Scott fills environment post

TALLAHASSEE With Gov. Rick Scott describing him as “passionate about the environment,” Noah Valenstein was named Tuesday as Florida’s next environmental secretary after a short interview with Scott and members of the state Cabinet.

Valenstein, a former Scott aide who is executive director of the Suwannee River Water Management District, will take over at the Department of Environmental Protection on June 5.

Valenstein was the only one of more than140 applicants to be interviewed by Scott and the Cabinet for the job.

“We had a very outstanding candidate in Noah, someone who is well knownto the Cabinet,” Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said.

“He’s led the Suwannee water management district, he has been a member of the governor’s staff.”

Scott and the Cabinet — Putnam, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater — agreed to pay Valenstein $150,000 a year, the same salary as former Secretary Jon Steverson.

Steverson left in February for a job with Foley & Lardner, a legal and lobbying firm.

Valenstein said after the meeting he wants to bring the “philosophy I’ve had at Suwannee River” to the state department.

“The issues are thesame everywhere,” said Valenstein, who grew up in Alachua County. “All Floridians care about the environment, it’s the underpinning of what makes the state such a great place to live.”

Anna Upton, outside general counsel for the Everglades Foundation, said she expectsValenstein to do well because of his background with environmental law and the inner workings of state agencies.

Before being named to run the water management district in October 2015, Valenstein spent nearly three years as Scott’s policy coordinator for energy, agriculture and the environment.