Mary Josie Blanchard
Deputy Director
Biography

Mary Josie Blanchard, a native Texan, is Deputy Director of the Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance. Immediately prior to her assuming this position, she was Assistant Director, Program Support at the Office of Surface Mining (OSM), U.S. Department of the Interior. She was responsible for developing OSM’s regulations, policies, and technical guidance for active and abandoned mine land reclamation in order to implement the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. In addition, she oversaw the Applicant Violator System and technical training programs. Ms. Blanchard’s other positions at OSM have included Special Assistant to the Director where she headed the agency’s Interim Management Team. She has also held various branch chief and staff positions within the bureau.

In between her two tenures at OSM, Ms. Blanchard served Chief of Hazardous Materials Management Division and Senior Environmental Review Officer for Minerals in the Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance within the Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior.

Prior to that, Ms. Blanchard was one of the first employees in the Surface Mining and Reclamation Division of the Texas Railroad Commission where she established the permitting system for coal and uranium mines in Texas. She also served in the Environmental Planning Division of the Texas General Land Office.

Ms. Blanchard has an A.A. from Stephens College and a B.A. and an M.A. from University of Texas.

September 2002