| In these times when states are suffering | | | | of the monitoring and enforcement actions |
| extreme downward pressure on budgets and | | | | needed to ensure that our air, water, and |
| spending, how is our environment making out? | | | | land--and our bodies--are protected from |
| Did it suffer cuts right along with the | | | | environmental toxins. Even more troublesome |
| Program to Assist Millionaires Become | | | | are elected officials who have a weak |
| Billionaires? Are important environmental | | | | commitment to the environment. The back-room |
| projects being dropped from the budget along | | | | deals cut in your governor's mansion, your |
| with luxury items like the statehouse's new | | | | statehouse, and your county council chambers |
| Gold-Plated Enforcement Gavel?And why is the | | | | can have a great impact on the |
| issue of environmental protection relevant at | | | | environment.STATE-BY-STATE ENVIRONMENTAL |
| the state level? Doesn't the US Environmental | | | | VOTING GUIDESWhat have YOUR elected local |
| Protection Agency handle all that stuff? This | | | | officials been doing to (or for) your state |
| article answers these questions and provides | | | | and county environmental agencies, and how |
| smart-voting tools for you to help ensure | | | | have they voted on environmental issues in |
| your surroundings remain green and | | | | general? Did your state legislators fund the |
| healthful.ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION AT THE STATE | | | | widening of the Porkbarrel Parkway while |
| LEVELWhile the US Environmental Protection | | | | downsizing your state's Department of Natural |
| Agency garners much of the media attention | | | | Resources? Find out! Grinning Planet has |
| when it comes to environmental enforcement, | | | | compiled a list of the best available |
| it is actually the states that are carrying | | | | environmental voting guides for all 50 US |
| most of the load:75% of the federal programs | | | | states. Find it at along with some other |
| that can be delegated to states have been | | | | helpful voting tools.Also, don't forget about |
| delegated;90% of environmental enforcement | | | | your county elections. Many important issues, |
| actions are taken by the states;94% of the | | | | such as land use and recycling programs, are |
| data in EPA databases came from the states.In | | | | usually decided at the county level. The |
| 2003, states were only spending 1.4% of their | | | | state-level organizations we list sometimes |
| budget on environment and natural | | | | feature links to related county or regional |
| resources--an all-time low, according to | | | | groups. You can also check with your local |
| Resources for the Future ( resources at the | | | | chapter of the Sierra Club ( to see if they |
| state and local levels can cut the heart out | | | | have a county-level voting guide. |