the film forum library tutorial contact

Power Council Elects New Chair, Gets New Member by Bill Rudolph NW Fishletter, February 7, 2008

Idaho member Bill Booth, a relative newcomer to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, has been elected to chair the council for the coming year, succeeding Tom Karier of Washington. Booth, of Coeur d'Alene, was appointed to the council in January 2007 by Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter.

He is a former U.S. Air Force officer and senior minerals industry executive in environmental and public affairs. He holds a degree in business administration from the University of Idaho and earned an MBA from the University of North Dakota while serving in the Air Force. He is an avid fly fisherman and a member of Trout Unlimited.

Montana member Bruce Measure was voted vice-chair. Fellow Montana member Rhonda Whiting will continue to chair the Fish and Wildlife Committee, while Oregon member Melinda Eden will lead the council's Power Committee in 2008.

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire has reappointed Tom Karier to serve another term (until Jan. 2010) as one of the state's two representatives to the Council.

On Feb. 5, she announced the appointment of Dick Wallace to fill a seat vacated by Council member Larry Cassidy, who is retiring.

Wallace is a director with the Washington Department of Ecology and works on policy initiatives such as Puget Sound cleanup, watershed management and salmon recovery.

"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 in a press release. "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.

"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.