U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan pledged to help Jackson, Miss., with its water crisis after meeting with Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba.
Regan, Lumumba and Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim from the Department of Justice met Sept. 26 to discuss federal government actions to help with the crisis, a news release reported.
“The people of Jackson, Miss., have lacked access to safe and reliable water for decades,” Regan said in the release. “After years of neglect, Jackson’s water system finally reached a breaking point this summer, leaving tens of thousands of people without any running water for weeks. These conditions are unacceptable in the United States of America.”
Regan noted he made a commitment to prioritize the health and safety of overburdened and underserved communities across the country when he became EPA administrator, according to the release.
“That’s why Jackson was the first stop on my Journey to Justice tour last year and why I’ve returned to the city multiple times since, meeting directly with families affected by this crisis and with state and local officials,” Regan added, according to the release.
