Obituary of Phil Clapp
DOI: 10.1063/PT.4.1957
Climate change expert and environmental leader Phil Clapp has died. Clapp, 54, was deputy managing director of the Pew Environmental Group. Before that he led the National Environmental Trust from 1994 until 2008. Chairman Bingaman considered Clapp a valuable and constructive resource to Members and their staffs who are working to address environmental problems, including global warming. Here is Jeff’s tribute, delivered today on the Senate floor:
“Mr. President, I would like to take a few minutes to express my sadness at the passing of Philip Clapp, who was the president and chief executive officer of the National Environmental Trust, from its founding in 1994 until its merger withthe Pew Charitable Trusts this year, and who then served as the deputy managing director of the Environment Group of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
“There are few of us here in the Senate who have been working on energy and environmental issues who did not also cross paths with the National Environmental Trust and Phil. He was a strong and effective advocate for action on the global warming problem, and made significant contributions to Congress’ work on bills as varied as the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act of 2006.
“One of Phil’s early jobs was on the staff of Tim Wirth, our former colleague, when Tim was a Congressman from Colorado, and Phil shared Tim’s interest and passion for international cooperation on environmental issues. Under Phil’s guidance, the National Environmental Trust was one of the major non-governmental organizations contributing to international summits relating to the environment, including both G-8 summits and international climate change negotiations.
“I would like to express my condolences to Phil’s family, and to his many colleagues here and abroad who will greatly miss him as a Friend, colleague and strategic leader.”
Bill Wicker
Communications Director
Senate Energy&Natural Resources
Philip E. Clapp, 54; Led Environmental Policy Group
Washington Post
The Pew Charitable Trusts
