Top Biden environmental official Michael Regan to step down on Dec 31

WASHINGTON - The head of the US Environmental Protection Agency plans to step down on Dec 31 after overseeing widespread efforts by the administration of President Joe Biden to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan told employees of his plans in an email on Dec 20, saying the agency had “confronted climate change with the urgency science demands. We set the strongest standards in history and put billions of dollars to work to spur clean energy development, create good-paying American jobs and lower costs for families.”

This week, Mr Regan approved a waiver to allow California to implement landmark clean car rules that seek to ban the sale of petrol-only vehicles by 2035. Rules finalised by the EPA in March will cut vehicle emissions by 49 per cent by 2032 and speed the deployment of EVs. They will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 7.2 billion tonnes through 2055.

Mr Regan said Ms Jane Nishida will serve as acting administrator through Jan 20 and Mr Dan Utech will serve as acting deputy administrator until then.

Last month, the EPA finalised a methane fee for big oil and gas producers meant to slash emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas, but which is likely to be scrapped by the incoming presidency of Donald Trump.

Trump said in November he was nominating Republican former Congressman Lee Zeldin, who often voted against legislation on green issues, to head the EPA.

Trump plans to seek reversal of many Biden EPA rules on the burning of fossil fuels, including one curbing carbon emissions from power plants and another slashing such emissions from vehicles.

Trump has said he plans to begin rescinding EPA and the Department of Transportation vehicle pollution rules on his first day in office and is considering paring back or eliminating EV tax breaks and other incentives.

Trump also plans to rescind California’s ability to set its own vehicle emissions rules, as he did in 2019. REUTERS