Al's Environmental Whoppers

By Steven Milloy and Kay Jones
Copyright 2000 New York Post
October 16, 2000

Does one need to lie about the environment to protect it? In last week's debate, moderator Jim Lehrer asked Vice President Al Gore if he still believed what he wrote in his book, "Earth in the Balance": that "we must make the rescue of the environment the central organizing principle for civilization." Gore said he did - and then wandered away from the truth, stating, "There was a study just a few weeks ago suggesting that, in summertime, the north polar ice cap will be completely gone in 50 years."

There is no such study - just a recent, alarmist New York Times article about ice-free conditions observed by some visitors to the North Pole. And 10 days later, a humiliated Times published a correction: Those ice-free conditions are neither unusual nor evidence of global warming.

What about those Gore-Lieberman allegations that Gov. George W. Bush coddles Texas polluters at the expense of public health? Last week, Gore claimed, "Houston's just become the smoggiest city in the country and Texas is No. 1 in industrial pollution." The former claim isn't true, and the latter is a half-truth.

From 1994 to 1998, Los Angeles had 10 times more smog alert days than Houston as measured at the five worst-case air-monitoring stations.

In 1999, Los Angeles had 35 smog violations compared to Houston's 14, according to the monitors measuring the smoggiest air. The closing of the gap is partly because Houston had its hottest year since 1969, while L.A. had one of its coolest years - and hot weather is significantly more conducive to smog formation. In addition, the El Nino-La Nina phenomena is credited with literally blowing smog out of L.A.

So far in 2000, Los Angeles has had 17 smog violations compared to 14 for Houston - even though 2000 has been even hotter in Houston and even cooler in Los Angeles.

Moreover, since Bush became governor of Texas, there has been an overall downward trend in air pollution across Texas metropolitan areas, according to the most recent data from the Environmental Protection Agency.

As for industrial pollution, Texas has more smokestack industry than other states. In any event, total emissions is not a valid indicator of air quality or its impact on public health. There is absolutely no data indicating that environmental conditions in the state compromise Texans' health.

Captain Planet should know better.

Milloy and Jones are Cato Institute adjunct scholars.