Gov. Tom Corbett Wednesday nominated Steven C. Beckman to the five-member Environmental Hearing Board which hears the first-line appeals of actions by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Mr. Beckman is currently an attorney with the Erie law firm of MacDonald Illig with a practice focusing in the areas of environmental and construction law, including environmental regulatory, permitting and litigation matters, as well as public and private sector construction contracting, arbitration and litigation.

After receiving his Master's Degree in Geology, he worked for five years as an Operations and Exploration Geologist for Shell Offshore, Inc. in New Orleans.  He left Shell in 1990 to attend law school to pursue his interest in environmental law.  After receiving his law degree in 1993, he joined MacDonald Illig's environmental law group. 

In 1996, Mr. Beckman was appointed by Gov. Tom Ridge to serve as the Regional Director of the Northwest Office of the Department of Environmental Protection.  As Regional Director, he was responsible for state environmental programs in the twelve county Northwest Pennsylvania region and managed a staff of over 200 employees. 

As part of his responsibilities at DEP, he was the lead Regional Director for the Oil and Gas Program and served on several statewide committees involved in the development of environmental policy. Mr. Beckman left DEP and returned to MacDonald Illig in 2001. 

Since returning to MacDonald Illig, he has represented numerous businesses and individuals in permitting and enforcement matters involving government environmental agencies, including DEP, the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.  In addition, he has litigated private party actions in the state courts involving claims under the environmental statutes. 

In his construction law practice, Mr. Beckman has represented various private and public entities in negotiating and administering construction contracts for projects costing up to $100 Million.  He has also represented sureties, general contractors and subcontractors in construction and bond claims in the courts, as well as in arbitrations involving the American Arbitration Association's Construction Industry Arbitration Rules. 

Mr. Beckman has a B.A. Geology from Wittenberg University in Ohio, an M.S. Geology from University of North Carolina and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Mr. Beckman nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.

9/10/2012