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Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Names California Rep. Richard Pombo Its 'Wildlife Villain' & Rep. George Miller Its 'Wildlife Hero'

Posted on: Thursday, 2 February 2006, 15:00 CST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The conservation scores of California's congressional delegation in Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund's 2005 Conservation Report Card show a polarized contingent with roughly half its members earning 100 percent and half earning zero.

In addition to the conservation voting records, two California legislators were among those recognized for their commitment, and lack thereof, to protecting wildlife for future generations. Rep. George Miller was named a "Wildlife Hero" and Rep. Richard Pombo was named this year's "Wildlife Villain" by Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund president Rodger Schlickeisen. Pombo earned the lowest score possible in the Defenders of Wildlife 2005 Action Fund Conservation Report Card and Miller, one of the highest.

"We're pleased to recognize Congressman George Miller with our Wildlife Hero award," stated Schlickeisen. "When the Endangered Species Act was under attack, Rep. Miller's exhibited exemplary leadership in leading the charge against an attempt to eviscerate the landmark law. Congressman Miller showed his commitment to conservation by authoring a bipartisan substitute bill the weekend before Pombo's legislation hit the floor. He worked tirelessly to mobilize support for the substitute and to ensure opposition to Pombo's destructive bill."

Although the Action Fund is not dedicated to naming a "Wildlife Villain" each year, Schlickeisen declared, "Looking back on 2005, there is no question that Richard Pombo of California stood out as the 'Wildlife Villain' of the year. He was by far and away the most anti-conservation member of Congress we can remember. Pombo appears to have set himself on a mission to destroy every major federal conservation law we have on the books. Not only did he have a 'zero' on his wildlife conservation report card, but he actively led efforts to sell national parks for commercial exploitation; create a massive oil industrial complex in the Arctic Refuge; remove the 25-year ban on drilling for oil and gas off our fragile coastlines; eliminate the 11-year moratorium on selling federal lands to mining companies; and -- worst of all -- effectively eliminate the federal government's efforts to save and recover endangered wildlife."

According to the action fund's 2005 Conservation Report Card, Rep. Pombo has not cast a single vote to protect wildlife or preserve the wild places they need to live. In fact, he's taken the exact opposite position and actively worked to make wildlife conservation and habitat preservation more difficult. The report card score is based on nine votes during the first session of the 109th Congress.

Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein each earned 100 percent in the conservation report card. A complete list of votes scored in the House and Senate for California's entire congressional delegation can be found at http://www.defendersactionfund.org/2005reportcard.pdf.

Affiliated with Defenders of Wildlife, the Defenders Action Fund is 501(c)(4) organization created to provide the wildlife conservation community with a stronger voice in the political process. For more information, see http://www.defendersactionfund.org/

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:

Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund

CONTACT: William Lutz, +1-202-772-0269, or Deborah Bagocius,+1-202-772-0239, both of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund

Web site: http://www.defendersactionfund.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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