Greens air ad against Heller

The League of Conservation Voters is airing a radio commercial in Reno this week slapping at Republican Rep. Dean Heller and his recent votes on air quality regulation.

The environmental group said Heller effectively voted for "corporate polluters" when he voted earlier this month for legislation that blocked the Environmental Protection Agency from pursuing regulation of carbon pollutants that contribute to global warming.

Heller, who is running for the U.S. Senate, was joined by Reps. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., Denny Rehberg, R-Montana, and Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., on the target list of what the LCV said was a $250,000 radio ad campaign. The Nevada Conservation League chipped in on the Heller commercials.

The Republican-controlled House voted 255-172 on April 7 to prohibit the EPA from moving forward on new regulations. Most Republicans and some Democrats argued the EPA is overreaching in proposing to set limits on carbon dioxide emissions at power plants and refineries. They argue the rules would kill jobs and drain billions of dollars from the economy.

The Democratic-controlled Senate killed a similar bill, meaning the EPA can pursue regulation.

The League of Conservation Voters said the targeted lawmakers were "supporting efforts to gut the Clean Air Act and prevent the EPA from doing its jobs to protect public health and reduce dangerous pollution."

The environmental group said Heller and the other lawmakers also voted for a House spending bill in February that including EPA-blocking amendments.