SIERRA CLUB OF ARKANSASRELEASES LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD

More House, Senate Members Vote “Green” During 2007 Session

The Sierra Club of Arkansas today released its Legislative Scorecard on votes cast by members of the recently-concluded 86th General Assembly, and hailed Representative Lindsley Smith and Senator Jim Argue for attaining the highest environmental scores in their chambers.

“During the 2007 session, our elected officials considered numerous bills that had positive and negative environmental impacts,” said Stephen Smith, Chair of the Arkansas Sierra Club’s Legislative Committee.  “The Sierra Club identified those bills, educated members about them, and worked to make environmental protection a priority in The Natural State.”

“The Sierra Club commends Senator Jim Argue and Representative Lindsley Smith for earning the Sierra Club’s highest rating in their respective chambers,” said Glen Hooks, Associate Regional Representative for the Sierra Club.  “Argue and Smith are outstanding examples of elected officials who routinely cast responsible, informed environmental votes.  The Sierra Club is grateful for their service.”

House members ultimately had an opportunity to vote on 13 of the Sierra Club’s identified bills while Senators were able to vote on 9 of those bills.  The “best” and “worst” environmental members for each chamber are as follows:

HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL BEST                                               HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL WORST

Rep. Lindsley Smith (D-Fayetteville), 13/13                           Rep. Daryl Pace (R-Siloam Springs) 1/13

Rep. Johnnie Roebuck (D-Arkadelphia) 12/13                       Rep. Mike Kenney (R-Siloam Springs) 1/13

Rep. Kathy Webb (D-Little Rock), 11/13                                Rep. Roy Ragland (R-Marshall) 4/13

Rep. Gene Shelby (D-Hot Springs) 11/13                              Rep. Robert Jeffrey (D-Camden) 4/13

Rep. David “Bubba” Powers (D-Hope) 11/13                         Rep. Nathan George (D-Dardanelle) 4/13

Rep. Will Bond (D-Jacksonville) 10/13                                   Rep. John Paul Wells (D-Paris) 4/13

Rep. Sharon Dobbins (D-North Little Rock) 10/13                  Rep. Jim Medley (R-Fort Smith) 4/13

Rep. Jim House (D-Fayetteville) 10/13                                   Rep. Horace Hardwick (R-Bentonville) 4/13)

Rep. David Johnson (D-Little Rock) 10/13                              Rep. Frank Glidewell (R-Fort Smith) 4/13

Rep. Janet Johnson (D-Bryant) 10/13

Rep. Bobby Pierce (D-Sheridan) 10/13

SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL BEST                                         SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL WORST

Sen. Jim Argue (D-Little Rock) 6/9                                               Sen. Bill Pritchard (R-Elkins) 2/9

Sen. Ed Wilkinson (D-Greenwood) 5/9                                         Sen. Shawn Womack (R-Mt. Home) 3/9

Sen. Terry Smith (D-Hot Springs) 5/9                                           Sen. Hank Wilkins (D-Pine Bluff) 3/9

Sen. Paul Miller (D-Melbourne) 5/9                                              Sen. Ruth Whitaker (R-Cedarville) 3/9

Sen. Percy Malone (D-Arkadelphia) 5/9                                       Sen. Jim Hill (D-Nashville) 3/9

Sen. Sue Madison (D-Fayetteville) 5/9                                         Sen. Kim Hendren (R-Gravette) 3/9

Sen. Jimmy Jeffress (D-Crossett) 5/9                                           Sen. Dave Bisbee (R-Rogers) 3/9

Sen. Irma Hunter Brown (D-Little Rock) 5/9

Sen. Gilbert Baker (R-Conway) 5/9

The Sierra Club applauds the following pro-environment bills from the 2007 legislative session that are now law:

*House Bill 2334 by Rep. Lindsley Smith and Senator Shane Broadway, amending and improving Arkansans’ access and usage of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal;

*House Bill 2460 by Rep. Kathy Webb, forming a Governor’s Commission on Global Warming to study carbon emissions in Arkansas and recommend ways to reduce them;

*House Bill 1070 by Rep. Gregg Reep, ensuring compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act;

*Senate Bill 237 by Sen. Robert Thompson, establishing goals and standards for alternative fuels;

Smith concluded by saying that, “The Sierra Club applauds the legislators, both Democratic and Republican, who consistently voted in an environmentally responsible manner.  It is our hope that Arkansans will use this legislative scorecard as a tool to recognize which legislators are voting to protect The Natural State and which legislators are not.” 

A complete list of environmental bills supported by (14) and opposed by (6) the Sierra Club is attached, along with complete Sierra Club legislative scorecards for both the House and the Senate.

SIERRA CLUB-SUPPORTED BILLS (14)

HB2460, creating a Governor’s Commission on Global Warming.  Passed House 83-4, passed Senate 32-3

HB2334, amending and improving Arkansas’s “net metering” law.  Passed House 83-2, passed Senate 34-0

HB1070 ,ensuring compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.  Passed House 52-36, passed Senate 20-1

HB1671, creating a system of wetlands mitigation banks.  Passed House 81-7, passed Senate 18-5

SB237, establishing goals and standards for alternative fuels production (similar to HB2722).  Passed senate 35-0. House 86-6

HB2722 goals for biofuel production passed House 68-21, rendered moot by successful passage of SB237)

HB2709, requesting interim study of Fayetteville Shale drilling effects (successfully referred)

HCR1040  requesting interim study of Fayetteville Shale drilling effects (see HB2709)

HB1465, mandating that landfills recycle Styrofoam.  Passed House 58-23, died in Senate committee

HB1514, banning mercury-laden lightbulbs from landfills.  Passed House 94-0, died in Senate committee

HB2746, providing notice and remedies for damage to surface land owners (died in House Ag Committee)

HB2771, creating a beverage container recycling program (failed in House Rules commitee)

HB2291, providing tax credits to landfill owners as incentive to capture/use methane. Died in House committee

HB2737, providing a 30% tax credit for research & development to lower chicken litter phosphorus.  Died in House committee

SIERRA CLUB-OPPOSED BILLS (6)

HB2305, less effective alternative to Sierra Club-supported HB1514.  Passed House 67-14, passed Senate 33-2

HB1367, limiting public input/public approval for certain building projects.  Passed House 70-20, passed Senate  33-1

SB948, mandating user fees to dispose of electronics in landfills.  Passed Senate 29-0, passed House 90-2

HB2339, authorizing up to $300 million in bonding authority for Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. Passed House 67-26, passed Senate 35-0 

HB2653, banned anonymous complaints to ADEQ.   Passed House 62-28, died in Senate committee.

HB2698, allowing for mitigation of fines for environmental self-disclosure.  Died in House committee