[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 49 (Thursday, April 21, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING MIKE RIPPEY OF AMERICAN CANYON, CALIFORNIA

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                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 21, 2005

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
former Napa County Supervisor Mike Rippey of American Canyon, 
California as the Sierra Club honors him with the Earl Thollander Award 
for his outstanding environmental achievements.
  Mike's keen interest in the environment has led him to a lifetime 
dedicated to environmental preservation. After earning his Bachelor of 
Science degree from California State University, Humboldt and his 
Masters Degree from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of 
Government, Mike returned to Napa County where he has made numerous 
invaluable contributions to our community.
  Mr. Speaker, Mike is known to be a soft-spoken man, but his actions 
resonate throughout the community. After garbage companies threatened 
to turn the Napa County into San Francisco's dumping grounds in the 
1980's and 90's, Mike quickly took action. A passionate and dedicated 
man, Mike worked tirelessly to fight the garbage companies, 
spearheading an opposition group that raised awareness of the 
potentially hazardous landfills. His activism was met with overwhelming 
success. He was not only able to stop the creation of these landfills, 
but also encouraged the garbage companies to implement recycling as a 
method of reducing unnecessary waste.
  He has also served on multiple environmental boards across Northern 
California including the CalFed Task Force-Bay Area Water Forum and the 
Bay Conservation and Development Commission. Mike also chaired the Napa 
County Local Agency Formation Commission working to prevent urban 
sprawl.
  Mr. Speaker, from 1992 until 2004, Mike served on the Napa County 
Board of Supervisors. During his tenure, Mike played an integral role 
in the creation and implementation of the Napa River Flood Control 
Project. Each year heavy winter rain has caused the Napa River to 
flood, destroying many homes and hundreds of acres of land. Instead of 
constructing man made channels to re-direct the flooding river, Mike 
helped design an environmentally sound alternative to allow the river 
to flow naturally without damaging homes or land.
  Mike's most recent accomplishment has been the creation of the new 
solar powered Sheriff's office which is the only law enforcement 
building in the country to have been awarded a National Leadership in 
Energy Efficiency Gold Certificate.
  Mr. Speaker, it is necessary that we take this time to thank Mike 
Rippey for his service and dedication to protecting our environment and 
ask that you join me in wishing him the best in all his future 
endeavors.

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