Governor Gregoire appoints newest member of Pacific Northwest Power and Conservation Planning Council

For Immediate Release: February 5, 2008

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced the appointment of Dick Wallace to the Pacific Northwest Power and Conservation Planning Council. The three-year term is effective Feb. 16, 2008.

Council members are appointed by the governors of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana to implement the Pacific Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Act passed by Congress in 1980. The primary function of the council is to develop a regional power and conservation plan and a fish and wildlife plan. The council also recommends funding for projects to be implemented by the Bonneville Power Administration.

Wallace, 55, is a regional director with the Washington Department of Ecology and works on policy initiatives such as Puget Sound cleanup, watershed management and salmon recovery. He will replace Larry Cassidy of Vancouver, whose term expires this month.

�Dick has a keen understanding of the balance between the growing energy needs of Northwest businesses and families, and the need to protect our natural resources,� Gregoire said. �He will be an asset in building partnerships between state and local officials and business and interest groups to help work toward balancing our power and natural resource issues.�

Wallace has more than 25 years of experience in natural resource issues, including water and watershed management, agriculture, forestry, stormwater and salmon recovery. He managed two major programs at Ecology, water quality and water resources. Wallace has served on several policy, funding and regulatory boards and commissions, including the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, Governor�s Biodiversity Council and Washington State Conservation Commission.

�I�m pleased the governor has asked me to serve the citizens of the state and region on the council,� Wallace said. �With climate change, there is a growing link between energy policy and protection of our fish and wildlife resources. This is an incredible opportunity to help shape that future.�

The Montana native graduated from Whitman College with a Bachelor of Arts in biology and environmental studies, and studied executive management at the Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. Wallace started his career as a field representative with the Washington Conservation Commission. In 1986, he moved to Ecology, where he advanced to the senior management level working on the agency�s environmental responsibilities.

Wallace, an avid fisherman and hiker, has adult twin daughters and resides in Lacey.

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