With budget hearings now out of the way, one of the Senate’s next tasks is to consider Gov. Wolf’s nominations of Patrick McDonnell as DEP Secretary, Cindy Adams Dunn as DCNR Secretary and Russell Redding as Agriculture Secretary.

Gov. Wolf renominated them to lead their agencies on January 16, 2019.

Although each has served in their cabinet positions in Gov. Wolf ‘s first Administration, agency Secretaries must go through the nomination and confirmation process in the Senate in his second term.

Patrick McDonnell

McDonnell has led DEP since he was named Acting Secretary on May 20, 2016, formally nominated by the Governor on January 3, 2017 and confirmed by the Senate on May 22, 2017.

Prior to his appointment in 2016, McDonnell served as Director of DEP’s Policy Office.

Before returning to DEP’s Policy Office,  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.

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.

McDonnell is the 8th Secretary of DEP.

Cindy Adams Dunn

Dunn had lead DCNR since she was nominated as Acting Secretary in January 2015 and was later confirmed by the Senate.  She returned to the agency where she worked under three governors in multiple positions over the last two decades.

Since November 2013, Dunn had served as the president and chief executive officer of PennFuture, a statewide environmental advocacy organization.

Prior to her time at PennFuture, Dunn served as DCNR’s Deputy Secretary of Conservation and Technical Services from 2007-2013, where she led DCNR's conservation landscape program and oversaw the community conservation partnerships grant program, which provides $30-$60 million annually for conservation and recreation throughout the Commonwealth.

She is the 6th Secretary of DCNR.

Russell Redding

Redding has lead the Department of Agriculture since being named Acting Secretary in January 2015 and was later confirmed by the Senate.

Redding is the former dean of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at Delaware Valley College.

Redding has extensive experience as a public servant, having spent more than 20 years serving Pennsylvania in Harrisburg and Washington D.C.  He worked on Capitol Hill as Agriculture Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Harris Wofford and served for 16 years in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, serving as secretary from 2009-2011 under Governor Rendell.

The DEP and DCNR nominations will be considered by the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-3280 or sending email to: gyaw@pasen.gov.   Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7105 or sending email to: yudichak@pasenate.com.

The Agriculture nomination will be considered by the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver) serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and can be contacted by calling 717-787-3076 or sending email to: evogel@pasen.gov.  Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-8925 or sending email to: SenatorSchwank@pasenate.com.

No committee meetings have yet been scheduled to consider the nominations.

Related Stories:

House DEP Budget Hearing 2: Only 0.30% Of DEP Final Actions Were Appealed In 2018; 25 Fewer Attorney Positions

Senators Question Use Of Project Funds To Pay Agency Operating Costs, Sustainability Of DCNR Funding Choices

Department Of Agriculture Budget Testimony Highlights Conservation, Organic & Urban Farming, Invasive Species Issues

House Tourism & Recreation Committee Holds March 19 Info Meeting On PA Parks & Forests Foundation Infrastructure Needs Report

[Posted: March 7, 2019]

3/11/2019