EPA inspector general resigns suddenly

September 19th, 2018 by Dakota Software Staff

The Environmental Protection Agency's inspector general announced his resignation in mid-September, a sudden change for an office that is in the midst of several ongoing ethics investigations. Arthur Elkins, who has served in the role since 2010, said he would leave for a position that doesn't involve the federal government, according to the Associated Press. The official statement from Elkins framed the departure as a retirement, although it appears he plans to continue his career in some capacity.

Impact of the IG's departure on current investigations

"The current inspector general will depart in October."

The resignation comes during a period of increased attention for the Office of the Inspector General, as it continues to investigate a variety of potential ethical issues with prior chief administrator Scott Pruitt. Pruitt, who served roughly a year and a half as the head of the EPA before resigning in July, left the office in part due to increasing pressure related to ethics investigations. Elkins has led the ongoing efforts to conclude those efforts, but he will now depart the office and leave that task to Charles Sheehan. Sheehan has served in the inspector general's office since 2012, offering a degree of continuity even as Elkins leaves.

Elkins will depart on October 12, leaving several weeks for a transition plan to develop. Sheehan will take on the inspector general role in an interim basis. He could potentially fill the role permanently, but there's no way to tell with Elkins' resignation having just occurred. President Donald Trump will lead the effort to select a new inspector general, although any appointment has to be approved by the Senate.

"It has been my great honor and privilege to serve the American people in this role for more than eight years," Elkins said in a statement shared by The Hill. "I am grateful for the outstanding team of auditors, investigators and other professionals who comprise the Office of Inspector General, and for the opportunity to have earned the trust of a wide array of stakeholders relying on the integrity of the OIG's independence."

Although not impacting the day-to-day enforcement and outreach efforts of the EPA, Elkins' departure is a reminder of the many ongoing investigations into Pruitt's behavior and the issues the federal developer of environmental regulations has recently faced. With an experienced lieutenant leading the office on an interim basis, there shouldn't be many major short-term changes.