This news is a little late but worth reading. I’m not the only one catching on to Peter Goldmark’s misleading statements, especially when it comes to the accuracy of the data he provides.
Under legislation in the 2009-11 state operating budget signed by Governor Christine Gregoire, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources must sell the agency’s King Air by June 30, 2010. In response to this, Peter Goldmark sent a letter to Governor Gregoire demanding a veto of the sale.
"This is the wrong direction for maintaining our emergency response infrastructure while climate change is causing increased frequency and severity of wildfires and major climatic events causing floods, landslides, and utility damage," claimed Goldmark.
Environmental Director for the Washington Policy Center and former Communications Director for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources does not concur. "Two problems. First, the plane in question isn't an air tanker. It is an executive aircraft that is not part of the ‘emergency-response infrastructure' in any real sense. Second, his claim about needing the plane to address an increasing number of ‘climate-change-related storms' is contradicted by scientists." (link)
Governor Gregoire refused to veto the sale of the plane, a huge win towards savings for the people of Washington state. Goldmark and his execs will have to drive to those townhall meetings and the Washington State Patrol will provide planes for rapid response to natural disasters. These aircraft are available to all state agencies.
"The State Patrol planes are used several times a year to reach natural disasters in rural areas like floods or wild fires, as well as for other uses. However, the Legislature passed, and I agree, that the state doesn't need three passenger planes on stand-by. That's why the Department of Natural Resources has been asked to sell its passenger plane.” –Governor Christine Gregoire (link)
