conservation lobby day 2006

Last Wednesday, I took the opportunity to participate in Conservation Lobby Day, organized by the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters (WLCV). It was definitely a worthwhile trip.

There were about 270 participants, more than twice as many as last year. From what I could tell, about 10 people from the Green Bay area were there to lobby their legislators about environmental issues. The day was extremely well organized, had a relaxed pace, and offered several other events to participate in. Each group of citizen lobbyists was assigned a lead professional lobbyist to help guide them through the process and to help with talking points. No bribes were exchanged!!

Many kudos to Green Bay’s own WLCV staffer Jessica Garrels for helping to organize a day that went off without a hitch!! (-and for making EXCELLENT announcements!)

I had the chance to meet with two aides from Senator Rob Cowles’ office, and then met with Assemblyman Phil Montgomery. It did raise the eyebrows of Cowles’ staff members when seven constituents sat down in his office. I don’t think they expected to see that many. In both of my meetings, we discussed the importance of improving the current state energy bill, protecting children from mercury pollution, raising state tipping fees, and a variety of other conservation issues.

Perhaps the most exciting part about the day was meeting and spending the day with all the other people there who share the same concerns about environmental issues. Events like this are always energizing.

In Green Bay, environmentalists have a lot of lobbying to do!! We really have only one state legislator who consistently votes for the environment: Senator Dave Hansen. He deserves our support and thanks. Other than that, we are represented by some of the worst, including Alan Lasee. My own Assemblyman, Montgomery, had a dismal WLCV score of 27% during the last legislative session and has only voted pro-environment ONCE during the current session, out of fifteen chances to do so.

In both of my meetings, I asked for my representatives’ thoughts as to why they think environmental politics in this state has become so partisan. In general, Democrats are pro-environment while Republicans vote against it. At least that is the perception. Sometimes, perception IS reality. Both offices blamed the situation on the efforts of the special interest groups, such as the Sierra Club and WLCV. That argument is a crock. If I didn’t want to keep the meetings “positive” I would have responded by screaming, “You’ve got to be kidding!”

First of all, judging by all the “anti-environment” legislation that has been put forward in recent years, I would have to say that the conservation “special interest” groups don’t have all that much influence (yet). Secondly, the environmental groups in this state make every effort to be nonpartisan. If the WLCV gives you a low score, you deserve it. They listen to a huge variety of conservation groups in order to decide what legislative votes “count”. They include long-time Republicans on their board and look at MANY votes that impact the environment. In the past, a few Republicans have received very high scores. The fault for the partisanship on these issues lies with the Republicans. It is their recent legislative attacks on the environment that have energized the citizen based conservation special interest groups. The leaders of the Assembly and Senate are two viciously anti-conservation attack dogs: John Gard and Alan Lasee, both Republicans.

The WLCV does a remarkable job of making it very easy to find out how your state legislator has been voting on environmental issues. Go to their website and click on “SCORECARD” and “VOTE TRACKER”.

I look forward to attending “Lobby Day” next year. What is my advice for the rest of you who make the trip to Madison? Don’t skip the “After Lobby Day Social”. That is when the REAL lobbying begins. Next year, according to WLCV’s Anne Sayers, we are going to have 500 participants! (I THINK she was the one who said that.)

eddy out,
rich