Dive Brief:
- President Obama's chief adviser on energy and climate issues, Heather Zichal, plans to leave the White House in a few weeks after five years of service, Reuters reported on Monday. She intends to take a job in the private sector.
- Zichal led the administration's campaign to cut greenhouse gas emissions, led the push to set tough rules on fuel efficiency for automobiles and was the architect of the Environmental Protection Agency's emission limits for new power plants.
Dive Insight:
Dan Utech, a deputy director for energy and climate change at the White House, could be in line to replace Zichal. He was an adviser to former Energy Secretary Stephen Chu. Zichal's successor will have the unenviable task of shepherding Obama's new rules to curb carbon dioxide emissions from new and existing power plants.