A Message from Jonathan Poisner

OLCV's Executive Director

By using this Scorecard, you’ve taken the first step towards protecting Oregon’s environment:  knowing how your elected representatives voted.

Are they responsible stewards of Oregon’s incredible natural heritage?  Or would they destroy that heritage for the benefit of a few?

Do they promote family-friendly policies that provide great neighborhoods in which our kids can grow up, along with air and water free from poisonous chemicals?

Do they focus on the legacy we leave our kids, willing to invest in long-term efforts to promote renewable energy and conservation?  Or do they engage in short-term, me-first thinking at the expense of future generations?

For the first time in more than a decade, we’re pleased to report that a clear majority of the Oregon Legislature answered those questions by voting for responsibility, family-friendly policies, and a better legacy.  The average rating for the Oregon Legislature reached its highest point since 1977.  More positive pro-environment bills became law in 2007 than in the period from 1991-2005 combined.

Of course, some legislators still come down on the wrong side of these questions, voting against cleaning up our rivers, against dealing with the climate crisis, and for irresponsible levels of logging in our State Forests.

OLCV’s Scorecard is a tool you can use to discover which leaders deserve your praise and which don’t.  At the detailed level, you can learn how your legislators voted on more than twenty specific environmental bills.  Or, you can look at their overall score and learn what percentage of their environmental vote came down on the pro-environment side of the equation.

And, most importantly, you can then take action.  The Scorecard is the first step.  Additional ideas are on page 22. 

Individually, we may feel powerless to take action that dramatically improves Oregon’s Legislature.  But together, we are strong.