Weakening land use protections, or "Takings"

Logging in national forests

Protecting roadless areas in forests

Alaska logging roads

Alaska Wildlife Area road

Gulf of Mexico fisheries management

Fighting anti-environmental riders

Restricting new health and safety protection

Funding energy efficiency programs

The global warming gag rule

Undermining environmental reporting and information

Tropical forest conservation

Geographically, the Southeast had the second lowest environmental record; the Rocky Mountains and Southwest had the

lowest. Northeastern and West Coast congressional delegations had the most favorable environmental scores.

"The strongest leadership in Congress is anti-environment," Callahan said. "We simply cannot discount the roles that

money plays in politics and how much environmental issues are affected.

"The clash is between the voters and the special interest groups," she continued.

"People just don't know. We have never seen such an effort to roll back laws that protect the public."

Full details and more analysis are available at https://scorecard.lcv.org.

* * * * *

The Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club released a similar scorecard its first on the 1998 Georgia General Assembly.

The club's legislative chair, Mark Woodall, explained that the scorecard represents all recorded floor votes, "and there was no attempt

to trick anyone or be less than totally bi-partisan. Unfortunately Georgia doesn't record committee votes so that important area is

not evaluated here."

Woodall added, however: "The results are mixed. The legislature has defeated the worst of the anti-environmental bills such

as Takings, audit privilege, unfunded mandate and regulatory reform.

"On the other hand, the legislature has failed to act on serious problems such as air quality, sprawl or growth management,

and transportation."

Sen. Pam Glanton (R-34), who did not stand for re-election, scored pro-environment in 33 percent of state Senate votes.

Sen. Rick Price (R-28) voted favorably on 50 percent of environmental issues.

Senate average score was 55 percent; Democrats scored 61 percent, and Republicans 44 percent.

Senate issues included :

Dropping the proposed Outer Perimeter from the Road Improvement Program

Contracting with private firms to build toll roads and bridges

Extending land use protection to a much-impacted stretch of the Chattahoochee River

Protection of coastal aquifers from surface water

Protection of water supply of Cave Springs

Increase in real estate transfer tax to fund Heritage Trust (Amendment #1) to be decided by voters Nov. 3

Rep. Dan Lakly (R-105), who was defeated in the primary election, scored pro-environment in 33 percent of votes in

House issues, while Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-104) had a 25 percent record. The House average score was 65 percent, with

Democrats scoring 72 percent and Republicans scoring 55 percent.

House issues included :

Adding stricter standards for measuring air pollution

Reducing buffer zones on trout streams, gutting erosion control

Extending land use protection to a much-impacted stretch of the Chattahoochee River

Denying water pollution permits based on past violations

Provisions for privatization of Atlanta's sewer system

Billboards and tree-cutting

Protection of water supply of Cave Springs

Heritage Trust Fund (Amendment #1) to be decided by voters Nov. 3

Increase in transfer tax to fund Heritage Trust

The Sierra Club named 15 state representatives "heroes" (scores of 100 percent) and 15 "bad boys," (scores of 33 percent or

less). "You will notice both Dan Lakly and Lynn Westmoreland made the `bad boy' list," Woodall said.

Five state senators were named "heroes" (scores of 100 percent) and four were "bad boys," (scores of 20 percent or less).

Fayette senators did not appear on either list.

Woodall may be reached at 706-846-2281. The Sierra Club Web site is www.sierraclub.org:80/chapters/ga/, or direct e-mail

to [email protected].

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