Former Westchester Congressman Richard L. Ottinger has died at age 97. He has been living at his home in Mamaroneck. Ottinger represented Westchester on\Capitol Hill between 1965 and 1971 and again from 1975 to 1985.
Congressman George Latimer, whose 16th Congressional District covers part of the Bronx and Westchester said, “The passing of Richard L. Ottinger marks yet another profound loss in Westchester’s political history. A distinguished member of Congress for eight terms, he was a steadfast champion of environmental causes, a brilliant legal educator, and a role model to all who followed in his path. We mourn his loss and place him alongside Ogden Reid and Nita Lowey among the very finest leaders Westchester has sent to our Nation’s Capitol to represent our community. Our thoughts are with his family and friends as we honor his life and legacy.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff on Feb. 18 in Ottinger’s memory and said, “Representative Ottinger was a prolific public servant who believed in making New York a better state for all. A prominent environmental advocate throughout his time in Congress and into retirement, Representative Ottinger led by example, fighting for a more sustainable and environmentally sound New York. I send my deepest condolences to the Ottinger family and all his loved ones.”
State Sen. Pete Harckham said, “We lost a giant of the environmental movement. Richard Ottinger served Westchester for 16 years in Congress, championing conservation and the clean-up of the Hudson River; he later taught environmental law professor at Pace University. My heartfelt condolences to his family.”
In Congress, Ottinger played a key role in developing landmark legislation such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. Ottinger was appointed to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and chaired the Energy Conservation and Power Subcommittee for his final four years in Congress.
Ottinger was originally inspired to run for federal office because of the pollution in the Hudson River. “The Hudson River fishery was virtually extinct because of lack of attention to pollution in the river,” Ottinger had told the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (ESSI), which he was instrumental in founding. “My Congressional district ran along the river, so it was an important issue from the suburbs to Yonkers. When I got to Congress, I wrote legislation to establish an interstate commission to address pollution in the Hudson, and in my first year, we got that legislation passed.”
After retiring from Congress, Ottinger founded the Pace Energy and Climate Center in 1987 at Pace University in White Plains. Ottinger was the Dean Emeritus and a professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, which is consistently ranked number one in the nation for environmental law. In 2013, the Elisabeth Haub School of Law dedicated an energy-efficient classroom building to Ottinger.
“The country has lost a brilliant and dedicated public servant whose impact has extended far beyond his former role as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives,” said EESI Board Chair Jared Blum. “He was a visionary co-founder of EESI and a pillar of the environmental community who galvanized us all. His legacy will live on, through EESI and through all the many individuals who believe, like Dick, that a lifetime commitment to protecting the environment can indeed make a difference. My fellow board members and our staff join me in expressing our deepest condolences to his family.”
Ottinger never lost hope that the climate crisis could be overcome. “If you want to make a difference in the future of the world, there is nothing more significant you can do than to become an advocate for the environment,” said Ottinger in 2024.
