Carol Couch is leaving her position as the head of the Enviornmental Protection Division. Below is her email:

Dear Colleagues: I can say without hesitation that I work with the finest public servants in Georgia government and it is a privilege and honor to do so. However, after six years it is time that I undertake new personal objectives and provide the opportunity for fresh leadership and energy in the position of EPD Director. I am this afternoon announcing my resignation as Director effective on October 26. Governor Perdue and the DNR Board will soon announce the new Director.

I want to thank each and everyone of you for the outstanding work you have accomplished in the stewardship of Georgia's natural resources. This past couple of years have been particularly challenging as we have experienced both record drought, floods and budgetary pressures while making significant improvements in service delivery. The record of your stewardship is reported in EPD's "The State of Georgia's Environment."

After some time off, in December I will join the faculty of the College of Environment and Design at UGA. (Apologies to my fellow Yellow Jackets!) With warm regards and gratitude for your service to Georgia, I thank you for support during the past six years, Carol.

Governor Sonny Perdue's statement: “Dr. Couch has been an invaluable member of this administration for more than six years. Serving as the first female director of the EPD, she has passionately defended our natural resources, worked closely with the business community to implement sustainable environmental policies and led our technical team in water negotiations with our neighboring states."

Tags: UGA, Carol Couch, EPD