Ed Poolos is the new Director at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
The Alabama Environmental Management Commission unanimously voted to select Poolos as the next director of ADEM, replacing Lance LeFleur who retired earlier this year.
Poolos returns to ADEM after serving as the deputy commissioner at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for the past eight years. Prior to that, he worked at ADEM for 24 years, with his last position at ADEM being Chief of the Field Operations office in Decatur.
“I really look forward to returning to ADEM,” said Poolos. “I know the Department well – its dedicated staff and its mission. I am 100 percent invested in making the Department better, safeguarding the environment and protecting the health and well-being of all Alabamians. I am extremely excited about this opportunity.”
A native of Jasper, Poolos is a 1992 graduate of the University of Alabama. He has extensive experience in state government as a scientist, management professional, and administrator. From 1993 to 2017 at ADEM, Poolos worked in many programs, including water quality, air monitoring, construction stormwater permitting and enforcement, and environmental emergency response.
As deputy commissioner at ADCNR, he directed the operations of 1,250 staff members in the management of freshwater and saltwater fishing, wildlife, marine resources, natural resources, state lands, and state parks. Poolos was also instrumental in overseeing growth at the agency as evidenced by a budget increase from $188 million in 2017, to their current budget of $435 million.
Ten people applied for the Director position at ADEM, and the seven-member Commission publicly interviewed four candidates at their meeting on June 13, before selecting Poolos to guide the Department.