CRAPO NAMES SCHILDWACHTER SPECIAL ASSISTANT

Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has named a former subcommittee staff director for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee as a Special Assistant to the Senator. Dr. Greg Schildwachter served as the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Water Staff Director during Crapoâ??s tenure as the subcommitteeâ??s chairman.â??Gregâ??s primary responsibility will be to work on a bipartisan, bi-cameral effort to update and strengthen the Endangered Species Act,â?? Crapo said. â??His breadth and depth of experience in working across party lines, in academics, and on the ground conservation make him a perfect choice to assist me with this priority. During Gregâ??s career, he has worked successfully on a number of wildlife management programs, including the wolf recovery program in Idaho. The effort that began last Congress with Gregâ??s assistance will continue through the 109th Congress and I look forward to moving ahead with legislation that will make the ESA more effective for wildlife and people.â??During Schildwachterâ??s tenure as Crapoâ??s subcommittee staff director, he was instrumental in Congressional action regarding anadromous fish recovery efforts, including Idahoâ??s inclusion in the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund.Previously, Schildwachter served as Policy Advisor in the Office of Species Conservation for Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne. In that capacity, he managed the Governorâ??s initiative to restore management of the wolf population to state authority. He also managed the wildlife program for the Intermountain Forest Association in Montana and Idaho.Schildwachter holds a Ph.D. in Wildlife Biology from the Boone and Crockett research program at the University of Montana, a Master of Science degree from the University of Tennessee, and a Bachelor of Science-Forest Resources degree from the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forest Resources.# # #