Last week, Gov. Roy Cooper named a strong new nominee for Secretary of Environmental Quality. After the lame excuses offered for rejecting his previous nominee, the exceptionally qualified Dionne Delli-Gatti, the state Senate should promptly confirm Elizabeth Biser to lead the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
Biser has a strong background in explaining and negotiating on environmental matters with agencies and legislators. During her career, she has served as government relations director for the Sierra Club NC, as legislative liaison for DEQ’s predecessor agency, and later represented groups including the Environmental Defense Action Fund, Friends of State Parks, and The Recycling Partnership. She holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill.
“Elizabeth Biser is a strong leader who has experience with this environmental agency and knows its critical work in North Carolina,” said Gov. Cooper. “I look forward to working with both Secretary Biser and Director Delli-Gatti to protect our air, land, and water and ensure North Carolina’s transition to a clean energy future.”
Delli-Gatti was DEQ’s previous acting head who Cooper nominated to be the department’s permanent secretary. But in a blindside to everyone but the pro-polluter majority, senators rejected her nomination in a dispute over their determination to boost natural gas pipelines. After that vote, Cooper immediately hired Delli-Gatti to be the state’s Clean Energy Director, a position he created just for her.
Biser stated, “I am honored and humbled to lead the agency charged with providing environmental stewardship for the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians. I look forward to working with key leaders, stakeholders, and people throughout North Carolina to fulfill this important mission.”
Cooper’s quick nomination of Biser after Delli-Gatti’s rejection further underscores his refusal to allow hostility from pro-polluter legislators to deter his commitment to clean energy development and climate action.
