Kentucky Environmental Policy Leader Lloyd Cress, Sr. to Serve as Commissioner of Environmental Protection Department

FRANKFORT, KY: Gov. Ernie Fletcher today announced an environmental law veteran will serve as the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection. Lloyd Cress Sr., with three decades of environmental law experience at the state and national level, will head the department located within the new Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet.

During his time as Director of Environmental Affairs for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Cress gained extensive experience in forging partnerships with industry and environmental interests to clean up polluted areas of the state while building the economy.

"A healthy and clean environment is a crucial necessity for all of us living in this great state,” said Lloyd Cress.  "I have been dedicated to this cause for most of my life, and I am excited to be serving the Commonwealth once again.”

Cress served as Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth and as the General Counsel for the Kentucky Water Pollution Control Commission, before working as Environmental Counsel for Ashland Inc. for more than a decade. Cress has also served on a number of special task forces to address environmental issues in Kentucky.  These efforts paved the way for Kentucky's current groundwater protection regulation.

"Lloyd Cress has a long history of dealing with environmental issues in Kentucky,” stated Gov. Ernie Fletcher. "His experience in both the legal field and the environment will help us protect our beautiful state and the wonderful folks who call this great Commonwealth home.”

"We are very excited to have Lloyd Cress on our team in the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet,” said LaJuana Wilcher, secretary.  "He will play a critical role as we improve our environment and our economy in the state.”

Cress earned a bachelor's degree in 1960 and his law degree in 1962 from the University of Kentucky.  He also served as a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Air Force, obtaining the rank of Captain. Cress and his wife, United States District Judge Karen Caldwell, live in Lexington.

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