Post-election fallout: EPA policy head steps aside

One of the strongest proponents for vigorous carbon regulation is stepping aside. WIll this be the first of many defections after a midterm defeat for President Obama?

Fri, Nov 05 2010 at 11:31 AM

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EPA, Global Warming, Obama, Climate Change, Congress, Climate Policy

STEPPING DOWN: Two years is enough for Lisa Heinzerling, who led the EPA's policy office. (Photo: SelectCommitte/Flickr)e

The midterm elections are barely in the rearview mirror and departures from the Obama administration have already begun.

Lisa Heinzerling, assistant administrator in the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Policy, is reported to be leaving her post as the head of the policy office. Heinzerling will return to Georgetown University to teach. She's known to be one of the more aggressive supporters of greenhouse gas regulation within the EPA and worked on the case that resulted in the Supreme Court confirming the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gasses in 2007.

After her departure was announced, Politico quoted an Obama climate advisor saying that Heinzerling is “probably the farthest left and most committed of anyone on the team, with the exception of Carol Browner [Obama's climate czar],” on climate change.

Heinzerling leaves her position with no climate legislation passed, but there has been more chatter on the topic following the election. President Obama spoke about tackling energy policy in his first news conference after the midterms, though he took a moderate tone.

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