Gov. Greg Abbott has announced the appointment of Brooke Paup as the new chair of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) — a role she will occupy until the waning days of August 2027. Tasked with balancing the scales between environmental stewardship and economic growth, TCEQ stands as a bulwark for the state's public health and natural resources, aiming to guide them through the complex dance of sustainable development, as per the governor's official announcement.
Austin's own Paup comes to the commission with a heavy dossier of state government experience, spanning 19 years. After first being appointed to the Texas Water Development Board in February of 2018, she continued to quickly build a portfolio that included stints as director of legislative affairs for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, as well as legislative counsel at the Office of State-Federal Relations in Washington D.C.
Her previous endeavors reflect a trajectory where law and policy intertwine — marked by her tenure at the Office of the Attorney General and the Environmental Flows Advisory Group, to which she was appointed by Abbott in 2022. Moreover, Paup's engagement with the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program not only spotlights her commitment to preservation but also her recognition of the vital interplay between land and legacy.
With a Bachelor of Arts acquired from Texas A&M University followed by a juris doctor from the Texas Tech University School of Law, her educational foundation is cited to lend a comprehensive perspective on the challenges and opportunities ahead. Beyond the esteem of academic halls and the rigor of state offices, Paup also dedicates her time as a member of organizations such as the State Bar of Texas, the Junior League, and the Symphony League, according to the official announcement on the governor's website.
