Susan Reid, of the Conservation Law Foundation in Boston, agrees. "Straus is a pretty smart guy, with a good track record" on pollution issues relating to his home district, she says.
While environmental advocates are cautiously optimistic on Petruccelli and Straus, they are enthusiastic that DeLeo named Smizik chair of the new House Committee on Global Warming. DiMasi chose not to go along with the idea of a new committee this past year, but DeLeo has done so now.
"I told Frank [Smizik] I wanted him to start it up," says DeLeo, "because he has so much experience with the issue." That decision has DeLeo on the Greens' good list — for the moment.
To read the "Talking Politics" blog, go to thePhoenix.com/talkingpolitics. David S. Bernstein can be reached at dbernstein@phx.com.
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