CANDIDATES DISCUSS THE ENVIRONMENT

The two candidates for the Missouri Senate from the 27th District expressed similar views on the environment Wednesday night at a joint appearance before the local chapter of the Sierra Club.

Both Republican Peter Kinder and Democrat Betty Hearnes echoed the theme that there needs to be a moderate approach taken toward environmental issues, that the Department of Natural Resources should be careful not to over-regulate, and that solid waste management and recycling must be based at the community level.

Responding to a question, both candidates admitted that they disagreed with many positions taken by the Sierra Club.

"I have always been willing to sit down with groups; I don't think there are many unreasonable groups in this state," said Hearnes. "But there might be some stands the Sierra Club has I won't stand with, but that doesn't mean I won't meet with them."

Kinder told the group of about 40 people, "I differ sharply with many stands taken by the Sierra Club."

One issue Kinder cited was the Natural Streams Act defeated by voters by a wide margin two years ago. Kinder said it amounted to a governmental assault on landowner rights.

"I was proud to have opposed it and proud to have helped defeat it," said Kinder. "It was an extreme act ... but can we work together? I would hope so."

The Republican candidate suggested if the Sierra Club's position was to return the Bootheel to its original wetlands state from before the swamps were drained, he was opposed to that.

"I call that extremism," said Kinder. "I want wetlands conservation, but we have wetlands regulations way out of whack in this country."

Hearnes said part of the problem with wetlands is that four different government agencies are defining them different ways. "The federal government does not have a clearcut policy or definition of wetlands," said Hearnes. "As we study wetlands, we have to get a clear definition."

Wednesday's forum was the fourth joint appearance of the campaign for Hearnes and Kinder. The first was an appearance before the Scott County Farm Bureau, and the other two were before teacher groups and focused on education.

Noting a lot of similarities between their stands, Hearnes joked, "There has to be something wrong with this setting tonight because I've agreed with him several times."

In outlining their backgrounds, both Kinder and Hearnes dated their concern for the environment and conservation to their youth.

Kinder said his parents encouraged conserving resources; he noted that being a good steward of resources is part of his religious background.

Participating in Boy Scouting with his three brothers, Kinder said there was a strong emphasis on conservation and the values of stewardship and protecting natural resources. That background helped him formulate a "moderate approach to the environment," Kinder said.

"I was brought up as a re-cycler," he remarked.

Kinder explained that he became a state board member of the Nature Conservancy three years ago because of the organization's mainstream approach.

"Where environmental~/conservation issues are concerned, the Nature Conservancy has a reputation of coming at these issues from the free market and private funding perspective," said Kinder. He noted that last year the conservancy purchased 81,000 acres of land in Shannon, Wayne and Carter counties and then turned the land over to the Department of Conservation.

Hearnes told the group, "I'm interested in the environment ... I've worked at it for some time."

She added, "My mother was an environmentalist and didn't know it. She taught us so many things about the land, conserving natural resources and reducing waste."

Discussing solid waste disposal and recycling, Hearnes said for it to be successful, "citizens have to be informed and involved in all aspects of waste management.

"Waste reduction and waste management go hand in hand as we tackle the needs of each community."

In addressing environmental concerns, Kinder warned that legislators must be aware of the "law of unintended consequences." He cited the Senate bill passed two years ago to reduce waste going into landfills.

"I don't think we enhance the environment by arbitrarily screwing down the waste stream that goes into landfills," said Kinder.

The "consequences" of that act, Kinder suggested, is a sharp increase in the number of roadside dumps, which he said is harmful to the environment just as landfills are.

Kinder said it is important to evaluate the costs of environmental measures before putting them into effect. "We can't legislate in a vacuum," he noted.

Kinder added that while there are often examples offered of environmental problems, he also argued that there are many environmental success stories to share.

Both candidates praised the work of the Department of Conservation, acknowledged that the Department of Natural Resources has moved toward over-regulation at times, and stressed the importance of preserving private property rights.

"You can't encroach on someone's property without compensation," said Hearnes.

Kinder said it is unfair to say that all industries are anti-environment and said many recognize the value of being environment-conscious. But he added, "Industries ought to pay the true costs of the pollutants they emit."