AUGUSTA — Two area legislators have been praised for their efforts to preserve Maine’s environment.  

Democrats State Sen. Justin Chenette of Saco, and State Sen. Susan Deschambault of Biddeford, have been named “Conservation Champions” by the Maine Conservation Voters organization for their consistent support for Maine’s environment, as well as developing policies that protect public health from toxic chemicals and advance the development and adoption of clean, renewable energy.

Maine Conservation Voters scored seven key environmental votes during the 2017 legislative session and both Chenette and Deschambault received a 100 percent score for their votes.

“Maine’s natural resources are important to preserve, not just for ourselves but for future generations,” Chenette said. “I’m proud to have earned a clean 100 percent for my voting record on our environment during my first year in the Maine Senate. We need to stand firm on Maine’s water, air and alternative energy.”

Deschambault said she was happy to have received a 100 percent on envrionmental votes from the organization.

“During my time in the Maine Senate,  I have travelled throughout our beautiful state and seen firsthand the way Maine’s environmental quality contributes to our quality of life and our economy,”  Deschambault said. “I will always support legislation that preserves and improves the natural world, and thus Mainers’ quality of life.”

Chenette and Deschambault are among 16 Maine Senate Democrats and one Maine Senate Republican legislators who earned perfect scores for their votes on conservation, energy efficiency, clean power generation and public health.

Maine Conservation Voters tallied votes by legislators including support for precedent-setting protections from the potential dangers of metallic mining; support for a ban on cancer-causing chemicals commonly found in upholstered furniture; support for a bill to protect incentives for the development of solar energy; support for improvements to the management of public lands; support for a bill to provide new funding to get arsenic out of Maine’s wells and to raise awareness about well water testing; opposition to a bill to roll back energy efficiency regulations; and support for a bill to strengthen Maine’s bottle-deposit law to prevent roadside litter.

For more information about votes scored, visit maineconservationvoters.org.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com