Governor Larry Hogan will appoint Horacio Tablada as the next secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).
Effective June 1st, Horacio Tablada will be the next secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). Tablada currently serves as deputy secretary. He has more than three decades of experience as an environmental leader in Maryland, with accomplishments that include the environmental oversight of the redevelopment of the former Sparrows Point steel mill site and the state’s highly successful program to reduce childhood blood lead poisoning. Tablada has presented at many MACo events and is a trusted resource. He succeeds Secretary Ben Grumbles, who has been appointed executive director of the Environmental Council of the States.
A native of Nicaragua, Deputy Secretary Tablada has served in management and technical capacities in state environmental regulatory programs since 1985. Prior to being named deputy secretary in 2015, he was director of the Department of the Environment’s Land Management Administration for more than a decade, overseeing brownfield redevelopment of former industrial sites, recycling and waste diversion, management of solid waste and hazardous waste, fuel facilities, mining, and lead paint poisoning prevention.
According to the press release:
“Horacio Tablada has committed his career to serving the public and protecting the environment and public health,” said Governor Hogan. “He will lead MDE’s ongoing work to protect and restore the environment, including the Chesapeake Bay, boost jobs and our economy through the safe redevelopment of brownfields, and help the state achieve its climate goals through partnerships.”
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“I want to thank Governor Hogan for his confidence and for the appointment as secretary of the Department of the Environment,” said Deputy Secretary Tablada. “I look forward to serving the citizens of Maryland and continuing to advance the science-based policies that have resulted in cleaner air, a cleaner Chesapeake Bay, sustainable and restored properties and protection of our children from lead poisoning.”
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“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve in the Hogan administration, working for bold and bipartisan environmental solutions,” said Secretary Grumbles. “Maryland is a national leader in climate action and environmental protection thanks to Governor Hogan’s leadership and the tireless efforts of our department’s employees, and our many public and private sector partners throughout the state, region, and nation.”
