Conservation scores up for GOP
By MIKE SACCONE
The Daily Sentinel – Link to story
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The Western Slope’s conservative state lawmakers underwent something of a conservation conversion this year at the state Capitol.
According to Colorado Conservation Voters’ annual conservation scorecard, most Western Slope Republicans improved their record on air, water and land protection issues between the 2007 and 2008 legislative sessions.
Carrie Doyle, executive director of Colorado Conservation Voters, said she was pleased to see the trend among the region’s Republican-elected representatives.
“Elected officials are passing conservation policies that make a difference for Coloradans, and that’s a trend that deserves celebration,” Doyle said. “The Western Slope delegation has a long tradition of focusing on pragmatic solutions to protect the places we live, and this year’s scorecard shows that tradition continues.”
Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, said his score likely resulted from his efforts to work together with the environmental community where their interests overlap: promoting renewable energy and responsible energy development.
Penry, whose score jumped from 60 percent to 90 percent this year, cited his work to create stricter rules for commercial wastewater pits as one example of his and the conservation crowd’s mutual interests.
Only Reps. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, and Ray Rose, R-Montrose, failed to improve their records on conservation, according to the scorecard.
The region’s Democratic lawmakers largely maintained their high conservation ratings.
Doyle said drops in conservation scores for two of the region’s most prominent Democrats, Grand Junction Rep. Bernie Buescher and Gunnison Rep. Kathleen Curry, were noteworthy but not an indication of their careers in the state House.
“We didn’t agree on every single bill this year,” Doyle said, “but Reps. Buescher and Curry have consistently voted to protect our natural resources with lifetime conservation voting records in the 90s.”
WHAT’S THE SCORE?
Scores given to Western Slope lawmakers on Colorado Conservation Voters’ annual conservation scorecard.
Lawmaker 2008 2007
Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction: 92 100
Rep. Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison: 83 100
Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne: 100 100
Sen. Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus: 100 100
Rep. Steve King, R-Grand Junction: 50 50
Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction: 90 60
Rep. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango: 83 80
Rep. Ray Rose, R-Montrose: 45 50
Rep. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon: 100 *
Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village : 100 100
Sen. Jack Taylor, R-Steamboat Springs: 70 60
Rep. Al White, R-Hayden: 91 70
*Scanlan appointed to fill vacant House seat