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January 15, 2013

Join the Pooparazzi! Sierra Club Offers Free CAFO Water Monitoring Webinars

Webinars held Tues., Jan 29, and Thurs., Jan 31, from 7-8 pm

One of the most important weapons we have in the fight against polluting animal factories, also known as CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), is the evidence our volunteers gather in waterways near these facilities.

Concerned citizens who want to make a difference have helped us collect vital data on the levels of pathogens and bacteria that end up in rivers and streams when manure and waste runs off from farm fields, leaks from storage lagoons or is intentionally dumped. They also check for dissolved oxygen levels, which are lowered by excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, that contribute to fish kills.

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. 

To sign up email cecilia.garcia@sierraclub.org and specify the webinar date in the subject line. We will send call-in details the week before the webinar.

Questions? Contact cecilia.garcia@sierraclub.org or lynn.henning@sierraclub.org.

January 10, 2013

Sierra Club Releases Scorecard for Michigan Legislators in 2011-2012 Session

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Michigan Sierra Club

January 10, 2013


Contact: Mike Berkowitz, 248-345-9808mike.berkowitz@sierraclub.org

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)



2011-2012 Environmental Stewards (78-90% score)

None


2011-2012 Pollution Promoters (25% and below)




MICHIGAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


2011-2012 Environmental Champions (91-100% score)

District
Name
Party
5
John Olumba
D
9
Shanelle Jackson
D
12
Rashida Tlaib
D
21
Dian Slavens
D
25
Jon M. Switalski
D
26
Jim Townsend
D
27
Ellen Cogen Lipton
D
29
Tim Greimel
D
35
Rudy Hobbs
D
39
Lisa Brown
D
53
Jeff Irwin
D
54
David Rutledge
D
75
Brandon Dillon
D
92
Marcia Hovey-Wright
D



2011-2012 Environmental Stewards (78-90% score)

District
Name
Party
1
Timothy Bledsoe
D
2
Lisa Howze
D
3
Alberta Tinsley Talabi
D
6
Frederick C. Durhal Jr.
D
7
James Womack
D
8
Thomas Stallworth III
D
10
Harvey Santana
D
11
David E. Nathan
D
13
Andrew J. Kandrevas
D
15
George T. Darany
D
17
Phil Cavanagh
D
22
Douglas A. Geiss
D
34
Woodrow Stanley
D
37
Vicki Barnett
D
48
Richard E. Hammel
D
49
Jim Ananich
D
50
Charles Smiley
D
60
Sean McCann
D
62
Kate Segal
D
67
Barb Byrum
D
68
Joan Bauer
D
69
Mark S. Meadows
D



2011-2012 Pollution Promoters (25% and below)

District
Name
Party
19
John J. Walsh
R
20
Kurt Heise
R
23
Pat Somerville
R
24
Anthony G. Forlini
R
30
Jeff Farrington
R
32
Andrea LaFontaine
R
33
Ken Goike
R
36
Peter J. Lund
R
38
Hugh D. Crawford
R
40
Charles Moss
R
41
Martin Knollenberg
R
43
Gail Haines
R
44
Eileen Kowall
R
45
Tom McMillin
R
46
Bradford C. Jacobsen
R
47
Cynthia S. Denby
R
52
Mark Ouimet
R
55
Rick Olson
R
56
Dale W. Zorn
R
57
Nancy E. Jenkins
R
58
Kenneth Kurtz
R
59
Matthew J. Lori
R
61
Margaret E. O'Brien
R
63
Jase Bolger
R
64
Earl Poleski
R
65
Michael Shirkey
R
66
William Rogers
R
70
Rick Outman
R
71
Deb Lynn Shaughnessy
R
72
Ken Yonker
R
73
Peter MacGregor
R
74
David Agema
R
77
Thomas B. Hooker
R
78
Sharon Tyler
R
79
Al Pscholka
R
80
Aric Nesbitt
R
81
Judson S. Gilbert II
R
82
Kevin Daley
R
83
Paul Muxlow
R
84
Kurt Damrow
R
85
Ben Glardon
R
86
Lisa Posthumus Lyons
R
87
Mike Callton
R
88
Robert J. Genetski II
R
89
Amanda Price
R
90
Joseph Haveman
R
93
Paul E. Opsommer
R
94
Kenneth B. Horn
R
97
Joel Johnson
R
98
Jim Stamas
R
99
Kevin Cotter
R
100
Jon Bumstead
R
101
Ray A. Franz
R
102
Phil Potvin
R
103
Bruce R. Rendon
R
104
Wayne A. Schmidt
R
105
Greg MacMaster
R
106
Peter Pettalia
R
107
Frank Foster
R
108
Ed McBroom
R
110
Matt Huuki
R