Pokon to help lead EPA policy for Alaska
anced implementation of the nation’s envi - ronmental laws.” Pokon served as commissioner for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conser - vation since December 2023. She joined ADEC in February 2020 from the Alaska Depart - ment of Law where she served as a Senior As - sistant Attorney Gen - eral assigned to sup - port DEC.
servation, assumed her new role in February, which includes over - seeing EPA’s work to protect human health and the environment across the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington and 271 Tribal nations. “I am humbled to be named Region - al Administrator for EPA’s Pacific North - west Region,” Pokon said. “I’m grateful for
New Region 10 administrator was DEC commissioner New President Donald Trump quickly worked to install his new selections to positions of power in federal roles. In the case of Environ - mental Protection Agency Regional Administrator for Region 10, Alas - kans will be familiar with the wom - an selected to oversee federal envi - ronmental regulations and laws for Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Emma Pokon, who had previously served as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Environmental Con -
EMMA POKON
In her time with the Department of Law, she worked as a Special As - sistant to the Attorney General and worked closely with the Department of Natural Resources and the Regu - latory Commission of Alaska. Previously, she represented the North Slope Borough in natural re - source and environmental matters, and served as a law clerk for the Fairbanks Superior Court. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in chemis - try from Hamilton College. She also achieved a Juris Doctor and a Mas - ter of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School. “Emma Pokon has done outstand - ing work for nearly two decades on resource and conservation issues in our state, most recently as Alaska’s Environmental Conservation Com - missioner, which is why I strongly recommended her to Administrator Lee Zeldin,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan. “As Region 10 Administrator, Emma will be responsible for faith - fully implementing federal law in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest and restoring trust in an agency that too often engaged in far-left, lawless activism under the Obama and Biden administrations. I am confident Emma is up for this important task and I look forward to working with her to carry out President Trump’s Alaska-specific executive order un - leashing our state’s resources.”
the opportunity to continue pub - lic service in this new role and look forward to working with EPA lead - ership and Region 10 to ensure bal -
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