Wolk earns 100% for votes on state's top environmental issues

Group includes Wolk’s legislation for stronger flood, wildlife protection on scorecard

SACRAMENTO–The California League of Conservation Voters announced this week that Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) earned 100 percent on its scorecard grading state lawmaker’s votes on legislation on the state’s top environmental issues, including air quality, and flood and wildlife protection.

“Our scorecard shows that electing environmental champions into office is an essential ingredient in the recipe for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, cleaning our air and water, safeguarding our communities from toxins and protecting California’s treasured coastline, mountains and wild lands,” wrote CLCV Executive Director Susan Smartt in the scorecard.  “By electing strong candidates and letting them know we’re watching and keeping score, we’re helping to ensure the health and well-being of the environment and of generations to come.”

Among the group’s high-priority bills was SB 5, authored by Wolk and Senator Mike Machado(D-Linden), which establishes a comprehensive set of policies to move towards 21st Century flood protection by coordinating state and local efforts to connect land-use decisions and flood management planning. The bill was part of a package of landmark flood protection legislation signed into law by the Governor last month.

Other bills by Wolk included in the scorecard:

• AB 923, held the Senate Appropriations Committee, would have sped the implementation of the California Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy developed and adopted by the Department of Fish and Game to protect California's wildlife.                                                            

• AB 1032, vetoed by the Governor, would have strengthened the state’s protection of threatened and endangered native trout, aquatic, and amphibian species from the effects of motorized suction dredge gold mining.