NEWS RELEASE

March 7, 2008

Santa Clarita — The Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club as well as the Los
Angeles League of Conservation Voters, local chapters of two of the nation’s most respected environmental groups, endorsed Diane Trautman this week as their candidate of choice for the Santa Clarita City Council.

“It’s the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for environmentalists when we endorse someone,” said Isaac Lieberman, Political Chair of the Sierra Club’s Santa Clarita branch. “Diane’s been an environmental leader for many years. She was instrumental in stopping Elsemere Canyon from becoming a landfill,” he said. The Sierra Club is the oldest and largest environmental group in the nation, with 750,000 members nationally and 50,000 members in the Angeles Chapter.

The Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, the only environmental PAC (political  action committee) in Los Angeles County, promotes earth-friendly ballot measures and supports candidates who conserve natural resources and protect the environment. Its president, Mitchell Schwartz, considers Trautman to be highly knowledgeable and qualified on environmental issues. “She understands that care for the environment is not an extra…but an essential,” he stated in a written endorsement.

“Since 1976, we’ve worked in the county of Los Angeles to try and identify environmentally strong candidates,” said Molly Bosted, board member and endorsement team leader for the L.A. League of Conservation Voters (LALCV), in a recent phone interview. “Diane Trautman has our respect, as well as the respect of other politicians.”

In her five years on the Santa Clarita Planning Commission, Trautman secured property for open space, created new parks, convinced the Air Resources Board to uphold their air quality standards, and approved a green-built transit facility. In her current campaign, Trautman pledges to encourage developers to incorporate environmentally friendly and energy efficient design into their projects; to develop new parks, and community centers; to acquire more open space; and to protect the Santa Clara River and its floodplain.

Mitchell Schwartz, President of the LALCV, noted that Santa Clarita is one of the region’s fastest growing cities and already faces significant development pressure. Schwartz said the city needs to intelligently manage and provide water for current residents plus projected populations, and must act to preserve one of California’s last free-flowing rivers. “Our endorsement team was very impressed with Diane Trautman’s grasp of the environmental issues facing Santa Clarita,” he said. “(She) will be an effective leader who will bring…improvement for all, in the areas of transportation, water conservation and health.”

Sierra Club Political Chair Isaac Lieberman considers Trautman to be a true champion of the environment, with a strong record of fighting to protect the city’s clean air, clean water and open spaces. “She’s planning to work to expand mass transit and wants to convert our buses from diesel to CNG (compressed natural gas), which is much better for the environment,” he said. “She’s a leader and a visionary for water conservation and sustainable landscaping.”

Lieberman noted that the Sierra Club hosts conservation education opportunities, hikes and cleanups, saying they also endorse candidates and build relationships with elected officials to help preserve the environment. “We are confident that (Trautman) will continue to work to protect Santa Clarita’s environment, for our families and our future,” he stated in his written endorsement.