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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend October 12, 2006 Walden flunks environmental issues grading Response: Report biased against Republicans By Paul Fattig Mail Tribune U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, received a 17 percent score in the League of Conservation Voters 2006 national environmental scorecard released Wednesday. The only other member of Oregon's congressional delegation to receive a lower score was U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., at 14 percent. A spokesman for Walden said the scorecard results are unfairly skewed against the Republicans. However, Carol Voisin, the Democrat vying for Walden's seat in the 2nd Congressional District in next month's election, called the results an important gauge for voters. The nonprofit group, whose self-described mission is to promote "sound" environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt and implement those policies, scored Oregon's representatives on 12 bills in the House and the senators on seven measures in the Senate. One of the House bills was the Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act (HR 4200) co-sponsored by Walden and U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash. Among the Senate bills was one allowing drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) on Alaska's north slope. The league opposed both bills. Advertisement The scorecard results were based on the number of pro-environment votes cast out of the total number measured. Absences are counted as a negative vote. Top scorers from Oregon were Democrats U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Rep. David Wu of Portland, each scoring 100 percent. U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Portland and Darlene Hooley of Salem, both Democrats, each scored 92 percent. U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Springfield, received an 83 percent score. "You have to remember these votes are very selectively chosen to reflect a partisan agenda," said Dallas Boyd, spokesman for Walden. "They don't reflect a (congressional) member's true position on the environment." For instance, the scorecard did not reflect a wilderness bill coauthored by Walden with Blumenauer that would add some 77,000 acres of wilderness in the Mount Hood area, he said. "If ever there was a pro-environment bill, that was it," he said of the bill now before the Senate. HR 4200 would give land managers the ability to complete a swift evaluation of federal forestlands hit by a catastrophic wildfire or other natural disaster, then make a decision on whether to salvage log and act on it, according to Walden. "The people in Southern Oregon, having experienced the Biscuit fire, understand this is a pro-forest bill," Boyd said, referring to the nearly half-million acre 2002 fire. "To score it as an environmental negative is highly inaccurate." Voisin, who teaches ethical thinking at Southern Oregon University, has a different perspective. "That's typical of Walden — he wants to make us think he's the moderate and pro-environment but he's not," she said. "He thinks if he can get salvage logging done that will help the environment. It seems like he can't think far enough ahead." She noted that studies have shown that salvage logging after a fire harms the environment and is not cost-effective. "We need to protect our forests so we can have clean water and air," she said. She also believes that Walden, along with California U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo, chair of the House Resources Committee, would "gut the Endangered Species Act" if they had their way. "It needs to be reformed but it is still needed to protect the environment," she said, adding, "The way they want to change it is criminal." The national group, working with the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, has been publishing the annual environmental scorecard since 1970. House members from Oregon averaged 77 percent while senators averaged 57 percent. The national average was 48 percent for House members and 45 percent for Senators. To view the league's entire 2006 national environmental scorecard, visit www.lcv.org on the Web. Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or at [email protected] Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. 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