Leaders of the Oklahoma Chapter of the Sierra Club say they saw a slight improvement in the environmental grades given Oklahoma’s legislators following the 2020 legislative session.
The Chapter grades senators and representatives based on how they vote on environmental issues supported by the Club. The Oklahoma Environmental Legislative Scorecard was released this week as the chapter said it highlights legislation of “greatest importance to the overall protection and management of Oklahoma’s air, land and water…”
Johnson Bridgwater, director of the Oklahoma Chapter said the overall trend showed final letter grades largely on the C, D and F side.
“—this year’s scorecard did produce an uptick in legislators receiving an A+, indicating a perfect voting record in line with Oklahoma Sierra Club’s issues and concerns,” he added.
In the Senate, the scorecard was based on five different bills.
HB3619,Rep. Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa and Sen. Mark Allen, R-Spiro, would prohibit a community from outlawing natural gas hookups or requiring solar energy use or in any other way regulating what energy source must be used or not used within their building codes.
– Oklahoma Sierra Club OPPOSED this bill.
-The bill was signed into law.
SB0521,Sen. Mark Allen, R-Spiro and Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, requires rules promulgated by the Corporation Commission to not be more stringent than any Environmental Protection Agency standards or regulations.
-Oklahoma Sierra Club OPPOSED this bill.
-The bill stalled in the House of Representatives.
SB1742,Oklahoma Water Resources Board; Authorizes the OWRB Executive Director to issue certain groundwater permits where there is no protest. Permits must be approved by the Board now. Makes some changes to protest procedures.
-Oklahoma Sierra Club OPPOSED this bill.
-The bill stalled in the House of Representatives.
SJR0040, Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville and Rep. Mike Sanders, R-Kingfisher, proposes a vote of the people on a constitutional amendment to add a new Section 13 to Article 23 that would create a limit on noneconomic damages in a civil action.
– Oklahoma Sierra Club OPPOSED this bill.
– The bill was signed into law.
SB1592,Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow and Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, update and expansion of last year’s PACE program. Property Assessed Clean Energy program operated by counties; provides funding for efficiency improvements to buildings.
– Oklahoma Sierra Club SUPPORTED this bill.
– The bill was signed into law
Seven senators received an A+ and all were Democrats. Most Republican senators received an F or a D grade.
In the House, grades were based on 5 bills.
HB4019,Rep. Charles McCall, R-Atoka and Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow, directs ODEQ to sell their building and property downtown and give the money to the State. OMES will find a closet somewhere for them to work out of.
– Oklahoma Sierra Club OPPOSED this bill.
– The bill stalled in the Senate.
HB3619, Rep. Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa and Sen. Mark Allen, R-Spiro, would prohibit a community from outlawing natural gas hookups or requiring solar energy use or in any other way regulating what energy source must be used or not used within their building codes.
– Oklahoma Sierra Club OPPOSED this bill.
-The bill was signed into law.
HB3970,Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore and Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, directs Oklahoma Corporation Commission to adopt rules setting goals for use of “renewable natural gas,” update our RFS to reflect such and produce “educational materials” trumpeting the benefits of “renewable natural gas.”
– Oklahoma Sierra Club OPPOSED this bill.
– The bill stalled in the Senate.
HJR1027, Rep. John Pfeiffer, R-Mulhall and Sen. Kimberly David, R-Porter, proposes constitutional amendment requiring the % of legal voters signing an initiative or referendum petition to apply to each congressional district, not statewide.
– Oklahoma Sierra Club OPPOSED this bill.
– The bill stalled in the Senate.
SB1592,Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow and Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, update and expansion of last year’s PACE program. Property Assessed Clean Energy program operated by counties; provides funding for efficiency improvements to buildings.
– Oklahoma Sierra Club SUPPORTED this bill.
– The bill was signed into law.
Nine representatives received an A or A+ and all were Democdrats.
The scorecard points out that the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) was singularly negatively impacted by budget cuts—it was hit by a 10% budget cut, whereas most other agencies received a mere 4% cut.
The full report is available for reading or download online at the Oklahoma Sierra Club website:
Source: Sierra Club
