EPA nominee Michael Regan will likely get a Senate confirmation vote later this week after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer filed cloture Saturday on his nomination.
Reports say Senators will vote to advance Regan?s nomination as EPA Administrator on Wednesday afternoon with a confirmation vote before the full Senate expected by Thursday. In a press call with farm reporters Monday morning, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said he plans to vote ?yes? for Michael Regan.
?Unless something comes out here in the next two days, I expect to support him,? Grassley said. ?I?m not anticipating anything like that, but there?s always that possibility and I don?t want to mislead you if I change my mind, but right now I?m going to vote yes.?
If confirmed, Regan would be tasked with setting renewable volume obligations for 2021 under the Renewable Fuel Standard. Senator Grassley was asked if he believes Regan will make the RFS and biofuels a priority at EPA.
?The short answer is yes but remember that came in telephone conversations that I had with him prior to appearing before the committee,? Grassley said. ?I?m not on that committee, so I?m not sure what the transcript of that hearing says, but I have not heard anybody in the biofuels industry say anything differently.?
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst asked Regan in February if he will try to grow the use of advanced biofuels like biomass-based diesel. Regan responded, ?I will confer with my legal and policy team to understand all of the options before me regarding the RFS program, and in this specific case, how to set the RFS volume requirements beyond 2022.?
If confirmed by the full Senate, Regan would be the first African American man to head the Environmental Protection Agency in its 50-year history.
