Former Trump administration official confirmed as assistant commissioner of Environmental Services

Mark Sanborn has been confirmed to take over as assistant commissioner at the Department of Environmental Services, the second-highest ranking environmental regulator position in the state. 

In a 4-1 vote on Wednesday, the Executive Council approved the governor’s nomination. Cinde Warmington, a Concord Democrat, was the only councilor to vote against the confirmation.

Sanborn will fill a position that has been vacant since April, following Dennis Deziel’s resignation after serving in the role for less than a month. Deziel was appointed to work at the EPA during the Trump administration and had previously been a lobbyist for the chemical industry. Sanborn, of Laconia, graduated from the University of New Hampshire in Durham with a degree in political science.

Sanborn joined Sununu’s office in February and has been working as an energy adviser for the Office of Strategic Initiatives. That came after a position at the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Trump administration. He also worked in Trump’s Department of Agriculture. The assistant commissioner position pays $108,212.