Mike Sole, Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, sent Gov. Charlie Crist a letter of resignation, effective Sept. 10, 2010, “now that the Deepwater Horizon well has been capped, and Florida is on the road to recovery.”
The well isn’t capped. Yes, a new blowout preventer has been placed on the top of it. However, the top kill process doesn’t start until tonight and it will be another couple weeks before the relief wells can perform the bottom kill. Until the scientists complete their research, we won’t know how far Florida is on the road to recovery.
The timing of Sole’s resignation is interesting. His boss will leave off in January–either for the U.S. Senate or into law practice. Why doesn’t he complete the journey with Crist?
Read soleresigns.
Gov. Crist issued this statement about Sole:
“For more than 20 years, Secretary Sole has shown tremendous leadership in safeguarding one of Florida’s greatest assets – our beautiful natural environment. During his time at the helm of the Department of Environmental Protection, he has championed Florida’s Everglades restoration, including expanding our efforts to the northernmost parts of an ecosystem that is essential to the water quality of millions of Floridians, as well as the vital estuary of Florida Bay.
“Mike has also been instrumental in Florida’s first efforts to address climate change by increasing state government’s energy efficiency and reliance on alternative fuels such as solar energy and ethanol. He also worked to pass groundbreaking bipartisan energy legislation that set Florida on its first steps to diversify the state’s energy sources, promote energy conservation and efficiency, and spur economic growth.
“As the point person for Florida’s response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Mike has demonstrated unwavering commitment and invaluable insight into what actions must be taken. Now that the well is close to being capped permanently, we wish Mike well as he leaves next month to pursue other opportunities. We wish him the very best in his new endeavors.â€
Crist has appointed Mimi A. Drew as Interim Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, effective Sept. 10, 2010. She has served as the agency’s deputy secretary of regulatory programs since 2007, and previously as director of the division of water resource management since January 1995. With more than 30 years of technical, supervisory, and administrative experience with Florida environmental issues, she received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, as well as a master’s degree in environmental engineering and sciences.