Republicans for Environmental Protection Score Their Own

Republicans for Environmental Protection – that remarkable pro-conservation holdout within the GOP – issued their first ever environmental scorecard last week. The Billings Gazette today ran a story about how poorly Wyoming’s delegation fared, reporting that REP gave Senator Craig Thomas a 10 out of 100, Senator Mike Enzi a zero, and Congresswoman Barbara Cubin a -4. Their scoring system includes negative points for leadership on anti-environmental efforts, which seems like an unusual but thoughtful touch. It’s no shock, of course, to see pro-conservation folks pan Wyoming’s all-Republican delegation, but to see it come from fellow Republicans is especially appropriate.

In Colorado, Representatives Bob Beauprez and Marilyn Musgrave each earned scores of -4 as well, Representative Tom Tancredo managed to land an 8, and Representative Joel Hefley was pretty much off the charts with a 12. Senator Wayne Allard also fared poorly but earned kudos, along with Senator Thomas of Wyoming, for his role in persuading House members to remove a provision in the budget reconciliation bill that would have facilitated privatizing public lands through the 1872 Mining Law.

Both of Utah’s Senators – Senators Robert Bennett and Orrin Hatch – earned a score of 7. Both of Utah’s Republican Representatives – Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon – earned a score of -4.

The overall conservation champions included Representatives Sherwood Boehlert (NY) with a 108, Michael Fitzgerald (R-PA) with a 100, and Jim Saxton (NJ), also with a score of 100. Representatives Joe Barton (TX) and Richard Pombo earned the lowest scores in the House: -12. On the Senate side the champions included Senators Lincoln Chafee (RI) with an 87, Olympia Snowe (ME) with a 70, and Susan Collins (ME), also with a 70.