Nomination of Lee M. Thomas To Be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

The President today announced his intention to nominate Lee M. Thomas to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Solid Waste and Emergency Response). He would succeed Rita M. Lavelle.

Since March 1983, Mr. Thomas has been serving as Acting Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Previously he served as Acting Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for Solid Waste and Emergency Response (February-March 1983). He was Associate Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (State and Local Programs and Support) in 1981-1983. He managed all disaster relief efforts at the Agency and was Chairman of the President's Task Force on Times Beach, Missouri. He 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 Woodbridge, Va. He was born June 13, 1944, in Ridgeway, S.C.