A longtime leader on environmental protection issues, Das Williams announced Thursday that the California League of Conservation Voters has endorsed his campaign for the 35th Assembly District.

CLCV is the nonpartisan political arm of the environmental movement in California, whose mission is to protect the environmental quality of the state by increasing public awareness of the performance on environmental measures by all elected officials, working to elect environmentally responsible candidates and holding elected officials accountable to the environmental agenda.

“Das Williams has been a solid partner and champion for the environmental community in this state,” said David Allgood, Southern California director of CLCV. “Our members were pleased to recognize Das’ record of working to protect the coastline and open space, restore vital wetlands and promote local energy efficiency programs within Santa Barbara. We have no doubt that Das’ priorities, background and independent leadership will benefit this district and state should he be elected to the state Assembly.” .

“Environmental protection has always been at the center of what I have fought for and tried to achieve in my professional and personal life,” Williams said. “I’m deeply honored to have earned the support of the environmental movement to which I have concentrated so many of my life’s efforts.”

As a member of the Santa Barbara City Council, Williams spearheaded a local initiative to double renewable energy use to 30 percent by 2011, increased energy efficiency programs and expanded the use of alternative energy for Santa Barbara city vehicles.

Williams helped lead the effort to restore Arroyo Burro, one of the largest wetlands restoration projects in the county, and worked to secure more than $3 million to fix sewer overflows in Santa Barbara to reduce pollution in the ocean.

Williams also has fought to fund five major fish passage projects for endangered steelhead, and has been a consistent advocate calling for an end to offshore oil drilling. He is an active member of the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Citizens Planning Association.

Williams is running to succeed fellow Democrat and termed-out Assemblyman Pedro Nava in 2010.

— Christopher Patterson represents the Das Williams campaign for Assembly District 35.