The vice-president of the Portuguese Environmental Protection Agency (APA), José Pimenta Machado, will lead the organisation from Monday, replacing Nuno Lacasta, who ended his duties in January following the “Operation Influencer” of which he is accused.
The announcement was made this Friday in a statement from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, which added that Pimenta Machado’s appointment “aims to ensure the normal functioning” of APA until the opening of the due competition and “the subsequent appointment of the new holder of the position of President of the Board of Directors of APA.”
The order appointing José Pimenta Machado, signed by Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho, comes into force on Monday.
José Pimenta Machado will replace Nuno Lacasta, who resigned on January 31 at his request after being named as a defendant in Operation Influencer, which is investigating lithium exploration and hydrogen energy production.
The trial led to the resignation of then Prime Minister António Costa in late 2023.
In a statement, the Ministry of Environment and Energy highlighted Pimenta Machado’s “vast experience” and his “deep knowledge of the industry, qualities that will be fundamental to meeting the current and future challenges” of APA.
The authorities also consider the “new management cycle” of the Portuguese Environment Agency “an important step to guarantee the efficient implementation of ongoing projects.”
Jose Pimenta Machado, who holds a degree in environmental engineering, has served as APA Vice President since May 2018.
Previously, he was the administrator of the Northern Hydrographic Region.
Since 2018, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Hydraulics and Water Resources of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto.
Pimenta Machado is also a member of the General Assembly of the Institute of Sustainable Construction of the University of Porto.
In his professional career, he has focused on water resources management.