NEWS RELEASE
754 Williamson St, Madison, WI 53703
(608) 256-0565 http://wisconsin.sierraclub.org
Contact: Bill Davis, Chapter Director, (608) 256-0565
Dave Blouin, Political Chair (608) 220-4040
Sierra Club Releases 2015-16 Legislative Scorecard
Madison: The John Muir Chapter of the Sierra Club today released its 2015-16 Scorecard of environmental votes taken by the Wisconsin Legislature. The Sierra Club also announced the list of 2016 Environmental Champions who voted 100% pro-environment in the latest legislative session.
“The Sierra Club is proud of the champions who consistently cast votes to protect Wisconsin’s environment, despite strong pressure in some cases to do otherwise," said Bill Davis, Chapter Director. "These legislators have shown clear commitments to maintaining clean air, clean water and the unique places that make Wisconsin special. We are confident that they will fight to protect Wisconsin’s environment, for our families and for our future.”
The 2015-16 Sierra Club Legislative Scorecard can be found here. The Scorecard focuses on bills related to the John Muir Chapter’s priority issues of reducing climate change and protecting land and water resources in Wisconsin. The Sierra Club legislative scorecard is used along with other factors to make endorsement decisions for incumbent candidates.
“The scorecard shows that single party control and the deep partisan divide in Wisconsin resulted in continued attacks on natural resources last session. The worst defeats included provisions in the biennial budget which reduce groundwater protection and force the sale of 10,000 acres of public land. On the bright side, grassroots activism was able to successfully fend off some of the proposals to undermine local control in sand mining and hamper the DNR’s ability to regulate high capacity wells” said Davis.
"Influencing legislation is all about paying attention to the details," said Caryl Terrell, Legislative Committee Chair. "Good ideas can morph to bad bills with a brief amendment. Our members use our action alerts and this Scorecard to judge who really fought for the environment. Let your representative know if you're pleased or disappointed with their voting records. Then, don't forget to vote in the primary election on August 9 and in the general election November 8, 2016."
Forty-three state lawmakers scored a perfect 100% on the scorecard and have been named “2016 Environmental Champions” for their demonstrated commitment to preserving Wisconsin’s environment. The names of the Environmental Champions are listed in bold below. The scorecard also shows us which lawmakers consistently protect the interests of polluters, with many legislators scoring zero.
“Supporting strong environmental leaders who will work hard for Wisconsin’s environment is a priority for the Club. The 2016 Environmental Champions deserve recognition for their steadfast votes that contribute to a cleaner environment and a healthier future for Wisconsin,” concluded Dave Blouin, Political Committee Chair.
The Sierra Club congratulates the 2016 Environmental Champions:
Senate: Tim Carpenter, Jon Erpenbach, Nikiya Harris-Dodd, Chris Larson, Mark Miller, Fred Risser, Lena Taylor, Kathleen Vinehout, and Robert Wirch.
Assembly: Peter Barca, Mandela Barnes, Terese Berceau, Jill Billings, David Bowen, Jonathan Brostoff, Dave Considine, Chris Danou, Steve Doyle, Evan Goyke, Gary Hebl, Dianne Hesselbein, Gordon Hintz, LaTonya Johnson, Andy Jorgensen, Fred Kessler, Debra Kolste, Cory Mason, Nick Milroy, Tod Ohnstad, Sondy Pope, Daniel Riemer, Katrina Shankland, Christine Sinicki, Mark Spreitzer, Lisa Subeck, Chris Taylor, Dana Wachs, Leon Young, and Jocasta Zamarripa.
###
Founded in 1892 by John Muir, the Sierra Club is America’s oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. The Sierra Club’s mission is to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth. The Sierra Club – John Muir Chapter is made up of 15,000 members and supporters from throughout Wisconsin working to promote clean energy and protect land and water resources.