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Michigan Representatives and Senators Ranked on Environmental Votes

Posted: February 22nd, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |

The League of Conservation Voters–a nationwide environmental group that works to “advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates”–has released its annual environmental scorecard ranking members of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate on key environmental votes. Overall, 2007 was a year of progress on the environment according to the League of Conservation Voters. The League’s president, Gene Karpinski said 2007, “marked a turning point for the environment, and proved that electing pro-environment candidates is a critical first step toward enacting sound environmental policies that will protect our planet and our future. ”

According to the League’s scorecard, legislators representing West Michigan–Representative Vern Ehlers and Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow–had a average rating of 68%. Overall, the average rating for a Michigan legislator was around 47%. The average was brought down by Representatives Dave Camp, Pete Hoekstra, Michael Rogers, and Tim Walberg who all received ratings between 0% and 5%. Of course, it is important to remember that while the 68% average ranking enjoyed by West Michigan’s representatives might look good in comparison to the aforementioned legislators or the average rating, it does mean that West Michigan’s legislators voted in defense of the environment less than 70% of the time.

In order to allow for more detailed review of their records, the candidates voting records are reprinted below:

Vern Ehlers

Name of Legislation Voted Score
Passed CAFE & Clean Energy 12/06/2007 N
Passed Hard Rock Mining Reform 11/01/2007 Y
Failed Weakening Hard Rock Mining Reform 11/01/2007 Y
Passed Clean Energy 08/04/2007 Y
Agreed To Renewable Electricity Standard 08/04/2007 Y
Failed Grasslands Protection 07/27/2007 Y
Failed Farm Bill – Subsidy Reform 07/26/2007 Y
Passed Environmental Funding 06/27/2007 N
Agreed To Oil Shale 06/27/2007 Y
Agreed To Tongass Logging Roads 06/27/2007 Y
Failed Mexican Wolf Recovery 06/27/2007 N
Agreed To Clean Air 06/27/2007 Y
Failed Reducing Global Warming 06/27/2007 N
Failed Offshore Drilling 06/27/2007 N
Failed Population 06/21/2007 Y
Failed Electric Transmission Corridors 06/20/2007 N
Failed Global Warming and National Security 05/11/2007 N
Passed Clean Water 03/09/2007 Y
Failed Liquid Coal 02/08/2007 Y
Passed Oil Subsides Repeal 01/18/2007 Y
Votes Legend

Carl Levin

Name of Legislation Voted Score
Rejected Eminent Domain 12/13/2007 N
Rejected Oil Subsidies Repeal – Cloture 12/13/2007 Y
Rejected Farm Bill – Subsidy Caps 12/13/2007 Y
Rejected Farm Bill – Subsidy Reform 12/11/2007 N
Rejected CAFE & Clean Energy – Cloture 12/07/2007 Y
Rejected Population 09/06/2007 N
Passed CAFE & Energy Efficiency – Passage 06/21/2007 N
Agreed To CAFE & Energy Efficiency – Cloture 06/21/2007 N
Agreed To Biofuels 06/20/2007 Y
Rejected Liquid Coal 06/19/2007 N
Rejected Virginia Offshore Drilling 06/18/2007 ?
Agreed To Undermining Renewable Electricity 06/18/2007 Y
Rejected Oil Refineries 06/18/2007 N
Rejected Water Resources – Global Warming 05/15/2007 Y
Rejected Water Resources – Project Prioritization 05/15/2007 N
Votes Legend

Debbie Stabenow

Name of Legislation Voted Score
Rejected Eminent Domain 12/13/2007 N
Rejected Oil Subsidies Repeal – Cloture 12/13/2007 Y
Rejected Farm Bill – Subsidy Caps 12/13/2007 N
Rejected Farm Bill – Subsidy Reform 12/11/2007 N
Rejected CAFE & Clean Energy – Cloture 12/07/2007 Y
Rejected Population 09/06/2007 N
Passed CAFE & Energy Efficiency – Passage 06/21/2007 N
Agreed To CAFE & Energy Efficiency – Cloture 06/21/2007 N
Agreed To Biofuels 06/20/2007 Y
Rejected Liquid Coal 06/19/2007 N
Rejected Virginia Offshore Drilling 06/18/2007 N
Agreed To Undermining Renewable Electricity 06/18/2007 Y
Rejected Oil Refineries 06/18/2007 N
Rejected Water Resources – Global Warming 05/15/2007 Y
Rejected Water Resources – Project Prioritization 05/15/2007 N
Votes Legend
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  2. Levin, Stabenow, and Ehlers Ranked on Environmental Votes
  3. Environmental Scorecard Ranks Michigan Government and Concludes the Environment is a “Second Tier” Issue for the Government
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