Government career

Q: Why did you go into government service?

MR. ALM: Well, I was always interested in government and politics. Like a lot of young people I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with my life, so I planned to go to law school. One of my professors told me about a scholarship that was available at the Maxwell Graduate School of Public Administration in Syracuse. He suggested that I apply for it; and, I thought, why not? I was awarded the scholarship and decided that I would go the Maxwell School for a year and then get a law degree. During the year at the Maxwell School, I took the management intern exam for the Federal Government, which I passed. Based on a series of interviews, I had a number of exciting job opportunities. That was a time in our nation's history where government service was very highly regarded. Most graduating students were interested in public service of one kind or another. Very different than say the '80s, where the opposite was true. So it was very exciting. And one night I just sat down and decided: am I going to law school or am I going take one of these jobs. I decided to take a position as a management intern with the Federal Government. And ever since then, my life has been a series of new challenges and opportunities.

Q: How did you come to have an interest in environmental matters?

MR. ALM: Well, in terms of the environment itself, obviously, growing up in Colorado, made me conscious of the beauty of nature. Professionally, I got involved with environmental programs at the Bureau of the Budget, where I was the principal budget examiner for the water pollution program. I really got very interested in the pollution control programs. So in 1970, when CEQ was created, I was asked by Russell Train to come over and play a senior role. And clearly it was what I wanted to do in terms of dealing with programs, and what I considered of great importance to the country.

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Government career

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