In another attempt to improvetheir green image, the Republicansissued a new set of guidelines fortheir future environmental proposals. Prepared by the 70-memberstudy group set up by Speaker NewtGingrich, the Republican fromGeorgia, the 'vision statement' callsfor consensus, innovation and agreater role for states, local communities and the private sector .This was done after intense debateson several bills offered by the newhouse leadership since gainingpower in 1995.
It is still to be seen what actualeffect the poliCy statement will haveon the several pieces of environmental legislation before the congress, including those that havealready been passed by the House.The Republicans in their statementsaid that they would "offer common sense, flexible and effectiveapproaches that build on consensus, private property ownership,free enterprise, local control, soundscientific evidence and the latesttechnology."
The statement recedes fromsome of the more extreme proposals offered by CongressionalRepublicans. For example, itassures greater certainity to privateproperty owners when their land isregulated but it says nothing aboutcompensating landowners for anydecline in the value of propertyresulting from regulations. TheHouse has already passed proposals made for protecting wetlandsand endangered species and theproposals await action in theSenate. The Superfund programmefor cleaning up toxic ,vaste dumps,the Safe Drinking Water Act, grazing and logging on public lands andmany other programmes are stillbeing mooted in the House. Severalother bills have already been passedby the House but await action inthe Senate including the CleanWater Act. Opinion polls havefound little public support for theproposals and critics contend thatthe Republicans are trying to undodecades of environmental progress.