FALL ELECTION ISSUE 2012 New England currents are you a clean water voter? The environmental stakes have never been higher than in this year’s elections. The next President and Congress — and the leaders who are elected at the state and local levels this fall — can do much to restore the nation’s commitment to clean air and water and healthy communities. The right leadership can make sure the United States is positioned to reap the full economic and job creation benefits that will come from smart investment in a clean energy and clean water future. The past two years brought more attacks on fundamental protections than ever before. The U.S. House led the way — backwards — voting more than three hundred times to dismantle the Clean Water Act, weaken clean air protections, strip funding from environmental protection programs, effectively dismantle the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and more. Without the U.S. Senate and veto threats from President Obama to stop these bills from becoming law, the results would have been disastrous. Too many officials have been carrying the polluters’ agenda and turning their backs on the people they were elected to represent — perhaps thinking they could get away with it. Clean Water Action members like you can make sure that does not happen. You can help hold our elected officials accountable for their actions with your votes this November 6. This special issue of Clean Water Currents provides information on Clean Water Action’s nonpartisan candidate endorsements for 2012. All endorsements are based on a careful review of the candidates’ records and positions, their responses to questionnaires on key issues, and, in many cases, in-person interviews and recommendations from local and national staff, allies and volunteers. Throughout the 2012 campaign season, Clean Water Action: Educates its members about critical issues, Provides information on candidates and ballot initiatives before voters Spotlights the records and positions of endorsed candidates, with special attention to environmental “heroes” deserving re-election and environmental “zeroes” whose anti-environment records are unacceptably poor Mobilizes Clean Water Action voters to make sure they vote for Clean Water Action’s endorsed candidates on election day. Clean Water Action’s 2011-12 scorecard (see page 8) provides additional detail on U.S. House and Senate voting records for those states where Clean Water Action has the largest numbers of members. Continued on page 2 CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF inside n CT News, pages 2 and 3 n MA News, pages 4 and 5 n Rhode Island News, pages 6 and 7 n ACTION FOR How Did Your Reps. and Senators Vote?, pages 8 and 9 CLEAN WATER www.CleanWaterAction.org New England Currents | Fall Election Issue 2012 are you a clean water voter? Continued from page 1 PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT: This April, Clean Water Action joined with other national environmental groups in an unprecedented early endorse- This April, Clean Water ment of President Obama’s re-election. President Obama’s Action joined with other record in his first term has been stronger than any other national environmental in decades, and his leadership has been essential in stop- groups in an unprec- ping the train wreck of anti-environmental bills moving edented early endorse- through Congress. The Romney-Ryan ticket would be an ment of PRESIDENT environmental disaster, if elected. Rep. Ryan led the attack on the Clean Water Act and other water and health protec- OBAMA’s re-election. President Obama’s record tions in Congress, and Gov. Romney has committed to an in his first term has been stronger than any agenda of weakening environmental laws and extending other in decades, and his leadership has been special treatment and expanding government subsidies essential in stopping the train wreck of anti- for the nation’s worst polluters. environmental bills moving through Congress. The stakes are equally high in contests for U.S. Sen- The Romney-Ryan ticket would be an environ- ate, U.S. House, and in many races for state legislature, mental disaster, if elected. Rep. Ryan led the governor’s races and more local offices. Clean Water attack on the Clean Water Act and other water Action members can make a difference: and health protections in Congress, and Gov. LEARN about the candidates’ records and positions, Romney has committed to an agenda of weaken- Clean Water Action’s endorsements and any ballot ing environmental laws and extending special measures before voters this fall. treatment and expanding government subsidies REGISTER and VOTE for the candidates and posi- for the nation’s worst polluters. tions endorsed by Clean Water Action. The stakes are equally high in contests for U.S. DONATE to help Clean Water Action reach and turn Senate, U.S. House, and in many races for state leg- out more pro-environment voters to support endorsed islature, governor’s races and more local offices. candidates and hold others accountable. Donate online at www.cleanwater.org/donate VOLUNTEER by joining with Clean Water Action staff in your state to make phone calls, distribute literature, and mobilize voters in the days leading up to election day. Contact the office nearest you to volunteer. connecticut Chris Murphy for U.S. Senate Clean Water Action endorses U.S. Rep Chris Murphy for U.S. Senate, to replacing retiring Sen. Joseph Lieberman, based on his solid track record of support on key issues. Rep. Murphy: • Opposes attempts to weaken the Clean Water Act and will fight to strengthen protections for rivers, streams and wetlands under the law. • Supports strong clean air and climate change protections and will fight to stop riders that weaken current law, and stand up to climate change “deniers” as a top priority. • Backs market-driven solutions for reducing the carbon pollution that causes global warming. • Voted against the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act that would have left coal ash regulations to the states on a voluntary basis. • Favors full and comprehensive disclosure of fracking fluid contents and the air emissions produced by this technology. • Supports reforming federal toxics policy to protect children and families from health harming chemicals. 2 New England Currents | Fall Election Issue 2012 www.CleanWaterAction.org connecticut Toxics Program/Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut Since the Connecticut General Assembly finished its 2012 prepare for the next state legislative session, Clean Water session in May, Clean Water Action and the Coalition for a Action organizers tabled at Norwalk’s SoNo Arts Festival Safe and Healthy Connecticut turned their attention to the and have been reaching out to bring additional local groups proposed federal Safe Chemicals Act. The Act would reform to the effort. The Coalition produced its first video and is the outdated Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). working with state agency staff to identify those chemicals posing the greatest environmental and health threats. A new Hundreds of letters, postcards and calls from Clean Water report released by the Coalition on toxics in back-to-school Action members contacted door to door helped persuade products won extensive media coverage, including radio and Sen. Joe Lieberman to cosponsor the bill, making Connecti- television interviews with ally, State Sen. Terry Gerratana, cut one of the few states with both U.S. Senators on board. and Clean Water Action’s Anne Hulick. To help build the Coalition’s community support base and Introducing Clean Water Action’s Connecticut Co-Directors ANNE HULICK first began working with Clean Water Action in 2008 in her role as Environmental Health Coordinator for the Connecticut Nurses’ Association. Anne organized nurses across the state to press for health protective state and federal toxics policies, with Clean Water Action and the Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut. Anne joined Clean Water Action’s staff full Clean Water Action staff and supporters gather time in January 2011 as Coordinator for the Coalition. at Connecticut’s 2011 benefit event. Left to right: “I am deeply honored and thrilled to be the state co-director Mary Ellen Hobson, Meghan Kenny, Chris Corcoran along with my colleague Roger Smith. My passion has always (back), Joyce Acebo-Raguskas (front), Anne Hulick, been to do work that combines advocating for policies that Madeline Priest, Roger Smith. This year’s event is on protect public health and the environment and working with November 16 at the Graduate Club in New Haven. such a phenomenal team at Clean Water Action and the Coali- Join the Connecticut Clean Water Action staff, tion is truly a dream come true. I look forward to growing and other members and allies from around the state for strengthening our work to reform chemical policies.” an evening featuring great food, great company and supporting this great cause! Contact Shannon ROGER SMITH joined Clean Water Action in August 2003 McAvoy for tickets information or to become a to mobilize public support for action on global warming. Since sponsor, [email protected] then Roger has worked on energy, climate and air quality issues, coordinating volunteers and leading coalitions to win passage of save the date: 40th Anniversary Clean Water Benefit two global warming laws, expand the state’s energy efficiency November 16, 2012 programs, ensure Connecticut’s participation in the Regional Graduate Club, New Haven Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and increase investments in renewable energy, particularly solar power. In 2010 Roger helped 14 Connecticut towns win an energy outreach grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and now coordinates community outreach for this project, the Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge. “I’m proud to be part of the Clean Water Action team that has accomplished so much in Connecticut over the past decade. I am looking forward to working with Anne Hulick as Connecticut co-director.