Lisa Jackson's EPA Legacy
A look at the former EPA chief's achievements.
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Black and Green - Over the course of a four-year fight for cleaner air and water, hostile Republican lawmakers and industry frequently challenged Lisa Jackson, the first African-American to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Such criticisms didn't stop her crusade. When she resigned to pursue new challenges, President Obama praised her "unwavering commitment to the health of our families and our children." Here are some of Jackson's most notable achievements. — Joyce Jones (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Fuel Efficiency - Thanks to Jackson, the term "gas guzzler" may be a thing of the past. Under her leadership, the EPA successfully negotiated fuel-efficiency standards with automakers. The new standards mandate that 2025 model year cars and trucks have to have a fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon. They're also an incentive to develop electric vehicles. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Green: The New Black - During her tenure, Jackson made environmental justice an agency-wide priority. She implemented Plan EJ 2014, which aimed to tackle the issue from every angle, including permitting, compliance and enforcement and community-based programs and collaborations with other federal agencies. (Photo: Mike Theiler-Pool/Getty Images)
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Stop Right There - Jackson drafted new rules that limit mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants and implemented a sweeping review of applications for mountaintop review. The EPA deemed that the practice of dumping raw mining waste into wetlands and streams would cause significant damage to water quality and the environment and violate the Clean Water Act. (Photo: Patrik Stollarz/Getty Images)
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Cleaner Air - Under Jackson, the agency found that greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles and engines contribute to global warming and pollution that threatens public health and welfare. Such findings were necessary to implement new emissions standards for cars and light trucks. (Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)
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Action Jackson - Jackson, who grew up in New Orleans, represented the administration following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 and frequently hosted town meetings throughout the region with residents whose lives and livelihoods were impacted by the disaster. (Photo: AP Photo/US Coast Guard, File)
Photo By AP Photo/US Coast Guard
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Power Plant Emissions - Jackson helped set new standards for mercury and other air toxics from power plants, including rules to lower smog- and soot-based pollution that crosses state lines. (Photo: Jeff Fusco/Getty Images)
