WHEREAS, Elizabeth Heim Haskell, a former state Secretary of Natural Resources and longtime resident of Martinsville, was born on May 7, 1942, in Everett, Washington, and passed away on February 11, 2014, in Durham, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Heim Haskell earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1964, and she was one of the first Fellows of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was an astute and capable entrepreneur who managed her own environmental consulting firm from 1972 to 1981, specializing in public administration, pollution control and regulatory reform analyses, federal and state agencies, and foundations, and her clients included the United States Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Reform Council, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Ford Foundation; and

WHEREAS, she was appointed to the state Air Pollution Control Board by former Governor A. Linwood Holton, Jr., where she served from 1973 to 1989, and as chairwoman for six years; as evidence of her ability and knowledge, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was reappointed to the board by former Governors Mills E. Godwin, John N. Dalton, Charles S. Robb, and Gerald L. Baliles; and

WHEREAS, in 1983, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was appointed by Governor Charles S. Robb to the Uranium Administrative Group, which was established by the General Assembly to study the environmental and economic implications of uranium mining in Virginia, and on which she served until 1985; and

WHEREAS, a member of the Martinsville City Council from 1996 to 2000, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was appointed to the New College Institute board by Governor Timothy M. Kaine, where she was one of the Institute's staunchest allies and served as vice president from 2006 to 2010; she was a founding member of the New College Foundation board, where she served as chairwoman from 2006 to 2011; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was appointed state Secretary of Natural Resources by former Governor Lawrence Douglas Wilder, serving with distinction as a member of his cabinet from 1990 to 1994; she was influential in securing additional park land for the state and her tenure was marked by significant environmental progress, the creation of new and the revitalization of existing state parks, and the establishment of the state's Department of Environmental Quality; and during the Wilder administration, she was a member of the Conservationists for Wilder Committee and the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology board on which she served for eight years; and

WHEREAS, a true public servant, prolific author of books and articles on the environment, and director and officer of the Martinsville Bulletin, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was recognized in 2005 as the Outstanding Virginian by the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was genuinely concerned about her community and protecting the environment while promoting economic progress; she focused on creating a well-educated workforce, jobs, economic growth, and ensuring environmental safety and education; and

WHEREAS, a confidante to colleagues on various boards on which she served, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was hardworking, dedicated, dependable, candid, visionary, and objective in her assessment of state environmental needs; she was able to balance business and environmental interests to preserve Virginia's natural wonders; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was focused, goal-oriented, passionate, practical, and intellectually curious, and an articulate advocate for the protection and preservation of Virginia's natural resources, characteristics that made her an appealing leader in the public and private sectors concerning environmental and educational matters; and

WHEREAS, during her professional career, Elizabeth Heim Haskell used her many skills and devoted her time to serving as an environmental public policy analyst for the Urban Institute, special assistant to the Assistant United States Secretary of the Interior for water pollution control, legislative assistant to United States Senator Henry M. Jackson of Washington and United States Representative Richard White of Texas, and she was a member of the boards of the Virginia Museum of Natural History, Patrick Henry Community College Foundation, SunTrust Bank, the Southern Environmental Law Center, and Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest in Bedford County; during her career, she received the Clean Air Conservationist of the Year award from the Virginia Wildlife Federation for her work to address natural resources and environmental causes; and

WHEREAS, insightful, witty, and a good listener, Elizabeth Heim Haskell was admired for her friendly and empathetic nature, energetic leadership, courage, and ability to make tough decisions, while being positive and fun-loving; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Heim Haskell, a lady of grace and accomplishments, will be sorely missed by her family and friends and everyone who loved and whose life was touched by her; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Elizabeth Heim Haskell, former state Secretary of Natural Resources; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Elizabeth Heim Haskell, former state Secretary of Natural Resources, as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for her memory and gratitude for her many outstanding contributions to the Commonwealth.