Ann Vogel, the Ohio EPA Director, speaks to the media during a press conference at the spot of the 2023 East Palestine train derailment in October of 2023, announcing the successful removal of contaminated soil from the site along East Taggart Street. Vogel was appointed by President Donald Trump on Monday as the new U.S. EPA Region 5 Administrator. (File photo by Stephanie Elverd) 

Current Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Anne Vogel will now head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5, a press release from the EPA announced Monday. 

President Donald Trump appointed Anne Vogel as EPA Region 5 Administrator. Vogel replaces Debra Shore and will oversee Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin and 37 Tribal nations. She will also manage EPA’s Great Lakes National Program. 

Vogel has been a regular presence in East Palestine since the 2023 train derailment and chemical release, as the state and federal EPA have worked harmoniously during the initial disaster response and remediation efforts that followed.

“Anne Vogel was key to the emergency response and subsequent cleanup of the environmental disaster that happened in our town in 2023,” said East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway. “Anne was there from the beginning, and she will be there for us in the future in this new role as head of the U.S. EPA Region 5. Anne’s unwavering support and dedication to our village is something we can never thank her enough for. The Trump administration could not have found a better fit to lead Region 5.”

According to the press release, 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 Company. Vogel holds a law degree from Capital University and an MBA from The Ohio State University. 

“Director Vogel has served Ohio with integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to public service,” DeWine said. “She has been integral in helping communities across Ohio clean up contaminated properties, and she has been a leader in Ohio’s work to improve access to clean drinking water. With Anne’s ability to find balance and bring people together, I know Region 5 is in capable hands.”

For her part, Vogel expressed gratitude for her appointment and excitement to help implement the “Great American Comeback” initiative led by the EPA under now-federal Administrator Lee Zeldin. That initiative is billed as a way to both revitalize the American economy and protect the environment simultaneously with a focus on bringing back U.S. auto worker jobs. 

“It’s a tremendous honor to join Administrator Zeldin in powering the Great American Comeback across the Midwest,” said Vogel. “I’ve been fortunate to have already worked with the Region 5 team in Ohio, and I look forward to working alongside them to implement the administration’s environmental priorities and ensure clean air, water and land for all, while fostering economic growth and environmental stewardship throughout the Great Lakes region.” 

Zeldin cited Vogel’s work in East Palestine following the derailment as proof of her abilities to step seamlessly into the Region 5 Administrator role. 

“I am glad to welcome Anne to our EPA team,” said Zeldin. “Through her leadership running Ohio EPA and following the East Palestine incident, Region 5 and the Great Lakes National Program have the right leader at the right time. I am confident that her deep knowledge and vast experience will be vital to implementing President Trump’s agenda across Region 5.”