ATLANTA — The Georgia Board of Natural Resources appointed F. Allen Barnes as the director of the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Barnes served as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 office in Atlanta. While at EPA, he worked with senior management and staff on compliance, permitting, enforcement and policy matters related to air and water pollution, and solid and hazardous waste management.

Barnes also was a prosecutor in the Florida State Attorney’s Office, a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in Pensacola, Fla., and a lawyer/mediator in private practice. Barnes was most recently a partner in King and Spalding’s environmental practice. He earned his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of West Florida.

“The Board of Natural Resources is excited to welcome Allen Barnes as EPD Director. Allen’s background in a wide array of environmental issues as well as his management experience will serve EPD and the State of Georgia well,” said Board Chairman Bill Carruth.

Under Georgia law, the EPD Director is appointed by the Board of Natural Resources with the approval of the governor. Barnes replaces Carol Couch, who resigned to accept a faculty position at the University of Georgia. His appointment was effective Thursday.

Georgia EPD is a state agency charged with protecting Georgia’s air, land and water resources through the authority of state and federal environmental statutes. These laws regulate public and private facilities in the areas of air quality, water quality, hazardous waste, water supply, solid waste, surface mining, underground storage tanks and others. EPD issues and enforces all state permits in these matters.