Over 100 people packed Bedford's Historical Hall to hear Nan Hayworth, the incumbent, and Sean Patrick Maloney—her challenger in the race for New York's 18th Congressional District—answer questions from Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson and the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, which hosted the forum.
NYLCV Spokesman Dan Hendrick said the evening was a success because it met their goals of connecting the public directly to the candidates—without personal attacks.
"I think the forum—having them speak sequentially—encouraged a deeper, more substantive discussion," he said.
Hendrick was pleased about the diversity of issues addressed, which included Hudson River management, hydrofracking, Indian Point's operation and evacuation, green jobs, aging wastewater treatment plants and renewable energy.
On the candidates' presentation, Hendrick said both offered nuanced responses to some complex questions.
"Sean Patrick Maloney answered a question on a biomass trash incinerator proposed for Montgomery, NY, with knowledge about its potential waste but reasons he'd support it, like jobs and energy efficiency," he said. "And Nan Hayworth was candid about the wind production tax credit—it's popular among many Republicans and she said she'd like it, but because of competing financial priorities, she's not sure she could get behind it."
For his part, Maloney said public private partnerships were needed to address infrastructure and investments in renewable energy. He said he supported tax credits for renewable energy, and the Hudson Valley should benefit from the jobs it would create.
Click here for highlights of the discussion and watch the video posted with this story to see how Maloney responded to a question on Hudson River management, and how Hayworth responded to a question on hydrofracking.
