President Joe Biden has appointed Chicago wastewater official Debra Shore to direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Midwestern office. Shore will oversee EPA’s Region 5, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin — along with 35 indigenous tribes.
The office oversees efforts to clean up the Great Lakes and deals with matters including industrial and agricultural pollution and tainted drinking water.
Shore is an elected member of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
That agency handles wastewater treatment and stormwater management.