News Release

ATTORNEY GENERAL MIKE MCGRATH
STATE OF MONTANA

FOR RELEASE: July 28, 2003

CONTACT: Lynn Solomon, 444-0582

McGrath Named Chair of Western Attorneys General Group

HELENA — Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath today was elected chair of the executive board of the Conference of Western Attorneys General at the group's annual meeting at Park City, Utah.

McGrath, 55, was elected to a one-year term. He replaces Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar. Also elected to the executive board were Patricia Madrid of New Mexico, Mark Shurtleff of Utah and Lawrence Wasden of Idaho.

"Each year, western attorneys general face new, increasingly complex challenges," McGrath said, "and each year more of those challenges are related to land use, energy and deregulation.

"I look forward to working closely with my CWAG colleagues."

While in Park City, McGrath took part in a panel discussion on "FERC and Hydropower Issues." Other panelists included William Massey, commissioner of FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

CWAG is comprised of attorneys general from 15 western states and three Pacific territories. This year's gathering included panel discussions on homeland security, water in the West, Indian gaming, Indian sovereignty, pharmaceuticals and wildfire, drought, forests and roadless areas.

McGrath, a Democrat, was elected Montana's 19th attorney general in November 2000.

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