Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz earned a perfect 100 percent score from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) last week for her work in the 111th Congress on environmental, public health, and energy issues.

Schwartz has a long record of commitment to protecting our environment and ensuring that our water, air, and energy are clean and efficient for generations to come. She serves on the Livable Communities Task Force and is outspoken about the environmental and economic need for livable communities.

Schwartz has secured funding for bike and pedestrian paths throughout Pennsylvania and has worked to strengthen public transportation.  In the last Congress, she introduced the Green Communities Act to help municipalities implement green infrastructure, which is one of the most effective ways to improve quality of life for residents, attract new businesses, and generate economic development.

“Investing in our environment is both the smart thing to do for our economy and the right thing to do for future generations,” Schwartz said. “Creating green and sustainable communities goes hand-in-hand with economic growth.  I am pleased to receive this perfect score from the League of Conservation Voters, an organization that has a distinguished history of promoting viable solutions to our country’s difficult environmental issues.”

“While the lack of progress in 2010 is highly disappointing, we applaud those members of Congress like Congresswoman Schwartz who fought to protect public health and the environment and reduce our nation’s dangerous dependence on oil,” said LCV President Gene Karpinski. “The 2010 National Environmental Scorecard clearly illustrates that there is much work to be done, and LCV looks forward to working with Congresswoman Schwartz to further to protect the environment and public health while transitioning our nation to a clean energy economy.”

“Pennsylvanians should be proud of U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz’s strong commitment to environmental issues,” said Josh McNeil, Executive Director of the Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania. “The Congresswoman is leading the way, both in the state and nationally, towards a cleaner healthier future.”

The 2010 LCV National Environmental Scorecard includes nine different House votes, as well as negatively scoring co-sponsorship of ‘Dirty Air Act’ legislation that would undermine the EPA’s ability to enforce the provisions of the Clean Air Act.  This year, only 119 representatives earned a 100 percent perfect score.

The nonprofit League of Conservation Voters has published its Scorecard in every Congress since 1970, the year it was founded by leaders of the environmental movement following the first Earth Day.  LCV works to turn environmental values into national priorities.

####