Sierra Club Releases Scorecard: State Lawmakers Get Disappointing Grades for 2015-16 Session

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 6, 2017

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

Sierra Club: State Lawmakers Get Disappointing Grades in 2015-2016 Legislative Session

Latest scorecard shows legislators failed to protect the environment or grow the green economy

LANSING - The Michigan Senate received a failing grade on the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter’s annual Legislative Scorecard, while the Michigan House didn’t fare much better.

The Scorecard, which tracked environmental voting behavior of state House and Senate members during the 2015-16 legislative session, gave the Senate a failing score of 55 percent, while the House narrowly passed with a score of 61 percent.

While the Scorecard generally showed that Democrats voted to maintain or strengthen environmental protections, Republicans often voted to weaken or eliminate environmental protections – actions that could have a devastating effect on Michigan’s economy.

“The 2015-2016 state Legislature was regressive when it comes to environmental protection, rolling back many of the safeguards we’ve had in place for decades. It’s shameful 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 – all of which are vital not only for healthy living but also for a healthy tourism industry, one of the state’s largest economic drivers. We hope that incoming lawmakers will see our scorecard and be motivated to get rid of this anti-environment attitude in the next legislative session.”

The Sierra Club’s Scorecard calculated the results based upon 17 roll call votes in the House and Senate for the 2015-2016 legislative session. According to the Scorecard, House Democrats scored an average of 94 percent, while House Republicans scored an average of 36 percent. Senate Democrats scored an average of 91 percent, while Senate Republicans scored an average of 39 percent. Thirty-three lawmakers scored 100 percent, significantly more than the 2013-14 session when only four lawmakers got a perfect mark.

A full list of “Environmental Champions” (90-100 percent), “Environmental Stewards” (78-89 percent), and “Pollution Promoters” (zero-35 percent) is included at the end of this release.

Sterling Heights state Sen. Tory Rocca (R-10) was the highest scoring Republican with 82 percent, second highest in the GOP was Troy state Rep. Martin Howrylak (R-41) at 71 percent, and third highest was state Sen. Rick Jones (R-24) from Grand Ledge at 59 percent. Representatives Charles Brunner (D-96) and Scott Dianda (D-110) were the lowest scoring House Democrats, receiving a 71 percent. Sen. Virgil Smith (D-4) was the lowest scoring Senate Democrat with a 70 percent (Sen. Ian Conyers got a 50% but it was based on a very small sample size including only 2 votes). The full scorecard is available here. A full description of the bills included in the scorecard is available here.

“Our legislature has the wrong priorities when it comes to protecting Michigan’s environment,” said James D’Amour, a member of Michigan Sierra Club’s Political Committee 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 no longer. The direction of the GOP is disappointing and disheartening for Republicans like me who care about protecting the environment while creating green jobs.”

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The Sierra Club is the nation’s largest grassroots environmental organization, with over 80,000 members and supporters in Michigan.

MICHIGAN SENATE

Environmental Champions (90-100% score)

District	Name	Party	Score (%)
1	Coleman Young II	D	100
2	Bert Johnson	D	100
3	Morris Hood III	D	100
11	Vincent Gregory	D	100
18	Rebekah Warren	D	100
27	Jim Ananich	D	100
6	Hoon-Yung Hopgood	D	94
9	Steven Bieda	D	94
23	Curtis Hertel Jr.	D	94

Environmental Stewards (78-89% score)

District

Name

Party

Score (%)

5	David Knezek	D	88
10	Tory Rocca	R	82

Pollution Promoters (35% and below)

District

Name

Party

Score (%)

12	Jim Marleau	R	35
13	Marty Knollenburg	R	35
14	David Robertson	R	35
15	Mike Kowall	R	35
17	Dale Zorn	R	35
21	John Proos	R	35
25	Phil Pavlov	R	35
26	Tonya Schuitmaker	R	35
28	Peter MacGregor	R	35
29	Dave Hildenbrand	R	35
30	Arlan Meekhof	R	35
33	Judy Emmons	R	35
34	Goeff Hansen	R	35
35	Darwin Booher	R	35
36	Jim Stamas	R	35
37	Wayne Schmidt	R	35
16	Mike Shirkey	R	29

MICHIGAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Environmental Champions (90-100% score)

District	Name	Party	Score (%)
1	Brian Banks	D	100
2	Alberta Talabi	D	100
5	Fred Durhal	D	100
6	Stephanie Chang	D	100
8	Sherry Gay-Dagnogo	D	100
11	Julie Plawecki	D	100
11	Lauren Plawecki	D	100
12	Erika Geiss	D	100
15	George Darany	D	100
18	Sarah Roberts	D	100
21	Kristy Pagan	D	100
25	Henry Yanez	D	100
26	Jim Townsend	D	100
27	Robert Wittenberg	D	100
28	Derek Miller	D	100
28	Patrick Green	D	100
35	Jeremy Moss	D	100
37	Christine Greig	D	100
48	Pam Faris	D	100
52	Gretchen Driskell	D	100
53	Jeff Irwin	D	100
55	Adam Zemke	D	100
60	Jon Hoadley	D	100
69	Sam Singh	D	100
76	Winnie Brinks	D	100
92	Marcia Hovey-Wright	D	100
95	Vanessa Guerra	D	100
3	Wendell Byrd	D	94
7	LaTanya Garrett	D	94
13	Frank Liberati	D	94
29	Tim Greimel	D	94
31	Marilyn Lane	D	94
67	Tom Cochran	D	94
68	Andy Schor	D	94
4	Rose Mary Robinson	D	94
22	John Chirkun	D	94
75	David LaGrand	D	92

Environmental Stewards (78-89% score)

District

Name

Party

Score (%)

10	Leslie Love	D	88
34	Sheldon Neeley	D	88
49	Phil Phelps	D	88
109	John Kivela	D	88
16	Robert Kosowski	D	88
9	Harvey Santana	D	82
17	Bill LaVoy	D	82
50	Charles Smiley	D	82
54	David Rutledge	D	82

Pollution Promoters (35% and below)

District

Name

Party

Score (%)

19	Laura Cox	R	35
24	Anthony Forlini	R	35
32	Andrea LaFontaine	R	35
36	Peter Lucido	R	35
38	Kathy Crawford	R	35
39	Klint Kesto	R	35
42	Lana Theis	R	35
43	Jim Tedder	R	35
44	Jim Runestad	R	35
45	Michael Webber	R	35
47	Hank Vaupel	R	35
51	Joseph Graves	R	35
56	Jason Sheppard	R	35
57	Nancy Jenkins	R	35
58	Eric Leutheuser	R	35
59	Aaron Miller	R	35
61	Brandt Iden	R	35
63	David Maturen	R	35
66	Aric Nesbitt	R	35
70	Rick Outman	R	35
73	Chris Afendoulis	R	35
74	Rob VerHeulen	R	35
79	Al Pscholka	R	35
81	Dan Lauwers	R	35
86	Lisa Lyons	R	35
87	Mike Callton	R	35
88	Roger Victory	R	35
89	Amanda Price	R	35
90	Daniela Garcia	R	35
91	Holly Hughes	R	35
93	Tom Leonard	R	35
97	Joel Johnson	R	35
99	Kevin Cotter	R	35
102	Phil Potvin	R	35
107	Lee Chatfield	R	35
20	Kurt Heise	R	33
80	Mary Whiteford	R	33
23	Pat Somerville	R	29
33	Ken Goike	R	29
46	Bradford Jacobsen	R	29
64	Earl Poleski	R	29
71	Tom Barrett	R	29
72	Ken Yonker	R	29
77	Tom Hooker	R	29
94	Tim Kelly	R	29
98	Gary Glenn	R	29
100	Jon Bumstead	R	29
105	Triston Cole	R	29
101	Ray Franz	R	24

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State Budget Needs Infrastructure Investment

It’s no secret that Michiganders are begging for better roads, bridges, drinking water systems and other infrastructure. Yesterday, the governor’s infrastructure commission released a report on expected long-term budget needs in Michigan in relation to water systems, roads, energy and technology. The elephant in the room? Michigan simply doesn’t have the funds to address the steep costs of road funding, drinking water and an overall huge infrastructure gap we’ve been facing as a state. And to be frank, we’re underfunding almost every public service.

This committee’s report is mostly a get-well card, but what Michigan needs is a Blue Cross card—a way to pay for what ails us. 

In the case of drinking water, Public Sector Consultants Inc. found that the state is “underinvesting in drinking water infrastructure by anywhere from $284 to $563 million each year.” 

Especially in smaller cities, budgets are even more strapped— increasing public health concerns. These smaller and, often rural, areas simply don’t receive the needed revenue sharing produced by our state’s budget. Most of our states water piping has existed for 50 to 100 years. This compromised integrity caused us the Flint water crisis. The report doesn’t even mention the city, which still requires a significant amount more funding. This is on top of noted overall state drinking water needs. The report notes that drinking water infrastructure will require an additional $19 billion over the next 20 years. 

In addition, our schools still face significant shortfalls—where we underfund at least $1 thousand per student—which totals a price tag of over $1.5 billion dollars. 
Bluntly, our budget needs an increase of more than 30-40% and that’s what this report fails to stress. Our legislature isn’t moving forward quickly enough on this critical issue. When an additional $165 million was proposed in fiscal year 2017 for infrastructure, the legislature settled at a $5 million increase. They also agreed on a road package that is statutorily expected to increase $1.2 billion for the issue. However, the $600 million of this price that is to come from existing spending risks cutting already underfunded state programs. 

It’s time to have a serious conversation about where these funds will come from—or Michigan will continue kicking the can further down the road, falling behind in economic development and seriously undermining environmental and public health. Our less than $10 billion discretionary budget simply won’t cut it. 

Michigan Must Look At Alternatives To Straits Oil Pipeline

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, December 5, 2016

Dakota Access Decision Prompts Renewed Calls in Michigan 

for Alternative to Enbridge’s Oil Pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac

A federal government decision Sunday to halt work on the Dakota Access Pipeline puts more pressure on state officials here to end the threat to Michigan drinking water and the Great Lakes by beginning the process of ending the flow of oil through Enbridge Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, advocates for shutting down Michigan’s controversial pipeline said today.

“Line 5 is going to be decommissioned,” said Aaron Payment, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Chairperson. “The only question is whether it happens before the pipeline ruptures in the Straits, or after it ruptures — leaving us with a catastrophe that will devastate our way of life.”

Like Enbridge’s Line 5 in Michigan, the Dakota Access Pipeline was slated to cross through a critically important waterway that is a drinking water source.   In Michigan the waterway is the Great Lakes. Payment’s Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is one of five tribes with federally recognized sovereign rights within the Straits. Eleven tribal organizations, 61 Michigan counties, cities and townships have passed resolutions calling for the state to stop the flow of oil through the Straits.

A University of Michigan study said an oil spill in the Straits could impact up to 700 miles of Great Lakes coastline, including drinking water in St. Ignace, Mackinac Island and Alpena. Up to 23 million gallons of oil flow through Line 5 in the Straits each day.

“The State of Michigan’s fiduciary role to protect our public waters is analogous to the federal government’s trustee role to protect sovereign tribal rights.  They are paramount to private interests like Enbridge,”  said Liz Kirkwood, Executive Director of FLOW.  “The State and the Army Corps must conduct a comprehensive review of Line 5 and explore alternative routes now because of failing pipeline supports.  Waiting another year for the state’s advisory board to complete its studies does not comply with the law."

Since June, 2014 the state has been studying Line 5 while refusing to investigate multiple violations of Enbridge’s easement agreement with the state or taking legal action to decommission the decaying 63-year-old pipeline.   The state has twice cited Enbridge Energy Partners for violating conditions of its easement agreement allowing the pipeline to operate in the Great Lakes.    Independent experts, citing at least eight additional violations by Enbridge of the easement agreement, have called on Gov. Snyder to investigate the company’s pipeline operations in the Straits.  

“The Army Corps of Engineers is pursuing a common-sense strategy to protect drinking water in North Dakota that should immediately be embraced by Michigan’s governor and attorney general,” said David Holtz, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Chair.   “Gov. Snyder and Attorney General Schuette need to end years of dilly dallying and strongly embrace shutting down Line 5 in the Straits as the only alternative for protecting the Great Lakes and our drinking water.”

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PRESS RELEASE: Michigan Sierra Club Launches Online Political Advertising Campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 14, 2016

CONTACT:

Mike Berkowitz

248-345-9808

mike.berkowitz@sierraclub.org

Michigan Sierra Club Launches Online Political Advertising Campaign

Nation’s Largest Grassroots Conservation Organization to Target State Legislative and Countywide Races

LANSING, MI  - Today, the Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club launched an online political advertising campaign in support of thirteen candidates for the Michigan Legislature and countywide offices.  The campaign includes a series of videos featuring Sierra Club Michigan Chapter activists highlighting the state’s most pressing environmental issues and calling for new leadership in Lansing.

The ads target ten state legislative districts supporting Darrin Camilleri (House District 23), Dana Camphous-Peterson (House District 24), Mike Notte (House District 30), Michael Stack (House District 39), Tom Redmond (House District 56), Annie Brown (House District 66), Collene Lamonte (House District 91), Bryan Mielke (House District 99), Dan Scripps (House District 101) and Robert Kennedy (House District 106). Three additional ads target countywide races supporting Rachel Hood (Kent County Drain Commissioner), Vicki Barnett (Oakland County Executive), and John Taylor (Kalamazoo County Clerk).

“We are using online capabilities to reach environmental supporters with a message letting them know which candidates support protecting our Great Lakes in Michigan’s most competitive races,” said Mike Berkowitz, Political Director of the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. “This election will have long-lasting implications for Michigan’s environment and our Great Lakes. We are committed to electing candidates who will stand up for clean air, clean water, and clean energy.”

To see a full list of the Michigan Sierra Club’s endorsements, click here.

About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.4 million members and supporters nationwide, and over 80,000 in Michigan. In addition to creating opportunities for people of all ages, levels and locations to have meaningful outdoor experiences, the Sierra Club works to safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation. For more information, visit http://www.sierraclub.org.

Paid for by Michigan Sierra PAC (109 E. Grand River Ave. Lansing, MI 48906)

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Reps. Roberts and Irwin Propose Stronger Fracking Laws

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016

Contact: Rep. Sarah Roberts Phone: (517)-373-1180            Contact: Rep. Jeff Irwin         Phone: (734)-834-7152

Bills would protect air, water and soil from fracking waste

LANSING — State Representatives Sarah Roberts (D-St. Clair Shores) and Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) have announced a six-bill package of legislation to address threats to Michigan’s land, air and water as a result of fracking. Together, these bills address gaps in Michigan laws regarding the disposal of fracking waste and the leakage of methane at drilling sites.

“Other states are seeing fracking operations that dump waste, pollute the air and water, and are possibly causing earthquakes,” said Rep. Roberts. “In Michigan, we need to update our oil and gas laws to ensure we protect our environment and the public’s health.”

“Disposing of fracking waste is one of the biggest threats to our water,” said Nic Clark of Clean Water Action. “These bills protect water quality by prohibiting any dumping in groundwater aquifers and by enacting strict standards for radioactive fracking waste.”

The bills in the package would:

·        Ban radioactive fracking waste from landfills if the radioactivity exceeds strict limits

·        Require that water used in the fracking process be in compliance with state guidelines and be cleaned up before disposal

·        Ban fracking operations from injecting fracking wastes or water into an aquifer

·        Require oil and gas well operators to use methane recapture systems to reduce methane released by 99 percent

·        Prohibit oil and gas wells from burning off (flaring) methane emissions

·        Require oil and gas well operators to set up a system to check for leaks of dangerous gases on a regular basis and promptly repair any leaks found.

“Michigan is planning to meet the requirements of the Clean Power Plan by switching from coal to natural gas and renewable energy sources,” said Mike Berkowitz of the Sierra Club. “But methane released from the extraction of gas and oil is 20 times more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide, so we need to ensure gas isn’t leaking from sloppily drilled wells.”

“Michigan deserves solid rules to protect water quality and prevent wasteful or careless drilling practices,” said Rep. Irwin. “Preventing methane leaks is important to combat climate change, and it also ensures that oil and gas drillers are running professional operations that are respectful of our air and water.”

For more information about fracking, the bills in the package or to sign a petition supporting the legislation, go to www.protectmiwater.com.

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