incumbent Republican candidate for the 99th District of the New York State Assembly, an office he has held since 1994. He is the ranking Republican member on the Standing Committee on Energy and is also a member of the Banks and Environmental Conservation Committees.
Joseph Ruggiero is the Democratic candidate for the 97th District of the New York State Assembly. He is currently serving his fourth term as councilman for the Wappinger Town Board. He is currently upstate vice president of the New York State Young Democrats.
The next Open Forum in the 2000-2001 series, "Global Environmental Changes and Human Health," will take place on Thursday, February 22. The final forum, "Global Environmental Changes and Food," will be a joint program with the Culinary Institute of America on Thursday, March 22, 2001.
The Open Forum series is sponsored by the Bard Center for Environmental Policy as part of its commitment to make current and important environmental issues available for widespread public discussion. At the Center’s core is a new two-year program leading to a master of science degree in environmental policy, to begin in the fall of 2001.
Reservations are requested for the forums. Call 845-758-7071 or e-mail [email protected] for further information.
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(10/25/00)