EESI Mourns the Loss of John F. Seiberling, Eight Term Ohio Congressman and EESI Board Member

John F. Seiberling, a champion of the environment, died over the weekend at his home in Akron, Ohio. 

John Seiberling was an environmentalist prior to being elected to Congress in 1969. While a member of Congress, he joined the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee which was responsible for all public land, national parks, and wilderness areas.  As Committee chairman, Seiberling sponsored a bill to preserve 129 million acres of land in Alaska as well as land that would become Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio's only national park.

Seiberling started the Environment and Energy Caucus with several other Members of Congress which later became the Environmental and Energy Study Institute.  He served on EESI's Board for many years.  "John cared greatly about people and about protecting America's lands, parks, wilderness areas and environment for citizens today and for generations to come," said EESI's Executive Director, Carol Werner.  "He was a gentle soul, full of wit, who could quote so many authors to aptly fit the situation at hand!  He was a leader and a man of principle – the consummate public servant.  He was an example we should strive to emulate."