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closeTuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
Ecology employee named new director
By Annette Cary, Herald staff writer
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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