Spitzer's Image

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigns, leaving behind eco-legacy

Posted at 10:18 AM on 12 Mar 2008

Prostitution-ring participant Eliot Spitzer has resigned as New York's governor, leaving behind a not-too-shabby environmental legacy. As New York's attorney general, he sued the Bush administration over various eco-issues, including greenhouse-gas emissions, mercury pollution and water guzzling from power plants, pesticide use in public housing, and efficiency standards for appliances.

Photo: ny.gov

Spitzer took plenty of polluters to court, too. Among his many victories, he forced six New York power plants to radically cut emissions that cause acid rain and smog. He was also the first attorney general to sue operators of coal-fired power plants in other states, arguing that their pollution blows into New York and contaminates the air breathed by his constituents.

Under Spitzer's short reign as governor, New York saw plans for a wholesale farmer's market in the Bronx and began to require "global warming index" stickers on new vehicles. Spitzer gave the governor's mansion an eco-facelift and unveiled an energy plan aiming to cut electricity use in his state 15 percent by 2015.

The governorship now falls to Lieutenant Governor David Paterson, also a Democrat. Paterson is not so much in the eco-spotlight, but did chair a renewable-energy task force that laid out plans for meeting a quarter of New York's energy needs through clean sources by 2013, and developing and supporting a green-collar workforce. Whether he'll follow in Spitzer's footsteps -- the eco-aimed ones, not the ones treading a path to a prostitute's door -- remains to be seen.

see also, in Gristmill: What does Spitzer's exit mean for environmentalism, and how is that funny?

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Comments: (5 comments)

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Grassroots

Movements like environmentalism should never be dependent on one Person or Leader.

Real change will only come from independent businesses making technological innovations that the consumers can vote for using their dollars.

The energy crises will be solved the day you can walk into Home Depot, plunk down $10,000 and bring home your in house fuel cell and get some contractors to hook it up for a few grand more.

by jabailo at 6:49 PM on 12 Mar 2008

Sptizer's Image

Interesting that Mr. Spitzer who was such a fly in the ointment of big energy and big dirty industry was under FBI surveillance for a few weeks before he booked the services of the sex-trade worker. Could it be that he had highly placed enemies who were looking to take him down?

He poked a prostitute for goodness sake. That means he should be torn down? I think a distinction should be made between a deed that diminishes someone else's livelihood or capacity and one where two consenting adults engage in something that at this time in history is morally tainted.

It's not like he stole from thousands of shareholders or made off with public money. He owes an apology to his wife and family. That's it.

by gillicon at 11:43 AM on 13 Mar 2008

business as usual

Once again we encounter a politian whom has a penis and the audacity to use it!

had he stuck to Oil guidelines we would have never heard about it.

one sick society
dbaker

because I think what you are doing is very essential for the survival of the planet, and anybody who is hindering that needs to be pushed aside.

by dbaker at 11:49 AM on 13 Mar 2008

It's ok

It's ok that spitzer was a sleaze.Isn't it?Yes,he did do alot of good,but why?He only broke a little law and lacked self-control.What if he were into little boys.He only was hurting one small segment of society and look at all the good that he did!!

Why not ask why!?

by usandthem at 5:05 AM on 14 Mar 2008

Pro active

Manhattan,

You may be right that the energy crises will be solved when one can buy a fuel cell at Home Depot, but since there are not any environmentally cost efficient ones available today we might try do something in the mean time. So instead of wishing and praying for a technical fix to pull us out of the fire I suggest that "we the people", our Federal government, begin by mandating a 20% across the board energy reduction within the year. This would help solve the global warming crises, budget deficit crises and the energy crises. This is easily achievable and will not affect the economy. This will have and added bonus of kicking the oil barons in the ass, ups I mean wallets. I have already done this and it has not affected my quality of live negatively. Just the opposite it has saved me money.

Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.

-- Soren Kierkegaard

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -- Mahatma Gandhi

by sycamore at 7:32 PM on 15 Mar 2008
[ Parent ]

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