Joe Biden’s decision to halt the Keystone XL Pipeline was just the beginning of his plans for fighting climate change. His pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency is Michael Regan, and he is a true believer.
He even thinks the rest of the country can learn from California.
Here are some highlights from his confirmation hearing via PBS:
WATCH: Biden EPA nominee vows ‘sense of urgency’ on climate changePresident Joe Biden’s nominee to run the Environmental Protection Agency pledged Wednesday to “move with a sense of urgency on climate change” and other priorities, while working with lawmakers from both parties to protect the environment.Michael Regan told a Senate committee that under Biden the EPA “will stand up for environmental justice and equity” and will collaborate with business and community groups, state and local governments and others “who know their own communities better than the federal government ever could.”Under questioning from Republican senators, Regan vowed to “follow the law, not exceed my statutory authority” to complete major new regulations on power plants, automobile tailpipes, mercury emissions and waterways — all of which will likely face strong GOP opposition.“We will work transparently with responsible industries eager to establish clear, consistent rules of the road,” Regan said, and “work in partnership with Congress, leveraging your expertise … as we strive to build healthier communities.”
You can tell that PBS likes him because they note that Regan is a “consensus builder.”
Regan, 44, spent nearly 10 years working at EPA under presidents of both parties. He called it “the honor of a lifetime to be asked to return″ to lead the agency.Known as a consensus builder, Regan said that throughout his career, “I’ve learned that if you want to address complex challenges, you must first be able to see them from all sides and you must be willing to put yourself in other people’s shoes.”
He sounds so reasonable, doesn’t he? But wait, there’s more.
Regan suggested that America could learn from California:
In this clip, he defends Biden’s decision to kill jobs as an effort to “transition” the economy:
This administration is going all-in on climate change. They obviously don’t care if thousands of people lose their jobs in the process.
It’s all part of the price you have to pay to save the planet, not them.
Featured image via YouTube.
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