EPA’s top water regulator, Radhika Fox, is stepping down after nearly three years in the job where she helped lead the latest effort to rewrite the “waters of the U.S.” rule.
Fox, EPA's assistant administrator for water, will serve until the end of February, the agency said. She was confirmed by the Senate 55-43 in June 2021,
“Radhika’s impact on protecting clean water for all will be felt across this country for decades to come,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said. “Radhika’s vision, strategy, and tenacity to deliver on President Biden’s ambitious agenda has been nothing short of transformational.”
Fox said she was “proud of the work we’ve accomplished to ensure that every American can rely on clean and safe water, which provides a foundation for healthy communities and thriving economies. The partnerships we’ve established, the science-based regulations we’ve issued, and the federal funding we’ve invested will benefit generations to come.”
Fox “is the first woman of color and the first person of Asian-American descent to lead EPA’s Office of Water,” the agency said.
Like other leaders of the Office of Water who came before her, however, Fox was not able to craft an enduring rule defining WOTUS, the debate over which has raged for years. The latest EPA-Army Corp of Engineers rule is enjoined in 27 states as litigation over its legality continues.
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The press release announcing Fox’s departure briefly mentions WOTUS, a frequent topic at congressional hearings where Fox was a key witness. It also lists a series of accomplishments, including Fox’s oversight of “$2 billion in investments in treasured water bodies from the Chesapeake Bay, to the Great Lakes, to Puget Sound.”
During her tenure, the Office of Water focused on numerous issues, including changes to the lead and copper rule, development of a national standard for PFAS in drinking water, and the Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification Rule.
In addition, “Fox was the driving force in implementation of the water pillar of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — which includes $50 billion in funding for water projects — the single largest federal investment in the water sector,” EPA said.
The agency did not say where Fox is heading after EPA or when a successor would be nominated.
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