Running Clean: Good Policy, Good Politics

NRDC Action Fund Report & Videos Show Success of Clean Energy Candidates in 2012

WASHINGTON (April 9, 2012) – Americans overwhelmingly supported clean energy candidates in the 2012 elections, despite the massive investments by polluters pushing their dirty agenda. Election night polling showed that, regardless of partisanship lines or demographics, nearly 2 in 3 voters, 64 percent, say they have a favorable impression of renewable energy, compared to only 13 percent who say they have an unfavorable impression. When given the chance to choose a future of investing in renewable energy sources and a clean energy economy, voters time and time again chose the candidates who were Running Clean, according to a new report and video series released today by the NRDC Action Fund.

Today, the NRDC Action Fund released Running Clean: Good Policy, Good Politics an in-depth report and video series produced biennially. In the report, the NRDC Action Fund highlights multiple successful candidates who chose to run their campaigns on clean energy, protecting the environment and public health and conserving our natural resources. These hard-fought campaigns demonstrated that America’s leaders can be proud to support a clean agenda that fosters good jobs, healthy families, conservation and a more sustainable future.  This cycle the report contains case studies on: President Barack Obama and Senator Angus King (I-Maine) with additional video interviews with Senators Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).  

At a press conference in Washington, DC the NRDC Action Fund showed Senator Tim Kaine’s video for the first time. In his video interview Senator Kaine says, “Virginians really believe this is an important issue to tackle, and so I could comfortably do events with environmental organizations or with the environmental community because I knew that was right. I mean it’s what I believe, but I also knew it was right where my voters were.”

“The last election cycle showcased candidates who were able to prove that running clean is not just good policy, it is a winning political strategy,” said Peter Lehner, NRDC Action Fund Executive Director. “The NRDC Action Fund produced Running Clean as a roadmap for future candidates who want solid evidence that supporting clean energy and protecting the environment will help provide them a path to electoral victory.”

“It’s simple, Running Clean works,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, NRDC Action Fund Director. “Supporting candidates who run on platforms which endorse clean energy investments, protecting the environment and conserving our natural resources will help us grow the environmental majority across America. Candidates from both sides of the aisle should be looking for opportunities to embrace these issues. Ultimately, these are the values represented by their voters and what’s best for our future.”

The Running Clean report and videos can be found online at www.nrdcactionfund.org/runningclean. To read the report: Running Clean: Good Policy, Good Politics. To view the video interviews:

            Senator Tim Kaine

            Senator Jon Tester

            Senator Martin Heinrich

            Senator Mazie Hirono

To request hard copies of the report please contact Melissa Harrison at mharrison@nrdc.org.

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The goal of the NRDC Action Fund is to grow the environmental majority across America. The Action Fund is growing power in the places that always matter around the country, so that together we can protect public health and the environment. www.nrdcactionfund.org

Note to reporters/editors: The NRDC Action Fund is an affiliated but separate organization from the Natural Resources Defense Council. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, the NRDC Action Fund engages in various advocacy and political activities for which the Natural Resources Defense Council, a 501(c)(3) organization, faces certain legal limitations or restrictions. News and information released by the NRDC Action Fund needs to be identified as from the “NRDC Action Fund.” The “Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund” is incorrect. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund cannot be used interchangeably.  Also please note that the word “National” does not appear in Natural Resources Defense Council.

Running Clean Candidate Video Release, Full Report to Be Released April 9^th

NRDC Action Fund Releases New Videos with U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono & Tim Kaine

WASHINGTON (April 4, 2012) – In the 2012 elections, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D- Hawaii) demonstrated that America’s leaders can run on and win with a clean agenda which fosters good jobs, healthy families, conservation and a more sustainable future. In anticipation of Running Clean, an in-depth report and video series to be released on April 9^th, the NRDC Action Fund is previewing a video with U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), one of the four candidate videos complementing the upcoming full report.

“Senator Hirono highlights how investing in clean energy job creation, protecting our environment and public health and conserving our natural resources is a winning political strategy,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, NRDC Action Fund Director. “We are now just a few days away from releasing the full report and additional videos which will be the roadmap for future candidates on how to support these issues because it’s not just good policy, it’s good politics.”

To view the video interview: Senator Hirono

As a sneak peak, the NRDC Action Fund is also releasing a short clip of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine’s video, which will be shown publically for the first time at a press conference featuring NRDC Action Fund Executive Director Peter Lehner and NRDC Action Fund Director Heather Taylor-Miesle on April 9^th in Washington, DC. To view the clip: Senator Kaine

Due to space limitations, media interested in attending the press conference must RSVP to Melissa Harrison at: mharrison@nrdc.org. If you are unable to attend in person, a conference call number will be provided. Additional details regarding the press conference will be released on Friday, April 5, 2013.

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The goal of the NRDC Action Fund is to grow the environmental majority across America. The Action Fund is growing power in the places that always matter around the country, so that together we can protect public health and the environment. www.nrdcactionfund.org

Note to reporters/editors: The NRDC Action Fund is an affiliated but separate organization from the Natural Resources Defense Council. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, the NRDC Action Fund engages in various advocacy and political activities for which the Natural Resources Defense Council, a 501(c)(3) organization, faces certain legal limitations or restrictions. News and information released by the NRDC Action Fund needs to be identified as from the “NRDC Action Fund.” The “Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund” is incorrect. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund cannot be used interchangeably.  Also please note that the word “National” does not appear in Natural Resources Defense Council.

Despite tens of millions of dollars in advertisements from the oil, gas, and coal industry and their Republican allies attacking Democrats on energy issues, President Obama and Senate Democrats won decisive victories across the country last night. A new survey of voters in key battleground states demonstrates these energy attacks failed to resonate with voters, including voters in Midwestern states where the energy attacks were most heavily focused.

The survey also demonstrates that voters in these states remain strongly supportive of renewable energy, and government efforts to increase renewable energy use. It also suggests that voters have flatly rejected Republicans’ continued assault on the EPA and pollution controls.

The following memo reflects the key findings from a survey of 1002 voters in eleven battleground states.[1] The survey was conducted from November 4^th – 6^th, 2012, and has a margin of error of +/-4.2 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

Millions Spent Attacking Democrats on Keystone, Solyndra, and Coal had Little Impact

Voters appear to have largely ignored the millions of dollars in attacks on energy issues leveled at the President and Democratic Senate candidates. Groups backed by polluters spent more than 270 million dollars on TV ads in the past two months alone, and in some states—especially Midwestern states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan—energy issue attacks were a critical component of Republican campaign strategy. Despite this, voters continue to support Democrats on renewable energy:

•  President Obama Swept States Where Republicans Attacked on Energy: The president won Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Virginia, all states where Republicans spent millions of dollars attacked the President on the Keystone pipeline, Solyndra, and as being anti-coal. The attacks did not work–across all of the battleground states in this survey, the president won 51 – 47 percent.
• Attacks on Energy Did Not Stick to the President: Of the six reasons to vote against the President, reflecting the actual campaign, the Republican message on energy fell far down the list to fifth and was cited by just 14 percent of voters as the best reason to vote against the President. This message ranked last among people who voted for Romney and last in the Midwest—where Republicans heavily focused this attack on the President. The six messages tested were on the debt and spending, Obamacare, failure to create jobs, blocking energy production, attacking family values, and job killing regulations. The message on the debt and spending was ranked the highest.
• Nor did Attacks Stick to Senate Candidates: Again, of the six reasons to vote against Democratic Senate candidates, reflecting the campaigns, the energy attack against Democratic Senate candidates ranked near the bottom, fifth; with just14 percent of voters saying this was their top concern about the candidate.
• President Obama and Democrats retain more credibility on energy than Republicans. Voters believe Obama will do a better job on energy than Romney by a 7 point margin, 51-44 percent. And they think Democrats will do a better job on this issue than Republicans by a 50 – 43 percent margin. These advantages are significant and represent larger advantages for Obama and Democrats than they receive on either the economy or taxes.

Swing State Voters Strongly Support Renewable Energy, Want Government to Support It.

Despite the paid ads pushing a fossil fuel drumbeat on Solyndra and against renewable energy, voters remain strongly supportive of renewables, and want to see the government doing more to support renewable energy production.

• Overwhelming Support for Renewable Energy: Nearly 2 in 3 voters, 64 percent, say they have a favorable impression of renewable energy, compared to only 13 percent who say they have an unfavorable impression. This strength of support crosses demographic and partisan lines, with a wide variety of voters giving renewables high marks.

Furthermore, huge majorities favor increasing the United States’ use of wind and solar energy. Voters favor increasing wind power by a 71 – 9 percent margin, and favor increasing solar power by a 78 – 5 percent margin.

• Voters Ready for Country to Invest in Renewables, Prepared to Pay More if Necessary: By a 54 – 39 percent margin, voters side with an argument that favors investing in clean energy companies through tax credits over an argument that suggests the government should not be picking winners and losers in energy. By a 56 – 39 percent margin they also say they are willing to pay a few dollars extra on their electricity bills for renewable energy.

 Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Assault on EPA

• Strong Support for EPA and its Mission: Voters give the EPA an impressive 50 – 27 percent favorable/unfavorable rating, including a 44 – 30 percent rating with Independents. Furthermore, by a 57 – 34 percent margin, they support EPA’s mission of making common sense rules over an argument that says rules and regulations should be left to congress.

President Obama, Other Clean Energy Champions Win

NRDC Action Fund: Time to Act on Climate Change

WASHINGTON (November 6, 2012) – Following is a statement by Frances Beinecke, president of the NRDC Action Fund:

“Clean energy emerged a big winner. The American people chose many candidates who campaigned on renewable sources of energy–starting with President Obama, who took unprecedented actions in the past four years to protect our air and produce clean energy jobs.

“There’s more good news. From Massachusetts to Ohio, from Virginia and Indiana to Missouri, from  Wisconsin and New Mexico, champions of clean air and public health will be at the battle stations in the United States Senate next year–not only to promote smart policies that move America forward but also to fight any efforts by extremists in the House to continue its reckless assault on our health and the environment.”

“Now it’s time to take decisive action to create the clean energy future that will address climate change — an urgent need amplified by Hurricane Sandy’s devastation. 

“And the new Congress should join the president in addressing that urgent threat. This will require the Republican leadership to abandon its allegiance to Tea Party extremists who are woefully out of step with the American public, as shown by survey after survey–and now by the election returns.

“Here’s another lesson from Campaign 2012: Money can’t buy you love. The pollution industry spent hundreds of millions of dollars to influence this election, yet emerged with little to show for its efforts. That’s because voters always reject an agenda that puts polluter profits first and leaves the rest of us at risk.

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The NRDC Action Fund’s mission is to achieve the passage of legislation that jump-starts the clean energy economy, reduces pollution, and sustains vibrant communities for all Americans. Now is the time for leadership and action from our elected officials — our current goal is a comprehensive clean energy policy that will repower our economy and fuel our future. www.nrdcactionfund.org

Note to reporters/editors: The NRDC Action Fund is an affiliated but separate organization from the Natural Resources Defense Council. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, the NRDC Action Fund engages in various advocacy and political activities for which the Natural Resources Defense Council, a 501(c)(3) organization, faces certain legal limitations or restrictions. News and information released by the NRDC Action Fund needs to be identified as from the “NRDC Action Fund.” The “Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund” is incorrect. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund can not be used interchangeably. Also please note that the word “National” does not appear in Natural Resources Defense Council.

Talk is Cheap; Actions Speak Louder than Words, So Let’s Get Busy

WASHINGTON (October 22, 2012) – Following is a statement by Frances Beinecke, president of the NRDC Action Fund, after the final presidential debate tonight in Florida:

“Climate change deserved a proper airing during the debates. At the end of the day, though, actions speak louder than words. And there’s no doubt which candidate will take strong, decisive actions to combat this urgent, global problem. He already has. And that’s President Obama.”

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The NRDC Action Fund’s mission is to achieve the passage of legislation that jump-starts the clean energy economy, reduces pollution, and sustains vibrant communities for all Americans. Now is the time for leadership and action from our elected officials — our current goal is a comprehensive clean energy policy that will repower our economy and fuel our future. www.nrdcactionfund.org

Note to reporters/editors: The NRDC Action Fund is an affiliated but separate organization from the Natural Resources Defense Council. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, the NRDC Action Fund engages in various advocacy and political activities for which the Natural Resources Defense Council, a 501(c)(3) organization, faces certain legal limitations or restrictions. News and information released by the NRDC Action Fund needs to be identified as from the “NRDC Action Fund.” The “Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund” is incorrect. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund can not be used interchangeably. Also please note that the word “National” does not appear in Natural Resources Defense Council.

Debate Shows Voters Face Clear Choice on Energy            

WASHINGTON (October 16, 2012) – Following is a statement by Frances Beinecke, president of the NRDC Action Fund, on tonight’s debate between President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney:

“Tonight’s town hall debate casts in bold relief the clashing priorities of the two tickets on energy and environmental policy. The Romney-Paul agenda was written and paid for by the dirty fuels industry, and designed for its own benefit. The Obama-Biden agenda puts people and their well-being first, and it understands that a clean energy policy is also good for our economy. This is a contrast everyone gets.”

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The NRDC Action Fund’s mission is to achieve the passage of legislation that jump-starts the clean energy economy, reduces pollution, and sustains vibrant communities for all Americans. Now is the time for leadership and action from our elected officials — our current goal is a comprehensive clean energy policy that will repower our economy and fuel our future. www.nrdcactionfund.org

Note to reporters/editors: The NRDC Action Fund is an affiliated but separate organization from the Natural Resources Defense Council. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, the NRDC Action Fund engages in various advocacy and political activities for which the Natural Resources Defense Council, a 501(c)(3) organization, faces certain legal limitations or restrictions. News and information released by the NRDC Action Fund needs to be identified as from the “NRDC Action Fund.” The “Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund” is incorrect. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund can not be used interchangeably. Also please note that the word “National” does not appear in Natural Resources Defense Council.

Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and Virginia Presidential, Senate Races Seen As Ripe for Major Clean Air/Clean Energy Appeal to Latino Voters; Results Suggest Massive Dirty Energy Ad Campaign Is Not Swaying Key Electoral Group.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 8, 2012 – Latino voters in four swing states — Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and Virginia — decisively favor candidates for president and the U.S. Senate who support clean air and clean energy policies over candidates who don’t, according to four new state-specific surveys covering a total of 1,515 Latino respondents.

Conducted for the NRDC Action Fund, the four Public Policy Polling (PPP) polls of these key voters who could sway the overall Presidential election found:

• Nevada. Latino voters in Nevada side with President Barack Obama’s position as a candidate who “supports EPA standards to reduce dangerous carbon pollution” over the position of Republican challenger Mitt Romney, presented as a candidate who “says that these limits would be bad for business and EPA should not limit carbon pollution,” by a more than three-to-one margin (73 percent versus 21 percent).
• New Mexico. By a margin of 61 percent to 28 percent, Latino voters in New Mexico support a presidential candidate who backs “standards to reduce toxic mercury pollution from power plants” over one who opposes them.
• Florida. Latino voters in Florida are solidly behind (52-39 percent) a presidential candidate who backs increased incentives for wind and solar power.
• Virginia. By a more than two-to-one margin, Latino voters in Virginia support (61-29 percent) a presidential candidate who favors higher fuel efficiency standards for vehicles.

(Latino voters in the four states were asked about their views on a full range of issues; the results highlighted above are intended to demonstrate the range of responses across the four key 2012 election battleground states. For the full state-by-state survey results, go to http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/latinovoters.

Latino voters favor President Obama in Nevada (71-21 percent); New Mexico (58-26 percent and Virginia (57-42 percent). In Florida, the results were tied at 47-47. The balance of Latino voters in each were undecided.)

Tom Jensen, director of Public Policy Polling, said: “Latino voters in key swing states embrace the values of clean air and clean energy. This creates a real opening for President Obama to build on his lead among such voters in the battleground states and it poses a real challenge for Mitt Romney, who is already far behind with Latino voters. These findings suggest the ads attacking clean air rules and touting dirty energy that are filling the airwaves in these states are not fooling Latino voters.”

Ramirez Group President Andres Ramirez said: “With Latinos projected to vote in record numbers this November, the race is on to capture Latino support in key battleground states. But even as Gov. Romney scrambles to appeal to Latino voters, this new polling confirms that he couldn’t be more out of touch with Latinos when it comes to our energy future. While Latinos call for cleaner, safer and affordable energy, Mitt Romney wants to send us backwards in time, lining the pockets of wealthy oil corporations while sacrificing the health of Latinos.”

Adrianna Quintero, NRDC Action Fund, said: “Romney’s energy plan is nothing short of disastrous for our country and especially for Latinos. His proposals steamroll over health protections, rolling back life-saving standards that reduce mercury in our air and water, and cut down on harmful pollution that causes global warming. Romney’s plan to reverse landmark fuel efficiency standards would force us all to pay more at the pump hurting families that are already struggling.”

All four of the battleground states covered in the poll also have hotly contested Senate races.

• Nevada. By a large margin of 71 percent to 18 percent, Latino voters in Nevada support a congressional candidate who backs “standards to reduce toxic mercury pollution from power plants” over one who opposes them.
• New Mexico. Latino voters in New Mexico side with a congressional candidate who “supports EPA standards to reduce dangerous carbon pollution” over a candidate who “says that these limits would be bad for business and EPA should not limit carbon pollution,” by a more than two-to-one margin (66 percent versus 25 percent).
• Florida. Latino voters in Florida solidly support (52-42 percent) a congressional candidate who thinks “the federal government should invest in clean energy technologies such as wind and solar power” over a candidate who favors more drilling.
• Virginia. By a more than three-to-one margin, Latino voters in Virginia back (70-20 percent) a congressional candidate who “supports extending tax incentives for wind power, [over] one who opposes them.”

Full state-specific survey findings are online at http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/latinovoters.

The four PPP battleground state surveys were conducted in: Nevada (September 17-20, 2012, 300 Latino voters, margin of error of 5.6 percent); New Mexico (September 17-20, 2012, 715 Latino voters, margin of error of 3.6 percent); Florida (September 17-20, 2012, 300 Latino voters, margin of error of 5.6 percent); and Virginia (September 21-24, 2012, 200 Latino voters, margin of error of 6.9 percent);

CONTACT: Leslie Maloy, (703) 276-3256, or lmaloy@hastingsgroup.com.

The NRDC Action Fund’s mission is to achieve the passage of legislation that jump-starts the clean energy economy, reduces pollution, and sustains vibrant communities for all Americans. Now is the time for leadership and action from our elected officials — our current goal is a comprehensive clean energy policy that will repower our economy and fuel our future. http://www.nrdcactionfund.org.

The NRDC Action Fund is an affiliated but separate organization from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, the NRDC Action Fund engages in various advocacy and political activities for which the Natural Resources Defense Council, a 501(c)(3) organization, faces certain legal limitations or restrictions. News and information released by the NRDC Action Fund therefore needs to be identified as from the NRDC Action Fund. Use of the label “Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund” is incorrect; the only correct title is the “NRDC Action Fund.” In other words, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund cannot be used interchangeably. Also, please note that the word “National” does not appear in Natural Resources Defense Council.

Voters Face Clear Choice on Energy, Climate               

WASHINGTON (October 3, 2012) –  In response to tonight’s presidential debate in Denver, Frances Beinecke, president of the NRDC Action Fund, made the following statement:

“The candidates laid out a clear choice. President Obama wants to invest in energy efficiency and renewable power while protecting our health. Gov. Romney would bet our future on the fossil fuels of the past. This is a choice between responsibility and recklessness, and the choice is ours to make.”

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The NRDC Action Fund’s mission is to achieve the passage of legislation that jump-starts the clean energy economy, reduces pollution, and sustains vibrant communities for all Americans. Now is the time for leadership and action from our elected officials — our current goal is a comprehensive clean energy policy that will repower our economy and fuel our future.www.nrdcactionfund.org

Note to reporters/editors: The NRDC Action Fund is an affiliated but separate organization from the Natural Resources Defense Council. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, the NRDC Action Fund engages in various advocacy and political activities for which the Natural Resources Defense Council, a 501(c)(3) organization, faces certain legal limitations or restrictions. News and information released by the NRDC Action Fund needs to be identified as from the “NRDC Action Fund.” The “Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund” is incorrect. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund can not be used interchangeably.  Also please note that the word “National” does not appear in Natural Resources Defense Council.

Yet even after this ad blitz by deep-pocketed fossil fuel companies intent on preserving their profits and their political influence in Washington, voters still prefer candidates who support clean energy and clean air, according to a new poll conducted for the NRDC Action Fund by Public Policy Polling. It turns out that no matter how much money polluters spend, Americans pay more attention to their health and their children’s future than to fossil fuel industry sound bites.

The survey found that 59 percent of likely voters in key battleground states were more likely to vote for the presidential candidate who supports reducing toxic mercury pollution from power plants, while only 28 percent would vote for the candidate who opposes mercury standards. Similarly, 57 percent would vote for the presidential candidate who wants to reduce carbon pollution from power plants, while 32 percent would choose the candidate who thinks carbon limits would be bad for business.

Highly coveted undecided voters also prefer clean energy champions. On every major energy issue that the two presidential candidates differ on—reducing toxic air pollution, cutting carbon emissions, expanding renewable energy, setting standards for fracking operations—undecided voters clearly prefer the candidate who is moving America into a safer, more sustainable future.

Sixty percent of undecided voters, for instance, favor the presidential candidate who supports fuel efficiency standards that will nearly double the distance the average car can travel on a gallon of gas, while only 31 percent would vote for the candidate who wants to block these standards.

The same pattern holds true for congressional races as well. Fifty-three percent of undecided voters said they would support a congressional candidate who wants to extend tax incentives for wind power, while 31 percent would choose the candidate who would kill those incentives.

These survey results are significant, because energy matters more in this election than any I can remember. Energy gets more mentions in campaign ads than any topic other than jobs and the economy, according to analysis done by the New York Times.

Voters want to know where candidates stand on energy.  A record of standing up for clean air and promoting renewable power will help candidates with undecided voters – if those candidates make sure those voters know about it. And candidates with records of fighting against public health and environmental safeguards or fighting for oil and gas subsidies may pay a price at the voting booth. But, only if voters know about it.

More often than not, that price will be levied on Republicans. It seems they are catching blowback from their attempt to turn environmental protection into a wedge issue. For decades, cleaning up America’s air and water was a bipartisan effort. It was President Nixon, after all, who created the Environmental Protection Agency and signed the Clean Air Act. President Ford signed the Safe Drinking Water Act, and President Reagan led international efforts to restore the ozone layer. In recent years, however, Republican leaders have abandoned that tradition of conservation and become the party of polluters. They are using their opposition to environmental safeguards as a defining characteristic.

Yet our survey results reveal that casting your lot with dirty air and fossil fuels alienates voters. Committed and undecided voters alike want their president and members of Congress to clean up their air and move America toward a cleaner energy future. It’s up to those candidates with strong records on these issues to run on them.

Contact: Melissa Harrison, NRDC Action Fund, 202-486-1905, mharrison@nrdc.org

Pat Davis, ProgressNow New Mexico, 505-750-0012, pat@progressnownm.org

Special Message in the Sky for College Football Spectators

WASHINGTON/LAS CRUCES (September 21, 2012) – On September 22, football fans attending the in-state rivalry football game between New Mexico and New Mexico State weren’t just watching the action on the field. They were also treated to a unique ‘pass play’ in the sky as a plane flew over the stadium with a special message about Heather Wilson and her ties to big oil.

NRDC Action Fund and ProgressNow New Mexico sponsored the plane with lighted messaging urging voters to support Martin Heinrich in his bid for U.S. Senate. Messages like: Heather Wilson: Scoring TDs 4 polluters since 1998 scorlled by spectators as the plane flew overhead. They can also visit www.WilsonWater.info to learn more about how Heather Wilson chose to side with polluters and their big checks rather than the health and safety of New Mexico residents.

“Heather Wilson’s actions against protecting the drinking water of New Mexico families are so egregious they deserve to be written in the sky so everyone can see them,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, NRDC Action Fund Director. “We supported Martin Heinrich early in this race because we know he is a true environmental champion who will stand up to corporate polluters. New Mexico voters continue to say they want a Senator who will protect their precious resources and their health. Heinrich’s record on these issues is impeccable and that’s why he’s leading in the polls. We will continue to take this message to the voters until Election Day, although next time it may be via the ground.”

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The NRDC Action Fund’s mission is to achieve the passage of legislation that jump-starts the clean energy economy, reduces pollution, and sustains vibrant communities for all Americans. Now is the time for leadership and action from our elected officials — our current goal is a comprehensive clean energy policy that will repower our economy and fuel our future. www.nrdcactionfund.org

ProgressNow New Mexico is a non-partisan non-profit advocacy group uniting and enhancing New Mexico’s progressive voice. ProgressNowNM.org

Note to reporters/editors: The NRDC Action Fund is an affiliated but separate organization from the Natural Resources Defense Council. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, the NRDC Action Fund engages in various advocacy and political activities for which the Natural Resources Defense Council, a 501(c)(3) organization, faces certain legal limitations or restrictions. News and information released by the NRDC Action Fund needs to be identified as from the “NRDC Action Fund.” The “Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund” is incorrect. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund can not be used interchangeably.  Also please note that the word “National” does not appear in Natural Resources Defense Council.