Conservation group rates lawmakers

AUGUSTA – Fifteen state representatives racked up perfect scores, going seven for seven, while 14 other House members were given zero ratings by the Maine League of Conservation Voters for their votes on the same seven bills.

League Executive Director Eliza Townsend said Tuesday that a number of lawmakers, in the advocacy group’s view, improved on past records and suggested that major environmental gains outnumbered big disappointments at the Legislature this year.

“I think people have heard feedback from their constituents, who want clean air and clean water,” Townsend said.

Compiling its annual scorecard, the conservation league tracked voting on bills concerning federal lands, land use regulation, lead paint, efficiency standards for appliances, water quality standards, departmental rulemaking and the mission of the Department of Environmental Protection, as well as the $83 million bond package that will be voted on statewide in November.

The conservation league credited four senators with voting “pro-environment” on all seven bills tracked in that chamber and said no senator voted against the league’s position across the board.

Among the senators siding with the league consistently was Democrat Arthur Mayo of Bath, who was said to have put up “the most improved voting record.”

Others cited for “improving” voting records were Reps. Darlene Curley, R-Scarborough, Jeff Kaelin, R-Winterport, Jacqueline Lundeen, D-Mars Hill, and Lisa Marrache, D-Waterville.

In addition to passage of the bond package, which includes $10 million for land conservation and $8.1 million for agricultural and environmental projects, the conservation league listed legislation promoting cleaner cars as another of several environmental gains.

Categorized as a disappointment was a decision to ease environmental standards on the Androscoggin and St. Croix rivers.

Debate in the Legislature over environmental and economic development issues frequently involves the conservation league, which bills itself as independent and nonpartisan.

The league has issued legislative scorecards for two decades. This year, it said, 60 legislators – close to one-third – cast no more than one “pro-environment” vote on the bills that were tracked.

Prominent proponents of land conservation funding maintain that the $10 million proposed in the pending bond package for the Land for Maine’s Future program is only a small step forward and Townsend sounded a similar theme Tuesday.

“We’ll obviously have to come back for more,” she said.

On the Net: Maine League of Conservation Voters: http:///www.mlcv.org