EPA chief defends infrastructure plan after climate protests: ‘This is a historic investment’

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head Michael Regan on Wednesday defended the climate and environmental provisions of the bipartisan infrastructure package in response to activists who have accused the Biden administration of cowardice on the issue.

“This is a historic investment, this is the largest investment in American history, both on water infrastructure but we also see some strong movement on climate,” Regan said at a White House press briefing. “It’s a critical first step, but the president is holding tight to his vision and the president is looking closely at all the suite of options he has.”

Upon the announcement of a bipartisan infrastructure deal in the Senate, President Biden first said he would not sign the deal unless he was also sent a budget reconciliation package, but he later walked back the ultimatum.

Protesters affiliated with the progressive environmental group Sunrise Movement gathered outside the White House on Monday bearing signs reading “Biden you coward fight for us” and “no climate no deal.” Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) both spoke at the demonstration.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki has pushed back against the notion that the infrastructure package’s climate provisions are on the chopping block, citing provisions on renewable energy and electric vehicles.

“Whether or not everyone is aware of all those specifics, that’s incumbent on us to keep conveying that, communicating it, listening, and making sure people understand that this is a down payment, and the president will continue to advocate for, press for, work for, even more on climate as he will in the reconciliation bill in the process moving forward,” she said Monday.

However, the bipartisan agreement reduces the original American Jobs Plan’s investment in resilience by about $3 billion and cuts about $27 billion for transmission lines and grid centralization.

Regan was also asked if he believed climate change could have been a contributing factor to the deadly collapse of a condo building in Surfside, Fla. The EPA administrator responded, “I don’t know if we have enough information at this point,” but he said the agency was continuing to coordinate with local authorities to identify causes.