Cliff Traisman, the state lobbyist for environmental giant Washington Conservation Voters, threw his support  behind Joe Mallahan for mayor this afternoon.

Traisman says his endorsement isn't an indictment of Mallahan's opponent, Mike McGinn.

"After meeting with Joe extensively and having many conversations with him, I'm convinced that he cares about the environment and that he wants to deliver on the environment, like Greg Nickels did and to a certain extent like my former boss Paul Schell did."

Traisman, the longtime director of intergovernmental relations under former Mayor Paul Schell, adds, "A Dow-Constantine/Joe Mallahan team will be the strongest environmental team we could have."

Perhaps more importantly, Traisman says, he thinks Mallahan has the ability to work with Olympia. (What he wasn't willing to say, but seemed to imply, was: Unlike McGinn.)

And he says McGinn's opposition to the waterfront tunnel was also a factor in his decision. "I think, with all that's on our plate, pushing that issue seemed like it would set our broader environmental agenda back for... the next five or six years."

Washington Conservation Voters itself has not endorsed in the mayoral election.