By Jarrett Renshaw and Jeff Mason
(Reuters) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan is considering stepping down, according to four sources familiar with the matter.
Regan has been thinking seriously about departing and has been exploring options outside the Biden administration but has not made any decisions, one source said.
“No plans imminently, but I do know it’s been on the radar screen for the past few weeks,” the source said.
The EPA said Regan had no plans to depart.
“The administrator doesn’t have any plans to step down. He’s committed to continuing to advance President Biden’s historic climate and environmental agenda,” said Maria Michalos, an EPA spokesperson and one of Regan’s top aides.
Regan is the first Black man to lead the EPA.
The White House has been preparing for departures of senior staff, including at the cabinet level. White House chief of staff Ron Klain is expected to leave after Biden’s State of the Union address in February, to be replaced by Jeff Zients, Biden’s former COVID-19 response coordinator.
The EPA is the main agency responsible for environmental and climate regulation. It is expected to roll out its regulatory agenda for power plants in March.
(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and Jeff Mason. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
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