President Donald Trump’s pick to lead EPA’s waste program has a reputation for finding the middle ground — a skill that could be handy as the agency looks to balance bold environmental remediation promises with historic deregulatory actions and a slimmed-down budget.
John Busterud’s former public- and private-sector colleagues say he is a compromise-driven, level-headed leader. He’s even spent the last few years as a board member for a California council with “environmental,” “economic” and “balance” in its name.
Tim Carmichael, president and CEO of the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance, called Busterud “sharp and hard-working,” adding, “He is a direct communicator and a problem solver.”
Busterud’s background also includes stints with EPA’s Pacific Southwest regional office and the agency’s clean air advisory board.
