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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Environment - "Former coal lobbyist tapped for key enforcement role at IDEM"

Gitte Laasby reports today in the Gary Post-Tribune, in a long story that begins:

MERRILLVILLE -- Meet David Joest.

In his 25-year career as an attorney, he has been a registered lobbyist for the world's largest coal company.

He has made a career of fighting environmental agencies and worked to prevent stricter environmental rules in Indiana and Michigan.

And on behalf of his former employer, Peabody Coal Co., he has fought legal battles over permits against the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and defended the company against enforcement from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

Joest is IDEM's newly appointed assistant commissioner for the Office of Legal Counsel -- a job that puts him in charge of civil enforcement and criminal investigations of the state's biggest polluters.

As head of the Office of Legal Cousel, Joest will call the shots and make the policy decisions. The story concludes:
Other chief managers at IDEM also came from the regulated companies in the private sector. Commissioner Thomas Easterly previously worked as superintendent of environmental services for Bethlehem Steel in Burns Harbor. Assistant Commissioner for the Office of External Affairs Scott Nally was an environmental manager at Perdue Farms.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 10, 2009 01:30 PM
Posted to Environment