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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif"><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D750B7.F3CD1520"></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif">May 24, 2021<span style="color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222">Mike Edmondson to lead Governor’s Office of Species Conservation<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little announced today Mike Edmondson will take over as administrator of the Governor’s Office of Species Conservation (OSC).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222">“Mike Edmundson has a long history of working with landowners and industry to ensure that Idaho works to conserve and recover species while our economy remains
vibrant. He has a proven track record in natural resource policy, and he was instrumental in leading my Salmon Workgroup. I am confident he will carry over that leadership and collaborative spirit into his new role as OSC administrator,” Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222">Residing under the Office of the Governor, OSC provides coordination on all Endangered Species Act issues among state agencies and acts as a policy, technical,
and legal resource for the state, industry, and Idaho citizens.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222">Edmondson has worked at OSC for 14 years, serving as interim administrator, program manager, and aquatic species manager and policy advisor. Edmondson also
worked for 14 years at the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality in surface water quality. Edmondson is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo where he earned a degree in Ecology and Systematic Biology. He and his wife
have lived in Boise since 1993 and have three daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222">“I am humbled and excited for the opportunity Governor Little is giving me to lead OSC and work to conserve and recover species while maintaining Idaho’s
working lands,” Edmondson said. “Providing leadership and working proactively to avert the need to list new species, where possible, will be a major priority during my tenure. I am committed to listening to the needs of our rural communities, landowners, and
other stakeholders and to working collaboratively to preserve Idaho’s unique way of life.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222">As administrator, a significant focus for Edmondson will be working with state and federal partners on Greater Sage Grouse conservation while ensuring that
federal overreach is avoided. He will also implement recommendations of the Governor’s Salmon Workgroup.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif;color:#222222">Edmondson’s position as administrator is effective today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif"># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif">NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison, Press Secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif">208-943-1686 or
</span><a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",serif">--<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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