By CHRIS DICKERSON

WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — Lisa Jackson on Thursday said she will be resigning from her position as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.



Jackson

Jackson said she’ll leave the post after President Obama’s State of the Union address in January.

Under Jackson, the EPA introduced sweeping changes to air pollution laws. Jackson also was criticized her views on climate change, emission from coal-fired power plants and rules regarding mine waste in streams.

Many Republicans blamed Jackson and others for waging a “war on coal,” but environmentalists hailed her as a hero.

In announcing her departure Thursday, Jackson thanked Obama “for the honor he bestowed on me and the confidence he placed in me four years ago this month when he announced my nomination.“So, I will leave the EPA confident the ship is sailing in the right direction, and ready in my own life for new challenges, time with my family and new opportunities to make a difference.”

Obama praised Jackson’s work.

“Under her leadership, the EPA has taken sensible and important steps to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink, including implementing the first national standard for harmful mercury pollution, taking important action to combat climate change under the Clean Air Act, and playing a key role in establishing historic fuel economy standards that will save the average American family thousands of dollars at the pump, while also slashing carbon pollution,” he said in a statement.

Jackson’s successor has not been picked.