FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Michigan Sierra Club
January 10, 2013
Sierra Club Releases Scorecard for Michigan Legislators in 2011-2012 Session
Members of both the House and Senate get a failing grade for their votes against the environment
LANSING - The Sierra Club Michigan Chapter today released its 2011-2012 Legislative Scorecard, which tracks legislators environmental voting records for the House of Representatives and the Senate. Both chambers scored a failing grade, with the House receiving a 46% and the Senate with a 40%. While the scorecard generally showed that Democrats voted to maintain or strengthen environmental protections, more disturbingly it showed Republicans generally voted to weaken or eliminate environmental protections.
“2011-2012 was by far the most anti-environmental legislature we’ve had in Michigan for decades. It’s extremely frustrating that the environment has become a partisan political issue,” said Mike Berkowitz, the Michigan Legislative Director for the Sierra Club. “Environmental protections are a no-brainer for all Michigan residents. Our members find it hard to believe that so many of our lawmakers are voting against Clean Air, Clean Water, and Public Health. We hope that incoming lawmakers will see our scorecard and be motivated to get rid of this anti-environment attitude in the 2013-2014 legislative session.”
The Sierra Club’s scorecard calculated the results based upon 24 roll call votes in the House and Senate for the 2011-2012 legislative session. According to the Scorecard, House Democrats scored an average of 83 percent, while House Republicans scored an average of 24 percent. Senate Democrats scored an average of 96 percent, while Senate Republicans scored an average of 24 percent. Nine lawmakers scored a perfect 100 percent. A full list of “Environmental Champions” (91-100 percent), “Environmental Stewards” (78-90 percent), and “Pollution Promoters” (zero-25 percent) is included at the end of this release. Every GOP lawmaker scored a failing grade, with Roy Schmidt and Holly Hughes scoring the highest.
The full scorecard is available here.
“Why does our legislature have the wrong priorities when it comes to protecting Michigan’s environment?” asked James D’Amour, the Michigan Sierra Club’s Vice Political Chair who was once an active member of the Republican Party. “Clean air and clean water should not be partisan issues. We used to be leaders in making conservation a top priority, but not anymore. The new direction of the GOP is disappointing and disheartening for Republicans like me who care about the environment.”
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The Sierra Club is the nation’s largest grassroots environmental organization, with over 170,000 members and supporters in Michigan.
MICHIGAN SENATE
2011-2012 Environmental Champions (91-100% score)
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D
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D
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D
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D
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2011-2012 Environmental Stewards (78-90% score)
None
2011-2012 Pollution Promoters (25% and below)
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R
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R
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MICHIGAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2011-2012 Environmental Champions (91-100% score)
District
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Name
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Party
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5
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John Olumba
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D
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9
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Shanelle Jackson
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D
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12
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Rashida Tlaib
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D
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21
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Dian Slavens
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D
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25
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Jon M. Switalski
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D
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26
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Jim Townsend
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D
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27
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Ellen Cogen Lipton
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D
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29
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Tim Greimel
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D
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35
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Rudy Hobbs
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D
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39
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Lisa Brown
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D
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53
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Jeff Irwin
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D
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54
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David Rutledge
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D
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75
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Brandon Dillon
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D
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92
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Marcia Hovey-Wright
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D
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2011-2012 Environmental Stewards (78-90% score)
District
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Name
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Party
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1
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Timothy Bledsoe
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D
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2
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Lisa Howze
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D
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3
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Alberta Tinsley Talabi
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D
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6
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Frederick C. Durhal Jr.
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D
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7
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James Womack
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D
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8
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Thomas Stallworth III
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D
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10
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Harvey Santana
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D
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11
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David E. Nathan
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D
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13
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Andrew J. Kandrevas
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D
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15
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George T. Darany
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D
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17
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Phil Cavanagh
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D
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22
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Douglas A. Geiss
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D
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34
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Woodrow Stanley
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D
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37
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Vicki Barnett
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D
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48
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Richard E. Hammel
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D
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49
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Jim Ananich
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D
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50
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Charles Smiley
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D
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60
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Sean McCann
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D
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62
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Kate Segal
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D
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67
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Barb Byrum
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D
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68
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Joan Bauer
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D
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69
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Mark S. Meadows
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D
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2011-2012 Pollution Promoters (25% and below)
District
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Name
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Party
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19
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John J. Walsh
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R
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20
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Kurt Heise
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R
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23
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Pat Somerville
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R
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24
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Anthony G. Forlini
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R
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30
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Jeff Farrington
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R
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32
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Andrea LaFontaine
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R
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33
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Ken Goike
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R
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36
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Peter J. Lund
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R
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38
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Hugh D. Crawford
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R
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40
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Charles Moss
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R
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41
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Martin Knollenberg
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R
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43
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Gail Haines
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R
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44
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Eileen Kowall
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R
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45
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Tom McMillin
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R
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46
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Bradford C. Jacobsen
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R
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47
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Cynthia S. Denby
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R
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52
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Mark Ouimet
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R
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55
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Rick Olson
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R
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56
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Dale W. Zorn
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R
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57
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Nancy E. Jenkins
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R
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58
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Kenneth Kurtz
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R
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59
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Matthew J. Lori
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R
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61
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Margaret E. O'Brien
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R
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63
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Jase Bolger
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R
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64
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Earl Poleski
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R
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65
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Michael Shirkey
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R
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66
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William Rogers
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R
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70
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Rick Outman
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R
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71
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Deb Lynn Shaughnessy
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R
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72
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Ken Yonker
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R
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73
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Peter MacGregor
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R
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74
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David Agema
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R
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77
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Thomas B. Hooker
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R
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78
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Sharon Tyler
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R
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79
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Al Pscholka
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R
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80
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Aric Nesbitt
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R
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81
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Judson S. Gilbert II
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R
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82
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Kevin Daley
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R
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83
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Paul Muxlow
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R
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84
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Kurt Damrow
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R
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85
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Ben Glardon
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R
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86
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Lisa Posthumus Lyons
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R
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87
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Mike Callton
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R
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88
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Robert J. Genetski II
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R
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89
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Amanda Price
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R
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90
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Joseph Haveman
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R
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93
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Paul E. Opsommer
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R
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94
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Kenneth B. Horn
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R
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97
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Joel Johnson
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R
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98
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Jim Stamas
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R
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99
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Kevin Cotter
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R
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100
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Jon Bumstead
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R
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101
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Ray A. Franz
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R
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102
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Phil Potvin
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R
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103
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Bruce R. Rendon
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R
|
104
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Wayne A. Schmidt
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R
|
105
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Greg MacMaster
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R
|
106
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Peter Pettalia
|
R
|
107
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Frank Foster
|
R
|
108
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Ed McBroom
|
R
|
110
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Matt Huuki
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R
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Webinars held Tues., Jan 29, and Thurs., Jan 31, from 7-8 pm
If you'd like to learn more, we're offering two free introductory
webinars conducted by Goldman Environmental Prize winner Lynn Henning, pictured left with a friend. Webinars will be held from 7-8 pm on Tuesday, Jan 29, and Thursday, Jan 31.