![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Andrew W. Breidenbach
Biography
[EPA press release - January 19, 1976]
Dr. Andrew W. Breidenbach's nomination as Assistant Administrator for Water and Hazardous Materials at the Environmental Protection Agency has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Dr. Breidenbach, Director of EPA's Research Laboratory in Cincinnati, Ohio from 1971 to the present, has been serving in the Headquarters post in an acting capacity for the past four months. He succeeds James L. Agee, who has been named EPA's Areawide Planning Coordinator for the Western States.
As Assistant Administrator, Dr. Breidenbach heads all of the Agency's water pollution control efforts as well as the activities in the related fields of pesticides and hazardous materials such as oil.
A native of New Jersey, Dr. Breidenbach received a B.S. degree in chemistry and zoology at the University of Cincinnati in 1949, his studies having been interrupted by military service in World War II. He earned advanced degrees at the University of Florida, a Master's Degree in 1950 and a Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1953.
He was chief of the Chemistry Division, Maryland State Health Department, for three years prior to starting his Federal career in 1956 as a professional area leader in environmental chemistry in the Public Health Service training programs in Cincinnati.
Beginning in 1960, he successively served in Cincinnati as Assistant Chief of air pollution training programs for graduate scientists and engineers; Deputy Chief of the Water Quality Section, PHS Water Supply and Pollution Control Division, and Assistant Chief for laboratories of that Division. From 1967 until 1971, he was Director of Research for the Solid Waste Management Office.
In 1963, he was publicly recognized by the then DHEW Secretary Anthony J. Celebrezze for his contributions to a team investigating the identification of the pesticide aldrin as the cause of a major fish kill in the Mississippi River.
Dr. Breidenbach is the author of a number of publications and articles appearing in technical and professional publications. He holds membership in several professional organizations including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Water Works Association, Association of Official Analytical Chemists, and the Water Pollution Control Federation.
He has served on the editorial board of the Pesticides Monitoring Journal and the publication committee of the American Public Works Association. He also was a member of the Working Group on Pesticides in the President's Cabinet Committee on the Environment.
Dr. Breidenbach is married and has four children.