Harford County?s representatives in Annapolis earned the lowest average score statewide from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, including one of only two “zero” scores in the state Senate.
The environmental group released its scorecard for 2005-06 this week and reported that Harford had the most “anti-environment” votes statewide on issues such as more stringent vehicle emissions standards, land preservation along the Chesapeake Bay and the state?s Healthy Air Act.
“Harford has been one of our more frustrating counties, because there?s no real reason” it should rank low consistently, said Acting Director Terry Harris. He thought that, as a suburban county, Harford would have stronger tendencies toward conservation. Instead, its average score has been among the state?s lowest ever since it?s been counted.
“Harford County is one of the areas being very rapidly developed,” said League Communications and MarketingManager Dawn Stoltzfus. “I?d imagine environmental issues would have been important to them.”
However, some questioned whether the league could fairly judge the delegation based on votes alone. Del. Joanne Parrott, who only recently learned of the scorecard, said there were other environment-related votes that could have been chosen.
“There?s other things going on that show you?re for the environment and open space. It?s not just the votes,” Parrott said, citing several grants she said she had helped secure for parks and preservation.
Sen. Nancy Jacobs, a Republican from District 34, was one of only two senators to receive a zero score on the report (the other was Sen. Lowell Stoltzfus, from the Eastern Shore). Jacobs was also given a zero in the 2003-04 report.
The league identified 10 key votes on bills and amendments for their environmental impact, and dubbed all of Jacobs? votes on them as anti-environment. Jacobs voted in favor of amendments to the Healthy Air Act that would have let companies escape penalties or would have delayed the bill further with studies by the Public Service Commission, Stoltzfus said.
Jacobs was flying back from a trip to California late last night and was unavailable for comment.
