Bill Bradley is trying to cast himself as the true environmentalist in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, criticizing Al Gore on what has in past years been his signature issue. Speaking in Seattle on Friday, Bradley lambasted Gore for supporting dams, going along with environmentally damaging subsidies for sugar, and allowing high levels of pollution from old power plants. Bradley also criticized the administration for doing little to rally public support for the Kyoto climate change treaty. Bradley said that as president, he would insist that sport utility vehicles become more energy-efficient and enforce a moratorium on offshore drilling. He also said breaching four dams on the lower Snake River in Washington to help preserve salmon “makes perfect biological sense,” but said he would look to Northwest governors and Indian tribes to reach a consensus before taking action on the issue. On Friday, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) became the top elected official to back dam breaching.
