Cooper nominates executive at recycling nonprofit as new NC environmental secretary
Gov. Roy Cooper has nominated Elizabeth Biser, a North Carolina-based executive at a national recycling nonprofit, to take over the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.
The nomination marks the second time that Cooper will try to fill a DEQ secretary role that was vacated earlier this year when Michael Regan was confirmed as administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Biser will join the agency as acting secretary on July 1.
“Elizabeth Biser is a strong leader who has experience with this environmental agency and knows its critical work in North Carolina,” Cooper wrote in a prepared statement.
Biser’s appointment marks her return to DEQ. From September 2006 to November 2010, Biser worked as the director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs at what was then known as the Department of Environment & Natural Resources.
“I look forward to working with key leaders, stakeholders and people throughout North Carolina to fulfill this important mission. I enjoyed working with DEQ’s predecessor agency several years ago and am delighted to return and have the opportunity to lead DEQ at this critical time,” Biser wrote in a prepared statement.
In a biography prepared for a 2020 sustainable packaging conference, Biser was described as a “keen facilitator” who focuses on bringing a variety of stakeholders together to build consensus.
Biser published an op-ed essay on WRAL.com on April 22, 2020, Earth Day’s 50th anniversary. In that op-ed, Biser touted the importance of following science to address climate change and praised Cooper’s Executive Order 80.
“Now, just as we did with (2002’s Clean Smokestacks Act), our state’s business, non-profit and government leaders need to work together to take the action to achieve these goals, setting enforceable limits and appropriate incentives that ensure we reduce the greenhouse gas pollution emitted from coal and gas power plants,” Biser wrote.
Cooper’s nomination of Biser comes shortly after House Republicans unveiled legislation that mandates that Duke Energy retire many of its coal-fired power plants by 2030, but also directs the utility to replace some of those plants with natural gas. The governor and environmental groups have criticized the legislation, saying it doesn’t go far enough to address climate concerns.
The proposed legislation would also allow Duke to seek multiyear rate plans with performance incentives that could potentially be tied to environmental targets.
Lobbying career
Most recently, Biser founded her own firm, Biser Strategies. This year, Biser was registered as a lobbyist for Resource Recycling System, an appointment from which she resigned on June 18, according to records from the N.C. Secretary of State’s office.
Since February 2019, Biser has worked for The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit that, according to its website, leverages private funds to boost public recycling efforts.
Prior to that, Biser spent eight years as a lobbyist in law firm Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard’s Raleigh office. Biser’s portfolio included a number of clients, primarily from the environmental and media sectors. In 2019, her last year at Brooks Pierce, Biser registered to lobby for the Electronic Recyclers Association of North Carolina, Friends of State Parks and Tesla, among others.
Other clients Biser lobbied on behalf for several years include the NC Association of Broadcasters, the NC Cable Telecommunications Association and the NC Press Association, of which The News & Observer is a member.
Confirmation process
Biser will have to pass through the N.C. Senate’s confirmation process.
Dionne Delli-Gatti, Cooper’s first appointment to succeed Regan, was turned back by Senate Republicans who cited Delli-Gatti’s confirmation-hearing answers about the administration’s stance on natural gas and the MVP-Southgate pipeline.
After Delli-Gatti’s appointment was refused, Cooper hired her as DEQ’s N.C. clean energy director. In that position, Delli-Gatti is expected to work with legislators to promote clean energy efforts and the ongoing implementation of Cooper’s Executive Order 80.
“I look forward to working with both Secretary Biser and Director Delli-Gatti to protect our air, land and water and ensure North Carolina’s transition to a clean energy future,” Cooper wrote Thursday.
Sen. Brent Jackson told The News & Observer on Thursday that he had heard about Biser’s appointment but was focused on the budget. Jackson, an Autryville Republican, is a chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Energy and Environment Committee that recommended Delli-Gatti not be confirmed.
Biser’s nomination is the third time Cooper has turned to someone with ties to the Environmental Defense Fund to be the state’s top environmental regulator. Regan and Delli-Gatti worked at the environmental nonprofit, and Biser serves on its North Carolina advisory board.
David Kelly, the Environmental Defense Fund’s director of North Carolina political affairs, released a statement praising Biser’s experience, policy expertise and relationships with the state’s business community.
“I’m confident that Secretary Biser will lead with a solutions-driven approach, laser-focused on continuing to grow North Carolina’s economy while safeguarding the health of our state’s people and communities,” Kelly wrote.
Lucille Sherman contributed reporting to this story.
This story was produced with financial support from 1Earth Fund, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work.
This story was originally published June 24, 2021 at 1:27 PM.