Bob Perciasepe

Robert Perciasepe (born February 19, 1951) is an American former government official who currently serves as president of the nonprofit Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.[1] He served as the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the administration of Barack Obama.[2]

Bob Perciasepe
Acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
In office February 19, 2013 – July 18, 2013
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Lisa Jackson
Succeeded by	Gina McCarthy
Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
In office December 24, 2009 – August 8, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Marcus Peacock
Succeeded by	Andrew R. Wheeler
Personal details
Born	Robert Perciasepe February 19, 1951 New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Cornell University (BS) Syracuse University (MPA)

Prior to joining the Obama administration, Perciasepe was Chief Operating Officer for the environmental conservation non-profit National Audubon Society. Before that, he served in the administration of President Bill Clinton as the EPA's Assistant Administrator for clean water and then later as the Assistant Administrator for clean air.[3][4]

Prior to that time he served as Maryland's Secretary of the Environment after holding the positions of Chief of Capital Planning and Assistant Director for Planning for the city of Baltimore.[5]

Early life and career

Born on February 19, 1951 in New Rochelle, New York, Perciasepe was raised in Brewster, New York[6] and later Ancram, New York. He attended Immaculate High School in Danbury, Connecticut, graduating in 1969. In 1974 he graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in natural resources and in 1976 received his Master's Degree in Planning and Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.[7][8]

After graduation, Perciasepe began working in the Baltimore City Planning Department (1976–80), where he later served as Chief of Capital Planning (1980–86) and as Assistant Director for Planning (1986–87). In 1987, Perciasepe joined the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), serving as Assistant Secretary of Planning and Capital Programs until 1989, when he was appointed Deputy Secretary of the full Department by then Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer, the former Mayor of Baltimore.

In 1990, Governor Schaefer's Secretary of the Environment, Martin Walsh, drew major criticism from environmentalists who saw Walsh as uncommitted to saving the Chesapeake Bay, among other environmental concerns.[9]

After Governor Schaefer was re-elected in 1990, he announced that he would "reorganize his administration," appointing Perciasepe to be Walsh's replacement as Maryland's Secretary of the Environment, thus making Perciasepe the second Secretary of MDE.

During his tenure as Secretary of the Environment, Perciasepe oversaw the agency's $59 million budget and 770 employees.[10] While there, he took actions that included re-evaluating the Chesapeake Bay Program's efforts to reduce harmful nutrients, chairing the Northeast Ozone Transport Commission for cleaner regional air quality, reducing emissions from cars, and initiating new recycling requirements.

Early EPA career

In 1993, President Clinton appointed Perciasepe to serve as EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water.[11] While in that job, Perciasepe guided development of the Clean Water Action Plan for slowing wetlands loss.[12]

Perciasepe headed the Clinton Administration's engagement with the U.S. Congress in support of passage of new amendments to strengthen the nation's Safe Drinking Water Act - amendments signed into law by President Clinton on August 6, 1996. He was in charge of implementing the new provisions set forth under those amendments, which included setting more protective health standards for drinking water quality, expanding citizen right-to-know information about the quality of their tap water, and improving local infrastructure through a new multibillion-dollar state revolving loan fund.[13]

In 1998, President Clinton appointed Perciasepe to become the EPA's Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.[14]

While head of EPA's clean air program, he took action to reduce harmful emissions from cars and heavy duty trucks by requiring reduced sulfur content in gasoline and diesel fuel. He oversaw initial findings on the need to reduce levels of mercury emitted by power plants. And he worked to ensure that EPA standards for any potential nuclear waste repository – for instance, such as the one once proposed for Yucca Mountain – will be protective of human health.[15]

National Audubon Society

After leaving the Clinton Administration in 2001, Perciasepe joined the National Audubon Society as Senior Vice President for Public Policy and head of the Washington, DC, office. In 2004, he was named Chief Operating Officer of the Society, where he coordinated efforts to protect wetlands.[16][17] While there, Perciasepe also worked with the Board of Directors to establish Audubon Centers in urban areas like Columbus, Dallas and Phoenix to expand access to nature education.

Deputy Administrator of the EPA

Perciasepe speaks at the National Sustainable Design Expo in 2013

On May 18, 2009, President Barack Obama announced his intentions to nominate Perciasepe as Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the official nomination came one month later.[18] Perciasepe was confirmed by the Senate on December 24, 2009, becoming the Agency's Deputy Administrator.[19]

On February 15, 2013, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson resigned from her post and Perciasepe was named Acting Administrator in addition to his Deputy role.[20][21][22] On July 19, 2013, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy was sworn in, and Perciasepe resumed his role as Deputy Administrator.

He became president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions on August 11, 2014.

References

1. "EPA loses bridge builder with Bob Perciasepe's departure as No. 2". Washington Post. July 18, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
2. "Bob Perciasepe Named Audubon COO". freelists.org. Retrieved October 21, 2003.
3. "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. May 19, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
4. "Robert Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency". greenjobsconference.org. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
5. "Deputy Directors Observations On Visit To Cincinnati". cincinnati-oh.gov. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
6. "Regional Planning – Key to Rural Economic Strength". blogs.usda.gov. November 28, 2011. Archived from the original on October 30, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
7. "Robert Perciasepe". projects.washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
8. "Bob Perciasepe". washingtonpost.com. July 24, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
9. "Environmental group reverses stance taken in '86, now supports Schaefer". articles.baltimoresun.com. October 30, 1990. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
10. "Environmentalists embrace the change at the top". baltimoresun.com. November 28, 1990. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
11. "Perciasepe in line for EPA post Environment chief for Md. would lead water-quality efforts". articles.baltimoresun.com. July 15, 1993. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
12. "PR EPA ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATORS CONFIRMED FOR AIR WATER, RESEARCH, ADMINISTRATION AND INSPECTOR GENERAL". yosemite.epa.gov. October 30, 1998. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
13. "Evolution of the Safe Drinking Water Act: A Search for Effective Quality Assurance Strategies and Workable Concepts of Federalism". law.wm.edu.
14. Congress (February 3, 1998). Congressional Record. ISBN 9780160924309. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
15. "PREPARED TESTIMONY OF ROBERT PERCIASEPE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR AIR AND RADIATION U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND POWER". psu.edu. February 17, 1999. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
16. "Robert Perciasepe Former Chief Operating Officer at NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY INC". equilar.com. November 14, 2011. Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
17. "USDA-NRCS AND AUDUBON PARTNER TO RESTORE OVER 6,000 WETLAND ACRES IN SOUTH CAROLINA". usda.gov. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
18. "Robert Perciasepe profile". projects.washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
19. "Senate Floor Proceedings" (PDF). senate.gov. December 24, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
20. Phillip Bump (February 15, 2013). "Meet Bob Perciasepe, acting EPA administrator". grist.org. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
21. "Bob Perciasepe named acting administrator of the EPA". power-eng.com. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
22. Phillip Bump (February 15, 2013). "Meet Bob Perciasepe, acting EPA administrator". Grist.org. Retrieved February 18, 2013.

External links

• Perciasepe biography
• Appearances on C-SPAN