Ted Sturdevant, a Washington State Department of Ecology employee, was named the state's new ecology director Monday by Gov. Chris Gregoire.
Sturdevant, who served as the Department of Ecology's director of governmental relations for the past seven years, replaces Jay Manning, who recently was named Gregoire's chief of staff.
"I believe Ted has the knowledge, skills and drive to ensure the Washington environment continues to improve in very challenging times," Gregoire said.
Hanford is on the short list of priorities for the Department of Ecology, Sturdevant said after the announcement. Among the Department of Ecology's work is serving as a regulator of the Hanford nuclear reservation.
His job experience has focused primarily on state-managed issues, but he'll be learning more about the federal project, he said.
Before joining the senior management team at the Department of Ecology in 2003, Sturdevant worked under Gov. Gary Locke, leading Locke's external affairs team. He also worked for Oregon Reps. Mike Nelson and Tony Federici.
The Department of Ecology also will continue to focus on the challenges of managing the finite water resources of Eastern Washington and developing water supply solutions, he said.
The department will be working with locals to find solutions "basin by basin" to manage and increase the water supply, he said.
"This is a job I know pretty well," said Gregoire, who also served as director of the Department of Ecology. "One of the most important things about the job is it takes a good relationship with the people."
Sturdevant already has "an excellent working relationship with agency staff, the environmental community, tribes and business community," she said. Last year he won the Governor's Award for Leadership Management.
The major issue for the Department of Ecology in the upcoming legislative sessions likely will be the state budget, Sturdevant said.
The state could be looking to trim $2 billion in costs, which likely will mean significant cuts to the department.
"Real cuts for environmental programs that matter are likely and unavoidable," he said. He said the department will have to be creative and flexible to minimize impacts.
Sturdevant's appointment was effective Monday. His salary will be $141,549 a year.
w Annette Cary: 582-1533; acary@tricity herald.com
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Change to state radioactive waste permit system proposed
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Legislation has been proposed to increase the efficiency of state government by transferring the responsibility for issuing permits covering radioactive waste that is sent to US Ecology.
The authority would be transferred from the Washington State Department of Ecology to the state's Department of Health. The two departments support the move.
A hearing is planned by the House Government and Tribal Affairs Committee at 10 a.m. Thursday.
Ground water to be managed
Ground water to be managed
Yakima County has the go-ahead to begin attacking ground water pollution that has been threatening drinking-water supplies for Lower Valley residents on private wells.
State Department of Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant recently approved creating a ground water management area south of Union Gap that will focus on nitrate pollution. The management area includes 512 square miles, stretching to Benton City in Benton County.
Yakima County proposed the management area in June as a way to maintain local control over the problem after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans for well-water testing in the region.
Quad-cities water right pact reached
Quad-cities water right pact reached
State officials and the Tri-Cities and West Richland have reached an agreement on getting Pasco the water it needs now and the water the other cities will need in the future.
Officials say the new pact will put to rest a decade of disputes over the
so-called quad-cities water right from the Columbia River.
The water rights from the Lake Roosevelt Incremental Release Program will be noninterruptible, which means that even when a drought is declared, the cities can continue to use that water, said Joye Redfield-Wilder, communication manager for the Department of Ecology in Yakima.
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Quad-cities water right pact reached
State officials and the Tri-Cities and West Richland have reached an agreement on getting Pasco the water it needs now and the water the other cities will need in the future.
Officials say the new pact will put to rest a decade of disputes over the so-called quad-cities water right from the Columbia River.
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Salazar's focus on water
welcome news for valley
Salazar's focus on water
welcome news for valley
U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar recently added some much-needed momentum to the search for a solution to the Yakima River Basin's water needs.
Having folks at the highest level of federal government even acknowledge the struggles over water in our state is an accomplishment in itself.
Add to that Salazar's request for specific recommendations from a consortium of local representatives -- who have differing interests in water -- and we have one giant step for the Yakima River Basin's water woes.
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