The Elephant in the Green Room

Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) has arguably done more for the environment than most Democrats -- led the war against acid rain, stood in staunch opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, pushed for tougher auto fuel-economy standards, defended climate scientists against government censorship. So plenty of environmentalists joined with moderate Republicans in letting out a great big sigh last month when Boehlert announced that he would not seek reelection this fall. Amanda Griscom Little talks with Boehlert about clashing with members of his own party, chatting with Dubyah on matters green, and why he remains a loyal Republican.

"Boehlert has played a key role in shaping environmental policy since the first Bush administration, when he spearheaded Washington's war on acid rain by helping to design a pioneering pollution-trading program for sulfur dioxide. Since then, he has been a supporter of endangered-species protections, mandatory greenhouse-gas restrictions, efforts to safeguard the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and stronger fuel-economy standards. Days after Hurricane Katrina, Boehlert introduced a bill that proposed significantly boosting CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standards over the next decade."