Obama Energy Adviser Elgie Holstein Joins Environmental Defense Fund

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Washington – February 26, 2009)  Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) efforts to improve U.S. river and delta ecosystems have been given a big boost with the arrival of Mr. Elgie Holstein as Vice President for Rivers and Deltas. Mr. Holstein previously served in various capacities in the administration of President Bill Clinton and, more recently, as a senior adviser on energy for the campaign and, as a member of President Obama’s transition team.

“Ensuring a secure water supply for people and the environment and restoring critical freshwater ecosystems are two of the most important challenges we face in the 21st century,” said EDF’s Senior Vice President for Programs Marcia Aronoff. “We are thrilled with the leadership skills and insights that Elgie will bring to our efforts.  EDF wants to address these challenges by modernizing water policy and bringing economic rationality to decisions about how water resources are managed.”

During the Clinton administration, Mr. Holstein served as: chief of staff at the Department of Energy, senior adviser to Commerce Secretary William Daley, Assistant Secretary of NOAA, associate director for Natural Resources, Energy and Science at the Office of Management and Budget and as special assistant to the president for economic policy at the White House National Economic Council.  Since 2001, he has worked as a consultant on a variety of governmental and private sector initiatives.

In his new position, Mr. Holstein will utilize his broad experience on natural resource issues, economics and federal agency operations to lead EDF’s Center for Rivers and Deltas.  The mission of the Center is to help ensure a secure water future for the United States.  It seeks to protect and restore critical freshwater ecosystems through the use of appropriate federal and state water policy reforms, market-based solutions and innovative incentives for the private sector. Priority areas for the Center include the San Francisco Bay Delta, the ColoradoRiver Basin, Texas, coastal Louisiana and North Carolina.