Auten to join Roberts's staff

Matt Auten, one of the more visible enviros in RI, sends this word:

After five wonderful years of running Environment Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group  and serving on the Environment Council of Rhode Island I have decided to move on to a new opportunity and will be leaving Environment Rhode Island and the Environment Council in the next few days.
 
Over the past few years I believe we have made tremendous progress for Rhode Island's environment and citizens. Working collaboratively (or as adversaries) we have helped make Rhode Island a better place to live. While your hard work and dedication sometimes get overlooked, the changes we've made surround us each and every day. Every new car pollutes less, our drinking water and gasoline are safer, electric efficiency programs are growing,  Rhode Island now has a statewide natural gas conservation program, ground has been broken on Rhode Island's first municipal wind turbine and more are coming, and we have become one of the first states to regulate global warming pollution from power plants.

Although I will miss working directly with you in my capacity with Environment Rhode Island I am excited to tell you that , I have recently accepted an offer from Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts to serve as her Senior Policy Analyst. As you may know, I had the opportunity to work extensively with Lt. Governor Roberts on identity theft legislation and energy efficiency legislation during her tenure as a State Senator and was always impressed by her work ethic, integrity and principles.

Rhode Island is currently faced with a number of serious interconnected challenges to our economy and our energy, transportation, health care and education systems. I firmly believe Lt. Governor Roberts is one of the leaders we need to help guide us through these trying times and challenges, and I am honored to have the opportunity to work on her staff.