Union champions Obama-era official for Region 5 post

摘要

An EPA employee union is recommending a former Obama-era agency official to lead the agency's Chicago office. Micah Ragland, who was EPA's head of public engagement from 2014 to 2017, played a prominent role in the federal response to the Flint, Mich., drinking water crisis. He has the support of American Federation of Government Employees Local 704, which represents EPA Region 5 employees, to be their regional administrator for the incoming Biden administration. "Local 704 recommends Micah because we believe he will help the union's rank and file tackle the two most critical challenges facing EPA: climate change and the disproportionate burden that pollution places on frontline [environmental justice] communities," Nicole Cantello, the union's president, told E&E News. Ragland said he was "extremely grateful" for AFGE Local 704's support for him as EPA Region 5 administrator. "These are dedicated public servants who are fully committed to protecting the environment and helping to secure the public health of the diverse constituencies represented in EPA's Region 5 territory," Ragland said in a statement.