An A-plus in ecology for N.J.'s delegation
The lawmakers got high marks for their voting records on environmental issues.
TRENTON - When it comes to voting in favor of environmental legislation, New Jersey's congressional delegation scores an A-plus.
An environmental group releasing the delegation's annual environmental voting track record Tuesday lauded most members.
"New Jersey's senators and a majority of our congressmen time and again have stood up for the environment and pushed real clean-energy solutions for our energy crisis," said Dena Mattola Jaborska, executive director of Environment New Jersey.
The group tallied votes on key environmental issues such as reducing global-warming gases, protecting air and water, and increasing mileage standards for vehicles.
Sens. Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg received repeat perfect scores on the 10 Senate votes ranked.
Eight of the 13 U.S. representatives received perfect scores: Rob Andrews, Frank LoBiondo, Chris Smith, Frank Pallone, Bill Pascrell, Steve Rothman, Rush Holt and Albio Sires.
Scott Garrett scored the worst - 8 percent, below the national average of 58 percent.
The remaining members of the delegation and their scores were Mike Ferguson, 77 percent; Jim Saxton and Donald Payne, 69 percent; and Rodney Frelinghuysen, 54 percent.
The New Jersey House delegation averaged 83 percent.
Jaborska said she also had noticed a shift in the types of legislation Congress was considering, with more bills being solution-oriented.
Before the formal scorecard announcement, Menendez said: "People are realizing that caring for the environment by transitioning to low-cost, modern, advanced energy not only protects the natural treasures we have here in the Garden State, but it also cuts down on our energy bills and creates new jobs."