Lance, Senators Receive High Environmental Rankings

Westfield's federal delegation has received high marks in the annual League of Conservation Voters' national environmental scorecard.

U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-Bergen County) and Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken) both received perfect scores from the national environmental group, while U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon County) received a 71-percent score from the group. The scores are based of how often a federal legislator votes in favor of the LCV legislative agenda based on certain votes during the course of 2009.

Lance's score is the third lowest of New Jersey's 15 member federal delegation, with the two lowest scoring below 50-percent in voting with the LCV on issues. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Morris County) scored a 21-percent, while Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Sussex County), the state's most conservative member of Congress, scored a 0-percent. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Burlington County) and Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-Atlantic County) are Republicans who scored higher than Lance with a 79-percent rating from the LCV.

Lance, a moderate Republican with an office in Westfield, has been under fire in recent months for his vote in favor of the Cap & Trade climate change bill, one of the votes where he was in agreement with the LCV. He is presently facing primary challenges from Westfield businessman Bruce Baker and Somerset County businessman David Larsen, both of whom have attacked the one term congressman for his vote in favor of Cap & Trade.

Lance has been saying that his vote would not be the same today on the bill as it was over the summer, explaining during his reelection announcement in Westfield last week that he would not vote in favor of the bill now. He said that he made the decision to reverse the vote after President Obama failed to convince leaders from China, Russia and India to install the same carbon emissions reductions in their countries. During his 2008 race for Congress, Lance stressed his environmental record in the state legislature, including bills to preserve open space in the state.

Votes Used by the League of Conservation Voters

• Add 21.3 miles of the Molalla River in Oregon to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act: Lance, Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, LCV in favor, bill passed
• Enhance security at chemical facilities: Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, Lance votes no, LCV in favor, bill passed
• Eliminate salaries of the Assistant to the President for Climate Change and the staff of the White House Council on Environmental Quality: Lance, Menendez and Lautenberg vote no, LCV against, bill failed
• Cap & Trade: Lance, Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, LCV in favor, bill passed
• Appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior: Lance, Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, LCV in favor, bill passed
• Prohibiting protections on the Bay-Delta Estuary in California in order to protect fisheries jobs: Lance votes yes, Menendez and Launtenberg vote no, LCV against, bill failed
• Money for green school buildings: Lance, Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, LCV in favor, bill passed
• President's Budget: Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, Lance votes no, LCV in favor, bill passed
• Protection of rare cats and dogs: Lance, Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, LCV in favor, bill passed
• Changing laws governing forest management: Lance, Menendez and Lautenberg vote no, LCV against, bill passed
• Omnibus bill protecting public lands: Lance, Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, LCV in favor, bill passed
• Loans to local governments for water infrastructure upgrades: Lance, Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, LCV in favor, bill passed
• Federal Stimulus Package: Menendez and Lautenberg vote yes, Lance votes no, LCV in favor, bill passed