Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger yesterday named George Jugovic Jr. director of the DEP's southwest regional office in Pittsburgh.

Mr. Jugovic, who most recently served as senior counsel for the southwest office managing enforcement litigation for the department, previously was an attorney for Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, the environmental organization where Mr. Hanger was executive director prior to his appointment as DEP secretary by Gov. Ed Rendell.

The regional director serves as the top administrator in the DEP regional office, responsible for overseeing the Air Quality, Waste Management, Water Management, Water Supply Management, Environmental Cleanup, Emergency Response, Energy and Technology Deployment and Watershed Management programs.

Mr. Jugovic is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College and Penn State University.

The appointment is effective immediately.

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