Pridemore honored as environmental legislator of the year

OLYMPIA – For his commitment to passing a groundbreaking bill that protects Washington from toxic electronic waste, as well as efforts on several other key environmental bills, Sen. Craig Pridemore, D-Vancouver, has earned top honors from Washington Conservation Voters (WCV) in his first term as a state lawmaker.

The nonprofit, nonpartisan group named Pridemore its 2006 Legislator of the Year in its 2005-2006 scorecard issued today, lauding him as “not your typical first-term legislator.”

“I’ve been passionate about protecting our environment for my entire adult life — starting with a protest at Hanford as a college student — so this is one of the biggest honors I can imagine,” said Pridemore, who serves on the Senate Water, Energy & Environment Committee. “It’s been wonderful to come into the Legislature and see that real environmental progress can be made when people work to find common ground.”

Pridemore’s bill, Senate Bill 6428, developed with the help of environmental advocates and others, establishes a statewide system for collecting and recycling “e-waste” including televisions, computers and monitors. Such electronics products often end up in Washington’s landfills, where they can leak toxic waste into the land and groundwater. Manufacturers are working with the state to develop and implement the program. The measure won strong bipartisan support, and takes effect July 1. It is widely recognized as a model for other states.

“Without the leadership of Sen. Pridemore, this historic legislation would not have been possible,” said Clifford Traisman, a spokesman for WCV. “The environmental community and the citizens of our state are lucky to have him as an effective negotiator and leader.”

Pridemore, a former Clark County commissioner with experience in growth management issues, also has helped shepherd bills through the Legislature to toughen state auto emission standards, increase Washington’s use of renewable fuels, protect the Columbia River for fish, farmers, and communities, and clean up Puget Sound.

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