On Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, President-elect Joe Biden unveiled his climate team, signaling the administration would make energy and environmental policy a top priority. The event formally announced rumored nominees Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM) for secretary of the Department of the Interior and former North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Michael Regan for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Additional appointments on the climate team include former Secretary of State John Kerry as National Security Climate Envoy, environmental attorney Brenda Mallory for chair of the Council of Environmental Quality, and former Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI) for Secretary of Energy.
During his speech, Biden highlighted policy priorities that could also be important economic drivers:
- Automotive Sector: Expanding the charging station network for electric vehicles (EVs)and purchasing more EVs for the government fleet
- Energy Sector: Transitioning to cleaner sources of electricity and plugging more than three million abandoned oil and gas wells
- Building Sector: Building 11.5 million energy efficient public housing units
This presentation outlines the key administration nominees and their positions on a number of high-profile energy and environment issues. Potential barriers to Senate confirmation for some nominees are also briefly discussed. The presentation also covers additional agencies that will be involved in tackling climate policy for the administration.
