Emily Lindley
Emily Lindley of Austin was appointed to the TCEQ by Gov. Greg Abbott effective Aug. 20, 2018.
About Emily Lindley
Lindley serves as Governor Abbott’s appointee to the Texas Environmental Flows Advisory Group. During her time as commissioner, she has worked closely with the International Boundary Water Commission on compliance with the 1944 treaty between Mexico and the U.S. relating to the Colorado River, the Tijuana rivers, and the Rio Grande. Lindley has also been involved in the agency’s delegation from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding permits for discharges of produced water, hydrostatic test water, and gas plant effluent into water in the state resulting from certain oil and gas activities under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. And she interacts with the energy sector to create awareness of TCEQ permitting regulations.
Before she was named commissioner, Lindley served as the chief of staff for EPA Region 6. As chief of staff, she was an advisor to the regional administrator who oversees Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and 66 tribal nations.
Prior to serving at EPA, Lindley worked for over 10 years at TCEQ, serving in a variety of roles and interacting with staff at all levels. She began her TCEQ career in the Office of Public Assistance, helping Texans understand the variety of ways the public can participate at the agency and answering questions about permitting issues. She then moved to the Intergovernmental Relations Division and served as an agency liaison with members of the Texas Legislature and the Governor’s Office. After that, as special assistant to the Office of Water’s deputy director, Lindley assisted in the oversight of water permitting, water quality planning, and water supply-related functions, including utilities and districts. Finally, she became special assistant to the Deputy Executive Director, supporting administration of the agency.
Lindley is a member of the Austin Women’s Symphony League, the Baylor Women’s League of Austin, and is a weekly driver for Meals on Wheels. Lindley received a Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University and completed the Governor’s Executive Development Program at The University of Texas at Austin L.B.J. School of Public Affairs in 2016.