STATEMENT OF SEN. JEFF BINGAMAN
SUPPORTING THE NOMINATION OF JUDITH ESPINOSA
TO THE MORRIS K. UDALL FOUNDATION
MARCH 14, 1997


Thank you Mr. Chairman. I would like to give you and the committee a brief introduction to a truly outstanding candidate as trustee for the Morris K. Udall Foundation: my good friend, Judith Espinosa.

In New Mexico, Judy has been an inspiration to all of us who have to wrestle with the very difficult, and often thankless, task of reconciling our needs for economic growth and jobs with our need for a healthy sustainable environment. Because of her boundless energy in the pursuit of solutions on these issues, her string of accomplishments is too long for me to list here. So let me just give you some highlights of Judy's background that illustrate why I think she will be a great trustee for the Foundation.

As we all know, finding real solutions to provide an environmentally sound and sustainable economy requires building a consensus among industry, government, the environmental community, science and education. The pursuit of consensus is the legacy that Mo Udall left us and the goal.

Judith Espinosa covers all the bases: She has served twice in the New Mexico State Cabinet, once as Secretary of Transportation when she was also Chairwoman of the National Governors' Association Committee on Hazardous Materials Transportation, and also as New Mexico's first Secretary for the Environment, where she chaired both the state commission on mining and the state commission on water quality. She also headed the Government Advisory Committee to EPA on the supplemental environmental agreement for NAFTA.

Judy, a registered nurse with a Masters in public health administration, also has experience in the private sector, running her own consulting business for industry and government agencies on health services and administration. Her non-profit experience includes serving on the boards of the Surface Transportation Policy Project, and the National Wildlife Federation. Currently, she is acting president for the Alliance for Transportation Research Institute at the University of New Mexico.

In short, I can think of no one better qualified to oversee the Foundation's missions to expand consensus on environmentally sustainable development, and to promote education in environmental science. She has worked in, and with industry, government, environmental groups, and the education and science communities. It is rare to find someone who has worked in all of these areas and excelled in each. She received a U.S. Fellowship in Public Health Service and Health Science, and recognition from the New Mexico State Legislature in a memorial passed to honor her distinguished public service.

I commend her for your consideration as Trustee. Thank you.