At its June 17 meeting, the Citizens Advisory Council to the Department of Environmental Protection held elections for officers and Environmental Quality Board representatives for the coming year.

Richard Manfredi of Hilltown, Bucks County, and Joyce Hatala of Fleetville, Lackawanna County, were elected chair and vice chair, respectively.

Manfredi, principal in Manfredi, LLC, a management and public affairs consulting company, has served on Council since 2002. He currently serves on the Water Committee and represents Council on the EQB.

Hatala operates Joyce Hatala Associates, which specializes in environmental grant writing and projects. She has been on Council since 2005 and serves on the Environmental Standards, Integrated Projects and Water committees.

The following members were elected to serve on the EQB: Jolene Chinchilli (Elizabethtown, Lancaster County), Walter Heine (Newville, Cumberland County), Bernie Hoffnar (Six Mile Run, Bedford County), Richard Manfredi (Hilltown, Bucks County) and Dave Strong (Brockway, Jefferson County). EQB alternates are Cynthia Carrow (Sewickley, Allegheny County), Gail Conner (Newtown Square, Delaware County), Pat Lupo (Erie, Erie County), Bruce Tetkoskie (Lavelle, Schuylkill County) and Margaret Urban.

Officers and EQB representatives serve one-year terms.

The Council 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 Secretary of DEP also serves as a member. The Council is legislatively charged with reviewing all environmental laws of the Commonwealth, studying the work of DEP and making recommendations for improvement of all of the above.

For more information, visit Council’s website.

7/4/2008