Governor Rell Appoints Massachusetts

Woman New Commissioner of DEP

Nominee Has Strong Background in Environmental Affairs, Administration

Governor M. Jodi Rell today appointed a new commissioner for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) – a Massachusetts woman who has dedicated her career to environmental affairs and has held top posts in state government there over the past decade.

                Governor Rell’s choice to head the DEP is Gina McCarthy of Canton, Mass.  McCarthy, 50, has served as Deputy Secretary for Operations at the Massachusetts Governor’s Office for Commonwealth Development (OCD) since May 2003.  In that position she directed policy and program coordination for the key state agencies responsible for the environment, transportation, housing and energy.  Prior to that, she was Undersecretary of Policy at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA), the umbrella agency that includes the Departments of Environmental Protection, Agricultural Resources, Conservation and Recreation, and Fish and Game.

McCarthy was one of five finalists recommended to Governor Rell by a special advisory committee the Governor established in August.  The 13-member committee, which conducted a national search, included representatives of leading environmental and business organizations as well as state legislators.

            “I have said all along that Connecticut’s next DEP Commissioner must be a person of unquestioned vision, leadership, and commitment to the environment,” the Governor said. “Gina McCarthy has consistently displayed those qualities in her exemplary work in Massachusetts.

  “Gina has an outstanding record of accomplishment on key environmental issues,” Governor Rell said.  “In addition, she has proven herself to be a strong manager, and someone with the ability to strike the proper balance between the need to protect our environment with the need for continued economic growth.

“I am confident that with her expertise and leadership, Connecticut will continue to move forward to protect our environment,” Governor Rell said. “I know she will focus strongly on efforts to preserve open space and farmland, protect Long Island Sound and our other waterways, as well as make progress in improving our air quality.” 

During her service in various senior positions in Massachusetts, McCarthy has focused on issues such as smart growth, climate protection, pollution prevention and environmental clean-ups.  She has also been involved in projects as diverse as Logan Airport expansion and efforts to protect Boston Harbor.  

McCarthy said, “I am truly honored to have been selected by Governor Rell.  I recognize that as head of the agency I am acting as a trustee of the environment for present and future generations of Connecticut residents.  The Connecticut DEP has a rich history and is viewed as a national leader in so many important areas.  I will work hard to build on this record of accomplishment.”

McCarthy’s appointment is effective December 10.  She will serve on an interim basis until confirmed by the General Assembly.  She succeeds former Commissioner Arthur Rocque Jr., who retired October 1.

Background on Gina McCarthy

As Deputy Secretary for the Massachusetts OCD, McCarthy was responsible for evaluating the annual operating budgets and capital spending plans at several state agencies, including the Executive Office of Transportation, the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Division of Energy Resources.

At OCD, an office created to promote sustainable development by integrating the work of several state agencies, McCarthy helped achieve numerous milestones, including:

·        The design and launch of a $150 million, multi-agency Smart Growth campaign.

·        A multi-agency settlement with the Department of Defense on terms of the

cleanup and continued use of the Massachusetts Military Reservation.

·        Approval of Massachusetts’ first Climate Protection Plan.

·        Acting as point for the Massachusetts Governor’s Office on a controversial federal proposal to manage groundfisheries.

As Undersecretary at EOEA in 2003, McCarthy led passage of the nation’s first four pollutant regulations to clean up coal-fired power plants, established and managed a new statewide mercury reduction initiative, and authored the first environmental justice policy in Massachusetts.

From 1999 to 2003, McCarthy served as Assistant Secretary for Pollution Prevention, Environmental Business and Technology at EOEA.  She served as Executive Director of the Administrative Council on Toxics Use Reduction at EOEA from 1994 to 1999.  During this period, there was a significant reduction of toxic releases, toxics usage and toxic waste generation in Massachusetts.  As a result, the Toxics Use Reduction Program received the Kennedy School of Government/Ford Foundation’s Innovation in Government Award. 

McCarthy holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree in environmental and health planning and policy from Tufts University.  She is a licensed sanitarian and early in her career was a local health official and was involved in hazardous waste management issues.

Background on Connecticut’s DEP

            The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection was created in 1971 to conserve, improve and protect natural resources. The DEP enhances the quality of life in the state through programs that enforce environmental laws and regulations. DEP also manages Connecticut’s system of state parks, forests, boat launches and beaches.