Brett VandenHeuvel Honored with Oregon Bar Environmental Leadership and Service Award
December 11, 2015 (Portland, OR) — The Oregon State Bar Environmental and Natural Resources Section
(ENR) awarded Brett VandenHeuvel its Leadership and Service Award on December 10, 2015. The award recognizes a person who has provided leadership, service, and outstanding contributions in the areas of environmental and natural resources law. VandenHeuvel is the Executive Director of Columbia Riverkeeper, where he leads the organization’s legal and policy work to protect clean water.
"Brett is more than deserving of this prestigious award. He has a long and distinguished track record of advocating on behalf of the public interest in conservation of the Columbia River ecosystem, and he also exemplifies professionalism in the legal profession," said Chris Winter, Co-Executive Director of Crag Law Center and member of the Executive Committee of ENR.
The Oregon State Bar ENR selected VandenHeuvel from its 460 statewide members.
“This award reflects the work of our top-tier legal team at Columbia Riverkeeper, which brings successful legal actions to protect clean water and our climate,” VandenHeuvel said.
Columbia Riverkeeper recently prevailed to force eight large dams, for the first time, to reduce toxic oil pollution, an accomplishment that the New York Times called historic and the Wall Street Journal called groundbreaking. VandenHeuvel has led Riverkeeper’s efforts to establish stronger limits on toxic pollution and protect our region and climate from fossil fuel export terminals.
VandenHeuvel thanked the Oregon State Bar and the lawyers who practice environmental law: “Oregon is renowned for strong environmental lawyers, and I’m honored to accept this award from my outstanding peers.”
VandenHeuvel previously started a public interest law practice, researched climate change during expeditions to Antarctica and New Zealand, and taught science to kids at OMSI field stations throughout Oregon.
About Columbia Riverkeeper
Columbia Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the water quality of the Columbia River and all life connected to it, from the headwaters to the Pacific Ocean. Representing over 8,000 members and supporters, Columbia Riverkeeper works to restore a Columbia River where people can safely eat the fish they catch, and where children can swim without fear of toxic exposure. The organization is a member of Waterkeeper Alliance, the world’s fastest growing environmental movement, uniting more than 200 Waterkeeper organizations worldwide. For more information go to columbiariverkeeper.org.
