EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – Anne Vogel, who led Ohio’s environmental cleanup efforts in East Palestine as director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, has been named the new U.S. EPA administrator of Region 5.
U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zelden announced Monday that President Donald Trump appointed Vogel to the position.
Vogel replaces Debra Shore, who left the position in January when Trump was inaugurated.
Based in Chicago, Ill., Region 5 includes the states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and 37 tribal nations. Vogel also will manage the EPA’s Great Lakes National Program.
Vogel led the Ohio EPA during its response to the Norfolk-Southern train derailment in East Palestine on Feb. 3, 2023, and the following vent and burn of train cars carrying vinyl chloride. Vogel and the Ohio EPA’s efforts were directed toward making certain the drinking water, groundwater and streams were safe.
In a statement released by Zelden’s office, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway said Vogel was key to the emergency response and cleanup efforts.
“Anne was there from the beginning, and she will be there for us in the future in this new role as head of the U.S. EPA Region 5,” Conaway said. “Anne’s unwavering support and dedication to our village is something we can never thank her enough for. The Trump administration could not have found a better fit to lead Region 5.”
In an April 4 newsletter from the EPA Wellness Center providing East Palestine residents with updates about the derailment cleanup, it was noted that the EPA shifted to site monitoring, including stream reassessment, on March 31. The reassessment was for a 5-mile stretch of Sulphur Run and Leslie Run, checking it for sheen (every 25 feet), as well as collection of sediment and surface water samples. That work is to include representatives from the U.S. EPA, Ohio EPA and Norfolk Southern to make certain the derailment is no longer impacting the streams.
Prior to her appointment as Ohio EPA director in December 2022, Vogel served as the DeWine administration’s policy director. Gov. Mike DeWine said Vogel served the state “with integrity, professionalism and a commitment to public service.”
DeWine has asked the Ohio Senate to confirm John Logue as his nominee to replace Vogel. Logue has served in multiple leadership capacities at the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, including as administrator/CEO and deputy administrator.
Pictured at top: Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel addresses the media in East Palestine City Park ahead of the first anniversary of the Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train derailment.