By Craig Engelking, Chapter lobbyist
In an effort to appear moderate, Dino Rossi, the Republican candidate for Governor, touts himself as a “fiscal conservative with a social conscience.” Rossi and his supporters mention the phrase at almost every opportunity. The mainstream media have even picked it up. You might see and hear that phrase a lot over the next few months.
But is it true?
For most of us in Washington, having a “social conscience” includes a sincere interest in protecting our environment and the quality of life it provides. During his years in the State Senate, Rossi had plenty of opportunities to show that he shares our concerns for the environment, but he repeatedly failed. In fact, according to the Washington Conservation Voters’ legislative scorecard, Rossi voted against the environment nearly three quarters of the time (he has a lifetime WCV score of 36).
Here’s an overview of the kinds of work Rossi did on the environment while he was a state senator.
Rossi blocked efforts to phase out the release of mercury and other toxic chemicals into the environment. Last year, Rossi used his position as the Senate’s chief budget writer to block funding (just $300,000) for the Department of Ecology’s PBT program. This program phases out the release of toxic chemicals, like mercury, that persist and build up in the environment, our food chains, and in our bodies. Fortunately, Rossi resigned his position in the Senate to run for Governor and this year, and the Republican controlled Senate agreed to restore funding for the program.
Rossi voted to reduce protection for clean rivers and streams. When utilities or large irrigation projects remove too much water from a stream, it can leave the remaining water more polluted. Rossi voted for a bill that stripped the Department of Ecology of its authority to limit water withdrawals even when those withdrawals would leave a stream in violation of water quality standards. (SB 5028, 2003)
Rossi voted against protecting clean water from developers. Rossi cast a decisive vote against an amendment to add clean water protections to a bill that would have made it easier for developers to use water for growth without proper restrictions. Senator Karen Fraser sponsored the amendment in an effort to prevent growth from draining our rivers and streams. Her amendment failed by a 25-24 vote. (SB 6793, 2002)
Rossi voted to link state environmental protections to Bush administration rollbacks: Over the past three years, the Bush Administration has taken countless actions to weaken environmental standards across the board. Rossi voted for a bill that would have said Washington’s environmental standards could not exceed federal minimums. As a rule, federal minimums are just that, the minimum. Individual states design rules and regulations suited to their unique situations and environmental problems. (SB 5053, 2003)
Rossi voted to promote sprawl and rollback the state Growth Management Act (GMA): In 2003 alone, Rossi voted 100 percent of the time to weaken the growth management act, eleven bills in all. Under GMA, the state Growth Management Hearings Boards review local plans and development regulations to ensure they not only followed the right process but that they were also meeting the goals and objectives of growth management. One of the worst bills Rossi voted for would have restricted the state review to procedural matters only, not whether or not the plans and development regulations actually met the objectives of growth management. It would have turned the Growth Management Act into an empty shell. (SB 5308, 2003)
Rossi voted against efforts to fight global warming: Rossi voted against a bill to create a privately funded Washington climate center that would research simple and innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Washington. The center would have also helped identify what types of impacts climate change could have on Washington and what we can do about it. (SB 5674, 2001)
The only area where Rossi has shown an interest in environmental protection is through his support of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, a state funded program that purchases and preserves open space threatened with development.
If Rossi does in fact
have a social conscience, based on his environmental record alone, it must be
weighing heavily upon him.
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