Esty Will Be ‘Sorely Missed’

Just three years ago, speaking before an audience of Connecticut business leaders, Dan Esty outlined his vision for his new charge, the recently created Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
The consolidation of two formerly distinct agencies, Energy and Environmental Protection, makes a “third E—the economy—part of everything we do,” he said.
“The old model of environmental protection was ‘command and control.’ The new approach demands innovation from both government and the private sector and will require a new public-private engagement that hasn’t been seen before.”
Back to Yale
A nationally recognized environmental policy expert who left his professor’s chair at Yale to answer Governor Dannel Malloy’s call, Esty faced some tough challenges — not the least of them being mending broken fences between regulators and the regulated community.
Esty’s now on his way back to Yale, announcing his resignation today with a two-page letter to Malloy, much of it filled with bullet points highlighting some significant accomplishments.
“From day one, Dan Esty recognized the importance of economic competitiveness,” CBIA president and CEO John R. Rathgeber said today.
“He took a new, often bold approach to running a government agency, integrating economic priorities, including job creation and lower energy costs, into DEEP’s core mission, showing that sound business practices are compatible with sound environmental management.”
Dramatic improvements
Rathgeber said that under Esty’s leadership, DEEP became a model for other state government agencies, implementing lean business practices while dramatically improving efficiency and customer service.
“He pursued a 21st century regulatory model, breaking down DEEP’s core programs and rebuilding them for speed and efficiency and reducing the regulatory burden on businesses,” he said.
Rathgeber also noted Esty’s role in supporting Malloy’s long-term energy policy initiatives and pursuing partnerships with other New England states to access cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable energy sources.
“Dan Esty’s leadership will be sorely missed,” Rathgeber said, “He has done a lot to move the state in the right direction, but there is so much more work remaining to improve Connecticut’s standing as a better place for businesses to invest and create jobs.”
Successor?
An announcement about Esty’s successor at DEEP is expected next week. All signs are that position will be filled by someone in a senior management position at DEEP.
“Dan Esty has set a high standard for all future commissioners of this new agency,” said CBIA’s Eric Brown.
“His deep commitment to protecting the environment in a manner that allows, or even encourages economic growth, was on display each and every day of his tenure – and it should be adopted as a core value of the agency for the 21^st century.”