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On Saturday, President-elect Joe Biden officially announced his nominations to key environment and energy positions in his cabinet. In a press conference, he emphasized that he chose a team that will make clean energy jobs and environmental protection a cornerstone of his economic plans, stating, "Today I'm pleased to announce a team that will lead my administration's ambitious plan to address the existential threat of our time, climate change." The announcement included Deb Haaland for Secretary of the Interior, Jennifer Granholm for Secretary of Energy, Michael Regan for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Brenda Mallory for Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, Gina McCarthy for National Climate Advisor, and Ali Zaidi for Deputy National Climate Advisor.
Biden's selections signal the incoming administration's focus on environmental justice and follow through on Biden's promise to assemble "a Cabinet that looks like America, that taps into the best of America, that opens doors and includes the full range of talents that we have in this nation." Several of the nominees are barrier-breaking; if confirmed, Deb Haaland will be the first Native American to lead the Interior Department, Michael Regan will be the first Black man to run the Environmental Protection Agency, and Brenda Mallory will be the first Black woman at the helm of the Council on Environmental Quality.
What to expect when you’re expecting a Biden administration
The latest episode of The Landscape features a conversation with former Deputy Interior Secretary David J. Hayes about Rep. Deb Haaland, nominee for Interior Secretary, and the rest of President-elect Biden’s climate and environmental justice team.
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‘Energy dominance’ has been a complete disaster from start to finish. The Trump administration is basically trying to force drilling down the throats of communities across the West. They created immense regulatory uncertainty for companies in the industry with a lot of their ham-handed rollbacks, and that’s leading to court defeats and then more uncertainty for these drillers.”
