NEWS
In Memoriam: Robert J. Knox
Bob Knox was a friend and inspiration to AAEA as he was to many other institutions and people all over the country.
Robert J. Knox was a founding Deputy Director and former Acting Director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice(OEJ). Mr. Knox was an engineer by training and he began his career in Region 4 as a manpower development specialist working on water related issues. He moved to Region 2 where he led manpower and training programs.
In the early 1980s he served as the Director of the Office of Civil Rights. Thereafter, he was the Hazardous Waste Ombudsman for OSWER. When the Office of Environmental Justice was formed in 1992, he served as the founding Deputy Office Director with Dr. Clarice Gaylord, then OEJ Director. Bob spent his last 12 years in EPA working on community engagement activities. Bob retired from EPA in December 2004. In his retirement, he began taking coursework toward a masters degree from Howard University's School of Divinity. He was also a former deacon at the Gethsemane Baptist Church.
New Racial Disparity Health Study
Molly O’Neill Nominated
Assistant Administrator for the Office of Environmental Information
President Bush has nominated Molly O’Neill to be Assistant Administrator for the Office of Environmental Information. Molly currently serves the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) as
the State Director for the National Environmental Information Exchange Network. This network is the jointly-governed initiative between EPA, state environmental agencies, and Tribes to exchange and share environmental data over the Internet. Prior to joining ECOS, Molly spent 14 years as an environmental consultant, including eight years working closely with the executive management of state environmental departments. In this capacity, she worked on organizational and performance assessments, performance measures, business process reengineering, and large-scale information management system implementation projects. In 2004, she received a Federal 100 Award as
one of the top executives influencing government technology. Molly holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Tech.
Linda Travers will continue to serve as OEI’s Acting AA while the nomination process proceeds. Upon Molly’s confirmation, she will resume her role as Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator.
Susan P. Bodine, Assistant Administrator,
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Susan P. Bodine was nominated by President Bush to be EPA’s Assistant Administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response on June 28, 2005, and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 17, 2005.
Ms. Bodine currently serves as the Staff Director and Senior Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. She and her staff are responsible for managing the committee’s work on environmental matters, such as the Clean Water Act, Superfund, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Prior to her current position, Ms. Bodine served for six years as a counsel to the subcommittee. She also worked for the law office of Covington and Burling, where she specialized in environmental law. Ms. Bodine holds an A.B. degree from Princeton University and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law.
George M. Gray, Ph.D.
Assistant Administrator for Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
On November 1, 2005, Dr. Gray was sworn in to serve as the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development, which is the 1,900-person, $600 million science and technology arm of the Environmental Protection Agency. Dr. Gray was appointed to this position by President George W. Bush and confirmed by unanimous consent by the U.S. Senate. AAEA president Norris McDonald met with Dr. Gray on November 4, 2005.
Prior to joining EPA, George was Executive Director of the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis and a Lecturer in Risk Analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health. In 16 years at HSPH, his researched focused on scientific bases of human health risk assessment and its application to risk policy with a focus on risk/risk tradeoffs in risk management. George taught toxicology and risk assessment to both graduate students and participants in the School’s Continuing Professional Education program.
George holds a B.S. degree in biology from the University of Michigan and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in toxicology from the University of Rochester. He and his wife, Ann, and their two children make their home in McLean, Virginia.
Johnson To Head EPA
President Bush has selected Stephen Johnson to be the 11th administrator to head the 
Environmental Protection Agency. Johnson is a career government employee and will be the first professional scientist to head the agency,
Johnson, 53, has been with the agency for 24 years and is a native of Washington, D.C. He was Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances (OPPTS) since June 2001. The OPPTS office has responsibility for implementing the nation’s pesticide, toxic substances, and pollution prevention laws.
| May 18, 2005 - - U.S. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson has selected Charles Ingebretson as his Chief of Staff. Charles has served as EPA’s Associate Administrator for the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations since April, 2004. Prior to joining EPA, Charles served as Government Relations Counsel at Honeywell International, Inc. and spent two years with the law firm of Bracewell & Patterson, L.L.P. From 1990 to 1998, he worked as Minority Counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and as General Counsel for the House Committee on Commerce. Charles is an alumnus of Duke University and the Notre Dame School of Law. |
Stephen Johnson
The EPA implements and enforces the nations federal environmental laws and regulations; the Agency has over 18,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of $8.6 billion.
Johnson has held a variety of positions at EPA, particularly working in pesticides and toxic substances. He had also served as Deputy Director of the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) since May 1997. And he served for three years in OPP as Director of the Registration Division, where he administered the pesticide registration program, establishing or revoking pesticide tolerances and exemptions and making decisions on emergency exemptions, experimental use permits, new active ingredients, new uses, and state registrations for special local needs.
Prior to joining the EPA, Mr. Johnson served as the Director of Operations at Hazelton Laboratories Corporation and Litton Bionetics, Inc
Mr. Johnson was born on March 21, 1951 in Washington, DC. He received a B.A. in Biology from Taylor University in Indiana and an M.S. in Pathology from George Washington University, Washington, DC.
CONGRESSMAN THOMPSON NAMED TOP DEMOCRAT ON HOMELAND SECURITY
January 5, 2005 -- United States Representative Bennie G.Thompson (D-MS) was approved as the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security by the House Democratic Caucus.
Bodman Nominated To Head Department of Energy
December 2004 -- President Bush has named Treasury deputy secretary
Samuel Bodman as energy secretary. Bodman would replace Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. He is a chemical engineer by education and investment banker by trade.
Bodman took over as Treasury deputy secretary in 2004 after serving as deputy secretary at the Commerce Department. At Treasury, he was charged with a range of matters, including making sure the economic recovery is lasting, stopping the flow of funds to terrorists and helping efforts to modernize the IRS.
He has taught chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, served as president of Fidelity Investments, and run a chemical company. He graduated from Cornell University with a degree in chemical engineering in 1961 and has a doctorate in science from MIT.
Change At the U.S. Civil Rights Commission
U.S. Civil Rights Commission Chairman Mary Frances Berry stepped down in December 2004. President Bush appointed a black Republican, Gerald A. Reynolds. Abigail Thernstrom, an independent who is conservative and white, became the new vice chairman. With other replacements, the commission went from a 5 to 3 liberal majority to a 6 to 2 conservative majority.
Important Announcement
