CONTACT INFORMATION:

For state-level issues and state trends:

Kimberly Larson

Deputy Political Director
State PIRGs
(206) 357-1788
(213) 251-3680 x323

For federal issues:
Elizabeth Hitchcock

Communications Director
U.S. PIRG
(202) 546-9707

Elizabeth Ouzts
State Director, Environment North Carolina
(919) 833-0015 ·

Expertise: air pollution, power plants, energy policy, endangered species, public lands, utility rates/ deregulation

Background: Ms. Ouzts has been state director of Environment North Carolina (previously NCPIRG) since 2001, and is responsible for coordinating policy development, research, and legislative advocacy.  She works to clean up the largest sources of air pollution in the state—automobiles and power plants—and to preserve the state’s forests, farmlands, and natural areas. Ms. Ouzts serves as the organization’s main representative in North Carolina’s General Assembly, and was one of the primary environmental advocates for the state Clean Smokestacks law in 2002. She has appeared on local affiliates of NBC, ABC, and CBS in Raleigh and Charlotte, and has testified before the state legislature on issues ranging from cleaner gasoline to cleaning up factory hog farms. She is on the executive board of the NC Conservation Network and is a steering committee member of the Land for Tomorrow coalition, the statewide effort to create a permanent, dedicated source of funding for protecting forests and farmlands.  Ms. Ouzts began her work with the state PIRGs in New Jersey, where she completed service for NJ Community Water Watch, a project of NJPIRG Law and Policy Center.  In 1998, she returned to her native North Carolina to work with NCPIRG.

Ms. Ouzts is also the Director of Environment North Carolina Research & Policy Center, the 501(c)(3) sister organization of Environment North Carolina.

Education: B.A, American Studies and Studies in the Environment, Yale University, 1997

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