Edward Poolos, the current deputy commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, has been appointed as the new director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

Poolos was first appointed deputy commissioner of Conservation by Governor Kay Ivey in Oct., 2017 after working at ADEM for 25 years, including 17 years as a manager in ADEM’s North Alabama Field Office in Decatur. As deputy commissioner of Conservation, Poolos helped Commissioner Christopher Blankenship “advise the Governor and Legislature on the management of freshwater fish, wildlife, marine resources, state lands, state parks, and other natural resources” per the department’s website.

ADEM’s seven-member Environmental Management Commission selected Poolos to serve as the department’s next director after reviewing the applications of 10 candidates who sought to replace former ADEM Director Lance LeFleur. LeFleur announced that he would be retiring as the longest-serving director in the agency’s history late last year and officially stepped down in May.

The commission announced Poolos’ appointment after interviewing four finalists during a public meeting on Friday. In addition to Poolos, the finalists included Anthony Scott Hughes, chief of the Field Operations Division at ADEM; David A. Perry, former chief of staff and state finance director for Governor Robert Bentley; and James “Mike” Thornton, director of Coffee County Environmental Services.

“I am extremely grateful for Commissioner Blankenship and Gov. Ivey for putting their trust in me in helping lead the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. I learned a lot,” Poolos said following his appointment. “ADEM and ADCNR have two big things in common — serving the people and protecting the environment.”

“I really look forward to returning to ADEM. I know the Department well — its dedicated staff and its mission. I am 100 percent invested in making the department better, safeguarding the environment and protecting the health and well-being of all Alabamians,” he added. “I am extremely excited about this opportunity.”

As ADEM’s new director, Poolos will be responsible for administering all major federal environmental laws, including the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Safe Drinking Water Acts, and federal solid and hazardous waste laws in Alabama. 

“The mission at ADEM is to assure for all citizens of the State a safe, healthful, and productive environment,” according to the agency’s official website.

Poolos’ official starting date as ADEM director has yet to be announced.