Bill Richardson’s auspicious career has included an ambassadorship to the United Nations, the governorship of New Mexico and a stint as U.S. Secretary of Energy, but he had to visit UT to become familiar with mountaintop removal.
“I don’t know much about that; that’s a big issue here, right?” Richardson asked Wednesday evening during his speech in the Baker Center.
Eric Dixon, a senior in philosophy and economics, enlightened the governor and audience about the dangers of exploding Appalachian mountain peaks to extract the underlying coal seams.
“So far the practice of MTR (mountaintop removal) has buried over 2,000 miles of streams in Appalachia, and there are a lot of concerns over residents’ health because of the water pollution,” Dixon said. “You could still mine coal without the practice.”
Despite Tennessee’s interest in the continued use of coal-based energy sources, Richardson was candid about its future role.
“I think coal can be part of the mix, but it needs to be clean coal,” Richardson said.
School children then stood up to recite the health impacts of mountaintop removal, including birth defects and heart disease. They pleaded for government aid in solving these problems.
“I’m with you,” Richardson said, as the audience joined in collective applause. He suggested a bottom-up approach to tackle tough economic problems.
“What I want to emphasize is that in the absence of federal leadership, states can take the initiative,” Richardson said. “I still am hoping late in the year or early next year for some significant action on climate change … No significant energy legislation in this country has happened without bipartisanship. You have got to have moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans.”
Matt Murray, director of the Baker Center, reiterated the senator’s commitment to compromise.
“Even as governor and secretary of energy, he has been a negotiator,” Murray said.
Richardson was quick to catch Murray’s endeavor to gloss over his 2008 presidential run in his opening remarks.
“I like to tell people I had two problems in that race: Obama and Clinton,” Richardson said. “Other than that I did well.”
Richardson quipped about his role as a political envoy to various nations including Sudan, China and North Korea.
“I like to deal with the issues … they say ‘send in Richardson, bad people like him,” he said.
This comment received a round of laughter from former Tennessee Governor Sundquist, who turned out to hear his friend speak.
“Were it not for Governor Sundquist, we would not have been able to arrange for the visit of Governor Richardson,” Murray said.
Jacob LaRiviere, professor of economics, and Paul Armsworth, professor of ecology, were recognized by Murray for their help in promoting the Baker Center’s Energy and Environment Forum this year.
