News: Media Center

SAN FRANCISCO (November 13, 2003) -- Conservationists today condemned Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger's choice of Bill Jones to be secretary of the California Resources Agency. NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) called on the state Senate to not confirm Jones' nomination.

"Bill Jones should not be appointed as Secretary for Resources," said Ann Notthoff, NRDC California advocacy director. "He is a terrible choice for the top official charged with protecting California's parks, forests, water and wildlife. He would be a disaster. The state Senate should reject his nomination.

"As a state legislator, Jones consistently voted against environmental protection. He has a long record of working against the very kinds of protections that Governor-elect Schwarzenegger promised during the campaign. Our new governor can't deliver on his campaign promise to be a 'friend of the environment' by appointing people who oppose environment protection."

Notthoff noted that as a state legislator Jones received abysmal ratings for his environmental voting record from the California League of Conservation Voters. During his last four years as a state legislator, he earned an average rating of less than 8 percent. In 1991, his rating was 0 percent.

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 550,000 members nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.