Wolf nominates longtime DEP official to be next secretary
The man who’s been running Pennsylvania’s environmental protection agency for the last four months is Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s nominee to keep the job on a more permanent basis.
Wolf on Wednesday nominated Patrick McDonnell to be secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection. He’s been the acting secretary since May and has held several top department posts.
McDonnell requires approval by two-thirds of the state Senate to become secretary.
The secretary’s job has been vacant since May 20, when John Quigley resigned after the governor’s office began looking into an email he had sent to environmental advocacy groups.
In it, Quigley urged the groups to support him and accused Republicans of “shilling” for the natural gas industry amid policy battles over drilling regulations and power plant pollution.
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