​The organizations listed below are dismayed to hear that you dismissed Wendy Radcliff.  We are also deeply troubled that you would take such action without input from the environmental community and the many citizens who turn to that Office for assistance in dealing with the complex regulatory programs of the agency.

​While we understand the Environmental Advocate serves at the will and pleasure of the Secretary, we are confused and frustrated that you saw fit to remove someone who embodies the very heart and soul of the Office. For many who need help to resolve environmental problems or have any number of questions about how to interact with DEP, Wendy is the first point of contact. She’s friendly, helpful and competent. She does the agency proud, and is responsive to citizens equally.

​We are particularly struck by your hasty dismissal of the person whose service and dedication was highly valued by your immediate predecessor who, during his tenure as DEP Secretary, appointed Wendy to the DEP senior staff and recently acknowledged her contribution in a statement that appeared in the January 27, 2017 Gazette-Mail newspaper.

​“I really got to know Wendy well over past few years when she agreed to come back to [the] DEP and serve as our state’s environmental advocate,” [Randy] Huffman said Friday. “Her enthusiasm and passion for West Virginia is contagious. I appreciate how she understands the nexus between environmental protection and economic growth and how faithfully she supports the role of [the] DEP in that mix. She is selfless in all she does and she makes everyone around her better. I consider her a friend of mine and a friend of West Virginia.”

​Transparency is essential to the integrity of your position and public confidence in your agency. We request that you publicly explain the process you will engage in to fulfill your statutory requirements to hire someone for the legally mandated full time position of Environmental Advocate.   Ensuring that process will include input from the public is essential. To that end we trust you will honor the tradition of accepting nominations for the position from the environmental community, a tradition begun with the creation of WV DEP and the Office of Environmental Advocate in 1994.

​Please direct your response to Gary Zuckett, Executive Director, WV Citizen Action Group and Past President of WV Environmental Council at 304-346-5891 or garyz@wvcag.org.​
 
Cc:  Governor Jim Justice