Rich Negrin Nominated For Secretary Of PA Department of Environmental Protection
With his Inauguration set for this Tuesday, Governor-elect Josh Shapiro has announced several of his proposed Cabinet secretaries.
One announcement that has gotten a lot of attention from PPA and other groups in the energy sector is that of the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Shapiro has selected Rich Negrin, who is currently a high-ranking executive with Commonwealth Edison Company (an large electric utility based in Illinois).
Commonwealth Edison Company and PECO Energy Company are both subsidiaries of Exelon Corporation.
Negrin was responsible for regulatory policy and strategy at Commonwealth Edison. Shapiro’s transition team said Negrin “led efforts to increase the use of renewable energy, spur the adoption of electric vehicles, and increase energy efficiency.”
Negrin previously served as a top official in former Philadelphia Mayor Nutter’s Administration and was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Philadelphia DA in 2017.
One of the major duties of a DEP Secretary is to develop and push for the adoption of climate change policies.
Negrin will need to go through the Senate confirmation which PPA will be monitoring very closely to ascertain the policies the nominee plans to pursue.
