Senator Phil Rockefeller Named Legislator of the Year by Washington Conservation Voters

Seattle, WA – Washington Conservation Voters (WCV) named Senator Phil Rockefeller (D-23) the Legislator of the Year for his outstanding environmental leadership during the 2007 legislative session.

As the architect of the Save our Sound bill that passed the House and Senate, Senator Rockefeller was instrumental in creating an agency that will ensure Washington has a plan to save the Puget Sound by 2020. “When Puget Sound needed a champion, Senator Rockefeller stepped up and made it a priority,” said Kurt Fritts, WCV’s Executive Director.

As a member of the Committee on Ways & Means, Senator Rockefeller ensured the funding of the Save our Sound provisions. “Senator Rockefeller’s environmental leadership in Olympia brought about a Puget Sound partnership bill with a strong plan to guarantee a healthy Puget Sound by 2020 and beyond,” said Clifford Traisman, lobbyist for WCV.

This year, three of the four Priorities for a Healthy Washington had to pass through the Water, Energy & Telecommunications Committee before receiving floor votes. Senator Rockefeller’s role as vice chair of this influential committee allowed him to shepherd these three priorities through the committee. For the first time ever, all four priorities passed out of the Legislature in 2007. “The environment enjoyed unprecedented success this year in Olympia,” said Fritts, “and Senator Rockefeller was one big reason for these achievements.”

In addition to protecting Puget Sound, Senator Rockefeller was also instrumental in passing the Clean Air/Clean Fuels priority and banning toxic flame retardants (PBDEs), and he served as a strong voice for the environment during legislative negotiations on exempting agriculture land from critical area ordinances.

Senator Rockefeller is a dedicated champion for the environment and WCV is proud to recognize him as the Legislator of the Year for 2007.

Previous winners of Washington Conservation Voters’ Legislator of the Year Award are Senator Craig Pridemore (D-49), Senator Erik Poulsen (D-34), Representative Hans Dunshee (D-44), Representative Fred Jarrett (R-41) and former Representative Sandra Romero (D-22).

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Photographs available upon request.

Washington Conservation Voters is the political voice for the environment. WCV promotes a healthy environment by winning elections, advocating for change, mobilizing the public, and holding elected officials accountable. www.wcvoters.org