the film forum library tutorial contact

Two Long-Serving Members of NW Power/ Conservation Council -- Karier, Booth -- Retire by Staff Columbia Basin Bulletin, January 11, 2019

Two Northwest Power and Conservation Council members, one the longest serving member since the Council's inception in 1981, officially retired at the end of December 2018.

Bill Booth of Idaho and Tom Karier of Washington both retired last month, although Karier has said he will stay on to cover the job and plans to attend next week's Council meeting (Jan. 15 and 16) until Washington Gov. Jay Inslee fills his position.

Karier was first appointed to the Council in 1998 and has served terms as the Council Chair and Chair of the Power Committee, making him the longest serving Council member (20 years).

Karier has a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in energy and natural resource economics, and a bachelor's degree in both physics and economics from the University of Illinois. He is the author of three books on economics and numerous articles.

Before serving as Washington's representative on the Council, Karier was an associate dean at Eastern Washington University (1995-1998) and professor of economics prior to 1995. In that era, he also served as a research associate for the Jerome Levy Economics Institute in Annandale, New York, according to Council information. He has been on the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance board and has been co-chair of both the Northwest Energy Efficiency Leadership and the Northwest Wind Integration Forum.

At his last official Council meeting Dec. 11, Karier said by phone that it had been an honor to be appointed by Washington Gov. Gary Locke "to keep lower rates and save salmon."

"It has been a pleasure to serve with 27 different Council members. Every day I've had the chance to work with talented people. We (the Council) have some of the best energy and fish and wildlife analysts. It's been like a graduate seminar every month here."

Bill Booth was appointed to the Council in 2007 by Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter. Until he left the Council, he also served as a member of the Governor's cabinet. He was Council chair in 2008 and 2009, and has served as chair of the Council's Fish and Wildlife Committee.

Booth is a former Air Force officer and a senior minerals industry executive in environmental and government affairs. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in business from the University of Idaho and is a Distinguished Military Graduate. He received a Master of Business degree at the University of North Dakota while in the Air Force.

He has lived in Idaho for more than 50 years. He taught micro and macroeconomics, environmental economics and accounting as an instructor and has extensive experience negotiating state and federal settlement agreements and environmental permits in both the public and private sectors.

Booth said he made his farewell comments at the Council's November meeting.

The Council has eight members, with two appointed by the governors of each Northwest state -- Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. The Council was authorized by the Northwest Power Act of 1980 to develop a regional power plan and fish and wildlife program to balance the Northwest's environmental and energy needs, according to Council information.