Northwest Power and Conservation Council members recently elected Bruce Measure as Chair of the Council for 2010.  Measure, who lives in Kalispell, has been the council vice chair for the last two years.  

“I am honored to be elected to chair the council,” Measure said.  “It is an exciting time with the expected release of a new power plan that contemplates meeting nearly all of the region’s load growth with conservation, and a new spirit of collaboration in salmon recovery.”

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer appointed Measure to the council in January 2005. Measure has been a practicing attorney in Kalispell since 1988.  Prior to 1988 he was employed in the forest industry and served as vice president of the East Side Forest Practices Committee in 1984 and 1985.  Measure served in the Montana House of Representatives from 1991 to 1993 and served on the Natural Resources; Fish, Wildlife, and Parks; and Judiciary committees.

 Before joining the council, Measure was president of the Board of Trustees of the Flathead Electric Cooperative.

His undergraduate degree in political science and his law degree are from the University of Montana.

The Council is an agency of the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington and is directed by the Northwest Power Act of 1980 to prepare a program to protect, mitigate and enhance fish and wildlife of the Columbia River Basin affected by hydropower dams while also assuring the region an adequate, efficient, economical and reliable power supply.