|
League of Conservation Voters gives high ranks to lawmakers’ work in 2009 legislative session
October 2, 2009
AUGUSTA – Local Democratic state representatives were recognized recently by the Maine League of Conservation Voters for their work to improve conservation and environmental protection laws during the 2009 legislative session. Reps. Pat Jones, D-Mount Vernon, and Paul Gilbert, D-Jay, both scored high marks on the MLCV’s Environmental Scorecard.
The League, which rates all 186 state House and Senate lawmakers on their voting record for conservation issues, publishes an annual legislative scorecard based on votes taken on specific and critical bills that have an impact on the state’s natural resources.
“We need to work hard to ensure that Maine’s environmental laws and policies balance the state’s need for a healthy, sustainable environment with economic growth,” said Jones. “Maine is a wonderful place to live and we need to protect its unique way of life.”
This year’s scorecard included positive votes on bills to increase clean water protections for a number of waterways in Maine; provide for safe collection of mercury-containing light bulbs; ensure that replacement culverts permit fish passage; and establish an Efficiency Trust to increase household and business weatherization, with a goal of weatherizing every home and business in the state by 2030.
Legislators also earned positive scores for voting against a bill that would have given power to a small group of private businesses to overhaul the state’s regulatory system, and a bill that would have eliminated LURC in favor of county management of Maine’s unorganized territories.
The Maine League of Conservation Voters has tracked and reported legislators’ voting records on key environmental issues since 1986. To view the entire scorecard, with bill summaries and a full list of honor roll and dishonor roll members for 2009, visit Maine League of Conservation Voters and click on “2009 Maine House and Senate Scorecards” on the right-side column.
Contact:
Rep. Pat Jones, 512-5102
Rep. Paul Gilbert, 897-5143
Jodi Quintero, Communications Director, 287-1433