Mead Keeps Inside DEQ In Choosing New Director

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Gov. Matt Mead stuck close to home by choosing a veteran administrator at the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to lead the state agency.

This week, Todd Parfitt replaces John Corra, who is retiring after nine years as DEQ director. The DEQ is responsible for enforcing federal and state environmental laws in Wyoming.

Parfitt says his priorities as director include adopting new technologies to organize information about environmental permits. He also says he wants to make sure that the DEQ is run efficiently.

He says responsible development and resource protection can co-exist in Wyoming.

Corra worked in the trona industry before he was DEQ director. Parfitt has almost 20 years of experience with DEQ, including almost seven years as deputy director and administrator of the agency's Industrial Siting Division.