Greitens appoints new DNR head

Gov. Eric Greitens, left, announced Wednesday that Carol Comer will head Missouri's Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Gov. Eric Greitens, left, announced Wednesday that Carol Comer will head Missouri's Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Gov. Eric Greitens announced Wednesday that Carol Comer will head Missouri's Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Comer was the commissioner of Indiana's Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) under U.S. Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

Greitens introduced Comer as "a champion both for our environment and our economy" in a video announcing her appointment.

Under her leadership, Greitens noted, IDEM significantly reduced the time between an application for a permit and its approval. A process that used to take 225 percent of the required time went down to 51 percent of the required time, which Greitens said was a significant step for economic development in Indiana.

"One of the things that's killing jobs here is burdensome regulation and inefficient government," Greitens said in the video. "In Indiana, they made it easier for businesses to get permits, they improved their air quality, they protected their fish and wildlife - all while encouraging job growth."

Greitens noted under Comer's watch, Indiana was able to make sure more than 93 percent of residents live in areas that meet all air quality standards. Using federal grants and settlements with responsible parties, IDEM and its partners invested $200 million in restoring the Grand Calumet River and its ecosystem, according to a news release from Greitens' office. The work done over the last two decades has led to fish and nesting birds returning to the area.

"I'm looking forward to doing the same thing here in Missouri so that we can protect the air and the land and the water quality but still encourage economic growth," Comer said in the video.

Comer follows Sara Parker-Pauley, who was named the ninth director of the Missouri Department of Conservation in November 2016 after serving as DNR director since December 2010.

This article expands upon earlier coverage.