Ed Perry
The Raymond Proffitt Foundation is pleased to announce that Edward W. Perry of Boalsburg, Centre County, is a new member of the Board of Trustees. Ed retired last year after 30 years as a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He spent most of his career in Pennsylvania, working to protect Pennsylvania’s streams and wetlands from ill-advised development projects and illegal activities. He did that by working on individual projects, as well as analyzing the various state and Federal regulatory and implementation measures. The result of his efforts are relatively strong wetlands regulations and enforcement in Pennsylvania, compared to many other states.
Sometimes, Ed’s zeal in protecting our resources to the fullest extent of the law did not go over too well with the "powers that be." In 1995, former U.S. Representative Elmer G. "Bud" Shuster had Ed investigated by the General Accounting Office and the Department of the Interior after Ed appeared at a press conference and read a simple statement on how many acres of wetlands would lose protection if Shuster’s "Dirty Water Act" was enacted. The investigation, like the Dirty Water Act itself, went nowhere, both having equal merit.
On the flip side, Ed has received numerous awards from environmental groups recognizing his dedication to protecting our resources. Most recently, as part of a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, Ed was named one of only thirty national "Clean Water Heros" by the Clean Water Network. In contrast with many government employees, Ed made working closely with conservation groups one of his hallmarks.
Ed now brings all his knowledge and experience to the RPF Board. He is very interested in helping RPF remain a leader among Pennsylvania’s conservation groups, and is looking into ways of moving RPF forward.