Biden taps Janet McCabe to serve as deputy at EPA

The incoming Biden administration plans to tap Janet McCabe to serve as deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the transition team announced early Friday.

McCabe previously served as the acting assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation at EPA for much of the Obama administration.

Asking McCabe to rejoin the agency fits with Biden’s pattern of recalling insiders deeply familiar with institutions that critics have argued have reversed their mission during the Trump administration.

“These dedicated and distinguished leaders will bring the highest level of experience, integrity, and knowledge to bear on behalf of the American people,” Biden said in a release announcing McCabe’s selection alongside other picks.

“Each of them brings a deep respect for the civil servants who keep our republic running, as well as a keen understanding of how the government can and should work for all Americans.”

If confirmed, McCabe would be the deputy to Michael Regan, another EPA employee who served under the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations.

While leading EPA’s air office, McCabe helped develop the Clean Power Plan, one of President Obama’s signature efforts to reduce emissions from power plants that has since been tied up in court. 

McCabe currently works as director of the Environmental Resilience Institute at Indiana University and a professor at the university’s law school.