The Prairie Group of the Sierra Club sponsored a political forum on the environment Wednesday evening at the Champaign Public Library. Candidates for United States Congress and state representative in the 103rd district spoke about their positions on environmental issues and answered questions from the Sierra Club and the audience.

Peg Flynn, Sierra Club member and Champaign Township resident, said this is the second time the club has hosted this event. They held a similar forum before the 2002 elections.

“It’s just a way for the community to question the people representing them and to get a diverse forum in advance of the election so people can be informed,” Flynn said.

The room was full as candidates gave their take on what they have done and plan to do to address environmental concerns.

Naomi Jakobsson, incumbent state representative for the 103rd district, said the large turnout at the forum demonstrates that people in the area care about environmental issues.

“We want to make sure we have quality spaces and parks not just now, but for future generations,” Jakobsson said.

She also stressed the importance of the use of renewable wind or solar energy sources and research that addresses this at the University.

“This community has a history of being environmentally active,” said Deborah Frank Feinen, the Republican candidate for the 103rd district’s state representative.

Feinen said she supports scientific surveys conducted at the University such as the Illinois State Water Survey and the Illinois State Geological Survey, and she thinks they need more funding. She also said she thinks fees levied on businesses dedicated to funding environmental protection should be used for that instead of being used for other state expenses.

Thomas Mackaman, a socialist candidate for state representative, attended the forum along with Jakobsson and Feinen. Dr. David Gill, candidate for United States Congress, and Brian Kelly, a representative for incumbent Senator Tim Johnson, also were present.

The forum opened by giving each candidate two minutes to introduce themselves, their positions and their ideas about the environment.

The candidates spoke about their histories and experience in dealing with environmental issues as well as their hopes and plans for the future of environmental legislation in Illinois.

Feinen told the audience about her and her husband’s experience working in environmental law as well as her support of the creation of the Blue Ribbon Panel for the Environment while on the Champaign County Board. She also said she supported the appointment of Cliff Shipley, a well-known environmentalist, to the Salt Fork Creek committee.

Jakobsson said she has been a member of the Sierra Club for 21 years and has voted to protect the environment in the House of Representatives. She also spoke about the important role groups such as the Sierra Club have had in protecting the environment.

Mackaman said that protecting the environment is important but cannot be achieved by a government that defends capitalism. He argued that neither Democrats nor Republicans address ecological issues as they need to. He also stressed that citizens need to look more closely at why there are budget problems in the state.

Gill said that although he only has experience as a citizen, he has done what he can to protect the environment, including buying household goods made from recycled paper, recycling and encouraging the his hometown of Clinton, Ill., to ban leaf-burning in the city. He also said that if elected, he would work to protect the environment and support renewable energy sources such as wind energy.

Kelly read a statement from Johnson about the importance of protecting the environment in Illinois and his efforts to find ways to end the energy crisis in the United States. Kelly was unable to answer any questions on behalf of the senator.

The panel answered questions on issues such as the weakening of the Clean Air Act, All-Terrain Vehicle use in state parks, protection of the Shawnee Forest Preserve, public transportation and global warming.