Environmental advocates gave Colorado lawmakers generally high marks for their voting records in the latest national score card.
U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, both Democrats, scored 100 percent on the League of Conservation Voters test, which looked at congressional votes on issues ranging from clean energy to protecting wildlife.
Rep. Doug Lamborn scored 0 percent and fellow Republican Rep. Mike Coffman 7 percent — pulling Colorado’s House average down to 66 percent. Colorado ranked 20th nationally. On the Senate side, 20 states had 100 percent scores.
“It was very much night and day between Democrats and Republicans, not just in Colorado,” said Tony Massaro, senior vice president of political affairs for the league. “These issues have become more polarized, more partisan.”
For 30 years, the league has produced this score card, a yardstick rating members of Congress on environmental, public health and energy issues. This test was based on 11 Senate and 13 House votes.
Colorado environmental leaders applauded members of the state delegation who fared well. Their votes will help bring “clean energy jobs” to Colorado and reduce dependence on foreign oil, said Pete Maysmith, director of Colorado Conservation Voters.
Water conservation legislation proposed by Coffman has been recognized for advancing green building policies, and he bristled after receiving the score-card report.
The League of Conservation Voters “rewards those who voted for the economically ruinous cap-and-trade bill, for the president’s bloated budget and massive debt, and for the wasted billions in so-called ‘stimulus’ funds,” Coffman said.
“I’ve worked hard on water conservation and forest-health legislation,” he said. “But if LCV wants to ignore that and remind folks I oppose some of the most economically devastating policy ideas to come out of Washington in generations, then I’m fine with that.”
Bruce Finley: 303-954-1700 or bfinley@denverpost.cam
