David W. Salyers, P.E., P.G.

Commissioner

Environment & Conservation

David Salyers, P.E., P.G., was appointed Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation in January 2019 after serving more than 20 years as Executive Director with the West Tennessee River Basin Authority and previous work as an engineer in the private sector. As TDEC Commissioner, he has led deployment of historic capital investment in the Tennessee State Park system and the establishment of five new state parks. He has also orchestrated more than $1 Billion in investments in drinking and wastewater infrastructure on behalf of Governor Lee and the General Assembly. More recently, he has been focused on implementation of State Superfund site cleanups and accelerated reclamation through new programs for brownfield site cleanup and redevelopment. In August 2023 he was appointed by Governor Lee to serve as Chair for the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council established by Executive Order 101. A results-oriented and mission driven leader, Salyers places a premium on meaningful relationships and effective partnerships as the best way for TDEC to make Tennessee an even better place to live, work, play and raise a family.