The U.S. Senate has confirmed David P. Ross to serve as the assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water. Ross was nominated by President Donald J. Trump for the position in September.
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt praised the Senate’s action to confirm Ross.
“David Ross has a record of holding polluters accountable and navigating through complex environmental law on behalf of the state of Wisconsin,” said Pruitt. “His expertise will be vital to the Agency as we look to keep our water clean and provide regulatory certainty for the stakeholder community.
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“I want to thank Leader McConnell and Chairman Barrasso for moving Mr. Ross through the confirmation process, and I look forward to the numerous contributions David will bring to the Agency’s water office.”
On Oct. 25, 2017, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, led by U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), advanced Ross’ nomination out of committee.
Previously, Ross served as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Wisconsin. He joined the Wisconsin Department of Justice in 2016, after returning home to Wisconsin from Wyoming, where he served as a senior assistant attorney general in the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office. In that role, Ross represented the Water Quality Division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Ross also represented the State of Wyoming on the Assumable Waters Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology. Prior to entering the public sector, Ross served as a partner in the environmental practice group of a large national law firm.
“David Ross’s expertise in promoting environmental stewardship and enacting responsible enforcement will be a welcome addition to EPA,” said Pruitt in September at the time of Ross’ nomination. “Having served as Wisconsin’s Assistant Attorney General and Director of the Environmental Protection Unit, David is especially qualified to head EPA’s Office of Water and to carry out the Trump Administration’s mission of returning power back to the states and advancing regulatory certainty.”
Ross is an Appleton, Wisconsin native and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for undergraduate studies. He earned his law degree, magna cum laude, and a Master of Studies in Environmental Law, summa cum laude, from Vermont Law School, one of the nation’s leading environmental law programs. While at Vermont Law School, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Vermont Law Review.
