New head of MPCA comes from within the ranks

St. Paul, Minn. — (AP) - Gov. Tim Pawlenty has promoted a deputy commissioner to lead the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Pawlenty's office says Paul Eger becomes MPCA commissioner immediately.

He replaces Brad Moore, who left the agency in December for a private-sector job.

Eger most recently served as deputy commissioner and has worked for the MPCA since 2002.

Before that he was a committee administrator for the late Sen. Sam Solon, DFL-Duluth, and legislative assistant to Democratic Sen. James Metzen, who is now president of the Senate.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)