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WASHINGTON, DC—As part of the state Public Interest Research Groups’ first lobby days of the 109th Congress, the Washington Public Interest Research Group (WashPIRG) will honor Washington Senator Maria Cantwell for her unwavering commitment to a clean and safe energy future.

At a Washington, DC reception tomorrow, the state PIRGs will honor members of Congress as Public Interest Champions who have been key allies in state and national efforts to defend the Clean Air Act, to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and promote a clean safe energy future.

“Because of Senator Cantwell’s consistent record of leading in the fight for promoting clean, renewable energy and defeating President Bush’s dirty, dangerous energy plan, WashPIRG is pleased to honor her as a Public Interest Champion this year,” said WashPIRG Executive Director Robert Pregulman. “She should be especially proud of her score of 100 percent on our 2004 scorecard, and we look forward to working with her to defeat President Bush’s proposed energy plan in 2005.”

Over the past three decades, the state PIRGs have won environmental and consumer victories by taking on special interests across the country and helped to promote and defend national consumer and environmental protections in the halls of Congress. There are now state PIRGs and U.S. PIRG field organizers across the country, giving citizens a voice against powerful special interests that would otherwise dominate the public debate. In Washington, WashPIRG is best known for leading the campaign to pass the state’s Model Toxic Control Act, which is one of the most effective environmental regulations in the state. WashPIRG is currently working on bills to promote clean cars and eliminate discharges of toxic flame retardants (PDBEs).

“The state PIRGs chose to honor Public Interest Champions who have been leaders in our efforts to defend the Clean Air Act, to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and promote a clean safe energy future,” concluded Pregulman. “We hope to honor many more in coming years for courageous work to protect public health and the environment, protect consumers from faulty products and unfair financial practices and get big money out of politics.”

WashPIRG is an environmental and consumer advocacy group with 20,000 members in Washington. For more information, go to www.washpirg.org.