[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 26 (Friday, February 26, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E265-E266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING RANDY POOLE-

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 26, 2010

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Randy Poole who 
retired this month after serving more than 34 years in municipal water 
utilities, including 18 momentous years in leadership positions at the 
Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA). Randy served first as SCWA's Chief 
Engineer beginning in 1991 and then in 1994 assumed the dual role of 
General Manager/Chief Engineer. The Sonoma County Water Agency provides 
water independent of the California Water System to over 600,000 
residents in Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin Counties.
  Many Members of this House would recognize Randy who spent many hours 
visiting our offices promoting the SCWA's water projects, as well as 
legislation for salmon preservation, wetlands restoration and renewable 
energy. Randy, with his slicked back hair and often dressed in black 
and purple was not the stereotypical water technocrat with scientific 
calculator in his pocket and flow charts in his briefcase. He is an 
individual who could manage the day to day functions of the SCWA while 
sculpting a big vision of its future.
  Randy played an important role in garnering support for an $800 
million Pacific Salmon restoration program involving the efforts of 
five states to restore the habitat of 16 salmonid species, including 
our native Russian River chinook and coho and steelhead trout. It was 
also Randy who spearheaded local efforts to complete a Biological 
Opinion on the effects of federal and local water projects on Russian 
River salmon and steelhead, a project that took 11 years and now must 
be implemented.
  Under his leadership, the SCWA put biologists to work doing fish 
counts and measuring habitat; engineers designing wastewater irrigation 
systems; water efficiency experts looking at industrial water use; 
gardeners planting low water landscapes; wetlands experts restoring the 
Napa Salt Marsh; oceanographers studying ocean currents and wave 
energy; and energy consultants examining new pathways to clean and 
plentiful renewable energy.
  His driving style has not come without controversy. A three year 
drought coupled with environmental restrictions that have constrained 
flows from the SCWA main reservoir, has sometimes brought the agency at 
odds with water contractors who have balked at reduced flows and 
conservation plans. When Randy began working at SCWA in 1991, one of 
his charges was to smooth the way for the Agency to obtain new water 
rights at Warm Springs Dam. Randy, however, recognized the

[[Page E266]]

new realities of expensive water projects and their environmental 
problems, and put the project on a back burner with a while emphasizing 
water conservation.
  The Biological Opinion has also been criticized by downriver 
communities concerned about proposed lower summer flows and effects on 
the seal population at the mouth of the Russian River. SCWA has 
promised further studies and expanded river monitoring to iron out 
difficulties. Yet if the B.O. succeeds it will be a major step in 
restoring the river's once thriving fishery.
  Randy recognized that climate change required the agency to do 
something about its own energy use--the highest in the county and he 
set SCWA on a zero carbon project, which will make it totally reliant 
on renewable energy by 2015. The Agency has kicked off the project with 
the installation of a 1 MGW solar system at its offices.
  Randy was also instrumental in devising the nationally recognized 
Energy Independence Program, where home owners can weatherize their 
homes and install energy saving devices and solar panels at no upfront 
costs. Always thinking big, Randy has taken his energy ideas 
nationwide, forming a coalition of like-minded communities and 
promoting bills for local model projects and to lower consumer costs 
for home energy conservation and conversions to renewable energy.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank Randy Poole for his years of service 
to the customers of the Sonoma County Water Agency. I have been 
occasionally caught off balance by his whirlwind personality and grand 
approach to finding solutions, but I will miss his clear vision of the 
necessity of change in a changing world.

                          ____________________