Edwin Erickson

Edwin B. Erickson III (May 18, 1938 – January 8, 2019 ) was an American politician. He served multiple terms on the Council of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, including two years as its chairman. He was later elected to the Pennsylvania Senate, representing the 26th District from 2001 to 2015. The district included most of Delaware County and parts of Chester County. From 1989 to 1992, Erickson served as a regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Region III, which encompassed several states in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Biography Erickson was born in Philadelphia on May 18, 1938. In 1969, he earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry and microbiology from Bryn Mawr College. From 1969 to 1973, he was tenured assistant professor of Biology at Hamilton College, where he taught microbiology, biochemistry and general biology. He was member of the Army Science Board, in which capacity he served as an advisor to the United States Army on scientific and technological matters.

Erickson served as director of Public Health and later the chief administrative officer (1976–82) of Upper Darby Township.

Pennsylvania Senate On March 20, 2001, Erickson won a special election with 60% of the vote to the Pennsylvania Senate to fill the unexpired term of F. Joseph Loeper, who resigned after pleading guilty to falsifying tax documents. He represented the 26th District from 2001 to 2015, which included most of Delaware County and parts of Chester County. He was a member of the following caucuses: Arthritis Caucus, Autism Caucus, Biotechnology/Life Science Caucus, Delaware River Basin Caucus, Delaware River Port Caucus, Firefighter and Emergency Services Caucus, and Pro-Life Caucus. He also served as the Majority Policy Chair from 2010 to 2014. He spent his last term in office sponsoring, among other bills, a plan to create and expand community-based healthcare clinics within Pennsylvania. Erickson's last term in the Senate ended in January 2015.

Later life From 1989 to 1992, Erickson served as a regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Region III (Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia).