President-elect Biden made two historic cabinet selections: Michael Regan, who heads the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, to run the U.S. EPA, and Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico, to head the Interior Department.
"President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Michael S. Regan, who heads the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, as the next Environmental Protection Agency administrator," report , and Juliet Eilperin for The Washington Post on Dec. 17.
Regan, 44, would be the first Black man to run the EPA.
Regan has served as North Carolina’s top environmental official since early 2017, when Gov. Roy Cooper (D) named him to his role. During that time, he forged a tough multibillion-dollar settlement over a coal ash cleanup with Duke Energy, established an environmental justice advisory board and reached across the political divide to work with the state’s Republican legislature.
In fact, it was that deal, along with Regan's work with disadvantaged communities, is what led to his selection, add Dennis, Mufson, and Eilperin.
“Right away he prioritized climate change, environmental justice and coal ash cleanup,” said Cassie Gavin, the Sierra Club’s director of government relations for North Carolina.
Michael Brune, the director of Sierra Club, added his endorsement in a press release:
Joe Biden ran on the boldest, strongest climate policy -- one that centers climate justice -- in history. As he continues to build his cabinet, perhaps no pick thus far emphasizes this focus as much as Michael Regan.
"Since North Carolina’s governor is a Democrat but the legislature is controlled by Republicans, Regan has been forced to work with a divided state government — experience that could come in handy in a bitterly split Washington," add the Post reporters.
Department of Interior
Separately, Eilperin report that "Biden chose Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) Thursday to serve as the first Native American Cabinet secretary and head the Interior Department, a historic pick that marks a turning point for the U.S. government’s relationship with the nation’s Indigenous peoples."
In selecting 60-year-old Haaland, a member of Pueblo of Laguna, Biden has placed the descendant of the original people to populate North America atop a 171-year-old institution that has often had a fraught relationship with the nation’s 574 federally recognized tribes.
Rep. Haaland was just reelected to what would be her second term. She won the open seat left by Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) in 2018 who successfully ran for governor of New Mexico. Gov. Lujan Grisham had reportedly been offered the Interior position but turned it down.
With the selection of Haaland and Regan, "Biden sent a clear message that top officials charged with confronting the nation’s environmental problems will have a shared experience with the Americans who have disproportionately been affected by toxic air and polluted land," add Grandoni, Dennis and Eilperin.
“A voice like mine has never been a Cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior,” Haaland tweeted Thursday night. “ ... I’ll be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all of our protected land.”
The last word goes to show what Haaland, if confirmed, will no doubt have to deal with on a regular basis.
In a sign of the opposition the administration will soon face, the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association issued a statement noting drilling on federal land generates $800 million annually for the state’s government. “We hope Rep. Haaland will employ a balanced approach that considers the needs of all who depend on public lands, including the thousands of men and women and families whose livelihoods depend on access to public lands for resource development,” the group said.
Related in Planetizen:
-
Biden Selects his Energy Secretary and new National Climate Advisor, December 18, 2020
-
Mayor Pete Is Biden's Pick for Transportation Secretary, December 16, 2020
-
Governor, Regulators Standing Up to Dirty Energy Interests in North Carolina, September 3, 2019
-
State Gubernatorial Elections Have Environmental Consequences, November 1, 2018
Trump administration:
-
Former Oil and Gas Lobbyist Nominated to Run Interior Department, February 5, 2019
-
EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Resigns, July 6, 2018
FULL STORY: Biden picks Michael Regan, North Carolina's top environmental official, to run EPA
Biden Selects Energy Secretary and New National Climate Advisor
Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a U.C. Berkeley professor, is Biden's choice to lead the Energy Department. A new position, national climate advisor, will be filled by former Obama EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, current head of the NRDC.
Appeals Court Rebuffs Trump's EPA on Methane Emissions Suspension
In a win for the environment, a D.C. Circuit panel ruled that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt could not arbitrarily suspend the starting date of a landmark Obama rule that would reduce methane emissions from new and modified oil and gas wells.
A Win for ‘Keep it in the Ground’
Coal mining in Wyoming will take a major hit as a result of a U.S. Department of Interior plan to cease future leasing of coal mines in the nation's most productive coal mining basin. The decision casts a spotlight on the presidential election.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Washington Legislature Passes Rent Increase Cap
A bill that caps rent increases at 7 percent plus inflation is headed to the governor’s desk.
From Planning to Action: How LA County Is Rethinking Climate Resilience
Chief Sustainability Officer Rita Kampalath outlines the County’s shift from planning to implementation in its climate resilience efforts, emphasizing cross-departmental coordination, updated recovery strategies, and the need for flexible funding.
New Mexico Aging Department Commits to Helping Seniors Age ‘In Place’ and ‘Autonomously’ in New Draft Plan
As New Mexico’s population of seniors continues to grow, the state’s aging department is proposing expanded initiatives to help seniors maintain their autonomy while also supporting family caregivers.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service