League Of Conservation

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters presented an environmental award to former Gov. Harry R. Hughes last night. Hughes, who served from 1978 to 1986, is credited with helping restore striped bass populations to the Chesapeake Bay by signing a moratorium on catching the fish, pushing protections for wetlands and helping to pass a ban on phosphate pollutants in detergents. "Governor Hughes, thank you for the example you have given us," Gov. Martin O'Malley said. "Thank you for taking political power and turning it into a moral force."

Making voting easier boosts democracy Thomas F. Schaller's contention that early voting "seems fundamentally undemocratic" is absurd ("Early voting in Maryland?" Commentary, Oct. 9). Providing Marylanders with an option to vote early would give working people a greater opportunity to cast ballots without the challenges of long lines, inclement weather, work or family obligations. Mr. Schaller's apparent assumption that Maryland voters are not smart enough to make up their own minds and determine when they want to cast their vote is demeaning.

The Maryland League of Conservation endorsed Ellen Willis, candidate in the delegate race for District 5A."We endorsed Ellen Willis because of her excellent responses to our questions during our interview with her and her strong environmental background," said Joan Willey, chair of the league. "The people of Carroll County care deeply about the environment and deserve to be represented in the Maryland General Assembly by Willis."Delegate Richard Dixon, D-Carroll, also was endorsed.

Ms. Edwards makes history While the city of Baltimore can proudly boast of having four African-American women in elected office, voters in Prince George's and Montgomery counties also accomplished something notable by sending an African-American woman to Congress, a Maryland first. Donna Edwards' victory last week in the special election for the 4th District House seat formerly held by Albert R. Wynn was hardly a surprise, but a historic moment nonetheless in a year with much shattering of long-standing gender and racial barriers.

`Environmental' survey promotes liberalism It was reported recently that the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released their 2001 National Environmental Scorecard. The scorecard claims to demonstrate which elected officials had a pro-environment voting record in 2001 and which did not. However, important environmental votes were actually ignored in the scorecard while other issues, including abortion and campaign reform, were included. Important environmental votes ignored in the scorecard included brownfields revitalization, which allows for economic development in predominantly minority neighborhoods through the cleanup of polluted urban industrial sites, and the Pacific Salmon Recovery Act. Nonenvironmental votes included opposition to limiting federal family planning grants to overseas organizations to those that do not carry out abortions and support for Sen. John McCain's campaign finance reform bill.

An endorsement in the District 31 Senate race by three environmental groups came under attack yesterday from seven North County activists, who complained about the influence of Silver Sands resident Mary Rosso.The group, during a press conference at the Riviera Beach Library, objected that last week's endorsement of incumbent Democrat Philip C.Jimeno over Republican John R. Leopold was "unfair" and "biased."Much of their criticism focused on the role played by Rosso in making the endorsement.

Gov. Parris N. Glendening received his "green" report card yesterday, and while he didn't quite make the honor roll, he earned a solid "B" from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters.In its first grading of a Maryland governor, the league gave Glendening marks ranging from A to D in seven categories and a B overall.The marks covered Glendening's administration to date, but league officials say they have seen steady improvement in his environmental record during the past year."Teachers like to see improvements," quipped Nancy Davis, chairwoman of the political action committee, which has been rating Maryland legislators' voting on environmental issues for 22 years.

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters endorsed Maryland Senate candidate Jim Brochin in the 42nd District yesterday, praising his views on preserving open space and protecting the Chesapeake and deriding his opponent, Del. Martha S. Klima, as having one of the worst environmental records of any state legislator. Susan Brown, executive director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, said she believes Brochin, a Democrat who has never held elective office, would be an effective advocate for environmental issues.

The national League of Conservation Voters named former U.S. Rep. Helen Delich Bentley yesterday to its "dirty dozen" list of the most anti-environment congressional candidates in the nation, lambasting her for votes against increased corporate responsibility for pollution, wetlands protections and water and air quality regulations. In her 10 years in Congress, Bentley had the worst environmental voting record of anyone in the Maryland delegation and one of the worst in the nation, said Betsy Loyless, the organization's political director.

The Sierra Club endorsed Democrat C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger in the 2nd Congressional District race yesterday, praising his record of land preservation as Baltimore County executive. In making the endorsement, Carl Pope, the Sierra Club's executive director, also criticized Ruppersberger's Republican opponent, Helen Delich Bentley, saying her environmental record while serving in Congress from 1984 to 1994 was poor. Pope echoed criticism from the national League of Conservation Voters, which in August named Bentley to its "dirty dozen" list of the most anti-environment congressional candidates in the nation.

Voters in Maryland's 1st Congressional District have a habit of sending people to Congress with a fondness for the Chesapeake Bay, from former Interior Secretary Rogers C.B. Morton to Wayne T. Gilchrest. The latest Republican vying for that seat, Andy Harris, has an abysmal score on a leading environmental "report card," which he claims is unfair and political. Specifically, the Baltimore County state senator says the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, the nonprofit group that each year rates environmental voting records in Annapolis, has included legislation allowing voters to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. Mr. Harris has a point.

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters presented an environmental award to former Gov. Harry R. Hughes last night. Hughes, who served from 1978 to 1986, is credited with helping restore striped bass populations to the Chesapeake Bay by signing a moratorium on catching the fish, pushing protections for wetlands and helping to pass a ban on phosphate pollutants in detergents. "Governor Hughes, thank you for the example you have given us," Gov. Martin O'Malley said. "Thank you for taking political power and turning it into a moral force."

Baltimore : Politics Environment groups endorse Sarbanes The city and state's main environmental groups have chosen to stay out of the mayor's race, while endorsing Michael Sarbanes for City Council president. The Baltimore City League of Environmental Voters and Maryland League of Conservation Voters decided not to endorse in the mayor's race after interviewing Mayor Sheila Dixon and City Councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr. and concluding they were both strong on environmental issues, said Liz Nelson, a spokeswoman for the Maryland League of Conservation Voters.

Environmentalists released a plan yesterday they say would help Maryland solve its budget woes while reducing land, air and water pollution. Hoping to take advantage of a debate in Annapolis on ways to fix the state's projected $1.5 billion budget shortfall, the League of Conservation Voters, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Environment Maryland, Partners for Open Space and other groups are pitching a set of tax measures designed to provide more money for...

Maryland environmental advocates backed Gov.-elect Martin O'Malley at the polls this year, and now say they want him to make good on his promises to protect open space. The state's nationally recognized land preservation programs took a hit over the last several years when Govs. Parris N. Glendening and Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. diverted $480 million in open space funds to fill budget shortfalls. With more budget problems on the horizon, leaders of several environmental groups gathered yesterday to make sure O'Malley doesn't follow in his predecessors' footsteps.

Marylanders on Tuesday will vote on three proposed constitutional amendments that, if approved, would restrict the sale of state-owned lands and allow more court appeals in some instances, while instituting a monetary threshold for qualification for a jury trial. A fourth question was placed on the ballot by petitioners concerned about a voting law passed by the General Assembly. If voters approve the measure, the law would take effect and local election boards would have to establish precincts on college campuses and publicize when and how they remove names from voter rolls.

Voters in Maryland's 1st Congressional District have a habit of sending people to Congress with a fondness for the Chesapeake Bay, from former Interior Secretary Rogers C.B. Morton to Wayne T. Gilchrest. The latest Republican vying for that seat, Andy Harris, has an abysmal score on a leading environmental "report card," which he claims is unfair and political. Specifically, the Baltimore County state senator says the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, the nonprofit group that each year rates environmental voting records in Annapolis, has included legislation allowing voters to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. Mr. Harris has a point.

In a recent campaign flier, Western Maryland Republican Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett appears strolling along the C&O Canal with one of the nation's best-known environmentalists, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt.State environmental groups say there's something wrong with this picture.The flier, they say, implies that Bartlett is a strong defender of natural resources, a notion they find absurd. Bartlett, according to the League of Conservation Voters and Clean Water Action, has the worst environmental voting record of Maryland's eight House members and two senators.

The Ehrlich administration named 21 people to a task force yesterday to study a new bridge or tunnel across the Chesapeake Bay - and promptly drew criticism because environmental groups are not represented on the panel. The Task Force on Traffic Capacity Across the Chesapeake Bay includes a former president of the Maryland Motor Truck Association, a representative of the American Automobile Association, five Republican legislators and four Democratic lawmakers, among others. But despite an assurance last month by state Transportation Secretary Robert L. Flanagan that environmental groups would be involved, none was included.

The Sierra Club endorsed Democrat C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger in the 2nd Congressional District race yesterday, praising his record of land preservation as Baltimore County executive. In making the endorsement, Carl Pope, the Sierra Club's executive director, also criticized Ruppersberger's Republican opponent, Helen Delich Bentley, saying her environmental record while serving in Congress from 1984 to 1994 was poor. Pope echoed criticism from the national League of Conservation Voters, which in August named Bentley to its "dirty dozen" list of the most anti-environment congressional candidates in the nation.