The head of Louisiana’s Department of Environmental Quality leaves for a new job

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The head of Louisiana’s environmental agency is leaving her position for a job at a law firm in Washington, D.C., the governor’s office announced on Friday.

Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and a former wildlife official for President Donald Trump’s administration during his first term, was the first Black woman to lead the state agency.

Giacometto, a biologist and lawyer who spent more than six years at agrochemical giant Monsanto, was appointed by Gov. Jeff Landry in November 2023. The state agency is responsible for ensuring the citizens of Louisiana have a clean and healthy environment to live and work. Among other things, the department regulates pollution sources and responds to environmental emergencies.

When Landry, a Republican, took office last year, he said Giacometto understood “the balance between protecting our environment and ensuring job creation.” Landry has been a major defender of the state’s fossil fuel industry.

Louisiana, which is situated on the Gulf Coast and home to diverse natural landscapes that include bayous, forests and coastal areas, has tens of thousands of jobs tied to the oil and gas industry.

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Additionally, the Deep South state has had a front-row seat to the impacts of climate change. Hurricanes are making landfall more frequently, coastal areas are being eaten away by erosion, subsidence and rising sea levels, and the Mississippi River has reached record-low water levels, causing barges with agricultural exports to get stuck and allowing a mass influx of salt water that has threatened drinking supplies.

During Giacometto’s year and a half in office, she has faced criticism over her management style and numerous employees, including some high-profile staffers, have left the agency, as reported by The Advocate.

Courtney Burdette, who has worked in the department for a decade in various positions, has been named by Landry as the next secretary.