Organization Chart for EPA's Region 4 Office
Air, Pesticides, Toxics Management Division
Office of Regional Counsel
Office of Enforcement Coordination
Office of External Affairs
Office of Environmental Justice and Sustainability
Office of Government Relations
Office of Policy and Management
Resource Conservation and Restoration Division
Science and Ecosystem Support Division
Superfund Division
Water Protection Division
Organization
Heather McTeer Toney, Regional Administrator
V. Anne Heard, Deputy Regional Administrator
EPA’s Region 4 office includes:
- Air, Pesticides, and Toxics Management Division
- Gulf of Mexico Program Office
- Office of Regional Counsel
- Office of Enforcement Coordination
- Office of Environmental Justice and Sustainability
- Office of External Affairs
- Office of Government Relations
- Office of Policy and Management
- Resource Conservation and Restoration Division
- Science and Ecosystem Support Division
- Superfund Division
- Water Protection Division
Air, Pesticides, and Toxics Management Division
Director: Beverly Banister
What We Do: The Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division is responsible for achieving Cleaner Air, Healthier Communities, Safer Food, and Emergency Readiness. We do this through implementing both regulatory and voluntary programs.
Office of Enforcement Coordination
Director: Scott Gordon
What We Do: The Office of Environmental Coordination provides assistance to all Region 4 program and management divisions and offices including development and execution of enforcement actions, assistance in the implementation of environmental programs, and assistance in support of regional management and operations. The office assists regional program offices in drafting terms and conditions for permits, notices of violation, administrative orders and complaints, and ensuring their enforceability and defensibility; assists in negotiating enforcement matters, and assists regional program offices in criminal enforcement activities.
Office of Environmental Justice and Sustainability
Director: Denise Tennessee
What We Do: The Office of Environmental Justice and Sustainability is responsible for leading, coordinating, and overseeing implementation of regional environmental justice and sustainability activities, and for providing outreach to regional environmental justice groups and communities and other external stakeholders, including federal, state, and local agencies, industry, academia and others. The Office is also responsible for leading and implementing activities related to sustainability. The Sustainability Team collaborates with other EPA programs, federal agencies, regional, state and local governments, and a broad array of nongovernmental partners to help communities become stronger, healthier and more sustainable through smarter growth and green building.
Office of Government Relations
Director: Allison Wise
What We Do: The primary goal of the Office of Government Relations is to facilitate government official’s understanding of EPA objectives and program efforts to meet the agency’s legislative mandate; prepare and coordinate responses to congressional correspondence and inquiries; and develop interrelationships with regional operating divisions and EPA Headquarters counterparts to assure coordinated and timely notification to Congress of significant events and activities. The Office also assists state and local governments in understanding and meeting federal laws and regulations to protect the environment by providing environmental assistance to states, small communities, counties and cities in responding to federal environmental programs.
Office of Regional Counsel
Regional Counsel and Director: Mary J. Wilkes
What We Do: The Region 4 Office of Regional Counsel provides legal advice and support to EPA Region 4 management and staff on a broad array of matters arising out of the Region’s work to protect human health and the environment in eight Southeastern States (Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina). This includes providing legal advice and support to the Region in its efforts to implement the requirements of all major federal environmental statutes and their associated federal regulations, as well as other federal laws such as the Freedom of Information Act.
In particular, the Office of Regional Counsel provides legal counseling support to the Region on the application of EPA regulations, policies, guidance documents, and caselaw to particular matters, works with EPA’s Office of General Counsel in defending the Agency in court challenges to Agency actions, and assists the Region on such matters as rulemaking, permitting, and state program approvals. In addition, the Office provides legal support to the Region on the development and litigation of civil judicial enforcement cases (in conjunction with the Department of Justice), civil administrative enforcement cases, and the development and prosecution of criminal enforcement cases (in conjunction with the United States Attorneys’ Offices).
Other legal support functions include providing legal assistance to the Region in connection with carrying out its day-to-day operations, including entering into contracts, awards, grants, managing property and working with EPA employees. The Region 4 Regional Judicial Officer and Region 4 Regional Hearing Clerk also work within the Office of Regional Counsel.
Science and Ecosystem Support Division
Location: Athens, GA
Director : Jeaneanne Gettle
What We Do: Located in Athens, Georgia, the Science and Ecosystem Support Division (SESD), through its scientific and technical support services, provides a solid foundation for decision making by a wide variety of environmental programs and initiatives. SESD, with its state-of-the-art laboratory facility and its multidisciplinary staff of chemists, biologists, engineers, and other scientists and professionals, serves as the primary provider of scientific and technical expertise and environmental data for the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Region 4 program offices located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Resource Conservation and Restoration Division
Director: Alan Farmer
What We Do: The RCR Division in Region 4 is working to preserve and restore the land using the most effective waste management and cleanup methods available. We use a hierarchy of approaches to protect the land: reducing waste at its source, recycling waste, managing waste effectively by preventing spills and releases of toxic materials, and cleaning up contaminated properties. The Region is especially concerned about threats to our most sensitive populations, including children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic diseases. EPA draws upon the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to address these issues for hazardous waste management facilities.
Superfund Division
Director: Franklin Hill
What We Do: Superfund protects the public and the environment by cleaning up the nation’s worst hazardous waste sites. EPA Region 4 Superfund’s cleanup activities include both short-term and emergency cleanups as well as long-term cleanups at National Priorities List (NPL) and Superfund Alternative sites.
Water Protection Division
Director: Mary Walker
What We Do: The Water Protection Division in Region 4 works to implement water programs in the eight southeastern states. The Division is a dynamic organization that has responsibilities for:
- permitting and enforcement of facilities that discharge to water bodies
- working with states, tribes and local governments to protect our coastal areas
- helping to provide safe drinking water to our citizens, and
- implementing and overseeing regulatory programs in our states.
Office of External Affairs
Director: Larry Lincoln
What We Do: The Office of External Affairs (OExA) facilitates the exchange of information between EPA and the public and key stakeholders; broadly communicates EPA's mission to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment; promotes public awareness of environmental issues; advances and develops environmental education and training; and solicits stakeholder commitment to environmental stewardship and environmental protection.
The office provides the following specific services:
- Strategic Communication planning and support
- Media Relations
- Environmental Education and Outreach
- Environmental Information Services
- Public Information Officer (PIO) response
Office of Policy and Management
Location: Main Regional office
Assistant Regional Administrator: Kenneth R. Lapierre
What We Do: The Office of Policy and Management (OPM) has a wide range of responsibilities in Region 4, ranging from personnel issues and information management to grants administration and research on a variety of environmental issues.