Dionne Delli-Gatti

Republicans in the state Senate on Thursday rejected Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's nomination of Dionne Delli-Gatti as environmental secretary. The governor immediately appointed her to another environmental job and named DEQ Chief Deputy Secretary John Nicholson as interim secretary.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has again picked a veteran leader from the Environmental Defense Fund to become his environment secretary. Michael Regan, who previously held the position, is poised to become the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.