Wade is responsible for the environmental compliance and sustainability efforts of the Bakery. Wade has worked on the environmental footprint of the Bakery and helped it achieve a 93%+ diversion rate of all waste from landfills along with consecutive Pollution Prevention Awards from IDEQ. Wade is a lifelong resident of Twin Falls, except for his time in the U.S. Navy. He is also a 2020 Graduate of Duke with a Master of Environmental Management, his Masters Project focused on naturally cleaning the waters of the Snake River
Wade’s north star: I am driven by our legacy and the planet we are leaving for the following generations. My time in Africa drilling wells and building schools for the indigenous people made me understand the results of our degradation of the environment. Water is a finite resource that we continue to destroy, and the people of tomorrow will face challenges that may be insurmountable. It’s up to us to make those changes that will make life better for the next generation.
Clif Bar’s Contribution to the Environment
Clif Bar’s commitment to Idaho’s environment has been steadfast. Clif Bar’s award-winning, Gold LEED Certified Bakery has been heralded nationally for its “green” design. On-demand conveyors, LED lighting, a reflective roof, and water source heat pump help the bakery use about 21% less energy, 37% less water and produce 40% fewer refrigerant emissions than most traditional bakeries. It’s also the only Bakery or manufacturing facility in the U.S. that intentionally included biophilic design from the start, so people inside could feel connected with nature outside. How’s it work? Think 200+ windows, vaulted skylights, light-directing solar tubes, and huge glass sliding doors that link an auditorium to an outdoor event space.
The addition of the region’s most extensive private behind-the-meter solar array with pollinator habitat to the Twin Falls bakery is part of Clif Bar & Company’s ongoing commitment to green power. The two-megawatt system generates an annual output of more than 3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, the equivalent of the solar power needed to run 280 homes for a year. As a member of RE 100, Clif Bar sources green power for 100 percent of the electricity used at all its owned and operated facilities, including the company’s headquarters, satellite offices, and bakeries.
Dr. John R. MacMillan
Dr. John “Randy” MacMillan (recently retired Dec. 2019) was the Vice President of Environmental Quality at Clear Springs Foods, Inc. a seafood company with several large rainbow trout production operations in south-central Idaho. In his position Dr. MacMillan provided oversight to Clear Springs Foods environmental stewardship and natural resource management. Dr. MacMillan currently serves on the Idaho Board of Environmental Quality and is the immediate past president of the National Aquaculture Association (NAA). The Board of Environmental Quality provides oversight of Idaho’s Department of Environmental Quality rule making process and provides initial quasi-judicial hearings in environmental disagreements with the State. The NAA is the largest and most diverse aquaculture association in the US encompassing a variety of aquatic animal species groups, state aquaculture associations, and individuals. Dr. MacMillan is a past certified Fish Pathologist and is past president of the American Fisheries Society- Fish Health Section. He has been involved in various fisheries, aquaculture, health management, and environmental issues for over 30 years. He has published over 75 scientific articles. Prior to retirement Dr. MacMillan had served as Director of Research and Development at Clear Springs Foods, Associate Professor of Veterinary and Aquatic Animal Medicine at Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine, Area Extension Fisheries Specialist at Mississippi State University, Senior Research Fellow at the School of Medicine at the University of Washington, and as a Research Microbiologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Seattle, Washington. Dr. MacMillan received his Ph.D. at the University of Washington in 1980, his M Sc from Michigan State University in 1976, and his BS in 1974 from the University of Maryland.
Dr. MacMillan was one of several founding members of the Southern Idaho Water Quality Coalition (SIWQC) and serves as its president. He believes SIWQC offers a unique opportunity to work collaboratively with all local, regional, and state interests to improve water quality in the Middle Snake River. In addition to technical expertise, he provides educational and outreach capabilities to SIWQC.
Alan Hansten is the General Manager of North Side Canal Company, which is responsible for the delivery of surface irrigation water to 160,000 acres of farmland on the north side of the Snake River from Hazelton to King Hill, Idaho. The company has constructed many water quality improvement projects on the canal system since the late 1990’s in an effort to help improve the water quality of the operational spill water that returns to the Snake River at various locations. Alan has been with North Side Canal for over 10 years and has served as the general manager since 2013. Prior to coming to the canal company, Alan worked as a consultant in the civil engineering field on a variety of heavy construction projects.
Raised on family farm and ranch south of Twin Falls
BS degree in Animal Science from Utah State University
Farmed and Ranched from 1975 – 1999
Field Supervisor for Twin Falls Canal Company from 2000 thru 2007
General Manager of TFCC from 2008 through present. TFCC delivers irrigation water to 200,000 acres of farm land in Twin Falls County.
Organizations: Member of Southern Idaho Water Quality Coalition
Snake River Soil and Water Conservation District
Idaho Water Users Association
Idaho Water Education Foundation
Middle Snake River Watershed Advisory Group (WAG)
Jason is the Environmental Engineer for the City of Twin Falls. He helps oversee projects related to water and wastewater for the City. He manages the operated contractor for the wastewater treatment plant. In addition, he is involved with the industrial processing community in Twin Falls. Jason has lived in Idaho most of his life. He was born and raised in the Treasure Valley. He has a Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a Master degree of Environmental Engineering from Washington State University.
As the Environmental Engineer for the City, Jason has been involved in many different projects and activities. Over the past several years, Jason was instrumental in modifying the industrial pretreatment program to better serve the community and industrial partners.
Over his time at the City, he has been involved in various water and wastewater projects improving the City’s infrastructure. Jason was also involved in the completion of the Chobani’s treatment facility. He was closely involved in the Clif Bar Baking recruitment and completion of the wastewater treatment facility. Over his time with the City of Twin Falls, Jason has been involved in many discussions and projects associated with improving water quality in the Middle Snake River.
Jason has a passion for the outdoors. He enjoys camping and fly-fishing. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. Jason is always up for spending time with his family and friends having a good time and great conversation.
Karen is the Chief Legal Officer and Director of Land & Water Resources for the Riverence group. Her experience includes handling water right adjudications, changes, and augmentation/mitigation plans, as well as water right due diligence, conjunctive management disputes, wetland mitigation, water quality, and complex water rights litigation. In addition to her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees, Karen has a Master of Studies in Environmental Law. Prior to all that, Karen grew up on a ranch and her maternal grandparents were cattle ranchers, so she spent a good portion of her childhood feeding cows, riding horses, collecting bones, and building forts.
Karen supports the work SIWQC is doing because it brings together a variety of stakeholders to discuss and implement creative solutions to protect and improve water quality in the Middle Snake River.
Rick Naerebout grew up on his family’s dairy farm in McBain, Michigan, where he learned the value of hard work, integrity, and an appreciation for agriculture that can only be learned on the farm. He moved west with his family after the family dairy was sold in the late 90s and shortly thereafter began a family and his schooling at the College of Southern Idaho and Idaho State University. Naerebout has been married to his wife, Angi, for 17 years, and together they have three daughters.
Rick has been with the Idaho Dairymen’s Association, Inc. for over 15 years, assisting with the Association’s environmental, legal, economic, legislative and stewardship efforts. The IDA is a progressive Association that represents all of Idaho’s nearly 500 dairy farms. Recently named CEO of the Association, he manages the day-to- day operations of the organization, which includes IDA Consulting Services, a new division within IDA that provides on-farm services, through its highly skilled staff, ranging from nutrient management planning to dairy worker training and safety programs.
IDA was a founding member of SIWQC because we believe that businesses working together can be far more impactful at improving water quality in this region than regulation or litigation. We can more readily identify solutions that will be effective and economical, which will benefit the community through improved water quality and economic prosperity. SIWQC provides it’s members a great platform to share ideas and ongoing work each of us are doing to benefit the Snake River.