US green activists to cast lot with friendly Republicans

US green activists to cast lot with friendly Republicans

Washington (Platts)--11Oct2006

The US League of Conservation Voters plans to throw its support behind
moderate Republicans who have had what they consider favorable voting records
on energy and the environment, even if it means Republicans, who scored lower
overall on LCV's annual survey, retain control of Congress, it said Wednesday.

But the desire by LCV, an environmental advocacy group, to hand control
of Congress to Democrats will not prevent it from making campaign
contributions to Republicans like Senator Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island or
Representative Christopher Shays of Connecticut, said Tony Massaro, LCV's
political affairs vice president.

"You don't turn your back on your friends. The risk is actually in not
supporting people who have been there for the environment," Massaro said.
"This year energy is front and center in a lot of voters' minds. Voters
actually remember $3.00 gasoline. They see that as an indication that we have
a failed energy policy."

The group rates lawmakers on a scale of zero to 100, based on the
percentage of favorable environmental votes. In 2006, lawmakers were rated on
votes for bills that would open parts of the Outer Continental Shelf to oil
and gas drilling, funding for the low income energy assistance program,
drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and in the House, bills on
drilling royalties and oil refineries.

The group gave 100 ratings, which means all their votes were
environmentally favorable to 93 House members, and 19 Senators, none of whom
were Republicans. It gave 0 scores to 80 representatives and 20 Senators, all
of whom were Republicans.

Senator Pete Domenici, Republican-New Mexico, the chairman of the Senate
Energy and Natural Resources Committee, got 14 and his Democratic counterpart
and fellow-New Mexican Jeff Bingaman got 100.

Representative Joe Barton, Republican-Texas, who chairs the House Energy
and Commerce Committee got an eight, and the ranking Democrat, John Dingell,
of Michigan got 100.

Shays scored a 92 and Chafee scored a 71 in 2006 after earning a 90 in
2005.

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