Environmental Defense Fund Mourns Loss Of Senator Chafee

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today mourned the loss of Senator John Chafee (R-RI). A member of the United States Senate since 1976, Senator Chafee was the chair of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee.

“Senator Chafee was a tireless champion for public health and the environment, and he carried out his commitment with a style and grace that make him irreplaceable,” said EDF executive director Fred Krupp. “His legislative efforts helped safeguard all Americans and led the way for landmark protections of our planet’s air, ecosystems and oceans.”

“Senator Chafee represented the best New England instincts of decency, integrity and solid principles. His strong convictions about the environment’s right to survive made him a shining light in the United States Senate,” said E. John Rosenwald, Jr., vice-chairman of The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc. Mr. Rosenwald, a long-time friend of Senator Chafee, serves on the Environmental Defense Fund’s Board of Trustees.

“Senator Chafee was a true statesman on environmental issues. He recognized that environmental threats should not serve as a partisan fighting ground. Rather he was guided by science, recognizing the validity of complex problems such as ozone depletion and global warming and helping to craft sensible policies to bring these threats under control,” said Krupp. “John Chafee’s vision should serve as a powerful example to all members of Congress. The Senator helped to put America on the path to a safe and healthy 21st century. His colleagues in the House, Senate and White House should carry on his work and his legacy.”