Gov. Wolf nominates acting DEP Secretary to serve permanently in that role [Video]

Governor Tom Wolf on Wednesday nominated Acting Secretary of Environmental Protection Patrick McDonnell to serve permanently in that role, pending approval by the Pennsylvania Senate.

“In his acting capacity and throughout his career, Patrick has been a dedicated steward of the environment and a leader in advancing Pennsylvania’s energy

development in a responsible way,” Gov. Wolf said. “I trust Patrick to lead the Department of Environmental Protection in a way that protects our commonwealth’s land, water and air and ensures the department continues to make progress in the areas of innovation, responsible development and working with legislators, industry and advocates in a collaborative and productive way.”

He became the Acting Secretary in the wake of a controversy involving his predecessor, John Quigley, who resigned in May after using expletives in an email that he sent to environmentalists.

Prior to his appointment as Acting Secretary, McDonnell was most recently the director of policy for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, where he oversaw the agency’s regulation …