Scorecard Highlights Legislators’ Environmental Records

Environment Georgia

Atlanta, GA—Environment Georgia and Georgia Conservation Voters have joined forces to score every Georgia legislator for their votes on environmental legislation during the 2019-2020 legislative session. The release of the “Georgia Environmental Scorecard” comes as Georgians prepare to head to the polls for the Nov. 3rd general election.

“This scorecard is about helping Georgia residents and voters understand how they’re legislators are voting on environmental and climate issues,” explained Georgia Conservation Voters Executive Brionté McCorkle  “We looked at the hottest environmental votes that came up this session and are excited to see legislators making more moves to protect the health of Georgians.”

The scorecard covers thirteen bills or resolutions during the 2019-2020 session including:

• SB 123 which increases addresses coal ash into landfills, a hot topic after residents living close to Plant Scherer discovered coal ash toxins in their well water.
• SB 426 which requires manufacturers using ethylene oxide to report any spill or release of any amount within 24 hours of discovery, inspired by communities that discovered cancer clusters around plants emitting high levels of ethylene oxide.
• HB 545, also known as the Right to Farm (Harm) legislation, this controversial bill would have empowered large industrial agriculture and CAFO’s at the expense of small farmers and landowners nearby. 

“In Georgia environmental issues can offer some rare instances of bipartisanship” said Jennette Gayer, the director of Environment Georgia. “This scorecard shows that there are champions on both sides of the aisle.”

State Senators who scored a 100% include: Lester Jackson, Sheikh Rahman, Michael Rhett, Nan Orrock, Stephen Henson, Elena Parent, Zahra Karinshak, and Gloria Butler.

State Representatives who scored a 100% include: Mary Frances Williams, Erick Allen, Josh McLaurin, Patricia Gardner, William Boddie, Debra Bazemore, Derrick Jackson, Kimberly Alexander, Rhonda Burnough, Michael Wilensky, Matthew Wilson, Rebecca Evans, Elizabeth Moore, Samuel Park, Donna McLeod, Shelly Hutchinson, Jasmine Clark, Spencer Frye, Sheila Nelson, Robert Trammell, James Beverly, Camia Hopson, and J. Craig Gordon

The groups also included a number of ‘Honorable Mentions’ for legislators that went above and beyond often on legislation that did not ultimately pass the legislature or even make it out of committee.

The full scorecard can be accessed on Environment Georgia’s website and Georgia Conservation Voters website.