DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell to leave Wolf admin on July 2

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell will leave his position on July 2, ending a six-year tenure at the helm of the agency, and a 25-year career with the state, Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said Monday. 

“Patrick’s dedication to protecting our commonwealth’s environment has been a decades long commitment at DEP, and I am grateful for his service,” Wolf said in a statement. “Through his leadership, we are taking significant action to address climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect our waterways, and ensure that contaminated lands are cleaned up and repurposed so that our communities can enjoy these spaces once again.”

The Wolf administration said that it plans to tap DEP Executive Secretary of Programs Ramez Ziadeh, to serve as acting secretary following McDonnell’s departure. 

Ziadeh has worked for the department for more than two decades, the administration said.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve with Secretary McDonnell, and I am committed to upholding the high standards he set for the office and for the department,” Ziadeh said. “I look forward to working with Governor Wolf to ensure that Pennsylvanians have clear air, clean water, and healthy communities.”