Commissioner of Conservation Jim Welsh is a career employee with the State of Louisiana’s Department of Natural Resources. Commissioner Welsh received his BS degree in Geology from LSU in 1960, and after working as a geologist for 5-years in Industry, began his career as a geologist with the State of Louisiana in 1965. Jim has acquired extensive experience in oil and gas regulatory matters, as well as directing major Statewide environmental regulatory programs such as underground injection wells, surface mining of coal and lignite, and oilfield site cleanup and remediation programs. Jim was appointed Commissioner of Conservation in 2002 by former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster, continued his career by his reappointment as Commissioner in 2004 by former Governor Kathleen Blanco, and reappointed again as Commissioner of Conservation in 2008 by Louisiana’s current Governor, Bobby Jindal.