Historically, the deference shown legislators who are greeted with the phrase “Good morning, Mr. Chairman” is reserved for those senior in age and time in office. Chairmanship of a full House or Senate Committee can be likened to being the CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation due to the extensive responsibilities that come with such a position. On Wednesday, January 8th, the title “Mr. Chairman” passed to man whose decade in office is thought by some to be barely beyond apprentice stage and whose youthful looks appear more appropriate for a bright staffer than the individual charged with the duties and responsibilities of the nation’s top environmental legislator in the U.S. House of Representatives. That man is Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA).

Congressman Pombo, chairman of the Sustainable Use Parliamentarians Union (SUPU), was elected to Congress’ most important environmental position, the chairmanship of the House Resources Committee. It was a fitting birthday present for the 42-year-old legislator. As chairman of the House Resources Committee, Rep. Pombo assumes the role of the House of Representatives’ most influential legislator on matters of energy and mineral resources, fish, wildlife, forests, parks, public lands, the oceans, water and power. It also makes him the primary target of the most radical elements of animal rights and environmental NGOs, an unenviable position guaranteed to test the nerves and strength of the toughest of humankind.

Pombo is particularly suited for the post both in terms of his legislative and professional experience and interest. Professionally Pombo knows first hand of the land, its bounty, and the daunting challenges presented by Nature and government regulations. He is a cattle rancher and dairy farmer. His political career was launched over a fierce defense of the rights of property owners. That spirit of advocacy led to his zeal to understand the complexities of the relationship of humans with their environment personally and in relation to his legislative mission.

During his decade in Congress, Pombo has served as Chairman of the Agriculture Committee’s subcommittee on livestock and horticulture. He was also Chairman of the Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans. Considered a long shot to win the position in terms of seniority and political clout, Pombo demonstrated a staunch dedication to absorbing as much knowledge as possible on environmental matters.

As Chairman of the Western Caucus and a rancher, Pombo was intimately aware of the difficulties facing Western land owners from government regulations and the unpredictable nature of working the land. That dedication led him to crisscross the nation to gain equal familiarity to land use issues throughout the nation. His responsibilities did not end with the geographic borders of the United States. Pombo literally searched the globe seeking personal knowledge of the workings of and individuals involved with such international forums as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and others rarely frequented by federal legislators.

Congressman Pombo’s experience and work among such international venues as CITES prompted his involvement in the SUPU, a project of the International Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources (IFCNR). The global nature of feeding the world via agriculture, aquaculture, or fisheries demands global solutions that are both environmentally and economically sustainable. Communication and cooperation among nations embracing the principles of environmentally sustainable use of natural resources spurred Rep. Pombo to involve himself in the creation of SUPU, an evolving project that brings together elected officials from throughout the world’s nations espousing sustainable resource use.

While much of the characterizations of the players and issues affecting the environment by the major media tend to be portrayed in absolutes of either being for or against “saving animals and the earth,” Rep. Pombo subscribes to the school of thought that reality comes in many shades of grey. That means his deliberative process includes gathering data and opinions from a diversity of sources and treating each with fairness.

The downside of his devotion to the principles and implementation of sustainable resource use is that from the moment of his ascension to the House Resources Committee Chairmanship, Rep. Pombo has become the key target of extreme animal rights and environmental groups (NGOs). The degree of criticism aimed at Chairman Pombo from environmental and animal rights groups promises to be withering in its intensity. His every word and action will be under close scrutiny for the miss-step or action that can be used to undermine his credibility with voters, smear him in the press, and alienate fellow legislators. To term the predicted onslaught of criticism he will face during his tenure as Resource Committee chair blatant character assassination would not be an exaggeration.

Rep. Pombo embodies all of the radical NGO community’s worst fears and bias. He is both a dairy farmer, rancher and farmer, professions currently drawing fire from groups such as PETA, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Friends of the Earth. His familiarity with the plight of domestic and international fisheries will see him maligned by the most litigious of NGOs.

His greatest sin in the eyes of the non-use NGO community is his knowledge of the workings of CITES and federal environmental laws and agencies dealing with environmental issues. No longer will these be extensions of NGO fiefdoms. Pombo’s knowledge means he will take a personal interest in personnel sent to world forums to represent U.S. policy. It is precisely this knowledge that will prove the most dicey in terms of the intensity and tactics used by his critics to neutralize or unseat him.

If the animal rights and environmental NGO community succeeds in neutralizing his dynamic legislative interest and activism on behalf of environmental equilibrium, the environmental and animal rights groups will have scored a significant victory.

That Rep. Pombo’s election as Resource Committee Chairman is regarded as a threat to the radical NGO community is no where more in evidence than in the initial response issued by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). AWI commented that Rep. Pombo’s becoming Chairman Pombo is “bad news for wildlife and wildlife legislation.” Quite to the contrary, the election of Rep. Pombo as House Resource Committee Chairman promises honesty and integrity in Congress's approach to environmental issues and a new day for those who believe that humans are part of Nature, not apart from Nature.