October 10, 2012 08:08 PM UTC

Two Ways Tipton on Colorado's environment

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• by: ProgressNow Colorado

(Edited for front page… – promoted by ClubTwitty)

As freshman Rep. Scott Tipton tries to run to the center ahead of the election next month, it’s way past time for Tipton to come clean with the voters of Colorado’s Third Congressional District about his terrible record on environmental policy. Scott Tipton has no business representing himself as a friend of Colorado’s environment.

Tell Scott Tipton you’re not buying his doubletalk on environmental protection.

Tipton took campaign cash from Big Oil and holds large investments in oil companies such as Exxon and Royal Dutch Shell. In return, Tipton has consistently voted against environmental protections for citizens, and voted to approve the Keystone XL pipeline to in part benefit the same companies. [Public Campaign 4/12/2012]

Tipton failed to protect the Thompson Divide area from drilling. After accepting over $10,000 from an oil company seeking to expand drilling against the wishes of local ranchers and residents, Tipton became a false broker between citizens and the oil companies, hosting fruitless negotiations while declaring himself an advocate of expanded drilling whenever possible. [Glenwood Springs Post-Independent 9/1/2012, Colorado Independent 12/2/2011]

Tipton exploited Colorado’s wildfire season to please the timber industry. Tipton’s so-called “Healthy Forests Act,” introduced in the midst of terrible wildfires in the state, would allow states to disregard environmental regulations and irresponsibly turn over forests to timber companies for “thinning.” Tipton has received thousands of dollars in contributions from donors linked to the timber industry [Sunlight Foundation 8/21/2012]

Tipton attacked renewable energy programs while taking credit for solar power projects in his district. Earlier this summer, Tipton toured the new Cogentrix solar production plant in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado. Tipton praised the facility as “impressive,” and was told specifically by the plant’s management that a Department of Energy loan guarantee was instrumental in getting the project started. Despite this experience, Tipton voted against similar loan guarantees only weeks afterward to please Republican leadership. [Pueblo Chieftain 7/16/2012]

Scott Tipton, like other Republicans as the election nears, is running away from his record since his election to Congress in 2010’s “Tea Party wave.” But the facts are clear: Tipton has been no friend of his district’s land, water, or people. And the voters of the Third District deserve better than a representative who only takes their concerns seriously for a few weeks before election time, then selling them out when the pressure is off.

Tell Scott Tipton: he can’t have it two ways forever. We’ll share your names and comments with Tipton, the press, and other elected officials. Thanks for standing up for honesty from our elected officials! It’s past time we demanded better.