Both Mark Udall (D-Eldorado Springs) and Bob Schaffer (R-somewhere..no one seems to know) are claiming to be stewards of the environment in the race to replace Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Loveland) and to join Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Denver) in Washington. Depending on your source, the balance tips either way.
Here's a quick roundup of the back'n'forth, covering water rights, drilling, and alternative energy.
First, after McCain almost lost the entire state of Colorado by saying we needed to "renegotiate" the 1922 Western Water Compact, both Udall and Schaffer jumped on him immediately. Schaffer said it would happen over his "cold, dead, political carcass," echoing Sen. Salazar. Udall said renegotiation "would be the equivalent of a lamb discussing with a pack of wolves what should be on the dinner menu" and that the compact is "the only protection Colorado has from several more politically powerful downstream states." Obviously, both candidates are concerned with Colorado's control over how much water it sends downstream. One answer may have sounded a bit more intelligent than the other. I'll leave you to decide that for yourself.
Domestic drilling has become a pretty interesting sticking point over the past few months, with Republicans supporting it (Drill here, Drill now) and many Dems, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, starting to agree. Udall is a recent convert, having voted against drilling nine times and refused to give tax breaks for domestic exploration in the past. Now, he supports domestic exploration. He does not, however, think we can "drill our way out of the crisis we're in." Schaffer, on the other hand, has consistently supported drilling. When he left Congress, five years ago and right after voting for the Iraq war, he immediately went to work for Aspect Energy, an oil and gas company. He spent his years there negotiating oil contracts in the Kurdish province of Iraq that had the Feds concerned. They thought it would create issues with an Iraqi national oil policy. At the very least, it looks suspicious that a congressman would be negotiating oil contracts after voting to invade the country. Since beginning his campaign, he has received over $115,000 in donations from the oil and gas industry, putting him in the top-10 for all US Senate candidates this election cycle.
On the renewable energy front, both Udall and Schaffer claim to support development of new energy sources. Udall has the record to back it up. He supported nationwide, renewable mandates for public utilities, supported increasing CAFE standards, and agreed to a Renewable Electricity Standard. The League of Conservation Voters has tracked Udall's record. Only once has he voted against the environment. Schaffer touts his alternative energy record and constantly attacks Udall, but is currently rated #3 on this year's "Dirty Dozen" list from the League, despite having been out of office since 2003. Schaffer cites HR 4, RC vote #320 in 2001 as his support for alternative energy. Udall voted against it. But, when Indiana Rep. Baron Hill (D) was up for reelection, attacks characterized a vote against HR 4, RC vote #320 as opposition to "exploring for domestic sources of energy." Which one is it GOP?
Colorado has risen to the forefront of the fight for green cred. Both sides claim to have them. Only Udall can back it up. Vote Udall, Colorado!