Regan nominated to be EPA chief

President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate Michael Regan to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

Regan’s appointment will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

As North Carolina Environmental Quality secretary, Regan oversees the state agency whose mission is to protect North Carolina’s environment and natural resources. The organization has offices from the mountains to the coast and administers regulatory and public assistance programs aimed at protecting the quality of North Carolina’s air, water and land, its coastal fisheries and the public’s health.

He spent more than 18 years of professional experience focused on overcoming complex challenges through environmental advocacy and regulation. Regan served as the associate vice president of U.S. Climate and Energy and Southeast regional director of the Environmental Defense Fund. He led the Environmental Defense Fund’s efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change and air quality pollution.

Prior to that, Regan worked with the Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality and energy programs for the Clinton and Bush administrations. Before leaving the agency, Regan served as a national program manager responsible for designing programs aimed at reducing pollution, and market-based solutions to improve energy efficiency, air quality and climate-related challenges.

Regan also founded M. Regan & Associates, LLC, a firm dedicated to helping organizations find transformational solutions to complex energy, environmental and economic challenges.

Regan has served on several boards and commissions focused on the environment. They include the UNC School of Law Center for Climate, Energy, Environment and Economics, Green 2.0, N.C. Commission on Global Climate Change, the N.C. Energy Policy Council and the Executive Steering Committee of Envision Charlotte.

A native of Goldsboro, Regan has a bachelor’s degree in earth and environmental science from N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University and a master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University.

Regan and his wife, Melvina, and their son, Matthew, live in Raleigh.

His nomination was supported by President Howard “AV” Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin, who offered his congratulations.

“As DEQ secretary in North Carolina, a leading pork-producing state he always had an open door, valued diverse points of view and worked to find solutions that ensured science and data were guiding decisions,” Roth said. “We hope those same qualities will be carried over to his leadership at EPA. We look forward to working with him on issues of importance to U.S. pork producers, as we continue to produce the highest-quality, most affordable and nutritious protein the world.”

National Corn Growers Association President John Linder hopes that EPA will recommit to the Renewable Fuel Standard.

“The National Corn Growers Association looks forward to working with Regan on issues of importance to corn farmers overseen by the EPA, most notably the Renewable Fuel Standard,” Linder said. “The RFS was a game-changer for corn farmers nearly 20 years ago but previous administrations have failed to uphold the law and implement it as Congress intended. NCGA hopes to have an open dialogue with the new administrator upon his confirmation and work together to uphold the RFS, reduce emissions through greater use of biofuels, ensure farmers’ access to crop protection products based on sound science and seek practical solutions to issues important to agriculture.”

The American Soybean Association through its farmer-leaders valued Regan’s record of being a fair and effective regulator in North Carolina.

“ASA shares Director Regan’s passion for protecting the environment and we look forward to working with him to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of agriculture,” ASA President Kevin Scott said. “ASA has a strong working relationship with EPA on soy policy priorities including the Renewable Fuel Standard, biotechnology and maintaining science and risk-based processes for consideration of crop protectants. We welcome future collaborations between Director Regan and the EPA on these issues.”

Gov. Roy Cooper said he was proud of his fellow North Carolinian and said he will be a capable administrator for the Biden team.

“Michael has served as DEQ secretary with distinction, helping advance my climate change executive order and promoting creative solutions to some of our toughest challenges,” Cooper said. “He has important work ahead of him helping battle climate change on a national level, and I wish him and his family the best on this next step."

Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].