Rep. Stanley Achieves Perfect Score in ELM Action Fund Environmental Legislative Scorecard

BOSTON – The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund (ELM Action Fund) is pleased to recognize Rep. Tom Stanley, who achieved a perfect score of 100 in the organization’s 2015-2016 Legislative Scorecard on the environment. It rates true legislative action, not merely votes. And it challenges AIM’s recent scorecard criticizing legislators on energy policy as lost in the 19th century and failing to represent the long term interests of their own members.

“When it came to votes this session, Rep. Stanley supported our pro-environment agenda, but didn’t stop there. He demonstrated leadership on conservation. The ELM Action Fund is pleased to recognize him/her as an environmental champion,” said ELM Action Fund President George Bachrach. “We look forward to continued work together to protect our environment, improve public health, enhance quality of life, and grow our green economy.”

Beyond votes, the ELM Action Fund awarded additional points to lawmakers who led by sponsoring important legislation or authored “Dear Colleague” letters, and deducted points from legislators who filed anti-environment legislation.  The ELM Action Fund also challenges lawmakers for the practice of “voice votes” on controversial issues which are not recorded roll call votes. This practice prevents voters from truly gauging which representatives and senators are truly on their side.

“Legislative scorecards are common but this is unique, measuring leadership, not just votes,” said Bachrach. “This is our best effort to give voters a sense of who is really on their side in the critically important work that takes place out of public view.”

To view the scorecard, visit bit.ly/scores15.

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