Sen. Carper Statement on EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson’s Departure

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Clean Air, released the following statement on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson’s announcement that she will leave the Administration early next year:
 
“When Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson took her post nearly four years ago, it was a breath of fresh air. She entered the Administration at a challenging time, following eight years of environmental policy set-backs on top of one of the worst economic crises in our nation’s history. But Administrator Jackson met those challenges – building alliances, working with Congress and figuring out a path forward that could both grow the economy and protect the environment. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Clean Air, I had the privilege of working with Administrator Jackson throughout her tenure. She is a principled and pragmatic advocate and a tireless leader on environmental and energy issues.
 
“During her four years as EPA Administration, Administrator Jackson led the effort to improve our air quality, protect our nation’s water resources and help clean up our nation’s communities so that our children and grandchildren can grow up breathing cleaner air and leading healthier lives. Specifically, she put the nation on the right path by setting historic fuel economy standards for our nation’s cars and trucks and the first-ever national standards for mercury and air toxic emissions from our power plants.  She also completed the work many before her tried to do, including finalizing clean air standards to curb toxic air pollution from industrial boilers. Administrator Jackson and her team have made a lot of progress in their efforts and they deserve our thanks and appreciation. 
 
“Although Administrator Jackson is moving on to new challenges, the work she championed over the last four remains and we must continue to be vigilant in our efforts to protect our environment and public health. I appreciate her commitment to public service and his willingness to help the EPA – and our nation – navigate through such challenging times. She leaves some very big shoes to fill but fortunately, under her leadership, the EPA is poised to continue to make progress in the years to come.”
 
###