Alaska’s commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, Chris Hladick, has been tapped by EPA Administrator Scott Pruit to head up the Region 10 of the EPA to oversee Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, it was announced on Tuesday.

Hladick will step down from his current position in Alaska on November 1 and take up his new position in December. Governor Bill Walker stated that Kenai Peninsula Mayor Mike Navarre will step into Hladick’s old position as soon as Navarre’s current term on the peninsula ends.

“Chris has been an incredible asset in our drive towards building a Stronger Alaska,” Governor Walker said. “While he will be missed, I’m very pleased to see him take on this new role, and know he will serve Alaska and the country well. I commend Administrator Pruitt for appointing an individual who can effectively represent the interests of varied stakeholders.”

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all released statements on Tuesday commending the appointment.

“‎Chris is exactly what Alaska needs, an experienced Administrator that will implement the law instead of furthering agendas,” said Senator Murkowski. “Chris has years of experience as the Commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development and as a city administrator in rural Alaska. He knows the issues our communities face when dealing with the EPA, from fishermen struggling with overburdensome regulations to the need to ensure that Alaskans can reasonably comply with the agency’s environmental rules. His knowledge will be an asset as he works to create collaborative relationships between the Region X office and Alaska.”

“The Congressional delegation has been relentlessly pushing to have an Alaskan serve as the Administrator for EPA’s Region 10 Office,” said Senator Sullivan. “I’m pleased that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt worked closely with our offices to find a well-qualified candidate for this position. Chris Hladick has a long history of working for Alaska.  He understands how state and federal agencies intersect, and will be able to navigate the EPA’s rules and regulations in order to serve Alaska and the other region-10 states. He also has the heart of a public servant informed by years of experiences serving in different places across Alaska. He knows the importance and impact EPA programs can positively make to the lives of Alaskans. I look forward to working with him and the agency to help grow our economy, provide good paying jobs for Alaskans, and to keep necessary safeguards in place to keep our environment pristine.”[xyz-ihs snippet=”adsense-body-ad”]“Extortion has long been the name of the game for the EPA – sue and settle type tactics rather than helping communities or individuals actually address their challenges. Chris Hladick knows first-hand the overbearing nature of the previous administration’s EPA; helping lead a challenge against them while serving as City Manager of Unalaska,” said Congressman Don Young. “Having lived in and managed river and coastal communities across rural Alaska for many years, Chris understands the many challenges our residents face when dealing with government agencies, particularly the EPA. I’m optimistic Chris can begin rebuilding a level of trust and confidence in the EPA that was steadily eroded over the previous eight years.”

  administrator, Alaska, appointment, chris hladick, commissioner, dcced, epa, idaho, oregon, washington