Thursday, 4:30 PM
Boston lawyer to become environmental chief
(Energy and Environmental Affairs)
By Globe Staff
A longtime Boston environmental lawyer was tapped today to be the next commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection.
Laurie Burt, 58, founder of the environmental law practice at the firm Foley Hoag, will take over the department on Sept. 4. "No one is better equipped to lead DEP into a new era as we grapple with global climate change and other vital environmental challenges for the 21st century," Ian Bowles, the state secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said in a statement.
At Foley Hoag, Burt was first woman to serve on the firm’s elected executive committee. She worked with clients to find solutions to environmental challenges, including new wastewater strategies, the treatment of contaminated soils, and the use of renewable energy.
At the DEP, Burt will run an agency responsible for keeping air and water clean; managing solid and hazardous wastes; cleaning up environmental spills, and preserving wetlands and other coastal resources. "I hope to set a new standard for both environmental protection and regulatory efficiency," Burt said in a statement.
