WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today voted to advance the nomination of Michael Regan, President Joseph R. Biden’s nominee for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, for consideration by the full Senate.

“With experience leading North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality and working at EPA under Republican and Democrat Administrations, Michael Regan is qualified to lead the EPA,” Wicker said. “I look forward to working with Mr. Regan on water infrastructure priorities that improve water quality for rural residents.”

During last week’s hearing, Wicker pushed Regan to continue supporting technical assistance to help small and rural communities meet federal water quality standards.

Click here to watch the full exchange.

“There’s two ways to approach [compliance],” Wicker said. “One would be to impose penalties on [water utilities] for not getting to where they need to be. The other would be technical assistance, financial assistance, and resources to help them get to where you want them to go and where they want to get to. I like the second approach.”

Regan committed to working collaboratively with water associations to help them comply with federal law.