Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson has announced she will step down in January, according to a USA Today article.
She is the first African American to serve as EPA administrator and faced tough congressional opposition from Republicans throughout her four years on the job.
The chemical engineer by training gave no reason for her resignation, other than saying she’s ready for “new challenges, time with my family and new opportunities to make a difference.”
(Click Here, to read about Jackson’s possible replacements as head of the EPA.)
According to the article, “under her tenure, the EPA set the first standards for emitting mercury, arsenic and other toxins from power plants, and this month, it finalized tougher limits for emitting fine-particle soot from smokestacks, wood-burning stoves and diesel vehicles.”
The regulations she sought resulted in impassioned responses from industry.
“The onslaught of regulations from the EPA means manufacturers will continue to see rising energy prices and skyrocketing compliance costs, which translate into few opportunities for growth and even fewer jobs,” Jay Timmons, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, said in a statement last week.
Other confirmed departures from President Obama’s cabinet include Hillary Clinton and Jane Lubchenco.
