In a no-holds-barred address yesterday in New York city, former vice president Al Gore delivered a scorching critique of the environmental and energy policies of the Bush-Cheney administration, asserting that "it seems at times as if the Bush-Cheney Administration is wholly owned by the coal, oil, utility and mining companies."

Noting a recent review of contributions to the Bush presidential campaign from utility industry executives, lawyers and lobbyists, Gore said that 15 of them were Bush Pioneers, individuals who have raised at least $100,000 for the Bush campaign. "While President Bush likes to project an image of strength and courage, the truth is that in the presence of his large financial contributors he is a moral coward," seldom saying no to them "no matter what the public interest might mandate."

Focusing heavily on the issue of global warming, Gore said "The problem is that our world is now confronting a five-alarm fire that calls for bold moral and political leadership from the United States of America." Rather than spending "enormous sums of money on an unimaginative and retread effort to make a tiny portion of the moon habitable for a handful of people," he continued, the U.S. "can strengthen our economy with a new generation of advanced technologies, create millions of good new jobs, and inspire the world with a bold and moral vision of humankind's future."

Citing a "massive and well-organized campaign of disinformation lavishly funded by polluters," Gore said many people still do not believe global warming is a problem. "Wealthy right-wing ideologues have joined with the most cynical and irresponsible companies in the oil, coal and mining industries to contribute large sums of money to finance pseudo-scientific front groups" to confuse the public about global warming, he added.

Moving beyond global warming, Gore said the problem is the same "when it comes to protecting the American people from pollution. The Bush administration chooses special interests over the public interest." Rather than address the problem of mercury pollution generated by coal-fired power plants, for example, Gore said the Bush administration "has gutted the protections of the Clean Air Act, revoking an earlier determination by the EPA that mercury emissions from power plants should be treated as hazardous air pollutants."

Further, he continued, "The Superfund has gone from $3.8 billion to a shortfall of $175 million," leaving "a toxic mess for our children." This is because "the tax these polluters used to pay to support the Superfund has been eliminated, so that you, me, and other taxpayers are left holding the bill."

As for enforcement of environmental protection laws, Gore asserted that "For three years in a row, the Bush Administration has sought to slash enforcement personnel levels at EPA. Offices were told to back off cases..." Gore said the problem extends even to America's national parks: "Just ask the coalition of more than 100 retired career park service employees who wrote a letter saying that their mission to protect the parks' natural resources has been changed to focus on commercial and special-interest use of parks."

"These are not small shifts in policy," said Gore, "they are radical changes that reverse a century of American policy designed to protect our natural resources."

NOTE: This report is drawn from the prepared text of the Gore speech. A transcript of the entire speech is currently available on BushGreenwatch.org.