Contact: Chuck Porcari (cell: (240) 286-7566) or Mark Sokolove (cell: (703) 599-7656) or (202) 785-8683

WASHINGTON, DC - The League of Conservation Voters (LCV), the national political voice of the environmental and conservation community, today named Representative Phil Crane (R-IL) to its 2004 "Dirty Dozen" list of anti-environmental candidates. CraneÆs record shows a blatant bias toward corporate polluters and special interests over Illinois families.

"Rep. Crane has repeatedly voted to let corporate polluters off the hook, earning an abysmal 10% LCV voting score and a place on our æDirty DozenÆ list," said LCV Senior Vice President for Political Affairs Mark Longabaugh. "Crane has sided with special interests over the health and safety of Illinois families by voting for deeply flawed energy legislation and against clean air standards."

In both 2003 and 2004, Rep. Crane voted for deeply flawed energy legislation that provides billions in tax giveaways to corporate polluters and special interests while threatening the health and safety of Illinois families and costing the stateÆs taxpayers more than $1.8 billion. Crane has also catered to his campaign contributors in the utility industry by voting to weaken the Clean Air Act, and has voted for legislation that could make it easier for oil companies to drill in Lake Michigan.

"Illinois families need to ask whose side is Rep. Crane really on. Clearly his record shows that he wants to reward his corporate contributors through policy paybacks and then stick his constituents with the bill and threaten their health through support for environmentally-damaging legislation," commented Longabaugh.

For the first time ever, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) included the President of the United States on its election year "Dirty Dozen" list of anti-environment policy makers. The group cited President BushÆs consistent anti-environmental record and his unabashed support for energy legislation representing a taxpayer giveaway to wealthy corporate interests. Vice President Cheney, whose secret Energy Task Force meetings helped formulate the legislation, and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), who is trying to force the bill through Congress are also included on the Dirty Dozen list.

Through the "Dirty Dozen" campaigns, LCV identifies those holding or seeking federal office - Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike -- who consistently vote against the environment, as part of its ongoing effort to educate voters about voting records. LCV targets selected members of this list for independent campaigns in competitive races.

For more information on LCVÆs "Dirty Dozen," visit www.lcv.org <>.

The nonprofit League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is the political voice of the national environmental and conservation community. LCV, which is not a partisan organization, is the only national organization working full-time to hold Congress and the president accountable for their environmental actions. For more information, please visit us on the web at www.lcv.org.