HARTFORD, CT -
You might think your Connecticut legislators vote pro-environment, but you
can't be sure if you don't know the score.
In its just-released 2008 Environmental Scorecard,
the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters graded Connecticut lawmakers on their
environmental voting records. 
The League graded lawmakers according to
their votes on 15 different bills related to the environment, including bills on
global warming, open space, bottle recycling, toxic chemicals in consumer
products, rivers and water quality, among others. Legislators' scores ranged from a low of 25%
to a high of 100%, with 37 of Connecticut's legislators earning a perfect
score.
"If
you're a voter and you care about the environment, the Scorecard is a great
tool to help you see if the people who represent you at the Capitol are in sync
with your pro-environment philosophy, or off the mark," said Lori Brown, the
League's Executive Director.
League
Highlights Environmental Champions
The 2008 Environmental Scorecard highlights Connecticut's environmental
champions in the legislature. The League
bestowed that honor on eleven lawmakers this year for their persistent efforts
to protect the environment. For that,
the League commends Senator Don Williams (D-Brooklyn), Senate President;
Senator John McKinney (R-Southport), Senate Minority Leader; Senator Ed Meyer
(D-Guilford), Senate Chair, Environment Committee; Senator Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen);
Representative Denise Merrill (D-Mansfield), House Chair, Appropriations
Committee; Representative Roberta Willis (D-Lakeville); Representative Patricia
Widlitz (D-Guilford); Representative Livvy Floren (R-Greenwich); Representative
Bryan Hurlburt (D-Tolland); Senator Andrew Maynard (D-Stonington); and
Representative Jack Hennessey (D-Bridgeport).
Scores
of Both Houses Up Since Last Year
The
State Senate brought its grades up considerably this year, with its average
score coming in at 88%, up from 70% in 2007.
The State House of Representatives brought its average scores up almost
as much, to 83% from 71% in 2007.
To calculate the scores, the League assigned
one point for pro-environment votes, no points for anti-environment votes, and
a half point for absences. Legislators'
votes on bills at the committee level, as well as at the House and Senate
levels, figured into their overall scores.
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Lawmakers Still Getting Low Marks
In contrast to Connecticut's A-team of high-scoring, pro-environment legislators,
the state still has a sizeable contingent of legislators who, if this were
school, would be flunking out. Sixteen
legislators earned failing scores of 25% to 59% on their environmental records,
the equivalent of an F. Another 15
legislators earned the equivalent of a D, with scores of 60% to 69%.
"The
public's getting more and more savvy about environmental issues like energy,
global warming, recycling, sprawl, and water quality. People from every part of Connecticut get
it. And they're increasingly alarmed and
annoyed that our government is nowhere near where it needs to be on protecting the
environment," said Brown. "We know the environment counts for a lot among
Connecticut voters. We really hope the Environmental Scorecard will help them make informed decisions come election
time, and hold lawmakers accountable."
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Connecticut's TOP SCORERS for 2008
SENATE
DEMOCRATS Score Votes
Andrea Stillman
(D-Waterford) 100% 8
Eric Coleman
(D-Bloomfield) 100% 7
Mary Ann Handley
(D-Manchester) 100% 6
Donald Williams (D-Brooklyn) 100% 4
Joseph Crisco
(D-Woodbridge) 100% 4
Martin Looney
(D-New Haven) 100% 4
Edward Meyer (D-Guilford) 96% 23
SENATE
REPUBLICANS Score Votes
Andrew Roraback
(R-Goshen) 100% 8
Anthony Guglielmo
(R-Old Saybrook) 100% 8
John Kissel
(R-Enfield) 100% 6
Robert Russo (R-
Bridgeport) 100% 5
David Cappiello
(R-Danbury) 88% 13
HOUSE
DEMOCRATS Score Votes
Jack Hennessy
(D-Bridgeport) 100% 24
Bryan Hurlburt
(D-Tolland) 100% 23
Emil Altobello
(D-Meriden) 100% 12
Thomas Kehoe
(D-S.Glastonbury) 100% 12
David McCluskey
(D-West Hartford) 100% 12
HOUSE
REPUBLICANS Score Votes
William Aman
(R-South Windsor) 92% 11
John Frey
(R-Ridgefield) 90% 9
Janice Giegler
(R-Danbury) 90% 9
Claudia Powers
(R-Riverside) 90% 9
Livvy Floren
(R-Greenwich) 89% 10
Ten LOWEST SCORERS for 2008
Score Votes
John Piscopo
(R-Thomaston) 25% 23
Ruth Fahrbach
(R-Windsor) 33% 24
Leonard Greene
(R-Beacon Falls) 33% 12
Craig Miner
(R-Litchfield) 43% 24
Richard Ferrari
(R-East Granby) 48% 19
Selim Noujaim
(R-Waterbury) 50% 23
Edward Moukawsher
(D-Groton) 50% 10
Clark Chapin
(R-New Milford) 53% 29
Jason Perillo
(R-Shelton) 55% 30
Shawn Johnston (D-N Grosvenordale) 56% 10
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