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eNews Spring 2011

Posted by cahnrs.webteam | April 7, 2011

The mission of the William D. Ruckelshaus Center is to act as a neutral resource for collaborative problem solving in Washington and the Pacific Northwest. The Center provides expertise to improve the quality and availability of voluntary collaborative approaches for policy development and multi-party dispute resolution. The Center is a joint effort of Washington’s two research universities. For more information, visit our website.

The William D. Ruckelshaus Center’s electronic newsletter (eNews) is published two to four times per year. If you know of someone who might be interested in receiving this eNews, please forward it to them. If you wish to be removed from the list or would like to subscribe, please email us.

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Supporting the Center is a tax-deductible investment in the quality of life in our state and region. Donations are matched up to $100,000 per year by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and qualifies for donor credit at both WSU and UW.

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The ESHB 1886 Governor's Signing Ceremony.Agriculture and Critical Areas Legislation Becomes Law

Legislation implementing the Agriculture and Critical Areas Voluntary Stewardship Program (ESHB 1886) passed the House and Senate by wide margins in April, and was signed into law on May 16 by Governor Gregoire. The legislation is the product of more than four years of work by the involved parties, with research, coordination and facilitation from the Center.

Douglas BrinkleySave the Date—Chairman’s Circle Luncheon

Renowned historian Douglas Brinkley has published extensively on American environmental history, including the widely-acclaimed “The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America” and the recently-published “The Quiet World: Saving Alaska’s Wilderness Kingdom, 1879-1960. As part of an upcoming book, Dr. Brinkley will be interviewing Bill Ruckelshaus (the first and fifth director of the EPA), to create an oral history of Bill’s life and remarkable contributions to public service, corporate leadership and collaborative policy. Immediately following the interviews, the Center will host its inaugural Chairman’s Circle luncheon (see below for more information on the Chairman’s Circle). Dr. Brinkley will discuss his body of work; both he and Bill will share reflections on the oral history.

More information

A white lighthouse with a red roofNMTA/PSA Collaboration Leads to Landmark Legislation

In 2010, the Center conducted a short-term project that put an important collaborative relationship between the Northwest Marine Trade Association and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance back on track. That collaboration led to an important outcome in 2011—legislation (SB 5436) that makes Washington the first state in the nation to phase out copper in antifouling paints used on recreational water vessels.

A nurse in a hospital setting.MNurse Staffing Committee Reports to Legislature, Adds New Issues

With facilitation from the Center, the Nurse Staffing Steering Committee is continuing its important work to resolve long-standing disagreements concerning hospital staffing decisions. The Committee submitted a 2010 report to the Legislature on their 2010 accomplishments and 2011 work plan, including an agreement to discuss a separate, but related, set of issues that have been the subject of contentious interactions among the parties in Olympia.

The Ruckelshaus Center Advisory Board.Center Welcomes New Board Members

At the Center’s April 26 Advisory Board meeting, Board Chair Bill Ruckelshaus welcomed new members Martha Kongsgaard (Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation), Paul Ward (Yakama Nation), WA Representative Brian Blake (D-19th District), Dean Lisa Graumlich (UW College of the Environment), Dean Kellye Testy (UW School of Law), Colleen Kerr (WSU Advancement and External Affairs), and Margaret Shepherd (UW Governmental Affairs). He also thanked several members who are stepping down from the Board because of new jobs or responsibilities: Megan Clubb (Baker Boyer Bank), Kelli Linville (former WA House of Representatives), Phyllis Wise (UW Interim President), John Gardner (WSU Advancement and External Affairs), and Associate Dean Linda Fox (WSU Extension).

Advisory Board profiles

June 30 Matching Grant Deadline/Chairman’s Circle

Philanthropy is critical to the Center’s work. Gifts from individuals and organizations provide the financial independence that reinforces the Center’s neutrality and ability to quickly respond to areas of need. June 30 is the deadline for the Center to match gifts under its Gates Foundation Excellence Grant and for qualifying for this year’s Chairman’s Circle (a group of the Center’s most dedicated supporters). For more information about joining the Chairman’s Circle, contact the Center at (509) 335-2937, (206) 219-2409 or E-mail. You can donate online.

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