Politics: Ray LaHood is, apparently, a huge environmentalist
The Pantagraph has the scoop:
The Nature Conservancy in Illinois was named the Organization of the Year at the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet held last month.
The Conservancy was honored for extraordinary contributions to natural resource preservation in 2007 when the Conservancy celebrated 50 years of work in Illinois.
The Conservancy has protected more than “80,000 acres across the state and remained a guiding force behind a gathering wave of conservation initiatives reaching across Illinois and beyond,” the Illinois Conservation Foundation said.
This month, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who chairs the Illinois River Coordinating Council, gave retiring U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, a Peoria Republican, an Environmental Hero Award.
“Throughout his long and prestigious career in public service, Congressman Ray LaHood has worked tirelessly to protect the Illinois River,” Quinn said.
Maybe. But the League of Conservation Voters never have LaHood a higher rating than 36 percent approval during the previous five sessions.
I checked with the Sierra Club, and couldn’t immediately find their ratings fo Congress members. No doubt some commenter will find the link for me. They do have a list of the Congressional candidates they endorse, and the only Illinoisan on the list is Bill Foster, the recently elected Democrat in the 14th District. There are only two Republicans on the list.
Not that I particularly respect the Sierra Club’s point of view anyway. That’s the group that was behind the unscientific, fear-based campaign to deprive Peoria County of an expanded hazardous waste landfill. And it’s not like even Democratic Party voters care for their POV either, considering their favored candidate Allen Mayer lost to Jehan Gordon in the primary.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
