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President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the EPA is likely to be shaped by his background as the top environmental regulator in North Carolina.
Here are
areas where Michael Regan’s experience could influence his tenure at the EPA 
http://benvgo.com/2oyYcRF
Here are
areas where Michael Regan’s experience could influence his tenure at the EPA http://benvgo.com/2oyYcRF
Environmental JusticeOne of Regan’s strengths dovetails with a central piece of Biden’s platform: addressing the impact of pollution on low-income communities of color.
Regan’s signature achievement as DEQ chief was the formation of an environmental justice board in 2018.
Climate ChangeRegan also led North Carolina’s adoption of an aggressive climate change policy that in 2018 called for a 40% drop in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, compared to 2005 levels. The issue was pushed through executive order because of the GOP-led legislature.
PFASRegan also grew familiar with the problems that certain “forever chemicals” caused state residents.
That experience is likely to come in handy given Biden’s vows to use the federal Superfund law and the Safe Drinking Water Act to intensify oversight of the chemicals.
Coal Ash CleanupsRegan pursued an aggressive strategy to hold Duke Energy accountable for coal ash, which many environmentalists say isn’t regulated strictly enough at the federal level.
Regan led talks with Duke for a cleanup deal that will be the largest in U.S. history.
Focus on ManagementRegan also would be called on to pump life into an embattled corps of 14,000 federal EPA employees, many of whom have expressed dissatisfaction with the agency’s direction under President Trump.
