Sen. Tim Hutchinson (R): Dirty Dozen 2002
Arkansas Senate
2001 LCV environmental rating = 13%
106th Congress LCV rating = 0%
Lifetime LCV rating = 10%
View Tim Hutchinson's Race At A Glance page.
Tim Hutchinson is one of the most vulnerable incumbents facing reelection this year because he is out of step with Arkansas voters. He continually sided with corporate polluters, and against the health and safety of Arkansas families by voting to gut clean water protections and working to block the preservation of the state's natural heritage areas like the Arkansas River.
Blocked American Heritage Status for the Arkansas River
Hutchinson spent his first year as a Senator attempting to cripple an initiative that could have boosted protection for the Arkansas River and the communities that depend on it. Established in 1997, the American Heritage Rivers Initiative (AHRI) seeks to �p river communities restore their environment, revitalize their economy, renew their culture and preserve their history�rough a variety of federal grants and local partnerships. Hutchinson worked to derail AHRI by proposing burdensome federal regulations that would drown the program in red tape. Although he succeeded in blocking the nomination of the Arkansas River to be an American Heritage River �ying communities like Little Rock the benefits of participation � attempt to derail the initiative nationally was defeated by a bipartisan coalition in the Senate.
Weakened Land Conservation Efforts
Hutchinson voted against critical land protections on 37 of the 39 major public lands votes included on the National Environmental Scorecard since he was elected to Congress in 1992. He supported oil and gas drilling in national monuments, unlimited mine waste dumping on public lands and opposed increasing funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) by $135.2 million. Arkansas possesses a wealth of natural resources and since its creation, LWCF has provided $127.9 million to maintain and protect areas like the Ozark National Forest, the Arkansas Post National Memorial and the Little Rock Riverfront Park. The state's natural heritage also plays a vital role in the region's economy and quality of life. In 2001, over half the Arkansas population participated in hunting, fishing and other wildlife-associated activities. Including out-of-state tourists, fishing activities contributed $441.5 million in 2001 to the state's economy, while wildlife watching brought in $242.6 million.
Opposed Tough Clean Water Protections
Hutchinson voted to weaken water quality protections, subsidize polluting factory farms and exempt industries from water treatment requirements. About 1,147 miles of Arkansas streams will fail to meet water quality standards due to pollution. In 2002, more than 250 sewer overflows had been reported in Little Rock by mid-August and, just last summer, the Berryville sewer system spilled 48,000 gallons of partially treated sludge into the Kings River leading to an E. coli advisory that warned swimmers and fishermen to stay away from the water. Additionally, Arkansas ranks first in the nation for the seven million tons of poultry waste generated in 1997, an increase of 21 percent over the previous decade. Hutchinson wanted to roll back the clean water laws that limit the amount of pollution allowed in waterways and help prevent sewer overflows. He also voted to subsidize the expansion of large, polluting corporate farms with taxpayer dollars.
The Race
Senator Hutchinson is facing the toughest challenge of his career from Arkansas Attorney General Mark Pryor (D). While Hutchinson has the full support of the White House and the ability to raise significant sums of money from corporate polluters, recent polls show Pryor with a growing lead. Political analyst Stuart Rothenberg recently changed his Arkansas Senate race rating from a "toss-up" to a "lean Democratic takeover" and notes that Hutchinson is �great risk� losing in November. Hutchinson's poor record protecting water quality and protecting the state's natural heritage shows he is out of step with the values of Arkansas voters.
