LCV’s annual environmental score card tough on GOP

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters has released its “signature accountability tool” — a directory of the positions taken by lawmakers on key environmental issues.

Throughout the 2009-2010 legislative session the group tracked lawmaker performance on issues involving clean energy, environmental health, and funding for environmental protection.

This year’s environmental score card give House Speaker and gubernatorial candidate Andy Dillon (R-Redford) a 78 percent grade, though it said that he should be “sent to detention” for his active support for development of a new coal power plant near Bay City.

Dillon is also cited for working with Senate Majority Leader Bishop to weaken an air quality protection bill during the night before Christmas.

Dillon was able to keep his grade up despite these notable failings because he generally voted with the Democrats on legislation and the Democrats were responsible for virtually all of the positive movement on environmental environmental issues in the legislature.

The average score for Democrats in the House was 89 percent, while the House Republicans scored an average of 31 percent. The split on the Senate side was even more pronounced. There the Democrats averaged 95 percent, while the Republicans got an average score of 11 percent.

You can check the score card for votes on specific issues.

There were 32 state representatives and 11 state senators who received a score of 100% in the latest Scorecard. Of those 43 officials, freshmen lawmakers like Reps. Dan Scripps (D-Northport) [who sponsored legislation to ban lindane and to protect groundwater], Lisa Brown (D-West Bloomfield), Sarah Roberts (D-St. Clair Shores) [who sponsored legislation that would capture increased fees from landfills to boost recycling programs and fund natural resource protection] and Sens. Glenn Anderson (DWestland) and Tupac Hunter (D-Detroit) led the way.

On the other end of the spectrum, three state representatives scored a sad 0%: Representatives Justin Amash (R-Kentwood), Bob Genetski (R-Saugatuck), and Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills). On the Senate side, nine officials scored a 0%, including Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) and Assistant Majority Leader Michelle McManus (R-Lake Leelanau).

LCV says that this year’s scorecard shows that inaction in the Senate was common theme of the legislative session. Most of the time devoted to conservation issues in the Senate was spent working to dismantle environmental regulations and lower the state environmental standards.

Senate, Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) and Health Policy Committee Chairman Senator Tom George (R-Kalamazoo) — another gubernatorial candidate — prevented action on House bills to protect citizens from toxic substances like mercury, arsenic and lindane.

LCV warns that state funding for environmental protection and conservation has declined 72 percent since 2002 and many programs are now funded thorough fees paid by polluters and developers who are lobbying to weaken regulations.