The Citizens Advisory Council to the Department of Environmental Protection recently held elections for officers and Environmental Quality Board representatives for the coming year.

Walter N. Heine of Newville, Cumberland County, and Cynthia Carrow of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, have been re-elected chair and vice chair, respectively.

Heine, a past deputy secretary for the former DER Office of Mines and Land Protection, has served on council since August 1983. He has served as an elected member of the Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board since 1994 and the EQB since 1991. Heine also serves on CAC’s Environmental Standards and Water committees.

Carrow, executive vice president of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, has served on council since 1997. She currently chairs the Public Participation and Outreach Committee, is a member of the Water and Administrative Oversight committees, and serves as an alternate on the EQB.

The following members won seats on the EQB: Jolene Chinchilli (Elizabethtown, Lancaster County), Walter Heine, Richard Manfredi (Blooming Glen, Bucks County), Dave Strong (Brockway, Jefferson County) and Bruce Tetkoskie (Lavelle, Schuylkill County). Scott Cannon (Glen Riddle, Delaware County), Cynthia Carrow, Pat Lupo (Erie, Erie County) and Margaret Urban (Greenville, Mercer County) will serve as alternates.

The CAC is a nonpartisan group of 18 citizen volunteers appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The DEP Secretary also serves as a member.

The council is legislatively charged with reviewing all environmental legislation, regulations and policies affecting DEP and reporting its recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, public and DEP.

For more information, visit the Council’s website.

7/29/2005