Anonymous asked: Maybe you've answered this before but: Which U.S. presidential candidate (that has any chance of winning) would, in your opinion, be the best (least bad, that is) for the environment?

Hi anon, thanks for the question and the confidence in me that I can answer. Actually, I see the environment somewhat separate from presidential cycles. The EPA, CWA, CAA, NOAA, Army Corps, FEMA, etc., the Federal Agencies, individual states, non-profits, NGOs, and people like you and me have much, much more power and influence on environmental decisions than presidents. True, there are certain acts that screw with environmental policy. Bush/Cheney’s secret energy deal, which exempts natural gas extraction from certain environmental review (aka, fracking) is one example of how a president can have short term influence. But, the EPA and BOEM and the courts (and you) have options to force drillers to respect the environment. This is a topical answer, I know. But I think it’s important to keep in mind that there are systems in place that restrain presidents, after all, they (arguably) do not actually make laws. Let me know if that helped. Best, Michael