Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will step down from her position at the end of February 2013, according to the Washington Post.
Jason Samenow of the Post’s Capital Weather Gang blog writes her departure follows nearly seven months after Jack Hayes retired as head of the National Weather Service.
Laura Furgione, a nearly two-decade NOAA veteran, was named acting assistant administrator for the NWS after Hayes’ announcement of his retirement.
The Post obtained a copy of a letter Lubchenco sent to agency employees, where she credited them with creating the first National Ocean Policy and helping support the federal response to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
According to The Hill newspaper, Lubchenco’s departure could be one of several in President Barack Obama’s energy and environmental team.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and Energy Secretary Steven Chu could leave and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Tuesday he is considering whether he wants to stay on, Ben Geman writes.
