Alabama Department of Environmental Management's Mobile office renamed after retiring director
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is renaming its Mobile office after retiring director Lance LeFleur.
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LeFleur has been the ADEM director since 2010. His tenure began early due to the explosion on April 20, 2010, at the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform, which killed 11 people, injured 17 others, and caused the spill of over 200 million gallons of oil.
'I was in Mobile preparing to turn over my business to others when the governor's office called and said, 'You're starting tomorrow,'' LeFleur said. 'I went to a meeting at the nearby Coast Guard headquarters, and I didn't know anyone in the room — not the Coast Guard officials, not any of the mayors, or any of the other state and federal officials involved. I didn't even know anyone at ADEM at the time.'
LeFleur returned to Mobile Wednesday for his final visit as ADEM director.
Gov. Ivey sent a letter to the Alabama Environmental Management Commission in February to authorize the commission to name the Mobile office after LeFleur. He was also credited for being instrumental in getting the Mobile office built.
'While your task of identifying Director LeFleur's successor is of utmost importance to the state, I believe it is fitting and warranted to properly acknowledge, celebrate, and memorialize Lance's achievements and service to Alabama,' Gov. Ivey wrote.
A ceremony on Wednesday unveiled the new sign reading LeFleur's name.
Several state and local officials spoke at the event, including AEMC Chair A. Frank McFadden, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, RESTORE Council Executive Director Mary Walker, and ADEM Field Operations Division Head Scott Hughes.
Other guests included AEMC members, area mayors, Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council members, representatives for U.S. Senator Katie Britt, and environmental groups and businesses.
'I want to thank the great partners who contributed to making this building possible — first and foremost the Governor's Office,' LeFleur said. 'Also, the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council, the federal RESTORE Council, ADCNR, the City of Mobile, and many others.
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'While it is a tremendous honor that the building bears my name, ideally, it should carry the names of all the many people who made it possible,' he said.
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