in 1970, day was appointed as a regional director for the u.s. department of the interior under interior secretary walter hickel. when president richard nixon fired hickel, day returned to oregon and was appointed soon after to serve as governor tom mccall's first director of the newly formed oregon department of environmental quality. during 1973 negotiations over oregon's landmark comprehensive land-use planning legislation, senate bill 100, day played a vital role in developing the compromises necessary to move sb 100 through the senate. he then served as the first chairman of the new state land conservation and development commission in 1974.