DeKalb County DA takes over EPA Region 4

On Wednesday, September 1, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced the administration’s selection of Gwen Keyes Fleming as the Agency's Regional Administrator for EPA's Region 4.

Region 4 encompasses Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and six Tribal Nations.

Regional Administrators are responsible for managing the Agency's regional activities under the direction of the EPA Administrator. They promote state and local environmental protection efforts and serve as a liaison to state and local government officials. Regional Administrators duties include ensuring EPA's efforts to address the environmental crises of today are rooted in three fundamental values: science-based policies and programs, adherence to the rule of law, and transparency.

Gwen Keyes Fleming has more than 15 years experience as both a prosecutor and administrator, serving as the District Attorney for the past five years in Georgia's Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit, which encompasses all of DeKalb County. She is the first African-American and the first woman to have held the District Attorney position.

As District Attorney, she managed more than 165 employees, handling 13,000 felony cases each year with an annual budget of more than $12 million.

In addition, Keyes Fleming instituted several successful community outreach programs related to crime prevention on behalf of young women and children, working with vulnerable adults and at-risk communities.

Prior to serving as District Attorney, she served as the elected Solicitor-General handling misdemeanor crimes and implemented numerous domestic violence prevention initiatives, which successfully decreased the rate of domestic violence deaths in the county.