The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) today named long-time state environmental advisor Richard Whitman to head the agency the Commission oversees until a permanent Director is named. His tenure begins October 15.
"Richard Whitman's expertise in Oregon's natural resources and
experience working with a spectrum of stakeholders to resolve complex
challenges is unmatched,” Governor Kate Brown said in a press release issued today. Whitman served as natural resources advisor under Governors Ted Kulongoski and John Kitzhaber before serving with Brown. He also served as the state Department of Justice's top environmental lawyer
and as Director of the Department of State
Lands. Before entering public service, Whitman practiced environmental law in Portland.
Whitman should be familiar with most issues faced by his new agency, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), including Riverbend Landfill. Several years ago, members of the Stop the Dump Coalition met with one of Whitman's aides in an attempt to bring environmental issues at the dump to his attention. STDC will continue to press its case that the dump is a catastrophe, not just waiting to happen, but already happening in terms of harm to water and air quality.
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