Ted Sturdevant has been named Governor Elect Inslee’s Policy and Legislative Aide. No news yet on his replacement at Ecology. This has been seen as a bad move by some I’ve talked to in the environmental community, as a number of people were not impressed by Sturdevant’s stance on issues such as the Jefferson County Commissioners wanting to ban net pens in the county. Putting him in a policy role seems to be just reinforcing behavior that was not well received by Democratic loyalists in the trenches. Sturdevant not only was not interested in hearing that there could be any problem with net pens but that there was no justification that his scientists could find with the industry. Given that, it will be very interesting to see whom Inslee nominates to this critical post.
Filed under: Around the Sound, Government |
Glad I am not the only one who found him to be someone whose interests were more closely aligned with polluting industry, than citizen health. I hope you are right about this being a face-saving post, which will allow the new Governor to appoint a reasonable replacement who will at least give the citizens’ health equal time with the polluters profits!!
This is, indeed, very disappointing news. Particularly because during the campaign trail, many environmentalists spoke with Inslee about the lack of assistance from Ecology and the cavalier attitude displayed by Studervant.
Inslee told a group of us at a fundraiser in Port Ludlow when we complained about Ecology that our environment and the health of Puget Sound was of vital concern to him. He gave us hope.
We can only now hope that this is a strategic move on his part to get Studervant out of that post with a “saving face” post, then cut the strings later – after all, legislative aides are not necessarily known for longevity in their jobs.
We need the head of Ecology to be someone who actually listens and acts to protect our waters/ecosystem – not to become a bureaucrat entrenched in a fiefdom.
I hope that Sturdevant is not the corporate tool that I have found him to be in his new position. He was not the least bit helpful when the citizens of Mason County were facing the dragon ADAGE!.