Incumbent Rep. Holden targeted for votes in Congress to weaken clean water protections

(Harrisburg) – Clean Water Action announced today their endorsement of Matthew Cartwright for U.S. House, in Congressional District 17 (central and eastern PA).  Cartwright is challenging long time incumbent Rep. Tim Holden (D) in the Democratic Primary on April 24.

“Rep. Holden has been voting for far too long with the Republicans and special interests who want to weaken our clean water protections.  Clean Water Action is pleased to endorse Matt Cartwright who is committed to making sure no one makes a fast buck off of endangering our rivers and drinking water supplies,” stated Myron Arnowitt, PA State Director for Clean Water Action.

Clean Water Action gave Rep. Holden a score of only 18% for his 2011 Congressional votes on key environmental issues, one of the lowest scores among Democrats in Pennsylvania.  Holden’s low score stemmed largely from his support for numerous efforts by House Republican leaders to weaken major environmental laws and programs, including the Clean Water Act.

“Rep. Holden has fallen out of touch with voters in the 17th Congressional District.  He has taken thousands of dollars from the oil and gas industry, while voting to give these companies loopholes in laws that protect our drinking water.  Given that thousands of natural gas wells are being fracked either in the district or just upstream, we need an independent representative like Matt Cartwright who will defend the interests of residents, not special interests like Exxon and Halliburton,” Arnowitt continued.

Votes by Rep. Holden in 2011 that weaken environmental protection include:
•    Supporting the destructive practice of mountaintop removal by forbidding EPA oversight (HR 1, Griffith Amendment)
•    Preventing protections from being put into place for streams polluted by strip mining (HR 1, Johnson Amendment)
•    Blocking federal support for needed cleanups in the Susquehanna River watershed (HR 1, Goodlatte Amendment)

“With Gov. Corbett looking the other way while gas companies frack thousands of gas wells with minimal oversight, we need federal representatives like Matt Cartwright to ensure our water is protected.  Clean Water Action will be reaching out to our thousands of members in the district to make sure our endorsement in this race is known by voters,” concluded Arnowitt.

Download the Press Release

Clean Water Action, with over 100,000 members in Pennsylvania, has been empowering people for 40 years to take action to protect the environment, the health of our families and to make democracy work.

Paid for by Clean Water Action (www.cleanwateraction.org).  Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.