Douglas County Commissioner Charles Jones has been re-appointed to the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Advisory Committee for Environmental Policy and Technology.

“It’s important to me, because I care a lot about the environment,” he said Thursday.

	www.epa.gov/ocempage/ nacept/final_report_jan2002.pdf

The 35-member national committee meets quarterly to give EPA Administrator Christie Whitman advice and recommendations on domestic and international environmental policy, management and technology issues.

Jones was first appointed by Whitman’s predecessor in the Clinton administration, Carol Browner.

During Jones’ first year on the committee, he helped create a report on emerging environmental issues. He will participate in a think-tank discussion of the report, including representatives of the CIA and other federal departments, on June 5 in Washington, D.C.

Among the recommendations: The Bush administration should support U.S. participation in global environmental initiatives and conventions. Environmentalists have criticized the administration for backing out of the international Kyoto treaty on controlling global warming.

Jones isn’t sure how the recommendations will be received.

“I feel we’re more than window dressing, but I don’t have illusions we’re changing the world overnight,” he said.

“We’ll know 10 years down the road what its effect has been,” he said. “In the meantime, it may turn some people’s heads and get them talking.”