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LCV says the "Michigan Legislature is failing on state conservation issues"

The Kalamazoo River in Southwest Michigan
Photo courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency
The Kalamazoo River in Southwest Michigan

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters is giving the Michigan Legislature a grade of "incomplete" for its current session.

The group's scorecard grades lawmakers on their votes related to energy, land and water issues.

This year, the League says there's been little progress on bills related to those issues.

Jack Schmitt is the Deputy Director of the League's Michigan chapter. He says that means efforts to improve the environment have stalled.

"This session the state Legislature showed us that they are more motivated to move backward than forward and leave opportunities for progress and clean energy, protections from fracking and for public land on hold," Schmitt said.

Schmitt says there are a few leaders on environmental issues in the Michigan Legislature.

But he says little progress will be made until more lawmakers make natural resources a priority.

"The overall score of 'Incomplete' should serve as a wake-up call for legislators going forward," Schmitt said. "The protection of our natural resources resonates with Michigan's citizens and our scorecard makes it completely clear just how much the Legislature's failing when it comes to representing the conservation values of Michiganders."

The report scores individual lawmakers based on their votes on six bills that came up for a vote in the House and Senate.

– Alyse Guenther, Michigan Radio Newsroom

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