News Roundup – Inslee joins climate panel/Meet the new planning head

Published 10:00 am Friday, March 9, 2007

Inslee joins climate panel

Rep. Jay Inslee was named on Friday to the first Congressional panel focusing solely on climate change.

As a member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, the Bainbridge Democrat will investigate emerging alternative energy technologies and make policy recommendations to curb greenhouse-gas emissions.

Inslee said the panel seat positions him in the midst of a clean-energy “revolution.”

“I look forward to being a voice from Washington state as the policy framework for this revolution is crafted,” Inslee said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced her intention in January to create a new committee on global warming. She argued it would help streamline processes for climate-change legislation. Currently, at least eight separate House committees claim some jurisdiction over the issue. The House is expected to consider global-warming legislation this summer.

Meet the new planning head

The city will introduce its new planning director to the community at a reception planned for Friday morning.

Greg Byrne took the reins of the Planning and Community Development Department early last month.

Byrne served for the last 15 years as the planning director for the City of Fort Collins, Colo.

There he worked on customer-oriented reviews, affordable housing, and downtown revitalization.

Byrne was instrumental in establishing Ft. Collins’ open space preservation program, which conserved 35,000 acres.

While Ft. Collins boasts a larger population, at 140,000, Byrne said Bainbridge’s unique character and innovative growth management strategies proved enticing enough for him to move north.

Mayor Darlene Kordonowy will host the reception at City Hall from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Friday.