EMERGENCY CLEANUP DIRECTOR TO BECOME DEQ DEPUTY

Environment » Sinclair to retire from state government in December

By Judy Fahys -- The Salt Lake Tribune
October 27, 2009

Brad Johnson, who oversees Utah's environmental emergency program, will become the Department of Environmental Quality's new deputy director in December.

With 26 years of service in DEQ, Johnson will replace the current DEQ deputy, Bill Sinclair, who is set to retire Dec. 11.

In his new role, Johnson's focus will shift from cleaning up environmental disasters to addressing the full range of policy issues related to clean air, land and water in Utah.

"We have some real challenges facing us, budget challenges, environmental challenges," said Johnson.

As director of the Division of Environmental Response and Remediation for nearly seven years, Johnson coordinated the state's "Superfund" cleanups, that included underground gasoline leaks, the massive lead removal cleanup up in Eureka and innumerable spills, accidents and abandoned toxic sites. Prior to that, he worked in the Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste.

"I am confident that Brad's extensive experience with the department and his strong management style give him the tools to be a very successful deputy director," said Amanda Smith, director of Utah's environmental department.

Johnson assumes his new duties on Nov. 9 to work alongside Sinclair in the weeks preceding his retirement.

Johnson, 54, received a bachelor of arts degree and master of science in geology from Brigham Young University in 1981 and 1983. He lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Annette, and four children.