Vicki Arroyo Email and Phone Number

Rejoined the full-time Georgetown Law faculty on December 1, 2024 to teach courses in environmental law and policy after serving nearly four years as EPA's Associate Administrator for Policy.

As EPA's Associate Administrator for Policy (also EPA's Regulatory Policy Officer and Regulatory Reform officer), oversaw rule development through EPA's internal Action Development Process and served as chief liaison with OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, negotiating the successful White House and interagency review of all significant regulatory and policy actions. Policy lead for EPA's economic analysis, including cost-benefit and EJ analysis used in rulemakings and development of new interim and final, peer-reviewed social costs of greenhouse gases through the Nat'l Center for Environmental Economics. Oversaw work of expert Office of Policy staff engaging in substantive rule development and implementation. Served on the steering committees for EPA's strategic plan & GGRF. As EPA's lead National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) official, responsible for reviews of other agencies' environmental impact statements under EPA's unique Clean Air Act Sec. 309 authority. Effectively implemented climate and EJ priorities in environmental reviews, improving outcomes, including the USPS purchase of significantly more electric vehicles than first planned. Oversaw EPA's Office of Community Revitalization/Smart Growth efforts (formerly the Office of Sustainable Communities) and its Smart Sectors Program's engagement with the private sector. Conceptualized and launched EPA's new Office of Climate Adaptation and Sustainability in 2024. Oversaw work of the active and growing Office of Environmental Justice from Jan. 2021 - Sept. 2022 (when it became part of a new national program office). Appointed by Administrator Regan to serve as EPA's senior climate adaptation official. Represented EPA on several cross-agency workgroups and initiatives, on topics including: climate change resilience and adaptation; energy communities; voting rights, cancer moonshot; women's health initiative, and by serving as EPA's representative on the President's Gender Policy Council.

Launched and led Climate Center based at Georgetown University Law Center that focuses on state and federal energy, climate, and transportation policy issues. Oversaw all aspects of center's legal and policy work on climate and clean energy, transportation, and adaptation, including facilitating dialogues of governors and other high-level state officials (e.g., the Transportation & Climate Initiative). Responsible for Center's fundraising and budget, including procuring over $20 million in grant support. Taught advanced environmental law/climate change "experiential" courses. Served as Special Advisor to Georgetown's President on issues related to interdisciplinary cross-campus opportunities and launch of new Capitol Campus. Extensive service within and beyond Georgetown, including serving as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies (2019-20); on the advisory board to National Science Foundation's Geosciences Directorate; and member of UCAR Board of Trustees. Served on editorial boards for the Climate Policy Journal (Associate Editor) ; Georgetown Environmental Law Review; UC Davis Institute for Transportation Studies; SPARCC Initiative, etc. Served on advisory panels to Natl. Center for Atmospheric Research, California Air Resources Board and US Energy Information Administration. From 2013 -2019 also served as Assistant Dean for Centers & Institutes supporting growth of new centers including on voting rights, privacy & more - with roughly 100 staff and a collective annual budget raised of $20 million. Served as Environmental Law Program Director from 2013-15, launching new Environmental LLM degree program. Elected by faculty vote to become Professor from Practice in May 2014 after serving as Visiting Professor since 2008. Served on Georgetown Environment Initiative steering committee & many academic & search committees. Published & spoke extensively. On faculty leave to serve at EPA Jan 2021 through Nov 2024.

Initiated and led the Pew Center's domestic policy, policy analysis, science and impacts, economics, and adaptation programs for over a decade from its origins in 1998. Led development of, authored, edited and/or otherwise contributed to hundreds of analyses and reports. Served as Managing Editor and contributing author of book: Climate Change: Science, Strategies, and Solutions. Developed the Center's Agenda for Climate Action and represented the Center in US Climate Action Partnership steering committee negotiations and analysis. The Pew Center was recognized as the top environmental think tank in the world according to Penn's Think Tank and Civil Society Survey for this body of work. Represented Pew in international and domestic conferences including climate negotiations and other venues and spearheaded major events. Led successful fundraising efforts in support of this work.

Provided client counseling and litigation support regarding various legal and policy issues under the Clean Air Act, CERCLA, and other laws and regulations for public, nonprofit and private sector clients. Led pro bono work for Raising Hispanic Academic Achievement, including launching and running a summer environmental institute for Hispanic youth and other mentoring programs.

Supported development and review of criteria air pollutant standards in EPA's science policy office.

Conducted legal analysis and contributed to newsletters featuring regulatory updates and other client counseling and litigation under various environmental laws. Conducted pro bono work for clients via the Lawyers' Committee on Civil Rights Under Law.

Created and led policy department within Louisiana Dept. of Environmental Quality's Office of the Secretary. Initiated long-term statewide environmental and natural resources planning, actively participated in drafting and working to pass air toxics legislation reducing emissions 50% over 4 years, linked tax exemptions to firms' environmental records, revised siting guidelines for large chemical and petrochemical plants; and initiated environmental justice grant program. Also served for some of this time as environmental advisor to Governor and represented him on NGA global warming task force.

Reviewed and supported development of air toxics standards in the Office of Air & Radiation of US EPA. Briefed EPA Administrator and Asst. Administrator, and served as Special Assistant to the Acting Asst Administrator for Air and Radiation. Represented the US in related OECD dialogues. Served on cross-agency workgroups and coordinated with other offices regarding regulations involving lead, arsenic and other chemicals, and on equity/diversity committee.While serving as Special Assistant to the Acting Asst. Administrator for Air and Radiation, was Executive Secretary for the Northeast Ozone Transport Group consisting of the Asst. Administrator, three Regional Administrators, and six state environmental commissioners working to address cross-state air pollution, and worked with CEQ Chair Mike Deland as well.

Before Toxics Release Inventory Data were collected, worked with facilities to collect information and built a database to quantify and share information with the public on exposures from air emissions in the Kanawha "chemical" Valley (including the sister plant to Bhopal's Union Carbide facility). Organized national risk management and communication conference featuring governor and EPA, academic experts, community organizers, and more. Developed and demonstrated dispute resolution exercise, later published by Harvard's Negotiation Project with Dr. Larry Susskind of MIT as co-author.

Principal author of New England town's Open Space & Recreation Plan, including representing town in Town Hall meetings and hearing from citizens and affected businesses. Revised land use policies. Acquired land for conservation. Reviewed development plans.

Supported Audubon leadership and engagement around reauthorization of the Clean Water Act.

Conducted water quality sampling and analysis; monitored oil spill clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico while living on and working from boats and oil rigs; conducted research re: related scientific and policy literature and drafted reports.