Longtime Chicago Water Official to Lead EPA Midwest Office (1)

Debra Shore, who has served for more than a decade as an elected Chicago water official, will become the next head of the EPA Midwest regional office, according to the union that represents many agency employees.

Shore will take the helm of one of the Environmental Protection Agency’s biggest regions, Region 5, which spans Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and 35 tribes. High on the region’s list of priorities are Great Lakes protection, environmental justice concerns, and power plant emissions.

Regional environmental leaders described Shore as knowledgeable and deeply committed to environmental protection. But an immediate issue she’ll face ...