The Hoosier Environmental Council is hosting a lieutenant governor candidate conversation on the environment at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis.

Hoosier Environmental Council executive director Jesse Kharbanda says the November 2012 governor’s race will have far-reaching consequences for Indiana’s environmental future. The candidates for governor have so far expressed different views on tackling air & water pollution, and advancing new kinds of energy and transportation systems.

Kharbanda says, “The next Governor and Lieutenant Governor have a tremendous opportunity to position Indiana as a public policy innovator where we simultaneously grow job-generating sectors, like clean energy and green infrastructure, while reducing toxic pollutants that ultimately hurt our quality of life.”

Democratic candidate, Sen. Vi Simpson, and Libertarian candidate, Brad Klopfenstein, have confirmed their participation. While Representative Sue Ellspermann, the Republican lieutenant gubernatorial nominee, has offered to meet with HEC individually, her campaign has unfortunately – at present – declined to participate in this exchange. Ellspermann was not responsive to a personal, follow-up invitation, a half-ad placed in her hometown newspaper, or to social media engagement.

Marianne Holland, formerly statehouse bureau chief for IPBS, will be the moderator. The debate will begin with questions crafted by the Hoosier Environmental Council and its partners. Candidates will then take questions from the audience.

The event is being co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Indiana, the Indiana Public Health Association, the Indiana Citizens’ Alliance for Transit, and the Indiana Conservation Alliance.

Source: INside Indiana Business