Appointment of Lee M. Thomas as an Acting Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

The President is today designating Lee M. Thomas to be Acting Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for Solid Waste and Emergency Response. He will succeed Rita M. Lavelle. Mr. Thomas has served as Associate Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (State and Local Programs and Support) since 1981.

Mr. Thomas managed all disaster relief efforts at the Agency and is Chairman of the President's Task Force on Times Beach, Missouri.

Previously Mr. Thomas was director, Office of Public Safety, Governor's Office, South Carolina, in 1980-1981; an independent consultant in 1978-1980; director, Office of Criminal Justice, Governor's Office, South Carolina, in 1972-1978; research analyst, South Carolina Department of Corrections, in 1970-1971; and probation officer, Richland County, South Carolina, in 1968-1970.

Mr. Thomas graduated from the University of the South (B.A.) and the University of South Carolina (M.Ed.). He has two children and resides in Ridgeway, S.C. He was born June 13, 1944, in South Carolina.