Gov. Tom Corbett has appointed John T. Hines to DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council.  Hines currently serves as a Government Relations Advisor to the Shell Oil Company and held a variety of positions with the Department of Environmental Protection over 18 years.

In his current capacity, Hines coordinates various activities related to the Shell Oil Company business in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Hines served as the Executive Deputy Secretary for Programs at DEP and in this capacity oversaw all statewide policy and program development related to all aspects of DEP’s activities.

He also served as the Deputy Secretary for Water Management; as Executive Director of the Water Planning Office and as the Acting Director of Watershed Management, and as the DEP’s Policy Director. 

He was most recognize that he has overseen numerous Departmental efforts including the passage of a number of initiatives to protect Pennsylvania’s water resources. 

Specifically, he served as a lead negotiator for DEP in the final stage of the passage of the Water Resources Planning Act (Act 220 of 2002).  He was also critical to the drafting of Annex 2001, an agreement to protect the Great Lakes that was signed by the eight Great Lakes States and the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Over the course of his career at DEP, Hines was instrumental in leading DEP’s efforts, now 26-years running, to comply with the Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy.  Hines played a pivotal role in bringing stakeholders together to forge a Pennsylvania strategy to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan for cleaning up the bay. 

In particular, he helped devise a point and non-point source strategy for Pennsylvania’s wastewater plants and farmers, including a Nutrient Credit Trading Program which has helped stakeholders meet mandatory reductions in nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment in a cost-effective way.

In 2012, Hines received the James McGirr Kelly Award for Excellence from the PA Chapter of the National Association of Water Companies.

In 2001, the American Water Resources Association recognized Hines with the Pyramid Award.  The Pyramid Award recognizes nationally outstanding young professionals in the fi eld of water resources. 

In 1999, both the Interstate Council on Water Policy and Great Lakes Commission recognized Hines for his efforts in establishing the “Partnership for the 21st Century” agreement among river basin commissions nationally and his work on developing the ICWP Interstate Water Resources Standing Committee.  He has also earned two “Secretary Pins” for his outstanding work on DEP initiatives. 

Hines has served as Pennsylvania’s State Coordinator for the Delaware Estuary Program, as Executive Director of the Greene County Solid Waste Authority and as a Socioeconomic Planner with L. Robert Kimball and Associates in Ebensburg, Cambria County. 

A Presidential Scholar, Hines holds a Bachelors Degree in Social Sciences and a Masters Degree in Geography and Regional Planning.

1/16/2015