Organization of EPA's Region 5 Office in Chicago
Serving Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and 37 Tribal Nations
Organization Chart
Leadership and Organizational Responsibilities
Office of the Regional Administrator
- Phone: 312-353-2000
Regional Administrator: Anne Vogel
About the Administrator for EPA’s Region 5 Office in Chicago
Anne M. Vogel was appointed Region 5 Administrator by President Donald J. Trump in April 2025. As regional administrator, Vogel oversees EPA’s work across the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin and 37 Tribal nations.
Prior to joining EPA, Vogel served as director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency since December 2022. Previously, she served as policy director for Gov. Mike DeWine and worked for more than a decade at American Electric Power Co. Following law school, Vogel started her career as a litigator at the Columbus law firm of Porter Wright and subsequently clerked for Judge Sargus, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
Vogel holds a law degree from Capital University and an MBA from The Ohio State University.
Deputy Regional Administrator: Cheryl Newton
- The National Environmental Policy Act.
- Public affairs.
- Children’s health.
- Environmental education.
- Tribal affairs.
- International affairs.
- Equal employment opportunity and special emphasis programs.
The External Communications Office and the Tribal and Multimedia Programs Office are located in ORA.
Air and Radiation Division
Director: John Mooney
What We Do: The Air and Radiation Division (ARD) implements the programmatic aspects of Clean Air Act within the geographic boundaries of Region 5, except for inspections and enforcement, which are principally managed by the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division.
Under this statute and in accordance with implementing regulations and agency guidelines, the Division conducts activities to reduce emissions so that air pollution does not constitute a threat to public health, safety, well-being and the environment. To carry out its mission, the Division works with other federal agencies, state and local agencies, tribal governments, the public, and the private sector. The Division coordinates with the Office of Air and Radiation to ensure national consistency and strives to meet legal deadlines imposed by the CAA.
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division
Director: Michael Harris
What We Do: The Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division (ECAD) is responsible for developing and implementing Region 5 enforcement and compliance assurance programs and statutes EPA administers in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio.
- Developing strategic planning for enforcement.
- Engaging in compliance monitoring and compliance assistance activities.
- Conducting inspections.
- Developing enforcement cases.
- Preparing and issuing administrative actions.
- Assessing penalties.
- Developing judicial enforcement actions.
- Negotiating settlements.
- Measuring and reporting results of the Region’s enforcement efforts.
Environmental Justice, Community Health, and Environmental Review Division
What We Do: The Environmental Justice Community Health, and Environmental Review Division manages the Region’s children’s health, environmental education, healthy schools, and National Environmental Policy Act programs. It also manages a national center of excellence with the region’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, providing compliance assistance and assurance to schools under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act.
EJCHERD works closely with the other Region 5 divisions on efficiently and effectively responding to human health and environmental concerns that span multiple programs/media and facilitates community engagement activities in support of those efforts. The Division’s activities include:
- Administering grants, technical assistance, and training programs to advance multimedia environmental improvements, especially focused on children’s health issues such as lead exposure reduction.
- Conducting and supporting community-focused engagement, assessment, and action to address impacts on human health and the environment.
- Supporting implementation of EPA’s civil rights requirements where coordination of regional program and scientific expertise is needed.
- EJCHERD works with other regional divisions to implement the children’s health program. In addition to above, this program assists and advises regional programs as they evaluate, and address issues and priorities related to children's environmental health protection; and coordinates with the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units in Region 5.
- Coordinating with local government, industry, states, Tribes, and communities to build collaborative partnerships and apply continuous improvement principles.
EJCHERD implements the environmental education program through annual student and teacher awards and through grants.
EJCHERD implements the regional National Environmental Policy Act program. This includes:
- Ensuring regional compliance with NEPA.
- Reviewing environmental impact statements and other major actions under the authority of Clean Air Act Section 309 and NEPA for other agencies within the region.
Great Lakes National Program Office
Director: Teresa Seidel
What We Do: The Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) coordinates U.S. efforts with Canada under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem.
GLNPO manages and implements programs pertaining to Areas of Concern, the Great Lakes Legacy Act, science-based activities related to the health of the Great Lakes, binational lakewide management, and nutrients.
- Remediate contaminated sediments under GLLA.
- Work to reduce persistent toxic chemicals, and identify emerging contaminants.
- Identify, protect and restore important habitats.
- Monitor and report on environmental status and trends.
- Support community-based Remedial Action Plans for AOCs and for Lakewide Action and Management Plans.
- Assist Great Lakes partners through grants, interagency agreements and contracts.
Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division
Director: George Schupp
What We Do: The Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division (LSASD) provides laboratory analytical support for the region’s media programs and enforcement programs, as well as dedicated field services. About Region 5’s Chicago Regional Laboratory
LSASD coordinates with regional media and enforcement programs to ensure effective collection and analysis of environmental data. It ensures that data collected, reported and used in the region is properly documented and sufficiently accurate and precise to meet data quality objectives. It also ensures that the quality assurance programs of the environmental programs in the Region’s states, tribes and local governments conform with EPA quality assurance guidance.
LSASD provides field support for regional programs, such as field sampling, investigations, and field activities.
It ensures the integrity of technical products, peer review, science inventory, science hub services, and general regional scientific integrity issues.
LSASD also advises the Regional Administrator and senior management on regional and national policies and issues in these areas.
Land, Chemicals and Redevelopment Division
Director: Ed Nam
- Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
- Residential Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act.
- Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
- Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act of 1984 (ASHAA).
- Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 (AHERA).
- Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (PPA).
- Remediating hazardous waste at sites where human health or the environment are threatened.
- Helping states develop state programs under the statutes above and authorizing and approving state programs.
- Issuing permits under those statutes.
- Implementing joint EPA/state/tribal multi-media plans and recommending the award of program grants to states and tribes.
Work is accomplished through interaction with other federal agencies, states, tribes, local governments, non-profit organizations, the regulated community, and the public.
Mission Support Division
Director: Amy Sanders
What We Do: The Mission Support Division provides leadership, support, communications and direction to ensure efficient operations vital to EPA and Regional goals. The Director also holds the role of Senior Resource Official and Senior Information Official. The Division advises the Regional Administrator and Deputy Regional Administrator, senior leadership, and management on Regional and national policies involving strategic planning, technical, and resource management issues. The Division includes the Comptroller Branch, Information Technology and Operations Management Branch, and the Human Resources Branch.
- Strategic planning and coordination of EPA’s process improvement systems.
- Budget.
- Finance.
- Financial aspects of cost recovery.
- Management control and integrity (FMFIA).
- Facilities and security.
- Human resources.
- Information technology and information management.
- Management of grants and interagency agreements.
- Contracts and acquisition.
- Health and safety.
Office of Regional Counsel
Regional Counsel: Robert Kaplan
What We Do: The Office of Regional Counsel acts as the principal legal adviser to the Regional Administrator and provides legal opinions, legal counsel and litigation support to all regional program and management divisions and offices. ORC provides legal advice on ethics issues arising within the Region. In providing legal counsel, ORC attorneys consult and coordinate with attorneys in OGC and other ORC offices to ensure consistency in the legal positions being taken across the Agency. ORC responsibilities also include the functions of the Regional Hearing Clerk.
Superfund and Emergency Management Division
Director: Doug Ballotti
What We Do: The Superfund and Emergency Management Division implements and enforces the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (Superfund), the Oil Pollution Act, the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, the National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan and the National Response Plan.
SEMD provides emergency response capability, and implements emergency planning, preparedness and prevention activities in preparation for hazardous materials responses during environmental incidents.
The remedial response function implements Superfund site evaluation, site investigation, site remediation, long-term stewardship and revitalization programs for NPLEPA's list of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified for possible long-term remedial action under Superfund. The list is based primarily on the score a site receives from the Hazard Ranking System. EPA is required to update the NPL at least once a year. A site must be on the NPL to receive money from the Trust Fund for remedial action. sites and for long-term removal (non-time critical and certain time critical) sites.
Water Division
Director: Tera Fong
What We Do: The Water Division (WD) ensures drinking water is safe and restores and maintains watersheds and their aquatic ecosystems to protect human health, support economic and recreational activities, and provide healthy habitat for fish, plants and wildlife.
WD implements the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, except for inspections and enforcement, which are principally managed by the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division.
- Ground Water and Drinking Water.
- Permits.
- State and Tribal programs and support.
- Watersheds and wetlands .
WD also supports cross-cutting EPA programs such as the Urban Waters program, Healthy Watersheds Protection and Restoration, and other geographic initiatives.