OLYMPIA – The state House of Representatives will have a new standing committee in January to tackle environmental protection and conservation issues, including climate change.  State Rep. Dave Upthegrove (D-Des Moines) was selected today to chair this new committee, the House Ecology and Parks Committee. 

“In order to have good jobs and a strong economy, we need to keep Washington a great place to live,” Upthegrove said.  “This means protecting our clean air, clean water, parks and open spaces.”

Upthegrove won praise for his work as Chair of the Select Committee on Puget Sound where he shepherded landmark legislation through the House to coordinate Puget Sound clean-up efforts.  Issues relating to Puget Sound as well as climate change, aquatic lands, parks and recreation, the State Environmental Policy Act, oil spills and cruise ship pollution will also fall under the committee’s jurisdiction.

“While I will continue to make Puget Sound clean-up efforts a priority for the committee, I also am excited to address broader issues like climate change,” Upthegrove said.  “We need to be doing much more in Washington State to prevent climate change.  We no longer can only do what is convenient.  Instead, we need to be bold in our thinking and our actions.”

Committee membership for the Ecology and Parks Committee will be finalized during the next few weeks.  Until then, Upthegrove plans to meet with the Governor's Climate Change Action Team and other stakeholders to begin developing the committee agenda for the upcoming 2008 legislative session.

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Rep. Dave Upthegrove – 360-786-7868

Media staff: Jeff Muhm -- 360-786-7237

Print-quality photo: http://www1.leg.wa.gov/documents/house/members/photos/Upthegrove.jpg