Group will issue legislative scorecard

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County chapter of Montana Conservation Voters is hosting a legislative review meeting at the Bohemian Grange Hall in Whitefish today at 6 p.m.

The organization will release its 2009 legislative scorecard at the town hall meeting. Legislators, Montana Conservation Voters members and the public are invited to attend.

"MCV's chapter meeting is a chance for our members and other Flathead area voters to talk to our legislators about critical conservation measures like the energy efficiency in schools measure," said Ryan Busse, a Kalispell businessman and vice chairman of the Montana Conservation Voters Board of Directors.

During the 2009 Legislature, Montana Conservation Voters tracked bills related to energy efficiency for schools and electric utilities, energy efficiency standards, water quality protection for the Flathead River and area lakes, and several measures that would have weakened current environmental protections.

The 2009 legislative scorecard reports how legislators voted on conservation legislation.

Montana conservationists made progress promoting energy efficiency, helping pass a measure included in HB 645, the state appropriation of federal stimulus money, which funds $15 million in energy grants for public schools for major energy efficiency improvements on their buildings.