News: Media Center

NEW YORK (June 11, 2001) - William Blaine Richardson, former U.S. Secretary of Energy, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and seven-term member of Congress from New Mexico, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Mr. Richardson most recently served as U.S. Secretary of Energy from 1998 to 2001. Before that, he was U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1997-1998) following seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico.

"We're honored and delighted to have Bill join us," said NRDC president John Adams after a unanimous vote of the trustees electing Mr. Richardson last week. "His knowledge and understanding of complex energy issues will be an invaluable addition to our organization -- especially as we continue to gear up to fight the problem of global warming."

As Energy Secretary, Mr. Richardson developed a reputation for a commitment to the development of renewable energy sources as a weapon to fight the threat of global warming. In addition, he is credited with improving security and counterintelligence at nuclear weapons labs; ushering through Congress the first-of-its-kind compensation for DOE workers made ill by their working conditions during the cold war; and aggressively leading efforts to combat rising oil prices. Richardson also set aside over 200,000 acres for wildlife preservation; developed a plan to cleanup and remove 10 million tons of radioactive mill tailings which threatened the Colorado River; and launched a new climate change initiative to work with developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr. Richardson has taught at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. He serves as the chair of Freedom House, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., is a trustee of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the National Alliance for Hispanic Health in Washington, D.C.

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 400,000 members nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.