Western Governors Offer "Unqualified Support" to Kempthorne Nomination for Interior Secretary (5/3/06)
Western Governors Offer "Unqualified Support" to Kempthorne Nomination for Interior Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Karen Deike, 303-623-9378 DENVER -- Following is the text of a Westerm Governors' Association letter sent to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today expressing "unqualified support" for Gov. Dirk Kempthorne to serve as the next Secretary of the Interior. His confirmation hearing begins Thursday. The letter was signed by Govs. Janet Napolitano (Ariz.), WGA Chair, and Mike Rounds (S.D.) Vice Chairman, on behalf of their colleagues. The letter was sent to committee members and addressed to the chairman, Sen. Pete Domenici, and ranking minority member, Sen. Jeff Bingaman. "Dear Senators Domenici and Bingaman: "On behalf of the membership of the Western Governors' Association, we are writing to express our unqualified support for Governor Dirk Kempthorne's nomination to be the next Secretary of the Interior. Governor Kempthorne was elected Idaho's 30th Governor in 1998 and was re-elected in 2002. As Governor, he has put forward initiatives to foster rural economic development, improve overseas marketing of Idaho products, and promote greater integration of the state's scientific, educational, and business communities. Idaho's children have also been his priority. He has established a range of programs to ensure that Idaho's children are healthy and well educated. "Governor Kempthorne has actively participated in the Western Governors' Association throughout his tenure and served as our Chairman in 2001. He is currently or has been a leader on a number of key WGA issues including forest health, Endangered Species Act reform, energy policy and drug policy. "He has been particularly active on our forest health efforts. In response to the devastating wildfires that struck Idaho and many other western states in the summer of 2000, Governor Kempthorne worked closely with the Governor of Oregon to develop the 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy: A Collaborative Approach for Reducing Wildland Fire Risks to Communities and the Environment. He brought together his colleagues, the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture, local and tribal governments and a wide range of stakeholders to fundamentally shift our nation's approach to addressing forest health. He has worked effectively to implement this Strategy both through WGA and as the sole representative of all the Governors on the Wildland Fire Leadership Council. "The Western Governors believe Governor Kempthorne possesses extraordinary leadership skills and a keen understanding of public lands issues. He is highly qualified to become the 49th Secretary of the Department of the Interior. We urge the Senate to confirm him expeditiously and look forward to working closely with him thereafter. "Thank you for your consideration of our views." The Western Governors' Association is an independent, nonprofit organization representing the governors of 18 states and three U.S.-Flag islands in the Pacific. Through their Association, the Western governors identify and address key policy and governance issues in natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and public management. # # # # #
May 3, 2006