Republican nominee Mike Fisher faces no competition in the primary, nor does Michael Morrill, the first Green Party candidate ever to run for Governor in Pennsylvania. But when it comes to the democratic ticket, it turns out the race isn't the only thing that's been close.

"One of the areas where Bob Casey and I agree. I mean, we agree on a lot of things, and I think on the environment, we are basically the same." Riding in a car in between appearances, former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell says he and his competitor, Pennsylvania Auditor General Bob Casey, Jr. have both taken what he calls "traditional Democratic" positions on the environment.

But Rendell says the environment will be much more important in November. "I think the environment will be more of an issue in the fall campaign," says Rendell. "Because I think there will be differences either between Mike Fisher and either Bob Casey or myself."

As it turns out, most of the proposals being made by Democratic and Republican candidates are rather similar. But Republican candidate Mike Fisher agrees there'll be a showdown in the fall.

"I think that both the Casey plan and the Rendell plan on the environment are very sketchy," says Fisher. "The real difference is I'm the only one that's got a record in preserving our environment. I chaired the environmental resources and energy committee in the State Senate for ten years."

On environmental issues, Bob Casey is banking on his experience as state auditor general to show that he knows how to be an economic watchdog. And Ed Rendell says in Philadelphia, he's had experience dealing with the same issues affecting the state, from pollution to recycling.

One key issue this year is a dirty one -- not negative campaigning, but plain old trash.

Green party candidate Michael Morrill states:

"Pennsylvania imports more trash than any other state in the nation, by more than two to one," says Morrill. "As a matter of fact, we import right now about a ton of trash for every man, woman, and child in the state. We import it from 28 states, we import it from Canada, we import it from Puerto Rico."

Trash is treated by federal law as interstate commerce, meaning Pennsylvania can't stop it from entering the state. According to Bob Casey, that's something he would tackle as governor.

"The governor of Pennsylvania has to work very hard with our United States senators and our Congressional delegation to get federal legislation passed which would have the effect of reducing the amount of out of state waste that comes into Pennsylvania."

Casey admits the battle against the interstate commerce clause has been going on for years, and isn't likely to change any time soon. Instead, Casey says there are ways to take advantage of Pennsylvania's imported trash.

"No one wants to have the amount of trash increase in Pennsylvania, but I think you at least have to recognize that the volume we're at now could be a source of revenue."

Each major party candidate plans to use a tax trash to help fund environmental programs.

Ed Rendell comments:

"Let's get some benefit out of the landfilling that we do and get some environmental benefit," Rendell says. "Not to the general fund, but to specifically fund environmental conservation."

Due to a budgetary shortfall, Republican Governor Mark Schweiker this year had to freeze a portion of the state's general fund -- which covered Pennsylvania's largest environmental program, Growing Greener. This move prompted all of the major party candidates to address the issue of dedicated funding for conservation initiatives.

Republican candidate Mike Fisher proposes a modest increase in the state's trash tipping fee to ensure the future of Growing Greener. But both democratic candidates would like to see funding for environmental programs doubled, increasing the state's commitment to mine reclamation, open space preservation, and cleanups of polluted sites.

Ed Rendell says:

"I would impose a significant landfill fee and use that tipping fee to fund the billion dollar bond issue that I want to create to produce the funds for all of the environmental challenges."

All the candidates agree that environmental laws do more than just keep the state clean. Casey says businesses, like people, are more likely to move to states with strong environmental commitments.

"Good environmental policy not only creates jobs by having businesses make business decisions based upon environmental and quality of life considerations," says Casey.

Rendell agrees with Casey, and also points out that tourism is the number two industry in the state, and that's partly due to the recreational use of Pennsylvania's forestland and other open space.