WASHINGTON (Aug. 22, 2008) — David Kelly will serve as acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the White House announced.
Kelly has been chief of staff to Administrator Nicole Nason, who left the agency, apparently for a private sector lobbying position. Her departure has never been formally announced.
She had said a year ago that she intended to serve until the end of the Bush administration in January, but word of her departure leaked out last month.
Aug. 21 was her last day, industry sources said.
Major decisions are pending in the final months of the administration — mainly completion of new fuel economy standards for the 2011-15 model years and final adoption of a new vehicle roof strength standard.
An NHTSA spokeswoman declined comment.