View source for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

{{Short description|Federal governmental agency within the United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox Political post
| post = Administrator
| body = the Environmental Protection Agency
| insignia = File:Seal of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.svg
| insigniasize = 150
| insigniacaption = Seal of the Environmental Protection Agency
| image = Michael S. Regan official photo (cropped).jpg
| incumbent = [[Michael S. Regan]]
| incumbentsince = March 11, 2021
| acting = 
| member_of = [[Cabinet of the United States|Cabinet]]
| inaugural = [[William D. Ruckelshaus]]
| formation = 1970
| website = {{url|https://www.epa.gov/}}
}}
The '''administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency''' is the head of the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA), and is thus responsible for enforcing the nation's [[Clean Air Act (United States)|Clean Air]] and [[Clean Water Act]]s, as well as [[List of United States federal environmental statutes|numerous other environmental statutes]]. The administrator is nominated by the [[president of the United States]] and must be confirmed by a vote of the [[United States Senate|Senate]].

On March 10, 2021, [[Michael S. Regan]] was confirmed by a vote 66 to 34 as the administrator of the EPA, the first [[African Americans|Black]] man to serve in this role.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/20/president-joe-biden-announces-acting-federal-agency-leadership/|title=President Joe Biden Announces Acting Federal Agency Leadership |website=whitehouse.gov|access-date=January 20, 2021}}</ref>

== Rank in the Cabinet ==
Since the Clinton administration, the EPA administrator has been accorded [[Cabinet of the United States#Cabinet-level officials|cabinet rank]] by the president. The administrator of the EPA is equivalent to the position of [[Minister of the Environment]] in other countries. There have been various proposals to make the EPA a full executive department.

== List of administrators ==
{{legend|#E6E6AA|Denotes [[Acting (law)|Acting]] Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency|border=black}}{{legend|#cec1e7|Nominee for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency|border=black}}

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
!colspan=2 scope=col |Officeholder
!scope=col |Term
!colspan=2 |President(s)
|-
|[[File:William Ruckelshaus.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|William|Ruckelshaus}}'''
|{{dts|December 4, 1970}} – April 30, 1973
|rowspan=3 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=3 |{{sortname|Richard|Nixon}}
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Robert W.|Fri}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|April 30, 1973}} – September 12, 1973
|-
|rowspan=2 style="padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em;" |[[File:Russell train.gif|100px]]
!rowspan=2 scope=row style="padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em;" |'''{{sortname|Russell E.|Train}}'''
|rowspan=2 style="padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em;" |{{dts|September 12, 1973}} – January 20, 1977
|-
|rowspan="1" style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
|{{sortname|Gerald|Ford}} 
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|John|Quarles Jr.}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 21, 1977}} – March 6, 1977
|rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Jimmy|Carter}} 
|-
|[[File:Doug M. Costle official EPA portrait.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|Douglas M.|Costle}}'''
|{{dts|March 7, 1977}} – January 20, 1981
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Steve|Jellinek}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 21, 1981}} – January 25, 1981
|rowspan=7 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=7 |{{sortname|Ronald|Reagan}} 
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Walter|Barber Jr.}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 25, 1981}} – May 19, 1981
|-
|[[File:Anne M. Gorsuch 1982b.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|Anne|Gorsuch Burford}}'''
|{{dts|May 20, 1981}} – March 9, 1983
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Lee|Verstandig}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|March 10, 1983}} – May 17, 1983
|-
|[[File:William Ruckelshaus.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|William|Ruckelshaus}}'''
|{{dts|May 18, 1983}} – January 4, 1985
|-
|rowspan=2 |[[File:Lee m thomas 2008.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row rowspan=2 |'''{{sortname|Lee M.|Thomas}}'''
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 4, 1985}} – February 8, 1985
|-
|{{dts|February 8, 1985}} – January 20, 1989
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|John|Moore|dab=government official}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 20, 1989}} – February 6, 1989
|rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|George H. W.|Bush}}
|-
|[[File:William K. Reilly official EPA portrait.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|William K.|Reilly}}'''
|{{dts|February 6, 1989}} – January 20, 1993
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|W. Michael|McCabe}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 20, 1993}} – January 31, 1993
|rowspan=2 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Bill|Clinton}} 
|-
|[[File:CarolBrownerCirca1996.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|Carol|Browner}}'''
|{{dts|January 31, 1993}} – January 20, 2001
|-
|[[File:WhitmanChristineTodd.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|Christine Todd|Whitman}}'''
|{{dts|January 31, 2001}} – June 27, 2003
|rowspan=6 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=6 |{{sortname|George W.|Bush}} 
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Linda|Fisher}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|June 27, 2003}} – July 14, 2003
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Marianne Lamont|Horinko}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|July 14, 2003}} – November 5, 2003
|-
|[[File:Mike Leavitt.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|Mike|Leavitt}}'''
|{{dts|November 6, 2003}} – January 26, 2005
|-
|rowspan=2 |[[File:Stephen L. Johnson, official 2006 EPA photo.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row rowspan=2 |'''{{sortname|Stephen L.|Johnson|dab=politician, born 1951}}'''
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 26, 2005}} – May 2, 2005
|-
|{{dts|May 2, 2005}} – January 20, 2009
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Granta|Nakayama}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 20, 2009}} – January 21, 2009
|rowspan=5 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=5 |{{sortname|Barack|Obama}} 
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:No image.svg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Mike|Shapiro|dab=government official}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 21, 2009}} – January 23, 2009
|-
|[[File:Lisa P. Jackson official portrait.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|Lisa P.|Jackson}}'''
|{{dts|January 23, 2009}} – February 15, 2013
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:EPA Deputy Admin Bob Perciasepe.jpg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Bob|Perciasepe}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|February 15, 2013}} – July 18, 2013
|-
|[[File:Gina McCarthy official portrait.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|Gina|McCarthy}}'''
|{{dts|July 18, 2013}} – January 20, 2017
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:Catherine McCabe.jpg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Catherine|McCabe}}'''<br>{{small|Acting}}
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 20, 2017}} – February 17, 2017
|rowspan=4 style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=4 |{{sortname|Donald|Trump}} 
|-
|[[File:Scott Pruitt official portrait.jpg|100px]]
!scope=row |'''{{sortname|Scott|Pruitt}}'''
|{{dts|February 17, 2017}} – July 9, 2018
|-
|rowspan=2 |[[File:Andrew Wheeler official photo (cropped).jpg|100px]]
!scope=row rowspan=2 |'''{{sortname|Andrew R.|Wheeler}}'''
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|July 9, 2018}} – February 28, 2019
|-
|{{dts|February 28, 2019}} – January 20, 2021
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:Charlotte Bertrand.jpg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Charlotte|Bertrand}}'''<br><small>Acting{{efn|Served as Acting Administrator in her capacity as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water for a few hours following the conclusion of the term [[Andrew R. Wheeler]] at noon on January 20, 2021. President [[Joe Biden]] signed an executive order naming principal deputy assistant head of the Office of International and Tribal Affairs [[Jane Nishida]] as acting Administrator later that day.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-administrator|title=About the Office of the Administrator |website=epa.gov|access-date=January 20, 2021|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120223502/https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-administrator|archive-date= January 20, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/01/heres-who-leading-federal-agencies-biden-nominees-await-confirmation/171512/|title=Here's Who Is Leading Federal Agencies as Biden Nominees Await Confirmation|website=govexec.com|access-date=January 21, 2021|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120201629/https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/01/heres-who-leading-federal-agencies-biden-nominees-await-confirmation/171512/|archive-date= January 20, 2021}}</ref>}}</small>
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 20, 2021}}
|rowspan=3 style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=3 |{{sortname|Joe|Biden}} 
|-
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |[[File:Jane Nishida, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator.jpg|100px]]
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" !scope=row |'''{{sortname|Jane|Nishida}}'''<br><small>Acting</small>
|bgcolor="#E6E6AA" |{{dts|January 20, 2021}} – March 11, 2021
|-
||[[File:Michael S. Regan official photo (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|!scope=row |'''{{sortname|Michael S.|Regan}}'''
|{{dts|March 11, 2021}} – present
|}
{{notelist}}

== List of deputy administrators ==
*[[Robert W. Fri]] June 14, 1971 – April 29, 1973
*[[John R. Quarles Jr.]] April 29, 1973 – January 20, 1977
*[[Barbara Blum]] March 7, 1977 – January 20, 1981
*[[John W. Hernandez Jr.]] May 20, 1981 – March 25, 1983
*[[Alvin L. Alm]] August 5, 1983 – May 9, 1985
*[[A. James Barnes]] May 10, 1985 – August 14, 1988
*[[John A. Moore]] (Acting) August 15, 1988 – January 20, 1989<br>(Acting) February 5, 1989 – May 18, 1989
*[[F. Henry Habicht II]] May 19, 1989 – January 20, 1993
*[[Jonathan Z. Cannon]] (Acting) March 8, 1993 – May 9, 1993
*[[Robert M. Sussman]] May 10, 1993 – October 17, 1994
*[[Fred Hansen (Environmental Protection Agency)|Fred Hansen]] October 18, 1994 – September 30, 1998
*[[Peter D. Robertson]] (Acting) October 1, 1998 – December 7, 1999
*[[W. Michael McCabe]] (Acting) December 8, 1999 – August 5, 2000<br>August 6, 2000 – January 19, 2001
*[[Linda Fisher]] May 31, 2001 – June 27, 2003
*[[Stephen L. Johnson (politician, born 1951)|Stephen L. Johnson]] (Acting) July 12, 2003 – August 1, 2004<br>August 2, 2004 – January 26, 2005
*[[Marcus Peacock]] August 8, 2005 – January 20, 2009
*[[Scott Fulton (EPA)|Scott Fulton]] February 4, 2009 – December 24, 2009
*[[Bob Perciasepe]] December 24, 2009 – August 8, 2014
*[[Lisa Feldt]] (Acting) August 8, 2014 – October 7, 2014
*[[Stan Meiburg]] (Acting) October 7, 2014 – January 20, 2017
*[[Mike Flynn (Environmental Protection Agency)|Mike Flynn]] January 20, 2017 – April 3, 2018
*[[Andrew R. Wheeler]] April 20, 2018 – February 28, 2019
*[[Henry Darwin (EPA)|Henry Darwin]] July 9, 2018 – September 2019
*[[Janet McCabe]] April 29, 2021 – October 4, 2024
*[[Jane Nishida]] (Acting) October 5, 2024 - March 11, 2021
*[[Michael S. Regan]] March 11, 2021 – present

== Acting administrators ==
Acting administrators usually assume the office in the interim period between the resignation of a previous administrator and the confirmation of his or her successor, including during the transition period between two presidential administrations, before the successor has been nominated and confirmed. Acting administrators come from within the EPA and usually hold an office that is subject to Senate confirmation before becoming the acting administrator. Linda Fisher and Stephen L. Johnson had served as Deputy Administrator when they became acting administrator. [[Marianne Lamont Horinko]] was an assistant administrator at the time. They are not subject to Senate confirmation to serve as the acting administrator, though to continue to serve as a full-fledged administrator (as in the case of Lee M. Thomas or Stephen L. Johnson), they must be confirmed by the Senate.

== Line of succession ==
The line of succession for the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is as follows:<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/08/17/2016-19725/providing-an-order-of-succession-within-the-environmental-protection-agency|title=Providing an Order of Succession Within the Environmental Protection Agency|date=August 17, 2016|newspaper=Federal Register}}</ref>
#Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
#General Counsel
#Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management
#Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
#Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation
#Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water
#Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
#Chief Financial Officer
#Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development
#Assistant Administrator for the Office of International and Tribal Affairs
#Assistant Administrator for the Office of Administration and Resources Management
#Assistant Administrator for the Office of Environmental Information
#Regional Administrator, Region 7 ([[Kansas City, Kansas|Kansas City]], [[Kansas]])
#Principal Deputy General Counsel
#Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
#Deputy Regional Administrator, Region 2 ([[New York City|New York]], [[New York (state)|New York]])
#Deputy Regional Administrator, Region 5 (Chicago, [[Illinois]])

== See also ==
*[[White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy]]
*[[Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry]]

== References ==
{{commons category|Administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency}}
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite web |title=About the Office of the Administrator |url=https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-administrator |date=2020-02-25 |publisher=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |location=Washington, D.C.}}
{{Refend}}
{{Reflist}}

{{EPA}}

[[Category:Administrators of the United States Environmental Protection Agency]]
[[Category:Cabinet of the United States|Environmental Protection Agency]]