"Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson is leaving her post after four years of battling Republicans and industry while also giving the White House some heartburn along the way over her push for new clean air rules."
"Jackson has won praise from greens for her tenure, but she also leaves with the Obama administration having yet to aggressively address climate change.
'I will leave the EPA confident the ship is sailing in the right direction, and ready in my own life for new challenges, time with my family and new opportunities to make a difference,' Jackson said in a statement Thursday.
The agency said she plans to leave after President Barack Obama's State of the Union address early next year. If a nominee to replace her has not been confirmed by then, the White House plans to have Jackson's deputy, Robert Perciasepe, serve as the acting administrator.
Jackson faced tremendous opposition in her four years at the EPA, where she was a lightning rod for attacks from the right for environmental regulations considered tough on industry — particularly coal."
Darren Samuelsohn and Erica Martinson report for Politico December 27, 2012.
SEE ALSO:
"Lisa Jackson Resigns: EPA Administrator Stepping Down" (AP)
Jackson Says She Won't Run for Governor (Newark Star-Ledger)
"Top Obama Environmental Official Departs 'Frustrated' Over Pipeline, Inaction On Climate" (BuzzFeed Politics)
"EPA Successor Faces Fracking Fight" (Allentown Morning Call)
"New Power-Plant Air Rules Fall to Next Leader at EPA" (Wall St. Journal)
[You can get a free pass to view this paid content by pasting the headline into the Google search engine and clicking on the resulting link.]
"EPA Faces Legal Battles, Might Take Easy Confirmation Road" (Reuters)
