Sierra Club endorsed candidates make gains in local races

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Media Contacts:
Christy McGillivray: 808-726-5325 
Tim Minotas: 248-961-9610

Sierra Club endorsed candidates won big in last night’s elections across Michigan. The issues that drove voters to the polls in this off-year election included candidate commitments to renewable energy at the municipal level, safe affordable drinking water, environmentally sustainable development, and support for local recycling programs. Sierra Club is proud to support candidates that championed these issues.

Michael Fournier, the Sierra Club endorsed candidate for mayor of Royal Oak,​ sees his win as a mandate to push forward on sustainable development. Speaking with Sierra Club this morning Fournier said, “Environmental issues are top issues for our constituents in Royal Oak. We plan to be thoughtful leaders in proving that economic development and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive.”

The election results from last night show that candidate positions on environmental issues will also play a big role in the 2020 election. According to polling done this summer through the ​Yale project on climate communications, 65% of registered voters in Michigan are concerned about climate change, and 74% of voters are likely to support candidates who favor funding renewable energy. Sierra Club channels significant grassroots support to translate these polling results into election results, and last night’s wins show that we are making gains going into 2020.

Sierra Club endorsed candidate Wendy Pate​, the highest vote getter across all candidates in Trenton, sees environmental issues at the heart of her campaign issues, “I campaigned for community benefit in development. The International Wildlife Refuge and the Detroit River anchor our community, and we deserve clean sustainable development that will drive Trenton forward.”

For a full list of Sierra Club endorsed candidates visit
https://www.sierraclub.org/michigan/endorsed-candidates-2019

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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters nationwide and over 150,000 in Michigan. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org/Michigan​.

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

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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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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Sierra Club Road Show Brings Line 5 and 2016 Elections Info to U.P.

Sierra Club Michigan staff and volunteers are traveling to the Upper Peninsula on Oct. 24 and 25 for back-to-back presentations in Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie on the Line 5 threat to the Great Lakes and the importance of the 2016 elections to environmental protection.  The events are free and open to the public. Please RSVP to gail.philbin@sierraclub.org.

The “road show” will feature Chapter Chair David Holtz, who will offer an overview of the danger posed by Enbridge’s 64-year-old, leak-prone Line 5 which runs under the Straits of Mackinac and Sierra Club’s efforts to get this oil pipeline shut down.  Chapter Political and Legislative Director Mike Berkowitz will explore the 2016 election landscape and what U.P. residents need to know about the issues and candidates.

Each event begins at 6:30pm with mingling and a light reception followed by the program at 7pm.  Event details are below:

Marquette:  Mon., Oct. 24, 6:30-8:30pm – Community Room , Peter White Library, 217 N Front St

Sault Ste. Marie: Tues, Oct. 25, 6:30-8:30pm – Crawford Hall, Room CRW 205, 650 W Easterday Ave.