Department of Environmental Conservation

Heidi Hales - Director

Manages the Divisions programs, including permitting, compliance, monitoring, mobile sources and planning. Implements state and federal clean air laws and works with federal, regional, state and local agencies and organizations to address air pollution and climate change. Responsible for setting the overall direction of the air quality and greenhouse gas reduction programs in the State of Vermont

Corie L. Dunn - Administrative Assistant

Provides office administration support to this Division and two others.

Megan O'Toole - Attorney

Provides legal support to the Director and Staff of the Air Quality and Climate Division.

Douglas R. Elliott - Section Chief

Supervises Permitting & Engineering Section of Air Quality & Climate Division. Administers the state and federal Air Quality Permits to Construct and Permits to Operate programs for Vermont. Provides technical and program management assistance to AQCD on air pollution emissions from stationary sources. Reviews permit applications for Air Quality Permits to Construct and Permits to Operate. Provides technical assistance to applicants on permitting and air pollution emissions from stationary sources.

Jay Hollingsworth - Environmental Engineer

Member of Permitting & Engineering Section of Air Quality & Climate Division. Reviews permit applications for Air Quality Permits to Construct and Permits to Operate. Provides technical assistance to AQCD and applicants on permitting and air pollution emissions from stationary sources.

Tony Mathis - Environmental Engineer

Member of Permitting & Engineering Section of Air Quality & Climate Division. Reviews permit applications for Air Quality Permits to Construct and Permits to Operate. Provides technical assistance to AQCD and applicants on permitting and air pollution emissions from stationary sources.

Philip Cannata - Environmental Engineer

Member of Permitting & Engineering Section of Air Quality & Climate Division. Reviews permit applications for Air Quality Permits to Construct and Permits to Operate. Provides technical assistance to AQCD and applicants on permitting and air pollution emissions from stationary sources.

Steven Snook - Environmental Engineer

Member of Permitting & Engineering Section of Air Quality & Climate Division. Reviews permit applications for Air Quality Permits to Construct and Permits to Operate. Provides technical assistance to AQCD and applicants on permitting and air pollution emissions from stationary sources.

John Wakefield - Section Chief

Supervises Compliance Section. Division lead on enforcement related legal actions. Enforcement liaison for USEPA. Manages Outdoor Wood Boiler Change Out Program.

David Manning - Environmental Analyst

Conducts compliance inspections at industrial sources of air pollution. Observes stationary source compliance testing, reviews testing protocols and final reports. Compliance data manager. Reviews routine reports.

David Shepard - Environmental Analyst

Investigates air pollution related complaints and conducts compliance inspections at sources of air pollution including industrial facilities, gasoline dispensing facilities and perchloroethylene dry cleaners. Oversees Vermont’s outdoor wood boiler certification program. Issues open burning permits.

Brian Monroe - Environmental Analyst

Conducts compliance inspections at industrial sources of air pollution. Observes Continuous Emissions Monitoring System Relative Accuracy Test Audits and stationary source compliance testing. Oversees Fire Training Notification program. Compliance outreach coordinator.

Tom Moye - Section Chief

Oversees Mobile Sources Section programs and supervises staff.

Deirdra Ritzer - Environmental Analyst

Manages the Vermont Clean Diesel Initiative, which provides technical support and incentive funding for diesel emission reduction projects. Provides technical support for Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance and Low Emissions Vehicle Programs. Provides mobile sources technical support, research and outreach and education.

Jeffrey Merrell - Section Chief

Supervises AQCD Planning Section staff. Performs data analyses, conducts computer modeling, and prepares inventories to estimate and characterize atmospheric emissions of Greenhouse Gases, Hazardous Air Contaminants, and Criteria Air Pollutants released by Mobile, Point, and Nonpoint sources in Vermont.

Daniel Riley - Environmental Analyst

Provides air quality forecasts using meteorological data and computer modeling. Implements the annual Point Source Registration Program.

Jessie Motard-Côté - Environmental Analyst

Coordinates the State Air Toxics Program. Analyses hazardous air contaminant (HAC) ambient monitoring and emissions inventory data. Works to better characterize the health risks attributable to HACs, identify emerging air toxics of potential concern, and recommend strategies to minimize emissions and associated health risks.

Bennet Leon - Environmental Analyst

Engages in development and maintenance of Vermont’s State Implementation Plan (SIP). Conducts data analyses and computer modeling associated with emissions inventory, ambient air quality, and atmospheric deposition data. Facilitates visualization and communication of air quality and emissions data through ArcGIS and other graphical means.

Brian Woods - Environmental Analyst

State staff representative for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Provides technical support on climate change and energy issues. Analyzes hazardous air contaminant data and provides technical support as part of the state air toxics program.

Collin Smythe - Environmental Analyst

Conducts air pollution emissions inventories, computer modeling, emissions reduction strategy evaluations and other technical analyses. 

Robert Lacaillade - Section Chief

Supervises Technical Services section for Air Monitoring of Air Quality & Climate Division. Also contact person for the National Air Toxic Trends Station (NATTS) network.

Jenny Berschling - Environmental Analyst

Performs quality assurance activities for the ambient air monitoring network, providing an independent assessment of operations relative to federal requirements and guidance. Develops QAPPs and SOPs for proper operation of many of the instruments in the network. Conducts internal system audits to insure SOPs are followed. Submits ambient air data to the EPA AQS database.

Amy Shedrick - Environmental Analyst

Provides level one review of all criteria data, also is responsible for program data validation, data managment, and data reporting. Member also supports field and lab staff on an as need basis.

Renee Miller - Environmental Technician

Oversees all monitoring sites. Also retrieves and sets up various air monitoring samples and provides maintenance when needed.

Benjamin Dilauro - Environmental Technician

Oversees all monitoring sites. Also retrieves and sets up various air monitoring samples and provides maintenance when needed.

Jean Woodward - Environmental Technician

Oversees laboratory operations for the Technical Services Section, prepares samples for field deployment, processes air quality data, provides gravimetric weighing for the PM 2.5 program, coordinates sample shipment with EPA contractors, and collects ambient air samples for Vermont’s multi-site network.