Michael Rღegan served as EPA Administrator during the Biden administr🍨ation.
Michael Regan was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator under President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2024. Before his appointment, he served as Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Former President Biden nominated Regan in late 2020, and the Senate confirmed him on March 10, 2021. He was sworn into office on March 11, 2021.
Key Takeaways
- Michael S. Regan was the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Biden.
- Regan grew up in North Carolina and was the state's secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
- He focused on creating programs that support environmental health in poor and minority communities.
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Investopedia / Julie Bang
Early Life and Education
Regan was born in Goldsboro, N.C., and credits his love of protecting the environment with the copious amounts of time he spent in nature, hunting and fishing with his father and grandfather. The 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Inner Coastal Plain of North Carolina and its land and waters informed Regan's relationship with the natural world.
Regan holds 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 joined the EPA in 1998, spending the first three years as a special assistant to the U.S. Assistant Administrator of Air and Radiation. Regan spent nearly a decade at the EPA dealing with air pollution issues. Regan also established an environmental and energy consulting firm.
Notable Accomplishments
As the secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Regan implemented the largest coal-ash cleanup settlement in U.S. history and ordered chemical company The Chemours Co. (CC) to renew its steps to clean up toxic substances from the Cape Fear River.
Regan once served as the associate vice president of U.S. Climate and Energy and as the southeast regional director of the Environmental Defense Fund, where he led efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change and 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:air quality pollution. He has decades of professional experience dealing with complex environmental challenges and has worked with the EPA during the Clinton and Bush administrations.
Important
Regan led complicated negotiations regarding the clean-up of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. The river was contaminated by corporate dumping of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance) toxic chemicals.
What Goals Did Regan Work to Achieve as EPA Director?
Regan plays a crucial role in President Biden's goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and eliminating fossil fuel emissions from the power sector by 2035.
What Is the EPA?
The EPA or the Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the United States federal government. The EPA's mission is to protect environmental and human health by regulating the use, manufacturing, processing, and distribution of chemicals and other pollutants that may impact water and air quality. It also oversees programs that support all aspects of the environment, from sustainable growth practices to promoting energy efficiency.
How Has Michael Regan Helped the Environment?
While working as the head of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Regan ordered The Chemours Co., a well-known chemical company, to clean toxic substances from the Cape Fear River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Bottom Line
Michael S. Regan was the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Joe Biden. He was replaced by Lee Zeldin under the Trump administration in 2025. Regan served as Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. He established his home state's Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory board to address 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:social inequality, provide env♒ironmental ꦕprotection, and support community empowerment.