FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 28, 2013
CONTACT: Dan Crawford, Director of Governmental Relations, NC League of Conservation Voters; dan@nclcv.org, 919-839-0020 or 919-539-1422
RALEIGH, N.C. – In anticipation of the NC General Assembly’s return on January 30, an analysis of the 2012 Conservation Legislative Scorecard reveals a disturbing trend in regard to the new leadership and the environment. The scorecard published by NC League of Conservation Voters gives each state legislator a score of 0 to 100 based on his or her votes on key environmental bills during each legislative session.
The newly appointed leaders of House committees affecting the environment earned an average of 28% in the 2011-12 session, well below the overall House average of 42%, itself down from 67% in the 2009-10 session. Key roles in the House include the Environment Committee, the Transportation Committee, the Public Utilities Committee, the Regulatory Reform Committee, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources, and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.
More disturbing than the House scores, the newly appointed leaders of the Senate committees earned on average an 8%. The overall Senate average was a mere 31% during the 2011-12 session, compared to 69% in 2009-10. Key roles affecting the environment in the Senate include the Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources Committee, the Transportation Committee, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources, and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.
In light of these alarming numbers, Dan Crawford, director of governmental relations for NCLCV, said, “We will continue to hold all legislators accountable for making sound environmental decisions while improving the economy. Citizens need to know how their elected officials are voting on bills that will ultimately impact their air, water, and communities.”
According to a recent poll commissioned by the N.C. Coastal Federation, over 70% of all voters support balancing economic development with environmental protection. NCLCV encourages the NC General Assembly to consider this as the 2013-14 Legislative Session begins.
For real-time information on environmental legislation and previous Conservation Scorecards, please visit NCLCV’s website.
North Carolina League of Conservation Voters is a pragmatic, nonpartisan, advocacy organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina‚s natural environment. For over 40 years, NCLCV has been turning environmental values into North Carolina priorities by helping to elect pro-conservation candidates and holding them accountable for their decisions that affect the environment.
