The skies over Tennessee may have a clearer future now that Richard Warder is part of a prestigious group that regulates environmental guidelines.
Dr. Richard Warder, dean of the Herff College of Engineering at The University of Memphis, has recently been appointed to Tennessee’s Air Pollution Control Board. Warder was appointed to the board by Gov. Don Sundquist as a representative for higher education. His term begins immediately and will run through April 30, 2004.
He arrived at The U of M in 1994 from the University of Missouri in Columbia after obtaining his master’s and doctorate degrees from Northwestern. That same year he was named dean of the engineering department.
“Prior to my career at The University of Memphis, I had the opportunity to co-author a research monograph on indoor air pollution at the University of Missouri,” said Warder.
Current members of the Air Pollution Control Board include Germantown Mayor Sharon Goldsworthy and Dr. Robert Kirkpatrick, also from Germantown. The control board is located next to Tennessee’s Department of Environment and Conservation.
According to Janis Crutcher, board office manager, the board is responsible for enforcing and regulating environmental guidelines and was established to control and alleviate air pollution.
“The board regulates companies in the state of Tennessee,” said Crutcher. “These companies have certain guidelines that they must follow. If those guidelines are not followed, the companies could be fined severely.”
The board is also responsible for adopting new regulations, holding hearings, initiating court actions to enforce environmental regulations and conducting environmental visits and inspections.
Although his new appointment will require months of hard work, Warder is anxiously awaiting the opportunity to work with the Air Pollution Control Board.
“I am looking forward to learning more about the air pollution problems in Tennessee,” said Warder.
