Copyright 2002 San Antonio Express-News  
San Antonio Express-News (Texas)
February 21, 2002, Thursday , METRO
SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. 7A

LENGTH: 664 words

HEADLINE: Texas lawmakers lagging on pro-environment votes

BYLINE: Bob Richter 



BODY:  AUSTIN - The Texas congressional delegation's voting record on environmental issues is "embarrassing," and the state Legislature's record isn't much better, according to the League of Conservation Voters.  

Meanwhile, on a related environmental front, the Sierra Club made endorsements in several Bexar County races, and called upon a South Texas Senate candidate to halt her quest to drill for natural gas in the Padre Island National Seashore.  

The League of Conservation Voters analysis of key environmental votes last year in Congress found Texas Sens. Phil Gramm and Kay Bailey Hutchison to vote pro-environment 0 percent of the time and the state's House delegation to average 32 percent.  

The senators haven't been higher than 0 percent for three years and the House average for Texans is worse than last year.  

The national average, according to the analysis, was 48 percent for House members and 46 percent for senators.  

"That's pretty embarrassing and the trend seems to be going downward," said Margo Clarke, state director for the national LCV. "It's sort of sad to report that the Texas delegation comes in well below average."  

State lawmakers fared slightly better, reported Sandra Haverlah, director of the Texas League of Conservation Voters.  

House members voted pro-environment 45 percent of the time and senators 47 percent of the time during the 2001 legislative session, Haverlah said.  

Only the second time the league has tallied state lawmakers, the results were better than the 1999 averages: 38 percent for House members; 29 percent for senators.  

"That's a good surprise," Haverlah said. "The biggest disappointment was the 16 House members who received a zero score."  

In addition to Gramm and Hutchison, nine of Texas' 30 House members - including U.S. Reps. Henry Bonilla and Lamar Smith, both San Antonio Republicans - registered zeroes on such issues as drilling in environmentally sensitive areas and fuel economy standards.  

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, led the delegation with a 93 percent record.  

South Texas members ranked as follows: U.S. Reps. Ciro Rodriguez and Charlie Gonzalez, both San Antonio Democrats, 71 percent; Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, 36 percent; Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, 64 percent; and Ron Paul, R-Surfside, 36 percent.  

The league's analysis of state lawmakers showed Reps. Mike Villarreal and Jose Menendez, both Democrats, leading the Bexar County delegation with a 96 percent pro-environment voting record while Republican Rep. Frank Corte brought up the rear, at 17 percent.  

Others included: Robert Puente, 92 percent; Carlos Uresti, John Longoria, Trey Martinez-Fischer and Ruth Jones McClendon, 83 percent; Art Reyna, 75 percent; John Shields, 54 percent; and Elizabeth Ames Jones, 20 percent.  

All but Shields and Jones are Democrats.  

Democrats Leticia Van de Putte and Judith Zaffirini, both with an 89 percent pro-environment voting record, led the Bexar County Senate delegation. Frank Madla weighed in with 56 percent and Jeff Wentworth's was 44 percent.  

The Sierra Club also endorsed Villarreal, Menendez and Reyna in their Democratic primary races, and it endorsed Rep. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, who is running for the Democratic nomination to succeed Sen. Carlos Truan, D-Corpus Christi.  

The Sierra Club on Wednesday also called on one of Hinojosa's primary opponents, Barbara Canales-Black, to halt a plan by her family-owned BNP Petroleum of Corpus Christi to drill gas wells on Padre Island National Seashore.  

"If you want to represent us in the Texas Senate, start by taking a stand for America the Beautiful," Mary Lou Campbell, a South Texas Sierra Club member advised Canales-Black.  

brichter@express-news.net  

"It's sort of sad to report that the Texas delegation comes in well below average."  

- Margo Clarke  

state director for national League of Conservation Voters

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