Ecology chief, point man in upper Kittitas well ban, moves to governor's staff

Jay Manning, director of the Washington Department of Ecology, is leaving his post to become chief of staff for Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Manning, agency director since February 2005, will leave the agency Friday. His official last day is Oct. 16, but Manning is taking a week to conduct some personal business.

Polly Zehm, deputy director in charge of all environmental programs and a former regional director in Yakima, will take over for Manning temporarily while a search for a permanent replacement goes on.

Dave Workman, Ecology's director of communications and education, said Monday afternoon no changes in direction for the agency are anticipated.

"My sense is she wants to keep the agency on a positive direction and keep the agency carrying out our mission until a new director is appointed," he said.

The 51-year-old Manning, a lawyer by training, has been in the news in Central Washington recently with the decision to impose an emergency ban on new wells in upper Kittitas County.

The move has angered local officials and the business community because of the impact it has on the local economy, but holders of senior water rights and environmental groups have been glad to see the state try to rein in the proliferation of unpermitted wells.

Manning, whose office is based in Olympia, becomes the second Ecology director to be tapped to head the governor's staff.

Former Gov. Gary Locke selected Tom Fitzsimmons to be his chief of staff. Fitzsimmons stayed in the job under Gregoire for several months.

Manning will succeed Cindy Zehnder, who announced this summer she would be stepping down.

He begins his new job Oct. 19.