Critics of the governor's stewardship of Texas suggest that the voluntary measures he encourages have resulted in cleanups considerably below the bare minimum. Their exchanges on the environment were relatively brief during the three televised debates, centering chiefly on oil exploration. Bush has proposed drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Gore opposes drilling because of the pristine nature of the refuge and pushes for greater fuel conservation instead. Campaign contributions often can hint at a politician's future action by revealing who has liked his past performance.
Endorsements also provide hints.
Gore has attracted the support of the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters. So far, no national environmental group has endorsed Bush, although Environmental Defense has praised his call for mandatory reductions in the emissions of four major pollutants and his plan to use market incentives to cut such emissions. There are quite dramatic differences, largely in terms of the record, because some of the statements get a little mushy. Wisconsin long has had a reputation for giving the environment special priority. Some environmentalists have criticized Gore for not doing more, and Green Party presidential nominee Ralph Nader has stridently questioned the depth of Gore's commitment.