Wayne Owens, the late Utah congressman, will be inducted into the Hinckley Institute of Politics’ Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Owens, a Democrat, represented Utah’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly a decade-from 1973 to 1975 and 1987 to 1993. He also ran unsuccessfully for governor and senator.

The Utah native and U alumnus is better known for his work on environmental policies in Congress, particularly his efforts to secure federal support for Utahns suffering from cancer and other illnesses related to radiation fallout from nuclear bomb testing in Nevada.

“He thought Utahns and Mormons should be good stewards of the land,” said Meghan Holbrook, a former head of the state Democratic Party who worked with Owens for many years.

Owens died in 2002 after suffering a severe heart attack during a trip to Israel, where he had worked to establish a peace agreement. After leaving Congress, Owens dedicated much of his time toward achieving peace in the Middle East.

He will be honored during a ceremony at the Hinckley Institute on Thursday where family members, friends and colleagues will speak about their memories of Owens.

Other members of the Hinckley Hall of Fame include former Gov. Scott Matheson, Senators Wallace F. Bennett and Frank E. Moss and Representative James V. Hansen.