Beginning Monday, the state's Department of Environmental Services Air Division won't have anybody officially in charge.
The current acting Air Chief is leaving to fulfill military obligations.
The timing is not ideal.
NHPR's Dan Gorenstein has the story.
Right now DES is in the middle of deciding whether New Hampshire should set national precedent and give a nuclear power plant air pollution credits.
The federal Clean Air Act is slated to significantly change in March.
And the state is suing Midwestern power plants over air pollution violations.
All that, while the acting director of the Air Division, Bob Scott, is packing up his office.
Scott is a member of the Air Force, and his unit is expected to leave for the Middle East soon.
The Air Division Director must be nominated by the Governor and approved by the Executive Council.
That hasn't happened yet.
Scott had been second in command until his boss left the agency last May.
Since then he's been the Acting head of the department - And second in command.
But now, with Scott's imminent departure, he says he is tapping a less high-ranking staff member to lead the division.
4:32 in effect, you will have an acting, acting director.
Still, Scott believes he's leaving the department in good shape.
He says he's doled out various tasks, and responsibilities to a number of air division personnel.
But he says he knows leaving the position vacant has an impact.
Track 21
:06 I was the deputy director, and Ken Koburn he was the director, he was very involved in the Clean Power Act, I would say he was able to get those thigns done, those environmentally beneficial things done, b/c you had someone like me focusing on the nuts and bolts.
Scott says when the Air Division fills both the director and deputy director positions, that allows the director the time to look at the big picture, deal with local, regional and national policy.
Right now DES officials, environmentalists and lawmakers see much happening with state clean air policy.
The Forest Soceity's Charlie Neebling says the Air Division is proposing 11 rule changes, and the legislature is considering at least 10 bills affecting clean air.
Track 22
2:40 you need someone at the helm you is running the show, can be a spokesperson for the air resources divison before committees on a regular basis. Be the go to person that members of the general court, members of our congressional delegation, the commissioner can go to on a consistent basis and know you have one point person, and right now you don't have that person.
But New Hampshire could have that point person.
The Air Resources Council, a community advisory group consults with the DES commissioner, and recommends nominations to the governor.
On December 27th the Council sent its recommendation to then Governor-elect Craig Benson.
Council chair Allan Sibler reads from the December letter.
Track 24
:00 as we have discussed, we have an urgent need to fill the position of Air Resources Director at DES. The position has been vacant since May 2002?while we understand the desire to wait for a new commissioner to be in place before selecting an air direction, the Air Resources Council strongly believes that the air program at DES needs to have a director in place as soon as possible.
Governor Benson has yet to meet with the council's recommendation.
But Silber hopes the governor will either go with the candidate, or seek another in the next week or two.
That time line may be a bit optimistic.
Acting DES Commissioner Bob Monaco says he would like the governor to first nominate a candidate for DES Commissioner in the next 30 days.
And then, Monaco says it would be appropriate to focus on an Air Director.
Track 23
:45 maybe it's fair to get a commissioner in here, and let him build his staff, and be part of the process for the candidate of air.
A governor spokesperson says the Benson is currently reviewing resumes for both positions.
But has no time frame.
For NHPR News, I'm DG.
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