Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday nominated Acting Secretary of Environmental Protection Patrick McDonnell to serve permanently in that role, pending approval by the Pennsylvania Senate.

“In his acting capacity and throughout his career, Patrick has been a dedicated steward of the environment and a leader in advancing Pennsylvania’s energy development in a responsible way,” Gov. Wolf said. “I trust Patrick to lead the Department of Environmental Protection in a way that protects our commonwealth’s land, water and air and ensures the department continues to make progress in the areas of innovation, responsible development and working with legislators, industry and advocates in a collaborative and productive way.”

Prior to his appointment as Acting Secretary on May 20, Patrick McDonnell was most recently the director of policy for the Department of Environmental Protection, where he oversaw the agency’s regulation and policy development processes.

In addition, Mr. McDonnell ran the State Energy Office and was charged with coordination of renewable energy and energy efficiency issues.

Prior to returning to DEP, Mr. McDonnell was executive policy manager for former Commissioner Pamela A. Witmer of the Public Utility Commission, focusing on electric, natural gas and water issues as well as cybersecurity and the impact of environmental regulation on energy markets.

Previously, Mr. McDonnell spent 13 years with DEP in a variety of roles. As deputy secretary for administration, he managed the budget, human resources, information technology and oversaw the facilities management functions of the agency. He also previously served as policy director and as an assistant to the special deputy secretary.

He began his career at DEP working in the State Energy Office on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green building projects.

Mr. McDonnell received his Master’s degree in Political Science from Lehigh University and his Bachelor’s Degree in Politics from DeSales University.

Reaction

The PA Growing Greener Coalition issued the following statement from Executive Director Andrew Heath in response to Gov. Wolf's nomination of Patrick McDonnell as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection--

"Patrick McDonnell is an excellent and thoughtful choice as DEP Secretary; an individual who cares deeply about Pennsylvania's environment and who brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position. The Coalition has had the honor to work with Mr. McDonnell on a number of projects and initiatives in the past. We are hopeful that the Senate will quickly confirm his nomination, and we look forward to working with him to advance a Growing Greener III program in the future."

The Clean Power PA Coalition, a network of environmental, public health, faith, outdoor and civic groups and clean energy businesses applauded Gov. Wolf’s nomination of Patrick McDonnell as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection and urged his swift confirmation by members of the Pennsylvania legislature--

“Patrick McDonnell has served the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection well and will be a capable and effective Secretary. We urge the Pennsylvania General Assembly to confirm his nomination in a timely manner so that he can focus on the many environmental and energy challenges facing the commonwealth. These challenges include addressing the dangerous threats of climate change and the implementation of the Clean Power Plan as well as ensuring the development of standards to safely regulate oil and gas drilling operations. Pennsylvanians deserve to have a permanent Secretary in place at PA DEP as soon as possible. ”

Andrew Williams, Senior State Regulatory and Legislative Affairs Manager, Environmental Defense Fund, said, “Patrick McDonnell has demonstrated strong leadership and pragmatism since serving as the acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection. McDonnell’s deep experience and policy expertise makes him well suited to help address one of the most difficult environmental challenges facing Pennsylvania today: climate change. We look forward to working with Secretary McDonnell to continue to help Pennsylvania make headway in addressing this challenge, by  effectively implementing the Clean Power Plan in a timely manner and tackling  methane pollution from the oil and gas industry with sensible protections.”

NewsClips:

Wolf Nominates Patrick McDonnell To Run DEP

Wolf Recommends Acting DEP Secretary To Fill Role Permanently

Wolf Nominates Acting DEP Secretary To Serve Permanently In That Role

AP: Wolf Nominates Longtime DEP Official To Be Next Secretary

9/26/2016