EPA Administrator To Step Down

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson announced she’ll step down early next year.

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski isn’t sure who should replace her.

Senator Murkowski is the top Republican on the Energy Committee. She says there are some names being floated to replace Jackson she would oppose – like Mary Nichols, who heads California’s Air Resources Board. That state recently instituted its own cap and trade market.

Senator Murkowski says two internal candidates who have already gone through Senate confirmation would have an easier time – Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Gina McCarthy, and Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe.

Still, she would not commit to saying she’s comfortable with anyone just yet.

“Obviously, EPA has huge impact on our operation up north,” Murkowski said. “We want to make sure we’ve got someone as head of that agency that we can deal with and that actually listens.”

Senator Murkowski says it’s not in anyone’s interest to prevent complete nomination of the administrator, and that keeping Jackson’s replacement in “acting” status would hurt the agency.

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