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There was mixed news on ballot initiatives in several states. Chapter
activists and staff in Colorado saw three Club-backed initiatives pass,
including one that specifies that some public lands held in trust be
set aside for recreational and conservation purposes. In Missouri, an
important parks and soil conservation measure passed.
A significant victory in New York was the passage of Clean Water/Clean
Air Bond Act which contained a number of excellent provisions for
cleaning up the Great Lakes, constructing and rehabilitating filtration
plants, rehabilitating industrial sites and improving recreational
opportunities along several waterways. California passed a bond measure
on clean water and fish and wildlife improvements as well.
Unfortunately, there were also significant losses where environmental
interests went up against industry funded negative campaigns. Florida
voters turned down a one-cent-per-pound sugar tax which would have been
earmarked for Everglades protection, although two other Club-backed
initiatives dealing with protecting the Everglades and requiring
polluters to shoulder the costs of their pollution passed. Three
different measures on clearcutting appeared on the Maine ballot. One
would have maintained the current climate of poor regulation. The other
two advocated stronger positions. The more moderate of these two
measures received a higher percentage of the vote, but a runoff will be
held between that measure and the ban on clearcutting, which was
endorsed by the Club. In Montana, mining interests spent over $1
million to defeat a measure to control water pollution from mines.
However, a significant victory was won in the New Hampshire Governor's
race where Club endorsee Jeanne Shaheen (D) captured an open seat from
Republican opponent Ovide Lamontagne. The Club-endorsed candidates Jim
Hunt (D), in North Carolina and Gary Locke (D) in Washington also won
their Governor's races, but West Virginia's bid to elect a strong
environmentalist, Charlotte Pritt (D), failed.
Statehouse election results were, like the federal races, mixed. The
good news is that the overall success rate for Sierra Club-endorsed
candidates in state and local elections was quite high, ranging from an
average that was well above 60 to nearly 100 percent success in a few
cases.
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