Director
Governor Doug Burgum appointed L. David Glatt as Director of the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in May 2019. The DEQ is responsible for protecting North Dakota’s air, land and water resources. The department implements protective programs and standards to help maintain and improve environmental quality.
Glatt brings more than 35 years of experience in environmental protection to his role as Director of the DEQ. At the time of his appointment, Glatt was Chief of the Environmental Health Section of the North Dakota Department of Health, a position he had held since May 2002. During his time with the Environmental Health Section, Glatt served as director of the Division of Waste Management, interim director of the Consolidated Laboratories, assistant director of the Division of Water Quality, and manager of the Groundwater Protection Program. He worked in the Drinking Water Program helping to implement the Safe Drinking Water Act and was the state project manager for an EPA Superfund project to address high arsenic levels in groundwater in southeastern North Dakota.
Glatt was born in Valley City, N.D., and raised in Milpitas, Calif. Glatt is a graduate of North Dakota State University where he received a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in environmental engineering. After graduation, Glatt briefly worked for the Los Angeles Flood Control District before returning to North Dakota in 1983, joining the North Dakota Department of Health. Glatt is a registered professional engineer.