EPA’s top attorney is leaving the agency.
Jeffrey Prieto, who has served as EPA general counsel since 2021, will depart from his post on Sept. 20 and return to Los Angeles to be near his family.
“While I will certainly miss the work, mostly I will miss the people,” Prieto wrote in a Wednesday email to EPA staff obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News. “I value public service and what every one of you have dedicated your careers to achieve. I’ve not been shy in saying that this is the best environmental law firm in the country, from the attorneys to the amazing administrative professional staff, I learn something new every day.”
While at EPA, Prieto helped defend the Biden administration’s protections for federal waters and restrictions on carbon emissions from power plants. He also advanced the agency’s efforts to protect communities of color and rural areas from being overburdened by pollution — an issue he identified as one of his priorities in taking the role at EPA.
