ADMINISTRATIONS EFFORTS TO
SOLVE THE CRISIS.
>> Reporter: FROM CALIFORNIAS
RECORD-SHATTERING 2020 WILD
FIRES TO THE UNPRECEDENTED
HURRICANE SEASON IN THE SOUTH,
CLIMATE CHANGE IS RESHAPING THE
COUNTRYS LANDSCAPE AND
COASTLINES.
SCIENCE IS TELLING US THAT TIME
FOR ACTION IS QUICKLY RUNNING
OUT.
THE MANTAS KED EDTASKED WITH COM
THIS ENERGY AND CARRYING OUT
PRESIDENT BIDENS AMBITIOUS
CLIMATE AGENDA IS MICHAEL
REEGEN, THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR.
HOW URGENT IS OUR POSITION AS
FAR AS OUR CLIMATE IS CONCERNED?
>> WERE FACING A CLIMATE
CRISIS, NO DOUBT.
IF WE RALLY THE WORLD, ITS NOT
TOO LATE.
>> Reporter: ALL EYES ARE ON THE
ADMINISTRATION AHEAD OF THIS
WEEKS EARTH DAY SUMMIT, WHERE
THEYLL ANNOUNCE THE NATIONS
NEW COMMITMENT TO CUTTING
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
>> I THINK THAT THE PRESIDENT IS
GOING TO ANNOUNCE A REALLY
AMBITIOUS NUMBER, AND I BELIEVE
THAT MOST PEOPLE WILL BE REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT HOW AGGRESSIVE
THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO BE.
>>
>> Reporter: CANT TELL US RIGHT
NOW?
>> I WANT TO KEEP MY JOB AND NOT
GET OUT IN FRONT OF THE
PRESIDENT.
>> Reporter: REDUCTIONS OF 50%
OR MORE ARE POSSIBLE.
NEARLY DOUBLING PRESIDENT
OBAMAS PLEDGE IN 2015.
AND THERES GROUND TO MAKE UP.
THE FAST FOUR YEARS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL DEREGULATION AND
INACTION HAS LEFT ITS MARK.
THE EPA IS ALSO PART OF THE
PRESIDENTS TRILLION DOLLAR
INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.
MONEY BUDGETED FOR
CLIMATE-RELATED PROJECTS IN THE
BILLIONS.
SO FAR, IT IS STRUGGLING TO GET
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
>> CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAVING A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR
EXISTING, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF
TRANSPORTATION, CARS, LARGER
VEHICLES.
THEY ARE A SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTOR.
>> Reporter: REEGEN CONFIRMING
HIS AGENCY IS IN TALKS WITH
AUTOMAKERS ABOUT TRANSITIONING
FUEL-BURNING CARS OFF THE ROAD.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO NUDGE THE
COMBUSTION ENGINE VEHICLES OFF
THE ROAD, WHEN THEYRE LASTING
10, 12, 15 YEARS?
>> WERE HAVING THOSE
CONVERSATIONS AS WE SPEAK.
IT IS OUR JOB TO BE SURE THAT WE
SET THE RULES OF THE ROAD, SO
THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT
OF PRESSURE TO MOVE AND GET
THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> Reporter: BEYOND HAVING THE
TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, TO SAFE OUR
PLANET, REEGEN IS ALSO MAKING
HISTORY IN HIS NEW ROLE.
YOU ARE THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO
BE THE HEAD OF THE EPA.
IS THAT SIGNIFICANCE LOST ON
YOU?
>> NOT AT ALL.
IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE.
WE HAVE TO PROVE TO THIS WORLD
THAT BEING A BLACK MAN SHOULD
NOT BE A DISQUALIFIER, AND THAT
THIS AGENCY WONT LOSE A STEP
BECAUSE OF BLACK LEADERSHIP.
>> Reporter: WHAT DO YOU THINK
CAN BE DONE RIGHT NOW TO HELP
ADDRESS THOSE ESPECIALLY
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THAT ARE SO
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY
AIR POLLUTION, WATER POLLUTION,
THINGS LIKE THAT?
>> ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND
EQUITY HAS TO BE A PART OF THE
DNA OF EPA.
SYSTEMIC RACISM IS A PROBLEM IN
THIS COUNTRY, AND THE
ENVIRONMENT HAS NOT ESCAPED
THAT.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE
THOSE INJUSTICES HAVE OCCURRED.
>> Reporter: AS FOR THE REST OF
THE AGENDA --
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT WILL
ESTABLISH DURING THE SUMMIT THAT
WE ARE BACK, AND THAT WE ARE
CAPABLE OF BEING IN A LEADERSHIP
ROLE.
SO THE REST OF THE WORLD SHOULD
LOOK OUT.
>> THE U.S. AND CHINA, IN FACT,
THE WORLDS TOP TWO POLLUTERS,
JOHN KERRY, PRESIDENT BIDENS
CLIMATE CZAR, RECENTLY MEETING
WITH CHINESE LEADERS.
NOW, BOTH COUNTRIES PLEDGING TO
ENHANCE EFFORTS AND COOPERATION
ON CLIMATE.
CHINA INVITED TO THE SUMMIT.
NOT CLEAR IF THEYRE GOING TO
ATTEND.
TOMORROW, I GIVE YOU A FIRSTHAND
LOOK AT GMS NEW EMISSIONS-FREE
REDUCTION FACILITY OUTSIDE OF
DETROIT.
>> IM SO GLAD YOURE DOING
THIS.
THE DAYS GO BY, AND IT IS EASY
TO NOT THINK ABOUT IT.
THEN WHEN YOU DO THESE STORIES,
VICKY NGUYEN EARLIER THIS
MORNING, SEEING WHERE THE
CARDBOARD BOXES ARE GOING, YOU
REALIZE YOU HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING.
>> MICHAEL REEGEN HAS A
7-YEAR-OLD SON.
HE SAID THE KIDS ARE REMINDING
THE OLDER FOLKS.
BY OLDER, HE IS NOT REALLY THAT
OLD.
>> ITS TRUE.
>> TO STOP RUNNING THE WATER
WHEN YOURE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH.
DOING DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE
CAN ALL DO.
>> EVEN JUST THE RECYCLING
THING.
ITS BECOME A THING WITH THE
BOYS.
I WALK THEM DOWN THE HALLWAY,
AND WE RECYCLE THE PLASTIC AND
THE PAPER.
YOU ITS THE LITTLE THINGS.