The report cards have been released and it doesn’t look good for Indiana legislators.
A scorecard has been created that grades Indiana legislators on the basis of their votes for or against various environmental-related bills. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed received either a D or F.
The Sierra Clubs Hoosier Chapter shared theirs ReportLast week, after the 2022 session ended. It voted on various energy and conservation bills, dating back to 2014, including the laws that phased-out net metering and stripped protections for wetlands.
According to the environmental advocacy group, Indiana legislators are putting the state in a dangerous position. Officials are refusing to hear the concerns of Hoosiers.
Our frustration with the inaction of the Indiana legislature has been growing for years and reached a peak this session, stated Wendy Bredhold, Sierra Clubs Beyond Coal campaign coordinator in Indiana.
This frustration motivated the group’s first report.
These legislators must be held responsible, she said, and we want to tell Hoosiers the truth about how their legislators voted in relation to these and other environmental issues.
According to the report, the average grade among approximately 150 state legislators is D+. Only one-third of them received a C or higher.
The scorecard indicates that Indianas General Assembly does not place a priority on environmental-protecting initiatives, said Tim Maloney with the Hoosier Environmental Council.
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Indiana is often ranked among the most polluted in the country.
The EPAs Toxics Release Inventory uses data from 2020 to determine Indiana’s current levels. Releases the third-most chemicals or pollutantsPer square mile in any state. These releases can have serious health consequences: EPA data also shows that Higher risk from pollutionIndiana is more concerned with public health than any other state.
Indiana is also one of the worst states in terms of carbon pollution. Another report last week revealed that Indiana has some of the most polluted waterways anywhere in the country.
The majority of bills that would have addressed these issues are dead.
Ryan Dvorak (House Natural Resources Committee) received an A- and said that he believes that the scorecard could be a valuable tool for Hoosiers to better understand the issues.
The South Bend Democrat stressed that the grades are based on issues that were approved by Republicans.
Dvorak stated that it was only a small percentage of the issues we were able to vote on. There are many other issues that we should be discussing and voting on. How many other important issues do you really care about that have never been discussed?
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Dvorak raises an important concern that is shared by many: the inaction of the Environmental Affairs Committees in both House and Senate.
This year, the two committees received 19 pieces legislation. Three of those bills did not get a hearing. One bill was introduced to the House committeeAnd Two in the Senate.
Inaction means that bills for lead and PFAS in drinking waters, coal ash contamination, radiation in schools, radon in schools, and septic system pollution, inspections at factory farms, and climate change solutions are dead in the water.
Two such bills were introduced this year. One would have created an Indiana task force to study climate change and propose solutions. The other would have had lawmakers simply acknowledge that there is climate change in Indiana. Confront the Climate Crisis, a youth-led group from high school, championed these pieces of legislation.
However, lawmakers responded with a firm “no” and didn’t hear any of these bills.
Rep. Sue Errington (ranking minority member) said that the Statehouse culture was quite hostile to the environment.
According to the Muncie Democrat, who received an A on the scorecard, Indiana ranks among the lowest in terms of environmental quality.
Many are too familiar with this years session. The 2021 session saw the House Environmental Affairs committee not meeting at all during the first part of session. 13 billsWithout any consideration.
Last year’s Senate Environmental committee heard Three billsAll were authored by Sen. Mark Messmer, the chair of the committee. One was controversial because it removed protections from the vast majority of Indiana’s remaining wetlands.
R-Jasper Messmer, R, received an F in the scorecard. IndyStars did not reach him for comment.
Rep. Mike Speedy who is the House Environment committee’s chair did not fare as well. The Indianapolis Republican was awarded a D-.
Speedy stated that he protects small businesses from government intrusion while trying to learn about environmental issues.
He stated that many of these bills emphasize an ideological view over a specific problem, which doesn’t resonate with the majority in the Senate and House. This year, Republicans hold a supermajority of both chambers.
Speedy said that he will always try to solve problems once he has a good understanding of the issue. He requested a summer study about coal ash issues. Speedy stated that if he feels that he is doing his part for his district and the state, and is guided and guided by his conscience, then grades from special interest groups are not an issue.
Dvorak, however, disagreed. Dvorak said that an environmental nonprofit that does not stand to gain financially from any of the legislation cannot be considered a special interest. Instead, the report shows the legislature is not in tune with the concerns of everyday Hoosiers.
Recent Survey by Audubon Society78% of Hoosiers believe climate change poses a threat. Nearly three quarters of voters, regardless of political affiliation, support expanding renewable energy and fairly compensating customers who use rooftop solar.
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A 2020 statewide poll revealed that seven out of ten Hoosiers, both Republicans and Democrats, believe the state and federal governments need to do more to combat climate change. Eight in ten respondents said they would prioritize protecting the environment even if it meant slower economic growth.
Amanda Shepherd, executive director at the Sierra Clubs Hoosier Chapter, stated that these surveys confirm that most Hoosiers care about issues like clean energy, conservation, and climate change.
She stated that many legislators are not taking the appropriate actions to address these problems. Indiana needs better representation.
She said that shifting priorities or changes in the election process can lead to this. She hopes that Hoosiers will be able to hold their legislators accountable for these votes through the report card project. The group plans to continue it next year.
Sarah Bowman, IndyStar reporter, can be reached at 317-444-6129. [email protected]. Follow her on TwitterAnd Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStars environmental journalists:Join Facebook: The Scrub.
IndyStar is made possible by the generous support of Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
