In an interview with the New Orleans Times-Picayune, outgoing U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson reflected on her four-year tenure, calling the legislation to send 80 percent of fines from the 2010 BP PLC oil spill to coastal states one of her finest moments.

Between $5 billion and $20 billion of those fines is expected to be spent to improve affected ecosystems.

Jackson said the public will need to pressure legislators to accept evidence that some pollutants are harmful, and she urged more research into oil dispersants.

"I would say it's time for our elected officials to listen to what people want -- and that's clean water, clean air and a clean place to work and live and raise their families," Jackson said.

She said it was a "proud moment as a Louisianan to know that some of the most forward-looking work on restoring wetlands is coming from Louisiana," praising the efforts of Garret Grave, an administrator in Gov. Bobby Jindal's (R) administration (Bruce Alpert, New Orleans Times-Picayune, Jan. 15). -- MM