Ex Deputy Director of DEQ Receives National Recognition

Brent Bradford, former deputy director of the Department of Environmental Quality, came out of retirement briefly, to accept an award for his leadership that paved the way for stronger state partnerships with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Environmental Council of States (ECOS), a national association of the 50 state environmental agencies’ leaders, awarded Bradford the prestigious Founders Award for his 10-year-long service that led to better joint planning between states and EPA.

Bradford retired four years ago after serving 12 years as deputy director of DEQ and a total of 31 in state government. Since then, he has devoted much of his time playing the mandolin and banjo with the bluegrass band, Stormy Mountain Boys, and catching a few fish.

Leah Ann Lamb, Brent Bradford, Rick Sprott, Bill Sinclair

“It’s real unusual to leave a lasting mark,” Rick Sprott, executive director of DEQ, told a small gathering of DEQ employees Oct. 16 to honor Bradford. “Brent spent years advocating for Performance Partnership Grants (PPA). I know he has made a difference in the way EPA does business.”

Steve Brown, executive director of ECOS, said the work Brent initiated during his tenure at ECOS is now being embraced by EPA and all the states.

“Two issues really stand out,” Brown said. “Management of environmental data took a significant step forward this year in that all 50 states contributed to that data, using the methods first suggested by Brent. And Brent has been instrumental in reducing the federal burden to the states. That has rung true with the deputy administrator of EPA in that we have reach an agreement on a list that states won’t have to do any more. Those agreements should be in place by 2009 and it is an issue Brent started.”

Leah Ann Lamb, director of planning and public affairs and a representative of the state to ECOS, said Bradford was committed to making improvements. For instance, he was instrumental in drafting a National Environmental Performance Partnership System, known as the NEPPS Agreement.

“His vision and passion for the new system resulted in DEQ entering into the nation’s first ever Performance Partnership Grant with EPA,” she said. “Brent also advocated for joint strategy planning between states and EPA and vigorously pursued ways to eliminate federal bureaucratic red tape.”

Bradford’s work has led to the creation of the ECOS-EPA Data Management Work Group, a group which produced the “Vision and Operating Principles” that are still in effect today. He served as the EPA’s Region 8 representative to ECOS Executive Committee and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the ECOS Planning Committee.

Bradford was humbled by the award.

“This was a real surprise,” he said. “I’m grateful for the award but there were a lot of people who made it work and this is a feather in everyone’s hat. We all need to share in it.”