Latest news with #Giacometto
E&E News
05-05-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Former Trump FWS head departs Louisiana agency, returns to DC
Former Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto's groundbreaking and rocky tenure as Louisiania's top environmental regulator has now ended with her move to a Washington-based law firm. Appointed in November of 2023 as the first Black female secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Giacometto was dogged throughout her time in Baton Rouge by staff departures, low department morale and highly critical media accounts of her leadership. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry announced Giacometto's departure Friday, praising her accomplishments that he said included a 2.5 percent reduction in the department's fiscal 2026 budget, which Landry described as savings of more than $5 million. Advertisement 'Aurelia prioritized environmental improvements to our air, land, and water, while also keeping a focus on the jobs and businesses that often suffer from red-tape and over-regulation,' Landry said in a statement. 'We are grateful for her actions to improve the Department and wish her the best in her next endeavor.'
Associated Press
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
The head of Louisiana's Department of Environmental Quality leaves for a new job
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The head of Louisiana's environmental agency is leaving her position for a job at a law firm in Washington, D.C., the governor's office announced on Friday. Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and a former wildlife official for President Donald Trump's administration during his first term, was the first Black woman to lead the state agency. Giacometto, a biologist and lawyer who spent more than six years at agrochemical giant Monsanto, was appointed by Gov. Jeff Landry in November 2023. The state agency is responsible for ensuring the citizens of Louisiana have a clean and healthy environment to live and work. Among other things, the department regulates pollution sources and responds to environmental emergencies. When Landry, a Republican, took office last year, he said Giacometto understood 'the balance between protecting our environment and ensuring job creation.' Landry has been a major defender of the state's fossil fuel industry. Louisiana, which is situated on the Gulf Coast and home to diverse natural landscapes that include bayous, forests and coastal areas, has tens of thousands of jobs tied to the oil and gas industry. Additionally, the Deep South state has had a front-row seat to the impacts of climate change. Hurricanes are making landfall more frequently, coastal areas are being eaten away by erosion, subsidence and rising sea levels, and the Mississippi River has reached record-low water levels, causing barges with agricultural exports to get stuck and allowing a mass influx of salt water that has threatened drinking supplies. During Giacometto's year and a half in office, she has faced criticism over her management style and numerous employees, including some high-profile staffers, have left the agency, as reported by The Advocate. Courtney Burdette, who has worked in the department for a decade in various positions, has been named by Landry as the next secretary.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Louisiana DEQ Secretary Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto leaving department, governor says
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Governor Jeff Landry has announced a leadership change at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto, who has served as secretary of the department, is stepping down to join Earth and Water Law, a law firm based in Washington, D.C. Giacometto led the modernization of LDEQ's operations, according to the governor's office. This included launching a new transparency dashboard and digitizing several internal processes. Landy said she also focused on fiscal discipline, achieving a 2.5% reduction in the department's FY 2026 budget, amounting to over $5 million in savings. 'I want to sincerely thank Aurelia for her dedicated service to our state and the Department of Environmental Quality,' said Landry. 'Aurelia prioritized environmental improvements to our air, land, and water, while also keeping a focus on the jobs and businesses that often suffer from red tape and overregulation. We are grateful for her actions to improve the department and wish her the best in her next endeavor.' Landry has appointed Courtney Burdette as the new secretary of LDEQ. 'Courtney has played a pivotal role at LDEQ for a decade, and it is exciting to bring her leadership and experience back to the department,' Landry said. 'I am confident that Courtney will continue to move the department in a direction that protects our environment while also fighting for Louisiana businesses over bureaucracy.' Louisiana whooping cough cases for 2025 higher than last year's total, LDH reports The governor's office said Burdette brings over 10 years of experience at LDEQ, having joined the agency in 2014 as part of its legal team. She later served as Permits Supervisor, General Counsel in 2020, and most recently, Executive Counsel. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and earned her Juris Doctorate from LSU. The Louisiana Illuminator reported that a survey revealed that many employees at LDEQ felt morale dropped during the first half of 2024, while Giacometto was in charge. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office did the survey when lawmakers received complaints about resignations, harassment and low morale. Some workers said they were pushed to ignore regulations or keep quiet with outside groups. Giacometto questioned the survey's credibility. She said the report didn't meet proper standards. However, the auditor's office stated it used accepted methods for workplace surveys, according to the Louisiana Illuminator. Giacometto defended her leadership despite survey concerns. She said that a few unhappy employees shouldn't overshadow the agency's good work, according to the Louisiana Illuminator. Congress honors WWII's All-Black, All-female battalion with Gold Medal Lawmakers look into rising insurance costs Louisiana DEQ Secretary Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto leaving department, governor says Trump budget proposal calls for deep cuts to NIH Strong jobs report surprises economists Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LDEQ employees slam Aurelia Giacometto's leadership in workplace culture survey
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Aurelia Giacometto (right) and Gov. Jeff Landry hold a press conference on July 1, 2024, at the Denka neoprene plant in LaPlace, La., to speak against a new EPA rule they say is unfair to the company. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) More than three quarters of state employees polled at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said morale at the agency worsened last year, and nearly half had negative views about LDEQ leadership, according to the results of a workplace culture survey the Louisiana Legislative Auditor published Monday. Louisiana Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack surveyed 712 LDEQ employees last July and received responses from 377, or nearly 53%. Waguespack's office initiated the review at the request of state lawmakers. Their directive followed reports of resignations and turmoil at the agency, with some employees complaining of harassment from LDEQ Secretary Aurelia Giacometto. The survey questions covered the period from January through June 2024, gauging LDEQ's workplace culture during Giacometto's first six months at the helm. An overwhelming 78.2% of the respondents reported that morale at LDEQ worsened over that six-month period. More than one-third said they work in a 'toxic environment,' and a roughly equal number have personally experienced or witnessed retaliation. Just over half, or 55.7%, reported being satisfied with their job, and less than one-fourth, or 22.3%, agreed or strongly agreed that LDEQ executive leadership treats them with respect and appreciation, according to the report. Nearly 14% of the sampled employees reported feeling pressured to do something against the law, in violation of department policy or in violation of state Civil Service rules. Their concerns included being pressured to disregard regulations or policies related to site closures, completing inspections, grant requirements and agency contracts. Some employees also mentioned issues with a temporary directive from Giacometto to not communicate with outside agencies. When Waguespack's office shared the survey results with Giacometto, she responded with a letter criticizing the auditor's procedures and dismissing the findings outright. 'You have admittedly (and inexplicably) chosen not to abide by Governmental Auditing Standards in issuing the report, and the report contains a lot of data, some of which is not particularly useful or relevant to the operations of LDEQ,' she wrote in the letter, which is included in the report. Giacometto was referring to a sentence in Waguespack's report that states it is an informational report intended to provide more timely information than standards-based performance audits: 'While these informational reports do not follow Government Auditing Standards, we conduct quality assurance activities to ensure the information presented is accurate.' Jenifer Schaye, general counsel for the Legislative Auditor's Office, explained in a phone call Monday that government auditing standards do not apply to these kinds of workplace culture surveys. Nevertheless, the auditors went to great lengths to choose the most objective and unbiased questions, Schaye said. An appendix to the report notes that the auditors met with LDEQ ahead of time to discuss the project and obtain feedback from Giacometto. When they provided draft survey questions and asked for feedback, LDEQ responded that it had none, according to the appendix. Alongside the digital survey, the auditors personally interviewed a subset of staff from all LDEQ sections and of various job titles and hire dates, ranging from newer employees to those with more experience. Additionally, an independent auditor with specialized training conducted a non-response bias analysis to ensure the respondent sample was representative of LDEQ's staff population, the report notes. Giacometto noted in her response letter that 'the business community' has rated LDEQ under her leadership 'as good as, and in some cases better' than her predecessor — Chuck Carr Brown, under former Gov. John Bel Edwards. Louisiana's top environmental official keeps cozy connection with NRA There are no actual ratings or survey results from the business community. What Giacometto calls 'the business community' was actually five industry stakeholders whom the auditors spoke with to gain their feedback on recent changes at the agency. Her implication that they rated her tutelage of LDEQ comes from a sentence on page 3 of the report that reads, 'Industry stakeholders we interviewed stated that LDEQ performance from their perspective was either as good as, or in some cases better, over the past six months (January through June 2024).' LDEQ did not answer specific questions about the report when asked for comment Monday, instead providing the letter Giacometto sent to Waguespack. Among the other survey findings, roughly 47% of the sampled employees indicated that they either disagree or strongly disagree that LDEQ executive leadership models qualities of accountability, professionalism, integrity, respect, empathy and leadership, with a larger share choosing the 'strongly disagree' option. Nearly one-third were neutral, saying they neither agree nor disagree. The sampled employees had far more positive feelings about their immediate supervisors than they did about LDEQ's executive leadership. More than 75% said they either agree or strongly agree that their managers, supervisors and administrators model those same leadership qualities. Similarly, 76.3% of respondents said their supervisors treat them with respect and appreciation, while only 22.3% said the same about LDEQ's executive leadership. More than 40% reported having personally seen unprofessional behavior such as yelling, demeaning comments, harassment or intimidation — either sometimes, often or always during the first half of 2024. Another 33.7% reported having personally experienced or witnessed retaliation at LDEQ, and almost 59% of the staff reported they rarely or never personally experienced or witnessed unprofessional behavior. In concluding her letter to Waguespack, Giacometto indicated she was unswayed by the survey's findings. 'I, as Secretary, am very proud of the hard working employees of the LDEQ and their dedication to the mission,' she wrote. 'And I am not going to allow some disgruntled employees to undermine the great work of this agency.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
At Louisiana's request, Trump administration tanks historic district in ‘Cancer Alley'
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Aureilia Giacometto announces the U.S. Department of Interior has withdrawn historic district eligibility for a portion of the River Parishes during a news conference Feb. 18, 2025, at the Port of South Louisiana. St. John the Baptist President Jaclyn Hotard, left, and port chief executive Paul Matthews listen. (Image from Port of South Louisiana video) The Trump administration has removed eligibility for an 11-mile section of the River Parishes to become a historic district in response to a request from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. The historic designation came out of a failed attempt to build an $800 million grain terminal on the west bank of St. John the Baptist Parish near the Wallace community, which traces its founding back to the Black Union soldiers who founded it after the Civil War. The area also includes a number of plantation sites and Black communities that trace their origins back to the enslaved people who worked the fields. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers submitted the area for National Register eligibility to the Department of Interior, which granted it last October. The corps review took place while it considered permits for the terminal project. LDEQ Secretary Aurelia Giacometto said the agency approached the White House eight days after President Donald Trump returned to office. Last Thursday, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum informed the Army Corps of Engineers the historic designation was withdrawn, she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Giacometto, who was U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency secretary in Trump's first term, called the canceled distinction 'onerous federal oversight' from President Joe Biden. It would have created the Greater River Road Historic District and the adjacent Community of Wallace Historic District on a stretch spanning St. John and St. James parishes. 'This removes undue federal overreach and thus enables the river parishes to again attract business development and generally improve the lives of this area,' Giacometto said at a news conference Tuesday held at the Port of South Louisiana. The port had provided a sizable tax break to Greenfield Holdings, the company that proposed the grain terminal. Lynda Van Davis, head of external affairs for Greenfield, said the business still plans an unspecified development for the 1,700-acre site it owns in West St. John, although it's no longer involved in grain shipments. Wallace natives and twin sisters Jo and Joy Banner, co-founders of the Descendants Project, have been the most outspoken opponents of the grain terminal project. They said they weren't aware of the Interior Department's decision to kill the historic districts until just before Tuesday's news conference at the port. In a virtual news conference Tuesday evening, Joy Banner said it was 'unusual and very strange' that LDEQ – and not a historic preservation organization – asked for the historic district designation to be re-examined. 'For me, this signals that the intent to come in and pollute our communities is … everyone's number one intention,' she said. The Banners have led the fight to stop the Greenfield project, filing a lawsuit for the $4 million they say the company owes the parish in taxes. Joy Banner also sued St. John Parish President Jaclyn Hotard and Parish Council President Michael Wright for threatening to have Banner arrested during the public comments portion of a 2023 council meeting. Hotard took part in the port news conference and made reference to the Banners' court actions. 'Not only will the River Region not be bullied by burdensome bureaucracies, we will not be bullied by the continuous filing of frivolous lawsuits,' Hotard said. 'Frivolous lawsuits scare industry away that would want to invest in a community.' Joy Banner said she will appeal the court ruling against her in the First Amendment lawsuit involving Hotard and Wright. Giacommetto noted the two River Parishes historic districts would have encompassed more than 27,000 acres, an area she said would be among the largest of its kind in the country. St. James Parish President Pete Dufresne said the districts are nearly equal to the size of Disney World. The National Park Service, which has oversight of federal historic sites, does not compile information on the area of historic districts, which number in the thousands. The Banners said the Interior Department's actions, followed by Giacometto's news conference, will not deter their efforts to thwart industrial development in West St. John and other communities along the river. The sisters stressed the high rates of terminal illness among Black communities in the heavily industrialized area between New Orleans and Baton Rouge known as 'Cancer Alley.' 'I'm not looking at my community in terms of acreage,' Joy Banner said. 'I'm looking at my community in terms of people that I love. I'm looking at it in terms of place. I'm looking at it in terms of my heritage, my culture, the potential right for us as small businesses, as residents here, to build a better, cleaner future while protecting our history.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
