By Wally Kennedy
wkennedy@joplinglobe.com
A 39-year-old associate dean at Yale Law School, virtually unknown among Missouri’s leading environmental groups, has been tabbed by Gov. Jay Nixon to head the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Mark Templeton’s appointment must be confirmed by the state Senate.
Nixon, in disclosing his choice, emphasized that Templeton, a Missouri native, will lead his initiative to expand the production of alternative energy in Missouri. He also will manage agencies and programs focused on preserving and improving the state’s natural and cultural resources.
Said Nixon: “Finding new energy solutions and protecting our natural resources are the keys to Missouri’s environmental and economic future. Here in Missouri, we’re perfectly positioned to harness multiple new forms of energy, including wind, solar, nuclear, hydroelectric and biofuels. These energy solutions will lessen our dependence on foreign oil, create next-generation jobs and help turn this economy around.
“Mark Templeton has helped governmental, business and nonprofit groups find the links between environmental stewardship, alternative energy and sound business practices, and he will bring that cutting-edge thinking to our Department of Natural Resources.”
Templeton is a native of Olivette, a part of metropolitan St. Louis. He worked at a New York consulting firm from 2001 to 2005, helping to develop “green” markets for the environmental sector. After leaving McKinsey & Company, he managed an annual budget of $105 million as associate dean and chief operating officer at Yale Law School.
About his new post, Templeton, in a prepared statement, said: “Expanding the production of alternative energy and creating next-generation jobs aren’t things government can do alone. I look forward to bringing the public, businesses and nonprofit organizations together to develop energy solutions for tomorrow and preserve our state’s natural resources.
“From its beautiful lakes and rivers, to abundant forests to rich farmland, Missouri is fortunate to have such abundant natural beauty and history. We have a real opportunity to make Missouri a leader in the nation in producing alternative energy, creating jobs and protecting the environment.”
Kathleen Logan Smith, executive director of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment in St. Louis, said: “He seems to have some understanding of renewable energy/clean energy systems, which could be good as long as he also understands the whole ecology perspective. I’m not sure if that means he has a background on water issues, which is Southwest Missouri’s biggest challenge right now.
“I hope he keeps an ear to the scientists and the environmentalists, and filters the info he gets from industry and the regulators with the necessary grain of salt.”
Smith said she hopes Templeton will get up to speed as quickly as possible on the water-scarcity issue in the state. She said it’s hard for people from St. Louis to envision a water-scarcity issue in northern Missouri and southwestern Missouri when “they can look out a window and see the Mississippi River, but we do have a problem. If we have a crisis, it’s water, water, water.
“We should be horribly embarrassed that our streams are not clean. We should be ashamed of ourselves. What we will find is that it’s hard to undo bad environmental policy.”
Smith also said: “I want a law-and-order guy who will enforce what’s on the books and not create loopholes for polluters. We need someone who is rational and sane, who can ask hard questions and demand hard answers. Time will tell.”
The Missouri Coalition for the Environment, founded in 1969, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan conservation organization.
Ken Midkiff, with the Missouri Sierra Club, said: “I know nothing about this guy. It’s wait and see. Nixon has been pretty good on environmental issues, and I am hoping this choice will reflect that.”
Midkiff said he sent an e-mail to other environmental leaders in the state and asked: “Does anybody know this fellow?” He said he got no response at all.
“He is a basic unknown as far as environmental organizations go,” he said.
Templeton is to succeed Doyle Childers.
Timing estimate
Ken Midkiff, with the Missouri Sierra Club, said it is his understanding that Mark Templeton will not be able to assume the DNR post for two to three weeks.
