EPA

Bio, via Department of Agriculture:

Layne Bangerter comes to the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) with 33 years of federal service, most recently from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). At the EPA Bangerter served as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Intergovernmental Relations, where he facilitated interactions with state and local governments, and coordinated those activities with 10 EPA regional offices around the nation. He also previously served as State Director for Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environment for U.S. Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho from 2003 to 2017. In this capacity, he represented Senator Crapo on various issues involving federal agency oversight and legislation. Additionally, he worked various roles for the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the USDA from July 1985 to April 2003 as a Wildlife Biologist. Layne was the Donald J. Trump Campaign Director for the State of Idaho. He was a valuable member of the Trump campaign team throughout the West, orchestrating efforts and traveling with Vice Presidential Nominee, Mike Pence. He was also a Donald J. Trump Delegate to the Republican National Convention. Following the election, he served on the Trump/Pence Transition Team from November 2016 to January 2017. Layne initially was sworn into the Administration on January 21, 2017 as a member of the President-Elect’s Transition “Beachhead Team” for EPA. He led this team at the EPA for the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations and the Office of Water. Layne was born to American parents in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He grew up in Alpine, Utah and attended college at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife and Range Resource Management. He has had a passion for hard work from a young age. He has worked in home construction, farming, ranching, and agribusiness. His love of family, natural resources, sports, agriculture and private property rights are what drives him. Layne and his wife, Betsy, have been married for 34 years; they have eight children, and 10 grandchildren. He is the owner of a Farm, Ranch, and Land Company in Melba, Idaho. The Bangerter family focus their lives on service to their church and country. Layne is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish. He is an avid outdoorsman and conservationist. His interests include camping, hunting, fishing and horses. As State Director, Layne will use his leadership experience to oversee RD programs in a customer-focused manner to restore prosperity in rural Idaho.

Bio, via Selective Service System:

Mr. Benton served one term in the Washington State House of Representatives and then served as a Senator in the Washington State Senate for 20 years from 1997 to 2017. He earlier served two terms as an elected college trustee on the Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees. Mr. Benton started his first company when he was 17 years old, and has built and sold several successful companies since. Mr. Benton served as the Director of the Clark County Environmental Services Department from 2013 to 2016. During his tenure he reduced the cost of removing hazardous waste from the waste stream while doubling citizen participation and tripling the tonnage of hazardous waste removed. Mr. Benton was also responsible for Clark County certifying more Green Schools than any other county in Washington State. Mr. Benton also led a seamless transition of power for the new administration at the Environmental Protection Agency. He served as a senior White House advisor to President Trump. Mr. Benton was raised in a military family. His father is a retired Navy officer and both of his brothers also served in the military. One is a decorated Army veteran and the other served as a Navy pilot who flew 93 combat missions.

Bio, via Environmental Protection Agency:

Dr. Dourson is a professor in the Risk Science Center at the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine. He founded the nonprofit Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment and worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where he won four medals. Dr. Dourson served in multiple positions at the American Board of Toxicology, Society of Toxicology, Society for Risk Analysis, and Toxicology Education Foundation. In addition, to serving on numerous government panels, he is also a member on the editorial board of three toxicology journals.