Episode
939: Former EPA Chief Michael Regan on Clean Energy and Public Health
- Podcast
- SunCast
- Published
- Jun 11, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1660
- Processing state
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Summary
What if the most compelling case for clean energy isn't climate change, economics, or energy independence? What if it's public health? Former EPA Administrator Michael Regan has spent his career connecting pollution, environmental protection, and energy policy to the everyday health of American communities. In this special collaboration between SunCast and Energy Empire, Nico Johnson and Jigar Shah sit down with Regan to explore why he viewed the EPA as a public health agency first, and what today's clean energy leaders can learn from communities demanding a greater voice in decisions that affect their lives. From North Carolina's landmark coal ash settlement to EPA's Journey to Justice initiative, Regan shares how listening to communities reshaped the way he approached enforcement, regulation, and environmental protection. The conversation also tackles one of the industry's most pressing challenges: how to build the infrastructure America needs while maintaining public trust amid rising concerns over affordability, data centers, and rapid load growth. For developers, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders, this episode offers a timely reminder that successful energy transitions depend not only on technology and capital, but on people. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why Michael Regan believes the EPA is fundamentally a public health agency 🔹 How community engagement led to stronger environmental enforcement and better outcomes 🔹 What today's data center debates reveal about trust, affordability, and energy planning 🔹 Why clean energy messaging resonates most when framed around health, competitiveness, and national security Whether you're developing projects, deploying capital, shaping policy, or leading organizations through the energy transition, this conversation offers p…