State environment head resigns.

Kathleen McGinty, who in her five years as secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection led Gov. Rendell's ambitious agenda to enhance the environment, advance energy conservation initiatives and attract green businesses, is stepping down.

In her resignation letter, obtained by The Inquirer, McGinty thanked Rendell for giving her "the privilege of serving his team," but offered no glimpse of future plans beyond taking a vacation with her family.

The letter said her resignation is effective July 18.

McGinty, a Philadelphia native, is among a growing number of cabinet secretaries and other high level staffers leaving the administration as Rendell heads into his final two years in office.

Environmentalists credit her with helping transform Pennsylvania from a rust-belt state, with aging and idle factories and polluting mines, to a state that aggressively fought to clean up the land, water and air and actively sought out businesses that shared those goals.