The 2012 presidential elections may have been exciting (depending on who you ask), but environmental issues were a bit... less so. Very few made it on the ballots and even fewer were actually approved.

In the 2012 elections there were a number of ballot measures throughout the United States that directly, or indirectly, could affect Pollution Engineering’s readership. Interestingly enough, most ballot proposals never made it to the actual voter’s ballots. Of the 13 possible initiatives, only four made it through the various court systems by meeting all requirements. Failed proposals included:

• California Initiative to Eliminate Environmental Protection Laws and Agencies
• California Pollution Producers To Pay for Pollution Mitigation
• Colorado Water Law Amendment
• Florida Billboard Amendment
• Massachusetts Recyclable Bottle Deposit Expansion
• Michigan ‘Fracking’ Ban Amendment
• Michigan Mining Restriction Measure
• Ohio Clean Energy Projects Amendment
• Missouri Renewable Energy Initiative

Of the four proposals that were actually voted upon, the one only “winning” ballot initiative affects our readership (presumably) the least. The ballots are:

Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust Amendment, Amendment 1

Description
The “Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust Amendment” would extend payments made to the Forever Wild Land Trust for a 20-year period. The payments would be from fiscal year 2012-2013 to fiscal year 2031-2032.

Status
Winning: almost 75 percent agrees.

Alaska Coastal Management Question, Ballot Measure 2

Description
The “Alaska Coastal Management Question” was actually on the Aug. 28, 2012 ballot. The measure would have established a new coastal management program in the state. Specifically, the management program that would have been established would have been formally called the Alaska Coastal Zone Management Program. Alaska is the only coastal state in the United States without a federal coastal management plan. Coastal programs are established to guarantee state and local participation in federal decisions on coastal issues that could potentially surface.

Status
Lost: approximately 62 percent said “no.”

Arizona Declaration of State Sovereignty Amendment, Proposition 120

Description
The “Arizona Declaration of State Sovereignty Amendment” would declare state sovereignty over the Arizona's natural resources based on the argument of "equal footing." Natural resources would include land, air, water, minerals and wildlife.

Status
Losing: nearly 70 percent of the electorate say “no.”

Michigan Renewable Energy Amendment, Proposal 3

Description
A Renewable Energy Amendment would mandate that by 2025, 25 percent of the state's electricity must come from renewable resources. Additionally, consumers would be expected to pay a 1 percent per year electric utility rate increase “to achieve compliance with the renewable energy standard.”

Status
Losing: nearly 65 percent of voting Michiganders say nay.