Interim director appointed to lead North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality

The accounting director for the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality will serve as interim director of the agency, Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced Friday.

Beth Jacobson, a 29-year state government employee, will begin leading the department on Aug. 1 after DEQ Director Dave Glatt retires at the end of the month, according to the governor’s office.

Glatt has served as director of the department since it became a standalone state agency in 2019. He has worked for the state for more than 40 years.

As accounting director, Jacobson has supervised the department’s financial operations, budgeting, federal grant management, procurement and fiscal compliance operations.

Armstrong’s office said the search for a permanent director is ongoing.