The Sierra Club yesterday joined a growing list of organizations that believe the best hope for Chester County lies in the election of Democrat commissioner candidates Bob Scott and Kathi Cozzone.

John Post, co-chairman of the county branch of the 1.3 million strong Sierra Club, said it was Scott's and Cozzone's promise to battle sprawl, confront global warming and promote energy efficiency that won them the backing of the Sierra Club.

Scott and Cozzone used yesterday's endorsement held at to present a four-part environmental plan that embraces many of the concerns held by the Sierra Club.

"The environmental issues we now face are inextricably linked with the economic, health, national security and quality of life issues," said Cozzone, business manager for the publishing firm Rodale Inc. "To us environmentalism is not just a word."

The Cozzone/Scott plan calls for responding to the challenges of global climate change, protecting clean air, preserving watersheds, and promoting smart growth in part by earmarking Brownfield sites for development.

"Bill Scott and I are fully committed to protecting Chester County's environment for the sake of our health, prosperity and quality of life," said Cozzone.

"We believe the dots need to be connected. A better environment in Chester County is predicated upon both traditional environment issues such as clean air and clean water," said Scott. "Anyone who doesn't understand that open space and the environment are connect, just doesn't get it. Kathi I got it."

Part of the Cozzone/Scott plans calls for the county to lend more of a helping hand to municipalities unable to fend off a controversial development because they may lack either the finances or expertise. "Some municipalities don't even have borough managers," said Scott.

Both Scott and Cozzone criticized the present two Republican county commissioners for not forming a task force on global warming four years ago instead of waiting until last month. "Could it be that this is an election year," said Scott.

The Cozzone/Scott plan calls for the county to pay more attention to urban revitalization. The plan claims that sprawling development is requiring people to drive more. To counter this, Scott and Cozzone say they would encourage development where people can accomplish more with less driving. They say the potential for this to happen in the county could be accomplished by prioritizing urban revitalization. Their plan calls for the county to prioritize financial support to those municipalities that promote smart growth.

Cozzone and Scott claim in their environmental plan that the county been designated by the American Lung Association as one of the most polluted counties in the nation when it comes to ground-level ozone. This, their plan says, poses a serious health risk to the 43 percent of those living here with asthma, chronic bronchitis and other conditions.

Both Scott and Cozzone claimed the county's stormwater management plan needs to be strengthened. The current Aichele-Mancini approved plan, they say, opens the southern portion of the county to serious erosion problems.

Cozzone and Scott both claim that if elected they will encourage economic redevelopment of existing brownfield sites. Brownfields are normally thought of as large, blighted industrial sites, said Scott. "But they can be as small as an abandoned gas station," he said.

Cozzone and Scott are hoping to end decades of Republican control of the courthouse by defeating Republican commissioner candidates Carol Aichele and Terrence Farrell. Aichele is currently chairwoman of the three-member commissioners' board. Farrell is ending his second, four-year term as county Recorder of Deeds.