William McDonnell, former Regional Director for DEP’s Wilkes-Barre Office, passed away this week.

Bill worked for the Department of Environmental Protection for 22 years from 1972 to 2004. He started out in the Waste Management Program and then rose through the ranks until he was named Regional Director in charge of the Wilkes-Barre Office.

Bill was very involved in his community as a member of local community and watershed groups and as a member of the Falls Township Planning Commission. In 1998 he received the Friend of the Lehigh River Award from the Wildlands Conservancy for his work in restoring and protecting watersheds.

Bill had a unique understanding of Northeast Pennsylvania had how it worked. He was tough, fair and professional, but most of all he used his considerable personal skills to convince people to do the right thing by the environment, like convincing a local landfill operator to become the first ISO 14,000 certified facility in the country.

He always had a good story, knew the best places to eat and had an infectious laugh. He is too soon gone.

Read his obituary.

6/20/2008