by Alice Martinez
an Diego environmental groups have released the results
of an Environmental Scorecard for the area's congressional delegation. The
results of the scorecard were compiled over the first session of the 104th
Congress by the non-partisan League of Conservation Voters. The Scorecard
tabulated votes on 12 key environmental issues in the U.S. House of Representatives
and 14 in the U.S. Senate.
The scorecard draws a sharp contrast within the San
Diego congressional delegation between defenders of the nation's environmental
protections and those following the Congressional leaderships' agenda to
roll back these protections.
Sen. Barbara Boxer 100% Sen. Diane Feinstein 93% Rep. Bob Filner (CA-50) 100% Rep. Brian Bilbray (CA-49) 31% Rep. Randy Cunningham (CA-51) 8% Rep. Ron Packard (CA-48) 0% Rep. Duncan Hunter (CA-52) 0%
"San Diego's congressional delegation is sharply
split between 'environmental heroes' and 'environmental zeroes'" said
Lori Saldaña, Chairperson of the San Diego Sierra Club. "But
San Diego citizens remain steadfast in their commitment to defending the
high level of environmental quality. We intend to educate San Diego citizens
about the extremely destructive and unprecedented proposals Congressional
leaders are pursuing to roll back laws that protect our air, our water,
our natural resources and our health."
Leaders of San Diego environmental groups, including
San Diego Audubon Society, Surfrider Foundation and the Environmental Health
Coalition detailed the negative impacts proposed anti-environmental measures
would have on water quality, toxics control and cleanup and loss of our
limited remaining wetlands biodiversity.
The Scorecard details how, in 1995, most Members of
Congress voted contrary to public opinion and against people's health and
well-being. Polls have consistently shown that more than two-thirds of Americans
support existing or even tougher, environmental protections. Kevin Johnson,
Chair of the San Diego Chapter of the League of Conservation Voters observed,
"There is strong public support for environmental laws that ensure
clean air and clean water and protect endangered species, yet Congress voted
to weaken these crucial laws." Based on recent surveys, Republican
pollsters have warned the leadership that trying to roll back environmental
laws could cost them dearly at the polls in November (The Washington
Post, 1/24/96).
A total of 111 Representatives and 24 Senators - roughly
25 percent of each body - gave last year's session of Congress the worst
environmental record in the 25 years the League has kept track.
The 1995 ratings shows a record high 135 Members of
the House scored perfect "zero" ratings, with no correct votes
on issues the League tracked. "In our 25 years, the League has never
witnessed such an egregious attack on our environmental laws," said
Deb Callahan, the LCV's president. The report showed the greatest partisan
disparity ever: Senate Democrats averaged 89 percent pro-environment votes,
Senate Republicans only 11 percent. In the House, Democrats averaged 76
percent and Republicans averaged 15 percent.
Over the year, the environment picked up the support
of a core group of moderate Republicans. Led by Representative Sherwood
Boehlert (NY), and including San Diego local Brian Bilbray, a growing group
reaching approximately 60 Republican members began to defy their leadership
in support of a safe and healthy environment.
Bilbray, however, still stands by several anti-environment
votes and tries to defend them. But especially contentious is his continued
defense of his vote for the "Salvage Timber Rider." Passage of
this bill has lead to the logging of healthy old-growth forests at significant
cost to the taxpayer (see Timber Salvage story on page 4). As of this writing
Bilbray has not signed on with bipartizan efforts to repeal the rider, nor
indicated an interest in doing so, saying in part that, "This is part
of the balance which is needed in our environmental strategies." Compared
to Packard and Hunter, Brian may not be a zero, but he's no hero either.
The National Environmental Score-card has been produced
by the League of Conservation Voters since 1970. The Scorecard was developed
by volunteer experts from 27 mainstream environmental conservation groups
and reflects the consensus of the environmental community. The goal of the
Scorecard and the League is to educate the public and to help elect pro-environmental
candidates to Congress and to hold members accountable for their actions
that affect the environment.
Online versions of the Scorecard can be obtained by sending e-mail lcv
igc.apc.org. They are available on the World Wide Web at http://www.ecovote.org/.
