City Officials Miss the Mark on Environmental Report Card

Mayor Jerry Sanders and five of the eight members of the San Diego City Council received “D” or “F” grades in the 2011 San Diego City Environmental Report Card, released today by the League of Conservation Voters.   

Council members Sherri Lightner and Tony Young each received a D for their votes last year on 21 issues that affected the environment, while Councilwoman Lorie Zapf and Sanders each received a D-minus.   

Sanders was graded for his positions on the issues, but he does not have a vote in San Diego's form of government.   

Councilmen Kevin Faulconer and Carl DeMaio, who is running for mayor, each received F grades. Faulconer’s district includes the largest portion of the city’s beaches and bays.

The top marks were a B each for Council members Marti Emerald and Todd Gloria, while David Alvarez received a C+.   

According to the report, the elected officials were given credit for voting in favor of a comprehensive water supply policy, returning proposed amendments to policies on wetlands back to staff for review, establishing an electric vehicle car-sharing program, and banning plastic water bottles and plastic foam products.   

They were knocked down for approving a maintenance program for storm drains and voting to move forward with competitive bidding for the Miramar Landfill, even though it was won by employees.   

“This year's grades show a serious departure from what we've come to expect from our city government on environmental issues,” said Livia Borak, president of the League of Conservation Voters in San Diego.

“It's clear that our elected officials and environmental leaders need to recommit to a productive dialogue before we do further damage to San Diego's environment”   

The voting records were compiled by Strategic Community Consulting at the UC San Diego School of International Relations and Pacific Studies.

–City News Service