Why California’s lead environmental official, Mary Nichols, will likely not run the EPA

Tackling climate is a massive priority for President-elect Joe Biden, so there’s a lot of attention on who he’ll pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. One of the people thought to be a shoe-in was Mary Nichols, the head of the California Air Resources Board. Nichols helped pioneer California’s cap-and-trade program, and she was Biden’s top pick to head the EPA.

Nichols now appears to be out of the running — after dozens of environmental justice groups signed a letter criticizing her “bleak” record on environmental racism. Biden’s transition team is now scrambling to find someone else to lead the EPA.