Department of the Interior

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2005
Contact: Isabel Benemelis-Nicoli
(202)208-6416
Secretary Norton Praises President's Intention to Nominate Jeffrey Jarrett as DOE Assistant Secretary


WASHINGTON - Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton today praised President Bush's intention to nominate Interior's Surface Mining director, Jeffrey D. Jarrett, to serve as Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy at the Department of Energy. The announcement is subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate, once the official nomination is made by the President.

Jarrett has served as Interior's director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), since January 2002 and previously served as deputy secretary for Mineral Resources Management of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. He was also deputy assistant director for OSM's Regional Office in Pittsburgh, Pa., from 1988 to 1994.

"Jeff Jarrett is well-deserving of the position," Norton said. He is a strong leader, a consensus builder and a problem-solver with proven ability to work with stakeholders."

As director of the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement, Jarret has policy and executive responsibility for developing and enforcing surface coal-mining regulations under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act with an annual budget of over $300 million and a workforce of 630 employees.

As deputy secretary for the Pennsylvania DEP, Jarrett was responsible for regulatory programs for surface and underground coal and industrial minerals mining, oil and gas exploration, deep-mine safety, and abandoned mine-lands reclamation. Previously he served as director of the Pennsylvania DEP Bureau of District Mining Operations. In that position he was responsible for the effective implementation of various environmental laws as they relate to the surface and underground coal and non-coal mining industries in Pennsylvania and for miner-health and safety regulations at all surface-mining operations.

Jarrett previously served as director of planning, division manager, and reclamation director for the Cravat Coal Company and as reclamation supervisor for The Drummond Company.

A native of West Virginia, Jarrett received a B.S. degree in Human Resource Management from Geneva College in Pennsylvania and an A.A.S. degree in Land Stabilization and Reclamation from Belmont Technical College in St. Clairsville, Ohio.

 

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