[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 10, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             ROGER STEWART

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 10, 2014

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate to 
honor the life of a true champion of environmentalism, Roger Stewart. 
His outstanding career in public service and his countless efforts to 
protect the natural resources of our community will be forever 
remembered.
   Mr. Stewart grew up on a farm in the New York-New Jersey area. At 
the age of 18, he joined the Army Air Corps where he served during 
World War II. He went on to spend the next 21 years serving his country 
as a pilot. Prior to his retirement as an Air Force Major, he went back 
to school for a degree in zoology from the University of South Florida. 
Soon after graduation he accepted a position as a County Health 
Department biologist with Hillsborough County Department of Health's 
Pollution Control. Mr. Stewart created the original Water Sampling 
Network while at the Health Department.
   Mr. Stewart paved the way for environmental advocacy in Tampa Bay. 
He zealously led the, then newly created, Environmental Protection 
Commission (EPC) in the late 1960s. Despite only having a handful of 
employees, Mr. Stewart aggressively spearheaded the cleanup of Tampa 
Bay by creating rules that protected wetlands and forced powerful local 
companies to reduce air pollution. In February 1974, Mr. Stewart 
courageously appeared on CBS's ``60 Minutes'' and expressed concern 
about the rate of development which was outpacing the protections for 
sensitive environmental ecosystems as well as air and water quality. He 
showed viewers the damaging sewage spilling into Tampa Bay. After the 
interview Mr. Stewart was temporarily fired but brought back to lead 
the EPC a short time later.
   Thanks to Mr. Stewart's leadership, the EPC has grown to a robust 
staff that has carried out many State, Regional, and Federal level 
regulatory duties without losing the ability to enforce and maintain 
local standards. Mr. Stewart, an Air Force pilot-turned-
environmentalist, kept Hillsborough County elected officials 
consistently accountable for making natural resources a priority over 
corporate profits. He retired in 2000 and passed away on August 21, 
2014 at age 89.
   Mr. Stewart was an unabashed ``purist in the environmental 
business''. His heroic commitment to environmentalism made an 
unforgettable mark on the Tampa Bay community. Tampa Bay is a better 
and more beautiful place to live thanks to his efforts. Mr. Speaker, on 
behalf of a grateful Tampa Bay community, I am proud to recognize Roger 
Stewart for his lifelong service to the State of Florida.

                          ____________________