[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 21, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING TOM LAMAR ON 20 YEARS OF SERVICE THROUGH THE PALOUSE 
                   CLEARWATER ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. WALT MINNICK

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 21, 2010

  Mr. MINNICK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Tom Lamar, a 
resident of Moscow, Idaho, on his 20th anniversary as Executive 
Director of the Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI). Tom 
has built this organization from a small environmental group to an 
important element of the Palouse community. On June 16, 1990, Tom's 
first day of work, PCEI had a $30,000 budget and a one-room office 
rental in the Moscow Hotel. Today, PCEI has a $1.4 million budget, 14 
full-time staff, and a 12-acre home with two buildings for office 
space. Currently, PCEI now boasts over 1,000 members in Idaho and many 
other states.
  PCEI undertakes numerous environmentally themed restoration, 
education and outreach programs throughout Idaho and eastern 
Washington. From planting trees and utilizing solar powered panels to 
teaching children about owls and placing AmeriCorps members throughout 
Idaho and eastern Washington, PCEI has emerged as a premier 
environmental organization for the region.
  Tom began work at PCEI by cleaning up the local creek. In 1996 PCEI 
began watershed restoration projects and have since completed 56 
watershed restoration projects in the region.
  Tom has helped to run the McCall Outdoor Science School (Idaho's only 
residential Science Camp) established in 2001. It has since taught 
14,000 students in hands-on scientific discovery. Today, the work of 
PCEI reaches over 2,500 students a year.
  Tom helped create PCEI's AmeriCorps Placement Office in 2004, over 
100 AmeriCorps members are placed across the state annually. In 2009, 
the year Tom was honored by being named Environmental Leader of the 
Year, PCEI volunteers contributed nearly 19,000 hours of environmental 
service to the region.
  Tom has helped to develop other community organizations including the 
Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Palouse Land Trust, 
Rural Roots, Idaho Smart Growth, Village Bicycle Project, and Backyard 
Harvest. Tom serves on the steering committee of the Idaho 
Environmental Summit, and on the board of the Latah Trail Foundation. 
He also serves on the Moscow City Council.
  I had the honor to visit PCEI recently and can attest to the great 
things they are doing and the positive impact that Tom and the 
dedicated PCEI staff and volunteers are making each and every day. 
Tom's work and leadership sets an important example of environmental 
commitment and community service that I encourage others to follow.
  Congratulations Tom.

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