Hawaii Rep Jessica Wooley Named Director of Office of Environmental Quality Control
Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie has named House Agriculture Chairwoman Jessica Wooley as director of the Office of Environmental Quality Control.
Wooley, who currently represents Kaneohe, was elected in 2008. She said in a press release that she sees the post as an opportunity to have a greater impact. Her appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
But depending on who replaces her, the announcement could be bad news for residents who have been advocating for more regulation of genetically modified food and farming in Hawaii.
Wooley has been an advocate for labeling genetically modified food, unlike her counterpart Clarence Nishihara in the Senate.
“If she takes that job, she leaves us unguarded from the chemical companies and their lobbyists,” Nomi Carmona, president of the group Babes Against Biotech, told Civil Beat last week.
— Anita Hofschneider
