Here's the press release from the NC League of
Conservation Voters:

In anticipation of the NC General Assembly's return
on January 30, an analysis of the 2012 Conservation Legislative
Scorecard reveals a disturbing trend in regard to the new leadership
and the environment. The scorecard published by NC League of
Conservation Voters gives each state legislator a score of 0 to 100
based on his or her votes on key environmental bills during each
legislative session.

The newly appointed leaders of House committees affecting the
environment earned an average of 28% in the 2011-12 session, well
below the overall House average of 42%, itself down from 67% in the
2009-10 session. Key roles in the House include the Environment
Committee, the Transportation Committee, the Public Utilities
Committee, the Regulatory Reform Committee, the Appropriations
Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources, and the
Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.

More disturbing than the House scores, the newly appointed leaders of
the Senate committees earned on average an 8%. The overall Senate
average was a mere 31% during the 2011-12 session, compared to 69% in
2009-10. Key roles affecting the environment in the Senate include
the Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources Committee, the
Transportation Committee, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural
and Economic Resources, and the Appropriations Subcommittee on
Transportation.

In light of these alarming numbers, Dan Crawford, director of
governmental relations for NCLCV, said, "We will continue to hold all
legislators accountable for making sound environmental decisions
while improving the economy. Citizens need to know how their elected
officials are voting on bills that will ultimately impact their air,
water, and communities."

According to a recent poll commissioned by the N.C. Coastal
Federation, over 70% of all voters support balancing economic
development with environmental protection. NCLCV encourages the NC
General Assembly to consider this as the 2013-14 Legislative Session
begins.

For real-time information on environmental legislation and previous
Conservation Scorecards, please visit NCLCV's website at
http://www.nclcv.org.

North Carolina League of Conservation Voters is a pragmatic,
nonpartisan, advocacy organization dedicated to protecting,
preserving, and enhancing North Carolina‚s natural environment. For
over 40 years, NCLCV has been turning environmental values into North
Carolina priorities by helping to elect pro-conservation candidates
and holding them accountable for their decisions that affect the
environment.