On October 7, the U.S. Senate confirmed a package of en bloc nominations by a vote of 51–47. The bloc of over 100 nominees included John W. Busterud, who will serve as Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Land and Emergency Management, and Michael Boren, who will serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment.
John W. Busterud – Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM)
Mr. Busterud will oversee EPA’s efforts to protect human health and the environment by preventing contamination, cleaning up and returning land to productive use, and managing the agency’s Superfund and Brownfields programs. A veteran environmental and energy attorney with more than 35 years of experience, he previously served as EPA Region 9 Administrator and as Senior Director and Managing Counsel for Environment and Real Estate at Pacific Gas & Electric. He has also served on multiple environmental and veterans’ boards. Mr. Busterud holds a B.A. from Union College, a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Michael Boren – Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment (USDA NRE)
Mr. Boren will oversee the U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which manage more than 200 million acres of public land and assist farmers, ranchers, and forest owners in conserving natural resources on working lands. In this role, he will direct USDA’s forest and conservation policy under the National Forest System’s multi-use mandate, including management of lands for conservation, recreation, timber, and minerals development. Mr. Boren is experienced in forestry and resource management and is expected to play a key role in coordinating interagency efforts on wildfire mitigation, forest health, and collaboration with private landowners to extend conservation practices beyond public lands.